Darth Hater

Star Wars: The Old Republic News, Interviews, Media & Podcast

Interview: Market Men Leo Olebe and Rob Cowles

Page 5

I have been talking to a lot of fans here at Celebration V, doing a "man on the street" thing, asking them questions about the game. I'll toss one your way. I know you guys will probably want to stay neutral on this, but what planet are you most excited to play on?

Rob: We have revealed a large portion of the planets.

Leo: Not all of them...

Rob: Right and that makes this question hard. So you have your classic Star Wars planets like Hoth and Tatooine. And then you have others like Taris. I think the development team has done some awesome work there showing what played out after it was devastated in KotOR. Then there are new worlds we haven't seen before like Belsavis; the story arc there is fascinating to me. But I guess if I have to narrow it down to one I will pick Taris.

Leo: I'm thinking Nar Shaddaa. I just think it's cool and...

Rob: We haven't revealed that planet!

Leo: Oh No! Wait! I can't believe I just... What did I do?! [laugh]

As someone who plans to play the Bounty Hunter I was hoping to see Nar Shaddaa. It just wouldn't be right to leave it out.

Leo: It seems like a cool planet and Hall Hood has written some really cool stuff that happens there. Then again, everything is going to be cool so it's hard to choose. This is kinda like asking me to pick which one of my kids I love more. Some decisions are really difficult.

Rob: Fortunately, there is a very diverse range of planets with very different experiences on each.

Leo: Coruscant looks amazing.

Speaking of Coruscant, I recall there being a great deal of speculation about the concept art that showed hangers in a spaceport and what that meant for the possibility of player ships.

Leo: I guess player ships do need to land somewhere. [laugh] I remember when that screenshot came out and everyone freaked out about the ships.

I'm sure you guys just start laughing at some point about how every little thing is dissected and made into a huge thing.

Leo: Remember the first screenshot we put out with the lightsabers?

Rob: Oh my god.

Leo: We got so much hate about the lightsaber hilts. So, we refined the lightsabers and we made them better.

Wasn't there a rumor about a Halloween costume with coke bottles as the lightsabers?

Rob: Oh. That picture got out from our BioWare Halloween costume contest. I remember Leo saying, "Um, Rob I need to talk to you."

Leo: Oh yeah, we had big lightsabers. I dressed up that same year as a dude with a big lightsaber internally as well. It's just funny. People should know, we don't take ourselves too seriously and absolutely do listen to consumer feedback. The heart of good marketing is maintaining communication and listening to customers. Hey, I get to be preachy again! Great marketing takes three steps: understand the customer, understand your product, then just introduce them to each other. And that's it.

There have also been hints that there are behind the scenes videos that someone on staff is making that are interesting and funny...

Leo: There are no funny videos. There is no humor or mirth; we're all serious, all the time. That's all I'm going to say on that subject.

[Awkward silence]

[laugh] Thank you so much for your time; we really appreciate being able to interview you guys. We are looking forward to playing with you guys in Spring 2011. You guys are still on track for that, right?

Leo: [laugh] Spring 2011? Well there is a Spring and there is a year 2011...

Comments

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  • RogueJedi86's avatar
    Jawa Trader
    • Posts: 3118
    #27 RogueJedi86 Posted 8/19/2010 7:22:52 PM
    I dig some bits in the interview. They said they'll be doing Timeline videos well after launch, so we don't have any deadline on when these will go up. Plus they said they've revealed a large portion of the planets, but not all. That at least tells us we're not going to get 10 or 15 more worlds, but we will get at least a few more(it's always been hard to tell when we'll stop getting planets since we already have more planets than SWG). My guess is 20 worlds, it's a nice even rounded number.
  • McFool's avatar
    Gamorrean Thug
    • Posts: 34
    #24 McFool Posted 8/19/2010 4:16:45 AM
    Anybody else notice in the picture at the heading of the Sean Williams interview that the poster states that the game will be released in March 2011?
  • Tricky's avatar
    • Posts: 0
    #22 Tricky Posted 8/18/2010 9:45:53 PM
    Man, look at how much these guys complain about their jobs, when their job is to give a Friday Update THAT REVEALS THE BARE MINIMUM but can still be called a update. BioWare gives these guys 500 pictures & then they decide to only show 3!

