Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided

During the last week of April 2005, Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) provided a combat upgrade to Star Wars Galaxies. I was quite enthusiastic about this upgrade as the game has a number if balance issues this was supposed to address. As well, there were plans to add features to combat to make it more immersive but what we got was a completely new combat system that has more bugs and imbalance in it that anything we have had since SWG went live.

The new features have slowed combat to a crawl, made it incredibly boring and have removed a number of combat moves from the game. Where an elite combat profession had 12-15 attacks to choose from, we now have 4-6. Balance is horrid with the new level system imposed. Currently, fighting anything higher or lower than your current level either is not worth your time for experience points or kills you far too fast for you to react.

For people who have chosen the path of the pure crafter, a unique option found almost solely in SWG, movement in the world is now impossible as the crafter is considered a level 1 combat character and can be killed by the most benign creature or NPC. Since SWG's economy is completely player driven (there are no game provided "stores" or equipment other than those run by players), this is going to cause prices to soar. As part of the combat upgrade, SOE has reduced the ability of combat professions to make money. In doing this, I can see the economy being viable for the number of crafters there currently are in the game.

All of these changes have caused an exodus from the game of many, long time enthusiasts. As it stands right now, I can't, in good conscious recommend this game. Maybe if SOE manages to fix some of the problems it may be worth coming back to but, in the meantime, take you online gaming budget somewhere else.

This game started out as a very rich (albeit decidedly ALTERNATE) Star Wars experience, but later suffered from constant patching and rules changes for Character Classes, Galactic Civil War Rules, etc.

Some other weak points - As mentioned, this game would have to be taken as an "Alternate Reality" given the complete lack of continuity with films as to the number of Jedi running around for the Era (The Game Seems to be Stuck shortly after "A New Hope" and before "The Empire Strikes Back". This mechanic would have fit a lot better if the setting were a "Knights of the Old Republic" Era, rather than after ANH.

Finally (and this is one thing which was corrected to some degree in later releases) the biggest weakness of all was that the game tended to encourage people to be Millionaires. Don't get me wrong - the crafting and commerce system in this game is one of the most realistic of any MMORPG, the problem was that it grew to become the focus of game, so that in every major City, one would have to contend with "Spammers" hawking their wares and services, and nearly all characters would be involved in Mining or Farming Operations as a source of income.

To this game, there was a beginning, a middle, and an end. The beginning was Pre Cu. That was before they tampered with the game, and they released good updates. Then CU came out. During that time, it was known as the middle. When the NGE hit, that was the end for this game. In the beginning, you had about 32 professions, or classes, that you could choose from. You could be almost anything, from the dreaded bounty hunter to an entertainer. A smalltime crafter to a master Jedi. Almost anything. The NGE took that away. Now you get to choose from 9 different professions. Any new comer can become a Jedi now, and they don't even have to work for it. Every rare item, that used to be rare Pre CU, now drops from any level 2 creature you kill! I recommend, DO NOT BUY THIS GAME! It is a waste of 15 bucks a month!

This Game was Great when it came out , but they started tinkering with it in mid 2005 , they basically Dumbed it down for children. Then as they tried to fix the Game they Took it down another Level on Nov 15 2005. It is so bad now that your IQ has to be below 70 to enjoy it.

When the game came out it you had 32 professions to chose from, you could be almost any combination of ranged fighting(pistols,carbines,rifles), mele(hand to hand,sword,pike) and then with some medic and crafting and entertaining you had it all , even the mighty BH and rangers were there, and by combining theses skills you were unique. And there was even the rare Jedi(really powerful fighter, but not really the end all). At any time you could relinquish skills and add new ones to try new things( I tried 19 professions before I found what I liked best). You had to think about your attacks and have a good plan, along with better gear that you had to either pay to have made or make it your self.

Now you have to choose from 9 professions( just like WOW)and you cannot change and one of the professions is Jedi , So everyone Is one it seems. And there is no way to make your self individualized, you are just like any one who is that profession. Also now combat is in First Person Shooter style, So clicky clicky clicky is all you do. Your attacks are all the same so who ever clicks faster wins in any battle. There is almost no Stratagey at all, Just run around and click. All Gear is now a dropped item from Mobs , and every one can loot it so crafting is gone for the most part. In the words of Miss MacIntyre(a Big Wig in the Game) " We wanted the Game to be Shoot, Kill, Loot, Repeat. " for me this is just like 7 dollar game from the 80s.

So for the most part dropped the ball on this game it could have been huge , now it is just empty space. They have treated their players so badly that it may never recover.

Even though it has had a rocky start, Star Wars Galaxies has quickly grown into a massive game truly suited for the name Star Wars. you can pick from many different species, including Wookiees, Bothans, Twi'leks, Zabraks, Humans, Mon Calamari, Rodians and more. choose from over 12 different professions, and unlock the ways of the Jedi. If you want to truly experience the feel of living in the star wars universe, SWG is the game for you. You can run a city, hunt Rancors, take up bounties, travel the Jungland wastes, fight off Tusken Raiders, take missions privately from the Emperor Himself, help the Rebels try to destroy the Galactic Empire, and more! There's nothing that can describe the feeling you get as you travel through Mos Eisley's busy streets in your land speeder or carefully walk through the now desolate Massassi temple on Yavin 4. I recommend for any Star Wars Fan to play this game