Trample the Weak

General

• The key formerly bound to /bug can now be mapped to any action and no longer opens the /bug window. The command is no longer able to be bound to a quickslot, but player can still type /bug in chat to open a new bug report.

Classes and Combat

General

• Using abilities with indirect targeting (such as area of effect abilities) will no longer cause players to be flagged for PvP if a PvP-flagged player from the opposing faction is within the ability’s range, and the ability will have no effect on the PvP-flagged player.

 Imperial Agent (Forum / Talent Calculator / Abilities)

Operative

• Medical Therapy: Kolto Probe and Recuperative nanotech will now properly benefit from this skill.

 Bounty Hunter (Forum / Talent Calculator / Abilities)

Powertech

• Carbonize: PvP armor for Combat Tech will no longer prevent this skill from stunning enemies.

Flashpoints and Operations

Operations

Eternity Vault

• Casting Mind Trap will no longer cause Soa to lose threat against his primary target.

Karagga’s Palace

• G4-B3 Heavy Fabricator now has fewer hit points in Normal Mode.

Items

Vendors

• “Show Usable” now properly filters to only show equipable items.

Missions and NPCs

Missions

Republic

• Unlikely Allies: Resetting no longer requires players to abandon and re-acquire the mission in order to complete it.

PvP

Warzones

General

• Fixed a queue interface exploit that allowed players to bring additional players into a warzone. While imbalances can still happen under specific circumstances, the issue can no longer be intentionally triggered by players in this way.

Alderaan Civil War

• The Eastern Turret no longer fires twice under some circumstances when it is captured by the Imperials.

World PvP

Ilum

• The /stuck comman will no longer teleport players to the location where they died.

UI

General

• Added a /version command.
• Added several new preferences for cooldown appearance:

• Show Ready Flash: Toggles a bright flash when an ability finishes cooldown.
• Show Global Cooldown Ready Flash: Toggles a bright flash when an ability finishes global cooldown.
• Cooldown Style: Changes the art style for the cooldown graphic.
• Global Cooldown Style: Changes the art style for the global cooldown graphic.
• Show Cooldown Timer: Toggles cooldown time text on top of the ability icon in the quickbar.

Bug Fixes

• Sorting will now function properly in the Guild Window.
• Items placed in a quickbar are no longer removed when training abilities.
• Using Shift + Right Click to split a stack of usable items will no longer cause the item to be used.
• Some UI settings (such as quickbar lock, chat font size, and minimap zoom) will no longer reset upon area transition.

Miscellaneous Bug Fixes

• Players will no longer experience occasional disconnection when purchasing Crafting Materials from the GTN.

Article source: http://www.darthhater.com/articles/swtor-news/19947-patch-notes-1-1-4-2-22-12

Over the years through innovation, game developers gave us a plethora of fun and unique gametypes. A few even stood the test of time to become mainstays in the industry in not only first person shooter games but also transcended genres. Though Star Wars: The Old Republic is still a young game compared to other massively multiplayer games, Gabe Amatangelo and the developers at BioWare promise that more is to come in the realm of Warzones. With that being the case, I decided it is as good a time as any to look back at past gametypes in the hope that future content might employ the best of them.

Oddball

We start with one of the most recent gametypes made popular in the last ten years with its inclusion in Halo: Combat Evolved in 2001. Oddball primarily centers on a man in love with a ball. Whether that ball is skull or squirrel is not the important bit. Players must seek out the neutral ball, pick it up, and carry it around for as long as you can to rack up more time with the ball. The player or team with the most time held at the end of the match wins the game. Traditionally, the person with the ball is unable to shoot or use abilities while carrying the ball and if developed in that same way could end being relatively balanced as well for the cover classes as you would not need to use cover when running with the ball.

With Huttball being setup the way it is, you could certainly see its inclusion as part of the Huttball games. That solves the issue with the lore and meets BioWare’s goal of expanding the Huttball sphere. Due to Oddball’s ability for play in FFA or teams, it could also help on the faction imbalance/population issue that has plagued servers since launch. Oddball has additionally made its way into other gametypes mixing it with elements of King of the Hill among others. In that case, a single person on a team picks up a neutral ball on the map and uses it to capture points or areas on the map as his/her team defends them.

At the minimum, it would be interesting to see an FFA variety in the game.

