Light or Dark? ... I just go with the flow.

[UnderatedNoob]

TL;DR I feel like the way I wanna play my character is going to hurt me in the end, because I won't be Dark Side 4 or Light Side 4. (yes, I have later found out it goes to 5)

 

I'm not really a role player, but I've found it's a lot of fun to get into my character and story. My brothers and friends constantly ask me if I'm going Light or Dark, and I just keep telling them that I'm going to play the game and see where it takes me.

 

My Scoundrel is not afraid to get a little dirty and break the law. Although he is a bit selfish and always looking to make some money, he is a fair negotiator and a man of his word. He's not afraid to kill someone that double crossed him or he feels deserves to die, but will not leave a good man fighting for a good cause hanging out to dry. He'll do what he can to help the innocent, as long as it doesn't take him too far out of his way, but he doesn't take well to whiners and beggars. He thinks that if a women wants to get tangled up in a mans world, she'll get dealt with like a man; he doesn't take well to a girl flirting her way to his credits. He's loyal to his friends and will always get the last laugh against his enemies.

 

The problem is, my character has been forced into a neutral to slightly dark side... Which I am fine with. I'm just afraid that at max level this will be a big inconvenience when it comes to maximizing my attributes and power. I have found that a lot of choices aren't necessarily dark or light, yet they still give the points. A lot of times I find my self saying, "How the heck does that give light side points", or vice versa. Many times I feel like dark side choices are the "Right" thing to do.

 

Honestly I really hate the outlook that "You're doing it wrong" -> "You should only pick all light side or all dark side choices like me!" That's dumb, and that's boring. At that point your not playing the story, your maxing your points. Unless of course you are playing the most noble or most evil character ever... Then maybe it could make sense.

 

Anyways, please share your thoughts.

Edited December 30, 2011 by UnderatedNoob

[BrigOrion]

Neutral gear is a long time away, if it ever arrives. As much as it sucks to be railroaded into picking either light or dark, you gimp yourself if you do not choose.

 

It's incredibly bad game design, but this is BioWare.

[PhilippKausch]

With my Sith Sorcerer I'm choosing exclusively light side answers, because I really want him to be a moral character, due to the fact that he used to be a slave and knows the suffering of the simple people (I'm playing on a RP realm).

 

My Jedi Shadow chooses the answers he feels are suitable. At the moment, he has 750 points, 1000 Light and 250 Dark. So, with my Shadow I just go with the flow. But I guess that he'll get the first rang of the Light Side eventually, while still having Dark Side points.

Edited December 30, 2011 by PhilippKausch

[jrarr]

Yah, I think there should be special items at every tier so its not just you have to go Dark 4 to get the best times. Like at Dark 2 you can get certian items than you cant at Dark 3 at 50. That have certian benifits based on what level it is.

[TitusVorenus]

I've had the same issue with my Trooper. Like you, I like to get into my character a bit, and choose the conversation option that I personally feel is the best at the time.

 

I had a rude awakening when I discovered--in the middle of a Flashpoint, no less--that I suddenly couldn't use my favorite blaster rifle anymore because I had apparently fallen to the Dark Side on the last conversation (necessitating a furious shopping run to Fleet).

 

This was not only frustrating, but reminded me that while I'd been questing, a lot of times the options just didn't seem to add up. I'm the elite special forces of the Republic, so I'm going to execute traitors, kill Imperials, and try and win this war in an honorable but pragmatic fashion. So, I haven't slaughtered babies and told my CO to go shove it, but neither am I going to let that traitor who sold secrets to the Empire "go live a quiet normal life".*

 

The end result is, like the OP points out, I'm ultimately punished for being, well, neither Mother Theresa nor Hitler, but just a guy trying to make his way through the galaxy as best as he can. My blaster rifle (which I eventually was able to use again, after spending a lot of wholly-unnecessary money and time) can't even fire blue laser bolts because I'm -10 Dark Side or whatever and apparently Jedi lightsber rules apply to me, and of course I can't use any Relics or whatever. I thought about just saying whatever and going full-bore one side or the other, but not only does this make the game far less interesting, frankly I'm totally unimpressed with the lame gear on the vendors. Oh, wow, I can have really ugly Dark Side boots, or really ugly Light Side boots--or, gosh, why don't I just wear, I dunno, what I'm currently wearing?

 

I distinctly remember in KOTOR II (in which I actually did go full-bore Dark Side) that there was definitely "Grey Jedi" gear, and the "Grey" concept is hardly anathema to Star Wars: characters like Qui-Gon Jinn or Han Solo often fall in such a category. So, why can't I?

 

 

 

 

*I wonder if it's a commentary on the part of Bioware where often I found playing my Trooper that respecting my superior officers, following orders, and generally doing what a soldier is supposed to do almost always, if they had any alignment, were "Dark Side". If so, it's in poor taste, Bioware.

