SWTOR does Star Wars better than the actual movies

[Xeperi]

My own opinion of course. I saw the original SW films when they originally came out. I was always a "fan" but never fanatic. I've kept up with the movie side of the franchise since. I thought the newer editions were flashier and somewhat more visually appealing, but at the same time, I found something childish and cartoony about the whole thing. Being a sci-fi fanatic there is a massive frame of reference in which to place SW as "cartoony".

 

I never gave up on the franchise, and I will continue to watch the movies as they come out but hardly with the same fervor as, say, Riddick, or Firefly, or even (dare I say) Star Trek. And had been entirely uninspired to crack a SW novel.

 

Now comes SWTOR, and I figure, "meh, I'll give it a chance". I am blown away. This game has gotten me more into the franchise than all of the movies combined. I find myself delving into Star Wars mythos, fascinated by tales of Revan, contemplating the Sith Code and so on.

 

Of anything on-screen I have ever seen of Star Wars, the absolute best is the beginning cinematic of the Empire Side in Swtor: "The Sacking of Coruscant". If all of the movies were of that quality (at least the battle scenes and the tone) I would be a die-hard fan.

 

Lets hope in the future, that they are. A series of movies from the Sith perspective during the Great Galactic War would be awesome.

[BrianDavion]

The thing to remember is Star Wars ISN'T Science Fiction. It's Fantasy IN SPAAAACE cleverly disguised as science fiction

[sell-dog]

My own opinion of course. I saw the original SW films when they originally came out. I was always a "fan" but never fanatic. I've kept up with the movie side of the franchise since. I thought the newer editions were flashier and somewhat more visually appealing, but at the same time, I found something childish and cartoony about the whole thing. Being a sci-fi fanatic there is a massive frame of reference in which to place SW as "cartoony".

 

I never gave up on the franchise, and I will continue to watch the movies as they come out but hardly with the same fervor as, say, Riddick, or Firefly, or even (dare I say) Star Trek. And had been entirely uninspired to crack a SW novel.

 

Now comes SWTOR, and I figure, "meh, I'll give it a chance". I am blown away. This game has gotten me more into the franchise than all of the movies combined. I find myself delving into Star Wars mythos, fascinated by tales of Revan, contemplating the Sith Code and so on.

 

Of anything on-screen I have ever seen of Star Wars, the absolute best is the beginning cinematic of the Empire Side in Swtor: "The Sacking of Coruscant". If all of the movies were of that quality (at least the battle scenes and the tone) I would be a die-hard fan.

 

Lets hope in the future, that they are. A series of movies from the Sith perspective during the Great Galactic War would be awesome.

 

Agree with you 100%. Of course I can't reference to when the originals came out but I share the sentiment. I have always liked and enjoyed all the films. I can remember a couple of times where I got lost on wooki for an hour but that was more because I was bored and easily distracted. This game came out and I've read a bunch of novels and go on wooki because I am curious on certain information. If I spend an hour on wooki it's not just a random distraction, it's an hour of fun and excitement! I think having all the video games, books, etc is a way to constantly draw interest in the franchise and draw fans across different generations.

 

On a separate but somewhat related topic (and don't know how this will be received), given the reason listed as to how the EU has helped the SW franchise, I don't understand why J.K. Rowling doesn't do the same with the Harry Potter franchise. For myself, I would be interested if they had material on Voldermort's or Dumbledore's past to name a couple options. Every SW book makes the NY Times Bestseller list and it is not a stretch to believe that HP books by someone else will do that as well. In my opinion, it just seems that by Rowling not franchising it out makes it seem as if she's saving an ace in the hole if she ever runs low on money (and if she does I'd be curious as to how that happened) then she could write another HP book that would be instantly mega-successful and a quick money fix. Just my thoughts and apologies for diverting from the original prompt.

[TalonVII]

Problem with the movies as opposed to the game, is literally time constrants. Only so much you can pack into 2-2.5 hours.

 

In a game, the developer's imagination is the limit. And there is no time limit for the story.

