SWG/DE - Of the forthcoming updates and chapters, Chapter 11: The Battle of Echo Base, will be the biggest attraction, with Hoth as a new instance-based planet. There are rumors that you need to join one faction in order to get into this instance. Will neutral players be left behind, or will you be able to remain neutral or choose a faction when entering the instance, like when you enter Deep Space as a neutral pilot?
Travis Shadowbrak Hicks - We want The Battle of Echo Base to truly capture the feeling of the Rebel and Empire conflict in Star WarsŪ Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back. Therefore, you will be required to be either Imperial or Rebel to enter the instance. A neutral player will be required to declare a faction to enter. The non-player character (NPC) who sends you into the instance also serves as a recruiter to make it easier for neutral players to join a faction before entering.
SWG/DE - How are group combinations in Echo Base handled? It may be hard to get a full Imperial or Rebel group to enter, so can you enter in mixed-faction groups?
Travis Shadowbrak Hicks - The heroic encounter we have created reflects the Rebel versus Imperial confrontation made famous in the movie, so the instance itself is faction-based. There are two distinct versions of the encounter: You need to be Imperial to enter the Imperial version or a Rebel to enter the Rebel version, so it is not possible for players to enter as mixed-faction groups.
SWG/DE - The next amazing feature of Hoth you introduced at Fan Faire was vehicle combat. Will there be special profession benefits, like getting smuggled on the Star Destroyer heroic instance by a smuggler, or will all players get equal skills and benefits while using vehicle combat?
Travis Shadowbrak Hicks - There will not be profession/species-specific benefits or penalties involving vehicle combat but there will be a lot of great combat! The snowspeeders, piloted by Rebels, are one-person fighters that take on the Imperials on the ground including AT-ATs. The AT-STs, driven by Imperials, are two-person vehicles, perfect for gunning down the Rebels. We hope that players will be as excited as we are about vehicle combat that adds fun to the combat experience in Hoth.
SWG/DE - Do you have any information about the rewards for completing the Hoth instance?
Travis Shadowbrak Hicks - Were really excited about adding armor from The Empire Strikes Back as encounter rewards. Players can spend heroic tokens from The Battle of Echo Base on factional armor. Imperials can select a new snowtrooper armor set (Battle), and Rebels will have a new cold-weather armor set (Reconnaissance) as well. Each set consists of 11 pieces, and when the player completes certain pieces of a set, they receive a set bonus of additional cold resistance.
Travis Shadowbrak Hicks - We want The Battle of Echo Base to truly capture the feeling of the Rebel and Empire conflict in Star WarsŪ Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back. Therefore, you will be required to be either Imperial or Rebel to enter the instance. A neutral player will be required to declare a faction to enter. The non-player character (NPC) who sends you into the instance also serves as a recruiter to make it easier for neutral players to join a faction before entering.
Travis Shadowbrak Hicks - The heroic encounter we have created reflects the Rebel versus Imperial confrontation made famous in the movie, so the instance itself is faction-based. There are two distinct versions of the encounter: You need to be Imperial to enter the Imperial version or a Rebel to enter the Rebel version, so it is not possible for players to enter as mixed-faction groups.
Travis Shadowbrak Hicks - There will not be profession/species-specific benefits or penalties involving vehicle combat but there will be a lot of great combat! The snowspeeders, piloted by Rebels, are one-person fighters that take on the Imperials on the ground including AT-ATs. The AT-STs, driven by Imperials, are two-person vehicles, perfect for gunning down the Rebels. We hope that players will be as excited as we are about vehicle combat that adds fun to the combat experience in Hoth.
SWG/DE - Do you have any information about the rewards for completing the Hoth instance?
