2. Basic Game Information |
Written by Old-Republic.com |
Wednesday, 13 August 2008 19:34 |
PlotEvents in SW:KotOR proceed in a fairly linear fashion, despite the illusion of being open-ended. You start on the Endar Spire, then escape Taris, finally you become a Jedi on Dantooine and learn about the Star Maps and receive the main quest to find them and locate the Star Forge. From there, you have the option of visiting four worlds in any order:
It is usually best to leave Korriban for last, because the final area is tough and you are forced to go solo. On top of that, Bastila is not available on Korriban regardless of when you visit, so you might as well save it for last when she's out of your group. My personal preference is Kashyyyk, Tatooine, Manaan and Korriban. When choosing a sequence, there are a few things to keep in mind:
Certain events take place based on how many Star Maps you have collected.
Messenger PointsMessenger points are those areas where, if you have reached a certain point in the plot and have certain characters with you, an NPC will appear to deliver a message to one of your companions. These messenger points are located near your ship, and you should try to cross them with each member of your group as often as possible:
Security SpikesSecurity spikes (not to be confused with computer spikes) are devices that are supposed to improve your Security skill when trying to open a lock (single use item). However, they appear to have been disabled, without actually being removed from the game. And Mission will happily make even more for you on Ebon Hawk. So, if you are having trouble figuring out how to use those security spikes on locked items, stop worrying about it and sell your spikes (remember! security spikes, not computer spikes) for cash. General Tips & Hints
Increasing Jedi PowersTo maximize Jedi powers, don't level up on Taris, or, only level up one or two times. If you can muddle through Taris without levelling (even though you have earned the experience), you can get up to 18 Jedi levels. If you level every time you have the opportunity, you will typically be level 8 before switching to a Jedi class, only allowing 12 Jedi levels. The additional 6 levels of Jedi would give you more force points as well as 6 additional force powers (8 if Consular). Doing this can be very difficult, because you'll need to rely almost solely on your associates on Taris. The trick is to avoid most of the side quests and only run through those areas that are necessary to reach your final goal. When I did this, I was only level 7 when I reached Dantooine, so it took longer to reach level 20 (but still easily before the game's finale). In this situation, Zaalbar is a very good companion for his melee skills. Give him one or two vibroblades and watch him chop your opponents to pieces. (Of course, you have to rescue him first...) On the whole, you don't really need those extra Jedi levels. All the Jedi classes are optimized for 12 levels. By 12th level you will have received all your automatic bonus feats. You will have more than enough force powers (13 for Guardians and Sentinels, 15 for Consulars). Whatever you do, do not advance past level 8 on Taris. Losing one Jedi level will significantly impact your abilities (you lose +2 Defense and your Master-level unique feat). After playing through a few times, I think a 4/16 split or 8/12 split are the "optimal" builds. Obviously, your mileage may vary, but these two splits have worked well for me. Light vs DarkMost of the time, the choice between light and dark will be self-evident. Light will always refuse rewards, help innocents and try to turn those who have fallen back to the light (even Darth Malak). Dark will abuse innocents, threaten people for greater rewards and suppress all who stand in their way. Many situations have a light solution, a dark solution and a neutral solution; however, not all events have all three solutions. Whichever side you choose, you should try to reach Mastery, which provides bonuses and enhancements for your character.
I have found, if I am concentrating on earning points, I can easily reach either Light Side or Dark Side mastery by the time I have recovered the second Star Map. From there on, it's a piece of cake maintaining mastery. Overall, with the exception of the epilogue movies, the play experience is almost identical. You experience the same events, do the same quests and fight the same (or very similar) battles. Yavin Space StationIf you examine your Galaxy Map on Ebon Hawk, you will note a Yavin Space Station. You can travel there to buy high-end equipment from the sole occupant. The space station is literally nothing but a long hallway and a single merchant, so I haven't bothered with a map. After retrieving all the Star Maps and visiting the station at least three times, you will have to save the proprietor from the attack of a band of Trandoshans. He will then sell you some very special items, including a couple of super-powered lightsaber crystals. Save all your money (live off the loot) until you get to this point so you can shop 'til you drop at his store. Additionally, if you can beat him ten times at Pazaak, he will give you a 20% discount on all items he sells.
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Last Updated on Wednesday, 13 August 2008 21:03 |