The boy and I started playing Star Wars: The Old Republic over the holiday break.
For many of us WoW players that may be undecided as to whether or not to join the million + players that have begun playing the game since it went live on December 20, 2011, as a long time Warcraft player I wanted to share some of my experiences. I’ve summarized the various aspects of the game with some pertinent comments comparing the two games.
Before I begin, let me say that I am a huge Star Wars geek – like many of my generation, Star Wars and everything that went along with it was an integral part of my youth. I saw the movies, collected the bubble gum cards and toys, and waited in line to see all of the prequels. With that out of the way, let’s get started… I chose to create a Sith Inquisitor on the Ice Breaker server (PVE). The idea of playing a character that was very much like Darth Maul appealed to me, and I have not been disappointed so far. As of this writing, my Sith Assassin is level 35 and is progressing rather nicely.
So how does SWTOR compare to WoW?
- Graphics: Blizzard has always maintained that they have kept the rather basic graphics to keep memory use to a minimum – simpler graphics means that more players can play the game. The graphic representations of characters and environment are superior in SWTOR… Building, environment, and character representation simply have much more detail and are simply beautiful. Verdict: SWTOR
- User Interface: Bioware basically aped the WoW user interface for their game, which in all honesty was a smart move… other companies have tried to distinguish their game with nifty UI’s that quite simply didn’t cut it. Blizzard based their UI on previous games, enhancing what they needed to improve game play, and they have now what is the standard as far as I’m concerned. Verdict: TIE
- Battle Mechanics: One of the wonderful things about WoW is the fact that many of the PVE fights are very well done. They are complex and require superior skill and awareness to emerge victorious – now, Blizzard has been criticized for “dumbing” down the game with it’s recent expansion, but there is a huge difference between “good” and “excellent” players based on understanding the mechanics of the game and specifically your class. The fights in SWTOR are very simple – there are AOE effects to be aware of, and some fights are a bit more complex, but thus far, even the heroic instances are pretty much “tank and spank”. Verdict: WoW
- Game Enhancements: SWTOR currently has no “add ons” to speak of. One of the wonderful aspects to WoW, is that Blizzard allowed for the development of aftermarket mods that allowed the player to enhance their game-play. One of the biggest bitches that I hear in game is the lack of damage meters and the like – Although I miss some of my WoW add-ons, I do find it a bit refreshing in some instances… Overall though, I miss my Deadly Boss Mods. Verdict: WoW
- Questing: Now quests are quests… In WoW, you talk to the quest giver, go do the quest, and turn in for your reward. Bioware has turned this concept on its ear with SWTOR. Certainly, there are still quests to complete, but every quest begins and ends with a cut (animated) scene in which your character has a choice of three ways to respond- and those responses carry consequences. In addition to changing how the NPC responds to you, each answer that you provide can impact your standing with the force (light and dark side), as well as the companions that travel with you. Basically, you really need to think about the answers that you provide, and this aspect really adds to the game play. From my perspective, this was the biggest single difference between WoW and SWTOR. The story driven aspect of the SWTOR game really helps you identify with the character that you’re playing… your toon becomes exactly what you want of it, and I have the feeling that each player feels that their experience in game is unique to them. Achieving that level of player integration is what every game developer is striving for, and Bioware has hit the ball out of the park. Verdict: SWTOR
Overall, I’m enjoying the heck out of playing SWTOR, and I’d have to give the edge to it as a “funner” game – the story driven aspect of the game has certainly pulled me in, and I’m looking forward to seeing what will happen in my Sith’s epic tale. Understandably, this game is brand new candy that is satisfying my sweet tooth… the fact that it ties in with the Star Wars galaxy and allows me to play classes and characters that I’ve loved since I was a child doesn’t hurt. What’s left to be seen is what will happen when I reach level 50 and begin preparing for raids.
Even though I have said farewell to WoW for a short time, it’s not Good Bye. I still have a great deal of affection for all things Azeroth and the characters that I’ve played there for some six years. But for now, I’ll be spending a bit more time on Alderaan.
