Yes, yes, yes. I agree. Influence machines would be too spoiling.
I could never figure it out and rarely used it unless it was obvious. (1v1 form or something)
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Overall in the current K3 argument, I think no canon would be incredible.
I really just go generally with some of you others ideas for K3, but for the beginning?
What if the PC was a force-sensitive that a third "secret sith" (ie Nihilius, Sion) was trying to recruit. You "tell" the sith whether you were DS or LS, Male or Female in K1 & K2, and that determines who comes and gets you when the Republic arrives at the eleventh hour and a siege begins at some sith world just outside republic space. It could be anyone from Jolee to Atton, but someone familiar. After that, you are taken to the republic flagship to see Carth, if you told the sith accordingly for him to be alive, or someone else if needed. You tell them that you had found a hint as to where Revan is in sith space. If you want to be DS, theres appropriate [Lie] options, etc. Once in sith space you investigate the planet. It has a relatively low tech race, and sith ruins like Korriban. Somehow around there the Exile finds you. Depending on alignment, perhaps the DS Exile is in the ruins, doing something evil or the LS Exile arrives after getting similar intel about the planet, and you and him/her meet. You are partyless at that point, with a republic fleet in orbit. (maybe you can get a "unimportant" party member on the world, a Mission-level of importance for example) (LS/Exile LS/K3) & LS/Exile DS/K3) story is to inform the republic fleet and join the exile on the ebon hawk where whatever characters are there, I have no idea as per K2 cut content. (Note for DS/K3: Work your trickery among the LS if you are DS, you can betray everyone later) As I mentioned Jolee before, K1 members such as Jolee or Juhani are working with the republic (LS Revan, etc) depending on K1 gender one of them visits the ebon hawk, and helps the Exile in giving you training, before returning to the fleet. The republic fleet should then leave, either for the reason that sith space is too dangerous, or that it is needed elsewhere, whatever. The ebon hawk then travels to another planet in search of revan. The search will seem kind of "look for star map" style, but with awesome twists as per K1 and K2 genders and alignments, mostly that of K2 as only the exile is with you at this point. On the next planet you discover intel that opens up nearly a hundred worlds. The ebon hawk p/c, though still locked, snycs with the new charts and several worlds appear your galaxy map, apparently some of those that had been locked. (So not all 100 planets, ok?, only a handful had synced) Obviously the most critical worlds such as wherever revan is is not on this map, but those that are are the worlds you explore.
Bonus*One of them is a exile mandalorian outpost. Maybe there should be some potential to tell Canderous of it for his search. So on and so forth, the beginning is wrapped up. You progress through your training, so on and so forth.
DS Exile LS/K3 & DS/K3: Once in sith space you investigate the planet. It has a relatively low tech race, and sith ruins like Korriban. While in the ruins, and regardless of your alignment you have a controntation and are captured easily by the Exile and are taken aboard the Ebon Hawk. K3/LS a new party member rescues you escapes you to a world of your choice of of that galaxy chart which had already been found by DS Exile. You never discovered the Exile's intentions. Probably find Revan, but what about their interest in you? And even the third sith? There is something about yourself that you must discover. Probably not a good enough twist, I think. Too ordinary. "I don't know why I'm important, find out" You find some grey jedi or something (a force user to train you basically) then you can go about with the rest of the stroy. (Probably you'd get this member in LS Exile as well)
DS Exile/ DS
A headstart. Cut the crap, you get training from the DS Exile. You get nice DS members.
*Bonus: Maybe for HK-47, you only get him in DS/DS or if you insist on LS, perhaps a DS Revan alignment works out to get you HK.
I'm not too good a speculator and all this K1 & K2 alignments to influence the K3 story makes it even more difficult. Think about all the possibilities. Not only does there have to be different events for each alignment, but also some for gender, and extras for extra choices, of course. Maybe K3 hasn't been made cause its going to be a pain in the ***, especially with canon issues. You will almost surely have to tell someone in the beginning nearly every detail of your K1 and K2 playthroughs.
Well what do you all think about that, for a beginning?
*Also should speaking to NPCs be a one-time or repeated (like K1-2)? (One time being if you tried to ask the same question they'd call you a moron.)