Jediphile

IIRC, the only time in the game that Nihilus' name is actually mentioned is in the description of the Nihilus mask. I don't think his name is ever mentioned at any point during the conversations of the game. Now, obviously neither Atris nor the jedi masters know anything about him, but both Sion and Kreia do and could have mentioned the name. But they don't, and it probably happens to add to his mystery, since it plays to some of the unwritten rules of horror, where the undefineable or unknownable is often called upon to stir up tension, usually by referring to either a "thingless name" or a "nameless thing". Nihilus speaks to both in a sense. He has "thingless name" because the name literally means nothing - there is no substance to this entity, and you have no idea of his goals or thoughts, if any. By not ever mentioning his name, he also becomes a "nameless thing" dramatically, since he is omnipresent in the game - everybody talks about him. Kreia tells us how he must be stopped or he will consume the galaxy, Visas does pretty much the same, and the masters tell us he will consume the jedi and threaten not just the galaxy but the force itself - Nihilus is in every corner of the plot, but he never appears in person, nor is he ever defined through a name, which adds to the mystery and horror that surrounds him. He has been criticised for that reason for being an un(der)developed and boring character, but in my book it's good writing and the critics miss a lot of Nihilus' flavour and character. Yes, he's undefined, but he has to be - you cannot define a force of nature. And his presence is essential to the Exile's problem, and the connection between them is always there between the lines. I really liked Nihilus - as a Sith Lord he was far more scary than brutes like Sion or Malak.

Nihilus should show up no matter what, but it is the very act of moving toward LS or DS (either way) that triggers the cutscene, where Nihilus orders Visas to hunt the Exile down and bring him to Nihilus. I believe that scene triggers with the LS/DS scale goes to 75 or 25, and once it does, you'll get the Visas scene the next to you exit the Ebon Hawk and then board it again. But I do believe the Visas scene/fight should trigger eventually, even if you never go to/above 75 or to/below 25.

For me, it's Force Wave, the Force Storm. Then Force Storm again. Then repeat as necessary. Honestly, you can waltz straight though the Trayus Academy (as a sentinel/jedi master) using only that combination dropping all opposition but Sion and Traya unrestricted, eliminating a lot of highly boring swordfights...

Considering that both games were firm CRPGs with strong focus on character depth and plot (especially TSL, which people on this board is more likely to be in favour of), I don't find that surprising. Then again, a character/plot-driven CRPG obviously makes for a better game than a sandbox MMORPG...

As others have stated: None. The system works on a scale from 0 to 100 points, beginning at 50. For every LS act you commit, you add one to that value, and for every DS act you subtract one. Thus, Light Side Mastery is a value of 100, and Dark Side Mastery is a value of 0. In principle, at least, since I suspect the game of adding/subtractaing more if you're closer to one of the extremes and choose the "wrong" option - you seem to lose more than just one point if you're close to LS mastery and then take a DS choice. Not that I'm complaining, since it makes sense, but I'm not clear on it. If I've understood it correctly, you can take LS prestige classes (Jedi Master, Jedi Watchman, or Jedi Weapon Master) if you have a DS/LS value of 75 or higher, when you hit level 15 and talk to Kreia. If the value is 25 or lower, you can take the Sith prestige classes instead (Sith Lord, Sith Assassin, or Sith Marauder). The Jedi Master or Sith Lord prestige classes are similar to the Consular, while the Watchman or Assassin is similar to the Sentinel, and the Marauder or Weapon Master is similar to the Guardian. IMHO, combining the option is better than taking the "upgraded" class, though, since it gives the character more abilities. As stated previously, I find it the most powerful combination to being as Jedi Sentinel and then switch to Jedi Master or Sith Lord later (depending on alignment). Other people here will tell you different, though.

Perfectly acceptable. Indeed, any combination of initial class/prestige class is viable, and it's very much down to personal taste what people prefer. Though the initial class suggests jedi, it in no way limits your choice later, only your alignment does. Just remember that you have to be 25% towards light or dark side (starting from 50/50) in order to choose to be able to choose a prestige class (upon reaching level 15 and then talking to Kreia). You seem to go for a dark sided warrior type. That would be a Jedi Guardian taking the Sith Marauder prestige class, in which case you should probably focus your stats towards Str, Con and Dex in that order. Personally, I find the sentinel/jedi master combination more attractive, but then it's just personal taste, as mentioned above. Ask around and people will advice different combinations. I prefer sentinel as the initial class, however, because skills are much more significant in TSL than they were in K1. But choose what you like - it all works fine, so just have fun experimenting with it. And welcome.

