PVP:Yes | Distribution:Download,Retail | Retail Price:$19.95 | Pay Type:Subscription
Desktop Client | System Req:
| ESRB:T
Star Wars Galaxies News - Producer's Note Outlines Game's Future
Posted by Michael Bitton on Mar 10, 2010 | 28 comments in our forums
This latest Producer's Note for Star Wars Galaxies discusses the recently released Galactic Civil War update, as well as the future of Star Wars Galaxies, including the upcoming Game Update 16.
)
Game Update 16 will continue the trend of GCW focused development, this time bringing a number of additions to the often overlooked space component of SWG. With the introduction of Region Defender in GU16, guilds and cities will be able to hold their ground in "148 theaters of operation, spanning 10 planets and 8 space zones." Other space additions include new commands to flag yourself for PvP in space, a boost to space weapons, and new repeatable high-end content for players to enjoy.
Find out what else is coming to Star Wars Galaxies in Game Update 16 and beyond by reading the full Producer's Note here.
[Thanks Christopher8 for the tip!]
first to say bring back the pre cu
After reading the headline on the email I thought for sure that this would be the announcement that the end had come
heh. glad to see improvements. at this stage, all im waiting on is SWTOR.
If we could have Pre-CU with all the goodies now, that would be cool. BUT, much of the new content contradicts pre-cu mechanics so, oh well. The GCW stuff in these recent updates would have been a great addition to the old school PVP days. That said, no body will know or care as the SWG stigma carries on. Truely what game has launched in recent times that has the content and features of SWG? STO, AoC, WAR, CO, TR, are the best that the companies can do? SWG is both a Themepark and Hybrid "Sandbox" MMO. Yes, its NGE changes crippled a pretty cool game but not beyond playing. If followers hate the practices of SOE and Lucas Arts, more power to 'em as both companies earned that scorn. If followers think they can relive thier glory moments in TOR, I hate to break it to you but its just not going to be there. Look at what has been announced for TOR then look at the accepted games in the market. If you know only that SWG is a terriable game from what you have read and what you been told, try the free trial and make your own decision.
^^^^^ Although, for all the bashing I've done on SWG in my years, SoE must be getting revenue from somewhere to spend upgrading this thing. Unless George Lucas plays at home and is keeping it going with his own money.
SWTOR will be the Death Star 2 - and I'm crossing my fingers that Luke will swoop in and send a proton torpedo down SWG's piehole.
While I do miss pre-cu and even pre-nge I have been enjoying time in SWG recently. Is it as good as the original? Not even close. Is it a decent sci-fi mmo and sw mmo? Yes.
Recent additions are fun from heroics to the new gcw invasions. It looks like the upcoming gcw updates will help guilds shape the world around them.
Plus most people want player housing, swg still has that covered with new housing/buildings being added all the time. All I'm saying is give it a chance. My real fun is the guild interactions. From the many games I've tried, mostly after the cu and nge, I've never come across a community as good as that in swg, which is the real reason I keep going back.
While SOE's lies and stupidity in regards to SWG still stings. I for one am glad the old girl is still going and has those that still love and enjoy her. I'm sure that those that have good friends that play (or are willing to make them ) and enjoy PVP, science fiction settings and don't mind dated yet still fine graphics should give it a go.
Do your homework and find the server thats right for you. Listen to the players and enjoy.
However for me every time I go back I get mad all over again so my time is done. Still its good that resources are being put towards the game for those who are left and those willing to try it this late in its life. I wish them well.
SOE ruined SWG. They could make it precu but the won't. Okay, they could make some changes to the existing NGE game to make it better, but they won't do that either. So what's the point; I only have so many hours and so many dollars to invest in gaming.
Fix the UI and controls and reintroduce item decay. I've gone over it before but I don't have the energy anymore.
