Star Wars Galaxies Reviewed

Tark writes "Want the inside scoop of what SWG is like? Well, Warthog has written a review for all of you, entitled 'Warrior, Brawler, Hairdresser' with his insights on the game. Sort of. Let's just say you won't find a review anything like this one anywhere else."

Comments

Want a shorter review ?

[Gendhil]

This is the very same as Everquest, with the same disadvantages (repetitive actions, huge timesinks) it had at launch, the same kind of community handling (*we* decide what is in *our* game and how you should play it) -- only better graphics, and the swords are now laser enhanced. I lasted about 3 hours in the beta before uninstalling it. Those who coped with that in EQ will prolly love it though.

EQ with SW Races

[FortKnox]

Its just everyquest with star wars races. Seriously! You have an admiral ackbar race running around in bone armor with an axe.

You want a quick idea of the game?

No spaceships (no ties, no x-wings, nuttin), no stars (all planetside), no wars (no open PvP servers).

So, the game doesn't have stars or wars. Its everquest with a star wars theme.

I'd rather play an MMORPG version of X-Wing vs Tie-Fighter before playing this piece of garbage.

Re:EQ with SW Races

[bugnuts]

Hey, that's the name of my character!

SWG has a completely player-motivated economy. This early in the game, there are no Han Solo heavy blasters.... noone can make them yet. The droid crafters are struggling to make anything bigger than a mouse droid which does nothing but hold crap and help the doctors heal.

But this is NOT bad, it allows socializers and crafters and doctors to play a very important part in the world. All other MMORPGs are dominated solely by the hack'n'slashers, and this is not the case in SWG. This game helps to foster relationships and community. Cities and other hives of scum and villainy can be built (eventually) which will be put on the map, and so on.

The problem with crafting, though, is it's a snorefest as someone said above. I'm playing a crafter, and feel I've done enough to advance, but am not even halfway to getting the next skill. The in-game macro system won't allow me to crank out garbage to advance my skills, and 3rd-party macros are verboten. Since games are supposed to be FUN, I'm having second thoughts about crafting.... it's more like a boring job as a mailclerk.

Combat is interesting, somewhat. Experienced characters have no more "hitpoints" than a n00b... but they have better skills to dodge and presumably better equipment (but not at this early stage of the game... wait until the crafters get cranking). A 1500 pt hit will kill anyone, no matter how experienced. Hopefully, the advanced character can wear armor to absorb most of that, though.

The idea of playing a hairdresser definitely turns the hack'n'slash idea on its ear. I'm hoping this game will attract more women and more roleplayers than other games of its genre.

Re:Complete text

[Anonymous Coward]

Theme Parks

In beta I've been to several theme parks, and in the release I've been only to Jabbas Palace.

They exist, but their location is not on the map. The reason for this is to make you talk to other players to get you to find them.

I've met with Jabba. Boba Fett is also in the game. Olaa (Jabba's Dancer) is also there. All of Jabba's is very well laid out.

The Emperor's retreat on the other hand is a bit more skectchy. It was cool to meet with a Captain Thrawn and with Darth Vader himself. But all in all, most of the content there was bugged when I went to them in beta.

Jabba's was by far a lot more cooler.

Izzot on Corbantis
Fopack the Guppy in Beta.

So, let me get this straight

[Rogerborg]

You can play any character you like based on the movies (the proper ones), but you just can't do anything - anything - that you saw those characters do? Dark Tailor of the Sith doesn't have quite the same ring to it, does it?

You know the Alliance grunts that got toasted at the start of Episode IV? Sounds to me like after paying this for a couple of weeks, you'll be wishing you could play one of them. Heck, you'll probably be wishing you could play the guy who maintains their blasters, rather than just making weapons for people to eradicate wildlife with.

"Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided" looks to me like it borders on deceptive advertising. It's not Star Wars, there are no Galaxies, and no Empire to be divided.

I note with interest the very careful wording of this advertising: "The chance to unlock the mysterious Force Sensitive character slot and attempt to master the most exhilarating and dangerous role in the galaxy...the Jedi"

I'll suggest that the "chance" here isn't the chance to become a Jedi, but the chance that they might get around to implementing it at some point. Don't hold your breath.

Never see a healer in the field?

[Lord_Dweomer]

"One other wierd thing though. I never, and I mean never, see any healer player characters in the field. They all stay at the hospitals, and tend to the wounded who come inside. I have yet to see a healer that went hunting with anyone. I have no idea what to make of this, exactly. As a tank, this is pretty scary to me."

