SWTOR Friday Update part 2 Imperial Agent Character Progression Video

As you progress in Star Wars™: The Old Republic™, your character will gain experience, growing more powerful and discovering new skills while also acquiring more advanced gear.

Through cunning, stealth, and ruthless tactics, the Imperial Agent has no shortage of ways to complete his objectives. Even so, as the complexity and importance of his missions increase, the Agent will have to acquire new skills and equipment to help him combat the ever-growing threat to the Empire. This video shows you a sampling of the many different armors and abilities the Imperial Agent can obtain as he travels the galaxy.

Check out the full SWTOR Imperial Agent class page here

Through stealth, cunning, guile and their discretionary use of violence, the Imperial Agent is tasked with performing the most sensitive and secretive assignments for the Sith Empire.

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.

DC Universe™ Offline free to play!

DC Universe is now Free to play and Sony has screwed the change over up big time  after downloading 13GB + to test out the game I got to play for 15 minuets and then the server went off line.. that was 18 hours ago this is what Sony are saying on Facebook  :

We are still actively working on issues with both US PC and US PS3. We apologize for any inconvenience and hope to have things up and running as quickly as possible. Thanks so much for your patience.

As folks have seen we have had some major issues today keeping our US Servers up and running. We are working very hard to correct the problem and we will be keeping the servers down until we can deploy new software to help us fix the issues....

Update:!!

Update from DCUO Exec. Producer: "We will be reopening the server soon. Although we do not have a fix yet for this problem we have added additional code to try and catch and diagnose the problem. I apologize in advance if we crash again, but know that the information we get will help to make sure we solve this problem as quickly as possible." 

It’s still fracked but we will just kick it and hope for the best!

If this was a once of I might give them some slack but with servers doing down up to 9 out of the last 14 days this is not looking good for Sony.

The forums and Facebook are full of angry players complaining about freeloaders crashing there servers, and to be honest I might be upset too if I paid for a game that then went free to play, and then crashed all the time.. But i didn't pay for it but I would not have even looked at it if it was not free to play. If Sony get their act into gear and get this mess cleaned up I might give it a run and if I do like it I would me more than happy to pay for it to enhance my experience.... but that a big IF...

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 Guild Phase 3: Deployment! Finalize Your Guild Now!

Gold post from : AlysonBridge

(Feel free to Join Squad if you want to join me in SWTOR)

Last month we expanded our Pre-Launch Guild Program with the implementation of Phase 2: Alignment, where guilds could designate other guilds as allies or adversaries. Now, as Star Wars™: The Old Republic™ moves ever-closer to launch, we are excited to announce that we have initiated the first part of Phase 3: Deployment!

Phase 3: Deployment will see any guild that meets the pre-designated criteria be transferred into the game for launch. Before we begin this process, though, we want to give all of you who are in guilds the opportunity to make sure your guild meets the following requirement for transfer:

Four members of the guild must have pre-ordered the game and redeemed their Pre-Order Code at the Code Redemption Center.(NOTE: We have removed the additional requirement for the guild leader to log in to the website and verify that their guild remains active and wants to be imported.)

SWTOR Official Server Types and PvP Rule Sets

Gold post from David Bass

There will be four different server types in Star Wars: The Old Republic. Here's how they work generally, and details on how we're dealing with roleplaying (RP) servers:

PvE (Player vs Environment) – Players will have to manually flag themselves if they wish to engage in PvP outside of designated Warzones and Open World PvP areas.

PvP (Player vs Player) – Players are automatically flagged for PvP outside of the designated 'safe' areas (such as Origin Worlds, Capital Worlds, and the Republic/Imperial Fleets; see below for more info).

RP-PvE – Players are encouraged to roleplay and act ‘in-character’ while playing on an RP-PvE server. Players must manually flag themselves if they wish to engage in PvP outside of designated Warzones and Open World PvP areas.

RP-PvP – Players are encouraged to roleplay and act ‘in-character’ while playing on an RP-PvP server. Players are automatically flagged for PvP outside of the designated 'safe' areas (such as Origin Worlds, Capital Worlds, and the Republic/Imperial Fleets; see below for more info).

The pre-launch Guild Headquarters currently allows you to select between three different server types for your guild: PvE, PvP, and RP, which will determine your server placement during Phase 3: Deployment. During Deployment, we will be placing all eligible guilds that select 'RP' onto RP-PvE servers by default. If a guild wishes to exist on an RP-PvP server, they will need to create their guild manually on a new server once they reach their Capital World (Dromund Kaas or Coruscant) and create their guild.

The decision to make RP-PvP servers an option for players was made recently, which is why the choice was not available in the Guild Headquarters to start with. We apologize for any inconvenience this causes, but we hope you are as excited as we are to be able to choose this option for your guild in the game at launch.

PvP server rulesets

We also wanted to expand on what the PvP server ruleset means in The Old Republic. The obvious overarching rule is that in general, if you see a player of the opposite faction, you may immediately engage them in combat.

The exception to this rule is sanctuaries, which are large areas where PvP may not take place, regardless of whether you are flagged or unflagged for PvP. Examples of this are the Origin Worlds (Tython, Ord Mantell, Hutta, and Korriban), the Capital Worlds for both sides (Dromund Kaas and Coruscant), and the Republic/Imperial Fleets.

Hopefully this post helps inform your decision as to which server type you'd like to play on at launch. If you haven’t already, create a guild on the Guild Headquarters so that you can get placed on a server before the game launches!


What will you or have you picked? I'm a PVE guy as I like to know I can steep away from the keyboard without getting ganked.. But I do love to PVP,

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.

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.

Halloween Photos at BioWare Austin 2011.

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