Slashdot Mirror
Living with Darth Vader
rppp01 writes "The BBC is reporting that Lucas Arts is putting the Star Wars universe online this December. Go here to read all about it. I know lots of people who are now starting to leave Everquest. Is this the next everquest? Will we have massive Star War fans calling in sick everyday in attempts to become a jedi? Will Jar Jar be friend or foe?"
I feel sorry for whoever ends up having to live with Jar Jar...
"Me sa no drinky your beer!"
There are only 10 kinds of people in this world... those who understand binary and those who don't
but I think they should have adjusted the timeline to after the events in "Return of the Jedi".
Having an event that big in your MMORPG just seems to ruin it for me. It kind of re-enforces the fact that you are just a bit player. If the timeline was after, your character might have a chance to be a big part of a storyline, make your own lore.
But then again I know how Battlefield 1942 is going to turn out and I LOVE playing that game...hehehe
"For a successful technology, honesty must take precedence over public relations for nature cannot be fooled." -Feynman
Savage Jarjar mutilation will be part of the dark jedi right of passage.
I call first dibs on being the bartender at the Mos Eisley cantina.
i've been practicing:
"we don't serve their kind here"
mechanicos ergo cogito
They're kind of limited by the movies, aren't they?
No, they are not - take a look at the zillion books written about the Star Wars universe. Some of which have even been pretty good - like Timothy Zahn's first trilogy. The whole point of it being set in a universe is that it is limitless, and this limitlessness gives immense scope for expansion. Too many players? Lets just announce the discovery of a new planet!
So no, I don't believe that they are limited by the movies - the movies just give them a firm pseudo-reality to start from.
Has anyone stopped to consider the effect this will have on Slashdot? We're talking about Star Wars geeks suddenly having a system that they can plug into 24/7 and utterly leave what little reality they have.
That means that visits to Slashdot could drop precipitously.
No traffic means VA systems could collapse!
DAMMIT MAN DO I HAVE TO SPELL IT OUT FOR YOU??
Star Wars universe => Star Wars geeks leaving Slashdot => No Slashdot traffic => CmdrTaco et al no longer being able to say 'Yeah, but we have traffic! The profit will come in eventually!" => Slashdot collapsing => CmdrTaco losing his job => CmdrTaco's wife leaving him => CmdrTaco committing suicide!!!
Save CmdrTaco's life! STOP THIS INSANITY AND SHUT DOWN THE STAR WARS SERVER!!
(won't someone think of the taco??)
Where is "Star Wars Galaxies: Hot Date"?
People have been waiting on this for ages: it will bear a strong resemblance to Everquest thanks to having the same development team from Sony/Verant. Here's the Star Wars Galaxies Official FAQ and, the answer to the all-important question from page three of the FAQ:
3.03 Will I be able to kill Darth Vader?
At this point, you will probably not be able to kill Darth Vader, but some players may have the opportunity to interact with him. We would like to adhere to the continuity as much as possible; Vader is key to the trilogy, so you probably won't be able to kill him (like you would really stand a chance against the Lord of the Sith anyway...)
ancarett, historian and zombie gamer
Weesa all sinking and no power.
Courtesy of the Jar-Jargonizer that translates online text into Jar Jar speak.
---
When you come to a fork in the road, take it! --Yogi Berra--
Apparently, the plan worked.
Today's Sesame Street was brought to you by the number e.
The release date has been pushed several times, this is just the latest public date, after a number of its key developers defected when Sony tried to force them to release it well before it was ready. They're burning good people out, and that doesn't make a good product.
Mr Sarris said that the Mos Eisley spaceport on Tatooine, where Luke Skywalker first meets Han Solo and Chewbacca in Episode IV, will take a game character 55 minutes just to walk across, let alone fully explore.
Now thats a slow server...
