Jedi Archive

First off, I want to say that I love SWG so far. Having played innumerable MUDs and several MMORPGs, I can say that this game is one of the most enjoyable and compelling I have ever played, and I look forward to playing it for some time to come.

That being said, while I have no theories on how to unlock a FS slot, I do want to give several thoughts and a prediction regarding Jedi and our ability to play them.

1) I tend to agree with those who have posted saying that they feel they have been intentionally misled regarding the availability of Jedi characters. While I personally took the time to research before buying the game, and was thus aware that you couldn't play Jedi right off the bat, many if not most lack either the ability or the desire to do the same. I have read numerous responses that chastise those players who have failed to do their research, but I have to disagree in this case. Here's why.

SOE knew that people would want to play Jedi, and that a great deal of people would assume, if they were not told differently, that they could have or achieve Jedi characters in the game. Instead of making it clear that Jedi would not be readily available, they put on the box that one could become a Jedi. But wait, you say. You CAN become a Jedi. True. But clearly not as easily as one would believe from simply grabbing up the box, reading it, and putting down his or her money. And as arguably the primary and most instantly credible source of information about the game, the game box has the burden of being unambiguous and as honest as possible. Would that sell fewer games? Yes, but customers would ultimately be more satisfied as well.But wait again, you say. If some idiot just buys a game based on the box, they deserve what they get. Research, man, research. Again, I disagree. While I strongly believe in researching games, it should be a tool to discern if you’ll like a game or not, not to expose intentionally misleading information given on the game box or its accompanying materials.

In this regard, while I realize why they did it, I feel that SOE treated its customers somewhat unfairly.

2) I believe that when Jedi are actually available to be played, they will be very fun to play. I have found SWG to be a very deep and thoughtfully designed game, and I feel sure that will extend to Jedi. Aside from their cool abilities, the sheer potential for roleplaying is incredible.

I've seen numerous posts criticizing the permadeath, but I think it's a wonderful idea. Being a jedi should be a gift, something to be treasured. If it is easy to play, what's really the point?

Does that mean that I agree with the manner in which they've been implemented?

No. While I think the idea of a FS slot is excellent, having some arcane method for getting it and leaving the players to obsess over it when they could be playing the game is needless.

Yes, I understand they don't want a ton of Jedi. Yes, I understand that they want it to be challenging. But they could make it challenging and rewarding without making it frustrating to the point of distraction. Instead of enjoying the game, playing their characters, building up societies and starting storylines, you have hordes of players swapping conspiracy theories and trying to find the magic npc or item that's going to get them that Jedi.

While I hope this will fade with time, I don't know if it will. Either way, in the interim a great deal of momentum is being lost by the SWG community that could be channeled in a much more constructive direction if only we had a more clear-cut and obtainable goal regarding Jedi.

3) I feel that they should have set SWG in a different time period. While I think the setting is awesome and the lure of having familiar places and characters pop through is great, I think that setting the game either during the Sith Wars or several hundred years after the movies would have been much better. First, you would have no continuity problems (Can I kill Darth Vader? Er, no you can't.). Second, there would be a great deal more flexibility available regarding the Jedi population. Third, you could still have references (and even a few appearances) by popular characters and settings while at the same time giving players the chance to build on the lore they love instead of being confined by it.

ÂÂ

With all of that being said, this is my prediction. I feel that the backlash regarding Jedi will grow before it shrinks, and many players will leave. As time goes on, if things stay as they are, many players will leave. Don't get me wrong, there will still be tons. But many will leave, and at some point the Devs will have to reconsider their approach to Jedi characters. And eventually, even if it's a year or more from now, it will become easier to get a Jedi.

Why? Because it should be. If you had *1* FS slot from the start, permadeath on that char, and a slow road to advancement, you would STILL not have a ton of Jedi, and those who did have them would be very careful and not run around constantly acting like idiots, because if they do, they'll be starting over again. But you would also have people who got what they expected to get, paid to get, and perhaps most importantly, were told they would get. The chance to play a Jedi, and how cool is that.

Finally, I want to say that I value continuity, but I value good storytelling and fun even more. If things have to be tweaked a little bit for everyone to have a rich experience and have a good time, I don’t see any harm in that. As incredible a game as the Devs have made and continue to toil over, SWG is only as good as we players make it.

That being said, whatever comes of the Jedi debate, let's work to make this game the best it can be and have patience with those changes we would like to see. Thanks for listening.

Daedalus

Wishful thinking. That's why people come here and complain that they were misled. They have a hope that SOE will change the system so that they can become a force sensitive character. WIshful thinking - too bad it isn't going to happen. It's okay to have wishful thinking, but thats why people are in here jabberin about fraud etc... I mean, they're not really going to sue SOE and even if they were to be that pathetic, they wouldnt' win their case. Complaining and whining releases stress and frustratation and isn't necessarily a bad thing in my opinion - wishful thinking -or- HOPE, helps as well.