[Xeperi]

The thing to remember is Star Wars ISN'T Science Fiction. It's Fantasy IN SPAAAACE cleverly disguised as science fiction

 

Very true. I am a fantasy fan as well, probably more so. I count Tolkein and even Gygax as leading influences on civilization equal to FDR or Kennedy lol.

 

On further thought- Star Wars works so well for me because it is really the only franchise that (to me!) really is able to blend the mystical/fantastic with science fiction.

[Xeperi]

Agree with you 100%. Of course I can't reference to when the originals came out but I share the sentiment. I have always liked and enjoyed all the films. I can remember a couple of times where I got lost on wooki for an hour but that was more because I was bored and easily distracted. This game came out and I've read a bunch of novels and go on wooki because I am curious on certain information. If I spend an hour on wooki it's not just a random distraction, it's an hour of fun and excitement! I think having all the video games, books, etc is a way to constantly draw interest in the franchise and draw fans across different generations.

 

On a separate but somewhat related topic (and don't know how this will be received), given the reason listed as to how the EU has helped the SW franchise, I don't understand why J.K. Rowling doesn't do the same with the Harry Potter franchise. For myself, I would be interested if they had material on Voldermort's or Dumbledore's past to name a couple options. Every SW book makes the NY Times Bestseller list and it is not a stretch to believe that HP books by someone else will do that as well. In my opinion, it just seems that by Rowling not franchising it out makes it seem as if she's saving an ace in the hole if she ever runs low on money (and if she does I'd be curious as to how that happened) then she could write another HP book that would be instantly mega-successful and a quick money fix. Just my thoughts and apologies for diverting from the original prompt.

 

haha wooki, I spent the whole patch-delay time on wooki delving into the saga of Darth Malgus...my god, the movies they could make from Malgus and Revan alone....

 

and I don't know why HP hasn't generated that kind of mythos/secondary fiction. Usually someone like Lovecraft or Lucas (or Rowling) comes out with something epic and other writers pick it up, refine and run with it and a surrounding mythos is born. My favorite parts of HP weren't always even HP and crew but rather the backstory, the world in which it all was taking place.

Edited May 30, 2013 by Xeperi

[Xeperi]

Problem with the movies as opposed to the game, is literally time constrants. Only so much you can pack into 2-2.5 hours.

 

In a game, the developer's imagination is the limit. And there is no time limit for the story.

 

How about this for some food for thought A Song of Ice and Fire is a truly massive 7 (?) volume saga,, with each volume being thousands of pages long. These are best sellers. HBO picked up the saga as "Game of Thrones" and are actually doing it justice.

 

To see HBO (or some such) pick up The Old Republic as a series of 1 hour episodes covering multiple seasons would be friken awesome. Thats dozens of hours as opposed to the few (or maybe 12 overall) we get from movies or a series of movies.

[Beniboybling]

I think that's just the nature of an RPG - it sucks you in. Its very deep and very immersive. Your surrounded by this world and you want to know more about it. What's more its got a fantastic community, and having other people to share your love of Star Wars with just sucks you in even more.

 

I used to be similar to you, big fan of Star Wars but didn't read any books or lose myself in lore and all that. Ever since playing SWTOR my fandom has multiplied 10 times over. I've read books, watched the TV series, use Wookieepedia all the time and am constantly roaming these forums for engaging discussion.

 

However I wouldn't necessarily say that SWTOR is better than the movies, though some elements have more appeal still enjoy other aspects of the movies more. However I don't really see Star Wars as just the movies anymore, its all just one big universe.

Edited May 30, 2013 by Beniboybling

[sell-dog]

haha wooki, I spent the whole patch-delay time on wooki delving into the saga of Darth Malgus...my god, the movies they could make from Malgus and Revan alone....

 

and I don't know why HP hasn't generated that kind of mythos/secondary fiction. Usually someone like Lovecraft or Lucas (or Rowling) comes out with something epic and other writers pick it up, refine and run with it and a surrounding mythos is born. My favorite parts of HP weren't always even HP and crew but rather the backstory, the world in which it all was taking place.

