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Feature
2/26/10 2:55 PM -
Taris Developer Dispatch Dissection 
by sado
, posted February 26th, 2010 at 2:55 PM
Here is Darth Hater's dissection of the latest Developer Dispatch from Star Wars: The Old Republic, which focuses largely on the recently revealed Taris. As in our prior dissections, we will add new content in as we find it, so keep checking back. Feel free to let us know if you notice something we missed, and we will be happy to add it to our dissection with credit. Note: if something is mentioned in a prior dissection, then we do not reiterate it again here. Low bandwidth users should note there are numerous images contained in this article.
 

The much beloved KOTOR Swoop Bike Racetrack is seen above. For those who are nostalgic about KOTOR, this comes as a welcome surprise.


A seventh menu button is seen for the first time in the shot above, and possibly a level 40 Sith Inquisitor.



This screenshot features a Taris location that is not named. We noticed the seventh menu button seen in James Ohlen's UI is missing from the Level 10 UI.


We get a good look at this 'Sinking City' in the screenshot above, which is featured multiple times throughout the Developer Dispatch video.



Detailed explosion and smoke effects are featured. We think they are noticeably improved compared to the last time we saw them.


The Jedi Knight in this image is attacking the red 'alpha' Rakghoul before the others, which is the same way the Trooper chose to progress a comparable fight. This could suggest that the red or 'alpha' Rakghoul is a buffer or 'pack leader.' Similar to past dissections where multiple ranks of mobs were shown, this is indicative of a player making a primary kill target decision out of a group of mobs.



>



The images above feature Republic and Sith faction banners that indicate the claim to these locations. Since Taris is an independent planet, this could confirm our thinking that independent planets might contain PvPvE. Towards the end of the documentary, Drew Karpyshyn mentions that your actions on the planet will affect the planet itself. Also, we tried to decode the Aurebesh on the green sign, and we couldn't reliably decode anything remotely close to a word.


We see our little droid buddy from the official forum's avatar. We did not see a frontal image of the droid's face, but we can confirm it is one of the same droids from the avatar choices.


This is a side by side comparison of James Ohlen's Sith Inquisitor to Scott Carpenter's Level 10 one. Since we already know what the icons represent, and the selection differs between the two shots, we can reasonably conclude James Ohlen's character is a higher level than Scott Carpenter's.
 
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56 Comments
Comment by Jamion made on March 12th, 2010 at 1:59pm
From this picture http://darthhater.com/wp-content/uploads/distarisskills.png it looks as if they are the same level just different alignments (light/dark) or different specialization. But the same lvl, both lvl 10.
 
Comment by Jamion made on March 6th, 2010 at 1:10pm
Looking at some of these shots of Taris we can get really get a scale for the size of buildings, structures, ships, and the environment in general. We see some NPCs (assumed human sized) in several of the screen shots this gives us a comparison. Its suggests for SS for areas like http://darthhater.com/wp-content/uploads/tarisdis-13.png that don't have a scale comparison that human character would come to just about a third (maybe half) of the flag stands.

This is really cool IMO, because it shows that they are thinking large scale and BIG for the game. And I like to see that, more for me to explore.
 
Comment by Jamion made on March 6th, 2010 at 12:44pm
The text in the top part says "42" and "Toggling Shadows" http://darthhater.com/wp-content/uploads/tarisdis-4.png
 
Comment by Aeli made on March 1st, 2010 at 8:46pm
Hi guys. Nice Article, thanks.

I'm curious, how did you get your images? Did BioWare send you the HD version of this dispatch especially (and before everyone else), or was there some way of getting high quality images from the stream at swtor.com? Its just that I can't see a downloadable version on the official site (though Sean did say it would be up by Monday), or an HD version on YouTube - or anywhere for that matter, and the streaming version is terrible quality.
 
Comment by timskywalker made on March 2nd, 2010 at 3:20am
yeah...i was about to ask the same thing... your screenshots look way better than the actual vid it self...
 
Comment by Kronck made on March 1st, 2010 at 11:19am
I believe the framerate was also seen on the previous dev video.
 
Comment by Macer made on March 1st, 2010 at 4:13am
March: The beginning of a new era of new big updates. Stay tuned kiddies...
 
Comment by RogueJedi86 made on February 28th, 2010 at 10:48pm
In pic 13, on the left side, by there's a black/gray circular object that DH highlighted with an orange box, what's the significance of that highlight? It can't be seen in the other pic of the same spot, so it can't be showing that it's the same place as the other. Is it a vent or something?
 
Comment by timskywalker made on February 28th, 2010 at 2:59pm
REALLY HAPPYYHIS DH CREATION MADE ME EVEN MORE HAPPY
 
Comment by Tudana made on February 28th, 2010 at 9:07am
Is it just me or does anyone else think the combat seems as clunky/choppy animation as it did in KOTOR I back in the day? Granted SWTOR dev combat is different and has more bells and whisles to it, but strip all that stuff away and it looks/moves the same to me...meh.

Sure hope they can clean that up.
 
Comment by Lethality made on March 2nd, 2010 at 11:53am
Yup, the character animations and combat animations are terrible. BioWare is not known for attention to this and it's starting to concern me a great deal.

