E3 Day 1: Press Conference Live Blog & New Content

The team spent the morning on planes, trains, and automobiles so we apologize if some of this is going up later than expected. There is a preview of Star Wars: The Old Republic's new CGI trailer exclusive to EA's new service, Origin. Although the EA press conference is available to watch on Spike TV and GameTrailers, we're still doing a bit of a live blog for those of you who are cubicle bound from our staff attending the press conference itself.

Stay tuned...!

12:34p PT: New CGI Trailer: Return




12:46p PT: Dr. Z takes the stage for SWTOR
12:47p PT: Showing preview CGI montage (same one viewable at Origin)

Other tidbits:
  • New Game Setting section debuts on official site.

  • Razer announces SWTOR-branded accessories (via IGN)


Stephen Reid's comments on E3 expectations after the jump. In short, no announcements of release date or pre-order details at E3. Instead, BioWare is focusing on demonstrating game features. A Dissection of the recently unveiled screenshots is now up in the Media Gallery below.
Stephen Reid

'Choose' was always going to be shown at the E3 press conference. Unfortunately for us, we had a timing issue which put it live on Origin.com before the conference started.

'Return' we saved for our fans worldwide, debuting it on The Old Republic website at the same time the press conference started. If you haven't watched it yet, see it here. 'Return' is also the intro cinematic to The Old Republic - you'll see it when you start the game.

There will be no release date announced during E3 2011, and no pre-order details either. Our release date window has not changed. We are still aiming to release Star Wars: The Old Republic in the second half of 2011.

While I know many of you believed a release date announcement was going to happen - which is understandable - as I've said before, an announcement of that size will effectively be 'pre-announced', and we will not 'bait and switch' you. We aren't going to lay a trail of subtle clues that lead to a release date announcement. We'll be obvious. We're just not there yet.

E3's not over yet, though. This week we'll be allowing the world's media and fan sites to get hands-on with The Old Republic at the EA booth, and they'll be reporting back on their experiences on Tatooine as well as seeing gameplay on Alderaan. Last but not least, they'll get a glimpse at Operation: Eternity Vault, some of the high-end content in The Old Republic.

We're bringing much of this to you on The Old Republic web site this week, so keep checking back - although I will pre-warn you, our Alderaan coverage will be slightly delayed (look for it in a few weeks).

I know many of you are disappointed. I know you want a release date - believe me, all of us know that. It is coming, I promise, and you'll hear about it before it arrives - not through subtle clues, but through obvious signs.

Gallery: E3 Screenshots

E3 Screenshot 1
E3 Screenshot 6
E3 Screenshot 5
E3 Screenshot 4

Gallery: E3 Screenshot Dissection

E3 Screenshot Dissection 5
E3 Screenshot Dissection 6
E3 Screenshot Dissection 7
E3 Screenshot Dissection 8

Comments

  • Akerfeldt's avatar
    Spice Runner
    • Posts: 132
    #163 Akerfeldt Posted 6/7/2011 4:49:37 AM
    To be honest, I can totally buy in with the fact that it's 3000 years in the past. It's very easy to envision different tribes of sandpeople going through various levels of technical sophistication throughout the ages. 3000 years is plenty of time for the rise and fall of societies many times over.

    Maybe their dress and habitat is based upon the supply of their materials. We've mostly seen sandpeople with mostly access to rags apparently..

    I just looked up Tusken Raiders on wookiepedia, and they show quite a few images of sand people with sometimes elaborate outfits.

    I'm digging the sand dresses.
  • brilderee's avatar
    Spice Runner
    • Posts: 179
    #157 brilderee Posted 6/7/2011 4:18:47 AM
    The price on the razer gear makes me sick =(
  • ghertzler's avatar
    Nerf Herder
    • Posts: 1
    #162 ghertzler Posted 6/7/2011 4:42:54 AM
    /agree
  • darthuser2806's avatar
    Spice Runner
    • Posts: 187
    #155 darthuser2806 Posted 6/7/2011 4:11:26 AM
    The "Return" cinematic in and of itself is an epic piece of Star Wars media. Bravo Bioware & Blur, bra'v-mutha frakin-o.

    Edit: Also, playing this cinematic in Slo-Mo only increases it's pure win; for real.
  • Akerfeldt's avatar
    Spice Runner
    • Posts: 132
    #165 Akerfeldt Posted 6/7/2011 4:54:03 AM
    I just watched the Blur "Trilogy" in the intended story order...Return, Hope, Deceived. it make so much more sense in order. You get to see the evolution of Malgus. The confrontation between Shan and Malgus in "Hope" has more meaning. He killed her master.

