SWTOR Fansite TORWars Q&A

Site name: TORWARS
URL: http://torwars.com
Name: Jeff Hollis
Started: October of 2010
Type: News and opinions, blog, media, Podcast

SWTOR Face: In your words, how would you describe your site? Do you have a particular focus or interest?

TORWARS: We're a SWTOR news site, and we cover every aspect of the game. Not only do we update the site multiple times every day, we also tend to take a very tongue-in-cheek approach to everything. SWTOR is fun, and we think the news about it should be too!

SWTOR Face: How many people work on your blog/site (including writers, editors, webmaster, etc)?
TORWARS: We currently have a staff of seven. (This does not include our Twi'lek dancing girls.)



SWTOR Face: When did you start blogging (about any topic)?
TORWARS: David and Jeff, the co-founders, have been writing on the web for more than ten years. For some of this writing, they actually managed to get paid (much to the amazement of everyone!)

SWTOR Face: When did you start blogging about SWTOR?
TORWARS: They started TORWars a little more than a year before the game launched.

SWTOR Face: What, if any, MMOs have you played?
TORWARS: If you can name an MMO, someone on our staff has played it. This includes big MMOs, small MMOs, old MMOs, and MMOs most sane people have never heard of.

SWTOR Face: Are you attracted to SWTOR because of the gaming experience, Star Wars, or both?
TORWARS: Primarily because it's a BioWare game, and we're big fans of their games. Also, we're huuuuuuuuge MMO fanbois and fangurls, and so this is a very natural fit.

SWTOR Face: What is your most memorable experience in gaming?
TORWARS: Personally, I'm really looking forward to hooking up with a hot Wookiee princess in SWTOR. That will indeed be memorable.

SWTOR Face: What was your first Star Wars experience?
TORWARS: The founders (who are extremely old) both saw Star Wars in the theater in 1977. We then collected Star Wars toys, played a lot of X-Wing, read a lot of Star Wars comics, and generally refused to grow up, even to this very day.

SWTOR Face: Republic or Empire?
TORWARS: Empire. Evil is funner. More funner. Funnerer. Whatever!

SWTOR Face: What excites you most about SWTOR?
TORWARS: We've heard that slave bikinis are in the game. Making a fat male Jedi, and then running around in a slave bikini is pure comedy gold.

SWTOR Friday Update Part 1 Revan Sneak Peek

On November 15th, fans of Star Wars™ will finally learn the answers surrounding the mystery of what became of the redeemed Jedi Revan after the events of the first Knights of the Old Republic™. Drew Karpyshyn’s Revan picks up immediately after the events of the game, and follows the former Sith Lord as he travels beyond the Outer Rim to confront a danger that he can’t quiet remember, yet cannot forget.

To prepare you for the release of Revan, we are excited to present you with an exclusive look at chapters three and eleven of the book!

Sneak peek:

Chapter Three

Chapter Eleven

Revan hits store shelves on November 15th. You can pre-order Revan through Random House,Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Powell’s Books, Indie Bound, Titan Books and other retailers.

SWTOR Fansite Yufmelt Q&A

Site name:  Yumfmelt “You have failed me for the last time.”
URL: http://yufmelt.com/
Guild Website: Paragon-Gaming.com

Twitter: @Yufmelt

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Yufmeltcom/204196636282335
Name: Austen Courpet
Started: June 2010
Type: Fan site, Blog, Video,

SWTOR Face: In your words, how would you describe your site? Do you have a particular focus or interest?Austen: Yufmelt.com is a resource site where people can find the latest news and discussion surrounding Star Wars: The Old Republic, the first MMO developed by BioWare and LucasArts. It is also a place where people can find articles, video guides, and people who are passionate about both video games and Star Wars. Yufmelt stands for one of our favorite Star Wars quotes: “You have failed me for the last time.” Everyone that works on Yufmelt.com is a diehard Star Wars fan and enjoys the lore, games, films, novels – we love it all! Leading up to the launch of SWTOR we have focused on working out the look and feel of our website, and after launch we will be dedicating our time to creating more videos like our series Yufmelt Shot First and more articles for our readers to enjoy.

