The Grand Acquisitions Race World Event walkthrough

Guides are popping up all over the place so I thought I would send you some links!

 First off lets look at darthhater's guide: here.   The Darthhater guide at this time is Sith focused but..Please note that this guide will be continually updated as more information emerges and becomes ready for publication. Images will be added as they are available. If you see something we missed, feel free to chime in and add your thoughts in the comments section. If we use something you mention, we'll give you credit in the post.

Next up IWipe posted this in the forums: here 

Hey everyone, with all the buzz and hints from Bioware, I am sure alot of you are aware that there is a world event going on right now. If you are just jumping into it, you might find the whole event a bit overwhelming. I stayed up a bit late to do the world event and have a walkthrough here for those just starting or those stuck on some particular quests.

Lets answer some important questions first!

Where?
Just head to Nar Shadda (don't need to go to the fleet), take speeder from spaceport to Lower Promenade, find that big fat gold hutt statue and the quest giver (it is an object you have to click) is right there.

When?

The world event started on 3AM EST or Midnight PST on August 14.

What level do I need to be to participate?

If you can defeat mobs in Nar Shaddaa, then you are high enough to do this world event. if you are a bit low, then consider grouping up with some people!

How do I get item X?

Getting each item involves a quest. There are 6 quests you can complete right now and 3 that are unavailable at the moment.

Empire

• Shard of Harterra
• Collective writings of Harterra
• Perserved Collocoid Queen Egg
• Fossilized Krayt Dragon Pearl
• Vandrayk’s Tuning Apparatus
• Rakata Eating Utensils
• Akar-Kesh-Medition Mask
• Black-and Orange Sphere
• Plasma-Sealed Jar

Republic

• Shard of Harterra
• Collective writings of Harterra
• Perserved Collocoid Queen Egg
• Fossilized Krayt Dragon Pearl
• Vandrayk’s Tuning Apparatus
• Rakata Eating Utensils
• Akar-Kesh-Medition Mask
• Black-and Orange Sphere
• Plasma-Sealed Jar

What is this thingie I got in the mail?

That is a side quest that give you 40 Tokens of Enrichment upon completion.

The writeup for Empire version - A questionable motive - is up right now and Republic's Dubious motive

Where can i spend those Tokens of Enrichment?

http://dulfy.net/2012/08/13/swtor-li...erage/#rewards

Basically, 6 rilfes (some sniper, some blaster), a 90% mount, a sandpeople outfit (you can see the screenshots inside), a pet

A big thanks to Iwipe for all the links as we get more info we will pass it on!

Chevin World event!

Rumor has it that the Chevin are making their move and that their presence will soon be felt on the Smuggler’s Moon, Nar Shaddaa. The only hint we have is this Imperial News Network clip.

Please help and tell the galaxy that the Chevin will soon be in our midst.


Governing the Chevin homeworld of Vinsoth, the Chevin Conglomerate is a pervasive presence in the galactic underworld, with connections to mercenary groups, Hutts, slavers and other undesirables. However, unlike the Hutts, the businesslike Chevin remain at a distance from the conflict between the Republic and the Sith Empire, as their military might is negligible.

The announcement of their Grand Acquisitions Race brought the Chevin into the spotlight, as they offered unmatched riches and power in return for a number of strange items their own agents had been unable to find.
As fortune-seekers and adventurers across the galaxy sought these curiosities, both the Republic and the Empire became curious about the Chevin Conglomerate’s motives.

Soon the truth was revealed: the items being gathered were intended as a tribute to buy the favor of the Gree, one of the most ancient species in the galaxy. Through their contacts, the Chevin learned that a Gree fleet is returning to known space, bringing not only the normally isolationist aliens but their legendary technology. Although believed to be non-hostile, the Gree discovered hyperspace travel untold ages ago; a single piece of Gree technology is considered an irreplaceable treasure. For centuries, their influence has been felt only through their emissaries. The reason for their fleet’s return is unknown. Until now...

Blizzard giving away free lvl 80's in WoW

Just got this email:

John,XXXXXXX wants you to come back to World of Warcraft® and included this message: " Remember the good times in WoW? I do, so it's time to come back! "

Upon your return you'll receive:

• A FREE upgrade to Cataclysm 

• A single character boosted to level 80

Plus:

• An optional FREE Character Move to your friend's realm/faction (for the boosted character only). 

• Seven Days of FREE Game Time.
You may need to re-install World of Warcraft, which has been made much faster with a new streamlined game client. 

• Download the game client after you accept the invitation. 

• See updated game guides for World of Warcraft. 

