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 Fansite Q&A The Niquisition

Site name: The Niquisition
URL: http://theniquisition.com/
Guild Website: N/A
Twitter: @The_Niquisition
Name: Niq Fenstermacher
Started: April 8, 2011
Type: Fan site, Blog, Video: Informational Blog,

SWTOR Face: In your words, how would you describe your site? Do you have a particular focus or interest?
Niq: The Niquisition is a personal blog about my experiences healing in TOR as a Corruption Sorcerer. It's also a "resource" site because, when I'm not ranting about class nerfs or raging about wiping at 1%, I'll be sharing some theorycrafting information as well as other helpful tips/tricks on healing in TOR. I'll be progressing through end-game hard-core so content and tips will be current and "advanced"

SWTOR Face: How many people work on your blog/site (including writers, editors, webmaster, etc)?
Niq: For now, just me. There are some ideas for guest posts in the future, but nothing I could implement until post-launch.

SWTOR Face: When did you start blogging (about any topic)?
Niq: October 31, 2010 is when my first blog post went up on my, now retired, resto druid WoW blog called The Grove. So it's been just over a year now!

SWTOR Face: When did you start blogging about SWTOR?
Niq: April 2011

SWTOR Face: What, if any, MMOs have you played?
Niq: WoW was pretty much my life, my love, and my lady for the past 6+ years. Thought, I dabbled in RIFT and EQ *briefly*

SWTOR Face: Are you attracted to SWTOR because of the gaming experience, Star Wars, or both?
Niq: Both. I've been into Star Wars for as long as I can remember. I didn't see the original trilogy in theaters, sadly, but I did see them before the "changes" and will always remember them as they were.

SWTOR Face: What is your most memorable experience in gaming?
Niq: My first guild, The Returners of Durotan-US. Oh the memories...

SWTOR Face: What was your first Star Wars experience?
Niq: After watching the movies, my older brother and I went to the backyard to have a lightsaber fight with sticks... I lost.

SWTOR Face: Republic or Empire?
Niq: My motivations are my own, but the Empire's resources better serve my needs.

SWTOR Face: What excites you most about SWTOR?
Niq: Lightsabers!!!! And evil healing *cackle*

I'm really looking forward to seeing this site flourish in the community.

SWTOR Fansite Republic Trooper Q&A

Site name: RepublicTrooper.com
URL: http://republictrooper.com/
Twitter: @RepublicTrooper
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/republictrooper
Name: David Souza
Site owners: David Souza & Andrew Muchmore
Started: July 2011
Type: Fan site, Blog, Podcase,

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

RepublicTrooper: We do indeed have a focus, and that is the Trooper class in The Old Republic. However, we also consider general TOR news and information to be of high importance to the site, and do our best to keep our readers up to speed on the goings on regarding SWTOR.

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

RepublicTrooper: We currently have six people working on the site, two of them being very recent additions to the team!

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



RepublicTrooper: Well, blogging, I’m not sure…I began writing articles about gaming in early 2000 and have been writing for some sites and magazines on and off over the past decade.

SWTOR Face: When did you start blogging about SWTOR?

RepublicTrooper: I picked up the RepublicTrooper.com domain a couple of years ago with the intent of creating a quality site for TOR. Time flew by and it wasn’t until a few months ago that I connected with an old friend who had the web design know-how to partner with to get the site rolling, and that happened in July of this year.

SWTOR Face: What, if any, MMOs have you played?

RepublicTrooper: The list is extensive…M59, Ultima Online, Everquest, Everquest 2, Earth and Beyond, Anarcy Online, Dark Age of Camelot, Age of Conan, Star Wars Galaxies, Dungeons and Dragons Online, Asheron’s Call, City of Heroes, Vanguard, Lord of the Rings Online, DC Universe Online, Gods and Heroes, EVE Online, World of Warcraft, Warhammer Online…to name a few.

SWTOR Face: Are you attracted to SWTOR because of the gaming experience, Star Wars, or both?

RepublicTrooper: Both, I tend to find value in different aspects of any experience. For instance, some games have great combat but horrible graphics, while others have great crafting but terrible class abilities. It seems that BioWare is trying to bring the best of the genre to the table and then add their own contribution to the evolution of MMOs.

SWTOR Face: What is your most memorable experience in gaming?
RepublicTrooper: Hmm, this is a tough one. If we’re talking about MMOs I think it was probably the first time I saw the Dwarven Ghost in the bowels of Unrest in EQ. Dwarves are my favorite fantasy race, and after playing my dwarven cleric for weeks our group finally made it into the depths and found out what was lurking deep below one of the greatest dungeons of all time. In regards to gaming as a whole, the day my friend convinced me to play a game called Starsiege: Tribes…which changed my gaming world forever.

SWTOR Face: What was your first Star Wars experience?

