What we are and what we are not
An online roleplaying community - the most simple explanation we can give.
You can roleplay anything from Imperial officers to Rebel fighter jocks, in locations from Coruscant to Tatooine, playing out conflicts from ground and space. Many players from all over the world can play, help out, and have fun. It's about players coming together to promote and play in a Star Wars environment.
SWCIC is a "backronym" for Star Wars Community - In-Character, see our history for more. If you have tried other roleplaying games, this may be familiar. And if involved in other Star Wars "sims" (simulations), you'll probably get into things quite easily. But there are things we may do differently - to create a unique Star Wars community. It should be easy for anyone with no exposure to get started.
Players can
- develop their characters officially with a name, homeworld, race, as well as other stats through our Character system
- develop an unofficial background, to match their race and homeworld
- join one of three groups ("Mastergroups") to play
- gain experience through roleplaying on forums and other mediums
- help the community to develop and grow
SWCIC isn't a traditional MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Game) such as Star Wars: Galaxies nor is it only a text-style "table-top" RPG. While coming from a history of other Star Wars "sims", our goal is not to simulate every detail of the Star Wars universe by turning things into button-clicks. Rather, we want to encourage developing of a character and interaction with other players. We avoid using "simulation" because that's not what we're about - we develop what's necessary for a fun and active community.
Balance is what we want here - so that players don't feel like clicking "quest" robots (in MMORPGs) nor feel like they have to read an entire rulebook just to do something (in tabletop RPGS).
| SWCIC | MMORPGs | Tabletop |
|---|---|---|
| One persistent galaxy that many players are in, one server | Many players, but may have multiple servers | Many players, but not usually connected to one another |
| Players can only have one account, one active character to develop throughout the game | Players are usually given multiple characters, or can create many characters that are used once (and encourage cheating) | Players tend to stick with one main character, but may play many characters... sometimes simultaneously |
| Cost: free - developed for free, during people's free time | Most require $$$ each month for subscriptions, full development by paid workers | Cost to get rulebooks, but not necessary for everything. Development by professional writers |
| Players can be involved in the storytelling - both combat or other activities in a controlled environment - affecting the game | Players usually involved in combat only or questing, with little change to the game | Players can do almost anything in a free-form environment, while not changing any persistent galaxy |
| Web-based text and 2D graphical environment to easily work in your browser | Full 3D immersion with lots of models and textures, needs a good video card | Environment is totally what the players can make, online usually text-based forums - or props with live action roleplaying (LARP) |
| Players in one of three Mastergroups to interact in a structured environment | Usually many clans or alliances, some with little or no organization from the game administrators | Groups are usually small number of players, many freelancing with no cooperation among players |
| Players gain by roleplaying and interacting with other players | Players usually gain by killing other players or NPCs, or by doing quests | Players gain by roleplaying and interacting with other players |
| Multiple scenarios handled by a team of moderators, with some systems to automate dice rolls | Usually click-and-hack with a mouse, with an automated combat system that requires no admin involvement | Usually one moderator to handle all decisions and manual dice rolls |
| Help in an on-going development that never finishes | Development into finished releases (expansions), with some bug fixes | Development into finished releases (rulebooks) for sale |
