Housing Market Goes Bust, Homes/Buildings To Be Demolished In Far, Far Away Galaxy
Thanks to the runaway success of Blizzard's World of Warcraft, many people have left their 'other' virtual homes in various MMORPGs in favor of moving into Azeroth. As a result, the housing market has gone bust, and in Star Wars: Galaxies, that has created many a condemned building throughout its cities and areas. You may remember that SW: Galaxies allowed players to create shops, homes, etc in cities around the game, but now many of these structures are abandoned. So, to rid its cities of this blight, Sony Online Entertainment seeks to bring the wrecking ball to so-called 'condemned' buildings via a so-called pack-up program set to take place on June 5, 2007. This will effectively make this, as some put it, barren game more true to that description. However, the news isn't all bad. Those still residing in Star Wars: Galaxies will be able to help out! Observe:
An abandoned structure will then be subject to demolition by your fellow citizens. Citizens will be rewarded for each structure demolished... For each successful destruction of an abandoned structure, you will receive one reward point. Reward points are redeemable at the Luck Despot for cool in-game items that you can use to decorate your own structures.
Might this help to bring back any players? Well, after several changes, including a massive overhaul to the core game with little success, I doubt it. Though despite laying waste to a vast number of buildings, some routine housecleaning may be good for everyone. Still, I believe this game simply needs to be put out to pasture and remembered for what it could have been. ...or maybe I'm just a bit tired of MMORPGs, myself. I, along with a few friends of mine, put to rest our characters in WoW earlier this month. The feeling amongst us all? Good. Anyways, the building demolition made for a funny story, what are your feelings about this? Do any of you still play it?
Star Wars Galaxies: demolishing houses far, far away [Opposable Thumbs]
[Thanks, Jimmy!]
Super Timsy
Posted to Hot Stuff, Video Games on 23 April 2007
· Comments (4)
Other stuff like this: MMORPG, PC, Sony Online Entertainment, Star Wars Galaxies
that's the problem with MMORPGs, they might have a good run, but eventually, they WILL die out, it's inevitable. So, i guess it's time to say good bye to Star Wars: Galaxies... but just remember, eventually all MMOs will die out... including WoW....
My boyfriend and I played SWG when it first came out.
I have never played anything like that. So many varried things you could do. Honestly if they had just had a better combat system it could have done really well. The other areas of the game were basically a Star Wars Sims which who wouldn't have wanted to play that if at the same time they could go out and be han solo or boba fett?
Sadly the Jedi came and the various attempts to fix classes that were NEVER fixed to usefulness (like Squad Commanders)
Eh well maybe they'll give it another shot some day but keep the crafting/housing/entertainer aspects.
I've gotten bored of WoW several times since it's launch. I've always gone back after a break. WoW isn't a perfect game, or even a great one, it's just very very good. Arguably the best MMO to be created to date.
To play continuously for several years and then suddenly vow that you're leaving the game forever is to miss the whole point of MMO's. They are meant to be an organic play model, flowing and ebbing naturally as your interest changes from aspect to aspect.
I suppose your problem, ironically, was that you were playing with your friends. This doesn't really allow for individual breaks, since you're playing on a social model rather than exploring the game individually. When you're playing in a social group, your experience is locked into the group, you feel lonely whenever you're doing something out of step with your friends. Your friends limit your possible decisions, and limit the modes of play that are enjoyable to you.
So friends are both a boon and a bane. It's good to have friends in game, but it's bad to be in lockstep with the collective.
MMO's are just getting started. The market is just waiting for the next great concept.
What happened with the Star Wars MMO is what has happened to every Star Wars enterprise for the last 10 years. There are no independent thinkers working for LucasFilm any more than there are at Microsoft. They're simply re-purposing their same old tired ideas.
Can you imagine Blizzard putting it's considerable talents to the Star Trek universe WITH some fresh storytellers at their side? Or a mystery/detective MMO where advancement was based on increasing investigative skills, problem solving abilities, and just plain pounding the pavement?
I'm sure there're companies forming even now that will build a better WoW mouse trap (minus the repetitiveness). That's the great thing about the USA - nobody comes up with compelling ideas like we do...