Close Encounter With the Furry Kind: Rage of the Wookiees Brings Elements of Episode III to Star Wars Galaxies

by Louis Bedigian

“You'll learn what happened in the time between the end of the Clone Wars through the time of A New Hope and you'll loot some very cool artifacts from those times as well.”

(Blows nose, dries eyes)  Oh, are we on?  I didn’t know the cameras were rolling.  My apologizes for the embarrassing moment of emotional combustion.  I was watching a 30-second commercial for Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith.  Knowing that this is the end, seeing the words, “The Saga is Complete” at the end of the last trailer…  I’m amazed that I can even talk about it.

We must find a way to go on.  And we must find a way to bring ourselves closer to a galaxy far, far away.

“Use the keyboard, Lou.”

Did you say something?  Oh, I must be hearing things again.  That’s happened to me ever since that Queens of the Stone Age concert.

“Use the mouse too.”

Whoa, wait a minute!  I definitely heard something that time!  I think they said they wanted me to use a house or something…

“Mouse!  I said mouse!”

Mouse?  What do you want me to do with a rodent?

Obi-Wan turned to Yoda and sighed.  “That boy was our only hope.”

Yoda looked up at the sky, pondering the millions of gamers who haven’t had their ears damaged by Queens of the Stone Age.  “No,” he told Obi-Wan.  “There is another.”

What Obi-Wan was hinting at was the release of Star Wars Galaxies: Episode III Rage of the Wookiees.  It’s got new characters, a new planet, and numerous elements from Revenge of the Sith.  Producer Julio Torres reveals more. 

Over 100 adventures are included in Episode III Rage of the Wookiees, and they are promised to be packed with story elements.  We know the Wookiees are fighting for freedom...what else can you tell us about the story?

Julio Torres: The story of Kashyyyk encapsulates that of all of the galaxies during this time frame.  The Imperials are desperate to hold down the efforts of Leia and the Rebellion.  Seeing Kashyyyk as a potential hotbed of Rebel action, the Imperials authorize, some say outright support, the Trandoshan suppression of the Wookiees.  While on Kashyyyk, you’ll either involve yourself in working towards Wookiee freedom or support the Imperials in their control.

You’ll also learn the story of the Myyydril Wookiees, long ago ostracized from the whole of Wookiee society, they find themselves dwelling in the complex cave system beneath the floor of the forest.

And if you’d rather just not get involved in the fight for Wookiee freedom, you can join in the Rodian Safaris.  The Rodians, a clever species with highly honed hunting acumen, have set up camps on Kashyyyk aimed at attracting wealthy big game hunters.   Your hunts with the Rodians will prove very fruitful, if you bring large weapons and are willing to trust them.

Tell us more about the Rodians.  Who are the Trandoshan enslavers?
 

JT: The Rodians are sophisticated hunters from Rodia.  They’ve come to Kashyyyk to run large game hunting camps as extreme profits.  They’re neither aligned with the Empire nor the Rebellion.  There are groups of Wookiees who greatly oppose these recreational hunting trips on their planet, but many are tolerant of the Rodians because these hunting camps are a boon to some local economies.  The Rodians are ruthless when it comes to protecting their profitable hunting grounds.  Poachers and interlopers beware.

The Trandoshans are inhabiting Kashyyyk with the full support of the Imperials.  Knowing full well that the heart of the Wookiee population lies with the Rebellion and that there is a hidden Jedi presence on Kashyyyk, the Trandoshans are free to capture and enslave huge number of Wookiees with the backing of the Empire. 

The Jedi-killer is out for blood. 

What other Revenge of the Sith creatures will make their debut in Rage of the Wookiees?
 

JT: The creature taken directly from Revenge of the Sith for this expansion is the Varactyl, the species of Obi-Wan’s mount in the movie.  “Boga” proves to be a sure-footed and trusty in the movie, and players who download Rage of the Wookiees will get this mount directly.  There is also pet version of this creature that players can get by the successful completion of a quest that will award the player a Varactyl pet.

Can you talk about the inclusion of Anakin's new starfighter, as well as other ships from Revenge of the Sith?  Are they primarily aesthetic additions, or is there reason for players to get really excited?
 

JT: We are adding three ship models directly from Revenge of the Sith: Anakin’s Starfighter, General Grievous’s Starfighter and the ARC-170.  Galaxies players enjoy flying all of the most iconic ships in Star Wars.  I’m fairly certain these starships will be considered classics after everyone sees the movie! 

We are adding ships as lootable items in the game.  So for instance, Grievous’s starfighter will be the reward for completing a series of the most difficult quests that reveal what the future hold for Grievous and his minions.  Players will have a great time following the story of these quests and with their level of difficulty, only those that wish a fun but tough and engaging challenge reach the completion and earn this starfighter.

Will we get to see any other new planets, or just Kashyyyk?

JT: With Rage of the Wookiees we’ve added the entire planet of Kashyyyk as well as the Kashyyyk space sector.
 

How much of the film's story is covered in Rage of the Wookiees?  Does the game's story conclude before the final scenes in Revenge of the Sith?
 

