Star Wars Republic Commando Patch Appeal

[arramus]

Hello to all TX members and forum visitors.

Here's an intro to the Star Wars Republic Commando Patch Appeal and its goals.

Community Group Goal
-----------------------------
The Star Wars Republic Commando Patch Appeal Community is for SWRC gamers who would like to publicise the need for official game updates to ensure this classic remains compatible with today's gaming environment.

Install Steam and join the Star Wars Republic Commando Patch Appeal (SWRCPA) at:

http://steamcommunity.com/groups/SWRCPA

Background
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In early July 2009, LucasArts brought Star Wars Republic Commando to Steam.

LucasArts' President, Darrell Rodriguez' says "This effort is going to make it possible to introduce a whole new generation of gamers to LucasArts' classic games."

We say, this is great news but please support that effort with patches that bring SWRC up to date with current hardware specifications and gaming trends.

Patch Appeal Example Requests
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Remove console commands that allow players to perform online exploits.

Allow community made custom maps, mods, and other content to be downloaded from the server.

Provide Admin tools for map voting, kicking, banning, MOTD, Web Based Interface, Admin messaging, and all the functions that the Unreal Engine typically supports across Unreal Engine based games.

Support online Coop gameplay for retail and custom content.

Automatically maplist added custom maps.

Update known Bumpmapping to Low Workaround for RC Crashes issue and other issues related to hardware evolution.

Allow gamers to link CD Keys to Steam.

=====================================================

This may be flogging a dead donkey but if LucasArts are going to push their game to 'a new generation' then I feel they have a responsibility to ensure they maximise the experience with what are typically standard Unreal Engine game features.

I hope to see Sandcrawler Network members join up and also publicise this appeal in clan forums and Xfire buddies. We've certainly taken this game far in the community and I'd like to see if we can't take it that little bit further.

Here is a letter sent to LucasArts

Star Wars Republic Commando (PC)

To whom it may concern,

I first played the demo of Star Wars Republic Commando in 2005 and was utterly astounded with the squad based tactical order system, the audio, the graphics, the game engine, the ingame characters, and of course the Star Wars theme. Since purchasing the full version in March 2005, SWRC is a game that I've played repeatedly in both single player mode and multiplayer mode and even after these 4 years it can continue to boast a fresh and timeless appeal.

In early July 2009, I was most delighted to see LucasArts bringing its classic games over to Steam and also with LucasArts' President, Darrell Rodriguez' comment of "This effort is going to make it possible to introduce a whole new generation of gamers to LucasArts' classic games."

It's early days but there has most certainly been an influx of new gamers 'hitting' the SWRC servers with players stemming from multiple continents across the world.

With this effort to attract a new generation of gamers to LucasArts' classic games I would like to make an appeal on behalf of the community for continued update support to ensure LucasArts' classic games, and in particular SWRC, are compatible with the needs of current computer hardware and gaming trends. With regards to SWRC, updates could include:

Patching Ideas
--------------

Remove console commands that allow players to perform online exploits thereby creating a negative online experience for the community in general. Commands such as: 'EXAMPLE1' and 'EXAMPLE2' are a couple of examples.

Add coding to allow community made custom maps, mods, and other content to be downloaded from the server. With bandwidth improvements over the last 4 years this has become a common feature of many game titles and allows the community a simple solution of releasing custom content in an efficient and instant manner.

Provide Admin tools for map voting, kicking, banning, MOTD, Web Based Interface, Admin messaging, and all the functions that the Unreal Engine typically supports across Unreal Engine based games.

Support online Coop gameplay for retail and custom content.

Automatic maplisting for added custom maps.

Update known Bumpmapping to Low Workaround for SWRC Crashes issue and other issues related to hardware evolution.

Allow gamers to link CD Keys to Steam.

I appreciate that Star Wars Republic Commando is a classic game but kindly request that with the effort to introduce classics to the community also comes the effort to ensure the classics are compatible with current gaming demand in terms of hardware and playability.