Payload

Newly interpreted by Team Fortress 2 and Global Agenda, Payload is a gametype that involves escorting an object that has a set speed of progression down a path to the enemy’s base or goal. Two teams take turns attacking and defending with the winner chosen by the least amount of time taken to escort the object to the goal. The opposing side can also “push back” or cause the Payload to move back to the start if no defenders are present. It is a twist on what was a popular gametype in Return to Castle Wolfenstein and has potentially great uses for all of the classes. The lore in this one is easy to see as well, escorting a bomb to destroy another “something that could turn the tide in the war.” That may not be the most appealing way of setting the lore for this otherwise straightforward mode but I am sure BioWare could come up with something very easily to make this one fit.

It also happens to be one of the easiest modes among them to see working well in competitive ranked matches. Whenever the mode has made it into past games, it usually received universal acclaim due to the necessity it puts on teamwork. The biggest potential hurdle for Payload is the players themselves unfortunately. If a team is not cooperating and communicating correctly, it can be one of the most frustrating modes to play. However, its potential as a competitive gametype could still offer a lot to the game.

King of the Hill

Whether it is paintball, air-soft, or games as the first iteration of King of the Hill is not significant. What is? King of the Hill is and has been a staple of games for over a decade. This type pits typically two teams against each other in a race for neutral areas on the map. Both teams must make their way and stay in the area for a period until they capture the area or based on a total time that the team can gain from the area. Once that area’s allotted time expires, the teams must race to the next point and continue until a set number of points are seized for the win.

Many will bring up the point that King of the Hill can similarly be an FFA gametype but I am not of the opinion that it works out well when active for this gametype. The gametype could enforce the cover mechanics well and offer a unique gameplay style for knockbacks, snares, roots, and environmental effects. In addition, King of the Hill is one of those modes that could suit the Hutt games theme well. It also has the ability of fitting the lore in terms of a battlefield setting where you are looking to capture and hold the high ground that could mix well with other types. Either way, King of the Hill is a tried and true gametype that would find itself easily engaged should BioWare decide to use it.

Single Flag Assault CTF

Now you might be thinking, “Huttball is neutral flag Capture the Flag without the flag being a flag and Voidstar is technically Assault so why do you need Single Flag Assault CTF?” Well that is somewhat true but it is definitely not the same thing. Single Flag Assault CTF is a mainstay of competitive First Person Shooters and MMORPGs alike and it is quite different from the way its counterparts are in the game currently. In traditional Single Flag Assault CTF, teams take turns attacking and defending for a quarter or period. After the time allowed for the quarter is up, the teams switch sides to either offense or defense for another quarter. The team with the most scores in their set wins.

Typically, a player on the offensive team will take the flag or object, escort it to the enemy base and take it to the capture area while the defenders try to stop him/her. While BioWare did say they would never do a strict “person carrying a flag to a base,” they have left the door wide open for this type of mode being incorporated into the Hutt games. Whether it is the Hutt games or escorting bombs to generators, it has the possibility to work in this game while sticking to the lore. This type also has a sister variant that involves escorting a VIP which has likewise been a prevalent mode over the years. Single Flag Assault CTF is a gametype that I have played competitively since Quake, Tribes, and Unreal Tournament promoted it in the late 90s. To me, it is a classic. So BioWare…please?

Wave Based Survival

This is an odd one and I considered pulling it from the list because it does not involve fighting other players and does not really fit in a PVP sense but I decided to keep it in here just to hear what the community thinks of it.

Wave based survival mode is the new kid on the block with its popularization coming to a head only in the last couple of years. It requires a team to work together to fight a horde of enemies that come in increasingly difficult waves as the match progresses. Over the last few years, it made its way into games such as the Gears of War series, Modern Warfare, and most recently Mass Effect 3. Its addition in SWTOR could offer players a change of pace from the normal PVE and PVP matches while not requiring as much investment in one or the other. I am not even entirely sure how they would go about gearing for it but I think it could offer something entirely different from the two types of play that dominate the game.

As far as the lore is concerned, Rakghouls and Rakata come to mind. The possibilities though for the setting are really rather endless. If BioWare is looking to incorporate something new, I would not be opposed to them attempting a wave based survival mode and would probably look forward to it.

Closing

With as many options as there are for gametypes, I certainly could not get to them all. Instead, I chose to highlight ones that not only have stood the test of time but also ones I have thoroughly enjoyed in the time that I have played games. My opinion is only part of the chorus though and all of us here at Darth Hater would love to hear what you think about gametypes for future Warzones. Sound off in the comments and let us know what gametypes you would love to see make their way into Star Wars: The Old Republic.

