General Discussion

In recent weeks our mailbox has been filled with players angry over the recent "combat upgrade" patch that went live in SWG.  The update featured rolled-back servers, tougher times for crafters, and soloing woes for players.  We compiled some of the more constructive questions and asked SWG Producer Julio Torres some questions about the update.  A preview is below:

You can read the full Q&A at this link.

This is some "decent" feedback from SOE, but too bad we are not seeing more of it on the actual SWG forums. Although, I do have to give Julio credit for the good "spin control" he managed with answering all the questions, including the last one with "what went wrong" even though it was very obvious he wasn't about to admit the barely "beta" stage, "combat upgrade", early release.

Unfortunately, I have been waiting and paying for "rebalancing", bug fixes, and consistent screwups by the SWG developing team, that I have made this the last "nail" in the coffin and I am going to lay this game to rest. Hopefully, (wishing) someday, someone else besides SOE develops a SWG2, perferably with Raph Koster heading the project up (again) and staying with it after release (to prevent unimagining corporate kiss@ss developers from screwing up his brain child - again).

Cheers

The "accomplished players" have tried it.... thoroughly... the vote is nearly unanimous; we hate it.  The "new way of playing Star Wars Galaxies" is orders of magnitude less fun then playing SWG with the same old content.  Ask people that have played both extensively.  We are not opposed to change, but this just sucks.  40+ hours in the new combat upgrade system and I purchased my first copy of WoW.  It sucks as well, but at least I don't know how great it could have been.

I believe that accomplished players would pay DOUBLE to continue playing with the old combat system given a choice.  I believe that they would choose the old combat system over any imaginable upgrade or new content.  Every player I know agrees.

SOE and Lucas should consider legacy "version 1.0" servers... or get used to the idea of loosing the experienced players permanently.

Well, first off I agree this is nothing more than a tarnished company trying to salvage something from pushing this through.

To say they changed crafting is an understatement, they wrecked Doctor, Chef and Entertainer to just name the professions I had that where crafters.

Jedi is useless and not even grind-able.

L.A. should have may be started listening to thier clients before Comic Update and fixed all the bugs the game already had. Instead of injecting more into the game.

This game is plagued by incompetance, bugs abound. Professions gimped to the point that I'm sorry I find it laughable that they say you can ever solo anything that gives you more than 1 xp.

People are leaving in droves, my guild has disappeared and NPC towns might as well have boards on the windows because they are empty now.

The fallout will be the end for this game. To bad, was a awesome game.

Beta is for TESTING and BUGS, not live and paying clients.

Lexlor

Wow, spin control is right. Just a quick look at the daily focus thread on the SWG forums and its easy to see how many things are legitimately broken in this game right now. This begs the question 'Why not do more testing before rolling out these sweeping changes to the live servers?'

What happened to the test, feedback, change, test process that would have insured community involvement. Certainly not everyone could be pleased with all changes, but SOME input from the community would have helped with the 'buy in' that SOE and Lucas Arts are so clearly not getting now.

While there is an element of truth in having to get used to any big change, I dont think anyone has said that the new fantasy game icons or particle effects are a move towards a more immersive, 'starwarsy' experience (one of the stated goals of the CU)

Its still the best way to be a part of the Star Wars universe with other gamers though. So here's to hoping they get it all straightened out. Soon.

Overall, this response saddens me. It shows just how far down the chain of command this revised CU went (note the revised part - trust me - the original CU wasn't this one). It also shows that hell or high water - they intend to keep this new system. Julio all but said they were willing to take the losses especially from the vets camp. In all, there are many who hate this change and just enough who like it to keep the game running. Frankly, I am tired of fighting to save SWG. I'm a vet, tried voicing my opinion in the betas, tried voicing my opinion in the forums, tried showing my opinion in every poll/petition that ever came down the pipe and I am now tired of wasting my time on closed minds with access to my bank account.

Like many CU fans say - if you don't like it - quit. I'd like to revise this a bit - if you don't like playing a half beta tested EQ2 clone - then go spend your money elsewhere. I am doing just that. I am here at your fine site reading up on what is and what is to be. One of the games listed will get my money and time and I assure you it will not be Star Wars Galaxies.

And for those who remain, I respect your undying faith and hope that you turn out the lights when you leave.

I think one of the major problems with the selling of the CU is that it's not just a major change to the combat system per se, but rather a fundamental change to the whole game - essentially a SWG2 by stealth. None of it was asked for, but we got it lumbered on us nonetheless and get told to "suck it and be happy with it".

One of the major issues regarding the CU was the way in which the changes have been implemented (some may say foistered onto the player community). We had been promised a combat upgrade for many, many moons, and this in itself was welcomed and indeed had been looked forward to be a large section of the player base. What was not expected was the wholesale changes that have inadvertently changed the playing styles of the community.

I guess when they LA first looked at these changes, they should of been aware that even though they were addressing only one aspect of the game (combat), they had the potential to effectively ruin other apsects of the game at the same time. And it's this which has essentially driven many players (myself included) away from this game. And at the end of the day, it's this which LA and SOE have consistently refused to acknowledge as being any sort of issue - except in passing or as an aside.

Maybe its time for LA and SOE to realise that this game is not purely or soley about combat - its about playing a character in an immersive online environment. But what these changes have done is remove the immersion and "universality' of players characters from the universe and replaced it with the mantra "combat is everything". This can been seen rather eloquently in the comment by Julio when referring to crafting strictly along the "Armoursmith and Weaponsmith" lines.

I'm sorry but what about all of the other crafting professions? What about Architects who have had nothing done for them since launch almost 2 years ago?. What about Docs who are now relegated to being a combat class with no crafting skills whatsoever. What about DEs who even after a revamp, are still only able to produce useless and essentially unwanted droids? Or artisans whose mainstay of powerups have essentially been reduced to being worthless? The list goes on and on. BE's who now have insane resources requirements, Shipwrights finding themselves being reduced to producing ammo and RE'ing loot, etc, etc, etc.

And all the while because of the new leveling system and the inability to use armour and weapons and being restricted to using PSGs (which only protect against forms of attack most creatures don't use), now find themselves taking 4 to 5 trips to the cloner each session. The solution to LA/SOE was to hire bodyguards - but try grabbing a guildie or some other party to follow you around for a couple of hours whilst you survey, stand at a factory loading schems and resources, check a dozen or so harvestors, etc. It's not easy and often can't be done. Spawn rates and server side lag often means that what was a nice clear location suddenly sprouts an aggro spawn that is instant death to a Lvl 1 combat skilled crafter. A lack of combat notification means that the crafter has the cloning screen appear before they realise what is happening!

A proper beta testing period and listening to the input from the community would of negated, or at least dealt all of these issues. But in their rush to introduce these changes before EP3 and the expension tie-in RoTW are released, they decided it was better to burn their entire non-combat player base.

Well this player has been burnt and it highly doubtful I will be back to SWG. TO me, the changes turned what was an enjoyable and immersive game into an endless repetition of dieing for no particular reason and for certainly no reward. I played this game for the crafting and community aspect. Crafting for me has been ruined by these changes, and with the departure of nearly every player who I gamed with, so to me has the community been ruined.

I made my decision and reluctantly walked away from a game that has consumed 2 years of my life. I leave disgruntled, upset and very, very angry. And no amount of marketing guff and LA/SOE staff hiding from the truth is going to change that.

And in all seriousness, I cannot see myself returned ever.