    Really really great cinematics. Not just in terms of being impressive technically, but all 3 are able to connect on an emotional level. Really great work.
  • caslav's avatar
    Nerf Herder
    • Posts: 14
    #145 caslav Posted 6/7/2011 3:11:54 AM
    I still find the lack of shadows on some of these screens disturbing... hope that gets fixed before the launch
  • madmanusa's avatar
    Nerf Herder
    • Posts: 7
    #151 madmanusa Posted 6/7/2011 3:40:05 AM
    Shadows? LOL
  • lemric's avatar
    Spice Runner
    • Posts: 129
    #143 lemric Posted 6/7/2011 3:05:40 AM
    Anyone else think that the T7 droid on the smuggler's ship in the trailer is T7-O1. And if it is T7-O1, then would that possibly make the smuggler Captain Nico Okarr that is listed under his famous partners? no idea how Ven Zallow would have gotten him, but just something that crossed my mind. but it does say it has teamed up with smugglers. http://www.swtor.com/info/holonet/biographies/t7-o1
  • abner_ford's avatar
    Dark Councilor
    • Posts: 662
    #148 abner_ford Posted 6/7/2011 3:19:59 AM
    He does yell for T7 to prepare some guns. So I would say that yeah, pretty sure it's the same T7.
  • Windstriker's avatar
    • Posts: 0
    #149 Windstriker Posted 6/7/2011 3:20:24 AM
    Good catch, I think you're right.
  • markelopez's avatar
    Nerf Herder
    • Posts: 21
    #156 markelopez Posted 6/7/2011 4:17:01 AM
    Well, the Smuggler just rather officially allied himself with the Republic against the Empire. He could end up working longer with Satele or closely with Havok Squad, and we've seen both of those individuals get rather high up in the Republic ranks.

    It seems to easily setup T7 in relation to Ven.
  • Peterisjustok's avatar
    Spice Runner
    • Posts: 247
    #208 Peterisjustok Posted 6/7/2011 5:19:09 PM
    I totally think you're on target. The protocol droids having multiple masters is a lot of fun, and I'm sure he'll have some bad a** stories to tell.

    Didn't he also show up in the Deceived trailer?
  • lemric's avatar
    Spice Runner
    • Posts: 129
    #218 lemric Posted 6/7/2011 6:28:15 PM
    yea Decieved trailer was the first time we see it and it makes an appearence in the book as well(and im not referring to the battle either)
  • FeskMunk's avatar
    Spice Runner
    • Posts: 124
    #216 FeskMunk Posted 6/7/2011 6:22:29 PM
    Pretty sure said captain then flew to Coruscant and the Jedi Temple (Along with Satele and that trooper-guy seen in Hope), where T7 then somehow came into Zallow's posession through... Gambling, or something.

    Do Jedi Masters gamble?
  • Kraxis's avatar
    Dark Councilor
    • Posts: 971
    #142 Kraxis Posted 6/7/2011 3:02:19 AM
    Am I really the only one that found the Smuggler to be rather forced? I mean how much of a Han Solo clone could he be? I almost expected him to say "hey, it's me" or "who's scruffy-looking?" And the gunning down of the sith troopers... That was just horrendous. The two Republic Troopers had been running, covering and avoiding, but noooo, our Smuggler friend can just waltz around like there are no enemies.
    I know SW has never been much for realism or continuity ("only Imperial Stormtroopers are this precise"), but in general people react in the right way or get hammered. Standing out in the open without some sort of defense has always led to disaster in some degree. Clone Troopers in basically all their appearances, Stormtroopers when attacking (but they prudently take cover), droids in general and finally the rebels at Hoth. Yet this odd Smuggler manages to disregard that, and even does some completely pointless flurry with his guns. Why not just shoot like any pragmatic Smuggler wanting to save his hide would do? Bah... Too much Dragon Age 2 mage over him.

    What was up with the almost complete copy in the Jedi vs Sith fight? Sure, I understand the need to show the differences in philosophy, but the ending and the saber-trading was plenty for that purpose. No need to go about making so many moves practical copies in time and execution.

    And no IA...

    Not terribly impressed. The Troopers looked nice, acted correctly and didn't sound off some corny "keep them off me" when the ship wasn't really threatened with but a few seconds left on the hyperspace timer. Nice atmosphere, bad execution.

    Charming... yes? http://imgur.com/r6WrI

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