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Games Entertainment

Living with Darth Vader 427

Posted by timothy from the daily-basis dept.
rppp01 writes "The BBC is reporting that Lucas Arts is putting the Star Wars universe online this December. Go here to read all about it. I know lots of people who are now starting to leave Everquest. Is this the next everquest? Will we have massive Star War fans calling in sick everyday in attempts to become a jedi? Will Jar Jar be friend or foe?"
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Living with Darth Vader More

Living with Darth Vader

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  • Sounds rather interesting (Score:3, Insightful)

    by Sheetrock ( 152993 ) on Thursday November 21, 2002 @06:32PM (#4727370) Homepage Journal
    If this takes off like Everquest, though, how much new stuff can they add to it to keep the universe fresh? They're kind of limited by the movies, aren't they?
    • I would say they're not limited, as there's scads of books written in the universe, a whole Role-Playing system, etc. Of course, you could have just been kidding.

    • Re:Sounds rather interesting (Score:4, Insightful)

      by SirSlud ( 67381 ) on Thursday November 21, 2002 @06:33PM (#4727387) Homepage
      > They're kind of limited by the movies, aren't they?

      Or books? Or comics? Or toys? My fanboy impression is they blew the lid off the 'movie constraints' a long time ago.

    • Re:Sounds rather interesting (Score:5, Informative)

      by JJAnon ( 180699 ) on Thursday November 21, 2002 @06:35PM (#4727411)
      They're kind of limited by the movies, aren't they?

      No, they are not - take a look at the zillion books written about the Star Wars universe. Some of which have even been pretty good - like Timothy Zahn's first trilogy. The whole point of it being set in a universe is that it is limitless, and this limitlessness gives immense scope for expansion. Too many players? Lets just announce the discovery of a new planet!

      So no, I don't believe that they are limited by the movies - the movies just give them a firm pseudo-reality to start from.

    • sounds rather slow (Score:5, Funny)

      by dslbrian ( 318993 ) on Thursday November 21, 2002 @07:03PM (#4727662)
      From the article:
      Mr Sarris said that the Mos Eisley spaceport on Tatooine, where Luke Skywalker first meets Han Solo and Chewbacca in Episode IV, will take a game character 55 minutes just to walk across, let alone fully explore.

      Now thats a slow server...

  • Jar Jar (Score:5, Funny)

    by Alizarin Erythrosin ( 457981 ) on Thursday November 21, 2002 @06:32PM (#4727376)
    I feel sorry for whoever ends up having to live with Jar Jar...

    "Me sa no drinky your beer!"
  • The Star Wars universe puts LucasArts online!

  • Don't abuse... (Score:3, Insightful)

    by Espectr0 ( 577637 ) on Thursday November 21, 2002 @06:33PM (#4727382) Journal
    ...too much the star wars universe. I know that if we would have a star movies/games every year, the hype would reduce.

    You CAN have too much of a good thing

  • This is not news (Score:4, Informative)

    by Photon Ghoul ( 14932 ) on Thursday November 21, 2002 @06:33PM (#4727389)
    Star Wars: Galaxies is really old news. For anyone even remotely aware of the MMORPG scene or games in-general knows, it's been in development for quite some time now.
    • True. But this is the first thing I've seen pointing to an actual release date (er.. month). But, then again, I'm not huge into games, so it the target date could've been known for some time now.

      • Re:This is not news (Score:5, Informative)

        by kbonin ( 58917 ) on Thursday November 21, 2002 @07:01PM (#4727638)
        The release date has been pushed several times, this is just the latest public date, after a number of its key developers defected when Sony tried to force them to release it well before it was ready. They're burning good people out, and that doesn't make a good product.

  • It's a nice idea... (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Twister002 ( 537605 ) on Thursday November 21, 2002 @06:34PM (#4727396) Homepage
    but I think they should have adjusted the timeline to after the events in "Return of the Jedi".

    Having an event that big in your MMORPG just seems to ruin it for me. It kind of re-enforces the fact that you are just a bit player. If the timeline was after, your character might have a chance to be a big part of a storyline, make your own lore.

