A/V The Old Republic MMO: The New Official Thread

Ooh, perhaps we'll at long last see Bothawui in person. Wonder if A'gyo will be involved, with how he's one of the advisors.

Even with the upcoming Eternal Championship, KotFE has been pretty light on the new areas or daily content (4.0 was pushing level sync and old group content more than anything else). Plenty of private instances (the Gravestone and Asylum for instance), but Zakuul isn't really a planet, or at least not an area worth revisiting, not like how Rishi and Yavin still had stuff to do on repeat visits.

Oh yeah, I gotta remember to get a few more outfits from the lvl 60 starter character classes, they're changing those to bind on pickup next week, rather than how they're now bind on legacy.

Early access is 2 days early, I think? Wonder how many bugs they'll bother to fix in between early access and public access.

 

Yeah, it would be nice to visit some new planets and be able to do more stuff on them (I still visit Yavin IV from time to time).

So... most likely we are going to see Bothawui in the future updates.

Dathomir was mentioned in mail from K'krohl (Manaan, Yavin and Rishi - all of these planets were mentioned earlier in mails during "the Forged Alliances" storyline), so I would not be surprised to see this planet at some point. Dantooine is mentioned in some open areas, but I think that Dathomir is more likely to appear.

There is also a matter of old "scrapped" planets like Sleheyron or Talravin.

 

Bothawui probably won't be in this update, they would probably be hyping it up a lot more, so far its been HK-55 subscriber bonus and Kaliyo. Ugh, I really hope there's an option to turn her away, definitely don't trust her. Don't trust SCORPIO either but we're stuck with her. Too bad we couldn't have gotten Zenith instead of Kaliyo, he's had guerilla experience too (though he's mostly concerned with Balmorra), unless they just didn't want people getting confused between Theron and Zenith considering they have the same voice actor.

I hope they've improved the Eternal Championship. Earlier a developer announced their plans for rewards in that and... it was pretty pathetic (static gear good for only really casual players, and the final round probably won't be for casual players). So far Star Fortress and upcoming Eternal Championship count as new repeatable stuff, and neither are that, that fun or fast.

I hope they keep up with the new recruits for the Alliance, just hope we don't have to keep adding them to the companion window, that's already a huge crowded mess (not like we needed to get a new companion with every planetary Star Fortress). Personally I think Tharan Cedrax would be a perfect recruit for Oggrugubb, but no mention of him or Holiday yet.

 

IIRC according to datamined info we won't see Theran Cedrax in season 1.

More datamined info:
- Darvanis (the planet from the Scum and Villainy operation) wiil be reused for Chapter 14. For these who do not know how it looks.
- HK chapter will be based around the Shroud. (HK-47 will appear in some form)

SPOILERS

Remaining chapter names:

Spoiler

Chapter X: Anarchy in Paradise
Chapter XI: Disavowed
Chapter XII: Dark Passages
Chapter XIII: A Deal with the Devaronian
Chapter XIV: Blood, Honor, and Steel
Chapter XV: The GEMINI Imperitive
Chapter XVI: Master of the Throne

DR. DELAU'S NOTES

Spoiler

ARTIFACT NOTES:
The relic coffer next to this datapad is the same one you recovered earlier with Dr. Drellik. Inside the coffer we found a Sith medallion along with eight ancient stone tablets.

The medallion is fashioned after a Sith mask, with a crystal set into the forehead. When held, the medallion produces a mild, tingling sense of foreboding, supporting its authenticity. For secondary verification, we had Harris try to nap while wearing it. The nightmares came almost immediately.

The eight tablets bear a variety of carved images, all unique, and all strongly thematic of sith values or philosophy. The simple and symbology of the images, along with their lack of text, led us to suspect that the tablets might have been intended to teach in some way.

SITUATION REPORT
We were unable to make much progress with the relics until recently, when Harris found a new artifact within the cave known as the Architect's Hollow. Like the coffer relics, this new object dated to the Exar Kun era, and appeared to be related. We set out investigate, Harris bringing one of the tablets and the medallion, but the expedition was a disaster.

