What is the Appeal of the Empire?

[Elkirin]

I play 4rep /4imp on the one server.

 

I enjoy the stories and I am capable of noticing that it is actually a game.

 

The pure SIth characters are not really my favorite stories but I love the bounty hunter and the agent storylines.

 

I equally love smuggler, trooper and Jedi Knight stories. Play what you enjoy.

[Baphomet_x]

I rolled an Empire character first solely because the IA is my favorite class. I have a few alts on each side and have found each side to be equally immature at times. And since I don't like involving politics (even fictional politics) in any decisions I make that aren't directly related to politics, this pretty much narrowed down my decision making process to "Which class sounds like fun?". I play an Empire character because I wanted to play an IA, not the other way around.

 

As for other people's decision to go Empire, I assume it's because playing an Empire character gives you a valid excuse to be a completely morally-bankrupt monster with no consequences for doing so. Or because most of the more popular Star Wars media focuses on the Jedi and the Republic and other "Good Guys" and some players just want to see what the other side is like.

 

you can also be a more lightsided sith but still fight for the empire

 

its the freedom it gives you...to quote a wiseman

 

"time and again,didnt i resist the urge to abuse power and resources,simply to acheive my goals more swiftly?what if this freedom allows us to hold on to better values with more stability?,,of course the path will be bumpy,hurting some people along the way,but wont the dream of freedom of thought,freedom of emotion,for everyone be worth it?"

[vojinsa]

i play empire because jedi are scum and should be driven into the furthest part of the galaxy.

[Baphomet_x]

I play 4rep /4imp on the one server.

 

I enjoy the stories and I am capable of noticing that it is actually a game.

 

The pure SIth characters are not really my favorite stories but I love the bounty hunter and the agent storylines.

 

I equally love smuggler, trooper and Jedi Knight stories. Play what you enjoy.

 

now thats what i like hearing...your objectively examining these things outside of stodged veiws....you enjoy just to enjoy

[Dibdabs]

Jedi look like country bumpkins wandering around in that drab homespun clothing they use.

[Larity]

The empire seems nicer then the republic when handling situations.

[Deluged]

Suspension of disbelief, I believe. Now I'm one of the few that prefer the Republic. But I think the reason Imperials are more popular is because they are more like us in real life. Underhanded, back-stabbing, me, me, me,..type of philosophy.

Where as the Ideal, and self sacrificing life of the Jedi Order, seems so far out of most peoples comfort zone of believability. Therefore they feel uncomfortable playing something so high in morals, with lofty ideals. Its foreign to them(us).

I think the Republic are more evolved than the Imperials. The imps remind me of cave men, or NY street gangs.

Their motto should be.......Watch Your Back.

[CailanUmbra]

personally 4 reasons:

 

1. bounty hunters are just cool.

2. get to play as characters that dont have the standard issue american accent thats so prevalent nowadays.

3. get to play force users that arent part of the eugenics program to weed out force users from the population and stop them breeding (jedi order)

4. if im going to play part of a corrupt system that lies to its people its going to be for the one that has the cooler space station.

Edited July 15, 2012 by CailanUmbra
additional info

[NoTomorrow]

The problem is how repulic claasees feel in comparison to empire classes. Non force classes have horrible animations, and even ability names. Commando is the only class that has a cool looking gun. Outside of that everything about republic is just like second class quality for me.

 

Oh, i nearly forgot I HATE AMERICAN PVP ANNOUNCERS.

Edited July 15, 2012 by NoTomorrow

[Gabrandt]

Sith lore is about the only thing in Star Wars that interests me.

[LuthirFontaine]

Why do I play the Republic and the Jedi? Well both have core principles that I can inspire too; Diversity, Fairness, Honor, and Freedom along with other higher beliefs...

 

O wait why do people play the mindless dull violent Sith....I don't know probably there mother didn't hold them enough

Edited July 15, 2012 by LuthirFontaine

[jofos]

I actually play both sides but my first 50 was a Sith Warrior. Why? Because, it was a lot nicer to level when there were other players around. As a republic player it was never anything useful on the gtn which made life difficult. If I were starting now with a higher population on the republic side (due to transfers) I may have leveled republic first.

As far as good and evil, well thats a very disappointing part of the game. I get that if I'm a sith warrior the option to kill people is the better option and if I'm a jedi I try to save them. But what if I'm a smuggler or a bounty hunter? Some times I would want to kill them other times I want to let them walk. If I make the choice I would like then I can't really get a relic.

[ShallowBay]

Suspension of disbelief, I believe. Now I'm one of the few that prefer the Republic. But I think the reason Imperials are more popular is because they are more like us in real life. Underhanded, back-stabbing, me, me, me,..type of philosophy.

Where as the Ideal, and self sacrificing life of the Jedi Order, seems so far out of most peoples comfort zone of believability. Therefore they feel uncomfortable playing something so high in morals, with lofty ideals. Its foreign to them(us).