If we could have Pre-CU with all the goodies now, that would be cool. BUT, much of the new content contradicts pre-cu mechanics so, oh well. The GCW stuff in these recent updates would have been a great addition to the old school PVP days. That said, no body will know or care as the SWG stigma carries on. Truely what game has launched in recent times that has the content and features of SWG? STO, AoC, WAR, CO, TR, are the best that the companies can do? SWG is both a Themepark and Hybrid "Sandbox" MMO. Yes, its NGE changes crippled a pretty cool game but not beyond playing. If followers hate the practices of SOE and Lucas Arts, more power to 'em as both companies earned that scorn. If followers think they can relive thier glory moments in TOR, I hate to break it to you but its just not going to be there. Look at what has been announced for TOR then look at the accepted games in the market. If you know only that SWG is a terriable game from what you have read and what you been told, try the free trial and make your own decision.
This is the only statement I disagree with. Everything else was spot on, in my humble opinion. For those who never played before, they may find they like it - pluses are everything you mentioned, minuses are bugs that denote an immature game, regardless of the amount of time it's been out.
For me, all I can say is, as bad as I despise SOE for what they did, if by some miracle the game was handed in its current form to another developer and LA signed a statement swearing they would leave their hands off of it from now on, I would STILL not play this game. In terms of just the game itself, my own complaints with it are too many canon inconsistencies, WAY too much pandering to the lowest common denominator, gameplay is too close to WoW, 9 pigeon-holed classes instead of 32 mix-and-match professions, and the fact that Jedi are not a perpetually endangered alpha class forced to remain hidden. The original pre-CU game was fairly close to hardcore PvP, but it allowed for better RP than any other game I've ever played, of any kind, even tabletop.
I like this new producer. I think he's doing a great job, even if community management appears to be using gestapo tactics (not new for them). That said, he's not going to be allowed to fix the things mentioned above, even if he wanted to. And I will admit, at this point I would go back to the game if they brought those aspects back and got rid of all the ridiculous garbage like fairy wings, tokens, the card game, and every other distraction and pet project brought in. As much as this game has to offer, it still turned out to be the biggest waste of potential ever.
Yes I miss how things were pre-cu but the game code is far too developed now I'm sure to try re-writing it. Anyone who keeps whining for SOE to bring back pre-cu when it's been about three years now, is only making themselves look worse for not realizing it. SWG is a different game now, deal with it or move on.
I am curious to see how SWTOR turns out, but better believe if it ends up being another over-simplified WoW version of SW then I will be staying in SWG where there are a lot more options for style of gameplay at least.
Oh dude NCU and NGE killed it for me, but JTL by itself was awesome and would have been the icing on the cake if they had only fixed the pre-CU bugs and left it alone. /sigh
It's been almost 5 years. Congratulations on enjoying it. And I will neither deal with it nor move on. It's irrelevant what you or anyone else thinks of me or anyone else who holds SOE to task for what they did. Just know that, because of word of mouth, your game is far less populated than it should otherwise be.
It's been almost 5 years. Congratulations on enjoying it. And I will neither deal with it nor move on. It's irrelevant what you or anyone else thinks of me or anyone else who holds SOE to task for what they did. Just know that, because of word of mouth, your game is far less populated than it should otherwise be.
I think after 5 yrs most people have moved on, Sony certainly has.
Haha I thought so too!
Nah I wont return to SWG ever, but the game needs to Pre-CU. Rolling back again now would not help a bit. They have to follow this avenue now. It's really a shame, without the NGE being implemented so bad, SWG could have been really good by now. But then, without the NGE, we prolly never would have seen SWTOR. ;)
SWG still my favorite. My dream would be to play a combination of pre-cu with additions recently. I think the devs are doing good lately with the very limited support i'm sure they are getting.
How come it's always SOE's fault? All changes must be approved through Lucas Arts beforehand.
Its nice to see space stuff,
But I was hoping for MORE space stuff than just that.
And as to the quality of SWG.... You people all shelled out cash for Star Trek Online, which is no where near as good of a game as SWG... even inSWG's current state (let alone its past state) is better than STO.
SWG's space system alone is more original of an MMO experience than anything on the market right now. Its a damn shame it hasn't seen 5 years of content updates to it.
preCU or SW:TOR... this other business just won't due.
Lol, sorry but aren't these QUITE big different extremes? I remember pre-CU very well, and sure it wasnt great at all! The combat improvements after CU where a HUGE step forward, and almost every single one playing SWG back then supported the change! This pre-CU is just a myth, like "back then in far far away land it was way better".
heh. glad to see improvements. at this stage, all im waiting on is SWTOR.
err you do realise that SWOTR will be nothing like the old SWG and is just another theme park mmo like you are used to but with Star Wars skins, right?
