Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Star Wars™: The Old Republic™ Game Update 1.4 PTS Patch Notes



Last Updated: 9/10/2012

The patch notes published for the Public Test Server are not final and are subject to change. The Public Test Server Patch Notes will be provided in English. The final release notes will be provided in English, French, and German when the content is moved to live servers.

  • Terror from Beyond, a new Operation, is now available! Travel to the remote planet of Asation, where the Dread Masters have commandeered an ancient Gree Hypergate in order to unleash untold horrors upon the galaxy. Terror from Beyond features 5 powerful new boss encounters that can be challenged in 8- and 16- player Story or Hard Mode, offering some of the most challenging group content yet!
  • A new set of PvE gear is available! Dread Guard gear is now the most powerful PvE equipment in the galaxy. It can be acquired from deep within Terror from Beyond (Hard Mode).
  • Significant changes have been made to crowd control to address the amount of control a player can be subject to at once. See the Classes and Combat section for details.

General
  • The crowd control gameplay has been adjusted to address the amount of control a player can be subject to at once. The majority of this change comes from reduced ranges on a number of crowd control abilities, as well as some adjustments to area of effect knockback abilities. To complement these changes, some small Resolve system tweaks (found in the PvP section) have been put in place to polish the system as a whole.
  • The ground targeting reticule is no longer cleared when a channeled ability completes channeling.
  • Players no longer receive the error message "You cannot cast while moving" when moving, stopping, and then immediately using a ground-targeted ability.
  • When a player is defeated immediately after applying a damage over time effect to another character, the player is no longer occasionally put back into combat after being revived. 

Jedi Knight


General
  • Force Sweep's timing has been adjusted; the ability now executes more quickly.
  • Force Stasis has a new animation.

Sentinel


  • Guarded by the Force now lasts 4 seconds (down from 5 seconds).
  • Zen (Shii-Cho Form) has been redesigned. Now, while Shii-Cho Form is active, using Zen consumes 1 charge every .5 seconds, generating 2 Focus for each charge consumed.
  • Valorous Call can no longer be activated when you already have 30 stacks of Centering

    Focus (Sentinel)
  • Zephyrean Slash has been redesigned. It now gives Strike, Zealous Strike, Slash, Blade Storm, and Dispatch a 50% chance per point to reduce the active cooldown of Force Sweep and Zealous Leap by .5 seconds per point.
  • Swift Slash now additionally affects Dispatch.
  • Saber Strength now additionally affects Dispatch.
  • Singularity: Stacks of Singularity now additionally reduce the Focus cost of Force Sweep by 12.5% per point per stack.
  • Shii-Cho Mastery's armor penetration has been increased to 15% per point.

Guardian


Focus (Guardian)
  • Zephyrean Slash has been redesigned. It now gives Strike, Zealous Strike, Slash, Blade Storm, and Dispatch a 50% chance per point to reduce the active cooldown of Force Sweep and Zealous Leap by .5 seconds per point.
  • Swift Slash now additionally affects Dispatch.
  • Saber Strength now additionally affects Dispatch.
  • Singularity: Stacks of Singularity now additionally reduce the Focus cost of Force Sweep by 12.5% per point per stack.
  • Inner Focus now additionally causes Combat Focus to generate 2 Focus per point.
  • Shii-Cho Mastery: Armor penetration has been increased to 15% per point.

Sith Warrior


General
  • Smash's timing has been adjusted; the ability now executes more quickly.
  • Ravage's audio now plays reliably when the ability is used.

Marauder


  • Undying Rage now lasts 4 seconds (down from 5 seconds).
  • Berserk (Shii-Cho Form) has been redesigned. Now, while Shii-Cho Form is active, using Berserk consumes 1 charge every .5 seconds, generating 2 Rage for each charge consumed.
  • Frenzy can no longer be activated when you already have 30 stacks of Fury.

    Rage (Marauder)
  • Overpower has been redesigned. It now gives Assault, Battering Assault, Vicious Slash, Force Scream, and Vicious Throw a 50% chance per point to reduce the active cooldown of Smash and Obliterate by .5 seconds per point.
  • Brutality now additionally affects Vicious Throw.
  • Saber Strength now additionally affects Vicious Throw.
  • Shockwave: Stacks of Shockwave now additionally reduce the Rage cost of Smash by 12.5% per point per stack.
  • Shii-Cho Mastery's armor penetration has been increased to 15% per point.

Juggernaut



Rage (Juggernaut)
  • Overpower has been redesigned. It now gives Assault, Sundering Assault, Vicious Slash, Force Scream, and Vicious Throw a 50% chance per point to reduce the active cooldown of Smash and Obliterate by .5 seconds per point.
  • Brutality now additionally affects Vicious Throw.
  • Saber Strength now additionally affects Vicious Throw.
  • Shockwave: Stacks of Shockwave now additionally reduce the Rage cost of Smash by 12.5% per point per stack.
  • Empowering Rage now additionally causes Enrage to generate 2 Rage per point.
  • Shii-Cho Mastery: Armor penetration has been increased to 15% per point.

Jedi Consular



General
  • Force Stun now costs no Force and has a 10-meter range.
  • Force Speed now has a 20-second cooldown (down from 30).
  • Force Wave now costs no Force and affects targets in a 15-meter cone in front of you. This ability now executes more quickly.

Sage


  • Force Mend: This new ability allows you to heal yourself for a moderate amount. It costs no Force, is instant, and has a 30-second cooldown.

    Seer
  • Valiance now additionally increases the healing of Force Mend by 15% per point.
  • Egress has been redesigned. It now causes Force Speed to remove roots and snares and grants immunity to roots and snares for its duration.

Telekinetics
  • Mental Alacrity now additionally provides immunity to interrupts for its duration. It has improved visual effects to demonstrate this effect.
  • Telekinetic Effusion no longer reduces the cooldown of Force Speed.
  • Telekinetic Wave has a new animation.
  • Kinetic Collapse: The Incapacitation effect caused by this skill no longer breaks on damage.

Shadow


  • Force Cloak now has a 2 minute cooldown.

    Kinetic Combat
  • Elusiveness has been redesigned. It now requires Double-Bladed Saber Defense and increases the Force recovered by Double-Bladed Saber Defense. Successful shielding, parries, and deflects now reduce the active cooldown of Resilience by .5 second per point. This effect cannot occur more than once every second.

Infiltration
  • Infiltration Tactics: When Find Weakness activates, your next Shadow Strike deals 30% more damage and costs 75% less Force. This cannot occur more than once every 15 seconds, but each rank after the first reduces this rate limit by 3 seconds.
  • Celerity now additionally reduces the cooldown of Force Speed by 2.5 seconds per point.
  • Masked Assault now additionally finishes the cooldown of Blackout when you exit stealth. In addition, Masked Assault causes Shadow's Respite to reduce all damage taken by 25% while active.
  • Fade now additionally reduces the damage taken from area effects by 15% per point and reduces the cooldown of Force Cloak by 15 seconds per point (down from 30 seconds per point). Kinetic Field no longer provides this effect. 
  • Kinetic Field has been redesigned. Critical hits now cause you to build a Kinetic Field, increasing damage reduction by 1% per point per stack. This effect stacks up to 3 times. This skill is now located in tier 5 of the skill tree.
  • Situational Awareness is now located in tier 6 of the skill tree.
  • Deep Impact is now a 2-point skill with the same overall effect.
  • Humbling Strike is a new 1-point skill in tier 6 of the skill tree. It causes the target of your Spinning Kick to be slowed by 70% for 3 seconds when the knockdown effect ends. It requires Subduing Techniques.
  • Clairvoyant Strike: Using Project no longer consumes the buff provided by this ability. This change was made to better synergize with Spinning Strike during execute phases.
  • Clairvoyant Strike now correctly increases Project's damage with 1 stack.