Just as we reached the artifact's location, a hulking Massassi attacked us. It was one of their "Relic Keepers". We had scouted them just west of the cave entrance, but didn't think much of it. They normally keep to themselves, jealously guarding their relic altars, but this brute went straight after Harris... like it knew full well what he had.

Needless to say, Harris didn't last long... neither did our escort for that matter. We scattered and fled. I don't know what became of the tablet or the medallion. It shames me that relics have been lost on my watch.

NEW CODEX ENTRIES:

HAVOC SQUAD

Spoiler

The founding unit of the Republic Special Forces division, Havoc Squad was renowned as the army's elite fighting team. For a long time, Havoc enjoyed a reputation as a team of unstoppable commandos who always emerged successful against impossible odds. When Havoc fell from grace after a mass unrest in the ranks, a young lieutenant rebuilt the squad and led it to victory once again.

These days, opinions on Havoc Squad are mixed at best. After the disappearance of the officer who led Havoc to its greatest triumphs over the Sith Empire, the elite unit has seen little meaningful action. While many Republic citizens appreciate the squad's past efforts to keep their worlds safe, rumors persist that the commandos have abandoned their posts to fight an unsanctioned guerrilla war on Zakuul--one that threatens the fragile peace treaty with the Eternal Empire.

OVERWATCH

Spoiler

To maintain citizen equality, nearly all menial labor is handled by a droid workforce. Zakuulans rely on it for medical care, construction, law enforcement, and more. Droids provide elderly companionship and safe childcare, and they cook, clean, run errands, and keep the Spire in order. Without droids, the city's comfort and happiness would vanish.

Overwatch is the hub through which all droid labor functions. This command center issues orders to its workers and keeps every droid running smoothly. To reduce human error as much as possible, only those with highest clearance, including the Emperor, are permitted to enter. Automated life-form detection and a patrol of Skytroopers ensure that no one without permission can enter.

THE ENDLESS SWAMPS

Spoiler

In the ancient days of Zakuul, the Endless Swamps were a harsh home filled with countless dangers. If the deadly predators didn't take the Old Zakuulans, perilous sinkholes and disease-ridden pests would.

Political refugees fleeing Arcann's wrath have often used the swamps for shelter, but the region's population exploded after Asylum's destruction. Zakuulans who oppose the new Emperor are forced to hide in the treacherous lands of their ancestors, fighting for their lives in a murky, deadly world far from the Spire's glamour.

The more superstitious exiles claim to feel the eyes of the old gods watching them from deep within the bog. In reality, these eyes likely belong to the native beasts waiting for their opportunity to strike.

THE SPIRE

Spoiler

Built on the swamps of Ancient Zakuul, the Spire symbolizes the golden age Valkorion created for his subjects. The towering metropolis comprises vertically stacked and numbered districts, each of which boasts a labyrinth of museums, restaurants, and entertainment designed for maximum enjoyment.

The highest level, District 52, houses the droid command center Overwatch and the opulent Eternal Throne. Below District 1 is Oldtown, which serves as a dark playground where citizens can explore their more unsightly appetites in privacy and safety. Most Spire denizens have visited Oldtown, but few will admit it.

Though Zakuulan society is deliberately classless, many Spire residents use the districts as a status symbol. Those living on levels near the Eternal Throne may boast of a superior "closeness" to the Emperor while districts near Oldtown are considered the slums. In reality, every district is carefully constructed for identical living conditions, just as the Emperor intended.

THE ZAKUUL SOCIETY: THRILLSEEKING

Spoiler

Raised in comfort and safety, Zakuulans want for nothing. But despite leading easy lives of intellectual and creative pursuits, they occasionally feel compelled to seek out less high-minded excitement.

Oldtown offers an opportunity for Spire citizens to enter another world and indulge their need for exhilaration. Many Zakuulans have paid at least one visit to cheer at the gladiator pits or sample the red light district. Countless more simply venture down to tour the seedy streets and thrill to the distasteful and the taboo.

The key to Zakuulan thrill-seeking is to never face any real danger. Though Spire residents flock to the delightfully seedy Oldtown, they avoid the truly treacherous Breaktown below it.

