Ok, after a recent downward spiral conversation in another thread in the Vanguard thread that shall not be named I decided to check out Star Wars Galaxies again. SOE and SWG have been getting mixed press, old hurt feelings vs objectivity is all about perception.
So, I reactivated my SWG account to see if SOE had made the steps people have quietly been talking about on forums around the net.
Honestly, if you liked SWG pre-NGE you'll LOVE SWG now. I won't recant what I said about SOE murdering their player base or the shady way the NGE went down. But, I will say that the developers asked for patience and it seems that its paid off. 18 months later... /shrug ... the game is what it always should have been at least to me.
I'll summarize a bit before I give a wall of text.
a) SWG is far less buggy
b) SWG is far less laggy even on a HEAVY populated server. No, its not SOE lying about population. Bloodfin is packed.
c) The interface is pretty configurable. Once you read some guides and ask around the controls are not so bad.
d) The game is all about skill now. To some this is a major drawback. To me, an avid EVE player, its mecca.
e) The legacy quests are actually fun. The later quests are actually *HARD* and require thought.
f) The PVP mechanic is really nice now. The Galactic Civil War is actually being handled well. They are adding free content to fill the game up.
g) The Expertise system is bringing back the old classes. Now with purpose and quite a lot of diversity.
h) Beast Master... need I say more?
Ok, there are a few buggs I've noticed that have been there for a long time. Noticably in the web weaver trail. There are also class bugs like spy passive attacks while in stealth will bug out NPCs and if there is lag, i said it was less laggy not lag free, random NPCs will bug out. They do self fix but it takes a few moments. The biggest problem right now is the market is experiencing inflation. However, its pretty easy to get credits now.
The game has taken a very interesting change for loot. While weapons are best served from questing, and HARD ones at that and some mixed into PVP areas, you are still in need of armor for non jedi classes. The better your material and munitions trader, the better your armor will be. Stats are stackable with sockets and jewelry/cloths increase your stats too. You can modify weapons better now through these types of upgrades.
Jedi are not alpha in many cases. In fact, Spy's, Commando's and Bounty Hunter's are pretty good if you invest time into your expertise pools, gear and play style. PVP separates the casual gamer from the hardcore as it should be. Risk vs Reward is back.
Jedi are pretty good and easier to compete. However, I've come to the conclusion that most of the people on the SWG forums are crybabies that can't find or don't want to find communities that go for the best gear and get their guilds up and running to supply their combatants with the best gear. This is a mentality I've seen in EVE online ( I was vice president of one of the most popular alliances there - IAC - at its peak membership of 2600 people not too long ago ). Its this simple... if you want to be the best you have to invest in each other.
What about my class... they ruined it?
Well, the expertise system is making waves. I was a bog standard Bounty Hunter Build, M.BH/M.Carb/CM 4000 in the 2005 combat upgrade. However, one of my good friends and guild m8s sported a custom build that we spent hours developing. It was a Teras Kasi Smuggler. It could best Jedi and Teras Kasi Doctors ( also TK Swordsman ). Well the initial NGE destroyed that build and my friend quit, along with all my other guildies.
Over the weekend we worked on his build for a Pure smuggler that dabbled in pistols and he just wasn't feeling it. So we looked at the other melee class and viola. The spy with the right points spent in the expertise is nearly identical to the TK/Smugg. The two biggest changes is you can't make spice and you trade your 'Last Ditch' Pre-NGE smugg power for a Steath power. Other than that... the class feels exactly like his original.
As for my BH in the Chapter 6 NGE I could spec riffles or carbs and bulk up on tank or snares. Very, very similar to how I setup my Pre-NGE build. Though it wasn't neccessary. Also there is a lot of PVE components to the expertise for those who aren't interested in PVP only builds.
Remember the old Bounty Hunter Creature Handler builds of old? They are back. Beast Mastery is a very interesting class. You can be either a combatant or a bio engineer ( yes they are back... in teh form of a Beast Mastery crafting system class ). You can spend all your points to do both or take any combination. You have 45 points to spend. 5 once you hit lvl 10, and 1 every other level up to CL 90.
Beast Mastery also allows multiple career paths to emerge from the traders profession. Since traders need to build the modules that the creature handlers use... the better the equipment the more likely you are to get a mutation. Mutation? Think Rancor monster with spiky armor plates all over it with some added 'stuff.'
But is it fun?
Dang straight its fun again. Question is now an absolute blast for me and my guild m8s, 5 of which have come back. I even activated my alt. All in all the game is definately worth a try. Don't come into the game expecting the SWG of old... but a combination of old and new. A marriage of them if you will. Also, get into a guild. Solo in SWG is a bit fustrating atm unless your a high level jedi, Commando, BH. You can get to 45 off the legacy system and then quest in Kashyyyk until your 70s. Then its off to Mustafar. You can get to 90 without even 1 grinding mission termal sessions. You just need friends to have fun with.
Once you hit 90 and kit our your gear for PVP... thats when the fun really begins.
I'll leave you with two youtube links... to get an idea of what melee is like in the new system. Its not just for Jedi folks...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRZTfpsrwuw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...4&mode=related&search=
I'd have to say I wasn't fond of what SOE/LA did to the original... and its taken over a year to improve it... but... man did they!
