SWG = To buy or NOT to buy>>>?

Xanupox · Post by **Xanupox** » June 26, 2003, 12:45 pm

Post what you know about SWG, I was in the Beta for over 6 months and will provide the following:

Bad: Scripted combat, Overdependancies on other players to heal, Very Weak combat skill tree system that has no real affect on combat abilities.

Good: Graphics, Sounds, authentic Star Wars names and characters, complicated crafting system.

Im still at a toss up on the whole cloning/insurance thing. Usually it was stupid to pay for insurance in Beta because it almost cost you every penny you had. It was easy enough to just run back to your corpse and loot it, never had an issue where I could not get back to it. Cloning was also stupid as it limited you to where you could spawn. I never cloned, if you never clone you can always spawn at the nearest cloning facility. Not sure if this bug was intended or fixed, but if you never cloned not sure they can really do much about it.

The penalty of death is losing exp passively. That is you are having to spend time running from the nearest clone facility back to your corpse, wherever that may be. In the time it takes to get that done, you could have been killing mindless cows for exp to level up in a skill tree that gives you the abilty to get yourself killed faster, by using abilities that drain your life points. NICE heh.

Overall this game is relying on 'eyecandy' to sell, along with the name itself. Hell toss Star Wars on a pile of shit and some people will buy it because its 'Star Wars Shit".

I played an eyecandy game back in November/December called Asherons Call 2, it lasted around 2 months then everyone I knew that played just stopped. No end game, no core content.

Of course Star Wars has a lot of potential, but right now I see it as just an eye candy game that is gonna make a hell of a lot of money from just its name.

My verdict on this one is to save your money or buy a copy of Planetside.

Xanupox

noel · Post by **noel** » June 26, 2003, 12:51 pm

I don't recommend buying SWG, for reasons you touched on, and I don't plan to purchase it unless a few of my friends push me really hard. I see SWG as UO with a Star Wars skin, and frankly that's not enough to get me to buy it.

As far as Planetside goes, I'd recommend buying it, but I don't think it's a game you can play hard core every night like you can with EQ, AO, DAoC, etc. I vastly prefer twitch games to autoattack games, but I see Planetside as the infancy of a genre, and I look forward to new and exciting things down the road.

miir · Post by **miir** » June 26, 2003, 1:18 pm

If you want a game with depth in combat, go for planetside.
If you're into crafting and socializing, go for SWG.

Combat is the weakest aspect of SWG.
Tradeskills is the strongest.

Kilmoll the Sexy · Post by **Kilmoll the Sexy** » June 26, 2003, 1:32 pm

Planetside is a great game, but you really would get burnt playing it like you would EQ. I can already see that they need to expand out with 2 or 3 continents with no Sanc gates attached to them and up the population limits on the continents. It is too limiting when people can't even pass through. The most fun for me is the fighting on the continents that are not providing that direct feed from a zerging empire. You actually see people using some thought as to getting AMS out in a good location and taking and defending key towers there. Everywhere else, it is just waves of people coming nonstop.

Zamtuk · Post by **Zamtuk** » June 26, 2003, 1:40 pm

The first sanc lattice in beta was the fucking own. Cyssor was always a key continent. Hell I spent the better part of my beta there.

Melrin_Specclaster · Post by **Melrin_Specclaster** » June 26, 2003, 2:00 pm

I wouldnt buy it (at least for first 3-6 months) because of all the games that have come out lately, I've seen by FAR the most complaints and flames about it. I like the Star Wars movies, but because they are ok movies (4th one I thought sucked pretty bad), not because I'm into Star Wars.

Pyronius Flamebringer · Post by **Pyronius Flamebringer** » July 1, 2003, 10:35 am

I got Star Wars Galaxies and I think its great...combat is a bit hazey I agree...

Definatly needs to have the features they have planned implemented soon...also will be nice when the economy is up and running...

Personally Im looking forward to the Player Rebel VS Player Imperial element that will come out once people get going...

Right now I play as Calais on Kettelmoor if anyone else is going to play stop by and say hi!

Planetside was pretty fun but it needs more...I agree they will have to do heavy expansions to keep it going.

Cotto · Post by **Cotto** » July 1, 2003, 11:37 am

there are no barge poles big enough to express my feelings for this game.

Xyun · Post by **Xyun** » July 1, 2003, 12:08 pm

I am playing the game now.

