Bioware hopes to sway a majority of the MMO loving audience long-term with it’s 2011 release, Star Wars: The Old: Republic. Hardly a “fly-by-night” retail title release, The Old Republic promises expansive and immersive PvE content, dynamic and visceral PvP content, along with a rewarding and innovative “crew skill” crafting system.

Today, we’ll go into a little more detail about two of the classes to be available in this highly anticipated title.

By far one of the most anticipated classes in The Old Republic, the Bounty Hunter has many nostalgic memories attached with it, whether it’s from the various Star Wars movies or previous games in the Star Wars universe.

The Bounty Hunter is shaping up to be a unique and powerful class, with extreme versatility for any combat situation that may come about.

From the numerous cues and media information we have received from BioWare regarding this class, it would seem that the Bounty Hunter class will be one in which several differing armor and cloaking devices are available, along with powerful and varied weaponry.

By far the bread and butter of the Bounty Hunter class, the Blaster never leaves his (or her!) side. Along with the standard blasters available, the Bounty hunter will be ably to rely on a variety of weaponry, including, but not limited to: wrist mounted missile launchers, long-range rifles, and for the ultimate in close combat situations, the visceral flame thrower. Along with these options, mobility is of great concern to the Bounty Hunter class and each comes equipped with a twin jetpack for horizontal and vertical movement.

As noted by BioWare:

Preparation is the Bounty Hunter’s best defense, and cutting-edge protective gear is standard equipment for most Bounty Hunters. Artisans spend months and even years hand-crafting the Bounty Hunters’ heavy armor to ensure it offers superior resistance to all manner of weaponry, and that each suit will still allow maximum flexibility and versatility. Offense is just as critical as defense, however, and powerful weaponry is necessary for any Bounty Hunter who might have to shoot his way out of a messy situation. It’s not unheard of for a Bounty Hunter to spend as many credits on an advanced blaster as others might spend to purchase an entire starship.

While Bounty Hunters hold a loose alliance to the Sith, the allegiance is completely driven by who can offer the highest credit count. Bounty Hunters pride themselves on their dogged ability to pursue their targets at any cost, able to expertly adapt to not only any landscape or environment, but also every combat situation imaginable.

One facet of the Bounty Hunter lore we never really got to delve into was the history and binding allegiances within the Bounty Hunter brotherhood. Bioware plans to elaborate greatly on this, giving much more insight into the deep, dark histories of the Bounty Hunters and their craft.

Bioware states:

Both infamous and anonymous at the same time, Bounty Hunters are far more than mercenaries for hire-they’re heirs to a professional legacy-an ancient brotherhood with a glorious history. Tracking elusive targets across multiple star systems requires expertise, especially when the targets can be prominent, powerful, and often prepared for confrontation. Thrill seekers from all walks of life set out to become Bounty Hunters, but only the most hard-boiled surive in this compettive and deadly business.

Though the Empire disapproves of the Bounty Hunters’ fierce independence, exceptions are made for those who get results. Few individuals in the galaxy have the gall and the stomach to diliver on the delicate and grim tasks in which Bounty Hunters excel. Nonetheless, no one is irreplaceable in the Empire, and even the most proficient must repeatedly prove their worth. In the bounty business, one’s name is everything, and with each mark a Bounty hunter takes down, his reputation grows, as does his price.

All in all the key word here is most definitely VERSATILITY. If you’re a fan of options, high powered weapons and increased mobility, then the Bounty Hunter is the class for you. Expect skills to allow kiting individuals as well as tracking and cloaking devices giving options for approaching and pursuing targets. What the Bounty Hunter lacks in more Jedi specific skills, they make up for with increased firepower and adept mobility and utilitarian skills. Look for more info as Bioware releases specific class and skill information in the future. Always remember, with the inclusion of the Advanced Class System in The Old Republic, you will be able to hone and build your Bounty Hunter according to your particular playstyle and preference.

The main goal of the Advanced Class System is to allow you to customize your characters according to your play style. For example, some Sith Warrior players will want to charge into the fight and take the full heat of the enemies’ aggression. Others will want to execute their maneuvers more strategically, focused on channeling all their rage to destroy their enemies as quickly as possible. The Advanced Class System gives you these kinds of choices and more.

We will definitely be continuing to follow the Bounty Hunter, checking to see more updates to the class and skill specifics in times to come. With plenty of variety and skills to go around, the Bounty Hunter should be a great all around class at game launch.

