MMO stuff

GENERAL

Always remember on new characters to open up your options and set them the way you like them. Pay special attention to the UI options that give you choices for your middle bottom, left and right vertical quickbars; as well as the placement of your companions skills in this setup. I move my companion skills to the left since I have never used a left side toolbar in any MMO effectively. Also take a good look at social options, specifically the "Allow same class story instances" option. This will allow other players who are the same class as you to group up and do your class story instances.
In Warzone PVP, remember at the end of the match to vote for who you feel is the MVP of the match in your faction. MVP votes add extra warzone commendations! I found that many people left votes unused, which are just wasted PVP commendations.
Space Combat & PVP Warzones in tandem can generate large amounts of XP and credits.
When you are starting a new character, reach around level 2. At this point, if you know how to reach it, head for your starter world's shuttle to the Republic or Imperial Fleet. Once there, talk to all 14 crafting trainers. You don't have to take your three crafting skills yet, but it would be wise to take at least one and talk to the trainer, after picking up the crafter tutorial in front of the starter planet arrivals elevator on your spacedock. Talking to all 14 trainers and taking one skill and talking to the trainer that gave you that skill again to complete your crafting tutorial mission will net you 14x250 experience plus around another 1k experience from the tutorial. If you come in at level 2, you'll leave at level 4.5 without barely batting an eyelash.
(Note: Scavenging might be usable on a starter world like Hoth that has a large robot MOB population)
Datacrons, make sure you check the Datacron's Post for locations of each Datacron for the different planets. At least 3 can be found on each different world.
@ level 10 you can start doing the Warzone PvP events. Then as you aquire accommodations buy the top level PvP box and sell it back to the PvP vendor for credits (30 accommodations = 1200 credits). Do to a bug with the Buy Back system (counts items in buy back towards unique loot limits) it will only allow you to do this once unless you clear your Buy Back items list by selling 9 items to the vendor and buying them back. This has been patched and you can no longer sell PVP items for credits.

SNIPERS

Here is a pretty informative post on how to spec out a sniper: Snipers of the Old Republic

Datacrons
Datacrons are small cubes hidden throughout the universe of SWTOR. They either give boosts to a single stat or they give you a matrix shard. Each type of datacron has a specific color:

Strength: Red
Endurance: Green
Willpower: Purple
Cunning: Orange
Aim: White
Presence: Yellow
Shards: Also White (but instead of there being a symbol on the side of the cube these have a pattern of dots that form a cross on each side of the cube. There are 4 different colors of shards: Red, Yellow, Green, and Blue. These shards can be used to make Matrix cubes which will be talked about later.

The datacrons also glow and emit a pillar of colored light into the sky making them more visible if they are in the open. They also make a sound that you can hear when you are in the close vicinity of a datacron.

Locations by Planet:
There are a total of 66 Datacrons in the SWTOR universe. Here are their locations by planet.

GH = Galactic Histories

These two sites have complete lists of all the Datacrons, what they do, location and a video of how to find them. The first has the added feature of an in game map with the datacron locations marked for reference:

Star Wars: The Old Republic Game Guide - Datacrons

SWTOR Strategies: Complete Datacron Location List

Hutta {Empire}
Aim +2 (GH 1: The Architects) [X:-95 Y:22 Z:861] [X:-95 Y:861 Z:21]
Down by the Fa'athra Mining droids, south of the Evocii camp, and just past the hostile evocii village. As you enter the area you will be in a swamp there will be a large pipe on an angle on a hill to the left just past the entrance to the swamp, walk up the pipe, when you get off of the pipe you will see a small path off to the right that you have to jump down to, drop down there and just follow the path and it should lead you right up to it.

Presence +2 (GH 2: Ancient Civilizations) [X:654 Y:13]
The Datacron is on an island, but in order to get there you need to start at [X:503 Y:14]. Where the pipe meets the shore then take the pipe to the island but be careful because the pipes make an 'L' shape and you need to jump from one pipe to the other.

Blue Matrix Shard (GH 3: The Battalions of Zhell) [X:-10 Y:-12 Z:324*]
This datacron can be seen when you first enter the Sewer Maintenance Tunnels [X:-19 Y:219]. It's behind a wall that requires you to go all the way around to get to it. There is an champion android nearby that drops low level blue quality gear as well.

Coruscant {Republic}
Endurance +2 (GH 4: King Adas) [X: -3626 Y:149] - video 1
Black Sun Terriroty of Coruscant. Requires a lot of jumping to get on top of obstructions and across pipes to get to the final location.

Cunning +2 (GH 5: Rise of the Infinite Empire) [X:1022 Y:3969]
Justicar Territory Coruscant. Start at [X:1034 Y:3982] jumping on boxes to pipes and such till you make it to the platform it is on.