For more information on the Scroll of Resurrection of please visit the FAQ.
Enjoy your adventures in Azeroth!
- The World of Warcraft Team

OK thats tempting a free lvl 80? I might log in just to say hi to my old friends and see if my guild is still going

53 hours left in OUYA Kickstarter campaign.

This just in from Julie Uhrman..

Backers,

With 54 hours left in our Kickstarter campaign, this is a note to you and you only. It’s you--more than 50,000 of you around the world--that will get the credit for bringing OUYA to life.

You guys embraced OUYA early and believed it was possible. You didn’t sit on the sidelines. It’s something I will never forget.

Our goal now is to end strong. I realize that we reached our target (and then some!) -- but we also know that to truly enact change it would sure help to max out our Kickstarter.

Each reward of $99, or developer reward in a higher tier, represents an order for a console. All funds beyond that will go toward making OUYA better.

New SWTOR Content Coming

Alongside the announcement of SWTOR going Free to Play in the fall, five new bits of content are coming up. Dates have not been announced yet.

New operation: Terror from Beyond

A raid raid takes us to planet Asation to fight a variety of new bosses and to stop the rise of the "Dread Masters". This operation is one of the things that you will need to be subscribed for to experience. I've been having a lot of fun helping new players complete operations over the past few weeks. Sitting back and experiencing the story backbone of the operation is far more gratifying than blasting through content in an attempt to be first on the server, for me at least.

New warzone: Ancient Hypergate

That new planet, Asation, features here again. With the promise of "new game mechanics" the addition of another warzone is greatly appreciated for anyone who loves PvP. The benefits that Free to Play willbring to PvP are exciting. More players means more time fighting and less time in queues.

New space combat missions

This is a Godsend for anybody who likes space. I find space combat missions to be a great way to make credits ingame. Unfortunately, until now, there have only been a couple of viable missions at level 50. All the lower level missions don't make anywhere near enough credits to bother spending your time on. With 10 new level 50 missions this will no longer be an issue. If you're a Cybertech crafter, start stockpiling ship parts now!

HK-51 Assassin Droid Companion

HK-51 has been hiding in game files since before the game was launched. Players will finally be given the opportunity to participate in an epic story line with this awesome droid as a reward.

Cartel Market and Coins

Although at this time we don't know who is running this Cartel ... is it the Hutts, Bounty Hunters, or do the Jawas have their act together ... but cartel coins will be rewarded to subscribers, for subscribed players, the amount being based on how long you've played for. That's right, if you been a subscriber since launch, you will be paid for every month you subscribed for. Prepare to deck out your toons with some sweet gear.

SWTOR Free to Play This Fall!

With this surprising announcement this morning from EA, the biggest questions are, how will it effect the current subscribers, and why is SWTOR going free to play?

Obviously many people will come to the conclusion that the game must have failed. As an active subscriber, with multiple toons, I can tell you that the population is healthy. Although it's not booming, it's greater than a lot of other MMOs out there. So why go free to play?

The free to play system is what we in sales and marketing refer to as a "puppy dog close". This type of close, as in the end pitch of a sale, is designed for products that a sales rep is confident that the consumer will love once they experience it. And once they have invested time into the game, they'll be more than happy to pull out their credit card and finalize their commitment. Now the free to play system that BioWare are launching for SWTOR gives you full access to the character story line, but only gives you limited access to flashpoints, races, auction houses and other crucial game elements. It also gives you no access to end game operation (raid) content. After you have invested hours with your beloved character, if you want to participate in end game content you will have to subscribe.


After experiencing more than 50% of the class story lines, I can tell you that this is a very strong sales pitch. There is no risk up front for any Star Wars fan to pick up this game. Free to play is going to increase server population and it has the potential to increase profit margins for BioWare. Higher populations means more PvP action and even more people in queues for flashpoints. This provides a greater experience for subscribers. Obviously subscribers will have certain advantages due to access to end game content that the freebies won't, giving them lots of easy kills in PvP - and who doesn't like feeling like a legend?

Rather than trying to cram everything into this one post I will explore the changes that Free to Play will bring to SWTOR over the coming weeks. Here is the official Press Release from EA:

EA Expands Award-Winning MMO Star Wars™: The Old Republic™ with Free-to-Play Option This Fall

New Free-to-Play Option Will Open Up the Critically-Acclaimed MMO from BioWare and LucasArts to Millions of Additional Star Wars™ Fans and Gamers Worldwide

AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

BioWare™, a Label of Electronic Arts (EA), announced today that it will be expanding the story-driven, massively multiplayer online game Star Wars™: The Old Republic™ by adding a new Free-to-Play option this fall. This option will give players access to each of the eight iconic Star Wars character class storylines, all the way up to level 50, with certain restrictions*. Unlimited game access, including new higher-level game content and new features, will be made available through individual purchases or through a subscription option.

