SWTOR limiting In-Game access at launch

EA is going to restrict pre-orders to 500,000, and will only guarantee the first 50,000 get immediate access to the online game.

So Star Wars:  The Old Republic is now limiting the number of people who can access the actual game at launch.  This seems like a cheap ploy for EA to get more pre orders. Wow there are going to be a lot people crying at release, "WAAAAAH I paid for this game and I can't play, FU EA!!!!!".  I'm not too impressed they are using this technique to get more pre-orders, sadly it will work.

An EA rep told Game Informer, that when they reach their cap they will quickly work to expand the game's server capabilities and allow new players in. But the representative didn't know if that would take hours, weeks or months.

Really?  This massive of a company pushing out one of the biggest hyped MMO's in recent history doesn't know it's server's capabilities?  C'mon, this is just total BS marketing crap.  I'm starting to get more negative about this game, I guess my first instnct that EA is involved is right, they can take anything, even Star Wars and ruin it.

Original Article: http://ingame.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/08/22/7441863-cant-wait-for-star-wars-the-old-republic-better-move-jedi-fast

"The wait is over, Pre-order now available" for SWTOR

I love waking up to SWTOR Email!! Received this in my inbox this morning !

More information here: PRE ORDER STAR WARS THE OLD REPUBLIC

They had me at "early access", going to pre-order now!

Great article on the SWTOR developer blog last lines of dialogue completed for SWTOR.

Excerpt from Star Wars The Old Republic writer Ian Ryan:

"Writing is complete on Star Wars™: The Old Republic™. The last lines of dialogue are off for recording and translation; only pickups and polish remain. But at BioWare, a writer's job doesn't stop at the written word. I'm Ian Ryan, a Writer on The Old Republic, and I'm going to show you some of the many ways a BioWare writer continues to shape our game’s stories long after the writing is finished.

There are no less than seventeen planets in The Old Republic. Each one was conceptualized with a rich story, built by our talented world designers then lovingly brought to life by our art team. However as the game's final pieces fall into place, some areas don't perfectly reflect the stories that take place within them: a field is peaceful when it should be battle-scarred, or a residential district lacks the feel of a neighborhood.

As writers, we know the stories and the worlds they play out in. Armed with that knowledge, we set out to provide feedback on each planet’s art as it relates to story. While other teams continue working hard to finish The Old Republic, the writers log in to play the game. A tough life, but someone has to do it. We begin our art passes, giving notes and suggestions to highlight the mood, function and story content of particular areas. For instance, if a luxurious cantina was built in the middle of a devastated warzone (not that we’ve seen that so far...) the writers would ensure that got changed."

               (Source)

You have to love seeing the new artwork and hearing the writers are done writing the final dialogue.  This is that period where not many updates are being released and you know a lot of is being written and tested, but we just have to try and be patient and wait for the new updates.

"But at BioWare, every designer is a storyteller. Writers begin the process with words, only our jobs don't stop there. We know the universe, we know the stories and with that knowledge we help the rest of the team create a cohesive whole out of millions of different parts. In a galaxy as rich and massive as the one in Star Wars: The Old Republic, that task is as colossal as it is rewarding."

I hope they create a great storyline that translate into a playable end game.  Hurry up and open beta already the MMO mob is growing restless!

BioWare Introduces Jeff Hickman As Executive Producer, Live Services

Excerpt from (http://darthhater.com/2011/04/28/bioware-introduces-jeff-hickman-as-executive-producer-live-services/)

In the wake of BioWare Austin's Co-Studio General Manager Gordon Walton leaving Star Wars: The Old Republic developer for Playdom, there were big shoes to fill. Many wondered who would fill Gordon Walton's shoes and now we know. During the Fan Site Summit event, Stephen Reid explained that Jeff Hickman joined BioWare to take on the role left open by Gordon Walton's departure. Many of you may know Jeff Hickman from Mythic Entertainment where he worked on Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning and Dark Age of Camelot. By completing the transition to BioWare, Jeff Hickman's new title becomes Executive Producer, Live Services for Star Wars: The Old Republic.

From all of us at Darth Hater, we wish him the best during his time with BioWare on SWTOR and look forward to interviewing him in the future.