I love the 'synthetic crystals are always red and Sith only' argument.

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Luke_Skywalker's_lightsaber

Luke learned how to make synthetic crystals through writings by Obi-Wan. Granted this was a post Ruusan teaching when lightsaber crystal abundance began to go into decline, but the principle is the same.

While Sith traditionally use Synthetic crystals, they clearly aren't canonicly colour or alignment restricted in their creation.

Synthetic Crystals, it’s a Sith Thang!

 

Though synthetic crystals were ordinarily unsuitable for use in light sabers, the Sith discovered that they could create synth-crystals that were energized, magnetized, and modified with the power of the dark side of the Force in special furnaces, causing the crystal to glow in harmonic vibration. As a result of their artificial origins, synthetic crystals created more powerful light saber blades and could be more easily augmented. Also, their common usage by Sith and other Darksiders after this discovery caused synthetic crystals to become something of a staple among such groups, and their use among Jedi was strongly discouraged.

 

Most synthetic crystals were red, a result of the forging process, and oftentimes the initiate's intentional manipulations, as most individuals who utilized synthetic crystals were Darksiders. The red-hued light saber blades generated by such crystals were often nicknamed "bloodshine blades". However, synth-crystals could be made in any color, requiring only slight adjustments of the creation process and special manipulations through the Force during the forging. Jedi frowned on the use of synthetic crystals in lightsabers, most individuals who utilized colors other than red were Darksiders looking to hide their affiliations

 

1. But Exar Kun had a blue light saber!

Explanation: The lightsaber of Jedi Knight Exar Kun was a device that was initially created to produce a single beam of blue-white energy. However, upon his ascension to Dark Lord of the Sith, Kun redesigned his lightsaber based on instructions hidden within an antiquated Sith holocron. The finished product was a double-bladed weapon imbued with dark side energy, from which sapphire blades materialized up to 1.5 meters from either end of the hilt.

(Exar Kun had learned long lost secrets from a holocron that forged the look but it is a synthetically made crystal infused with the dark side of the force.) A rarity your character is not significant enough to overshadow and take away the iconic look of this character.

 

That is an assumption tbat isn't necessarily correct. The text you quoted only says the weapon was infused with the dark side, nowhere in it did it say he made a new blue synthetic crystal for the new weapon.

2. But Anakin used his Blue Light Saber in EP3!

Explanation: Anakin just turned to the Dark Side of the Force and was immediately sent to kill the remaining separatist and exterminate the Jedi order. He did not have time, I repeat he did not have time to make a Synthetic Crystal.

(What you see in the movies and a design restriction in a video game is two different things. There is a reason why these three were restricted because BioWARE knows they are the iconic colors of the two factions.)

 

Doesn't matter. He was Sith and definitely dark side and using a natural blue crystal with no restrictions. It happened closing your eyes and going lalalalalala doesnt change that.

 

3. But Mace Windu had a purple colored crystal!

In the Prequel Trilogy, Mace Windu's unique purple lightsaber was a functional change but Samuel L. Jackson, who played Windu, asked for a lightsaber to match his favorite color, and the distinct shade helped his character stand out on the battlefield from the red, blue, and green of the other lightsabers.

A rarity, nuff said!

 

 

Jedi used natural crystals!

According to The Jedi Path: A Manual for Students of the Force, lightsaber colors originally indicated a Jedi's role in the Order. For example, Jedi Consulars, who focused on non-violence, carried green lightsabers to symbolize peace. Jedi Guardians, on the other hand, carried blue lightsabers as a symbol of uniformity and solidarity.

The lack of lightsaber color variation in the movies is a lack of colored crystals. According to Jedi vs. Sith, the Empire (Past/Present/Future) quarantined or destroyed many sources of lightsaber crystals. This left the Jedi with mostly Ilum crystals, which can only produce green or blue blades.

This time frame is long before the Empire destroyed the access to lightsaber crystals in colors other than green and blue.