“Players want flexibility and choice. The subscription-only model presented a major barrier for a lot of people who wanted to become part of The Old Republic™ universe,” said Matthew Bromberg, GM of BioWare Austin.

Jeff Hickman, Executive Producer of Star Wars: The Old Republic added, “Since launch, we’ve been listening to feedback from our fans and adding new content and refining The Old Republic at a breakneck pace. We believe we are in a position to help improve the service even more, not only by continuing to add new content, but also by expanding the game to many more Star Wars fans, increasing the populations on worlds and the vibrancy of the community.”

Starting this fall, there will be two different ways to play Star Wars: The Old Republic:

Subscription – A service designed for players who want unrestricted access to all the game features via ongoing subscription or by redeeming a Game Time Card. In addition to gaining access to all game content as our current subscribers do now, subscribers will receive ongoing monthly grants of Cartel Coins, the new virtual currency that will be introduced later this fall. Cartel Coins can be used to purchase valuable in-game items including customizable gear and convenience features that will enhance the game play experience.

Free-To-Play – 

The first 50 levels will be Free-to-Play, with restrictions on access to new content and advanced player features. Some restrictions can be “unlocked” with Cartel Coins.

As the first step towards adding the new Free-to-Play option this fall, Star Wars: The Old Republic will go on sale in August for $14.99 USD, including one-month of free subscription.

Current and former players will also find additional benefits as part of this program. BioWare will be increasing the frequency of game content updates, with the first of many new releases coming in August. In addition, current subscribers will receive Cartel Coin grants and qualify for access to special in-game items. Even former players who re-activate now will qualify for special benefits. To learn more about these rewards, please visit www.StarWarstheOldRepublic.com/FREE.

Star Wars: The Old Republic is one of the most critically acclaimed MMOs of all time, having won MSNBC’s “Game of the Year” award in 2011, “Editor’s Choice” awards from IGN, PC Gamer and “Best MMO of 2011” awards from Game Informer, GameSpy, AOL Massively, Ten Ton Hammer and more. The game is set thousands of years before the classic Star Wars movies, with the Galactic Republic and Sith Empire locked in the middle of an epic, galactic war. Players choose one of eight iconic Star Wars character classes, including the Jedi Knight, Jedi Consular, Smuggler, Trooper, Sith Warrior, Sith Inquisitor, Bounty Hunter and Imperial Agent, becoming the hero or villain of their own personal Star Wars saga.

Full List of Companion Gifts

Have you discovered how hard it is to search the GTN for specific companion gifts? This list will help you find what you are looking for! dont knoow what you need? Check out our gift guides for each companion here.

Courting:
Grade 1 - Gold Necklace X X
Grade 2 - Hutt Affection Token X X
Grade 3 - Authentic Tionese Cuisine Coin of Good Fortune X
Grade 4 - Formal Clothing Tashelin Serenading Droid X
Grade 5 - Personalized Holoportrait Zeltron Personal Aroma Set Gree Temporary Mind-Link Device


Cultural Artifacts:Grade 1 - Polished Meteorite X X
Grade 2 - Dubrillion Lizard Egg Hutt Feast Ingredients X
Grade 3 - Primitive Staff X X
Grade 4 - Hutt Banner Alderaanian Noble Heirloom Writings of the First Mystics
Grade 5 - Carved Runestone Signet Ring of Ancient Tion Memoir of the Unification Wars


Imperial Memorabilia:Grade 1 - Imperial History holo X X
Grade 2 - Imperial Battalion Flag Declaration of the Emperor's Will X
Grade 3 - Imperial Military Records Imperial Service Medal Moff's Signet Ring
Grade 4 - Philosophy of the Sith Code Imperial General's Dog Tags Decorative Sith Blade
Grade 5 - Sith Opera Collection Banned Imperial History Document Account of the Discovery of Korriban



Luxury:Grade 1 - Small Gemstone X Killik Silk Linens
Grade 2 - Polished Carapace X X
Grade 3 - Intricate Holosculpture Pre-Republic Platinum Coin X
Grade 4 - Tarul Wine Exquisite Cooking Spices Tionese Hovering Ornament
Grade 5 - Handheld Orrery First Edition Galatic Encyclopedia Intricate Corellian Speeder Model


