GridStream Productions

Following are a list of reasons, TRUE reasons, why I detest this game:

First the three foundation reasons:

1. It is set in the universe of Star Wars, one of the most "overplayed" settings in history. I'm nearing 30, I've seen the movies dozens of times, I had my day as a Star Wars fan, and I look back to those days and wonder if I'll ever get that part of my life back. I have since found universes and settings in the science fiction genre that are comparitively godlike to Star Wars' sickeningly mousy little excuse for a setting. AO, for example, is original and has so much more expansion that can be done to it's already well-fleshed-out history, expanding across territory that parallels the discoveries that we are making in modern science today. Star Wars, in comparison to Rubi-Ka, is a little child's chew-toy, and it bores me to tears.

2. There is no more room in SW for creativity. Nearly everyone I know who fits into the "Star Wars Fan" state of mind are the same people I tend to distance myself from. Star Wars is stripped of all possibilities for player-defined imagination. It's set in stone, and it's fandom is equally unimaginitive, for the most part. Wookies, the Force, and blaster pistols were fun in the 70's and 80's. And there hasn't been a damn thing added since. IT IS NO LONGER FUN.

3. Morons. By morons, I am referring to anyone who argued the case for SWG in any of the threads that exist in EVERY SINGLE MMORPG FORUM IN THE WORLD that have the thread title which reads something like: "SWG Will Put This Game Out of Business." Nothing is going out of business, and if you really think that a game based on a piece-of-s#&* setting like Star Wars is going to have an effect on the gaming industry which actually DOES -- contrary to the beleif of the moron -- consist of more than just unimaginitive power-levellers who always wanted to be a *choke* bounty hunter, then you seriously need to get out more.

Now, the -- gamer reasons:

1. The graphics are beautiful, having been created to be a rich-looking world set in the Star Bores universe.

2. The tradeskills are exceptional, allowing you to gain experience from being a dancer, musician, tradeskiller, etc. While these skills may become very boring, they are viable to gain levels.

3. The number of players is already vast, and it is quickly becoming one of the most-played MMORPG's in existence.

4. The interactivity of the community is massive, and there is a huge social atmosphere in the game.

5. It promotes it's own internal economical structure with an auction system that has appeal to yet another tradeskiller profession that can utilize such a system to go up in the ranks: The tradesman/marketeer.

6. It has been given nothing but critical acclaim by the major companies out there, touting it as the next big thing in MMORPGs.

7. Take points 1 thru 6, add them into the ONE mmorpg that I've never wanted anything to do with, and they automatically become VERY good reasons for me to hate SWG even more. All I hear about is this game. I don't want to play a f#&*ing wookie, okay? I don't want to be "immersed" in the same god-forsaken world that I've been subjected to relentlessly in the mass media for over 25 years. And while I WANT all the features listed above in the MMORPG I choose to play, playing a character in the Star Wars universe (ESPECIALLY when you consider the majority of the players are either 12-year-old idiots or 30-year-old pompous SW geeks who only know how to brag about how many times they've seen the movies) appeals to me about as much as a sharp stick in the eye.

I want something imaginitive, and I want something new that actually gives the players the ability to use their own imagination, instead of leeching off a three-decade-old imagination that's too dried-up to even be considered science fiction anymore.

Shadowlands is, so far, the closest thing I will have to that. It's not swords-and-sorcery, and for the love of god it doesn't have godd*&n ewoks in it. I only hope that it's playability and immersion lives up to it's appeal on the market of MMORPGs.

And as far as I'm concerned, SWG can take all of it's awesome features and shove it up it's own two-way rectum.

Very well said, and though I'm afraid to admit it, having wasted $60 on the game, I totally agree. I actually never really got into Star Wars until I heard about the game being made, after that I rented the movies, watched them, and wondered what the big hype was. The original movies in my opinion were rushed and weren't that "captivating". I honestly think the new movies (Episode I and II) are better than the originals.

As for the game? It's a great game to play for the first month or so, especially if you're a Star Wars fan, but after that, the "oooh" factor of the game rapidly goes away and you're left with a mediocre game, it's thriving point solely based on the fact you have multiple options of leveling up. But it's still just that, leveling up. Then there is no content to enjoy when you level up.

