Starting up a new game can sometimes be difficult, especially if the genre in one in which players may not have a high degree of familiarity with. I myself will admit to not being the world’s greatest MMORPG aficionado, any many aspects of the game I’m still learning the ropes of, even with a few weeks worth of game time behind me in Star Wars: The Old Republic. In what is being hailed as one of the best MMO’s ever conceived, here are my Top 10 tips for players wanting to jump into life in a galaxy far far away.

TOP 10 TIPS FOR STARTING STAR WARS: THE OLD REPUBLIC

1 ) Share your buffs and abilities with others.

When starting up Star Wars: The Old Republic, every character will have a stat improving ability, such as the Sith Warrior’s ‘Unnatural Might’. These buffs are targeted abilities and will work on not only the player but also other players nearby. Sharing these buffs with others often results in said others sharing with you in kind. These passive stat boosts last for an hour, so you should get some good use out of them. They also stack, which means anyone able to stack up 4 different buffs is at a real advantage in combat.

2 ) Pay close attention to your health and that of your enemies.

Your health will rapidly disappear in certain combat situations. Some stock enemies may be underestimated in groups. Keep a close tab on not only your health, but also the health of your party. Especially if you’re the team’s healer. Comparing the rate at which your health falls against that of your opponents will eventually become second nature, but for those starting out, don’t underestimate the value of self healing before entering your next skirmish.

3 ) Don’t feel restricted in light or dark side actions.

Ah, the moral choice system. A keystone of Bioware games. You wouldn’t think there’d be much of a need for this if you ended up selecting a particular Republic or Empire class. That said, players shouldn’t feel restricted in choosing particular light and dark side responses in conversations and action instances simply on the basis of their allegiance. Sith Inquisitors can be holy champions of light, while a Jedi Knight could be a total pile of bantha poodoo. The dark side oriented classes can make good decisions, and light side oriented ones can make evil ones. These decisions will uniquely change the flow of your personal game and grant players access to some very unique light or dark side oriented items.

4 ) Start up with a friend.

This is a no-brainer really. Starting up a new MMORPG with a friend to help you learn the ropes can be a huge asset. They can teach you tricks and give you tips that others may not be able to. They might also be willing to buy or craft you some nice starting gear for your character. And it will save the amount of time you’ll spend under the L4G banner. There will be missions that players will come across that require a party to complete. Having a friend to go through them with will help keep you alive.

5 ) Dying in-game is not a big deal.

Unlike other MMORPG’s, the game does not punish player’s too severely for dying in the heat of battle. There is no monetary or experience penalty that comes along with death, just slightly damaged equipment. If this occurs, head to a store ASAP and have your gear repaired while the damage is still light. So if you slightly underestimate an opponent or accidently walk off a cliff, the respawn is not big deal.

6 ) Make sure the advanced class you choose at level 10 is the one you want.

At level 10, players will have the option to choose one of two advanced classes for their character. Consult with friends who play the game to help work out exactly which role you want to take. Player’s soloing the game should still take a moment of consideration to look at the pros and cons of each advanced class. For example, becoming the heavy defence class may grant you the perk of heavy armour, but it will restrict your damage dealing ability to one hand weapons. Make sure the class you pick is the right one to fit your play style, because you cant take it back!

7 ) Use the Galactic Market Auction House.

Once players are able to hit their first capital city planet, they should take a look at the Galactic Trading Vendors to find some really rare and powerful gear. Now bear in mind lots of people will post up unfair deals and prices, but others will be quite reasonable with their pricing. This is a tip for players wanting to sell any unique gear they find too. For example, if you find a rare belt that you want to sell, but the in-game vendors only offer you 200 credits, but costs 1000 credits to buy. Players should sell the belt for perhaps 500 or 600 credits. You’ll make a better profit, and the purchaser will make a big saving. Transactions should be win-win for both buyer and seller. So don’t get greedy.

8 ) Don’t be afraid to enter a Warzone.

Even if you are a simple level 10 Smuggler, there’s nothing to say that you can’t hold your ground against a level 50 Sith Warrior in a PvP warzone. In Warzone matches, health and abilities are more or less scaled to even out the playing field for the entrants’, regardless of level or experience. That said, because they have a greater range of abilities and stronger versions of basic abilities, players at higher levels will be at an advantage. Still, don’t be dissuaded from joining a warzone simply because of the PvP aspect. It’s a great way to earn some fast cash and experience. Just hope your team is a capable one.

9 ) Crew crafting abilities can always be changed.

After reaching a central hub area, players will have the opportunity to teach their crew members material gathering and crafting skills. These skills will become very useful to the player in being able to craft their own items such as weapons, armour, modifications, health packs and other varieties of useful items. That said, players should feel free to swap and change their crew’s crafting abilities if the need for another craft arises. Unlike selecting the player’s advanced class, these crew abilities are not set in stone.

10 ) Logout in a Rest Area

Do you like receiving DOULBE experience points? Yeah, that’s what I thought. By logging out in a rest zone, such as a cantina or the player’s home ship, players will earn their character a ‘rested’ state. This basically means that for a certain threshold of Experience points, players will receive DOUBLE experience points in combat. A nice little bonus for choosing your logout area wisely.