SW: The Old Republic Part 2

[ShadySands]

You get a lot of XP for the quests that your companions give you

[generic.hybridity]

Seems like this game will be the one that gets me into MMOs. Though i'm not sure how long it will keep me interested. If they can keep generating story content on an ongoing basis that would be enough to keep me paying subscription fees. It will be interesting to see how the whole thing pans out for Bioware.

 

I'm in Australia so am presently waiting on the Amazon delivery which will grant me access. Very jealous of everyone who is playing at present.

[Bokishi]

Got my bounty hunter, republic trooper and sith warrior to 16 even, so much long way to go still

Edited January 9, 2012 by Bokishi

[Calax]

Got really frustrated when I logged in and saw that not only did i have the right part of my class quest... I also had the last part of the class quest too! And I couldn't get rid of the last bit (to complete it). I submitted a ticket and went on my merry way...

 

Then I get into my next quest (I'm annoyed at tattoine, so kithsara, my Knight at 28, is just plowing through it as fast as I can) and get up to the Shock Drum (the kinght's "Act I" stuff revolves around finding and retrieving a pile of superweapons) and... I can't complete the quest. I log out in frustration.

[Drowsy Emperor]

Gromnir! Deathdealer! I want an honest opinion!

Well. I was kinda anti MMORPG earlier (without ever even trying one). Then for some reason this one started interest me and got it day one. Been hooked ever since.

 

It's not some awesome uber game from heavens that shines in everything, but I've had really fun time with it.

 

Beep! Wrong answer!

...

 

Kidding.

 

It sounds like my first encounter with WoW. Will you subscribe for a second month?

 

I quit WoW at that point.

 

 

@Gromnir: Alright., thanks.

 

Btw practically all MMO's are very buggy upon release, much more so than sp games. But getting in late, when everything is fixed sucks as well because only the most hardcore, annoying, gits are still playing the game.

Edited January 9, 2012 by Drowsy Emperor

[Guest Slinky]

Beep! Wrong answer!

...

 

Kidding.

 

It sounds like my first encounter with WoW. Will you subscribe for a second month?

 

I quit WoW at that point.

Yeah, going to order 4 months of playtime from The Hut. 15

[Spider]

The game is certainly fun, even for a non-mmo fan like me. The class stories are about average bioware quality (some better, some worse) and entertaining enough to keep you playing along. The quests are decent, but there are also the standard "kill x mobs" that is so common in MMOs.

 

I find the group quests (Heroics and Flashpoints) to be the most fun, and while I've gotten to do all heroics so far (apart from the Nar Shadaa bonus series, since we're skipping that one), I unfortunately haven't done many flashpoints. My wife doesn't like them as much, so we tend to skip them, since we're overleveld as is. We might do one or two more in the future, if the leveling catches up on us.

 

You can find yourself short on cash from time to time, especially if you do a lot of crafting. Like for me right now where I need to accumulate something like 280000 credits in little over two levels to be able to afford all skill upgrades and a new speeder at level 40. But if I stop doing crew missions, I think that will work out. My Cybertech skill is way higher than I can use currently anyway (I can do level 41 gear, but I am only level 37, soon to be 38).

 

I like the space missions, but I wish there were more different ones, not just upgrades of the same one. I'm not sure how many different there are total, but I think I've seen four, possibly five. So they get a bit repetetive. But I tend to do each one once since they're fun if simplistic.

 

I have concerns about high level play. I've never played that far in a mmo before so we'll see if it's worth renewing the subscription after the storyline is done. We'll see. I'm also concerned that crafting is apparently obsolete once you start donning level 50 gear. That would be very tragic if it were the case. Because I like crafting and I like the orange gear.

 

Another thing, since I'm almost exclusively playing with my wife, I think we're at a bit of a disadvantage when it comes to companion quests. I've just recently gotten my first one for Kaliyo, a level 21 quest when I'm at 37. Doesn't quite seem right. I guess it's because I only get to pick half of the dialogue options, so I miss out on a lot of affection gain. Maybe not half, because there is a lot in the class specific quests, but at least a third. I do send out for companion gifts through Underworld Trading from time to time, but I usually need the metals more (did I mention I like crafting?).

[Gfted1]

I had over 400k credits when I hit lvl 40 so money isnt a problem for me. Thana, at the end of the quest chain I just didnt have it in me to kill her so I ate the 100 Light-side points with Buckcherry music playing in my head. She sent me a letter later on sharing some loot she acquired.

[Malcador]

Yeah, killing her seemed like a rather stupid thing to do for a DS, sure she was a jerk to work with - but she's a useful weapon. I keep burning too much cash on missions, finally succeeded in RE'ing an epic blaster for my tanking companion. That's a nice feature with the crafting system, I've found. Should probably be adventurous and ditch my tank for a DPS and see how that works (meta-tanking, woo).

