Difference between Planet and Side quests?

[RaiderMid]

I've seen this term planet quests and side quests thrown around quite a bit while leveling. What is the difference?

 

Is their a main planet quest arc on each planet or are all quests outside of the class mission considered planet quests or side quests?

[Andryah]

I've seen this term planet quests and side quests thrown around quite a bit while leveling. What is the difference?

 

Is their a main planet quest arc on each planet or are all quests outside of the class mission considered planet quests or side quests?

 

People mixing terms mostly IMO.

 

Each planet has a set of quests... story arc quests for each class, planet arc quests (including a bonus series), and in progress (bonus) quests that pop simply as you progress on the story and planet arcs.

 

The class story arcs span across the planets. The planet quests are a self-contained series for that planet. "Side quest" is a term that tends to be used (sometimes perjoratively) in reference to any quest on a planet that is not the class story quest arc.

Edited March 29, 2013 by Andryah

[Slivovidze]

There are planet quest chains. Meaning, after completing one planet quest, you get reward and another quest objective, usually to speak with a NPC in another mission hub, which will give you another task.

Side quests are just one-time contracts. You complete missions, get reward, and never speak with the NPC again.

[astrobearx]

The planet quests are a self-contained series for that planet. "Side quest" is a term that tends to be used (sometimes perjoratively) in reference to any quest on a planet that is not the class story quest arc.

 

i thought side quest are those mission where [x]npc tell you to do [x] for [x] profit.

Edited March 29, 2013 by astrobearx

[RaiderMid]

The reason I ask this is I plan on burning through content at a quicker pace with the double xp weekend and was confused to what quests I should take.

 

What I consider the planet arc is usually upon arriving at a planet you will run into someone at the spaceport or orbital station that will direct you to someone else and follow that quest line.

 

I was basically looking for other people's perspective.

 

Thanks for the response.

[Merouk]

There's a main planet quest arc. You typically get sent from planet to planet by your CLASS quest, but as soon as you exit your ship, there should be an NPC quest giver by the shuttle you have to take to get to the planet. They typically tell you that a general or governor or other planetary leader wants your help. So by the time you actually set foot on the surface you should have 2 quests: your class quest and the planetary quest.

 

Both of these quest arcs will send you over to the next area once you complete each quest. You don't just get a reward, you get reward + "Hey so and so also needs your help in the next zone over there. Go talk to him."

[Rikis]

I break up missions into three separate types.

 

Class storyline missions, this is the primary storyline your character is following, beginning in Hutta or Korriban and ending in Corellia.

 

Side missions are a one time deal that rarely tie into another mission. Most missions are of this type, including all heroics.

 

Primary planet missions follow a single storyline that begins and ends in a single planet. It gets a little muddy as not every planet has a primary storyline (Dromund Kaas and Nar Shadda come to mind). For example, in Balmorra you're fighting the resistance, on Tatooine you're uncovering a Czerka secret project, on Alderaan you're fighting to get House Thul the crown, etc. Hoth is also an oddity in that it doesn't follow a primary storyline like Nar Shadda and Dromund Kaas, but you are sent to other bases despite the bases having distinct problems not tied to one another.

[AshlaBoga]

I break up missions into three separate types.

 

Class storyline missions, this is the primary storyline your character is following, beginning in Hutta or Korriban and ending in Corellia.

 

Side missions are a one time deal that rarely tie into another mission. Most missions are of this type, including all heroics.

 

Primary planet missions follow a single storyline that begins and ends in a single planet. It gets a little muddy as not every planet has a primary storyline (Dromund Kaas and Nar Shadda come to mind). For example, in Balmorra you're fighting the resistance, on Tatooine you're uncovering a Czerka secret project, on Alderaan you're fighting to get House Thul the crown, etc. Hoth is also an oddity in that it doesn't follow a primary storyline like Nar Shadda and Dromund Kaas, but you are sent to other bases despite the bases having distinct problems not tied to one another.

 

Nar Shadaa doesn't have a primary storyline but you can follow the Spaceport mission through every zone so I count that. And for Dromund Kaas I'd go with the Revanite mission series.

[darkov]

Planet quest is usually in reference to the main storyline quest of the planet. For example on Tatooine, it is the Czerka quest line, which has a continuous story across the planet in each quest hub (except the bonus series, they are all side quests).

 

Side quest is everything outside of your class quest line and the planet quest line.

[Alec_Fortescue]

Planetary quest chains can be abandoned but you won't be able to pick them up again in most instances.

[DorkTrooper]

The planet quests are progressive (you hand your 15 Wankle rotary engines off to Colonal Sanders, get your reward, and Colonal Sanders sends you off to Senator Pundit for the next quest). The side quests generally are one-and-done.

[Doctoglethorpe]

Planetary quest chains can be abandoned but you won't be able to pick them up again in most instances.

 

Uh, thats false. Just to clarify. Any quest that you abandon can be picked up again.

 

 

Also, only some planets have true story arcs, all three Act 3 planets do, as well as Taris, Tatooine, Quesh and Alderaan. The others basically just chain separate 2-3 part quests together then send you off to the next zone. They get the name "planet chains" because when you finish one mission, you get a bread crumb quest to the next one, thus they are chained together. Often (but not always) you can skip parts of those chains. I know on Voss you can pretty much just go straight to the last part and the quest giver will still act like you did everything else.

 

If you care about story, its good to do them each at least once, theres little variation between classes, though personally I do find certain planet chains more suited for certain classes. Empire Taris for example I think fits the warrior best while Alderaan I prefer the Agent, and Quesh the Bounty Hunter. So I head canon that each planet's story arc is handled by only one of the four class characters, whichever suits them best, and work it in as a detour of the class story itself. Most people probably assume its intended that all four characters come together during each of them canon-wise, idk that works for flashpoints but not planet chains imo.