Star Wars Galaxies interview on player-created content
by Eliot Lefebvre 
Oct 17th 2009 at 10:00AM
Filed under: Sci-fi, Game mechanics, Interviews, News items, Star Wars Galaxies
There's been no shortage of buzz about Star Wars: the Old Republic, but it's good to remember that there is another game in the same universe that's several years older... albeit set many thousands of years later in the timeline. Star Wars Galaxies is about to make the jump that several other recent games have tried and are allowing player-created content to enter the gameworld, opening the doors for would-be quest and dungeon designers to craft their own stories. MMORPG.com recently interviewed producer Tony Tyson regarding the upcoming "Chronicles" system, resulting in a groundswell of new information about the content and how it would be generated.
The basic building block of these player-generated quests are known as "relics", which contain information relating to enemies, objectives, and so forth. Relics can be looted from kills, crafted, sold, and similarly passed around, with no "required" path to get them. Answering a question that everyone was thinking after the difficulties other games have had, the enemies in a player-built quest will give experience, but the experience generated for both the enemies and the quest will be entirely based upon the elements used and not in the hands of the creator in any way. There's a fair bit to digest in terms of what the implications will be for the future of the game, so take a look at the interview and see what's coming for Star Wars Galaxies when the system goes live.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
alchemda said on 10:28AM 10-17-2009
Score!! I love player created content. Bah! this makes me want to get back into SWG, curse you SOE!
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Mehri said on 12:22PM 10-17-2009
For your information:
Update 13: Chronicle Master - online since beginning of Oct.
Update 14: Death Troopers - online since 14. Oct.
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Pingles said on 12:37PM 10-17-2009
I assumed that Star Wars Galaxies was some kind of destroyed travesty by all of the comments that come up every time it's mentioned.
How is the game nowadays? Worth trying out or is it just going through a slow death?
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Ekkodal said on 1:23PM 10-17-2009
I am a vet that was very angry and frustrated about the changes made when SOE launched NGE and I almost left it in tears for what they had done and never looked back
Due to server merge, I decided to try the game today as it promised more populated servers. To my surprise, the game is actually very good today.
Most of the "sandbox" elements are still there. And thanks to the expertise system (skill trees) much of the old class mechanics are back and in many ways it feels better. You can even respec now (say you are a entertainer and would like to try combat. If you want to go back to entertainer it remembers your level and vice versa. So no need to grind a class from bottom up again if you have already been there.
Community is as good as always. And its still Star Wars ! :) I found my return pleasant and for first time since 2005 I am actually looking forward to come home from work and log into the game.
I would not hesitate to recommend all vets (and people who have never played it). To try it out.
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Aoide said on 1:32PM 10-17-2009
My only question is will this 'User Created Content' idea backfire on SOE as badly as the AE/MA system for City of Heroes did for NCSoft?
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RogueJedi86 said on 2:58PM 10-17-2009
Doubt it, because SWG has been focused on player content for years, since they put in player housing just after launch at least. From what I hear, it'd hit a big slump since PEX quit/was fired(not sure which), since he was the one who arranged player events on most servers, and it seems he hasn't gotten a replacement to handle player events. It does seem like they spawn rogue AT-ATs a bunch though, which most players fan out to find and destroy.
SWG is filled with a crowd who like to roleplay and arrange player events, so player events aren't some strange concept for players.
wufiavelli said on 12:14AM 10-18-2009
3 games i am sorry i missed their prime when it comes to MMO
Wish beta
SWG Pre CU
and DAOC
if they released a Pre CU server a long with player created content i would be all in.
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Lateris said on 3:46PM 10-17-2009
Pex was transferred to another game that is in development.I think it is the DC game
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Pingles said on 3:50PM 10-17-2009
I haven't played in a while but Pex was arranging community events in Free Realms a month or two ago.
mpdivo said on 5:10PM 10-17-2009
I remember when they experimented with purchasing NPCs that talked for player quest.
Griefers quickly took advantage of it by naming the NPCs as their real player victim and having it say all sorts of awful stuff.
Of course you could always get the droid to do that - but for some reason, being able to dress up these NPCs just like the player it was impersonating was too much for SOE who pulled the plug.
I thought the whole thing was more entertaining than any player run adventures.
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Nerolus said on 7:38PM 10-18-2009
SOE ruined this game. Until there is an update that will turn it back the way it was before the ripped the rug out of their fanbase for no reason whatsoever - fuck them.
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