[Hurlshort]

Spider, you might not be getting much of the companion points, but you are getting all those social points. I have no idea what they do, but it makes me feel good when they pop up.

 

Did I mention how much I love choosing the douchebag lines when I'm playing with my wife? She's always trying to be nice and helpful, and I come across as a total jerk, it's awesome.

[Raithe]

Yeah, killing her seemed like a rather stupid thing to do for a DS, sure she was a jerk to work with - but she's a useful weapon. I keep burning too much cash on missions, finally succeeded in RE'ing an epic blaster for my tanking companion. That's a nice feature with the crafting system, I've found. Should probably be adventurous and ditch my tank for a DPS and see how that works (meta-tanking, woo).

 

I have to admit, when I stopped using Khem Val to tank, and tried using some of the DPS companions, it was a big adjustment in playstyle. However it can work well if you get the balance right, rapidly taking down some enemies before they can really dig in and harm you.

 

It's actually quite interesting how widly it can vary depending on just which skills you've developed for your character. I know a horde of SI's who all use different companions because of it. Some of the big boss battles just can't be won solo if you've picked certains skills and try it with certain companions, but pick the right companion to back up your skill selection and it can go totally smoothly.

 

I've got to admit, I'm running on the low credit side. Every time I manage to build up a pile of credits, I suddenly find myself going up a level and spending a fortune on skills. Heh, I've hit 47 and I still haven't picked up Speeder 2 because of money issues.

 

Of course, I only managed to get in around 5 hours of play time over the week I need to catch up again.

[Hurlshort]

Don't forget folks, MMO's are about the ride, not the destination. Take your time enjoying each level. Even the best MMO developers struggle to get new content out quickly (Turbine used to manage something new every 3 months) so the slower you take it, the easier it is to stay interested in it.

[Gfted1]

I keep all my companions in the latest gear however Ive only had success with Khem. Asahsa folds like a beach chair if she get more than two mooks on her, even though giving her a second saber and watching her dual wield is fun. Never really gave the pirate a fair tryout so I may try that in the future if necessary. Not sure whats the point of updating the ship robot (even though I do it), perhaps he has better results when sent on missions.

[Malcador]

Only if you raise his affection, I believe. Not sure what gifts he likes, I gave him a droid repair kit and he didn't like it. Annoying bastard too.

[Gfted1]

Just to make sure Im not being a knucklehead, the ship robot is the same robot thats in your companion list? And yes, if I hear one more time how he made my plasma injectors point oh oh oh eight more efficient Im going to smash him, lol.

 

Also, what does reverse engineering do for you? Every time I try it says I dont have the appropriate skill level.

[Guest Slinky]

Same robot. Reverse engineering can be used only on stuff you have build yourself and gives back some of the materials you used on making it. Do that enough times to same kind of equipment and you might get a schematic for a better version.

[Raithe]

Same robot. Reverse engineering can be used only on stuff you have build yourself and gives back some of the materials you used on making it. Do that enough times to same kind of equipment and you might get a schematic for a better version.

 

Yeah, the rather creepy "do you want a foot massage master" is really strange coming from that droid. I haven't seen anything that actually improves his affection. I have heard that if you do equip him up, he can make a decent "healer" type companion, but I haven't seen any direct proof of that.

 

Hm, I've also noticed that sometimes when you choose companion equipment as a reward, for some companions it seems to boost their affection score, but not for all companions.

 

 

Reverse Engineering is set so that you can get a bunch of the materials, and there's a percentage chance that you'd develop a schematic of a better version. It doesn't automatically happen with x attempts.

 

Anything you craft can always be Reverse Engineered, and some items that you find turn out to be up for it as well.

[Spider]

Spider, you might not be getting much of the companion points, but you are getting all those social points. I have no idea what they do, but it makes me feel good when they pop up.

 

Yeah, we got a tone of those. But all they do is let you buy better gear from the social vendor. So far I'm not impressed. I'd rather have companion quests, but alas.

 

BTW, what is the level requirement for Hoth?

 

We just completed ordinary Taris and ran into the bonus series, which is level 35. We're 37 and 38 so if we're going to do them, it might as well be now. But I guess we'll be way overleveled for Hoth then?

[Raithe]

BTW, what is the level requirement for Hoth?

 

We just completed ordinary Taris and ran into the bonus series, which is level 35. We're 37 and 38 so if we're going to do them, it might as well be now. But I guess we'll be way overleveled for Hoth then?

 

Hoth is around 37-41. Most of the heroics I think are Heroic (4) Level 40.

