The SWTOR Swoop Rally is this week’s new edition to the game’s Public Test Server. This update also brings a new Welcome Window with highlights as you log in to the game. The Swoop Rally is the name of the new recurring event, set to release with SWTOR Patch 6.1.2 this June. Read below to find out more details on how to try the event on PTS and what to expect from it when it is officially released!
BioWare brings the SWTOR Public Test Server back in the highlights as this week’s patch introduced the so far only rumored and teased new event.
The All Worlds Ultimate Swoop Rally is going to be a recurring event, available on three planets (Dantooine, Onderon and Tatooine).
This event will be scheduled to appear for (most likely, not confirmed yet) two weeks with the release of SWTOR Update 6.1.2, which is currently targeting a June release.
These events usually run for two weeks the first time they are introduced, so I expect the same will happen with the SWTOR Swoop Racing event as well.
Right now on PTS you can test what appears to be an unfinished version of the cinematic scenes and dialogues. The voice-over is still missing, except for where we hear alien (Star Wars type) of a speech, which is usually computer-generated.
The video below shows you how to pick up the starter mission. Note – this mission terminal will only be available on the Fleet when the event is active in SWTOR.
The gameplay part seems to be mostly in tact. The race tracks are (almost) fully functional and all the tasks and interact-able objectives are all present and seem to be working. But more on that later!
The event, like all others, can be started by clicking on a giant floating news terminal in the intersections on the outer rings on both the Empire and Republic fleets.
As I said right now the conversations are buggy, unfinished and there is a high risk of you getting stuck on a what seems to be a closed loop of dialogue choices.
The dialogues are all in the “KOTOR Classic style”, which means that your character does not speak his or her lines and the camera is stationary behind your back. Sad, but understandable given the hard times BioWare and every other game developer is experiencing currently, while all devs work from home and things happen much slower and harder.
Once you hear the announcement on the Fleet, you are sent to Dantooine, where you will be able to talk to a few NPCs. The first one is the main mission.
After that you get to speak to representatives of each of the three new factions. They will each give you three available daily missions.
Each mission for each faction requires you to complete one race. Each one of the race gangs, however, has different requirements for you as you run through the race.
It’s not just about you going from start to finish, no. The more important part of each mission is to complete all of the objectives.
“You’ll pilot a swoop bike as you try to complete objectives tailored to each of the gang’s interests, like completing the track as fast as possible or trying to blow things up! Completing these Missions earns you reputation and rewards unique to each swoop gang” – as BioWare’s announcement states.
Below is a brief description of each faction and what they ask of you if you pick up their Daily Mission.
The Blatant Beks task you to use your speeder bike’s abilities to complete a number of challenges like destroy targets they have placed on the sides of the track or remote detonate fireworks displays as you pass by them.
The Horizon’s Razors gang is all about speed. As you run the tracks on the gang’s bikes your objectives will be to use speed boosts along the track and pick up the Turbo Orbs to charge up your bike’s boost. The trick is to remember where the Nova Blades have left bombs and avoid those.
The Pit Screamers are all about fame and glory if you judge them by the objectives they task you with if you select their mission for the tracks – impress the fans, weave through hoops (metal rings) and do the big jumps along the course.
Completing the objectives will grant you the mission rewards. There is a bonus mission available for all dailies and also an extra incentive to run the track and complete all objectives before the set timer expires. Again – it’s the gang’s objectives that determine if you pass or fail the race, not the timer or the bonus mission.
Once you complete a track for a certain gang, you cannot repeat it until the next day – it’s a Daily Mission, after all.
When you mount up a bike for each one of the gangs, take a look at the new abilities that are available for this bike. The first one is always a speed boost. The second one is always a hard break. The third and fourth vary based on the bike and whose gang it belongs to.
To perform as a superstar racer you need to master using these abilities. One trick that may help you is to set keybinds for turning left and right. If you are like me, you would have replaced the default “A” to strafe left and “D” to strafe right. You could always navigate your way through the tracks with the mouse too.
The event-speeders do move on their own, unlike conventional speeders you usually ride in SWTOR. Also these are unique mounts, only available for the race tracks. You cannot bring them to the Fleet… unless someone discovers a way to exploit that :)))
Let’s not forget the Weeklies! Of course there are weklies and quite a few of them too!
Each Daily and Weekly reward you XP/Renown, Credits, a Reputation chip and unique Faction Reputation Token.
Keep in mind that these rewards and values for XP and Credits may be adjusted for the live version of the event. The images above are taken from PTS and are not final.
The Reputation Vendors are not yet ready and all rewards and items you can trade for the new Tokens will be added to PTS at a later point
You can only pick up maximum three Daily Missions at a time and you cannot have the a mission from two or three different factions on the same planet.
The layout of the race tracks are the same, but the objectives do change based on whose faction’s mission you have currently active.
Below I have a short video demo of the Dantooine track completed with the objectives and speeder of the Pit Screamers faction/gang. Check it out!
Another new feature BioWare is adding to SWTOR with update 6.1.2 (probably, it may not be available if it’s not finished by then, I suppose).
The so called “Welcome Window” is currently not finished, but it’s easy to understand what is the idea behind it – to promote the featured Cartel Market item… *cough*. I myself don’t know if I am joking with this or if I think so for real.
When it opens up, you can see from top to bottom the following three highlighted items:
- Your Next Crit Path Mission or Generic Activity Finder
- The Current Conquest and your character’s personal goal
- A Featured item from the SWTOR in-game Cartel Market
Meanwhile, check my guide to learn how to download SWTOR PTS. Test the new Swoop racing tracks and enjoy the content as it is being developed right in front of your eyes!
BioWare is also asking for feedback. If you do go to PTS and test the tracks, be sure to share your feedback. You can do it either here in the form of a comment or on the game’s forums. Here is what information the devs are looking for in terms of feedback for the event and its contents:
- Were the Missions fun?
- Were the Missions the right length (not too long, not too short)?
- Were the objectives for each Mission clear?
- Which gang’s Missions did you like the most? The least?
- Did each gang’s objectives make the course feel a little different?
- Were you able to easily stay on the course?
- Did you understand the bike abilities?
- Did the speed of the bike feel good?
- What did you enjoy the most? What did you dislike?
Update 6.1.2 is set to launch in June and VULKK.com will not disappoint you with a thorough coverage of all new features, changes and gameplay elements you need to know about!
I will have a complete and in-depth guide for you about the SWTOR Swoop Racing event when it launches or when it is fully developed and accessible on PTS. Right now there are too many missing elements and things that may be changed for a guide to be of any use to you.