Sith Inquisitor



General
  • Electrocute now costs no Force and has a 10-meter range.
  • Force Speed now has a 20-second cooldown (down from 30).
  • Overload now costs no Force and affects targets in a 15-meter cone in front of you. This ability now executes more quickly.

Sorcerer


  • Unnatural Preservation: This new ability allows you to heal yourself for a moderate amount. It costs no Force, is instant, and has a 30-second cooldown.

    Corruption
  • Dark Resilience now additionally increases the healing of Unnatural Preservation by 15% per point.
  • Fadeout has been redesigned. It now causes Force Speed to remove roots and snares and grants immunity to roots and snares for its duration.

Lightning
  • Polarity Shift now additionally provides immunity to interrupts for its duration. It has improved visual effects to demonstrate this effect.
  • Lightning Effusion no longer reduces the cooldown of Force Speed.
  • Backlash: The blindness effect caused by this skill no longer breaks on damage. The visual explosion effect now plays on the correct target.

Assassin


  • Force Cloak now has a 2 minute cooldown.

    Darkness
  • Lightning Recovery has been redesigned. It now requires Lightning Reflexes and increases the Force recovered by Lightning Reflexes. Successful shielding, parries, and deflects now reduce the active cooldown of Force Shroud by .5 second per point. This effect cannot occur more than once every second.

Deception
  • Duplicity: When Exploit Weakness activates, your next Maul deals 30% more damage and costs 75% less Force. This cannot occur more than once every 15 seconds, but each rank after the first reduces this rate limit by 3 seconds.
  • Avoidance now additionally reduces the cooldown of Force Speed by 2.5 seconds per point.
  • Darkswell now additionally finishes the cooldown of Blackout when you exit stealth. In addition, Darkswell causes Dark Embrace to reduce all damage taken by 25% while active.
  • Fade now additionally reduces the damage taken from area effects by 15% per point and reduces the cooldown of Force Cloak by 15 seconds per point (down from 30 seconds per point). Entropic Field no longer provides this effect. 
  • Entropic Field has been redesigned. Critical hits now cause you to build an Entropic Field, increasing damage reduction by 1% per point per stack. This effect stacks up to 3 times. This skill is now located in tier 5 of the skill tree.
  • Resourcefulness is now located in tier 6 of the skill tree.
  • Cracking Blasts is now a 2-point skill with the same overall effect.
  • Magnetism is a new 1-point skill in tier 6 of the skill tree. It causes the target of your Spike to be slowed by 70% for 3 seconds when the knockdown effect ends. It requires Static Cling.
  • Voltaic Slash: Using Shock no longer consumes the buff provided by this ability. This change was made to better synergize with Assassinate during execute phases.
  • Static Charges now correctly refers to the damage dealt by your next Surging Charge's Discharge.
  • Voltaic Slash now correctly increases Shock's damage with 1 stack.

Smuggler


General
  • Defense Screen: This ability's tooltip now mentions that it absorbs damage up to a moderate limit and that it does not break stealth.
  • Flash Grenade no longer has an Energy cost.
  • An issue that could prevent players from taking cover correctly has been corrected. This issue could cause the error "Unknown Effect Result" to display.

Gunslinger


  • Scrambling Field has a new icon.
  • Pulse Detonator's timing has been adjusted; it now executes more quickly.

    Saboteur
  • Hot Pursuit: This ability can now only be triggered once every 20 seconds.
  • Incendiary Grenade's appearance no longer incorrectly displays 2 grenades in the air. Some timing issues with the throwing animation have been addressed.

Sharpshooter
  • Trickshot is now usable within the 5 seconds immediately following Charged Burst, Aimed Shot, or Quickdraw.

Dirty Fighting (Gunslinger)
  • Wounding Shots has a new animation.

Scoundrel


  • Disappearing Act now has a 2 minute cooldown.

    Scrapper
  • Fight or Flight has been redesigned. It finishes the cooldown on Sneak when you exit stealth and allows Sneak to be used out of stealth, increasing movement speed by 50% for 6 seconds. It still removes the penalty to healing done and received caused by Disappearing Act.
  • Flee the Scene now additionally reduces the cooldown of Sneak by 7.5 seconds per point. It also now reduces the cooldown of Disappearing Act by 15 seconds per point (down from 30 seconds per point).

Imperial Agent


General
  • Flash Bang no longer has an Energy cost.

Sniper


  • Ballistic Shield has a new icon.
  • Cover Pulse's timing has been adjusted; it now executes more quickly.

    Marksmanship
  • Followthrough is now usable within the 5 seconds immediately following Snipe, Ambush, or Takedown.

Engineering
  • Calculated Pursuit: This ability can now only be triggered once every 20 seconds.

Operative


  • Cloaking Screen now has a 2 minute cooldown.

    Concealment
  • Energy Screen has been redesigned. It is now called "Ghost." It finishes the cooldown on Sneak when you exit stealth and allows Sneak to be used out of stealth, increasing movement speed by 50% for 6 seconds. It still removes the penalty to healing done and received caused by Cloaking Screen.
  • Advanced Cloaking now additionally reduces the cooldown of Sneak by 7.5 seconds per point. It also now reduces the cooldown of Cloaking Screen by 15 seconds per point (down from 30 seconds per point).

Trooper


General
  • Hold the Line now has more noticeable visual effects.
  • Cryo Grenade now has a 10-meter range.

Vanguard



Tactics
  • Pulse Generator: Each stack now causes 20% additional damage. This can stack up to 3 times.
  • Shock Absorbers now additionally reduces damage taken from area effects by 15% per point. Damage reduction while stunned has been increased to 15% per point.

Assault Specialist (Vanguard)
  • Sweltering Heat's snare has been reduced to 30%.
  • Incendiary Round's range has been reduced to 10 meters.
  • Assault Plastique's range has been reduced to 10 meters.

Commando


  • Due to changes in the Commando skill trees, all Commandos have had their skill points refunded.
  • Disabling Shot is a new ability that interrupts the target's current action and prevents that ability from being used for the next 4 seconds.

    Gunnery
  • Concussive Force: Stockstrike now immobilizes the target for 4 seconds instead of knocking it back.
  • Cover Fire: This ability's snare has been increased to 70%.
  • Charged Barrel: Each stack of Charged Barrel now additionally reduces the activation time of your next Advanced Medical Probe by 20% per stack.

Combat Medic
  • Kolto Residue now additionally snares enemies struck by your Kolto Bomb by 50% for 3 seconds.
  • Potent Medicine is now a 3-point skill with the same overall effect.
  • Frontline Medic is a new 2-point skill. While protected by your own Trauma Probe, firing Hammer Shot at an enemy now triggers your Trauma Probe (this can only happen once every 3 seconds). This does not trigger if your health is full.

Assault Specialist (Commando)
  • Sweltering Heat's snare has been reduced to 30%.

Bounty Hunter


General
  • Electro Dart now has a 10-meter range.
  • Unload has a new animation when used with a single blaster pistol.

Powertech



Advanced Prototype
  • Prototype Flame Thrower: Each stack now causes 20% additional damage. This can stack up to 3 times.
  • Stabilized Armor now additionally reduces damage taken from area effects by 15% per point. Damage reduction while stunned has been increased to 15% per point.

