GreasyDogMeat

All I have to say; Its about damn time! Will moon burgers be any better?

I can't really comment on what Vash says during the final jedi enclave confrontation, as I didn't bother to play to that scene. Instead, I loaded a save game in Korriban before entering the training halls, found Vash's data pad where her body used to be and headed to M4-78. The adventure itself on M4-78 is very similar in structure to the puzzle on GoTo's yacht where you had to find program codes and unlock them to access new areas as well as solve a few number puzzles. I think it was very cool to wonder around on the droid planet, seeing some of the new models and scenery not used in the game. M4-78 adds about two hours of exploration, etertainment and loot to add to KotOR 2. This mod probably isn't going to be for the OP though. As neat as M4-78 looks, it just isn't as full of encounters and content as other planets are. The areas are quite large and basically involve hiking a LONG way from one spot to another fighting droids so you can meet the next import AI controlling M4-78 and uncover what is going on on the planet. The 'voice actors'/modder & his friends are pretty... meh. They all sound monotone and like they are... reading of a sheet of paper. One of the AI personalities doesn't even have a filter of any kind like the others, so instead of actually sounding like an AI, it just sounds like a really bored monotone guy reading a piece of paper. The pro is of course, meeting Vash and hearing her cut lines in the game. The relationship betwen Vash and her padawan is kind odd too. The padawan runs off, and while it is obvious this was intended to happen from Vash's lines, it just doesn't appear to be a big deal and in no way is worth worrying about. It may sound like I hated it, but I actually really enjoyed exploring what 'could have been', and it is nice to gather extra loot, xp and listen to cut dialogue.

Its been a long time since I've played KotOR 1 or 2, basically waiting for the TSLRP like many others to give the games a replay. However, I've found a number of minor, and a few major restorations on http://knightsoftheoldrepublic.filefront.com/. Under the Mod subfolder/page, there is now a whole page dedicated to restoration mods for both KotOR 1 & 2. I'd like to share my experience with some of them from both KotOR 1 & 2 as well as ask what others think of these restorations. KotOR 1 Restorations: http://knightsoftheoldrepublic.filefront.c...ed_Content;9831 Also found some good links and info on this page: http://www.lucasforums.com/showpost.php?p=...mp;postcount=28 http://team-jawa.kotor2files.com/forum/vie...&sd=a#p1873 -Bastila on Korriban: Normally, Bastila will refuse to accompany your PC when you visit Korriban, instead insisting she stays on the Ebon Hawk. Apparently Bioware originally intended her to be an option to bring along, and this mod unlocks numerous dialog files and the ability to bring her into Korriban. I have not tried this one, so I have no idea if any of the voice files are missing, or if this has numerous plot holes, hence the removal of this feature. Any word on the coolness or crumminess of bringing Bastila into Korriban? -Bastila's Extra Dialog on Tatooine: I also haven't tried this one. Apparently it unlocks more dialogue options involving Bastila finding her father's holocron in the Krayt Dragon cave. -Enhanced Restoration of the Shadowlands: I'm not sure how 'true' of a restoration this is. Apparently Bioware removed a number of locations, and there was another area of the Shadowlands removed. I know little of it, but this restoration adds a number of characters & events. It sounds more like the author has used the unnused Shadowlands area to create his own side story... but I really have no idea as I haven't tried/don't know the story behind the cut area. -Garrum and Tar'eelok Restoration: This is a minor restoration that brings back a few Twi'lek jedi to Dantooine. I don't know if there is a quest related to these two, or if they are just there to add more spice to the area and were removed because they didn't really add anything to the story/gameplay. I'd nevertheless like to try it just to see what they are like. -Juhani Romance Mod: I don't know if this is a true 'restoration', but it basically allows a male PC to romance Juhani like a female PC currently can. Don't know if Bioware removed this feature to make her a strict lesbian option or what. Only of real interest to players actually interested in Juhani playing a male character. -K1 Lost Modules Pack: Basically this just unlocks numerous cut locations. These locations do NOT have added content, and are merely there to stroll around in. The Shadowlands map from 'Enhanced Restoration of the SHadowlands' is one of the unlocked maps in this pack. You have to use the console to warp yourself to these locations. -Restoration of the Black Vulcar Base: Originally, in the Vulcar Base, there was an elevator that would take you to a different floor with some extra battles. Unfortunatly, it sounds rather plain, with little added, more of just an extra combat area cut to improve the flow of the game. Might be worth checking out just for the extra xp. -Sharina Fizark Restoration: Remember the lady who wants you to sell her wraid plate? Well if you are kind to her, she originally went to Dantooine and thanked you on arrival. Dunno why Bioware cut this, as I think its rather nice to see your actions 'pay off' with a thanks or some event. -Bastila & Female Revan (Untold Love Story): Apparently after diffusing the situation between the two families on Dantooine, you could ask Shen or Rahasia for some 'nookie'. This mod also changes a few things, like allowing a female character to romance Bastila. I'm not sure how true of a 'restoration' it is. On seperate websites -Dead-Eye Duncan on Manaan: http://www.lucasforums.com/showthread.php?t=185162 Originally, when going to Manaan you find Deadeye Duncan survived, and there are some dialogue options with him involving getting DS or LS points and possibly allowing him to take your old arena name. I rather like the conversation, and I don't understand why it was cut. -Alternate DS Female ending: Most people probably have heard of this one, where a DS female can 'repent' at the end and go down in a blaze of glory. http://www.geocities.com/jdnoa/ -The above team-jawa link also has numerous other cut content. Some of it sounds very interesting, while other mods include some extra dialogue added by the mod author, something I really don't like. For instance, the original Deadeye Duncan mod also included a mod that removed the 'fog of war'. I really don't like it when mod authors try and 'sneak' custom things into a restoration mod. KotOR 2 Restorations. http://knightsoftheoldrepublic.filefront.c...ed_Content;9830 -Dantooine Telos Final Scene: This restoration mod restores some cut content to the final confrontation with the Jedi Enclave. -Dearth Atris: Restores some dark side uniforms Atris & the Handmaidens were to wear in the final confrontation. -Droid Planet & M4-78: The large 40+ meg M4-78 mod is quite impressive, restoring the droid world. The voice acting added is a bit... iffy, but its still pretty cool to explore the droid planet and see what was cut. The author(s) did a very good job keeping the story true to what was originally planned for the droid planet, and they plan on making it compatible with TSLRP once it is released. -Jedi Council Holovid Restored: Some extra dialogue involving the jedi council holovid restored... like the name implies. -Kreia's Arrival Restored: Restores some cut dialogue to Kreia's return to Malachor. It supposedly makes the ending make more sense, and if so, sounds like a big plus. -Prologue Harbinger Correction Mod: Fixes numerous spelling errors and restores numerous minor things to Peragus & The Harbinger. Sounds cool for someone like me who doesn't skip the Prologue. -A few other minor restorations involving a cantina, but with nothing in it and a funny looking menu screen cut from the game. So, which restorations would people recommend? Which have annoying things snuck in or nasty glitches? Any other cool restoration mods to look forward to (besides TSLRP ) or currently out?

