Post by Morreion on Jun 18, 2010 8:05:53 GMT -5
That's my main character resting in his scout camp on Tatooine
Star Wars Galaxies official site
Star Wars Galaxies (Wikipedia)
Star Wars Galaxies (abbv. SWG) is a Star Wars themed MMORPG for Microsoft Windows developed by Sony Online Entertainment and published by LucasArts.
The base game, titled Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided, was released on 26 June 2003 in the USA and on 7 November 2003 in Europe.
At the time of its initial release, the game was very different than it is now. Vehicles and creature mounts were not yet implemented. While player housing was available at the time of launch, the ability to incorporate groups of houses into cities didn't come until November 2003. Each character and creature possessed three "pools" (called Health, Action, and Mind; or "HAM") that represented his or her physical and mental reserves. Most attacks specifically targeted one of these three pools and any action the character took also depleted one or more of the pools. When any one of those pools was fully depleted, the character would fall unconscious. Combat, then, required the player to carefully manage his or her actions to avoid depleting a pool.
Character progression was vastly different at release as well. Characters started out in one of six basic professions (Medic, Brawler, Marksman, Scout, Entertainer, or Artisan) and could pick up any of the other five at any time after character creation. Each profession consisted of a tree-like structure of skills, with a single Novice level, four independent branches of four levels each, and a Master level which required completion of all four branches. Characters purchased these skills with experience points gained through a related activity. For example, an Entertainer could purchase skills to get better at playing music, but only with Musician experience points. Dancing experience points were entirely separate and could only be used to purchase dancing skills.
In addition to the basic professions, characters could specialize into advanced professions such as Bounty Hunter, Creature Handler, Ranger, Doctor, and Musician. There were a total of 24 advanced professions, although there was no way for characters to obtain all of them at once. Each advanced profession had certain skill requirements from the base professions that had to be met, some more restrictive than others.
Jedi were not available as a starting profession, or even as an advanced profession. The developers stated only that certain in-game actions would open up a Force-sensitive character slot. The actions required were left for players to discover. It eventually turned out that characters had to achieve Master level in random professions. At first the player had to complete four master level classes which were randomly chosen and unknown to the player. The developers then introduced Holocrons which would inform the player of the first, then after completion second master class required. At various times the number of master levels needed ranged from four to seven and the number revealed by holocrons varied from two to four. The first Force-sensitive character slot was unlocked on 7 November 2003.
The base game, titled Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided, was released on 26 June 2003 in the USA and on 7 November 2003 in Europe.
At the time of its initial release, the game was very different than it is now. Vehicles and creature mounts were not yet implemented. While player housing was available at the time of launch, the ability to incorporate groups of houses into cities didn't come until November 2003. Each character and creature possessed three "pools" (called Health, Action, and Mind; or "HAM") that represented his or her physical and mental reserves. Most attacks specifically targeted one of these three pools and any action the character took also depleted one or more of the pools. When any one of those pools was fully depleted, the character would fall unconscious. Combat, then, required the player to carefully manage his or her actions to avoid depleting a pool.
Character progression was vastly different at release as well. Characters started out in one of six basic professions (Medic, Brawler, Marksman, Scout, Entertainer, or Artisan) and could pick up any of the other five at any time after character creation. Each profession consisted of a tree-like structure of skills, with a single Novice level, four independent branches of four levels each, and a Master level which required completion of all four branches. Characters purchased these skills with experience points gained through a related activity. For example, an Entertainer could purchase skills to get better at playing music, but only with Musician experience points. Dancing experience points were entirely separate and could only be used to purchase dancing skills.
In addition to the basic professions, characters could specialize into advanced professions such as Bounty Hunter, Creature Handler, Ranger, Doctor, and Musician. There were a total of 24 advanced professions, although there was no way for characters to obtain all of them at once. Each advanced profession had certain skill requirements from the base professions that had to be met, some more restrictive than others.
