As gamers, we love to think we're in control of our own virtual destinies. Because of this, we appreciate the freedom many games, including Star Wars: The Old Republic, provide regarding individual freedom of choice. We are able to choose our race, class, advanced class, skills, mustaches, deformities, companions, guild mates, and how we use each. What many may not realize is just how much a game can manipulate our decisions. SWTOR expands this phenomenon quite a bit, with players becoming arguably more invested in their character's narrative and choices than any MMO before it. With these realizations in mind, it's hard not to consider the following when one first logs in to Star Wars: The Old Republic.
It's likely that all of us have an idea about which class we're going to roll first, and there are probably several factors affecting our decision. For example, I initially planned to play the Trooper class. However, I'm a supervillian at heart, and can hardly bring myself to mingle with the goody two shoes Jedi. My next choice was the Sith Inquisitor, but I really, really hate the Fury class starship. And while I do want to heal, I want to do it without any of that pompous Force business. Finally, I decided I want some stealth thrown in there as well, just for the heck of it. After careful review of Star Wars: The Old Republics' class mechanics, I seem to be shoved into the role of the Imperial Agent Operative.
Actually, it's probably the mustache
Consider this: originally I wanted to play a heavily armed and armored Trooper, but have somehow ended up with a delicate, talky-type Imperial Agent. Star Wars: The Old Republic has dueled my desires, and I honestly can't tell who won.
Oh well, at least I can control my character's dialogue...
Alright, I'm in the game, chatting it up with various quest NPCs. The Operative has everything (I think?) I want, and lo and behold, I'm faced with a decision. Some blowhard is all up in my business about who I am and what I'm doing around these parts, and I'm not really a fan of explaining myself.
I'm given the option to either play it off with some carefully crafted tomfoolery or shut him up in a more permanent manner. I mouse over to make my decision, but what's this? One option is blue, another is red, and dang if I don't want to kill the hell out of this guy. However, something is keeping me from pulling the trigger. What if I have the opportunity to seduce his sister in a few hours, but the death of her brother leaves her with a case of "the headaches?"
Beyond that, what if I reach endgame and am just a few Light side points away from wielding a blaster rifle that shoots rainbows? Star Wars: The Old Republic is almost as persistent as real life, and as much as I want to kick my boss in the groin for forcing an annoying client on me, I don't, because hey, I need to pay the rent.
There are always exceptions to this rule
So here I am, stuck somewhere between carnal gratification and the ability to fire double rainbows, and I have no idea what to do. I stare at the screen for hours, unable to make a decision, until finally I say "screw it" and smoke the guy.
Three hours later, I meet his sister...
Great. Good thing I picked up that bottle of Excedrin on my way here (effectively eliminating one possible excuse). I initiate dialogue, and come to find out the character is unbearably annoying: a voice like Fran Drescher and all the sexual appeal of Snooki. If I encountered this thing in real life, I would kill it with fire. Still, she doesn't seem to realize I'm the one who offed her brother, and her advances are difficult to ignore.
Maybe 'difficult' isn't the right word
I'm now at an impasse. Do I go against my better judgment and add a notch to my newly acquired Belt of Conquest? Or, do I give this chick the cold shoulder, don some sunglasses, and walk away slowly like she's an explosion? In real life, alcohol and desperation would probably make the decision for me, but since MMORPGs aren't unlike high school, bragging rights and tally marks will decide my fate.
The screen fades to black, and my character returns a slightly paler shade of green. I leave the chamber, and am immediately scorned by my female companion, losing an amount of affection.
Maybe it's time to switch to a better wingman...
So I know what I want my character to do, I know what rewards I want to obtain, I know that Bakuran Fever Bumps are for life, and honestly, I don't want to be reprimanded for every little botched decision I make. I screw up; it's kind of my thing. So, I begin rolling with a companion who just doesn't give a damn. Ya, he can't tank very well, and ya, he kind of sucks at healing, but he's just as irresponsible as I am, and I kind of like that.
So here I am, using a companion that's probably developmentally disabled, all because the good ones won't keep their stupid mouths shut. While the game hasn't absolutely forced me to choose a specific companion based on my play style, Microsoft Office doesn't absolutely force me to toggle off Clippy the helpful paperclip, but we all know how that turns out.
Not so helpful without eyes, are we?
Currently our companion count sits at five unique characters per class, with others waiting to be found. That's a decent amount of choice, and considering there are basically only three morality archetypes; Light, Dark and "what do these colors mean?", surely one of the five will meet a player's needs. Surely.
So I've got a reasonable companion, but at the end of the day, as with most games, there is probably going to be a point at which...
It is inevitable. There are several ways this can happen. And, I assure you, they will happen. Say I've gone five levels without obtaining a new weapon; maybe because I'm stupid and missed an opportunity, or possibly I'm just poor and can't afford to purchase one, but here we are. I don't like to group as I level, other than perhaps for a Flashpoint, but that's really where I draw the line.
Captain Solo to you kid
I encounter a heroic quest that rewards just the blaster I'm looking for, and wouldn't you know it? It just so happens to shoot rainbows. There's just no way I can pass this thing up. So, I awkwardly stumble through the chat system, put together a ragtag group of players that just so happen to be in the area, and I'm off. After completing the quest with all the tactical prowess of a sledgehammer, I receive my blaster, and return to my solitary ways.