Yellow Shard (GH 6: The Infinite Empire Collapses)
Strength +4 (GH 7: The First Spaceflights)
Presence +4 (GH 8: Hyperspace Cannons)

Tython {Republic}
Endurance +4 (GH 9)
Willpower +4 (GH 10)
Blue Shard (GH 11)

Ord Mantell {Republic}
Aim +4 (GH12)
Presence +4 (GH 13)
Red Shard (GH 14)

Korriban {Empire}
Endurance +2 (GH 15: Mandalore) [X:153 Y:81 Z:5] - screenshot 1

On the shuttle to leave Korriban, if you're looking north, there's a metal platform. Go there and turn your camera to look to the south. On your left you will see the Datacron. Play it safe and don't jump. You can get there by walking since there's enough ground to walk on.

Willpower +2 (GH 16: The Alsakan Conflicts) [X:529 Y:65 Z:-162] - screenshot 1 - video 1
If you look at your map of Korriban and locate "Lower Wilds" it's at the end of the trail leading to the east on the cliffs overlooking the road you took from the Lower Wilds Taxi towards the Field Research Area

Red Matrix Shard (GH 17: The Duinuogwuin Contention) [X:-54 Y:378 Z:-12] - screenshot 1 - video 1
Tomb of Tulak Hord in the area "outside" the crypts called The Ruined Atrium (the area where you do the group quests "Hate Machine" and "Armed and Dangerous" in the area furthest away from the entrance to the "Atrium."

Dromund Kaas {Empire}
Yellow Matrix Shard (GH 18: The Hutt Cataclysms) [X:-187 Y:1737 Z:-110] - video 1
In the heroic area malignant bog on Dromund Kaas. Visible on top of a waterfall, when looking at the waterfall there will be a path off to the left, follow this path and once u get into the opening area, turn to the right to see the waterfall

Strength +2 (GH 19: The Pius Dea Crusades) [X:-187 Y:1737 Z:-110] - video 1
It's in the South Hanger on the planet Dromund Kaas Docking Bay D-61. The docking bay is the very south of the spaceport by the B-04 Elevator. It's in the middle of the left side of the Docking Bay map. It's on a huge crate and took me a while to figure out how to get up there. If you go up the ramp just north of the crate at top around the first corner there is a gap and below you can see rails that can take you just above the crate. Look up above the crate and get a feel for where the rails start at so you can figure out where to jump down. And don't just walk off the rail, you need to jump cause you'll get fall to the ground in front of the crate.

Endurance +2 (GH 20: Chancellor Blotus) [X:--789 Y:1452]
To get there: When entering Lord Grathan's Estate from the Northeast, follow the wall to your right.You will see a path and just follow that. The coords for the path [X:-699 Y:1528]

Presence +2 (GH 21)

Cunning +2 (GH 22)

Taris {Republic}
Aim +4 (GH 23)
Cunning +4 (GH 24)
Green Shard (GH 25)
Strength +4 (GH 26)
Willpower +4 (GH 27)

Balmorra {Empire}
Aim +4 (GH 28)
Cunning +4 (GH 29)
Green Shard (GH 30)
Strength +4 (GH 31)
Willpower +4 (GH 32)

Nar Shaddaa
Aim +6 (GH 33)
Cunning +6 (GH 34)
Presence +6 (GH 35)
Yellow Shard (GH 36)
Strength +6 (GH 37)

Tatooine
Aim +6 (GH 38)
Cunning +6 (GH 39)
Blue Shard (GH 40)
Strength +6 (GH 41)
Willpower +6 (GH 42)

Alderaan
Aim +10 (GH 43)
Endurance +6 (GH 44)
Presence +6 (GH 45)
Strength +10 (GH 46)
Willpower +6 (GH 47)

Taris {Empire}
Endurance +6 (GH 48)
Aim +10 (GH 49)
Willpower +10 (GH 50)
Presence +10 (GH 51)
Cunning +10 (GH 52)

Balmorra {Republic}
Endurance +6 (GH 53)
Aim +10 (GH 54)
Willpower +10 (GH 55)
Presence +10 (GH 56)
Cunning +10 (GH 57)

Quesh
Cunning +10 (GH 58)
Endurance +10 (GH 59)
Strength +10 (GH 60)

Hoth
Cunning +10 (GH 63)
Endurance +10 (GH 64)
Presence +10 (GH 65)
Red Shard (GH 66)
Strength +10 (GH 67?) (Still haven’t found this one)

Belsavis
Aim +10 (GH 68)
Endurance +10 (GH 69)
Presence +10 (GH 70)
Green Shard (GH 71)
Willpower +10 (GH 72)

Voss
Endurance +10 (GH 73) (Currently bugged for Imperial players)
Cunning +10 (GH 74)
Presence +10 (GH 75)
Strength +10 (GH 76)
Willpower +10 (GH 77)

Corellia
Green Shard (GH 61)
Blue Shard (GH 62)
Aim +10 (GH 78)
Willpower +10 (GH 79)
Presence +10 (GH 80)
Cunning +10 (GH 81)
Strength +10 (GH 82)

Ilum
Aim +10 (GH 83?, currently doesn’t give a galactic history codex entry)
Endurance +10 (GH 84)
Red Shard (GH 85)
Yellow Shard (GH 86)
Willpower +10 (GH 87)

