Let's talk SWtOR!

[Domi]

Well, we've downloaded the moster, and I started it, and I am like: wow, there is a movie. My husband, lazily, you know, you can watch the movie on the TV, right? So, he grunts and hooks the laptop to our large screen TV,and well, he ends up playing a Jedi Knight. I made a Counselor (I know, I know) and an Imperial Agent, the idea is, he'd drug his work laptop home, and we can try to play together on Republic and Empire Side once in a while. Kiddo doesn't really take interest in this one, it is far too fast. The game is nice, but I am still too used to the SP games.

 

What's DPS? I saw it on the chat logs yesterday.

[Jarno Mikkola]

What's DPS? I saw it on the chat logs yesterday.

Damage Per Second...

 

Now, if you like to play together, it's likely at the start to use similar characters in the same side, so the Consular and Jedi Knight is a good option, as is the Smuggler and Trooper is another etc. The different sides is a horrible, as there's rare cases that's actually going to work as one would like them... in a massive multiplayer game.

[Mike1072]

DPS either refers to the amount of damage you can put out, or a class/specialization that focuses entirely on putting out damage (rather than also healing or getting the enemies' attention). Tanks do less damage than DPS classes, but they have more defenses and abilities to make enemies focus on attacking them. The ideal composition for a 4-man party is Tank/Healer/DPS/DPS.

 

All of the starting classes in TOR can branch into one of two advanced classes starting at level 10. These advanced classes get 3 skill trees that allow them to specialize in different roles. Usually 2 (sometimes 3) of the trees are primarily dedicated to supporting a DPS role and the 3rd may be dedicated to healing or tanking. Players gain skill points as they level up and can spend them in the trees. It's a good idea to spend points primarily in one tree and focus on a single role.

 

As an example, Jedi Knights can either become Jedi Guardians or Jedi Sentinels. Jedi Guardians have options to specialize in tanking or DPS. Jedi Sentinels can specialize in DPS only.

 

Jedi Consulars can either become Jedi Sages or Jedi Shadows. Sages can specialize in healing or DPS and Shadows can specialize in tanking or DPS.

 

It is possible to retrain your skills every once in a while. This starts off cheap or free and increases in cost the more frequently you do it. You cannot alter your choice of advanced class, however.

 

If you're doing normal story and world quests, just having 4 players is generally better than having 1 or 2, and it doesn't matter what role they have if they're helping you kill things faster. If you're doing flashpoints or heroic 4-man quests, though, you'll find them a lot easier if your party resembles the ideal composition.

 

It's worth pointing out that your companions can also fill these roles (to a lesser degree), so if you meet up with 2 friends and all of you happen to be DPS, you'll probably fare slightly better if one of you brings out a healing companion rather than having another guy doing DPS.

[Twani]

DPS is one of those things that endgamers make a horrible deal out of. How to maximize your DPS! Guides for sale for ten dollars! Basically, 'DPS' is any class that isn't a 'tank' or a 'healer'. Tank is the person who absorbs damage and 'taunts'/'pulls'/'grabs' monsters off of other players so they don't die. Healer is of course, the one casting the ever wanted healz. They make the core trinity- tank, healer, DPS. If you have these three down, you can generally do anything.

 

What server did you start on, Domi?

 

 

Update for the day:

 

Well, I said there was no way I was going to keep up with doing a planet a day- then managed to get two planets done today (though no bonus quests- I can't even remember if Nar Shaddar's bonus quest is open yet, and I'm trying to decide if I feel like bothering with Tattooine). And I cooked crabcakes, too. (Admittedly, I did literally nothing else of import.) Nar Shadaar and Tattooine, finished! The first I found fun as ever, Tattooine on both sides is my least favorite planet. There's sand... everywhere... it gets everywhere...

 

(Someone hit me.)

 

No temptation to make any dark side choices on either planet, but I found a lightside choice T7 didn't approve of! I told some injured and beraggled SIS agents to retreat and get the heck off Hutt space, and T7 gave me -1 disapproval. I guess he believe in all republic work and no holiday. I suppose droids are like that. I found the stories for Jedi Knight on both Nar Shadaar and Tattooine good- Tattooine quite good, with an interesting antagonist, cute jawas, and opportunity to save someone without them dying in front of you.