Sources
Oddball Image
Payload Image
King of the Hill Image
Single Flag Assault CTF Image

Article source: http://www.darthhater.com/articles/editorial/19944-future-warzone-gametype-possibilities

Certainly the game still has a while to go, but I have to give them credit for the fact that they have improved.  While my connection to the game is not perfect, the instances of 10k latency has been reduced greatly.

I’ve got about 26 days left on this game card.  While I haven’t decided whether or not I’ll buy another one yet, it’s no longer a case of “@#$% NO!” that I was feeling about two weeks back.

I personally hope to see more single player content each major patch, as that was my favorite part of the game, and one I think WoW neglected.

TL;DR, not perfect, but getting better

Article source: http://www.darthhater.com/articles/swtor-news/19946-celebrating-a-successful-launch-a-look-at-the-old

BioWare released their second Quick Start Guide video today showing how the map and travel system works in Star Wars: The Old Republic. Social Media Coordinator Eric Musco covers taxis, speeders, and calling shuttles to quick transport players from one location in the galaxy to another. He also briefly explains the story locations and instances behind green and red barriers designed for specific classes or missions.

J!NX also unveiled their line-up of Star Wars: The Old Republic apparel including T-shirts for both men and women of each different class, faction, and alignment. Are you all about your Jedi Knight, or would you rather show-off your affinity for the Dark Side? You can see the full line-up over at the J!NX website.

Article source: http://www.darthhater.com/articles/swtor-news/19943-quick-start-guide-video-and-j-nx-swtor-shirts

Because development is ongoing during testing, it should be noted that all changes and updates listed in the patch notes should be considered incomplete and are subject to change or removal before release to the live servers. The Public Test Server patch notes will be provided in English. The final release notes will be provided in English, French, and German when the content is moved to live servers.

General

• The key formerly bound to /bug can now be mapped to any action and no longer opens the /bug window. The command is no longer able to be bound to a quickslot, but player can still type /bug in chat to open a new bug report.

Classes and Combat

General

• Using abilities with indirect targeting (such as area of effect abilities) will no longer cause players to be flagged for PvP if a PvP-flagged player from the opposing faction is within the ability’s range, and the ability will have no effect on the PvP-flagged player.

Imperial Agent

Operative

• Medical Therapy: Kolto Probe and Recuperative nanotech will now properly benefit from this skill.

Bounty Hunter

Powertech

• Carbonize: PvP armor for Combat Tech will no longer prevent this skill from stunning enemies.

Flashpoints and Operations

Operations

Eternity Vault

• Casting Mind Trap will no longer cause Soa to lose threat against his primary target.

Karagga’s Palace

• G4-B3 Heavy Fabricator now has fewer hit points in Normal Mode.

Items

Vendors

• “Show Usable” now properly filters to only show equipable items.

Missions and NPCs

Missions

Republic

• Unlikely Allies: Resetting no longer requires players to abandon and re-acquire the mission in order to complete it.

PvP

Warzones

General

• Fixed a queue interface exploit that allowed players to bring additional players into a warzone. While imbalances can still happen under specific circumstances, the issue can no longer be intentionally triggered by players in this way. *UPDATED*

Alderaan Civil War

• The Eastern Turret no longer fires twice under some circumstances when it is captured by the Imperials.

UI

General

• Added a /version command.
• Added several new preferences for cooldown appearance:
  • Show Ready Flash: Toggles a bright flash when an ability finishes cooldown.
  • Show Global Cooldown Ready Flash: Toggles a bright flash when an ability finishes global cooldown.
  • Cooldown Style: Changes the art style for the cooldown graphic.
  • Global Cooldown Style: Changes the art style for the global cooldown graphic.
  • Show Cooldown Timer: Toggles cooldown time text on top of the ability icon in the quickbar.

Bug Fixes

• Sorting will now function properly in the Guild Window.
• Items placed in a quickbar are no longer removed when training abilities.
• Using Shift + Right Click to split a stack of usable items will no longer cause the item to be used.

Miscellaneous Bug Fixes

• Players will no longer experience occasional disconnection when purchasing Crafting Materials from the GTN.

Article source: http://www.darthhater.com/articles/swtor-news/19940-public-test-server-patch-notes-1-1-4-2-16-12

Classes and Combat

General

• Surge rating has been re-balanced. It now reaches diminishing returns the same way as other damage ratings, and its per point damage contribution has been reduced by approximately 10%.

