Lightsabers

[Tommycat]

I agree Chainz. As I said(elsewhere), I'm a Star Wars Fan, and a Bioware Fan. So by fanboy law, I'm required to purchase this game. So long as it's not Lego Old Republic, I'll be all right(and far less conflicted). (oh and thanks for hiding the image. I was going to come back and fix it, but you did it for me haha)

 

The brighter and more realistic the graphics get, the more expensive your local hardware gets. Not to mention, that not everyone wants to buy a whole new gaming rig for the game.

 

It's got enough glow about it to let you know what it is.

[Mav]

The only problem I've ever had with the lightsabers were when they were flashlight hilts in the very first screenshots that started popping up, most of that personal distaste came from spending hours in max trying to make mine look pretty, Cz knows what I mean As they are now, I have no issues. Besides, I'll be playing Smuggler.

[ChAiNz.2da]

:-D :-D people... light around the saber is not light, it's just the colored edge of the white stick ... It bothers me ... :-/

Oh I definitely get where you're coming from. Considering every other Star Wars game has fed us nice blurry edges, the ToR sabers can come as quite a shock.. however, unlike others (not saying you) I'm not going to damn the game just because of a graphics snafoo.

 

Now, if they totally muck up gameplay and I don't find it enjoyable enough play-wise and story-wise (and the impending charge that's sure to come with it).. then yeah, I'll be right there with the others damning the game to all get out..

 

I agree Chainz. As I said(elsewhere), I'm a Star Wars Fan, and a Bioware Fan. So by fanboy law, I'm required to purchase this game. So long as it's not Lego Old Republic, I'll be all right(and far less conflicted). (oh and thanks for hiding the image. I was going to come back and fix it, but you did it for me haha)

 

The brighter and more realistic the graphics get, the more expensive your local hardware gets. Not to mention, that not everyone wants to buy a whole new gaming rig for the game.

 

It's got enough glow about it to let you know what it is.

Indeed. Right there with you in the fanboy boat hehehe. I'm really looking forward to the game. I've even slowed my DDO gaming (another MMO) to the point where I'm about to "retire". If ToR turns out to be as good as it looks (and my anticipation) I'll probably have to say goodbye to DDO (at least it's free2play.. whew)

 

My only inhibition is that if it's released when the rumors say it is.. it's going to be stepping on my Skyrim toes (and then ME3 later in March '12)... going to be a lot of great gaming come late this year and next year

[Sp!ker]

well, I just thought that if I create this topic, someone will do such a simple thing as edit damn saber to look better... if you are blind and you think that this is a good.. ok ... its a ten-minute work for graphic designers.. the game should attract a player's money omfg

[Sp!ker]

Oh I definitely get where you're coming from. Considering every other Star Wars game has fed us nice blurry edges,

yes, other... in EVERY game and in EVERY movie... only in BIG TOR must be sabers EXTRA SUCKS(because its a "little" different)!

[ChAiNz.2da]

well, I just thought that if I create this topic, someone will do such a simple thing as edit damn saber to look better... if you are blind and you think that this is a good.. ok ... its a ten-minute work for graphic designers.. the game should attract a player's money omfg

 

It's not about the time it takes to design it.. it's the impact on game engine and framerates on what that "fancy" blur does.

 

Ever run a high poly or enhanced graphic mod on K1 / K2 / SWG of your choice? Ever have more than 6+ of those sabers on screen at the same time? Enjoy that 10 fps? Didn't think so... and that's only for a single player game that has to keep track of a minute amount of variables confined in a nice enclosed world area.

 

Now multiply that by the hundreds to account for all the people on an mmo/multiplayer. All the instances that are open. Everything that is going on in the game world for each and every player that is logged on. Live in real-time

 

Now, let's multiply that by all the other visual effects. Blasters, shields, powers, environment fx and sound design. Hoping the game server can render those graphics while still maintaining the calculations of what players are doing (or are going to do). See where I'm going with this? ToR is a stylized art game (a major benefit as far as game engine rendering).. it doesn't surprise me that the sabers would be too.

