Star Wars Galaxies: Player Spotlight: Gaarbacca

Forum Handle: Gaarbacca
Main Character Names: Grapirr, Gaarbacca
Server: Intrepid
Player Association: DEF

Where in the real life world do you live? I live in Portland, Oregon.

How long have you played Star Wars Galaxies? I have played for two and a half years.

What other MMOs have you played? EverQuest, EverQuest II, Vanguard, Lord of the Rings Online, World of Warcraft, and Dungeons and Dragons Online.

What type of work do you do? I am a homemaker.

How long is your typical gaming session when playing Star Wars Galaxies? 4-8 hours.

What does a typical Star Wars Galaxies day consist of for you? I usually start by checking my mail, vendors, and harvesters. After that, I move on to any number of projects. Decorating is one my favorite things to do in-game. My home city of Wook's Rest, Corellia, is set up to be a Wookiee refugee village, and I spend time every day working on city buildings. I add signs (by adding text to armor segments) to many of the buildings that explain various aspects of Wookiee life and culture. Lately, I have also been spending a lot of time on collections, beast mastery, and reverse engineering. Currently, I'm leveling a rancor pet and working on outfitting my guild with +35 suits. When not working on crafting or other projects, I take one of my combat characters out hunting for loot or to work on a kill collection. Periodically, I work on planning celebrations for Wookiee holidays and other events. Our guild also plans several "Adventure Nights" a week, to work on group content.

What was the race and profession of your very first character? Wookiee Tailor; Chewbacca is my favorite Star Wars character, so I knew from the start that I wanted to play a Wookiee. I chose tailor because I was intrigued by the "Uncle Owen" aspect of the game. I loved seeing all the different races and species in the movies, and was interested in exploring what the day to day life of a simple Wookiee trying to carve out a life despite the threat of enslavement was like.

What got you into gaming and what sort of games do you like the most? The first game I played was Pac-Man on the Atari 2600, followed by all kinds of games on NES. I took a break from gaming for a while, and then started playing various Playstation and Playstation 2 games. Somehow, that led to playing Knights of the Old Republic on the PC. I was not at all sure about trying an MMO, but I really enjoyed Zaalbar the Wookiee and the story elements in KotOR and my boyfriend encouraged me to give SWG a chance. It did not take me long to get attached to my characters! MMOs and RPGs are now my favorite types of games.

What other hobbies or activities do you take part in, other then playing Star Wars Galaxies? I am an avid reader; horror is my favorite genre, especially H.P. Lovecraft and other Cthulhu mythos writers. I am also an avid fan of the Grateful Dead and Van Morrison, and spent many years going to shows and collecting and trading live concert recordings. In addition, I enjoy classic films and cult horror films, and collecting Star Wars toys and memorabilia.

What is your highest character level in Star Wars Galaxies?  Level 90.

What races and professions are your main characters? Wookiee Jedi and Wookiee Domestics Trader.

What do you like the most about the professions you have chosen for your main characters? I play Jedi in order to role-play Gaarbacca as a Tree-Carer, a shamanistic type of character. In Wookiee culture, the Tree-Carer is responsible for caring for the Wroshyr tree that houses a Wookiee village. A Tree-Carer's strong connection to the Forests of Kashyyyk allows him to tap into the Force. So, what I like best about playing Jedi is that it allows me to play my character in a way that gives me creative freedom to express the mystical side of Wookiee culture and tradition.

On the other hand, Grapirr is a domestics trader. I love the crafting side of the game, and it is a lot of fun to have Grapirr make all kinds of Kashyyykian delicacies for his friends. I especially love the fact that we have the ability to give crafted items almost any name we chose. Grapirr gets to be a businesswook, by running a vendor shop (The Crafty Wook Industries) outside of Restuss. I try to stock some rarer items, and seeing customers find what they need always makes my day.

What faction is your main character? Rebel; Free Kashyyyk!

What is your favorite player owned ship? That depends on what character I'm playing. My combat characters prefer the YT-1300 or the X-wing, depending on their piloting level. My traders and entertainers like the comfort and safety of traveling in the SoroSuub Luxury Yacht.

What is your favorite ground vehicle? Jetpack; a big fuzzball hovering off the ground always makes me laugh!

How did you choose your main character's name? I found a guide to Wookiee names and their translations. The translation for Grapirr, who is a domestics crafter, is "peaceful trader". Gaarbacca's name means "brave ally".  Before creating each of my Wookiees, I figure out what that Wookiee's profession and personality will be, and choose a name with an appropriate translation in Shyriiwook. For my non-Wookiee characters, I follow the same process, but try to be creative. For instance, I have an Ithorian named Herba Vore, and a Mon Calamari named Mack-Rel Gilman.

Which current professions in Star Wars Galaxies have you NOT played? None; I have a character in each profession.

What is your favorite expansion? Rage of the Wookiees.

What is your favorite planet? Kashyyyk, of course! For a Wookiee, there is no place like home.

What is your favorite NPC? Chewbacca is probably my favorite, but I enjoy all the Wook NPCs. When I go to Kashyyyk, I stop to greet the Wookiees I meet along the way. I loved bringing my characters by the Life Day vendors for Wookiee-ookies and Hoth Chocolate! I particularly dislike the slavers on Kashyyyk and had a great time bringing my rancor out to their camps to grind them for a few levels.

What are the most credits you have ever spent on purchasing a single item for one of your characters? I spent 200 million credits on a tradable "A Festive Gathering" painting.

Do you have an item you no longer use but keep around for nostalgic reasons? If so what is it and why do you keep it?  Plenty, but bowcasters more than anything else. Each Wookiee keeps their first bowcaster, as it is part of their personal history and cultural heritage. I also have a lot of items from the early days of the game saved as part of a private collection.

What do you like best about Star Wars Galaxies? Besides Wookiees and role-playing, I really enjoy the community in this game that is so unique amongst the MMOs that I have played. I still strongly believe in the sandbox concept and really appreciate how much room this game allows for creativity. Not only can I develop my own characters' stories, but I can collaborate with guildmates and other friends to bring our ideas to life.

Describe your best experience playing Star Wars Galaxies. This year's Life Day event in Wook's Rest, Corellia (Intrepid). We had an amazing crowd. After Wookiee Storytelling and a traditional Life Day procession, our band began playing Life Day carols. Everyone began dancing to "Father Wroshyr's Coming to Town" and as we sang, Father Wroshyr (our version of a Wookiee Santa Claus) surprised everyone by showing up in person with Ruuudoolf (the Bright Green Bantha) and handing out gifts. It was a perfect moment and the most rewarding event I have worked on.

Do you run or work for a Star Wars Galaxies Fan Site? I recently started working on a small personal website at wooksrest.org.