So, I reactivated my SWG account to see if SOE had made the steps people have quietly been talking about on forums around the net.
Honestly, if you liked SWG pre-NGE you'll LOVE SWG now. I won't recant what I said about SOE murdering their player base or the shady way the NGE went down. But, I will say that the developers asked for patience and it seems that its paid off. 18 months later... /shrug ... the game is what it always should have been at least to me.
I'll summarize a bit before I give a wall of text.
a) SWG is far less buggy
b) SWG is far less laggy even on a HEAVY populated server. No, its not SOE lying about population. Bloodfin is packed.
c) The interface is pretty configurable. Once you read some guides and ask around the controls are not so bad.
d) The game is all about skill now. To some this is a major drawback. To me, an avid EVE player, its mecca.
e) The legacy quests are actually fun. The later quests are actually *HARD* and require thought.
f) The PVP mechanic is really nice now. The Galactic Civil War is actually being handled well. They are adding free content to fill the game up.
g) The Expertise system is bringing back the old classes. Now with purpose and quite a lot of diversity.
h) Beast Master... need I say more?
Ok, there are a few buggs I've noticed that have been there for a long time. Noticably in the web weaver trail. There are also class bugs like spy passive attacks while in stealth will bug out NPCs and if there is lag, i said it was less laggy not lag free, random NPCs will bug out. They do self fix but it takes a few moments. The biggest problem right now is the market is experiencing inflation. However, its pretty easy to get credits now.
The game has taken a very interesting change for loot. While weapons are best served from questing, and HARD ones at that and some mixed into PVP areas, you are still in need of armor for non jedi classes. The better your material and munitions trader, the better your armor will be. Stats are stackable with sockets and jewelry/cloths increase your stats too. You can modify weapons better now through these types of upgrades.
Jedi are not alpha in many cases. In fact, Spy's, Commando's and Bounty Hunter's are pretty good if you invest time into your expertise pools, gear and play style. PVP separates the casual gamer from the hardcore as it should be. Risk vs Reward is back.
Jedi are pretty good and easier to compete. However, I've come to the conclusion that most of the people on the SWG forums are crybabies that can't find or don't want to find communities that go for the best gear and get their guilds up and running to supply their combatants with the best gear. This is a mentality I've seen in EVE online ( I was vice president of one of the most popular alliances there - IAC - at its peak membership of 2600 people not too long ago ). Its this simple... if you want to be the best you have to invest in each other.
What about my class... they ruined it?
Well, the expertise system is making waves. I was a bog standard Bounty Hunter Build, M.BH/M.Carb/CM 4000 in the 2005 combat upgrade. However, one of my good friends and guild m8s sported a custom build that we spent hours developing. It was a Teras Kasi Smuggler. It could best Jedi and Teras Kasi Doctors ( also TK Swordsman ). Well the initial NGE destroyed that build and my friend quit, along with all my other guildies.
Over the weekend we worked on his build for a Pure smuggler that dabbled in pistols and he just wasn't feeling it. So we looked at the other melee class and viola. The spy with the right points spent in the expertise is nearly identical to the TK/Smugg. The two biggest changes is you can't make spice and you trade your 'Last Ditch' Pre-NGE smugg power for a Steath power. Other than that... the class feels exactly like his original.
As for my BH in the Chapter 6 NGE I could spec riffles or carbs and bulk up on tank or snares. Very, very similar to how I setup my Pre-NGE build. Though it wasn't neccessary. Also there is a lot of PVE components to the expertise for those who aren't interested in PVP only builds.
Remember the old Bounty Hunter Creature Handler builds of old? They are back. Beast Mastery is a very interesting class. You can be either a combatant or a bio engineer ( yes they are back... in teh form of a Beast Mastery crafting system class ). You can spend all your points to do both or take any combination. You have 45 points to spend. 5 once you hit lvl 10, and 1 every other level up to CL 90.
Beast Mastery also allows multiple career paths to emerge from the traders profession. Since traders need to build the modules that the creature handlers use... the better the equipment the more likely you are to get a mutation. Mutation? Think Rancor monster with spiky armor plates all over it with some added 'stuff.'
But is it fun?
Dang straight its fun again. Question is now an absolute blast for me and my guild m8s, 5 of which have come back. I even activated my alt. All in all the game is definately worth a try. Don't come into the game expecting the SWG of old... but a combination of old and new. A marriage of them if you will. Also, get into a guild. Solo in SWG is a bit fustrating atm unless your a high level jedi, Commando, BH. You can get to 45 off the legacy system and then quest in Kashyyyk until your 70s. Then its off to Mustafar. You can get to 90 without even 1 grinding mission termal sessions. You just need friends to have fun with.
Once you hit 90 and kit our your gear for PVP... thats when the fun really begins.
I'll leave you with two youtube links... to get an idea of what melee is like in the new system. Its not just for Jedi folks...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRZTfpsrwuw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...4&mode=related&search=
I'd have to say I wasn't fond of what SOE/LA did to the original... and its taken over a year to improve it... but... man did they!
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