 

Again I agree with you 100% on both you statements. Great minds think alike.

 

I'm an engineering guy not an intellectual property law guy, but from what I understand the HP story is Rowling's idea and she hasn't franchised it out to other authors/companies and thus if anyone tried to make another HP work they'd be sued instantly. In comparison, Lucas, Star Trek, etc have franchised their idea out to other parties but just need to run their thoughts past some governing committee, or perhaps the originator him/herself, to create a new work. Again this from what I understand and take it from the limited knowledge of the source

[TalonVII]

How about this for some food for thought A Song of Ice and Fire is a truly massive 7 (?) volume saga,, with each volume being thousands of pages long. These are best sellers. HBO picked up the saga as "Game of Thrones" and are actually doing it justice.

 

To see HBO (or some such) pick up The Old Republic as a series of 1 hour episodes covering multiple seasons would be friken awesome. Thats dozens of hours as opposed to the few (or maybe 12 overall) we get from movies or a series of movies.

 

And i'd be all for it. I was just merely pointing out that the original 6 movies were just painting the canvas, and I don't even think George Lucas ever imagined the epic he was creating when put this movie into action. That's the thing about a great story like Star Wars. George left it so open as long as it followed certain concepts, there is endless places it can be taken.

 

Why the game, or the KOTOR games did so well.

[sandisrd]

Hi,

 

Well, reading all these post I cannot agree more, I've always loved all the six movies and everything relating to SW universe, but same thing happen with SWOTR, when I start to play it, I've just was blown away, straight at the beginning, SW world simply takes you away from this terrible 21. century and 100% immersion you like nothing else.

 

Don't get me wrong, I think SW movies is as immerse as SWTOR, simply everything about SW universe is breathtaking in end of the day.

 

THANK YOU MR GEORGE LUCAS!.

 

Thank you,

Best regards!.

Edited May 31, 2013 by sandisrd

[bionamaster]

Y'know, it is funny that way. I was faced with a lengthy morning of travel (6:30 a.m to 11:30 a.m with nothing but a croissant to keep me going. Ugh...). So, I did the natural thing to do: I brought the Star Wars films and watched RotS and half of ESB (Curse you, fast airplane! CURSE YOU! ). But as I watched them, I noticed something: I liked the story in SWTOR more. I mean, they were still good and all, but all of a sudden, they just didn't seem as good. I don't know why. Maybe I'm too used to interacting personally with the Star Wars Galaxy (Why watch the Battle of Hoth, when you can fly there and kill Imperials your self?). I've always had this kind of mindset with Games vs. Movies, but it seemed more noticeable. Not as many epic lightsaber duels, the special effects in ESB went from old-fashioned to practically laughable (Did anyone else notice Luke's saber didn't turn off when the deactivation sound played as he fled the Wampa Cave?). So, yeah, I guess I feel the same way as you, OP.

[Dbuntu]

On a separate but somewhat related topic (and don't know how this will be received), given the reason listed as to how the EU has helped the SW franchise, I don't understand why J.K. Rowling doesn't do the same with the Harry Potter franchise. For myself, I would be interested if they had material on Voldermort's or Dumbledore's past to name a couple options. Every SW book makes the NY Times Bestseller list and it is not a stretch to believe that HP books by someone else will do that as well. In my opinion, it just seems that by Rowling not franchising it out makes it seem as if she's saving an ace in the hole if she ever runs low on money (and if she does I'd be curious as to how that happened) then she could write another HP book that would be instantly mega-successful and a quick money fix. Just my thoughts and apologies for diverting from the original prompt.

 

I imagine it's because J.K. Rowling has some level of artistic integrity.

Do you really want a bunch of hack writers making bank off the HP name? That devalues the franchise as a whole. Potential revenue is not something that should figure into the choice to write another novel. There is a distinct difference between content quanity and content quality.

 

The thing is, that not all of the EU has helped Star Wars as a franchise. A lot of it is crap. Look at the way the prequels ruined what was a fun space adventure film. I'd argue that with a few exceptions, expansion after 1983 has been a letdown overall.

