BioWare Austin are preparing a series of graphical updates for Star Wars: The Old Republic in the coming version 1.5 update. The changes are in many cases subtle, but the overhaul of the shader does bring out some nice detail (and better colour). The Cartel Market also hit the game’s public test server, and BioWare opened up the SWTOR forums to feedback thereabout. The HK-51 droids also got some additional detail written about them in the last week.

SWTOR obviously didn’t live up to EA’s expectations in terms of sales and market performance, and EA’s Peter Moore admitted recently that for a lot of players, the montly price was just too much of an issue. That was certainly true for yours truly.

The Mass Effect Trilogy package is evidently slated for release tomorrow, in what can only be a nefarious plot to keep all you US-based Mass Effect fans stuck at home on election day. Also: the trailer for it is pretty good. The original Mass Effect will be released on PlayStation 3, meanwhile, in early December. Oh, and the Wii U port of Mass Effect 3 will evidently feature an enhanced version of the Mass Effect Genesis comic, which if memory serves is the workaround BioWare came up with to allow people who haven’t played earlier games in the series to still make the major decisions of the first two games for themselves.

And for those who care, the beta for BioWare Victory’s upcoming Command & Conquer will apparently begin some time in the first half of next year.

Finally, and for what it’s worth, BioWare’s Edmonton and Montreal studios are hiring for several roles including a senior QA lead, an online programmer, a lead UI programmer, an engine programmer, a multiplayer programmer, and a lead server programmer. If any of those match your skillset, good reader, consider submitting an application!