Pyrotech (Powertech)
  • Sweltering Heat's snare has been reduced to 30%.
  • Incendiary Missile's range has been reduced to 10 meters.
  • Thermal Detonator's range has been reduced to 10 meters.

Mercenary


  • Due to changes in the Mercenary skill trees, all Mercenaries have had their skill points refunded.
  • Disabling Shot is a new ability that interrupts the target's current action and prevents that ability from being used for the next 4 seconds.

    Arsenal
  • Afterburners: Rocket Punch now immobilizes the target for 4 seconds instead of knocking it back.
  • Pinning Fire: This ability's snare has been increased to 70%.
  • Tracer Lock: Each stack of Tracer Lock now additionally reduces the activation time of your next Healing Scan by 20% per stack.

Bodyguard
  • Kolto Residue now additionally snares enemies struck by your Kolto Missile by 50% for 3 seconds.
  • Warden is now a 3-point skill with the same overall effect.
  • Peacekeeper is a new 2-point skill. While protected by your own Kolto Shell, firing Rapid Shots at an enemy now triggers your Kolto Shell (this can only happen once every 3 seconds). This does not trigger if your health is full.

Pyrotech (Mercenary)
  • Sweltering Heat's snare has been reduced to 30%.

Companion Characters



General
  • Players can now use "match color to chest" for their companions, and can choose to show or hide companion head gear.
  • Companions no longer have their weapons drawn on the player's starship.


Companions


Gault
  • Memento Marketing: This conversation is now only available on the player's ship.

Lord Scourge
  • Legends: Affection gained during this conversation is now properly granted to Lord Scourge (instead of Rusk).

Tallos Drellik
  • The conversation for "Failure" now grants affection gains and losses correctly.

Vector
  • Agents on the conversation "The Lost Colony" now properly receive affection rewards for the dialogue.

Crew Skills



General
  • Several gathering nodes that were previously inaccessible (for instance, some that were underneath terrain) can now be harvested.

Flashpoints and Operations



Flashpoints



General
  • While participating in a Flashpoint conversation, using Esc to cancel a conversation and then pressing the "x" button to close the window no longer causes the player to exit the Flashpoint instance.
Operations



General
  • [WEEKLY] Deadly Operations now awards 30 Daily Commendations.
  • [WEEKLY] Galactic Operations now awards 10 Daily Commendations and 8 Black Hole Commendations.
  • [WEEKLY] Galactic Crisis Points now awards 10 Daily Commendations and 8 Black Hole Commendations.
  • Explosive Conflict now awards 10 Black Hole Commendations and crafting materials.

Eternity Vault
  • Annihilator Droid XRR-3 can now be attacked more reliably with abilities that require standing behind the target.
  • Characters no longer occasionally become invisible when moving through the lava tunnels.
  • Corrected the location of a misplaced Ancient Power Source during the Soa encounter.

Explosive Conflict
  • Ugnaut Engineers' "Firebomb" now correctly displays visual effects on the ground for the full duration of the effect.
  • The console that deactivates Colonel Vorgath's minefield is now positioned in a more accessible location.
  • Damaging Toth and Zorn too quickly no longer causes their health threshold mechanics to overlap (in all difficulty modes).
  • Chests in Explosive Conflict no longer contain Black Hold Commendations. They now have increased amounts of credits and crafting materials.
  • Bosses in Hard Mode now drop 5 Black Hole Commendations each.
  • A number of changes have been made to Explosive Conflict's Story Mode in order to make it more accessible for pick-up groups:



Toth and Zorn
  • Frenzy now increases damage less per stack.
  • Toth now waits longer before using area of effect abilities after jumping.
  • Fearful now increases damage taken by a lower amount.
  • The amount of time before Toth and Zorn enrage when one dies has been increased.
  • The enrage timer for the encounter has been increased to 6 minutes 30 seconds.
  • Damaging Toth and Zorn too quickly no longer causes their health threshold mechanics to overlap.

Firebrand and Stormcaller
  • The activation time of Incinerate Armor, Double Destruction, and Defensive Systems has been increased.
  • Incinerate Armor no longer increases damage taken in addition to its armor debuff.
  • Shield generators can no longer be damaged by players.

Colonel Vorgath
  • Probe Droids no longer use Cleave.
  • The enrage timer for the encounter has been increased to 4 minutes 30 seconds.

Warlord Kephess
  • The time before Baradium Bombers explode has been increased.
  • The damage for the Pulsar Power Droids' rail shot has been decreased.
  • Kephess' damage in the final phase has been decreased.
  • The damage from the Trandoshan Warrior's reflective shields has been decreased.
  • The enrage timer for the encounter has been increased.


Karagga's Palace
  • Bonethrasher can now be attacked more reliably with abilities that require standing behind the target. 
  • Proximity Pulse Mines no longer spawn during the G4-B3 Heavy Fabricator encounter in Story Mode.



Group Finder


  • Players participating in a Group Finder group now have the ability to teleport to the Group Finder instance at any point.
  • Players who leave an active Group Finder instance can now be returned to the location they were in when they used the "travel now" dialog option to travel to the instance.
  • Once players reach a checkpoint or defeat an Operation boss, they may choose to exit at the normal area entrance when leaving.

Items



General
  • A majority of offhand items can now be modified. Shields, Generators, and Foci accept Armoring modifications, and Vibroknives and Shotguns accept Barrels. Additionally, they can contain Color Crystal, Mod, and Enhancement slots (though the Color Crystal slot does not currently impact the visuals of the item). Note that there are some exceptions – not all offhands can be modified.
  • Bind on pickup and Bind on Legacy items can now be traded for up to 2 hours between players that were eligible to loot the item. 
  • Items purchased from a vendor can now be sold to any vendor for full purchase price (in commendations) for up to 2 hours. Stackable items and mission items cannot be traded or sold back for full value. The 2 hour time is terminated if a mod is added or removed or an augment slot is added. Bind on Equip items cannot be refunded (in commendations) if they are traded, mailed, put in a guild bank, or listed on the GTN.
  • Lockboxes' 2 hour timer terminates when the lockbox is opened.
  • The formula that determines extraction costs for modifications has been adjusted. Costs to remove Premium and Artifact quality modifications have been reduced substantially. The cost to remove Prototype modifications has been decreased slightly.
  • The Heavy Sonic Disruptor can now be drawn correctly by characters.

Missions and NPCs




General
  • Several cinematics throughout the game have been improved. In many cases, animations have been cleaned up and missing or extraneous characters have been addressed.
  • Some instances where the player would enter or leave a mission phase unexpectedly have been corrected. This could, in some cases, cause a player to become stuck.
  • An issue that could cause a glow effect to be applied to a player’s starship holoterminal several times has been corrected.



World Missions


Alderaan
  • Hive Mined: Imperial Mine Inspectors now run away and despawn correctly when freed.
  • Paladins: Players can no longer accidentally attack Duke Charle Organa while fighting the Wolf Baron.
  • Revenge Served Cold: Line of sight issues with the Thul Cryo Dragoon have been corrected.
  • Thwarting House Thul: Looting Deral Thul's Cybernetic Implant now works properly when the player is in a group.


Balmorra
  • Big Guns: Mission indicators now direct players to the correct locations.
  • Coms Away: The post-mission ambient dialogue from Fixer 66 now properly relates to the player's choices.
  • Data Corruption: This mission no longer progresses if the player cancels the action while uploading the virus.
  • Flush out the Snipers: Enemies for this mission's objective now have an appropriate name ("Resistance Sharpshooter" instead of "Gold Neerbray Commando").
  • Salting the Fields: Each player in a group must now use the Soil Devastators separately.
  • Storming the Front: The medical supplies item is now displayed in the mission tracker during the step "Heal the Wounded Republic Defenders."
  • Wild Fire: The mission log text now correctly instructs players to return to the Troida Military Workshop Hangar.