 

 

Conclusion

Red/Blue/Green needs to be restricted to their respective factions. The symbols of the big three colors are iconic to the faction which they have been displayed upon. Posters, movies, books, cartoons, toys and comics is proof enough that Red is the faction color of the Sith, while Blue/Green is the faction color of the Jedi, regardless of a select few iconic characters.

 

Flame away!

My replies in blue. None of what you posted is a valid reason to limit players options on how they wish to play their characters.

Synthetic Crystals, it’s a Sith Thang!

 

Though synthetic crystals were ordinarily unsuitable for use in light sabers, the Sith discovered that they could create synth-crystals that were energized, magnetized, and modified with the power of the dark side of the Force in special furnaces, causing the crystal to glow in harmonic vibration. As a result of their artificial origins, synthetic crystals created more powerful light saber blades and could be more easily augmented. Also, their common usage by Sith and other Darksiders after this discovery caused synthetic crystals to become something of a staple among such groups, and their use among Jedi was strongly discouraged.

 

Most synthetic crystals were red, a result of the forging process, and oftentimes the initiate's intentional manipulations, as most individuals who utilized synthetic crystals were Darksiders. The red-hued light saber blades generated by such crystals were often nicknamed "bloodshine blades". However, synth-crystals could be made in any color, requiring only slight adjustments of the creation process and special manipulations through the Force during the forging. Jedi frowned on the use of synthetic crystals in lightsabers, most individuals who utilized colors other than red were Darksiders looking to hide their affiliations

 

1. But Exar Kun had a blue light saber!

Explanation: The lightsaber of Jedi Knight Exar Kun was a device that was initially created to produce a single beam of blue-white energy. However, upon his ascension to Dark Lord of the Sith, Kun redesigned his lightsaber based on instructions hidden within an antiquated Sith holocron. The finished product was a double-bladed weapon imbued with dark side energy, from which sapphire blades materialized up to 1.5 meters from either end of the hilt.

(Exar Kun had learned long lost secrets from a holocron that forged the look but it is a synthetically made crystal infused with the dark side of the force.) A rarity your character is not significant enough to overshadow and take away the iconic look of this character.

 

2. But Anakin used his Blue Light Saber in EP3!

Explanation: Anakin just turned to the Dark Side of the Force and was immediately sent to kill the remaining separatist and exterminate the Jedi order. He did not have time, I repeat he did not have time to make a Synthetic Crystal.

(What you see in the movies and a design restriction in a video game is two different things. There is a reason why these three were restricted because BioWARE knows they are the iconic colors of the two factions.)

 

3. But Mace Windu had a purple colored crystal!

In the Prequel Trilogy, Mace Windu's unique purple lightsaber was a functional change but Samuel L. Jackson, who played Windu, asked for a lightsaber to match his favorite color, and the distinct shade helped his character stand out on the battlefield from the red, blue, and green of the other lightsabers.

A rarity, nuff said!

 

Jedi used natural crystals!

According to The Jedi Path: A Manual for Students of the Force, lightsaber colors originally indicated a Jedi's role in the Order. For example, Jedi Consulars, who focused on non-violence, carried green lightsabers to symbolize peace. Jedi Guardians, on the other hand, carried blue lightsabers as a symbol of uniformity and solidarity.

The lack of lightsaber color variation in the movies is a lack of colored crystals. According to Jedi vs. Sith, the Empire (Past/Present/Future) quarantined or destroyed many sources of lightsaber crystals. This left the Jedi with mostly Ilum crystals, which can only produce green or blue blades.

 

Conclusion

Red/Blue/Green needs to be restricted to their respective factions. The symbols of the big three colors are iconic to the faction which they have been displayed upon. Posters, movies, books, cartoons, toys and comics is proof enough that Red is the faction color of the Sith, while Blue/Green is the faction color of the Jedi, regardless of a select few iconic characters.

 

Flame away!

Couldn't post on one of the several other post about this topic?

The original alignment restrictions were stupid and I for one am glad they are gone.

I would have been happier to have seen class restrictions. But am very happy to see no restrictions.

Why green? Green is not an original color for lightsabers.

