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Reader Comments (6)

Posted: Nov 28th 2008 11:58AM Mr Angry said

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Here's the thing SOE.....

With SWG you've put players through so much shit, the ones you have got left are very very patient people.

Then you release an 'expansion' to a card game they never really ever paid their subs for as great new content, THEN you fleece them for digital cards so they can just about compete in it!

To release an 'expansion' for the card game is particularly mercenary given that there are no plans for an expansion to the game people have paid for (or they haven't ever told anyone about his).

While it might be 'good business' it's a rip off plain and simple and I hope the share holders can look beyond the bottom line when assessing how well a company is doing. I hope players see it for what it is, an opportunity to buy the loot items that should be pass onto them anyway, given updates are so scarce.

I imagine they'll 'reannounce' that pretty shoddy looking xpac soon enough after everyone has forgotten about it, I'm not sure where the video went :)

Before I was hoping that SWToR would be a great success, I now hope SWG would just fail for once and for all and be a distant memory of a galaxy far, far away.......

Posted: Nov 28th 2008 1:08PM Lateris said

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I have to agree. As a SWG player I gave positive feedback on the card game because I felt that the SWG community has gone through enough by SOE and Lucas Arts. I felt the loot cards were a good addition for the Avatar game but it totally gave crafters the shaft. I do like the UI. I wish SWG would adapt the theme of the UI into the SWG game. But an expansion for the card game over the avatar game seems a bit of a slap in my face.

The SWG community would easily pay for an expansion but with TOR looming ahead I doubt SOE would reopen the expansion that was halted by Lucas Arts. In reality what can SOE really do?
I feel really bad for my guild who absolutely loves this game. They are extremely frustrated and very attached to their virtual life and virtual items.

Posted: Nov 28th 2008 7:23PM Darkdust said

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It's not really true that SWG hasn't had any expansions.

While we haven't had anything labeled as such, the addition of Hoth (not to mention an entire space sector recently) and many of the other implementations easily qualify as expansions in their own right.

But instead of calling them an "expansion" and charging us for them, something for which we would very rightly castigate them, they call them "chapters" and include them in the existing subs.

I prefer this model, actually.

Posted: Nov 28th 2008 8:41PM Mr Angry said

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I can see your point, but let me contrast other MMO's that have both large expansions and monthly content upgrades for no charge.....

This has been the model for SWG since it's inception, chapters have always been there for free (players need something new to do). So let's not diminish the fact that currently a new expansion would be very welcome for those players still fans, and the fact they use the term for an unrelated sub-game in which you have to invest actual money to get cards to compete. This content is not free, it's a money spinner, and players pay a real premium for this junk. You don't even get real cards.

So I don't think you can accuse SOE of being generous in the slightest with regards new content, sorry.
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Posted: Nov 29th 2008 12:20AM smg77 said

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Releasing a bug-filled, cookie-cutter instance every six months shouldn't be considered adding content to the game for free.
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Posted: Nov 29th 2008 10:58AM Lateris said

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No offense but I kindly disagree. The industry is now releasing chapter updates as free content and some are doing it on a monthly basis as opposed to four times a year. Adding small maps such as heroic instances in my opinion does not match what an expansion is composed of. The "collections" was just a hand me down concept from EQ II. The Tusken King was just a rehash instance with using the same assets. I am not saying this content is a bad thing. And I think Hoth is the right direction for the game with the heroic instances. I was happy for it. I am just saying that it is not even considered worthy of what an expansion should be in today’s market. To me it falls into the category that game companies “should be doing” in regards to releasing free content on a monthly basis. It is a competitive business model and keeps players subscribed. Free content and expansions are what build the fan base, the game, and the word of mouth. It keeps the game healthy and alive.

Players of SWG have been asking for new hair styles, new colors for everything, new UI colors, a UI that looks good and is not an embarrassment to any MMORPG player. Let’s face it I think SOE’s hands are tied due to budgets, staff size, and the fact that TOR is coming out. I will bet a bantha that if SOE had their hands untied with SWG they could unleash a massive expansion. But why would they with TOR being announced. I think Lucas Arts drew a line a few years ago and cut them off. And SOE did all that they could do with chapter updates and have to remain quiet on this.

But on the flipside of this, the game has what I still consider the coolest player house and player city system of any existing MMO, the coolest crafting system ever, and a ground game with a space game, and in game web browser like Eve! The story telling system blows away anything that the industry has put out in the western market. The game is really about the details and Koster’s team still has the mechanics that stand the test of time. And to top it off there are still “unused” art assets for SWG that are sitting on a backup tape or a hard drive! The engine was toned down for release which could be toned up if someone really wanted to do this. And yes a classic server should be implemented with one FFA server.

I don’t think the card game expansion is a bad thing. I just have to base my opinion on what my server star sider is saying in game. I hope one day someone will write a book on what really happened with this game.

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