 

Sure it doesn't affect some players as bad with high end gear (myself included).. but if your positioning this game to appeal to as many players as possible and not just the hardcore base.. lines have to be drawn and compromises made. Later on, if the game goes well and more money is invested.. more server equipment will be added, and the precious blur may be added. But to invest that amount of cash on something for an initial release that could go either direction consider it's massive competition.. is just financial suicide. Especially for a non essential piece of eye-candy. I'd rather not be doomed to a life of nothing but Lego releases if ToR fails.. hehehe

 

Also to re-iterate.. anyone willing to damn a game just because of a glow stick has no real intention of enjoying this game anyways if they're that petty.. or hasn't paid attention to all the other great stuff this game has showcased. Seems to me they've already made up their mind.. or just looking for another excuse to piss and moan about a game that decided to go mmo rather than sp.

[Tommycat]

Actually Chainz, The graphical representations are all handled client side. So it COULD be possible to have super hi rez sabers. Though in large scale battles, you would be looking at a slide show. I mean 30 Jedi running with 50 sabers(gotta account for many using dual sabers) against 30 Sith with 60 sabers(they all gotta have dual wield right hehe) and that little fuzzy edge won't be so fun. Even with a high end rig you'd still be hurting. Maybe instead of .1 frame per second you end up with 3 frames per second.

 

I guarantee if you have the option to turn off fuzzysaber for performance, you'd reach for that faster than a dog for a treat.

[Darth Avlectus]

Too many posts, tired, tl;dr.

 

My opinion, I liked kotor's hilt to blade ratio (Did I just coin a new term?). Though TOR's hilt to blade ratio has admittedly improved since the early goings, I have to say I think the hilts...some of them...are still a little too big for the blade provided. I think the blades are somthing between okay to good size wise. Didn't mind JO (and I guess JA by extension) because although their blades appeared bigger than their hilt, their blades still didn't have that baseball bat appearance and retained their saber blade look even if a bit more conic/torch like now.

 

The violet in TOR seems a tad plain and could be mistaken for a deep blue, but at least it doesn't look nearly pink either. That doctored image is what I'd call the perfect balance--worthy of "Jules Windu".

 

As for the the dazzling effect in the movies: while I agree TOR might be able to do better, the pics I have seen of it in action are decent. Could be worse as there could be absolutely no blurring at all. Like Electro Luminescent stunt toy lightsabers, or glowsticks, out in moderately lit up settings: swing them or move them and you only see the stick and little to no "blur" effect.

 

TL;DR: the current TOR sabers are better than their initial release, but I'd still prefer the profile of KOTOR b/c it had the best overall "hilt to blade ratio" IMHO.

 

The blur? hey, long as it doesn't look like glowsticks or EL in a tube in a moderately well lit room where there is no blur at all, it seems fine to me.

[Sp!ker]

Yesterday I showed my brother the latest TOR videos (he is a professional designer) ... He looked at the sabers and he said: "wtf is this? It is disgusting! Its like hes holding a billiard stick(hes not fan of star wars, only saw movies) ... I dont know what you think about them, guys, the greatest tor fans, but ordinary people say- disgust.

 

but yes, now I understand the reasons of creators, but it doesnt change the fact that it is repulsive...

[decalibron]

Wow, i think you're WAAY overreacting...they aren't "repulsive", i mean come on! a hairless wookie disembowling your girlfriend is repulsive. lightsabers with not enough motion blur is merely less than ideal. and y'all making the point about gaming rigs is very true. As much as i really REALLY want to play this game, i wouldn't go out and buy a rig just to support the fuzzy sabers (en theorem). i would much prefer your "glowsticks" and keeping my $2500 to your "slideshow" and lacking that $2500. but maybe that's just me.

[adamqd]

Improvements look to have been made... Maybe our displeasure was heard

 

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[Master Finch]

Do you think they would have like a class-quest where you get to build / design your own lightsaber? Because that would be awesome.

 

Seeing as each Jedi's would be unique.

[DarthJacen]

They talked about that years ago, but I have not seen any evidence of it being implemented. In fact, it's looks more like the hilts are one size fits all in some cases like they were in Kotor, their original game.

 

The blades have been vastly improved as you see in the post by adamqd. Thank you for that Bioware.