Combat needs to be much more fluid... and they could take a lesson from Blizzard on secondary and tertiary animation.
 
Comment by Invader Mig made on February 28th, 2010 at 2:03pm
Dude, I felt EXACTLY the same way when watching this vid. I was horrified when watching the combat at first glance, but then I noticed that each attack performed was on a different target. I'm hoping the lack of fluidity is due to the fact that there are minor pauses between switching target focus.

We have yet to see a gameplay vid of a Knight, and part of the reason I'm even considering rolling one is because of the so called acrobatic maneuvers they can perform. I know this is still a work in progress and things will be fined tuned, but I couldn't help but cringe at the stiff, horrific looking Kotoresque style movement. I loved Kotor, but man, they really need to do something about the combat or my sub will be short lived.
 
Comment by timskywalker made on March 1st, 2010 at 4:07pm
i read an article or i heard it in one of DH its podcasts and they were really happy about how fluid it already was...
remember we still have one year to go....if i were you i shouldnt worry about this to much...this shouldnt be to hard to fix..

my personal concern is planet size...??? how big will one planet be??
 
Comment by engrey made on February 28th, 2010 at 2:03pm
Animations are one of the last things to get touched up in an MMO. BioWare is more concerned about getting everything else in before finalizing animations. So do not expect to see the most fluid of combat before the NDA drops on the game.
 
Comment by Brainiac9000 made on February 27th, 2010 at 1:52pm
I think during the video, there was also a brief shot of the crashed Endar Spire. Hopefully, you can explore it and possibly find recorded messages from people like Carth Onasi and Bastilla Shan, when the ship was still in one piece of course.
 
Comment by Bzrk made on February 27th, 2010 at 7:34am
You guys forgot one. Your sixth screen shows a Trooper with basic gear in a different color. Possible hint to choosing your own colorscheme? There's also another trooper somewhere in the video with a more advanced gear that was also already shown, but again in a different color.

Other than that, great dissection! :D
 
Comment by Zandi made on February 27th, 2010 at 7:24am
It may just be my interpretation, but I am fairly sure that the seventh button that is missing on the LVL 10 is the Talent button. this would make sense as talents will start at a higher level because the lvl 40 has this button and the lvl 10 does not.

Thank you for your time.
 
Comment by DirectX made on February 27th, 2010 at 6:22am
The skill icon artwork seems to be vastly improving.
 
Comment by Kayrien made on February 27th, 2010 at 6:06am
I also believe that the ability the Jedi Knight at 2:27 (presumably... maybe that was JC who knows) has the same animation is the Power Attack (I thin its called that way) in KotOR.
If its not just some animation for normal attack (which i doubt as jumping can hardly be considered normal imo) then we can see BW transferring some animation from KotOR presumably together with similar melee abilities
 
Comment by Chasted made on February 27th, 2010 at 5:26am
Those last two lines "Your actions will have an impact on the outcome." I wonder if that means there will be some congruency and a stable "Lore" version between the two games... And how might they be able to do that.

And can you imagine how heavy the phasing would be if a fork in the road meant vastly different worlds?
 
Comment by Tudana made on February 28th, 2010 at 8:59am
I wouldnt read to much in to it from a lore standpoint...I think that comment leans more to actions in PVP, will have an impact on the pvp owned areas (outcome)
 
Comment by Kayrien made on February 27th, 2010 at 5:19am
I believe it was probably speculated but I dont think i found any screens here on DH saying that.

I guess knowing that on the holonet we saw the title of "Endar Spire" and it being a hammerhead starship I believe we can see it around 3:45 (same thing at 4:20) with its cabin if you wish torn from the main part of the ship.
 
Comment by sensical0xymoron made on February 27th, 2010 at 12:20am
That looks like a TR-MB ala SW Force Commander in the lower right of picture 11. Or maybe it's just me :)
 
Comment by Marcus made on February 26th, 2010 at 11:25pm
ARGH I LOVE THIS STUFF!! cheers
 
Comment by Titch made on February 26th, 2010 at 8:47pm
Nice job guys :) Where did you get the HD screenshots? I can't find a HD downloadof the video anywhere.
 
Comment by Lovezombie made on February 26th, 2010 at 10:35pm
Try this!

http://www.gametrailers.com/video/developer-dispatch-star-wars/62392
 
Comment by Macer made on February 26th, 2010 at 8:47pm
Very well-made dissection. I hope to learn more about users altering the planet by their own decisions. The whole instancing rumors and phasing is making big guilds grow in concern. :(
 
Comment by PurpleCliff made on February 26th, 2010 at 6:44pm
Drew K. is the king of this Star Wars era IMO.
 
Comment by zechio made on February 26th, 2010 at 6:33pm
In Taris Dissection 13, the last outdoor shot, the building to the right of the republic standard looks kinda like it has a walker in it, hard to tell though atm.
 
Comment by zechio made on February 26th, 2010 at 6:39pm
Also, some interesting mentions from Sean about The Old Republic webcomic:

"This is the final issue for Threat of Peace. That said, we do have an announcement coming in two week's related to The Old Republic webcomic."

