The developers of SWGEmu, an unofficial Star Wars online game that emulates the pre-CU Galaxies environment, are planning a stress test. They want a massive influx of players to see if their servers can handle the load.

The most players they’ve ever had on at one time is a mere 452. They are hoping for many, many times that number during this test so they are encouraging everyone to get the word out.

Are you a current or former Galaxies player? Then you can play for free since the only expense is an official copy of the Galaxies game client. The developers encourage multi-boxing since there is no real economy in the game yet so multiplay isn’t going to hurt anything and will help with the test.

The stress test for this Star Wars online game is scheduled for Saturday, December 6 at 6 pm Eastern Time so there isn’t much time to get the word out.

One advantages of developing an unofficial Star Wars online game is that you are not limited by the canon of the established books and movies. The website of Star Wars Combine has released an alternate history that sets the stage for their game.

Combine takes place around the time of the original movies, just at the outbreak of the war between the Empire and the Rebel Alliance. Major historical events are about the same: the Sith’s corruption of the Trade Federation, the Clone Wars, the fall of the Republic, and so on. However the major figures of the time, such as Darth Vader, no longer exist.

The developers feel that the players should be the focus of this Star Wars online game, not larger than life characters from fiction. This slightly changed timeline opens the way for Combine players to change the events as they wish. The Empire could crush the Rebels. The Rebels could win but be left with nothing but destroyed planets. It’s anyone’s guess.

Image courtesy of: Matthew Verso

Players were excited by the release of information on Star Wars: The Old Republic, one of the most anticipated Star Wars online games ever, but were disappointed by one of the screenshots that shows a Jedi wielding a lightsaber only slightly smaller than a redwood tree.

Bioware themselves parodied the screenshot at the company Halloween party with one employee wielding a hugely oversized lightsaber. Art Director Jeff Dobson stated that he agrees the lightsaber is oversized in the screenshot but they are still tweaking on details of a game that is, after all, probably a year or more away from release.

Dobson said that weapons are likely to be oversized, though not to the degree depicted, in order to increase the “wow” factor. Oversize weapons are common in Star Wars online games and other computer games, but it seems that the lightsaber’s distinctive glow would be enough of a wow factor for most people.

[Christine: You can find the screenshot that create the controversy at http://www.swtor.com/media/screens/force-choke if you want to put it in the entry]

The Star Wars online game Combine recently announced the addition of nine new ships to the roster of spacecraft players can own and operate. Ranging from the Ginivex-class starfighter to the Namana-class light cruiser, they are a welcome addition to the expanding fleets of player ships.

The new vessels will be available to players through the CP Exchange starting on December 3 to coincide with Combine’s 10th anniversary. The CP Exchange is a market where player can buy unique objects with CPs (Combine Points). CPs are earned by OOC efforts to support the game, actions which can range from clicking on advertising banners to directly helping code the game.

In a related development, players with NPC pilots that have 5 or more points of piloting skill will now be able to add a call sign such as Red 5 or Alpha 42 to their names.

While features may be added more slowly than a Star Wars online game with a mega budget, Combine continues to grow steadily.

People who have played pencil and paper RPGs, at least ones run by a good game master, know that a Star Wars online game or another MMOs can’t compare to the depth of a good PnP game. Bioware claims they are going to change that with strong storytelling elements in Star Wars The Old Republic.

The game boasts a writing staff over a dozen strong who had to go through three months of training before being allowed to work on the game’s quests. This team has now been working for several years to put together the plot of this game which is likely another year or more away from release.

Bioware took their commitment to storytelling to a new level, creating the story first and designing the game to accommodate it rather than the other way around. Will this Star Wars online game be the first MMO with a deep ongoing plot? This is just one of the questions players won’t get answered until the game’s release.

With the Moon Festival closing, Sony Online Entertainment has already announced plans for upcoming Christmas…sorry, “Life Day”…events in their Star Wars online game.

As usual, SOE is being tight-lipped on details until closer to the event as much of it is still being developed. However the events should include giant wroshyr trees appearing in designated areas. As you probably know, wroshyr trees are the enormous trees that allow Wookiees to live safely above the dangers of the jungle floor on Kashyyyk. The tie in comes from the fact Life Day is a Wookiee holiday featured in the much-reviled 1978 Star Wars Holiday Special.

Sony promises more than just big trees, mentioning that there will be gift giving and the release of a new speeder model.

In the announcement, Sony repeated statements previously made by CEO John Smedley that there are no plans to shut down the Star Wars online game in response to Star Wars: The Old Republic and that new events and content are planned well into 2009.

As mentioned in previous posts, some male players have female characters in a Star Wars online game because it fits the character conception. However there are other reasons for the practice.

The most common purpose is to get presents from other players. Female characters get a lot more attention and often have other players lavishing money or items on them, possibly in an effort to flirt or possibly just to be nice. Some players have a female character with the sole purpose of charming loot out of other players to be distributed to their other characters. The trashier a female character dresses, the more likely it’s some guy scamming donations.

Other players have a different reason. Since Star Wars online games are generally played with a third-person camera, you spend a lot of time looking at your character’s butt. Some men feel if they have to stare at a digital tushie for the next hundred hours, it might as well be a female one.

You spend hours playing a Star Wars online game. You get powerful enough to hunt the mobs who give the great loot. Or you become a crafter who makes equipment unparalleled in the game world.

What are the rights you the player have to that equipment? You can sell it in game, but do you have to right to sell it on eBay?

The Terms of Service in most MMOs say no. These items are the intellectual property of the developer and they own full rights. However online sales are not policed and a company that does not pursue its intellectual property rights can lose them.

All Star Wars online game players are affected by these professional MMOers. These practices can unbalance the internal economy of the game as well as making rare items even rarer as the speculators vie for them. Until these outside sales hurt the company’s revenue, the developers will likely turn a blind eye to them. Players will just have to tolerate these kinds of players.

As mentioned in a previous post, I occasionally play female characters in Star Wars online games. I’ve noticed my female characters get a lot more attention from other players than my male ones.

I haven’t actually had a guy hit on me yet (eww), but I get more group and guild invites, spontaneous gifts, and general social activity when I’m playing a female. Twi’leks and Humans get bugged more than species like Mon Calimari.

What is the motivation behind this? Are guys actually trying to score points with what they assume is a female player? Or is it just a natural instinct to seek social contact with females and we don’t even realize we do it.

I’ve been a computer game addict since before Jobs and Wozniak created the Apple in their garage and I’ve heard my share of “get a life” comments from people. But seriously, if you are trying to “pick up chicks” in a Star Wars online game, it’s time to turn off the computer and meet some real girls

Although it’s a bit premature to judge Star Wars: The Old Republic, the new Star Wars online game from LucasArts and Bioware, there is at least one thing they have done right.

When most people play Star Wars games they want to be Jedi. When it was announced that Star Wars Galaxies was set during the first trilogy, many players groaned in disappointment. Jedi were effectively non-existent in this time period. Galaxies tried limiting player Jedi and the fanbase screamed long and loud. They gave in and now there are hordes of Jedi during a time when the number of Jedi could be counted on one hand/paw/tentacle.

A Star Wars online game should be set in The Old Republic, when there were Jedi on every street corner. Bioware made the right choice and that bodes well for the future of the game. Head over and register on the official forums to get more news and updates.