To put it simply, in SWG, the story was YOUR story. Honestly, that's the way the game made you feel. I've said this many times before, but SWG was one of the only MMO's where I've felt like I actually made an impact on the game world.

I play from launch to a few weeks into the NGE on the Starsider server. In my time I made an impact on the world in several ways. It started off small when I joined one of the big Imperial PA's, TIO. I gained notoriety with my sarcastic and often blunt attitude. I gained friends and enemies through my skill and tactics in PvP. Me and friends founded the very first Mos Vegas in SWG history right next to the Krayt Dragon Graveyard on Tatooine, and formed a new PA called the Mos Vegas Mafia. the MVM was an Imperial PA, but we were more like a criminal organization. We effectively controlled and exploited the traffic leading to the Krayt Dragon Graveyard. We were known for our underhanded tactics, big mouths, and love for credits.

As all things do, the Mos Vegas Mafia came to an end and the city was sold to another PA to settle some debts our leader had. What's a homeless bounty hunter to do? I co-founded another PA with three of my close bounty hunter friends. We were the Vonyat' Hunting Gang, VHG. We prided ourselves on ruthlessly hunting down and slaying Jedi of both factions. As we become more and more effective, we started to gain a reputation with both Imperial and Rebel PA's.

During those days, Jedi were still quite rare. They were penalized with harsh XP debt when they were killed. There was a lot of competition between the factions, and even PA's, for title of top Jedi. We took advantage of that. With our reputation and our contacts, we started to sell our services to the highest bidder. If there was a Jedi that was in danger of becoming too powerful, we'd be hired to help even the playing field. Want to send a message? We did that. Want us to spend a week hunting down the Jedi of a certain PA? We did that. Want an enemy Jedi griefed into oblivion through TEF exploits? We did that, but you had to pay extra. We were neutral; removed from the galactic war that we profited so heavily on.

Eventually, a good friend of mine fell to the Dark Side: He bought a Jedi account. The VHG fell apart as our priorities shifted. My friend played his Jedi more than his BH. My life outside of the game started changing dramatically as well. I was entering my later years in high school. My social life started dominating my time. I spent less time in the virtual world and more time in the real world. I'd play in what little spare time I had. I had become a lone wolf. I hunted Jedi alone, still with great effect. I fell back into the Imperial ranks, joining old friends for battles against the Rebels. Even though I spent less time in SWG, the bonds that I forged as I traveled resonated through time.

Eventually, the NGE hit. My friends list became a literal ghost town. Unhappy with the direction that SOE insisted on going with the game, I canceled my subscription and never returned.

For the first time and only time, I felt like I was actually a character in the game. Waylan Sanderin of Starsider was me. We shared the same persona. Everything that Waylan did in game was as a direct extension of real life self. It made me care about the world I inhabited and the friends I forged in it.

I still keep in contact with several of my friends from my days in SWG. I was actually at one of my old SWG friend's wedding in November. We sat around during his reception and regaled about the good ol' days: battles we had fought and won, good times we had had... as if it all happened in reality.

SWG was something special and I'm honored to have, in one way or another, left my unique fingerprint on the game. Before I quit, I dumped all my remaining credits (which was absolute TON of credits) into my house for maintenance. I'd like to think that "Waylan's Love Shack of Doom" graced the main drag of Mos Vegas until the plug was pulled.

I have to agree, in swg you definatley made your story. On my server I was the first to get krayte dragons on farm status solo. I killed 4-8 krayte a day making me the premier supplier.

I sold countless dragon pearls to high end guilds as well as tissues. Made a fortune which propelled me and my friends into having one of the largest player built cities on the server.

I became a chef half way through my first year playing and spent the countless hours required mastering gathering, sample taking, and traveling the galaxy to find the perfect materials. Also put the effort in to find the best suppliers of materials I need to enhance my food and drink products. When all is said and done. I had the highest level guilds clamoring for me to put a vendor in their player built cities as my chef products where world class.

To succeed in SWG you had to have connections. This was a player built game and economy. Most people didn't "get it" at all. I have talked to many fellow gamers and the ones that say it sucked. I ask them questions based on my success in game. Their answers? "I didn't realize you could do that in swg".........Most people just didn't get it and thats why it failed. People where afraid to actually have to work for success in a game.

Best mmo ever made to date despite its flaws. Most engaging game I ever played. Most depth. I will miss the early SWG game forever.

It truely made me feel part of the Star Wars universe. SWTOR doesn't even come close.

SWG gave a very good reason to revist all the planets through gathering. The gathering system was engaging and something you actualy had to master and it required that you revisit planets to take samples of crafting materials. How often in SWTOR do you need to revisit and explore planets that you have already moved on from? You don't you.

I could actually write a book about how cool SWG was......but I will end here.

I think the biggest problem with the NGE is the fact that it was sprung on the community. NOBODY knew it was coming which is why SOE had such a backlash as it came right around the time as the 'Trials of Obi Wan' expansion.

Even by that time the game was a shell of itself and then NGE hit .... biggest slap in the face an MMO community could have gotten in any game. I tried to go back several times .... It never stuck and never felt the same.

In the original SWG I created a medical company with 5 other people in my guild. NobilRis was created and we had the best supplies around. My interactions with people in Med Centers or buffing lines kept me entertained. I knew all along that it was a niche game, but man did I have fun in it for a few years.

Even had a guild wedding event in game. Lots of fun. I never even saw the ingame atmospheric flight.

R.I.P SWG

I liked SWG, even the NGE wasn't as horrible as it could have been. With all it's faults, it was an innovative game...and I remember it fondly.

I remember landing in Mos Eisley for the first time, poor and alone. I remember doing delivery missions ON FOOT because I couldn't afford a speeder; and this was back when terrain navigation meant something. I remember building camps at night...just because I could. I loved the fact that I controlled my story.

I am hoping that Bioware takes note for the endgame and creates a sandbox hybrid. That is the only way I see viability in the upper levels