Poll Results: Do You Live In a Player City?

Once again we call for Artoo to help us understand the tremendous amounts of data that has poured in for the latest poll. Unfortunately once Artoo arrived, we had to tell him that we only have 15 participants. But who are we to complain? Any data is good data, as long as you have a dedicated astromech droid on hand to make sense of it all.

Given that player cities and structures are in the process of receiving updates, we thought it would be a good idea to see just how many people this development would affect.

According to the poll results, 94% of the playerbase would be affected by any changes made to the player city system; a system that sets SWG apart from nearly every other MMO worth remembering.

Of those participating in the poll, 26% are also the mayors of their city. The position of mayor is often a thankless post, but at least it is free to hold unlike the days in the past when every vote mattered, and skill points needed to be diverted from other ventures to succeed.

Even without notable game mechanic requirements to becoming a mayor, the most successful will shine and stand out from others. There is a drive and determination to build the most successful city; to use what little is available to create a unique experience in terms of a living space for others to enjoy.

Despite other areas of the game that need swift attention, it is evident that these updates will not simply fluff up releases without offering any substance.

Poll Results: What Does Star Wars Galaxies Need Most?

Flying Ewoks? Crossbows? Chocolate fountains? They're not included on our poll and not only because it predated the Ewok Festival of Love.

For the past 30 days, we have been gathering your votes on what is needed most in Star Wars Galaxies, and now Artoo is here to give us the results. Personally, I don't find the finally tally all that surprising. It makes me wonder just what SOE is considering when they decide what to put their resources towards. Artoo, let's have a look, shall we?

Over half of the participants decided that Star Wars Galaxies should be about the Galactic Civil War. Clearly the current implementation of the war is not sufficient, nor is it even remotely similar to the struggle depicted in every other form of legitimate Star Wars media.
Surprisingly enough, the second highest vote getter is "New Professions", nearly equalling the ticks given to the winner. Nine starting professions, pilot, beast master and politician are not enough to hold players interest. And why should it be? A quick breeze through Episode V and you'll see how the main characters are able to multi-task in various situations: fixing ships, scouting planets, firing blasters, piloting, using the Force, commanding troops, etc. Star Wars is NOT a typical "Dungeons and Dragons" style game where everyone plays a single role to the exclusion of all others. The poll, at the very least, demands that SOE provide more opportunities.

Four selections come in tied, each with over a third of the participants giving it the nod as what SWG needs. In no particular order (since they are all tied anyway) are Fully Explorable Planets, Artificial Ingelligence, Penalties for Death and the Annihilation of Credit Farmers. To sum those answers up: SWG players are looking for a challenge. All of these responses show that players are not looking for "Easy Street" or any free hall passes. Credits should be earned the hard way: against a capable artificial intelligence, upon worlds that are new and surprising, with the constant fear of death that drives a player to find the best tactics and chances for survival.

Next is the call for an integration of space and ground. Too often the games are considered separate entities; almost different executables. The Star Wars movies blend the two together brilliantly; especially in Return of the Jedi where three simultaneous battles in space, ground and (for lack of a better description) aboard a POB determine the fate of the galaxy. Those who took this as one of their responses to the poll believe that the two should not be so segregated. Nearly everyone in the Star Wars movies had some piloting experience. Why not encourage that with a tighter integration between ground and space?

The "Remove Non-Combat Professions" was a swerve of sorts; with the poll certainly not condoning the action. Rather, it was a way to see if anyone would be willing to see the dedicated crafter disappear and be merged in with combat professions not unlike how other MMOs handle their crafting systems. This would also mean that there would be no dedicated entertainers as well. A few people bit and decided that non-combat professions have no place in Star Wars Galaxies. Certainly they were in the minority. Yet again, poll participants want a more challenging game; one with many options and opportunities.

Similarly, there did not seem to be a call for any new chat opportunities such as global chats, or channels dedicated to planets, regions, factions, etc. It should also be noted that changes to the User Interface are not that important. As troublesome and cumbersome as it is, there are workarounds that allow players to get done what is needed.

SOE should also note the low tally for Collections and Heroic Instances: their "bread and butter" of the past year. Neither give players the Star Wars experience they are looking for.

