How will factions and PvP work in Star Wars: The Old Republic?
by Samuel Axon 
Oct 22nd 2008 at 4:00PM
Filed under: Sci-fi, New titles, PvP, Star Wars: The Old Republic
We're big fans of the idea -- more moral complexity is welcome (especially in the Star Wars setting, which tends to quite literally be black and white), but it raises some interesting gameplay questions, particularly with regards to PvP -- questions we're eager to raise!
We don't know anything at all about SWTOR's PvP features yet, but we're eager to assume that there will be some kind of large scale faction-on-faction conflict. If it's Empire vs. Republic, though, won't that good guy in a bad place be forced to fight against his fellow Jedi? If it's Jedi vs. Sith, how will the prospect of killing a fellow citizen be handled? If it's both, we can imagine Sith members of the Republic turning on teammates because they are Jedi. Yikes!
Furthermore, we're curious as to whether or not players will be able to switch sides on either spectrum -- can Jedi become Sith and vice versa? Can players defect from the Empire to the Republic? Players of the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic might remember the old Jedi Jolee Bindo, who was arguably a nuetral character who did not completely subscribe to either extreme of the Force. Will there be a role for players who want to walk that middle ground?
The game is at such an early stage in production, it's possible that even BioWare doesn't have the answers to all of our questions yet. We're always eager to speculate though!
In a video interview with GameSpot, BioWare reps suggested that a tenuous peace has been reached between the Empire and the Republic. That might sound like it means there will be no direct military conflict between the two, but similar language has been used to describe the relationship between the Horde and the Alliance in World of Warcraft.
Some past games have balanced multiple conflicts with messy boundaries -- EVE Online now features factional warfare in addition to its traditional corporate conflicts, and Meridian 59 has long juggled faction struggles, guild wars, and for a while in its history, a war between Jedi-like Hunters and Sith-like Necromancers. That means it's not impossible, but those games are a bit more hardcore in the PvP department than most gamers prefer, so we're not sure it's in BioWare's best interest to adopt their approaches.
With Warhammer Online's focus on PvP, it would seem that the tide is turning more in that direction, so we've got to assume BioWare has something planned. Right now we have mostly questions though, and no answers -- we're taking bets on how they're gonna approach it!
Furthermore, we're curious as to whether or not players will be able to switch sides on either spectrum -- can Jedi become Sith and vice versa? Can players defect from the Empire to the Republic? Players of the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic might remember the old Jedi Jolee Bindo, who was arguably a nuetral character who did not completely subscribe to either extreme of the Force. Will there be a role for players who want to walk that middle ground?
The game is at such an early stage in production, it's possible that even BioWare doesn't have the answers to all of our questions yet. We're always eager to speculate though!
In a video interview with GameSpot, BioWare reps suggested that a tenuous peace has been reached between the Empire and the Republic. That might sound like it means there will be no direct military conflict between the two, but similar language has been used to describe the relationship between the Horde and the Alliance in World of Warcraft.
Some past games have balanced multiple conflicts with messy boundaries -- EVE Online now features factional warfare in addition to its traditional corporate conflicts, and Meridian 59 has long juggled faction struggles, guild wars, and for a while in its history, a war between Jedi-like Hunters and Sith-like Necromancers. That means it's not impossible, but those games are a bit more hardcore in the PvP department than most gamers prefer, so we're not sure it's in BioWare's best interest to adopt their approaches.
With Warhammer Online's focus on PvP, it would seem that the tide is turning more in that direction, so we've got to assume BioWare has something planned. Right now we have mostly questions though, and no answers -- we're taking bets on how they're gonna approach it!
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Bioware has finally unveiled Star Wars: The Old Republic, their new MMO! Massively's got you covered on all the details -- from liveblogging the announcement to screenshot galleries and more. Join us in the Galaxy far, far away! |
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
xenothaulus said on 4:24PM 10-22-2008
Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! /luke
Seriously, what's with the pvp everywhere? Can't we have a good mmo without catering to the ritalin-addled kids who just want to kill each other? Every single mmo I've ever played got rapidly worse and worse because of pvp taking over the game balance and nerfing hell out of classes, and devs pretty much disregarding end-game content because of a focus on battles or deathmatches.
