Howdy, Stranger!
It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Quick Links
SWG - Upcoming LARGE changes - check it out here !
Erillion
Member EpicPosts: 10,328
Veteran Rewards
http://starwarsgalaxies.station.sony.com/content.jsp?page=Veteran%20Rewards
New way of PvE and PvP / no more Temporary enemy flags
http://forums.station.sony.com/swg/board/message?board.id=Developers&message.id=57528#M57528
New way of looting (no more loot stealing)
http://starwarsgalaxies.station.sony.com/content.jsp?page=Group%20Looting
New Galactic Civil War - planetary control through faction bases
http://forums.station.sony.com/swg/board/message?board.id=Developers&message.id=57585
--------------------
And here the news in detail:
Membership has Its Rewards!
Veteran Rewards allow us to offer players rewards in recognition of their investment in Star Wars Galaxies. The intent of the Veteran Rewards program is to show our appreciation to players who have been a part of the Star Wars Galaxies community over time by offering them a selection of exclusive rewards.
Veteran Rewards will celebrate subscription milestones achieved by individual players. The program will give players a choice of exclusive in-game items at significant subscription milestones. The identified milestones that will be celebrated as part of the program will include 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, 24 months and every additional 12 months thereafter.
Since players have a wide variation in their playstyles, we will offer rewards in three categories: For the Field, For the Home and For Fun.
We recognize some players may not be interested in rewards, so we are allowing players the option to trade/give the reward items to other players. This way, players who are not interested in a given reward can sell it to another player in-game and get credits for the reward item.
Initial Veteran Rewards To begin, there will be three categories of veteran rewards to choose from:
For the Field
For the Home
For Fun
Periods of rewards and gifts will be offered in the categories of Game play / For the Home / For Fun.
| Category | 3 month reward | 6 month reward | 12 month reward |
| For the Field | Self powered harvester | Crate of any existing resource (30k) | Anti decay kit for 1 item |
| For the Home | Holonet Terminal, Translator Terminal, Control Array, or Holonet Tracking Console | YT1300 Passenger Lounge or YT1300 Modular Seating | Database Input Terminal, System Readout Terminal, Main Systems Databank, or Holonet Databank |
| For Fun | Protocol Droid or R2 Droid Miniature Replica | TIE Fighter or X-wing Miniature Replica | Stormtrooper or Jabba the Hutt Miniature Replica |
Reward Screenshot links:
Players will be able to choose one reward from the milestones depending on how long their account has been active. So for example, if your account was 3 months old and you wanted a "For Fun" item, you could choose either the Protocol Droid or the R2 Droid.
For The Field Items are limited to a one time choice per item per account. For example once you choose a Self powered harvester you can not choose another. You could choose a Crate of any existing resource (30k), but once you took that, you would not be able to take it again with a future choice. The For the Home and For Fun items can be taken multiple times.
Your account's age is based on active time. You can claim rewards from categories that are equal to or less than your time invested in the game.
Additional reward ideas for 24 months and beyond can be found here - - post your own ideas too!
How it Works
When you log in, the system will look at your account's age and status and determine if any awards are available to the account. If award(s) are available, a dialog box will appear on login when your character enters the world, in the upper left portion of the play screen.
This dialog will inform you that you have an earned reward to claim, starting with the earliest reward available (ie. if you had a 3 month and 6 months reward, you would be informed of the 3 month reward in the initial dialog; the disposition of the 6 month reward would follow).
Your choices are to:
(2) Offer the reward again a week from now, or
(3) Examine the Reward Selections.
If you choose option (1) you will get this dialog again the next time you log in.
If you choose option (2), after a week has passed you will get this dialog again.
If you choose item (3), you will get a dialog explaining more about the reward (Type of reward it is: Veteran, holiday or special events; Options/claim criteria: what period, availability range and/or other limits are involved such as "one per account or one per character").
One additional benefit: after the first year, following receipt of your 12 month veteran reward, you can choose anything you want from the cumulative list once a year.
Along with this explanation will be the choices of rewards. We will also have a link to the official Galaxies website to check out the rewards in detail. The first item in the list (and default) will be "I will pass on taking this reward right now, remind me the next time I log in". The rewards will be listed as options below this first item.
