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SOE and LucasArts Working on Kid-Friendly Star Wars MMO?

Nathan Grayson — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 01:55:16 -0500

“You heard about them Wookies, right? They say those giant furballs will tear your [socks] off and [tickle] you until you’re [not dead from having your arms ripped off].”

Like that? Well then, you -might- be happy to hear that LucasArts and Sony Online Entertainment -might- be working on a Star Wars MMO for this generation's impressively impressionable younglings. Citing an "inside source," TenTonHammer revved up the rumor mill:

“While we have not yet learned the title of the upcoming game, it sounds like SOE is planning to use the browser-based Free Realms engine to power the game, and the game’s setting will be the Clone Wars,” the site reported.

Obviously, then, this game wouldn’t be attempting to undercut Star Wars: The Old Republic – or even Star Wars Galaxies, for that matter. Rather, it would serve as another portion of Star Wars: The Clone Wars’ multimedia barrage.

That’s not to say that we entirely approve of this potential product, however. Maybe we’re old-fashioned, but we think the original trilogy’s the only way to go when kickstarting a child’s unhealthy obsession with Star Wars. Clone Wars, though? If we see any of that watered-down stuff in our house, you’re grounded like yesterday. And no more homework until you finish watching the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre, got it?

BioWare-LucasArts Joint Project Announcement Coming Oct. 21, Probably KOTOR MMO

Nathan Grayson — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 19:03:34 -0500

We don't get excited about much these days. When all we could muster over Deus Ex 3 deets was a guarded "Neat," it began to dawn on us that we might be suffering from chronic peace of mind, and that made us kind of upset, but not really. Fortunately, the kings of inapproPriate capitaLization have alerted various media outlets that they plan to trot out their highly anticipated collaborative effort on October 21. It's been all but confirmed that the LucasArts-BioWare tango has birthed a Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic MMO. And we're totally stoked.

The invitation, stamped with both LucasArts and BioWare's respective logos, boasts that "The wait is over," and gives members of the press a come-hither look with promises of "the official unveiling of the game that's been rumored about for years."

Wonder what it could be...

Gamasutra notes that the public may not see the game until a few days after the unveiling, thanks to embargos. Even so, we're marking down the minutes until BioWare and LucasArts yank the curtain off their latest (final?) group project. We'll make sure to give you a heads-up when it happens, assuming our keyboard doesn't malfunction while it's floating in a puddle of our drool.

Copyright Infringement Goes Meta

Erin Simon — Sun, 02 Sep 2007 21:32:13 -0500

Viacom just can't seem to get a handle on this pesky thing called copyright. Earlier this year, it sent a tidal wave of takedown notices to YouTube, catching more than a few non-infringing works in the splash zone. Now it's embroiled in a billion-dollar lawsuit against YouTube's owner Google. Its latest move: copy YouTube videos itself, then send DMCA takedown notices when the copyright owner of the copied material reposts it!

Christopher Knight, in his campaign to become a member of his local Board of Education, created a commercial and uploaded it to YouTube. In the Star Wars-themed ad, Knight wields a light sabre and vows to fight against “the tightening grip of unfunded mandates.” A VH1 show called Web Junk 2.0, in which talking heads crack jokes over funny internet memes, broadcast the video without asking Knight's permission. Unphased by the permission-less copying, Knight then uploaded the Web Junk 2.0 segment to YouTube so that he could play the video on his blog. Viacom, the owner of VH1, then sent a DMCA takedown notice and got the video pulled from YouTube. In effect, Viacom accused the copyright owner of infringing his own copyright by copying what they had already copied. Huh?

Making a copy of a copyrighted work does not give you a new copyright in the new work – the original owner retains the right to control the dissemination of the original, which includes the copy you made. However, fair use allows you to make copies of protected works in some circumstances, such as for commentary or criticism. If Viacom's use was fair, then it does have copyright to the Web Junk 2.0 segment, and Knight's YouTubing of it was an infringement. If not, Viacom's program is the infringement, and Viacom has no power to control Knight's use. Who's right here? Without seeing the video, it's hard to say. Viacom's commercial republication of the entirety of Knight's work weighs against fair use, but it was providing commentary and criticism, transforming the work. Either way the law lands on this one, one thing is clear: it's yet another PR misstep from a company who can't seem to put a foot right lately.

Lego Star Wars II

Will Smith — Fri, 15 Dec 2006 13:51:17 -0600

I grew up on Star Wars. One of my first—and still best—birthday presents was the classic Kenner Millennium Falcon, along with a handful of action figures. I watched and rewatched the CBS broadcast of Star Wars so many times that I still remember when the commercial breaks started. The Lego Star Wars games bring me back to that joyous time of my youth.

I was an instant fan of the original Lego Star Wars’ clever combination of the respective eponymous franchises. And like its predecessor, Lego Star Wars II offers up another entertaining Lego-centric take on the events of the Star Wars movies. It’s enjoyable for both adult and child—at the same time, even, thanks to its kick-ass co-op mode.

