sri, 13. kolovoza '08 u 23:09
So you have decided to give the game another shot, cool.Let me 1st remind you that these are still the SWG Forums, and it is my understanding that the SWG Forums have always been like the Wild West, so you are just going to have to learn to deal with a few bandits here and there.Please do not take any flames personal.It's just Forum-speak for "hello," "welcome back," "Leik OMG where have you been" or "so nice to see you again."
I am Athrias, but I am also known as Nar'Anna (YES, I am a dude with a chick toon, but I'm sure I'm not the only one, and I only share the story witha few people from Radiant), but in VENT people usually refer to me as Nar.I would like take this opportunity to welcome you back to Star Wars Galaxies, in non-Forum speak.
The SWG Galactic Community is still composed of 26 Galaxies
All of the galaxies are not nearly as large now as they once were, but I assure you most galaxies still have passionate and dedicated communities (especially some of the smaller servers).
At first glance a lot of returning players assume that nothing has changed since November of 2005, which was when the NGE was first implemented.Most returning players base this on the fact that traditional social gathering places like Mos Eisley, Theed and the Dantooine Mining Outpost are no longer packed with players on most galaxies.Just because your galaxies lacks a Mos Eisley Cantina that is packed through out most of the day does not mean your galaxy is dead.Everyone is more spread out now because there is so much more stuff to do.All of the servers do not have the populations that they once did, but this game is growing.If you think transferring to a larger galaxy is a sure way improve your game play experience you might want to listen to some advice from Yoda."A Packed Mos Eisley Cantina a vibrant, dynamic and welcoming community it does not always make."
It's All About Content
You are probably saying to yourself, "What could there possibly be left to do in this game that I haven't already done?"
Or perhaps you are one of those types of players that thinks, "There is no content now that could possibly be more engaging and exciting than content that existed during the Pre-NGE period of SWG, so spare me the new content spiel, NAR."
I do not doubt that a lot of the old content was truly amazing, but will trying out the new content hurt you in any way?I am being completely honest with you when I tell you that so much meaningful content has been introduced in the last 18 months that the players of the SWG GLACTIC COMMUNITY no longer stand around Mos Eisley, Theed, CNET, or the DANT Mining Outpost trying to think of something to do.Listed below are brief summaries of some of the new content that has been introduced in the last 18 months.
THE TURNING POINT: The Implementation of NEW and Return of Classic Content
It all started with Chapter 7: A Collection of Heroes and its introduction of the HEROIC ENCOUNTER SYSTEM.These instances are a lot of fun to run, and are way more challenging than any of the previous instances, but you will need players of diverse professions who can work well together in order to complete them.Chapter 7 also introduced the Collection System; there are now hundreds of collections in game.
Chapter 8: The Nova Orion Crisis introduced a significant amount of new space content, such as: Nova Orion Space Theme Park, GUNSHIPS, Naboo N-1 Fighter, awesome Collection rewarded ship components, and the amazing Imperial Star Destroyer Heroic Encounter.
Chapter 9: The Fury of Exar Kun introduced the Exar Kun Heroic Encounter, The ITV Collection and few additional collections.
Chapter 10: The Search for the Meatlump King, which happens to be the latest chapter, introduced the Meatlump Theme Park, Group Pick Up Points and the New Looking for Group Interface, which returning players like yourself should immediately get to know.
Chapter 11, which will probably be introduced some time around late August or early September (if we are lucky) is going to introduce the HOTH Heroic Encounter, which according to the DEVS it will blow all previous classical instances and Current Heroic Encounters out of the water.According to the new producer Dotanuki, "There are going to be things in Hoth that you've not seen before in Star Wars Galaxies."
Additional Content
Profession Expertise Enhancemants
The return a Player Bounty Hunting and an all new PVE Bounty Hunter Collection
The return of "Classic Content" like: Player Camps, foraging, treasure maps, and creature milking.
New Fishing Collections and a Photography Collection that will make you feel like your a National Geographics wildlife photographer (These are some truly outstanding non-combat collections).
The new entertainer "Build a Buff" interface
The Story Teller System is truly an amazing system if you're a fan of player generated sand box content.Story Teller Blue Prints
The new Meatlump, Azure Cabal, Imperial and Rebel theme parks are actually a lot of fun, and yield great XP.