[Beniboybling]

I imagine it's because J.K. Rowling has some level of artistic integrity.

Do you really want a bunch of hack writers making bank off the HP name? That devalues the franchise as a whole. Potential revenue is not something that should figure into the choice to write another novel. There is a distinct difference between content quanity and content quality.

 

The thing is, that not all of the EU has helped Star Wars as a franchise. A lot of it is crap. Look at the way the prequels ruined what was a fun space adventure film. I'd argue that with a few exceptions, expansion after 1983 has been a letdown overall.

Well I suppose that's your opinion. I believe their are a whole load of great works that have come after the movies. Let's note here that the prequels do not count as they are a George Lucas production.

 

But then we've got stuff like: the Thrawn Trilogy, Bane Trilogy, Darth Plagueis, Tales of the Jedi, Shadows of the Empire, KOTOR, KOTOR II, SWTOR, TFU, TFU II and the Clone Wars series, if you can count that. Without the EU Star Wars would be so much less than it is. Not to say its all great, a lot of the post-ROTJ stories are pretty poor. But the rest? Generally awesome.

[TalonVII]

Well I suppose that's your opinion. I believe their are a whole load of great works that have come after the movies. Let's note here that the prequels do not count as they are a George Lucas production.

 

But then we've got stuff like: the Thrawn Trilogy, Bane Trilogy, Darth Plagueis, Tales of the Jedi, Shadows of the Empire, KOTOR, KOTOR II, SWTOR, TFU, TFU II and the Clone Wars series, if you can count that. Without the EU Star Wars would be so much less than it is. Not to say its all great, a lot of the post-ROTJ stories are pretty poor. But the rest? Generally awesome.

 

Wow forgot some of the other best stuff. I jedi, X-wing series, Courtship of Princess Leia, Outbound flight, Medstar Duology, the Death Star book[which was really interesting], I mean there is a whole bunch of great books. I mean Millenium Falcon was AMAZING that took you back to the very beginnings of the ship and the many owners that had the ship before lando or Han ever flew her.

 

But yeah, without the EU, Star Wars wouldn't be what it is today. PERIOD.

[Beniboybling]

Wow forgot some of the other best stuff. I jedi, X-wing series, Courtship of Princess Leia, Outbound flight, Medstar Duology, the Death Star book[which was really interesting], I mean there is a whole bunch of great books. I mean Millenium Falcon was AMAZING that took you back to the very beginnings of the ship and the many owners that had the ship before lando or Han ever flew her.

 

But yeah, without the EU, Star Wars wouldn't be what it is today. PERIOD.

Well I can only name what I've experienced, there's definitely a whole lot of great EU out there that I haven't even touched on. But yeah, the EU has worked wonders on the franchise. Sometimes its just interesting to think how much BioWare alone has added to the EU. Tons of planets, races, corporations, concepts, they even invented the Sith Code!

[Darth_Krushya]

I agree with most of you.

 

I liked the original trilogy. It was exciting but I could take it or leave it.

 

The prequel Trilogy helped me understand George Lucas' vision much better.

 

Then came the KoTOR games on the original XBOX. They gave me a vastly deeper understanding of the natures of the Light and Dark Sides of the Force.

 

I also collected the "Essential Guides to Star Wars" which covered just about everything else.

 

Star Wars The Old Republic was the icing on the cake for me. This game is like KoTOR III - X. I love this game!

 

I love and understand Star Wars and the Expanded Universe so much more than I had ever thought possible. I'm a bigger fan (fanatic) of Star Wars than I ever was of Star Trek. And I still like ST. But SW is vastly more exciting now.

[TalonVII]

Well I can only name what I've experienced, there's definitely a whole lot of great EU out there that I haven't even touched on. But yeah, the EU has worked wonders on the franchise. Sometimes its just interesting to think how much BioWare alone has added to the EU. Tons of planets, races, corporations, concepts, they even invented the Sith Code!

