Galaxies grows; Jump to Lightspeed announced

LucasArts readies expansion pack to its year-old online world. Producer Haden Blackman reveals what went into the new title.

Star Wars Galaxies, the massively multiplayer online role-playing game set in the far-flung sci-fi future of George Lucas' Star Wars universe, is about to get even larger. The game first launched in June of last year and continues to allow players to play as bounty hunters, mercenaries, and even mystical Jedi Knights. Today, LucasArts has revealed its expansion pack for the game: Jump to Lightspeed.

The new gameplay will give players the option of traveling through space in starfighters and engaging in actual dogfights using X-wing and TIE fighters. LucasArts says the expansion pack will open up 10 additional space sectors to explore, add 100 new missions, two new and customizable species, and 15 new vehicles for space exploration and warfare. The add-on is due to retailers later this fall.

Producer Haden Blackman shared some additional details on the title with GameSpot.

GameSpot: Tell us about Star Wars Galaxies: Jump to Lightspeed. Is space travel the expansion pack's main addition to Star Wars Galaxies?

Haden Blackman: Star Wars Galaxies: Jump to Lightspeed allows players to own and operate their own starships, taking those vehicles into space for travel or--more often--combat. While we're giving players the ability to transport themselves between planets, the main focus is on starfighter combat and we're adding a great deal of new content to the game to allow for everything from small skirmishes to large-scale conflicts against capital ships.

GS: What Star Wars ships will we see flying through space, and which of these will be available to players?

HB: We're including over fifteen player-operable starcraft, focusing mainly on starfighters. Players will be able to pilot the familiar X-wing and TIE fighter, as just two examples. We'll also have some original "mercenary" ships for player use. It's likely that we'll have additional craft to serve as computer-controlled enemies, and hope to have well-known capital ships from Star Wars lore in the game as focal points for epic battles.

GS: How will space combat work in practice? Will it mostly consist of smaller dogfighting missions, or can we expect to see larger-scale space missions; even huge squadron missions against a death star or similarly-sized space station?

HB: The early experience for players will involve successfully completing a number of story-driven missions that range from seek-and-destroy missions to escort duty. These will likely be oriented towards dogfights. As players advance, they'll venture into more dangerous territory, receive more difficult missions, and begin encountering larger conflicts. We are aiming to have missions and encounters that pit players against large capital ships that will likely require a coordinated effort between several groups to defeat.

GS: What other content additions will the expansion add to the game--new gameplay features, new dungeons, new character classes?

HB: In addition to adding 10 content rich sectors to explore, 15 new ships and a whole slew of missions and content, Jump to Lightspeed will also add four new professions to support the new space component.

GS: Finally, is there anything else you'd like to add about the expansion, or about Star Wars Galaxies in general?

HB: After working on Jump to Lightspeed in relative secrecy for many, many months, we're incredibly excited to be able to start talking about it! Expect additional information to roll out at a steady clip as we get closer to E3.

GS: Thanks, Haden.

By Staff -- GameSpot
POSTED: 04/21/04 10:58AM PST

Originally posted by Setzer
I hate to burst your bubble but SWG was probably the worst MMO I've ever played....right up there with EQ. I don't know if the expansion will improve things much...owning your own ships, flying to other planets and getting into dog fights sounds pretty cool but the whole character progression, UI, combat system etc. are already in place and it's not very good at all.

Originally posted by msdmoney
Yeah I have to agree with Setzer, if the current game is any indication of the expansion stay away. There is already little to no Star Wars feel to the game, if you are having wet dreams of pretending you are Luke, this game probably isn't for you. I guess if you really want to grind, grind and then grind some more to jedi, or play a dancer/entertainer you may enjoy it. Otherwise the combat in this game is boring, with little actual content to the game. You would be better off getting your fix from some of the rogue squadron games and KOTOR.

Originally posted by peon73
wow alot of swg haters here.
i for one am very excited about the space expansion.

Originally posted by azeledge Also Ships were SUPPOSE to be INCLUDED in the ORIGINAL RELEASE Now they are gonna charge you for an Expansion to have them!

Originally posted by jrutz
Can you imagine - just like Luke on Tatooine, working on the family farm and looking to the sky to see a space battle raging above? Or having to transport cargo through space, avoiding the Imperials. Better yet, escort missions?

WOW...

Jeremy

Originally posted by cartman
Er, yay, they're putting in a newer version of X-Wing vs Tie Fighter. Such an accomplishment.

Originally posted by El-Kabong
I'm a *HUGE* Wars fan, so I eagerly played the beta. It was nothing but EQ with star wars music and sound effects. They had taken everything good about Wars and sucked it out.