I was going to mention something along this line too.
A lot of the things old SWG players don't like in the NGE are going to be present in TOR. Limited starting classes, Jedi as a starter class, a more quest driven vice sandbox game play style.
Also I'd just hoot! if they had fairy wings in TOR since the 'not canon' crowd wouldn't have a leg to stand on since TOR's canon is pretty much being made up as they go along.
Why everyone goes on and on that TOR will be SWG deathkell I don't know. They're different games. TOR isn't SWG2. So unless everyone is looking at just throwing money at Bioware no matter what to spite SOE, I just don't see it happening.
I've no interest in TOR, nor am I playing SWG anymore so it really doesn't matter to me.
My greatest amusing fantasy? That Bioware contracted with SOE to do their billing for them :-) MuHahahahaha
As far as the OP Producer's Notes on GU16;
It does look like it's heading in a good direction. Big question will be if those Defender Regions are Pvp or PvE/Pvp areas. The last GCW update with the city invasions didn't really work as a PvE/Pvp zone since all the attackers had to do was go combatant, destroy the defenses and NPC's and then kick to Pvp at the last second to fight the General. Even as a non-Pvp'er I didn't think this worked (even though it was what they intended since it was a PvE patch, not a Pvp one).
I really wish they'd make more use of the current ingame features to really kick the GCW in gear. I.E.
- Faction captures a planet. Cutting off official travel via starports to the other side.
- For unoffical travel Smugglers come into play. Need to soften up the holding factions leadership? Use BH. Need to capture a starport? Use Commando's.
- How? When you 'dock' at the planets space station it does a faction check, good guy? Land normal. Bad guy? You get a planet map, click on a spot. Now you get the same map set up you get when you place a building. Lot's color in based on how big of ship you have. BH Firespray - 2 lots, Mill. Falcon - 6 lots. You find a spot your ship can fit into and down you go. Uses both the housing placement map feature and the call instant travel vehicle feature.
- Once down, passengers get off and do their thing.
- Up in space you'd need to CAP the station (outside a safe zone so they can do the chat interaction) to stop the enemy factions ships from making it in.
If you're going to call it a GCW, then make it a GCW not a repeatable daily mission of pulling NPC convoys out of the blue!
^^^^^ Although, for all the bashing I've done on SWG in my years, SoE must be getting revenue from somewhere to spend upgrading this thing. Unless George Lucas plays at home and is keeping it going with his own money.
SWTOR will be the Death Star 2 - and I'm crossing my fingers that Luke will swoop in and send a proton torpedo down SWG's piehole.
Wasn't the Death Star 2 destroyed at the end of ROTJ by Lando and Wedge?
Wasn't the Death Star 2 destroyed at the end of ROTJ by Lando and Wedge?
An unfinished skeletal image of the final product with working combat and much progression to grind supported by an external source? Its creators swearing its the most destructive force in the galaxy? Yeah, that Death Star?
How come it's always SOE's fault? All changes must be approved through Lucas Arts beforehand.
Lucas doesn't get a pass...they approved it after all...but they were sold a lie by SOE.
Why would you -want- item decay? It's a timesink designed to do nothing more than make you spend more money on subscrptions. It's a good thing that it's gone.
Lol. /facepalm
Timesinks are things like grinding mobs/quests to get rare loot drops (current SWG).
Item decay is a way to ensure that your player-driven economy is in fact player-driven, instead of loot-driven. Back when SWG used to have a real economy (i.e. before the NGE), loot was garbage and crafters supplied adventurers with all their gear. Without item decay, adventurers would have been able to buy one weapon or one suit of armor and it would last them for years, hence no economy.
It's basic supply and demand. I know it's probably lost on the majority of the theme-parkers to whom an actual economy (and not a simplistic auction house) is a scary proposition, but item decay belongs in any game that is serious about having a real economy and real crafting.
Sadly SWG is no longer that type of game.
LIES!
Item decay made the markets work, now crafters don't have jack to do because once a buyer gets everything he'll ever need, his return business is null.