"If we're going to assign blame for who killed Galaxies, however, the people who fled the NGE in a mass fit of pique"
Nope. I joined the game because city-building and player-roleplay politics were fun.
I was a Bothan actually doing what Bothans do: be a diplomat. I was mayor of one of the best cities on our server: a 150+ player dual-guild city bigger, and frankly more interesting, than most of the NPC cities. I went on battle runs as well, but that was secondary for me, especially when the mayors of the various cities began getting together and holding meetings to argue in-character about the ongoing Galactic Civil War.
Much of the very real alliances and subterfuge going on behind the scenes was because initially, player cities gave their residents significant advantages --- especially if they were well-designed and -maintained. Another was that small "fortress towns" were created to block access to questline areas, meaning that there actually HAD to be a REAL WAR.
Players needed to group together, form units, and storm fortifications. The play schedules of opposing city residents would be studied to determine when the fewest players would likely be on, and city residents would organize into shifts to counter such tactics. Strongpoints were created, weak points were identified.
You know. Like a REAL WAR.
Sony couldn't allow that, though, because, and I quote, "this prevents players from experiencing content". That was when Galaxies irretrievably became a Theme Park MMO, instead of an adventure related to the Galactic Civil War which spun past in the distance like the background on a Disneyland kiddie ride.
Still, I stuck with it even after the "Politician Master Class" was simultaneously made free and available to everyone, and also removed of any noticeable abilities. Cities were nerfed not long after, and had already been prohibited from being built anywhere they might impede the ability of players to galumph along to their quest areas.
The truly and utterly unforgivable sin?
MAKING STAR WARS SPACE COMBAT INTO ANOTHER GENERIC, BORING, GRIND. How do you fail at Star Wars so bad that you make flying a starfighter boring?!
Nope. I joined the game because city-building and player-roleplay politics were fun.
I was a Bothan actually doing what Bothans do: be a diplomat. I was mayor of one of the best cities on our server: a 150+ player dual-guild city bigger, and frankly more interesting, than most of the NPC cities. I went on battle runs as well, but that was secondary for me, especially when the mayors of the various cities began getting together and holding meetings to argue in-character about the ongoing Galactic Civil War.
Much of the very real alliances and subterfuge going on behind the scenes was because initially, player cities gave their residents significant advantages --- especially if they were well-designed and -maintained. Another was that small "fortress towns" were created to block access to questline areas, meaning that there actually HAD to be a REAL WAR.
Players needed to group together, form units, and storm fortifications. The play schedules of opposing city residents would be studied to determine when the fewest players would likely be on, and city residents would organize into shifts to counter such tactics. Strongpoints were created, weak points were identified.
You know. Like a REAL WAR.
Sony couldn't allow that, though, because, and I quote, "this prevents players from experiencing content". That was when Galaxies irretrievably became a Theme Park MMO, instead of an adventure related to the Galactic Civil War which spun past in the distance like the background on a Disneyland kiddie ride.
Still, I stuck with it even after the "Politician Master Class" was simultaneously made free and available to everyone, and also removed of any noticeable abilities. Cities were nerfed not long after, and had already been prohibited from being built anywhere they might impede the ability of players to galumph along to their quest areas.
The truly and utterly unforgivable sin?
MAKING STAR WARS SPACE COMBAT INTO ANOTHER GENERIC, BORING, GRIND. How do you fail at Star Wars so bad that you make flying a starfighter boring?!