life-day
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Hyperspace Beacon: 'Twas the night before Sithmas and all through SWTOR...
If you've not been in game since last week, then you don't know about the snow problem that Carrick and Vaiken station have had since the Master of Ceremonies stopped by Star Wars: The Old Republic. Everyone, for no good reason at all, has been pelting each other with snowballs. They all think they are special snowflakes or something -- something I knew I was before this event began. But perhaps I should start at the beginning. The Life Day event actually started when the Cartel Market began selling Life-Day-related items on the week of the 10th. The items were the exact same items that were on sale last year. Many people, including me, were concerned that the whole event (if you could call it that) would be a complete recycle of last year's. Of course, we had the tensile bomb, the Life Day orb, the Life Day robes, and everyone's favorites, the festive snow-blowing speeder. (That was sarcasm, in case it didn't come through the text.) Fortunately, this year's SWTOR Life Day festivities didn't end there.
Here's the skinny on SWTOR's Life Day seasonal event
Looking for info about Star Wars: The Old Republic's Life Day seasonal event? Look no further than the latest BioWare dev blog. It's got all the details on the "tawdry and potentially dangerous" festivities that encourage "activities unbecoming of an Imperial citizen, including but not limited to dancing in inclement weather, singing unpatriotic carols, [and engaging in] non-violent physical contact with wookiees."
Jukebox Heroes: Star Wars Galaxies' soundtrack
Ah, Star Wars Galaxies. Even almost two years after your demise, it doesn't seem possible to shake you loose from our thoughts. Maybe the NGE was a blessing in disguise, a never-depleting power source of rage that will forever give life to your memories. In any case, it's time to talk about the one aspect of the game that was there before SWG was created and will go on indefinitely afterward: the soundtrack. Talking about Star Wars Galaxies' soundtrack puts me in an odd position because a great deal of the OST is lifted directly from John Williams' movie scores. And what hasn't been said about those classics, really? But there are a few tracks here and there that I could pick out as being unique to the game, although the actual composer who did the job escapes my Google Fu. So let's take one last trip to a Galaxies far, far away, shall we?
The Daily Grind: What's on your MMO gift wish list?
With the holiday season in full swing, plenty of birthdays going on, Wookiee Life Day approaching, and the apocalypse looming over it all, it's definitely a time to be giving and getting lots of presents. As members of a particular and peculiar subset of gamers, it stands to reason that our gift desires might be a tad different than those of Muggles. So what's on your MMO gift wish list this month? Is there a game that you'd love to find in your stocking? Have you had your eye on a particular cash shop item -- and dropped enough hints to your friends that this is your heart's desire? Would you love to get MMO-themed clothes, toys, or other physical objects to show off your hobby to the world? Lay it on us: What does your wish list look like? While Massively writers might not be so rich as to get you everything on your list, you never know when a secret admirer might be reading the comments looking for ideas to make your day. Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
Hyperspace Beacon: Holiday Special
Ah, the holidays... As young Wookiees, we remember sipping steaming Hoth Chocolate and munching on freshly baked Wookiee-ookiees. You remember growling songs of freedom and peace around the wroshyr tree, right? You don't? Well, that's because you're human. Life Day, the Wookiee holiday, celebrates the diversity of life on the home world of Kashyyyk. Every three years, Wookiee families covet their sacred orbs and tell stories of those long dead and their hope for the young. It sounds like a wonderful and peaceful time for Wookiees every where. Well, you are wrong. The Imperials of all eras despised Life Day, but none more than those under the rule of Emperor Palpatine during the Galactic Civil War. At the time, Wookiees were an enslaved race. Their home planet of Kashyyyk was strictly patrolled by Imperial soldiers, and most of the population was in forced labor camps. But still, every three years, Wookiees around the galaxy would make their way to their home world in order to celebrate. Today, I want to take a look at a story that revolves around this holiday, the origins of the holiday, and of course, how this holiday may be celebrated in Star Wars: The Old Republic.
Wookiees, witches and (Star) Wars: SWG breaks out Game Update 19
It's a busy day for Star Wars Galaxies, as Game Update 19 jumps to lightspeed with a trio of exciting events. First up is the return of Wookiee Life Day, "a time to reflect on the renewal of life and to remember those who have passed on." Wookiee Life Day was first introduced in the infamous Star Wars Holiday Special and has become a beloved fixture of SWG since its inception a few years ago. New features to the holiday this year include the ability to plant a Life Tree anywhere you like, four new paintings, a Wookiee Life Day robe, a collectible badge, and an R2-D2 ornament. Game Update 19 also brings the next chapter of the Witches of Dathomir, which began a little over a month ago. Players can travel to the planet of Dathomir and decide which clan of Force-sensitive Witches they'll align with: the Nightsisters or the Singing Mountain Clan. Finally, a new expansion pack to the trading card game is available, titled The Price of Victory. You can read up on Game Update 19 at Star Wars Galaxies, and travel back in the Massively time machine to revisit our chat with SWG's Teesquared on the patch.