Green was added during editing:

source: http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Lightsaber

"Lightsabers depicted in the first two released films, A New Hope and Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, had blades that were colored either blue (for the Jedi) or red (for the Sith). This color difference was a decision during post-production when the lightsaber blades were being rotoscoped, as the original blades were simply white. In Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, Luke Skywalker's newly-constructed lightsaber was colored blue during the initial editing of the film, and appears so in both an early movie trailer and the official theatrical posters, but in the final film, it was ultimately colored green in order to better stand out against the blue sky of Tatooine in outdoor scenes. It also appeared as green in re-release posters. "

So Green is iconic because it did not show up in the blue sky? It was added as an after thought because the true iconic color did not show up.

It is a matter of choice. Lightsabers are a reflection of those who use them and should be allowed to be customized as people see fit.

It is too bad some gamers just can't accept what is conventional knowledge when it comes to something as simple as color crystals.

If BW isn't able to maintain the uniqueness that is a part of light and dark factions then I won't have a problem spending my money elsewhere because by that point it isn't Star Wars anymore.

On the same note the same can be said if BW maintains the uniqueness. Then those who whine about wanting to use lightside colors on an empire character should follow the same path.

As you say...

 

I think something being forgotten or looked past is the fact that if we are to assume that colors aren't restricted, they are more or less used exclusively by specific groups. You use the word "tradition" to clarify this--which I would agree with.

 

That said, we as players don't live by those traditions and have no semblance of understanding how deeply binding those traditions might be. Meaning, if I am a Sith of any degree, what are the chances that I break from tradition and use blue saber crystals? On the other side, how likely am I as a Jedi knight to break from tradition and possibly earn the mistrust of my fellow Jedi by using a red saber crystal?

 

We have answers to those questions in the form of cross-faction color usage being a rarity.

 

The point is, whether or not there are hard-coded restrictions, there are consequences for breaking with traditions within the universe we are playing. A player should have their choice, but there should be consequences for those actions (isn't that part of story?).

 

So when a Jedi struts into the Senate on Coruscant and ignites his red lightsaber, I think more than a few heads should turn--and a very admonishing conversation be had with Satele. On the other side of the coin, when a Sith marches into Baras' chambers and shows off his blue or green lightsaber, I think a few minutes at the mercy of Force lightning might shed some light on the gravity of choosing to break with custom.

 

I guess my point is that using "tradition not restriction" as an argument is not a completely sturdy position to stand on; tradition implies understanding of the tradition, and we simply don't--despite our knowledge of lore (the difference between knowledge and wisdom).

 

I think the hard-coded restrictions help provide a sense of what these traditions are.

One problem with this argument is that the restrictions were NEVER hard-coded the way you described. They were hard-coded to alignment, not faction. And I think Empire players would be up in arms if suddenly they could ONLY use red for most of the game. There's no iconic 'second color' for Sith; more Jedi than Sith probably used orange sabers in the EU, same with purple and yellow.

Again, our characters' stories tell us we're exceptional, the strongest Force-users or most talented Force-users seen in years. Whether we go dark or light, 'tradition' is something we should be able to CHOOSE to follow or abandon. Most of my Jedi abandon robes, because I don't care for how most look in the game (at least, until hoods becomes an option). Most use yellow sabers, since they're fairly easy to make and look great. I'd make orange crystals for my Sentinel if I could (not enough comms to get a decent-level orange-crystal saber), or purple, but sadly he's not max level.

Which brings me to:

According to the EU (Expanded universe) This is how mace got his Purple crystal.

"In 58 BBY, a young Mace Windu was sent to Hurikane on a mission as a Padawan. In exchange for helping the stone-encrusted native species, Windu was given a handful of the rare violet Hurrikane crystals, which he used to create his unique electrum lightsaber."

 

Its a rare crystal of all eras.

