I actually finished this game a few days ago. I started the game the first time back around the new year on a borrowed XBOX, but had to return it after collecting my second star map. I recently purchased the Best of the PC PC DVD-ROM which includes Knights of the Old Republic, and was able to complete the game this time.

I started out as a soldier and was able to get to Dantooine without leveling up past level two (it forces you to level up before you leave the Endar Spire). I chose the path of the Jedi Consular, and fought with two regular, green lightsabers. I made all of the light side choices and was able to complete every side quest that didn't require dark side points (I couldn't do any of the bounty hunter quests, or fight Bendak Starkiller).

Most of the time I used Bastila and Juhani (double-bladed yellow saber and single blue saber respectively), but substituted other characters when doing their side quests, and when the story directly affected them (I used Zaalbar for part of Kashyyyk, Jolee for Manaan with a single violet saber, and Carth for part of Korriban, etc). I collected the star maps in this order: Dantooine, Tatooine, Kashyyyk, Manaan, and Korriban. I was able to complete the game in about thirty hours and got my characters up to their early twenties, level-wise.

The only problem I had was that I couldn't get into Mika Dorin's shop. I waited until the end of the game when I went to Korriban to initiate any of Juhani's story, as I've read that starting her side quest beforehand eliminates any chance you have of getting in, but I still never got an invitation. This in turn, didn't allow me to finish Juhani's sidequest. I was able to initiate her first encounter but the second wouldn't happen no matter how many planets I jumped. I decided to just head into the Unknown Regions thinking that I could initiate it afterward, but it made me go directly to the Star Forge afterward, so I never finished that side quest. On the other hand, I was able to buy the two fantastic lightsaber enhancing items from Yavin. Maybe Mika Dorin isn't possible to get to on the PC version since it has Yavin?

It was a great RPG experience with far more dialogue than actual fighting, but it was nice to be able to gain experience that way, too. I wish that there had been a little more of a revealing ending, and would like to know what happens to all of the characters afterward, but from what I've read online, I'm not the only one.

What's next?
I only have 100 pages left in Vision of the Future, which I've been reading a little bit at a time while playing.