SWTOR: E3 Eye Candy
June 6, 2011The new Star Wars: The Old Republic cinematic trailer, “Return”:
Excuse me for a sec, while I try real hard to hold my eyeballs in. They’re sort of bleeding out right now from watching all that awesomeness — but also from the flash and razzle dazzle. And here I thought the “Hope” trailer was over the top.
Still, Blur Studios has done it again, pulling off what is in my opinion the most detailed and elaborate out of all the SWTOR cinematic trailers. They gave attention to both the Empire and the Republic, filling in some of the history for both Satele and Malgus, while throwing in a healthy dose of space combat and the compulsory lightsaber duel sequences.
A few classes also got to relish their moments in the limelight, though some managed to look waaaaay cooler than others, *cough* Smuggler *cough*. I was a little skeptical about the overall look and feel of the Gunslinger at first, but no longer. He looked like he was born to rock the Star Wars universe and the Old Republic.
Also shown today at the EA presentation at E3, the “Choose” montage trailer:
Apparently, “Choose” was always going to be shown at the press conference, with “Return” being saved for a debut on swtor.com. Since the previous trailers were shown at E3, I think that led to a lot of confusion, despite the note at the end of the trailer pointing to the new cinematic at the official game site. Why Dr. Greg Zeschuk didn’t also say so in his opening speech was a missed opportunity in my opinion, or else they must think everyone is plugged into twitter or other social networks to know stuff these days.
There will be no release date announced during E3 2011, or any pre-order details. Not that I was expecting it, but I’m not denying that there was always that hope. I mean, picture it, how cool would it have been if the trailer had actually played out this way: “CHOOSE YOUR SIDE…JOIN YOUR ALLIES…THE BATTLE BEGINS”…and BOOM, release date? Sadly, now it’s more like, THE BATTLE BEGINS…on the official community forums!
If you can tune out all the rage, however, the good news is that Bioware is still aiming for a “second half of 2011” release. Good things come to those who wait; with luck, we’ll be playing this game within the next 6 months. While the SWTOR coverage at the EA conference may have been scarce (though I did get to drool all over Mass Effect 3), over the next few days there should be more BioWare panels and demos from the show floor, with more on features teased in last weekend’s E3 preview trailer:
I love cinematic trailers, but they never reflect what the finished game will look like. I, however, thoroughly enjoyed feasting upon all the actual gameplay footage shown in the video above.
MMO Gamer Chick 
I quite literally wept tears of joy and awesomeness at today’s announcements for Mass Effect 3 and SW:TOR. I can’t wait… but the more time they have to finish properly, the better.
Yeah, though to be honest, at this point we’ve all waited so long already, the idea of waiting another half a year or even more doesn’t make a whit of difference to me anymore 😛 I probably wouldn’t have thought so this time last year though!
Yeah, this is a game that they don’t need to rush. People already have high expectations from it, so they need to make sure it’s as polished as possible before it goes live, that way the game can have a chance of living up to the hype it has produced.
The trooper they keep showing without his helmet looks a lot like Boba/Jango Fett, and that’s kind of interesting since this would have been long before any sort of clone army.
Fun times!
Interesting how they do that, isn’t it? I thought the same thing about the Trooper, I’m guessing it has something to do with making the class iconic, seeing as how we have the Clone Wars to thank for the popular trooper archetype.
the difference between a game you don’t care about announcing their release date and a game you care about announcing their release date is so shocking to me.
I really want to know the release dates for gw2 and swtor, and unless i draw on the power of the force to calm myself I actually get kind of fanboy angry that they won’t give anything more than a general ballpark figure. For games I don’t care too much about? Don’t care.
“Second half of 2011” is a good enough ballpark for me, helps me narrow it down to maybe fall or even early winter. The problem is, of course, the further we get into 2011 and the longer we go without more specific details, people are gonna wonder and think, are you sure? Can’t deny having something concrete would make me feel better as well.
GW2 is another one making me antsy. Still nothing specific from them either, not even ballpark 😦
In my experience, if I’m anticipating a game I really really want to buy, H2 YEAR when I’m already in YEAR, means approximately April/May YEAR+1 🙂
You couldn’t leave well enough alone, could you? You just had to push and push and push. Well, now I’m interested in your game, okay? Is that enough for you? Do I have to apply for some beta to prove myself? 🙂
Sigh, BioWare, have you been naughty? Were you dangling your game in front of Anjin again? How many times do I have to tell you? Well, keep it up! 😛
Once I have a chance to compose myself, I’ll compose a better post to describe it… Beautiful.
They certainly know how make awesome trailers 😀
As I type this, I’m re-watching the cinematic again in HD. Suffice it to say, the thing looks even more beautiful in high definition (but doesn’t everything?).
The subtle details are striking. The Trooper being revealed as the one from Hope, the choreography of the lightsaber duel (including that supremely wicked saber throw that Satele’s master used), the Smuggler’s whole aura of bravado (one part Jack Burton, one part Mal Reynolds, one part Han Solo, cook to golden brown), the escape. There were so many things going on, and they all flowed perfectly.
More than anything, I’m just glad that the final piece of the SWTOR cinematic trilogy is complete and viewable. I just love being able to watch Malgus’ evolution, Satele’s growth, to see things given clearer context, and to have the opportunity to watch them all back-to-back.
Bravo BioWare, and to the brilliant artists at Blur. You really outdid yourselves here.