I don't see how the story of Mace getting his crystal automatically means it's rare in ALL eras. The Hurrikane crystals are rare. Mace's lightsaber is unique in its era. But that little entry doesn't affect KOTOR era, TOR era, NJO era, LOTF, FOTJ, LEGACY, or any other era outside the ~1000 years between the Ruusan Reformations and the end of Episode VI.

Anakin Solo and Jaina Solo both used purple sabers a couple decades after the movies. Other Jedi in Luke's order also used purple. Tons of NPCs in TOR use purple, and just 300 years earlier purple was a fairly common drop on the journeys of Revan and the Exile.

They are NOT rare in all eras, as any fan who actually enjoys Star Wars BEYOND just the movies could likely tell you.

I love the 'synthetic crystals are always red and Sith only' argument.

 

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Luke_Skywalker's_lightsaber

 

Luke learned how to make synthetic crystals through writings by Obi-Wan. Granted this was a post Ruusan teaching when lightsaber crystal abundance began to go into decline, but the principle is the same.

 

While Sith traditionally use Synthetic crystals, they clearly aren't canonicly colour or alignment restricted in their creation.

Put aside EU lore and lets get right down to the thick of it. When GL created the movies (Originals) he gave the Dark Side a Red colored Light Saber to signify the Dark Side, while giving the Light Side Green/Blue. This helped the audience to distingush between the two. The select few with different colors are iconic characters, it should be a rarity not a prevlidge.

One problem with this argument is that the restrictions were NEVER hard-coded the way you described. They were hard-coded to alignment, not faction. And I think Empire players would be up in arms if suddenly they could ONLY use red for most of the game. There's no iconic 'second color' for Sith; more Jedi than Sith probably used orange sabers in the EU, same with purple and yellow.

 

Again, our characters' stories tell us we're exceptional, the strongest Force-users or most talented Force-users seen in years. Whether we go dark or light, 'tradition' is something we should be able to CHOOSE to follow or abandon. Most of my Jedi abandon robes, because I don't care for how most look in the game (at least, until hoods becomes an option). Most use yellow sabers, since they're fairly easy to make and look great. I'd make orange crystals for my Sentinel if I could (not enough comms to get a decent-level orange-crystal saber), or purple, but sadly he's not max level.

So you agree that the lack of hard-coded or at least incentivized color restrictions makes the choice of color one based on aesthetics as opposed to a choice inspired by the universe we play in?

My point is that choosing a color because it looks good isn't the same as choosing a color because you're a Sith or because you're a Jedi. I think that's the problem many like me have--the world is going to be full of people using colors that don't make sense (even if they look fantastic or cool).

There's a reason Luke chose green. There's a reason Palpatine chose red.

That's all I'm really saying.

Considering KotOR and its sequel had more than just blue, green, and red for your character to use, regardless of alignment, than I don't understand what your problem is.

Exar Kuun used blue and didn't switch over to red at any point in his life, than I don't see why my Sith couldn't.

You guys are beginning to make unnecessary restrictions over silly things, and I am all for lore.

However, I am still approving of an eventual toggle in preference options to make all lightsabers of the opposing faction viewable as red and that for the Jedi that they randomly appear as blue or green. This gives the visual connection for those "It breaks my immersion!" guys.

Still, not a priority so I don't expect it soon.

Put aside EU lore and lets get right down to the thick of it. When GL created the movies (Originals) he gave the Dark Side a Red colored Light Saber to signify the Dark Side, while giving the Light Side Green/Blue. This helped the audience to distingush between the two. The select few with different colors are iconic characters, it should be a rarity not a prevlidge.

But TOR is EU lore, and TOR is set before the Ruusan reformations, where lightsaber crystals of different colours became rarer (afterwards, most Jedi crystals came from Ilum, which only had blue and green IIRC), and became a part of the Jedi uniform. Canonicly according to the EU lore that this game is a part of, lightsaber colours of varying hues are a lot freer and commonplace then by the time of the Prequels.

Furthermore, let's look at the only other game canon of this era: The KOTOR games. I didn't see any colour crystals with alignment restrictions, did you? Considering Bioware developed the first one, I was honestly surprised when colour crystals were introduced with alignment restrictions. I'm glad they've removed it into TOR. Self expression was a big part of the charm of the lightsaber in the KOTOR games - the weapon actually felt important.