Once I moved into my new appartment, got settled, and the cash was flowing in, I decided to buy the game just on what people had been telling me. Well those people were wrong and I wasted $60 on the game. Though there are plenty of opportunities to level up, each one of them is boring and repetitive. I started out with an Artisan, and all that was was endless clicking, over and over until my hand actually started to hurt. After that, I went with a Marksman/Scout, and found out just how crappy the combat engine in the game is. Giving it one last shot, I went with an Entertainer. I had the most fun with that class mainly because of the socialization, the profession itself sucked so hardcore it made me wonder why I wasted 16 hours leveling from Musician Knowledge I to II.

Outside of Cantinas, the game was crap. The majority of the people I met in the game were "dewds" and griefers, and it totally ruined any enjoyment I was hoping to get out of the dying farce of a game. Even in the Cantinas it was bad, a day didn't go by when a few idiots would storm the place, act like twelve year olds, swearing and laughing.

I've played most MMORPG's at one time or another, and have found in each and every one, that the community makes or breaks a MMO. Anarchy Online by far has the best community I've seen, and the people there really making the game a more enjoyable one. Couple that with the great background story and progressive story Funcom is bringing forth, and you have a true-to-the-heart gaming experience. I can't wait for Shadowlands to come out so I can get into that aspect of the game.

It's quite sad that a "main-stream" game like SWG will get the most attention, but I will completely give that up for a real gaming experience in AO.

Reasons I LIKE SWG:

1: It is a truly beautiful game, with many opportunities for the player.

2: UNlike popular view, there is a GREAT community. I will admit, I've only been on the starsider server on Corellia. STILL, the people I meet and interact with are as friendly as the people I've met in AO.

3: Once again, UNlike popular view, people dont act like "Oh, I'm better than you because I've seen all the movies 5040503746295692 times." Any Star Wars nerds that are there dont show it. They seem like normal people that would play AO.

4: Its a fun game. Period. It may be tedious, but its still fun as all hell.

I don't know man,
I was not impressed when I played SWG.
I was itching for AO before long.

Bravo, btw tarryk, Bravo.

I dunno man... I never played SWG, and honestly, I doubt I ever will.
I was thrilled about it when I first heard about it, I love star wars, it's had a massive influence on what I like and dislike, and Darth happens to one of my RL idols (word to the wise, don't ask who the others are) and I'm still looking forwards to seing what they'll do with episode 1-3, can't wait to see how he connects them, when he has to make them... man, can you imagine number 2-3?, they'll be great, Ani going from good to evil... and killing stuff!

*WARNING!: this part is for the INCREDIBLY slow witted, people who got the sarkasm in the above, skip the next bit*
NO, I'm not thick, I'm fully aware that they've made what they try to call episode 1 and 2... thing is, I REFUSE to accept them, I mean sheit!, he'd been better of just leaving it all at 4-6. Those I love... the rest, well, let's just say I promised me mam I'd not use those words in public!

That said, the thought of being a dark jedi did of course appeal to me... heck, evil is your friend! BUT, I also knew that any half assed, selfproclaimed evil doer would play one.
And thus, screw over the feel. That and I felt the comunity was a little... well, F***ed up to say the least, nerf hearder my arse!

I WAS gonna play, but after following the progress of the game, and reading the message boards, the players themselves put me off it. There was nothing new, the cities perhaps, but alas! People will be people, and people suck! *no offence* every good spot would be occupied by morons, and the cities would be like newbie guilds... one or two would be cool, the rest not worth knowing about. Don't get me wrong, I just have no faith in humanity, people are sheep, the people who play SWG are no exception, quite the contrairy.

Anyway, sorry if that seemd like a pointless attack, but heck, I guess that's what the post was about.

*Disclaimer*
All of the bellow might (and probably will) offend some people, you have been warned about this before hand, and any complaints will be politely, but deliberately ignored!

... wait... was that supposed to be at the top?... aww what the heck!

Firia wrote:I don't know man,
I was not impressed when I played SWG.
I was itching for AO before long.

Bravo, btw tarryk, Bravo.

You were Ichying to play AO?

I love that stupid joke....

