Janson

That's because you underestimate the power of the force, Laozi I was reading an article only today about a small female racing driver who had beaten 12 larger male competitors in her country to win the top prize

I really do hope that English isn't your first language. I have played 'real' RPG games like Baldur's Gate etc. I do recall it being very hard to be evil in BG because loss of reputation resulting in really expensive items in stores and unfavourable responses from crowds. Also, I don't really recall there being any more 'choice' than the KotOR games. There was still a very strongly defined good/evil divide. I'm not even sure what you're trying to say about playing a female character with 1 intelligence. What bearing does that have on what I had to say about KotOR's influence system? And I really don't understand the last paragraph either. The influence system has no real bearing on the main story of KotOR. You can play the entire game and rescue the galaxy without having to talk to your companions. I made a remark that it was handy to gain influence to turn characters into Jedi because that made the game more interesting to play. It was a comment on the playability of the game and not the conseequences of the story. So, your post is a reply to my post and yet does not address any of the issues in my post, except the first paragraph, which is purely a matter of opinion anyway.

I might actually disagree with you there. I really warmed to Bao-Dur after learning about the past his character had with mine. And he understood sarcasm - unlike Disciple.

Well, in many of the games that I can recall having a female protagonist, there's usually a lesbian love interest or lesbian subtext that keeps the guys happy, or no romance at all. In Bloodlines they even went so far as to actually make it easier for a female character to chat up another female than for a male to do so. Carth and Atton were easy on the eyes, yeah. But could you say that Bao-Dur has such a large following because of his looks?

I always play a male character in the BG games, for example, because Anomen was such an annoying person, whereas a male character could have half-decent romances with Jaheira/Aerie/Viconia (although they were annoying too, in their own way. But more amusing). I tend to base my character's gender on the strength of what I feel to be the better romance - I genuinely felt, for example, that Carth and Atton were more interesting characters than Bastila or Visas or Handmaiden. The gender of the target romance NPC does not really affect me - I'm equally happy flirting with male or female, so long as the dialogue is good.

I've played lightside and never had the option to keep it in. You have to remove it eventually, at the end of the long conversation, right?

Vampire: The Masqurade - Bloodlines. Great game. I can't decide if its KOTOR2's equal, or slight superior. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> It's inferior, at least until they make it run nicely on my computer. You need a serious amount of memory to play that game, for shame It's also extremely scary. I still sat through the lagging framerates and played it three times, however. But I have to agree with Angry Sherpa, only to add... 'When you're considering doing a sixth playthrough.' :D

But certainly less emphasis is placed on a man's looks for a female-orientated audience (wait, has there ever been a female-orientated game?!) - at the very least, not such a great deal is made. Anyway, I'm curious as to why so many men balk at playing a female character. I quitye enjoy playing male characters. I even find it fun playing male characters and chatting up female NPCs, and I'm sure that most women here voted in the female character polls. Yet men are so afraid to flirt with male NPCs or vote in the male character polls

Handel, what exactly are you saying? I found the influence factor really did affect my decision to replay the game. In fact, I've played the game four times as many times as I played the original game, just to see/receive the various treats...T3's holo-recording of Carth; HK-47's imitation of Bastila/Carth; Visas' force sight lesson, etc. Sure I can read about it on the forums, but it was still nice to discover for myself. I guess it could be slightly annoying that you can't affect the way your character perceives your actions - but I understand that that would have taken a great deal more scripting/voice recording. I think it works pretty well as is, certainly more interesting than how communication with your party members works in other games. As for turning characters to Jedi, I found that to be extremely useful. Especially when it came to Freedon Nadd's tomb on Dxun. Characters are just so much more powerful as Jedi.

And if Revan was a brilliant fighter, using his physical might to crush his enemy, would he also not be a woman?! <{POST_SNAPBACK}> what do you mean? if revan was a man, then yes, he'd be a male... women can't fight and they can't lead. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I'm saying that however Revan was a brilliant, powerful person, you could make the argument that he was male. If he was physically strong like Malak - you'd argue he was male. If he wasn't so strong but relied on his brains - you'd argue he was male. Women can fight and they can lead - they just typically haven't had much of a chance! Women in the military is a relatively recent phenomena, and it is perhaps that we just have not seen how great women can become in terms of military might yet.

And if Revan was a brilliant fighter, using his physical might to crush his enemy, would he also not be a woman?!

Technically I was as powerful as Yoda, Palpatine and every other level 20 uber-powerful character. But playing as a LS Guardian with few force powers, I didn't feel quite so powerful. I could never use the force to any great effect, and it cost me severely when I did try to use it.

Which is precisely why I think Revan works so well as a female (my opinion only, obviously). Plus I just love to imagine how annoyed and inferior Malak felt to a smaller, physically less imposing female Revan. Plus, like someone once said on this board, we can imagine that maybe Revan was a spurned love interest of Malak's.

Phew! Because I find it difficult to express myself at the best of times. I'd probably only end up sounding like a complete sadist trying to justify Atton's actions to anyone

I find it pretty easy to become totally absorbed in books or games. I would call this 'escapism' because whilst I am concentrating on my character or the protagonist of the novel, I can quite literally forget about everything else. This does not mean that I shy or run away from my duties/work, however. I simply find it extremely enjoyable to place myself in another's shoes and have an adventure through them. Anyway, excellent post witchzenka. I'm still hoping Atton lives 'til K3, though

Hehe, just jesting with you But yes, Bastila did redeem herself quite nicely in the end, and learn more humility. She also backed down if you accused her of being too nasty to her mother. Atton's hair, though, is awesome. As for how he could kill someone he loved, I believe that I'd have to go into some complex psychology to explain how that could be appealing. There was an Agatha Christie novel that did quite a nice job of this. Carth was pretty whiney, I'll admit that. But at least his arguing was more amusing than Bastila's priggishness. And since I am female and English and proper, her accent held no appeal whatsoever for me

I have silver crystals coming out of my ears, but have been utterly unable to find the cyan one

Favourite: Atton Least-favourite: Visas.

And so sweet! And that accent. Take this man's breath away. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> You mean prim and self-righteous, right?! Her voice really irritated me!

I'm not disagreeing with you. In fact, I understand that. And that is why the Exile needs Kreia's help....he may have retained the knowledge of how one uses force powers, like one might retain the knowledge of a physics formula, but his understanding of its application is gone.

Interestingly enough I also hear people associate Vader with invading.

Re. riding a bike...if you're anything like me, I know how to ride a bike, but after several years of not riding one, I'm very unsteady and just need a helping hand. Since Kreia has the force bond with the Exile, she could either be telling him what to do, which he probably doesn't need, or she could be showing him through the connection they share. Sometimes you know the rules...you know the math to be using, but you've forgotten how to apply it. To expand on what Wycked was saying.

But Bastila was so smug and arrogant

1) You can take on as many apprentices as you please - it has no ill-consequence. Personally, I like to turn my characters into Jedi, if only because some of the force powers (heal, knight speed etc) are really quite useful on a regular basis, and they can cast them whilst your main character is taking the brunt of the battle. 2) Give the lad a chance! He wants to repent And he makes a pretty strong light-sider, as it happens...he really doesn't approve of any evil actions. 3) Force powers will only aid his battle techniques! Now he can give himself that extra needed boost beforehand, and heal himself afterwards! He should still get just as many feats (roughly) as when he wasn't a Jedi. Plus now he can wield a lightsaber!

How frustrating for you... I know that once I did force persuade the leader to leave everyone alone, but I think that I used the negotiations to release one of the refugee's daughter to annoy him and provoke him into attacking me. Sorry I can't be much help anyway!