Put aside EU lore and lets get right down to the thick of it. When GL created the movies (Originals) he gave the Dark Side a Red colored Light Saber to signify the Dark Side, while giving the Light Side Green/Blue. This helped the audience to distingush between the two. The select few with different colors are iconic characters, it should be a rarity not a prevlidge.

Since the time period for TOR is unique unto itself, perhaps our characters live in a time where different-coloured sabers is more common.

Those of you who want to play your characters with their iconic Jedi-blue or green / Sith-red should feel most free to do so.

Those that want something different, should feel free to do so as well.

There are many examples in books and comics of Force-users with different coloured blades, we live in a period of many Jedi and Sith, ergo there will be many exceptions to the percieved "lore-rules".

Deal with it, move on, and have fun. Or waste your subscription money arguing the point here on the forums.

The choice is yours.

Choice. Its a good thng.

Put aside EU lore and lets get right down to the thick of it. When GL created the movies (Originals) he gave the Dark Side a Red colored Light Saber to signify the Dark Side, while giving the Light Side Green/Blue. This helped the audience to distingush between the two. The select few with different colors are iconic characters, it should be a rarity not a prevlidge.

This is an EU game, based on a previous EU game, set firmly in the EU outside the films as it takes place over 3000 years BEFORE the films.

And there's a lot of Star Wars fans who--WOW, WHAT A CONCEPT!--actually LIKE having more Star Wars to enjoy, in the form of the EU! We like this galaxy! We like Jedi and Sith and smugglers and pilots and aliens and bounty hunters!

So why should Bioware shoot themselves in the foot by limiting this game to what's shown in the 6 films? Goodbye Selkath, Cathar, Chiss, Sith Pureblood, Rattaki, and more. You guys weren't in the films, you have to go. Goodbye Balmorra, Belsavis, Taris, Tython, Korriban, Dromund Kaas, and Ilum. Goodbye orange and yellow color crystals.

Star Wars lore is far more extensive than JUST the films. In the originals, he gave the bad guy red and the good guy blue just so there'd be some visual difference on-screen. Not because blue signified 'good' and red signified 'bad'. It was just for difference. Otherwise we'd have had two white sabers clashing in the halls of the Death Star, and it could get muddled... like having two blue blades clash on Mustafar in Episode 3.

Green was ONLY picked because of an issue with the background sky. There's a heavy bit of 'lore' to base rules of a game around. "Oh, crap, this blade kinda blends into the sky here... wanna make it yellow? Those Luke action figures have yellow." "Might blend in too much with the sand." "You might be right... how about green?" "Eh, sure."

Forget 'movie-only lore'. Star Wars is bigger than that. And it's a COMPLETELY different era.

But TOR is EU lore, and TOR is set before the Ruusan reformations, where lightsaber crystals of different colours became rarer (afterwards, most Jedi crystals came from Ilum, which only had blue and green IIRC), and became a part of the Jedi uniform. Canonicly according to the EU lore that this game is a part of, lightsaber colours of varying hues are a lot freer and commonplace then by the time of the Prequels.

 

Furthermore, let's look at the only other game canon of this era: The KOTOR games. I didn't see any colour crystals with alignment restrictions, did you? Considering Bioware developed the first one, I was honestly surprised when colour crystals were introduced with alignment restrictions. I'm glad they've removed it into TOR. Self expression was a big part of the charm of the lightsaber in the KOTOR games - the weapon actually felt important.

And the EU is based off the originals. We can go this route all day long but I am telling you the pazzaz is gone when you see million Sith Pure bloods running around becomming Jedi and sporting a red light saber.

As for KOTOR its a single player game that you play as one of the most iconic EU characters. All I am getting at is you have the standard colors RED/BLUE/GREEN should be restricted. I can give a rats *** about any of the other colors but they should be a rarity find.

