Gameplay updates and server changes for Pre-CU Core3 and NGE.
Core3
Jedi Force Sensitivity Overhaul – Phase 1
Force Sensitivity on Pre-CU Core3 no longer follows a fixed checklist. There is no required profession to master, no list of POIs to visit, no mandatory theme park, and no single correct route to Jedi. Instead, your character's experiences throughout the galaxy gradually strengthen their connection to the Force — through combat, crafting, medical/support play, scouting, missions or Galactic Civil War participation.
Progress is hidden: there is no Force Attunement XP bar or percentage. Use /checkForceStatus to check in on your connection as it grows from "What is the Force?" toward the final breakthrough.
Blue Frog Changes
Becoming Glowy / Force Sensitive via the frog has been removed.
Force Sensitive and Jedi XP no longer counts toward the frog's max XP.
Force Sensitive skill boxes can no longer be trained with the frog.
Any progress toward the new unlock must be earned through play — frog-trained boxes will not count.
This is the first step in a larger Jedi overhaul. Expect bugs and some rough edges while this continues to roll out.
NGE
Taanab – Imperial & Rebel Forces Deployed
Taanab's warzone is no longer empty ground. Imperial and Rebel forces have been deployed across the planet, adding real factional conflict on top of the danger already waiting for anyone who steps off the shuttle.
Imperial garrison: Stormtrooper squads (including commando and bombardier variants) hold ground under a named Imperial trooper leader, escalating in reinforcement waves once engaged.
Rebel resistance: Rebel commando squads (Human, Rodian and Mon Calamari) and Rebel trooper units are actively contesting Imperial control on the ground.
The Taanab Cantina in Pandath City has been reinforced with its own Imperial wave defenses and a resident NPC band, alongside the existing C-3PO briefing.
A new starport showcase has been added to the city.
Taanab's existing rules still apply: no cloning facility, permadeath on death. Enter at your own risk.
Core3
Combat Escalation Update
Deadlier enemies, expanded faction warfare, high-value bounty contracts, stronger equipment, richer loot, and broad progression improvements have arrived on VLU Core3.
Combat and Enemies
The galaxy fights back: Aggressive hostile NPCs now have twice the HAM, 75% more damage, 25% faster attacks, and substantially wider aggro ranges.
Death Watch, Black Sun, Nightsisters, Spider Nightsisters, and the Singing Mountain Clan now have 60% special lightsaber resistance.
Offensive Force powers hit significantly harder, and Force Lightning now applies a fire damage-over-time effect.
Armor and weapon slicing now always produces a positive effectiveness or damage result.
Light lightning cannons and lightsabers now use heavy armor piercing.
Faction Reinforcements
New faction pets: Battle Droid added for Rebel and Imperial players.
Super Battle Droid added for Rebel and Imperial players.
Both droids are available through faction recruiters.
Player faction pets will receive the new NPC combat scaling after the next maintenance restart.
Ordinary creature and crafted droid pets remain unchanged.
Community Update
SWG Returns / Talon Online – Project & Server Stability Update
We want to provide the community with a clear update regarding the future direction of our servers and development.
Over the past six weeks, the Core3 project has moved between several different codebases, including SWG Returns, Flurry, Stardust and, most recently, Aftermath.
While experimentation and development are important, repeatedly changing the underlying codebase is not sustainable for a long-term live community. Each major change can introduce instability, additional restarts and, most importantly, the possibility of players losing days or weeks of progress.
Our priority now is stability.
Going forward, Talon Online will operate both our Core3 and NGE environments, while keeping the two eras and their development paths separate.
Our good friend Vlu will be managing the Core3 development pathway. The goal is straightforward: controlled development, proper testing and a stable live server — not constant changes and repeated restarts throughout the day.
The current Core3 environment is online, operational and stable.
Regarding Ben
Ben has contributed a great deal to the project and remains someone we consider a good guy and a friend. However, we also need clear boundaries between development, administration and live-server access.
Ben's assigned role on the NGE side was GM/CSR. Changes were subsequently being made outside that role, including modifications involving existing NGE development work. For the protection and stability of the project, that access has now been removed.
To be completely clear: Ben no longer has administrative, development or server access to the Talon Online Core3 or NGE game servers.
This is not intended as a personal attack or an attempt to erase anyone's previous contribution.
Ben is welcome to return as a player if he chooses. In time, and with trust rebuilt, there may also be an opportunity for him to contribute again in an appropriate CSR capacity.
What This Means For Our Players
From this point forward, our direction is simple:
Stability before experimentation
Player progress must be respected
Core3 development will be managed by Vlu
NGE and Core3 development will have clearly defined responsibilities
Changes will be tested before reaching the live environment
Live-server restarts will be kept to the minimum necessary
No individual will have unrestricted access outside their assigned role
Players invest real time into their characters, professions, collections, cities and communities. A week's worth of progress should not disappear because somebody decides overnight to move the project onto another codebase.
We are building for the long term, not just for the next patch.
Thank you to everyone who has stayed with us through the recent changes. Our focus now is giving you somewhere stable to play, build and enjoy the game.
The servers are up. The development pathway is clear. Now we move forward.
NastySWG Returns Admin / Talon Online
Core3
SWG Returns Launch
swgreturns.com is live with unified registration — one account now works on both Pre-CU Core3 and NGE.
Live server status showing real player activity for both galaxies.
Mos Eisley Cantina Cam added — watch the galaxy live from the homepage.
NGE
New Player Experience
Enhanced the starting quest line for new players aboard Tansarii Point Station.
Jedi characters now complete their introduction and arrive in Mos Eisley with a starter crystal.
Jedi characters now also receive a basic training lightsaber to begin their journey.