A player may select and take a reward by saying "OK" on the dialog. Hitting "Cancel" automatically sets the system to remind the player on their next login.
After the player has cleared their first reward, the dialog sequence will start again with the next pending reward in order, if there are others pending.
---------------------
Temporary Enemy Flags or "TEF's" exist in Star Wars Galaxies as a playstyle buffer between Player-versus-Player (PvP) and Player-versus-Environment (PvE). To deliver a stronger Star Wars feel to all players, we are completely taking the TEF system out of the game. That's right, no more TEF's.
What does that mean?
The first thing it means is that we are changing the definitions of Neutral, Covert and Overt. We are still open to naming suggestions, but here is what we are calling them so far:
Neutrals become Civilians.
Covert become PvP Disabled and will be called, "Combatants" (and can only participate in factional PvE).
Overts become PvP Enabled and will be called, "Special Forces" (and can participate in factional PvP and PvE)
Civilians Civilians are not allowed to attack any factional enemies. They can only help other Civilians (neutrals) or those "on leave" (details below) and will not be attacked by factional NPC's.
PvP Disabled: Combatants Rebel and Imperial Soldiers who are PvP Disabled (Combatants) can only attack PVE enemies. They can help other PvP Disabled soldiers (Combatants) of the same faction and Civilians. Opposite faction NPC's will shoot on sight! Imperial NPC's will shoot Rebels on sight and Rebel NPC's will shoot Imperials on sight...this is war! Under no circumstances can PvP Disabled Combatants attack or be attacked by PvP Enabled Special Forces, and engaging in combat with factioned NPC's will not affect the ability to trade, enter buildings, etc.
PvP Enabled: Special Forces Enlisted Rebel and Imperial Soldiers who are PvP Enabled (Special Forces) are allowed to attack opposite faction PVP and PVE enemies. They can help other PvP Enabled soldiers (Special Forces) , PvP Disabled soldiers (Combatants) and Civilians. These players are at risk at all times of being attacked by opposite-faction NPC's or opposite-faction PVP enabled players.
All of the above rules are absolute.
All PvE interaction will be consumable by PvP Enabled soldiers and PvP Disabled soldiers.
Players who are PvP Disabled will have a colored character tag.
Players who are PvP Enabled will have a different colored character tag
If you are killed while "On Leave", you will still be on leave after cloning.
Some additional details:
Faction perks will now be available to both Combatants (PvP disabled) and Special Forces (PvP enabled) players.
- PvP Enabled can use Faction Perks
- PvP Disabled can use Faction Perks
- Faction Perks take on the Enabled/Disabled status of the PC.
- PvP Enabled Faction Perks can be attacked by PvP Enabled PCs and PvP Enabled Faction Perks
- PvP Disabled Faction Perks cannot be attacked by PvP Enabled PCs, PvP Enabled Faction Perks, PvP Disabled PCs, or PvP Disabled Faction Perks.
- PvP Enabled and Disabled Faction Perks can be attacked by NPC Faction.
Squad Leaders who issue orders while they are PvP disabled will not benefit PvP Enabled players in their group. "Civilian squad leaders who issue orders will not benefit anyone but Civilians or those "on leave."
If you are PvP Enabled and are killed in combat, you will be reset to PvP Disabled when you clone.
PvP, PvE and Helpful Actions
Buffs, Entertainment, Trading, Rezzing and Healing are considered "helpful actions". In the new system, Buffs, Entertainment and Trading will no longer have TEF restrictions. No more trade TEF's bouncing you out of a house or other inconveniences. For example, under this system, a PVP enabled special forces Imperial can trade with or buff a PVP enabled Rebel.
Buffs, Entertainment, Trading can now be performed by anyone to anyone regardless of factional (Imperial/Rebel) or PvP affiliation (PvP Enabled or Disabled).
Healing will still have to follow some rules, otherwise you get a situation where a PvP disabled player can help a PvP enabled player indefinitely without any risk or a civilian can help a PvP disabled player to defeat factioned NPC's without risk of being attacked by those NPC's and that's just not fair.