That's fine for a game like Warhammer, which came out with pvp as its whole premise, but KotOR has always been about the characters, their development and relations with each other, and the story behind everything, not running off killing people for points or to stroke the ol' e-peen.
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Jack said on 5:15PM 10-22-2008
xenothaulus you are 100% right KotOR has always been about the characters, their development and relations with each other, and the story behind everything.
Games like Warhammer do not understand there are people that hate pvp and there pve content lag big time. Warhammer put all the best armor on pvp honor rewards you can not even get into kara without going to a battlegrond and farm your armor... LOTR does not really put the pvp part on you but the game is so damn slow and boring and the LOTR storyline was done so much better in the movie with a better world design also.
In Star Wars: The Old Republic please let the pvp be in space so that we pve can enjoy the pvp free content.
Geniusjones said on 7:16PM 10-22-2008
Sounds like you've only played WOW.
Zandareth said on 6:05PM 10-22-2008
Man, you can't have a Star Wars game without war, even in KOTOR 1 and KOTOR 2 the Republic and the Sith were in war.
Maybe you want an npc war or something like that.
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mirilene said on 6:48PM 10-22-2008
I dont mind battleground pvp. I HAAAAAAAATE being ganked, or otherwise bothered by "the other side" when i just want to do some quests. I wish my damn friends hadnt picked a pvp server in wow.
The first time I get ganked by some assclown sith tossing lightning around, I'm going to find him shove a real lightsaber up his ass.
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douchebag said on 7:13PM 10-22-2008
You guys are total pussies.
Can you possibly get any weaker?
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Wjowski said on 4:28AM 10-23-2008
Maybe we just don't feel like forking over fifteen bucks a month to put up with...well...douchebags like you?
revrent said on 7:24PM 10-22-2008
Hey Hey
I am glad that they will be putting PvP in. I am sure they will have PvE servers for the people that do not want to be bothered with it.
It is also a good sign that they are working on the PvP at an early stage instead of just slapping it on at the end.
For all the lore Nazi's out there do you really think there was no conflict >< and of course kotor did not have PvP how would it it was a single player RPG.
I personally hope they do not do Battle grounds, some people actully enjoy paying attention and not playing against scripted AI all the time... I will be very disapointed if this game becomes another raid grind....
Sometimes it is nice when you are challeneged and have to make Decisions's. Here is hoping Bioware does not give us another lineral theme park of an MMO
Welcome Home
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Wjowski said on 1:02PM 10-23-2008
To clarify I don't really care about PvP one way or the other...so long as it's not shoved down my throat.
Tom-AZ said on 9:41PM 10-22-2008
LOL. That was in fact the number one thing WRONG with SWG. PvP is the heart and soul of a game. Look at LOTRO. The END GAME is PvP. Monster Play, but it's PvP.
the social dynamics of fighting against a real person for a percieved REAL reason, is the ultimate role playing experience. LOTRO took the first real stab towards it and I think if they opened up PvP to more of the zones, it would get even better. Hoardes of orcs ganking you while you stroll the country-side makes a real story you can participate.
And TOR , hopefully will be the same. So your tell me that a game is a "real" game if you have to go kill 10 storm troopers who stand in a circle waiting for you to kill them? OR you have to sneak up to a base to kill them an a Sith comes running out after you to join in against you?
Or your strolling through a spaceport and your a jedi and 10 storm troopers jump you?
That is roleplaying.
The hope is that they work it into the story. Using these factions. SWG could have been so amazing if they had allowed open world PvP, instead they gave everyone an EASY button and that ruins every MMO eventually.
look at WoW. WoW is slowly dying due to people's disinterest.
