Development Cycle Archive
Thread: In-Concept Open Discussion (7-5-04)
Some info about jedi... and stuff
1. Lightsaber:
The lightsaber is the weapon of a Jedi, an elegant armament of a more civilized time. In comparison, blasters are crude, inaccurate and loud affairs. To carry a lightsaber is an example of incredible skill and confidence, dexterity and attunement to the Force.
When deactivated, a lightsaber appears as a polished metallic handle, about 30 centimeters long, lined with control studs. At the press of a button the energy contained within is liberated and forms as a shaft of pure energy about a meter long. The saber hums and scintillates with a distinct sound. Its shimmering blade is capable of cutting through almost anything, save for the blade of another lightsaber.
In the hands of a Jedi, a lightsaber is almost unstoppable. It can be used to cut through blast doors or enemies alike. Using the Force, a Jedi can predict and deflect incoming blaster bolts, and reflect them back at the firer.
After the extermination of the Jedi ranks, lightsabers became rare relics. The knowledge of their construction disappeared with their masters. Luke Skywalker, the last of the Jedi, built his own lightsaber as the culmination of his training.
Although use of the lightsaber is strictly reserved to the Jedi -- the only ones capable of handling the difficult weapon -- it is also used by their sworn enemies, the Sith.
To become a Jedi requires the deepest commitment and most serious mind. It is not a venture to be undertaken lightly. As such, Jedi instruction is rigidly structured and codified to enforce discipline and hinder transgression. Only 20 Jedi have ever voluntarily renounced their commissions. It is with great regret that the Jedi order recognize the so-called "Lost Twenty." A Jedi who fails in his training can be a very serious threat.
The dark side of the Force beckons to the impatient, and students in the past have been lured to its call with devastating consequences.
Jedi candidates are detected, identified and taken into the order as infants. One method of detection is through blood sampling -- those with great Force potential often have high midi-chlorian counts in their bloodstream.
A prospective Jedi begins training in infancy. All connection to previous family life is lost. In this early stage of training, a single master instructs groups, or clans, of Jedi hopefuls. As the Jedi mature, the apprentice is paired with a master to continue the next phase of the training.
According to the Jedi Code, a Jedi Master may only have one Padawan at a time. Near the end of the Padawan's training, she must undergo trials before ascending to the rank of Knight. The next level of rank in the Jedi order is the Jedi Master, reserved for those who have shown exceptional devotion and skill in the Force. It is from the ranks of the Jedi Masters that the High Council is chosen, which is the main interface between the Jedi and the government of the Republic.
The Jedi dress in simple robes and carry specialized field gear for their missions. Their signature weapon, the lightsaber, is both elegant and deadly when in the hands of a trained master.
The sworn enemies of the Jedi are the Sith -- a cult-like order bent on domination through subservience to the Force's dark side. Founded by former Jedi, the Sith abandoned the precepts of knowledge and defense, and instead seek abandon and strength through the Force's hateful energies.
Centuries ago, the Jedi destroyed the Sith order. A dangerous complacency set it, wherein the Jedi believed the Sith extinct. Little did they know the order would arise anew, to destroy their ranks. At first, the signs were few. The sudden appearance of a Sith attacker during the Battle of Naboo was startling to the Council, but that threat was dispatched. Still, according to Sith lore, the dark villains always traveled in pairs -- a master, and apprentice. For a decade, there was no physical signs of the remaining Dark Lord, but evidence of his power began to appear.
The Jedi ability to use the Force inexplicably began to diminish. This, coupled with increasing violence in the galaxy sparked by a Separatist movement overburdened the valiant protectors. Their ranks were spread thin trying to maintain the peace, and many Jedi fell during the crisis. When it came to war, and the first shots of the Clone Wars were fired on Geonosis, only a scant 200 Jedi were readily available for the conflict. Most of this taskforce was killed in the battle, but reinforcements, in the form of the Republic's new military, secured a victory against the Separatists.
When the Empire came to power, the Jedi order was exterminated by Emperor Palpatine, and his Sith Lord apprentice Darth Vader. During the time of the Galactic Civil War, the Jedi were all but extinct. A few survivors, Obi-Wan Kenobi and the Jedi Master Yoda, were able to train the first new Jedi in a generation. As a sign of the desperate times, Luke Skywalker was taken into the Jedi fold well past the traditional age requirements -- he was already an adult when he first picked up the lightsaber. Nonetheless, his raw talent in the Force -- inherited from his father -- was such that his age didn't matter.
Luke Skywalker scored numerous major victories against the Empire, and was able to lure Darth Vader from the grip of the dark side. Vader, once again Anakin Skywalker, defeated Emperor Palpatine, bringing an end to the Sith reign of terror that had seized the galaxy.
As part of the Combat Balance, treat CM Disease and Poisons as Chemical WEAPONS, not medicine. The code already exists to permit this....Commando Grenades. The schematics and certification of 5-6 different classes of chemical weapon grenades (with escalating levels of potency matching the damage capabilities of current CM attacks) included in one of the CM trees, subject to the same combat limitations as Commando Grenades (limited range, high HAM, slow speed) will relevel the GCW playing field dramatically. And most importantly, just like the Master Commando and the Proton Grenade, the Master CM uber-chemical weapon should have a range that overlaps the CM and causes the CM to take damage (disease and poison) just like the Commando does.
Some of the most glaring defects of this proposal (such as there being two classes that are capable of self inflicting damage and causing suicide rather than allowing that to be the exclusive privilege of the commandos - do we have an emote for dripping sarcasm?) could be corrected if the grenade tree were rectified during the Combat Balance.
Reflecting that the CM attacks are just that --- devastatingly effective attacks with weapons of mass destruction, rather than "healing powers" would transform the game. And best of all, it should be easy since the code exists already.
RIEN
Master Commando / Master Pistoleer
Corbantis
Whatever should be allowed to do or shouldn't, it is important to think about it
Kind regards
Ill second that idea. To be able to send tells ingame from work using some type of messenger device would rock.
SproBeGrga wrote:
I'd like to see some Classes and API for the community so we are able to extend the SWG universe beyond the PC world. I'd like to write a little application which notifies me about my in-game sales, offers, I'd like to see when my friends come online without loading up this multi-hundred-megabyte-RAM-eating-client, I'd simply like to extend my guild chat and chat with my guild mates over instant messaging seemlessly
Whatever should be allowed to do or shouldn't, it is important to think about it
Kind regards