Not EVERYONE wants to be a Jedi and I know many people who are satisfied without being one; they aren't playing TOWARDS becoming one but if they happen to become one then they will play it.

If they allowed everyone to have their FS slot now, EVERYONE would be one even with permadeath. Wouldn't the same people that didn't do their research and not know that the FS slot had to be opened be the same people that wouldn't know it was permadeath? So they'd be playing their character and so would everyone else. Permadeath is only effective when you work for your force sensitive slot and open it, which would be a happy day for you, then making you VERY careful with that character. Whereas if everyone has their FS slot, they didnt' have to work for it, and won't worry about losing the characters to it.

Excellent post, my thoughts exactly.

couldnt have said it better myself, sure wish i could play the char i really want to play... JEDI but no i have to sit around and hope to get something i might and probably wont get... oh well wow will probably be released before i get jedi and at this point im starting to consider canceling my account cuz playing a game im not really having that much fun playing doesnt seem like a good reason when i might not even have that much fun once i get the char that i really want to play

Well Said.

Nice post. Can you see a world where 8/10 of the population is Jedi? I like the idea that becoming a Jedi is going to be a hard path to follow and if I happen to unlock a FS slot one day great! But until then I am very happy and content with the way this world is turning out. Please Devs outside of tweaking here and there please DO NOT change too much. AC2 devs listened to every person who cryed saying that their char is not strong enough compared to another, the result being everything in the game got nerfed one way or another. So if we see 80% Jedi running around it will make this game very unbalanced and unenjoyable to play.

If you want to play a Jedi go get an X-Box and Knights of the Old Republic.

May the Force be with us all.

Please stop saying "If you want to play a Jedi go buy an X-box and KOTOR!"

Jebus at least be more original when your trying to make someone feel unwelcome and that the game they want to play is lame becasue it doesn't jive with you!

"Why? Because it should be. If you had *1* FS slot from the start, permadeath on that char, and a slow road to advancement, you would STILL not have a ton of Jedi, and those who did have them would be very careful and not run around constantly acting like idiots, because if they do, they'll be starting over again. "

LOL...if everyone had a FS slot, you would have every leet dewd on here running around with a frickin' lightsaber. i think 8 out of 10 is a conservative estimate,lol.

will i be disappointed if i never get to be a jedi...sure i will...at least a little bit.

i think the dev's have come up with probably the best solution to a very difficult problem.

I bought this game knowing full well i could play for years and never become a jedi, which is my ultimate goal.

just my opinion

I agree with your Jedi thoughts, but I have to disagree with your feelings about the time setting fo the game. If the game took place during the Sith Wars or some such era, there would be TONS of Jedi running around and you would have ever quest with swords that glowed in the dark. No one would want to be an artisan. PLUS, the current setting gives the gamers some familiarity with the setting. Setting the game much earlier or much later would be like sending someone to Disney Land before they created Mickey Mouse. What's the attraction if the major reasons to visit aren't there?

Chris

Nice post. I especially agree with the remark about the time period. The Rebel vs. Imperial timeline has gotten to be a bit cliche in my opinion, even though it is classic Star Wars. I'd love to have the freedom to actually be a part of the governments and groups that are involved in the game's main struggle, all the way up to the top positions if possible. It clearly isn't possible in this time period. The story has already been written, which is a bit anti-climactic for any sort of story-driven quests and whatnot. You can't help but feel like the Empire won't last much longer. I can't quite put my finger on it, but I just don't think it will last.

[quote]Not EVERYONE wants to be a Jedi and I know many people who are satisfied without being one;[/quote]

Yes that's the key point. If you are sure there will be people not playing Jedi then why should you worry about everyone being Jedi? We have our plan, we have our wish. We ALL have what we want to be.

If you want to be an Engineer then so be it. You enjoy it that's all good.

But for people wanting to be Jedi we are forced to play other profession which we aren't really interested at all. How can one play dedicately and intensively advancing something that's not in their mind at all?

again, if people are happy to play the current skill trees profession already there then why is that a reason to prevent others from playing FS? Those people choose to play what they want. So let us choose the path we want, too

Designers must make decisions which are occasionally (perhaps even frequently) painful in one capacity or another for the players, because they absolutely must take a wider and longer view of the game than 99.9% of the individual players will even bother doing.

Marketing droids must make decisions which are always painful in one capacity or another for the players, because they absolutely must ensure the profitability of the product over the long haul.

These frequently work together, conspiring not (only) to inflict pain upon the players, but to ensure the long-term viability of the product from their respective points of view.

Phrased another way: In order to implement Jedi in an even remotely-accurate sense, they must be overwhelmingly powerful in relation to any non-Jedi individual. As it stands, it is distinctly unlikely that someone who is able to set foot on the path to becoming a Jedi will not, eventually, make it. Thus, a method of restricting who is able to set foot on that path is the only useful method of restraining the eventual number of Jedi in-game.

It just so happens that the FSCS is a relatively low-pain (for the players) method of doing so, which meets the goals of both the designers and the marketing droids.

Erm, anyway