Corellia
  • The item "Anti-rad Injector" associated with Glow and Counter Eco-Terrorism now properly removes stacks of radiation poisoning from a character over time.
  • Asset Liquidation: Usable objective items and enemy NPCs related to this mission now respawn more quickly.
  • Coronet Shipping Invasion: More Imperial forces in the Coronet Shipping Docks now count towards completion of this bonus mission.
  • Counter Eco-Terrorism: Objective items related to this mission now respawn more quickly.
  • Criminal Crackdown: Usable objective items and enemy NPCs related to this mission now respawn more quickly.
  • Forced Labor: A Drall Engineer no longer runs through the force field when rescued. Usable objects related to this mission now respawn more quickly.


Hoth
  • Imperial Interference: This bonus mission is now the appropriate level (previously, it was lower level than its main mission).
  • Razing the Ice Fortress: The step "Speak to Seeker Kabath" now directs the player to the correct location.


Ilum
  • Darkness on Ilum: multiple encounters related to this mission can no longer be activated at the same time.


Korriban
  • Allegiance: Players can now consistently complete this mission while in a group.


Nar Shaddaa
  • Back Alley: This mission now correctly provides a lockbox in its reward choice.
  • Recruitment: The Jedi Master now spawns reliably.
  • Zero Protocol: The step "Return to Commandor Stron" now has an appropriate map link.


Ord Mantell
  • Take Back Drelliad Village: Separatist Defenders and Separatist Heavy Gunners now grant credit towards the objective "Dispatch the Separatist Forces."


Quesh
  • The Republic Commando and Medical Officer on Quesh now properly show mission indicators if a player is the appropriate level for Quesh.


Taris
  • Bashun's Bodyguards: This bonus mission now activates correctly for Imperial Agents. It is a bonus mission for the mission Cathar Assassination.


Tatooine
  • Shields Down: Players now receive kill credit for Shielded Mark V Junk Droids if their companion deals the killing blow.


Voss
  • A Selfless Act: Log entries for this mission now reflect the proper mission steps.
  • Dark Rites: Dark Mastery: This mission now correctly awards affection points for Companion Characters.
  • March of Time: Monument text now remains on screen for a longer period of time.
  • Signal Fires: Gormak Tower Guards no longer pre-emptively despawn during this mission.

Class Missions



Jedi Knight
  • Vault of the Gormak King: Players can no longer re-enter the Gormak Vault phase once this mission has been completed.
  • Weapon of the Jedi: Players who did not properly receive the “Jedi Weapons” Codex entry will find it unlocked.

Sith Warrior
  • Ambush: A Republic Strike Droid in Darth Vengean's Flagship no longer becomes invisible.
  • An Army of One: Players can no longer destroy Commander Naughlen’s barricade before they reach the mission step to do so.
  • Bringing up the Rear: The map note for the task “Defeat the Imperial Rear Guards” now displays correctly.
  • Choke Point: The map note related to the mission step “Rendezvous with Lieutenant Dargus” now displays correctly.
  • Distress Call: Halidrell Setsyn now has a mission indicator on the appropriate mission step.
  • General Durant: The conversation with General Durant is no longer forced upon completion of the mission step "Confront General Durant." Lieutenant Pierce no longer enters combat during this mission.
  • Power Play: The fight with Darth Vengean now only resets if Lord Draahg is killed.


Jedi Consular
  • Deep Cradle, Dark Heart: The conversation with Sophia Farash now triggers correctly.
  • Nightmares: The step "Find Doctor Kerrian" now directs players to the correct location.
  • Old Blood: The mission step "Enter Bekvalen Hall" now has an appropriate map note. Hollow Voice now uses the correct language.


Sith Inquisitor
  • The Dark Council: The step "Defeat Darth Thanaton" now points the player to the correct location.


Smuggler
  • Eco-Terrorists: This mission now correctly provides a Premium Skill Barrel 8 in addition to the reward choice.
  • Heist of the Millennium: The Droid head now has the appropriate model, and it is now more obvious that players are removing a piece of it.
  • Into the Fire: The conversation with Lokir-Ka no longer auto-triggers again if the player uses Esc to end the conversation.
  • The Endless Abyss: This mission now correctly provides a Prototype Artful Mod 14 if you do not keep the blaster.


Imperial Agent
  • Imperial Agents who are simultaneously on the "Travel to Nar Shaddaa" step of Kaliyo's mission "What You Do for a Partner" and the "Closing the Deal" class mission can now satisfy both mission steps by traveling to Nar Shaddaa.
  • The Assassin's Prize: Players can no longer accidentally leave Denri Ayl's mission area.
  • The Sky Burns: Players no longer see this mission progress until the beacons are fully planted.


Trooper
  • Public Relations: Sergeant Jaxo can no longer die during one of the steps requiring the player to speak with her. Re-opening the door after closing it during the bomb sequence can no longer cause this mission to become blocked. Players can no longer infiltrate Port Raga until they have spoken to Jaxo.
  • Welcome Party: Colonel Gaff's conversation no longer begins automatically when the player approaches.


Bounty Hunter
  • Electrocution: Jicoln's electric floor now properly stuns players, and its debuff has an appropriate icon.
  • Honor or Glory: The conversation with Toran is no longer forced if the player uses Esc to cancel the conversation.
  • Meeting the Admiral: The last step of this mission no longer directs you back to Hangar Bay 59 if you helped the Admiral.
  • The Alderaan Target: All companion affection changes during this mission are now properly applied at the end of the mission.

NPCs


  • The Nightmare Pilgrim can now be respawned every 30 minutes (down from 2 hours).
  • Intelligence Officer Breerdin no longer treats all alien characters as Chiss.
  • Corsec Blaster Droids on Corellia are no longer invisible.
  • Members of the Black Sun and Coruscant Security now engage in combat appropriately in several areas on Coruscant.
  • Several common NPC Boss encounters have had their loot adjusted to be more in line with their rarity.
  • Conquest Droids on Balmorra no longer attack other Imperial NPCs that enter their range.


PvP


General
  • Level 50 daily Warzone missions (No Quarter and March Them Down) now only require 4 Warzone completions (down from 6). Winning a Warzone still counts as an extra completion.
  • The Resolve system has been adjusted in the following ways:
  • When a player becomes immune to control due to Resolve, his Resolve meter will not start decaying until after all the current controlling effects expire (instead of decaying immediately after the immunity begins).
  • Players under the effects of a control ability now build less Resolve for other control abilities that target them. The exact amount of Resolve the player builds is based on the time remaining on the ability currently controlling the player and the relative strength of that ability's effect. If two stuns of similar strength (such as Electrocute and Debilitate) target a single player at the same time, the second ability would generate very little Resolve. However, if the two effects were applied so that the duration of their effects overlapped very little, each effect would grant its full (or nearly full) Resolve to the target.
  • A new Codex entry can be found in the Game Rules section to help players who are unfamiliar with the details of the Resolve system.

  • New Recruit MK-2 gear is now available. This gear replaces the Recruit set, which is no longer available.
  • Unranked Warzones now backfill empty player slots more frequently.

Warzones



General
  • Leaving a Warzone queue from the queue window now properly closes the "join Warzone" dialog.