SWTOR Face: How many people work on your blog/site (including writers, editors, webmaster, etc)?

Austen: Yufmelt.com started with two gamers who had a vision of creating an awesome website encompassing SWTOR - Austen Courpet and Brian Chapman. Brian tends to handle the webmaster side of things but he is also someone who has great passion for Star Wars, gaming, and graphic design. Austen loves Star Wars, writing, and filmmaking, so it's kind of like a match made in heaven. Yufmelt has also received help from other members in the SWTOR community and from great friends like Eric Day, Patrick Purvis, Rebekah Courpet, and Adam Nelson. We are always willing to add to our staff of writers, video creators, and friends, so anyone interested should always feel welcome to contact us.

SWTOR Face: When did you start blogging (about any topic) and When did you start blogging about SWTOR?

Austen: While the minds behind Yufmelt have always been creative writers, our first foreray into blogging was actually regarding Star Wars: The Old Republic. It has been an interesting experience, and has taught us a lot about social media which plays a vital role in the SWTOR community, especially Twitter. It is amazing to know that while we started blogging about SWTOR in 2010, there have been others who have already been doing it a year or more before us. There are some really passionate people surrounding this game and that is a good thing for everyone. We hope we can contribute to that sense of community in our own way.

SWTOR Face: What, if any, MMOs have you played?Austen: I guess we could give you a long list of MMOs that we have played, but we've probably tested or played over a dozen or so MMOs. Up until this point World of Warcraft has probably been the one that we have played for the longest period of time, but we are quite familiar with all aspects of MMOs including role-playing, PvP, PvE, trading, etc.

SWTOR Face: Are you attracted to SWTOR because of the gaming experience, Star Wars, or both?Austen: Star Wars: The Old Republic looks to be the most awesome gaming experience of our generation. I know some people like to say that, “It's Star Wars, you have to play it,” but that doesn't make a game good. The fact that BioWare is behind it, a company that truly understands Role-Playing Games and creating cinematic experiences, should really entice people to pay attention to this game. Having played the game before launch at conventions, it was clear that BioWare wanted to redefine what it meant to quest in the MMOs genre without breaking away from the conventions that make it so popular. People like a sense of achievement, that's why single player games like Battlefield and Call of Duty have integrated RPG elements and “unlocks” into their games. It's why Xbox Live and Steam track player accomplishments. BioWare is going to be the first MMO that players are going to look back on and tell their friends, “You have to play that game, it has an awesome story.” I can't wait to see what BioWare and LucasArts have in store for us.

SWTOR Face: What is your most memorable experience in gaming?Austen: Sometimes the most painful multiplayer experiences are the longest-lived; however, it's when you experience them with your friends that they become truly memorable. Nothing can erase those memories of Guild Wars where we accomplished a quest with only two people by slowly killing one monster at a time, or the memory of trying to complete the last stage of a Left 4 Dead map with only two human characters for six hours, or the sense of accomplishment for being one of the first teams to take down a Raid Boss in Star Trek Online. If we're talking about single player experiences, completing a Final Fantasy game always seems to make it toward the top, and the Portal and Half-Life games bring gameplay and story to the table. Back in the golden years of LucasArts, games like Jedi Knight and Tie Fighter were also some of the best games around. Now together with BioWare, I think we're going to get the best of both worlds.

SWTOR Face: What was your first Star Wars experience?




Austen: For most of us gamers born in the 80's, the movies were probably our first Star Wars experiences. Because they were rated PG we could watch them at a young age, and because they were on video, it meant we watched them over and over and over and over again. The films left a strong impression on us about the struggle between good and evil, friendship, and of course about lightsabers and the Force. I think it is hard for most of us to imagine that there are people who have never watched the films.







SWTOR Face: Republic or Empire?Austen: FOR THE REPUBLIC!

SWTOR Face: What excites you most about SWTOR?


Austen: What excites us most about Star Wars: The Old Republic is putting together Raid (Operation) teams to take on the hardest challenges in the game. We are proudly sponsored by our affiliated guild Paragon of Paragon-Gaming.com. I think that after we play all of the classes and experience all of the stories that BioWare has created for us, we are going to want to focus on beating up those baddies that threaten the galaxy – and then make videos about them for Yufmelt of course!

