Overly Positive

Normally when it comes to MMOs, the backstory and lore is more of, well, background noise that it is something that comes to the forefront in terms of marketing for the game. The story behind why there is a conflict between factions, or why a certain race or character class motivated in a specific way, is usually not something that is paid attention to in light of the game’s reveals about more concrete details about gameplay.

In selling the element of “Story” to potential players, Bioware is seeking to draw more attention to this oft-ignored pillar with Star Wars: The Old Republic. While they’ve made it a point to tell people about their grand storytelling ability, and their history of games in which players have enjoyed playing through the plot as much as the gameplay, there are a few folks who aren’t quite sold on the idea just yet.

So it is that Bioware has resorted a bit to subtlety to draw more attention to the storytelling elements behind the game. If you look at the Star Wars: The Old Republic Timeline, you’ll see that the various historical videos narrated by a Jedi Master might just have bits and pieces of the game’s current or to-be-revealed details. Here are some examples:

• The entry regarding Coruscant and its sacking revealed a few details about possible planets, namely Tython, the home planet of the Jedi, the Sith Empire’s power base in Korriban, and of course, Coruscant itself. The recent reveal of the planet Coruscant and the gameplay video displaying Korriban are just some ways this entry has subtly revealed details.
• The entry recounting the Smuggler convoy’s role in breaking the Mandalorian Blockade cutting off supply routes to the Republic seemed to show off the impact of the Smuggler in the history of the game, with the Smuggler class revealed as playable.
• Entries speaking about the Mandalores and their alliance with the Sith Empire, and the latest entry talking about Imperial agents and their machinations are possible future reveals about new classes to be added to the game, as well as new atmospheres or planets

Hindsight is 20/20, meaning that months from now, we’ll be seeing more of the details about the game revealed as early as the 1st or 2nd entries in the Timeline. But that’s really my point – Bioware is taking a subtle, yet interesting approach to revealing more of their detail while prominently featuring the story, making people who would normally not pay attention to lore-centric details take notice. If they’re looking to attract the bees with a little bit of nectar, then it’ll be a strategy that pays off for them in the long run.

So what are you waiting for? Get to those Jedi archives, and check out some of the history of The Old Republic. You might just be pleasantly surprised.