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  1. #1
    The Lightbringer WarpedAcorn's Avatar
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    Smuggler Storyline: First Impressions

    My expectations are low for the Smuggler storyline, as I keep reading it is pretty drab. If it weren't for being my last class storyline, I would probably avoid it honestly. That being said, I cracked open a fresh Mountain Dew and set off this past weekend to begin my career a sexy snarky smuggling 'slinger.

    My first impression of the storyline is that its relatively boring. I was ready to hang up my spurs at the end of Coruscant when I get my ship back. Temptations of treasure is all well and good, but I've never been able to really get behind a treasure hunting adventure without some sort of motivation. Do you need money to aid an orphanage, pay back a huge debt, buy information, hire bounty hunter, ect...Basically, some sort of personal stake other than, "MONEY$ is all I needs!". That is, ultimately, boring and uninteresting to me. Suffice to say, that seems to be what the storyline here is thus far.

    Having only completed up through Taris, I'm also struck by the way the story is disjointed with planet stories. For instance, on Taris, I am harassed by a customs agent. However, seeing as how I've done some crazy work for the Republic's Rakghoul problem and made buddies with the governor, I really don't see how I can be viewed as a person of "questionable integrity". In fact, it makes absolutely no sense why a Smuggler would be helping on any planetary quests. Jedies and Troopers make sense, but Smugglers don't. Now...were the class renamed "Republic SIS Agent", then I wouldn't complain. Even the Bounty Hunter made more sense since it is essentially a Mercenary.

    All in all, I have a feeling this is going to be a LONG storyline. I'm gonna need more soda for this one. ^_^

  2. #2
    I think you're reading the whole issue wrong...

    First, you existed before your story started. You were already a smuggler. You didn't start your "profession" then and there. It is easy to assume you were of questionable integrity before. And trust me. In this story, if you WANT to be of questionable integrity, you really really can!!

    Second, you're allowed to, if that is how you imagine your char, refuse quests. Making sense of the story the way it fits your imagination of your char is possible. It all depends on how YOU imagine it

    Third, not wanting to spoil anything, I believe republic smuggler light side is #3 or #4 overall (can't quite decide), and trust me, I've seen (at least partially) more than half class-faction-alignment storylines by now

  3. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by WarpedAcorn View Post
    All in all, I have a feeling this is going to be a LONG storyline. I'm gonna need more soda for this one. ^_^
    Chapter 2 will make you break your keyboard.

    "WHAT IS MY MOTIVATION. WHY IS MY CHARACTER SO STUPID. THIS IS IMPLAUSIBLE"
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  4. #4
    I really liked the Smuggler story. I recognize that it can be hard to get into if you've played everything else out first, all of the other classes are out killing major people, shaping the fate of the galaxy and you're out trying to recover your ship and then embarking on a treasure hunt. But I kind of liked that contrast, you're a smuggler, you're out for yourself and at this point its not your job to go chasing after Sith Lords or risking your neck. You'll remember that Han Solo didn't exactly jump into the Rebellion with both feet at first.

    Just try to play the story out without all of the other class stories in mind. You got dealt a crap hand and you're trying to recover what's yours, and once you do you stick it to the jerk Skavik by beating him to the treasure he found. And once your character gains a certain level of infamy you'll get new business opportunities, either to become what is essentially a Republic SIS agent or the lord of the underworld. And along the way you've got fun characters to meet, funny quips and one liners to deliver, and a string of conquests in every spaceport. As for money being your only motivation, yes, that is a lot of it. War is a very profitable business if you know how to take advantage of it. What you do with that money is up to you, I like to think that my smuggler knows its a dangerous business and he's trying to put enough money away so that he will be set up and ready to retire comfortably by the war's end. Maybe you're the mercenary for hire with a heart of gold and you do decide to donate it to charity or reconstruction. Maybe you decide to fund your own criminal empire once you're through. Its really up to you to decide. But I will grant you that the Smuggler story is not as important as some other classes in the grand scheme of things. Without spoiling too much I will say that your actions have a large impact on the battle for Corellia and causing some damage to the Empire's fleet, but its a lot of behind the scenes work.

