4.04.2001

Verant takes on Vader
Verant, the company behind Everquest, has joined up with Lucas Arts to make an Online Star Wars Roleplaying Game entitled Star Wars Galaxies.

While this is not new news, I would like to comment on it. The excerpts below are taken from the official FAQ for Star Wars Galaxies.

This is one of many reasons why Star Wars Galaxies will fail.

3.03 Will I be able to kill Darth Vader?

At this point, you will probably not be able to kill Darth Vader, but some players may have the opportunity to interact with him. We would like to adhere to the continuity as much as possible; Vader is key to the trilogy, so you probably won't be able to kill him (like you would really stand a chance against the Lord of the Sith anyway.)


And here is another :

3.07 Will role-playing be promoted in Star Wars Galaxies?

We wanted to set the expectation early on that this would be an environment conducive to role-play. However, role-playing is not mandatory.


This sort of thing has constantly plagued Everquest, because Verant likes to say things like "We cant define roleplaying. Its different for everyone."

A specific treatment, such as Star Wars, as an online game will fail, because people want to be in Star Wars. They are basically making a Star Wars Aquarium, where you can go and visit and see all the Star Wars shineys and interact with them (to an extent) but never be able to impact the world with anything you do. Just like an Aquarium -- an Aquarium doesnt change just because YOU have visited it. The fish wont remember you. Nothing is changed, gained, explored or added to the Aquarium because you were there. And hence the destiny and vision on the Aquarium will always be controlled by a select few people, constantly trying to put in plenty of fish to keep
everyone happy, but nothing specific to really stand out for the few (or the one) and in doing such, ultimately fail the masses who yearn for their input.

The only real way to make an impact on the Aquarium is to go and visit and dynamite the glass and drain the tank, thus killing all the fish or something of that nature. But in an online MMORPG you arent even allowed to do that. If they made dynamite in the game, you can be sure you cant run up and stick it to the haul of the Death Star or trick Jabba into eating it.

Without change, there is not growth. Without growth there is no evolution. Without evolution there is no change.

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