Category Video Games

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Star Wars The Old Republic Newbie Review

Dec 25, 11 12:43 PM

Yay, I’m now a level 4 Jedi Knight in Star Wars The Old Republic.  This Jedi Knight character is the very first and the only one character I have so far for Star Wars The Old Republic game.  After all, this game is spanking new, because I meet so many other human players in game who have no idea of what they’re doing.  I’m fine with this, because I’m so new too!

Right off the bat, the game’s graphic tells me that it has to be one of the best for MMORPG.  Well, at least for now.  I also notice that in Star Wars The Old Republic, you can’t really adjust character’s statistical points like how many other MMORPG games would allow when your character gains a level, instead Star Was The Old Republic just allows you to train for additional skills with a trainer.  Of course, you have to seek out the trainer that belongs to your class first.

Star Wars The Old Republic isn’t any other MMORPG game since it allows you to choose one among three actions right after a short interactive cinematic movie clip which tailors to the mission your character is participating.  On each mission, your character may encounter a series of short interactive cinematic movie clips, and so the gamer can truly immerge into rich story sequence of each specific mission.  The short cinematic movie clips not only move your character’s missions forward, but these short cinematic movie clips are also very well done.

I’m not sure what the purpose of having a character chooses among different possible actions when a character encounters a non-player character, but I think it’s for allowing you to pick side eventually.  For an example, you can start out as a naive and friendly Jedi Knight, but you eventually may want to join the dark side.  Then again, I’m not very sure on this since I’m not exactly playing this game long enough.

Star Wars The Old Republic has eight classes.  Four classes are for the good side, and the other four classes are for the dark side.  The good side has Trooper, Smuggler, Jedi Knight, and Jedi Consular classes.  The dark side has Bounty Hunter, Sith Warrior, Imperial Agent, and Sith Inquisitor classes.  Within Star Wars The Old Republic universe, there are many planets, and I think as time goes on, the game developers might add more planets to expand the game map.  The available starships are D5-Mantis, Fury, BT-7 Thunderclap, X-70B Phantom, XS Freighter, and Defender.  Also, you might want to check out Star Wars The Old Republic new player guide here.

I confess, I like this game a lot.  It looks good, feels good, and it is fun.  I can see I’ll be spending more time playing this game so my Jedi Knight character can advance to a much higher level.  Yep, this game can be time consuming indeed.

For your information, Star Wars The Old Republic isn’t available for any gaming console, because this game is only released for computer.  Well, at least for now, but you never know right?  Your computer system might need to be upgraded to the minimum specs before you can play this game.  The minimum specs are:

  • Operating systems:
    • Windows XP,
    • Windows Vista,
    • Windows 7,
  • Processors:
  • Memory:
    • 2GB RAM or better,
  • Video:
    • ATI X1800 or better,
    • nVidia 7800 or better,
    • Intel 4100 Integrated Graphics or better.

Having high end gaming computer system will allow you to play not only this game for now, but also for many other upcoming games in years to come.  I notice on the back of the Star Wars The Old Republic game box, it says you might need to upgrade your computer system to play this game in the future.  This means, as time goes on, game developers for Star Wars The Old Republic might improve the game graphic which requires you to upgrade your computer system.

Before you can actually play Star Wars The Old Republic, you must either pay for a digital download or the physical copy of the game.  After paying for the standard edition copy, you have only around 30 days to play.  After 30 days, you’ll be paying for monthly recurrent or other recurrent periods of subscription that you have subscribed to.  So yes, this game can be quite expensive if you are intending to play it for a long time to come.  Nonetheless, if you are a hardcore gamer, I don’t think you would mind.

Check out couple cool Star Wars The Old Republic gameplay videos right after the break.

You can find more of Star Wars The Old Republic gameplay videos on YouTube.

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Star Wars: The Old Republic Opening Short Film (Video Game)

Dec 20, 11 6:19 PM
BioWare and LucasArts Do Cosplay for Star Wars...

Image by Colony of Gamers via Flickr

Skyrim is nice, and I’m still not even halfway through the main story, and yet Star Wars: The Old Republic is now out.  I can’t really comment on Star Wars: The Old Republic yet, because I haven’t got it.  Planning on getting it though!  Nonetheless, check out its awesome opening short film.

The computer graphic for Star Wars: The Old Republic opening short film is well done, and the acting of the computer graphic generated characters is nice. I like it.  Let just hope the game will be very good too when I finally get my hands on it.  This Christmas maybe?  I’m giggling inside.

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Just A So So Experience With Controlling Xbox Through Voice

Dec 7, 11 3:33 PM

After the new Xbox Dashboard update for Xbox yesterday, I’m now able to control Xbox with voice in a more extensive way.  Still, I think when I’m talking to Xbox, it does feel as if I’m talking to a stupid robot!  Sometimes, I have to repeat my commands.  At other times, I have to figure out what to say first before Xbox could wake up and understand me.  Often times, I have to make sure there is a black panel on the bottom of the screen of the dashboard, because without it, there won’t be a small microphone icon and I won’t be able to talk to Xbox.  I also notice there are windows within Xbox Live, I often stumble upon, require me to use my controller still.

I think Microsoft has released a better Xbox Dashboard, but I’m not impressed.  Sure, the new Xbox Dashboard is way better than the old one, but voice controller is somewhat iffy still that I prefer the use of the controller.  If I’m not wrong, Microsoft should be hard at work in improving the intelligence behind the technology which allows Kinect and Xbox to be able to process the words that come out from the mouth of any human.  If Microsoft isn’t, then I think Xbox will eventually lose luster and play catch up to something else that does it better in respect to voice intelligence.

I think voice intelligence that is able to understand the words that come out of the mouth of any human in natural way will be very popular and useful in many ways in the future.  One example would be telling a device to search for something on the Internet.  OK, sure, Xbox is now allowing users/gamers use voice commands and demand Bing to search for something, but I’ve found out that it’s rather hard to do so.  Either I’m clueless how Xbox Bing should work, because for the life of me I could not ask Xbox Bing to search for what I want.  Correct me if I’m wrong, perhaps Xbox Bing is only searching for games, music, videos, movies, and whatever else that is available on Xbox Live and console.  If this is the case, then Xbox Bing isn’t yet capable in searching the entire Internet as how Bing normally does through a web browser.

Shutting down Xbox through voice is fun if you know how to; the correct way is by saying “Xbox Go Home, Settings, Turn Off , Yes.”  This is why Microsoft definitely needs to make Xbox understands longer phrases in natural way and not through specific commands.  Nonetheless, it’s easier now for Xbox users/gamers to control Xbox through voice than before.

In summary, it’s now possible for Xbox users/gamers to play movies, music, games, and do other things with voice commands.  Before, Xbox users/gamers could only command Xbox through voice in a more limited way.  Still, Xbox voice intelligence leaves much to be improved, because it’s not natural for users/gamers to remember specific commands and reading what could be read inside Xbox Dashboard and other sections inside Xbox Live.  It’s much better if users/gamers can just speak naturally to Xbox.  Xbox isn’t Siri, but don’t we wish Xbox is capable as Siri?  How about even better, I think Xbox should be able to talk back to Xbox users/gamers in a natural way.

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