Thats not that strange a concept to me. You see, I played this great game by Simutronics for years, it was called Dragonrealms. They also made Gemstone III btw. Anyways, there was an empath guild in town, which was the hospital. People would go out, fight, and come back to get patched up unless they could find an empath somewhere else in town. The empaths could not fight, they'd lose their abilities if they hurt a creature. Only rarely did you see an empath in the wilderness, and only then they were in a very high level party, and VERY well guarded. Think about it.....if all you had was a bag of bandages and a needle, would YOU want to be out fighting monsters?

This system works fine in practice, and it just means that instead of staying out till you level, you need to come back to town every now and then. It gives a much more normal flow to the game.

Jibes with other reports - wheres the good MMOPRG?

[Snake_Plisken]

I read another review over on UO Stratics (http://boards.stratics.com/php-bin/uo/showflat.ph p?Cat=3&Board=uochesapeake&Number=4094063&page=0&v iew=collapsed&sb=5&o=0&what2=postlist&fpar t=) (Warning, Stratics ain't stable on the best days, let alone a slashdot barrage). Basically it said that the game was lacking depth, like many of the other MMORPGS out there. In terms of visual appeal, most other games of this genre beats the pants off of UO, but UO is the oldest one, and most people who quit UO eventually come back to it for the depth. I quit myself recently after three years of suffering many changes that older players were not happy with. Many reports from older players say that they try other MMORPGS and then come back to UO. Problem is that UO is losing its older fan base due to its changes. I keep looking around looking for the next great game, but haven't found it yet. It's sure to come due to advances in technology and lots of information on what players want in a persistent world. Part of the problem seems to be that companies rush to bring out the next big thing and suffer a devestating cash (Sims Online comes to mind). For my money, the best hope that online role players have is the D&D online game coming out in 2005. They are taking their time to develop it (http://www.rpg.net/news+reviews/press/press.5593. html) has some info on it - its an Atari/Turbine production. I don't care if I am swinging an axe, a lightsaber, or a chicken at enemies. What I want to see is a game that will hold my interest for years (like UO did) and listen to its player base (which UO didn't). One of these days that game will come, and that will be the next great online game.

Here's My Reaction as an old UO Player...

[cnelzie]

I loooved UO for it's simplicity and the fact that it didn't 'lock' you into any single profession. My first, main and more or less only character started out as a plain ole swordsman.

In time, he morphed into what I dubbed a "Battle Bard", he would travel the dangerous regions where the undead dwelled and aggro Liches and other vile undead to attack him, in order to help others that weren't doing so well. He also knew enough magic and was skilled enough to pull a few quick spells off, if something terrible happened and he was suddenly attacked by a force of evil doing PK'ers. It was a serious blast.

I had more fun in that game then any other game ever. I left it for one reason... One long weekend out of town and my house went poof. I spent two weeks attempting to place another one and could NEVER find a single place and I walked all over the friggin' map. So, I cancelled my account and advised them why...

I missed the Great Lakes server immensely, but I had to take and keep my stand. If I had been able to place a new house, then I would likely still be playing that today and probably wouldn't have given other MMORPG's a go.

I played a little Anarcy Online, but found the constant hunt for leveling up more then trying on the patience, the difference in power between a "Newb" and a guy that simply put in the time, since there was NOTHING to lose by dying, was absolutely the most silly of all things I have ever witnessed.

The crafting system was TERRIBLE, the vehicle system, while cool was so unforgiving in terms of stat requirements, just to be able to drive and then the early vehicles were no better then walking slightly faster...

The personal dungeons, while a nice touch became SOOOO Boring overtime. The "official" Static group dungeons were no better either. Everything cost to many credits to buy or had such of the wall requirements that the only way to buy something slightly better was to buy it and then level two or three times and adjust your stats to be able to make use of this or that weapon. (You had to buy it if you could afford it, because if you came back twenty to thirty minutes later, you might never see that weapon, armor or other equipment ever again. It was a randomly generated and regenerated shop system...)

Sure, the graphics were great, sure there were some very interesting story elements, but something big was lost in the translation and casual gamers as well as RP'ers were left in the dust of the Power levelers that just walked around chatting about American Idol and how '733t' their character was now that there were cresting level 150... Talk about boring...

SWG brings to life a greatness that could have existed in UO, if they evolved the engine enough, had a science fiction bend and opened up enough servers to make it possible for everyone to be able to place at least one house, no matter the sice, SOMEWHERE...

The RP'ing aspect of SWG is also far greater, especially with the prominent nudging to make people interact with one another. I can honestly say that the very basic role-playing I have been able to do in SWG far outsteps the RP'ing opportunities that existed in Anarchy Online and at least equals the RP opportunities that existed in UO. (When not near the bank chatting next to "naked" characters screaming about all the 733t and p4at 700t they had for sale...)

SWG has brought me back to the fold of MMORPGs and will likely keep me for SEVERAL years, depending upon how it all unfolds.