FIREBRAND

Spoiler

Anarchist, bomber, folk hero: Firebrand has earned every label. Shortly after her arrival on the Spire, her very public destruction of the District 36 Museum of Art immediately branded her as a dangerous and fashionable terrorist.

Many Zakuulans consider Firebrand a source of much-needed taboo thrills, and her exploits have earned her a sizeable following. Calling themselves Flamechasers, these fans pride themselves on keeping up with her latest daring adventures.

Since only a handful of Flamechasers have seen Firebrand, tales of her appearance range from romantic to outlandish. Her most popular depiction is the mortal incarnation of Aivela, the ancient Zakuulan goddess of passion and fire. Fan art often shows Firebrand as a horned woman engulfed in blue flame, Aivela's traditional portrayal.

BTW

We will fight Batman and Robin during the Eternal Championship.

 

Chapters descriptions:

Spoiler

CHAPTER 12
Valkorion challenges the Outlander for control; an old ally and a hated foe offer to complete the Outlander's training; the Alliance embarks on a secret mission-and runs into unexpected danger.

CHAPTER 13
Through the spoils of countless conquests, Zakuul now counts itself as the single largest repository of wealth in the known galaxy... and the most ambitious challenge yet for the galaxy's greatest con-man. The crafty Devaronian, Gault Rennow, has come to the remote world of Odessen to make the Alliance an offer they can't refuse: the opportunity to steal the superpower's treasury right out from under them.

CHAPTER 14
The Commander receives a vital lead on the mysterious GEMINI frequency--a lead that takes her to a massive industrial facility producing droids and ordnance for the forces of Zakuul. Assaulting the facility would require an army, and an army is what the Commander gets when she allies with a warband of Mandalorian clans led by legendary bounty hunter Shae Vizla. Fighting alongside the young Mandalorian Torian Cadera, the Commander befriends this legion of the most honor-bound and violent warriors in the galaxy, and must decide what will become of them when their uneasy alliance ends.

CHAPTER 15
The Commander's closest allies work together in the aftermath of a major setback, but the unexpected awaits them all onboard the Eternal Fleet capital ship they plan to overtake.

CHAPTER 16
Odessen is threatened-the Commander must face off against Arcann once more, while new enemies make their move against the Alliance.

SOME SPOILERY DIALOGUES! BIG ONES! THE FATE OF MANDALORE! SCORPIO! KOTH?!

Spoiler

VALKORION: Pitiful. Why did I ever believe you could change anything?
PLAYER: You don't know me at all.
VALKORION: And neither do you. Therein lies the problem.
VALKORION: This was a fraction of the pain my children can inflict. If you do not finish your training--become something greater--you will feel the full weight of their rage.
PLAYER: I can endure anything.
VALKORION: Your goal is not to survive. It is to rule. There is nothing else.
VALKORION: I cannot stay to protect you any longer. There are matters to which I must attend... but I will leave you with a final token of my favor.
PLAYER: You promised we'd be allies.
VALKORION: You have received all that I can give--for now. One day, there may be more. Until then....

SHAE VIZLA:A dozen clans stand with Mandalore the Avenger. We're ready for blood... even if our enemies are built of metal and grease.
PLAYER: "Mandalore the Avenger"? What happened to your predecessor?
SHAE VIZLA: I'm sorry. Zakuul hit your adopted clan hard. He died fighting.
SHAE VIZLA: We've been under siege these past few years. Clan Vizla survived better than most, I ended up Mandalore mostly by accident.
SHAE VIZLA: Half the clans are scattered. Most of the rest are trapped on the heartworlds.
SHAE VIZLA: When your spy-boy friend offered a chance to hit back, I agreed. Been on defense too long.
PLAYER: We'll get them. For Mandalore.
SHAE VIZLA: Mandalore the Vindicated made me Mandalorian. For him, for my clan... we'll take vengeance.

PLAYER:Satele Shan and the ghost of Darth Marr have been here on Odessen the whole time. They found me in the wilderness.
THERON: My mother's here? With Darth Marr?
PLAYER: Not anymore. They left on some other mission--but not before revealing what it'll take to stop Arcann. It's... complicated.
PLAYER: They're a team, now. Following the will of the Force.