    I hate marketing people. I did not know there were this many people dedicated to making sure that I can't get the information about SWTOR that I so desperately needed. What's the point of knowing theres Warzones in TOR if I have to wait months later to get the full story on what TOR Warzones are all about? I hate marketing.

    I think BioWare can manage to give us Friday Updates every Friday without these marketing fools in the way, there's plenty of information about SWTOR to go around. 500 pictures narrowed down to bloody 3? WTF!!!
  • Tricky's avatar
    • Posts: 0
    #23 Tricky Posted 8/18/2010 9:53:20 PM
    Don't get me wrong, I am thankful for the little tidbits we do get, very thankful. I just know there's more out there & these guys are holding it back from us when it seems to me that BioWare wants to give me & mine more information.

    That's what I hate about marketing people, the thing where they have to hold back on this kind of info.
  • abner_ford's avatar
    Jawa Trader
    • Posts: 656
    #28 abner_ford Posted 8/20/2010 12:16:49 AM
    You... you did read that whole bit about the Lucas legal team and that they have to give final approval on everything, right? No? Okay.
  • Jaramukhti's avatar
    Jawa Trader
    • Posts: 785
    #26 Jaramukhti Posted 8/19/2010 12:25:06 PM
    Wow... it never ceases to amaze me how some people can have this extraordinarily uncanny ability to let things fly right over their heads.
  • Fizl's avatar
    • Posts: 0
    #25 Fizl Posted 8/19/2010 11:38:09 AM
    TBH, i hate people that dont realize how much information about this game there actually is, and then whine that the friday updates are bad and then cant name a single MMO that has ever put out friday updates in the way TOR does.

    We knew more about TOR 6 monthes ago then the vast majority of MMOs 6 months before release. And thats just the reality of the matter.
  • L'innommable's avatar
    Jawa Trader
    • Posts: 89
    #21 L'innommable Posted 8/18/2010 8:57:06 PM

    Rob: I know there is this one website that takes every screenshot and dissects them and then re-posts them with boxes pointing things out. I can't remember, what site is that?
    Leo: Hmm, I don't know. Who could that be?
    Rob: It's one of those crazy fan sites. [laugh]
    -------------------------------------------------------------------
    This is the consecration of DH
    Well played guys you totally deserve it.
    Now let's speak well, when will I be able to join your guild? :)
  • MechaGodzilla's avatar
    • Posts: 0
    #20 MechaGodzilla Posted 8/18/2010 8:31:16 PM
    "Leo: [laugh] Spring 2011? Well there is a Spring and there is a year 2011..."

    BUM BUM BUMMMMM..... uh oh? I actually wouldn't mind it being delayed another quarter, in fact I'm expecting it to be
  • BlamedCat's avatar
    • Posts: 0
    #17 BlamedCat Posted 8/18/2010 2:03:14 PM
    I'm really digging the diversity of the interviews you guys got to get out there. Love the humor from these guys :)
  • Shardie's avatar
    • Posts: 0
    #16 Shardie Posted 8/18/2010 1:11:54 PM
    Good Interview, kudos to the marketing guys who did that, Would like to have been able to pick their brains for my Marketing course
  • Storman's avatar
    • Posts: 0
    #15 Storman Posted 8/18/2010 1:11:26 PM
    Leave it to the lawyers to keep a tight grip on all the updates. Great Job Heaters
  • Darthscotty's avatar
    • Posts: 0
    #14 Darthscotty Posted 8/18/2010 12:16:15 PM
    Great article I have a totally new appreciation for the friday update and the paperwork nightmare it must be to do them. It was encouraging to hear them say that they are in the polishing phase right now.
  • Fargon's avatar
    • Posts: 0
    #13 Fargon Posted 8/18/2010 11:13:36 AM
    haha, very enjoyable interview. thanks guys
  • Dalqak's avatar
    • Posts: 0
    #12 Dalqak Posted 8/18/2010 9:49:34 AM
    "Rob: It's one of those crazy fan sites. [laugh]"

    Guilty as charged!

    Yet another fine interview, now if you excuse me... I see complete names for all classes' AC paths have also been detailed this morning... ;)
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