Lets be honest...SoE lived on what they did in the early years of SWG. They showed they didn't care about their fan base when they made the silly nge changes. They didn't listen to the gamers about their game, they just did what they thought was best...total fail. I think that Sony made this game drag out far past its should have been death.
And thats wrong?
I mean, obviously they were wrong in what they thought, but doing what they THOUGHT was best, what else should they do? what they thought was worst?
The point is well taken, imo. Recall EQ1. There was a "vision". And the "vision", whether you liked it or not, was not compromised...until roughly when WoW came out. If you are going to take a poll to determine how to create stuff, how to govern, how to think, etc....then you surely will fail. Like I said, you don't have to like it at all. But for heaven's sake don't tell me that people consciously TRIED to fail. Or that because they made decisions, therefore somehow they automatically had to fail ?! Heck, I tried SWG early and didn't care for it. Not my style, or maybe I just didn't invest enough time. Nevertheless despite all the problems the game stayed online for a long time. Hardly launch, poof, done.
It's desperately hard to be creative and have it work. It is of course most painful when the subject is attractive and the result seems to almost hit the mark. So it is sad. But one hardly needs to conjure up the idea that the perpetrators diabolically planned to alienate their customers. That they did may be true. But that was hardly what their head and wallet was telling them!
I remember being somewhere along the path to Master Creature Handler when the NGE was announced. Creature Handler would be eliminated! I could have left the game right then and there, but instead I spent the next several weeks gaining CH xp, determined to acheive Master Creature Handler. I've never put in so many hours in an MMO ever. But finally, two days before the switch over, I gained Master rank.
That was my big fat middle finger at SOE. When the NGE hit, I promptly quit.
I remember being somewhere along the path to Master Creature Handler when the NGE was announced. Creature Handler would be eliminated! I could have left the game right then and there, but instead I spent the next several weeks gaining CH xp, determined to acheive Master Creature Handler. I've never put in so many hours in an MMO ever. But finally, two days before the switch over, I gained Master rank.
That was my big fat middle finger at SOE. When the NGE hit, I promptly quit.
try playing for four years and mastering 36 professions and unlocking your jedi slot just to find out that all of a sudden everyone can start out as a jedi... SOE gets my middle finger
On a personal level I can say, I played essentially all MMOs, but I NEVER had even emotely so much fun than in the almost 5 years of SWG. Nothing came even close. (And the 2nd best being EQ2, I guess it says something.) So for me, it is a shock. Like some dear friend died. I know I made my final visit a year ago, and I made it consciously my farwell. I went to my old house one last time, I visited all the old places, made screenshots and a video and said my farwells. None of my friends had been there for a long time, many once alife places were now deserted, so it was the end for me, and I knew I would never return.
Still. It hurts and the world feels like a light already went out. SWG was a dream come true in many ways, despite all the shortcomings. It was the best and most alife community hands down. Just going to Mos Eisly cantina and meeting the folks every evening was filling me with glee every time. The vast planets where so much like a real world, not just crammed with mobs and quests, but like a world would be. The size alone gave me the feeling to be in REAL world. Or our guild city North Beach, which at it's time was quite alife and much visited. I remember the pride of having my own shop made up, customers coming by and my name on the map! Or the many many gigs, events and parties my Dancer and his motely crew of Musicians, Dances and whatnot had. There were so many events we were on, parties, auctions and anything. I sorely miss the Entertainer days. Or my marriage on the balcony of Theed Palace on Naboo and the BIG party afterwards with over 100 people. Or the vast house my husband and me decorated and lived in for many years! Or the many hunts I went to with my friends just for the sake of exploring and having fun. Or seeking the boars for the Mark of a Hero quest. Or being able to place EVERYTHING in the house! Or the legion of clothing I had! Or the stances, like being prone or kneeling! Or how cool it was to be in the best Star Wars era, the First Trilogy! Or having your own starship, and people running in it around or being your gunner. Or just having a party in your Yacht in space! Or how I made millions of credits by renting my lots to harvesters! Or the vast player driven economy with all the shops!
There are so many fond memories I connect with SWG, I can't name them all. It was a dream of a game, where a MMORPG was SO MUCH more than just saving the world and killing stuff. All these new gen kids who grew up with WOW only, I pity them. They will never know what greatness a MMO can be, how much more a MMO could be and should be! Being in SWG was more a living than anything else. You had that second life in the Star Wars universe, and sometimes you also were a hero. But it was a life more than anything else. It was a grand vision the like we don't have anymore these days. And while it ultimately failed due to many reasons and not one reason alone, I hope it's legacy, potential and vision will not be lost and forgotten.