Beast Master Expertise (for all you former creature handlers)
SWG VOICE CHAT
In Game Web Browser (You can know order pizza while playing SWG or head on over to Star Wars Galaxies Wikia if you need help with collections or quests))
Future Content
Star Wars Galaxies Trading Card Game: Champions of the Force
PVE AND PVP GCW Enhancements
Appearance Tab
More outstanding "Heroic Encounters" and perhaps a piloting "Space Heroic"
More non-combat based collections like fishing, crafting, entertaining and photography
More of a focuss on crafted goods over looted goods
More Storyteller props, NPCs, persistent special effects, music and perhaps more dynamic storyteller NPC A.I. control
More Slayer Collections (/begs for Jawa, Ewok and Gungan slayer collections)
Droid Commander
Gardening
Player City Update
So you are still not convinced that this game has more life left? Fine I will try to eliminate more of your doubts by answering some more of your questions.
What you used to love to decorate in this game?Did you know about some of the new decorating abilities, like: Pich, Yaw and Roll?And I bet you did not know that structure traders can now alter the color pallet of most of the classic housing decorations?
Perhaps you used to enjoy crafting guns and armor but now you think that looted stuff has killed crafted guns and armor, right?Well I bet you didn't know about Reverse Engineering, New Crafted Armor or the Munitions Trader update.
Really, you used to love to PVP in the old DAYS?Well I hear there are other servers besides Radiant that still love the PVP component of this game, but none of them do it better than us.Oh by the way, did you know about Star Wars Galaxies - Galactic Civil War Rank and Rewards, the Static Bases, Restuss and the Potential GCW Enhancement Archive?
Did you know that you can now have 2 toons per server, and if you were an elder Jedi you can actually have 3 toons per server?
You accidentally deleted your elder JEDI when the NGE was released, and your still upset that you lost your unlocked slot?Well you can now recover your unlocked slot thanks to Update 5, which makes it possible for you to have 3 toons on your home server.
Conclusion:This is no longer the NGE, the Current DEVS (who I would like to add were not responsible for the NGE) and the proud members of the SWG GALACTIC COMMUNITY have ushered in a new era in this games illustrious history, and most of us would love for you to be apart of it.
Digital Communities
Players that usually fail to make a successful transition back to their home servers are usually players that refuse to see the game and their home communities for what they are today.My advice to you is to check out some of the useful information in your server's Important Thread Index, which can be found in your server's forum.I would also suggest that you join one of your server's currently active player associations or guilds.
Learning to reach out to your HOME communities
The single biggest mistake most returning players make is failing to reach out to their home communities.I guess most people don't know how to do it so I will now explain the proper procedure.
Rule # 1 your first RETURN post should always be in your home server's forum.
Provide a brief summary of who you are, and be sure to include the following information:
-When was the last time you played SWG (during the Pre-CU, CU or Early NGE)
-If you were in a guild please include its name (maybe it or some of its former members are still around)
-If there were people on the server that you used be good friends with list them (perhaps someone from your home server knows them)
-Your reasons for leaving the game (had to serve in Iraq, had to finish college or high school, hated the NGE, CU, or PRE-CU)
MOST IMPORTANTLY answer ALL of the following questions.
1) How often do you play on your server? (Please include Days and at what time [include time zone])
2) What type of activities of are you interested in? (PVP, Questing, High Level Instances, Collections, SPACE, Decorating, Role Playing)
3) What are your toons' faction, profession and combat level?If you are having trouble selecting an expertise template you will find tons of great info in these profession threads.
Rule #2 never post in any forum, especially the Game Play Discussion forum, that your server is dead.
-Most of us take great pride in our server communities and posting on the GPD or in any other forum that your current server is dead is an insult that most of us will not excuse.
-Don't expect much help from anyone on your server if you do this.
-I would also like to add that I will personally flame you so hard that you will still be feeling it when you return to Azeroth, Norrath, Middle Earth, the Matrix, Thestra or Hyboria (AKA HIGH-BORE-YA).
-You have been warned.
If you follow these 2 simple rules you should find a vibrant and welcoming community waiting for you in your home galaxy that is willing to help ease your transition back to SWG.
-If after doing all this you still feel that the game has not improved just make a quiet exit from the game, and know that most of us wish you the best of luck in finding another game to satisfy all your gaming needs.
-If you feel that the game has seen some significant improvements, but you feel that your Home Server's Community is incapable of satisfying your gaming needs, transfer or start a new toon on another server.
Final Thoughts:
None of us doubt that there is a difficult adjustment period that returning veterans go through once they decide to return to this game, but most of the folks that end up transferring or quitting are people that don't know how to reach out to the rest of the community.Never forget that most members of the SWG GALACTIC COMMUNITY are always willing to welcome returning players back with open arms.
I simply had to post this.
Chrome, but this forum works even with Imperial browsers. Droids and Internet Explorer browser forbidden.
