SWTOR: Some screenshots of my characters

Just for fun, I thought I'd post some screenshots of my characters in Star Wars The Old Republic.

This is my main character, a Jedi Knight. She's a Guardian specializing in Vigilance. She's carrying an orange lightsaber, picked up in Athiss. I decided to keep the orange color crystal for now. At the moment, not many have that color. My goal is to have a purple color crystal. I'm hoping that I can unlock the schematic once my Artifice is high enough. My Jedi follows a strict Light Side path.

This is my Imperial Agent. She's Sniper specializing in Marksmanship. Her path lies in the grey or neutral alignment.

Here's my Smuggler. As you can see, I haven't played him very much. He's restoring his health with the coolest animation--flipping a coin and shooting it. I haven't decided his spec yet.

I have one more character, a Sith Inquisitor. I didn't have a chance to snag a picture of her. She's a red Twi'lek, level 10. She's going to be a Sorcerer and go into Corruption to heal.

Here's some images of space combat.

Yes, we are going into that asteroid field.

Space combat is quite fun, though challenging at first. I do prefer the sleekness of the Imperial Agent's ship over the Jedi Knight's. The companions sure could use a lesson in reducing comm chatter!

2011 in Recap

2011 is ending. I know. I can’t believe it either. This year I started blogging more often and intend to keep that up next year. This year was also an interesting one for Star Wars and geek culture in general.

So what happened this year that was significant to geeks and women? Let’s see, in February, Volkswagon aired a commercial showing a child dressed as Darth Vader trying to use the Force. Search engines exploded with questions about the child’s gender. Various factors like the bedroom and toys seen were used as evidence to both sides. Unfortunately, all this did was hurt the debate. In addition, this year was the first Geek Girl Con and based on various blog posts from those who attended, it sounded as if it was a rousing success and the Blizzard released a female-based World of Warcraft commercial.

In book news, fans were thrown for a loop when it was believed the X-Wing series was no longer in print. Fortunately, this isn’t true and we can all stay calm. Aaron Allston’s Conviction hit shelves, providing readers with his final piece of the Fate of the Jedi series. Fans can buy Star Wars books on their eBook readers and tablets. Unfortunately, not all book happenings were well received. Christie Golden’s Ascension caused a large stir with the introduction of domestic violence by heroes into Star Wars.

Amidst the other releases was the announcement of the release date and the cover of Aaron’s Allston’s new book Mercy Kill. Based on forums and Twitter feeds, fans are anxiously awaiting this book. There’s also word of a Timothy Zahn Han Solo book.

Finally, Star Wars The Old Republic launched. The launch of this game has been interesting. Servers are full. There are queues just to log into account management. The sheer number of people playing this game is fantastic.

Other pieces of Star Wars news trickled in, like the news of 3D Star Wars movies and return of Darth Maul to The Clone Wars.

2011 was up and down for us Star Wars. Lovers of the EU are still floundering in a state of limbo. Star Wars gamers have a great game. More people are accepting that women are an important part of the geek product market. We’re still seeing glass ceilings and brick walls, but it’s a start.

So what is 2012 going to bring? Will Apocalypse deliver? Are we going to see real female characters and not male characters with a women’s face?

Bring it on, 2012. Things are changing and it’s past time.

Star Wars The Old Republic Launch Day!

It’s Dec. 20 and you know what that means: official launch day for Star Wars The Old Republic. The servers shut down last night in preparation for the official opening of the game.

What will be interesting to see is the retail demand of the game. With the sheer amount of preorders, it’s reasonable to think that the number of retail sales will be high.

Here’s to a smooth launch!

SWTOR: First Impressions

Star Wars The Old Republic launches in just two days. For those who preordered and redeemed their codes in time, Early Access began Tuesday (the day BioWare let you in depended on when you put in the code). I made it in first thing Tuesday morning, though I didn’t start playing until later that day.

The first step is deciding the server and making the character. I am on a PVP server right now, one that hasn’t had a queue yet, thank goodness. Some of the more popular servers have queues longer than 30 minutes. These will probably drop in the next month or so once all of launch hype dies down.

The character creation screen is easy for anyone to use, new or old gamers. For each class and species, you can select body types, hair, skin and other features (facial hair, ect). It reminded me of the Sims. The only real complaint I have is that there aren’t any long hairstyles. Maybe this has to do with the animation or something, but it would have been nice. There are several good styles, though. The body type options are also nice.

I rolled a Chiss Imperial Agent (with a proper Chiss name, of course), human Jedi Knight and a human Smuggler. I haven’t made my Sith Inquisitor yet or checked out the other classes yet.

Part of me wants to say that the class stories are unbalanced, but the other part says that it has to do with point of view. For instance, the Jedi Consular story I played in beta was dull as dirt. The Jedi Knight class story is much better, thankfully. However, I can see some people enjoying the Consular’s story. The Imperial Agent has an excellent story to it. It’s like being in a spy movie or something. As for the Smuggler? Well I’m only level three. I’ll have to get back with you on that. A good story is necessary to maintain interest in the game. The light side/dark side point system also helps with that.

It’s been said before, but the voice acting is so good in this game. It’s actually too good at some parts. The annoying, screwed up droids are so good that you are actually as irritated as your dialog choices suggest you are. The animations look great. The Smuggler’s move when he’s regaining health is one of the best.

Gameplay is pretty good. If you take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with all of the menus, navigating through the game is much easier. I’m not running the game on a top of the line computer and it works just fine. It can take a few extra seconds for things to load, but it’s not a big deal.

PVP is so much better than any other I’ve played. For one thing, you are chasing people with lightsabers and blasters. How awesome is that? Fighting a Sith with a red double bladed saber was amazing. BioWare added in a fun, unusual type of battleground: Hutball. Hutball is so much fun. You’re chasing each other around, trying to get the ball from the other team and score. The area has multiple levels, fire and toxic waste. It’s pretty much a Hutt paradise.

I’m afraid I don’t have much to say about the guilds. The guild I joined ended up going to a different server, so I joined another. There are plenty of people out there right now if you need to find a guild.

Crafting is much more interesting in this game. You can have one crafting skill and two supplement ones. You can send out your companions to do the tasks, which makes it much easier and more efficient. Once you have multiple companions, it will be even easier. The only thing is that you need to watch your credits. Those missions cost!

Overall, I haven’t had any issues with SWTOR that would make me think that the game will fail, though the endgame content is going to be a huge indication of that. The game is friendly to both newcomers to the MMO world and veterans. It’s definitely worth the time and money to play.

Mercy Kill Cover and SWTOR new early access date annoucement

Yesterday was a quite a Star Wars news filled day. Del Rey released the cover of Aaron Allston’s Mercy Kill and BioWare/EA announced that early access will start two days early. I think you can guess the reactions to each.

The Mercy Kill cover looks fantastic. It fits in well with the other X-Wing books even though it’s a standalone. The iconic X-Wings are on the front, locked in combat, giving the cover an exciting, adventurous feel. Even though I’m not crazy about the font used for the title (little too Microsoft Word Art for me), the overall appearance matches the subject matter.

Suvudu released this information yesterday:

Founded decades ago, Wraith Squadron was Wedge Antilles’s boldest creation: a covert-action unit of X-Wing fighters, its pilots drawn from the dregs of other units, castoffs and rejects that were once outcasts and misfits, spies and warriors, pilots and troublemakers given one last chance. After thrilling adventures during and after the Rebellion that destroyed the Empire, this elite intelligence unit was disbanded at the end of a catastrophic galactic civil war.

Now, reunited by former leader Garik “Face” Loran, Wraith Squadron must find out whether one of the galaxy’s most powerful military officers is a traitor… and whether anyone can stop him if he is. To succeed in their mission, the Wraiths must become thieves, pirates, imposters, forgers, and liars, staying just one step ahead of their enemies and the law!

Written by prolific Star Wars author Aaron Allston, Star Wars: X-Wing: Mercy Kill is a book sure to excite fans of the X-Wing series as well as readers who are new to Star Wars.

The plot sounds fun, exciting and different than what we've seen recently. A little skullduggery is always fun in Star Wars. I hope that we see a healthy mix of old and new characters in the story. August certainly seem far away!

BioWare alerted SWTOR players yesterday that early access now begins on Dec. 13 rather than the 15. As with every single other piece of news that comes from BioWare regarding this game, some people are happy and others are spewing out angry rants.
I understand the frustration of some. Those who took days off work for the release may find themselves stuck. It’s annoying; we all understand that, but is that really a reason to throw in the towel? You get to play the game you’ve been waiting to for years two days early (depending on when you put in the code, of course). So you hit level 50 two days later than planned. It’s not the end of the world.