All the classic Star Wars settings are in the game, from the Mos Eisley cantina to the second Death Star, but everything’s treated with a little more irreverence than is usual in Star Wars games. Whether it’s the look of shock on Greedo’s face when Han shoots first or the fact that Chewbacca’s melee attack physically rips the Lego arms off his opponent, I feel an almost absurd glee when I play this game.

Game-wise, LSWII is virtually identical to the first version. You can jump back and forth between the various episodes, but within each episode you need to complete the missions sequentially. You start most missions with two characters, chosen for you, then gain and lose party members as the mission progresses. After you complete each mission, you can go back with any two characters you’ve unlocked to complete the level 100 percent. Multiplayer consists of same-screen co-op.

I have only two complaints: The game’s five-hour duration is too short, and it requires a gamepad—it just doesn’t play well with a keyboard and mouse. The good news is that it works flawlessly with the kick-ass Xbox 360 controller for Windows.

Month Reviewed: December 2006
Verdict: 9
kickass=yes
URL: www.lucasarts.com

Star Wars: Empire at War

Will Smith — Fri, 05 May 2006 17:53:34 -0500

Star Wars strategy games haven't fared well. Force Commander—one of the earliest 3D-rendered RTS games—frequently appears in “Worst Games of All Time” lists. Galactic Civilizations was a touch better, but ultimately nothing more than a total conversion for Age of Empires. Empire at War, however, bucks the trend by delivering a fun, if shallow, Star Wars strategy experience.

There are three components to EaW: a strategic galaxy conquest game, a tactical space combat game, and a tactical land combat game. None of the three components features particularly deep gameplay—most of the combat boils down to a rock/paper/scissors-style choice between the different weapons at your disposal, but switching back and forth between the different types of gameplay makes for an enjoyable experience.

The strategic game is like Masters of Orion-lite. You’ll need to use your credits wisely, choosing the right planets to improve and planning defenses for planets that will face attacks, all while building a fleet (or three) and a ground-based army. We really enjoyed this portion of the game—the decisions you make in the galactic view really affect the tactical portions of the game.]

Whether you’re fighting in space or on land, the basic combat is the same. Your units are particularly strong against a few types of units, and particularly weak against others. Your ability to effectively match your units—whether they’re Y-Wing fighters, AT-AT Walkers, or the Death Star—against the weaknesses of your opponents will make the difference between success and failure.

The tactical gameplay is (unsurprisingly) much more compelling in the space battles than the land combat. Part of the problem is that the vast majority of the land units (both Rebellion and Imperial) couldn’t be pulled from the movies, and Petroglyph filled those gaps with cookie-cutter RTS units established 10 years ago—tanks, infantry, artillery. The space combat feels more fleshed out, with more roles for different ships to fill.

While it’s definitely not a must-have game, Empire at War is a pleasant enough way to fritter away a rainy or snowy Sunday.

Month Reviewed: May 2006

+ BOBA FETT: Entertaining space combat with a Star Wars theme. Boss Han Solo around!

- JANGO FETT: Ground battles can be tedious. Basic rock/paper/scissors gameplay. Unimaginative unit types.

VERDICT: 8

URL: www.empireatwar.com

Battlefront II, Pshaw! Give Me Tie Fighter

Tom McDonald — Fri, 17 Feb 2006 15:29:18 -0600

Star Wars Battlefront II is a painful experience. Don’t get me wrong; it’s a good game, much better than the first; but it’s also a stark reminder of a time when LucasArts made the best space sims on the market, and how that time is long past.

For most of the 1990s, the X-Wing and TIE Fighter games would have placed at the head of my top-10 list. This was in the early days of good Star Wars gaming, so some of that appeal came, no doubt, from the ability to play anything inside the Star Wars universe. Though it has been about a decade since I’ve laid eyes on them, I think it’s more than simple novelty and nostalgia that make these titles stick in my brain.

Battlefront II makes the mistake of reminding us of these glory days. The ground portions of the game are quite good, and a definite improvement over the flaccid original. The game feels more at home on the PC and less like an afterthought port. Its graphics are clean and appealing, if not cutting-edge, and the various story modes, units, and mission types are drastically improved. While the strategic element feels canned, it’s a nice idea that shows potential for growth.

The biggest addition, however, is a new space combat mode that allows for dogfights and capital ship engagements. The mode will probably be fairly appealing to younger gamers, and it’s really not that bad. The scale is suitably epic and the combat straightforward and appealing. For older PC gamers, however, it’s like a faint hint of a shadow of an echo of a far better age in Star Wars space combat. Ships have only a minimal energy model, controls and weapons are arcade-simple, and evasive maneuvers are preset. It is, in every sense of the word, a shooter.

I hadn’t even thought of TIE Fighter in years, but five minutes with Battlefront II made me realize that, even with the embarrassment of Star Wars gaming riches we now have at hand, a crucial component remains MIA. LucasArts needs to return to the SW games that put them on the map, and bring back good sim-style space combat.