After finally beating Secret of the Silver Blades, I'm going to take a bit of a break with this older series to play some NwN 2, as I've yet to beat NwN 2/MotB with an evil character. I've started up an evil specialist Necromancer Mage, who I intend on eventually converting to a Pale Master, and then a Red Wizard of Thay in MotB. I'm in no way going to end playing the old Radiance series. I took a look at Pools of Darkness, the final in the series and it looks very cool. The start involves returning to Phlan 10 years after Pool of Radiance, Hillsfar, Curse of the Azure Bonds & Secret of the Silver Blades and its neat to see old characters and places. I'm hoping the series ends with a bang.

I'm going to mention series, even though the thread implies a single game. For instance, I just can't think of Baldur's Gate series as seperate games. In no particular order... Baldur's Gate Series: Not including the console Dark Alliance BG games. Icewind Dale Series Planescape Torment Neverwinter Nights Series Knights of the Old Republic Series Resident Evil 4: The rest of the series was decent, but this one took it to a whole new level. Call of Duty 1/United Offensive: The sequels all sucked. Doom Series: I still play Doom 1/2/Plutonia from time to time using a source port, and I love Doom 3. Enemy Territory Series:Wolfenstein & Quake Wars - Love this game. Best class based team games I've ever played. TF 2 can go eat poo. Quake Series You can probably tell I'm a FPS & RPG guy. The above are on my list as they've kept me coming back for LONG periods. There games I can still pick up and play and love any time I want. Honorable mention: Lode Runner Space Quest Series: Along with Quest for Glory, the only adventure series I've played the whole series of. King's Quest 2: Space Quest 1, King's Quest 2 & Lode Runner were my first games EVER. The Quest for Glory series Psychonauts Medal of Honor: Allied Assault - The beach landing scene blew my mind when it first came out No One Lives Forever 2 Halo 1: Combat Evolved Far Cry Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Spent countless hours in Multiplayer before transfering over to Wolfenstein: ET Unreal 1: First game was amazing, but for some reason or another I completly lost interest in all of the sequels, MP or otherwise. AvP 2: Anyone else notice how Monolith has a habit of making great games and then giving them expansions that almsot make you forget why you liked the original game? Anachronox Deus Ex Fallout 1 & 2 Starcraft & Brood War Sacrifice: Best RTS game I've ever played. Grand Theft Auto 3: The sequels lost something when the main characters started talking. Robocop vs. The Terminator: Sega Genesis. Excellent. Batman & Robin: Sega Genesis. Graphics on this were insane at the time. Donkey Kong 1-3: Awesome SNES platformer Alien 3: One of the crappiest movies of all time somehow became one of the greatest side scrollers of all time on SNES. Sonic 3 + Sonic & Knuckles: Perhaps the most epic sidescroller. Screw Mario! Earthworm Jim 1 & 2 Gunstar Heroes

