In my last post on Swtor, where I talked about why I resubbed and what I liked about the game, I mentioned the 12x experience boost that had been available for a limited time to purchasers of Shadow of Revan. I said part of me was sorry that I had missed it, as the class quests were the best part of the game. The other part of me was fine with it as the planetary quests were good too.
Well, on May 4th aka Star Wars Day, the 12x boost is back for subscribers. No definitive word on when it’ll be over but the date given is ‘in the fall’ so it’s going to be around for a couple of months.
When I read that announcement my immediate thought was “I’m going to be playing a lot of swtor this summer” and that’s likely still true. However, thinking about it beyond the initial excitement I’m wary for what it means for the longevity of the game.
The Dilemma
I play Swtor solo, I just quest and experience the story. This has never worried me as I’ve been playing on and off since launch and I only have one class where I have finished the class story – Bounty Hunter. I have already forgotten, and want to re-experience, that story. The same is true for the beginning of the Jedi Knight, I’m coming towards the end of that now but it’s taken so long that I’ve forgotten things.
However, with a 12x boost and being able to just do the class storyline. I could easily level all the classes and what happens then?
I don’t group up, I don’t run flashpoints, I don’t understand the numbers side of the game. I have never really looked at what stats are good or not. I get provided gear from quests and if the numbers are green on a new piece (which means higher) then I equip it.
I did briefly look into where I should put my talent points and what the rotation should be when I re-started my Jedi Knight. I got tired of dying all the time but the resources available aren’t all that extensive, and they are designed for level 60 players.
If I stamp ‘completed’ on the class storylines, what do I have left in the game?
The Potential
Well there is more to the game, for example the expansion storylines. Rise of the Hutt Cartel is included in the subscription. Shadow of Revan is extra but it’s possible that if there is another expansion (Fallen Empire perhaps?) that SoR will get rolled into the subscription as well, or at least put on sale. I say that my Bounty Hunter is max level, he’s level 50 which is the original max.
I look at Shadow of Revan and I’m confused about the lore. I remember doing some quests on Drummond Kaas, I remember reading a Massively article which talked about flashpoints I have never done. There’s so much of the game, so much of the story, that is still untapped.
Then there’s other aspects of the game. I have yet to investigate Strongholds at all, though I am very curious about them. There are the companion storylines to max, or in the case of Bounty Hunter companion Mako, re-experience as it’s been so long.
I doubt I could ever manage Galactic Starfighters as I can’t cope with the 3D aspect, let alone the PvP aspect. It’s the sort of thing that makes me motion sick, I can’t play fps games, so 3D space combat, yeah it’s just never going to happen. I have tried it and I wound up crashing more often than I should, I was scared my team would call me out on that.
With a max level character I could go back and do the flashpoints that I never did, I could see the story and I could do it solo. I would hope that a max level character could manage a low level flashpoint, even if I’m not all that good at the class.
Plus Swtor isn’t static, more will be added over time, maybe even additions to the class or companion storylines. I know such an addition would be expensive but in the roadmap they said they wanted to go back to the story, there’s always hope on that score.
I might not like Galactic Starfighters but I do like space combat, I know from checking google that the on rails fighting experience wasn’t very popular. I really liked it and that’s another reason why I like to subscribe, as it means I can do as much space combat as I like. I haven’t done any in a while as I’ve been playing my Jedi Knight who doesn’t have any ship upgrades, I should fix that.
The Conclusion
I’m still wary but excited. The absolute worst thing that could happen, is that this summer I have a blast playing all the class storylines and then I don’t want to play Swtor anymore. If that happens then so be it I guess. I subscribed for six months, which will cover the summer, so I just won’t resub and I’ll play something else.
Games are supposed to be fun and if I get all I want from Swtor, then it’s over, then well it’s over. I guess it’ll be a bit sad but I could always re-level. Rather than trying to max something, I could purposely pick all the bad options as a Jedi, go all dark side. I did start to do that a bit with this one, I was playing a Jedi who cared about credits. However, it was affecting my companion reputation so I stuck to the ‘good’ options instead.
Plus when I enjoy something I don’t mind the repeat. I know that’s odd to say given that a complaint about Warcraft questing, which I always hated, was that it was the same experience no matter the class. Maybe that’s just because I didn’t enjoy Warcraft questing the first time round or maybe I’m mistaken.
It’s possible that when it comes to games I do mind the repeat. I certainly don’t mind the repeat when it comes to TV or movies, I’m a big fan of DVD’s and they are never wasted. I’ve re-watched everything I have at least twice and in some cases more times than I care to admit.
The 12x boost starts on May 4th. Ideally I would finish my Jedi Knight before then, so that I can see all the planetary quests on the Republic side too. That’s never going to happen so I could utilize the toggle, and remove the boost, while I finish my Jedi Knight. I’m on Belsavis, so according to the chart I have Voss and Corellia left, two and a bit planets should be fine.
When I re-started playing Swtor this time I began a new character, an Imperial Agent, as I had forgotten my Jedi Knight and wanted an easier transition back into the game. I did the same the last time I played with a Sith Warrior, before going back to finish my Bounty Hunter and play my Jedi Knight. My Sith Warrior is level 17 and I have forgotten what happened already.
I’m going to screencap my Sith Warrior, delete him and then remake him. My Imperial Agent I only just started, so I remember him well enough but I want to start again with the Sith Warrior.
Right, so finish Jedi Knight and Republic planet quests. Put the 12x boost back on and level the Imperial Agent, then delete the Sith Warrior and level him. Then there’s the classes I have never done, the Smuggler, the Trooper, the Jedi Consular or the Sith Inquisitor. Then re-do the Jedi Knight and Bounty Hunter storylines. Then do the companion storylines.
Ok scratch playing a lot of Swtor, this 12x boost might get me some of this but I think there’s going to be a lot of life after the boost too. Have to see.