Think about it this way. If JK Rowling announced that Deathly Hallows was being released two days early, would you have complained? Sure, you have to work and can’t spend all day reading like you planned, but you can’t say that you would have picked up the book on your lunch hour the day it came out and read it that night. It’s the same thing. Is it inconvenience for some? Sure, but that’s life. It’s impossible to schedule something that fits everyone’s schedule. Look at it this way, if you took off Thursday or Friday and have the weekend off, you still get a long TOR weekend.

It’s not all that surprising that BioWare moved up the date. Perhaps they looked at the preorder numbers and felt it would be more efficient to allow players to enter the game in smaller groups at a time for the sake of the servers. I admit I don’t know much about gaming servers, so maybe it wouldn’t make a big difference.

How they stagger the admission into the game remains a mystery. Will there be a cut of by hour? For example, if you entered your pre-order code by 5 p.m. CST on Day Two of ordering you are in on the Dec. 13?

Guess we’ll find out next week!

Aubrey Plaza's World of Warcraft commercial: hit or miss?

Have you seen the new World of Warcraft commercial featuring Aubrey Plaza (Parks and Recreation)? If you haven’t, check it out. Even if you’ve never played WoW, it’s an interesting clip.



Aubrey plays a woman whose boyfriend gave her World of Warcraft as a birthday gift instead of diamonds (as she states, he says she can mine diamonds). In the end, she becomes a gamer, her boyfriend feels as if he isn’t as important in her life and she dumps him.

I think this commercial is hilarious. Plenty of bloggers and others online have made various comments bashing the commercial saying that it follows the idea that a woman wants diamonds, she only becomes a gamer through a male significant other and that the commercial shows a consequence of gaming addiction. There’s no argument that the whole “diamonds are a girl’s best friend” and a woman needs a man to game with stereotypes shouldn’t be perpetuated.

It works both ways. I’ve known men who became gamers because of women along with the scenario that occurs in the commercial. Is this a bad thing? Absolutely not. Blizzard’s best move at this point would be to put out another commercial starring a woman going on about her character without any mention of a significant other. It’s fantastic to see a female advertising the game. Perhaps Blizzard unnecessary felt that they had to ease into it.

Despite all of the studies showing how many gamers are female, it feels as if we hit a brick wall when it comes to media. Female gamers only join because a man invites them, female gamers aren’t as good as male and many other scenarios appear in various TV shows. The way to break this mold isn’t to create commercials or sitcom plotlines that show a woman acting exactly like a male gamer. Good female characters are not male characters with breasts. That’s not how it works. It’s lazy character development. Create a female character and make her a gamer. Have it fit her personality. She doesn’t have to sit in the basement, face covered in acne and eating Cheetos. It’s bad enough that gamer men are stuck in that stereotype. Do we have to add women to it, too?

The question remaining is who is the commercial targeting? I didn’t feel as if Blizzard was trying to convince me to play the game (taking out the fact that I’ve played it). It felt as if it was geared toward guys, suggesting that they buy the game for their girlfriend/wife to get her involved. Or, depending on your point of view, it was warning people what happens when you get someone too into gaming.

Overall, the Aubrey Plaza WoW commercial has done something- it’s brought the idea of female gamers to the masses. It wasn’t executed perfectly, but it’s a start.

SWTOR: A story female gamers can enjoy

I participated in beta testing last weekend and can now say, thanks to the lifting of the NDA, that SWTOR features female-friendly characters and scenarios.

While running around on a Trooper last weekend, I encountered a variety of NPCs, both male and female, that had stories that fell under different categories. There was the desperate mother, the angry spy, the ambitious commando and more. I am not going to go into specifics. Why spoil the story for everyone?

It’s not enough to use a variety of male and female characters. If all of the characters fall into particular stereotypes, then they lack the potential to grow. In other words, not every woman is desperately waiting for her husband to return from the fighting and every man can’t be the do or die tough guy. It’s harder to play a female trooper who follows a dark path if every female NPC is cut from the same stereotypical mold. When that does happen, it can feel like a player is playing a male character with the skin of a female.

Feeling as if I was playing a female character was important to me. The game requires a player to maintain some degree of interest in the story. The only way to immerse yourself is to feel comfortable with your character. It’s harder to care about a game if you don’t care about what you’re playing. And as we all know, bored players often quit and subscriptions fall.

So bravo, BioWare, you did what every video game should do: make it appealing to male and female audiences.

Eventually (I hope), this won’t be an anomaly.

X-Wing: Mercy Kill hitting shelves in August

Aaron Allston's much anticipated book X-Wing: Mercy Kill hits shelves Aug. 12, 2012, according to a post by ES on Facebook. As we already knew, the book will come out in hardcover.

Next August is a good time to be a Star Wars fan.

"Once Upon a Time" turns fairy tales into a modern day adventure

I wanted to be Cinderella-when I wasn’t imaging I was escaping the Death Star- as child. I watched the Disney movie and read books all the time. Meeting Cinderella at Disney World was my dream as a small child.

Years later, I found myself watching the new ABC show Once Upon a Time. Once Upon a Time is about a group of fairy tale characters that are stuck in the real world. A woman named Emma (Jennifer Morrison) is the only one who can save them, not that she completely believes that everyone around her is a fairy tale character. Her son, who she gave up for adoption, brought her to Storybrook, Maine. The first three episodes featured Snow White (Ginnifer Goodwin), The Queen (Lana Parrilla), Rumplestiltskin (Robert Carlyle), Jiminey Cricket (Rapheal Sbarge) and others.

The fourth episode, The Price of Gold, featured Cinderella. You can imagine my excitement at this newest character.

Cinderella makes a deal with Rumplestiltskin to leave her horrible life. You’ll have to check out the show to find out what he wants. Her real life self is a pregnant teenager who ran away.
What makes Once Upon a Time such a fascinating, fun show is the blend of real world and fairy tales. The show jumps between the two, revealing the past of the various characters. Last week’s episode showed how Snow White and Prince “James” Charming met. It features a rich cast of characters that don’t fall into the stereotypical fairy tale roles. Snow White, for example, is strong, smart and can take care of herself. She and Prince Charming (or James, if you prefer), have an equal partnership.

Many of us look fondly upon fairy tales. Once Upon a Time winds those stories into a delightful modern-day setting. Each episode moves the story along while explaining the backstory. It’s one of those shows that viewers are sad to see the end.

Is it Sunday night yet?

Once Upon a Time airs at 8 p.m. on Sundays.

Star Wars: The Old Republic Beta Weekend is almost here

Another SWTOR beta weekend is coming up and I lucked out with an invite. It looks like this is going to be a huge beta weekend.

I have to admit that while I’m excited to have a chance to play the game, I’m hesitant to do too much. For one thing, I’m not going to play a class that I intend to play at launch. This means no Imperial Agent for me.

As each class has their own story and the choices/specialization makes variants to the story, it’s possible to see some differences if you played a class multiple times. I don’t know if there are enough differences to make it worth it for pure story purposes, though. If you wanted to play a different specialization, however, then it could be worth it. Therefore, technically, if a person played a Jedi Knight Sentinel in Beta he wouldn’t ruin the entire story for a Jedi Knight Guardian.

Either way, there are too many similarities for me to run around as an Imperial Agent Sniper and later play an Operative in the game. Too repetitive. And repetition can lead to boredom.
We don’t want that.

That’s why I’m glad that I wasn’t in the other Beta testing sessions. Sure, one would have been fun, but had I had access on and off for a year, it would have sucked out some of the fun. In addition, constantly starting over isn’t my cup of tea. I do plan to play multiple classes; of course, I just don’t see making multiple of the same class to play difference specialization.
Depending on what is implemented later in the game, it could be irrelevant. It’s always a possibility that players will get to trade a huge stack of credits for a new specialization or duel specs.

I’ve mentioned before that I’m not going to race through this game like a caffeine-fueled Super Mario Bros. race (remember to earn those 99 lives) on a Sunday afternoon. Same goes for Beta.

SWTOR: Stop, take a deep breath and stay calm. Release is almost here.

A portion of the TOR community is going nuts. It was announced what fansites were coming to the fan site summit and people went bat crazy if they weren’t invited.

Because, apparently, BioWare knows every single podcast and fansite there is without prior contact. I mean really. Do people honestly think that Stephen Reid and co. spend hours each day search for each new podcast and fansite? Dream on.

Reid made a tweet on Monday stating:

“Hey #SWTOR fansites: if we don't know you exist, it's hard to work with you. Get in touch. Email fansites@swtor.com and say hi.”

He’s right. Unless a site or podcast takes the time to alert BioWare of their presence, how will their existence be known?

My Twitter field has been full of retweets originating from TOR sites I’ve never heard of griping about their exclusion from this event.

