Raph Koster On Star Wars Galaxies

Thanks to UGO.com for their interview with Raph Koster, creative director of Star Wars Galaxies, discussing the launch period for the much-discussed PC MMORPG. He suggests that: "The launch was a little rockier than we'd like, so we've tried to be really proactive.... We're making a real concerted effort to constantly improve the game", and talks about new features: "Another big thing that's going in is gambling. So we're working up to Sabbac [the game in which Han Solo wins the Millenium Falcon from Lando]... We're gonna be adding slot machines and roulette." Also touched on are the mission diversity complaints: "The missions were never intended to be rich and complex and deep... they're intended to only take a little while, not be incredibly complex. But, of course, players have found them to be a great way of making money."

Comments

Re:Best Game

[Chasuk]

How many MMORGs have you played other than EQ?

EQ, UO, AO, AC, AC2, DAoC,The Realm, Meridian 59.

Reminds me of UO and since there are UO people making this game I'm not surprised a bit.

Not the first game to offer player housing...

...all things we have seen in other MMOGS

The transportation system again is not unique.

Whether they appear in other games or not does not deprecate their appearance here.

The game is pretty, the HUD is nice, but has a steep learning curve...

I've heard this complaint before, but I did not find it so. Truthfully, I found it one of the most intuitive and easily-learned games I've ever played. Maybe if I'd never played an MMORPG before, this wouldn't be the case, but that is impossible for me to judge, at least at this point.

Remember episode two when Kenobe turns down some death sticks and convinces the guy he doesn't want to sell them anymore.

No, sadly, I don't remember. This isn't a troll, but I've never liked any of the Star Wars films. I found episode II tolerable, in an eye-candy sort of way. I watched episode IV for the first time in 26 years just yesterday, to re-acquaint myself with some of the mythos.

I will amend my complaint about the chat system: it seems absurd to me that, when I am conversing with several players simultaneously, that it is so difficult to switch between them. No easy toggle as in EQ, which is the game by which this one will be judged, rightly or wrongly.

Anyway, it's good to read a constructive difference of opinion. Thanks.

Re:Online RPGs

[Psychochild]

My impression of the MMOs is that gameplay is rarely the strong point.

It depends on the game. Meridian 59, for example, strives hard to have engaging gameplay. The game focuses on PvP combat, so we have to have engaging gameplay or people will get bored. True, this gameplay is a bit different than what you might expect if you've played a lot of single-player games.

The real draw of these games is the community. You meet other people, you make friends (and sometimes enemies), you have fun chatting with people while you're playing the game. These games foster cooperation and competition between the players; becoming a millionaire isn't fun by itself in a game, it's fun because you can compare yourself to other people. (I'm not saying this is what I like or encourange in my own game, just explaining what some players think.) This interaction is what online RPGs offer above and beyond traditional single-player RPGs.

Of course, this also limits the game somewhat. The traditional gameplay of single-player RPGs isn't directly applicable to online RPGs. You can't simply go save the princess and bring peace back to the land forever more, because that would interfere with the hundreds or thousands of other people playing the game. Story and plot take on very different meanings, and it's been a challenge for people used to the traditional linear forms of storytelling to get used to the new structures needed for online games, given that you have multiple people all playing at once and the story's pace continues with or without a single individual's participation.

Some insight from a designer,

Commando comments will stir up flames

[jafuser]

RK: [...] So architects is one of the commonly advanced Masters. Weaponsmith, because the market for weaponsmiths is huge. But when you're talking Squad Leaders or Commandos, there is one Master Commando in the entire game right now. One!

UGO: Isn't Master Commando the class where you get to wield flame throwers and rocket lauchers?

RK: Yeah.

UGO: You'd think more people would be interested in that.

RK: [laughs] Well, it's hard, is what it is.


Wow.

Anyone who knows the true nature of the Commando profession knows that it's time to "let the flames begin".

There are not a lack of Master Commandos by choice. People can't get Master because of bugs preventing Commando characters from advancing... And there's some *very* angry players due to this. I'm sure comments like this will definitely will not help.

It's a lot like a local government official going on the news stating "Nobody ever uses the park! Even after we've added all kinds of fun facilities! Isn't that odd!" while at the same time neglecting to mention that they never assigned anyone the job to unlock the gate into it.

I don't have any interest in the commando profession myself, but I can see this stirring things up a bit...