[Gromnir]

I keep all my companions in the latest gear however Ive only had success with Khem. Asahsa folds like a beach chair if she get more than two mooks on her, even though giving her a second saber and watching her dual wield is fun. Never really gave the pirate a fair tryout so I may try that in the future if necessary. Not sure whats the point of updating the ship robot (even though I do it), perhaps he has better results when sent on missions.

 

the pirate is our goto guy. check out his ranged damage numbers. is no other inquisitor comp that deals damage like andronikus (sp?) sure, he ain't got as much health as khem, but he gets hit less and kills 4x as fast. with his ranged death dealing. is fun to use extraction to pull him out o' harms way from the melee guys... who he then shreds as they rush to his new location. we is healing, so we need a companion that can lay on the hurt.

 

as for spider...

 

you will be unlikely to get high enough affection with your comps unless you spam the gifts. is a stoopid mechanic, but that is the reality. khem only gets 15 per + dialog, and andronikus gets 27... is a long haul to 10k that way. the later comps have better dialog affection rates, so is actual easier to boost 'em even though you get later in game.

 

HA! Good Fun!

Edited January 10, 2012 by Gromnir

[Hurlshort]

you will be unlikely to get high enough affection with your comps unless you spam the gifts. is a stoopid mechanic, but that is the reality. khem only gets 15 per + dialog, and andronikus gets 27... is a long haul to 10k that way. the later comps have better dialog affection rates, so is actual easier to boost 'em even though you get later in game.

 

HA! Good Fun!

 

I actually think the companion points are going a bit fast. I've got one companion over 6k and one at 4k, and I'm at level 31. The companion gifts have done very little of the raising there, mostly its because of questing.

 

You probably don't really want all your companions maxed out when you hit 50, because it gives you something to do when you hit the max level. At least that's what I assume Bioware is thinking.

[tripleRRR]

I have one companion at max, though I've used her pretty much exclusively because she heals and I'm tank spec. I have a couple others at 5k and the last 2 about 2k. Just hit 50.

[Gromnir]

you will be unlikely to get high enough affection with your comps unless you spam the gifts. is a stoopid mechanic, but that is the reality. khem only gets 15 per + dialog, and andronikus gets 27... is a long haul to 10k that way. the later comps have better dialog affection rates, so is actual easier to boost 'em even though you get later in game.

 

HA! Good Fun!

 

I actually think the companion points are going a bit fast. I've got one companion over 6k and one at 4k, and I'm at level 31. The companion gifts have done very little of the raising there, mostly its because of questing.

 

You probably don't really want all your companions maxed out when you hit 50, because it gives you something to do when you hit the max level. At least that's what I assume Bioware is thinking.

 

how many companions you got? you will get more... and you will split the dialog opportunities betwixt more companions as you increase level. an thinking that you will see that as you progress, you become ever more reliant on gifts. think 'bout it... you is over half way through game, but you only got one companion a bit over 50%.

 

HA! good Fun!

 

ps if bioware's big hook for playing past 50 is companion interaction, then they gets a big fail. the companions is kinda pale shadows o' what we has seen from bioware sp game companions. they is a slightly intriguing sideshow, but is not genuine compelling.

Edited January 10, 2012 by Gromnir

[Hurlshort]

how many companions you got? you will get more... and you will split the dialog opportunities betwixt more companions as you increase level. an thinking that you will see that as you progress, you become ever more reliant on gifts. think 'bout it... you is over half way through game, but you only got one companion a bit over 50%.

 

HA! good Fun!

 

I'm pretty sure I have all my companions at this point, but what I'm saying is you aren't thinking about this as an MMO. You aren't really halfway through the game, because the game doesn't end at level 50. There is no real rush to max out the companions, it can be a long term project.

 

I guess if you are playing it like a single player game and you want to be done in a month, then that could be a rub, but if that's the case I would just focus on one companion.

 

edit in response to your edit: It's really just one aspect of the post-50 play, I'd imagine. Not really a big hook, but something to do nonetheless. To be honest I don't plan on hitting 50 too soon, I'd rather slow it down and work on some other characters.

Edited January 10, 2012 by Hurlshot

[Gromnir]

you cannot possibly think that getting the companions to max affection was a post 50 consideration... or maybe you can. there is XP rewards that come with the character interactions, and at level 50 you has the brakes put on xp gains... unless you is suggesting that the companions is a 6 month + expansion consideration, 'cause once you finish and/or hit storyline conclusion, you is gonna run out of dialogue opportunities with the companions. apparently you gotta stop thinking like a mmorpg player... at least insofar as companions is concerned. you is still gonna need gifts, 'cause companion dialogue boosts is more akin to sp. there is an end of the line for the current companion dialog ops. your pov doesnt seem likely to us.

 

*shrug*

 

not matter. is your game, so you can play how you want.

 

HA! Good Fun!

Edited January 10, 2012 by Gromnir