I have no idea how BioWare selects who to invite, but if it were my call I’d select people who stayed in frequent contact with me and had high traffic.

Yes, people can feel angry that they were left out. It’s within a person’s right to feel anger about a situation. It’s their right to discuss their anger with others. The problem arises when that anger controls their actions. Personal attacks, throwing fits and insults only make the situation worse. With so many taking their frustrations to Twitter, chunks of conversations are missed or ignored and more fights erupt. It’s making the community an ugly place to be. Too bad the official forums were on that boat a long time ago.

With less than two months until release, some people may feel as if they are at the end of their fuse. All the stress, anticipation and disappoint are coming to a head and an issue would normally seem minor acts as a spark to the fire. Conflict-heavy zones are a turnoff to many. No one wants to hear about how Tom or Abby didn’t get a free pass to play the game, especially when he or she feels entitled to it.

No one is entitled to a free pass. No one is entitled to anything just because he runs a fansite or podcast. For that matter, being a fan for over three years or owning the Collector’s Edition doesn’t mean you are entitled to anything either.

Yes, it’s disappointing not to be recognized. Go ahead and be angry, but please, stop and think before igniting fights. It’s gotten way out of hand.

If you want to make it, you have to network. You have to talk to the right people. End of story.

An Expanded Universe movie? Not sure about that...

Do you want to see a new Star Wars movie?

Suvudo released a poll on Friday asking what books fans wanted to see in theaters. The options are:

The New Jedi Order series
Shadows of the Empire by Steve Perry
The X-Wing series by Michael Stackpole and Aaron Allston
Red Harvest by Joe Schreiber
The Republic Commando series by Karen Traviss

I find myself torn on this issue. One part of me wants to see more Star Wars on the big screen. The other part shudders at what will be ruined and what will disappear. I know, I know. Book to movie conversations happen all the time. Some are crap; some are great. Some put the books to shame. And it’s Star Wars…

I voted New Jedi Order, though I have no idea how it would fit into one movie. Shadows of the Empire has already been covered and it isn’t that great of story. The X-Wing series would be exciting and have great visuals, but where to start? Stick with the Rogue Squadron and leave it at that? What counts as a resolution? Multiple books need combined to make one satisfactory movie. As for Red Harvest, eh. It doesn’t have a large enough audience. Same with Republic Commandos. Commandos are nice sometimes, but won't attract the general populace.

I’ve already discussed why I don’t want to see an EU cartoon series and all of those arguments fit my reservations about making an EU movie.

Something I like about Star Wars is that it is somewhat contained. Quite frankly, six movies are enough. I don’t want Star Wars to become Marvel or DC where the character stories depends on the series. The idea that in one universe Luke Skywalker married Mara Jade, in another he became a hermit and in a third he is part cyborg. That it’s all one story adds to the franchise’s appeal.

Hollywood tends to add in ridiculous love triangles, stupid events and other gunk to movies that come from books. For example, check out the trailer for The Lorax. There’s a love story. There’s no love story in The Lorax. It’s not about impressing a girl or joking around with the Lorax. It’s a good lesson in the destructive power of greed. The movie may show that, but is it going to get lost in the other muck? Based on the trailer, probably.

Not all adaptations are bad. Charlotte’s Web stayed true. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone was solid. The Lord of the Rings trilogy was better onscreen than in the books. One for the Money looks like it’s going to be pretty good. It’s possible that a movie could be successful. Don’t hold your breath. The book to movie failure produces more duds than diamonds.

When it boils down whether I want an EU movie, I think the answer is no. There’s too much at stake and EU fans have lost enough as it is.

Two months until SWTOR. What are you doing to fill the gap?

Would you look at that, we are less than two months away from the release of Star wars: The Old Republic. It’s a little hard to believe. Some SWTOR fans have entered a waiting limbo and are asking themselves these questions. Do I pick up another game to play? Do I wait? Is it worth the money to invest in another game for less than two months? Do I find something else to do?

Of course, for some future players this doesn’t matter. We aren’t playing a game right now. I find it futile to reactivate my “World of Warcraft” account for two months knowing I’ll stop playing when early access starts. If I had plans to return to WoW, then maybe, but news of the ridiculous expansion turned me off to the game. Some changes need to occur if I’m to return.

The holiday season does fill in the gap for many players. Players in the U.S. have Thanksgiving, and then there’s Christmas right after release for a good percentage of the world. With TOR coming out on Dec. 20 (unless you’re in early access), some day before Christmas shoppers may need to drag themselves out to the stores on the 19th.

What am I doing to fill in the time, you ask? Well, I intend to spend November participating in National Novel Writing Month. As for December? Who knows? Hopefully editing my story for NaNo.

Two months seems like a long time to some. Remember when you were a kid and the two months before Christmas was agonizing? That time will fly by and before you know it, you’ll be running around Coruscant chasing down a target.

If you want to follow a countdown, visit Docking Bay 94 where Joao from The Cantina Cast writes 80 blogs in 80 days to count down to TOR.

Pandas in "World of Warcraft?" Free Diablo III? What is Blizzard doing?

Pandas. The new World of Warcraft race is a panda.

Oops, I’m sorry, Pandaren.

I thought this was a joke. When my husband sent me the text message informing me of this new race, I didn’t want to believe him. That feeling disappeared fairly quickly. After all, this is Blizzard. WoW is full of movie rip-offs and bad jokes. Harrison Jones, anyone?

The new expansion, Mists of Pandaria, will bring radical changes like other expansions. It always happens. Some of these may help keep long-time players invested in the game, like new talent trees. Others seem stupid, like the new pet fighting system a la Pokemon. Players will rant how much better Cataclysm was, even though players say it’s awful and Wrath of the Lich King was better. Before that, during the WotLK days, Burning Crusade was considered superior (have to agree there).

None of these changes, however, is as stupid as the Pandaren.

The gameplay looks like an MMO of Kung Fu Panda. You know, the kids movie starring Jack Black featuring a fat panda learning Kung Fu. Is Jack Black going to do a voiceover? It’d be appropriate.

In addition to turning WoW into a kiddie playground, Blizzard is also giving Diablo III and an in-game WoW mount to players who subscribe to WoW for one year. While some type of cross promotion between games is logical, this move reeks of desperation. Back on Aug. 4, IGN published an article stating that the number of subscribers has dropped. It’s not a huge drop, but one large enough to grab attention. While this is expected, one could reason that Blizzard suspects a large drop with the release of Star Wars: The Old Republic. It’d be a logical conclusion. Is this why they are making this offer, or is it an attempt to keep players around to the next expansion? Or is it something to do with Diablo III? Only time (or a nugget of leaked information) will tell.

With SWTOR coming out soon, I haven’t renewed my WoW account. I was thinking about maybe going back when a new expansion came out to take a break from TOR, but now I’m thinking not. I can’t take Pandas seriously. Yes, they appear in some small role in the lore, but come on. Image a Death Knight and a Panda in PVP. The only upside would be if I could wear their scalps over my Mage’s shoulder.

Seriously. I’d rather play Hello Kitty Island Adventure than Kung Fu Panda WoW.

(If you haven’t heard of the Hello Kitty Island Adventure bit, watch the Make Love, Not Warcraft episode of South Park. It’s the game Butters plays instead of WoW.)

We're more than ready for Zahn's Han Solo book

As I mentioned earlier this week, Timothy Zahn will write a book featuring Han Solo. A late 2012/early 2013 release, character choice and classic-era timeframe will make for a much-desired tale.

The Fate of the Jedi series ends in the spring of 2012. In July, Aaron Allston’s Mercy Kill, featuring the Wraith Squadron, will hit shelves. Should Zahn’s Han Solo book see a late 2012 release date, then fans of the non-SWTOR novels will have quite a bit to cheer about next year.

Quite frankly, we need it. Fans who aren’t the fans of later books can enjoy a new title in the OT era. I can honestly say that I’ve never met or spoken to someone who didn’t like Han Solo. He’s a great pick for a non-Jedi lead. Given the character, this book has the potential to draw in fans from all eras of Star Wars.

The Han Solo book and Mercy Kill have the potential to be a fun, exciting trip to a galaxy far, far away. Knowing Allston and Zahn’s kills, I’m sure they will be more than worth the cost.

Star Wars: The Old Republic: Taking the scenic route to 50

“How fast are you going to hit 50?”

Star Wars: The Old Republic” is almost here and many players are asking themselves this question. As with any video game, there are people who want to race to be the first to hit max level. Some people on the official forums have said that they will take time off work in order to play the game. I’m not talking about one day, more like week (talk about the potential of a fast burnout).