    But then again I know how Battlefield 1942 is going to turn out and I LOVE playing that game...hehehe

    • Re:It's a nice idea... (Score:5, Funny)

      by Zordak ( 123132 ) on Thursday November 21, 2002 @06:46PM (#4727498) Homepage Journal
      You just gave me a Brilliant Idea (tm)! I'm going to make a Civil War MMORPG, but in my game, the South wins. I'm going to set up my display right next to the ammo section in every Wal-Mart south of the Mason-Dixon line. The tag line will be "You done knew yer whole life them damn yankees was lyin' 'bout that war. Now let's end the thing right and kick some Yankee butt!" Hoo-boy. I can't wait to see those dump trucks full of money dropping the cash right in front of my door.

      Now all I need is a game developer. Anybody want to join me?

    • Re:It's a nice idea... (Score:4, Interesting)

      by Khomar ( 529552 ) on Thursday November 21, 2002 @06:57PM (#4727600) Journal

      One serious problem I see with Galaxies is that a major part of the Star Wars dealt either with spaceships or speeders/racers/vehicles. If this game is very similar to Everquest, then this whole aspect of the game will be missing. How is travel from planet-to-planet going to be handled? As a former player of Everquest, I can tell you that sitting for 15 minutes while a ship passes through black space between planets is not exactly condusive to a good time. :-)

      Fantasy really works well for this type of genre because there are built in limitations. You don't expect to be able to fly anywhere, generally, and the technology is expected to be limited. The most advanced thing you might deal with is riding a horse which requires only a slight change in perspective and speed.

      While the Star Wars universe is large and interesting, I see most of the fun resting in the ability to hop into a speeder and race with someone else, not walk into the cantina and stare at the scantily clad women (oh wait, that was Everquest....). I saw no mention of this ability in the article. It sounds like a glorified EverQuest to me. Though the graphics quite good, the real key will be in the gameplay, and whether or not the fans can accept their limitations.

      • Until the space expansion is released, you will visit one of the space ports, buy your ticket, socialize while waiting for your ship, board ship, zone into destination planet. After the space expansion is released you can buy your own ship and fly to other planets or hitch a ride with someone else (for a small fee of course). As far as on-planet travel, SWG will have swoop bikes and speeders at release. One person per vehicle only for now.

      • Re:It's a nice idea... (Score:3, Informative)

        by jafuser ( 112236 )
        • If this game is very similar to Everquest [...]
        • It sounds like a glorified EverQuest to me.
        Maybe you haven't heard . . . SWG is being developed by the same team who developed EverQuest. So, um... ...
    • The reasons why the game is set in the timeline it is, is in the FAQ [sony.com]. They make very good arguments on why they selected the Classic era.

      Don't worry though, if the game takes of, they will probably release another game set after ROTJ.

  • Jar Jar? (Score:5, Funny)

    by Maskirovka ( 255712 ) on Thursday November 21, 2002 @06:34PM (#4727397)
    Will Jar Jar be friend or foe?

    Savage Jarjar mutilation will be part of the dark jedi right of passage.

    • Re:Jar Jar? (Score:5, Funny)

      by mgs1000 ( 583340 ) on Thursday November 21, 2002 @06:37PM (#4727425) Journal
      And how exactly is that evil?

    • Re:Jar Jar? (Score:3, Funny)

      by Taos ( 12343 )
      Ok, with the amount of jar-jar bashing (deservedly) I'm seeing so far on the board, I imagine the first week after this release will consist of a giant lynch mob roaming the galaxy.

      Nothing like a common enemy to unite old foes. The dark side ang good side will join forces to kill off the annoying character.

      Once they find him, however, the game will fall into every man for himself to get the honor to get in the first shot.
    • Savage Jarjar mutilation will be part of the dark jedi right of passage.

      So, you are saying there will only be dark jedi in this game?

  • PS2 only ? (Score:3, Funny)

    by Choron ( 88276 ) on Thursday November 21, 2002 @06:34PM (#4727399)
    From the article, it would only be developped for the PS2, at least for now. One would expect that, to live in the dark side, that an XBox version be developped as well...