Then after that:

"Moza is correct. We announced the TPB back in November. This will be an announcement about The Old Republic webcomic, not necessarily the Threat of Peace."

Sounds like we will be getting a new comic soon!
 
Comment by Xavier made on February 26th, 2010 at 7:04pm
Since the events of ToP happen shortly after the Sacking of and Treaty of Coruscant, I'm thinking they'll move the story line forward on the timeline. Have it take place closer to the start of the game, which Rob Chestney said was "about 10 years after the treaty". I think the comic will lead up to the events of the book and the book will lead into the start of the game.

Just a hunch and I'm probably wrong. I have been a lot more than I've been right about this game. Which, come to think of it, is probably a good thing. I wouldn't make a good game designer...sad for me :(
 
Comment by Galeg made on February 26th, 2010 at 6:31pm
Right around 4:10-4:20 there is some gorgeous video of a tree swaying in the breeze.
 
Comment by Thelann made on February 26th, 2010 at 4:53pm
For some reason, when I saw that blue phase area, I immediately thought... Sweet, and instance. Did anyone else have a similar feeling?
 
Comment by Vastori made on February 28th, 2010 at 8:27am
I thought more along the lines of a 'safe area', one that can only be entered by those of the appropriate faction, perhaps where you will 'rez' or get NPC healing. Of course that's my high hopes for wide spread PvP talking there. ;)
 
Comment by korrick made on February 26th, 2010 at 4:45pm
When you see the side by side picture of the two inquisitors in the last pic, the symbols of the first abilities are different when all the otheres are the same. Maybe this is a power from a different spec?
 
DH Team
Comment by emlaeh made on February 26th, 2010 at 7:39pm
You can see the level 30 Sith Inquisitor ability icons in our prior dissection of Designing the Dark Side here:

http://darthhater.com/2009/12/30/dissected-designing-the-dark-side-video/
 
Comment by korrick made on February 27th, 2010 at 4:21am
Wait im confused now were you guys comparing the inquisitors abilities from the recent pic with the other dissection video?
 
DH Team
Comment by emlaeh made on February 27th, 2010 at 1:36pm
No, just showing you what the icons are. :)
 
Comment by korrick made on February 27th, 2010 at 7:36pm
Oh ok thank you lol.
 
Comment by Xavier made on February 26th, 2010 at 4:12pm
One other interesting line, "Taris is one of the major planets in TOR."

I found this wording to be curious. Did he mean that there will different size planets, as in major and minor planets? Or, did he simply mean that Taris is important to the story and the overall KOTOR saga?

I'm inclined to believe the latter over the former but, you never know.

Thoughts?
 
DH Team
Comment by emlaeh made on February 26th, 2010 at 4:27pm
"Dozens and dozens of planets." ;)
 
Comment by Xavier made on February 27th, 2010 at 4:21am
Em, you tease. ;)
 
DH Team
Comment by emlaeh made on February 27th, 2010 at 1:44pm
Coincidentally, my Star Wars Essential Atlas arrived yesterday... hmm...
 
Comment by Xavier made on February 28th, 2010 at 4:20pm
nice. I might have to pick that up myself.
 
Comment by Xavier made on February 26th, 2010 at 3:14pm
Ok, It's not an overly important shot but, was I the one who go just a little nostalgic when I saw the swoop track wreckage!
 
DH Team
Comment by sado made on February 26th, 2010 at 3:17pm
Ya, I loved that shot. Had to add it in for the nostalgia for KOTOR players.
 
Comment by chronium made on February 26th, 2010 at 3:24pm
I understood it better with the dissection screenshot then I did watching the video, but yeah I love it as well.
 
Comment by Ghost made on February 26th, 2010 at 3:04pm
Clever thinking on the Rakghoul "Pack buff"
 
Comment by Flagg made on February 26th, 2010 at 3:00pm
Image 4 is showing FPS and says "Toggling Shadows"
 
Comment by Methanex made on February 26th, 2010 at 10:45pm
Damn it, logged in too late, lol, good job =)
 
Comment by Flagg made on February 26th, 2010 at 3:07pm
Unless you mean whats across the window title on the left screen, all I can sorta make out is Star Wars: The OldRepublic something something something darkside waffles.

Maybe i'm wrong ;)
 
DH Team
Comment by emlaeh made on February 26th, 2010 at 4:52pm
I think it is this:

"STAR WARS: THE OLD REPUBLIC NOT IN STATUS MONITOR PERFORMANCE MAX DEBUG"
 
Comment by Rekubot made on February 26th, 2010 at 5:48pm
Pretty sure status is actually startup. NOT IN STARTUP MONITOR - PERFORMANCE...
 
DH Team
Comment by sado made on February 26th, 2010 at 3:10pm
'Performance' is clearly in there, likely just resource use notes in the title bar.
 
Comment by chronium made on February 26th, 2010 at 3:16pm
looks like star wars the old republic: NOT IN then rest gets illegible.
 
DH Team
Comment by sado made on February 26th, 2010 at 3:02pm
Right, blew that one up for that reason but mostly for the text at the title bar.