Jedi were not available as a starting profession, or even as an advanced profession. The developers stated only that certain in-game actions would open up a Force-sensitive character slot. The actions required were left for players to discover. It eventually turned out that characters had to achieve Master level in random professions. At first the player had to complete four master level classes which were randomly chosen and unknown to the player. The developers then introduced Holocrons which would inform the player of the first, then after completion second master class required. At various times the number of master levels needed ranged from four to seven and the number revealed by holocrons varied from two to four. The first Force-sensitive character slot was unlocked on 7 November 2003.
The Game Archaeologist and the Star of the Galaxies: The history (Massively)
March 2005 may well have been the high-water mark for SWG. Players were treated to the game's second expansion, Rage of the Wookies, which allowed them to explore Chewbacca's home planet and perhaps pick up a cybernetic limb or two. Unfortunately, later that spring came the first sign of a meltdown in the devs' approach to the title: the Combat Upgrade (or "CU" for short). By this time, World of Warcraft had taken the MMO world by storm, and the powers that be felt that SWG could use a little "WoW-ification." CU was supposed to make combat more dynamic and streamline some of the professions, but its changes were largely unwelcomed, as well as the bugs that accompanied the patch.
Then came the month that would live in infamy: November 2005. While players still smarted from the CU, they eagerly picked up yet another expansion, The Trials of Obi-Wan. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, SOE announced that SWG would be the recipient of an imminent, massive overhaul, entitled "New Game Enhancements" (or "NGE"). The NGE were the product of a hasty decision and a 2-3 month's worth of "solid crunch" by the devs.
If the CU was unliked, the NGE were downright reviled, as the game reduced professions from 34 to nine "iconic" classes, killed off the pet classes entirely, allowed everyone to roll Jedi right out of the gate, and broke several parts of the game. Over all of this was the palpable feeling of betrayal, especially considering that SOE first announced the changes a little over a week before they went into practice.
Gallons of words have been spilled about NGE, including by our own Massively team. Suffice to say, it became a nightmare for SOE as players revolted, screamed about it, left in droves, and even attracted the attention of big news outlets such as the New York Times. Even to this day, NGE is still considered by many to be the worst decision a MMO studio ever made.
Then came the month that would live in infamy: November 2005. While players still smarted from the CU, they eagerly picked up yet another expansion, The Trials of Obi-Wan. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, SOE announced that SWG would be the recipient of an imminent, massive overhaul, entitled "New Game Enhancements" (or "NGE"). The NGE were the product of a hasty decision and a 2-3 month's worth of "solid crunch" by the devs.
If the CU was unliked, the NGE were downright reviled, as the game reduced professions from 34 to nine "iconic" classes, killed off the pet classes entirely, allowed everyone to roll Jedi right out of the gate, and broke several parts of the game. Over all of this was the palpable feeling of betrayal, especially considering that SOE first announced the changes a little over a week before they went into practice.
Gallons of words have been spilled about NGE, including by our own Massively team. Suffice to say, it became a nightmare for SOE as players revolted, screamed about it, left in droves, and even attracted the attention of big news outlets such as the New York Times. Even to this day, NGE is still considered by many to be the worst decision a MMO studio ever made.
The Game Archaeologist and the Star of the Galaxies: The players (part 1) (Massively)
What's one of your most favorite memories from SWG?
Adam: The first day the servers were stable, I rolled my first character: a Bothan entertainer in Mos Espa. I immediately headed off to the cantina where I and some other starting entertainers formed a makeshift band. About an hour into the show, I got into an RP fight with another player which eventually spilled out into the streets. The result was a firefight dodging behind buildings and walls as we each tried to whittle away at one another's health with our newbie pistols. The sounds, the music, the visuals, and the adrenaline all tied together to make a clear statement that this was, without a doubt, Star Wars.
Jaume: I would say some of the roleplaying sessions I've had when my main toon was a Spec Ops Rebel soldier. The guild I was in at that time was plenty of awesome roleplayers, and we had very immersive campaigns, with a lot of depth, very rich plots, and dialogue that would make us laugh out loud often.
Paris: Launching into space for the first time during the Jump To Lightspeed beta. It was great, and when I do play I still spend as much time in space as possible.
Kate: I was roleplaying a Stormtrooper. We had a full group of us in armor walking in formation with an AT-ST pet following us. Felt VERY epic. Felt Star Wars.
