The Players State of the GameA Rodian’s Tale An Essay on Star Wars Galaxies by Justin Musick a.k.a. Xing Yuen of the Naritus Galaxy Chapter I - The Beginning “It says that it’s free for the first 30 days on the web site”, I said to my good friend Chad. He responded, “yeah, but we’ll end up like EverCrack if we play that.”I thought to myself and couldn’t even begin to understand the logic behind the infamous addiction that was brought with the MMORPG genre of gaming. I was mostly a first person shooter gamer on PC with a good deal of real time strategy.I always enjoyed the role-play game genre through games like Final Fantasy and Phantasy Star on the consoles when I was younger so I was interested to see what an online game like Star Wars Galaxies had to offer and see what the genre had evolved to.Not to mention it was pretty boring in my home town of Sandusky, Ohio. We sat thinking about the possibilities of living the Star Wars universe through a constant evolving online world.Both of us being huge fans of the story finally decided that it was worth the chance of the $50 to give it a try. We headed to the local video game shop and dropped $50 to buy Star Wars Galaxies - An Empire Divided.Upon reading the box, I was very excited that the game revolved around your immersion in the every day life of the game.You could be a smuggler or bounty hunter, not just a light saber swinging fest like every other Star Wars Game conceived.I thought how cool it would be to be a bounty hunter and hunt people, or maybe other players.It was very exciting just thinking about that concept. On the way back to Chad’s house where we would spend the next few months playing Star Wars Galaxies, I began reading through the manual.I started reading about the different professions and how the leveling system worked in the game and it was very intriguing to me that you could do whatever you’d like in such an open ended system.Unlike most role-playing games where your “class” would predict your game play for the most part. I began reading all the benefits of the different races.He was assuring me the arrow was still there so we continued on.That sounded like a good start so we choose delivery since destroy sounded like it would require some knowledge of what the hell we where doing.Low and behold. and we had walked all the way to Keren.Instantly I knew my calling.The game started and a mutual friend of ours was playing the game already on the Naritus server so we decided to join him there.We walked on and on.The installer showed some really impressive screen shots of the game and I was very excited to see what this was really going to be about.We each picked a mission and accepted it.Things seemed pretty easy so far. After a few days of general exploring the different areas we had learned of the shuttles and where back in Moeina where the cantina was livid with people . it showed some accuracy bonuses for one handed weapons.Then character creation came next.I flipped the page and read about the Fencer profession.I felt a connection.We ran to it and double clicked the NPC and where rewarded a few credits for our efforts. Once we where standing in the middle of Moeina we where amazed at the graphics and visuals that the game possessed.We began killing a few of the small creatures in the wilderness and I was pleased to have a survival knife that was giving me one handed weapon experience since that’s what I wanted to do anyway.I study martial arts in real life and study a one handed sword form that made me relate to this idea entirely.We decided that we should probably start earning some money and Chad found some terminals that where going to give missions to do.I decided on Rodian as I figured it would be somewhat rare and knowing I wanted to be a fencer.In about 20 minutes we arrived at a town and in the distance a blue pillar was there.I figured that’s good of enough of a reason and went on to join the game world. It wasn’t long before the misty swamp look of Moeina faded and the beautiful Naboo sky was visible. knowing I could be a fencer in game similar to real life.I played through the initial tutorial to learn the basic controls and we choose Moeina as our starting location. a blur pillar of light appeared not far from us. Chad was fanaticizing of being a droid engineer with an armor of droids obeying his every command while I wanted to be an honorable duelist that was quick and agile.We looked around and didn’t see another one for Chad’s mission but he said he had a blue arrow on his screen so we started following it. We arrived at the house and I was the first one with the CD in my drive and began the installation process.Sure enough Chad’s arrow led us there. Started the game client and downloaded a few small updates.I really felt like I was going to be able to convey myself into my character now. Whenever I wasn’t working on my fencer profession.Many new faces as other entertainers I had played with began exploring other elements of the game.We began by just surveying around Moeina for the different materials he asked for to get started.After the first week of the game.The Moeina cantina was considerably less populated but its fun was replaced by the bustling Theed cantina. I had a lot of fun stringing different flourishes together and began to learn the macro system to help develop strings of flourishes to get the timing and sequence how I wanted. we went on a Star Wars Galaxies recruiting spree convincing nearly every real life friend we knew to play the game with us.This is the first time I felt what I learned to define as “grinding”. As we mined minerals to build items.Through the process we learned that we could get harvesters to speed up the process. I mastered