Being a fairly new guy to TOR (and your website, which has proven to be pretty neat for info), which would be cause' i'm not very active forum/web guy despite I play net games all the time, the hype generated in the past few weeks has been quite an awesome feeling, and you guys have been adding to that a lot, so props for that, hopefully you can keep it up for the remainder of the wait.

As for what I'm the most interested about playing was at first Bounty Hunter, how cool they look and act like. And the abundance of footage shown of em certainly didn't hurt their chances. But I'm also a bit like that guy, Dover is it? Can't quite recognise the voices yet, anyhow the appeal (or lack of) towards Imperial Agent has gotten me interested from that class now, and with that droid screenshot of hot armor on it is looking pretty good option right about now. And that I'm a support first kinda guy.

So those are my first choices, since my friends are totally steadfast of playing on Empire side of it so I don't have much hope for my ultimate dream of playing a 'Jedi of a smuggler'. I guess there won't even be such a possibility of playing a rogue Jedi, that is not a sith but not really a Jedi either, for example. Those gray area guys, it would be so cool if there were sort of 'cross class' character possibilites, but we'll see.

A smuggler itself seems like fun, but it would really need some more appeal to it, to somehow "sex it up" some, and maybe the problem is actually in me but somehow the footage they showed of the smuggler didn't quite cut it for me. Adding something like vehicles for use, some exquisite ones (maybe some sort of fighters or other things that can fly?) for the smuggler would rank some good points in my book.

But in the end, it's the overall feel to the game and the gameplay experience itself that matters the most, not all the fancy rubble if i could call it that, that's in the outside, that determines if it's a success or a fail. I hope that this will be the one that doesn't fail all the hype that's being built around it, like quite a few other games have.

As for the survey... love it, all polls and things like that are good time for me, haha.

Now, the fact that I have been thinking absolutely the same thing as ArcherAvatar about you guys being to pointy at the fact that you are speculating now and then or all the time is beginning to be an issue, that points out that you are being carriedd to far away by your own fears that you might mislead us somehow with some unknown/unconfirmed facts. We all know that, we don't expect from you TRUTH and NOTHING ELSE BUT THE TRUTH! Personal opinions and thoughts is what I love hearing in your PodCasts and the last few (2 or 3) have been under the hood of "and here we are going totally in speculation mode' phrase before every other word you say or want to say.

P.S. And yes, we do want 3h long PodCast if you have something interesting to say. I'd also like listening to you all twice per week.

Readership Survey: Check

BTW, I've been noticing a ... hesitancy ... when it comes to "unknown" or unconfirmed aspects of the game. I'd just like to express my desire to hear MORE of just good old fashioned opinions or speculation. I understand the staff's concern about potentially misleading someone, but you've got to get past that folks.

If people want "absolute" confirmed facts ONLY then they can just head over to the official site. One of the main attractions of your site (for me at least) are the things like the dissection articles (would prefer vivisection but hey... there are limits...) and the editorial articles that are simply expressing a considered and well thought out opinion. I'd just really like to hear you folks approach personal opinions and speculations with more enthusiasm. I understand you've got to throw a disclaimer in there as well so folks don't get the wrong idea, but just throw it and then get to the good stuff.

Whether I personally agree with the opinions or speculations has absolutely zero impact on my enjoyment on hearing them. Heck, half the time I get more enjoyment out of hearing something I definitely DON'T agree with just so I can examine it, as well as my own opinions again, or more closely.

Just saying... don't be afraid to swing at a few fast balls... folks rarely remember how many strike outs you've had... it's the homeruns that stick in the memory, and you can't hit it out of the park unless you swing for the fences.

With Lord Ekage's heroes of his Red Legion I just kinda thought that they would be like the elite red Guardsman seen in the comic and timeline vid (like the the Emperor's Imperial Guard from Crimson Empire & 'Jedi'). I didnt think of the Pureblood race as a possibility of why it has its ie named after the red of their skin colour, cool... Perhaps it is like the masked, elite warriors we see come out of the ship in the Deceived trailer also???

Next though I had was; if a Trandoshan becomes a possible player Companion I can almost imagine that an Empire player could get them whilst a Republic player could get a Wookiee instead. Take it even further with the historical hatred between the two species then add the classic BH & Smuggler rivalry between Han & Boba, I could honestly see the Trandoshan being a possible pickup for BH (& IA?) with the Wookiee as a counterpart to the Smuggler (& Trooper?) aka like Chewbacca for Han (*RAWR!* for Pete here).

Oh, and like Malgus, I can SO see especially the Sith Warrior as having slave Companions as potential apprentices and love interests :-)

Great show, seemingly as always...

hb

PS Readership Survey - check.

I would like to ask you to not say that every causal ten year old that joins after launch joins and chooses jedi

However, you may have a point.

Ether way i plan on being a jedi knight... and i am calling out all bounty hunters and Sith inquisitors

Bring it on

Oh and love the postcast another great show

Well the 'Slave' or 'Lower cast' dynamic could follow the 'Dwarf Commoner' path seen in DAO.

And yes, 'Forum QQs' will be strong than the Force itself. :-p

Lol at the SI = Hunter in Wow.

Readership Survey - check.

Important to note that the poll was made after a hype period (classes were being released), and as such, isn't very accurate.