Hyperspace Beacon: We hope this never makes it into SWTOR, but, knowing our luck, it probably will
The Hyperspace Beacon is a weekly guide and discussion by Larry Everett about the yet-to-be-released game Star Wars: The Old Republic. In a world where speculation runs rampant, it seems everyone has his own ideas of what is going to be in Star Wars: The Old Republic. From swoop races to appearance tabs, we have heard them all, but, to be quite frank, it is very unlikely that most of these speculated items will ever make it into the final release of this highly anticipated game. Also, some of the ideas are so far removed from anything that would make sense in the game, that I have a hard time wrapping my wee-little brain around them. I won't name any here because I still want people to read the column, but if your friend's head twitches when you tell him your wicked-cool idea, then it probably will not make it in the game. In this week's column, I want to go the other direction. Sometimes producers, writers, and game designers will pitch ideas that cause uncontrollable ticks for the listeners, but, for some unknown reason, the design launches anyway. Every once in a while, I would like to turn our attention to some of these kooky concepts in series I like to call: We hope this never makes it into SWTOR, but, knowing our luck, it probably will -- or WHTNMIISWTORBKOLIPW, for short. Click "Read more" to read about the first couple of things I am praying do not find their way into the game.
Star Wars Galaxies Life Day 2008 revealed
Kicking off tomorrow is another annual Life Day event, the Star Wars Galaxies version of the Christmas holiday. As we discussed earlier, while the holiday has always been based on the Star Wars Holiday Special this year is especially grounded in that ... unique ... television moment. The official SWG site has full details on the event now, showing off some of the questing and rewards that are available to holiday fans in that place a Long Time Ago. Rebels will be tasked with decorating trees, while Imperials will be stomping presents and goodies with abandon. Unaligned players can do either, but if you're declared for either faction you'll get a ton of 'Life Day currency' for participating. Sounds like PvP players will have something to celebrate as well. Turning in that Life Day currency will net you a ton of great holiday gear. Everything from a Pocket Aquarium or a Proton Chair to a personal Wroshyr Tree. Head over to the official site for the details.
Galaxies Christmas Special, numerous class updates coming soon
A brand-new Producer's Letter from Chris Fields brightened this week for Star Wars Galaxies players. Coming sometime in the middle of the month is the newly revamped Life Day event. This year they've taken heavy cues from the Star Wars Christmas Special, that horrifying cultural relic from the 80s. You may wonder about the wisdom of doing so, but keep in mind that the special (despite its many flaws) is 100% canon content. The event will see players smashing presents, decorating trees, and getting awesome presents like a pocket aquarium, a holographic table, a proton chair, an in-home wroshyr tree ... and perhaps even a Kowakian monkey-lizard!The letter also contains a lot of previews for upcoming patches, great-sounding content for players of all stripes. Game Update 6 will see the addition of an appearance tab, expanding the roleplaying-friendly game feature seen in other games like EverQuest II and Lord of the Rings Online. Make sure to thank AdeptStain if you like it! Update 7 will see the long awaited updates for Spies, and Update 8 will see major changes to Player Associations and Cities. There are a ton more holidays and goodies coming down the pipe ... check out the full letter for the details.
'Tis the season to celebrate Life Day
It's time to deck the halls, fellow Galaxy players! SOE is getting set to roll out the annual Life Day celebration in Star Wars Galaxies. What's Life Day, you ask? Well, only the greatest thing to come out of the Star Wars Holiday Special! No, wait, that's the introduction of Boba Fett.I kid. Life Day is Star Wars' Christmas analog and the SWG devs have actually done a really good job with it. Despite the extremely fishy origins of the holiday, Life Day is something that most Galaxies players seem to appreciate. Every year they offer unique holiday-themed house items for the players, along with Christmas-y events.Here's some of the new content on offer this year: The Tree of Life is bigger and brighter than ever this year! Located in Theed and Kachirho, the mystical properties of the tree are not truly understood. Characters that are over ten days old can use the radial menu on the tree to choose Look for gifts .You will find two presents beneath the tree: one for yourself, and one to share with a friend! When you open the gift for yourself, you will find an Ancient Life Day painting and a Life Day Lamp inside. Use these two decorations in your home to add a festive spirit to your own Life Day parties.[Thanks, MrBreton!]