SWTOR Official Information on Player Ranks

Just in form the SWTOR Forums!

xCOLBYJACKx asked:

I just realized something that I'm now curious about: Jedi in the movies were given military ranks (Commander for Padawans, General for Knights and Masters) in the Clone Wars because they took a direct role in the war and were responsible for leading the troops for the most part.

Since the Jedi are also taking an active role in this war, do they have the rank of General/commander as well? I know the two situations aren't identical, but they are somewhat similar at least in terms of severity and scale. Also, if all the Jedi are generals/commanders, does that mean we can boss Troopers around?

I suspect that all the Sith will be considered of higher status in some way than their non-force using cohorts, though to what extent I'm not sure. Experience counts for more than anything of course, even in the Clone wars, but the title still meant that the Jedi had the last say on most calls.


AlexanderFreed's Reply

Good question, and I'll just reiterate what most of the responders have already surmised:

Jedi do not receive any military rank or authority simply by being Jedi. If a Jedi is involved in a military operation, his or her position is essentially determined by the Republic authorities involved--a general might request a Jedi advisor when going up against a Sith Lord, but turning command of an entire army over to even a Jedi Master would be a rare decision. Jedi expecting immediate cooperation from Republic military personnel may get it--even in these relatively dark times, many people still honor and respect the Jedi--but such cooperation is ultimately voluntary.

There may be a few Jedi out there with military ranks, but they've earned them specially.

Sith, of course, are a completely different matter. Sith aren't technically part of the military hierarchy, but they are the undisputed rulers of the Empire. Their commands are to be obeyed. (But this doesn't mean an apprentice just out of the Academy can go around Force-choking Moffs. The military might not take action against an unruly apprentice, but his master sure would--and if she didn't, she'd be hearing from the Dark Council.)

The Art and Making of Star Wars: The Old Republic Out November 16, 2011

 As a big fan of Star Wars Art this is a must have for me! I should send the link to my wife as a hint for a Chrissy pressie ...

Publication Date: November 16, 2011

Star Wars fans the world over are buzzing in anticipation of what promises to be a defining moment in the history of multiplayer online gaming: the release of Star Wars: The Old Republic. The game follows the escalating war between the Jedi and the Sith thousands of years before the events of the Star Wars films, and its innovative design allows players to choose sides and help shape the history of the galaxy. This gorgeous, full-color volume features the detailed art behind this highly anticipated release from BioWare and LucasArts. With character sketches, interviews, and artwork featuring the game s new weapons, starships, and previously unexplored worlds, The Art and Making of Star Wars: The Old Republic is the ultimate chronicle of the newest Star Wars experience.

About the Authors

Frank Parisi , former editor at LucasFilm, Ltd., was the co-author of The Art of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, editor of Star Wars Insider magazine, project editor of The Art and Making of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, and has contributed numerous articles to GamePro and ALARM magazines.


Daniel Erickson is writing director for BioWare’s Austin, Texas studio. He began his gaming career as an intern with Next Generation magazine and is currently lead writer for Star Wars: The Old Republic.

Penny Arcade, equal parts comic and commentary, keeps its finger on the pulse of the game industry, prompting conversation and controversy alike from community members to industry experts. What started as a hobby in 1998 for Jerry “Tycho” Holkins and Mike “Gabe” Krahulik has grown into an online phenomenon serving millions of readers worldwide.

Halloween Photos at BioWare Austin 2011.

The guys and girls at BioWare got in to Halloween this year Star Wars style!

Finding the right SWTOR News for you!

Looking for the best SWTOR News?

At SWTOR Face, they not only want to focus on the game of SWTOR but also the gamers and the community in SWTOR. Even though the game hasn’t even started yet, the blogging and the fan sites certainly have! they want to provide readers with information about other SWTOR websites, blogs and guilds.

This section is going to grow faster than the Falcon on the Kessel run.

If you want your SWTOR site or blog featured here then contact SWTOR Face. 