the Musician profession and had a lot of fun writing funny parody songs in the local cantinas. In the meantime.Unit by unit or metal we mined.We mined enough ore to build our first guild hall and then ARC was born. As group. we all had an assortment of small personal mineral harvesters planted in various places around Naboo mining away for us.Chad had continued building items in architect until he was finally a Master Architect. Not long after.We figured we would build our own.dancing and playing music. . we continued playing the game adventuring and learning about the different elements of the game.Not knowing how to do this. I spent my time meeting people and having conversations with the other entertainers in the cantina. Chad had begun learning of the crafting system and trained in Artisan to begin his journey into Droid Engineer. all of them talking about the game and sharing stories of what had happened the day before in the wilderness.Slowly we built enough to get him started. things began to feel very repetitive as we spent hours just surveying and sampling. an in game representation of our real life friends that had all banded together in this virtual Star Wars world. healing and such.By this time there were a handful of us traveling around the galaxy a bit to check out different planets and creatures.I continued developing my fencing skills and along the way had decided to try out musician as a way to have something fun to do during combat downtime.Chad continued to craft items to reach his goals. Chad turned his focus to architect. I heard the combat music start as if I was under attack…I immediately thought it was one of the small thug NPC’s that hang around the bank area there in Moe.During the conversation with the recruiter.I had remembered reading about dizzy and lunge from the fencer profession forums where I had been reading about the profession’s details.As I was placing items in my bank from my inventory. the radial menu showed an opinion…1.I think applied a few more One Handed Hit 2 attacks and a Body Hit to finish off his health pool.Then it dawned on me like a ton of bricks!“That’s another player!”.He had a circular symbol next to his name.I began seeing more overt rebels here and there and was invited to a large group of rebels that where in the Moeina cantina.The Fight As I became more accustomed to the game play. I darted around the corner of the bank wall and hit the Lunge 1 key on my keyboard and watched the assaulter drop to one knee.They asked.I then hit him with a quick One Handed Hit 2 and he tried to stand to move away from me and fell flat on his back.I then closed my character sheet to see my first foe’s body and it was gone.He had cloned. I could show everyone that the evil empire was going down! I managed some inventory items and traveled to the bank to store a few items before heading to the guild hall near Theed. Upon examining his body.I thought this sounded like a good plan.I did various missions for the terminal to acquire 200 rebel faction points and talked to the recruiter to join the rebellion.I opened my character screen to see that my Faction was Declared Rebel.I was intrigued. I decided to join the rebellion to explore another aspect of the game. I choose to “declare” my faction.I started seeing my health pool depleting rapidly so I dodged around the entrance of the bank to break his site of me.With my hands trembling and my heart pumping.Chapter 2 . We where destined to fight. I closed my banking window to see a character with no colored “con” indicator. a name that was pure red.Quickly I looked back around the corner and see him waiting for me to come out. I caught a laser blast to the head. I closed the game and immediately began reading the Star Wars Official Forums to learn more about what had taken place.In all the excitement. I didn’t recall the name of my attacker but he started something that led me through the rest of my Star Wars Galaxies career. “We’re . sure enough the second I popped my head around the corner. Deathblow.I then hit the Dizzy 1 key and seen the +Dizzy+ indicator above his head.I stared at the corpse for a few seconds and realized what had happened.I hid again trying to think of what to do. I realized he was a Declared Imperial. I shouted in my computer room in my apartment.I then learned of the different declarations and the entire Galactic Civil War that had been taking place right under my nose.I choose this option to see his body turn to a corpse…I was in awe. The Teras Kasi Masters ravaging through anyone that came near.My mission was clear as day at that point.I spent all my credits on new weapons from D’Tox.I asked what profession and learned that he too was a fencer. said Sergi.I faced a Teras Kasi Master.Slaughter . I began naming the different spawns.I began hunting on Dathomir and killed everything I was capable of killing.I then applied dizzy and he was down for a few seconds and in 3 hits with a D’Tox Gaffi stick and Cho Mok.I asked what he was doing and he said. I applied my Blademaster title proudly and for the first time. “you fought well”. “Cho Mok”. pistols.I remember all the fire of rifles. The person sent me a private message. I had won.No dizzy so I stood back up and applied intimidate. soon I too was killed by movements I had not seen in the game.While he was kneeling I lunged again.I approached the imperial and began my attack. declared and traveled to Theed completely alone. I continued developing my character when I was not participating in the galactic civil war dropping off my musician slowly acquiring more combat abilities.I spent so much time in the Narglatch cave then.I entered Theed and was surrounded by 3 red dots. then the TK was back