What did SWG do that made it unique or better than other MMOs?
Adam: I don't think it's possible to pinpoint any one feature, because it really was a combination of many game elements. You had a game that for all intents and purposes left itself to the players: offering players social roles, letting them carve out their own niche, and giving them a reason to be out in the world.
Jaume: Its sandbox style. The quests have always been the worst part of it, but the sandbox style plus the capacity of entering and leaving the PvP mode (Special Forces) at will is very enjoyable. The sandbox style allows for great roleplaying experiences, and the storyteller system is a great companion.
Paris: I think that how well the combination of land and space made it better than most MMOs. I always enjoyed the missions that combined both aspects of the game. I think the most unique thing about SWG was the sandbox style of play. You could level anything you wanted and pick what skills you wanted to use.
Kate: The sense of freedom. Even now in the NGE, I feel more free in SWG than any other MMO. Most games make me feel very shoe-horned into an experience. On the flip side, sometimes I log in and have no clue what I wanna do. That can get frustrating.
Adam: The first day the servers were stable, I rolled my first character: a Bothan entertainer in Mos Espa. I immediately headed off to the cantina where I and some other starting entertainers formed a makeshift band. About an hour into the show, I got into an RP fight with another player which eventually spilled out into the streets. The result was a firefight dodging behind buildings and walls as we each tried to whittle away at one another's health with our newbie pistols. The sounds, the music, the visuals, and the adrenaline all tied together to make a clear statement that this was, without a doubt, Star Wars.
Jaume: I would say some of the roleplaying sessions I've had when my main toon was a Spec Ops Rebel soldier. The guild I was in at that time was plenty of awesome roleplayers, and we had very immersive campaigns, with a lot of depth, very rich plots, and dialogue that would make us laugh out loud often.
Paris: Launching into space for the first time during the Jump To Lightspeed beta. It was great, and when I do play I still spend as much time in space as possible.
Kate: I was roleplaying a Stormtrooper. We had a full group of us in armor walking in formation with an AT-ST pet following us. Felt VERY epic. Felt Star Wars.
What did SWG do that made it unique or better than other MMOs?
Adam: I don't think it's possible to pinpoint any one feature, because it really was a combination of many game elements. You had a game that for all intents and purposes left itself to the players: offering players social roles, letting them carve out their own niche, and giving them a reason to be out in the world.
Jaume: Its sandbox style. The quests have always been the worst part of it, but the sandbox style plus the capacity of entering and leaving the PvP mode (Special Forces) at will is very enjoyable. The sandbox style allows for great roleplaying experiences, and the storyteller system is a great companion.
Paris: I think that how well the combination of land and space made it better than most MMOs. I always enjoyed the missions that combined both aspects of the game. I think the most unique thing about SWG was the sandbox style of play. You could level anything you wanted and pick what skills you wanted to use.
Kate: The sense of freedom. Even now in the NGE, I feel more free in SWG than any other MMO. Most games make me feel very shoe-horned into an experience. On the flip side, sometimes I log in and have no clue what I wanna do. That can get frustrating.
The Game Archaeologist and the Star of the Galaxies: The players (part 2) (Massively)
What's one of your most favorite memories from SWG?
Bill: I found the right DNA combination for making some really nasty creatures and gave my killer Durnis (SWG equivalent of bunnies) to a couple friends who were playing as Creature Handlers. As time passed, a guildmate started thinking he was all that and a bag of chips, due in no small part to having Teras Kasi in his template, and he challenged one of my Creature Handler friends to a duel. The Creature Handler friend pulled out my killer Durni for the fight and the duel commenced. The Teras Kasi player managed to get the incapacitation on the Creature Handler, but in the fight he had forgotten about the Durni, and he had to beat feet to try and get away from the critter. By the time he had gotten things under control with the Durni, the Creature Handler had recovered from his incap and won the duel. That was probably my proudest moment as a Bio-Engineer.