The combat is no worse than EQ. I am still trying to adjust to the loot situation (or lack thereof). If I had never played EQ I would be horribly addicted to this game. Having played EQ I'm just slightly addicted.

I play on the Ahazi server as Xyun. I'm currently on Naboo if anyone wants to hook up a group or something.

Xanupox · Post by **Xanupox** » July 1, 2003, 12:50 pm

Dont get me wrong. Those that did not Beta test will most likely ENJOY this game for a short period of time.

Not having had to deal with all the messed up beta patches, the downtime, the 'old ways' come classes were before 'nerfs or enhancements' hit them.

I enjoyed the Beta for probably around 2 months, then I realized just what this game was. I will not spoil it for you, but I would not plan on this game being another EQ. The mechanics are just not there for more than one squad of people to play together.

There is zero endgame or high end content, there will never be any 'boss or uber' mobs, such as you see in EQ... and in EQ is it not those types of mobs that keep us playing the game?

No special loots, you make your own loot, or buy it from players... and did I mention... EVERYTHING decays. You WILL be constantly searching for items all your game life to replace what you have.

In Beta combat was not scaled properly. The way EXP was handled was horrid. When I stoppped playing it was better to SOLO and just go out with 4-5 people all SOLOING and all of you shoot an enemy. This way you will all get full exp from the monster or animal, whatever it was you killled. Had you been in a group, then the total exp would be divided up evenly between you all. I am sure this bug still exists as they were never able to erradicate it during beta.

The graphics and sounds are lovely, but only after so long can you stand the mundane combat abilities of the NPCs. Wait until you are a Master Marksman, this may take you weeks depending on how they have scaled EXP. Then you have all your nice weapon skills, you purchase a T-21 long range rifle that hits for 400-500 dmg a hit. You get 65 meters out, lay prone and target NPCs, to fire one shot kills. Sounds FUN humm! Yeah, its fun, then becomes boring as hell.

It gets really fun, when you are PvP and the T-21 hits you from who knows where, and you take 30 shockwounds/battle damage per hit. One PVP encounter leads you back to town and hunting an entertainer 'bot' that someone has dancing in a bar at 4AM.

Like I said above, fancy graphics, cool sounds, original music, authentic Star Wars universe names.... not enough to get me to purchase it and pay 15$ a month.

Xyun · Post by **Xyun** » July 1, 2003, 1:08 pm

You're a skipping record. To think that you fully understand all the mechanics of an MMO after having spent only 2 months playing in beta is ignorant. I know that I barely understood EQ when I was 4 or 5 months into it. You may be right about some of the bad things, but I know that I could nitpick through any game you introduce to me. I could sit here and list all the good things about the game, but it would be of no consequence because the glass is empty in your mind. So my advice is quit pissin in the punch and go the fuck away you fucking reject.

Pyronius Flamebringer · Post by **Pyronius Flamebringer** » July 2, 2003, 2:55 am

PVP??.........

Topper · Post by **Topper** » July 2, 2003, 2:43 pm

Xanupox wrote:Dont get me wrong. Those that did not Beta test will most likely ENJOY this game for a short period of time.

Not having had to deal with all the messed up beta patches, the downtime, the 'old ways' come classes were before 'nerfs or enhancements' hit them.

I enjoyed the Beta for probably around 2 months, then I realized just what this game was. I will not spoil it for you, but I would not plan on this game being another EQ. The mechanics are just not there for more than one squad of people to play together.

There is zero endgame or high end content, there will never be any 'boss or uber' mobs, such as you see in EQ... and in EQ is it not those types of mobs that keep us playing the game?

No special loots, you make your own loot, or buy it from players... and did I mention... EVERYTHING decays. You WILL be constantly searching for items all your game life to replace what you have.

In Beta combat was not scaled properly. The way EXP was handled was horrid. When I stoppped playing it was better to SOLO and just go out with 4-5 people all SOLOING and all of you shoot an enemy. This way you will all get full exp from the monster or animal, whatever it was you killled. Had you been in a group, then the total exp would be divided up evenly between you all. I am sure this bug still exists as they were never able to erradicate it during beta.

The graphics and sounds are lovely, but only after so long can you stand the mundane combat abilities of the NPCs. Wait until you are a Master Marksman, this may take you weeks depending on how they have scaled EXP. Then you have all your nice weapon skills, you purchase a T-21 long range rifle that hits for 400-500 dmg a hit. You get 65 meters out, lay prone and target NPCs, to fire one shot kills. Sounds FUN humm! Yeah, its fun, then becomes boring as hell.