Here is a simple diagram that shows the interaction of how the "healing" actions will work across PvP enabled and disabled players:
----------------> Healing Actions -----------------> <------------ Healing Actions <----------------
Imperial Rebel
[PvP Enabled] [PvP Disabled] [Civilian] [PvP Disabled] [PvP Enabled]
| |
|_________________________________ Attack ___________________________|
Imperial Special Forces can heal Imperial Special Forces, Imperial Combatants and Civilians.
Imperial Special Forces can NOT heal Rebel Combatants or Rebel Special Forces
Imperial Combatants can heal Imperial Combatants and Civilians.
Imperial combatants can NOT heal Imperial Special Forces, Rebel Combatants, or Rebel Special Forces
Civilians can heal other Civilians.
Civilians can NOT heal Rebel Special forces, Rebel Combatants, Imperial Special Forces, or Imperial Combatants.
Rebel combatants can heal Rebel Combatants and Civilians
Rebel combatants can NOT heal Rebel Special Forces, Imperial Combatants, or Imperial Special Forces
Rebel Special Forces can heal Rebel Special Forces, Rebel Combatants and civilians.
Rebel Special Forces can NOT heal Imperial Combatants or Imperial Special Forces
Healing Friends and the "On Leave" status
The challenge to overcome in this situation is to keep the game fun for players who are friends, but who might prefer to be in different factions and different play style states (PvP enabled or disabled). To accommodate fun game play for friends, we have added an "On Leave" status that players can get from Faction recruiters.
What the "On Leave" status does is create a way for friends to play together by temporarily leaving "active duty" and making "on leave" players effectively the same as civilians temporarily. All this means is that you visit a faction recruiter, request to go "On Leave". Being on leave will temporarily remove you from the faction but maintain your faction points and rank standing. You won't gain or lose any faction or rank while you are on leave, but you are all clear to go out with your friends and guild mates from other factions (who should also be on leave) for an afternoon of hunting. When you are "on leave" the healing rules work as if you were a civilian - you may be healed by anyone, and you may only heal other civilians (or others who are "on leave"). When "on leave" you also will not be shot on sight by enemy NPC's of the opposing faction.
There will be a 5 minute delay timer from the time you request leave until the time leave is granted (making you a temporary citizen with no faction affiliation). Players who are on leave can go back to full faction status simply by attempting to attack a factional target. This will pop up a dialog window that will change their status. There will be a 5 minute delay timer on the action of returning to duty.
There will be a 5 minute delay timer from the time you request leave until the time leave is granted. Players who are on leave can go back to faction enlisted status simply by attempting to attack a factional target. If you attempt to attack an NPC factional target, you will trigger a change to PVP disabled. If you attempt to attack a PVP enabled player, you will trigger a change to PVP enabled status. Either of these actions will pop up a dialog window that will as you, "are you sure?" and change their status accordingly. There will be a 5 minute delay timer on the action of returning to PvP disabled status, and a 15 minute delay timer on the action of going to PvP enabled status. Players wishing to return to being a Combatant or a Special Forces can do so at a faction recruiter. There will be a 5 minute delay if you wish to return to Combatant status, and a 15 minute delay if you wish to return to Special Forces status.
Players who are PvP Disabled, whether they are "on leave" or not, and wish to become Special Forces (PvP Enabled) in the field may do so in the field by using the appropriate menu option on an enemy player (who is PvP Enabled). This action will have a 15 minute delay timer on it. You can also change status at a factional recruiter.
While a player is "On Leave", they will show up on Radar as light purple if they are friendly and light orange if they are enemies.
Special Cases for Jedi and Bounty Hunters
The removal of TEF's will affect Jedi and Bounty hunters. Once a Bounty Hunter attacks a Jedi who he has a mission against, both the Bounty Hunter and the Jedi are forbidden from receiving a helpful action from any player. The Jedi and the Bounty Hunter can not be helped by anyone for the period of time after the attack begins.
Always in motion the future is...
We know that these are big changes for SWG players. We look forward to your feedback both before and after these changes take place. These TEF changes are intended to be part of a big, single publish change to the game that makes the whole experience different and more exciting. The first thing it allows us to do, is create more Imperial/Rebel action in game and the first step into making that change will be the new GCW Bases and Planetary Control meta Game.
---------------------
Group Looting
Overview
Group Looting in Star Wars is a variety of methods for how players in Star Wars Galaxies can distribute loot. These systems will allow the group leader to determine what type of looting system his group will use.