To sum up, it seems that SWG players are looking for more challenging adventures; new avenues to explore both personally with their characters and globally with planets and a smarter artificial intelligence. The feeling of danger should permeate the experience with the Galactic Civil War playing a major role in defining the direction of the game and the characters. Do away with the bells and whistles of mindless collections and game-within-a-game heroics and get down to creating a challenging world that immerses players in the Star Wars experience.

Thanks to everyone who participated in the poll.

Poll Results: What Did You Do For Life Day?

Life Day is over for another season, and from the general feedback heard around the galaxy it would seem that this year was the most exciting and well-received yet. Artoo has been asked to analyze the data gathered regarding what everyone did for this festive event.

Of visitors participating in this poll, the vast majority respected the Wookiee Life Day tradition of decorating Wroshyr Trees. Over twice as many were in the giving mood then those who stomped presents into bits and pieces. (Could it be said that Rebels prefer answering polls 2 to 1 compared with Imperials?)

Regardless of political views, Rebel sympathizers and Imperials alike took advantage of some of the new and unique gifts and decorated their home. From the young Wroshyr trees to the presents, holo table to the proton chair, there were many opportunities to make ones home a festive place. Maybe the Imperials didn't stomp all the presents, but stole a few for their homes!

Life Day is more then just trimming trees, smashing presents or decorating houses. Going on active Special Forces duty was a big part of Life Day, and it was popular on both sides of the Galactic Civil War.

Among the smallest vote getters were the grinches who did nothing for Life Day. (Fine, be that way!) Quite possibly they had their in-game music turned down because hearing just one small blurb of the Modal Nodes was sure to put even the scroogiest in the holiday mood. But to each their own; just what was it about the Life Day event that did not appeal to these select few?

One visitor organized a Player Event during the Life Day festivities, while a few others put on their holiday finest and attended an event as a guest. One of the strengths of Star Wars Galaxies is the tools available to build storyteller and player events. Such participation should be encouraged and made more readily available to newer players who may not know of these possibilities. Could there be a better way - in game - to advertise such events?

Thanks again to Artoo for giving us the breakdown, and many thanks to everyone who participated in the poll. Happy Life Day!

Poll Results: Artoo Where Are You?

The first poll that Artoo has been tasked to analyze attempted to learn what gameplay aspects of Star Wars Galaxies most interests players. Without further ado, here is the official and final tally of the poll: "What Do You Like Most About SWG?"

The most telling statistic I see is (among the few visitors of this blog) that Collecting is the least important aspect of SWG gameplay. It's interesting because SOE has turned this game into a Collection-based game; anywhere from gather collections, kill collections or even through the Trading Card Game.

The number one vote getter is Exploration, which lends itself towards professions that are no longer part of the game (Ranger and Scout). This statistic may also illustrate that many players prefer a solo experience when interacting with the NPC/Creature gaming world.

That is not to say that these players are not social as the second highest vote getters are both Roleplaying and Socializing.

Of those who participated in this poll, we find that players are very casual but yet serious about their in-game experience and immersion. It is important to interact with others who are sharing similar experiences, but also have the opportunity to explore the far reaches of the galaxy and discover new and interesting locations and sights.

I had incorrectly anticipated that Space would receive more votes as this is a gaming system that is quite complex and interactive; from crafting to mastering, the starship system has much to offer. But in the end, only Collecting received fewer votes. This could point towards a problem with space; perhaps a stagnation that has occurred since (essentially) only Collections have been added since the initial release of Jump to Lightspeed. Collections? In Space? Let the poll speak for itself!

PvP made a strong showing after a sluggish start. The poll participants found both PvP and PvE almost as appealing. Throw crafting into the mix with a similar tally and we could surmise that players enjoy gameplay that pits them against both real and artificial opponents in either combat or economic situations.

According to this poll (with its numbers skewed towards those players who visit a very little known blog), SOE should continue to enhance the social and exploration aspects of the game; playing to its strengths so as to not alienate those who feel strongly towards those styles of play. At the same time, SOE should downplay the use of Collections and improve Space to bring it in line with the expectations placed upon other systems. (Imagine, if you will, Scouting or Ranger missions in space - discovering new life forms or hyperspace paths.)

Thanks to everyone who voted, and a special thanks to Artoo for crunching the numbers!