Thats not really a question anyone else but you can answer, as its looking for a value judgement call. since no one else has your values, no one can answer the question to the depths that you may wish to have it answered.. Only you can decide if its worth it for you..

So true. But if that is the case, what is the draw to playing that character?? I ask this because, when i play, i'm playing myself ( or an aspect of myself ) in a situation that i normally wouldnt find myself in. So yeah, its weird. It doesnt matter if i'm in battlefield 3, ME, SWTOR, Skyrim or Mabinogi, each game reflects a different aspect of myself. So you see, in my twisted little global view of things my character always reflects me, and likewise i never make the choices i wouldnt make in real life.

Of course they would. Death is as much a part of living as breath and babies. Its inevitable. If someone truly does have the force with them, they understand this. Life is a gift. It comes to us unbidden, without reason, rational or logic. Each moment we live reinforces just how much of a gift it is, and the loss of a loved one reinforces it the most. What part of dieing effects you the most?? That they left you behind?? Perhaps its because something has been taken away from you.. It hurts. It will always hurt, and it never goes away. Its ok to feel passionate about your loved ones and their loss. Where the jedi differ is in knowing to not act directly on those passions. To understand that those passions are completely self centered. At least, they certainly dont have any connection with what the person who died is feeling.. A couple years back, I stood next to my sisters bed and bid her farewell. The real death watch. It was the hardest moment of my existence. But it was her time. It in its own way, was her wish. She was tired. She'd seen more than she could take. She wanted to go ( home? ). It still hurts like hell because I miss her. But perhaps shes in a better place. Perhaps I've grown. I know my world has changed.. If i do not think of myself, but rather think of her, then i can accept her passing. Its only when i think of myself that i run into problems.

Doesnt it just suck to be a moth in a forest of differently colored flames?? My chracters are all pretty neutral. Oddly, my sth character is neutral neutral. the rest are a little more to the LS than that. Why i play them i dont know. Its more engrossing than Mario?? Perhaps its because, i'm old. I've got an entire lifetime of ugly hateful memories, and even if its just in a game i'd like to see something good, just once?? Pathetic yes, but a valid excuse. I'm a combat vet in real life. Perhaps i play because the combat is the only thing i can truly relate too?? The Simms simply never did a thing for me.. I'm not your typical house pet.. After five days of intense eighteen hour a day gaming, i'm not as attached to any of my characters as i thought i would be. Its not that i'm bored. Its the world. Like so many others, its dirty, ugly, dark. Theres little there thats appealing. Even in Nam there were bright moments. The smile from the locals, a day out on the town, hustling pool, swiming in the south china sea. These were little things, but they existed. In this and other games, there is nothing like that. Its just the same old drivel every day. Its hard to remain attracted to something that does little more than kick your butt every day, all day, without a break. I play my characters because i like to win. I know my own strengths and weaknesses ( especially with a keyboard ) and i play several characters so that i can find the one that has the capability to excell. I know thatsodd in a game that has no end, but its just me. I'm always competitive, though what i consider to be win may not be what others consider winning. Mostly I like my smuggler. Shes a lot like me. clumsy, silly at times, alwaysa bit behind thecurve, but always willing to go through hell for what she wants. I play her because shes comfortable. Like me, shes a loner. Like me, shes got more important things on her mind than where her next meal is coming from, or the color of someones underwear.. She gives a rat, for all the right things. I play her because she fits.

Star Wars ( at least in the movies ) is most assuredly a morality play. Theres room to explore nuances that cannot be approached gracefully in any gaming construct. Although i agree that temptation, seduction, sedition and entrapment would be interesting for some of us, allowing us to safely explore some of the alternate sides of our own psyche's, I simply cant see where it would be entertaining for the masses. Topping that, is the incredible pressure the game industry has from outside forces such as the church. Mind you that although the church insisted and enforced their idea that the world was flat for several hundred years, and we've all learned the lesson of what happens when paranoia is allowed to run rampant, people still give in to the fears voluntary ignorance leads too. So the game industry is stuck between a rock and a hard place. On one hand, they need to create entertaining games that the majority of people will enjoy, and on the other hand they need to appease the fears of some groups that are convinced that if you think of something evil, it becomes real. Given what they had to work with, i thing Bioware did an ok job of it. Sure, its pablum. Its watered down, trivialized, mad black and white, but from an entertainment and moralistic standpoint, they did the best they could.