I'll miss ya, old pal.
So I send a final greeting to all old friends of Starsider and Mystic Alliance. May the Force be with you.
Akim TelBane of Starsider
People don't ask questions to get answers - they ask questions to show how smart they are. - Dogbert
This just confirms that you cannot fundamentally change a game after launch and expect it to work, even if developers think it makes it a better game. DAOC failed with Trials of Atlantis + New Frontiers, a total redesign that was an epic failure. Similar to SWG, DAOC still has a fanbase but it's a far cry from what it was.
What about WoW? It's had several complete class overhauls. Most other game mechanics have been significantly altered at one time or another as well. This is a bad example for me since the changes have caused me to quit, but there seem to be a lot of players who don't mind. Maybe there simply isn't anyone left who used to play at launch.
It was so much more than class overhauls and mechanics changes. I'll try to apply the NGE idea to WoW.
A WoW NGE would remove half the classes, say Druid, Warlock, Shaman, and Rogue. If you played and loved one of those classes, tough sh**. Now you must pick between Warrior, Priest, DK, Mage, Hunter. Also, instead of classic WoW's tab targeting, WoW would now have a twitch FPS combat system (that functioned terribly in practice). All or nearly all achievements and gear would be wiped. Spent 100 hours getting your raid gear set? Tough Sh**, it's now worthless.
All these changes would be made with no more than two weeks' notice to the players, and on the same day that a major expansion pack was released (that many players have already pre-ordered, expecting more of the same WoW) That is what the NGE was.
Granted, SWG had a lot of problems, chief among them tons of bugs, class imbalances, and a lack of content and structure for players. The way to make SWG thrive was to fix those problems. Indeed, SOE swore up and down that they were doing just that (smuggler and squad leader revamps, anyone?), before springing the NGE on the playerbase with two weeks notice.
WIth SWG, SOE burned down the barn to get rid of the rats. Not only was it unethical, it was monumentally stupid.
I don't know if this has been mentioned but what if TOR's Star Wars liscense is pulled just like Galaxies. Would people be so eager to lose their money / time? It's true Galaxies left a bitter taste in some peoples mouth and many had moved on but think about your favorite game being discontinued because of liscensing. This whole debacle has made me weary of investing time and money into TOR.
Thinking along these lines has also made me wonder if SOE decided to pull the game before the liscense expired just to make Lucas the bad guy here.
I think everyone should support Galaxies staying online because your favorite game (TOR) could be next!
Precu SWG was an amazing game, though it had some faults for sure. Still, I loved it more than any other game. It had and still has some really great features. So why have I not been playing the NGE? To me, the games controls just felt too awkward. Yeah...you can change some things here and there but the game just didn't feel like it used to and I always felt like I was fighting the controls.
If you have a bad control scheme, it's over. There is no going beyond that. But then there was that lame ass card game. It was just too wierd. Even despite the combat and control changes, the game took off in a direction I did not want to go.
I'm very sad to see the game will be closing. I take no delight in it at all. It's like the final door finaly closing on a chapter of my life that was amazing. I was living out my dreams in a virtual world and I met so many really cool people along the way that shared in that adventure.
The frustrating thing is, I could do a better job running that game then the person or persons responsible for what swg became. Infact, there are many people here at mmorpg.com, fans, veterans from the precu, that could have done a better job running SWG in their spare time than the 'professionals', who were clueless time and again. From early on in SWG's life, it seemed like the developers were puposely trying to sabotage the game. Too many times I just sat at my computer scratching my head wondering what in the hell they were thinking.
I think it's a sad day for gaming when SWG closes. But it's been dead for a long time, they just make it official in December. I hope....I really, really hope someone else would buy it and return it to what it once was. But i guess there are licensing issues that would prevent that from ever happening. It's too bad.
On a personal level I can say, I played essentially all MMOs, but I NEVER had even emotely so much fun than in the almost 5 years of SWG. Nothing came even close. (And the 2nd best being EQ2, I guess it says something.) So for me, it is a shock. Like some dear friend died. I know I made my final visit a year ago, and I made it consciously my farwell. I went to my old house one last time, I visited all the old places, made screenshots and a video and said my farwells. None of my friends had been there for a long time, many once alife places were now deserted, so it was the end for me, and I knew I would never return.