Racing to the top defeats the purpose of the game. With all of the cut scenes, story and dialogue menus to go through, there’s simply no way to hit 50 as fast as some players would like (even if you just randomly click on dialogue options). This game relies on its story to keep people playing. With the ability to sway your character dark or light, it gives an extra touch of personalization. It’s not like “World of Warcraft” where players don’t need to know anything about the quest aside from the actions needed to complete it. The lore appeals to some, but not all. That could be one reason why the game attracts to so many people. You don’t have to know anything about the lore to play.

Of course, the same could be said for TOR. Anyone can play that game without understanding knowing the details of the Jedi and Sith. The difference here is that TOR will tell you through voiceovers.

By pulling people into the story, TOR has a greater chance of engrossing players for the long run. The ability to somewhat mold the characters to your liking enhances overall play.

Many want to spend a good chunk of time jumping into the universe. While this is fine, cramming into too much time can cause a burnout. Imagine spending 12 or more hours each day playing the same game. For most of us, we’re going to get sick of sitting there. By Day 3, logging in seems like a chore. Why burn yourself out so fast? Take it slow. Spend a day getting into it and then play when you want.

MMO burnout happens all the time. It’s inevitable. Once that monthly fee goes through, it feels like you have to log on. Take a day off when logging on becomes a chore. If you pay monthly, the $14.99 averages out to about 49 cents a day. Compared to other forms of entertainment, that’s low. Not logging on for a day isn’t going to “set you back.”

Pushing through to 50 will cost players a rich experience. This is our chance to fulfill that childhood dream to be a Star Wars character; don’t waste it.

Is Jaina Solo Luke Skywalker’s eventual replacement?

Is Jaina Solo Luke Skywalker's eventual replacement?

"Perhaps that feared Luke Skywalker just that much. And that was a mistake. Luke Skywalker was not the Sword of the Jedi. Jaina was, and now the Sith had trapped themselves inside a locked temple with her" – Fate of the Jedi: Apocalypse

Upon reading the quote from Fate of the Jedi: Apocalypse, I found myself wondering why is it that Jaina is used at the end of a series to clean up messes. Yes, we’ve only seen this once before, but when an event happens twice within a short period, one starts to wonder.

Luke maintained a prominent role in every book of the Fate of the Jedi series. Odds are that most of the pages are dedicated to his particular plotline. (No, I’m not going to count, it’s just a hunch). Jaina has not. In each book, Luke deals with whatever mini plot is occurring on the planet he and Ben visit, faces Abeloth, fails at defeat and flies away. This formula would have worked more effectively had the Jacen plotline not been tossed aside and it hadn’t turned into a game of chase, but what’s done is done.

Now the Lost Tribe of the Sith and Abeloth somehow managed to worm their way onto Coruscant to cause problems. Based on the quote, it seems that Jaina will deal with the Sith in the Jedi Temple, as Luke cannot. Luke could not deal with Jacen, either. It was Jaina who ended that mess.

Jaina’s role as “Sword of the Jedi” crops up when it’s convenient. While it shouldn’t control every aspect of her life, only using it when Sith needed a swift kick in the butt alters the title. It makes Jaina sounds like a tool for the Jedi, or authors, to use. When she’s not needed, she fades into the background. Jaina doesn’t need that title to do what is right. Prophecies and titles are fine and dandy, but it’s the character’s choices that define them, not a string of words.

How does all of this make me wonder if Jaina is Luke’s replacement? Let’s look at their roles. Luke in the Legacy of the Force and Fate of the Jedi series played an important role, but could not take down the final opponent. Assuming Jaina takes down the Sith, something she’s proven she can do, she is once again solving a problem her uncle could not. If she takes down Abeloth that will further seal the deal. Given the quote, it’s a reasonable prediction.

By having Luke deal with the Sith and Abeloth throughout the series, he still plays an important role. He then steps aside to allow Jaina to defeat the Sith. He’s stepping aside for the new hero. If Apocalypse plays out this way, then it will be the second time Luke turns to his niece. He is no longer the “go-to Jedi” for grave threats. Luke’s role is more of a mentor and guide.

Passing the torch is a necessary step in a multigenerational story. Luke cannot be the hero forever. He has to move on. It’s inevitable. In a way, it feels like the authors are weaning readers off Luke’s role as the ultimate hero of the Star Wars universe.

And that’s okay. Part of what makes Star Wars such a lasting fandom is that the story is constantly progressing. The Star Wars universe is large enough to allow one Jedi to fit the mold of the mentor and teacher and another the fighter.

If these predictions are true and Jaina is the one to save the day, then why isn’t she on the front cover, you ask. My guess is marketing. The casual reader is going to recognize Luke (or Han, Leia and Lando) more than other characters. Del Rey already used EU characters on the fronts of Conviction (Tahiri) and Ascension (Ben and Vestara). Throwing a member of The Big Three on the cover of at least one of the last three books could be a way to try to increase sales.

Jaina fits the role as the “next Luke Skywalker” well. She’s not the same person, appeals to many fans and has enough experience to fit the job. While I don’t see her as the leader of the Jedi in the sense that Luke was, she would be a viable, believable hero- whether she works for the Empire or the Galactic Alliance.

A Han Solo book and Jaina/Jag on Apocalypse?!

Yesterday’s DelRey panel at New York Comic Con brought two pieces of fantastic news.
1. Timothy Zahn is writing a Han Solo book.
2. Jaina Solo and Jagged Fel are on the back cover of Apocalypse and
"Perhaps that feared Luke Skywalker just that much. And that was a mistake. Luke Skywalker was not the Sword of the Jedi. Jaina was, and now the Sith had trapped themselves inside a locked temple with her" – Apocalypse

The classic era Han Solo book goes along great with Allston’s Mercy Kill cast, but more on that later this week.

The Back Cover
As a long time (well, since Jag’s appearance in Dark Tide II: Ruin), I’ve been a fan of that pairing. Jaina’s appeared on very few covers overall and Jag on none of the U.S. versions. As the “Sword of the Jedi,” logic argues that Jaina should appear more often. Logic, however, isn’t the winner in this case.

Unfortunately, their presence on the back cover doesn’t mean that they will have a large role in the book. Look at Tenel Ka. She was on the back of Conviction and hardly appeared in the book. Same with Boba Fett on the back of Ascension. The above quote indicates that Jaina will have a role, but Jag is unknown.

The back cover looks pretty good based on photos taken by those in attendance. Hopefully DelRey will show the completed image soon.

Darth Maul is Alive...What a Disaster

Darth Maul is alive.

Darth Maul, who Obi-Wan sliced into two pieces, is alive.

How? And more importantly, why?

I know! To attract more attention to the Clone Wars and the 3D release of The Phantom Menace.

Darth Maul was a fantastic, one-shot villain. Fans thought Maul was cool because of his fighting style, not because he had an interesting back-story or amusing sense of humor. The Maul-Kenobi-Jinn lightsaber fight is amazing. It never loses its luster.

Oh wait, with this announcement, it just did.

Think about the latter part of the fight. Obi-Wan, Maul and Qui-Gon are separated from each other. Maul paces like a caged beast. His nostrils flare with anger. Qui-Gon appears worn out and tries to regain strength. The timers then turn off and he and Qui-Gon engage in an exciting duel. We watch as Maul puts one of his blades through Qui-Gon and hear Obi-Wan’s anguished scream.

At that moment, many of us wanted to see Darth Maul pay for what he did to Qui-Gon. Obi-Wan rushes forward and assaults Maul in a frenzy. Soon Obi-Wan is hanging on for his life while Maul swings his lightsaber like the smug Sith Apprentice he is.

And then…then Qui-Gon’s lightsaber moves, Obi-Wan leaps up and slices Maul in half. A spray of blood appears and Maul tumbles down the shaft. Obi-Wan has defeated the Sith. It’s one of his greatest moments.

Not anymore!

Regardless of your opinion of The Phantom Menace, that entire sequence is amazing and moving. Knowing that Maul survived and that Obi-Wan didn’t defeat a Sith kind of kills it.

This action brings another question to mind. How? The man was cut in half. His body bounced off the sides of a metal shaft. I find it hard to believe that his skull wasn’t at least fractured. It’s not as if he was caught on fire like Vader or lost a limb. He was cut into two definite pieces. No humanoid lives through that.

With the release of The Phantom Menace 3D poster, I am even surer that this move was tied in. Darth Maul is the predominant picture, yet Anakin is omitted. You know Anakin? The character the entire saga is about? At least Darth Sidious made it in the shadows, a placement that’s rather appropriate.

Oh wait. Anakin's in his podracer. Probably. Let me get the magnifying glass.