  5. #5
    The Lightbringer WarpedAcorn's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by hk-51 View Post
    Chapter 2 will make you break your keyboard.

    "WHAT IS MY MOTIVATION. WHY IS MY CHARACTER SO STUPID. THIS IS IMPLAUSIBLE"
    =(


    Looks like there is a new contender for worst SWTOR storyline. Don't get too comfortable Bounty Hunter. ~_^

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by WarpedAcorn View Post
    =(


    Looks like there is a new contender for worst SWTOR storyline. Don't get too comfortable Bounty Hunter. ~_^
    We've taken some polls here on MMO Champion, and Smuggler always seems to be 4th most popular after Imperial Agent, Jedi Knight and Sith Warrior.

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by Aundas View Post
    We've taken some polls here on MMO Champion, and Smuggler always seems to be 4th most popular after Imperial Agent, Jedi Knight and Sith Warrior.
    Okay, in all of chapter 2, for some reason... This didn't happen

    The butcher, in one of your many convos, could have simply said "hey, your working for traitors". Literally, 5 words. But no. He always was talking random crap. When you finally beat the crap out of him he is like "you are working for the empire" and its like... You could have said that 10-12 levels ago in one of the 20 chats we've had. So stupid. He could have texted you or something "hi, u r werkin 4 teh empire". Its just so... FUUUUUUU...
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  8. #8
    I liked the first chapter of the smuggler story line. It was the only one where you had freedom, where you had personal stakes.

    For me it was far more about beatng that scum skavak then getting the treasure. The treasure though is exactly what I expected from the smuggler story. You walk around the fringes of the republic without thier ruling and go for a personal selfish goal.

    The second part of the smuggler story is dreadful though. I stopped feeling like a smuggler at all. Near the end of the 3rd chapter you finally get some personal stake in the story again but by that time I already felt my freedom squashed by the republic.

    It's really how you view it. Smuggler dosn't seem to have a strong purpose but thats pretty much what you would expect from a smuggler they do what they want but it hardly leads to epic things.

    I personally felt other stories like Consular and Inquisitor far too cliche and predictable making them very boring. At least with smuggler you get to meet underworld people flirt with a lady on almost every planet, get a cool looking (albeit boring) wookiee.

    Probably after seeing all the epic intense stories like Jedi Knight and, from what i've heard, imperial agent Smuggler might seem like less. He is kinda the oddball but There is a finess/quirky charm to his story.

  9. #9
    The Lightbringer WarpedAcorn's Avatar
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    One of the things I was thinking about was how disconnected the Smuggler storyline is with Galactic Events (at least at the beginning). There is basically a HUGE cold war that is on the brink of going hot. In my opinion the Smuggler's storyline should have started with at least a partial investment in Galactic politics, possibly starting off as a purely "for profit" sort of thing and maybe getting more personal over the course of the story. Every planet's story is based on the Republic vs. Sith struggle, and the tense standoff. There needs to be a reason why the Smuggler is fighting.

    Its touched on briefly on Ord Mantell by delivering Blasters, even though its never explicitly stated those Blasters are for the Republic. Were it me, I would go a different way to have a more interesting story that holds onto the Smuggler aspect while also directly allying the Smuggler with the Republic. By that, I would have introduced the Smuggler as under a retainer by the Republic to delivery weapons/supplies to Pro-Republic forces on various planets so that the Republic is not directly assisting native citizens in resisting the Empire. This could move on to escorting a diplomat similar to the one from The Esseles Flashpoint who would be smuggled into combat zones to negotiate truces and alliances with people under Imperial control. This story would still allow the Smuggler to be out for himself and make a profit, but it also directs him along the path of being concerned about the war effort.

