SamuraiGaijin

It's possible you didn't have Visas in your party at that point in previous games.

Typically ... Nar Shadda - Duxn/Onderon - Korriban Return to Duxn/Onderon Dantooine -

Regarding the Malak fight on the Leviathan, and the Sion fight on Korriban, for that matter ... I think encountering a major antagonist about halfway through the game is a pretty good idea ... the problem is, neither of you can die. I agree 100% that the Malak fight was too easy ... but the plot wouldn't have worked with Malak beating Revan, taking Bastila, and leaving Revan alive. Regarding character deaths ... I think they can be a good thing, if they are necessary to advance the plot ... "red shirt" deaths are not appreciated, especially if they kill off a character I care about for no apparent reason (i.e.: Tasha Yar ... and the Playboy pictorial wasn't even that good)

I personally believe (I don't have the facts and data to back it up) that there really is no long-term difference between maxing STR, to impact to hit and damage, and maxing DEX and using weapon finesse, to impact to hit and defense. At lower levels, it probably makes a difference worth discussion, but by the time you've collected the pieces for you lightsaber, I don't think it's significant. "Which is better ... single, dual, or double lightsaber?" ... there have been more discussions about that here than I care to think about ... big picture, it's your choice (I personally prefer dual-wield).

I enjoy the riddles and the discussion with the Rakatan ... but other than enjoyment, diversion, and a little thought, there is no "tangible" reward ... why is it we play games again? (enjoyment, diversion, to make you think?)

The key to turning HM is talking to her immediately after Kreia tells you about her mother's heritage ... and she prefers LS, but as long as you keep her stowed on Ebon Hawk until 18th level, you should be fine. Take Mandalore and HK to Onderon (and side comletely with the general) for max influence. After the strength discussion with Hanharr, talk to Kreia about it, after that, there's not much worthwhile.

If you want to max out on skills - your initial build choice is the way to go. Security and Demolitions will allow you to gain more XP throughout the game (each mine recovered / door opened will net 10XP per your current level this may not sound like much, but it's 1% of your progression to the next level ... in one particular map high skills in these area are worth over 50% of a level). Persuade and Awareness will open the most dialog options (until you're happy with other skills, ~10 is plenty). Repair (at the work bench), Demolition and Treat Injury (at the lab station) will allow you to break down items more efficiently (20 for max efficiency). All skills (except persuade) will allow you to build more powerful upgrades for your gear (or more powerful gear) some of the best equipment requires skills higher than 30 ... there are items which can improve skills significantly as well. Computer Use is only useful in a handful of situations (but is needed to build lots of the cool items, and for a T3-M4 side quest). Stealth is a waste. STR is good for to hit/damage with melee weapons (but maxing it may not be the best course ... lots of disagreement about this, but the handful of points you gain from your base STR score are probably better applied elsewhere, especially when there are so many items, feats, etc. that will boost damage (and STR) in other ways). DEX is good for defense, to hit with ranged weapons, and to hit with melee weapons (with the Weapon Finesse feat) ... I usually push DEX. CON is good for VP and Implants ... you'll need 18 to use the coolest Implants, but 16 is really good enough. INT is good for skill points ... 14 is good enough ... it gets you +2 SP/level. WIS is good for Force Power potency and saves ... there are a handful of items that will boost WIS (most are guaranteed finds) ... WIS is particularly useful for light side male PC's ... I usually push WIS after DEX. CHA is good for Force Power potency and saves, and beefs up Persuade (but the Force Persuade powers open more dialog options) ... 12 is really plenty, 14 is definitely enough ... the FP cost for LS using DS powers (and vice versa) is not really significant, as you'll rarely find yourself running out of FP, and certain items can be found that will increase FP regeneration, further reducing the need. You really need to play the game at least twice to see most of the major options (once as LSM, once as DSF) ... after that, the replay value drops (especially if you've got a good walk through guide and get the most out of the game the first two times).