I would disagree with calling it propaganda. But then, neither would i carry it to its extreme of saying that once youve bitten an apple you will eat only apples as some of the remarks seem to elude too. The baser truth is, once you do something, not only it, but your perceptions and emotions surrounding it ( not to mention your memories of the event ) become a part of you. They change you: forever. Once a bullet has left the barrel of a gun, there is no calling it back. No stopping it. it will continue onward until it reaches its target. Peopleare the same. a lie thats spoken, a murder performed: It doesnt matter. From that point onward, the person becomes irrevocably changed. The act will remain with you internally, forever. You cease to be who you were, and grow into something else. We each change like this every day. Perhaps not too such extremes, but, the promise broken, the lie told, the extras goodie in a pocket as you walk out of a store. These things change you. They stay with you. Therefore, from the moment you act upon an idea, the you that you were before you acted is gone, and you have become someone else. Its not propaganda. Its basic psychology: Basic truth. Therefore, once you have gone to the darkside, your there. your stuck. You can never go back to what was. Not even if you can forgive yourself. If you dont wish to believe me, go speak with an old combat veteran. Most likely, if he doesnt back hand you, he'll figure your an idiot too ignorant to understand, but if you can get him to open up, you'll see but unless you actually go there, you will never understand. Therefore, the Jedi are correct, and in wishing too save a person from such terrible blunders ( and they can be quite terrible )they set up their rules, but children are born blank boring and curious, and will go where they want and do whatever fancies their whims. Even in real life, its a sad thing to see a soul turn dark. How much moreso in an over the top exagerated universe such as that in star wars??

yeah, he did. As han and company walk into the room, vader turns to face them. without a word Han pulls his blaster and opens up.. Han also really did shoot first in the original movie ( both the 35mm version and the 70mm version ). Later, the scene was edited to make Han appear to be less cold blooded. After all, it was the my lil pony era and we couldnt let our heros have nasty characteristics right?? For those wondering, the difference between the 35mm version and the 70mm version was the "close the blast doors/open the blast doors" sequence. It wasnt originally in the 35mm version..

t me, it all boils down to an incredible understanding of politiica science and manipulation. In chapter 1, Palpatine makes his presence known through his apprentice, but stays untouchable while manipulating the trade federation with their droid armies. Theres little back story there, but there are clues that he was involved in the trade federations need to create an army.. With the manipulation of the trade federation as Darth Sidius, Palpatine created an opportunity in the senate to gain power, and took full advantage of it. Seeing whats happening in the senate, Count Duku creates the seperatist movement and attacks the republic. I'd like to think that its not so much because of Sidius being chancellor, but more because he ( Duku ) isnt. Thus begins the clone wars.. The clone wars ends with the end of Duku and his droid armies, and only one last group needs to be eliminated. The unwitting assassins in hire to Darth Sidious: The jedi. And just think. They work almost for free.. With the jedi outlawed and nearly exterminated, Sidius move his clone armies into place and elevates himself to Emporer status. Twenty years later We have Luke Skywalker, and his Iron john psychdrama.. Star Wars was always more of a symphony of undertones and currents than anything else. And the undercurrents were always of an epic nature. The stories are individually easy to criticize, but only a narrow visioned fool would do so.. The prequels answere questions that were twenty years old. Perhaps they were a bit purile, but they were designed to be enjoyable by children, yet have a story line too them that was desernable only by adults.. Frankly, I think thay did a good jobb, even if i'm not too thrilled by some of the characters..

Reminds me of a quote spoken by Ashoka some 2500 years ago.. "What good is it to rule over an empty land?" He was also slated to become emporer you see, but on earth, in India. He was also one of the greatest warriors to have ever lived, and realizing that to rule over emptiness was to gain nothing, he turned his back on war completely. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashoka

comparisons are only comparisons. you can compare all you wish, but in the end, its just apples and oranges. Personal taste and experience/perception.. ME is what it is and SWOR is what it is.. they both have stars, spaceships, bad guys, and well, ME has sex.. However, ME being a single player game can have a much deeper storyline. Theres more that can be involved because your not trying to balance everything out for up too two million people at the same time.. SWTOR has included a decision tree, and it does effect your over all character, but being a never ending story line, it cant really have any long term lasting effects as over time you will change.. Shep can be as noble or evil as you want, but in STWOR those concepts are little more than abstract background and player involvement has to take center stage, all because ME has a definite ending, and SW doesnt.. ME ends this year, but you will concievably be playing SWTOR four years from now... Leave the comparisons where they belong.. in the trash with the basket weavers...

I don't hate this game. In fact i like it a lot, but if they don't change that ten minute wait period for re-spawning I'm gone.. That's the most ridicules thing I've ever experienced ( and at 60 years old, I've experienced a lot of ridicules things ),. I mean Come on EA.. 30 second, a minute even that's cool, but ten minutes?? that's stupid as hell..

I tend to avoid the forums as I'd much rather just play the game and have a good time.. Of course there are things about the game i find annoying, but airing them here wont make a difference, so i'd rather just play.. Like death and taxes, trolls are always with us.. If you let them get under your skin, theyve won their game.. ignore them and enjoy the good stuff..