While I'll not be jumping ship from AO, I might give SWG a chance. On how much they antispiated, their bugs and lag was UNEXCUISABLE.

I heard horrendous tales, and this is for a game that was antisipating to have a EQ-sized group join in the first days.

Besides that, while some aspects are nice, it seems more like a pretty AO (Soon) or any other MMORPG.

Besides, Star wars is getting to be a tiresome setting, and I've become preferring the D&D fantasy setting above all (Except for AO).

Really, the player-city idea was my only admired thing, and since so many other MMORPGs are adding it, and until they fix it all up...I'm not going to be fenturing in.

Besides, I've got Neverwinter Nights being my new addiction, a sort of Mini-MMORPG without the pay.

Ichyro wrote:

Firia wrote:I don't know man,
I was not impressed when I played SWG.
I was itching for AO before long.

You were Ichying to play AO?

I love that stupid joke....

har har.

well, I agree with Tarryk.

I'd give you my review of SWG, but I don't think you'd enjoy it. Wait, is that a yes you want to hear it?

/crowd shudders and screams no.

yes? okay... I typed this out and posted it on their forums. I like it myself. copy and paste time batman.

Hello all, lazyimperial here... aka Xavier Akeron. I wrote this about SWG after participating since the beginning of beta 3. I was wondering if you agree or disagree with what I've stated here. I don't know if you can tell me or not, but I thought I'd ask anyway since I've always valued your opinion.

This btw was written today, and the NDA is lifted so I have not violated anything. This is based on observations from the past months of SWG, which is being released in a couple days.

Hi all. Been here since the beginning of beta 3 in hiding, and I thought I'd come out of the shadows before launch.
Now, in regards to SWG I thought I'd state my current outlook on things. You know, the usual opinion thread. I'm going to be pretty broad and group things under general categories, so forgive me if I leave something out of here that I should have mentioned.

1. The land itself and the cities upon it.
- I find the land a mixed bag of joy and mild frustration. In terms of how it looks and feels I say the developers probably achieved what they desired. The land has a natural feel to it, and it really does look organic. The spacecraft fly above cities, the machines and other various things hum (or maybe I imagine that they do), and people stroll about on their business (NPCs that is, human people are most likely camping the shuttles waiting for their ten minutes of boredom to end). Cities feel alive. However, there are some flaws. While the land is beautiful, it is also does not have much variety at times. hours of wandering through Rori forests and you could not tell if you even moved at all from Narmle save for the increase in rivers and the occasional plain or two. Running from one city of Talus to the other offers nothing really exciting other then miscellaneous plains with nothing fun in them. After awhile I personally lost all desire to explore at all. what is the difference from the land around the Yavin 4 outpost here and the land two miles away... nothing. you saw it. done. trees and trees and maybe a sith ruin and then more trees. go watch some twilek entertainers dance, tip, and call it a day. Also, this problem of the land looking the same is magnified ten fold in the cities. At least the hills are a tad less numerous here or there or maybe the random generator of land created some cool opening in a forest. In cities every single building is the same. each starport, each guild hall, each cantina. I know there is not nearly enough time to create different models for each city, but surely there is enough time to make some unique buildings? Take AO for a example. they have the Baboons, the Reet's Retreat, etc. Yeah the general shops are all the same, but at least there is something original to be found. The immersion factor of the game dies the moment you've been to every town in the game and realized they are the same, seperated only by outside textures and the spawn in the city.

2. The Characters and the skills they use.

- The character creation is amazing to say the least. Every single thing can be customized (well, not everything mind you. ). I am still impressed. Far better then AO or Daoc. I salute you for this. Also, the training mission really makes you feel like you are in the SW universe. However, this is all the intro stuff of life in a game. Raising skills and development of characters is the journey most of us love. At first, upon gazing on the many choices, hope grows in your chest at the thought of how cool and unique you can make yourself. One thing must be said though, this is not skill based. SWG is a multi class system replacing levels 1 thru 4 with boxes entitled "intermediate", "advanced", "expert", and "Specialist". Realistically you won't ever be unique. All master marksmen are the same, all scouts are the same, all etc are etc to the bone baby. Even Smugglers and elite professions are cookie cutter with a few spare points to spend here and there. Also, the desire to "level" if you will really wanes after awhile due to the lack of a noticeable skill boost.