Still. It hurts and the world feels like a light already went out. SWG was a dream come true in many ways, despite all the shortcomings. It was the best and most alife community hands down. Just going to Mos Eisly cantina and meeting the folks every evening was filling me with glee every time. The vast planets where so much like a real world, not just crammed with mobs and quests, but like a world would be. The size alone gave me the feeling to be in REAL world. Or our guild city North Beach, which at it's time was quite alife and much visited. I remember the pride of having my own shop made up, customers coming by and my name on the map! Or the many many gigs, events and parties my Dancer and his motely crew of Musicians, Dances and whatnot had. There were so many events we were on, parties, auctions and anything. I sorely miss the Entertainer days. Or my marriage on the balcony of Theed Palace on Naboo and the BIG party afterwards with over 100 people. Or the vast house my husband and me decorated and lived in for many years! Or the many hunts I went to with my friends just for the sake of exploring and having fun. Or seeking the boars for the Mark of a Hero quest. Or being able to place EVERYTHING in the house! Or the legion of clothing I had! Or the stances, like being prone or kneeling! Or how cool it was to be in the best Star Wars era, the First Trilogy! Or having your own starship, and people running in it around or being your gunner. Or just having a party in your Yacht in space! Or how I made millions of credits by renting my lots to harvesters! Or the vast player driven economy with all the shops!
There are so many fond memories I connect with SWG, I can't name them all. It was a dream of a game, where a MMORPG was SO MUCH more than just saving the world and killing stuff. All these new gen kids who grew up with WOW only, I pity them. They will never know what greatness a MMO can be, how much more a MMO could be and should be! Being in SWG was more a living than anything else. You had that second life in the Star Wars universe, and sometimes you also were a hero. But it was a life more than anything else. It was a grand vision the like we don't have anymore these days. And while it ultimately failed due to many reasons and not one reason alone, I hope it's legacy, potential and vision will not be lost and forgotten.
I'll miss ya, old pal.
So I send a final greeting to all old friends of Starsider and Mystic Alliance. May the Force be with you.
Akim TelBane of Starsider
This says it very well, thank you Elikal. It was like having a second life. Well, I had three characters...and I lived different parts of my personality through each of those three avatars. It was liberating, cathartic, exciting, hilarious, strange, but most of all...it was an escape that I needed from time to time. I miss my house that I spent so much time decorating, my neighbors and friends in my city.
It's just a game....but also...it was so much more. Maybe that's why it had to go away. I don't know...
...try playing for four years and mastering 36 professions and unlocking your jedi slot...
This is why SWG died.
Jedi were supposed to be rare. Practically extinct. And if they died, they were gone. Permadeath.
But oh the rage and tears on the forums and threats about having Jedi Permadeath. So they got rid of permadeath.
But oh the rage and tears on the forums about having to grind out so many random professions. So they made holocrons.
But oh the rage and tears on the forums about having to put so much time and energy into Jedi that they needed to be more powerful. So they started balancing combat around Jedi and made them the alpha class.
Flash forward about a year and you have everyone either playing an alpha class or working on unlocking their alpha class.
And what exactly do you get with your hard earned alpha class?
1. Innate armor (goodbye armorsmiths) 2. Lightsabers of course (goodbye weaponsmiths) 3. Self healing damage and wounds (goodbye ents goodbye docs) 4. Jedi robes linked to armor rating (goodbye tailors) 5. Oh and did I mention it was a second character slot on the same server? (hello chef alt for free) 6. Best melee class obviously and even had multiple ranged abilities that rivaled any of the marksman classes
This stupid alpha class that everyone screamed and cried for and spent their whole time grinding for completely NEGATED THE ENTIRE POINT OF SWG. In a game with so many choices and dependencies on other classes and teamwork and variety, the absolute WORST thing you could do is implement an almost entirely self sufficient demigod class.
But thats exactly what they did. And it ultimately blew up in their faces. All these idiots that pine for the good ol days when their Jedi was a unique little snowflake... you do realize that youre just as much to blame for the death of the original vision as SOE and LA.
All one has to do is look at the old boards and see the selfishness and bickering on the Jedi forums. You guys helped kill a sandbox game that had more potential than any mmo made since. Even in its current, themepark state, SWG has more viable endgame options than every upcoming AAA mmo combined.
Selfishness and greed killed this game. And it was hit from all fronts. Not just the publisher or the license holder, but from the players themselves.
While I admit to having some good memories from the early days of this game, I for one am glad to fianlly see it dropped into the gaping maw of the Sarlacc pit where it belongs. How a games managment team can continually make so many catastrophic mistakes and yet continue to to be employed is beyond me.
And as to Smed's thoughts on anything, who the hell cares. SOE has done a 180 from so many things he has said, even outright promised, that it is painfully apperent that he holds about as much importance in decision making there as the muppet that lived in Jabba's navel.