Huttball
  • Frogdogs now hear voiceover when they score their second point.
  • The maximum time limit in Huttball has been reduced from 15 minutes to 13 minutes.


Novare Coast
  • The fire rate for each of the turrets has been increased from 8 seconds to 9 seconds.
  • Players are no longer required to press Spacebar to exit the loading screen before this Warzone.


Voidstar
  • In the event that neither team breaches the first set of doors, the winner of the match is now the team that scored the most kills.
  • Items that grant repeated upgrades of the same type are now correctly accounted for.
  • Power Conversion Module abilities now appear in the correct quickslot during Space Combat Missions for Imperial Agents.


General
  • The title row in panels such as the Guild Roster and who list no longer occasionally disappear.
  • The "inspect" window now closes when the inspected character is too far away.
  • The "promote" and "demote" buttons are now more visible in the guild UI.
  • Players can now set their moods, altering your character's facial expression. You can find these moods in the emote browser near the chat window.
  • Activating multiple UI panels in very rapid succession no longer causes the game to become unresponsive.
  • Players can now use shift+right click to equip an item directly on their active companion.


Chat
  • PvP messages (such as becoming flagged) can now be toggled off in chat tabs.
  • The description of the chat preference "Group Awareness Ping" now more accurately describes its effect. The tooltip now reads: "Plays an audible tone when your name is said in a Group chat channel. If you have heard an audible tone in the last 30 seconds, you won't hear one."


Maps
  • The accuracy of the Promenade map on Nar Shaddaa has been improved.
  • The map for the Dark Temple Approach on Dromund Kaas now better reflects the world.
  • Several areas where the map would incorrectly transition to a new map have been corrected.
  • Jedi Consulars arriving on Balmorra are no longer facing their ship door upon entering the spaceport.
  • The Dromund Kaas Nexus Cantina rest zone has been slightly adjusted.
  • The Fernell Research Facility on Balmorra now displays the correct name.
  • Trees and large moving objects now cast animated shadows in the game world. Shadows are smoother, and players will notice improved self-shadowing. Additionally, the shadow system has been optimized to increase performance. Players utilizing AMD Crossfire or Nvidia SLI options will see a boost in performance. To see these changes, the shader settings and shadow settings must be set to "high."
  • Several minor art issues, like floating objects, seams in the terrain, and issues with disappearing geometry have been corrected.
  • Many places in the world where players could get stuck have been fixed.
  • Several typographical errors have been corrected.
  • An issue that could cause display problems after changing a video card out has been addressed.
  • Players performing certain emotes while riding the Jawa Balloon on Tatooine are no longer teleported back to the balloon's start position.
Changes to the Grass Quality slider in the options now apply immediately when the player presses "OK" or "Apply."

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Thursday, September 6, 2012

1.3.7 Patch Change to Legacy Names ... WTF???



1.3.7 Patch Notes:
Legacy
Legacy names are no longer unique. New Legacies that are created are now able to use a name that is already in use on the server. All players will be able to rename their Legacies once, at no cost, in a future update.

As a player that worked real hard to get the name I wanted, I find this to be a real shock. If anything the change needed to be the other way around, making first names no longer unique, and getting players to use Legacy names from the start. With the focus on Legacy, and players having to play lots of alts, it makes it hard to define yourself in SWTOR.

I play a lot of PvP over my active 4 toons. I'm in PvP every day and no one knows who I am. There is a chance that people notice my Legacy name, as I use it all the time on all my alts, but now with this change ... it's gone.

I recently attempted to join a guild with one of my alts. A player who I had been PvPing against me, with a variety of toons, had no idea who I was and told me I needed to make a "name" for myself in PvP before I would be able to join their guild! That's a fair statement, but I am not playing just one character. With the Legacy system and this change, how are players meant to make a "name" for themselves now? You either don't participate in the Legacy system, and spend no time on other characters, or you never make a name for yourself.
Another issue will be people using Legacy names of popular players, stealing an identity of a good PvP player, for example, or acting like an alt of someone to unload a guild bank. Legacy names up till now have been a unique way to identify your account on a server and I think with this change it will throw the value of Legacy names in the trash. I know I will be turning it off because I don't want some schmuck copying me or people thinking I'm someone I'm not. The Force forbid some tool uses the same name as me and ninjas loot or upsets another player ...

I feel this change is a bad move for SWTOR and makes the Legacy name just another dumb title. What do you think?



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Wednesday, September 5, 2012

The Death of Hundreds of heroes... :(


This morning the dev team at City of Heroes announced that Paragon Studios will be taking to the skies of City of Heroes for the last time.

"In a realignment of company focus and publishing support, NCsoft has made the decision to close Paragon Studios. Effective immediately, all development on City of Heroes will cease and we will begin preparations to sunset the world's first, and best, Super Hero MMORPG before the end of the year. As part of this, all recurring subscription billing and Paragon Market purchasing will be discontinued effective immediately. We will have more information regarding a detailed timeline for the cessation of services and what you can expect in game in the coming weeks.

The team here at Paragon deserves special praise for all that we have accomplished over the last 5+ years. These developers are some of the most creative and talented people in the gaming industry. By now, we've all been given this news internally, but to anyone who may be reading this message after the fact; know that your hard work and dedication has not gone unappreciated or unnoticed. To any potential studios looking to grow your team; hire these people. You won't regret it.

To our Community,

Thank you. Thank you for your years of support. You've been with us every step of the way, sharing in our challenges, encouraging us to make City of Heroes better, more than everyone else thought it could be. We couldn't have come this far without you. I implore you all, focus on the good things of CoH and Paragon Studios. Don't dwell on the "how" or the "why", but rather join us in celebrating the legacy of an amazing partnership between the players and the development team.

Thank you, and I'll see you in the skies, one last time.

Andy Belford

Community Manager

Paragon Studios."

Friday, August 31, 2012

BioWare's Matt Bromberg discusses Star Wars: The Old Republic change to free-to-play

From Computerandvideogames.com:


"It was a producer at another EA-owned studio, Playfish, who once told me the golden rule of free-to-play is that you design the payment model and the content at the same time. Building a free-to-play game and then trying to figure out how to monetise it, he told me, is like organising a house party and inviting your friends at the last minute.
But EA studio BioWare Austin is attempting to prove the theory wrong. It has, in an act of desperation or perhaps opportunism, rebuilt its Star Wars subscription MMO as a free-to-play title.


CVG: How was the decision reached to make The Old Republic a free-to-play game?
BROMBERG: We looked at where the market opportunity was, and it seemed clear to us that a game as big and broad as Star Wars was well suited for the free-to-play model."

Read on


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All Your Atari Games Revamped And Free!

Are you ready for the time of you life? If your an old school gamer that remembers hours of fun around the Atari, get ready to experience the best thing on the internet EVER!!! All your favorite Atari games in Html5 and all for FREE!!!! Centipede new and Free!,  Combat, Lunar Lander, Missile Command, Pong, Super Breakout, Yars' Revenge And Asteroids!  All New and all free to play I just want to say sorry to all the bosses out there your productivity is about to go down!  Go Play Now And tell us what you think!





In this video, get a glimpse at some of the work that went behind the scenes in the development of Atari Arcade, brought to you by Internet Explorer, Atari, and GSkinner.com

http://atari.com/arcade#!/arcade/

Developer Update – Terror from Beyond

This Developer update looks at the new operation coming in 1.4 Terror from Beyond:
"The final encounter in Terror from Beyond pits players against a creature of unprecedented scale in Star Wars™: The Old Republic™. It’s easily the most visually striking encounter we’ve ever built. In Explosive Conflict, we took a gauntlet-style approach to the final boss, which worked very well in the context of a military operation. This is totally different. You get to fight something that is huge and otherworldly. The difficulty is highly execution-based, and the mechanics are very positional and fun."




