On Wednesday of E3, I could find endless things to complain about. Of course, I’m excited about a new Mass Effect, because we all miss the Asari, right? And of course the cinematic for the new expansion of Star Wars: The Old Republic looked amazing. But somehow I have the feeling that in the end, I won’t be satisfied with the latter…
Attention: I am subjective and unreferenced!
I know, I know. I shouldn’t really complain about something in advance that isn’t set in stone yet. But since I can be a bit unreasonable at times, I take this liberty. And be warned: I mix the known facts and spoilers with unconfirmed leaks and my own theories. So it’s possible that in the end, a wild mix will emerge that will deviate significantly from reality. You have been warned!
“Personal Story” – The same for everyone?
There is no doubt that the new expansion will focus heavily on the story. For this reason, there will be a quick end to everything that was previously important. The Empire and the Republic will be destroyed, and our character will be put on ice (or rather, carbonite). Only after several years will he or she awaken as “The Outlander” – a remnant from a bygone time. Our companions are gone, our past actions meaningless. Whether you fought for a seat in the Sith Council or mastered “the Great Hunt” – everything is gone. Of course, there will be bits of dialogue that allude to previous actions, but for the most part, the story of “Knights of the Fallen Empire” will likely be the same for all players – apart from decisions made during the storyline. And that bothers me immensely. My Sith Inquisitor has experienced completely different things than my Jedi, and yet she will be treated almost the same way if I’m right.
New story chapters every month! – But why?
Another detail bothers me as well. At launch on October 27, only 11 of the 16 chapters will be available. A new one is supposed to come out every month, thus providing “constantly new story content.” To me, this sounds like a different way of saying, “We won’t finish everything on time, and before we release nothing, we prefer to release the first 11 chapters, otherwise the big Star Wars year will be over.”
Maybe I’m being unfair right now. Maybe “Knights of the Fallen Empire” will be the best thing that could happen to SWTOR. But I’m damn skeptical. Since many of the old planets will also have to be visited for the new story, a complete overhaul should be in order – or they’re just building small, new instanced areas.
I think I’m getting old. I’m afraid of the worst with the change. But it’s BioWare. Somehow it will be alright. … Please.