??:SCORPIO's gone. The captain destroyed her.
LANA BENIKO: Oh. She did serve us well.... One less problem on our hands, I suppose.
PLAYER: Problem or not, she was my ally.
LANA BENIKO: You're right, of course. My condolences.

TORA: It's weird, right? The Captain not being here.
PLAYER: I can't believe he's gone.
TORA: You're not going to cry, are you? Cause I can come back.
PLAYER: He betrayed me.
TORA: Drop the look. I'm the one who stood between him and the Gravestone, remember?

 

Ooh, well this sounds intense.

 

EXAR KUN AND VITIATE LORE!

Spoiler

DASHADE: I have waited centuries for this moment. I will have it.
DASHADE: My home world was burned and shattered by the ambition of Exar Kun. Millions of Dashade turned to ash in the wake of an atrocity not even meant for us.
DASHADE: I followed him here. I came to consume his very being for what he had done. I was too late.
PLAYER: Kun was already dead?
DASHADE: So it seemed.
PLAYER: The means to cause such a cataclysm, does it still exist?
DASHADE: The weapon and its wielder were annihilated by the Dark Lord's design.
DASHADE: I found this moon a smoldering ruin. Months, I scoured for a sign. My worst fears were confirmed by his Massassi worshipers.
DASHADE: The stragglers I found all spoke of the Dark Lord's ascendance into an immortal spirit. Beyond my reach and my wrath.
PLAYER: You're saying he destroyed this place to become immortal? Sounds familiar.
DASHADE: He sacrificed countless Massassi, but it was the Jedi that burned this world to stop him.
DASHADE: Buried here among the secrets of the ancient Sith, I found the means to restore Exar Kun to life.
PLAYER: The Temple of Sacrifice was destroyed when someone else tried to use it.
DASHADE: Explain yourself!
PLAYER: You've waited a long time for disappointment. That device is in ruin.
DASHADE: What? No! No!
DASHADE: Exar Kun's fetid soul is forever beyond my reach!
DASHADE: This is his fault! The black-eyed Sith! He turned this place into my prison instead of my salvation!
PLAYER: This black-eyed Sith, do you know who he was?
DASHADE: I do not know his name. Only his dead eyes and his power.
PLAYER: How do you know he's responsible?
DASHADE: He was the first to wake me, so long ago.

 

RafSwi7, what do you mean by Batman and Robin? Like, characters that are designed to be homages to them? Also, in this datamining info, have you perchance come upon images of upcoming Cartel Market outfits? I'm a stickler for nice new clothes in this game.

 

As for new armors and some weapons:


Taken from Dulfy's page.

 

Oh, awesome.

And thanks for the armor images. They're pretty cool, though none scream immediate "must-buy" for me.

 

They are called Nocturno "The Fallen Knight" and Drake Raven "The Rising Squire".

 

Brilliant.

Those KOTOR swords look amazing. Now I just have to get them and decide where to use them.

 

also Zorrixor

 

Interesting...

I've not really been keeping up with stuff lately, but that Exar Kun stuff is pretty cool.

 

These story bits sound very interesting. Let's hope they can keep up with their schedule of... one chapter a month, starting this month, I think? Though not sure I'll take my main character through them first, still annoyed I missed out on some emails (though it was launch, but couldn't resist at the time).

The new pack stuff looks nice, gotta get back to stockpiling credits for that. Not bad outfits, some nice weapons (and another green crystal), and of course their attempt to cash in on Kylo Ren's lightsaber. Now they just need to add a cross-guard hilt version. The KotOR vibroswords do look nice, though apparently they're mainhand or off-hand only so Sentinels are going to have to pay double. There's even a new droid companion, though the image looks like one of those minor utility droids you see on Coruscant. The license for that will probably have sky-high prices on GTN, the last CM companion is still super expensive, I think. I suppose it would be too much to hope for them to have an unlock sale in May on Star Wars day.

 

Could someone summarize the new Exar-Vitiate stuff? Reading it left me confused.