 

I can't imagine how many hilt designs they would have to add to the game to truly make them customizable. In Star Wars Galaxies, they gave you a choice of 14 unique styles, and others you would have to find as a rare loot schematic.

 

What I think they should do is make it something of a slot-machine type mini-game where the emitter, the hilt, and grip can be made interchangeable, so people can have their unique hilts.

 

I understand why BioWare is limiting the lightsaber colors. George Lucas is paying them personal visits. Any project that he works on The films, Clone Wars, or even LucasArts will adhere to his theory. Jedi are Blue and Green, Sith are red. BioWare must have slipped the purple for Sith Inquisitors in as a hey, Samuel L. Jackson did it.

 

Hopefully, you'll be able to use the color crystals you get from dead Jedi or Sith if you desire to pick up their weapon as in one of the in-game videos.

[Darth Avlectus]

^^^No, yellow was in one video. Sith Warrior if I am not mistaken.

 

Also I have seen a sort of teal/cyan (a blue-green) in hilt illustrations, though it is entirely possible they aren't using that anymore, even though it was the first "blue" we ever saw in ANH. If Bioware used it previously then I suppose I could see Uncle George letting it slide but scoffing and scowling all the while.

 

While I understand they are going to limit colors for gameplay sake, so long as there isn't any absolute alignment-to-color restrictions, that would be okay with me. If I could be a sith with a green simply because I felt like it, I should be able to do that.

[DarthJacen]

^^^No, yellow was in one video. Sith Warrior if I am not mistaken.

 

Also I have seen a sort of teal/cyan (a blue-green) in hilt illustrations, though it is entirely possible they aren't using that anymore, even though it was the first "blue" we ever saw in ANH. If Bioware used it previously then I suppose I could see Uncle George letting it slide but scoffing and scowling all the while.

 

While I understand they are going to limit colors for gameplay sake, so long as there isn't any absolute alignment-to-color restrictions, that would be okay with me. If I could be a sith with a green simply because I felt like it, I should be able to do that.

 

I saw in an old video, a Sith killing a Jedi and taking his lightsaber as a new toy, so I think you will be obliged.

[Master Finch]

I understand why BioWare is limiting the lightsaber colors. George Lucas is paying them personal visits. Any project that he works on The films, Clone Wars, or even LucasArts will adhere to his theory. Jedi are Blue and Green, Sith are red. BioWare must have slipped the purple for Sith Inquisitors in as a hey, Samuel L. Jackson did it.

 

Hopefully, you'll be able to use the color crystals you get from dead Jedi or Sith if you desire to pick up their weapon as in one of the in-game videos.

 

Jedi Guardians have Blue Lightsabers, with the exception of The Exile who carried Cyan.

 

Jedi Consulars have Green Lightsabers.

 

Jedi Sentinels have [supposedly] Yellow Lightsabers.

 

Mace Windu was given a rare violet crystal as a reward or something I can't remember it's on his Wookiepedia page.

[DarthJacen]

Jedi Guardians have Blue Lightsabers, with the exception of The Exile who carried Cyan.

 

Jedi Consulars have Green Lightsabers.

 

Jedi Sentinels have [supposedly] Yellow Lightsabers.

 

Mace Windu was given a rare violet crystal as a reward or something I can't remember it's on his Wookiepedia page.

 

Yes, BioWare came up with that for Kotor, but they have the Sentinels in TOR using blue by default, since they are an archetype of the Knight class, however with the ability to wield two. The Sentinel will have some options.

 

As for Mace Windu, that is the in-universe story, yes.

 

The truth, though, is that Samuel L. Jackson was talking with George during the filming of the Arena Battle from Episode II about what their colors will be in the final film. George said flat-out "good guys are blue and green, bad guys are red." As if, don't challenge me, then Jackson, said, "Can mine be purple [violet]. George puts his hand to his beard and say rather reluctantly, "We can do purple!" And, that was it! To this day, no other Jedi filmed by George Lucas has ever received purple, again.

 

Hence, my surprise when BioWare gave the color to the Sith Inquisitor, a class that resembles Darth Sidious. (Sidious, mind you had a red lightsaber in the film) So, yeah, I was a bit surprised by that. Notice that none of the cinematics done my ILM have the sith using purple. I'm wondering how they got it in there.