I'm less certain. After all, the "WTF" ending and the lackluster stroll through Malachor with no sight of the game's companion characters before it are major reasons for most the disappointment voiced at TSL. Most of the critics seem to agree (me too btw) that the game is excellent until the masters gather on Dantooine, marking the beginning of the endgame. Since that is the focus of what will be fixed, Team Gizka's work will be significant, I think. No, the game won't change that much, but where it will change are on points that are very significant. It won't change any of the "grim mood" or "open ending", however, since those were always intended. Besides, it's not really that Team Gizka is totally revising the game in the sense of basically creating a new one that is noteworthy in this case. The point here is that TSL has become THE example of a broken game, which will be finished by the fans, because the publisher forced an early release on the developer and then would not allow them to finish their work through a patch. LA has been notably quiet on the whole matter since the initial KotOR3 project was dropped, which could be taken to indicate embarrasment over the matter. Articles in the gaming industry have also continued to be very critical of the matter, which has probably added to the silence. We also don't know if strained feelings between OE and LA are a reason why KotOR3 is not being developed already. OE has stated that they want to do it, but I get the impression the matter of TSL is still a touchy subject, since both companies have been so quiet about it. I don't understand LA's position, though. Expecting that the matter will quietly die if they just stay silent is terrible spin. Yes, they can try to limit the criticism by nixing OE's proposed content patch, but since LA has no control over Team Gizka, their work serves as a constant reminder to keep the criticism of TSL alive. I wouldn't be surprised if it's costs LA customers. I may want KotOR3, but because of the rushed state of TSL, I will never again buy a LA game before seing the critical response. LA's continued silence only serves to reinforce the wisdom of that position, since they do nothing to improve the image many customers probably have of them now. It would have been much better to acknowledge the criticism and allow OE to do the content patch, since it would have show that LA cares about happy customers as well as their money. Instead Team Gizka will now finish the Restoration Project, and I don't understand why LA can't see that it will be another blow to their credibility. Because TSLRP will be the horror example for all games with cut content in the future. From now on, whenever a game has content cut for the sake of deadlines - especially for a game published by LA - the game writers will be asking the publisher: "Is this another game the fans will have to finish for you?" It's beyond me why LA is willing to let themselves be put in that situation, because as far as I can tell, it's poison to LA's reputation in the gaming business. I mean, it'll be entirely too easy for any other publisher to answer that question with: "No. Things may have been cut, but this is not KotOR2, and we are not LA."

Be warned, though, that Traya's level and abilities scale to the Exile's, so she'll be level 22 only if the Exile is too. Indeed, the game seems to make her a mirror-image of the Exile with regards to levels, feats, abilities and force powers, except with about twice as many hit points. In short: Whatever abilities you have, she is likely to have as well, so plan your strategy accordingly.

I don't know... I mean, while it could be fun in many cases, the idea of him playing Handmaiden or Mira dancing for Vogga... Eww...

How do you know we haven't already? Because that would be lame. Why can't people be their own character, and not the same character as someone else? They can, of course. For example, some people have pointed out similarities between Krynda Draay and Kreia and suggested they are actually the same person. I would agree that is lame, just as it would be if Haazen turned out to be Sion (yeah, likely...). While I see the similarities people point to, I don't see them being the same character without a LOT of (incidentally highly unelegant) forced storytelling. So it's not likely to be the case, because - surprise - few writers like to be railroaded into what their characters must be, thereby limiting their creative license. I'm fairly certain John Jackson Miller retains the right to develop Krynda and Haazen as he sees fit rather than having them forced into becoming characters already used and written by others for other sources in a chronologically later plot. But on the other hand, we know that Squint/Alek is Malak and that the Revanchist is Revan, and that Miller planned that all along. He might have planned other characters we see to be earlier incarnations of characters already established but just not revealed it yet. Sometimes "how" is just, if not more, important than "who" or "who" in storytelling. I wouldn't rule out that more established characters in the comic book are actually characters from the games. Then again, I wouldn't rule out than none of them are either, and in some cases, I'd be disappointed if were.