 Bounty Hunter (Forum / Talent Calculator / Abilities)

Mercenary

Arsenal

• Stabilizers: Correctly adds pushback resistance to Unload.

 Trooper (Forum / Talent Calculator / Abilities)

General

Commando

Gunnery

• Steadied Aim: Correctly adds pushback resistance to Full Auto.

Companion Characters

General

• Some taxis that failed to re-summon companions upon reaching their destination now properly re-summon them.
• Companions no longer indicate they wish to speak with you when you are not yet eligible for their next conversation.
• If a player is invited to a nearly full group and declines, that player is no longer prevented from summoning a companion.

Crew Skills

Crafting Skills

• Non-stackable crafting materials are now refunded if the crafting assignment is canceled.
• The number of non-stackable crafting materials a player has is now correctly reflected in the crafting UI.

Biochem

• Crafting Exotech consumables now results in three items with a chance of one additional item on a crafting critical.
• Exotech schematics will now function properly.

Flashpoints and Operations

General

• Conversation rewards like Social and Alignment Points and Companion Affection are gained more consistently during Hard Mode Flashpoints.

Flashpoints

Boarding Party

• In Hard Mode, players are no longer blocked from re-entering the Flashpoint in some circumstances when the group is defeated during the encounter with Jorland.

Kaon Under Siege

• Expulsor Droid now drops the correct loot.

Operations

Karagga’s Palace

• The chest in 8-man Nightmare Mode now spawns properly after defeating Karagga.

Items

General

• Unique items can no longer be traded to a player that has the maximum number of that item in their inventory.
• A confirmation dialog is now displayed when purchasing items with commendations or tokens and when purchasing expensive items.
• Items can no longer be used while they are locked for trading, selling on the GTN, or when attaching the item to a mail message.
• Pure Shockfrozen Water is now consumed on use and has a stack limit of one (instead of two).
• The Portable Holo Dancer can no longer be targeted by abilities and effects.

Legacy

• A confirmation dialog is now displayed when choosing a Legacy name. The UI has been updated to better communicate Legacy name decisions.

Missions and NPCs

General

• Small amounts of Social Points are no longer lost in some circumstances (rarely at the beginning of a Flashpoint or in some mission conversations).
• Bonus Series missions on Tatooine (Republic and Imperial) can now be abandoned.

Missions

Imperial

• Eve of Destruction: This mission progresses properly even if the player does not immediately travel to Corellia.

Republic

• Need to Impress: Resolved a dialogue issue with Ambassador Jannik that blocked progress in this mission.
• Rapid Response: This mission can now be failed if the player leaves the mission phase while attempting to destroy the Bomb-Carrying Droids.
• Taris Bonus Series: The cinematic for the objective “Return to Storm” now completes properly even if the player has not finished Reconstruction Efforts.

NPCs

• An issue that allowed players to maneuver certain NPCs into a position where they could be attacked but could not retaliate has been corrected.

PvP

General

• Fixed an issue causing players to not receive Warzone Win mission credit upon winning a Warzone match when the first player to enter the zone leaves the zone before the match concludes.

Warzone

Voidstar

• Updated the bomb door collision to remove a spot players could stand against and not be targetable.

World PvP

Ilum

• Players are now notified when they kill a player but do not receive credit due to rate limits.

Miscellaneous Bug Fixes

• Players are no longer occasionally disconnected from the game when interacting with a mailbox.
• Players no longer lose mouse click functionality in some circumstances after pressing multiple mouse buttons.

Article source: http://www.darthhater.com/articles/swtor-news/19934-patch-notes-1-1-3-2-14-2012

Episode 110 “The Stolen Microphone” of the Darth Hater Podcast is now live. Check the bottom of the post for the stream and download links. Podcast notes after the jump.

Download

Episode 111 – The Stolen Microphone

Intro -
Justin Lowe – Sado – @zirak
Pete Trerice – Misenus – @petetrerice
Ben – Dover – @doverbs

Segments –
Patch Notes – 1.1.2 2/7/2012
Dataming and 1.1.3
PTR Notes 1.1.3

Passing Mention –
Jobs

Feature -
PvP Rewards changed and Ranked WZs 1.2 Teased
State of the Game

Update on our Progress

END PLUGS
- Voicemail Line (559-9-HATER-4) (559-942-8374)
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- Forums

Article source: http://www.darthhater.com/articles/podcast/19935-episode-111-the-stolen-microphone