Star Wars: The Old Republic creates a legacy

BioWare have released content update 1.2 for Star Wars: The Old Republic adding, alongside new high level gameplay content, the evolution of the “Legacy System”, a feature that ties all of your characters together into one family, regardless of class or faction, and allows them to unlock custom new abilities.

Players will link their different characters together into a single family tree, giving them the power to unlock and share special Legacy-only abilities, and new convenience items for player ships including the Galactic Trade Network terminal. The Legacy System will also give players the ability to unlock new races for new characters and will be advantageous in strengthening companion characters affection and moral alignment through bonuses.

Game Update 1.2 will also include some of the communities’ most sought-after game enhancements including user interface customization and guild banks, along with gameplay and balancing fixes.

'Game Update 1.2: Legacy is a huge milestone for The Old Republic and clearly demonstrates what we mean when we talk about this game being a full-fledged, ongoing service,' said Dr. Greg Zeschuk, General Manager of the BioWare Label’s MMO Business Unit and Co-Founder of BioWare.

'Not only is Game Update 1.2 the largest update for The Old Republic, but it also addresses a lot of the game features and enhancements our players have been asking for since we launched a little over three months ago, We are incredibly proud of the team for being able to deliver an update of this size and quality, in a relatively short amount of time.'

In addition to the Legacy System, the Game Update 1.2 will introduces other game features, including improved UI customization, Guild Banks and valuable new in-game items. This game update will also introduce challenging new high-level content for both experienced and new players:

· Flashpoint: Lost Island continues the story of Flashpoint: Kaon Under Siege from Game Update 1.1 – Rise of the Rakghouls. Players must survive a menacing island of mystery on Ord Mantell as they hunt for clues to the Rakghoul virus outbreak that ravaged the Tion Hegemony. But the answers to this riddle may prove fatal! This flashpoint is for groups of four Imperial or Republic players with characters at level 50.

· Operation: Explosive Conflict sends players to a new zone on the planet of Denova, where traitors and mercenaries are selling the rare explosive mineral baradium to the highest bidder. Players will battle through hordes of droids, mercenaries and deadly creatures all fighting for control of the planet and its valuable resources. This Operation is for groups of eight or sixteen Imperial or Republic players with characters at level 50.

· Warzone: Novare Coast pits two teams in an epic battle to control multiple mortar locations and use them to bombard vulnerable enemy bases. Like the Huttball Warzone, Novare Coast can be played Republic vs. Empire or with players of the same faction fighting each other in a thrilling contest of wills to determine each side’s greatest champions. Like all Warzones, Novare Coast is available for characters over level 10.

As a thanks to subscribers BioWare has also announced a number of in-game rewards, with subscribers with active game accounts on 12 April 12 or 21 April set to receive the Tauntaun Ram Pet via in-game mail.

All active subscribers who have achieved a level 50 character by April 12, 2012 will receive 30 days of game time at no charge, while former subscribers with inactive accounts are invited back for up to seven days at no charge starting 13 April as EA look to tempt players back.