So if you add all these up you’ll see that there are 9 datacrons for each stat: +4(2), +6(2), +10(5), giving you a total of +70 to each stat if you collect all the stat datacrons. You’ll also notice that there are 3 shards of each color, making up the other 12 datacrons for a total of 66. I think this is a pretty nice stat increase for the work put in, not to mention the Matrix Cubes you can make with the shard datacrons. Speaking of Matrix Cubes…

Matrix Cubes (Relics)
Matrix Cubes can be created on your faction’s capital planet. On Dromund Kaas they’re created in the Ancient assembly chamber that is on the way to the Dark Temple. On Coruscant they’re created in the Lost Assembly Vault which is directly to the West when you enter the Jedi Temple. Each character has 3 relic slots, however if you have a matrix cube on you, you cannot make another. But if you put your matrix cube in your cargo hold and return to the assembly room you can make another matrix cube. If you keep repeating the process you can make up to 4 and then equip 3 of them. I’m not sure if this is intended or a bug. I’m hoping that at release there will be other kinds of relics besides matrix cubes.
Different matrix cubes can be made depending on which color shards you put in the assembler and if you’re a force user or tech user. It doesn’t matter which order you put the shards in. The order the colors are listed in below is the way the game currently names the matrix cubes.
After creation matrix cubes can be broken back down into their respective matrix shards in the disassembler which is in the same area as the assembler. In order to power it you have to buy a Reconstructed Disassembler Core from a vendor on Tatooine in Mos Isla or Anchorhead depending on your faction. The Reconstructed Disassembler Core currently costs 20k.

Matrix Cubes
R = Red
Y = Yellow
G = Green
B = Blue

Lvl 15 (T2)
RBY: 11 Str, 15 End
BYG: 8 Str, 18 End
RBG: 15 Aim, 11 End
RYG: 15 End, 11 Will

Lvl 24 (T3)
RYY: 23 Str, 16 End, 5 Crit
BYY: 11 Aim, 24 End, 9 Def
GYY: 22 End, 17 Cun, 6 Crit
RBB: 16 End, 23 Will, 5 Crit
YBB: 11 Str, 24 End, 9 Def
GBB: 17 Aim, 22 End, 6 Crit

Lvl 32 (T4)
YRR: 14 Str, 33 End, 8 Acc, 10 Def
BRR: 22 End, 29 Will, 14 Crit
GRR: 23 Aim, 26 End, 16 Pow
RGG: 26 End, 23 Cun, 16 Crit
YGG: Bugged, gives YRR
BGG: 14 Aim, 33 End, 8 Shield, 10 Def

Lvl 50 (T7)
Force Users
YYY: 24 Str, 62 End, 26 Def, 24 Surge
GGG: 50 Str, 43 End, 18 Crit, 26 Surge
RRR: 50 Will, 43 End, 18 Crit, 26 Surge
BBB: 50 Aim, 43 End, 26 Acc, 18 Crit (Possibly bugged since force users have no use for Aim)

Tech Users
YYY: 24 Aim, 62 End, 24 Acc, 26 Def
GGG: 50 Str, 43 End, 18 Crit, 26 Surge (Also possibly bugged)
RRR: 52 End, 43 Cun, 18 Crit, 24 Surge
BBB: 50 Aim, 43 End, 26 Acc, 18 Crit

Currently you can find Matrix Prisms, Matrix emitters, and Matrix amplifiers that say they can be used to alter matrix cubes when they are being created. They can be found through archeology (not sure about other gathering skills). Currently there is no use for them in game. I imagine they will be used to make T5, T6, and T8 matrix cubes. Hopefully their uses will be more interesting than just boosting stats though.

Datacron Hunting tips:
Explore, explore, explore. Some datacrons are out in the open and easy to see but there are plenty that aren’t. There are even some that you can’t see until you’re already in a position that allows you to gain access to them.
If you see a vendor in the middle of nowhere selling only blue items or a vendor selling strange items anywhere, you’ll probably need those at some point.
When looking for a path to a datacron be prepared to travel a significant distance from the datacron to find the beginning of the path. They aren’t all like this, but there is one planet in particular that is notorious for this.
Hunt in groups, the more eyes the better.
Keep your ears open, most of the time I could hear the datacrons before I saw them. Also helps if you turn down the volume on everything except ambient sound.
Datacrons are never in phases, if you’re in one don’t bother looking.
If the minimap turns black where you are, there most likely aren’t any datacrons there because you’ve most likely gotten to a place you’re not supposed to be lol.

MMO stuff

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Thursday, December 1, 2011

SWTOR: Hints & Tips

Friday, November 25, 2011

SWTOR: Datacrons & Matrix Cubs

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

SWTOR: Early Access Program Revealed

Monday, November 7, 2011

SWTOR: Pre-Order Info

Sunday, November 6, 2011

2 Boxing Software

Saturday, October 22, 2011

RIFT: Rogue Builds

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