I think the Republic are more evolved than the Imperials. The imps remind me of cave men, or NY street gangs.

Their motto should be.......Watch Your Back.

 

The evolution point is so true--the Imperials just seem childish and immature. I play the Republic because ideals like compassion are worth supporting in any form. The Empire is just a collection of scared children who their selfish acts of fear hold any sort of wisdom. It reminds me of the quote: "Only the weak are cruel. Gentleness can only be expected from the strong." - Leo Buscaglia

 

I also play the Republic because it allows me to consider how I might better myself in real life. We don't normally consider how much our behavior is impacted by the impressions given to us by media, but it's there. SWTOR gives us the ability to ponder moral issues on a serious level.

 

Hear that Devs? You did a good job.

[Consensus]

So, maybe it's just me, but a general pattern I've seen is that people tend to favor the Empire over the Republic. On my own server, I would estimate that Imps outnumber Pubs about 1.8 to 1.

 

For those of you who only roll Imp or who have an Imp for a main, what's your reasoning behind rolling Imp?

 

Also, for reference, my main is a Smuggler/Scoundrel, and I've rolled a Knight/Guardian and an Inquisitor/Assassin as my alts.

 

I play empire because the republic story is terrible for all the classes.

[Tsillah]

The empire story lines are better as far as I'm concerned. The jedi code is faulty at best and even though generally the idea in the stories is that the good guys win, there's clear indications that the republic isn't as good as it says it is.

 

So, who wants to play the hypocrite then? Not me.

 

Play a jedi and on Tython you have to find some holocrons and one of them will tell you that mercy is an emotion and justice should be free of it. So if not having mercy is the "good guys" I must be missing something.

 

Nah, I'd rather play Sith and be honest about what I am than play a jedi who lies to prove he is good.

Edited July 15, 2012 by Tsillah

[Consensus]

The empire story lines are better as far as I'm concerned. The jedi code is faulty at best and even though generally the idea in the stories is that the good guys win, there's clear indications that the republic isn't as good as it says it is.

 

So, who wants to play the hypocrite then? Not me.

 

Play a jedi and on Tython you have to find some holocrons and one of them will tell you that mercy is an emotion and justice should be free of it. So if not having mercy is the "good guys" I must be missing something.

 

Nah, I'd rather play Sith and be honest about what I am then play a jedi who lies to prove he is good.

 

What? The sith/jedi code has nothing to do with the terrible, childish, predictable cliché of a story the republic has. It's just uncreative and written for children. THAT'S IT.

Mercy is not an emotion, it is an action.

Edited July 15, 2012 by Consensus

[DorkTrooper]

I played primarily Republic characters in beta, and then switched to an Empire main once the game launched. Most of the reason was that the beginner stories on Tython for both Jedi classes seemed a bit... stuffy? Earnest? Humorless? However, after I got my Empire main to 50, I went back and tried out the Republic stories again. Later Dark Side options do give the Rep stories some variance, and I began to appreciate how the game shows different perceptions of the same war (or movement, as the case may be).

 

Even though the Republic is ostensibly the "good side", they do things that are just as bad or worse than the Empire in the course of powergrabbing, and the Jedi in particular (especially Light Side) try to keep their cause viable without compromising their own values. Seeing the Empire side made the Jedi more interesting. The Trooper class story is pretty straight-forward but a little less set in stone. I still haven't gotten very far on the Smuggler story.

 

The Empire stories have a bit more tension to them, as there is always the cutthroat atmosphere of "everyone is out to get you". Makes for more intrigue.

[Mistress_Ivi]

The accent.

I mean.. they make everything sound so posh. I'll believe anything, if it's said with an accent like that.

 

Heh, I'm British, so the appeal is... everyone talks normally if you're imperial!

 

 

But it's been said, I'm sure, many times... the plots, the general attitude, the outfits, the ability to actually do whatever the [edit] you want, when you want.

I even love the atmosphere of the ships and cities of the Empire... then again, I have a strong aversion (real life) to bright, strong light... so even more +++ when playing on the Imperial side.

 

Also, one comment I noticed... yeah, I imagine a large number of the Imperial side from SWG play imperials.

[Gabrandt]

I just have to give you a huge LOL. I just hope you don't become a danger to society, but I fear you may be on the news some day.

 

Believing something is okay to do just because you think it is, doesn't make it okay. Just thought I would throw that in there, since some people on these forums have concluded that if a group of people have similar views of certain acts, or behaviours, then whatever they do is fine, because it's part of their "societal feelings".

 

I think many people that believe such things are too far removed from the nazi era, and possibly see little value in the lives of others. There's a word for people like that, and it doesn't mean they're free thinkers.

 

Morals, Norms and ethics are subject to change over time and culture. Many things that are totally acceptable in the western world today would be abhorred a mere 30 years ago, and vice-versa.

 

There is no universal, unchangeable truth of what is right and what is wrong. It all depends on context, time and location.