 

On the other hand, Tattooine's world quest bored me terribly. It's basically the same quest, both Republic and Imperial, in the only case that's in common for both side. Czaka found something bad in sands, track down Czaka and stop them. Imperial's is more fun, as you get to meet the nicest Sith Lord ever in existence, while Republic you're just stuck with an SIS goon and a mole. Not that they're not entertaining, but... meh. Adding tot he frustration, when I went in to the final site, a Sith Maruader was following me around, trying to steal my kills, and challenging me to duels every three seconds. If I wanted to PVP, I'd be in a Warzone. Bah!

 

On the more amusing side of things, on the quest where you cure poison from the Sand People's water supplies- there was an Assassin hanging around, poisoning the water supplies and slaughtering Sand People as I fixed things. Way to be right on point.

 

Playing a Jedi feels very different from my Smuggler, talking to NPCs. With my smuggler, people would be like, "Hey, Ace, care for some credits?" On the Jedi, all the NPCs are all "Master Jedi! You're not in your temple! You're talking to me! OMG!". It's kind of cute, kind of weird. Jedi + T7 are still saving the galaxy though, one planet at time. Kira just runs diplomacy missions and gets me medical supplies, then makes me stims. It's an annoying life, I'm sure. She probably complains about it to the ship droid.

 

One of my favorite changes since when I was playing: condensing all planetary comms in to simple planetary comms rather then having individual ones for each planet. Now I can buy what I want, when I want, and it also makes sense to go back and do heroics of lower level planets rather then ending up with say, five million Taris comms and no way to spend them or convert them to Tattooine comms. Nice. I appreciate that.

 

Number one thing I wish: a way to train T7 to stand out of the blue/red circles. They mean you're going to get set on fire or have missles shot at you, T7. Move, move, move! Stupid droid.

 

Thoughts of the day: tomorrow I think I'll take a break from Ms. Knight and get my Smuggler her last two levels to 50 (and perhaps max out Guss's affection). That will allow my Jedi to kick people in the groin every half an hour, which is something every Jedi needs to know. From her big sister, she can already call Imperial Ships to send a bombardment on the enemy. Why? I assume because Cipher Nine is just *that* good, RP-wise. "Yeah, I can help my siblings call down an orbital bombardment. What do you think about that, Sith?" I don't know, the thought amuses me, anyway.

 

So not going to finish Alderran tomorrow, but may at least get those two smuggler levels. Woo!

[Kulyok]

I loved the Sith lord on Tatooine! My Sith Warrior bonded with him. I nearly cried when I had my Sith Inquisitor kill him, but I was roleplaying a complete psycho(the voice and the story totally work for sith sin here).

 

I've been listening to you and cmorgan, so I started a new smuggler, too - turns out Zabraks have the cutest haircuts! Got her off Ord Mantell to lvl10, and now I have the nicest Gunslinger(to mirror my Imperial Agent Sniper - best damage ever, I think even mara/sentinels deal less). I must admit I was a bit disappointed by the dialogue, though - everyone kept saying on the forums that Smuggler's got a funny story, but the dialogue is mostly very... well... "you won't get away with this", "what's in it for me" - a bit bland. I admit, the villain's very charming and got the best lines, though - pity I have to romance Corso instead of that guy.

 

Yesterday I also completed Chapter 1's story for my Sith Inquisitor and loved it - this class is the most difficult to play for me, but stealth is awesome, and the story - well, maybe it's not for everyone, but I love it a lot. I recommend both Sith classes, they're such fun!

 

And my Bounty Hunter... heh. The story's good, but it's a complete facepalm sometimes - I have to kill people, but for some reason the game tends to make my opponents/contracts very pretty and charming and humane, and to top it all, Mako, my companion, likes to go "Ooooh, they're so cute! Forget the contract, let's let them live!" Facepalm, I tell you. And after all that she says to me on the ship: "You're just a killer, you kill for money. Yes, sometimes you take them in alive, but that's even worse!" Hello, Mako! Guess who got me into this?

 

And I keep bombarding Republic ships when I play Republic - I'm so used to playing an Imperial in space I just can't stop.