RepublicTrooper: Going to see A New Hope in a drive-in in 1979…I still remember the awe it inspired in me as a young boy…I think it made an impression, since I’m here over 3 decades later eagerly awaiting the next great installment of the Star Wars story.

SWTOR Face: Republic or Empire?

RepublicTrooper: Republic, though I’m not an Empire hater. The Trooper grabbed me from the start, mostly because it’s one of the heroes that is the most unsung throughout canon. Also, Karen Traviss played a hand in showing great depth in a class that was more of a one-dimensional backdrop in the films.

SWTOR Face: What excites you most about SWTOR?

RepublicTrooper: Truthfully, it has to be the fact that I think it’s the first title that has both the IP and talent behind it to bring people back together in an MMO in years. Friends and family I grew up with are scattered all over the place, and TOR has the kind of drawing power to bring a lot of people together to enjoy new adventures with old friends.

Additional Information:

RepublicTrooper has a variety of original content including:

A weekly fan fiction novel, Lost Tales of the Old Republic. A new portion is added every Monday. You can find them all here: http://www.republictrooper.com/category/lost-tales-of-the-old-republic/

A bi-weekly podcast, Combat Chatter. We do a new episode every two weeks. You can find them all here: http://www.republictrooper.com/category/combat-chatter/ or on iTunes here:http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/republictrooper.com/id468544020

A brand new forum system that just went live last week. You can find our forums here: http://www.republictrooper.com/forum

We also feature a variety of columns that cover the gambit of all things Star Wars: The Old Republic and, more importantly, the Trooper class!

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!

The TORrific Podcast Q&A

Site name: The TORrific Podcast
URL:  thetorrific.com
Name: Casey Tigue (The WizFish)
Started: September 2011
Type: Podcast, blog

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

Casey: thetorrific.com is a community website dedicated first and foremost to the TORrific Podcast, bringing news about the show and episode postings, plus some additional articles that are written about swtor and/or happenings of the hosts etc.

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

Casey: I am the only one that updates the website and writes articles- this is subject to change of course, but for now, its just me that keeps the site functioning.

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

Casey: I remember back in the xanga.com days, writing an "online journal" of sorts- not sure if this was considered blogging, but thats pretty much where I started. Since, however, I've operated websites that go hand in hand with my podcast network and the shows therein- examples include www.thetorrific.com andwww.playervsrift.com - more shows/sites are in the works as well.

SWTOR Face: When did you start blogging about SWTOR?



Casey: I started blogging about swtor when I started the podcast.

SWTOR Face: What, if any, MMOs have you played?

Casey: I started with World of Warcraft, like so many others- I didn't get the "full" MMO experience by starting with Ultima Online, or playing any of the previous games before WoW. Once RIFT came out, I jumped onto that, and I also have some experience with some free to play games such as LOTRO and CoH.

SWTOR Face: Are you attracted to SWTOR because of the gaming experience, Star Wars, or both?

Casey: First and foremost, it's all about Star Wars. I've always been a huge fan, and even if the game turns out to be "WoW with Lightsabers", I'm still in it for the long haul. Personally, I think that WoW is a great game, even today- trouble is, its stagnant and dated...with swtor, I get that change of scenery that I've been waiting for...and being a huge fan of BioWare, I highly doubt that I'll be disappointed in swtor.

SWTOR Face: What is your most memorable experience in gaming?

Casey: Probably when I met my wife on WoW- I know, sounds corny and strange, but it happens more than you might think. We're currently happily enjoying our life together, and for that reason, I feel like I owe MMO's, WoW in particular, a lot.

SWTOR Face: What was your first Star Wars experience?

Casey: My cousin Chris got me into Star Wars at a very young age- since I wasn't alive to enjoy the awesomeness when it first released in 1977, I did what I could, and became a die-hard fan anyway. I honestly can't remember the first time I heard of Star Wars...its a shame, because its really been a franchise that I've grown to love, and I would love to know when it all started. I must've been extremely young :).

SWTOR Face: Republic or Empire?

Casey: For once, this is going to be tricky for me. In WoW it was very easy for me to pick the Horde, and in RIFT, it was just as easy for me to pick Defiant...because I've always related to the bad guys, because the good guys were usually pretty lame. This time around with swtor, it's going to be very hard for me to pick a faction and devote all of my loyalty to them- In Star Wars, I've always loved the good guys, I rooted for them through out my childhood... I actually wanted the good guys to win... but at the same time, I loved the villains, and always enjoyed their stories as much as I liked the Hero stories. So, whats likely to happen, is I'll just be a pure altoholic- play one of everything, until I find the class that really clicks with me.

SWTOR Face: What excites you most about SWTOR?

Casey: I think the exciting part for me, is what everyone else seems to be dreading or complaining about- "WoW with lightsabers". I love WoW- but to have a game thats just as good as WoW, with similar gameplay and mechanics that I'm familiar with- AND have it set in the Star Wars galaxy...its just too much awesome for me to contain.