<hopefully someone's written a message between my last and this one>

So you agree that the lack of hard-coded or at least incentivized color restrictions makes the choice of color one based on aesthetics as opposed to a choice inspired by the universe we play in?

 

My point is that choosing a color because it looks good isn't the same as choosing a color because you're a Sith or because you're a Jedi. I think that's the problem many like me have--the world is going to be full of people using colors that don't make sense (even if they look fantastic or cool).

 

There's a reason Luke chose green. There's a reason Palpatine chose red.

 

That's all I'm really saying.

If there were a story reason for the colors, I'd be up for that. KOTOR2 let us choose our color in a conversation with Atton Rand, though I think the Exile initially starts with blue/green/yellow like Revan in KOTOR, but then retrieves her original saber (in whatever exotic color you picked) from Atris or something. Been awhile, apologies for any errors in my references there!

Luke chose green because his blue blade blended in with the Tatooine sky One story retcon I know a lot of fans, including myself, are behind is for Luke's green crystal to actually be Qui-Gon's. It'd be nigh-impossible to convey in the film itself, particularly since the saber-tinkering scene is a deleted one, but it'd be a fun bit to retcon into the lore, further tying the trilogies together in non-ridiculous ways, and letting Qui-Gon reach out to Luke in a way, considering he was never mentioned (nor invented) back in the day, yet now is the one responsible for finding Anakin & deciding to train him, in addition to teaching Obi-Wan and Yoda the trick of immortality. Obi-Wan could easily have kept just the crystal as a memento of his old master, and it could've been tucked away with his manual on lightsaber construction that Luke used.

But back to the story... it's rather abrupt when the Jedi Knight constructs his saber in the game (I forget whether the Consular is sent specifically to construct it or to another mission near the Forge, first). You take down Bengel, Master Din gives you the raw mats, and you put it together. Kinda 'blah'. A bit more choice would've been nice, like the option of choosing from among a few colors. Not as exotic as the Exile's choices (viridian, vermilion, etc--those should be high-level crystals, tho!), but if you had orange, blue, green, purple, yellow, and red to choose from--with a remark from Orgus unique to each color choice--that'd be pretty nice. I can picture him saying something like "Red, eh? You know that's traditionally a color reserved for the Sith. I hope you realize you're walking a dangerous line...and that you don't cross it, for all our sakes. But if the Force is telling you red, red it is." Yellow may be problematic, as you can get a yellow crystal from the two lovers if you so choose... maybe the conversation choice would acknowledge that you already had one if that was the case.

And the EU is based off the originals. We can go this route all day long but I am telling you the pazzaz is gone when you see million Sith Pure bloods running around becomming Jedi and sporting a red light saber.

 

As for KOTOR its a single player game that you play as one of the most iconic EU characters. All I am getting at is you have the standard colors RED/BLUE/GREEN should be restricted. I can give a rats *** about any of the other colors but they should be a rarity find.

That's really just a matter of opinion. The fact of the matter is that, as an EU title, TOR should try to adhere to the lore established around this era as it correlates more directly to the setting then the movies, which are thousands of years away. There's even been canon explanations for the fundamental changes in the way the typical Jedi or Sith represents him or herself. To ignore that would be a slap in the face to the writers of kotor (the majority of which are probably still employed by Bioware) and the greater EU.

Exactly...but most of the people who quote lore left and right have selective memory that conveniently backs up their desire for no color restrictions. As I have said several times, this change along with the racial crossovers and abilities takes a huge dump on the Star Wars lore.

No ifs, and or buts about it, and you are lying to yourself if you believe otherwise.

Put aside EU lore and lets get right down to the thick of it. When GL created the movies (Originals) he gave the Dark Side a Red colored Light Saber to signify the Dark Side, while giving the Light Side Green/Blue. This helped the audience to distingush between the two. The select few with different colors are iconic characters, it should be a rarity not a prevlidge.

End of story.

I want TOR keep SW in it's name. All colors for all is stupid idea. No SWfan can approve that.

I'm a SW fan. This is 3000 years before SW before they could only get crystals from Ilum. I approve.