  • 1st dibs (Score:5, Funny)

    by kingOFgEEEks ( 598145 ) <c.n.jackson@NoSPAM.gmail.com> on Thursday November 21, 2002 @06:34PM (#4727403) Journal
    I call first dibs on being the bartender at the Mos Eisley cantina.

    i've been practicing:
    "we don't serve their kind here"

    • Re:1st dibs (Score:3, Insightful)

      by unicron ( 20286 )
      While kidding, you raise an interesting dicussion. I've been told that LucasArts will be limiting the number of people that can become Jedi on each server. Something like a 1000 per server, if I remember correctly. I honestly believe that 95% of the people that join this game will want to become Jedi. I find it hard to believe that with telekinetic, laser-sword wielding demi-gods running around that anyone would want to be a bartender, mercenary, imperial officer(you apparently can be an officer, just not a storm trooper. Unless you want to spend your online time manning some post on Hoth), etc. Now while this is bad news, mark my words: the Jedi cap would be removed in a month. The first time they saw 10,000 accounts get canceled because players were forced to make at-at repair crew avatars, they would lift that ban so fast heads would spin.

      Now, I know you can be force-adepts, but a half-assed Jedi is no better than no Jedi.

      • Re:1st dibs (Score:3, Interesting)

        by Codifex Maximus ( 639 )
        So, lets see. Being a "Jedi" is nothing more than passing a midiclourian (sp?) test, becoming an apprentice and eventually being recognised as a Jedi by your elder Jedi?

        Does not being a Jedi then mean you are not allowed to be endowed with the "Force"? I think not. You could be a non-Jedi force aware person or even start your own branch of the Sith. Couldn't you? :)

        I fear that I have no insider knowledge of the new game but I played Everquest till my fingers hurt. I trust the Sony "Visioneers" to do "The Right Thing" for a balanced game. Some may not like it but balance in game and the force must be maintained - otherwise, it's not worth playing at all - by anyone.~ YMMV

        • Re:1st dibs (Score:3, Informative)

          by unicron ( 20286 )
          You can be a normal person that has a stronger sense of the force but isn't a Jedi, they're called Force Adepts. Their's no real faction/alignment choice to be one, and it requires no training..you just are aware..you can do some small force tricks, nothing majoir. Anyone can be one, of any trade or temperament. But of course, a real Jedi would eat them for lunch.

          As for Sith, you can't be one. Their are only 2 given Sith at any time; a master and an apprentice. You can, however, be a Dark Jedi, but only by first becoming a real Jedi and then falling out of grace.

          As for EQ, if you think that's a balanced game I have some swamp land in Florida to sell you. I can divide that game by class in a ton of ways..those that solo, those that are forced to group for experience...those that suck in the beginning, those that suck in the end game. Their is not one class that is as good solo as they are grouped. Not ONE.
    • Sooo, you're from the south, eh?

  • Jar Jar ye gads.... (Score:2, Insightful)

    by MrWinkey ( 454317 )
    I just hope killing Jar Jar doesnt do anything bad to my karma in that game.....he's far too annoying to let live.
  • Will Jar Jar be friend or foe?

    The better question is:
    Will JarJar be killed more often by light saber or blaster?

  • whats the engine? (Score:4, Interesting)

    by SirSlud ( 67381 ) on Thursday November 21, 2002 @06:35PM (#4727415) Homepage
    i dont follow everquest (after quake/teamfortress ruined my chances at an elec eng degree, no harm done) ... but whats the engine underneath this new Star Wars MMPORMGPROGSPORMPG? Somebody told me it was just a modded EQ engine, so isn't this more like an expansion pack or 'skin' rather than a whole new .. oh god dont make me try to figure out the anagram again ..
    • It's a completely new engine that's been in development for a long time now. This is not EQ2... this is the good stuff from the first generation of MMORPGs, with a lot of the bad stuff removed, and a ton more really cool stuff added in. I've been following the dev forums, and it's been very exciting.

      For example, we all know that in EQ no matter how many 1st level characters attack a 20th level character, he's not even going to feel it, and it would only last as long as it would take him to attack each noob once. In SW:G, a noob certainly can hit and harm a high-level character, he's just less likely to; he'd loose the fight pretty much every time. But if a bunch of noobs gang up on a high-level guy, the big guy's going down, and hard.

