Bioware recently announced their latest expansion for Star Wars: The Old Republic, and with that announcement came preorder bonuses: namely the ability for subscribers to earn 12 times the experience points for leveling until the expansion hits in December. The idea here is that players can reach maximum level in time to play the new content with all their friends, but the promise of 12-X exp is much more than a catch-up mechanic.
Many long-time players that already have max-level characters have taken this opportunity to replay content a lot faster, experiment with different builds and story options, and sometimes simply “do it again because why not?”
I, too, was lured in by the appeal of bonus exp. Just the number alone caught my eye: 12. Not even a lowly ten times experience boost, but TWELVE. It almost seemed too good to be true. Those characters I had long since abandoned finally have their shot at glory. “Between Destiny and Warcraft, it’s going to be difficult to finish leveling any of my Old Republic characters, so it’s now or never, right?” That’s what I thought a week ago when I started, but now after power leveling and blowing through the story in under 12 parsecs, I begin to wonder if this little adventure didn’t ruin the game entirely for me.
At first, everything was sunshine and roses in the galaxy. At 12-X exp, players need only to focus on their class story missions, which now reward enough exp to nearly bump a character up a whole level per quest. This novelty alone is a feat I have never seen in an MMO before, and it was instantly addicting. These story quests are generally considered to be the best in the game by most players. They offer narrative progression unique to your character’s class, race, gender, and decisions, much like the traditional Mass Effect concept. The missions players end up skipping are instead the traditional MMO affair: gathering 10 wamprat pelts, killing 8 jawas, pvp dailies, and starship flying minigames.
The ability to focus only on the story made this leveling experience the sort I have asked for since The Old Republic‘s launch. At times, your Sith Lord mentor will give you an important mission with strict instructions to fulfill his wishes as swiftly as possible, so when orphans ask me to drop what I’m doing and help find medical supplies, I have to wonder why my character is doing this. Myself, the player, is doing it because I need to level up to continue progressing through the game, but it breaks immersion so completely that I begin to lose interest in the main story at hand.
With the 12-X exp bonus, that problem is gone and replaced by a new one: travel time. I had to leave the TV on while playing because over half of my gametime was spent in taxis or on my own personal speeder. There’s a special kind of feeling that comes from skipping over these side quests; seeing the quest icon over sad citizens of the Empire only to pass them by knowing I no longer need their petty rewards. However, with less to do in the game, I quickly found myself looking forward to the end of the journey more than the journey itself. It was a painful reminder that the game was not made to be played this way. Each monster and droid in my path was meant to be part of a grander tale. I was supposed to have a story of how I conquered them all while saving those orphans, but instead I landed on Hoth, completed three quests that took me in a big lap around the planet, and then promptly left.

Some planets in The Old Republic are so expansive, it seems a shame to leave them without exploring just a little
Last Sunday, I sat down and booted up a level 24 character after getting home from work. By night she was level 55, and as the story concluded, I was left with no more levels to reach for. I didn’t know what to do. I could start working on my next character, but why? After spending so much time looking at taxis and load screens, it felt so unappealing that I am now unsure if I’ll ever enjoy the game the same way again.
When the expansion hits early December, I will undoubtedly launch The Old Republic and log into my main and see what new adventures await me, but I ask myself: Will it be fun to level up slowly again? Was this experience boost one step too close to the sun? Maybe this little endeavor to earn preorders from excitable fans is too easy to get burnt out on, and maybe by the expansion’s launch, most players won’t feel quite so burnt out. Just the same, it left an oddly sour taste in my mouth to think about how I’ll be playing the game in the future. I may never create a new character again knowing how slow it will feel to level up. For that, my gameplay has been forever tainted.
The expansion, Shadow of Revan, will be released December 2nd and preorders placed before November 2nd by subscribed players will earn the 12-X exp boost. It is a truly fascinating way to play an MMO, and if you are curious about your own take on the promotion, I do recommend you consider it trying it out. My only warning is to not sit down and play for a straight four-plus hour leveling extravaganza unless you are one of those types who is accustomed to eating all of your Trick-or-Treat candy the night of Halloween. If you have the stomach for it, have at it, friends.
Live long and prosper.
You must be logged in to post a comment.