But the fact remains, I did something I just plain didn't want to do to obtain a reward I greatly desired, and that's probably a mechanic that is wholly unavoidable from a game developer's perspective. I'm sure people who hate crafting will craft, because there's simply something spectacular to obtain from crafting, or people who hate raiding will raid, because their friends raid. The incentives for each particular facet of gameplay manipulate us into engaging that specific feature, whether that was our original intention or not. It isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it's there, staring us in the face.
I honestly can't wait to play Star Wars: The Old Republic. And you know what? Even though the game is probably more passive aggressive than most of us realize, I think I'm ready to let it Kloo my Horn a little as well.
Images courtesy of Wookieepedia
- View User Profile
- View Posts
- Send Message
Posted 10/14/2011 10:12:54 PM- View User Profile
- View Posts
- Send Message
Posted 9/29/2011 9:50:24 PM- View User Profile
- View Posts
- Send Message
Posted 9/29/2011 8:10:03 PMI bet you wish you rolled that sith inquisitor now !
*waves hand* These are not the droids your looking for.
...These are not the droids I am looking for.
I didn't kill your brother.
...you didn't kill my brother....
Take off your clothes
...
- View User Profile
- View Posts
- Send Message
Posted 9/29/2011 2:13:46 PM- View User Profile
- View Posts
- Send Message
Posted 9/29/2011 8:58:44 AMI finished the "legacy" addon for DA2 some days back and I ended up having several save files each with a different choice.
I remember that I thought about SWToR when I realized that and I was like.... damn I can't just reload and replay the other way, I will have to play through again because it is a completely different story.
I think people won't realize how much effect a story driven MMO will have on the decisions you are going to make which will not only affect a title (darth won't have anyone playing a sith apparently) but also rewards and experience. It's not anymore one way but several and people will feel that it has an inpact even though they don't admit it yet but also because "we" don't know any better.
- View User Profile
- View Posts
- Send Message
Posted 9/29/2011 7:56:45 AMYou know you're going to do things you don't like and grow fond of them. You know you're going to make choises and regret it. You know you're going to play that class that lacks the appeal of the other class, promising yourself you'll make that alt later.
I for one want to play the Bounty Hunter not to be a yicky ew force-user, but I know the storyline is very "Yipee-ka-yay" and the Sith Inquisitor story 'depth' is going to interest me much more.
- View User Profile
- View Posts
- Send Message
Posted 9/29/2011 7:11:44 AMYou could be sitting there cackling to yourself "Something, somthing, something...Daaark Siyde of the Force!" in the best supervillain impression possible, complete with lightning bolts and the ship really bugs you that badly? Korriban could be yours for the taking, the Emperor is only keeping your seat warm for you and you worry about a ship?
I plan on being the best goody two shoes Jedi I can be, I may have to paint the Defender black instead of red, but I'm in this for the Force! :D
- View User Profile
- View Posts
- Send Message
Posted 9/29/2011 1:18:05 PM- View User Profile
- View Posts
- Send Message
Posted 9/29/2011 12:47:59 AM#4. Why can't I shag sisters of all the people I've killed? Why does every action have consequences?
#3. Well at least I've shagged one!
#2. Why is that only likewise minded people tend to become friends of mine? Why can't the others just shut up, adore and support me?
#1. Why, oh, why, do you people make me go to work? Can't you just pay me couple of hundreds of thousands for watching TV and let me have my damn cake?
I'm sorry for being this much annoying, but I was expecting some proper kind of analysis. We're talking about SW:TOR - MMO, which takes place in persistent world. This world is much like ours, in terms of it being home to thousands of different players. And it is only natural of them to work on the same principles.
Yes, you do weigh pros and cons and decide what's best for you - it's not law of universe, be it real or virtual, it's basic logic.
Every action has consequence: it may turn the world upside down, it may just affect life of one single ant, but there's always some consequence.
People (or AI? if we're talking about games) stick around people sharing their views/interests. One's far more likely to become mates, with a person, one has something in common with.
And sometimes you have to do unpleasant things to achieve your goals.
Now, all of this is pretty obvious and simple. It applies to any universe in any MMO game. SW:TOR story-orientation only brings it to more realistic, life-like level, just as Jaramukhti wrote. You could say, players' choice is quite limited, but this is what technology has to offer now. Or would you give it another year of waiting just to have "Grey Side" and more classes in game?
One could say it's a game and it should bring fun in every aspect. But then again, if everybody had it the way the wanted and were happy on their own, what's the point in co-op? Competing? SW:TOR being MMO?
- View User Profile
- View Posts
- Send Message
Posted 9/29/2011 12:28:38 AMThis article clearly does not conform to these ideals. You clearly are very biased towards moustaches.
- View User Profile
- View Posts
- Send Message
Posted 9/28/2011 11:55:39 PM- View User Profile
- View Posts
- Send Message
Posted 9/28/2011 10:47:28 PM- View User Profile
- View Posts
- Send Message
Posted 9/28/2011 10:30:26 PMOh, and roll a bounty hunter like all of the cool kids. Who needs stealth when you are that badass? Also, how can you pass up a jawa companion and a hacker? Blizz has a rocket launcher for crying out loud.
- View User Profile
- View Posts
- Send Message
Posted 9/29/2011 7:57:59 AMDamnit, stop making me hesitate!
- View User Profile
- View Posts
- Send Message
Posted 9/28/2011 10:18:58 PM