Last Friday, Dragon Age: Origins had quite an update. Bioware is going to be giving out a character creator, for free, prior to release of the game on the 13th. The tool will let people tinker around and make their ideal character, that will then carry over to the release of the game three weeks later. After thinking about how I will download this and play around with the character options, Captain Obvious came to the rescue. Bioware is making Star Wars: The Old Republic too.
The idea that a character creator could exist for Star Wars: The Old Republic makes me bounce around in my chair. If BioWare does release one, it could mean that there is loads of customization for characters, letting us make the ideal image for our character. It also would cut down on people spending the first three hours of the live game making a character, as opposed to wandering around the starter zone trying to figure out how to get a lightsaber. And everyone who would rather be the first to play, rather then than design a character they love, wouldn't have to regret having hit the random button down the road. (I'll admit, I would likely hit the random button if it meant I could play for the first time 2 min earlier)
Pre-releasing a character creator would also add to the hype building for the game. I remember back in the day (makes me sound like an old fart) when I downloaded the Spore Creature Creator. It let me play around with some of the options and it helped prepare me for the release of the game. That little taste was enough to get me to want to buy the game the day it was released.
Just imagine the hype that would be generated if people were told they could pre-make their character for an MMO of this magnitude. The biggest roadblock I could think of when it comes to a separate character creator is the Hero Engine. It might be too tied in to be separated, or the contract Bioware has with Simutronics may not allow them to release anything other than the finished game. Lets all just cross our fingers, claws, and tentacles in hope that they will include this feature in the pre-release party.
The idea that a character creator could exist for Star Wars: The Old Republic makes me bounce around in my chair. If BioWare does release one, it could mean that there is loads of customization for characters, letting us make the ideal image for our character. It also would cut down on people spending the first three hours of the live game making a character, as opposed to wandering around the starter zone trying to figure out how to get a lightsaber. And everyone who would rather be the first to play, rather then than design a character they love, wouldn't have to regret having hit the random button down the road. (I'll admit, I would likely hit the random button if it meant I could play for the first time 2 min earlier)
Pre-releasing a character creator would also add to the hype building for the game. I remember back in the day (makes me sound like an old fart) when I downloaded the Spore Creature Creator. It let me play around with some of the options and it helped prepare me for the release of the game. That little taste was enough to get me to want to buy the game the day it was released.
Just imagine the hype that would be generated if people were told they could pre-make their character for an MMO of this magnitude. The biggest roadblock I could think of when it comes to a separate character creator is the Hero Engine. It might be too tied in to be separated, or the contract Bioware has with Simutronics may not allow them to release anything other than the finished game. Lets all just cross our fingers, claws, and tentacles in hope that they will include this feature in the pre-release party.
Comments
On topic, I could perhaps see them letting people who pre-ordered or who bought a collectors edition getting to be able to create a character a few days before release. Would rather see it as a perk then just something that everyone can do.