I would be shocked to learn than this game hasn't been posted in the SWG Refuge, but just in case, I'm going to do it anyway.

Today, I put some money where my mouth is over at kickstarter.com, and changed my MMORPG sig for the first time since I created this particular account in 2007.  Please allow me to explain:

If you, like me, pine for a the good old days of pre NGE Star Wars Galaxies, or even if you are just looking for an amazing sci-fi sandbox to play, you should be following The Repopulation.  Like many of you, I played SWG from beta until the NGE, and I have not found another game that comes close since.  I won't go over all the features here because the official site, and the forums on this site have all you need.  The developer is VERY much in touch with the gaming community, not secretive and weird like some indy devs.

I've spent many years analyzing my experiences in SWG, trying to figure out why it was so magical to me despite the many bugs, problems, and lack of scripted content. What it comes down to for me is two basic ideas.  The first is that the game gave me the tools and a world to create my own adventure, whether it was to own a shop, walk the hills and mountains as a survivalist and hunter, or to be some kind of hero.  SWG gave me the tools I needed to this, and then it got out of my way.  It didn't stuff someone else's story down my throat, and it didn't cram me through levels of linear content toward some end game I likely wouldn't play anyway.

Along with that first idea, the second ideas was born: community.  I met and made more friends, enemies and business associates than I ever have in a game since.  With these people I had epic battles, adventures, attended weddings and parties, fulfilled crafting and resource orders, and just generally had the gaming time of my life.  Nothing will ever beat the feeling of sitting out in the wilderness alone at one of my Ranger camps, and then having a perfect stranger sit down with me, eat, drink and then invite me on an adventure.  

There were other aspects of SWG that were special, and they all contributed to my two above ideas, but in the end the ability to make my own story and adventure is what I really crave.

Enter, The Repopulation.

http://www.therepopulation.com/

The game is made by an indy developer, and there are no corporate suits telling them what to do. It has already been in development since 2007, and this year it got a lot of positive attention at GDC  2012 (Game Developers Conference).  The scale of what they are building here is like pre-NGE Star Wars Galaxies, but enhanced, modernized and improved.  No, it's not Star Wars, but since SWTOR has the Star Wars intellectual property tied up for the next 5 years or so, there's nothing we can do about that. In the end, this will be a good thing anyway, because from what I now understand, Lucas was a huge problem for both major Star Wars MMO's.

I have probably written something very close to a full BOOK worth of posts about Star Wars Galaxies all over the internet over the last seven years.  Most of them were written in the last few years on this very site as I have found myself without an interesting game to call home.  I have purchased and have been testing both Guild Wars 2 and The Secret World out of pure desperation and while they are decent on the surface, I know they don't go deep enough for me, nor likely will any mainstream MMO.  I have been watching the development of ArchAge, and while it is intriguing, it's also another fantasy game.  Quite franklly, it doesn't hold a candle to the feature list of The Repopulation anyway.

Today, I became a $50 backer of The Repopulation on Kickstarter.com.  This has some neat rewards, but the one I wanted most was Guaranteed Closed Beta Access!  I also signed up for Alpha testing on the website with the full intention of being a strict tester to help make this game as special as I think it can be.

I would like to encourage you to donate anything you can to the game if you feel like I do that it is important to support these indy developersand the fight against the status quo of simplified / dumbed-down themepark MMO games.  If you can't or don't want to donate, then by all means, support the game by spreading the word.  This game does not have a large advertising budget so anything we can do to help will be appreciated by the devs, I am sure. 

Check out the game, read over the Kickstarter page for more information and some of the comments from MMO press at GDC 2012, and join the discussion on the website!  I have a lot of hope for this game, and while it's not releasing until next year, they could use our support now.

(note: I am not in the least bit affiliated with the development of this game, other than my kickstarter donation, and my impending beta status!).

so many good games coming. Fun times we live in. I'm keeping an eye on this one too.

This is my dark horse. The indie sandbox that I'd put money on. I can't wait for some beta action.

The more I follow this game, the more I am impressed with the dev team.  It's not just the game either.  I waited to see how responsive the devs were to their community before I gave them my donation.  They do monthly updates and all kind of other things to let the community know where development is.  They are also VERY active on their forums!

Check out all the information in the End of May update:  http://www.therepopulation.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=230:end-of-may-update&catid=61:new-frontpage-news&Itemid=428

Thanks OP for such a great post,very fitting as we are now so close to that Kickstarter goal and with that extra boost Repop will be something  really special 

Just 400 dollars to go !!

I'll be backing this on kickstarter when payday hits, sounds very promising!

this sounds really cool. love that we can have pets, had like 20 hunters in wow. :p

gonna keep my eyes on this. thanks for sharing man.

Doesn't have X-Wings.

So its not what I'm looking for.

Originally posted by CujoSWAoA

Doesn't have X-Wings.

So its not what I'm looking for.

I understand what you are saying.  I am 40 years old, and a child of the Star Wars era.  However, one thing I realized while playing SWG was that it really wasn't Star Wars that made the magic of that game.  It was the game's mechanics, and the community it fostered.

Good luck on your search for X-Wings, friend.

I have not written books worth of posts about SWG. I haven't even participated in this community (as you can see over there <-- I have not participated in much of anything at mmorpg.com in the last few years). But I get very much the same impression from The Repopulation. It doesn't have X-Wings but it does look like it could be the closest thing to old SWG we can expect to get anytime soon. I've added my $100 to the kickstarter campaign.

Originally posted by darker70

Thanks OP for such a great post,very fitting as we are now so close to that Kickstarter goal and with that extra boost Repop will be something  really special 

Just 400 dollars to go !!

Glad to help out!  There's nothing out on the market that is even close to The Repop at this point.  

sounds interesting.. i signed up for the alpha test:)

http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/738/view/news/page/1/read/24678/The-Repopulation-Community-QA-Give-Us-Your-Questions.html

I am not sure if they have "stopped" taking questions yet, but if anyone has any they might still be taking questions for it if there is any interest.  We are of course very active on the forums as well answering any questions.  Again, thanks for the kind words we really do appreciate it.

Its Sci-Fi so no not for me.

Originally posted by Zylaxx

Its Sci-Fi so no not for me.

If you don't like Sci-Fi then why are you in the SWG vet refuge forum?

I have a good feeling about A&BT and The Repopulation.

It could very well be the Sci-Fi Sandbox MMO that SWG couldnt be and never was.

I kicked in for $65

Looks like we helped push them over the top of their first Kickstarter goal!  Thanks to everyone who helped back them today!

Originally posted by MindTrigger

Looks like we helped push them over the top of their first Kickstarter goal!  Thanks to everyone who helped back them today!

Just checked it's now topped 27k !!!
 

Just had a look at this....and it looks very interesting. Certainly going to keep my eye on this one...

Originally posted by Matchu

Just had a look at this....and it looks very interesting. Certainly going to keep my eye on this one...

Glad to hear it please pop in the forums for more info.