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Thought I'd give you guys a laugh - This just posted on the official site (not by me, I might add).
neilh73
Member Posts: 239
What?
There's been a recent change in the development team, luckily it's not a bad thing. Many developers here in Austin have rid themselves from their previous company to join SOE, on the SWG-Development team. There's probably been atleast an increase of about 10-20 members within the last month. Why? They need developers to maintain and work on what's about to happen.
LucasArts has been, displeased to say the least in the ammount of subscribers in this game. Potentialy I would think this game maybe has atleast 55,000-80,000 at the moment. Many are just playing off their station passes, so that number can't really be based on SWG alone. There was a meeting not too long ago, maybe 3-4 months? Between the SOE development heads and LA discussing how they can redeem themselves in subscriber loss from having atleast 300,000 at launch to be buchered to this ammount.
It was discussed. When was the peak of subscribers in SWG? It was and maybe still is currently known that it was at it's prime around the time JTL came out. Maybe Publish 7-8. It was talked about, and a conclusion was - Let's do it. Over the past few months they have been working on the Publish 8 client. (Yes, Pre-CU). The client code has been sold to numerous companies in this city - I know of a person who has seen the coding himself. He claimed that after to many years of spending times in games through developing and coding that it wasn't that bad as the developers often claimed.
It's currently known, the NGE was enforced upon the SOE team. By LucasArts in maybe attempt to bring some subscribers potentially pointing at the age range of 12-15, wether or not the SWG team would comply to this - They would shut the game down indeffinatly otherwise. Wether or not the current subscribers care of the wellfare of the game, was brought to a close. Money, is what was important.
The plan:
- Convert the current SWG to an updated version of the Publish 8? client. (Cost? Roughly 1.5 Million USD)
- Advertise, advertise, advertise.
Q:
What will happen to the people that bought the expansions, will the client include Kashyyyk and Mustafaar? No. Players will be reimbursed with items, or some other way in satisfiying the community.
Current Jedi, will we still keep the profession? It's not currently known, but I'm sure Elder Jedi will be the only ones that have a chance to even be a Jedi when this is released. Note, that during this time the Jedi Profession was as follows - Jedi Initiate - 4444 Guardian.
My outlook:
- Many publishes being released currently are/have existed during the early times of SWG. (Beast Master = Creature Handler)
-I think this would make a positive influence on the gaming community to bring back a more sophisticated and unique version of SWG than it's currently in. Considering there isn't a game out, or coming out that's even close to what the original SWG accomplished.
- Hard content hasn't been released, more like revmaps of coding that's already there. (The SWGEmu teams has claimed to be able to Manipulate NPCs in conversing, action, and position. So, a themepark revmap isn't somthing that's hard to accomplish. I'm sure thinking of what the content should be under those terms were probably the hardest step.
- The time-table took a long time for the expertise... Why? Maybe they weren't focused so much on this system but maybe another? It was a huge gap, considering that most expertise and professions are basicly identical to each other in one form of way or another. Not a whole lot of uniquness as one would think.
Anyways, in conclusion - No, I'm not a Pre-CU Fanboi. I'm not trying to glorify myself in the ranks of the forums, I'm not trying to cause rumors, I'm not trying to make flames. I'm a messenger - I've recieved informations and I thought it would be a good idea to try and break the ice as people before me did with the CU, and NGE.
May the Force be with you,
Sif
I might be able to answer specific questions you might have, please do so in PM. If that's the case.
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Believe this if you want, personally I think its a total pile of crap! 
MMORPG History:
Playing - EVE Online.
Played (Retired) - AO, SWG, MxO, WoW, RFO, SoR, CoX, EQ2, GW, L2, Vanguard, LotRO, AoC, TCoS, Aion.
Favourite MMO - Pre-CU SWG, 3 Years, 4 Accounts, 2 Pre-CU Jedi (1 Pre-9).
Awaiting - Star Wars: The Old Republic, The Secret World, Earthrise.
Comments
I've heard about the LA thing, as in LA pushing the NGE on SOE. To be honest I really think it's true, SOE hasn't completely fucked up like that since, and if it hadn't been forced on them I think they'd have tried to reverse it.
I mean c'mon, a developer would be crazy to not change SWG back if it was in their power to do so. LA has shown time and time again they're more in it for the money. Think of KOTOR2 and how rushed that was. Everytime I hear about LA and a game, it always sounds like they are pushing the companies they ask to make the game too hard.
I suspect that the recent vet trial didn't result in the number of renewed accounts that LA was looking for, and it's finally set in that the NGE was a huge mistake, that they're never going to catch up with WoW because, let's face it, WoW is the ultimate 2nd Gen MMO, having taken advantage of seeing where others stumbled and avoiding the pratfalls.
Also, they've figured out that what they want to do is go back to a game design that DOES encourage loyalty, which is what they had before. WoW just does not have that, it does get boring after a while.