[Tsillah]

What? The sith/jedi code has nothing to do with the terrible, childish, predictable cliché of a story the republic has. It's just uncreative and written for children. THAT'S IT.

Mercy is not an emotion, it is an action.

 

Mercy is not an action. That's total bull. I can feel mercy or merciful. I can then express or act upon it by showing mercy or performing an act of mercy, but to say that mercy is simply an action is incorrect.

 

And beyond that, SW lore agrees that according to the jedi code emotion of any kind is wrong and that's not specific to SWTOR. So to be the good guy you need to suppress your feelings of love as well as hate which will frustrate you and then it goes wrong again. The jedi code is simply unrealistic in any shape or form unless you have no feelings. You cannot care and not have emotions at the same time. That's the contradiction within the jedi code. And even though the sith code is not without flaws, at least it allows you to be honest about yourself. Jedi just deny what they actually feel and so become liars to themselves. All in the name of this so called "good".

 

This is the old republic...it's corrupt. Read the books of what happens after the movies and the republic is restored...it's already corrupt before it started. No, the republic is a different kind of evil, the one of politicians and the jedi are its wilfull heroes that are played like fools and follow a code that it's self destructive in the end and can only result in yet another sith....sooner or later, it always happens again.

[HavocMaster]

Personally, I play Empire as a LS Sniper, because, while you can be a good guy and play LS, you don't come across as a holier-than-thou Jedi saint.

[Shadezilla]

For me, it's the fact that most of StarWars I know is centred around some Republic hero.

The Empire is only there to provide a bad guy, and it's rarely elaborated what the "inner workings" of the Empire are. How does it function? What is life under the Emperor like?

 

And now I can experience that part. That's why my first 50 is Empire-sides.

 

This sums it up for me as well.

[Hambunctious]

Morals, Norms and ethics are subject to change over time and culture. Many things that are totally acceptable in the western world today would be abhorred a mere 30 years ago, and vice-versa.

 

There is no universal, unchangeable truth of what is right and what is wrong. It all depends on context, time and location.

 

There is basic right, and wrong. The most primitive peoples today stick to the basic societal fundamentals. Which is the welfare of family, and tribe. If man was limited to just that, then we would all still be living in a primitive world. Murder is generally considered taboo within that family/tribe.

 

As a society evolves, it extends those basics to humanity as a whole. A culture based on oppression will not last, as we have seen throughout history. We have also seen empires that fell from cultural decay where the leaders, or the powerful, failed to extend welfare beyond a chosen minority.

 

So, yes, there is a basic right, and wrong. It's built right into most of us. Most people don't care for being killed, or seeing their family, or tribe killed. That alone will always shape a society into something more ideal. I'll add that an enlightened person has the ability to place oneself into the shoes of another, and asks, would I want that done to me?

[boxfetish]

So, maybe it's just me, but a general pattern I've seen is that people tend to favor the Empire over the Republic. On my own server, I would estimate that Imps outnumber Pubs about 1.8 to 1.

 

For those of you who only roll Imp or who have an Imp for a main, what's your reasoning behind rolling Imp?

 

Also, for reference, my main is a Smuggler/Scoundrel, and I've rolled a Knight/Guardian and an Inquisitor/Assassin as my alts.

 

Republic quests and most dialogue options are simplistic and contrived. When you do get the option to be selfish or immoral it is completely ridiculous over the top. Empire options are a bit more subtle and realistic in my opinion. Also, imperial agent story line is by far the best one.

[MOAI]

I have found the inquisitor story slightly better than trooper, but worse than Knight, Consular, and Smuggler (which is the best). I find being evil in a game sickening and it disturbs me. The reasons I made a sith was to unlock pure blood for a knight, to help the republic win and bring peace to the galaxy, and so I can get HK when that content is released.

 

When leveling my assassin I tried not to kill those who did not attack me and avoided doing many quests that did not help the greater good. I avoided the petty quests to just hurt the republic.

 

Both the Jedi and the SIth codes are wrong. The Sith code just creates total chaos. The Jedi code denies too much of what makes sentient beings sentient. A better code to follow would be something like

 

There is emotion, but be at peace (especially when making a decision that is important)

There is ignorance , but always seek knowledge (and seek the truth)

There is passion, but balance it with serenity (it is okay to be passionate about things, but do not let it rule your life)

There is chaos, but strive for harmony (in relationships with others)

There is death, but know through the force they are in a better place (kind of like heaven or something)

 

Peace is not a lie, but seek a balance between peace and passion

Through passion I gain strength, but seek out peace

Through strength I gain power, but use it for the greater good of all sentient beings

Through power I gain victory for everyone not just for myself

Through victory my chains are broken so everyone can coexist

 

Stan Lee in Spiderman (or Peter Parker's uncle) had it right. With great power comes great responsibility.

 

The Sith empire is more controlling than the republic and the Jedi do not want power just peace

.What makes a man great is not having, gaining, and holding onto power, but letting that power go when the time is right. Sorry for the wall of text.