Star Wars Galaxies Online - Best Player City Ever Built in an MMORPG

Here is the story of possibly the best player-built city in online gaming. It was the fastest growing city on Dantooine and the first city to reach the level of Metropolis in the Chilastra server during 2003-2004 (Star Wars Galaxies). I was one of the founders and builders of the city and I have done extensive research into screenshots, forums, and other things acquired from my days in Paragon Federation. There are two parts to my slideshow recollection, featuring Crystal Valley in detail, epic PvP battles, Operation Barricade, Krayt Dragon hunting, and many good shots of old friends and guildmates.

Players in Star Wars Galaxies before its New Combat Upgrade (NGE) were able to build cities on planets such as Naboo, Corellia, Dantooine, and others. Guilds had to work together to plan building locations, defensive measures, and the player driven economy changed everything. Cities were living, breathing entities of the server because they had all the necessities a player would need. The Galactic Civil War also raged between the Rebels and Imperials. Player cities were no exception to getting involved in the war.

What made Crystal Valley one of the greatest player built cities in MMO gaming?

As a founder of the city when I was aged 14, I can't deny it made a huge impact on my life. But it wasn't just my creation. It was the masterpiece built from many of my good friends, including those I'm still in contact with and those that disappeared. It is interesting to see how a single idea made by a poster named Roboconstructor in the SWG Official forums in the Christmas of 2002 became a collaboration project between three brother player associations constructing the greatest city in Chilastra. Our guilds were once part of Grandor but broke up due to leadership issues. We returned and merged in our final days in remembrance of Grandor to build the city Roboconstructor and us founders dreamed of.

It was all done via the power of forums and the internet. Crystal Valley was not the average metropolis and here are the details, facts, and story behind my guild's establishment on the planet. Read these points before viewing the slideshow:

Part One

Part Two

(Many popular players from Chilastra make appearances as well. Remember, these shots date back to the golden age of pre-CU SWG, during late 2003 and early 2004)

INFRASTRUCTURE

-At its peak; over 150 active players and 200 buildings. We divided the city into different districts - City Hall/Founders District, Residential District, Commercial District, Medical Center/Cantina District, and the Military Stronghold District.

-Key buildings we acquired: Cantina, Medical Center, Theater, Shuttleport, Cloning Facility, three Guild Halls located in three major nodes of the city (with their respective guild members having houses near that location).

-Crystal Valley was built by the founders of Grandor; Paragon Federation, Crimson Republic, and Exodus. In my slideshows you will see members from all three from two perspectives, Spawnarak' (Paragon Federation) and Gotep Vegitunks (Crimson Republic).

-Our city was the site of the mission all veterans of Chilastra remember as the "Retaliation of Dantooine." It was a massive attack that resulted in seven Imperial player bases destroyed in several locations on the planet. TPF, CR, EXO, REB, and RONIN were among the reigning Rebel guilds that participated in the offensive. The retaliation was in memory of Operation Barricade, a massive stronghold base system that Yil Geivan (our guild strategist) and me built with the help of Crimson Republic.

MILITARY ESTABLISHMENT - GALACTIC CIVIL WAR

-Operation Barricade consisted of three Rebel Detachment HQ bases placed in a triangle formation, entrances faced outward. The surrounding field was fortified with the most advanced turrets, player-placed mines, and covert scanners that detected Imperial players trying to sneak a peek at the design. NPC guards also patrolled the area. It was located in a strategic spot deep inside the Military Stronghold District of the city.

Me and Yil Geivan then used a barricade of medium sized houses placed in a ring around the three bases to optimize chokepoints; forcing attackers to run through heavy fire-zones and minefields. It took atleast twenty players to be place enough houses down to complete the final construction. We had many drawings and information related to Operation Barricade that I lost when my first hard drive died on me.

ARCHITECTURE

-I planned the architecture of Crystal Valley with the help of many guildmates. There was a natural road running through the valley in Dantooine, which we named Grandor Road. It was also near the Crystal Caves, an area of high traffic that players all over the server visited to obtain Holocrons. Our city shaved off 11 km of travel time with our shuttleport.

The monetary gains we earned from the tickets were, to say the least, monetary.

-Prior to building the city, we drew detailed blueprints of the city location (which we analyzed through screenshots and edited using the mini map tool in the SWG interface). We plotted the different areas of the districts, the reserved spots for players and their respective names, professions, and guild, and even had all building entrances/doors facing Grandor Road. Be sure to see it in the slideshows.

POLITICS AND ECONOMY

-Paragon Federation: My guild was king in the industry and medicine business. Seus Shoi and Hypo Crates led the Commerce District with their vendors, containing the best stimpacks, woundpacks, and other crucial items. Jataclark, one of the council leaders of TPF during the time, was renowned as the best Tailor in the server. His shop received visitors throughout the city's time.

-Crimson Republic: Led by Jarel Elus, the acting mayor of Crystal Valley at the time. He was one of the reasons the city lasted so long, being the genius that he is. He was last known to be in law school. CR was known for its extensive military operations and heavy weapon business, which was led by Teleck Fragger. Operation Barricade was made possible with the help of the resources provided by Baren Mordegan and the other CR military members. It was the brother guild to TPF.

-Exodus: The smallest brother guild of Grandor but the most elite. EXO did not have a main leader for most of their time and had members that mastered several professions and took hybrid roles. They were a big part of our city's financial backbone and communication with other Rebel guilds.

-Crystal Valley at its peak became the Rebel stronghold of Dantooine. It replaced the NPC towns on the planet because of its facilities, size, tourist hub, and the best market in the entire server. Some players made permanent residence in the city or started their own businesses by building in our residential district. To best describe the city; it was the America of Chilastra. Crystal Valley was also a military super power. In PvP, the end of the Retaliation of Dantooine began our takeover of Dantooine as a Rebel player dominated planet. Our cloning facility sealed the deal for some players, as it provided a great permanent home even in death

Memories of Creating Our Own Stories in an Online Universe

Crystal Valley is a testament to the power of social role-playing in MMO games. Pre-CU SWG was best known for its player cities and the different ways players were allowed to create their world as they see fit and live out the game as if it were a comic book featuring an ensemble cast. SWG's tag line during the time was: "Live the greatest saga ever told; yours."

You could be in a secret building deep in the wilds of Naboo, making future plans with your guildmates at a conference table. And at the same time there could be an epic battle raging between Imperials and Rebels on a different part of the planet, or there could be a PvP ambush coming into your city. The meaning of MMORPG was defined by social role-playing. If you knew a few influential people, you had the power to change the game experience for thousands of players online.

I created these slideshows and brought back some history of how we worked together to create a city from the ground up to the definitive city of a server of over 1,000 players; as kids and average guys in college. Seven years later, it is still remembered by veterans in the Star Wars: The Old Republic community.

Grandor was an idea that gathered the best players in the United States and Europe to the three guilds. Formed in late 2002, the idea carried on and Crystal Valley thrived and ended in late 2004, when most of us had left the game due to school and work.

There was so much maintenance through taxes, donations, shuttleport tickets, and other facilities that Crystal Valley was set to stand as a ghost town for years after every player is gone.

There are probably traces of the city that remain at its construction site even today, nearly a decade later.