Real Life First Name: Scott
Forum Handle: Anach
Main Character Name: Istik
Server: Bria
Player Association: MOB

Where in the real life world do you live? On the rare occasions I actually step outside, you can find me downunder-downunder, or Tasmania as we more often call it (no not Tanzania). Tasmania is the Island State off the cooler southern tip of Australia.

How long have you played Star Wars Galaxies? Although sometimes it feels like a lifetime, in truth it's been approximately three and a half years since I was first seen running, screaming and dragging a trail of dwarf nuna outside Mos Eisley.

What other MMOs have you played? I have tried and beta tested a lot of different MMOs throughout the years, including The Matrix Online, EverQuest II, Dark Age of Camelot, MCO, World of Warcraft, Pirates of the Burning Sea, Vanguard, Anarchy Online, World War II Online, Lord of the Rings Online, City of Villains, N2, RF Online, and a few others I forget, but only played a couple of them for an extended amount of time. Although I have tried my best, I can't seem to get into the generic fantasy genre and always come crawling back to SWG.

What type of work do you do? I'm an Independent Information Technology Consultant (Qualified Geek).

How long is your typical gaming session when playing Star Wars Galaxies? I'll spend anywhere from an hour to several hours. The longest session I can recall was around 14 hours. Any longer than that and you'd be reading about me in the local news. "Man found dead at keyboard, while killing Krayt Dragons for 36 hours straight," along with a photo of me with a mouse in one hand and coffee cup in the other.

What does a typical Star Wars Galaxies day consist of for you? Most days I'll log in, spend the first hour (sometimes two) taking care of guild admin duties, such as replying to mail and tells and checking on the new members. Then I'll spend some time helping other guildies or newbies with crafting, quests or such, and often finish my day off with some PvP. Rarely is there a day I don't have something to do.

What was the race and profession of your very first character? I intended to be Imperial right from the start, so human was the only way to go. I wasn't originally intending to keep my first character. I wanted to get in-game as quick as possible, have a look around, then go back and recreate a custom character and reflect on a proper name. Somewhere along the way those plans were forgotten. I soon found myself too wrapped up in exploring the game with my annoying little green droid tagging along behind me.

What got you into gaming and what sort of games do you like the most? The first computer game I ever played was PONG. That was on a console system my grandfather built, connected to an old black and white TV. Since then I have been hooked. Now I mostly enjoy playing flight sims, car racing sims, WW2 submarine sims, the occasional FPS, strategy, or RPG, and of course anything Star Wars.

What other hobbies or activities do you take part in, other than playing Star Wars Galaxies? I would definitely have to say that my only other full-time, and most expensive, hobby, would be tinkering with my cars. Yes, real cars! I've been known to spend months at a time in an automotive workshop, rebuilding something that didn't really need to be rebuilt, when all I intended to do was change the oil.

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

What race and profession is your main character? My main character is, and most likely always will be, a human Jedi. After all the grinding I did pre-NGE, it would feel wasted and pointless if I made him anything else. Things might be different if I didn't have multiple accounts.

What do you like the most about the profession you have chosen for your main character? I enjoy melee tank classes. They suit my play-style better, as I'm always better at running towards than running away. Besides, the animations (pre-NGE) are usually much cooler on a melee class.

What faction is your main character? Imperial all the way. Always have been and always will.

What is your favorite player owned ship? The Eta-2 Actis Jedi Interceptor, for its size and maneuverability.

What is your favorite ground vehicle? BARC speeder for its sound and sleek appearance.

How did you choose your main character's name? My main character was an auto-generated name. At the time I couldn't think of something suitable and couldn't wait to get in game. As stated above, I did originally intend to re-roll, but that never eventuated.

Which current professions in Star Wars Galaxies have you NOT played? There isn't one. However, I haven't tried combat as an entertainer.

What is your favorite expansion? Rage of the Wookiees. At the time of release, this expansion was quite challenging the rewards were worthwhile. I also enjoy the atmosphere. Unfortunately now it's become nothing more than a place for low level characters to grind after the legacy quest runs dry.

What is your favorite planet? Tatooine is my favourite due to it being the planet that most resembles the original trilogy. Tatooine was my starting planet and where my guild calls home. Finally, frame rates are better without trees.

What is your favorite NPC? The Meatlump King. The fabled NPC that many claimed to have seen and many newbies have searched for.

Which expansion do you like the least? Trials of Obi-Wan. While I enjoyed the story based quests the first time through, it's still a reminder of what was to come a few weeks later.

Which planet do you like the least? Mustafar. It's dark and bland, which is mostly frustrating because on top of that, it's also difficult to navigate. While it might be authentic, it doesn't make it fun as repeatable content.

Which NPC do you like the least? Luke wearing the orange flight suit. Not only does he look like a newbie, but he lands in a generic shuttle.

What is the most credits you have ever spent on purchasing a single item for one of your characters? I have a rule, that if it costs more than 50 million, and I can't get it through my own means, then it's not worth having.

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? I keep a Health Wound med-pack to remind me of a long lost game: my two Master Doctors and the accompanied community spirit that many of us enjoyed and miss.

What do you like best about Star Wars Galaxies? Well, for starters, SWG isn't another generic fantasy clone of dwarves and elves. It's a lot easier to get around with shuttle ports and speeders than it is on horseback. Sending a mail doesn't cost you money and can be done from anywhere. Character customization is top-notch. The implementation of the player cities and housing really helps to bring people and guilds together and overall the game has a little of everything.

What do you get out of playing Star Wars Galaxies? I've met a lot of great people in SWG and along the way made a lot of new friends, which all help to make the game all that more enjoyable. Community is definitely still an underestimated component of most games out there. [p]Describe your best experience playing Star Wars Galaxies. Working with guild mates to accomplish a common goal, whether it is guild hunts, PvP, a new dungeon, grinding characters, or obtaining Server Firsts with the recent collections system. It's great to do so with company you enjoy. /rude