[Sinkaro]

Not to be a d-bag, but the ranks go to five

 

I have found that a lot of choices aren't necessarily dark or light, yet they still give the points. A lot of times I find my self saying, "How the heck does that give light side points", or vice versa. Many times I feel like dark side choices are the "Right" thing to do.

 

Just so I'm clear, do you have the option turned on in preferrences that lets you see when you're getting dark/light points? I don't know why that's off by default... In regards to that, I think, truthfully, some times the dark/light options come from some oblique angles. It may not SEEM like it's "dark" at first, or "light" at first (which I know for sure and certain that even though I've selected light options for my Sith, it's still only for the purpose of fear- and hate-mongering), but the reality is that it's the better/worse of the other options.

 

... BUT! I have to say sometimes, some of the lightside choices are just DUMB! I know that there have been several times where I was like "Wait... to get lightside points I have to LET HIM GO?! HE'LL COME BACK FOR ME, ARE YOU CRAZY?!?! Screw this, he deserves to die."

 

And to that effect, I have a grand total of 300 dark side points... Oh, and then there was that one time on Alderaan. General Organa is like "yeah ok, I'll tell you where to go, but you have to do something for me," and at this point I hadn't gotten much sleep, and I was really sick of being on Alderaan, so I said "screw it, I'm going to break your little boy toy's neck here..."

 

Wow, I love this game...

[UnderatedNoob]

I'm the elite special forces of the Republic, so I'm going to execute traitors, kill Imperials, and try and win this war in an honorable but pragmatic fashion. So, I haven't slaughtered babies and told my CO to go shove it, but neither am I going to let that traitor who sold secrets to the Empire "go live a quiet normal life".*

 

Exactly. I can't bring myself to pick a choice based solely on the light/dark points. Before I posted, I didn't even realize that I might not be able to equip relics because of this. I guess I'm gonna be a relic-less noob.

 

Not to be a d-bag, but the ranks go to five

 

Touche. I never claimed to not be a noob. Albeit... Underated.

 

Just so I'm clear, do you have the option turned on in preferrences that lets you see when you're getting dark/light points?

 

Actually, I didn't know that was an option. I usually use my mouse, so when I hover over my choice I would see how the choice might affect me.

 

I think, truthfully, some times the dark/light options come from some oblique angles.

Ya, that may be true. I mean... I can't expect that every player can interpret a choice as light/dark the same as the developer or writers. For example, I've always been taught snitching was bad, but I've noticed on SWtor that it is a very nobel deed.

 

Either way, I accept that I may not always agree with whether it gives me light or dark points, but I don't like that fact that I may be crippled in the end because I didn't choose all red or all blue.

[MJHoyle]

Here's my story...

 

I'm a smuggler, therefore I do things that may not be legal like smuggling spice. My loyalty goes to the highest bidder, I don't usually work for charity. Sometimes the highest bidder is an Imperial spy, but that doesn't concern me just as long as I get paid. If there's moral injustice however I'll step in but I prefer to keep my nose clean and not get too involved, being a smuggler is enough to get me into trouble without having some bounty on my head for sticking my nose into other peoples' business. Usually once I'm given a mission I stick to the person who originally assigned it to me, unless someone else offers me a higher payment to make a change of plan. I'm not into assassinations or handing over Republic resistance fights to the Imperials, that's just getting my hands way too dirty even if the pay is good.

 

So because of my choices I'm neither dark or light, I'm a bit of both so I remain neutral. I don't feel because of my choices I should be punished by not being able to get anything decent at endgame. I'm a smuggler, I'm not an agent or a jedi so I don't see why my choices have to be one colour only.

Edited February 1, 2012 by MJHoyle

[Shaz]

My main is a Sith Sorcerer. I knew from the get-go that I was going to play her evil. However, I wasn't going to be the megalomaniacal 'muahaha KILL THEM ALL' type. I was going to be SMART evil. Plotting, planning, thinking ahead...devious. Y'know, exactly what Sith Inquisitors are supposed to be like.

 

It should come as no surprise to you all that while she is, indeed, Dark in alignment...now, freshly at level 50, and with my class story complete, I'm barely halfway into Dark II. Quite often, the LS choices are far more SMART, or seem like they'd be a better 'angle' in the end.... and so I take them. To give an example without spoiling TOO much: I'd rather have a cult that worships me and knows my power, than one that fears me... because I felt fear can cause them to turn (against me, even if that would never actually HAPPEN in-game) more than worship would. And that was a LS choice.