He was. One reason is that there are very few places in the game to gain influence with him. IIRC, it's impossible to get 100 influence with him, unless you cheat or gain influence by killing the innocent (though he doesn't always respond positively to that). There isn't much point though, as his high influence "revelation" was apparently also dropped from the game IIRC. I think the most you can is to get him to admit that he travelled with Revan during the Jedi Civil War (= events of KotOR1). Once he tells you that story, he has nothing more to say

Yeah, seems like those newly found bugs are dropping like flies

Ironically, as I recall, the original DnD evolved out of miniature combat games. Full circle, I guess. Or Regression?

Hey, don't jinx our chances for KotOR3 please! Not that I'm saying you're wrong, mind you... unfortunately :'(

Hmmm.... I've always liked the A-Wing, I guess. Then again, the X-Wing is a classic, the Millennium Falcon will always be special to me, and if we're talking raw power and maneuverability, then you can beat a TIE Defender. Definitely Star Destroyers for capital ships. But if I had to pick just one, I guess I'd go for the A-Wing.

You mean at the very end of the game? It's usually not so tough. I mean, Kreia is tough, but apply strategy, and it's not so bad. First, if you're having trouble with the three floating lightsabers, use Force Speed and retreat until they don't follow you. Then heal up and buff up. Move towards the sabers again until one - and only one - notices you and gives chase. Let it follow you, but withdraw a little, so you the others don't notice you. Once one is down, repeat the process for the two others. This way, you can pick off the sabers one by one. Kreia will never follow you. Once the sabers are gone, heal up and activate all your strongest force-buff powers (or if you're playing DS, simply run up to Kreia and spam the Force Crush power). She resists force powers well and uses them herself, so go hand to hand with her - even a jedi consular/jedi master can challenge her in a lightsaber duel. Do not hesitate to retreat, if things look grim - you can always approach and try again, as she will never give chase.

Yes, that would be cool. Like I said, I've played in an Exalted (1st edition) campaign as a player. I mostly joined because some old compatriots/friends from other RPGS played it, but I found I rather enjoyed the variety. The major drawback is the huge backstory. If I decide to start my own Exalted campaign, that will be the biggest obstacle to overcome, though personally I found it interesting to immerse myself in, since it was so clearly not a Tolkien clone. The worst part for me were all the d10 rolls, split dice pools and what not - I've never quite got used to all the dice of the Storyteller systems, I fear...

I play very much Exalted. And the dice problem isn't really that bad. Sure, every once in a while you'll need to roll an absurd number of dice, but most of the time it's manageable. And it's fun. Second edition removes a bunch of dice rols too. So then there's even less, but more bookkeeping in combat instead (and more tactical). My group doesn't play second edition at all though. The more tactical nature doesn't really go well with the rest of the group, so we stuck with first edition, which works extremely well for us. How so, if I may ask? You see, I'm putting my ageold 2e campaign on forced retirement and abandoning D&D altogether. Since the players insist on playing fantasy, however, it looks to me like a choice between some variant of GURPS fantasy and Exalted. I've played Exalted 1st edition before (as a player), and I must say I rather liked the variety - fantasy, yet not another Tolkien-copy. I thought the difference between 1st and 2nd edition Exalted was primarily the revised defense values and some revised Abilities (War replaced Brawl for Dawn caste and Integrity replaced Endurance for Zenith caste). DISCLAIMER: Just it's clear - I love Tolkien and LOTR, and I always will. It's just that I've tried it (or rather all the clones) too much for now. What was the problem? From what I can tell at an admittedly cursory glance the differences seem very minor. The biggest problem with switching to Exalted it that there is a huge backstory with WhiteWolf giving very little help to the GM as to how much the characters know...

