Darth Drabek

Nice research! I played TSL on a cheap TV that only plays in mono anyway, so I didn't notice the low quality too much. I bet Griskey feels about the same way Nicky Katt does about his hard work being thrown out in the street. " (If you didn't get that, check the spoiler forum after you beat the game)

There is a difference between short hair and that hairstyle that the lesbian cops have. Just like, "Hi my hair is short and cute." and "Get the hell away from me you disgusting three-legger!" <{POST_SNAPBACK}> In her defense, my girl's hair was not nearly as short as the Handmaiden's Marine buzzcut. But I still think if a girl has the right look for it, she can make the military style work without appearing so butch as to scare off the dudes.

I think the influence system turned out pretty well... if you had enough influence over particular characters, you could convince them to flip alignment to the total opposite of their prior convictions. I know the strip's author was trying to make a point, but he didn't really do a lot of research on the characters he was sketching. I mean, come on, anybody who has played (or even read about) the game knows that Kreia isn't about cutesy, nice-guy acts - she's about manipulation and forcing people to see things your way. And Bao-Dur would absolutely NOT stand for the punting of puppies.

Hey everybody, a prominent gaming webcomic said something funny about TSL's influence system! Check this out! Ctrl-Alt-Del is no Penny Arcade, but hey, what is? Hope ya dig it!

The Handmaiden is where it's at... the epitome of tough and lovely. With the talented and esteemed Grey DeLisle providing her voice, she is even more intriguing. My girl had short hair when I met her. It's longer now though, which is very cool, but I still maintain that short hair looks great on girls who can pull it off.

Wow... it's a sad state of affairs when we get all worked up over a developer's comment on another board. P.S. I don't think he comes off as arrogant. The original poster said he/she enjoyed the game. Maybe the dev is making a comment about all the TSL-hatin' that's going on post-revelation.

This really just blows my mind. Nicky Katt has got to be pissed that his big ending got cut. Think about how awesome the flashback scene at M5 was. Traya, powerless, laying there while Sion gloats over her. The surprisingly violent beating he gives her. Now think about the scene aboard the Ebon Hawk where Kreia teaches you to "listen," and you hear your party members thoughts at the same time. That scene was absolutely fantastic. Those two scenes were better than anything in KOTOR. In my mind, that proved OE can really create some video game drama - it also raised my expectations for the rest of the game tenfold. Those expectations would have been met if they had taken the same care that they did in earlier scenes in the endgame. Atton's beating and death (or his attack on the Disciple), along with the rest of the party confronting Kreia, Bao-Dur's sacrifice, an actual ending with the droids... this would have turned a disappointing game (that wins awards by default, not merit) into one of the greatest RPG's ever. And you know what's really funny? That LucasArts even had the freaking nerveto use stuff in the Voice trailer that wasn't even in the damn game!!! They KNEW it was gold and didn't let it make the game, because of a preset deadline, pressure from fat cats, whatever. What a funny joke. It's so funny it hurts to laugh.

It's a good thing they decided to cut all that, because I really love loose ends and I hate it when endings tie them up. (sigh)

All right, some serious speculation! That is quite an interesting idea. Excellent analysis... I hadn't thought of that. I especially like the deconstruction part. This is true as well; it happens all the time in the Illiad. My professor called them "poetic death certificates."

Thanks for the answers, everybody. Since you brought up character attributes, are there repercussions to having low INT or CHA like in Fallout or KOTOR 2? For instance, am I going to have severely limited dialogue options or a smaller possible party size if I have low INT or CHA?

Heh heh... I think Disciple might be closer to Sir Galahad's self-righteous, pious posturing. Nice point on the ending... ZING OF THE DAY!

Thanks you guys... these boards rock. I ventured over to the BIO boards, but it was like I was trying to read Swahili. This place is much less intimidating and more laid back, like your favorite coffeeshop or pub. :D

Okay, so my first "real" RPG was KOTOR. I liked it a lot, so I started playing Fallout 2. I know, I know, popular consensus is I should be shot for playing the sequel first. After KOTOR 2, I wanted to try one of the Baldur's Gate games. When people talk about great RPGs, they seem to be the gold standard (except on these boards where Fallout seems to reign supreme). Anyway, I downloaded the demo of BG 2: Shadows of Amn and I had a few questions. First, some lines are spoken and others are just text (which is cool, I have nothing against reading). Is every line voice acted in the full version? I just was wondering if some of the audio files were cut for space in the demo. Also, I'm not so good on my D&D. I "learned" it from KOTOR's feedback, and I know that system like the back of my hand. But I just don't have the knowledge about some of these things. It seems the lower the Armor class, the harder you are to hit. Then do you subtract your DEX modifer from your AC or what? Or does DEX not modify defense in this game? Do you still only get your modifier if the stat is an even number? See, I just don't know things like that. Is there an online resource for D&D "noobs" (God, how I hate that word)? Combat seems to go reeeeally fast in BG 2 and I can't even see the attack rolls in the little dialog box to know how I'm doing... is there a full feedback feature in the game that I haven't found yet, with damage, to hit, saving throws and all that good stuff? Thanks in advance for your helpful, non-condescending replies! :D

I guess my idle conjecture didn't hit the mark then? I suppose reading this stuff and playing the game at the same time I'm bound to mix and match ideas. And to think, I really thought I had something here...sniff. No matter, I still dig mythology and I still think pulling parallels from out of left field is fascinating.