Let me go into more detail on this. In other games the desire is to grow powerful. You see the level two hundred soldier shoot something for 6k damage and cry out in joy, dreaming of being so great. You can't group with the higher levels though, so if the population has a lack of new people you are stuck struggling alone which results in frustration and a desire to quit after awhile. However, a skill based game (or multi class level based game) like SWG can have a problem as well. In this case the difference between "two hundred" and "one" is so minimal that it is shameful. Getting to expert carbine user, the only difference between you and someone else is a slightly increased accuracy and some extra special moves. I still feel vulnerable and weak, and now I feel like I've wasted my time. Why did I bother gaining skill? I still can't take on any of the more powerful foes alone and I'm still grouping with Noobs.

Now with crafting this effect is less severe, b/c really you can solo pretty well. You get to the high end tailoring and you can make a lot of clothes, feel some advancement in skill, and with harvesters pumping all day long you can rock.

3. Combat, and kicking butt.

- Combat is fun. Just as much fun as in other games, and does require you to actually be there. You can't just walk away since you must go into the kneel and fire off those leg shot twos. Then again, I have to stay at the screen to fire my burst shots and use my first aid kits in AO so... anyway. Combat is nice and fluid too, and lifelike. Seeing my character fire over his shoulder as he runs away from a enemy is cool. However, since that enemy is the same enemy I was fighting "two levels" ago I'm not very pleased with its coolness sometimes.

The major problem I see with combat is the lack of roles. Yeah yeah yeah, the whiners say "this isn't EQ" and yeah yeah yeah you are right. In EQ and my beloved AO roles add strategy as dedicated people tank, heal, etc. In SWG you don't have that. it is better. people die left and right, you wonder where the heck the healer is and hey there is no dedicated doctor. WHOOPS you are KO. lol. fun. (uh oh, is there sarcasm brewing here regarding combat without roles? hmm. ) The better groups enforce roles and find a person to be the healer and people to be tanks and so on, but a lot of groups just act like stupid mobs. It is infuriating to be left there on the ground KOed since the people in your group can't remember who the doctor is or even if they have a doctor (or maybe they don't even remember you, since they are so desperate to get that 3k xp to level to expert carbine). Still, combat is fun. Just an equal amount of fun as in other games, which is nothing to scoff at.

4. Crafting and the crafters.
- Crafting is as it always has been for me, a chore. Still though, it is a lot more fun then anything I've had to do in UO (though I find AO more fun, but heck I love crafting implants for my soldier so what can I say? ). If you have a harvester or two and you have the time to run delivery missions to fund the harvestor life is good, and it isn't as annoying as I expected it would be. Then again, this isn't my strong point so I don't have much to say about this. sorry, I tried to avoid testing crafting. lol

5. Buying things and the pain involved
- I like the thought of the player economy, but at the moment I don't really see it. All my money is earned doing delivery missions or faction missions, I tip generously to entertainers, and find that they actually give me weapons and armor in return. I have never really had to use the bazarre ever. In fact I find the E bay machine a pain in the butt. I miss the idea of SHOPS. Why players can't put goods in NPCs in the pre built towns and sell to you with those is beyond me, but oh well. Money is a pain to get, since you can only get it doing missions (which I'll get to later) or picking pockets of random npcs with your laser carbine. Also, whatever money I do get is generally eaten by shuttles and transports, never to see another player ever again. Perhaps I'm missing the finer points of this economic system, but so far I don't see how this is better then any other non "player" based system.

6. Missions, the good and the bad.

- a missions, the greatest mixed bag of them all. First I'll say the good things. They are fun sometimes, specifically the factioned ones. There is nothing better then sneaking up on a rebel base in the twilight, slowly pulling one rebel at a time and killing him with leg shot twos. Then blowing up the power core. These are fun. However, they are also rather repetitive after awhile. each base is the same, each spawn really the same, and on and on. Also, what is the deal with the oversensitive imperials? they say "these rebels are plotting some horrible healing operation on thier guys in this location." you run there, and it is three tents, a bacta tank, and a speeder. oooo, sinister. the empire is realy in danger. Regular destroy missions aren't really fun though, so destroying boy scouts is all I have. Go blow up a miscellaneous ant hive in the middle of a jungle. woot woot. go call Orkin, cause I'm too busy partying with twilek dancers to do that. Delivery missions are a decent choice if you don't like ant hive hunting, but the shuttle ten minute waiting period is just ANNOYING. That is the worst time sink ever, and gets my "why bother traveling when I have Ulanaa the female blue twilek and her hot body to watch? I think not." response. Still, there is fun here and the theme parks rock. I loved doing Jabba missions, though I felt like a errand boy running over a square kilometer of sand over and over trying to dodge uber spawn.