JT: Star Wars Galaxies is set just about 20 years *after* the Revenge of the Sith movie.  Because the game is an on-going online experience, there is no real end, the saga continues.  And because we’re ahead of Revenge of the Sith in the Star Wars timeline, what we’re able to do is incorporate many of the things you’ve seen in Episodes I & II and are about to see in Episode III.  For instance, with Rage of the Wookiees, we are adding a number of series of quests that take you to the relics of the Clone Wars.  You’ll learn what happened in the time between the end of the Clone Wars through the time of A New Hope and you’ll loot some very cool artifacts from those times as well. 

Another new creature from Revenge of the Sith.

Players can control either the Wookiees or the Trandoshan enslavers.  Besides the aspect of good versus evil, describe how choosing sides affects the gameplay and the overall course of the story.
 

JT: Actually, players can play either Wookiee, Trandoshan or one of eight other characters in the game through all of the story lines.  Every one of the ten species in the game will be able to participate in the Wookiees versus Trandoshan struggle.

What players will have to decide is, are they for Wookiee freedom?  Or in support of the iron grip of the Empire?  Or really just on Kashyyyk for the money and pride gained from big game hunting with the Rodians?

In general, have any changes or enhancements been made to the combat system?

JT: The new combat system that went live last week will be both more engaging and faster paced.  We’ve redone the Health-Action-Mind system so players only have to track three stats, which are represented in the interface.  The interface itself has gone through a number of changes.  Using your special abilities will become more tactical and it will be more obvious how long you have in between uses and the strength at which they will execute.

Another big part of the Combat Upgrade is making sure that progression in all professions is fun and rewarding.  Every skill box a player unlocks will be meaningful and earning experience will directly correlate into useful abilities or certifications.

How and when do the cybernetic parts come into play?  Are they used solely when you lose a limb?  Or are there immediate benefits to upgrading your character's body?

JT: The use of cybernetics components hails directly from both the classic trilogy and the new movies.  We’ve taken our inspiration from Luke, Vader and Grievous.  In Star Wars Galaxies, cybernetic parts have both enhancements and hindrances to keep them balanced in the game. To acquire them you will need to explore and finish a series of story driven quests. They will not be required for engaging high-end content and/or Player versus Player encounters, but using your new cybernetic enhanced limbs may very well facilitate a win in a battle.  

There's been a lot of anticipation for the unveiling of the Wookiee home planet, Kashyyyk, and fans will get to explore that planet two weeks before Episode III hits theaters.  Is the game version directly based on the Kashyyyk we'll see in the film?  Will we see locations in the game that are instantly distinguishable in Revenge of the Sith?
 

JT: We can’t really offer any spoilers about what’s coming in the movie, you’ll have to wait and see.  The main storyline that we present in Rage of the Wookiees is addressed in Revenge of the Sith.  And we relied heavily on the initial Lucasfilm concept art to really build out the planet. 

Only you can prevent Kashyyyk fires. 

Beyond the new characters, environments, etc., Rage of the Wookiees introduces a new type of gameplay: space mining.  Tell us about it, and why it will be another reason to lock your room, turn off the phone and keep the outside world from interrupting the game.

JT: Space mining is an extension of the way people are already playing throughout space.  What space mining adds is the ability to gather resources in action oriented game play. Players will blast ore laden asteroids and use sophisticated tractor beams to snag the often valuable natural resources.

Most any current craft can be modified to allow for some mining.  Space mining is a fast paced – and at the higher levels dangerous – way to earn a living.   The action will be arcade-like and there will be plenty of pirates to contend with, especially for the more valuable ores to be found.

 
Dedicated space miners can earn a high-end ship, allowing them to traverse space while mining and fighting with up to 19 friends as shipmates.  How exactly do you accomplish this?  How hard will it be?
 

JT: To earn the Y-8, players are going to have to commit to completing some very high-end space mining missions.  It’s definitely going to be a difficult challenge, but honestly, how cool would it be to jump up into space with 10+ other people, mining prized materials and fending off pirates?!?

What will this special ship look like?  Will its larger size make it more difficult to maneuver through space?
 

JT: All of the ships in the game reflect the reality of their relative mass and power.  The TIEs will feel light and be more maneuverable than the X-wing or Y-wings.  Similarly the Y-8 will feel heavier to fly, but will be able to absorb more damage than a small, light ship.

Do players have to mine?  There are obvious benefits to mining, but what if I just don't feel like it?  What will that mean for my gameplay experience?
 

JT: Players absolutely do not *have* to space mine.  We’re pretty sure most will at least want to try it out.  It’s a fun, arcade-like experience.  And if you just want to jump in, have some fun and jump out of the game, it’s perfect.  At the lower levels, the pay out will be decent resources and minimal risk.  I think once you get the hang of it, you’ll really enjoy the danger, excitement and payoff of the highest levels of space mining.

Thanks for your time Julio.  The Force will be with all of us when we dive into Rage of the Wookiees and view the most spectacular trilogy conclusion in movie history on May 19th.