Hope its something like this... http://www.gametrailers.com/player/32581.html http://www.gametrailers.com/player/32256.html

This is gonna make Rosie O' Donnel happy. Damn. :'(

Carmageddon was so awesome. I especially loved the music.

After beating Pool of Radiance, Hillsfar & Curse of the Azure Bonds I'm now playing Secret of the Silver Blades. SotSB is a bit different than previous games in the Radiance series in that there is no overland map. The whole game seems to take place in towns, ruins, mines and dungeons of the Dragonspine Moutains with no overland travel. On the plus side, after all my adventures in the previous games my characters are finally getting a little R-E-S-P-E-C-T as actual heroes. Everyone in the town loves my chars, offers half price off, free beer at the tavern and free training to level up. Wish I had recieved a little of this respect for clearing the ruins of Phlan! The Gold Box engine is a big improvement over previous Radiance games as well. I can finally use the mouse to click menues instead of having to rely completly on the keyboard. I've just completed a huge 10 level mining system and have found my way into a dungeon where a crazy clown spirit is asking my party riddles... so things are getting kind of interesting.

Arg! Thats exactly what I thought about NwN 2, but NwN 2 might as well have broken the graphics barrier as it sure ran like it was an uber graphical monster on par with Crysis. Never again will I look at a screenshot and say, 'Hey, the graphics don't look THAT amazing so it will probably run good on my PC!'. In picture #3 it looks like he's using the force with his left hand. 'You will NOT come look around this corner'. Also, in the background of #3 it looks like the Romulus & Remus statue. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romulus_and_Remus

-Any game that doesn't allow you to save, relying on checkpoints, features a difficult section that after losing forces you to go through a long unskipable cutscene over and over again every time you die like gamer purgatory. -Timed button mashing sequences. Resident Evil 4, despite it's sheer awesomeness had some god awful 'pound on your keyboard till you have carpal tunnel' moments. Even worse you had to pound certain buttons faster depending on difficulty level. I chose 'hard' mode so I would have to face more enemies with less ammo for the challenge... NOT so I had to pound a key even faster to escape a boulder. The port didn't even tell you the proper key to press, instead showing the controller equivelant key to press instead of what button on your keyboard you had to press... 'Tap X' might actually mean 'Tap Spacebar'. People like to hate EA Games... but my 'evil corporation of malice' is Ubisoft for an insulting port job of an otherwise amazing game. Tomb Raider Anniversery also featured some timed sequences, but they were far more forgiving and featured save points during these events. -Poor hit detection. Nothing is more frustrating than leaning around a tree in a FPS game to fire a rocket and blowing yourself up because the 'hitbox' of the tree actually extends farther than it looks. -'Match the tone' music challenges/quests. Anyone remember the Piano Tone puzzle in Myst to get the rocket ship going? NwN 2 featured an even more annoying tone sidequest in the Blacklake District, but atleast it was a SIDEQUEST with a few optional ways of completing it... like setting Cane on fire. That old Myst puzzle was insanity for a tone deaf like me.

True. Well, if a jewel release isn't feasible then hopefully once 2 or 3 NwN 2 premium modules are released they can package them together as a 20-30 dollar expansion. I am glad that MoW will get a boxed release without the authentication, but I'm not really willing to spend another 40-50 on NwN 2 just so I can get MoW without authentication. I'll probably just cave and get MoW as a downloadable. ::Grumble::

Considering the huge amount of people who complain about the authentication process of the premium modules I'd actually think a MoW jewel case release would do well. I wonder how well the Kingmaker retailer release sold...

I couldn't stand the NwN 1 Premium Module authentication system and it is rather... frustrating that MoW is being delayed months on end simply so they can get this nasty system in place in NwN 2. I really wish they simply released MoW as a 10 dollar jewel cased premium module on store shelves like Best Buy, Wal Mart & any other electronics/software retailer with a standard CD Key system.

If one were to call Anachronox an 'adventure game' you would also have to put Chrono Trigger & many other JRPGs into the adventure game category.