I agree. Something similar would seem to be true of Mace Windu, who embraces things close to the dark side, yet is one of the more prominent masters on the jedi council. Dark Jedi are those who embrace the dark side but don't not follow the Sith code or are not accepted by the Sith. The difference between Jedi and Gray Jedi seems to me to be mostly whether the person follows the jedi code and the verdicts of the jedi order. Your standard jedi follows the code and obeys the council. A gray jedi follows only one or neither. Jolee Bindo is a gray jedi. Not because he doesn't follow the light, but because can't be bothered to adhere to the jedi code or obey the jedi council - he follows his own moral compass rather than what the order puts before him. Despite what Jolee himself says, I don't agree that he does not follow the light. He follows Revan to "lead the snake away to keep it from harming people". That is a higly moral choice made for the sake of the common good, not one of neutrality or "I mind my own business". It's the same choice at the Rakatan temple - he will not accept Revan's choice if Revan embraces the dark side. So in the end, Jolee is just as dedicated to the light as any jedi - he just doesn't rely on the code or the council to guide him. Qui-Gon is a mixture of a jedi and gray jedi, as I see it. He is a member of the jedi order, but he doesn't follow the jedi code (which Obi-Wan gives as the reason why Qui-Gon is not the council himself), and he openly defies the council's decisions when he disagrees with them (as in the case of Anakin's training). But while he follows his own moral compass over the jedi code and the council's rulings, he remains a part of the order itself and so is not quite as gray as Jolee. To me Kreia is not a gray jedi. At all. She wears the trappings, but it's all for ulterior motives, and so I don't think it counts, even though she is powerful enough to manipulate the Exile into thinking so. I'd call her a dark jedi during TSL, since she is not really a Sith in that she doesn't follow their teachings. The Sith code says nothing about destroying the will of the force as far as I know. Indeed, it would be odd if it did, since harming the force itself would mean harming the very foundation of the Sith's power. In that sense you could say her cause has a "benevolent" streak, since what she hates about the force is that it dictates fates to common people, and out of a sense of justice, she cannot abide that. She doesn't hestiate to use those powers herself, however, nor does she hestiate to sacrifice other people for own purposes, so she is pretty hypocritical about it, which I would not say is generally indicate of gray jedi. No, she doesn't do it as an excuse to further her own power (like Anakin does), but the lengths and measures she is willing to go to make her motives moot.

Agreed. Both are beyond both old and antiquated as well as indicative of RPG principles that are now more than three decades old. 3e was the chance to once and finally abandon those to the winds, given that it did not shy back from knocking off a few holy cows of D&D. Yet it didn't, and so the game remains in a state of limbo, as it's "revised for a new generation" while still being based on a rigid and inflexible foundation that forces aspects and characteristics on the players. It's old and tired, and it hurts role-playing too IMHO. Not that much better than White Wolf's Storyteller games IMHO (but then they are VERY similar). Personally, the fantasy/sci-fi mixture of Shadowrun never quite worked for me. I'd go for either genre, but I don't care to have them put together. I like both lasagne and ice cream, but I wouldn't like to have them mixed together... For a classless system, I'd go for GURPS - far less dice. Though not without it's own problems. The setting is minimal for that, of course. For a fantasy RPG, I'm considering Exalted. Yes, it's got the dice problem too, but there are also advantages - for once it's a working fantasy not shamelessly copying Lord of the Rings, and I like the variety. Yes, it steals from other sources, but at least the fantasy flavour is a little different from what we get in the 3491734619237+ LOTR clones. It's an effort I appreciate.

Yeah, carrying a bag of dice is so annoying! D&D is so much better... http://www.thegamecloset.com/images/store%...ots/store24.jpg

I didn't think you were. Sorry if I gave you that impression.

Yes, but that's not surprising. As the project nears completion, interest resurfaces, which means the playtesters will explore the game more. It's also the point where the programmers themselves tend to test things more than they used to. I see it as a strength that all these come out now. These things are always there in any event, and it's a good thing that Team Gizka are aware of them upfront and dedicated to solve them, since it means the final mod will be more solid.

Actually, it cannot, since Lucasarts has already said that is not the case. http://uk.xbox360.ign.com/articles/852/852342p1.html While I don't always credit IGN with dependable news, I do trust it when they quote the company directly for saying the LA/Bioware project has nothing to do with KotOR. This doesn't rule out the possibility that it's Star Wars related, however, just KotOR. Personally I think it's an MMORPG based on the years between Episodes III and IV, which is also where the live-action tv series is set chronologically, and which is to air next year when this game supposedly is to be released.

http://uk.xbox360.ign.com/articles/852/852342p1.html