    But alas...I'm searching for a lost stash of space bucks/cartel coins or something, and currently meandering around Nar Shadda fighting PETA. -_-

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by WarpedAcorn View Post
    =(


    Looks like there is a new contender for worst SWTOR storyline. Don't get too comfortable Bounty Hunter. ~_^
    I liked the BH story, also, near the end how you and ALL your companions work together in some cut scenes is awesome. Wish more story lines had ALL your companions in it.

    I'm doing the Jedi Knight story now, its not too bad. I was doing the Smuggler one, just finished up Coruscant. I felt the same way. lol.

    I liked the Sith Inq story.

  11. #11
    The Lightbringer WarpedAcorn's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ariakul View Post
    I liked the BH story, also, near the end how you and ALL your companions work together in some cut scenes is awesome. Wish more story lines had ALL your companions in it.
    Trooper has that as well as Jedi Knight. I can't recall any others off the top of my head. But yeah, they are pretty cool.

  12. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by WarpedAcorn View Post
    Trooper has that as well as Jedi Knight. I can't recall any others off the top of my head. But yeah, they are pretty cool.
    Cool!

    I was slamming my head with the Smuggler thinking "how stupid are you!!!!!!" the whole time. lol.

  13. #13
    Yeah the smuggler and the bounty hunters story are my least favorite in the game. At least with the bounty hunter you get some interesting companions. I haven't found an interesting one with the smuggler yet.

  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by Doozerjun View Post
    Yeah the smuggler and the bounty hunters story are my least favorite in the game. At least with the bounty hunter you get some interesting companions. I haven't found an interesting one with the smuggler yet.
    Risha has a pretty interesting story, and Guss makes me laugh. Unfortunately you are stuck with Corso and Bowdaar for a long, long time and neither have much in the way of personality.

  15. #15
    One of the things I was thinking about was how disconnected the Smuggler storyline is with Galactic Events (at least at the beginning). There is basically a HUGE cold war that is on the brink of going hot. In my opinion the Smuggler's storyline should have started with at least a partial investment in Galactic politics, possibly starting off as a purely "for profit" sort of thing and maybe getting more personal over the course of the story. Every planet's story is based on the Republic vs. Sith struggle, and the tense standoff. There needs to be a reason why the Smuggler is fighting.

    Its touched on briefly on Ord Mantell by delivering Blasters, even though its never explicitly stated those Blasters are for the Republic. Were it me, I would go a different way to have a more interesting story that holds onto the Smuggler aspect while also directly allying the Smuggler with the Republic. By that, I would have introduced the Smuggler as under a retainer by the Republic to delivery weapons/supplies to Pro-Republic forces on various planets so that the Republic is not directly assisting native citizens in resisting the Empire. This could move on to escorting a diplomat similar to the one from The Esseles Flashpoint who would be smuggled into combat zones to negotiate truces and alliances with people under Imperial control. This story would still allow the Smuggler to be out for himself and make a profit, but it also directs him along the path of being concerned about the war effort.

    But alas...I'm searching for a lost stash of space bucks/cartel coins or something, and currently meandering around Nar Shadda fighting PETA. -_-
    Without giving too much away things do eventually play out the way you described. Act 1 isn't strictly about "space bucks", it's about developing your reputation. Nok Drayen's and Nok himself are famous enough to be mentioned in other stories in game, by finding it you put yourself squarely on the Republic's radar leading directly into Act 2 where you begin taking a more active role in Galactic events. You can still make an argument that this should happen quicker and I can't really argue with that, but to me that was one of the things I loved about Act 1 of the Smuggler story. Instead of being centered around war and conflict like other Republic stories its more like a personal quest for glory that leads to more than you originally bargained for. As a comparison I'd say it's more like Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom than a Star Wars story, but to me that wasn't a bad thing.