2. But Anakin used his Blue Light Saber in EP3!

Explanation: Anakin just turned to the Dark Side of the Force and was immediately sent to kill the remaining separatist and exterminate the Jedi order. He did not have time, I repeat he did not have time to make a Synthetic Crystal.

(What you see in the movies and a design restriction in a video game is two different things. There is a reason why these three were restricted because BioWARE knows they are the iconic colors of the two factions.)

You just attempted to say that whatever Bioware does is canon, and thus shot your own argument in the foot.

End of story.

Any lore argument that begins with "put aside lore" isn't a real argument.

I just don't like how BioWARE is pissing on such iconic symbols to please a minority group that have no clue.

You're the minority here. Why do you think it was lifted? Stop pretending to be the majority, as if that lends weight to your argument. Either it can stand on its own or it needs to rely on a logical fallacy. Which is it?

It is too bad some gamers just can't accept what is conventional knowledge when it comes to something as simple as color crystals.

It's worse when some gamers just make up reasons for stuff they want, ignoring lore or directly contradicting it, and then pretend that the stuff they made it is "conventional knowledge".

Lore doesn't support color restrictions based on alignment. Period.

A Synthetic lightsaber crystal, commonly referred to as a Synth-crystal, is a type of lightsaber crystal that is artificially created, rather than naturally formed by geological processes. Due to the methods used in their creation, they often formed with a red coloration, though they could be made with any color through special manipulations of either the creation process or the crystal itself, often through the Force

"I don't need to remind you that a crimson blade doesn't guarantee that the wielder is a Sith, any more than every person strong in the Force is a Jedi. Asajj Ventress was a mere apprentice to Dooku, not a true Sith. A crimson blade can owe to nothing more than a synthetic power crystal. Then crimson is simply a color, like Master Windu's amethyst blade."

The primary reason for the usage of synthetic crystals among Sith and other Darksiders was the need to stay hidden, as most of the sites where natural crystals suitable for lightsabers could be gathered were frequented by the Jedi Order. Eventually, synth-crystal usage among such groups became a tradition, with most members considering the creation of a synthetic crystal superior to the more passive Jedi method of gathering of natural formations, which was looked on as relying on the "untamed wilds of space" to provide. In fact, synthetic crystal creation was viewed by Darksiders to be sign of greater mastery over the Force

However, sometimes Jedi were forced to create synth-crystals when a weapon was needed and no naturally occurring crystals were accessible. Notable examples include Luke Skywalker, who used a synth-crystal for his first lightsaber, because he had no knowledge of the natural crystals at that point, and his niece Jaina Solo. Synth-crystals made by the Jedi usually had colors other than red, to avoid similarities with the Sith. Skywalker created a green crystal, while Solo produced a violet one.

 

In fact, because Darth Sidious had most of the sites where crystals occurred naturally looted or destroyed during the reign of the Galactic Empire, the New Jedi Order had to rely on synth-crystals almost exclusively

So yeah, it says it was frowned upon. Not disallowed. There are also natural lightsaber crystals which make red blades lol.

Put aside EU lore and lets get right down to the thick of it. When GL created the movies (Originals) he gave the Dark Side a Red colored Light Saber to signify the Dark Side, while giving the Light Side Green/Blue. This helped the audience to distingush between the two. The select few with different colors are iconic characters, it should be a rarity not a prevlidge.

put aside the eu and you don't get boba fett, you don't get double bladed sabers, heck, you don't even get Coruscant. all are from the eu, backed and used by gl.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars_Expanded_Universe#Lucas.27s_use_of_the_Expanded_Universe

you do not have to like the FACT that using whatever color you want is well within the lore, but it doesn't make it less true.

So yeah, it says it was frowned upon. Not disallowed. There are also natural lightsaber crystals which make red blades lol.

That's where my argument comes in: with color restrictions removed, where is the frowning upon? There should be incentives for sticking with the traditional colors, while still allowing players to choose which color they want.