 

Spoiler

This Dashade (who is called Ak'ghal Usar) wanted revenge on Exar Kun, since the Sith Lord destroyed his homeworld. He followed Kun to Yavin IV, but he was too late, since Kun has been already defeated by Jedi. With Yavin IV in ruins, he still searched for his nemesis, until Massassi told him, that Kun transcended into immortal spirit. He stayed on Yavin and learned about the Temple of Sacrifice and that it would allow him to bring Kun back (so he would be able to devour him). However, he was not able to use it, because Yavin IV was a dead world after the war with Exar Kun has ended. It seems, that he put himself into some kind of stasis to wait and give the planet a time to recover from the war. At some point he was awoken by Vitate who not only claimed the Temple of Sacrifice for his own use, but imprisoned Dashade and put him into stasis once again. Player releases him. Unfortunately for Dashade the Temple of Sacrifice has been destroyed, when Revan wanted to use it to resurrect Vitiate.

...and his planet was called

Spoiler

Urkupp

BTW

Spoiler

Now I am puzzled, because in some files Akghal Usar is reffered as Khem Val (khem_val_updated), but it can't be him.

 

Spoiler

I hope SWTOR isn't beholden to JAT because a revived Exar Kun would be awesome.

 

That looks like Owlman.

 

I'm happy KotFE seems to be tying other canon together based.

Spoiler

So,

4960~ Vitiate's Sith Empire is formed.

4016-3996~ The Dashade's homework is destroyed in the Exar Kun War

3996~ Exar Kun War ends, Exar Kun escapes his mortal body.

39XX~ The Dashade intends to kill Exar Kun, but learns the Jedi have already done it, and the planet remains in ruins. He enters stasis until a time where he can forcefully resurrect Exar Kun, and devour him.

3XXX-Vitiate finds the Dashade and The Temple of sacrifice, and awakens the former. Vitiate learns Kun's trick, immortal life by sacrificing a planet's population. (Perhaps this process is imperfect, explaining why even freed of his corporal body pre-SoR, he still needed to sacrifice Ziost to recharge his batteries?)

-The Dashade is rebound once again by Vitiate.

3639-Revan destroys the Temple of Sacrifice

3639~ Ziost is sacrificed and refuels Vitiate's power.

3635-The Outlander+Valkorian/Vitiate is freed.

-The Outlander frees the Dashade on Yavin.

I really appreciate all these pieces of lore to make sense of Vitiate/Valerian.

Basically, what I'm coming to realize is he's....

Spoiler

Dante from Full Metal Alchemist (2003). Amoral person whose fear of death and ingenuity drives him to become increasingly more ruthless in his desire for power/staying alive. No real end goal or grand vision, just pissing around and manipulating things from the shadows like the Ishval/Darth Revan/KOTOR 1/The Dark Wars/KOTOR 2 conflicts. For all of his grand talks about ascension and making Zakuul great again, his only real goal in all of this was to escape death with imperfect methods.

 

TOR continues to excel with its TOTJ references! I'm impressed.

Spoiler

I like how it's making sense of, and tying together, various Sith immortality rituals. It very much seems what Kun accomplished on Yavin is nigh-identical to what Vitiate accomplished with Nathema. And the Temple of Sacrifice, and associated alchemical apparatus (if it's the same as the Temple of Fire from TOTJ, which seems all but set in stone), is no doubt what Nadd was planning to use Kun to to recreate his own body.

Spoiler

I suspect part of it comes from a realistic treatment of immortality. Sauron is not realistic; who remains a Satanic spirit for thousands of years? Think of how much we change over the course of one normal lifespan, now multiply that by tens.

Vitiate probably does much of what he does to extricate as much experience and fun out of life as possible; boredom is a price one can pay for immortality, after all. Amoral, certainly, empty to the core, but perhaps after role-playing a world-devouring Sith Lord for centuries he got bored and decided to experience more in life. A family, experimenting with trying to create a utopia, and so on.

 

Not really thrilled about them

Spoiler

killing off Mandalore the Vindicated

like that...

 

Old enemy and ally, are they talking about Malgus?