"Gypsies, tramps, and thieves, we were called by the Admin of the site . . . "
Yes SWG went through many changes. Yes I worked through so many stupid professions to get force sensitve. But you know what? I love this game. I beta tested it. I played it when it went live. I grinded through all the professions. I bought houses, and had pets. I am going to miss this game with all my heart. I will never ever forget it. I am also bitter at Lucas Arts for being such assholes! A new game is on the horizon that might be better than than SWG? I think not. This is my rant, and my heart felt loss to my favorite game ever. R.I.P SWG. I will always remember you, and all the friends I made there.
Guys, when someone dies, I think one should cherish the good times you had with that one. And I will keep it that way for SWG. I mean, it does say something about a game when even 6 years after the NGE, people still react so strong about it, and it is a sort of a compliment for the games legacy and idea! I'll leave that bickering behind and keep the good memory in my heart instead.
So I gathered all my screenshots I could find and patch them to a tiny movie together.
lucas arts killed the game more then anybody they controlled whats in the game. Soe does suck but lucas arts made the bad choices in the end. And lied when lucas arts said they would not shut down swg because of tor.
That was great man, and you are correct. There will never be anything like it. Ever. Look at the new Star Wars game coming out. ON rails space combat??? For real? I mean, how could that even be consider at all? Makes no sence at all!! Please Lucas Arts, do not let this happen. You have too many loyal fans you know? The new Star Wars game is a single player game, with some multi-player intentions. It is NOT SWG!!!!!
We all know what happened there man. But I have played since the beginning and I still love me some SWG. I cannot think about waht to do after it is gone. It has been my come back game for years and years. It was harsh with all the changes, but you know what?? The atmosphere has always been there dude. And when this game goes away, that is all gone. Just something to think about.
We all know what happened there man. But I have played since the beginning and I still love me some SWG. I cannot think about waht to do after it is gone. It has been my come back game for years and years. It was harsh with all the changes, but you know what?? The atmosphere has always been there dude. And when this game goes away, that is all gone. Just something to think about.
True. I guess with age old UO and EQ1 still running and getting updates, keeping SWG with minimal support & F2P would have been valid and possible. Since SOE tends to keep old MMOs, I guess it's mainly LucasArts. I guess they did not want a F2P competition to "take away" Star Wars fans so now all SW fan are left to play SWTOR now, which I think is the idea of it. I mean, if VANGUARD can run, why not SWG? But then... maybe as players it is time to leave it behind and let it be done. I dunno. I don't WANT to let it die, but if we are honest, there isn't much of a chance, and maybe its better close than remain such a pale shadow with a few 100 players in the end. That would be even sadder. It's a pity also since I loved the First Trilogy setting way more than any KOTOR or other era.
Still, the entire thing is so depressing.
People don't ask questions to get answers - they ask questions to show how smart they are. - Dogbert
I played SWG when it first came out. I remember the days when we'd hang around Mos Eisley getting a group together to go Squill hunting, how we'd train each other up, and generally have a great social time together.
And then the CU came. I was dubious, thought it sucked and left shortly afterwards.
Then the NGE came along, I reactivated my account, took a look, and thought it was ok, but it still sucked compared to pre-cu. There wasn't really the social apsect to this game that I was used to. Mostly it was sit in the bar get your buffs from the entertainers who always seemed AFK and then off you went to do whatever. I never saw a huge group going to quest together, just a couple of people and that was it.
I think SOE did a diservice to the players by nullifying the huge social aspect of this game.
even tho they will shut it down on 15th Dec 2001 we all know that SWG died on the 15th Nov 2005
it just took 6 Years for Smed and his crew to realize this fact - oh wait it was LA who realised that ... not Smed ... he is still as delusional as ever.
Why must people continually find reasons to place fault on problems in soe games onto some other source.
Have anyone considered the possibility that SOE just gave up on the game and no longer wanted to spend the money to run a game that was the biggest example of screwing players and what not to do in an mmo? That SWG was no longer worth investing money into or paying a huge license fee to operate?
I supposed Warner Brothers is responsible for SOE shutting down The Matrix Online.
I suppose Sigil is responsible for SOE not being able to turn Vanguard around over the last 4 years.
I suppose Warner Brothers is responsible for DCU turning out to be a complete failure.
I suppose Wizards of the Coast are to blame for Magic the Gathering:Tactics being a total bust.
I suppose Lucas Arts is responsible a second time for Clonewars Adventures being a bust.