It gets really fun, when you are PvP and the T-21 hits you from who knows where, and you take 30 shockwounds/battle damage per hit. One PVP encounter leads you back to town and hunting an entertainer 'bot' that someone has dancing in a bar at 4AM.

Like I said above, fancy graphics, cool sounds, original music, authentic Star Wars universe names.... not enough to get me to purchase it and pay 15$ a month.

Xanupox, the 'high content' is obtained through doing 20 man group quests.

Other than that, xanupox has it all down.

Xanupox · Post by **Xanupox** » July 2, 2003, 11:54 pm

Xyun wrote:You're a skipping record. To think that you fully understand all the mechanics of an MMO after having spent only 2 months playing in beta is ignorant. I know that I barely understood EQ when I was 4 or 5 months into it. You may be right about some of the bad things, but I know that I could nitpick through any game you introduce to me. I could sit here and list all the good things about the game, but it would be of no consequence because the glass is empty in your mind. So my advice is quit pissin in the punch and go the fuck away you fucking reject.

First of all, you are a simplton HATER. I could care less about what you say, except for the fact you speak ill truths. I beta tested SWG from December 02- June 03, over 6 months. I 'enjoyed' the game for maybe the first 2 months, then just tested it to test it after that... the fun was gone... but it was beta. I was there to help make it 'fun'.

I am not nitpicking on anythingbad about SWG, the game just sucks. Its a underdeveloped 3D pack of OOOHS and AHHHHS, that has people flocking unknowingly to the game stores to purchase. If I convince one person not to buy it, then I did my job as a beta tester and reporter of poor products.

So for you, Xyun, go out and buy 100 copies... the rest of you take it as you will.

Skunki · Post by **Skunki** » July 3, 2003, 3:49 am

in other words what Xanupox is saying is that there is no cleric epic to steamroll!

heh someone had to do it!

Boogahz · Post by **Boogahz** » July 6, 2003, 10:47 pm

After my trip to Garland to stay with my girlfriend's family, I will have to be buying it soon. It sucks though because she is basically telling me not to while her two brothers tell me to....

Maybe I can get my second comp upgraded enough to run it too, that way we can play together like I did with DAoC which she became addicted to.

Pyronius Flamebringer · Post by **Pyronius Flamebringer** » July 7, 2003, 10:44 am

Well I've been pretty much playing it Day in and Day out for over a week now and I think its a good game. As far as it not having as much content as EQ and not a well oiled balanced machine....well its an MMORPG...how many do any of you know that has been 100% on the ball at release...
EQ has been through five expansions...so if your looking for the same amount of content and "perfected" glameplay immediatly in the game you won't find it right now.

I think once the player economy gets well established and cities start to form....and the PvP element gets hotter things will be fricken awesome.

Fattyfat · Post by **Fattyfat** » July 8, 2003, 1:12 pm

i've played for 2 days now, and i'm having quite a bit of fun. the XP system that X spoke of has been changed completely, now you get exp based on the amount of damage you do to 'any' mob even if you don't get to loot it. I enjoy the skill-tree system, reminds me of a cross between uo/diablo. You basically start out with 250 skill points and you can spend these to buy skills in the game. But the catch is that many skills also cost experience points. These points you can gain by doing different things for example: combat experience is given anytime you do combat, 2-handed melee exp comes with the use of a 2h axe, rifle exp comes with use of a rifle, scouting experience comes with harvesting resources off the corpses of mobs you kill etc. You spend skill points + exp points to receive skills and thus unlock more professions later on (like bounty hunter, smuggler, etc).

They have forced the need for an almost entirely player based economy in the game and i'm completely for it. So far it has worked out great, you get a real sense of accomplishment after going out into the field (provided you are combat-based) and harvesting hide/bones/meat from shit you kill as you take it back and sell it in the bazaar to players who need it for cooking/tailoring/armorsmithing. Everything I have aquired so far has a use in the game and a demand from the player-base. You also have to depend on other players to get supplies and equipment. There are no vendors selling anything, its all player-made, including blue-prints for houses.

I see a definite use for almost all of the professions, even teh dancers/musicians. I need them all to be what I want to be.