Military Gear:Grade 1 - Survival Gear X X
Grade 2 - Complete Camping Set Improvised Demolitions Toolkit X
Grade 3 - Homing Device Personalized Thermosuit X
Grade 4 - Armor Maintenance Kit Encrypted Transmitter Multi-Spectrum Target Analyzer
Grade 5 - Premium Field Rations Gourmet Ration Pack Omni-Vision Battlefield Relay


Republic Memorabilia:Grade 1 - Republic History Holo Memento of the Battle of Alderaan X
Grade 2 - Republic Planetary Flag Official Draft of the Treaty of Coruscant List of the Republic's Fallen
Grade 3 - Republic Military Records Republic Service Medal X
Grade 4 - Replica of the Galactic Constitution Republic War Hero's Dog Tags Tyhon Explorer's Writings
Grade 5 - Canister of Coruscanti Soil Republic Senatorial Oath Holorecord of the Republic Founding


Technology:Grade 1 - Holoviewer Czerka Universal Translator Unlimited Access Security Breaker
Grade 2 - Hutt Data Library Miniature Chemical Disassembler Auto-Updating Astrogation Chart
Grade 3 - Droid Diagnostic Kit Kal-Reyon Experimental Implant X
Grade 4 - Expert Slicer's Spike VergeCorps Destablized Power Matrix Ancient Droid Memory Core
Grade 5 - Pinpoint Welding Torch Aratech Reconstruction Toolkit Vial of Gree Nanite Paste


Trophy:Grade 1 - Vrblther Skull Assassin Droid Hand Kilik Hive Queen's Mandible
Grade 2 - Sleen Tail Pantran Whitefang Hide X
Grade 3 - Nexu Claw Sterilized Rakghoul Claw Perfect Krayt Dragon Pearl
Grade 4 - Humanoid Skull Greater Cthon Brain Sith Lord's Mask
Grade 5 - Wraid Plate Galactic Crime Lord's ID Card Splinter of a Rakata Stronghold


Underworld Good:Grade 1 - Underwolrd Rumor Sheet Hutt Space Preemptive Criminal Pardon X
Grade 2 - Hutt Hit List X Experimental SIS Listening Device
Grade 3 - Military Contraband Quesh Venom Sample Honorary Hutt Cartel Membership
Grade 4 - Incriminating Evidence Tionese Privateer Contract Droid Override Device
Grade 5 - Fake Identity Documents Assassin Droid Target History Drayen Hyperspace Smuggling Routes


Weapon:Grade 1 - Ammunition Belt X X
Grade 2 - Padded Weapon Case Military Scope Set X
Grade 3 - Concealable Vibroknife BlasTech Ultralight Trigger X
Grade 4 - Personal Armory Locker Star Core Overloaded Power Cell Emergency Blaster Detonator
Grade 5 - High-Resolution Combat Recorder Energy Blade Bayonet Unique Rakata Grenade


A big thanks to Dakotahorn for starting this list!

If you have any of the missing gift names please post them below so I can update the list. Be sure to give the Rank, Color, Full Name and Category.

C2-N2 and 2V-R8 Companion Guide

2V-R8 or C2-N2 join you when you first get your ship at around level 16. Imperial players get joined by the extremely obedient and loyal 2V-R8 and Republic players get joined by the pompous, pain in the ass C2-N2. Although both of them can be annoying at times, C2-N2 makes C3-P0 seem like an ideal companion. Bioware need to include an off switch on these droids because now that I've been playing with them for 6 months, it's getting to the stage where if C2-N2 implies that I am fat one more time, I'm going to feed him my lightsaber!

>With the introduction of legacy perks, Bioware have given you the ability to purchase equipment for your ship droid that increases their crafting or gathering abilities. To purchase the equipment you'll need to have the legacy perk that gives you a repair/vendor droid on your ship. For 100K each you can purchase the following abilities for your ship droid:




Engineering Droid Sensor: +5 Scavenging Efficiency, +5 Cybertech Critical
Exploration Droid Sensor: +5 Archaeology Efficiency, +5 Synthweaving Critical
Hunter Droid Sensor: +10 Investigation Efficiency, +2 Armstech Critical
Medical Droid Sensor: +10 Biochem Efficiency, +2 Diplomacy Critical
Scout Droid Sensor: +10 Artifice Efficiency, +2 Treasure Hunting Critical
Security Droid Sensor: +10 Armormech Efficiency, +2 Underworld Trading Critical

These abilities come attached on an head slot pieces of armor, allowing you to equip several bonuses on any one droid but not at the same time.