It isn't like Lucas Arts has sat around for the last eight years calling all the shots. It isn't like SOE was hired by Lucas Arts to carry out their game designs. It isn't like SOE has a strong history filled with successes while working with 3rd party licenses. Everything they have touched has turned to lead.
The same problems that afflicted SWG throughout the years can be seen in all of their games to various degrees. The poor class balance, wild swings in the direction of the game design, poorly tested patches, design decisions focused towards enticing new players to join instead of addressing the desires and needs of the playerbase, etc.
The final result is that SOE could not create a game that was healthy enough to justify paying the licensing fees, so SOE chose to walk away.
I find it completely amusing that people want to speculate that The Old Republic had anything to fear from SWG. As if TOR was going to release and suddenly more than a few thousand people would decide that SWG was a better investment of their time and money. Sorry, if SWG was going to be a threat it would already be attracting people. Lets put that rediculous idea to rest right now.
They can take down the servers, but never kill the amazing memories I had. Wow, what a game this was early on!
Disclaimer: This is not a troll post and is not here to promote any negative energy. Although this may be a criticism, it is not meant to offend anyone. If a moderator feels the post is inappropriate, please remove it immediately before it is subject to consideration for a warning. Thank you.
Smed can say SWG is being cancelled because of SWtOR all he wants. But if SWG had been successful, the license would have been renewed, WITH or WITHOUT SWtOR. They both may be Star Wars games, but pre-NGE SWG and SWtOR are(will be) entirely different games. There was enough room for both of them in the MMO world.
SWG is going away because the physics were outdated even before launch, and the bugs were atrocious; and instead of fixing them, they decided to invent a whole new game that DOESN'T FIT with the physics engine.
very sad to see swg being shut down. i dont give smedley credit for being honest, he only started admitting the error of the nge after much pressure and time. i still dont feel like he ever listened to what the players have said over the years. swg is my favorite game, but i will always believe it could have been so much more! (if not for SOE)
Comments
The point is well taken, imo. Recall EQ1. There was a "vision". And the "vision", whether you liked it or not, was not compromised...until roughly when WoW came out. If you are going to take a poll to determine how to create stuff, how to govern, how to think, etc....then you surely will fail. Like I said, you don't have to like it at all. But for heaven's sake don't tell me that people consciously TRIED to fail. Or that because they made decisions, therefore somehow they automatically had to fail ?! Heck, I tried SWG early and didn't care for it. Not my style, or maybe I just didn't invest enough time. Nevertheless despite all the problems the game stayed online for a long time. Hardly launch, poof, done.
It's desperately hard to be creative and have it work. It is of course most painful when the subject is attractive and the result seems to almost hit the mark. So it is sad. But one hardly needs to conjure up the idea that the perpetrators diabolically planned to alienate their customers. That they did may be true. But that was hardly what their head and wallet was telling them!
---------------------------
Rose-lipped maidens,
Light-foot lads...
I remember being somewhere along the path to Master Creature Handler when the NGE was announced. Creature Handler would be eliminated! I could have left the game right then and there, but instead I spent the next several weeks gaining CH xp, determined to acheive Master Creature Handler. I've never put in so many hours in an MMO ever. But finally, two days before the switch over, I gained Master rank.
That was my big fat middle finger at SOE. When the NGE hit, I promptly quit.
try playing for four years and mastering 36 professions and unlocking your jedi slot just to find out that all of a sudden everyone can start out as a jedi... SOE gets my middle finger
In many ways these are sad news.
On a personal level I can say, I played essentially all MMOs, but I NEVER had even emotely so much fun than in the almost 5 years of SWG. Nothing came even close. (And the 2nd best being EQ2, I guess it says something.) So for me, it is a shock. Like some dear friend died. I know I made my final visit a year ago, and I made it consciously my farwell. I went to my old house one last time, I visited all the old places, made screenshots and a video and said my farwells. None of my friends had been there for a long time, many once alife places were now deserted, so it was the end for me, and I knew I would never return.
Still. It hurts and the world feels like a light already went out. SWG was a dream come true in many ways, despite all the shortcomings. It was the best and most alife community hands down. Just going to Mos Eisly cantina and meeting the folks every evening was filling me with glee every time. The vast planets where so much like a real world, not just crammed with mobs and quests, but like a world would be. The size alone gave me the feeling to be in REAL world. Or our guild city North Beach, which at it's time was quite alife and much visited. I remember the pride of having my own shop made up, customers coming by and my name on the map! Or the many many gigs, events and parties my Dancer and his motely crew of Musicians, Dances and whatnot had. There were so many events we were on, parties, auctions and anything. I sorely miss the Entertainer days. Or my marriage on the balcony of Theed Palace on Naboo and the BIG party afterwards with over 100 people. Or the vast house my husband and me decorated and lived in for many years! Or the many hunts I went to with my friends just for the sake of exploring and having fun. Or seeking the boars for the Mark of a Hero quest. Or being able to place EVERYTHING in the house! Or the legion of clothing I had! Or the stances, like being prone or kneeling! Or how cool it was to be in the best Star Wars era, the First Trilogy! Or having your own starship, and people running in it around or being your gunner. Or just having a party in your Yacht in space! Or how I made millions of credits by renting my lots to harvesters! Or the vast player driven economy with all the shops!
