Like billions of people of this planet, I am a fan of Star Wars series. However, I only had the chance to play Star Wars Galaxies for the first time yesterday. I read so many posts about how the game used to be but, for good reasons, I decided not to let myself influenced by those opinions (since the game is now as it is the regrets are useless). So I started to build a character. But here comes my first question.

I mean: I used to play more than 150 games during the last 10 years (it has to do with my job) and I can say it is obvious that the trend is to offer more and more freedom to the player. For instance: the classic RPG offers 2 ways to define your char: you can choose your ATTRIBUTES (influenced by the race), your SKILLS (influenced by the profession), and the FEATURES (influenced by both race and profession). 

Of course this is the general Dungeons and Dragons character building mechanism but it was adopted (and adapted) by many game producers because it is appealing and easy to understand . So, if we are talking about classic and famous RPGs (like Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Elders Scrolls IV: Morrowind or Elders Scrolls V: Oblivion) or even about some also famous First Person Shooters (like Deus Ex or Ghost Recon) the idea was to offer to the player a way to controle the development of HIS/HER character. So I was surprised when I realised SWG is not giving me ANY possibility to modify the ATTRIBUTEs, and the SKILLS are completely gone. The ATTRIBUTES and FEATURES are still there in the game but are pre-defined with the profession, and, even worse, you can't choose between various FEATURES during the char developpement (for instance, you can't specialise in Single Weapon or Dual Weapon or you can't choose Force Maelstrom instead of, let's say, Mind Control). In fact, all the FEATURES are offered to the player automatically when leveling up. The same with the ATTRIBUTES: you can't choose to increase your STRENTGH or DEXTERITY. As an experiment, I changed the race keeping the same profession and the conclusion was obvious: the race is only changing your appearance and the possibility to wear some specific armor, but otherwise it changes none of your ATTRIBUTES (which means, for instance, that an Wookie and a Bothan have the same STRENGTH ).

I saw many veteran players are angry about the Jedi status but I thought: after all, the Jedi can fulfill the role of the Wizard as a profession (so it can always be choosed from the beginning of the game). Of course I would prefered that the Jedi (and the Sith) would be a PRESTIGE CLASS of a sort (opened to all professions at a certain point of the character development, in order to increase the player's freedom). But again, the PRESTIGE CLASSES, or any other sort of specialised profession (for instance, a Smuggler could specialise as an Master Assassin or a Master Thief) are also unavailable in this game. That means there is no possibility for me to build a different Smuggler (or Jedi, or Commando) than the next player, and that also means that all same level characters are basically the same (maybe only the armor and weapons are making a difference).

In fact the ONLY choice left for the player is to level up or leave the game.

That is why I decided to ask more experienced players: are my conclusions real? maybe I missed something? because I can't believe an experienced game producer can invest a lot of money (and the rental fees for a server with MMOs capabilities means millions of USD, not to mention the Star Wars franchise) and still producing such an unimaginative game. In fact if my employees would come to me with a such unprofessional projects, I would fire them right away.

I also tried the flight control and I have to say it is under mediocrity. Even old Star Wars games (like Star Wars: X-Wing Alliance) offers a much better flight model. But after all, this is supposed to be an RPG isn't it?

There are also technical difficulties I experienced (the game crashed 8 times within an hour, which is a noticeable performance of some sort ) and I would also like to know about your experience on that issue.

And of course I beg you to excuse my poor English. I'm just a Frenchman...

Character development? Why would 12 year olds be interested in that?

