Why are all the planets so linear?

I really don't understand why people think you have to do anything on each planet other than your class story? At that point you have several choices for how to level: PvP, space missions, skipping some planets and doing others, Flashpoints. All viable ways to level, I've done it.

You people are doing it to yourself. If you don't want a 'linear' experience, then don't follow the path. Find your own. It's not impossible, you just have to try.

A better example would be the late City of Heroes, or AION and Champions Online that let you literally *fly*

AION's flight was utter garbage compared to City of Heroes. It was like a minute long and only in certain areas and even then just for getting crafting materials.

Every mmo is linear

having a more open world to explore would slow down leveling i would think.. well for some people anyways. right now im so bored with the stupid story i want to just go off for a while and see what there is to see... but there isnt much to see. in wow i leveled a lot slower than my friends because i would just go off and explore instead of working on quests. in this game there just isint much room to explore and so far there isnt much to see when you do go explore

you are totally missing the point, its not about leveling at all its about being confined to a small place with very few options in direction

You said in another thread you were only level 22, this isn't true of all the planets. Have you even been to Tattooine yet? Hoth is completely open as well. The starter planets are small and obviously the city planets are mostly corridors but there is lots of room for exploration on a planet like Belsavis or Alderaan. I'm not saying the exploration is on par with something like Guild Wars 2 which is the only thing I like about that game but it's not as narrow as you're claiming.

I agree with the OP to be perfectly honest. It amazes me that so many people complained about the space game being on rails, and yet so few people complained about the main part of game being just the same!

Now certainly, the main part of the game isn't AS bad as space, but it's still not great. Besides the largely closed nature of the planetscapes you also have the fact that almost nothing actually goes on IN world. Everywhere is instanced, even the dam planet you are on. You dont see people gathered at 'workshops' because you can craft while you level, the cantina's are empty because there really is no reason to go to them,you cant even have a seat, you never see any action because all the PvP is instanced...the place is just devoid of life!

And you have to pay for EVERYTHING with a TON of credits.......you can't even get your char' to LOOK the way you want to unless you grind out those social points!

SwtOR may well have a short lifespan, but it's not because the game itself is bad, it's because it's gameworld is rubbish.

soooo 4 of the 17 planets are nice wide open areas?? and no i havnt been on any of the ones you listed but even still all the planets should have some exploration, not just corridors or lil small areas. That is one of the biggest problems with the game.

I also disagree, to draw on the theme park analogy a little, in other games you are pretty much free to walk around and choose which ride you want to go on and at what time, swtor is more like the monorail from the parking lot to the entrance to the theme park.

They are not as linear as you believe.

Being a themepark style MMO, and with the breadcrumbs being very deliberate and linear, it makes you feel like the planets are very linear. So, if you want to maximize XP for minimal effort, yes very linear.

On the other hand, if you are genuinely more into exploring and freelance play, most of the planets can be experienced in a very non-linear manner. There are a few exceptions, like Coruscant... but they are exceptions and are generally at lower play levels when mobility via speeder is more limited for most.

So really, feeling linearly locked in on the planets is only true if you simply want to get to 50 asap, or are unwilling to leave the established traffic routes.

/2-cents