Site Profiles

(SWTOR Face Profile and Q&A)

(Greetings Meatbag Profile and Q&A)

(The exploits of Mandaloriangirl Q&A)

(Darth Hater Q&A)

(Star Wars MMO Q&A)

(TOROZ Q&A)

Advanced Class Breakdown: Smuggler

Our Smuggler class Page has now been updated with all the advanced class information (also presented to you below).


Sometimes luck is more important than skill, but it never hurts to have both.

Lawlessness has become common in the wake of the devastating war between the Republic and Empire. Shifting political allegiances and marauding pirates have made independent space travel a dangerous enterprise. Cut off from traditional supply routes, entire star systems waver on the verge of collapse. An adventurous spirit who’s not afraid to break a few rules can make a handsome profit hauling cargo to these hotspots, but it requires fast reflexes, fast wits and a fast draw with a blaster. Even then, the life of a Smuggler is always a gamble.

Stacking up enemies as fast as they stack up credits, Smugglers only survive in this galaxy by being slick, sneaky and street-smart.

Advanced Class: Gunslinger
Master of the trick shot, the first to dive for cover and willing to
take advantage of every opportunity, the Gunslinger and his dual
blasters are the perfect team. The Gunslinger can shoot out a man's
legs to keep him from charging, blind him so he can't get to his weapons
or inflict serious injuries for maximum distraction. There's a right target for ending every disagreement and the Gunslinger knows them like the inside of his ship.
Tree: Saboteur
Teaches the Gunslinger to use explosives and advanced tech to sustain a longer assault.

Overload Charges
Instant Cooldown: 2 mins
Overloads all nearby Shock Charges, dealing 582 kinetic damage to all affected targets. Resets the cooldown of Cool Head, Defense Screen, Sabotage Charge, and Incendiary Grenade.

Stun Bomb
Passive
Targets affected by Flash Grenade have a 100% chance to be stunned for 2 seconds on taking damage.



Tree: Sharpshooter
The Gunslinger focuses on precise, high damage attacks from the safety of cover.

Exploit Weakness
Passive
Quickdraw can be used on targets recently hit by a pistol ability critical hit.

Surprise Attack
Passive
Rolling into cover has a 100% chance to make your next Charged Burst an instant cast ability.

Tree: Dirty Fighting (shared)
These tactics leave no trick off-the-table and often leave an enemy crippled or bleeding.
               
Heightened Evasion
Passive
Reduces cooldown of Dodge by 30 seconds. Dodge has a 30% chance to grant a speed boost to the player while active.

Cold Blooded
Passive
Bleed effects do 25% more damage against targets with less than 30% health.

Advanced Class: Scoundrel

The Scoundrel doesn't have time for politeness or a fair fight.
In addition to his trusty blaster the Scoundrel packs a stealth belt, a
scattergun and a med pack--everything he needs to get in, knock the
enemy for a loop and get out alive. Being invisible works best, but even
when Sith fly through the air waving Lightsabers all they get to do is look surprised as the Scoundrel's scattergun sends them back the way they came. The Scoundrel always shoots first.


Tree: Sawbones
The Scoundrel patches his allies up using whatever medical supplies he can scrape together.

Field Medicine
Passive
Reduces pushback from damage on healing abilities by 70%. Lowers threat of healing abilities by 10%.

Amnesty
Passive
Dodge has a 100% chance to heal you and increase your armor by 10% for 10 seconds.

Tree: Scrapper
Focuses on using stealth and the scatter gun to sneak in, take out the enemy, and get out.

Swift Kick
Passive
Reduces cooldown of Dirty Kick by 15 seconds.

Shock
Passive
Vital Shot deals direct damage when applied.


Tree: Dirty Fighting (shared)
These tactics leave no trick off-the-table and often leave an enemy crippled or bleeding.
               
Heightened Evasion
Passive
Reduces cooldown of Dodge by 30 seconds. Dodge has a 30% chance to grant a speed boost to the player while active.

Cold Blooded
Passive
Bleed effects do 25% more damage against targets with less than 30% health.

Advanced Class Breakdown: Jedi Consular

Our Jedi Consular class Page has now been updated with all the advanced class information (also presented to you below).

