NGE Announcement (November 2, 2005):
Letter to the Community
Greetings Star Wars Galaxies Players, Fans, and Other Denizens of the Galaxy:
My name is Julio Torres and I am the Producer on Star Wars Galaxies for LucasArts. We wanted you, the great members of the Galaxies community, to be the first to hear some exciting news about the current and future plans for Star Wars Galaxies!
Over the past year we have been working hard to respond to feedback we have gotten from players, fans, focus groups, and other research. This feedback has ultimately centered on one key area: the game does not feel like a heroic Star Wars experience. Currently, the early game has a steep learning curve and there is no clearly defined path of advancement or adventure. Many of our fans who bought the game did not see enough Star Wars style action early-on and ultimately left our world. It is our goal to change this and improve the experience for all players.
We are introducing a series of game enhancements to Star Wars Galaxies this month that include both significant enhancements to the live game as well as a completely redesigned experience for new players. The primary areas of focus include combat and profession and character development. The combat depicted in the Star Wars films, fiction, and canon that we have all come to know and love is fast-paced, action-packed, and visually intense. In order to stay true to the Star Wars fiction as well as to make the combat system more engaging, we have shifted the turn-based paradigm towards a much more engaging fast-action combat system where you control every move! After receiving feedback from members of the community, conducting extensive focus tests, and evaluating the combat systems of other games in the genre, we are confident this new fast-action combat truly delivers what players, fans, and gamers have come to expect from a Star Wars experience.
As mentioned earlier, combat is not the only area where we decided to focus our improvement efforts. We have also improved and brought more clarity to the profession and character development system.
Changing a live game is never easy. We realize that players do not like to have their experience altered. These enhancements will take some getting used to and for that reason we lined-up some incentives for the current players to enjoy as our thanks for your loyalty to our game.
We value our community and want you to stay with us. Our goal is to continuously improve the Star Wars experience, the one we all know and love from the films and fiction; action-packed, story-driven, Star Wars fun. With these features and enhancements we are setting the stage for incredible things to come for Galaxies with more announcements happening in the coming months.
I'd like to thank you all for your continued support of Star Wars Galaxies and for making it one of the premier gaming experiences online today.
May The Force Be With You,
Julio Torres, Producer - LucasArts
NGE Publish Notes
Publish 25 - Update Notes
Introduction
Publish 25 brings us all some exciting new game enhancements. For quite some time we have heard that our game is not delivering on the promise of a true Star Wars adventure. The enhancements premiering in Publish 25 take our game to an all new level of Star Wars style action making our game play experience feel more like the films and fiction; exciting, story-driven, Star Wars fun. The game plays more like a fast-paced, action-packed Star Wars adventure.
Recently our Producer, Julio Torres, posted his thoughts on these enhancements and gave insight into the thinking that drove this development. You can read about it here.
If you are looking for a guide on how to respec your character , click here.
Enjoy the new adventure that lies ahead. May the Force be with you!
New Fast-Action Combat
Combat is now more action-oriented and feels like the action-packed combat depicted in the Star Wars movies - the new system is about 4 times faster than the current combat interaction. Movement speeds are fast and weapons fire at incredibly high rates of speed. These high rates of speed for movement and combat bring the Star Wars Galaxies combat experience to life and put players in control of every move and swing of a weapon.
However, ranged combat is not the only way to enjoy this great feature - melee combatants will also attack in similar fashion using the same keyboard and mouse functionality.
Introducing 9 New Iconic Professions - Live the Saga!
Each profession is based on several of the most popular Star Wars characters, giving players the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of their favorite Star Wars heroes... or villains. Developing a character in the chosen profession is still based on story-driven adventuring, questing, and acquiring new skills.
1. Bounty Hunter = Boba Fett
Bounty Hunters chase the worst foes in the galaxy. You will learn to use whatever dirty tricks you must to bring your prey down. When someone needs an enemy taken care of, they hire Bounty Hunters to do their dirty work. Tracking down and eliminating people are what Bounty Hunters do best. As a Bounty Hunter, you must learn the tricks of ambush and assault so your prey does not escape.
General Skills:
Ranged Combat
Bounty Hunting
Melee Combat
Capture Techniques
2. Commando = Commander Cody
Need an AT-ST destroyed? Call a Commando! Need a base blown up? The Commando is the one for you! A true combat specialist, the Commando uses heavy weaponry and demolitions to break through resistance. Whether you prefer to get in close or fight at range, Commandos wreak havoc with their powerful weapons.
General Skills:
Heavy Weapons Combat
Melee Combat
Grenades
Demolitions Techniques
3. Entertainer = Ayy Vida
What cantina would be complete without a stellar band on stage and a dancer or two gyrating to the music? All the fame of top musicians and dancers can be yours! Top entertainers can inspire people to do their best, allow them to relax and enjoy a drink at the bar, or give them an internal rhythm to follow throughout their day.