Actually, there are a great number of rare items. They may not be "magical", but they can be "rumored" or "legendary". Like, imagine the hubbub if someone could get their grubby hands on Yoda's tiny lightsaber, or a couple of Spaarti cloning cylanders. I'm sure Ysalmri will be quite popular among outlaws, too, and you really can't get them in too many places.
If I was a Jedi, I'd want a purple Mace Windu lightsaber, but I'm going to get the game and probably be a smuggler. I'd rather be a Han Solo (and get some ass) than be Luke Skywalker (and get nothing).
Only in slashdot are posts of solidarity modded at -1 Redundant, while posts of antagonism are modded as -1 Flamebait.
Dealer: Want to buy an MMORPG subscription?
Obi-Wan: You don't want to sell me an MMORPG subscription.
Dealer: I don't want to sell you an MMORPG subscription.
Obi-Wan: You want to go home and rethink your life.
Dealer: I want to go home and rethink my life.
"You spoony bard!" -Tellah
don't miss the point: it's not just about popping online and fragging some doods. the greatness of games like star wars galaxies lies in the ability of the player to do pretty much whatever he/she wants.
/me force jumps on top of the AT-ST /me force opens the hatch /me whips out my lightsaber /me flips out.
nevermind that previous MMORPGs were limited in terms of what you really _could_ do feasibly. the idea that you could be an Expert Basketweaver and survive in the game is pretty nifty. why? because it lets people enjoy their time doing what they wanna do.
i used to play everquest. i was on the test server. i didn't go around power leveling and camping for stuff all the time. my idea of fun was to be Emperor of the server and have my minions deliver their hard-earned booty to me. it was a fun game, because i got to play with friends (flesh-and-blood friends, mind you) and goof around.
that's right. i was Noodles VII, Emperor of Norrath, founder of the Furious Foodstuffs. with my comrades, Turnip, Pickle and Caper, we spread joy and goodwill unto the world. in return, they paid me taxes.
it was enjoyable. i got to do what i wanted to do. of course, after i modified my desk chair to accomodate a chamber pot, had my electricity shut off cause i didn't pay the bills, then again converted my desk chair into a power-generating bicycle to keep my machine on to play everquest, i realized that there are things more important than everquest in life.
like booze. and the money to buy booze.
but nevermind all that. i don't plan on playing star wars galaxies, but the idea of becoming Fukkit, cousin of Wikket, Master Jedi of the Forest Moon of Endor, appeals to me. it calls to me. just imagine how powerful you could be as Fukkit, Cousing of Wikket, Master Jedi! you could be KING.
that other ewok eating all your food?
You don't want to eat those grubs.
"I don't want to eat these grubs."
You want to give those grubs to me.
"I want to give these grubs to you. Here."
that stupid AT-ST ruining your forest crib?
that damn lEEthax0r playing a human princess shunning you?
Yo, j00 r gonna make teh sw33t luv 2 me.
"i r g0nna max0rz out wif j00."
dun worry, i furry, but i never in a hurry for a bebe like j00.
even han wouldn't be as smooth as me.
They're doing a pretty good job of making it difficult to become Jedi. Only a small percentage of players will become force sensitive. Of those who do, only a few will be come Jedi. Those who DO manage to become Jedi must be secretive. Jedi are actively hunted by Imperials. If they draw too much attention to themselves, Vader himself will pay them a visit. That's bad. It's shaping up to be a great game. The only thing I think they're making a mistake with is a very soft death penalty.
How about Star Trek? There's probably room for an MMORPG there.
Some classic SF could be interesting. For example, Asimov's Foundation series, or Niven's Known Space series. The ringworld alone has room for a rather large game.
There's also alternate history, which is what Mythic is doing with their next MMORPG. That one will be set in a galaxy where the Roman Empire survived, and became a galactic empire.
I'm strangely unexcited by SWG. For me, Star Wars is something to watch, not something to do. It's only really interesting to me in that they are supposedly using much of the same engine the EQ2 will use, so as an EQ player, I'm curious to see it.