Why Play Empire?

[Deleted]

Because torturing Jedi and make their Padawan's kill them and then serve you is fun!

Contains a spoiler for Sith Warriors, so highlight if you want to see.

[MrWolly]

People pick the evil side because they want to be cool, I guess. If I played this game, I'd probably play both factions.

[Siri]

It is virtually impossible for me to play an evil character. A few times I have forced myself through it for different games but it is REALLY hard.
I remember one thing in particular: When I was playing Baldur's Gate I robbed a commoner, she was going on about how this was all she had when she gave me 1 gold piece. I actually cried a little when that happened.

That said, I'll be playing republic when I get the game myself.

[Arcainzor]

I am legitimately intrigued by how many people want to play for the Empire. The whole Darth Vader thing only goes so far.

The Empire are imperialists that have no regard for any other civilization's rights to exist in peace, or just simply left alone. They want the entire galaxy to kiss their rings. Why? Because only the strong and powerful are meant to be "free".

The Empire somehow have English roots. The accent really does tie the whole imperial thing together, I guess. It takes the whole smug attitude to another level.

Let us not forget the hate fueled motives. The Empire is fueled by hatred and intolerance. How is that an attractive setting for players?

There are also the macabre themes and imagery. I admit that I am not a horror movie guy, but I am all about that crazy stuff in my metal. When it is being satirized it makes it much easier to swallow. Talking about "frantic disembowelment" and actually doing it are totally different. Yes, it is just a game, I know.

I also realize that Republic is seen as goodie goodies, but when given the choice I would rather associate with them over sadistic imperialists. Is there some appeal to the Empire that I am just missing?

You did a pretty good job of listing all the reasons that im on the Empire side

[Deleted]

because animations are better.oh and i dont see a point in playing consular over inquisitor. throwing rocks at ppl. really?? nty

[Deleted]

The Empire somehow have English roots. The accent really does tie the whole imperial thing together, I guess. It takes the whole smug attitude to another level

An english accent makes you sound smug?! It just makes you sound more sophisticated than most american accents, english accents make everything sound better.

I much prefered the dialog options on the Imperial side. The Republic's light choices are often very naive, while the empire gets a choice between practical & for the good of the Empire vs selfish gain of power, influence.
My choices often end up being Dark Side on the Republic and Light Side on the Empire.

[Super Kami Dende]

Because being an Oppressor is better then being the Oppressed.

[Sayrah]

I made a Sith Inquisitor...as a Sith race too, those red skinned aliens. And I got to tell you, I've only actually ever picked Light Side twice I think...rest dark side. It just feels so good being bad and how my toon just talks down on everyone and all they do in response is 'I'm sorry, My Lord.' LOL...you'd think the people in the Empire had more of a backbone.

[Edison]

Well I made my Sith Assassin after Darth Maul because he looks so damn awesome and my Mercenary after Boba Fett. I'll make a Jedi to later but for me the eempire is just more awesome.

[Internet]

I actually wanted to go republic, however my entire guild stonewalled that idea

[unholytestament]

So the Republic are the good guys, huh?

That's kind of funny. When I rolled a smuggler I expected to be doing some underhanded stuff, that's kind of a given. However one of the first quests I was presented with the light side option was to retrieve medical supplied and return them to civilians that had originally stolen them and the dark side option was to return them to the republic soldiers that were FIGHTING AND DYING TO PROTECT THE PLANET.

I'm sorry, that's not a "light side vs dark side" option in my eyes, that's more like "pants on head retarded vs OBVIOUS FUCKING CHOICE".
It seems on republic side being a good guy means skipping and hopping with bunnies and kitties and being a good guy on empire side means sparing peoples' lives and working towards the betterment of life as a whole.

[LegendaryDude]

The Empire are imperialists that have no regard for any other civilization's rights to exist in peace, or just simply left alone. They want the entire galaxy to kiss their rings. Why? Because only the strong and powerful are meant to be "free".

Let us not forget the hate fueled motives. The Empire is fueled by hatred and intolerance. How is that an attractive setting for players?

sadistic imperialists

I play Empire because that is exactly how i am in my real life. I am a hate driven, sadistic, violent and misanthropic person, and i like to play characters that resemble me.