I mulled the news around in my head for a day before writing this blog entry. I didn’t want to fall into a fit of rage or illogical ranting. Obi-Wan is such a crucial character to the Star Wars saga that any change that dramatically alters his character needs looked at. While I applaud the staff of the Clone Wars for keeping people talking about the series, I can’t get behind this plot decision. Give Maul a brother. Why not? Bring in Chewie? Sounds like a plan. Bring back a dead character? No thanks. Bringing back the dead is a horrible plot device. It’s up there with time travel. Overused, cliché and cheap. Bringing in Maul's brother and Chewie didn't harm other characters.

The cartoon should not take precedent over the movies. Period.

The Clone Wars: Heavy Indicator of the Problems with an EU Cartoon

Ah Star Wars: The Clone Wars, how I want to love you.

I’ve tried. I’ve tried so many times, but I just can’t get into it.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I don’t hate the Clone Wars. It’s a great way to bring new fans into the Star Wars universe and to keep the fandom alive. I just can’t get into the episodes. If I were nine years old again, I’d be in love with the show.

The Clones Wars does deserve some addition credit. Ahsoka is a fantastic female character. The decision to use her instead of a male is a great step forward in furthering integrating women into the sci-fi fandom. In addition, Ashley Eckstein (Ahsoka) worked to bring us the Her Universe line.

What I don’t like about the Clone Wars is that the characters are too overpowered and, to put it bluntly, it’s too cartoon-y. The actions of the characters fit the medium perfectly, but it’s not appealing to all fans. This is fine, as long as this overpowered behavior stays on the animated screen. Keep it out of the books.

I do enjoy some of the episodes. The R2 ones in particular are quite fun. Who doesn’t want to see R2 save the day? The production team has done an excellent job when it comes to deciding when to give us a piece of R2. The episodes don’t occur too much to make his heroics seem overplayed, yet enough to satisfy us fans.

Recently Catherine Taber, who provides the voice of Padme in the Clone Wars and Princess Leia in the Force Unleashed, said that she would like to lend her talents to Jaina Solo. Now, while it would be neat to see some kind of cartoon, movie or live-action show with Jaina Solo, I have reservations.

The Clone Wars messes with continuity. I know, I know, it’s an old argument. As the guys over on the Cantina Cast pointed out, it seems as if the only continuity the production team is worried about the exchange in Revenge of the Sith between General Grievous and Anakin Skywalker.

As a die-hard EU fan, I don’t want to see any of it ruined by a show. Have events happened that I didn’t like? Yes, but once it’s done, it’s done. They can’t undo the mistakes. As I’ve said in a previous entry, I am against reboots. A show would feel like an alternate EU unless it followed events correctly. Of course, one could argue that it could hurt suspense (something that the Clones Wars often lacks).

Ultimately, I feel that the fact that Star Wars is a continuous story makes it a more appealing fandom. Adding a television show into the post-ROTJ Expanded Universe seems like it would add way too many cooks to the kitchen...or Dex’s Diner, if you prefer.

Come On Ladies, Get Your Geek On This Halloween

Halloween is the time to spread the word that female geeks are here to stay.

Think back to when you were a child. What types of costumes were in the “girls” section of the costume aisle at the local department store? Disney Princesses (specifically Jasmine and Belle), Thumbalina, Pink Power Ranger, witches, genies, maids, Wednesday Adams and nurses come to mind. I can’t recall seeing a Princess Leia costume until recently. Padme also joined the costumes, but the prequels weren’t out when I was a child).

On Halloween in 2006, while working at a Victoria’s Secret in an outdoor mall, I stood outside and handed out candy to trick-or-treaters. That year I saw over a dozen Hermione Grangers from Harry Potter. I remember thinking how awesome it was to see such so many girls dressed up as such a great female character.

As women become a stronger market in the sci-fi/fantasy market, the amount of female-geared costumes for these genres seems to increase. It was next to impossible to find a Princess Leia action figure growing up; imagine how difficult it would have been to find a Leia costume for a child!

With the addition of stronger female leads in books, TV shows and movies, we have more options. There still aren’t as many options as I’d like, but at least the market is improving somewhat. Many sites and stores also offer options to coverage, so consumers don’t have to abandon the Wonder Woman costume in the name of personal modesty.

Halloween is the perfect opportunity to show our love for a great female character.

And we don’t need to modify a men’s costume to do it.

Female Geeks: Carving Our Own Fashion Niche

Picture a female geek in your head. What does she look like? Is she wearing glasses with thick lenses? Braces? Dowdy clothing? Or did you picture the opposite stereotype of a busty woman in a tight costume?

For years, female sci-fi fans have had an almost impossible time showing their geek pride. With the Her Universe line (among other retailers), it’s becoming easier, but still a challenge. I can’t walk into a major retailer and find a Star Wars shirt in the women’s department, though there are plenty in the men and boys sections. I remember the excitement I felt with Hot Topic began carrying Star Wars shirts for women. It is rather frustrating, though, that only specialty stores carry these types of items for women.

There is an unseen benefit to this annoying limitation: we can create our own style beyond the T-shirt and jeans regime by letting retailers know what we want.
Think about what type of products you want outside of the shirts and hoodies category. For example, jewelry. Her Universe currently sells two different types of earrings and a charm bracelet for Star Wars fans and a toaster necklace for Battlestar Galactica fans. The jewelry fits well with almost any outfit.

The options go beyond jewelry. I’d like to see a line of handbags and totes from any manufacturer. Even socks, undergarments and pajamas would be neat to own.

Male geeks face their own stereotypes: overweight or super skinny, greasy faces, dark jeans with tattered T-shirts and old Converse shoes. It’s a stereotype that many hope to escape and one I don’t want to fall into.

While both female and male geek styles can overlap, they need to be two separate entities. Forcing women to wear the same or similar “geek style” as men stops us from being taken seriously as a group. It’s almost like squeezing us in an overstuffed bookcase. The book doesn’t fit correctly, but it will do.

None of us wants to be that book.

SWTOR: Why the Character Name Matters

What’s in name? Why does it matter?

In late December, I will create my characters in Star Wars: The Old Republic. While it’s easy to decide the character’s appearance, the name is a whole other issue.

The name is the key identifying feature of the character.

Selecting a character’s name in a MMORPG may not sound like it matters, but that is how people identify you. In past games, I never put much thought in the name. I usually chose names based off book characters. Even doing that, I still debated about the name.

With Star Wars: The Old Republic, I intend to make up the names beforehand. Instead of selecting a name from a book or movie and changing the spelling, I plan to come up with original names. That being said, I want these names to fit Star Wars. For example, my Chiss Imperial Agent will have an appropriate Chiss name, not something more appropriate for a Corellian nerf farmer. You don’t need to know that Malgus is a Sith to know he’s evil; his name says it all.

For role players, the name is even more important. It acts as part of the character’s story. Many role players create a back-story, personality, traits, history and other facts. While I am not a role player, SWTOR caters to RP players in addition to the regular gamer.

The ability to select exactly which response to a quest fits your character makes the character more customizable. This, along with selecting the right name, makes the character feel more like it’s “yours.” In “World of Warcraft,” as much as I enjoyed my character, there was nothing about her that made her feel “different” from any other undead arcane mage walking around Orgimmar. That I can select how moral my Imperial Agent or Jedi Knight is adds something extra to the game.

And there is certainly some irony to making a “dark side Jedi” or “light side Sith.”

These factors play into the naming decision- along with what I want people to call me in chats. I’ll pass on Boss Nass.

Star Wars: The Old Republic to Launch Dec. 20

Star Wars and gaming fans rejoice. Star Wars: The Old Republic is coming out Dec. 20 (North America) and Dec. 22 (Europe).

Finally!

In addition to the release dates, the monthly subscription fees were released.

•1 Month Subscription: $14.99 (£8.99/€12.99)
•3 Month Subscription: $13.99 per month (one-time charge of $41.97/£25.17/€35.97)
•6 Month Subscription: $12.99 per month (one-time charge of $77.94/£46.14/€65.94)

The rates fit in with World of Warcraft, the biggest competitor. The one, three or six month options are very reasonable. I am more willing to pay the six-month fee for the lower price than a year’s worth of fees. I imagine that the three-month plan will be the most popular.

Sounds like a great early Christmas present for everyone!

Check out the official forums announcement here: SWTOR Release Announcement.

SWTOR: The 2011 Release Date is Still Possible

The SWTOR community is atwitter tonight. During an EA investor conference call, Eric Brown was asked what could cause a possible delay. He told the crowd that if beta testing didn’t go as planned then it could be delayed to the March quarter of the 2012 fiscal year.