Also, it seems like crystals are in much shorter supply this time around. So if you are busy turning party members into Jedi, you can spread the stronger crystals around more if you are only using one saber (I know, that's not really an argument against double-bladed, but it's a valid reason not to use two sabers. If you want your other party members to use lightsabers.

Well, there's the +3 attack and defense from dueling, which I always thought was pretty cool. And if you want more critical hits, your threat range is bigger with one saber. Oh yeah, and a single saber just feels more dramatic. :cool:

So I'm reading Homer's The Odyssey for a Greek history class and I've noticed a few things. The Telemachy, the first part of the book bears a strong resemblance to some of KOTOR 2's storyline! Some background... Odysseus, a great warrior and master battle tactician, has just crushed the Trojans and is on his way home when his ship is lost... no one knows what has happened to one of the greatest heroes of the Achaian army. He is presumed dead. Things are looking grim at the beginning of the epic poem. Odysseus's land is overrun with men who wish to marry his wife and claim his fortune. His son Telemachos, who has doubts about his heritage, is too weak to force these usurpers out. Enter gray-eyed Athena, Goddess of Wisdom and a fearsome sight in battle too (as shown in the Illiad). Athena is renowned throughout Greek mythology for her cunning. Her skill at deception has turned the tide of many wars; she even fooled the Trojans greatest warrior, Hector, into believing that she would help him fight Achilles, Greece's greatest warrior - a deception that cost Hector his life. Athena knows that Odysseus is still alive and wants him to return home to clear his land of the usurpers. Odysseus is shown throughout Greek literature to be her favorite mortal - she respects his sharp mind and tactical prowess. So she manipulates Telemachos into searching out some of Odysseus's wartime companions for clues to his whereabouts. She even insinuates that if he succeeds at this endeavor, he will be worthy of his father's great name, even if he is a bastard. So, Telemachos and Athena get a ship and crew and sail to find Nestor, Menelaus and any other notable Greek hero that might have news of Odysseus. I believe Odysseus and Athena are very similar to Revan and Kreia. Given the shared characteristics and even , I think it's even possible that some aspects of these characters might have been inspired by the epic poems of the Trojan Cycle. Also, Athena's usage of Telemachos for her own purposes is akin to Kreia's behavior toward the exile in TSL. Their journey to find surviving Trojan war luminaries reminded me of the search for the Jedi Masters. Even the way Athena helps Telemachos gain power and skill by lending him her strength has a parallel with TSL (force bonds? gradually reconnecting to the force?). Now if I haven't lost you yet, imagine this: a KOTOR 3 comparable to the rest of The Odyssey. I can't come up with much here....maybe they kick large quanitities of buttocks. So what do you think? Does this make sense? Am I stretching in places? Are there other parallels you've seen? I leave you with a stellar quote from Odysseus/Revan from the Illiad, after he impaled some poor Trojan on his spear: "Death in its rampage outraced you - no escape. Now your father and noble mother will never close your eyes in death - screaming vultures will claw them out of you, wings beating your corpse! But I, if I should die, my comrades-in-arms shall bury me in style!"

You guys have some serious money invested here. Xbox. For the controls... but mostly, because it came out first for Xbox and I didn't want to wait until now to play it.

Sure it does... just another example of the failure of private schools to give their students a worthwhile education. I'm sure he learned a lot about which clique would be the most beneficial to kiss the ass of. Hell, I'm surprised GW wasn't home-schooled - but then his social skills are too advanced with the whole hunt and kill on Saturday, go to church and repent on Sunday business.

He's the exchange boss on Citadel Station.

"Hold the line. Those cowards will be dealt with." This is one of the Sith Assassins at the top of the Sky Ramp in Onderon. He says that line after you persuade some of Vaklu's troops to run away.

"The dark side is always there." - Master Kavar

I've read that the new Green Day is a politcal rock opera concept album-type thing. Kudos to them for aiming high, but I highly doubt it can step to NOFX's The Decline, 18 minutes of politically-inspired concept cathartic punk rock. Has anyone heard both albums and care to comment on this?

Some really good lists here... rather than rattle off my entire CD/mp3 collection, I'll share what I've been listening to lately and focus on stuff that hasn't been mentioned. I really dig Frank Black, especially the stuff he did with the Catholics. I saw somebody mentioned Ted Leo & the Pharmacists; nice work, Ted is awesome! If I could impress on all of you to go buy a CD from one band, it would be the Afghan Whigs. They were on Sub Pop in the early 90s, and hit a major label but never made it big. What a sound though... think Motown meets funk meets grunge with better-than the-average-angst-king lyrics. Buy 1965, Black Love or Gentlemen right now. I love the stripped-down sound of Husker Du and the raw energy of Rocket from the Crypt. And for fast songs and slick harmonies, Bad Religion can't be beat. I've also been listening to a lot of Tom Waits lately, the early drunken balladeer stuff. Tomahawk, Mike Patton from Faith No More's current band has a creepy, driving rock sound that I dig. They were positively sublime live. I think the band I've seen live the most times would have to be Goldfinger. Other stuff I like that hasn't been mentioned: The Pogues, The Clash, Television, Flogging Molly.... And I'm sure the Star Wars fans and Adult Swim aficianados out there know about the man who rapped about "Fett's Vette:" the unbelievable mc chris.

Well, the droids. The force adepts in the group are Mira, Atton, Bao-Dur, Handmaiden and Disciple. You can influence them by making choices they support. If they feel strongly either way about your actions, they will let you know and you will either gain or lose influence.