Terminology
Looting Rights - determines which player(s) can loot an item
Loot Distribution - determines the method by which looting rights are determined
Party - a non-persistent group of players usually formed for relatively short periods of time and with a set purpose such as adventuring, resource gathering, etc. The minimum group size is 2 players and the maximum group size is 20 players.
Settings -There are 3 settings for group looting. These settings can only be set by the group leader. The party members will see by the icon near their names which setting has been chosen, and they will be notified every time the settings are changed:
Free-for-All - the first person in the party who clicks the item gets it. This is the current default method for Star Wars Galaxies. In a free-for-all loot distribution setting, the loot is placed in the backpack of the first person in the party that has looting rights to loot the item. If the character does not have enough room in his backpack to hold the item the item remains where it is and the player receives a message about their backpack being full, and the item stays on the corpse. Once the item is successfully removed from the corpse the entire party is informed via system message of who looted, and what item was looted.
Master Looter - The party leader chooses a player in the group to be the master looter (party leader is the master looter by default). This player is the only one who has looting permissions on the creatures that the group kills. The Master Looter can easily be identified by the Icon next to their name. If the master looter loots an item, but does not have enough room in his backpack to hold the item the item remains where it is and the player receives a message about their backpack being full. Once the item is successfully removed from the corpse the entire party is informed via system message of who looted, and what item was looted.
Lottery - The lottery system allows players to vie for which items they would like. A player can choose to pass on an item or to be included in the roll for it. When a corpse gets looted by anyone in the group, every member gets a window showing the list of item(s) on the corpse. Each player can either click on the individual items to bid or pass on them. Each party member can also choose, "Select All" which automatically places a bid for them for each item on the list. If no action is taken within 30 seconds by a player, the system automatically passes for them and they are no longer in contention for the item(s) on the corpse. If the player who wins the Lottery on an item does not have enough room in their inventory, they receive a message telling them their inventory is full, and the item stays on the corpse until someone else tries to loot it again. Once the item is successfully removed from the corpse the entire party is informed via system message of who looted, and what item was looted.
------------------
As part of the ongoing changes to Star Wars Galaxies, we are removing the TEF system so we can implement a new type of Galactic Civil War base. To bring Star Wars and the Galactic Civil war to all players, regardless if they prefer PvE or PvP, we are removing the TEF system. This lets players who prefer PvE to play in the GCW and players who prefer to PvP continue to play in the GCW. Because of the changes to the TEF system, we can now add a second type of factional base - - a PvE GCW base. We will use the two types of bases to create the first of many steps in a GCW planetary meta game.
GCW Tracking
We now have a global tracking mechanism for planetary GCW conquest. This tracking system works for each individual planet. This score will be modified by placement of factional bases, both PVP and PVE. Based on who is winning the factional conflict per planet, faction point costs and the faction presence in cities will change. Planetary control status can be read by civilians using a "news net" terminal that will be placed in some starports. Factioned players can find out what's going on in the war by "talking" to a faction recruiter, who will give them updates.
Here are the two types of bases and the details about how they will work:
GCW: PvP Bases
Base Placement
Base Defense
PvP Bases can only be enterable by PvP Enabled players.
The inside of these bases will be populated and protected by powerful NPCs.
Base Vulnerability
PVP bases will have a 3 hour vulnerability window but this window will only occur every 2 days. These bases will also register on the planetary map.
Base Destruction
PvP bases can be destroyed by those who can get inside (PvP enabled).
The method of base destruction will remain the same is it is currently.
Base Purpose
Existence of a PvP base counts significantly higher towards planetary control than a PvE base.
Base Cost
When a player purchases a PvP base they will receive 2 PvE bases for free. These can be sold, traded or placed as needed.
Factional bases will no longer cost lots. You will be limited to a maximum of 3 bases per player.
To soften the transition, for each existing base you own you will be rewarded replacement faction points
New PvP Bases will cost the same number of Faction Points.
GCW: PvE Bases
Base PlacementAny factioned player can place a PvE Base.
Base Defense
PvE Bases are defended by NPC's
Base Vulnerability
All existing bases will be treated as PvE bases.
