Around Alderaan: SWTOR and Troopers as a newbie

As you might have guessed, I’ve gotten into Star Wars: The Old Republic, a new MMO released by EA and Bioware, and I’m running around a bit. It’s been something of an odd experience with a strongly narrative-based system that tells you a story as you play. In fact, the Flashpoints (instances in the game) are really Star Wars episodes.

Republic Trooper armor is something to look at—and it’s absolutely reminiscent of the eventual stormtrooper armor that will make its debut 300 years later when the Sith Empire manages to take over the galaxy. It just hasn’t happened yet.

Of course, like any game, you’ll notice that I have an almost-clown suit of mismatched, yet colorful armor pieces that I’ve collected going about my missions.

This shot was taken on the desert-planet of Tantooine, the erstwhile home of Like Skywalker.

The dune-held countryside of this region is like my own home to an extent. Tall mesas of reddened-rock thrusting out of ever-changing dunes. Although the presence of the Imperial soldiers leaves something to disdain.

I suppose I’ll sally forth and blast a few for old time’s sake.

This is a shot from Alderaan—a lush landscape with snowcapped mountains, conifer trees, and a cloudy sky all day. Through green fields I walked while supporting House Organa against an incursion by the Empire. Alderaan, and House Organa, of course are Princess Leia’s erstwhile home planet and adoptive family respectively.

It’s a beautiful and majestic world with wonderful people. It’s sad to know that in 3,000 years time it will be vaporized into so much space rubble by the Death Star, killing the entire population in a show of force by the Sith Empire.

 

Oh yeah, did I mention: you get a spaceship.

My trooper has a lopsided winged craft with a bunch of guns on it called a Thunderclap. Although, you’ll probably like my Smuggler’s ship better—it’s a Corellian light freighter (think the little sister of the Millennium Falcon) with extra-heavy engines retrofitted into the chassis for perfectly legitimate and legal purposes, of course.