      Just an example of how the game play will be different. Plus, you can own your own house that you get to place yourself, perhaps with static defenses (like a gun turret); you can own a shop and have an NPC sell product even while you're off-line; 'spawn points' are implimented as 'nests', which tend to spring up in places where there are no players, and then spawn herds/groups of baddies.

      Basically, a very dynamic world. I'm very excited to play in it.

      Doug

  • Massive Star Wars Fans (Score:4, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 21, 2002 @06:36PM (#4727419)
    There sure must be a lot of MASSIVE star wars fans.
    You know the kind who complain about conventions giving away medium sized bat utility belts.. ;)

  • link (Score:2, Informative)

    by Anonymous Coward
    http://starwarsgalaxies.station.sony.com/

    • Re:link (Score:3, Funny)

      by InfoVore ( 98438 )
      http://starwarsgalaxies.station.sony.com/

      "You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. We must be cautious."

      No, wait. I was thinking of http://slashdot.org/

      (Just kidding Taco.)

      I.V.

  • Good Lord!! QWZX (Score:5, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 21, 2002 @06:38PM (#4727435)

    Has anyone stopped to consider the effect this will have on Slashdot? We're talking about Star Wars geeks suddenly having a system that they can plug into 24/7 and utterly leave what little reality they have.

    That means that visits to Slashdot could drop precipitously.

    No traffic means VA systems could collapse!

    DAMMIT MAN DO I HAVE TO SPELL IT OUT FOR YOU??

    Star Wars universe => Star Wars geeks leaving Slashdot => No Slashdot traffic => CmdrTaco et al no longer being able to say 'Yeah, but we have traffic! The profit will come in eventually!" => Slashdot collapsing => CmdrTaco losing his job => CmdrTaco's wife leaving him => CmdrTaco committing suicide!!!

    Save CmdrTaco's life! STOP THIS INSANITY AND SHUT DOWN THE STAR WARS SERVER!!

    (won't someone think of the taco??)

    • Why is the parent post modded up as insightful?! I would insult the moderator stupid enough to mod the parent, but he's probably wearing a black ski mask and on his way to sabotage the Lucasarts Star Wars servers by now.

  • Sony? (Score:4, Interesting)

    by doublesix ( 590400 ) on Thursday November 21, 2002 @06:39PM (#4727437)
    I notice this is being published (?) by Sony. Does anyone know if there'll be a PS2 version?

  • No, this is not another "Jar Jar sucks" rant (Score:3, Funny)

    by JJAnon ( 180699 ) on Thursday November 21, 2002 @06:39PM (#4727445)
    It seems to me that keeping a Jar-Jar like character in the game is one of the smartest things that LucasArts could do - just from reading the posts on this thread so far, I can see that there are likely to be a large number of people who play the game just to see if they could kill Jar Jar.
  • Anyone else here feel that games based of ever quest are really not worth buying, in fact i think that the bottom line for the new star war game is how much is it going to be? Although this is a new twist in the heavily saturated market of games based on "Star Wars"....
  • The only problem is, if this replacing Everquest as people's new addiction, we'll need to come up with all new insulting derivatives based on drugs and illicit activites!

    "Yeah, I finally quit playing EverCrack..."
    "Why don't we see you out and about more?"
    "Cause now I'm playing Star Whores..."

    • I know, and we'll have to come up with more insulting nicknames for the pathetic, lifeless losers who sit in front of the computer all day playing EQ-alikes.

      (As opposed to the nicknames for the pathetic, lifeless losers who sit in front of the computer all day playing Natural Selection [natural-selection.org], which would include me.)

    • "Cause now I'm playing Star Whores..."

      You don't want to play Star Whores. You want to go home and rethink your life.

  • Expansion packs (Score:5, Funny)

    by thing_in_itself ( 627549 ) on Thursday November 21, 2002 @06:41PM (#4727463)
    Where is "Star Wars Galaxies: Hot Date"?

  • The BBC versus Amazon.com (Score:4, Interesting)

    by Chasuk ( 62477 ) <chasuk@gmail.com> on Thursday November 21, 2002 @06:48PM (#4727518)
    The BBC is reporting that Lucas Arts is putting the Star Wars universe online this December.