The Smuggler is yet another class with many head-nods and mentions in various Star Wars movies and gaming titles. From the likes of the infamous Han Solo, Smugglers have always had a tinged and troubled past.

The lighter, swifter cousins to the Bounty Hunter, Smugglers too are always looking for a spare credit in any way possible. From the info that Bioware has released, one would assume that Smugglers will wear the equivalent of Cloth, giving them extreme mobility and agility, at the cost of decreased armor and damage mitigation.

As smart and stealthy as Smugglers might be, surveillance recording from various spaceports and secured warehouses has captured them in the act. These images highlight their ability to adapt to almost any situation. They’re careful and cunning when sneaking into enemy territory, but when caught in the open, whether bluffing or gambling, they appear comfortable staging a courageous stand.

But don’t let the lighter armor fool you, the smuggler is an extremely competent class in it’s own right. Currently, Bioware has given information on two specific “Specializations” available to the Smuggler class. They are:

The Scoundrel doesn’t have time for politeness or a fair fight. In addition to his trusty blaster the Scoundrel packs a stealth belt, a scattergun and a med pack–everything he needs to get in, knock the enemy for a loop and get out alive. Being invisible works best, but even when Sith fly through the air waving Lightsabers all they get to do is look surprised as the Scoundrel’s scattergun sends them back the way they came.

Master of the trick shot, the first to dive for cover and willing to take advantage of every opportunity, the Gunslinger and his dual blasters are the perfect team. The Gunslinger can shoot out a man’s legs to keep him from charging, blind him so he can’t get to his weapons or inflict serious injuries for maximum distraction. There’s a right target for ending every disagreement and the Gunslinger knows them like the inside of his ship.

From what we can gather, the smuggler is shaping up to be a class more akin to a rogue or assassin from varying other MMO titles. Stealth and surprise are key to their survival, while quick shots and stunning blows further help the Smuggler annihilate their enemies.

From limited notions received through info from Bioware, it would seem that Smugglers also will get some “Reputation” like advantages, relying on connections and charm to further storylines and quests.

Stacking up enemies as fast as they stack up credits, Smugglers only survive in this galaxy by being slick, sneaky and street-smart. Whether sweet-talking an attractive alien or bargaining with a hardened criminal contact, the Smuggler’s charm is a notorious asset, and often the ticket to turning around a deteriorating situation. If circumstances get too complicated, though, count on a Smuggler to always have an escape plan. Experienced in flying under the radar, Smugglers are amazingly elusive. Yet when backed into a corner, they quickly become cunning and often deadly combatants.

Along with these innovative and unique combat tactics, the Smugglers themselves also hold a history and lore all their own. One may wonder why they chose to ally themselves with the Galactic Republic rather than shack up with the less morally adept Sith. Bioware states:

Faced with choosing an allegiance in these uncertain times, Smugglers have been forced to consider the implications of trying to operate under the tight controls imposed by the Sith Empire. Though never the most patriotic members of Republic society, many Smugglers have decided that siding with the Republic is siding with freedom, and of course, freedom is everything.

The Republic has never indulged a systematic prejudice against Smugglers. Generally speaking, they have more commonly tangled with laws and law enforcement measures from specific star systems, not the greater Republic. Thus, it has not been overly difficult for the Jedi and the Republic military to accept Smugglers as allies in resisting the growing dominance of the Sith Empire.

It would seem that Bioware is focusing on balancing the classes out quite well in The Old Republic, laying the groundwork for a satisfying and long-standing run at a successful MMO release. In fact, Electronic Arts CFO Eric Brown recently stated at the  UBS Annual Media and Communications Conference in New York,

Our assumptions for break-even and profitability are not seven-digit subscribers. We think we can run and operate a very successful and profitable MMO at different levels.

The key thing here is to really perfect the product. We’re shooting for an extremely high quality game experience. We view this as a ten-year opportunity.

What we see is a game publisher putting an extreme priority on quality product for an overall sucessful (and lucrative) run. It’s quite refreshing honestly, a stark distinction and opposite from the bottom-line driven, mass marketed wiles of Activision and recent titles.

With that said, we anxiously look to the 2011 release of Star Wars the Old Republic and further media and game information releasing in the months to come. Look for part 2, 3 and 4 of our class breakdown series in the next few days.