The Patton Projection is a weekly article centering on all the unique features Bioware is coming up with which could redefine the MMO genre forever. From morality decisions to companion characters to in-depth dialogue mechanics, it is clear that The Old Republic will be a game like no other....

OK, let’s recap on that previous assignment.... You had good intentions of course as the soldier you are: trying to dispose of a corrupt Republic governor taking advantage of the region under his control. You couldn’t help it that he resisted your proposal of a peaceful arrest or his resulting and rather quick death along with his bodyguards when you saw them reach for their weapons. He tried to make excuses about how he was only doing what was necessary, but you saw that he did not mean what he said. You were only answering the plea of a desperate Republic citizen who knew the truth about his shady governor…what harm is there in that? I mean, you did get a light-side point, didn’t you? 

Now you fast-forward to your meeting with a very angry superior. It seems that acting without the knowledge of the Republic military isn’t always a good idea. Thanks to your rash actions, you failed to realize that the corrupt governor had no clear cut successor yet, which leaves the town leaderless. Not only that, but the citizens are outraged by this cold-blooded murder of that man by the Republic that they are now turning to the Sith for assistance. The disgruntled citizen who gave you the mission in the first place isn’t going to be bailing you out of this one, nor the fact that Bioware has given you neither a save slot or a mission retry option. Good thing Vader isn’t there to force choke you for your insubordination. This isn’t your old MMO; not only are there heavy consequences for your actions, but there isn’t going to be any way to redo them when you aren’t satisfied with the result.

You should expect to be thrown into a crash course example of failure soon after you start the game. It is an idea that will throw us well off guard once we find out that the character we made cannot be perfect in the regard we are aiming for. Non-repairable mistakes will change the gaming experience massively, as we find ourselves forced to make gut-wrenching decisions that will either turn out in the as we hoped for or give you a strong feeling that few games (especially MMO's) ever achieve successfully: regret. It is a mechanic that will be as daunting as it will be undeniably entertaining, as we share our characters happiness and sorrow in navigating the open-ended story. I wouldn’t worry about this new level of gaming experience ruining your game with constant frustration, as Bioware will probably keep the consequences low (most of the time), but do expect to be more attached to the character you control in this game than any other. You controlled his/her story from start to finish and through good times and bad; you knew how hard it was to make the many decisions that brought you to the well-deserved endgame. You may have failed countless times over, but you are still standing there: shaken, but not stirred. 

If there is one thing we can be sure of at this point, it is that Bioware will be giving us a ride to remember for a long time....

Well that ends my first edition of (cue echoing voice) The Patton Projection!!! Feel free to put up some comments and suggestions on how to approach these articles. Next week I will be sure to add more pictures, jokes, and consistent font (hopefully) as I go up against my next victim: Voice Acting.

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pattonrommel