Before that, he said:

In terms of timing, again, we haven't given a street date yet. We won't do so for some time, possibly at our next upcoming earnings call towards the end of October. We're in beta testing mode. We're expanding the scalability of the testing. It's not about working to complete content. We feel very good about the content. That's ready to go. It's about tuning the game to make sure, for example, we can get the level of concurrent users per server cluster that we want. That the response time is what people would expect. So the factor, just to reiterate what we said last earnings call about timing, we expect to ship Star Wars by the end of this calendar year.

Somehow, many members of the SWTOR forums missed Brown’s statement that they were still looking at the calendar 2011 release. Instead, people are freaking out about the slim possibility that the game BioWare and EA could delay the game to 2012. Yes, a delay is possible, but don’t forget that 2011 isn’t out of the equation.

The game also has it's official rating: Teen.

It’s easy to focus on the negative, even if it comes from a hypothetical question. Fans have been jerked around with this game for years. The constant promise of release windows that end up delays chip away at fans excitement for the game.

Instead of diving into a fits of nerd rage and canceling the game, take a step back from the computer. Read all of the information before reacting.

Expectations and Nostalgia: How They Hurt the Prequels

"Did you like the prequels?"

Every Star Wars fan is asked this question at some point. The prequels are a highly debated topic. Many loathe the new movies; some refused to watch them a second time. Others think they are fun and exciting.

The prequels had factors stacked against them before George Lucas begin filming. Expectations and nostalgia killed any chance of the movies total acceptance by longtime Star Wars fans.

Expecting the Impossible
Fans spent years imaging how Anakin Skywalker turned into Darth Vader. Why was he "more machine now than man," as Obi-Wan told Luke. Who was Leia and Luke's mother? How did Vader not know about the twins? Why did Leia go to Alderaan and Luke Tatooine? How did the Jedi die out? What were the Clone Wars?

Fans imagined epic conclusions and expected something more amazing than they could fathom. George Lucas blew the minds of moviegoers in1977. He's next three movies had to do the same, right?

If you look forward to something for too long, it can become so mentally amazing that the reality can't touch it. This happened to the prequels. Fans built them up so much that it was impossible to please them. When something you expect to be perfect falters, those faults seem worse than usual.

The prequels have faults; so do the original trilogy. These faults, however, can be overlooked because the story of Star Wars is so strong. I can overlook some of the instances of weak dialogue in “A New Hope” because Luke, Han and Leia’s journey is so engaging. I can forgive Anakin’s awkward dialogue in “Attack of the Clones” in favor of the story. In addition, in Anakin’s defense, people in love usually say silly things. Not everyone is a poet.

Clinging to the Past
Sometime between the releases of "The Phantom Menace" and "Attack of the Clones," my aunt told me that "A New Hope" would always be her favorite and the best Star Wars movie. She said it was because of what Star Wars meant and how it changed movies. Many of us have fond memories of the OT. Some feel like we cannot enjoy the prequels as much because of this. This mentality is fine to have, but it does make it harder for the prequels to take a larger space in our hearts.

Nostalgia is another reason why some people won’t purchase the Blu-Rays or Special Editions. No, I don’t like that Greedo shoots first now or that Vader says “Nooo!” in “Return of the Jedi,” but the movies look so much better.

Some changes are fine, like fixing errors and effects, but it’s when the story is altered that fans cry foul. We all know that Han Solo’s character was changed when Greedo shot first. We all fell in love with Han as he was. He didn’t need that alteration. In regards to the Vader “Noo!” I am surprised that Lucas added that in. It goes against “show, don’t tell.” By having Vader verbally react, it takes away from the drama of the scene. While I don’t agree with these changes, I’ll still watch the Blu-Ray version.

It will be interesting to see what those who saw the prequels first say about the saga. These people are no less fans than those who saw the OT when it first hit theaters, or those who became fans from watching the or with their families later in. Star Wars needs a diverse group of fans to stay alive.

9/11: Ten Years Later, We See the Light

Where were you on Sept. 11? Most of us have been asked that question. Some tell a story about trying to contact relatives while others say how they knew the world had changed. My story contained no profound observations, no reflections, no reactions. It wasn’t until I stopped to think about it today that I understood how life changed that day.

I was a freshman in high school home sick with a nasty case of the flu. No one told me about the attacks. I saw reruns of the towers burning on almost every station later that morning. I couldn’t grasp what had happened. My mother came home and told me that it was horrible and life altering, but the message didn’t click. I acknowledged it, but it wasn’t until that evening that I began to realize the gravity of the situation.

My mother kept the TV on the Disney Channel that night if my siblings or cousins were in the room. They were all too young to see the footage at that moment. The station never said what happened, but the shows’ stars would come on and encourage kids to speak to their parents about their fears and confusion. She was sheltering my siblings and cousins until she and my father could discuss how to talk about it. The private elementary schools they attended left it to the parents to break the news. I was told not to discuss it until they had explained it.

Life did change after 9/11. Security was tight everywhere, even in my small Indiana town. Everyone was afraid and there was no real joy in the world. A constant heaviness filled the air. Even if no one mentioned the terrorist attacks, it felt like the topic was lurking in the shadows. Unmarked mail was items to fear. There was talk of war, of death. The world was suddenly a dark place. I hadn’t felt that nervous since the Oklahoma City Bombing.

It felt like we were on the edge of disaster. It was as if the world was on a plate balanced on a needle and the plate was crooked. One more move and it would fall. I hear about the war on terror every day at school on the “Channel One” show, yet didn’t understand everything going on. With every report of a car or suicide bombing, I felt like destruction was coming closer. The terrorists proved that they could and would come onto American soil. We all feared it would happen again.

In 2003, Columbia exploded, adding to the feel of doom. Each disaster piled up, further tipping the plate. The earthquake in Indonesia and Hurricane Katrina brought the feeling that nature itself wanted us to die.

I don’t know when life changed. I can’t point to a day or month and say that’s when the world seemed a little brighter.

Ten years later, I can finally say I understand. I under what that day meant. I understood how life changed. It’s only by looking back is it possible to see the whole picture. As Americans, we should view images of the memorial. We should observe a moment of prayer, silence or reflection for those who died that day. Each one is a hero, as are the ones who were injured or escaped. The families affected deserve our prayers. We can mourn and be thankful.

And we will never forget.

Abeloth: the antithesis of a good villain

Palpatine was cunning, sinister, manipulative and a servant to the Dark Side.

Thrawn was a military genius who studied his enemies to know how defeat them effectively them.

The Yuuzhan Vong slaughtered billions of innocent lives in the name of their gods.

Abeloth throws temper tantrums.

And she's considered a villain?

Random House recently released the blurb for Fate of the Jedi: Apocalypse by Troy Denning.

But victory against the cunning and savage Abeloth, and the terrifying endgame she has planned, is anything but certain.

Doubtful. She’s as terrifying as a butterfly.

Abeloth’s general lack of being an effective villain hurts the Fate of the Jedi series. Based on the little we know about her, her only motivation for her acts are being crazy, destruction and wanting someone to love her. None of these characteristic is used in a way to make her a solid villain. The desire to destroy is not engaging when there is no concrete reason as to why.

Abeloth had some potential. With the ability to control minds, she could have been an interesting threat. Aaron Allston was the only author who used her ability to make the young Jedi snap in a productive way with Jysella and Valin Horn in Conviction. What was the point of making a bunch of wacko Jedi if only two did anything? Yes, I understand that they created upheaval, hurt the Jedi’s reputation and pushed Luke and Ben towards the “Lost” Tribe of the Sith, but so much more could have been done with them. While she does use her mind to conduct some manipulation, forcing the Sith to do what she wants or taking control of a government (been there, done that) is hardly as shocking as turning Jedi the Maw Jedi into her uncover agents.

Abeloth’s appearance also destroys her chances of being a memorable or capable villain. When she falls into her temper-tantrum episodes, her face melts like wax. You know, like the Nazis at the end of Raiders of the Lost Ark. In addition, she has tentacles, star-like eyes and a mouth wide enough to rival Pac-Man.

What the hell?

While her appearance does allude to her “unknown” aspect, it makes it difficult for readers to envision her scenes. When I read, I imagine what I’m reading. I can’t make a clear picture of Abeloth in my head. It’s distracting.

It’s difficult to explain Abeloth to someone who hasn’t read the series. She’s an usual being, but not trans-dimensional like the infamous Waru. She can do something to a being’s mind, but hasn’t exploited this characteristic to the fullest. Her motive seems to be only destruction. There's nothing about her that makes you want to know why she exists.

And she looks like someone partially melted the Kraken and threw two large shiny diamonds in the mess.

She’s certainly no Thrawn.

The Nostalgia Effect: Why it's making people want an unnecessary reboot

Ah nostalgia. It makes it possible to forget the unbearable heat and long lines during a childhood Disney World vacation. It makes memories more pleasant and adds to the overall appeal of corny kids’ shows and lame music. It makes it possible to ignore bad acting for an amazing story.

