1.3 isn’t far off now and we’ve finally gotten some details about what it is. Bioware’s lead developer for Star Wars The Old Republic, James Ohlen, speaks in a video about the 1.3 update, just a teaser really but it does have some good info.
In the video Ohlen reveals that the SWTOR 1.3 update is called “Allies” , as it’s all about you being able to find your allies in the game. That consists of two major things: 1. the much anticipated and talked about Group Finder 2. Character transfers to different servers.
You can see more in the video here:
There’s also adaptive gear meaning that you can convert social gear into orange gear that accepts mods so you can use it anywhere. Nice. Also augment tables, legacy perks and more.
Augment Tables In the SWTOR 1.3 Update
James Ohlen also had an interview with IGN. Here’s a little bit of it:
IGN: First off, what was the reaction like to 1.2? Did you find a lot of players returned to check out the content? Did more players check out the high level dungeon content or go back and create additional characters to take advantage of the Legacy updates?
Daniel Erickson: Although there were the expected small stumbles that go hand in hand with a content release this large the reaction was extremely positive. We saw a huge uptick in concurrent players as people rushed around to see all that had changed since launch. Legacy was the biggest hit by far and Tython specifically saw a large influx of Sith Pureblood Jedi recruits.
IGN: The recent Rakghoul Plague Outbreak was the first world event in The Old Republic. How did you expect players to react, and how did that compare with the actual reaction? What are your plans for future world events?
Daniel Erickson: We were hoping for three things: to surprise the players, to create community interaction, and encourage open world PvP on the PvP servers. All three were far more successful than we had any right to hope for. The community really took the event and made it their own. We’re keeping future plans and alternate ideas under wraps right now. If events stop being surprising we lose what makes them special.
IGN: Most servers seem to be light or standard population density these days, are you considering implementing server merges in the near future so it’s easier for players to find group members?
Daniel Erickson: Character transfers for select servers are coming first and we are open to any and all options after that. The important thing is that players can play with their friends and with the type and size of community they enjoy.
IGN: What about the crafting system, will there be any significant alterations made for 1.3 or beyond? What are some of your priorities for crafting right now, and how do you see the system developing beyond 1.3?
A view of the Group Finder from the SWTOR 1.3 update.
Daniel Erickson: The most significant ‘crafting’ feature in 1.3 is the addition of Augment tables that allow players to add Augments to any items. These augment slots were previously only available as a result of ‘crafting crits’. This is significant for crafters because it allows the itemization team to finally fully balance the game so that crafted gear is deeply tied to, and balanced firmly against, the gear you can get from other sources, including operations rewards. The fact that crafters are the primary source for augments also gives them a new crafted good that will suddenly be high in demand.
As for moving forward, we’re pretty firmly committed to keeping our crafting system viable and competitive. Players will find that almost every patch that introduces gear with power upgrades will also introduce ways for crafters to remain competitive and useful to the economy. As for larger improvements — let’s just say we have big plans.
