Posted 09/05/09 at 01:55:16 AM by Nathan Grayson

“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?

Read More

Posted 09/11/08 at 08:41:11 PM by Nathan Grayson

SOE does what Blizzardon't. The online-focused branch of Sony's empire is trying its darndest to wed console and PC MMOs with its upcoming title, The Agency. However, the bride and groom to be aren't exactly hitting it off.

First up, PC games are much more susceptible to hacks and 'sploits than their console brethren, and "Being able to manage that is no simple task," said Executive Producer Matt Wilson.

Second, the mouse-keyboard vs. controller feud continues to rage, and neither side seems interested in saluting the ol' white flag.

"We can do things to equalize them, whether that's aim assist on the console or other things on the PC, but when we've actually done focus group testing and so forth, you're always going to have the console players versus the PC players," Wilson noted.

However, the final hurdle is definitely the tallest. Wilson explained:

"MMOs live and die by their updates, and we need to be able to update our product frequently," says Wilson. "The console requires a certification process, while the PC does not. And so it's going to be really difficult for us to maintain that synchronization across both platforms, and make that work really easily with the value of the MMO."

Assuming that SOE satisfactorily solves all of these issues, would you even want to play a PC-PS3 MMO?

Read More