up and approaching quickly.I completed fencer in 3 days after that fight with Sergi. but not before landing a stim on myself to bring me back to about 75% health pool.Every day seeking him out for additional training and dueling a bit for practice with other around the Theed cantina.I responded politely. want to come?”I said.Immediately I found myself on my back and dizzy.I was in frenzy.I was fighting well and I seen a white dressed imperial fighting 2 of my friends and he killed them both. a master fencer. “thank you”. the best melee weapon smith on the Naritus galaxy at that time.After about 2 minutes.I went on to kill about 5 more people in Theed that day. and clicked the join on the group invite to see that there where another 15 armor wearing fighters ready to attack.I immediately used my spin attack a couple of times. I applied /deathblow to the pistoleer. I applied blind and dizzy and tried to lunge him. then the two ranged fighters began fleeing and shooting at me.The numbers over my head where much less and I was able to manage the damage much better. I must master the one handed sword.My fight lasted a good deal of time and I held my ground well but overall outmatched in every sense. this time at the pistoleer.raiding Theed. and carbines. but I failed to change his posture the system message told me…Down I went again.My health bar disappearing quickly. Chapter 3 . “Sure”.I was in awe.I immediately began killing every NPC and creature I could find in search of one handed weapon experience.That was my first large scale battle.I immediately lunged at the TKM and applied both of my health bleeds.I managed to type /stand and was overjoyed by the system message saying that “You stand up”. We assaulted Theed and ran into an equally large number of imperials.I realized that I was having the most fun I had ever had in the game. I knew there was a level of combat I had not achieved.The rifle shots where blowing away what mind I had left. I was starring at one mind point.I targeted him and immediately was met by his rifle. “how the hell are 12 people kicking the **edit** out of all of you?”A few moments later.Then immediately I noticed a system message.There where always a handful of people that I would end up teaming with that made my game play that much more enjoyable.Analyzing every mistake I made.I began raiding Theed and other imperial towns by myself.I began seeing the people in front of me dropping and turning to corpses before their body’s fell.I didn’t think much of the 2nd part of his message.Then I saw 12 red dots moving at me and my 1 mind point group like an arrow.Continually improving my game play. armor piercing vs. just knew that there was some fighting going on. While approaching I seen 3 small green blocks in my overhead map and upon target the nearest one.Even some . Chapter 4 .I got there and it was a huge town and as I traveled south I came across some rebel bases that had been placed by the defenders and the most rebels I had ever seen in one group.I explained how fun the PvP combat was that I was doing but none of them really took much to it. I cloned and left that town.I asked how many attackers there where and the response confused me…“12”. I began studying the science behind the game.Revolution I went back to my roots. I asked.10 seconds later.Then my mind pool dropped to about half.I studied the game mechanics inside and out.They where moving like birds fly. very wounded. I hadn’t played much with my old friends from ARC.I seen my first target.Probably 30 rebels huddled around a few camps. cured his dizzy. at 90m and began to prepare to attack. I applied my dizzy and waited for him to fall.I popped a muon gold in my stomach and ran in. stood up and shot me in the head.I learned defense calculations.I began panicking. “You have been poisoned”. “Mortis Loves You”.“12?”. “that’s nice” and figured that it could prove annoying in the fight.I headed to Talus and off to their newly founded player city..I decided to go with them to kill me some imperials. my target was Venga.One of my good rebel friends sent me a /tell the second I logged in on a Sunday evening. armor rating. I was told. damage modifiers. some of the rebels decided they where sending in a squad to attack. I seen it was a turret and it read. tabbing around trying to find the attacker.I thought to myself that it was cute but I’m going to send some love back.I thought to myself.He didn’t… He kneeled there.A few had talked about canceling and others just where not online very often.“We’re under attack!” my friend said.I shut down Star Wars Galaxies and hit the forums hard. “It’s Mortis Consortium!”. I hit him once with my lunge and he kneeled.I was a corpse before my fall animation completed. Head count was roughly 15. plus 3 AT-ST’s. 7 of us laid the foundation for a new Star Wars Player Association. some won some lost with MC.Eventually I decided it was the best thing for me and I was asked to lead the guild.We placed our guild hall and attacked Theed for the first time.When the dust settled. One evening.I was an amazing night for us indeed. We attacked imperial city after imperial city every day for months. I grew very accustomed to teaming with a select group of individuals. an amazing Teras Kasi Artist came up with the idea of making a PvP only guild and all of us could join up.We drew them outside and began to separate the group as our second team entered the star port from behind and engaged with us.We passed by the cantina with nothing in site. we had many battles.We had a 14 man group count. and to our surprise. there where many corpses scattered in front of the Theed Star port that night. a small group of us where raiding and heard word that MC was out