    Quote Originally Posted by hk-51 View Post
    Okay, in all of chapter 2, for some reason... This didn't happen

    The butcher, in one of your many convos, could have simply said "hey, your working for traitors". Literally, 5 words. But no. He always was talking random crap. When you finally beat the crap out of him he is like "you are working for the empire" and its like... You could have said that 10-12 levels ago in one of the 20 chats we've had. So stupid. He could have texted you or something "hi, u r werkin 4 teh empire". Its just so... FUUUUUUU...
    If my memory serves correctly you have all of one conversation with Rogun himself at the beginning of act 2 (at which point you haven't worked for anyone but yourself really) before you meet him again in Act 3. He doesn't tell you you're working for traitors because he thinks you ARE a traitor. Also why would he go out of his way to contact you personally when he knows you're trying to destroy him and his criminal empire? Wouldn't that risk exposing his location?

    Yeah the smuggler and the bounty hunters story are my least favorite in the game. At least with the bounty hunter you get some interesting companions. I haven't found an interesting one with the smuggler yet.
    I'd venture a guess you haven't gotten Gus yet. He's without a doubt the most entertaining companion I've come across yet (and I've played through quite a lot of the class stories).

  16. #16
    Quote Originally Posted by callmeswarly View Post
    If my memory serves correctly you have all of one conversation with Rogun himself at the beginning of act 2 (at which point you haven't worked for anyone but yourself really) before you meet him again in Act 3. He doesn't tell you you're working for traitors because he thinks you ARE a traitor. Also why would he go out of his way to contact you personally when he knows you're trying to destroy him and his criminal empire? Wouldn't that risk exposing his location?

    As to the risk of exposure. You receive about 20 messages in the 8 story lines from untraceable sources via both holocom and mail. He could have easily sent you a text.

    Second, in my conversation (must have picked different options then you) he was very forward about the fact I was being played.
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  17. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by Aundas View Post
    Risha has a pretty interesting story, and Guss makes me laugh. Unfortunately you are stuck with Corso and Bowdaar for a long, long time and neither have much in the way of personality.
    I found Corso to be a loyal good buddy. Guss' "hilarity" ran out on me pretty fast.

    ---------- Post added 2013-01-04 at 08:47 PM ----------

    I'll say it again Chapter 1 was my favorite part of the smuggler storyline. In fact it's one of my favorite chapters in the game.

    I dunno why everyone thinks every class needs to be directly and intensely connected to all galactic affairs.

    It's nice to be looking out for yourself, to have a selfish goal. You don't have to play Yes man to everyone (in chapter 1) or be a complete asshole for no reason. You make your own decisions.

    Han Solo had an interesting life before he joined the rebel fight (and after he left the empire). You are playing a smuggler in that situation.

    The Jedi Knight is so intertwined with the galactic story that it makes other ones look completely distant but still many peiple prefer those lesser involved stories. Why is smuggler so different?
    Last edited by Argroth; 2013-01-04 at 08:47 PM.

  18. #18
    Quote Originally Posted by hk-51 View Post

    As to the risk of exposure. You receive about 20 messages in the 8 story lines from untraceable sources via both holocom and mail. He could have easily sent you a text.

    Second, in my conversation (must have picked different options then you) he was very forward about the fact I was being played.
    Think you missed my point. Go back and watch a video of the conversation...

    Rogun doesn't think you're being played at all, he thinks you're complicate with Dodonna and Darmas working for the Voidwolf. Why would he go out of his way to tell you you're a traitor? He is forward, he tells you right away when you meet him in Act 3 that you're a traitor and he plans to expose you.

  19. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by callmeswarly View Post
    I'd venture a guess you haven't gotten Gus yet. He's without a doubt the most entertaining companion I've come across yet (and I've played through quite a lot of the class stories).
    Yeah, I've just started Hoth with my smuggler.

  20. #20
    The Lightbringer WarpedAcorn's Avatar
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    Ugh. Talk about a lack of motivation here. I haven't touched my Smuggler in weeks. In the mean time I've played Spec Ops: The Line, KOTOR 1 (nostalgia fix), and leveled a Jedi Guardian (2nd Jedi Knight) to 37. And on top of that, I'm thinking about doing another playthrough of the Sith Warrior storyline. I gotta say, the Smuggler storyline has failed to grab me even in the slightest. =(

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