Alex: My favorite memory from SWG was the first AT-AT I saw. I am very much into the roleplay side of the game, and as a roleplayer I had just joined the secret rebel unit in my city. My character returned from a hunting trip and walked over a hill into the city, and next to The Angry Jawa cantina was a giant AT-AT the size of the city hall. Pex, one of the developers, had helped the roleplayers make an Imperial crackdown in the city. I remember I screamed at my computer when I saw that.
Stephanie: Most favorite: Miss Valcyn 2007 pageant, where my event team raised over 100 mil in prizes. All our factional and playstyle differences aside, Valcynites loved their server and if invited to would give their time and credits in support of the community.
Andrew: Shortly before player towns and vehicles were implemented, my guild decided to scout out potential locations for our town. We had to do it all on foot. We spent the entire night wandering Dantooine aimlessly, but when we found our little spot on a river near a lake, miles away from any other players, it was the coolest feeling I've ever had an in MMO.
Bill: I found the right DNA combination for making some really nasty creatures and gave my killer Durnis (SWG equivalent of bunnies) to a couple friends who were playing as Creature Handlers. As time passed, a guildmate started thinking he was all that and a bag of chips, due in no small part to having Teras Kasi in his template, and he challenged one of my Creature Handler friends to a duel. The Creature Handler friend pulled out my killer Durni for the fight and the duel commenced. The Teras Kasi player managed to get the incapacitation on the Creature Handler, but in the fight he had forgotten about the Durni, and he had to beat feet to try and get away from the critter. By the time he had gotten things under control with the Durni, the Creature Handler had recovered from his incap and won the duel. That was probably my proudest moment as a Bio-Engineer.
Alex: My favorite memory from SWG was the first AT-AT I saw. I am very much into the roleplay side of the game, and as a roleplayer I had just joined the secret rebel unit in my city. My character returned from a hunting trip and walked over a hill into the city, and next to The Angry Jawa cantina was a giant AT-AT the size of the city hall. Pex, one of the developers, had helped the roleplayers make an Imperial crackdown in the city. I remember I screamed at my computer when I saw that.
Stephanie: Most favorite: Miss Valcyn 2007 pageant, where my event team raised over 100 mil in prizes. All our factional and playstyle differences aside, Valcynites loved their server and if invited to would give their time and credits in support of the community.
Andrew: Shortly before player towns and vehicles were implemented, my guild decided to scout out potential locations for our town. We had to do it all on foot. We spent the entire night wandering Dantooine aimlessly, but when we found our little spot on a river near a lake, miles away from any other players, it was the coolest feeling I've ever had an in MMO.
Blowing Up Galaxies (The Escapist)
A minority of players liked, and still like, the NGE. But the Betrayed were legion, and they were loud. The official forums filled rapidly with complaints; admins pulled them and perma-banned many posters, who created independent "refugee" forums like Imperial Crackdown. Their reactions weren't the rote whining that follows every expansion. (1. You nerfed $CLASS. 2. You obviously hate $CLASS. 3. You suck.) No, this was qualitatively different: anger, yes, but also grief.
The saddest thing I ever saw in SWG was the night before the NGE on the Euro servers... Creature Handlers taking out their favourite pets one last time, petting and playing with them. Perhaps they thought they'd still be able to pull them out; maybe they knew. I am not joking when I say that the conversations I overheard between them then brought a lump to my throat. And I knew then that what SOE was doing was a breach of faith. I became then as angry as the rest of us. (Terra Nova blog, "Order 66," comment by Chewster , 12/16/2005)
To dismiss these players as mawkish, to tell them to get a life, misses the NGE's lessons. These paying subscribers thought they had a life, and a community. Among a certain demographic, the distinction between meatspace and online - between "life" and "game" - grows increasingly arbitrary, like cash vs. credit cards. Having invested time building that part of their life, these players watched SOE, with brief warning and dubious justification, sweep it away.
For many younger players, it was their first encounter with betrayal. And as there is no love like your first love ...
