TOR on Preorder

[Vilidius]

Surprised there isn't a topic about this yet, but Star Wars is now available for pre-order, as of late last evening.  Is there still a sizable contingent from Saga intending to play there?

[Titia]

Got the mail from SW:TOR today... collector edition pre-ordered.. expected availability in France is December

[Grimaldo]

From CNET.com:

A slight disturbance in the Force was felt this morning after BioWare, LucasArts, and EA announced that Jedi and Sith everywhere can now preorder Star Wars: The Old Republic for a limited time.

Three versions of the highly anticipated MMORPG are available: Standard ($59), Digital Deluxe ($79), and the whopping Collector's Edition ($149). A pre-order FAQ answers some common questions for curious padawans. Those who order soon get access to the virtual world early and obtain special items to make questing easier.

Star Wars fans have clamored for the title since its reveal in late 2008, with an expected release date later this year. According to the official pre-order site, here is a breakdown of the three editions:
(Credit: BioWare/LucasArts)

    The Standard Edition of Star Wars: The Old Republic comes with all the essentials you'll need to get into the game, including the game software and 30 days of game time. The Standard Edition will be available in both physical copies that will be sold at most video game retailers, and a digital edition that's exclusive to Origin.com.

(Credit: BioWare/LucasArts)

    The Digital Deluxe Edition of Star Wars: The Old Republic is available exclusively through Origin and comes with both the game software and 30 days of game time. In addition, the Digital Deluxe Edition of Star Wars: The Old Republic comes with the following digital items that your characters can use in the game:

        Flare Gun: Fires flares into the air.
        Training Droid: Hovers at your side for combat assistance.
        HoloDancer: Project your own holographic dancer.
        HoloCam: Keep visual records of in-game adventures.
        STAP (Single Trooper Aerial Platform): Sleek and unique in-game vehicle.

(Credit: BioWare/LucasArts)

    The limited Collector's Edition of Star Wars: The Old Republic can only be purchased physically. Packaged with 30 days of game time and all the virtual items included in the Digital Deluxe Edition, the Collector's Edition comes with a number of physical and digital collector's items you can't get anywhere else:

        The Journal of Master Gnost-Dural: 111 pages of notes and sketches by the revered Jedi Master from the early years of the Great Hyperspace War between the Galactic Republic and the Sith Empire. Features never-before-seen artwork and all-new information.
        Darth Malgus statue: The villainous Darth Malgus comes to life with this exclusive 9-inch collectible statue from Gentle Giant studios.
        The Old Republic Galaxy Map: 14-by-20-inch at-a-glance look at the known galaxy.
        Security Authentication Key Fob: Keep your Lightsaber and credits safe with this custom Security Authentication Key Fob for your game account.
        Music of Star Wars: The Old Republic CD: 17 orchestral music tracks from The Old Republic.
        Star Wars: The Old Republic game: The full Star Wars: The Old Republic game on DVD-ROM in a collectible metal case.

    The following virtual in-game items are exclusive to the Collector's Edition:

        Exclusive Mouse Droid: A faithful droid to join you on your adventures.
        Exclusive Collector's Edition Store: Unique in-game store with a dynamic array of items to assist you from your humble beginnings through your journey to become a galactic legend.

There's little doubt this will be one of the biggest Star Wars games in recent memory, picking up the pieces from the recently marked-for-death Star Wars Galaxies MMORPG. Galaxies, run by Sony Online Entertainment, had an incredible rise in popularity, only to fall from grace after a series of changes to gameplay. Could SW:TOR refresh a stagnant MMORPG market, one that has been dominated by World of Warcraft for years?

Full article: http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20081389-1/star-wars-the-old-republic-preorders-now-available/#ixzz1SlzdDnNH

[Askari]

I'll be giving it a try. Of course... I give almost every major MMO a try at some point or another.   

To be honest, I don't have the highest expectations for SWTOR.

On one hand I would DIE for a good, deep sci-fi MMO (with a fun harvesting/tradeskill system, housing, server-wide objectives, a very long/customizable character development, dynamic zone events, etc). Like if you could mash together EvE and Anarchy Online, then update it and add all of today's bells and whistles...

But on the other hand, I worry that this game will be the kind where I just devour the story arc in several weeks and then move on to the next thing.

Either way, I'll be there!   

[Vilidius]

I'm gonna tread -real- lightly here.  I flirted with FFXIV only to be deathly disappointed.  I sincerely tried to like Rift but I just wasn't feeling it.  I've stuck with DCUO so far but I'm with a PvP crowd there (the arcade style of DCUO suits it, and there's no challenge in the PvE endgame) and I know there's no way Saga would entertain a PvP server - not even a PvP RP server...