I generally prefer Sentinel for starting, because of the added skill points (higher skills = more options in many case, and more XP). For prestige classes, the extra force power forms of Sith Lord/Jedi Master are useful, but I prefer the added fighting prowess of the Sith Marauder/Jedi Weaponmaster. If I were true to roleplaying form, though, I'd probably pick Jedi Watchman. My final answer ... Marauder or Weaponmaster

I forgot all about that bastard ... only time I ever used ion weapons

It sounds like you really like the monitor ... and when I upgraded from a 17" to a 19", I couldn't believe the difference (granted, it's a 1280x1024 res, so the detail is not as fine as a 1600x1050, but it is beautiful). I also kept my 17" for some dual screen action (I disable it to play games ... while I look forward to the day when decent games support multiple monitors easily, it ain't here yet) ... the extra desktop space makes a world of difference in productivity. Referring to one document and working on another, for example, is a breeze. People who "pooh pooh" it have never tried it. Newer mobo chipsets (975 and nf5) just hit the market, and CPU prices seem to be dropping almost daily. Your current rig should be enough to play even the newest games (albeit at lower detail settings) at least until DX10 hits the streets. I'm going to have to go against the grain on this one ... the parts of your computer that will have the most effect on your experience are those that directly relate to your input and output (monitor, keyboard, mouse, speakers, etc.) and should not be skimped on (and generally, will outlast your PC's internals) ... my vote is for the monitor.

Darth Bandon always gives me trouble ... mostly because I usually encounter him on Kashyyyk when I'm alone on the GenoHaradan mission to kill the shapeshifter. Malak's about 50/50 ... I've never needed to take out the jedi in the tanks, but now that I know a few tricks, maybe I'll try them ... I have resorted to Thermal Detonators a couple of times, though ... funny. Kreia/Traya's about 50/50 as well ... never used mines against her, and probably won't ... hiding behind the terrain or executing a tactical retreat down the walkway always worked. Juhani (in the grove) and Visas (first encounter) occasionally got in a lucky shot, but it's been a while since they gave me any real trouble. Other relatively tough battles that come to mind ... K1 - Bendak Starkiller (plasma grenades are your friends) - Calo Nord and Davik (depending on who you brought with you) - The boss Mandalorian plus his gang on Dantooine - The two tarentek in the tomb on Korriban - The GenoHaradan boss plus his friends (if you were stupid enough to go alone) K2 - The mercs in the middle of the field on Telos' surface - The three HK-50's at the Telos Academy (strange how T3-M4 has no trouble with their brothers later) - Atton vs. The Twin Suns (especially the first time) - Mira vs. Hanhaar (saving her experience levels for later Jedification is a mixed blessing ... low VP, but you have instant heal via level up) - Vrook (hide behind terrain to heal, buff, and attack at range, if required) Nothing else comes to mind ... others have mentioned Sion and the Great Storm Beast ... I found both to be pushovers ...

Purists will say that one single-blade light saber is the only way to go ... while I agree with them to a point, I like tinkering with stuff, and dual-wield gives me more options to play with. I usually end up with the best combat-oriented components coupled with crystals that (first) improve stats and (second) improve damage And for those purists, take a very close look at EpII ... during the arena battle between the Jedi and droids, you can see a Jedi dual-wielding ... upper right portion of the screen, less than a minute before Dooku calls a cease fire and Yoda arrives with the clones.

Modern (made in the past 5 years or so) sound cards do take the sound processing weight off the CPU ... and depending on the application, this will sometimes improve performance (but probably not enough so that you would notice). Some onboard sound solutions - some specific motherboards, not any one brand or chipset - will be subject to electromagnetic interference from the other components on the mobo ... if you're getting humming, hissing or popping from an otherwise high-quality set of speakers (and you've tried isolating them from interference outside the case - monitors, other electronic equipment, etc.) then you've probably got some interference from the mobo components. Low quality speakers can cause similar problems. It really all depends on how much you value sound in your games and HTPC experience ... not everyone needs it, but you can really improve the quality of your sound for about $150 ... ... on a decent sound card (I wouldn't buy anything older/cheaper than an Audigy2 - ~$70 last I checked) and decent speakers (I've seen "good enough" 5.1 sets for about $70 recently ... and honestly, the Altec Lansing stereo speakers I bought for my sister at Target for $30 are surprisingly awesome).

I usually equip Mira w/ Gray Robes, and Atton with regular Jedi Robes later in the game ... but until there's a robe better than their jackets to dole out, those stay equipped ... I have been known to equip Atton with Sith armor on occasion.

Dexterity ... defense, and with finesse, both forms of attack ... but I usually advance most attributes fairly evenly, they're all important ... CHA and WIS are the hallmarks of a good Jedi, INT boosts skill points, CON increases VP and allows flexibility with Implants, STR increases melee attack and damage.

