The planet missions have too large of a scope, which makes them seem ridiculous. Almost every planet the player visits starts out in trouble and by the end is conquered for their faction. The player supposedly has a crucial role in this.

 

Yet the player often works alone. I don't mean playing solo. I mean that the player character usually only has a couple allies at a time, so they just shouldn't have that much of an impact in a war. Even so, somehow the player singlehandedly shifts the war for their faction, often by attacking and destroying obstacles that were impossible for squads and armies.

 

The scope would have been better if it had been kept smaller, or at least had more variety. Having the player conquer every planet almost as an afterthought while they pursue their class quests is strange. It would have been better to have a chain of quests on a planet that explore the setting but don't necessarily change the fate of the entire planet. As it is, the player goes in, finds the leader of the enemy faction, kills them, and another planet falls in line.

 

Do people feel like their characters are really these great planet conquerors? I feel disconnected from the idea that my characters, regardless of class, are some of the greatest conquerors the galaxy has ever known. A more realistic scope would have helped the feel of the planet missions a lot as well as make the characters more believable.

The planet missions have too large of a scope, which makes them seem ridiculous. Almost every planet the player visits starts out in trouble and by the end is conquered for their faction. The player supposedly has a crucial role in this.

 

Yet the player often works alone. I don't mean playing solo. I mean that the player character usually only has a couple allies at a time, so they just shouldn't have that much of an impact in a war. Even so, somehow the player singlehandedly shifts the war for their faction, often by attacking and destroying obstacles that were impossible for squads and armies.

 

The scope would have been better if it had been kept smaller, or at least had more variety. Having the player conquer every planet almost as an afterthought while they pursue their class quests is strange. It would have been better to have a chain of quests on a planet that explore the setting but don't necessarily change the fate of the entire planet. As it is, the player goes in, finds the leader of the enemy faction, kills them, and another planet falls in line.

 

Do people feel like their characters are really these great planet conquerors? I feel disconnected from the idea that my characters, regardless of class, are some of the greatest conquerors the galaxy has ever known. A more realistic scope would have helped the feel of the planet missions a lot as well as make the characters more believable.

You think too much.

 

For me its all

 

Pew Pew Pew, tsss tss (lightsaber noise)

Mostly, the player is being sent in to handle specific problems of strategic importance. It isn't that no one else is following up on these, or that other efforts aren't proceeding elsewhere. The character simply addresses some critical issues that allow that to be effective.

 

Also, as alternating Republic and Empire stories on Taris and Balmorra show, such victories are by no means certain nor final. Alderaan is another one I recall where matters remain unresolved. You give your faction a stronger position – you don't win the war. And you are able to do what you do because you are a hero, a person whose deeds are unusually consequential.

 

So personally, I think it balances out.

It isn't that bad, at least on the Republic side:

 

Coruscant: You help a team of droids with some important repairs

Taris: You help the restoration project, which comes off a little ahead of schedule at the end.

Nar Shadda: You help the SIS with some things, but you don't take over the planet.

Tatooine: It's a treasure hunt for an old artifact, not a war.

Alderaan: Was done well, I think. There could have been some improvements. But I really liked being part of the civil war. The final fight agains Ulgo works best if done with a group.

 

Balmorra: The world questline is all about a superweapon which helps winning the war. The Jedi Consular conquers the planet... well, he doesn't. The Resistance does, he only helps.

Quesh: You're right, this could have been toned down a little.

Hoth: Was ok. It didn't seem like an important war. It was quite believable that a character like you could win some important victories on a backwater planet with only a few soldiers there.

 

Belsavis: This could have been done better. The Republic should have sent in some real troops during the questline to back you up.

Voss: No war. You help the Voss in their war, though. But I thought it was done well. Remember, you are far more advanced than the Voss. Imagine a Jedi would turn up in World War I. He could break make the difference.

Corellia: Was awesome. Especially the last mission. You are not winning single handedly, you+CorSec+Republic Troops+Green Jedi win back Corellia.

 

 

But I wouldn't object if the Characters were made less important. But the problem with that is more with the class stories instead of the world quests. A few tweaks to the world quests would be nice though, for example Corellia:

 

 

 

 

Alderaan is another one I recall where matters remain unresolved.

 

The Alderaan issue is resolved in the Jedi Consular Storyline:

 

 

 

Edited September 21, 2012 by Maaruin

re: Alderaan, my point was that even after the Consular storyline,

Edited September 21, 2012 by Uluain

re: Alderaan, my point was that even after the Consular storyline,

Alderaan has not yet determined which house will rule, Thul or Organa, whether it will rejoin the Republic, join the Empire or neither. The character changes the course of the civil war... but doesn't conquer the planet.

 

 

 

Mostly, the player is being sent in to handle specific problems of strategic importance. It isn't that no one else is following up on these, or that other efforts aren't proceeding elsewhere. The character simply addresses some critical issues that allow that to be effective.

 

Also, as alternating Republic and Empire stories on Taris and Balmorra show, such victories are by no means certain nor final. Alderaan is another one I recall where matters remain unresolved. You give your faction a stronger position – you don't win the war. And you are able to do what you do because you are a hero, a person whose deeds are unusually consequential.

 

So personally, I think it balances out.

 

Agreed.

 

The character you play is intended to play a significant role in the "Cold War" going on, and there's no problem with that.

Even a single Force-user can change the direction of events in the galaxy, and there are plenty of non-Force sensitives capable of doing the same.

I like to think of it as my Smuggler does.

 

"I am the only person in the galaxy who is even close to smart. Seriously, though, leave me alone, I have space wenches to sleep with."

I agree, I would definitely prefer it if the player characters weren't the ONLY ones who could get anything done. Every time you get to a planet, you solve a few issues and then leave with your faction's victory practically guaranteed. It would be nice if the PCs played smaller roles, especially in an MMO, where it's harder to ignore the fact that you aren't the one and only true savior of the galaxy that seems to be such a popular trope in Bioware games.

 

But I guess more people just want to feel special and important.

I thought the Hoth quest where you conquer the fortress and actually had a Republic trooper running side-by-side with you to fight was epic, especially since I was a commando, so it was me, Jorgan, and the trooper blasting away at White Maw pirates. I've heard similar things about Corellia - I can't wait!

well taris balmoria and even corellia all show after that although your character makes a huge difference things can go wrong.

 

for Taris via the republic there isnt really any major empire vs republic your helping the restoration project, its only after then you have left, that the forces left (possibly less stationed there now that war is brewing) are wiped out by the empire.

 

Balmoria is similar to Taris, at the end of the empire story the resistance is wiped out (well or so they think) and by the time the republic gets there it seems the resistance has sprung back and already taken major areas.

 

Corellia which obviously has the empire first shows you helping take the planet, yet by the time the empire starts the black hole they have lost that planet.

 

so although your character makes a difference i think that by most part your more like backup on that planet.