“There’s Merc’s in them there hills.”

The Outlaw’s Den was intended to be an active world PvP zone but became just another part of the desert when the designers removed all of the loot. Now the Mercenary Commendations are back and I’ve got the guide on how to get them.

For those not familiar with The Outlaw’s Den, it is a free-for-all PvP zone. You can attack, and be attacked by, anyone not in your party. There is an entrance for each faction. In the middle of the area is a building with an auction house and mailbox almost begging people to let their guard down. There are also 3 PvP vendors scattered around who sell unique speeders.

Those who have played World of Warcraft will remember that crafters were able to link their entire crafting list into the chat window for potential customers to browse.  A feature that is extremely useful for themselves and other players to facilitate trade.  A feature that seems to be missing in The Old Republic.

Except it is in the game, from a certain point of view.  While linking a crafting skill to chat might not be in the game, there is still a way to view the schematic list of another player.  Just target the player who will be doing the crafting and right click on their portrait.  Scroll to “Additional Commands” on the window that pops up, and a second window will appear.  This window allows players to inspect each other, add friends, ignore others or report spammers, and last but not even close to least, View Schematics.  Click on that one, and the crafter’s schematic window opens for perusal.

To celebrate the launch of Star Wars: The Old Republic, FORCE Junkies is having an Ugly Character Contest. In order to win we want you to design and create the ugliest character you can with the character creator and post it up on our forums. The contest will run until January 15th where we will pick your finalist for the fans to vote on. Voting will end January 20th just in time to keep your subscription going.

Visit our Forums to enter!

So if you want two months of The Old Republic on us, go take a screenshot of the ugliest character you can create!

Where to Post: This thread on the FORCE Junkie Forums
Submission time Ends: January 15th 2012
Finalist Voting Ends and Winner is Selected: January 20th 2012
Prize: 60 Day Star Wars: The Old Republic Time Card

Disclaimer: Can not guarantee physical delivery of the Time Card outside the Continental US. Winners outside the Continental US will be able to receive time codes via EMAIL. Contest participants under the age of 18 must have parental permission before entering.

Captain Seara’s back again today to show off the completion to her beta adventures. The planets Taris, Nar Shaddaa, and Tatooine will be featured as well as a brief foray into space battle. Coverage of the end-beta block party is also included. Sit back and enjoy the screenshot ride, and just think– the real ride’s just around the corner.

Screenshots are awesome. The Smuggler class is awesome. In celebration of these two objects of complete awesomeness, here’s a small virtual tour of some of the screenshots I’ve managed to gather during beta thus far. The planets of Ord Mantell, Coruscant, and Taris will be covered in this tour, as well as the Republic Fleet and Esseles. Environment and story screenshots are the general focus in this tour, although I will include some that contain the player UI and feature combat. As a warning, there may be story spoilers in both the screenshots and descriptions.

The Senate on Coruscant has played host to countless diplomats from every corner of Republic space.

Once home to the Jedi Archives, the Jedi Temple on Coruscant now lays in ruin years after the Sith’s sacking of Coruscant.

Flanked by his companion Bowdaar, a Smuggler attempts to use his wily charms on a nearby Jedi.

The Gormak, in their never-ending bid to dominate Voss, have built large complexes underneath the planet’s surface.

A Jedi Padawan fights off a Guid near the Kaleth Ruins on Tython.