in full force. We held Theed our captive for 5 hours that night without a single loss among ourselves.For months we .We then approached the Star port and seen one red dot and upon targeting knew it was an MC member. In the back of the Coronet Cantina. The Synergy Experiment (SYN).more had fell victim to the holocron craze and where grinding professions mindlessly in search of Jedi. he disappeared quickly into the Star port and then we seen the entire group inside near the ticket collector.A few players at a time.We had defeated our most feared and most respected enemy.We knew we where spotted as the quickly became a formation and began cautiously approaching the Star port entrance. one group heading around the back of the Star port and another in the front.We hit Coronet and rounded up the rest of SYN and a few other allies’ we had online.Many of us.I thought about it for a few days. because it would mean leaving the guild that I started the game with. We entered Theed in the middle of town and split into two groups.Their player base became smaller and smaller until only a few played. As we PvP’d every day for hours on end. all of MC.After about a month of hardcore raiding against Theed.We maintained professionalism the entire time. For the next few months. MrPunch.Waves of imperials would assault us only to be escorted to the clone center swiftly.We slowly expanded our group.Only being defeated when enough MC (Mortis Consortium) would be called in. If you change rules after people have began.In over 1 year of game play. now new imperial faces have shown themselves and the bar on Star Wars PvP are much higher on the Naritus server. Star Wars Galaxies . then there is angst. like everything in this world.where unchallenged.Now and Then The game has changed a lot in my time playing. If you create rules.Yet in its glory.An Empire Divided is operated by a company called Sony Online Entertainment. I fear that it will be sooner than you would like.One day. there’s a sadness that sweeps over this game. it will no longer exist.I can’t change the fate of the game. but my concern comes from Sony not understanding why they make money from the product and who is responsible for their success.It’s just a matter of how long and unfortunately for me it’s now that it ends.I can only offer my own opinions in their truest and purest form. people can choose to follow them.It’s this sadness that I’ve been inspired to write this essay today for all of you. SOE has begun to believe it is their ability and success that has made profitable games for them.I’ve played this game since July of 2003. a consumer. Customer satisfaction is a business concept that has made or broken companies since the beginning of commerce.After pouring a year of dedication into it. My concerns don’t stem from Sony wanting to make money from their product. I’ve learned to love the games potential but have also learned to hate the game’s ever and constant changing vision. I’ve learned that this game has a lot to offer its players.Through playing the game. This game is failing. and a human being. and I can’t change anyone’s opinions either. I want to share with you my beliefs. customer satisfaction for this game does not exist.Just like the player bounty system I was inspired by when thinking of the game when I first picked up the box.For others though.This is so far from the .I think in the midst of games like Everquest and Star Wars Galaxies. Xing Yuen Chapter 5 . My opinion has been developed from my experience as a player. there have always been various problems and bugs with the game.Each person had something they could spend time doing. you may slide 20m while sitting for no apparent reason. .Shortly after a few game updates. Many players enjoyed what they where doing in the game.Crafters crafted.To this very day. This breakdown comes from a variety of things and I want to take some time to express my concerns on these things. the game does not exist regardless of how technically advanced the game is or how hard the developers worked on making it. The mystery of the Jedi profession plagued the game forums and the back of people’s mind for months. Chapter 6 – Rules of the Holocron During my game play.They compared it to Diablo II’s “Hardcore” game mode where you suffered perminate death of your character.I’ve seen many great games get left behind.The difficulty of stumbling upon the path and the challenge of completing it drove many players to play the game inside and out. Dancers danced.It’s because the players dictate the game. whether they be casually playing in the Star Wars Universe or whether they’re hardcore players spending 40 hours of their week fighting the rebellion.There was aspects of the game that where there for all types of players.The ultimate test of the Star Wars Universe.truth. they figured they would stumble upon it some day. a system message came through to all the players indicating that the first player Jedi had unlocked. Small variables in what was promised of the Jedi profession began creeping up in the game forums and in game and the call for someone to find the path to Jedi started to become very loud. it’s not because of the quality of the developers or how clever they are.The developers had stated that there was a method for achieving Jedi and that the path was incredibly difficult and player could become the powerful Jedi at the cost of higher risk game play.If the players don’t play.Most people didn’t even care about some of the smaller issues that plagued the game for months on end with no resolution.Whether it be crafting or dancing in the cantina socializing. they where laid out before us and although there where always people that didn’t like the rules.Many