[hexify]

Nice roleplaying

[Gawdzilla]

The Empire's cookies are amazing

[Deleted]

I play Empire because that is exactly how i am in my real life. I am a hate driven, sadistic, violent and misanthropic person, and i like to play characters that resemble me.

So, in other words, you are a dick and you want to play a dick in a computer game? Fair enough, I guess.

I've always been fascinated by the pull the Sith seem to have on the player base. My entire guild went Sith but I decided to go Republic simply because the Sith are a bunch of genocidal wankheads. They are allied with the Mandalorians (I think, could be wrong) who are also a bunch of genocidal wankheads. In short, the easiest analogy would be to view them as Nazis (belief that they are the superior race, racial intolerance, persecution of a religious order etc.) yet people still flock to their banner. Kinda interesting...

[Dura]

So, in other words, you are a dick and you want to play a dick in a computer game? Fair enough, I guess.

I've always been fascinated by the pull the Sith seem to have on the player base. My entire guild went Sith but I decided to go Republic simply because the Sith are a bunch of genocidal wankheads. They are allied with the Mandalorians (I think, could be wrong) who are also a bunch of genocidal wankheads. In short, the easiest analogy would be to view them as Nazis (belief that they are the superior race, racial intolerance, persecution of a religious order etc.) yet people still flock to their banner. Kinda interesting...

nah its more simple. All the kids just wanna be Bad boy ganstah's same like Horde and alliance here aye?

[Herecius]

It's not a matter of 'supporting' imperialism, though. I don't support Communism, but I'd have no issues playing a Communist in a video game.

[Chirri]

Mostly Empire characters; I didn't care a whole lot either way, but friends wanted to be Empire. Also, I absolutely fell in love with the Imperial Agent story line.

I played mostly Rebel characters in the beta save one (Imp Agent) and the Agent is the story I looked forward to. I think I got my Jedi further in levels, and launching myself into packs was great fun, but again - Imp Agent was the one that remained.

I didn't grow up on Star Wars (I was the right age, but my family didn't show it to me and most of my friends weren't spastic fans over it), so I don't have any particular sentimental attachment to the SW universe. I dig James Earl Jones' voice, and Harrison Ford was a hottie (I was a fan of all the Indiana Jones movies, as my family DID watch those when I was a child). I don't tend to lean heavily toward "good" or "dark" side in the games I play; "Good guys are so over done and cliche'd" is just as true as "All the kids just want to feel different, that's why they're going Bad side." There's some truth to it, but the majority of the players have a deeper (or more shallow) reason behind it than that.

We're paying to play a game, and if we're paying, we want to have fun. We'll play the side we want, and logic or reason shouldn't have to come up. This is the mood I'm in when I created this character, that's why I'm playing this side right now. Oddly enough, playing one side right now doesn't mean I won't play the other side later, and like it even better.

[ClavellBC]

Like others have said, it has become boring, being the goody goody all of the time. Since I am playing completely darkside, I have to make choices that truly make me feel conflicted. It makes the story fun to me, instead of same ole same.

Same here, I'm playing an Evil Bastard Bounty Hunter who occasionally decides, for giggles, to *not* kill everyone (and to get in the good graces of my hot companion).

[Vanaline]

Because the Imperial Agent is by far the best piece of narrative Bioware has written since Baldur's Gate 2.

In fact, most of the Empire narratives are known to be better than the Republic ones because they're not nearly as cut and dry. It's a rougher society but it's more grey than the films and more nuanced than the republic, from my experience.

Like a fellow up above, I also did not grow up a Star Wars fan and in general I'm pretty picky with writing in gaming with how much trash gets accolades. It's a freakishly lazy aspect of the medium, even when good people are heading it up, especially with how well offbeat concepts like vignettes and the ilk would be right at home, so I'm pretty critical.

Stuff like the Jedi and the lore behind them are very unappealing to me. There's a certain aesthetic coolness, but it's usually sopped up by the stoic, preachy heroic garbage that feels like it should have been left in the 70s. Still, at least theres some craft to it, whereas anytime any story was going on in WoW I wanted to put a fucking gun in my mouth.