Nostalgia has a dark side. It makes us believe things from the past are better than they really were. This belief can lead to stupid decisions.

Like rebooting the Star Wars Expanded Universe.

After the publication of a new Star Wars book, someone calls for a reboot because he didn’t like a particular event. More often than not, this comment is written in a fit of full-out nerd rage with no real argument as to why the reboot is “necessary.” With the recent release of Fate of the Jedi: Ascension by Christie Golden, I feel it's necessary to bring up this frequently debated issue yet again.

Think about what would happen if the Expanded Universe were rebooted. No more Jaina, Jacen and Anakin. Ganner’s amazing death scene? Never happened. Chewbacca dying by a moon landing on him (which was the only way he could go)? Gone. Peace between the New Republic and Empire? Forget about it. Jedi Academy? What Jedi Academy? No more Pellaeon. No more Thrawn. No more Mara Jade Skywalker.

Well, what if the reboot took place after the Thrawn trilogy?

But I want Kyp Durron! a group of fans scream.

Okay, well, let’s keep it up to the Thrawn duelogy.

What about Tahiri, Raynar, Tenel Ka, Jagged Fel, Valin and Jysella Horn, Syal as a starfighter pilot…

You see the problem.

It’s impossible to erase the Expanded Universe. Many argue that the books went downhill after DelRey took over publication. Plenty of subpar books were published under Bantam. Bantam-era books are generally softer, less risky and lack suspense. While these aren’t bad characteristics, it makes them rather repetitive. The Empire attacks. Luke, Han and Leia come in to help. Something somewhat scary or bad happens. Luke, Han and Leia succeed. The end.

It’s easy to find fault in a book. When a poorly written story comes along, it stays fresh in fans’ minds until something better comes along. This feeling of dissatisfaction makes fans clamor for familiar tales. For example, if Timothy Zahn’s “Heir to the Empire” was the first Star Wars book someone read, she may feel like it was the perfect story. Nostalgia.

Cleaning the slate doesn’t work if the editorial staff makes poor decisions or untalented writers are permitted to publish books. Wishing for the stories of the past hinders the hope for great storytelling of the future.

And do you really think that our favorite authors will want to start over? Would you want to abandon the characters you created?

I think not.

Rue's Lullaby: The scene we need to see in "The Hunger Games"

Contains spoilers for "The Hunger Games" and "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows."

“Tonight it sends me Rue, still decked in her flowers, perched in a high sea of trees, trying to teach me to talk to the mockingjays. I see no sign of her wounds, no blood, just a bright, laughing girl. She sings songs I’ve never heard in a clear, melodic voice. On and on. Through the night. There’s a drowsy in-between period when I can hear the last few strains of her music although she’s lost in the leaves.”
"The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins
Pg. 235-6)

With any movie based off a book, each fan has a particular part they wish to see. For example, I wanted to see Fred Weasley’s death in “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2.” I felt that this scene helped solidify Harry’s resolve to meet Voldemort. Harry’s determination to stop others from dying for him is a major theme of the entire series. Watching Fred die, someone close to his age and like family, was necessary to back up the point. Unfortunately, all we saw was Fred’s corpse. Another set of books will arrive on the big screen next spring with its own variety of vital, emotional scenes: The Hunger Games trilogy.

Countless moments stood out to me while reading “The Hunger Games.” Had someone asked me immediately after I finished reading the book what scene I wanted to see the most, I’m not sure what my answer would have been. The parade? The Cornucopia? The berries? Now I now: Rue’s dying scene.

That Rue, the young Tribute from District 11, died was no surprise. Her death acted like a turning point in the novel.

While Rue lies on the ground dying, she asks Katniss to sing to her. Katniss complies, singing a sweet, comforting lullaby. Tears fall from her eyes and her voice grows quieter as she sings Rue to her final resting place. Katniss then lines Rue’s lifeless body with wildflowers. Between the song and the flowers, Katniss shows the people of Capitol that the ones the government continues to abuse are human, are real people. Her actions make the reader wonder if a spectator had a second thought about watching children die for entertainment.

With any book to movie adaptation fans fear the changes. I hope that this scene is included in the film exactly as Suzanne Collins wrote it in the book. To lose such a powerful moment would harm the story.

REVIEW: Fate of the Jedi: Ascension

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS.

Fate of the Jedi: Ascension by Christie Golden loses the ability to keep readers by glorifying domestic abuse.

Around the halfway point in the book, Ben Skywalker forces his way into Vestara Khai’s room aboard the Jade Shadow. When she won’t reveal what she is doing, he takes her wrists forcefully. Vestara fights back and Ben strikes her cheek with a Force-slap. They continue to struggle until Ben restrains her with her sheets. He then reads the letters she had written. Ben feels shameful for reading her letters, but not for striking or restraining Vestara. A few minutes later, the two cuddle in bed and kiss. Vestara references the latter part of the evening towards the end of the book-with no mention of Ben’s violent behavior. The message? Domestic violence is okay. It will end in romance.

It’s not off base to think that Vestara is used to this type of behavior. Her father refers to her mother as a “good Sith wife” and acts condescending to her. She acts like someone who may have experience in that type of situation. Vestara simply gives up and allows Ben to do as he wishes.

The scene feels surreal. The concept that Ben Skywalker could strike a woman is downright insane. Expanded Universe fans know that Ben did not grow up in an abusive household. It’s beyond out of character. Luke and Mara’s son would never dream of doing such an act.

Character issues are the minor problem. The fact remains that domestic abuse is part of Star Wars with NO CONSEQUENCES. At no point should domestic abuse be seen as a good thing. It’s bad enough that women are continuously shoved down in the Expanded Universe. Adding a scene of positive abuse alienates the female audience even more.

I expect more from Del Rely and Lucas Books. That they allowed this horrible sequence to be published is disturbing and inexcusable.

Star Wars is ultimately the story of good versus evil. Heroes do not beat their spouses. They do not shove the people they care for down in a fit of rage. That is the activity for a horrible villain. Showing a future hero- the son of Luke Skywalker, no less- hurt the woman that he claims to care about in anger hurts the character, the brand and the book.

Ascension is plagued with side plots that would have been interesting if written properly. For example, the showdown between Imperial Head of State Jagged Fel and Former Chief of State Natasi Daala brings in an element that any fan of Fel will love. The stilted dialogue and glossed over space battle detract from what could have been a fantastic sequence. This is just one of the many sequences Golden doesn’t describe. She changes or adds in details with little or no explanation to fit the situation.

The book lacks a feeling of “doom” or “worry.” Abeloth is still dull. The little bit of characterization we seen makes her appear pathetic and petty. The Lost Tribe of the Sith are just unbelievable. Beings that escape isolation after thousands of years do not understand the galaxy enough to pose a threat. Their archaic lifestyle is highlighted at the beginning of the book with ceremony and masquerade. Reading these events was like watching a group of believers greet aliens for the first time or the Ewoks fawning over C-3PO.

The editing in Ascension is better than it was in Allies. Golden does use far too many clauses and repeats information a little too much. Her constant use of food becomes distracting. How many times must she discuss food in one book? Her understanding of the characters in the Star Wars universe often falls flat, especially regarding dialogue. Too many lines sound like they belong in the mouths of other people. When adding to the Star Wars universe, it’d vital to have an understanding of at least the voice of a character.

It’s clear that Vestara and the Lost Tribe of the Sith are her favorites, as they are all more developed and more intelligent than the other characters. Vestara, for example, continuously outsmarts Luke. A girl of her age could not logically take down Luke Skywalker.

Golden also uses far too many movie tie-ins. The constant references seem more like a way to say, “Yes, I do know Star Wars” than to provide amusement like Allston’s references did in Conviction.

Readers wanting a fun, interesting, worthy story in the Star Wars universe should stay away from Ascension. Its contents have forever marred the beloved fandom with an ugly, harmful moment of glorified domestic abuse.

And quite frankly, that’s enough of a reason not to buy the book.

Captain America: Too Perfect to be Interesting

Tonight I met another member of “The Avengers.” At first, I was charmed by Steve Rogers, the man who wanted to serve his country but wasn’t physically able. Too soon, though, Rogers became the man with no faults. He ran the fastest. He could swim like a dolphin. His reflexes never failed. His aim was never off. Women wanted him. He sweat liquid gold (okay not really, but you get my point).

He was boring. In the beginning, his friend Bucky mentioned that Rogers had something to prove, but it was never mentioned again. The audience could infer that he wanted to live up to his father, who died of mustard gas or that he wanted to prove that a scrawny kid from Brooklyn could defend America. This message wasn’t clear, though.