7. Dynamic Spawn, woot woot.

- Dynamic spawn, a nice system in theory but lurking underneath the skin is evil... evil... Let me explain with a story of me. Of me running to Restuss and having to take double the time due to being fenced in by spawn. Spawn popping up "randomly" in all three directions but one that causes me to add two minutes to my time. and this fence effect occurs evey minute. I mean come on. stop spawning you animals. watch tv instead for the love of god. lol. Still, it makes for some nice immersion moments such as seeing great tortons by a river, feeding on grass while their child feeds on my head. wait, that wasn't cute after all. oh well, back to the bacta. lol.

Let it not be said that I have too negative a opinion though, cause I don't. This is a great game. Combat is nice, crafting is nice (but come on, couldn't you have made more then 4 or so types of body armor? I mean jeez. ugh. this is the one of the only things that really angers me. bone, chitin, this, or that. talk about a army of clones. I know you had a lot to do, but why not just some cosmetic differences. This armor is all black with grooves and has more this resistence and less this than the bone. You know, clone armors with only comsetic and slight stat differences? ), immersion is very large if you don't think about how all building interiors look the same and how the land outside is pretty much the same wherever you go, and it does feel like SW. When vehicles are added, PVP is more flushed out (I didn't start on factions b/c I don't want to sound bitter, and I won't talk about that area ever ever ever. ), more types of armor and weapons that are decent are added (so we don't all use laser carbines, Ttwenty ones, and DX2s with X armor), and more content is added the game will be great beyond words. Heck, I can't wait for player towns to form in the miscellaneous bland forest and maybe for roads to form imbetween these towns, with some ruins here and there to signify conflicts between the towns (you know, wars that both sides agree on having? consentual PVP? roleplayed conflicts? ah why do I bother. you guys don't want to fight at all. nevermind....). Then this game will truly own.

- And with that my post there was done comrades. That is all I wrote. Most beta testers agreed with me, but I care more about seeing your opinion on this summary.


yeah, I went all out with that review. but by the gods did most people agree with me who weren't blind sheep fanboys. And there is one part that is fake with my thing. In combat (part 3) I said you can't walk away from your screen and expect to survive. That was a lie to look more positive. que up 40 leg shot twos and go cook a pizza. you don't need to be there at all. I just said that to keep from being eaten alive by people saying I was being too negative.

there are movies.
there are games.
there are books.
they have nothing to do with each other.
(the only exception are books to something, sometimes, like shadowrun books (the german versions the english are worse a sh**) and a prophet without honour).

NOTE: Alot of the beta testers said it was bad. Alot of the NON-beta players said it was fun.

And, when it comes to the glitches, remember AO at launch?
I was there. And if you remember it, your monitor hadnt exploded from overflowing with error messages. And, now, as we all now, the game is fun. Who said the same thing wont happen to SWG?

b/c AO had room to grow, a unique plotline, game developers with some actual skill, and love given to it and SWG is just a piece of crud that depends on the name to survive?

And also b/c SWG's core systems are so broken that only a full revamp of the game could make it decent and if they were to do that they might as well just make a new game?

Well some of us like it. If you wanna ruin our time by just pointing out mistakes, errors, problems, etc., then know that I've stopped listening. Some people like the game, some dont. Its a matter of opinion, and everybodys is different.

the sad thing is that I did try to point out good things in that review of mine. I worked my butt off to say positive things, b/c frankly there are very few things to say that are such. I tried to show as much kindness as possible while still showing the flaws.

if you think I am just pointing out flaws and only flaws, maybe you didn't read the review too carefully. no worries.

and also, I'm just fine with you people liking it. the reason I bring up the flaws though is so that you might notice them, others might also feel courage enough to speak up and go against the fanboy sheeps, and maybe something gets changed. until then I'm just wasting my 15 dollars a month since I refuse to play such a boring bland pointless yet pretty game yet I want to keep my account just in case they fix it and give out cool 1 year rewards.