 

 

On the more amusing side of things, on the quest where you cure poison from the Sand People's water supplies- there was an Assassin hanging around, poisoning the water supplies and slaughtering Sand People as I fixed things. Way to be right on point.

 

Hahaha! When I played with my Sith Warrior, I wondered why there were Jedi there.

[Kulyok]

I actually enjoyed Taris Jedi Knight quite a lot- one of my favorites. Conflicting loyalties hit me hard, though: my Agent is my main, and so Imperial Intelligence has all my love and hearts. Fighting against them was a bit unsettling. Cheers to Watcher One, for being a respectable opponent- Cipher Nine would give him a salute and a place aboard her ship, anytime. I had fun.

 

Watcher One is amazing! I was relieved there were multiple endings for him. Heh, I envy people who haven't played Agent yet. I fear my loyalty to the Republic is severely compromised(and that Republic guys, on the average, got worse stories doesn't help).

[Kulyok]

I think I should add some stuff for newbies that helped me a lot:

 

- If you want more inventory space, DON'T buy it via inventory choice. Wait until you get to the fleet(~level 10), use Galactic Trade Network, one extra inventory panel for all characters costs ~133000 game credits;

- same goes for stims and medpacs - GTN is your best choice;

- instead of medpacs, use med units - they heal both you and your companion;

- use orange weapons you're given at the end of the first planet - don't sell or throw them away, just buy new mods for them via planet commendations. Buy new blue hilt/barrel every two levels, whatever you do, it would make the game much easier;

- (with armor, you can use green armor(blue from heroic quests), but eventually everyone gets orange armor, as well);

- use and hold down shift if you want to buy more than one item in the store(stims and such);

- if you use CTRL+1 before attacking the enemy, your companion attacks first and draws the fire - useful if your companion is a sturdy tank and you're a squishy damage dealer/healer.

- from my experience: if you are a DPS(not healer, not tank, but damage dealer) and you're in a group(flashpoint or some other), wait for two-three seconds after the tank in your group attacks, and only then attack yourself(build aggro, so the mobs do not attack you, because the healer usually heals the tank).

- if you need to make money on GTN, you probably don't know the market yet, so here's one simple solution: choose underworld trading or treasure hunting for crew missions(if you can choose three crew missions like me, choose cybertech-scavenging-underworld trading or artfice-archeology-treasure hunting), do repeatable missions in underworld trading and treasure hunting, and sell the materials. It would net you a nice profit(get those ~300-500k credits) for things you might desperately need. GTN terminals are at the Fleet and your capital world(Dromund Kaas/Coruscant).

- I recommend bioanalysis-biochem-diplomacy for your first char - it's awesome, because you can get as many light/dark points as you want, make reusable med pacs, med units, stims and adrenals.

- to write a quest name/item name in chat: move your cursor to the quest name, press mouse key and shift. (LFG = Looking for Group).

- when you got ~400000 game credits, take a look at Rocket Boost ability, it's very useful in long caves without a speeder - buy it from GTN cheaper;

- also take a look at your Legacy tab, it's got some awesome stuff like Legacy Fleet Pass and Legacy Travel(available a bit later in the game, but still something to treasure; Legacy Travel 1 can be bought off GTN).

- be advised: if you unlock earlier Speeder Piloting(Legacy - Character Perks), it will be available only for this character, not for the whole account.

- join a guild right away, +10% XP bonus is a lot, especially for free players.

- for space battles(level 15++, when you got a ship), buy a Space Experience Boost - it's very cheap on GTN.

- if you are a subscriber, you'll get extra rest points when you log off (all your batlle XP will be doubled) - log off in a rest zone, this way you'll get more rest points. Or, if you overlevel(like my Jedi Knight, who's honestly done all the quests and is now lvl25 at Nar Shaddaa, when she's supposed to be lvl20), log off in an unsafe area.

- (I do it with EVERY companion to max affection) if you got at least 60000 credits, consider this: to max your affection with your companion, take them to the Fleet(GTN section) to the companion gifts vendor. Google what gifts they like and pump them with this gift(weapon for Corso), level 1, until they get 4000 affection. Then pump them with the same gift, level 2, until they get 6000 affection. And then, and only then, talk to them and take them in quests to get more affection. It takes ~7-8 minutes, but it's very, very useful, especially later in the game.

