Ilum looks dazzling on the SWTOR 7.6 PTS. Check out the comparisons for yourself and peer into the (Adegan) crystal ball to catch a glimpse of SWTOR’s future.
The first iteration of the PTS for Game Update 7.6 “Galactic Threads” is up! The Dynamic Encounters system is the only thing we can test as of publishing, but there’s a lot we can glean from visual improvements on Ilum.
Ilum is our first real glimpse at a non-starter world from vanilla SWTOR that has gotten the complete visual makeover. It’s got an upscaled materials-based textures, higher fidelity models, proper illumination from nearby light sources, a layered and animated skybox, and what appears to be the fancy lighting added to cutscenes, except you can see it outside of cutscenes.
In other words, once 7.6 comes out, Ilum will look as beautiful as the starter worlds, and newest planets and regions, like Ruhnuk and Kessan’s Landing.
Other vanilla planets are following a similar path of rejuvenation, so looking at Ilum on the PTS is a lot like peering into a crystal ball at what all of SWTOR could look like a year from now, possibly as soon as 7.8.
Absentee Propagator Core XR-53
Propagator Core XR-53 is the new lair boss on Ilum. It won’t be available for testing in SM until next week (~October 21st), and VM won’t be available until the following week (~October 28th).
I have scoured much of the planet and haven’t been able to find an entrance to the instance. My best guess is that it’s inside the main faction bases on the planet, as there’s a new hallway that ends with deleted environment, so you fall off the map.
We’ve made all images in this article expandable if you click/tap on them. This will allow you to see the details even better at least on a desktop.
Literally, you just fall off the map if you step into the abyss after you turn the corner. However, this new hallway might also pertain to the Galactic Threads solo story.
Check out our article on the 7.6 Teaser Trailer for more information on the upcoming lair boss.
Visual Enhancements on Ilum
Even though Propagator Core XR-53 is currently inaccessible, the vast majority of visual enhancements across the entire planet appear to be complete.
Lightning and Textures
Most textures and models have more detail and interact more accurately with light as materials.
The shadows in general have far more detail than before. I think they’re applying the fancy cutscene lighting and shadows added back in 7.4 “Chains in the Dark” to the entire planet.
Ambient occlusion (I think) is far more pronounced, and shadows are far more detailed, especially in the distance, so you can see distant structures far more clearly.
The updated lighting on Ilum is also harder and the blue filter is a bit more intense. Ilum does feel less comfortable and cozy, but that’s a good thing. Ilum is a frigid snowball in the Unknown Regions. It’s not supposed to be hospitable.
Even so, I have a feeling that a vocal contingent of players will still whine and complain about how Ilum is completely ruined now just as they did about Hutta; and I implore the magnificent artists at Broadsword not to listen to them.
On the whole, I think the devs have done a fabulous job with striking a balance between realism and cartoon stylization. It’s realistic enough to ground you in the world and not look outdated amid other Star Wars games, but cartoony enough to make it feel timeless.
The coziness isn’t completely gone either. In fact, the difference between the Western and Eastern Ice Shelves is far starker. The Eastern Ice Shelf feels warmer than it used to as the ice gleams with the light of war.
The darker colors on the Western Ice Shelf contrast tremendously with the bright oranges, yellows, and light blues from the Gray Secant pop. I suspect this splendor played a role in their decision to emphasize the color differences.
Snow and Ice
As you may have noticed from the previous pictures, the snow and ice have also been enhanced across Ilum. The upgrade to the ice material is pretty massive. You can see it clear as day inside the partially renovated Battle of Ilum Flashpoint.
I’m salivating over the prospect of this ice material being included in future outfits, like reforged Hailstorm Brotherhood garb. It could also be implemented for abilities like Project, Cascading Debris, Kinetic Ward, and Telekinetic Defense alongside appropriate materials from whichever biome the Jedi is standing in.
The changes to the snow texture are simpler, and unlike the ice, they haven’t been applied to Hoth yet (?) either. The snow on the PTS looks more windswept and dune-y, as if it piles more like actual snow does.
Below is a closer look at the snow on the PTS. It looks more like it’s been piled up on top of the ice instead of being held in a sort of bowl by it. The end result is a more blended and natural look.
I’m super curious about what they’ll do with the desolate snowscape that is Hoth. It’s so blindingly blue that it’s hard to see clickable objects. My eyes might bleed if they ever add HDR to this game.
Hoth could look a lot more interesting once we see what the fancy shadows do to it. They could also put the sun further away or make it smaller. Making clouds that cast a shadow, adding more weather VFX, and quadrupling the number of Quick Travel points would be neat too.
Galactic Threads Storyline
The solo story coming with 7.6 “Galactic Threads” will most likely take place on Ilum. It’s the furthest along in terms of visual enhancements, it is the site of a new lair boss, and the next Twitch Drop was leaked as a painting deco depicting Ilum.
The map of the Western Ice Shelf has been updated to depict available paths to reach the southern area through The Circle. Many of the glaciers blocking the way along those paths have been removed, making it far easier to access the southern area.
Previously, the south was only accessible through a gave right down the middle, and the only thing down there was a lore object at the ransacked Republic base, Fray Landing.
This was the open world PvP area in the earliest days of SWTOR, predating even the Gray Secant’s first arrival.
It would make a lot of sense for Malgus to go to Ilum as part of his grand plan. It’s also a fitting place for his grave considering the False Emperor announced his coup from the Emperor’s Space Station soaring over the dazzling skies of the crystal ball.
Stay tuned for more coverage of SWTOR 7.6, and don’t forget to participate in the Feast of Prosperity; there’s a bunch of new rewards to earn this year.
If you have the time and desire, you can install the SWTOR PTS and check out what is currently available. Note that PTS is a separate installation of the game.
