This patch kicks off this year's Lava Fest, where all the lockout timers for Mustafar instances are lifted, and new items are available on the vendor. Also included in this patch are a number of bugfixes and quality of life improvements.
The Galactic Civil War is a core part of the story of Star Wars, and in SWG, it's the best example of what a sandbox game can be. In this Developer Diary, we'll be sharing the full scope of changes that are coming this year to the GCW, why we've decided to pour everything into this update, and why we're excited for everyone to be able to play it.
"Welcome, traveler. Heard you're new in town. Mos Eisley can be a dangerous place. What can I help you with?" - Gendra, New Player NPC One of our strategic pillars for the next phase of our project is centered around building a best-in-class New Player Experience. Implementation of the tutorial and beginning to rework the structure of the legacy is just one of our first steps to help new players get acquainted with the galaxy. Star Wars Galaxies is a big and complicated game, so there’s a lot of work to do to get a player educated about how the game works if they haven’t played before or have been away for a while, especially given the number of core mechanic changes unique to Restoration. Our Special Envoy for New Player Experience in the Galactic Senate, Banth, has also been instrumental in helping us identify and remove “papercuts,” or small frustrations that can pile up. We’ve seen exciting and positive results so far in better easing players into the game and look forward to more changes our design team is working on that help increase retention and get players up to speed faster.-Aconite, Developer
"Now, witness the power of this fully operational battle station" Last week, SWG Restoration players have been fighting across Endor and Yavin IV competing for prizes and determining who the ultimate Battlefield victors are. Battlefields are a great way to start dipping your toes into PvP as the team numbers are even and players can practice with very little consequence due to decay reduction options introduced this year. We've seen many new players join in on the fun and are excited to share the results of the competition!
"A day that takes us through the darkness! A day that leads us into light! A day that we celebrate ...the Liiiight!"-Princess Leia Organa Now if you've never seen the Star Wars Holiday Special, take an hour and embrace the cursedness this holiday season and just settle in. "A longstanding Wookiee tradition, Life Day celebrates the values and tenets of Wookiee culture, including family, joy, and harmony. While Life Day is a celebration traditionally held at the Tree of Life on Kashyyyk and observed by extended Wookiee families, Wookiees throughout the galaxy still mark the day. When Wookiees were enslaved by the Empire, the holiday took on an even greater significance. Today, people from planets across the galaxy have embraced this tradition and made it their own by celebrating with festive décor, twinkling string lights, unique food and drink items, music, and activities. People share the hopes of celebrating freedom, harmony, and peace, no matter how different people may appear. At the end of the day, everyone gathers to sing songs and be reminded of their dedication, courage, and love for one another. This is the promise of the Tree of Life."