Also, does DH have a pending list of species they think will be playable?

Nice pod, with fun theorizing!
Btw, I already fear the first days of the IA forums: "how do I use the force?" "where's my lightsabre?"

excellent Pod as usual :) ....I cannot wait for E3. I cant wait to play this game already. MY gosh right after watching the combat video ........i am envious that yur team actually got to play it abit and went to Lucasarts WOW JUST WOW :0...but yur site and everything that goes along with all of your hard work deserves it ...have fun in beta as well .........

Let's get some E3 speculation going. I can personally only think of 3 things that they might show off at E3.

1) Just more regular ground combat, flashpoint demo. - It's possible that it could be that dull.

2) All or a lot of the playable species doing pvp combat - them in pvp combat is the easiest way to show off many of the species while doing something exciting.

3) Space combat - This is self explanatory and is my choice of what they're going to show at E3.

Good podcast! The poll results for classes fall along what should be expected. Force powers are flashier and generally have overpowered non-Force users in the movies and Expanded Universe; however, you also have to consider that these results are the choices for everyone's first character. Once we all start playing, I'm positive that most of us will play the other classes, just to get a feel for them and also for the story. The class spread should become a little better after the TOR has been released for a few months.

I may have mentioned this before, but last week's update and this week's update are sort of a let-down to me. I would have preferred spreading out the updates evenly instead of bundling them up for two weeks and then having two rather small updates the following two weeks. Sean's developer comment even made it seem like he even thought these two smaller updates would not be "enough" for us after the previous two updates.

Anyways, I still look forward to the developer blog. Hoping for some new images too!

I think you guys are a bit off on the healing aspects. Every class will get an out of combat SELF heal. But only a few or rather half to be exact(SM,JC,SI,SA) will actually get in combat heal other ability's. Everything else said on that is accurate except that point of "everyone will have heals" just need to clarify.

First off, I completely agree with Danthis on the Smuggler. While I think all of the stories will be well written and will suck you in, I've always been a huge fan of characters like Han Solo, Starbuck (the original), and Capt Mal Renyolds. So, the Smuggler story is the one for me.

As far as housing is concerned, I still say the best way to do it is instanced apartments on Coruscant and in Kaas City. It's easier for the developers. Housing fans get what they want, you could even have multiple floor plans. Finally, the folks who hated seeing the thousands of abandoned houses dotting the SWG landscape, get what they want.

As always, thanks for the hard work!

I'm not 100% convinced that the chick is an Inqusitor. Yeah, she has a dress on. But, we don't know if the armors will be the same for males and females. Also, that armor looks pretty heavy imo. As far as her powers go, she throws 2 of the thugs back and is choking the 3rd. Choke is a warrior power, as were quite a few of the knockbacks, from what we've seen. We don't know if any of these powers will be able to cross classes as you gain experience. It's possible that the warrior may get a single lightning power. Or, the Inquisitor could get a choke ability.

I just think that it would be wierd to have 2 sith Inquisitors in one comic.

I am going to step out on a limb here and state that the reason many people loved Teras Kasi in SWG was because with the right spec it was unstoppable and it was that way until the NGE. Even average players were combat gods with the right spec. If it had not been so over-the-top powerful I doubt it would have been so popular.

Another great podcast :)

The forum QQing will be amazing. It's just another reason to roll a non-Force user.

I have to admitt I'm more than a little surprised at the numbers in that poll and as you said in the podcast, I'll be curious to see if they hold after the game's retail release.

I'm especially blown away by the IA coming in dead last. As I commented here before, the IA will be the class I play during my "me" time, and I'm really looking forward to what I think will be one of the most interesting story lines in the game (not to mention the incredibly cool game mechanics associated with the class.)

I was also a little disappointed to see the SI at the top of that poll since it's the class I'll be playing as part of a dedicated Duo and in larger groups. If the dynamic you suggested during the show turns out to be true, it looks like I'll have my work cut out for me overcoming the "Inquisitard" stereo-type that will almost certainly get established.

As usual - really enjoyed the show.
P.S. take the playful ribbing about the drinking games in the good natured way it was intended bro... don't take it to heart too much. You've been doing a great job for a long time, and it's much appreciated.

Sado you can use "Seemingly" as a drinking game too. you say that a lot. lol i noticed that a couple podcast ago.

Don't forget about the planet reveal for the 21st with the next web comic chapter. There are still pretty big updates to come before E3.

I wouldn't mind a 3 hour podcast heck I would like to see a unedited podcast.

As for player housing I'm surprised you guys never brought up the Ebon Hawk/Normandy ship we will probably receive, which does serve as your mobile home.

Awesome show! I really hope they have player housing in TOR. I tend to be a pack rat in every mmo I play and I need a place to keep all my stuff!

Can't wait for them E3 updates, probably some more inquisitard info :P

The "As it were" drinking game, lol classic.

Can't wait to see what you guys do with E3 coverage! Screw IGN/Gamespot, I'll be coming here.

Keep up the good work.

I like where you guys are going with the "Pureblood" concept. I can see some racial abilities that favor the Inquisitor, having some bonuses to force powers over saber combat.

I think you guys should mention player bounties in every podcast! (No? Come on!)
And no, none of the other classes should have access to it! hahaha

You guys are killing me with this survey...
You're lucky I like you guys. =op