of which have been around since beta according to my research. they played in accordance with them. The rules where there.Doing some development for my real life career small bugs in a game this complex is easily overlookable. This turn from an original vision for a “quick fix” sets the stage for the next year of this game. no thinking. the necessary minimum requirements of player vs.This is a huge problem.This is a huge issue of trust.No puzzle’s. The problem is two fold.A random number of pre determined professions must be mastered.Currently it is. Chapter 7 .The Galactic Civil War is only available to select few groups of people. subscriptions would last longer.The scripted content is limiting and people generally enjoy the challenge of another person vs.The Galactic Civil War is the end game of game play for most of the people that play this game.As more and more people began unlocking in the days after. scripted AI.There should be distinction between advanced PvPers and casual PvPers but the Galactic Civil War should not be limited to hardcore players. especially when paying for a service. The rules of the game’s vision have been changed.It appeared that profession mastery would unlock the path and holocrons soon became the method to which you started this random questing of mastery. it’s simply luck and time dedication.The Galactic Civil War For me to say that the future of this game lies in the hands of the players would be lying and for the players to believe that would be unfair to them. if the game could get more casual people interested in the Galactic Civil War. it became evident a pattern.It is not the responsibility of the players to “make due” or change the game. Currently to be competitive. This single event started a snowball effect that the game will not recover from unless emergency actions are taken. . The hologrind began.The game developers have lied to the player base about the availability of becoming Jedi. There are problems in this game.It’s not a difficult path to becoming Jedi. player combat are far too limiting. This is huge and is more important than Jump to Lightspeed even if you “think” SOE’s research tells you differently.This is the first of these to happen. this was unacceptable to the player base.All the work in determining how to save the GCW has been realized by the players themselves.The veteran players will not spend 100% of their time in space.station. There are many ways to improve the Galactic Civil War.com/swg/board/message? board.I am a player of the game.So much of the game revolves around the idea that the Galaxy is in war yet there is no reason to participate other than. Chapter 8 .The Combat Revamp is the start of making the game last.All them better than Jump to Lightspeed.Reward for the Galactic Civil War.The player base will appear to be larger but I believe this will be an illusion.The cancellations where immense.For months the legend of the Combat Revamp where spoken and conveyed that progress was made. As you learned.id=139421 This will describe 100+ ways to make this game last for years.I played. “just because”.They just need SOE to build it for them: http://forums.I don’t’ read log files and surveys.Lightsaber Suicide . With the Galactic Civil War problems.Large enough that emergency PR was done and changes started happening. the overall balance of combat has suffered since the beginning of the game and promises where made to pacify the concerns with the concept of a Combat Revamp.Jump to Lightspeed is a minor patch compared to the importance of the core game.sony.I’m completely confident that there will be a surge of subscription when Jump to Lightspeed becomes available and marketing attempts will glorify the messages conveyed by beta testers to ensure it’s appealing as possible. it was said that the development of the combat revamp would come after the Jump to Lightspeed expansion.They will still enter the ground game to find it sadly in much of the same state it was in 6 months ago and in some cases worse.It will happen again and it will be larger.If you believe your statistics show differently. and I paid my money in exchange for game play and the core game is more important than Jump to Lightspeed ever will be. assuming it in itself is bug free enough to be enjoyable.id=GCW&message. the lesson will be hard.When the angst against the developers where high enough. Without Jedi. The Jedi profession is literally better than any other combat profession in the game without question.After all.This opinion will be met with hostility by some. Permadeath removal was the 2nd largest mistake that has been made to the game only beaten by the holocron process itself.This rule has now been changed and the result of it is disastrous.The XP loss is insignificant to the power given to Jedi. This power was justified by the developers by being difficult to obtain and having more risk than anyone else so it would remain rare. Jedi and non Jedi.Hardcore players are not always the people that play the most hours .The holocron process was boring and time consuming but required no difficulty. With them.Without Permadeath. just time. it is by design. Jedi have no consequence for death. there are two things.The single concept of a profession more powerful than all others in a multiplayer game is doomed.The ability to obtain Jedi is easy.This type of segregation will eventually lead to the entire destruction of the game. but before you cast your stone. I only wish to explain why you will be playing the game alone if things do not change. please read through all of my thoughts before you judge me and my beliefs.I don’t wish to take away what you have strived for.To deny this is either naïve or simply lying. This