SWTOR - Free-to-Play

Do you like Star Wars? Of course you do, who doesn't (opening a whole can on worms on that one). Then do you like free stuff? Again, easy answer on that one. In that case then you should be happy to hear that BioWare and EA have released the Free-to-Play version of Star Wars: The Old Republic today! So if you never played it when it came out last year, or want to visit some old friends now is your time. Long time meat bag fans of the BioWare Star Wars games will also be glad that, as of today, you will be able to get the deadly HK-51 Assassin Droid. This is in addtion to a new area, the prison world of Belsavis along with a the new Operation: Explosive Conflict on Denova (complete with nightmare mode). So prime that blaster and polish your lightsaber crystals (you think OCD Jedi/Sith do that?) and enjoy the game.

SWTOR Goes Free-to-Play(ish) this Fall

A Cartel CoinEA has tried their hardest to keep Star Wars: The Old Republic profitable. They have culled servers and moved users around to increase populations. They have given free weekends to get people in the game. They have kept the game moving forward with patches and game play enhancements such as their legacy system, but it has not been enough. Starting this fall SWTOR will have a free-to-play option to it. The free players will be able to start a character and get all the way to level 50 (level cap) without dropping a dime. Now this does not mean to say that the subscriptions will not have a value. Subscribers will have unlimited access to game features such as character creation, warzones, flashpoints, space missions, travel locations, and the auction house that are free players only have limited access to. Subscribers also will have priority access to logging on.  

They are also adding a new item call Cartel Coins. These can be used to purchase customization and convience items. Current subscribers will get coins to start with and more can be purchased in varios price packs. This is basically their big money making plan to get some cash from these free players. It will interesting to see how this goes for EA and SWTOR. It worked for Star Trek Online so it may work for SWTOR. More information on this can found at the their FAQ located at http://www.swtor.com/support/helpcenter/6449.

Conversations with IrishPride Episode 14

Click, click, click

 

Hello everybody!  Can I get a "Hell Yeah!" for back to back weeks of CwIP!?!  Today I'm going to talk about how I took my MMO experiences to a whole new level.

 

When I play MMO's, I've always been a "clicker" when it comes to activating my abilities.  I know I'm in the minority when it comes to this because, for the most part, everybody I know (excluding ZeldaQueen, she is a mouse clicker with me) uses the keyboard bindings to activate hotkeys.  I've never had a problem using my mouse to click, but there was one point while playing SWTOR that I couldn't find my cursor and thus couldn't activate an ability that could have saved my life.  I then decided it was time for a change.  I never really liked using the keyboard binding because I like my fingers to stay in the same WSAD area and not have to worry about the position.  But I also knew that I needed to change from mouse clicking.  After doing some research, I decided to buy a new mouse, the Razer Naga Epic.

 

Now this thing is a beast.  There are 12 programmable bindings on the side of the mouse thatThe word "Epic" in the name is appropiate. essentially work as the 12 keys on your keyboard that activates the abilities.  Now, most of you know that when you play MMO's there are tons of abilities for you to use.  So 12 may not seem like a lot, but add the Shift button with the 12 keys and now you have 24 different bindings.  Let's not forget the 3 other buttons on top of the mouse.

 

I admit, I am extremely late to the party when it comes to keyboard bindings.  And to be honest, I'm still not using the keyboard to activate my abilities (aside from pressing the Shift key), I'm still using my mouse.  However, the Razer Naga Epic allows me not to have to worry where my cursor is and can spam a certain ability thinking the faster I click it the faster it will come off cool down.  The Razer Naga Epic has been a perfect compromise for the way I like to play.  My left hand can still stay put in the WSAD area, while I'm no longer having to click all my abilities.  Granted, it did take me awhile to get use to the 12 keys on the side of the mouse.  My problem wasn't locating the 12 different numbers with my thumb, but remembering what skills I had programmed to each button.  But after a few hours of gameplay, I am now an elite Bounty Hunter.

 

So, if you're tired of your friends making fun of you because you are a "clicker" or you are like me and wanted to improve your gameplay experience, I highly recommend the Razer Naga Epic.  I also recommend the cheaper Razer, but if you're like me and need wireless, go with the Naga Epic.  I look forward to using this mouse and becoming more comfortable with the configurations of it.  Besides, having a smoother gameplay session is what it's all about.

 

This is IrishPride signing out and until next time...Go Broncos!!!  (Bet you thought I was going to say something related to the Naga Epic huh?)