General Skills:
Dancing
Musicianship
Image Design
4. Jedi = Luke Skywalker
Jedi are Force Sensitive beings that can use their Force powers to over-come and control their enemies and can master the art of fighting with a lightsaber. Force Sensitive individuals feel a connection to the energy that surrounds all living things and binds the galaxy together.
General Skills:
Lightsaber Combat
Force Powers
Block Blaster Bolts
Force Lightning
5. Medic = 2-1B
Medics use the powerful healing properties of bacta to keep others alive before, during and after combat. Their remarkable knowledge of anatomy and medicines allow them to counter the detrimental effects of toxins, diseases, and vertigo. The nature of war dictates that Medics also know how to fight. Some medics use their medicinal knowledge to poison or disease while others fight with blasters.
General Skills:
Ranged Combat
Healing - the only Profession that can heal other players
Poisons and Diseases
Revive
6. Officer = Princess Leia
Do you think you have what it takes to be an Officer? Can you handle the responsibility of other people's lives? Are you calm in a crisis? Every army needs good leaders to organize the troops and help them perform at their peak! Whether Imperial or Alliance , if you want to be an officer, you will learn how to lead a squad and how to fight. You will keep your squad alive, no matter how hostile the terrain.
General Skills:
Ranged Combat
Group Buffs
Sniper Techniques
Indirect Fire
Resupply
7. Smuggler = Han Solo
Smugglers make their living dealing with the scum and villainy of the galaxy. While moving stolen goods, having a blaster at your side and knowing how to get out of sticky situations will keep you alive. Smugglers can fight without weapons as easily as with a pistol. Who knows when a cantina disagreement will get ugly? With the Smuggler's clientele, you would be wise to know how and when to fight dirty.
General Skills:
Melee Combat
Ranged Combat
Dirty Tricks Techniques
Fence Goods
8. Spy = Leia as Bounty Hunter Boussh
Some operatives favor subtlety over grandiose pistol-waving intimidation. Spies use their training to blend in with a crowd, sneaking up quietly on targets to accomplish their missions. As they are often on their own, Spies have a rudimentary knowledge of first aid to keep themselves alive.
General Skills:
Ranged Combat
Stealth and Sneak
Assassinate
Stealing
9. Trader = Lando Calrissian
A noble profession for those that like to work with their hands, Traders craft items and then sell what they craft to eager folks that need items that they make. Credits can flow into a shrewd Trader's hands if they follow the desires of the market. Traders tend to specialize in one of four fields: Domestic Goods, Structures, Munitions, or Engineering.
Update Notes November 19th, 2005
Version 0.142762
Experience Points
Widened the level ranges for allowable experience points so that players can hunt a wider range of NPCs and creatures for their level.
GCW: New Galactic Civil War Point System
In this publish, we are adding a new Galactic Civil War Point System. Both Rebels and Imperials can earn Planetary Control Points for their side in the war by killing both Rebel and Imperial NPCs and factionally declared players.
Standings in the Galactic Civil War will now be based on the total amount of planetary control points your side has in the war for each of the current planets under contention. The planets on which you can earn points for your side in the war are Corellia , Naboo and Tatooine . Again, each of these three planets will have a different point total.
GCW: Gaining and Losing Points in the War
You must be declared Special Forces to earn these points.
Killing 25 NPC Rebels and Imperials will earn your side 1 point for the planet you are fighting on.
Each factioned player (Rebel and Imperial) you kill will earn your side 1 point for the planet you are fighting on.
The point scores for each planet will decay an unrevealed percentage every day, so you will need to remain active in the war to maintain the standings for your chosen side.
GCW: Checking the Planetary Control Score
There are "News Net" Terminals placed in Starports on Corellia, Naboo and Tatooine that players can use to determine who is winning the war on the planet they are currently on. Rebels and Imperials can to determine the actual score by speaking with a Faction Recruiter.
GCW
Spawns for Faction Bases are going to be temporarily disabled while we revaluate their overall role in the Galactic Civil War
Loot
Fixed an issue that prevented looting while in a group. You will also no longer be receiving the message, "You cannot loot that item because your inventory is full".
New Player Tutorial
Added friend finder terminal into station gamma.
Profession Respec
Fixed an issue that prevented characters from earning experience points (XP) after using the Profession Respec Device.
Fixed an issue that prevented a character from getting the profession reward item associated with the last skill box earned when using a respec device.
Quests
Fixed an issue that allowed Force Sensitive Village quest events to occur. The old man will no longer make his visits.
User Interface
The "Lots Remaining" description has been restored to the personal section of the Character Sheet.
HAM Bar tool tips have been updated to display actual points and not percentages.
The Profession selection window for profession respecs now covers the screen in all resolutions.