So the upshot is that even though I'll be playing TOR (at least enough to try it) I don't know if I can/should commit to joining Saga there.  I'm interested to know what the population might look like and whether there's appitite to build.  I have to admit, I'm motivated to avoid being part of a "nub" guild.  Just went through that in DCUO where the multi-game guild I was a part of slowly dried up and lost interest.  The few of us left joined a great bunch of mostly Aussies.  But I was newly reminded that it's no fun to be part of a small small guild - no matter how awesome the players may be.

[Titia]

Indeed, PvP is not the way of Saga but.. personnaly speaking I'm considering having some of my characters on a PvP RP server in TOR. It'll all depend on the PvP mechanic in game.

As for small guild, I once remember Saga being 30+ strong in EQ and maybe EQ2. As we used to say, it'll be time to make new friends

[Askari]

Hmm, just read a news article saying the preorder of the Collector's Edition has already sold out...   

Hopefully they'll throw together some "digital download special edition", with an in-game mount. That was the main reason I'd be eye-balling paying more up front.

And yeah Valquiss, nobody but me was into Fallen Earth when it came out, so I joined "The Older Gamers", which is a big cross-game/platform gaming community that's heavy on the Aussies. They weren't much into roleplaying, but they sure were a hoot to play with!

[Mixxi]

My son is beta-ing it. He and I are both pre-ordering it.

Can hardly wait, and am hoping it's as good as I want it to be.

--Mixxi

[Scrib]

I won't be trying TOR.

[Vilidius]

Curious about some thoughts on the subject of a Saga guild in TOR then.  I'm shopping for a home for at least myself in TOR, almost certainly a friend (RL that I'm playing DCUO with) and maybe other ingame friends.

What I'm not sure about, and never quite have been, are Saga's policies about expansion in new games.  'Cause really, being part of a small family is depressing.  If we can be flexible about inviting new people in I think this is where I'd like to be, but I'm also interested in hearing more thoughts on the matter.

Note, btw, that I'm a bit more interested in the subject because I've just been burned in DCUO by this same problem.  Joined the local incarnation of a larger guild which was, on the one hand, not terribly active in the game itself but on the other tried to control by remote the tone and nature of the guild in DCUO.  I've never been quite sure where Saga stands on such things or how much local autonomy is being exercised.  I'm sure Rift suggests a ready example ... how are things going there with new guildies (if any) who are only in Rift and new to Saga...?

[PinkRose]

The following is my opinion and has no more weight then any other member of Saga.
At one time, An ironfisted Guildleader tried to run all guilds the same as what Saga was in EQ.
But in more recent time, it does seem that a Saga guild should be more autonomous depending on the game.
Saga has had an "evil" guild in WoW and now in RIFT. PVP has never been a part of Saga. But that isn't to say that it can't be for TOR if the founding members feel that is the best fit. By going PvP we may exclude some people, but at the same time I know for a fact that going PvE would exclude some as well.
For me, PvP goes against what Saga stands for, but then so do Necromancers or Orcs, so I say play what you want. It might be nice to have a purpose to protect those that don't want to PvP in Saga.
Thoughts?

[Askari]

I love all the folks I've met in Saga. I met some of you when I was the gnomish enchanter Fnortner of Lux Aeternam on Firiona Vie, as part of the multi-guild "Fellowship". I first joined Saga as Askari, the elven-paladin, camel-riding diplomat in Vanguard. And was most active in EQ2 as Panacea/Arkturo in a couple short bursts when I returned to that game for awhile.

But I have a serious issue with Saga... and it's about time I get it off my chest! There aren't enough of you lovely folks. I need more cowbell!

   

So Valquiss, my honest answer to your probes about TOR membership/plans is the following:

I will review TOR's game design shortly before release and try to guess if it's a game I will devour in several weeks and then get bored, or if it's a game with enough endgame content and/or re-playability to keep me interested for several months. If it looks like a short game I will follow wherever folks from this board roam.

But if TOR looks like a game with some staying power and endgame appeal, I will likely try to hook up with a larger guild. You can't have an MMO without the "multiplayer" aspect, and there just aren't enough of us sharing the same game at the same time.

As usual, I'll be heading to a PvE-RP server. And my main will definitely be a Jedi. I like dabbling in evil, and I'll definitely have a Sith alt, but I never grow as attached to evil characters as I do to my good characters.

If some of you folks want to step up and take on the task of growing Saga as a "PvE RP - Jedi" guild when TOR starts, that would make me very happy. But I'm horrible at recruiting and personnel issues. I'm too shy around strangers and have too little patience for drama.

Of course, if Darth Whiffle makes an appearance <glances in Jasyn's direction>... I will be tempted to follow him as my Sith lord and master and obey his every command.

[Lyrima]

Can pretty much guarantee I won't be in TOR.  No interest at all

If / when I game, it will be in RIFT.

