Developer Blog: Makeb

Today via the official SWTOR website, the developers provided us with a preview of the planet Makeb, the centerpiece of the upcoming digital expansion, Rise of the Hutt Cartel.

A stunning planet that's being torn asunder by disasters, both ecological and man-made, this looks like a truly amazing place.  For a breakdown of the post, as well as to discuss the post itself, hit the jump.

For the official blog post, please visit this link.  The preview is brought to us courtesy of Lead Writer Charles Boyd, and really is a treat.

A Planet on the Verge of Collapse

As noted in the official blog post, Makeb itself sits on top of giant stone Mesas, and is recently being threatened by massive "groundquakes", which turn the aforementioned scenery into a disaster waiting to happen.

Naturally the enemy you'll face on Makeb is the Hutt Cartel, who are currently taking advantage of the power vacuum that's been created by the all-out war between the Galactic Republic and the Sith Empire.  Never the type to pass on a strike of opportunity, you can guarantee that the Hutts are in this war to win, and they'll use everything they have at their disposal to install themselves as the manifest rulers of Makeb.

Tipping the Balance

The story in the upcoming expansion is unique as well, as it finds the Republic in a position of power, with Imperial influence across the galaxy waning as it never has before.

However, the Empire has never been a force to be trifled with, and I'm pretty sure you'd find the word "defeat" has been stricken from all Imperial dictionaries.  Their secret bartering chip in this conflict, however, is knowledge of why the Hutts are suddenly so interested in the planet itself.  This makes an already dangerous faction even more so, and this conflict is shaping up to be quite the contest of power.

Caught in the middle are the citizens of Makeb, who find themselves torn in a three-way battle between very powerful forces.  The writers are making an emphasis on how a society would cope with this kind of warfare, and the imagery it evokes promises to be very powerful and exciting.

Conclusion

As I always say, only time will tell exactly how successful this expansion will be, but with more information coming out, it looks like it's shaping up to be incredibly interesting, diverse, and the immersion seems at an all time high.  What do you folks think?  Speak up in the comments below to let me know, and thanks for reading.

 

Comments

  • Nerf Herder
    NekoVendis's avatar
    • Posts: 7
    #1 NekoVendis Posted 3/7/2013 10:22:11 PM

    Makeb, from what we saw in the First Look video a little while back and the screenshots now, looks like a gorgeous planet. The "disaster world" motiff is nice, but honestly? I feel like it was done on Corellia, where you see a planet that was obviously beautiful and metropolitan turned into a warzone with buildings collapsed, fires burning out of control, and parklands and zoos slashed into pieces with fortifications and artillery and AA cannons.

    I am curious about what exactly is on Makeb that the Hutts find so valuable to invade in the first place and the Empire feels may be able to turn the tides for them. Rakatan tech? Some sort of valuable resource for ships or weapons? That seems to be what is suggested from the massive mining facility that was seen in the First Look video.

    Right now the Empire is seriously on the back foot, with a large number of forces KIA on Corellia thanks to the Republic and infighting by the Empire's own. At least seven of the twelve Dark Council members are dead thanks to both Imperial infighting and the Republic's retaking of Corellia with only one, Darth Thanaton, having a confirmed replacement. If the story of Makeb is played out right it could give the Empire the edge it needs to hold the line or even counterattack.

  • Dark Lord
    Vox_mortis's avatar
    • Posts: 306
    #2 Vox_mortis Posted 3/7/2013 11:15:31 PM

    Thanks for the comment.  I agree with you on the point of Corellia, but I think the new thing that this will bring to the table is how the populace is affected by such a catastrophe.  The problem that I had with Corellia is that it felt too sterile or empty.  I mean, obviously you know that people live there, but you didn't really see a ton of that, at least I didn't.

  • Nerf Herder
    benjaminCC's avatar
    • Posts: 16
    #3 benjaminCC Posted 3/8/2013 12:30:31 AM

    Besides which, I hear, Makeb looks waaay different than Corellia, so if you're worried about some kind of duplication, you can rest easy.  Also, I've heard that it's very densely populated, so the "feel" of the planet is much different as well.

     

  • Dark Lord
    DarthSerious's avatar
    • Posts: 355
    #4 DarthSerious Posted 3/8/2013 6:13:51 AM

    What happened to the courtesy of not spoiling the story for those interested in unwravelling it for themselves. I hope you get treated the way you just treated swtor fans. And you get told the plot of every movie before you watch it... forever

     

    Forever

     

    Forever

     

     

    Forever

  • Nerf Herder
    NekoVendis's avatar
    • Posts: 7
    #5 NekoVendis Posted 3/8/2013 12:54:07 PM

    I appologize if I did so, but over a year after launch I would assume most players at least have a good idea of what the story for each class is.

  • Nerf Herder
    benjaminCC's avatar
    • Posts: 16
    #6 benjaminCC Posted 3/11/2013 12:10:01 PM

    He must be trolling you Neko, don't worry about it.

     

     

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