 

Also, in case you're wondering where my sources lie. Episode II DVD Disc 2, and Lucasfilm, Ltd. FAQs about employment. Does GL visit the campuses? Yes is the paraphrase, but some more often than others.

 

Do Lucasfilm employees ever see or work with George Lucas?

George is an active participant in all of his businesses and is on one of the campuses every day; he works as hard as we expect you to. Depending on what company you work for, you may see him more or less than other employees.

https://jobs.lucasfilm.com/how_to_apply.html

[Master Finch]

Yes, and yeah, KotOR came up with Sentinels.

[DarthJacen]

Yes, and yeah, KotOR came up with Sentinels.

 

Right!

[Master Finch]

Right!

 

Left!

[DarthJacen]

Left!

 

That was a bad pun, but okay.

[Darth Avlectus]

Jedi Guardians have Blue Lightsabers,

In KOTOR 1 yes, but even the jedi masters claim basically this is not definitively-the-way-it-must-be.

 

Jaric Kaedan being a master of Juyo is obviously a "knight" type for TOR who would have been typified as a "guardian" role in the KOTOR games. He wields green.

 

with the exception of The Exile who carried Cyan.

 

Acording to whom or what...? Although my preferred play style is Guardian >> Jedi Weaponmaster or Sith Marauder, I do not believe any such details were fleshed out beyond simply gender and alignment. That may change in the upcoming novel, Revan, but until then such a claim cannot be accepted at face value.

 

Jedi Consulars have Green Lightsabers.

See above re: KOTOR1 reply to jedi guardians=blue.

 

Jedi Sentinels have [supposedly] Yellow Lightsabers.

Ditto the above. Though sentinel was a class made up by bioware, its role has not been solidly one thing: in the KOTOR games it served as a sort of balanced intermediate between guardian and consular, though I'm sure you'd agree it was lacking in the powers department and was a little too similar to the guardian. In SWTOR it appears to be taking the place of the WeaponsMaster.

 

Mace Windu was given a rare violet crystal as a reward or something I can't remember it's on his Wookiepedia page.

 

This was part of a quid pro quo as a deal for taking the role. As I understood from SW insider, rolling stone, and an interview, George came to Jackson (for obvious reasons). Jackson, also being a SW fan knew in the timeline that by the time the original trilogy took place, whatever Jedi he played was going to have died. So he wanted a unique saber blade color and wanted to go out in a glorious blaze of fire.

 

I'm not sure if Nick Gillard asked a similar thing for doing lightsaber stunts for 30 years in lucas' employ. Can't verify it though rumors are running he asked for yellow.

 

The truth, though, is that Samuel L. Jackson was talking with George during the filming of the Arena Battle from Episode II about what their colors will be in the final film. George said flat-out "good guys are blue and green, bad guys are red." As if, don't challenge me, then Jackson, said, "Can mine be purple [violet]. George puts his hand to his beard and say rather reluctantly, "We can do purple!" And, that was it! To this day, no other Jedi filmed by George Lucas has ever received purple, again.

I suppose that is another perspective to the same story.

 

I can picture (from personal experience witnessing backstage drama between producers and talent) George tried putting his foot down at first, and Samuel let George say his piece, before Sam came back countering with his own negotiation.

 

Hence, my surprise when BioWare gave the color to the Sith Inquisitor, a class that resembles Darth Sidious. (Sidious, mind you had a red lightsaber in the film) So, yeah, I was a bit surprised by that. Notice that none of the cinematics done my ILM have the sith using purple. I'm wondering how they got it in there.

 

(This BBCode requires its accompanying plugin to work properly.)

 

The Revan video has it for the inquisitor in that one. But yeah, and one vid I think a dev said it was a combination of sidious and maul. Like the warrior is supposed to be based off vader, etc. Some images of Jedi are also shown using violet--they are out there.

 

BTW I'm not surprised and anyone should be able to use any color they like. *waits for Exar Kun's blade color to be retconned to red just to spite me*

 

 

https://jobs.lucasfilm.com/how_to_apply.html

Bah, I won't hold my breath. My view of George is sort of love-hate.