 

Now and then in conversations, you'll have the typical 3 options: the top two being various forms of getting deeper into the conversation, and the 3rd is a DS 'MURDER DEATH KILL' option. I always skipped that... I wanted to know more before I passed judgment. Usually later on, there's another LS/DS choice, that were always better story-wise than the MDK right off the bat. And the 'deeper' LS/DS choices frequently ended with the LS choice seeming to be a 'wiser' choice. So I was more invested in the story, which I love, but still often kind of wishing I'd just gone for the quick MDK DS.

 

I came to terms with the fact that I'd probably never reach Dark III 'naturally' (without farming for it) about 20 levels ago. I don't really like it. Currently, you're potentially gimping yourself if you're not reaching for rank V in alignment. Now, there IS the possible future update of Neutral alignment gear coming. However, I'm not Neutral, and I don't see myself going through the trouble of farming to raise my DS points. Maybe I might hit Dark III, since I still have some regular questing to finish off. But still, Dark III isn't much.

 

Which really does suck a bit, in the end. My character made absolutely perfect choices... for her. But I'll never get any recognition for that from anything or in any way, aside from my own knowing that I'd made the perfect choices. So, while I do feel good about that, it also makes me grumpy.

Edited February 1, 2012 by Shaz

[BrianDavion]

honestly? there isn't a whole lot of benifit to being dark V or Light V. other then a few artifacts that are inferior to what you can get via datacrons, PVP or crafting, and a few cosmetc rewards there's no REASON to grind LSPs or DSPs

[Maaruin]

Ya, that may be true. I mean... I can't expect that every player can interpret a choice as light/dark the same as the developer or writers. For example, I've always been taught snitching was bad, but I've noticed on SWtor that it is a very nobel deed.

 

Are you talking about the Jedi Consular Quest where you can report these two padawans to their masters.

If you report them to the masters you get 50 LS points. If you say they are innocent you will get 50 DS points. But then you can go back to the padawans and convince them to end the romance on their own. 200 LS points. So snitching may be a little noble in SWtor, but their are more noble ways.

 

I'd love if there were more options like this, where you can be light side or dark side in different ways.

 

(Sorry, if that's to much off topic.)

[Luckmann]

It's very bad design.

 

That said, you don't actually NEED any of the Dark Side/Light Side gear.

 

It's perfectly viable to play a completely neutral character, or a character that is only Light Side 1-2 or Dark Side 1-2. You're not functionally gimping yourself by doing so. You're missing out on some minor goodies and early advantages, but it's really no big deal.

[JDTC]

i ended up almost entirely neutral by level 45ish, slight preference to dark side. mostly because the morality does a 180 every other choice and is completely inconsistent and often kinda stupid.

 

sometimes torture is moral, sometimes it is not. sometimes murder is the right thing to do, sometimes it is not. slavery? well thats really on a case-by-case basis!

 

id be perfectly fine with a stat-based morality system is the morality system made any kind of sense.

Edited February 1, 2012 by JDTC

[Master-A]

TL;DR I feel like the way I wanna play my character is going to hurt me in the end, because I won't be Dark Side 4 or Light Side 4. (yes, I have later found out it goes to 5)

 

I'm not really a role player, but I've found it's a lot of fun to get into my character and story. My brothers and friends constantly ask me if I'm going Light or Dark, and I just keep telling them that I'm going to play the game and see where it takes me.

 

My Scoundrel is not afraid to get a little dirty and break the law. Although he is a bit selfish and always looking to make some money, he is a fair negotiator and a man of his word. He's not afraid to kill someone that double crossed him or he feels deserves to die, but will not leave a good man fighting for a good cause hanging out to dry. He'll do what he can to help the innocent, as long as it doesn't take him too far out of his way, but he doesn't take well to whiners and beggars. He thinks that if a women wants to get tangled up in a mans world, she'll get dealt with like a man; he doesn't take well to a girl flirting her way to his credits. He's loyal to his friends and will always get the last laugh against his enemies.

 

The problem is, my character has been forced into a neutral to slightly dark side... Which I am fine with. I'm just afraid that at max level this will be a big inconvenience when it comes to maximizing my attributes and power. I have found that a lot of choices aren't necessarily dark or light, yet they still give the points. A lot of times I find my self saying, "How the heck does that give light side points", or vice versa. Many times I feel like dark side choices are the "Right" thing to do.

 

Honestly I really hate the outlook that "You're doing it wrong" -> "You should only pick all light side or all dark side choices like me!" That's dumb, and that's boring. At that point your not playing the story, your maxing your points. Unless of course you are playing the most noble or most evil character ever... Then maybe it could make sense.

 

Anyways, please share your thoughts.

 

What I understand is that u are going to end up at darkside 1-2 in the end and thats fine. What is it with the other gears that all want so much. They are just like any other gear, some of them is looking good others looking like crap.

Edited February 1, 2012 by Master-A