Synthetic Crystals, it’s a Sith Thang!

 

Though synthetic crystals were ordinarily unsuitable for use in light sabers, the Sith discovered that they could create synth-crystals that were energized, magnetized, and modified with the power of the dark side of the Force in special furnaces, causing the crystal to glow in harmonic vibration. As a result of their artificial origins, synthetic crystals created more powerful light saber blades and could be more easily augmented. Also, their common usage by Sith and other Darksiders after this discovery caused synthetic crystals to become something of a staple among such groups, and their use among Jedi was strongly discouraged.

 

Most synthetic crystals were red, a result of the forging process, and oftentimes the initiate's intentional manipulations, as most individuals who utilized synthetic crystals were Darksiders. The red-hued light saber blades generated by such crystals were often nicknamed "bloodshine blades". However, synth-crystals could be made in any color, requiring only slight adjustments of the creation process and special manipulations through the Force during the forging. Jedi frowned on the use of synthetic crystals in lightsabers, most individuals who utilized colors other than red were Darksiders looking to hide their affiliations

 

1. But Exar Kun had a blue light saber!

Explanation: The lightsaber of Jedi Knight Exar Kun was a device that was initially created to produce a single beam of blue-white energy. However, upon his ascension to Dark Lord of the Sith, Kun redesigned his lightsaber based on instructions hidden within an antiquated Sith holocron. The finished product was a double-bladed weapon imbued with dark side energy, from which sapphire blades materialized up to 1.5 meters from either end of the hilt.

(Exar Kun had learned long lost secrets from a holocron that forged the look but it is a synthetically made crystal infused with the dark side of the force.) A rarity your character is not significant enough to overshadow and take away the iconic look of this character.

 

2. But Anakin used his Blue Light Saber in EP3!

Explanation: Anakin just turned to the Dark Side of the Force and was immediately sent to kill the remaining separatist and exterminate the Jedi order. He did not have time, I repeat he did not have time to make a Synthetic Crystal.

(What you see in the movies and a design restriction in a video game is two different things. There is a reason why these three were restricted because BioWARE knows they are the iconic colors of the two factions.)

 

3. But Mace Windu had a purple colored crystal!

In the Prequel Trilogy, Mace Windu's unique purple lightsaber was a functional change but Samuel L. Jackson, who played Windu, asked for a lightsaber to match his favorite color, and the distinct shade helped his character stand out on the battlefield from the red, blue, and green of the other lightsabers.

A rarity, nuff said!

 

Jedi used natural crystals!

According to The Jedi Path: A Manual for Students of the Force, lightsaber colors originally indicated a Jedi's role in the Order. For example, Jedi Consulars, who focused on non-violence, carried green lightsabers to symbolize peace. Jedi Guardians, on the other hand, carried blue lightsabers as a symbol of uniformity and solidarity.

The lack of lightsaber color variation in the movies is a lack of colored crystals. According to Jedi vs. Sith, the Empire (Past/Present/Future) quarantined or destroyed many sources of lightsaber crystals. This left the Jedi with mostly Ilum crystals, which can only produce green or blue blades.

 

Conclusion

Red/Blue/Green needs to be restricted to their respective factions. The symbols of the big three colors are iconic to the faction which they have been displayed upon. Posters, movies, books, cartoons, toys and comics is proof enough that Red is the faction color of the Sith, while Blue/Green is the faction color of the Jedi, regardless of a select few iconic characters.

 

Flame away!

So, what exactly are you saying, that they should have faction restrictions on these crystals rather than light side and dark side restrictions?

What then about the blasters which are forced to use the same color crystals?

That's where my argument comes in: with color restrictions removed, where is the frowning upon? There should be incentives for sticking with the traditional colors, while still allowing players to choose which color they want.

Or you should just use the color saber you feel is appropriate and stop worrying so much about how everyone else looks.

Or you should just use the color saber you feel is appropriate and stop worrying so much about how everyone else looks.

I'm sure there are features of the game that you care about (and I don't) that I could use the same statement for...

But really, that's not very nice.