- and, yes, google specs. For example, when I googled correct rotation for my mara/sentinel, I started dealing twice more damage, and I didn't even change my equipment, only the button rotation(which skills to use in battle in which order)!

[Domi]

Holy cow, guys, thanks for the info! I am going to send it to my hubby, he is much better than I (well, he made it to LVL 7 and seems to be equipped to the ninies, I got to collect 2 cholocrons and my breeches show rips, lol)

 

Our combos (planned at least) are Jedi Knight - Counselor for LS and Imperial Agent - Sith Warrior for DS. We are on the Harbinger server, but I assume one can cross the servers if we ever develop enough to actually play with other people (that's gonna take some time)

 

Right now we are on the stage of: "OMG, this game is a HELL to control". It freezes when we use mouse to rotate the view, so we have to use ASD's and finding and targeting is a major pain. Any tips? It also takes a LOT to get used to the 'find, target, run up to, attack' sequence as opposite to the SP: pause, target, select the attack/spell, sit back and watch the character do all the work.

 

One thing that I LOVE in the game is that finally mt character is not some special someone, I see all those folks doing the same stuff. Well, some of them (erm, all of them, really) with much better grace than I do.

 

Zabracks look really good both on LS and DS. My husband saw Sith avatar for Zabrack, and he is: Okay, too cool not to try.

 

We can only play on the low graphic setting (but huge resolution), so we lose plenty of the gorgeousness of the game, but the cewl factor is tremendous with animation making a puny 1st level attacks look like a thing of awesomeness (the Force Leap is just grand & I am so happy I can finally throw rocks at people!).

 

Folks, a couple more questions:

-what the heck are the 'social points' about and what are they needed for?

-anyone with a recent memory of the JK prologue? The sensor in the 3rd area set on the top of a structure, and there seem to be no way to reach it? Does the character need to run up the ramp and leap over the gap or something?

 

Cheers!

[Kulyok]

Social points are points you get when you talk to quest-givers in a party(full party gets more points, but one person gets none, so two people are better). Eventually you get Social rank(1,2,3...). You can get some benefits for social status/rank: for example, buy pretty armor at cantinas, or get various pointers at your cursor(bought via Legacy tab). I'm mostly playing solo, so I'm still at Social rank 1 - doesn't seem to add anything special into the game.

 

JK prologue: you'll probably have better luck just googling the exact name of the quest. I recall everything but the datacrons was easily reach-able, though - always a path around when you unlock the map.

http://www.torhead.com/missions/catg/1/subcatg/17 - here's a list of missions.

 

Not sure about the targeting - will gladly listen to the other folks, too. I just keep auto-targeting on, keep pressing number keys or clicking with the mouse and let my lightsaber do the rest of the work.

[Domi]

How do you turn auto-targeting on?

[Kulyok]

In the preferences, gameplay section, basically, I _think_ it should be on if you change nothing at the very beginning. When I'm near enough to the enemies and they aren't attacking me, I just click a random button(usually 3 - force leap for my Jedi Knight, another offensive skill for my other class) - and then I just keep attacking(if the enemeis are already attacking me, well, it's the same), sometimes I have to switch the targets, but mostly it's automatic. But I _think_ I, too, had a problem at the very beginning, because I tried using mouse instead of 1-0 keys.

[Domi]

I think if we just press the key, it says 'target out of range' and nothing happens. Like someone will be shooting at you from a distance, and you can't see where the heck he is. You have to rotate and rotate till you finally find the enemy (while half of your HP are lost), then run up to him, then you have to target with the mouse, then press the attack buttons. I will check the gameplay section, thank you. Skipping at least one step would help!

 

I am also getting a new mouse probably to unload the left hand, and keep it for movement only, while the mouse will do the targeting, rotating and attacking.

[Jarno Mikkola]

If the ability that you push is not target-able at the range you are at and push the button, it won't attack, but if there's a neutral(gray) or enemy(red) target at the given range, it will auto attack it... or the closest of them if there's more. So there's no real need to target... of course it's usually wise to pre-choose the weakest(hp vise) enemy so you can kill it, so the stronger and thus more defensive enemies won't get you killed while you target them... as they might last too long to kill.

[Domi]

Okay, I understand. There is no option for the character to automatically ran up till the range is reached them to whatever target. That's very hard to control.