To soften the transition, for each existing base you own you will be rewarded X faction points
PvE bases are always vulnerable. When they are defeated, they will explode.
Base Destruction
PvE bases can be placed by any factioned player. All players may attack these bases and destroy them.
Base Purpose
So all players can play in the GCW and participate in Star Warsy goodness. They will count as part of the planetary control game, but not as much as PvP bases.
Base Cost
PvE bases may be purchased from Faction Recruiters
When a player purchases a PvP base they will receive 2 PvE bases for free. These can be sold, traded or placed as needed.
PvE bases are distributed to PvP enabled players as part of a PvP base purchase. They will be given freely among friends and guilds/PAs, traded or purchased on the open market.
Always in motion the future is...
This is a big change that is suddenly happening to the game. We will add things in the future, but this will be part of a larger process to bring the feel of Star Wars to everyone, more action and a lot of fun. We hope you enjoy it and we will work to gather your feedback on these changes both before and after the changes go to live galaxies.
----------------
Have fun
Erillion
Comments
OMG FINALLY !!!
Looks like I will have to reinstall SWG !!!
I know there will be plenty of naysayers but these changes will go a long way toward fixing the game.
w00t.
I'm just wondering if the 12 month veteran award works on each character that we have with our account. I have too many characters, and I want that Anti-Decay item for each of my characters.
Gonna have to try that tonight.
Cause in EQ2, when you got a reward item, it was available for only 1 character on 1 account! But if you take the veteran reward when they released JTL, all my characters were able to get a free Yacht.
___________ ___ __ _ _ _
Stealth - Ambush - Hemorrhage - Sinister Strike x2 - Cold Blood - Eviscerate - Vanish - Preparation - Cold Blood - Ambush - ... you're dead! :P
I know that a few people who (like me) played since beta and then left towards the end of last year are watching these announcements with some interest - hardly any of us will be making any sort of move back into the game until after these have been implemented.
The changes that they are announcing are all well and good, but the question does need to be asked - over what time-frame are they looking at? With only preliminary coding work having begun on the CURB (it's only just hit alpha and is a major re-write), and the company committing itself to then working on the dead-as-a-doornail GCW and then the non-combat professions - what resources are left to do all of these new changes?
For myself its a case of having been bitten to many times by SOEs promises or better things to give much credence or belief in what they say now.
In other words - I'll believe it when I see it.
I find it funny that there are people who will fall for this. I mean come on guys! They haven't made the game playable, they've given you in game crap to make up for thier poor game writing.
Don't encourage them. Wait until they change the game and make it enjoyable. THEN and only then will I come back.
Blacksmith ... if the game is not playable, please tell me what me and my 100 guild buddies do in the game every day ?
MAYBE we are having fun ???
Erillion
(Novarider in Naritus in Yazuka Crime Syndicate Player Guild)
Stuman ...
many changes have been done yet ( Warcry fixed makes PvP MUCH more playable, no more crashes from lightsaber use, surveying from vehicle as small examples).
Many changes are imminent (within a week on live) ... more space in inventory and structures, no more Apprenticeship XP needed to master professions ... etc.
So they ARE introducing MUCH overdue stuff at a brisk pace these days. That includes more things to do (e.g. 20 more new space missions, 20 more new POIs ).
Worth checking out .. although for a veteran I recommend to wait until combat revamp is done for a comeback (my guess = May ish on live).
Have fun
Erillion
looking good
Thanks, Erillion
People who have to create conspiracy and hate threads to further a cause lacks in intellectual comprehension of diversity.
This all sounds good, but I remember a year ago reading something similar on the "Combat Rebalance" that never happened.
How close to implementation are these GCW changes? I don't want this to be another carrot they dangle in front of us.
But, yeah, I may just join up with SWG sometime in the near future if this thing is for real.
The GCW changes (i.e. removal of TEFs and planetary control) are pretty close. They are changes that were considered easy but would change gameplay alot. I think TH answered the question in the thread above by saying that it will be on the TC's in a few weeks:ish. Publish 13 is going live next week and hopefully this is the stuff that will go live in the next publish after that.
Add: I suspect that they will test this on the TC's throughly so it might not be live in a while yet. They have noted that they have 1 new TC and 2 more comming soon probably for testing this publish.