BioWare and LucasArts have announced that the latest free game update (update 1.3 – Allies) for the award-winning MMO, “Star Wars: The Old Republic,” is available now. The new Allies update delivers many of the game features the community has been asking for so long, like Group Finder, Ranked PvP Warzones, Adaptive Gear, new enhancements to the Legacy system and more.
“We are living up to our commitment in setting a new bar for what players should expect from a premium MMO service. In just six months, we have already released three major game updates that have added new content and game features that have addressed the feedback from our fans. And we are just getting started,” said Matthew Bromberg, General Manager of BioWare Austin. “By the end of this year, we are adding more Warzones, more Flashpoints, more Operations, more updates to the Legacy System, new companions, new storylines and more. We are very excited about the future.”
According to James Ohlen, game director, “With this update, we’ve hit the halfway mark of this year. In that time we’ve released the Legacy system, Group Finder, Guild Banks, Interface Customization and many other game systems, alongside new playable content including Operations, Flashpoints and Warzones. But we have a lot more coming in the second half of 2012. You'll see familiar faces such as HK-51, fly in new space missions, and encounter new Operations, Warzones and a brand new world called Makeb that will allow players to gain new levels. And that’s only the things we’ve talked about so far.”
“The goal of our team, as always, is to expand the Star Wars™ universe and add depth to Star Wars: The Old Republic. We'll be delivering exciting new content and using systems like Legacy, Group Finder and Ranked Warzones to make your experience more enjoyable. And we'll be doing it as often as we can, at a quality level we can be proud of,” he further added.
Update 1.3 – Allies offers the following new features:
Group Finder: This makes it much easier for players to join up with others in the game. The tool allows you to connect with other players who want to tackle the same Flashpoint or Operation that you do. The tool can also ensure the group is filled out with combat disciplines that complement each other. You’ll be better prepared to take on the more advanced challenges in the game.
Ranked Warzones: Ranked Warzones make PvP more challenging and more rewarding. You can now create a group, compete in ranked warzones, and then track your personal performance and measure your skill against other players.
Legacy Character Perks: This is something new in the MMO genre. These perks give you the opportunity to customize the leveling experience for your legacy characters. You can focus on the parts of the game you like best, whether that’s Space Combat, PvP, or Group Missions and Flashpoints, you can choose which activities earn the most experience. The perks give you other bonus opportunities as well, like piloting a vehicle at level 10, earning bonus affection with companions, and even being able to reallocate your skill points in the field.
Adaptive Gear: This is another feature the community’s been clamoring for. You can now wear your favorite social gear into combat and still enjoy the bonuses you receive from your best combat gear. We’ll almost certainly be seeing more eccentric-looking groups tackling high-level Operations.
