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Upon the occasion of SWTOR’s second anniversary, we discuss what changed in the game over the past year, starting from the launch of free-to-play. We conclude with some brief speculation on what’ll be next in 2014!

1. Introduction

Teo decided to demonstrate his joy in Life Day via his choice of headwear.

2. Tip of the Week

Congratulations to this week’s winner, Quin’obi!

Please send your tips to ootinicast@gmail.com by next Wednesday for a chance to win a Tawnfaun code, courtesy of BioWare, and an OotiniCast-provided Cartel Market pack from the latest shipment.Congratulations to this week’s winner, Quin’obi!

3. Holofeed

• Patch 2.5.1a was deployed to resolve the issue that prevented players from receiving Ship Requisition for their Gunship in an extremely rare set of circumstances.
• More traditional Jedi robes will be brought into the game in a future Game Update, including one set in a Cartel pack, and one for direct purchase from the Cartel Market.
• The second anniversary of SWTOR occurred on 20 December. All players received an in-game mail with 25 fireworks and both Republic and Empire Scout paint jobs for Galactic Starfighter.
• The SWTOR community team wrote an article about their own memories in celebration of the anniversary. Amber Green also announced that she was assuming the role of Live Producer. A new member would thus be joining the Community Team early next year.
• Background information was provided for the new companions added to both Republic and Empire to form the default crew for each ship in Galactic Starfighter.

4. Community

Gaddock Teeg had a great conversation with Eric Musco on the latest Unnamed SWTOR Podcast.

5. Force Feedback

We discuss tweets, emails and comments from @TheMalgadar, @kmadsen, @SWTORReforged, @ForceChuckle, @joseph_foran, @Loudshirt086, @ben_b55, @HamSammich509, @thehatfield, @JediKrackr, @JediAio, Oxi-jin, @MikeG_75, Tim (Gasguy), Thross, Morriah and RSKeogh96 (Ryan Keogh).

You can find @kmadsen’s forum post here. He references the following images:

Teo obtained some further previews to show that it seems that the colour scheme is specific to the faction, rather than any kind of inconsistency.

Here is where @ben_b55 ended up after hightailing it in CZ-198’s daily area:

The assault cannon that Ham is after, whose business end is reminiscent of a battle station from the distant future:

Somewhere, somehow, @JediKrackr discovered the Wonkavator, mysteriously retrieved from a Chocolate Factory far, far away in the distant future… on Tatooine!

6. Sarlacc Digest

We discuss the past, present and future of SWTOR, using the following content roadmap to structure our conversation:

Game Update 1.5: HK-51 Activated [15 Nov 2012]

• launch of free-to-play
• daily area: Section X
• world boss: Dreadtooth
• companion: HK-51
• Explosive Conflict (nightmare)

Game Update 1.6: Ancient Hypergate [11 Dec 2012]

• warzone: Ancient Hypergate
• heroic space missions

Game Update 1.7: Return of the Gree [12 February 2013]

• recurring world event: Relics of the Gree
• system: Galactic Reputation

Game Update 1.7.2 [12 March 2013]

• reputation: Contraband Resale Corporation

Game Update 2.0: Scum and Villainy [9 April 2013]

• operation: Scum and Villainy (8 encounters, story, hard)
• system: achievements
• hardmode flashpoint: Athiss
• hardmode flashpoint: Cademimu
• hardmode flashpoint: Mandalorian Raiders
• hardmode flashpoint: Hammer Station

Rise of the Hutt Cartel

• planet: Makeb
• level cap raised from 50 to 55
• system: Macrobinoculars
• system: Seeker Droid

Game Update 2.1: Customization [14 May 2013]

• system: Appearance Designer
• system: Dye Modules
• system: Collections
• species: Cathar

Game Update 2.2: Operation Nightmare [11 June 2013]

• mode: Terror From Beyond (nightmare)
• system: paid character transfers

Game Update 2.2.2 [10 July 2013]

• mode: Scum and Villainy (nightmare)

Game Update 2.3: Titans of Industry [6 August 2013]

• daily area: CZ-198
• flashpoint: Czerka Corporate Labs (3 encounters, story 55, hard)
• flashpoint: Czerka Core Meltdown (3 encounters, story 55, hard)
• Tauntaun mounts on Hoth
• recurring world event: Bounty Contract Week
• significant graphical upgrades (palette graphics upgrade)
• companion: Treek

Game Update 2.4: The Dread War [1 October 2013]

• daily area: Oricon
• operation: Dread Fortress (5 encounters, story, hard)
• operation: Dread Palace (5 encounters, story, hard)
• warzone arenas (Orbital Station, Tatooine Canyon, Corellia Square)

Game Update 2.4.3 [12 November 2013]

• Ranked PvP Season One and web-based leaderboards
• character name renewal program

Game Update 2.5: Galactic Starfighter Early Access [3 December 2013]

• Galactic Starfighter
  • 2 “Domination” maps, Lost Shipyards and Kuat Mesas
  • Scout, Strike Fighter available to all subs (Gunship if subscribed before 20 Nov)
• class changes
• warzone arenas (Makeb Mesa)

Game Update 2.5.1 [17 December 2013] (+2 weeks)

• recurring world event: Life Day

7. Outro

Thanks to Hyp (@hypknotoad) and Redna (@R3DN4, twitch.tv/r3dn4) for joining us this week.

Information about our guilds on The Harbinger, Ootini Knights (Republic) and Ootini Rage (Empire), can be found here.

You can email questions and comments about the show to ootinicast@gmail.com. Follow us on Twitter via @OotiniCast. Check out our website, ootinicast.com, which has links to our presence on Google+ and Facebook. We are a proud member of the TOR Syndicate! You can subscribe to us on iTunes and Zune, and listen to us on Stitcher and Radio4Gamers.