Star Wars: The Old Republic version 1.2 is on the Public Test Server ad it's possible to check out the new armor sets that will soon be available to every Jedi, Sith or Smuggler in the vast galaxy.

Even those that don't want to go through the process of getting off the starting planet on the test server can now catch a glimpse of the the new shinies.Each class has a  new PvE set and two new PvP sets (at least visually since each set is, as usual, split in two further variations with different stats to accomodate different specs).

PvE sets are earned with Campaign commedations that can be acquired through the new Operation Explosive Conflict. PvP sets are split betweeen War Hero ad War Hero (Rated).

The War Hero set can be purchased through commendations earned in the new ranked warzones, while the rated set is identical, but has different color schemes and requires an actual high rating to be acquired.

The old PvP sets underwent a rather radical reform: Centurion sets have been discontinued completely. Champion sets have been renamed "recruit" and can be purchased with credits, becoming the basic PvP set. Battlemaster sets can now be purchased directly through warzone commendations, making them a lot easier to acquire (their price is low enough that it should be rather easy to get at least a piece a day).

I'll dare say that the looks of most of the new sets won't suit everyone's taste. They are quite over the top. I went on record several times writing that it was physically impossible to design something that looked sillier than the space samurai helmet included in the existing PvP sets for Jedi Knights. Bioware managed to prove me wrong with the new and flashy flying saucer helmet.

If you're wondering why I chose the featured picture above, it portrays rather precisely the expression that was on my face as I saw the new sets for the first time.

Luckily the modding system has become fully functional, allowing those that don't like the new sets to salvage their stats and apply them to equipment that fits their fashion sense better. Further help in this comes from the new Legacy System, that will allow access to four new sets of equipment through vendors on the capital planets.

The Inheritance and Birthright sets are unmoddable leveling sets (for levels 14-16 and 29-33), while the the Renowned and Exalted sets are fully moddable sets that require respectively legacy level 10 and 20 and can be purchased with credits. All of them are bound to Legacy: they can be purchased and sent to lower level (or poorer) alts and they have definitely more sober looks compared to the previously mentioned endgame sets.

Jedi Guardians disgruntled by the flying saucer helmet will probably smile when they'll notice that their Exalted set is a recolor of the extremely popular (and currently rather rare) Jedi Battlelord set, arguably the best looking armor for the class. That's going to be my new look after 1.2, o questions asked and flying saucers be damned.

You can see a full gallery of the new sets below, courtesy of Dulfy. Quality of the pictures is a tad low, since the item preview feature doesn't load high resolution textures (The new Texture Atlasing option makes them look much better in game), but they have enough definition to give you an idea of how they look.