chain works like this: Hardcore Players > PvPers > Crafters > Role-players > Casual Players > (repeat to beginning) This logic shows that the most hardcore players are on one end of the spectrum of the game. the game has a very important economy that requires everyone in some fashion.To implement such a profession and make it easily obtainable with no consequences is suicidal to the game’s longevity.These two things defeat the logic that made the possibility of Jedi even began to co-exist with the rest of the game. there is no reason to be anything other than Jedi. Crafters are in the game to make money for the most part. PvPers can’t PvP as good as a Jedi so to be competitive in PvP. food. you must be Jedi. you only have Jedi left who need nothing else to exist.per week but also include those that have played the game the longest and know the system the best. they also will no longer play the game.A character with no items is usually incredibly weak. items play an incredible role in the game’s mechanics. Jedi need nothing other than them but have more power than everyone else.All of these things create a harmony of dependency. their joy with the game would decrease significantly. .Your more hardcore crafters are also typically PvPers so if they no longer need to craft because they are Jedi themselves.In Star Wars Galaxies. the items and economy of the game is player controlled and while this is an awesome opportunity for the game play possibility.The other end of the spectrum includes the role-players which may play longer hours than some hardcore people but their game purpose isn’t game mechanics but to play out an alternate life in the game. and weapons from crafters to PvP.However Jedi will not want to play in an empty world so they too will leave. Casual Players depend on the crafter also. including minerals. would require an immense amount of work from any development company just in itself. If the crafters stop playing. it does create dependency on other players. to run a virtual business.They keep the Galactic Civil War alive and create the most and best items on any given server.To balance this.Everyone needs each other to exist.Therefore in all realism.If they have no items. there will only be role-players and casual people left as non Jedi. they will stop making items.As in all role playing games.PvPers need armor.If no PvPers are buying from them. and other harvestable goods.Role- players need crafters for clothing and weapons. the crafter needs resources.Therefore you no longer need armor and weapons.This is causes a problem with crafters since their largest income stems from PvPers as their game time is the most strenuous.Their dedication and knowledge is required to do these jobs.All these people circle around the Crafters.This is a fundamental problem in a multiplayer game. The most hardcore players are the best PvPers and best Crafters in the game.However.This effect will not stop until servers are offline permanently unless something is done immediately. Without them.The casual player just pops in the game to hunt here or there or whatever they are doing to justify their $15 monthly utility. If they run it into the ground knowing they’re simply milking subscriptions for as long as possible until they can migrate it all to EQ2. There are a lot of new gaming companies coming out with comparable products that have a game play orientated philosophy and don’t follow the “corporate knows best” attitude of SOE.I’ll tell you right now that it’s all trivial. Jump to Lightspeed’s novelty of playing X-Wing vs. guarantees them at least 3 more months from current subscribers between waiting for JtL and trying to unlock Jedi. . never support SOE again in any way unless they can manage to save this game.You & Me That leaves us at a pretty big question. What’s my point?My point is my own. The people that play this game are simply trying to justify $15 a month for access to something you do not own.Chapter 9 .I have invested a lot of time in this game and energy into building friendships which I’m happy with transcend Star Wars Galaxies so for that.Enough time that you will pay a monthly fee long enough for Jump to Lightspeed to arrive in which case. SOE believes that 50% of the people that play this game seek Jedi.Please educate yourself on all the choices before you choose your next MMORPG. SOE gives us forums to vent our opinions and differences and I see it every day where people are at each other throats for exploiting and why you’re wrong and I’m right for different opinions. I’m not asking anyone to not play Everquest II. I’m not asking anyone to cancel their subscription.It’s all smoke and mirrors and the reason they let us beat each other up in those threads is so it takes the light off the responsibility they have to fulfill simple customer satisfaction.That’s good for them because Jedi takes a decent amount of time to obtain.What now?Well.I will however. I regret nothing. Tie Fighter in an MMO will last long enough for their flagship Everquest II to arrive where they will loose a lot of Star Wars subscriptions for it but the money ends up in the same place so that is of little concern to them. you serve it if you are unhappy with where your time goes. then they have no respect from me.My only hope is that you realize that this game is not here to serve you. I am done.You’re paying for something and your payment justifies and creates the results of what you endure. Just don’t forget that it’s not your responsibility to make it “okay”.My account expires in a few days and unfortunately will probably not be able to respond to anything my words generate. The End Xing Yuen . You have choice.My story may even be deleted. I do not know.