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onetrueping said on 10:19PM 10-22-2008
Not only should there be open PvP in SWtOR, I believe it should be PvP with consequences. Such as being shifted towards the dark side for killing underleveled players, or towards the light side for killing heavily dark side characters. Also, such battles should, in my opinion, grant as much experience as fighting an equally leveled boss NPC of some sort.
Of course, I also think there should be shifting battle lines, but that's just me. Think of the tension, when a quest takes you deep into enemy territory, where your opponents stalk the landscape in numbers... in unexpected patterns, because they, too, are questing. 'Twould be epic.
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Caldruid said on 1:43AM 10-23-2008
PvP is essential to the lore. There should be save havens, like capitol cities, but otherwise you should not be safe anywhere. However, they could implement a bounty hunter system for player killers which would be great.
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Wjowski said on 4:26AM 10-23-2008
If this game opts for a full, open PVP system it's going to crash and burn and suffer a slow, smouldering death before EA buries it...and Bioware with it.
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JP said on 6:52AM 10-23-2008
Honestly, I could care less if there is any.
There are SO many other games out there w/ great pvp, if they don't have it in TOR, no biggie.
I just want an innovative and new game. Rather then taking all the other aspects of all the other mmos and slapping a new coat of paint.
I can take or leave about 90% of the "staples" of MMOs that are being created right now. Just put out a fun game, and don't worry about having "this like WoW" or "That like EVE".
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Buckeye said on 6:58AM 10-23-2008
"If this game opts for a full, open PVP system it's going to crash and burn and suffer a slow, smouldering death before EA buries it...and Bioware with it. "
I agree 100%. The game needs to be all about the lore, the story, and immersion as this is what BioWare does best. Every MMO doesn't have to be about PvP and there are plenty of games already out there that cater to those that need and/or want it.
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Sevvy said on 1:28PM 10-23-2008
Ugh. I hate when developers listen to people that don't PvP. Let's hope this game isn't the case.
There should always be hardcore servers for true PvPers. And PvE servers where the 2 sides can frolic through the fields together, hand in hand.
But please stop catering to pansies(lol WoW and their terrible PvP). Please make the pvp in this game fun, meaningful, and rewarding.
And if there are going to be players crying about being killed by other players, create PvE servers that they can play on. So that they can experience half of what the game has to offer.
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Bob said on 2:45PM 10-23-2008
PvP like warhammer is allright, but less emphasis on those booooooring battlegrounds now please?
battlegrounds are the bane of warhammer.
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bob said on 2:49PM 10-23-2008
correction, RvR is allright.
I can't see any single positive that has come from pvp, be it skirmish, battlegrounds or arena pvp in any single game.
RvR with pve defences and warmachines in a sci fi setting would be pretty damn fun however.
That and raid encounters in the open none-instanced world, and this game could be great.
Make us race for it!
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BreakingPoint0 said on 3:08PM 10-23-2008
The game can be about lore and still have PvP... Why not incorporate the lore into the PvP? Have battles at historic places or start creating the lore!
I'd like to see an open PvP system with consequences. But to do that it would mean there would have to be no clear sides, more of everyone is in a gray area and has to find there place in the world.
For example, say you're a Jedi staunchly in support of the Galactic Republic, on the side of good, never been tempted by the dark side, etc. However he is goaded into a fight by a Sith who surprised him with an attack. In the fight he gets a taste of the dark side by using say force lightning. After that fealty shifts and he decides to start moving to the dark side.
Maybe a meter could be used to see how close you are to the dark side when fighting and using your abilities. The more in touch with your dark side the more powerful the abilities are going to be.
I'm not totally sure... I know most of that didn't make sense but it did in my sense =P
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Clumber said on 11:01PM 10-23-2008
I think that PvP will make moral decisions harder. Killing random noobs for experience would give you dark side points, and in this way you would actually feel bad about doing stuff like that. In KOTOR 1/2 torturing people is all fine and jolly since they're just computers, but when you're killing off other people saying things like "please, don't kill me, I'm just trying to learn how to use this item," you will actually feel bad about having killed them.
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