CH, Jedi, Commando, Smuggler, BH, Scout, Doctor, Chef, BE...yeah, lots of SWG time invested.
Once a denizen of Ahazi
Observation #1) I thought we had reserved March and August for this kind of rumor.
Observation #2) Too many highly-placed people have their political fortunes staked on the game not openly going back to a pre-CU incarnation (which is why they're virtually doing it with recent developments, and doing it poorly).
Summary: I'll believe it when I see it. I still log onto these forums almost every day just to see if the news has come that SWG is reverting or closing up, I still awaken everyday hoping that Smedley is fired, and I don't expect those hopes to be filled anytime soon.
SWG Veteran and Refugee, Intrepid server
NGE free as of Nov. 22, 2005
Now Playing: World of Warcrack
Forum Terrorist
I think its a bit late to attempt such a thing. First of all as much as I loved my Jedi back then I wouldn't go back unless Sony gives SWG to LA. Even then LA would need to spend a couple years redeveloping content to make the game new and exciting and worth coming back to.
Your right this is a good laugh.
SWG has always been a collaborative effort between Lucas Arts and SOE. SOE can't "give the game back" to LA...LA has always called the shots, SOE is more like the administrator of the operation, beholden to LA's creative whims.
LA held up the FRS. LA supposedly was not happy with the lack of a "starwarsy" feel of much of the game.
LA was green with envy of WoW's amazing success. Well, SOE was, too. Which is why the decision to "WoWize" the game was made.
With LA and SOE, it's about the benjamins, first and foremost.
CH, Jedi, Commando, Smuggler, BH, Scout, Doctor, Chef, BE...yeah, lots of SWG time invested.
Once a denizen of Ahazi
Zakavar, the original post is in the Gameplay Discussion Forum and is titled - 'Shadows... Of the Past', sorry i dont know how to post a link. I would check it out fast if I were you because I cant see the mods letting it stay there long.
MMORPG History:
Playing - EVE Online.
Played (Retired) - AO, SWG, MxO, WoW, RFO, SoR, CoX, EQ2, GW, L2, Vanguard, LotRO, AoC, TCoS, Aion.
Favourite MMO - Pre-CU SWG, 3 Years, 4 Accounts, 2 Pre-CU Jedi (1 Pre-9).
Awaiting - Star Wars: The Old Republic, The Secret World, Earthrise.
Wouldn't that just be Ironic.
Here you go...
http://forums.station.sony.com/swg/posts/list.m?&topic_id=363263
No telling how long it will be there. The thread is three pages long now, lots of skepticism, understandably.
However, I remind you all of the post that "couldn't be true" about Jedi becoming a starting profession back in October 2005...
CH, Jedi, Commando, Smuggler, BH, Scout, Doctor, Chef, BE...yeah, lots of SWG time invested.
Once a denizen of Ahazi
I would like to know how this game has been WoWized, or how they intend to WoWize it.
Raven
After reading the original post on the official forums I find it humorous that with 3 pages of replies only 1 person actually said he feels it would be a wrong decision.
I'm personally not going to hold my breath for this but June 26th seems like the perfect day to make this kind of announcment
I would like to know how this game has been WoWized, or how they intend to WoWize it.
Raven
As far as I can tell, it just became more like WoW. XD It used to be more based on skills (not player skill, though that was a factor. Think like, your PC skill in Axes or something) rather then levels. There is more too it obviously but I was never able to see the game in that state.
Raven
WoWize:
To make like WoW
Examples: replacing all the task bar buttons from symbolic barebones graphics to cartoony WoWlike graphics
An overt, in your face level system. One where if you fight something too far below your level, you get no XP to speak of, and if you try something too high above your level, it's instant death. The old system a rancor hit for what a rancor hits, regardless of your status, without tailoring its damage based on your level (higher raw damage to lower levels, lower raw damage to higher levels). In the CU system a level 50 rancor was trivial to defeat by a level 80 toon, regardless of the skillset. This was simply not the case in the old system, where you brought along a melee toon to tank and the ranged players did the damage, because for a ranged toon to take on a rancor solo was problematic without armor and buffs.
Creation of directed quest content to level your character
Restricting the level of mobs by planet, much as is done in zones in WoW. The tutorial station, very much like the newbie zones. In fact, even more restricted, as high level players can't go there. Tatooine: newbie word, sort of the equivalent of Westfall or the Barrens...with the one exception of level 80+ Krayt dragons and some level 30 Tusken raiders, albeit in out of the way places. On to Naboo, sort of the equivalent of Duskwood, or Ashenvale, or Stonetalon. Mustafar and to some extent distant from the outposts Dathomir being the high end equivalent of flyover country between Stormwind and Ironforge, or the Plaguelands.
With the NGE, they just tossed aside skill based characters for class based, just like WoW.
The "expertise" system, which is a pretty direct rip-off of talents.
Jeez, they've even screwed up the mounts so they can't exist in the world unless you're riding them...just like WoW.