There are so many fond memories I connect with SWG, I can't name them all. It was a dream of a game, where a MMORPG was SO MUCH more than just saving the world and killing stuff. All these new gen kids who grew up with WOW only, I pity them. They will never know what greatness a MMO can be, how much more a MMO could be and should be! Being in SWG was more a living than anything else. You had that second life in the Star Wars universe, and sometimes you also were a hero. But it was a life more than anything else. It was a grand vision the like we don't have anymore these days. And while it ultimately failed due to many reasons and not one reason alone, I hope it's legacy, potential and vision will not be lost and forgotten.
I'll miss ya, old pal.
So I send a final greeting to all old friends of Starsider and Mystic Alliance. May the Force be with you.
Akim TelBane of Starsider
People don't ask questions to get answers - they ask questions to show how smart they are. - Dogbert
SWG never would have died if it were not for NGE.
It was so much more than class overhauls and mechanics changes. I'll try to apply the NGE idea to WoW.
A WoW NGE would remove half the classes, say Druid, Warlock, Shaman, and Rogue. If you played and loved one of those classes, tough sh**. Now you must pick between Warrior, Priest, DK, Mage, Hunter. Also, instead of classic WoW's tab targeting, WoW would now have a twitch FPS combat system (that functioned terribly in practice). All or nearly all achievements and gear would be wiped. Spent 100 hours getting your raid gear set? Tough Sh**, it's now worthless.
All these changes would be made with no more than two weeks' notice to the players, and on the same day that a major expansion pack was released (that many players have already pre-ordered, expecting more of the same WoW) That is what the NGE was.
Granted, SWG had a lot of problems, chief among them tons of bugs, class imbalances, and a lack of content and structure for players. The way to make SWG thrive was to fix those problems. Indeed, SOE swore up and down that they were doing just that (smuggler and squad leader revamps, anyone?), before springing the NGE on the playerbase with two weeks notice.
WIth SWG, SOE burned down the barn to get rid of the rats. Not only was it unethical, it was monumentally stupid.
I don't know if this has been mentioned but what if TOR's Star Wars liscense is pulled just like Galaxies. Would people be so eager to lose their money / time? It's true Galaxies left a bitter taste in some peoples mouth and many had moved on but think about your favorite game being discontinued because of liscensing. This whole debacle has made me weary of investing time and money into TOR.
Thinking along these lines has also made me wonder if SOE decided to pull the game before the liscense expired just to make Lucas the bad guy here.
I think everyone should support Galaxies staying online because your favorite game (TOR) could be next!
Precu SWG was an amazing game, though it had some faults for sure. Still, I loved it more than any other game. It had and still has some really great features. So why have I not been playing the NGE? To me, the games controls just felt too awkward. Yeah...you can change some things here and there but the game just didn't feel like it used to and I always felt like I was fighting the controls.
If you have a bad control scheme, it's over. There is no going beyond that. But then there was that lame ass card game. It was just too wierd. Even despite the combat and control changes, the game took off in a direction I did not want to go.
I'm very sad to see the game will be closing. I take no delight in it at all. It's like the final door finaly closing on a chapter of my life that was amazing. I was living out my dreams in a virtual world and I met so many really cool people along the way that shared in that adventure.
The frustrating thing is, I could do a better job running that game then the person or persons responsible for what swg became. Infact, there are many people here at mmorpg.com, fans, veterans from the precu, that could have done a better job running SWG in their spare time than the 'professionals', who were clueless time and again. From early on in SWG's life, it seemed like the developers were puposely trying to sabotage the game. Too many times I just sat at my computer scratching my head wondering what in the hell they were thinking.
I think it's a sad day for gaming when SWG closes. But it's been dead for a long time, they just make it official in December. I hope....I really, really hope someone else would buy it and return it to what it once was. But i guess there are licensing issues that would prevent that from ever happening. It's too bad.