This is getting as bad as political disgussions. ^_^

Tacz wrote:Well some of us like it.

Yup, some people like it. I don't denounce that fact.

If you wanna ruin our time by just pointing out mistakes, errors, problems, etc., then know that I've stopped listening.

Wasn't aware that my opinion was ruining your time in SWG. If it is, there are issues here unrelated to my opinion that you need to sort out for yourself.

Its a matter of opinion, and everybodys is different.

Exactly why threads like this exist. Deal with it, please.

I know *firia*, but oh it can be fun. Don't do this much on the SWG boards (hardly post there now as a matter of fact). All the people I consider the best SWG community members have migrated to other games *coughs and winks at everyone in a egotistical fashion to signify that he considers himself to be among those ranks... at least in his mind's eye*.

Not much complaining there now from us as of late. the fanboys are quick to hassle us to death with the "but it is SW. the fact that it is SW makes the game number 1 no matter how much the gameplay stinks. You SUXXOR" stuff. Besides, most of us don't care. I'm starting to not care myself. slowly winding down after 2 years of dedication and the sweet surprise of lameness that was my reward.

I love editing my post when I leave out words or mis spell btw. woot woot.

...and this is why we LOVE you SOOOOO much, Tarryk

I gotta say.. I've never acctually seen any Star Wars movies with the exception of the new ones, BUT..

as I said in a previous post months ago..

Here is my main reason for not playing.. throw it in the 'community' catagory if you will..

http://files.ausgamers.com:81/media/epi ... .NERDS.wmv

Dun Dun..Dun Da Dun Da Dun..

Tarryk, I aggree with you completely, but this is why a game like Everquest (i know I said the EQ word) or Anarchy Online do so well. yes there is a backstory, but like my character (Zane), you are able to implement yourself into the backstory quite easily even with a simple storyline base (i.e. something like Omni killed my parents or Clan killed my family), and actually create a world of intregue from it (i.e. it was omni personell dressed up as clan to killed the family, and now the person as omni can only turn over to clan feeling betrayed).

But granted, SWG has the same flaws that the Matrix MMPORG is going to have (I'm a Matrix Fanboy so just hear me out). You're set in something already that you cannot change, and you can only be but so many things. Granted in the world of the matrix you have more flexibility (there's an explination for Vampires, and Warewolves, etc, and because you're playing in the current day world... so to speak... you can be just about anything... but only to a limit). This is why these types of games are limited to their value. Lemme add another game to the mix that I'm becomming very interested about, and that's Worlds of Warcraft. Yes there is a back storyline (Orc's VS. Humans), but this game outdoes SWG because if you actually role play it, you can rp it much like you can RP AO.

Now with that said, lemme make a comparison of what SWG is to AO. Imagine someone made an X-Man video game. Say they made is multi player. How many people do you think will actually want to play either Magneto or Wolverene, even if they are NPC's?

Tristalyn wrote:...and this is why we LOVE you SOOOOO much, Tarryk

I gotta say.. I've never acctually seen any Star Wars movies with the exception of the new ones, BUT..

as I said in a previous post months ago..

Here is my main reason for not playing.. throw it in the 'community' catagory if you will..

http://files.ausgamers.com:81/media/epi ... .NERDS.wmv

Dun Dun..Dun Da Dun Da Dun..

LMFAO!!! OMG GOOO SPOCK!!! OMG!!!!

I'm actually enjoying the game more than i expected to.

It REALLY caters to me, who always has a severe case of Alt Itis. I think my main character (Traca Frenan, Starsider for any wondering) has changed total direction 3 times now, and has had at least 6 different professions.

But yeah, Tarryk made some good points too, I cant deny them. Me, I can put the bad behind me and look at the good, for now. Will I be able to later? I dunno. SWG though, is looking like a Love hate experience. Either you are gonna love this game more than anything, or despise it and not want to touch it.