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Wednesday, August 22, 2012

The future of The Old Republic.


If you haven't heard the news already, there are many exciting new developments coming up for Star Wars™: The Old Republic™, new Operations, new Warzones, new custom items, and new ways to play the game. Plus, Game Updates will be coming more frequently.

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Wednesday, August 15, 2012

The Grand Acquisitions Race World Event walkthrough

Guides are popping up all over the place so I thought I would send you some links!


 First off lets look at darthhater's guide: here.   The Darthhater guide at this time is Sith focused but..Please note that this guide will be continually updated as more information emerges and becomes ready for publication. Images will be added as they are available. If you see something we missed, feel free to chime in and add your thoughts in the comments section. If we use something you mention, we'll give you credit in the post.




Next up IWipe posted this in the forums: here 

Hey everyone, with all the buzz and hints from Bioware, I am sure alot of you are aware that there is a world event going on right now. If you are just jumping into it, you might find the whole event a bit overwhelming. I stayed up a bit late to do the world event and have a walkthrough here for those just starting or those stuck on some particular quests.

Lets answer some important questions first!

Where?
Just head to Nar Shadda (don't need to go to the fleet), take speeder from spaceport to Lower Promenade, find that big fat gold hutt statue and the quest giver (it is an object you have to click) is right there.

When?

The world event started on 3AM EST or Midnight PST on August 14.

What level do I need to be to participate?

If you can defeat mobs in Nar Shaddaa, then you are high enough to do this world event. if you are a bit low, then consider grouping up with some people!

How do I get item X?

Getting each item involves a quest. There are 6 quests you can complete right now and 3 that are unavailable at the moment.

Empire


Republic

What is this thingie I got in the mail?

That is a side quest that give you 40 Tokens of Enrichment upon completion.

The writeup for Empire version - A questionable motive - is up right now and Republic's Dubious motive

Where can i spend those Tokens of Enrichment?

http://dulfy.net/2012/08/13/swtor-li...erage/#rewards

Basically, 6 rilfes (some sniper, some blaster), a 90% mount, a sandpeople outfit (you can see the screenshots inside), a pet

A big thanks to Iwipe for all the links as we get more info we will pass it on!


Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Chevin World event!


Rumor has it that the Chevin are making their move and that their presence will soon be felt on the Smuggler’s Moon, Nar Shaddaa. The only hint we have is this Imperial News Network clip.

Please help and tell the galaxy that the Chevin will soon be in our midst.


Governing the Chevin homeworld of Vinsoth, the Chevin Conglomerate is a pervasive presence in the galactic underworld, with connections to mercenary groups, Hutts, slavers and other undesirables. However, unlike the Hutts, the businesslike Chevin remain at a distance from the conflict between the Republic and the Sith Empire, as their military might is negligible.

The announcement of their Grand Acquisitions Race brought the Chevin into the spotlight, as they offered unmatched riches and power in return for a number of strange items their own agents had been unable to find.
As fortune-seekers and adventurers across the galaxy sought these curiosities, both the Republic and the Empire became curious about the Chevin Conglomerate’s motives.

Soon the truth was revealed: the items being gathered were intended as a tribute to buy the favor of the Gree, one of the most ancient species in the galaxy. Through their contacts, the Chevin learned that a Gree fleet is returning to known space, bringing not only the normally isolationist aliens but their legendary technology. Although believed to be non-hostile, the Gree discovered hyperspace travel untold ages ago; a single piece of Gree technology is considered an irreplaceable treasure. For centuries, their influence has been felt only through their emissaries. The reason for their fleet’s return is unknown. Until now...


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Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Blizzard giving away free lvl 80's in WoW


Just got this email:

John,XXXXXXX wants you to come back to World of Warcraft® and included this message: " Remember the good times in WoW? I do, so it's time to come back! "

Upon your return you'll receive:


• A FREE upgrade to Cataclysm 
• A single character boosted to level 80

Plus:
• An optional FREE Character Move to your friend's realm/faction (for the boosted character only). 
• Seven Days of FREE Game Time.
You may need to re-install World of Warcraft, which has been made much faster with a new streamlined game client. 
Download the game client after you accept the invitation. 
See updated game guides for World of Warcraft. 

For more information on the Scroll of Resurrection of please visit the FAQ.
Enjoy your adventures in Azeroth!
- The World of Warcraft Team



OK thats tempting a free lvl 80? I might log in just to say hi to my old friends and see if my guild is still going

53 hours left in OUYA Kickstarter campaign.


This just in from Julie Uhrman..



Backers,

With 54 hours left in our Kickstarter campaign, this is a note to you and you only. It’s you--more than 50,000 of you around the world--that will get the credit for bringing OUYA to life.

You guys embraced OUYA early and believed it was possible. You didn’t sit on the sidelines. It’s something I will never forget.

Our goal now is to end strong. I realize that we reached our target (and then some!) -- but we also know that to truly enact change it would sure help to max out our Kickstarter.

Each reward of $99, or developer reward in a higher tier, represents an order for a console. All funds beyond that will go toward making OUYA better.


Wednesday, August 1, 2012

New SWTOR Content Coming

Alongside the announcement of SWTOR going Free to Play in the fall, five new bits of content are coming up. Dates have not been announced yet.


New operation: Terror from Beyond

A raid raid takes us to planet Asation to fight a variety of new bosses and to stop the rise of the "Dread Masters". This operation is one of the things that you will need to be subscribed for to experience. I've been having a lot of fun helping new players complete operations over the past few weeks. Sitting back and experiencing the story backbone of the operation is far more gratifying than blasting through content in an attempt to be first on the server, for me at least.


New warzone: Ancient Hypergate

That new planet, Asation, features here again. With the promise of "new game mechanics" the addition of another warzone is greatly appreciated for anyone who loves PvP. The benefits that Free to Play willbring to PvP are exciting. More players means more time fighting and less time in queues.

New space combat missions

This is a Godsend for anybody who likes space. I find space combat missions to be a great way to make credits ingame. Unfortunately, until now, there have only been a couple of viable missions at level 50. All the lower level missions don't make anywhere near enough credits to bother spending your time on. With 10 new level 50 missions this will no longer be an issue. If you're a Cybertech crafter, start stockpiling ship parts now!

HK-51 Assassin Droid Companion

HK-51 has been hiding in game files since before the game was launched. Players will finally be given the opportunity to participate in an epic story line with this awesome droid as a reward.


Cartel Market and Coins

Although at this time we don't know who is running this Cartel ... is it the Hutts, Bounty Hunters, or do the Jawas have their act together ... but cartel coins will be rewarded to subscribers, for subscribed players, the amount being based on how long you've played for. That's right, if you been a subscriber since launch, you will be paid for every month you subscribed for. Prepare to deck out your toons with some sweet gear.

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SWTOR Free to Play This Fall!


With this surprising announcement this morning from EA, the biggest questions are, how will it effect the current subscribers, and why is SWTOR going free to play?

Obviously many people will come to the conclusion that the game must have failed. As an active subscriber, with multiple toons, I can tell you that the population is healthy. Although it's not booming, it's greater than a lot of other MMOs out there. So why go free to play?