I'll buy them ... if for no other reason than I have almost everything else (and I haven't seen the 1977 version of "Star Wars" ... not "Episode IV: A New Hope" in almost 29 years). Yep - George's marketing pogues have me hooked ... for example - my wife bought me a lightsaber for my birthday ... it sits in a place of honor on my momemto's wall

I agree with the previous rant re: Greedo firing first ... I always liked that Han Solo would shoot first if he knew he was going to be shot at ... it's not cold-blooded, it's self-preservation. A few other scenes that were "over-enhanced" in the DVD edition: - ANH - the stormtrooper checkpoint in Mos Eisley, where we see the "Jedi Mind Trick" for the first time ... too much crap going on in the foreground. The lead up scenes are cute, but unnecessary. - ANH - the Jabba scene in docking bay 94 ... adding Boba Fett to that scene was completely uncalled for ... the idea that he's just part of Jabba's "posse" turns my stomach - ANH - in the Death Star, Han and Chewie are chasing a half dozen or so stormtroopers, they turn a corner, and before, there were around a dozen ... now, they turn a corner into what looks like a battalion-szied formation ... the scene looks out of place - ESB - while the new communication with the emperor (now Ian McD ... good call) does help explain why Vader (the second-baddest mofo in the galaxy) is so obsessed with tracking down Luke, it takes too long to get to the point ... then again, Lucas' dialog always seems a bit too wordy to me - ROTJ - the lightsaber duel was retouched - why this one, and not the rest throughout the movies? Luke's saber in ANH is extremely inconsistent in color (maybe just from years of sitting in Obi-Wan's storage). They did FINALLY catch Vader's uncolored lightsaber in ANH ... after he kills Obi-Wan, before Luke shoots the door closed. Things that were definitely done right ... - ANH - the Millenium Falcon "blasting it's way out of Mos Eisley" looked much better - ANH - the Death Star battle - ESB - Could City - everything was very tastefully done, and makes it look like a busy place - ROTJ - the final celebration - the scenes around the galaxy showing the celebration - while I have always found it hard to believe that the Empire would collapse instantly upon the death of the Emperor, it does tie things together. And, in closing - I interpret the appearance of young Anakin Skywalker as a force ghost as follows - the "lumious being" can project whatever image he wants - and Anakin wants to remember himself as he was before being seduced by the dark side ... Yoda and Obi-Wan, generally content with how they lived their lives, don't have the same issues.

Zersium Rifle ... definitely cool ... but I prefer the MIcro-Pulse Blaster Pistol, and with HK's assassin bonus damage on critical hits, Charric is a natural choice.

Concur on all counts ... I think a Bounty Hunter role playing game would be an interesting experience, but it is far more important to resolve the KoTOR story.

We don't have to let the PC go bounty hunting with bounty hunter weapons when a Party member could handle this. If a Jedi needs to capture a target alive he/she would stasis an opponent. Besides, how strange is it for a Jedi to go swoop racing and play pazaak? I thought the GenoHaradan quests in K1 were among the best sidequests, with a good payoff (some pretty cool gear and a neat backstory) ... they were a good diversion from the main quest. After all that praise, I'm not really a fan of Jedi/Sith bounty hunting ... Now, a Jedi "bounty hunting" - especially if it involves killing for money - doesn't make much sense ... I like the idea of non-lethal means to capture a target, but the idea of capturing someone for nothing but profit has me a bit worried ... if there were some higher good served, perhaps. A Sith, on the other hand, should have more important things to concern himself with than tracking down targets for crime lords. As far as Jedi/Sith swoop racing and playing pazaak ... it's a nice diversion, but doesn't make much sense either.

You might have to take him off the Ebon Hawk ... I don't know if I've ever tried to install it onboard the Hawk ...

Talk to him - it should give you a "I found an upgrade part for you" then install it ... it' one of (if not the) funniest moments in K2.

I'd call tech support at BIOWARE ... see if they have any answers ... I'm running out of ideas.

That is strange ... I guess that means it should check for which ever one is actually connected ... but if that was the case, you probably wouldn't be getting the error you're getting. I'm going to go out on a limb here, and ask something that may seem kind of stupid, but I'm starting to run out of ideas ... your monitor is connected to the VGA (or DVI) port on your card, right (not your mobo)?

I really enjoy the Sentinel/Weapons Master mix - your skills are high enough at 15th level that they don't suffer too much from the loss of extra points, and if you chose dual-wield, you can make use of all of the WM's extra feats.