Slashdot Mirror
Star Wars Galaxies - Fastest Selling MMOG Ever
Thanks to several readers for pointing to a LucasArts press release announcing Star Wars Galaxies has attracted more than 125,000 users in its first week, an all-time MMORPG sales record, and something LucasArts call "..the single most successful introduction of an MMO to date." This PC MMORPG is thus far proving extremely popular, despite teething troubles, and the press release also mentions the development team "..is working on a variety of new features, such as player-owned ground vehicles and player cities, along with substantial new content to be added on a regular basis throughout the coming months."
who knew there were so many people living in their parent's basements ... this can't be good for the economy!!
The whole point is to keep the players in game so you can feed off them like some cheap crack dealer.
:)
Give it 6 months then look at the figures. A lot of friends who left the MMORPG I play in have since come back to the game (Neocron), so the taste of the game is going to appeal more to SW Fanbois and EQ junkies.
...you obviously don't live on the same planet as I do.
Not only that, it's likely to take a lot from Everquest, as so far as I've seen, it's designed to be the single most addictive thing on the planet next to crack and refined sugar. Everything seems to be designed to make it harder than ever to put the thing down for a few hours and go to sleep, never mind holding down a job.
Staying WELL away from this bugger. I am SO not interested.
Ahh, I'm just waiting for the VR universes to provide easier ways to make real money.
When I can design a new piece of gear for, say, EverQuest XX, the 2011 edition, upload it, sell the rights through in-game links to ebay, and then distribute the money I make between "pieces of gold" and RL folding money.
Well, at that point I'm puttin' on my goggles, pluggin' in the feeding tube, and never ever coming back out.
Sure I'll be spherical and I'll smell bad, but online nobody will know or care.
Rustin
Data is the lever, rigor the fulcrum, brains the force that drives it all.
I saw the game for sale for $130 CDN. Before subscription. What the hell, why would anyone buy that?
Random and weird software I've written.
You'd have to be living under a rock not to have heard about this game in the first place. It's been a long time since they starting hyping it, and it's finally out. It should be no surprise that a franchise like that would make a lot of money initially.
I've been playing since Beta 3. Initially, I was most worried about the graphics performance of the game, seeing how bad it was near the end of Beta 3. I was pretty happy to see they seem to have cleared most of that up.
I've been playing for a week now (off and on...mostly off, since I have a real life), and initially I was pretty happy with it.
But right now, I'm sitting here wondering... "Well, what next"? I'm not sure how they're going to maintain people's interest in this game. I've made my way to the first tier of exp in the game, (one of initial professions you have to start with), and now I'm on my second tier.
Unlike Everquest, in which it was pretty clear what getting more experienced in something would get you, it's not all that clear in SWG.
They've always said that this was a game where you could "live Star Wars". Well, I can tell ya, it must be pretty damn boring most of the time down on Tatooine....
It doesn't matter how crappy this game is or what the bugs and shortcomings are. Media has proven once again that the idle minded player will flock to their beloved franchise name like a bull to a red flag without thinking.
I really wish people would take a critical view of the content before shuffling over to a store and handing over their money because "Duh... it's Star Wars! Dats da best!"
Please stop these boring SWG advertisements - we've heard enough already and the game it pretty boring. Account will run out by the end of this month thank god...
I post this now, because the servers are down on Star wars Galaxies. I blocked off a section of my time (ie this whole weekend) to play but the servers have been down as much as up. What you aren't hearing is that they pull down the servers for 4 hours a day every day for maintaince. On top of if something goes wrong (ie today.) They've had about 7 hours of DOWNTIME for my server today and when I try to go into my character select screen, my almost uber guy is standing there NAKED with none of his items and his HAIR is gone. It looks like he was the victim of a prison rape. Needless to say, I don't think they will be getting my money when the free month is up. It's nice that they have a built in macroing system though. It's almost like building an aimbot into a first person shooter.
Speaking from wishing I had rented Bounty Hunter and being glad I rented The Clone Wars, I wonder if Star Wars Galaxies is any good?
One thing I've noticed about the Star Wars franchise's games is that they take a genuinely interesting story and the outstanding Star Wars music and wrap them in a so-so game. I keep finding myself attracted to these games, but have resolved to steer away from them from now on. I don't know, perhaps these games are just dandy to teenagers--but, then, the violence in Bounty Hunter is stretching it for the teen market (e.g., killing hundreds of prison guards is just lovely).