    I normally trust the BBC, but I think they are wrong on this occasion. According to details on Amazon.com, Star Wars Galaxies will be released on February 14, 2003.
  • The thing that makes EQ so much fun is the game is so utterly massive and everything you see and everyone you talk to just might have something for you to do. Quests are what make mmmorpg's so much fun. And what do quests get you? That's right, ph4t l3wt. For EQ their are two types of players: those that play to get the best gear in the game and liars. So if Galaxies wants to survive past it's 6 month, it will need to add some uber mobs that drops +5 Light Sabers of the Headless Mofo. The drive to keep playing EQ is that someday you will walk back into your starting town decked head to toe in Vex Thal and Snake Temple gear and watch the newbs shit themselves? Then when they ask why you don't have your epic weapon, you say you banked it because you got better.
    • The thing that makes EQ so much fun is the game is so utterly massive and everything you see and everyone you talk to just might have something for you to do.

      Fetch me a boat anchor.

      Quests are what make mmmorpg's so much fun.

      Deliver this silver pail.

      And what do quests get you? That's right, ph4t l3wt.

      +3 Adamantine Helm of Laughingstock, schweet!

  • Star Wars Galaxies Official FAQ (Score:5, Informative)

    by ancarett ( 221103 ) on Thursday November 21, 2002 @06:51PM (#4727549)
    People have been waiting on this for ages: it will bear a strong resemblance to Everquest thanks to having the same development team from Sony/Verant. Here's the Star Wars Galaxies Official FAQ [sony.com] and, the answer to the all-important question from page three of the FAQ:

    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...)

  • Jar-Jargonized headline (Score:5, Funny)

    by CatWrangler ( 622292 ) on Thursday November 21, 2002 @06:52PM (#4727560) Journal
    rppp01 writes "The BBC report'in that Lucas Arts putt'in the History of The Rise an' Fall of the Galactic Empire universe online this Decemb-a. Go here to read all about it. Mee-sa know lots of Gungans who now start'in to leave Everquest. this the next everquest? wee-sa have massive Star War fans call'in in so-sa woosy everyday in attempts to become jedi? Jar Jar be friend or foe?"

    Weesa all sinking and no power.

    Courtesy of the Jar-Jargonizer [hit-n-run.com] that translates online text into Jar Jar speak.

  • Some mistakes (Score:2, Interesting)

    by Anonymous Coward
    Some mistakes in that article. There's already a fourth Monkey Island game. I guess they're saying they're making a fifth?

    And as for Grim Fandango being a cartoon... that does not do it justice. If you haven't played it, hunt it out for one of the richest, most wonderful adventure games ever.
  • Will we have massive Star War fans calling in sick everyday in attempts to become a jedi?

    Do you work with Jabba the Hut?
  • I've avoided Everquest & DOAC simply because I don't care for their themes.

    I'm afraid that Galaxies, however, will do me in.

    • Re:Never played an MMORPG (Score:4, Informative)

      by Phrogman ( 80473 ) on Thursday November 21, 2002 @08:09PM (#4728147)

      Actually, some of the design seems to draw on the unique design of DAOC in some respects. DAOC was the first to introduce Realm vs Realm combat (where players belong to one culture permanently at war with 2 other cultures (Vikings, King Arthur's English, and the Celts of Ireland), and SWG evedently has a similar 3-sided conflict (Empire, Rebels and the Underworld) updated to suit a science-fiction universe. Player-vs-Player combat is hardly a new thing (UO had it) but DAOCs version of it is remarkably effective

      Dark Age of Camelot (See http://www.darkageofcamelot.com [darkageofcamelot.com] for some information on the game and http://www.camelotherald.com [camelotherald.com] if you want the game scores for each server and individual) was a very clever development in the world of MMORPGs and while its got its problems, its a very enjoyable game overall. A new expansion called Shrouded Isles will be out in in December. I have been playing DAOC since the day it came out and I haven't lost interest yet.

      I hope that Verant/Sony learns from their experience with Everquest and develops a more rounded game. The Star Wars intellectual property is very well developed and deserves a good game. Sadlly, Verant has not been the most responsive of companies in the past.

      I am looking forward to SWG immensely. It may be the game to pull me out of DAOC, but its gonna have to be a lot more than just eye-candy to do so.