The free to play system is what we in sales and marketing refer to as a "puppy dog close". This type of close, as in the end pitch of a sale, is designed for products that a sales rep is confident that the consumer will love once they experience it. And once they have invested time into the game, they'll be more than happy to pull out their credit card and finalize their commitment. Now the free to play system that BioWare are launching for SWTOR gives you full access to the character story line, but only gives you limited access to flashpoints, races, auction houses and other crucial game elements. It also gives you no access to end game operation (raid) content. After you have invested hours with your beloved character, if you want to participate in end game content you will have to subscribe.


After experiencing more than 50% of the class story lines, I can tell you that this is a very strong sales pitch. There is no risk up front for any Star Wars fan to pick up this game. Free to play is going to increase server population and it has the potential to increase profit margins for BioWare. Higher populations means more PvP action and even more people in queues for flashpoints. This provides a greater experience for subscribers. Obviously subscribers will have certain advantages due to access to end game content that the freebies won't, giving them lots of easy kills in PvP - and who doesn't like feeling like a legend?

Rather than trying to cram everything into this one post I will explore the changes that Free to Play will bring to SWTOR over the coming weeks. Here is the official Press Release from EA:

EA Expands Award-Winning MMO Star Wars™: The Old Republic™ with Free-to-Play Option This Fall

New Free-to-Play Option Will Open Up the Critically-Acclaimed MMO from BioWare and LucasArts to Millions of Additional Star Wars™ Fans and Gamers Worldwide

AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
BioWare™, a Label of Electronic Arts (EA), announced today that it will be expanding the story-driven, massively multiplayer online game Star Wars™: The Old Republic™ by adding a new Free-to-Play option this fall. This option will give players access to each of the eight iconic Star Wars character class storylines, all the way up to level 50, with certain restrictions*. Unlimited game access, including new higher-level game content and new features, will be made available through individual purchases or through a subscription option.

“Players want flexibility and choice. The subscription-only model presented a major barrier for a lot of people who wanted to become part of The Old Republic™ universe,” said Matthew Bromberg, GM of BioWare Austin.

Jeff Hickman, Executive Producer of Star Wars: The Old Republic added, “Since launch, we’ve been listening to feedback from our fans and adding new content and refining The Old Republic at a breakneck pace. We believe we are in a position to help improve the service even more, not only by continuing to add new content, but also by expanding the game to many more Star Wars fans, increasing the populations on worlds and the vibrancy of the community.”

Starting this fall, there will be two different ways to play Star Wars: The Old Republic:
Subscription – A service designed for players who want unrestricted access to all the game features via ongoing subscription or by redeeming a Game Time Card. In addition to gaining access to all game content as our current subscribers do now, subscribers will receive ongoing monthly grants of Cartel Coins, the new virtual currency that will be introduced later this fall. Cartel Coins can be used to purchase valuable in-game items including customizable gear and convenience features that will enhance the game play experience.

Free-To-Play – 

The first 50 levels will be Free-to-Play, with restrictions on access to new content and advanced player features. Some restrictions can be “unlocked” with Cartel Coins.

As the first step towards adding the new Free-to-Play option this fall, Star Wars: The Old Republic will go on sale in August for $14.99 USD, including one-month of free subscription.

Current and former players will also find additional benefits as part of this program. BioWare will be increasing the frequency of game content updates, with the first of many new releases coming in August. In addition, current subscribers will receive Cartel Coin grants and qualify for access to special in-game items. Even former players who re-activate now will qualify for special benefits. To learn more about these rewards, please visit www.StarWarstheOldRepublic.com/FREE.

Star Wars: The Old Republic is one of the most critically acclaimed MMOs of all time, having won MSNBC’s “Game of the Year” award in 2011, “Editor’s Choice” awards from IGN, PC Gamer and “Best MMO of 2011” awards from Game Informer, GameSpy, AOL Massively, Ten Ton Hammer and more. The game is set thousands of years before the classic Star Wars movies, with the Galactic Republic and Sith Empire locked in the middle of an epic, galactic war. Players choose one of eight iconic Star Wars character classes, including the Jedi Knight, Jedi Consular, Smuggler, Trooper, Sith Warrior, Sith Inquisitor, Bounty Hunter and Imperial Agent, becoming the hero or villain of their own personal Star Wars saga.
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Thursday, July 26, 2012

Full List of Companion Gifts

Have you discovered how hard it is to search the GTN for specific companion gifts? This list will help you find what you are looking for! dont knoow what you need? Check out our gift guides for each companion here.




Courting:
Grade 1 - Gold Necklace X X
Grade 2 - Hutt Affection Token X X
Grade 3 - Authentic Tionese Cuisine Coin of Good Fortune X
Grade 4 - Formal Clothing Tashelin Serenading Droid X
Grade 5 - Personalized Holoportrait Zeltron Personal Aroma Set Gree Temporary Mind-Link Device


Cultural Artifacts:Grade 1 - Polished Meteorite X X
Grade 2 - Dubrillion Lizard Egg Hutt Feast Ingredients X
Grade 3 - Primitive Staff X X
Grade 4 - Hutt Banner Alderaanian Noble Heirloom Writings of the First Mystics
Grade 5 - Carved Runestone Signet Ring of Ancient Tion Memoir of the Unification Wars


Imperial Memorabilia:Grade 1 - Imperial History holo X X
Grade 2 - Imperial Battalion Flag Declaration of the Emperor's Will X
Grade 3 - Imperial Military Records Imperial Service Medal Moff's Signet Ring
Grade 4 - Philosophy of the Sith Code Imperial General's Dog Tags Decorative Sith Blade
Grade 5 - Sith Opera Collection Banned Imperial History Document Account of the Discovery of Korriban



Luxury:Grade 1 - Small Gemstone X Killik Silk Linens
Grade 2 - Polished Carapace X X
Grade 3 - Intricate Holosculpture Pre-Republic Platinum Coin X
Grade 4 - Tarul Wine Exquisite Cooking Spices Tionese Hovering Ornament
Grade 5 - Handheld Orrery First Edition Galatic Encyclopedia Intricate Corellian Speeder Model


Military Gear:Grade 1 - Survival Gear X X
Grade 2 - Complete Camping Set Improvised Demolitions Toolkit X
Grade 3 - Homing Device Personalized Thermosuit X
Grade 4 - Armor Maintenance Kit Encrypted Transmitter Multi-Spectrum Target Analyzer
Grade 5 - Premium Field Rations Gourmet Ration Pack Omni-Vision Battlefield Relay


Republic Memorabilia:Grade 1 - Republic History Holo Memento of the Battle of Alderaan X
Grade 2 - Republic Planetary Flag Official Draft of the Treaty of Coruscant List of the Republic's Fallen
Grade 3 - Republic Military Records Republic Service Medal X
Grade 4 - Replica of the Galactic Constitution Republic War Hero's Dog Tags Tyhon Explorer's Writings
Grade 5 - Canister of Coruscanti Soil Republic Senatorial Oath Holorecord of the Republic Founding


Technology:Grade 1 - Holoviewer Czerka Universal Translator Unlimited Access Security Breaker
Grade 2 - Hutt Data Library Miniature Chemical Disassembler Auto-Updating Astrogation Chart
Grade 3 - Droid Diagnostic Kit Kal-Reyon Experimental Implant X
Grade 4 - Expert Slicer's Spike VergeCorps Destablized Power Matrix Ancient Droid Memory Core
Grade 5 - Pinpoint Welding Torch Aratech Reconstruction Toolkit Vial of Gree Nanite Paste