The saddest thing I ever saw in SWG was the night before the NGE on the Euro servers... Creature Handlers taking out their favourite pets one last time, petting and playing with them. Perhaps they thought they'd still be able to pull them out; maybe they knew. I am not joking when I say that the conversations I overheard between them then brought a lump to my throat. And I knew then that what SOE was doing was a breach of faith. I became then as angry as the rest of us. (Terra Nova blog, "Order 66," comment by Chewster , 12/16/2005)
To dismiss these players as mawkish, to tell them to get a life, misses the NGE's lessons. These paying subscribers thought they had a life, and a community. Among a certain demographic, the distinction between meatspace and online - between "life" and "game" - grows increasingly arbitrary, like cash vs. credit cards. Having invested time building that part of their life, these players watched SOE, with brief warning and dubious justification, sweep it away.
For many younger players, it was their first encounter with betrayal. And as there is no love like your first love ...
Star Wars Fans Flee Net Galaxy (Wired)
The changes to Star Wars Galaxies, developed by Sony Online Entertainment, are aimed at bringing in new players and keeping them around to pay the $15-a-month gameplay fee. To this end, the so-called New Game Enhancements, or NGE, abandon much of the complexity of the original design, which let players choose from more than 30 different professions, then carve out an economic niche for themselves in the Star Wars universe.
The number of professions under the NGE has been reduced to nine -- one of which is Jedi. In the previous version of the game, only a precious few dedicated, lucky players could hope to attain the use of the Force. Now, any player can choose that path from the game's onset.
Greeting this influx of lightsaber-wielding newbies is a more action-based experience, with a fast-paced, point-and-click battle system that replaces the strategic encounters of the original.
So what's the big deal? It's not merely that Galaxies players -- some of whom have been playing as the same character in the same virtual world since the game's 2003 launch -- liked the old version just fine. It's that the characters they've spent all this time building are gone.
"There is a sense of loss," says network security specialist Brian Orr, who had been playing two characters -- a master bounty hunter named DevNull and a Jedi Padawan named Chewbaccu -- for more than two years. "I attempted to play by the new rules for a few days. However, the gameplay was horrid, and the bugs were intolerable. Needless to say, I canceled my account."
"Most of these games subsist on models of labor investment," says Timothy Burke, associate professor of history at Swarthmore College, who has written academic work on online games and contributes to the MMOG blog Terra Nova.
"You put in a lot of time, your character changes and grows," says Burke, a Galaxies player himself. "So to be told that in two weeks, your labor investment, your year and a half's worth of work, is going to be destroyed, is tough for some people to take."
"The NGE sounded like a cruel hoax," says Hocke.
Adding to the controversy, the NGE was implemented literally days after the series' latest expansion pack, Trials of Obi-Wan, hit stores. The pack promised significant upgrades to character classes that, in fact, were scheduled to be terminated.
The number of professions under the NGE has been reduced to nine -- one of which is Jedi. In the previous version of the game, only a precious few dedicated, lucky players could hope to attain the use of the Force. Now, any player can choose that path from the game's onset.
Greeting this influx of lightsaber-wielding newbies is a more action-based experience, with a fast-paced, point-and-click battle system that replaces the strategic encounters of the original.
So what's the big deal? It's not merely that Galaxies players -- some of whom have been playing as the same character in the same virtual world since the game's 2003 launch -- liked the old version just fine. It's that the characters they've spent all this time building are gone.
"There is a sense of loss," says network security specialist Brian Orr, who had been playing two characters -- a master bounty hunter named DevNull and a Jedi Padawan named Chewbaccu -- for more than two years. "I attempted to play by the new rules for a few days. However, the gameplay was horrid, and the bugs were intolerable. Needless to say, I canceled my account."
"Most of these games subsist on models of labor investment," says Timothy Burke, associate professor of history at Swarthmore College, who has written academic work on online games and contributes to the MMOG blog Terra Nova.
"You put in a lot of time, your character changes and grows," says Burke, a Galaxies player himself. "So to be told that in two weeks, your labor investment, your year and a half's worth of work, is going to be destroyed, is tough for some people to take."
"The NGE sounded like a cruel hoax," says Hocke.
Adding to the controversy, the NGE was implemented literally days after the series' latest expansion pack, Trials of Obi-Wan, hit stores. The pack promised significant upgrades to character classes that, in fact, were scheduled to be terminated.