At the moment, the only way you can develop your characters is be trying to loot clothing/jewlery with stats/mods that suit the activities you will be doing.  Check out this page here for the list of the stats and what they do.  Note that with Pub 29, the stats marked with a red * will have much more meaning, as listed below:

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Originally posted by Obraik

At the moment, the only way you can develop your characters is be trying to loot clothing/jewlery with stats/mods that suit the activities you will be doing.  Check out this page here for the list of the stats and what they do.  Note that with Pub 29, the stats marked with a red * will have much more meaning, as listed below:

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 Publish 29 Player Stats

Precision, Strength, Agility and Luck have been changed to have more meaning in combat for publish 29.  They now effect your ability to inflict and receive Critical Hits which basically turn a default attack into a special attack damage wise.  Once hit with a critical hit the target is immune to further Critical hits for five seconds.  The stats also effect the chance of you receivcing Glancing Blows, which is a hit of minimal, insignifcant damage.

Precision

Combines with Luck to increase your chance of Critical Hits with a ranged weapon.  Firing from Kneeling increases your chance of Critical Hits with a ranged weapon and going Prone increases it even further.

Strength

Combines with Luck to increase your chance of Critical Hits with a melee weapon.

Agility

Combines with Luck to increase your chance of receiving Glancing Blows with a melee weapon.  Firing from Kneeling increases your chance of receiving Glancing Blows from ranged attacks and firing from Prone increases it even further.  Kneeling or prone will increase the chance of receiving a Critical Hit from a melee opponent.

Luck

The <<LUCKY!>> message in the combat fly text means you scored a critical hit. You'll notice that you hit for two times or more of your normal damage, this also works with heals in that you will heal for more damage.  Also confirmed to work for kills in space and ground combat (more XP and faction points for that kill), crafting (critical assembly) and selling junk to junk dealers (more cash for that sale).

Luck also combines with Precision, Strength and Agility to effect the output and receiving of Critical and Glacing blows.

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With Publish 30, we'll start to see the first few professions recieving the Proffession Diversification changes.  The way this will work is each profession will have 3 lines they can specialize in and you have a certain amount of points you can use to spend on the lines.  The third line is GCW specific and I think they said this line won't be active until the GCW revamp takes place.  I think for Jedi, as an example, they'll have a Light and Dark line and yes, you'll be able to get stuff from both lines (effectively a Grey Jedi :p).  For BH's, an example given was that you could choose to specialize in the use of droids, or the use of chemical warfare.  These are just examples that have been given so we won't know for sure until Pub 30 hits the TC.

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Thank you for explaining this to me so patiently. However 2 questions rise:

1. I already said that "at the moment, the only way you can develop your char is to loot clothing/jewlery" ...etc. What I really wonder is WHY. I mean could be possible that SOE would lose lot of players if Precision, Strength, Agility and Luck would be influenced by Race and not by Profession? Do you really think the game would be so complicated that way that the players would leave it for... Eve or Guild Wars? (which are not simplistic games either, remember?).

Of course if your answer is YES and you are really afraid about losing players that way, I can only say every company on this planet must do whatever it takes to keep a bussiness alive. Nobody can ask a businessman to kill his business only to observe some artistic principles:). But somehow I doubt this is the situation here...

2. The second question is just a consequence of the first one. Now, Wookies, Humans, Bothans have the same Strength, Agility etc. when they start the game with the standard gear. AFTER Pub 30, when the 4 Attributes will be determined by the professions, we'll be able to see Commando Bothans far more stronger than let's say, Wookie Entertainers, isn't it? Don't you think this will be really amusing?

As for the Profession Diversification, the Light and Dark lines and every other idea you have in mind, I can only salute them and wish you luck.

NGE sucks, nuff said.

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Originally posted by mystitigger

Character development? Why would 12 year olds be interested in that?

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I hate to bring up the past, but species choice is only a skin, not like how it used to be back when this game was playable. I had made a Rodian and was slightly disappointed when I realized that because of my inherent stat limitations, I couldn't wear a full suit of composite armor while unbuffed. All character development left in this game is how fast you wanna level your character, not even the choice of what skills/attributes to learn/increase. Pretty much the only difference between characters anymore, aside from aesthetics, is:

Their profession.
Any "modded" clothing they have looted/bought.
and their maturity.