I want it! I want it! I want it! I want it! I want it! I want it! I want it!. NOW!!!!
sorry for rabid fanboyism,
Indeed, that’s some rabid fanboyism you got there! Allow me to feed it — *takes deep breath* OMG DID YOU SEE THAT WAS AWESOME NOW NOW NOW NOW, ZOMG I want it NOOOOOWWWWWWW! 😀 Dammit, now look what you’ve done 😛
While I usualy try to keep myself in check I’ve given in to this game and now accept my fanboyism. My life is over the day this comes out.
That was hands down, the sexiest, of the sexy cinematic trailers for any game, ever made, ever in the existence….of ever, i just have no words that can describe how awesome that was.
From the jump, i immediately identified with THE MAN, aka the Smuggler, who’s swagger is the best link from Han Solo to Indiana Jones, since Harrison Ford. He stole my heart when we simultaneously stared that twi’lek down, of course i watched this thing 10 times and had to see him do it before i noticed, but that was just the tip of the iceberg of awesomeness.
I mean, from the attacks to *deep breath* COWBOY SMUGGLER STEALING THE SHOW AGAIN, Holy COW DO I WANNA BE A SMUGGLER NOWWWWW ldsgjksdghkjfhgkjdhfgjkhdfkjghbdjklbhdkljbhdkg;jbhgklbhkgbhkjdghbkgf……..sorry
But man he was bad ass! I thought the lightsaber duel was going to be underplayed but WOW, Shan’s master was awesome, even though i practically knew what was going to happen before it happened, which didn’t make watching the Rise of Malgus that less satisfying.
What made it all so awesome to me was being able to go back and watch the Hope Trailer and go, “OOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHH……….No wonder she force parried a blade with her barehand damn near to get after this guy…….and left him all scarred and beat up, sombitch killed her master :(………AND HIS MASTER! WOOWWWW!!”
Oiy, overall, i’m just so excited for this game, and i’m still disappointed that there’s no release date….u_u alas, it’s better this way, at least i can upgrade my connection and computer by then. But the more and more time goes i swear it’s going to come a day where i just cant take it anymore and i’m just going to call it a “Duke Nukem” and complain and write it off everytime i hear about it, or get a chance to voice my annonymous opinion….
………….Damn i want this game 😦 smuggggllllllleeeerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!
“Guess who’s got the fastest ship in the sector?” THE SMUGGLER! Bahahahhaa
I definitely liked the tag team lightsaber duels there, and duel-wielding with a dual-sided lightsaber. The details are phenomenal.
But yeah, the Smuggler stole the show. He even trumped the Jedi fight. I wonder how many people said, “That’s it, Smuggler, that’s the class for me” after watching this trailer? I know for me, it’s now the number one contender for my first Republic alt. “She’s not pretty, but she’s tough”. Heh. And that double gun twirl after he put his enemies down? HAWT 😀
The best thing is, after watching this along with the other trailers, I feel I understand the characters better. Which is what Bioware intended, I’m sure. Game’s not even out yet, and they’re developing the story already. Releasing them in backwards-chronological order was brilliant.
Good lord that was a sexy trailer.
Good old Star Wars. Where the farther you go back in time, the newer, cooler, and better looking the technology is.
It’s one of the greatest mysteries of the universe 😀
I happen to have watched the E3 show coverage yesterday on Spike TV for several hours. I had no clue it was going on live, i was just random channel surfing while playing with spaceships. Anyway i did get to see the presentations for Mass Effect 3 and for SWTOR.
I’ve heard of Mass Effect but never quite got the game, however I was quite impressed by the game trailer and actual demo presentation play. So somewhat looking forward to it since never really knew much about it before.
Just about everything i read about SWTOR i happen to read about here on your blog so thats as much as i usually keep up on the game till now. I really like SWTOR, seem all the movies i like them all, yet i’ve never been in love with it or the game either. But still looking forward to seeing and maybe playing the game whenever it comes out whenever that is. At best i’m just neutral about it all.
But the way i see it is SWTOR is a game many many people have high hopes for MMO wise and its best to take the time and deliver all that people expect of it, to not deliver otherwise will put down allot of MMO players waiting all this time. The trailer though was awesome, i can’t say i have a favorite moment watching the presentation. But it was fun to see it all the same and something to look forward to.
I guess if and when i do play STWOR that I’ll probably join the Sith lol. Because playing the evil side in any MMO game just always seem more fun to me.
Yes, yes, come to the dark side 😉
I enjoy the Mass Effect games quite a lot. I don’t know if you’ve ever played other Bioware games in the past, but if you liked them, give the ME series if you ever get the chance 🙂
With SWTOR, it’s probably best you are neutral. I’ve seen so many people looking forward to it driven to madness waiting for news of a release date 😛 Really, for something like this it’s best just to be cautiously optimistic and maintain a “come what may” attitude. That’s probably where I’m at right now.
I think I messed my pants!
*hands you new pants…and yet another pair just in case* 😀
That was a damn good trailer. I worry a bit about how excited I am for this game, I may have to stop following it at some point just to let my expectations get back down to something a little more reasonable.
Maybe it’s because I’ve followed this game for so long already. I remember feeling like, damn, can’t wait for this game to happen and coming up with all my hopes for it. But that was like more than two years ago, I think the time has mellowed me out. Really, at this point I’ll just take everything at face value and remain cautiously optimistic.