[Twani]

Okay, I understand. There is no option for the character to automatically ran up till the range is reached them to whatever target. That's very hard to control.

 

That's where the Jedi Knight/Sith Warrior Force Jump thing comes in handy. But yeah, no way of auto getting quite there. That's why I say ranged classes are easier for starter characters then melee characters, because you can just park yourself down and attack rather then run up to people. You'll find this especially annoying if you try PVP, where players do this dance around in circles thing that makes dealing with them an irritation and a half. Fighting PVP with melee drives me nuts. With my Agent and Smuggler, I can just sit back, go in to cover, and start shooting things.

 

Even my Agent, who did almost all flashpoints, is at social rank maybe 2 (the real point of social ranks to most players is getting high enough to put the slave girl outfit on their female companions). I just realized the worst part about achievements not being retroactive: that means one of my characters has to run Calcoid War Games again! AGGHHHHH! I swore I'd never go back, I swore I'd never go back... worst flashpoint ever, in my humble opinion, though I haven't done the level 50 ones.

 

Watcher One is amazing! I was relieved there were multiple endings for him. Heh, I envy people who haven't played Agent yet. I fear my loyalty to the Republic is severely compromised(and that Republic guys, on the average, got worse stories doesn't help).

 

I know. I think I really do have to start another Agent, and play them with loyalty to the Sith- just to play the whole story again. Maybe try the gals for romance with a male character, as much as Vector is my favorite romance in the series so far. Oh, Vector. <3 He's just adorable, with his 'we's' and generic strangeness. But the Agent story is so good it's worth replaying.

 

I'll say this for the Jedi Knight, though: they throw you in the thick of things *quick*. On Tattooine, I'm looking to stop a device that can destroy a planet. With my Sith, I was just doing errands for the taskmasker, and for my agent, I was... that was the Old Man in the Mountain and the Eagle and the terrorist cell, I think? Major upgrade in how worldshaking things are. Sure, by the time you hit 50/55 you're going to be the bestest at whatever you do, ever (along with five million other people), but my Jedi Knight just saved all of Tattooine. That's pretty incredible.

 

Zabracks look really good both on LS and DS. My husband saw Sith avatar for Zabrack, and he is: Okay, too cool not to try.

 

Zabraks are adorable. I think my next character is going to be one. I know my maybe male Agent will be a Chiss, because Chiss = Agent for me, but my character after that, I think will be a Zabrak. They're one of the better looking races.

 

- If you want more inventory space, DON'T buy it via inventory choice. Wait until you get to the fleet(~level 10), use Galactic Trade Network, one extra inventory panel for all characters costs ~133000 game credits;

 

Something I didn't know. I just bought two rows of inventory space on my smuggler as well as a cargo bay (now she's so broke she can't even pay for her repairs), then I checked the GTN to put up some rare salvaging metal I found, and... yeah. Felt really embarrassed and stupid. I payed a lot more then what it's costing on the GTN, that's for sure.

 

I loved the Sith lord on Tatooine! My Sith Warrior bonded with him. I nearly cried when I had my Sith Inquisitor kill him, but I was roleplaying a complete psycho(the voice and the story totally work for sith sin here).

 

Same! My Sith Warrior, I'm playing loyal to the Empire, if not certain about her Masters- but noble and honorable in her own way, and mostly LS, while my Inquisitor it's like 'SHOCK HIM', "OO, do I see a Dark Side option? Khem, Khem, do we see a dark side option? Yes we do! Let's hit this dark side option, wee!"- completely loyal only to herself and probably completely crazy to boot. Killing that Sith on Tattooine just seemed so mean, though, because he was a good guy.

 

(That said, I think even she destroyed the device on Tattooine. Khem approved of that LS choice.)

 

I must admit I was a bit disappointed by the dialogue, though - everyone kept saying on the forums that Smuggler's got a funny story, but the dialogue is mostly very... well... "you won't get away with this", "what's in it for me" - a bit bland. I admit, the villain's very charming and got the best lines, though - pity I have to romance Corso instead of that guy.

 

Ah, the Jackal of the Stars. Wait and see with that: you get the best moment ever with him if you're playing a female smuggler in your final confrontation. As for the Smuggler story- well, I just finished it. I'll try not to spoil too much.

