Star Wars Galaxies: The Rush Is Amazing But The Come Down’s A BITCH…

Hey, look. I resurface!

I guess an explanation is in order for the massive absence. Local friends already know and were completely unsurprised by my getting sucked into the black, black hole that is Sony Online Entertainment’s latest crack-like offering.

In short order:

Playworks moved. During the move, they had some high powered computers that would be sitting around doing nothing while new office arrangements were made. Someone in charged foolishly offered to let me “babysit” one of the computers in the interim while a friend (God BLESS you Eugene) offered to splurge on a copy of Star Wars Galaxies since he was ordering it for himself anyway and knew that my financial situation at the moment was less than liquid.

I booted up the game.

Twenty three days later:

The computer is returned and I am going through a case of withdrawal quite possibly more severe than going cold turkey on crack-cocaine. Having spent days wandering across the plains of Tatooine, the green, sprawling fields of Naboo, the forests and crystal swamps of Corellia, seedy cantinas, bright plazas before the grand palace, little huts far away from anyone and resplendent tailoring shops with some mighty happenin’ threads I suddenly find myself kicked back into the real world where no one is a Wookie and the only Calamari I ever see is served to me on a plate at pretenious restaurants.

So I geeked out. I slept, I played. Ate, played. Smoked, played. Neglected the girlfriend to hitherto unknown levels (Note to Girlfriend: I’M SORRRRRRRRRRRRRRRY! THANK YOU FOR NOT DUMPING ME…) and basically lived the dream I’ve had since I was five years old of being able to walk out of a dank building full of scum and villainy and into the harsh, dry desert light of a world lit by two suns. I saw sunrise by a wall of waterfalls that plunged straight into a frothing abyss and I walked through lonely valleys with the threat of attack by hostile animals and strangers at every turn. There were beautiful Twi’Leks, gruff by friendly Wookies, silent but lethal Zabraks, Rebels shooting Imperials at every corner and more witty banter than you can shake a stick at.

Frankly I am bummed.

This should come as no real surprise. I’m not devastated by any means. I knew the day would come, and I was ready for it. But after getting to live the dream for a little while, no matter how geeky it was, you miss it when it’s time to wake up again. So I haven’t been up to anything interesting except maybe taking out a virtual life for a spin for a little while and finding out I had a taste for it.

Sigh…

I miss Star Wars…