 

I'm telling you man read the med-star duology and Death star. Written by the same two co-writers. If you read the medstar books, then you'll see why I feel the butchered Bariss's character in TCW. You will understand.

[ObsidianVashti]

I'm telling you man read the med-star duology and Death star. Written by the same two co-writers. If you read the medstar books, then you'll see why I feel the butchered Bariss's character in TCW. You will understand.

 

I had to log in just to comment on this post, I could not agree more the Medstar books are two fantastic books! They had profound character development with Bariss Offee and really gave an interesting perspective on the Clone Wars outside of all the fighting and etc... If any of you want a unique perspective on the Clone Wars, read the Medstar Duology- spot on!

 

(I was disappointed with Bariss in TCW after these powerful novels on her character)

(Death Star book was good, but I'd pick the Medstar novels over them any day)

[sell-dog]

I imagine it's because J.K. Rowling has some level of artistic integrity.

Do you really want a bunch of hack writers making bank off the HP name? That devalues the franchise as a whole. Potential revenue is not something that should figure into the choice to write another novel. There is a distinct difference between content quanity and content quality.

 

The thing is, that not all of the EU has helped Star Wars as a franchise. A lot of it is crap. Look at the way the prequels ruined what was a fun space adventure film. I'd argue that with a few exceptions, expansion after 1983 has been a letdown overall.

 

As to your remark in regards to hack writers. From what I understand, if JK were to franchise HP out to other authors, she could be as selective as she wanted to be in her choice of who and what stories would be released. These authors and stories would probably not be "hack " and may turn in good works that could rival the originals' success. Let's not forget that the first HP novel delivered JK out of poverty writing on tissue paper and before writing that book, she would've been lumped into a "hack writer" category but she created a great work and is now considered a great author.

 

In terms of a lot of the EU being crap, this is obviously a subjective statement. In the capitalist society the goal is to make consumers buy a product. If the some of EU is a let down, then why are publishing, video game, and other various companies and industries trying to attach their name to the SW franchise? Star Wars sells/profits regardless of quality and is creating new fans across different age distribution. I don't know how much I agree with this quote from Jerry Jones, but he states that "any publicity is good publicity". SW has never really gone away. Take for example ET. ET was an extremely successful one and done. As SW has been pushing products consistently over a 40 year period, and especially the last 15 years, a very large portion of the population ages 8-80 can tell you something about Star Wars. Can the same be said for ET? No. I find it very hard to believe George Lucas would've gotten the 4 billion dollars from Disney without the existence of the EU.

Edited June 2, 2013 by sell-dog

[Beniboybling]

TBH I'm not sure HP would work as a franchise. Simply put the universe is too small, it happens on one planet, at one school. Sure there are a couple of other schools but the universe remains far smaller than say the Marvel, DC or Star Trek Universes. Which will leader writers to simply mimicking the HP format i.e. kid goes to magic school, blah blah blah.

 

I doubt it would get far.

 

And we also have to consider that literature is a different medium to film. Lucas wouldn't allow anybody to just go around making Star Wars films, they'd be bad. Likewise few writers will be able to right as well as Rowling and convey HP to the reader in the same way.

[Kaedusz]

I agree with the original poster,however i didn't start with swtor but with kotor 2.

 

Back then- almost 10 years ago,it was the conversations with Kreia and the exploration of Korriban+ the choices you had to make, in Kotor 2,that made me a SW fan.After this i played Kotor 1.

 

And after that i started the books,the movies and everything else.

 

swtor ,for me,was just a long waited continuation of the Kotor series.

 

Before that ,SW was just lame and cheesy movie that for some mysterious reasons had a huge fan following.

Edited June 3, 2013 by Kaedusz

[Seireeni]

I'm telling you man read the med-star duology and Death star. Written by the same two co-writers. If you read the medstar books, then you'll see why I feel the butchered Bariss's character in TCW. You will understand.

 

I'm pretty sure her name should be spelled as Barriss

[TalonVII]

I'm pretty sure her name should be spelled as Barriss

 

damn it man I'm a bounty hunter not an basic[english] teacher!