Rogers physical weaknesses weren’t enough to give him any real faults. (SPOILER) Even when Bucky died, it wasn’t a weakness on Roger’s part. It’s not like there was anything he could do. That’s not a weakness; it’s an unpleasant fact of life- and war. (END OF SPOILER)

It was too easy for Captain America to beat his enemies. Of course, he is going to win, but it’d be nice to see him break a sweat. He took some punches, but they didn’t make a real difference. At least Iron Man and Thor have faults. Their faults are part of why they are interesting characters. Even a fear of heights would have given Captain America a little depth.

The problem with a perfect superhero is that nothing is a challenge. When he can easily beat any foe, the audience has no reason to worry. There’s no suspense. Why would I watch a movie if I know that all it will take is a couple punches and the hero wins? Even if I know the hero will survive, the fights needs be difficult. I want to see a hero have to use all of his wits. I want to see a hero fight to overcome some weakness or personal flaw in order to beat the villain. That is interesting storytelling. Watching the perfect person kick the enemy a few times and declare victory is boring. It adds nothing to the character.

The movie was tolerable. The villain, Johann Schmidt/Red Skull, wasn’t fleshed out enough. It was clear that he was nuts, but there was no real information about the tesseract he uncovered. I admit, I found it amusing that Red Skull resembled a Yuuzhan Vong without tattoos or implants. The best parts were the war bond rallies and seeing so much of Howard Stark.

The entire movie felt like a quick briefing of who Captain America is. The end is rushed, and leaves out some information. (Spoiler: Like exactly how he survived the crash.)

Captain America is essentially what the army made him: the perfect tool of patriotism and physical ability. Unfortunately, no personality was injected into his veins.

Paul S. Kemp's "Deceived" places readers in mind's eye of a Sith

Within the first 35 pages of Paul S. Kemp’s “Star Wars The Old Republic Deceived,” Darth Malgus reveals to readers the reason why there will always be Sith in the galaxy. Malgus needs to kill and reveals that he would kill allies if necessary. His bloodlust appears in several parts of the books, like when he mentions the need for constant war. Following Malgus through “Deceived” is like watching footage of a video game. He’s slightly overpowered, and determined to finish his mission.

In addition to the Sith, Kemp introduces a down-on-his-luck smuggler, Zeerid Korr, and a conflicted Jedi Knight, Aryn Leneer. Zeerid isn’t as rough and dangerous as other smugglers seen in the Star Wars universe. Zeerid’s need for credits is honorable, making him the most sympathetic character in the book. This difference provides a refreshing feel to smugglers as a group. Readers wanting to see a powerful or traditional Jedi will be disappointed. While Aryn goes through realistic human emotions, her decisions lack the control and dedication associated with the Jedi.

The smuggler, trooper and Imperial agent classes are referenced, making the book a strong tie-in for “Star Wars The Old Republic.”

The books plot flows well and is easy to follow. Kemp describes all of the encounters in a way that fans of lightsaber fights and aerial dogfights will enjoy.

“Deceived” is ultimately a book for the Sith. Malgus’s overpowered actions make some parts of the book seem surreal and over the top. Fortunately, the excellent characters balance out these flaws, making “Deceived” a worthy addition to the Star Wars Expanded Universe.

When "World of Warcraft" helps a marriage

Playing “World of Warcraft” helps my marriage.

A couple of times a year I see an article around the internet discussing how a husband’s gaming addiction resulted in divorce. Friends talk about how their significant other spends more time on their Playstation than with them. I knew one man, one of the most considerate people I knew, who ranted for 20 minutes about how his girlfriend wouldn’t get a job. She sat around and played MMORPGs all day and night. Yes, video game addictions exist, but not everyone who plays has a problem.

My husband and I play “World of Warcraft” together. It’s actually saved us money. Paying $14.99 a piece to play each month is cheaper than going out when we need something to do. We still go out, but not as much. It gives us something to do together. We don’t play every day, but several times a week. We tend to play PVP more than run raids or dungeons.

I wouldn’t call us “hardcore gamers,” even though we play a MMORPG several times a week. We don’t follow WoW news. We don’t know everything about the game even though we’ve played it off and on for several years. As we play, we pick up details of the lore, but neither one of us can tell you the whole story.

I suppose we fall under the “casual gamer” umbrella.

Could I become a hardcore gamer? Sure, but I don’t want to. Video game lore tends to exaggerate circumstances a little too much for me. I prefer to keep a touch of realism to the fandoms I follow closely.

At some point, BioWare will release “Star Wars: The Old Republic.” My husband has followed this game for years. And while I fully expect him to become a “hardcore gamer,” I won’t. As much as I love Star Wars, my passion lies in the post-ROTJ era. He wants to try all of the classes. We plan to roll two characters to run around together. My vote is on Chiss Imperial Agent. Anyone who knows where my passion lies in the Star Wars Expanded Universe can guess why.

More couples are playing MMORPGs together. It’s a hobby, that when managed correctly, can bring two people closer together. Those hours spent running battlegrounds or raids are an effective bonding activity. It takes some work to find a class balance between the two of you. For example, I know of a couple who ran as a healer and tank for years. When someone would criticize the tanking or healing, the other would jump to defend, regardless if the offending party was right or wrong. Often the group would break up and that was it. We tend to stick to DPS classes.

A stigma comes out when some players find out that a woman is controlling the character. I’ve been asked if my husband helps me play, or if I play because of him. The thought that I actually enjoy the game seems foreign to some players. Some players assume the reason I’m not a hardcore gamer is because I am a woman. I am not a hardcore game because I don’t want to be. It has nothing to do with what sex I am. I’d rather spend hours reading about the war with the Yuuzhan Vong or Corran Horn’s training with the Rogue Squadron than the details behind Deathwing the Destroyer’s return.

It's all about choice. I play the game because I enjoy it and it provides my husband and I with a fun hobby. It's better than sitting in silence in front of the television watching sitcom reruns. I can't tell you the story behind the Lunar Festival or Jaina Proudmore, but I know how to be that “F****** mage” people rant about the battleground and that’s enough for me.

Forceclap? Invisibility? Not in my books!

Imagine if Obi-Wan Kenobi slipped into stealth mode during his fight with Darth Maul in “The Phantom Menace.” He creeps up behind the Sith Apprentice and takes him down with a “finishing movie,” ending one of the best lightsaber fights in the franchise. Fast forward to “Empire Strikes Back.” Luke Skywalker turns invisible during his duel with Darth Vader. He appears suddenly and stuns him, stopping Vader from attacking right away. Horrible right?

Yet, we see character’s turning invisible in “Star Wars: The Old Republic” and it works.

Now, this type of action is fine in a video game. That being said, I hope that it never finds its way into a book or movie. Imagine if Jaina had gone invisible, decapitated her brother and that was it. Many readers would throw down “Invincible” in annoyance at such a cheap final confrontation.

The events of the Star Wars video games are a part of canon. However, only some of what is in the video games works in canon.

In a MMORPG, it’s necessary to even out the classes somewhat for fair play. A smugglers needs to possess an ability to render a Jedi Consular helpless. Without considering those, the game loses subscribers. Video games allow players to complete impossible feats. These feats cannot find their way into canon, though, or the franchise will fail.

Drew Karpyshyn said in his May 18 blog entry, “To put it bluntly, Revan in the book will not be the uber-powered death machine you controlled at the end of the video game. You might have min-maxed your character to smack Darth Malak down in seconds without breaking a sweat, but in a book that battle would have been a brutal, hard fought affair spread over multiple pages. In a video game it’s fun to kill hundreds of Sith Masters, but in a book that would just be boring. It would suck out any drama or conflict or tension, and as an author I have no interest in writing that.”

He can’t make it any clearer. As fun as it is to watch your DPS fly up as dozens of enemies fall to your feet, that’s not literature. It’s a game. If Luke Skywalker defeated the Lost Tribe of the Sith by annihilating them in one fell swoop in the Fate of the Jedi books, it’d be a travesty.

I’ve spoken before about the importance of suspense in storytelling. A battle in which two opponents have to work to survive is more gripping than throwing a thermal detonator. Are there times for that in books and movies? Yes. We all remember the infamous scene in “Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark” where Indy shoots the man in the market rather than engage in a lengthy fight. The scene worked there, but that man was not the main villain.

Some of the best encounters in movies and books occur when the hero is beaten down or her weakness exploited. She finds the opponents weakness and uses it. Obi-Wan Kenobi took advantage of Darth Maul’s smug behavior and overconfidence to defeat him to defeat him.

While I’m not arguing the decision to consider the overall story in “Star Wars: The Old Republic” canon, I don’t want to read about Jedi stunning an enemy with a Force Leap. Keep that to the game.

Star Wars: The Old Republic: Revan