This says it very well, thank you Elikal. It was like having a second life. Well, I had three characters...and I lived different parts of my personality through each of those three avatars. It was liberating, cathartic, exciting, hilarious, strange, but most of all...it was an escape that I needed from time to time. I miss my house that I spent so much time decorating, my neighbors and friends in my city.
It's just a game....but also...it was so much more. Maybe that's why it had to go away. I don't know...
This is why SWG died.
Jedi were supposed to be rare. Practically extinct. And if they died, they were gone. Permadeath.
But oh the rage and tears on the forums and threats about having Jedi Permadeath. So they got rid of permadeath.
But oh the rage and tears on the forums about having to grind out so many random professions. So they made holocrons.
But oh the rage and tears on the forums about having to put so much time and energy into Jedi that they needed to be more powerful. So they started balancing combat around Jedi and made them the alpha class.
Flash forward about a year and you have everyone either playing an alpha class or working on unlocking their alpha class.
And what exactly do you get with your hard earned alpha class?
1. Innate armor (goodbye armorsmiths)
2. Lightsabers of course (goodbye weaponsmiths)
3. Self healing damage and wounds (goodbye ents goodbye docs)
4. Jedi robes linked to armor rating (goodbye tailors)
5. Oh and did I mention it was a second character slot on the same server? (hello chef alt for free)
6. Best melee class obviously and even had multiple ranged abilities that rivaled any of the marksman classes
This stupid alpha class that everyone screamed and cried for and spent their whole time grinding for completely NEGATED THE ENTIRE POINT OF SWG. In a game with so many choices and dependencies on other classes and teamwork and variety, the absolute WORST thing you could do is implement an almost entirely self sufficient demigod class.
But thats exactly what they did. And it ultimately blew up in their faces. All these idiots that pine for the good ol days when their Jedi was a unique little snowflake... you do realize that youre just as much to blame for the death of the original vision as SOE and LA.
All one has to do is look at the old boards and see the selfishness and bickering on the Jedi forums. You guys helped kill a sandbox game that had more potential than any mmo made since. Even in its current, themepark state, SWG has more viable endgame options than every upcoming AAA mmo combined.
Selfishness and greed killed this game. And it was hit from all fronts. Not just the publisher or the license holder, but from the players themselves.
While I admit to having some good memories from the early days of this game, I for one am glad to fianlly see it dropped into the gaping maw of the Sarlacc pit where it belongs. How a games managment team can continually make so many catastrophic mistakes and yet continue to to be employed is beyond me.
And as to Smed's thoughts on anything, who the hell cares. SOE has done a 180 from so many things he has said, even outright promised, that it is painfully apperent that he holds about as much importance in decision making there as the muppet that lived in Jabba's navel.
"Gypsies, tramps, and thieves, we were called by the Admin of the site . . . "
Yes SWG went through many changes. Yes I worked through so many stupid professions to get force sensitve. But you know what? I love this game. I beta tested it. I played it when it went live. I grinded through all the professions. I bought houses, and had pets. I am going to miss this game with all my heart. I will never ever forget it. I am also bitter at Lucas Arts for being such assholes! A new game is on the horizon that might be better than than SWG? I think not. This is my rant, and my heart felt loss to my favorite game ever. R.I.P SWG. I will always remember you, and all the friends I made there.
Guys, when someone dies, I think one should cherish the good times you had with that one. And I will keep it that way for SWG. I mean, it does say something about a game when even 6 years after the NGE, people still react so strong about it, and it is a sort of a compliment for the games legacy and idea! I'll leave that bickering behind and keep the good memory in my heart instead.
So I gathered all my screenshots I could find and patch them to a tiny movie together.
Enjoy. ^^
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksQ_qnu7pLA
People don't ask questions to get answers - they ask questions to show how smart they are. - Dogbert
lucas arts killed the game more then anybody they controlled whats in the game. Soe does suck but lucas arts made the bad choices in the end. And lied when lucas arts said they would not shut down swg because of tor.
That was great man, and you are correct. There will never be anything like it. Ever. Look at the new Star Wars game coming out. ON rails space combat??? For real? I mean, how could that even be consider at all? Makes no sence at all!! Please Lucas Arts, do not let this happen. You have too many loyal fans you know? The new Star Wars game is a single player game, with some multi-player intentions. It is NOT SWG!!!!!
SWG ended with the NGE, the SWG after that was the SWG for wow idiots.
We all know what happened there man. But I have played since the beginning and I still love me some SWG. I cannot think about waht to do after it is gone. It has been my come back game for years and years. It was harsh with all the changes, but you know what?? The atmosphere has always been there dude. And when this game goes away, that is all gone. Just something to think about.