These bonuses are not as valuable if your droid affection level is too low. Below you will find a table listing all their favorite gifts. Using these gifts are the only way to increase affection with your droid.

Gift Preferences for 2V-R8

Love	Cultural Artefact
Favorite	Technology
Like	Imperial Memorabilia Luxury
Indifferent	Weapon Military Gear Courting Republic Memorabilia Trophy Underworld Goods

Gift Preferences for C2-N2

Love	Cultural Artefact
Favorite	Technology
Like	Republic Memorabilia Luxury
Indifferent	Weapon Military Gear Courting Imperial Memorabilia Trophy Underworld Goods

Turning to the Dark Side brings new interest

You may have noticed that things have been a little bit quiet around here lately. To be honest, I burnt myself out a bit. I finished powering through the last of the four different Republic classes, Trooper, in order to unlock all four buffs for all my characters. Then I needed a break.

I found Trooper, with the Commando spec, to be a bit tiresome, not because Trooper was hard to play, it's just that I didn't enjoy the class in PvP and this was the seventh time that I'd been through most of the Republic zones. I did it a couple of times in Beta and I also did it a couple of times before I found my home on an Australian server.

Having a few weeks off and playing other games like Diablo gave me a well needed break and an opportunity to see what else was on offer in the gaming world. Diablo is back on the shelf and I'm back into SWTOR full-swing!

I've started playing a Sith Warrior and it's refreshing how different all the quest lines are from the Republic stories. Even though Imperial and Republic players might occupy the same planets, all the quests are different. For my four Imperial toons I am staggering across different planets to ensure that I have a unique experience with all characters.That combined with the XP bonuses on PvP and class missions will help me level my new characters without getting bored.

The story mode content in SWTOR constantly surprises me. It's just like a well written choose your own adventure. Even if you don't like raiding or PvP the solo story line is enough to keep any player going for a long time.

The Many Looks of Elara Dorne

Complete Guide to Elara Dorne Customizations

Elara Dorne is the second companion to join Havoc Squad in your Trooper story line. If you're playing a male Trooper, she is your only romance option. In this guide I'll show you all the available looks for Elara, even though some of them, in my opinion, don't suite her personality and accent.

I have included large high res shots of each look in their slave girl bikini outfit and I've also included a high res close up of the face for each custom look. I also include the rakghoul customization which I received during the ingame special event last month. Although this is no longer available ingame, it was purchased in a random drop bag, available from the Jawa vendor on Tatooine.

You seem to get a better look at her when you're on your ship. The textures seem to be higher quality when she's stationed in the med bay compared to what she looks like when she's running around behind you.

When you meet Elara she is a proper spoken blonde with a British accent. Her character defected from the Empire and joins you early on in the story. Although you can change her appearance you can't changer her personality. At first she might seem cold, but if you're the right type of guy, she'll warm up to you quickly. She actually reminded me of my own wife in her personality and work ethic, not to mention the default looks. I've always been fond of blondes so I personally stuck with the default look.

I took Elara out to sunny Tatooine for her bikini shoot and like Carrie Fisher, she seemed to enjoy the activity.

The cntre two images int he collection of images above are the default looks for Elara. Unfortunately, apart from cut scenes, she has a helmet equipped, so the majority of your time you won't be able tot ell the difference between her and your other companions, no matter what customization you have enabled. To get around the lack of 'hide head slot' on companions you can get heavy armor headbands for Jedi Knights and re-equip them with the appropriate mods for a medic Trooper. This will allow you to see her face and have a helmet equipped.


Careful when purchasing your medium armor head slot as your companion doesn't have any specific class so any armor pieces that require specific classes like Jedi or Trooper, will not work on companions.


Customizations 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 are available from vendors on Balmora and Ilum.

The Balmora vendor, Guunta, is hard to miss as he can be found at the entrance to the main base in bug town.

Sargent Kdam is in the main base on Ilum.

Customization 8 is available on Ilum at the Ilum Orbital Station from the Security key reward vendor.

Captain Kneely is in the center-left of the Orbital station and is only available to players who have attached a security key to their account.

To find out more about Elara Dorne, including gift preferences, check out the Trooper Companion Guide page.



Don't forget to check out similar posts:

Our full list of companions and gifts
The Many Looks of Elara Dorne
The Many Looks of Kira Carsen
The Many Looks of Vette
The Many Looks of Mako
The Many Looks of Risha
The Many Looks of Nadia Grell

For information on customization options for other companions check out the other 'Many Looks of ... ' posts on SWTORFace.