CH, Jedi, Commando, Smuggler, BH, Scout, Doctor, Chef, BE...yeah, lots of SWG time invested.
Once a denizen of Ahazi
Nothing more than a variation of a "what if" type of thing. $OE is greedy but they are not this stupid. If they do anything it would be a variation of game servers. To be honest I could care less what they do.
Greed breeds stupidity, Not the other way around. They would be stupid to turn on the current playerbase again....... They don't have much of one left. I doubt SWG could withstand another revamp of that nature and survive more than a few months if it backfires on them. Their not gonna take that risk.
If $OE does any thing in the future it will be what they are currently doing. Adding some of the old back into what is the current. Or it still always the possabilty of opening a seperate set of rolled back or Hybrid servers. Which the Hybrid part is what their doing anyways. So that would be stupid.
Not to mention that clearly in their Vanguard announcement after the take over, they said they learned a thing or 2 from what happened with SWG.
Btw.. all you numbskulls that think a lot of this is LA's fault are silly. Have you forgotten Everquest? Everquest 2? And of course SWG? LA's successful track record (go look at all their nice games, minus kotor2 with its rushed ending.) vs SoE... That should be proof enough.
True they may have said "go ahead" with SoE's ideas. but in the end it comes down to SoE's fault for not listening to the players. As they have stated themselves.
So, enough of this "its LA's fault". Smed and them already took the blame.
"Do not fret! Your captain is about to enter Valhalla!" - General Beatrix of Alexandria
"The acquisition of knowledge is of use to the intellect, for nothing can be loved or hated without first being known." - Leo da Vinci
Btw.. all you numbskulls that think a lot of this is LA's fault are silly. Have you forgotten Everquest? Everquest 2? And of course SWG? LA's successful track record (go look at all their nice games, minus kotor2 with its rushed ending.) vs SoE... That should be proof enough.
True they may have said "go ahead" with SoE's ideas. but in the end it comes down to SoE's fault for not listening to the players. As they have stated themselves.
So, enough of this "its LA's fault". Smed and them already took the blame.
I don't let either organization off the hook.
Don't forget that much of LA's success over the past five or so years has been with games outsourced for development to others: KOTOR, the JK series, for examples. Even that didn't prevent LA from interfering, as you've noted with KOTOR II which if it wasn't rushed would be universally praised as a very worthy sequel.
Remember that LA has creative control over SWG. SOE can't be held blameless, by any stretch of the imagination. SWG remains a collaborative effort.
CH, Jedi, Commando, Smuggler, BH, Scout, Doctor, Chef, BE...yeah, lots of SWG time invested.
Once a denizen of Ahazi
So I started to walk into the water. I won't lie to you boys...I was terrified. But I pressed on, and as I made my way past the breakers, a strange calm came over me. I don't know if it was divine intervention or the kinship of all living things, but I tell you, Jerry, at that moment ... I was a marine biologist.
Didn't LA used to make games, long ago? Like before 2000?
I realize that they are basically a licensing/admin arm of the almighty Lucas Empire now, but at one time didn't they actually develop games, and pretty good ones?
CH, Jedi, Commando, Smuggler, BH, Scout, Doctor, Chef, BE...yeah, lots of SWG time invested.
Once a denizen of Ahazi
If its true, i'd gladly come back, i left 2 weeks after the cu went live. I have 2 condidtions tho :
1- TRUE pre-cu code, not some hybrid game made up of pre-cu/cu/nge, The game has to be the way it was before the cu went live, minus the anti-decay kits (economy killers !)
2- Clean servers where everybody starts from scratch
I don't care how they go about the jedi unlocking system since i was never one. I think it was better when guys had to grind like 30 proff. to get it. With the village --> jedis everywhere
I've been grinding my teeth everytime i hear "swg" or "soe" since the cu went live. If this is just a new unfounded rumor, i hope soe has the brains to come out with a statement and shut it down, giving people false hopes just makes them mad. Well its pisses me off anyway.
Clean servers would be nice, but I'd want them to make a new Jedi unlocking system, one that is more in line with what we imagined it would be in beta. It was part way there with the random profession thing, but it can't just be professions, and they can't cheat and let us know how it works because the twits in marketing want Jedi out there to spur sales. It has to be unique to each player, it should involve exploring the game, in the 'visit lots of POI" sense, mastering professions sense, and doing quests sense.
And, yes, true pre CU code without the detrius, which is part of the game's problem now. I would not be surprised that all sorts of things happen now when you're in game that you never see because code for old game features is still running in the background to no effect on contemporary gameplay.
And the decay kits sucked, agree with you there. One of the worst ideas they ever came up with.
CH, Jedi, Commando, Smuggler, BH, Scout, Doctor, Chef, BE...yeah, lots of SWG time invested.
Once a denizen of Ahazi
"Do not fret! Your captain is about to enter Valhalla!" - General Beatrix of Alexandria
"The acquisition of knowledge is of use to the intellect, for nothing can be loved or hated without first being known." - Leo da Vinci