Healthcare article at Kuro5hin
Its that simple.
If you don't read the reviews, you don't realize its just everquest with SW races. When people find out you can't fly, let alone buy, spaceships, the game will tank.
Honestly, how can you make a SW game without spaceships?!?!
Good quote, too many chars. Seriously, the slashdot 120 char limit sucks!
They see starwars, they see that thought went into it, they go and buy it. (And, hey, the game is good, so why not?)
Honestly, the gaming magazines knew that fans were interested and they went after stories. LA didn't go around hounding people yelling 'take our story!' I know that I bought a random computer gaming mag for an almost completely content-free five-page spread on the game. Companies realize this, and advertise it like madmen.
Understanding this, realize that LA did not, in fact, hype their game to hell. The release was very quiet on their side. Heck, I didn't even realize it was out until my friend told me about it.
Also realize that gaming mags have a very focused view. Judging from your comments, you are up to date with these mags, and have seen the coverage they provide. Frankly, I'm not surprised that a gaming magazine is covering a game. Look at the rest of the world, in this age when videogames are advertised during theatre previews, there was barely a tremor of LA-initiated marketing.
See where we're coming from?
SWG is not EQ. Many people jumped at the thought of grouping and nuking and avoiding trains with Jawas and Lightsabers instead of Spectral Callers and Claymores, but that's not what SWG is about at all, nor should it ever be.
Galaxies, you see, is not merely another copycat MMORPG. Many games say 'what did EQ and Anarchy Online and DAoC doright?' and then copy it. Galaxies knew that their game would be different, so instead looked for the parts of those games that were bad and avoided them. Hear me out. I know the level treadmill is fun. I have many friends who love MUDs, and once a year I find a cool MUD, play it obsessively for three or four days, and then never touch it again because the newness wears off. Everquest is a graphical MUD. Just look at it for more than ten seconds and this becomes immediately apparent. MUD-likes celebrate the level-treadmill, the never-ending cycle of 'kill stuff, get phat loot, kill bigger stuff, get phatter loot, and so on ad nauseum,' and Galaxies sets out to avoid that. In essence, it's more like UO than EQ. The experience systems are dynamic and interesting, the character interactions varied, and the graphical engine scalable. As time goes on and hardware improves, the game gets prettier. I think, instead of digital crack, they've made a higher-class, more refined product for addiction.
Granted, some people like the level treadmill. I don't blame them, it's plenty fun in its own right, but I think SWG has the capability to become what every other MMORPG dreamed of, a completely immersive alternate environment.
Sure it sells well, but can they maintain it?
Definately.
You can wrap shit in a box and call it a present...
But the fact of the matter is, there isn't space combat. That's what all us 30+ year olds grew up think of star wars. The fact of the matter is, the game is a first person, planet based RPG.
You say "but they'll add space later". That's like saying "Here's you star trek game. Its just an away crew on a planet, but we'll add the enterprise later".
Now I have to pay $100 and wait X+N months (X is when they SAY it will be out, N is an arbitrary number above 3) to get into an X-Wing? That's acceptable?
Come on, the features and stuff you mention that make the game different from EQ is too nit-picky. Coming from your average joe, the minute they find out there is no X-Wing is the minute they lose 80% of interest in the game. The game will be successful, but only in MMORPG type people.
I'd like to see, for once, a MMORPG that appeals to everyone, not just the EQ, UO, AO type people.
And to argue with your other comment. If you try the SWR mud, you'll find that SWG copied most of their ideas from it (and SWR has space, which may be how SWG is designing their space).
Good quote, too many chars. Seriously, the slashdot 120 char limit sucks!
Why not get SW Rebellion or one of the X-wing or Tie-Fighter games if that's what you want, then? Those are pure space combat, since that is the 'definative' Star Wars for you. Above all, MMORPGs are RPGs. Role. Playing. Games. That means character building, and it's hard to do that other than in very specific ways when everyone is jetting around in their own fighter.
Now look, I'm looking forward to interacting with people while hanging out on a Mon Calamari as much as the next Bothan, but there's more to Star Wars than space combat, and more to Galaxies than mindless level building. Realizing that, it should be clear that there's an entire game to enjoy, rather than one point to lament.
If I had to make a summary of my SWG experience in one single emote....
/bored angry yawn
"At first, we thought it was just another snake cult."