True. I guess with age old UO and EQ1 still running and getting updates, keeping SWG with minimal support & F2P would have been valid and possible. Since SOE tends to keep old MMOs, I guess it's mainly LucasArts. I guess they did not want a F2P competition to "take away" Star Wars fans so now all SW fan are left to play SWTOR now, which I think is the idea of it. I mean, if VANGUARD can run, why not SWG? But then... maybe as players it is time to leave it behind and let it be done. I dunno. I don't WANT to let it die, but if we are honest, there isn't much of a chance, and maybe its better close than remain such a pale shadow with a few 100 players in the end. That would be even sadder. It's a pity also since I loved the First Trilogy setting way more than any KOTOR or other era.
Still, the entire thing is so depressing.
People don't ask questions to get answers - they ask questions to show how smart they are. - Dogbert
Oops. Meant to write.
I played SWG when it first came out. I remember the days when we'd hang around Mos Eisley getting a group together to go Squill hunting, how we'd train each other up, and generally have a great social time together.
And then the CU came. I was dubious, thought it sucked and left shortly afterwards.
Then the NGE came along, I reactivated my account, took a look, and thought it was ok, but it still sucked compared to pre-cu. There wasn't really the social apsect to this game that I was used to. Mostly it was sit in the bar get your buffs from the entertainers who always seemed AFK and then off you went to do whatever. I never saw a huge group going to quest together, just a couple of people and that was it.
I think SOE did a diservice to the players by nullifying the huge social aspect of this game.
SWG Pre-Cu was an awesome game
SWG CU was a playable Game
SWG NGE was ... nevermind
even tho they will shut it down on 15th Dec 2001 we all know that SWG died on the 15th Nov 2005
it just took 6 Years for Smed and his crew to realize this fact - oh wait it was LA who realised that ... not Smed ... he is still as delusional as ever.
remember remember the 15th of november
Why must people continually find reasons to place fault on problems in soe games onto some other source.
Have anyone considered the possibility that SOE just gave up on the game and no longer wanted to spend the money to run a game that was the biggest example of screwing players and what not to do in an mmo? That SWG was no longer worth investing money into or paying a huge license fee to operate?
I supposed Warner Brothers is responsible for SOE shutting down The Matrix Online.
I suppose Sigil is responsible for SOE not being able to turn Vanguard around over the last 4 years.
I suppose Warner Brothers is responsible for DCU turning out to be a complete failure.
I suppose Wizards of the Coast are to blame for Magic the Gathering:Tactics being a total bust.
I suppose Lucas Arts is responsible a second time for Clonewars Adventures being a bust.
It isn't like Lucas Arts has sat around for the last eight years calling all the shots. It isn't like SOE was hired by Lucas Arts to carry out their game designs. It isn't like SOE has a strong history filled with successes while working with 3rd party licenses. Everything they have touched has turned to lead.
The same problems that afflicted SWG throughout the years can be seen in all of their games to various degrees. The poor class balance, wild swings in the direction of the game design, poorly tested patches, design decisions focused towards enticing new players to join instead of addressing the desires and needs of the playerbase, etc.
The final result is that SOE could not create a game that was healthy enough to justify paying the licensing fees, so SOE chose to walk away.
I find it completely amusing that people want to speculate that The Old Republic had anything to fear from SWG. As if TOR was going to release and suddenly more than a few thousand people would decide that SWG was a better investment of their time and money. Sorry, if SWG was going to be a threat it would already be attracting people. Lets put that rediculous idea to rest right now.
The only thing SWG was a threat to was itself.
They can take down the servers, but never kill the amazing memories I had. Wow, what a game this was early on!
Disclaimer: This is not a troll post and is not here to promote any negative energy. Although this may be a criticism, it is not meant to offend anyone. If a moderator feels the post is inappropriate, please remove it immediately before it is subject to consideration for a warning. Thank you.
Smed can say SWG is being cancelled because of SWtOR all he wants. But if SWG had been successful, the license would have been renewed, WITH or WITHOUT SWtOR. They both may be Star Wars games, but pre-NGE SWG and SWtOR are(will be) entirely different games. There was enough room for both of them in the MMO world.
SWG is going away because the physics were outdated even before launch, and the bugs were atrocious; and instead of fixing them, they decided to invent a whole new game that DOESN'T FIT with the physics engine.
very sad to see swg being shut down. i dont give smedley credit for being honest, he only started admitting the error of the nge after much pressure and time. i still dont feel like he ever listened to what the players have said over the years. swg is my favorite game, but i will always believe it could have been so much more! (if not for SOE)