  • Smart move (Score:4, Insightful)

    by blincoln ( 592401 ) on Thursday November 21, 2002 @07:00PM (#4727630) Homepage Journal
    This is probably the ultimate MMORPG license. Unless someone comes out with one based on Monty Python and the Holy Grail, I'm sure Sony and LucasArts will have cornered the market.

    • Re:Smart move (Score:5, Interesting)

      by harlows_monkeys ( 106428 ) on Thursday November 21, 2002 @07:19PM (#4727799) Homepage
      This is probably the ultimate MMORPG license. Unless someone comes out with one based on Monty Python and the Holy Grail, I'm sure Sony and LucasArts will have cornered the market


      How about Star Trek? There's probably room for an MMORPG there.


      Some classic SF could be interesting. For example, Asimov's Foundation series, or Niven's Known Space series. The ringworld alone has room for a rather large game.


      There's also alternate history, which is what Mythic is doing with their next MMORPG. That one will be set in a galaxy where the Roman Empire survived, and became a galactic empire.


      I'm strangely unexcited by SWG. For me, Star Wars is something to watch, not something to do. It's only really interesting to me in that they are supposedly using much of the same engine the EQ2 will use, so as an EQ player, I'm curious to see it.

    • You're forgetting about World of Warcraft [blizzard.com]. This promises to kick EQ's ass. Unfortunately, it's going to be at least a year or two until it comes out.

  • Jar-Jar would be fun to code (Score:2, Interesting)

    by Anonymous Coward
    Jar-Jar should have a special skill in the game called BDL - Blind Dumb Luck. Whenever you try to kill him, his BDL kicks in. You fire your blaster at him and he cringes, but the shot miraculously passes between his tongue and his ears, ricochets off fourteen walls, a stagnant pond, and a black hole, and comes back to hit you right between the eyes. Jar-Jar makes an annoying comment while you sit at your monitor, teeth clenched in apoplectic fury. Oh yeay. With work and a good programmer this guy could be made INTERACTIVELY annoying!
  • Play this game, I will.
    but not a lot of time have I
    too expensive for me it may prove.

  • looks good to me (Score:3, Interesting)

    by Hythlodaeus ( 411441 ) on Thursday November 21, 2002 @07:06PM (#4727685)
    The development team for Star Wars Galaxies is mostly comprised of former Ultima Online developers. The lead designer is Raph Koster, formerly known as Designer Dragon of UO. They made a prototype space game for Origin to brand as Wing Commander Online, but that was about the time EA (Origin's parent company) gutted Origin down to just the UO team and rolled it all into the EA.com division. EA tried to assign Koster's space team to the Sims Online, but they wisely made a deal with Verant to make a Star Wars game. Thus Verant's Austin division was born. There's no code in common with Everquest.

  • "I seek Jedi wisdom..." (Score:3, Informative)

    by ncc74656 ( 45571 ) <scott@alfter.us> on Thursday November 21, 2002 @07:10PM (#4727727) Homepage Journal
    Will we have massive Star Wars fans calling in sick everyday in attempts to become a jedi?

    If you have a Palm, this [palmblvd.com] would be cheaper than what's likely to become the next Evercrack...

  • Want to buy an MMORPG Subscription!? (Score:5, Funny)

    by Maul ( 83993 ) on Thursday November 21, 2002 @07:11PM (#4727736) Journal
    Dealer: Want to buy an MMORPG subscription?

    Obi-Wan: You don't want to sell me an MMORPG subscription.

    Dealer: I don't want to sell you an MMORPG subscription.

    Obi-Wan: You want to go home and rethink your life.

    Dealer: I want to go home and rethink my life.

  • Lucas is aiming to kill fair use. (Score:4, Interesting)

    by MisterSquid ( 231834 ) on Thursday November 21, 2002 @07:12PM (#4727744)

    I think /.'ers concerned about their rights online and also in the domain of fair use should consider not giving another red cent (or silver pfenning, or ridged dracma, etc.) to any business concern directly promoted by Lucasfilm and/or Lucasarts.