Inventory windows should remember settings correctly (size, location, examine info, and avatar display).
Update Notes November 23rd, 2005
Version 0.142954
Art
Improved many animations for NPCs and players while they are in motion.
Combat
Running now gives you a 50% chance to be missed by an NPC using a ranged weapon (Up from 25%).
Profession: Jedi
Decreased the cool-down time for Force Run.
Increased the duration for Force Run.
Increased the duration of Force Throw snares.
Profession: Medic
Executing the Nutrient Injection ability or any of the Heal-over-Time commands without a target should now target the Medic.
Quests
Reduced the experience point rewards for Mustafar hunting quests.
Jabba's Palace quests will now properly award experience points (XP) for the quests.
If you deleted your Bactapack or Slitherhorn on Tansarii Point Station and cannot complete your quest, the quest giver will now give you a new quest.
User Interface
Chat is now modal. Any time you want to chat, hit ENTER to begin chatting.
Double-clicking on a vehicle deed will now generate the vehicle.
Fixed the incorrect cursor that was being displayed for generating and storing vehicles or pets.
Fixed the incorrect cursor that was being displayed for activating and deactivating waypoints via the Datapad.
Fixed an issue where a rapid accumulation of fly-text would cause it to be pushed down on the screen.
The new player tutorial continuation screen displays in the proper location at all resolutions.
Veteran Rewards
Those players which should have been granted the Elder Buff, but were not, will now properly be granted the elder buff when they login.
Update Notes December 1, 2005
Version 0.143236
Headlines!
Jedi have more protection with this update!
All creatures and NPCs over level 21 have been balanced for fun combat.
All special abilities that are snares have been fixed!
Melee combat improved!
Weakness Timer reduced!
Read all about it!
Character Creation
If you create a new character with a name that is already being used, you will no longer be switched back to the beginning character creation screen. You should be able to pick a new name and continue normally.
Combat
All creatures and NPCs level 21 and up have had their difficulty reduced.
Fixed all snares (snares are special abilities).
The duration for the weakness timer was reduced from 2.5 minutes to 1 minute. If you are incapacitated a second time in less than 1 minute, you will be cloned.
Melee attacks will hit more frequently against moving creatures and NPCs.
Melee combat speed for respec'd characters should be improved.
Profession: Jedi
Added Force Protection to Jedi Robes/Cloaks. This will provide protection for Jedi based on the level requirement of the item. Force Protection numerical values are found on the Character sheet once the object is equipped.
Added various new Jedi Robes to provide Protection from levels 40-80, Happy Hunting!
The "Two Handed" Force Throw special ability should work correctly.
Quests
The RSF mainframe quest can now be completed.
The legacy quest, "Jabba's Dirty Work" will now give you the proper waypoint to complete the quest.
The legacy quest, "Digital Infection" will now give you better information on how to upload the virus during the quest.
The "Activating the Terminal" quest will no longer award experience points.
Server Stability Enhancements
Improved some lag and over-spawning issues.
User Interface
The class icon for the HAM bar has been corrected to display the proper profession icon.
Veteran Rewards
The exclusive veteran reward, "Favor of the Elders" will no longer be granted to new players. It will only be granted to characters that were created before publish 25.
Update Notes December 7th, 2005
Combat
Added a "Shoot-Through-Friendlies" Functionality for combat targeting . This should improve your play experience when fighting in a group, both for combat and for healing.
GCW
Faction Bases may now be entered by enemy faction members, even with active turrets.
Faction Bases will no longer spawn NPCs when a terminal is disabled.
Quests
Experience Points for quests up to level 20 have been increased.
When earning experience points from quests, you can only earn up to 50% of the total number of experience points needed to reach the next level. For example, it will always take at least 2 quests to earn 1 combat level.
Jabba's Palace/Bib Fortuna: Romo Vax will now spawn with the correct name. Finding him near the Sennex bunker during the quest will be much easier now.
Jabba's Palace/Bib Fortuna: We have increased the availability of Romo Vax. This should also make Romo Vax easier to find.
Bug Hunt Quest: The waypoints to infested areas will now be properly given during the quest.
Mayor Mikdanyell's quests to visit Purvis, Paewp and Entha have been changed to include a final visit to the NPC. This will help everyone find the next leg of the quest.
User Interface
Pressing the ESC key will clear your target box. This simply clears what you have targeted. If you are "moused over" a target, you will re-target the Object, Creature or NPC. Also, pressing the ESC key will only clear your target, not end combat.
Corrected the mouse-mode toggling on the Character Sheet. Closing the Character Sheet will no longer close all other screens, such as your inventory screen.
Double Experience Points! - Extended!
As thanks to our loyal fans, we will be having a Double XP week!
From the December 7th to morning of Thursday, December 15th, everyone will be getting double experience point gains!
Happy Hunting!