 

 

Today's Activities:

 

Finishing that silly smuggler story. I didn't quite get to 50- around halfway there, then decided that was enough, parked myself in a rest spot, and figured I'd get the rest this week. I finished the story, and unlocked the 'dirty kick' for all my other characters as well as maxed out Guss's affection, which were my real goals.

 

Now, I've only played my Agent to max (although my Inquisitor is getting there... slowly... painfully...). But the Smuggler story strikes me in how personal it is. Everything deliberately comes back to you and your choices and way back to your ship being stolen back on Ord Mantell. My Agent dealt with galaxy wide threats, I know my Sith will be dealing with Sith who are galaxy wide threats, I know the Jedi deal with galaxy wide threats... but the Smuggler? Yeah, there is a galaxy wide threat, too, but the whole thing feels very personal. I think that's why some people are so enamored by the story- it's very different from any other class. You're also very independent, despite being sort of on call for the republic in act two and three.

 

What I found was the story wasn't so interesting, but the dialog generally was- it seems to improve as you go on (My character, on being told she's going to go in to an ancient museum to fight some Sith, (pharaphrased) "Uh, so how much would these artifacts be worth on the black market, anyway?"/Quest Giver, official republic military; "I'll pretend I didn't hear that."). What really makes it is that you can, at times, be incredibly snarky and self-interested. My smuggler only took 200 dark side points over the whole game, but she constantly choose cowardly options. It even starts as early as Esselis- you know when you meet the Sith who's all rawr I have come to kill ambassador? If a Jedi talks first during that quest, the Sith will do something like "I have longed to test my might against a true Jedi!", and if the Smuggler speaks next, they have the option to go, "Uh, if you're just after my friend here, I could just leave you two to it?". Made me laugh, anyway.

 

I also felt like I had a real rapport with my crew. Corso's the husband, stupid and dumb but loyal, and probably inspired my Smuggler to be a better person back in the day (and, despite my Smuggler flirting with everything male (and female, should I ever get Makeb) in sight, she still uses 'Flashy' as her main weapon). Risha's the second in command: Aamiie and her don't always see eye to eye, but Aamiie knows Risha's heart is in the right place, as well as her money goes where it should. Risha takes care of the ship and keeps Aamiie from spending too much and in turn balances out her 'hey, let's help the helpless'. Sparr's sort of the best gal pal: I imagine they go to cantinas, start fights, wreck the joint, and go running out as soon as Sparr's honor allows it. Guss is the BFF: they snark and love money together (holy cow, on my last class mission, I got over 400 affection from Guss on it alone- and I could have gotten another 133 if I had taken a neutral option over a LS one). The only one who doesn't really have a place is Baodarr or whatever his silly wookie name is: he's just sort of, uh, there. Token wookie. Doesn't like slavery. Yup.

 

As for the Corso romance... not my type. So not my type. I mean, I did it. Corso's affection is up there, completed all his conversations. It has it's sweet moments. But he isn't the type of guy who does anything for me at all. (It would be more interesting if he really was force sensitive, to be the true Luke... meh.) Speaking as a girl who is in to both guys and gals, I found Risha, Sparr, and Guss (despite ugly fish eye alien) all more interesting and more suitable for my smuggler then Corso. He's somewhat patronizing at times 'oh noes womans has to be protected you can't shoot woman even though she's trying to kill us', and just so... Corso. Yee-hah, and all that. But I suppose the romance isn't bad: I could see why someone would enjoy it. It just wasn't to my tastes at all. Not Vector, not Quinn.

 

I'm not sure if I want to go back to my Knight, or if I want to see how far I can get on my Inquisitor- she's just about to start Hoth, I think. Knight I decided to start the Tattooine bonus series, but Militia Training is driving me nuts. Have to protect three weak gunman while having no taunts and no heals is tough. Not a DPS friendly mission.

 

 

EDIT: Quick thought! I need either a Trooper or a Bounty Hunter on my main server (which is Beregen Colony, not the Bastion... sorry for the confusion, I am probably drunk (well, no, just dumb)) to collect ALL THE BUFFS. Because all the buffs are very important. Anyone know which is reputed to have a better storyline?