For more than 20,000 years, the Jedi Order has worked to promote peace and balance in the Galactic Republic, but each new day brings with it a new threat, promising to rip the Jedi and the entire galaxy apart. If the Republic is to survive, it needs leaders and visionaries; it needs the Jedi Consular.

Jedi Consulars channel the power of the Force for strength in combat and wisdom in diplomacy. Years of arduous training and meditation have sharpened Consulars’ minds to cut to the truth as cleanly as their Lightsabers cut through their foes. Whether unlocking long forgotten mysteries of the Jedi, raising armies to fight for the Republic or engaging in mortal combat with Dark Lords of the Sith, the Consulars’ deep attunement to the Force gives them all the power they need to rise to the occasion with poise and balance.

Advanced Class: Sage
Sages are famed for their wisdom much as for their powerful healing and defensive skills. In troubled times, a Sage brings together the insight of the past with raw power to change the flow of galactic events.

Tree: Telekinetics (Ranged DPS)

Affords the power to distort reality and move waves of energy, tearing apart enemies.

Tidal Force

Passive

Your Disturbance has a 30% chance and your Forcequake has a 9% chance when dealing damage to grant Tidal Force, immediately finishing the cooldown on Telekinetic Wave and reducing the cast time of your next Telekinetic Wave by 100%. This effect cannot occur more than once every 10 seconds

Telekinetic Momentum

Passive

When you cast Disturbance or Telekinetic Wave, there is a 30% chance the ability will produce a second attack that strikes the same targets for 30% damage and no additional threat.

Tree: Seer (Heal)

Allows the Sage to master the art of using the Force to heal and protect allies

Resplendence

Passive

Reduces the cooldown of Revitalize by 2 minutes. In addition, your Healing Trance crits have a 100% chance to make your next Noble Sacrifice not degenerate your Force and spend no health.

Healing Trance

Channeled:  3 secs Cooldown: 9 secs Range: 30m

Heals a target for 469 immediately and a further 469 per second for 3 seconds.

Tree: Balance (shared) 

Enhances the Sage’s Force attacks and augments the Shadow\'s Force and Lightsaber abilities.

Containment

Passive

Lowers the cast time of Force Lift by 100%. In addition, when your Force Lift breaks early from damage, the target is stunned for 2 seconds.

Presence of Mind

Passive

When your Telekinetic Throw deals damage, you have a 30% chance to cause your next Force damaging attack with a cast time to cast instantly and deal 20% more damage.

Advanced Class: Shadow

Wielding double-bladed Lightsabers, Shadows embrace the synergy between melee and Force combat, enabling them to strike down enemies of the Order with deadly efficiency.

Tree: Infiltration (Melee DPS)

Masters of stealth, these Shadows use positional attacks and surprise to defeat foes.

Shadow's Respite

Passive

While in stealth mode and for 6 seconds after leaving stealth mode, all damage dealt is increased by 10% and the rate at which your force regenerates is increased by 50%.

Infiltration Tactics

Passive

Direct damage attacks have a 30% chance to grant Find Weakness, causing your next Shadow Strike to ignore 50% of the target\'s armor and cost 50% less force. Cannot occur more than once every 10 seconds.

Tree: Kinetic Combat  (Tank)

Uses the double-bladed Lightsaber defensively to protect the Shadow and his allies

Particle Acceleration

Passive

Double Strike and Whirling Blow have a 50% chance to reset the cooldown on Project and make your next Project a critical hit.

Spinning Kick

Instant Cooldown: 30 secs Range: 4m

Perform a spin kick that deals 560 kinetic damage and stuns the target for 3 seconds.

Tree: Balance (shared) 

Enhances the Sage’s Force attacks and augments the Shadow\'s Force and Lightsaber abilities.

Containment

Passive

Lowers the cast time of Force Lift by 100%. In addition, when your Force Lift breaks early from damage, the target is stunned for 2 seconds.

Presence of Mind

Passive

When your Telekinetic Throw deals damage, you have a 30% chance to cause your next Force damaging attack with a cast time to cast instantly and deal 20% more damage.