SOE has released information on Chapter 7: A collection of Heroes, an update coming for the MMO this month.

STAR WARS GALAXIES(TM) DELIVERS NEW FEATURES, CONTENT AND CHALLENGES THIS MONTH IN CHAPTER 7: A COLLECTION OF HEROES

New Heroic Encounters, High-Level Gameplay Areas and an All-New Collection and Rewards System Now Available for Star Wars Galaxies Subscribers

LucasArts and Sony Online Entertainment today announced the release of Chapter 7: A Collection of Heroes to Star Wars Galaxies subscribers. Featuring an abundance of new content, quest systems and game-play enhancements, particularly for high-level players, Chapter 7 is the most feature-packed update ever released to Star Wars Galaxies subscribers as part of their regular subscription to the game. In addition, Star Wars Galaxies kicks off a community-wide challenge in-game this month, tied to the exciting new adventure content found in Chapter 7.

"The amazing amount of quest content we've been able to deliver in Chapter 7: A Collection of Heroes, and in the other updates we've delivered in 2007, is really remarkable,” said John Blakely, vice president of development for Sony Online Entertainment. "So far this year, we've delivered nine new profession-based skill systems, new Rebel and Imperial content mission hubs, a new storyteller system for our role-players, new quest chains, and one of the most advanced pet systems found in an online game. Now, with the additional new features included in Chapter 7, we're incredibly proud of the increase in new game-play as well as the overall state of the game, and are looking forward to delivering even more content by year's end.”

"In 2007 we saw a huge number of new and former players re-joining the Star Wars Galaxies community, and we attribute that directly to the high-quality features and content we've added to the game over the past two years,” said Tom Nichols, senior director of online for LucasArts. "We look forward to continuing our work with Sony Online Entertainment to deliver even more content next year, based directly on what players have requested: additional heroic encounters, space-based content, and profession enhancements.”

Chapter 7: A Collection of Heroes continues the Star Wars Galaxies saga through a series of high-level heroic encounters and story-based gameplay areas. In addition, the premiere of a collection system gives players of all levels new ways to interact with the Star Wars Galaxies universe while amassing rich rewards and rare collectible items.

Chapter 7: A Collection of Heroes includes the following features and content:

Three all-new heroic encounters designed to challenge even the most battle-hardened combatants:

• A volatile, four-phased encounter on the planet Lok, where players must discover who or what is responsible for increasingly frequent and deadly droid attacks. Waves of explosive droids, droidekas, and super battle droids will only soften up players as they progress to the final encounter with the iconic IG-88.
• Nightsister rangers, protectors and spell-weavers have been entombed for crimes against their own in the Chamber of Banishment on Dathomir, but some have not yet learned their lesson. A high-ranking Nightsister is now recruiting brave players to free several of her imprisoned sisters, including the terrible Axkva Min the Devourer.
• Players must work with defenders of the city of Mos Espa to establish fortifications and a defense perimeter against a massive Tusken army invasion. Waves of Tusken Raiders, snipers, warriors, flesh hunters, blood champions and elite guards are only a prequel to the mighty wrath of the Tusken King.

 

Players who live to tell the tale of these heroic encounters will be richly rewarded with rare items, badges, and sets of combat-class specific jewelry. More information on the three new heroic encounters can be found here.

A flourishing gameplay hub where high-level players can join together to take on adventures and collect rewards: The former village of Aurilia has finally shed the stain of its former Dark Jedi masters and has emerged as a prospering township. Known for their discretion, residents of Aurilia serve as vendors of both information and high-level items. Players wishing to venture through the new heroic encounters will find that they first need to meet a few prerequisites set by the residents of Aurilia. More information on Aurilia can be found here.

A new collection system that provides players of all levels rich new rewards for playing the game: The Star Wars Galaxies universe is filled with millions of things to do, see and interact with, and now players will be richly rewarded for doing just that. Chapter 7 will deliver a new collection book interface that allows players to keep track of all they have done in the game. For every collection series they complete, players will receive high-value items including weapons, armor, home décor, and even skill bonuses.

There are thousands of things for players to collect in the galaxy, including interactive objects in the game world, loot from combat victories, and items that are created using schematics. In addition, players can collect badges that they earn through completing dangerous encounters, participating in events, mastering a profession, participating in PvP, and achieving veteran status, among other activities. More information on the new collection system can be found here.

A collection challenge open to all galactic residents:

As part of the new collection system, Star Wars Galaxies is recognizing and rewarding the first players to complete each of the dozens of new collections in-game. The first player on each server who completes a collection will be recognized on the Star Wars Galaxies community website and will also receive a special badge in game. In addition, other players on the server will see the winning player's name when they open their collection system user interface and mouse-over the appropriate collection, forever distinguishing that player in the Star Wars Galaxies community.

In-game reward from C-3PO himself:

C-3PO is in desperate need of assistance! Players who log in to the game after Chapter 7 goes live, and before Chapter 8 is released, are eligible to automatically receive a comlink* that will provide direct communication to the iconic protocol droid for an important assignment. C-3PO will provide the player information about a special collection-based mission for the player that will end with a unique reward.

Anyone wishing to try Star Wars Galaxies, including the new content in Chapter 7: A Collection of Heroes, can do so at no charge for up to two full weeks through the Star Wars Galaxies 14-Day Trial. This trial includes all the content of the base game, Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided and its first expansion, Star Wars Galaxies: Jump to Lightspeed. Available by download from www.StarWarsGalaxies.com, the 14-day trial gives players a chance to meet and fight with or against their favorite Star Wars characters as they explore this massive online universe filled with other Star Wars fans.

Read more on SWG here.