You can get a pretty good feel for the game with the demo. http://files.filefront.com/Anachronox+Demo...;/fileinfo.html The only thing the demo isn't good at is showing the overall quality of the cutscenes, though you can check out in the earlier machinima link I posted. The demo gives a feel for both the exploration aspect of the game & the second half of the demo shows off the combat.

So... instead of pointing out that it would be more appropriate to call Anachronox a Console Style RPG, or an Eastern Style RPG we engage in a stupid 'yes it is' 'no its not' argument over the term JRPG when I'm sure you understood how I was trying to define Anachronox's specific RPG style as being closer to Chrono Trigger etc etc. Next we should have a large back & forth argument over how to pronounce tomato. I say toe-may-toe and if you disagree you are a loon who needs to be locked up immediatly. To talk about the ACTUAL GAME... I wish more RPGs would focus on humor like Anachronox. I don't think I've ever laughed so hard playing a game before or since. PAL cracked me up quite a few times, interrupting a few sequences where the game started to get serious for a moment. How many RPGs are there where you can have a planet for a NPC? I think the weak points of Anachronox would be, as the OP mentioned, a lot of backtracking in places, some really weak secrets & unskippable battle animations. In one section of the game you run into 'Stare Bears' who use a hypnotizing attack. During the animation the screen spins around in circles as it moves towards the Stare Bear. This damned animation plays over and over during the battle and it frankly almost made me sick to my stomach. As for the secrets, you could go through ridiculous amounts of trekking & searching for items & artifacts that were garbage and had little or no effect on the game. I think the game's story, humor, music & characters more than made up for the shortcomings though.

Again, what RPG catagory would you classify Anachronox under. Anachronox shares and was based on the playstyle of JRPGs such as Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy by the admission of the devs of Anachronox. Is there a specific term for RPGs like Chrono Trigger & Final Fantasy? Whatever that term is... Anachronox is part of it. Its quite a simple concept and you seem to be acting dense just for the sake of argument. Instead of trying to define the specific RPG playstyle of Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy(s) & Anachronox you keep going back to the "DUH Anachronox made in U.S. so not JRPG." Perhaps 'Console Style RPG' would be a better term for Anachronox, however KoTOR was also a console RPG but fit in more in style with CRPGs. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JRPG As official as any wiki information, I guess it would be best to refer to Anachronox as an 'Eastern style RPG'.

Sigh... what would you call it then. Yeah its a RPG, but what kind? CRPG usually refers to games like Baldur's Gate, Temple of Elemental Evil, Fallout etc. yet you could call every RPG ever made a CRPG. So I guess Final Fantasy is also a CRPG... Any way you slice it, Anachronox fits in with the RPG style of JRPGs and I was under the impression JRPG was as much a style of RPG as it was simply saying... this RPG is from Japan. If Japan produced a western style Baldur's Gate type RPG with all the freedom, dialog options etc that we expect from western CRPGs is it still a JRPG?

Yahtzee completly nails the point about health meters. Glad I'm not the only one who hates the recent trend of 'hiding in a corner sucking your thumb' while the health meter fills back up. Damn you CoD 4. Just watched the Burnout Paradise review. Had me in tears... freaking awesome!

What would you define Anachronox as then? The game is nearly identical in playstyle to a JRPG... linear progression, nearly identical turn based battle style without movement, cutscenes/dialog with little or no options. Unless you have some other term for the style of RPG that Chrono Trigger & the Final Fantasy games are part of then Anachronox is as JRPG as a JRPG gets, even if it is from a western developer. Ironic that my favorite JRPG is from a U.S. dev.

I wouldn't really compare it to KoTOR, Planescape or any other western RPG. Anachronox is kind of like the Fifth Element meets Chrono Trigger, or some other JRPG. As far as JRPGs go, its deffinitly the best I've played. Then again I haven't played many. Great music, story, atmosphere and humor at the forefront. http://www.machinima.com/film/view&id=231 Machinima of the Anachronox cut-scenes. Worth watching, especially if you have no interest in it as a JRPG, and simply want to see the story.

I loved NoLF 2 coop mode. It was so much fun working with others to set up banana traps and other ridiculously hilarious gameplay moments. Loved sneaking through the Japanese village with online buddies, carrying Cate Archer and hiding from the ninjas... tossing coins to distract them and then judo chopping them from behind. Good stuff.

No Country for Old Men. I have no idea how a movie can grab attention and keep one so interested through most of the movie, and then have such a crap ending I'm guessing the book the movie was based on had a similarly lame ending.

I totally want to shock people with electrical wire, jab eyes with pencils and shoot people in the leg... just because. So I'm voting Bauer. Even better, Obsidian should hire Sean Conner, Matt Damon & Kiefer Sutherland to do three choosable voices for the PC. That would make everyone happy! ... and blow the entire budget on voice actors.