[Master Finch]

Acording to whom or what...? Although my preferred play style is Guardian >> Jedi Weaponmaster or Sith Marauder, I do not believe any such details were fleshed out beyond simply gender and alignment. That may change in the upcoming novel, Revan, but until then such a claim cannot be accepted at face value.

 

Canonically, the Exile had brown hair, brown eyes (iirc) a cyan lightsaber and was light-side aligned. Also she was a girl.

 

Also, when Jedi construct their lightsaber each one is unique to them due to the parts that they find themselves upon, so sometimes someone may end up with a different colour.

 

Either way, George Lucas admits to allowing EU-canon into his canon. He always searches around and allows it into Star Wars (Aayla Secura, General Grievous etc.) and you gotta remember that this IS 3,500 years BBY. Things that happen now might not be the same in 3,470 years time. Times change, like when they stopped using Force-imbued weapons and started using lightsabers instead.

[DarthJacen]

In KOTOR 1 yes, but even the jedi masters claim basically this is not definitively-the-way-it-must-be.

 

Jaric Kaedan being a master of Juyo is obviously a "knight" type for TOR who would have been typified as a "guardian" role in the KOTOR games. He wields green.

 

 

 

Acording to whom or what...? Although my preferred play style is Guardian >> Jedi Weaponmaster or Sith Marauder, I do not believe any such details were fleshed out beyond simply gender and alignment. That may change in the upcoming novel, Revan, but until then such a claim cannot be accepted at face value.

 

 

See above re: KOTOR1 reply to jedi guardians=blue.

 

Ditto the above. Though sentinel was a class made up by bioware, its role has not been solidly one thing: in the KOTOR games it served as a sort of balanced intermediate between guardian and consular, though I'm sure you'd agree it was lacking in the powers department and was a little too similar to the guardian. In SWTOR it appears to be taking the place of the WeaponsMaster.

 

 

 

This was part of a quid pro quo as a deal for taking the role. As I understood from SW insider, rolling stone, and an interview, George came to Jackson (for obvious reasons). Jackson, also being a SW fan knew in the timeline that by the time the original trilogy took place, whatever Jedi he played was going to have died. So he wanted a unique saber blade color and wanted to go out in a glorious blaze of fire.

 

I'm not sure if Nick Gillard asked a similar thing for doing lightsaber stunts for 30 years in lucas' employ. Can't verify it though rumors are running he asked for yellow.

 

I suppose that is another perspective to the same story.

 

I can picture (from personal experience witnessing backstage drama between producers and talent) George tried putting his foot down at first, and Samuel let George say his piece, before Sam came back countering with his own negotiation.

 

 

 

(This BBCode requires its accompanying plugin to work properly.)

 

The Revan video has it for the inquisitor in that one. But yeah, and one vid I think a dev said it was a combination of sidious and maul. Like the warrior is supposed to be based off vader, etc. Some images of Jedi are also shown using violet--they are out there.

 

BTW I'm not surprised and anyone should be able to use any color they like. *waits for Exar Kun's blade color to be retconned to red just to spite me*

 

 

 

Bah, I won't hold my breath. My view of George is sort of love-hate.

 

You know George does read these forums, I'd be careful how you cross him.

 

Canonically, the Exile had brown hair, brown eyes (iirc) a cyan lightsaber and was light-side aligned. Also she was a girl.

 

Also, when Jedi construct their lightsaber each one is unique to them due to the parts that they find themselves upon, so sometimes someone may end up with a different colour.

 

Either way, George Lucas admits to allowing EU-canon into his canon. He always searches around and allows it into Star Wars (Aayla Secura, General Grievous etc.) and you gotta remember that this IS 3,500 years BBY. Things that happen now might not be the same in 3,470 years time. Times change, like when they stopped using Force-imbued weapons and started using lightsabers instead.

 

Usually, it's a wink and a nod, and then on they go. Dave Filoni, the director of the Clone Wars is often the one bringing EU-canon to George, and because of his position often succeeds at getting it into the show. Some of the episodes from The Clone Wars were from the Clone Wars novel series that took place during the filming of Episode III, many of which I read. So, I immediately recognized them when they were filmed. So, really, you should be thanking his director Dave Filoni.

[Master Finch]

Either way it should be good