I also understand that LucasArts is a company with financial goals and that patching a game includes a cost factor, but hope the release of LucasArts classics will offset these costs and make the purchase a more attractive and appealing prospect for new gamers as well as benefit the existing community.

Kind Regards,

MyRealName
(AKA arramus)

Star Wars Republic Commando Patch Appeal -- http://steamcommunity.com/groups/SWRCPA
Sandcrawler Network -- http://www.sandcrawler.net

[Judge]

Join the group!

http://steamcommunity.com/groups/SWRCPA

[Ridley]

Wow, i thought the petition wouldn't make much sense, but this is even more braindead.

Guys you have to realize, the Republic Commando Community is just too small for Lucas Arts to invest thousands of dollars in an 4 year old game.
The problem is that RepCom costs 10€, and that's just not enought to get the money in again that they'd invest in a patch.

I mean it is alright to start such community movements, but you have to think a little bit before you do such a thing, you can't just go ahead and demand anything, it just doesn't work that way.

Also RepCom is not a classic because of it's multiplayer capabilitys, it's aa calssic in singleplayer regards. CounterStrike, CoD1, Team Fortress Classic, those games are multiplayer classics, but not Republic Commando! As i already said, a couple of hundred people are not enough to move a big name publisher like LucasArts to invest tons of money, i'd be a waste for them

[arramus]

Thanks for your opinion.

Getting on Steam is new ground for LucasArts, and if they're going to promote classic content for a 'new generation' then at the very least they can ensure it's release ready for both SP and MP. The patch appeal is simply highlighting aspects that are clearly in need at the most fundamental level.

LucasArts are promoting the 'Multiple Gaming Mode' of SWRC as a game feature in the sales introduction on Steam so I think its fair to expect that MP should also be gaming ready without all the bugs, lack of tools, and MP exploits.

[Ridley]

Yeah they promote the MP mode for marketing purposes,not because they want to point out how good it is.
You guys have to get that into your brains: RepCom is a Singlelplayer game. The Multiplayer mode is just a little side mode and was never meaned to be big, and it was never big.
As i said in my previous post, it just would not pay out for such a big name publisher to invest a high amount of money if they never got it back.
All these petitions and appeals are a good 2 to 3 years too late.

Another reason why LA will probably not start to supports RepCom again is because they know the competition is jsut too strong and too big. Call of Duty, CounterStrike, Half Life, World of Warcraft, Battlefield. RepCom doesnt have any chance, and lucas arts knows that.

Also they did not release RepCom on steam for multiplayer use, they just did it to sell maybe 1000 more copies.
Now you might think "Hey that's great, 1000 new community members". But that's not the case. People who buy stuff on Steam already have better MP games. So they will play through the good singe player experience, test the MP, realize that it's shitty and then continue with CSS or half Life.

[arramus]

While our opinions differ on the MP side of the game we both appear to agree on the importance of the SP side which is one area the patch appeal addresses. Patching SP primarily consists of a known bumpmapping issue which effects modern day graphics cards. This is an elementary and fundamental update requirement that is certainly not going to be a high financial investment.

If LucasArts didn't move their classic games onto Steam then I agree there would be no point in appealing for a patch update. However, by releasing their content with new gamers in mind this changes the whole dynamic.

[Ridley]

They just wanted to pop a few more bucks, that's all. I don't think they released their classic content "to appeal to a whole new group of gamers".

I agree with the bumbmapping problem, but the problem with repcom is that all the members of the development team are scattered all over new divisions, or even at another developer, and all the data is rotting in the archives. That would mean that they' had to create a whole new team to work on the patch, and they surely will not do this, due to the game's age and, compared to other games, small community.

[Numb]

Joined and left a comment.

[GeniuZ]

Woah, a freakin' HUGE patch needed ;)
Joinin', sec. Anyways, nice idea and ty for ya effort!

[viva]

already joined it.

[SAMO]

I will do.

[Graphiix]

I don't understand all...

[viva]

already did ages ago!

[Vash]

I don't really think they will ever pay attention on your topic, Arramus. But I wish you goodluck with it, atleast you try it and that's what's counting. I'll join the group later.