[Mixxi]

I'll probably have characters on PvP and PvE since I like PvE but my family excels at RP-PvP. I'd also like to join a larger guild or at least grow a little guild to larger size.  Saga's size in EQ1 was OK, especially since we had the Fellowship. Once ToR has been open for a while, there's always the chance to create something like that. Might not be a bad idea in Rift, either. I see a LOT of little guilds there.

I have no clue how large Saga got in EQ2, so I'll leave this discussion to people who have experienced Saga in-game in more games than EQ1 and Rift.

That said, I would love to find out where people end up server/guild wise if they aren't in Saga. I'd hate to lose track of folks just when I've stumbled across them again.

--Mixxi (Carol)

[Jezerai]

I am leaning towards TOR, but haven't made up my mind yet.  Like Askari, I love Saga but find it can be a bit lonely a lot of the time.  I just need more IC interaction to really immerse myself in a game.  But I have found that the Saga style of RP, which is my favorite, is not something that you can easily find in other guilds.  I'm just not that into "spatial" RP.  I get bored sitting in taverns and the storylines I have found there seem to be over-dramatic and have a soap-opera tinge that I am not fond of.  That seems to be what passes as RP much of the time.

[Alirrin]

But I have found that the Saga style of RP, which is my favorite, is not something that you can easily find in other guilds.  I'm just not that into "spatial" RP.  I get bored sitting in taverns and the storylines I have found there seem to be over-dramatic and have a soap-opera tinge that I am not fond of.  That seems to be what passes as RP much of the time.

This.

I can only take "tavern" RP for brief periods. I love RPing in groups while questing/dungeoning, and guild channel RP. Like everyone else, I am saddened that we don't have the critical mass needed to be able to have groups to do things with regularly, but just haven't found other groups that give me what I want either, so I make do.

TOR doesn't really grab my interest, but if there were to be a free trial at some point, I might give it a spin.

[Jasyn]

Of course, if Darth Whiffle makes an appearance <glances in Jasyn's direction>... I will be tempted to follow him as my Sith lord and master and obey his every command.

If gnomes ever join the Empire in TOR, then maaaybe... I'm I sci-fi fan, but oddly enough, I've never had much luck getting sucked into it as my genre of choice for gaming.  For the nonce, Rift is my home.  For various and sundry reasons, I've been happier there than I've been anywhere else in quite some time although maybe not quite to the same levels of bliss I reached in the EQ/EQ2 heydays.

[Vilidius]

Hmm, well, I'm glad to have started this conversation because it might lead somewhere interesting.  Here are a few thoughts.

First, I'm sorry to have mixed this conversation up with discussion of PvP.  If I wanted the most possible friendlies in one place it wouldn't be a PvP server.  I anticipate we may have a significant contingent who enjoy PvP in arenas and whatnot, but I can't imagine Saga would ever be on a free for all PvP ruleset server.

Second, I'm not surprised I hit on target here.  Over time, any core of players gets a bit calcified.  No one wants to prod old friendships or rock the boat, and as a consequence we avoid destabilizing influences ... like significant recruitment.  =)  But that just invites the opposite problem, and we stagnate.

Third, the obvious answer IS to go somewhere more populated.  But that just means you're gaming entirely with new folks and that's less fun than adding new folks to the remaining active friends.  What really happened for me in DCUO, which is meaningless here but instructive, is that I took what was left of that old guild (all of four players) and folded them into another guild.  The combination is wonderful.  We have critical mass, yes, but also a touch of home.

So my conclusion would be ... we either need to have Saga all in one place but not in Saga, or else open Saga so much in TOR (under whatever name we may use) that we knowingly risk the possibility that it may not be Saga as we know it now.  It will inevitably be heavily influenced by the other players we meet.  But that may even be great.  I consider those two options, semantics aside, to be basically the same thing.

That's what I'd prefer to be in for TOR, if folks might be interested in being part of that.  I'm almost certain I don't want to lead it but maybe I could help broker it?  Call it what you will, it wouldn't quite be Saga, but it would be a lot better than gaming with all new folks.

Thoughts?

[PinkRose]

Growing Saga is my preference.
As we are set up, a TOR guild (does anyone else see that as the old book publisher every time it is written) could have a fully formed guild right here on the boards and only those that want more of a family would gain access to "Behind the Bar".
Which keeps us all safe and doesn't limit anyone that doesn't want to be limited and puts the work in to get to know the larger family.
I, for one, welcome our new Sith overlords, I guess.
And now for something almost completely different... How Star Wars Episode IV Should Have Ended and How The Empire Strikes Back Should Have Ended.

[Scrib]

But I have found that the Saga style of RP, which is my favorite, is not something that you can easily find in other guilds.  I'm just not that into "spatial" RP.  I get bored sitting in taverns and the storylines I have found there seem to be over-dramatic and have a soap-opera tinge that I am not fond of.  That seems to be what passes as RP much of the time.