Trophy:Grade 1 - Vrblther Skull Assassin Droid Hand Kilik Hive Queen's Mandible
Grade 2 - Sleen Tail Pantran Whitefang Hide X
Grade 3 - Nexu Claw Sterilized Rakghoul Claw Perfect Krayt Dragon Pearl
Grade 4 - Humanoid Skull Greater Cthon Brain Sith Lord's Mask
Grade 5 - Wraid Plate Galactic Crime Lord's ID Card Splinter of a Rakata Stronghold


Underworld Good:Grade 1 - Underwolrd Rumor Sheet Hutt Space Preemptive Criminal Pardon X
Grade 2 - Hutt Hit List X Experimental SIS Listening Device
Grade 3 - Military Contraband Quesh Venom Sample Honorary Hutt Cartel Membership
Grade 4 - Incriminating Evidence Tionese Privateer Contract Droid Override Device
Grade 5 - Fake Identity Documents Assassin Droid Target History Drayen Hyperspace Smuggling Routes


Weapon:Grade 1 - Ammunition Belt X X
Grade 2 - Padded Weapon Case Military Scope Set X
Grade 3 - Concealable Vibroknife BlasTech Ultralight Trigger X
Grade 4 - Personal Armory Locker Star Core Overloaded Power Cell Emergency Blaster Detonator
Grade 5 - High-Resolution Combat Recorder Energy Blade Bayonet Unique Rakata Grenade


A big thanks to Dakotahorn for starting this list!

If you have any of the missing gift names please post them below so I can update the list. Be sure to give the Rank, Color, Full Name and Category.
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Wednesday, July 18, 2012

C2-N2 and 2V-R8 Companion Guide

2V-R8 or C2-N2 join you when you first get your ship at around level 16. Imperial players get joined by the extremely obedient and loyal 2V-R8 and Republic players get joined by the pompous, pain in the ass C2-N2. Although both of them can be annoying at times, C2-N2 makes C3-P0 seem like an ideal companion. Bioware need to include an off switch on these droids because now that I've been playing with them for 6 months, it's getting to the stage where if C2-N2 implies that I am fat one more time, I'm going to feed him my lightsaber!


>With the introduction of legacy perks, Bioware have given you the ability to purchase equipment for your ship droid that increases their crafting or gathering abilities. To purchase the equipment you'll need to have the legacy perk that gives you a repair/vendor droid on your ship. For 100K each you can purchase the following abilities for your ship droid:




Engineering Droid Sensor: +5 Scavenging Efficiency, +5 Cybertech Critical
Exploration Droid Sensor: +5 Archaeology Efficiency, +5 Synthweaving Critical
Hunter Droid Sensor: +10 Investigation Efficiency, +2 Armstech Critical
Medical Droid Sensor: +10 Biochem Efficiency, +2 Diplomacy Critical
Scout Droid Sensor: +10 Artifice Efficiency, +2 Treasure Hunting Critical
Security Droid Sensor: +10 Armormech Efficiency, +2 Underworld Trading Critical







These abilities come attached on an head slot pieces of armor, allowing you to equip several bonuses on any one droid but not at the same time.



These bonuses are not as valuable if your droid affection level is too low. Below you will find a table listing all their favorite gifts. Using these gifts are the only way to increase affection with your droid.

Gift Preferences for 2V-R8

Love
Cultural Artefact
Favorite
Technology
Like
Imperial Memorabilia
Luxury
Indifferent
Weapon
Military Gear
Courting
Republic Memorabilia
Trophy
Underworld Goods


Gift Preferences for C2-N2

Love
Cultural Artefact
Favorite
Technology
Like
Republic Memorabilia
Luxury
Indifferent
Weapon
Military Gear
Courting
Imperial Memorabilia
Trophy
Underworld Goods

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Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Turning to the Dark Side brings new interest

You may have noticed that things have been a little bit quiet around here lately. To be honest, I burnt myself out a bit. I finished powering through the last of the four different Republic classes, Trooper, in order to unlock all four buffs for all my characters. Then I needed a break.


I found Trooper, with the Commando spec, to be a bit tiresome, not because Trooper was hard to play, it's just that I didn't enjoy the class in PvP and this was the seventh time that I'd been through most of the Republic zones. I did it a couple of times in Beta and I also did it a couple of times before I found my home on an Australian server.

Having a few weeks off and playing other games like Diablo gave me a well needed break and an opportunity to see what else was on offer in the gaming world. Diablo is back on the shelf and I'm back into SWTOR full-swing!

I've started playing a Sith Warrior and it's refreshing how different all the quest lines are from the Republic stories. Even though Imperial and Republic players might occupy the same planets, all the quests are different. For my four Imperial toons I am staggering across different planets to ensure that I have a unique experience with all characters.That combined with the XP bonuses on PvP and class missions will help me level my new characters without getting bored.

The story mode content in SWTOR constantly surprises me. It's just like a well written choose your own adventure. Even if you don't like raiding or PvP the solo story line is enough to keep any player going for a long time.

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The Many Looks of Elara Dorne

Complete Guide to Elara Dorne Customizations

Elara Dorne is the second companion to join Havoc Squad in your Trooper story line. If you're playing a male Trooper, she is your only romance option. In this guide I'll show you all the available looks for Elara, even though some of them, in my opinion, don't suite her personality and accent.

I have included large high res shots of each look in their slave girl bikini outfit and I've also included a high res close up of the face for each custom look. I also include the rakghoul customization which I received during the ingame special event last month. Although this is no longer available ingame, it was purchased in a random drop bag, available from the Jawa vendor on Tatooine.

You seem to get a better look at her when you're on your ship. The textures seem to be higher quality when she's stationed in the med bay compared to what she looks like when she's running around behind you.


When you meet Elara she is a proper spoken blonde with a British accent. Her character defected from the Empire and joins you early on in the story. Although you can change her appearance you can't changer her personality. At first she might seem cold, but if you're the right type of guy, she'll warm up to you quickly. She actually reminded me of my own wife in her personality and work ethic, not to mention the default looks. I've always been fond of blondes so I personally stuck with the default look.





I took Elara out to sunny Tatooine for her bikini shoot and like Carrie Fisher, she seemed to enjoy the activity.


The cntre two images int he collection of images above are the default looks for Elara. Unfortunately, apart from cut scenes, she has a helmet equipped, so the majority of your time you won't be able tot ell the difference between her and your other companions, no matter what customization you have enabled. To get around the lack of 'hide head slot' on companions you can get heavy armor headbands for Jedi Knights and re-equip them with the appropriate mods for a medic Trooper. This will allow you to see her face and have a helmet equipped.


Careful when purchasing your medium armor head slot as your companion doesn't have any specific class so any armor pieces that require specific classes like Jedi or Trooper, will not work on companions.


Customizations 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 are available from vendors on Balmora and Ilum.


The Balmora vendor, Guunta, is hard to miss as he can be found at the entrance to the main base in bug town.

Sargent Kdam is in the main base on Ilum.



Customization 8 is available on Ilum at the Ilum Orbital Station from the Security key reward vendor.



Captain Kneely is in the center-left of the Orbital station and is only available to players who have attached a security key to their account.

To find out more about Elara Dorne, including gift preferences, check out the Trooper Companion Guide page.



Don't forget to check out similar posts:

Our full list of companions and gifts
The Many Looks of Elara Dorne
The Many Looks of Kira Carsen
The Many Looks of Vette
The Many Looks of Mako
The Many Looks of Risha
The Many Looks of Nadia Grell

For information on customization options for other companions check out the other 'Many Looks of ... ' posts on SWTORFace.






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