    Yesterday, /. ran an article about Fox CEO Peter Chernin's call to media and tech companies to work together to combat piracy [slashdot.org]. Some /.'ers speculated that Lucas's suggestion that media and tech companies form an alliance to prevent piracy is, at best, a disingenuous one. For example, in one post [slashdot.org], RobotRunAmok [slashdot.org] suggested that Lucas is playing the "misguided artist" to Valenti's "evil fat cat suit," the implication being that Lucas is an evil fat cat. In another post, [slashdot.org] Jippy_ [slashdot.org] points out that "[s]aying that there won't be film of merit or quality without there first being movies of flashy repetitive garbage" is just plain bad logic.

    Lucas would sell our fair use rights down the river if he thought he could make a bigger buck. His last three films stink (he's proven himself to be the much inferior artist compared to his peer Spielberg), and though he is pioneering digital production and delivery, he doesn't seem to understand that such technologies work best when they facilitate rather than obstruct fair use rights.

    What really disturbs me is that Lucas--his very person a monument of excess--uses environmentalist language to protect his profit margins. Sure, digital film in the long run may be more environmentally friendly than celluloid, but that's hardly a justification to compare the market forces which drive popular cinema to an endangered ecosystem! The NYTimes has an article that quotes Lucas as saying [nytimes.com]:

    I am begging for co-operation. There are unintended consequences of piracy. If piracy is not stopped, the rainforest of the entertainment business ecosystem will collapse.

    If the movie industry, with its increasing resemblance to the recording arts industry and its cozying up to those who would revoke our fair use rights, can be compared to a rainforest, then I say clear cut the whole damn thing.

    • Just to add to your points (which in my observation, are absolutely correct):

      Most Slashdotters won't remember this, but back in 1977-78, when the first StarWars fanfic hit the streets, Lucas went absolutely ballistic and tried quite seriously to stamp it out.

      Naturally it just went underground, and after a few rounds of legal whack-a-mole, Lucas grudgingly allowed as how maybe fanfic and his copyrights could peacefully coexist**, mainly because he was smart enough to recognise fanfic as free advertising. But if he could control it, he would still stamp it out. Even so, LucasArts HAS nixed "unauthorized" fan clubs.

      ** So long as there's no sex. To quote Lucas, "There is no sex in the Star Wars universe." That's why SW slash fanfic is still underground.

  • the greatness of these games lies in freedom. (Score:5, Funny)

    by herrd0kt0r ( 585718 ) on Thursday November 21, 2002 @07:15PM (#4727767)
    don't miss the point: it's not just about popping online and fragging some doods. the greatness of games like star wars galaxies lies in the ability of the player to do pretty much whatever he/she wants.

    nevermind that previous MMORPGs were limited in terms of what you really _could_ do feasibly. the idea that you could be an Expert Basketweaver and survive in the game is pretty nifty. why? because it lets people enjoy their time doing what they wanna do.

    i used to play everquest. i was on the test server. i didn't go around power leveling and camping for stuff all the time. my idea of fun was to be Emperor of the server and have my minions deliver their hard-earned booty to me. it was a fun game, because i got to play with friends (flesh-and-blood friends, mind you) and goof around.

    that's right. i was Noodles VII, Emperor of Norrath, founder of the Furious Foodstuffs. with my comrades, Turnip, Pickle and Caper, we spread joy and goodwill unto the world. in return, they paid me taxes.

    it was enjoyable. i got to do what i wanted to do. of course, after i modified my desk chair to accomodate a chamber pot, had my electricity shut off cause i didn't pay the bills, then again converted my desk chair into a power-generating bicycle to keep my machine on to play everquest, i realized that there are things more important than everquest in life.

    like booze. and the money to buy booze.

    but nevermind all that. i don't plan on playing star wars galaxies, but the idea of becoming Fukkit, cousin of Wikket, Master Jedi of the Forest Moon of Endor, appeals to me. it calls to me. just imagine how powerful you could be as Fukkit, Cousing of Wikket, Master Jedi! you could be KING.

    that other ewok eating all your food?
    You don't want to eat those grubs.
    "I don't want to eat these grubs."
    You want to give those grubs to me.
    "I want to give these grubs to you. Here."

    that stupid AT-ST ruining your forest crib? /me force jumps on top of the AT-ST /me force opens the hatch /me whips out my lightsaber /me flips out.

    that damn lEEthax0r playing a human princess shunning you?
    Yo, j00 r gonna make teh sw33t luv 2 me.
    "i r g0nna max0rz out wif j00."
    dun worry, i furry, but i never in a hurry for a bebe like j00.

    even han wouldn't be as smooth as me.
  • I can just see ebay now Not born with mitochlorions in your system? Don't want to mess with all that training and discipline to become a jedi? Having to much fun dabbling in the dark side to get accepted to jedi academy? No problems! You are bidding on this rare opportunity to instantly become a jedi. Light Side Comes with free light sabre (blue) Please check my feedback and bid with confidence. I accept Paypal, Check, Money Orders.. Bid early and bid often! May the force be with you!!

  • Does this mean... (Score:2, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward
    ...cybersex with Natalie Portman? OMFG!

  • I hope Verant have learnt from EQ (Score:4, Interesting)

    by DrXym ( 126579 ) on Thursday November 21, 2002 @07:25PM (#4727860)
    EQ started off well, but was utterly ruined by its topheavy nature and Verant's seeming total indifference to fixing fundamental game problems. Four years on and the UI still sucks, the game mechanics have not changed noticeably and unless you're a twinker spending hours playing a day, repetitively learning trade skills, running from one end of the world to other for some NODROP item, camping for hours for a spawn you'll never advance far. For a while it feels like fun, but after a while it dawns on you that you're just repeating the same actions over and over.


    I hope for their sake that Star Wars: Galaxies is different. Fix the damned bugs rather than compounding them, don't let the game economy be screwed, don't let the game get topheavy, and have a 'live' world where there is no need to camp spots or waste hours waiting for something to happen.

    • For a while it feels like fun, but after a while it dawns on you that you're just repeating the same actions over and over.


      I don't mean to get all philosophical here, but doesn't that sound like life?


      Or, at the least, The Sims?


      (Yeah, that was a joke)

  • Just think (Score:2, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward
    The largest unruly mob in history, armed with blasters, ion cannon and starships, pursuing Jar Jar from planet to planet, wreaking untold virtual havoc in the process.

    A 24-hour a day, non-stop lightsaber melee involving thousands of virtual padawans fighting over the Millenium Falcon.

    Thousand-capital-ship attacks on the constantly respawning Death Star that make Episode VI look like a weekend at the lake.

    Screen-capture demos of dozens of screaming, wild-eyed rebel scum crashing into the Emperor's throne room and throwing everyone into the reactor vent: the scarlet guards, Vader, Luke AND the Emperor, right after pulverizing Endor with the main weapons.

    Yeah. Sounds great. I'll pass.

    (and people complained about Diablo. HAH! Ain't seen NOTHIN' yet)
  • Why do people hate Jar Jar?

    3,2,1 .. go
  • Time to whip out those Star [insectdissection.com] Wars [nipltd.com] Name [screamingmidget.com] Generators. [wilcoxusa.net]

  • Character class balance (Score:3, Interesting)

    by xixax ( 44677 ) on Thursday November 21, 2002 @07:46PM (#4728006)
    So in the intersts in getting a universe not composed entirely of Jedi knoghts, will the most powerful character end up being an Ewok bountyhunter with droid specialisations?

    Xix.

  • Will Jar Jar be friend or foe? (Score:3, Funny)

    by erik_fredricks ( 446470 ) on Thursday November 21, 2002 @08:00PM (#4728088)
    Jar Jar will be PK bait 8-P

    Seriously, all dark-Jedi in training have to start practicing that long-distance choking trick on somebody...


  • Prepare to be made Jar Jar's bitch!
    Suck it down!

    I'm sure it will sell it well :)

  • How will they model the autocracy? (Score:3, Interesting)

    by Goonie ( 8651 ) <.robert.merkel. .at. .benambra.org.> on Thursday November 21, 2002 @09:48PM (#4728838) Homepage
    As I understand it (haven't played them so I'm not sure) Everquest and the like were quite free-form. However, the Star Wars universe, as well as any number of clans and races who fall into temporary alliances, contains one huge, honkin, authoritarian Empire. Now, I'm sure that military and civilian leaders in the Empire had all sorts of extracurricular activities going on, but how do you model the obligations of being a cog in the Imperial wheel in a MMORPG? Or does the game simply ignore this aspect of the Star Wars universe?

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