Cyricc

HL2 graphics are slightly better than KotOR and are worse than Doom 3? What video card and visual settings was that on? I mean, if you're playing it on a DirectX7-based card with everything set low, of course it's going to look bad... I play it on a DirectX8 card, with all settings on max, and the game looks awesome. Better and faster than Doom 3, for certain. I can only imagine how both games look under hardware DirectX9... And don't even start comparing it to KotOR graphics. That's what I said eariler. However, I have played some Troika games before, and my general feeling is that they are quite buggy; and in my opinion, Bloodlines is the leats buggy one I have played. :D <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Yeah, this is more Troika's fault, they have a long track record of buggy games. I played Vampire: Bloodlines, and the only real bugs I experienced was when decals (such as blood splatters) weren't placed correctly on the walls and would flicker in and out of the wall. In rooms with heavily bloodied walls and floors, the flickering could get VERY distracting. Other than that, not many bugs I could see. Temple of Elemental Evil was lightyears worse than this. One thing for certain, though, is that they definitely did not use to Source engine to its fullest extent, when compared to what's found in HL2. All said and done, I'm not sure I would like the Source engine to power any KotOR-related game or RPG. After all, it's primarily an FPS engine - did anyone try making an RPG out of any other FPS engine? And from what I've seen of it, it's geared more towards dark, gritty urban environments rather than the bright chrome cityscapes and varied natural landscapes of Star Wars. If they were to use it, however, I would like them to completely remove the things inherent to FPS's - namely jumping (especially), crouching, and first-person view.

This seems highly unlikely... Bioware is currently working on Jade Empire and will soon be shifting its resources to Dragon Age; Obsidian is developing NWN2.

Actually, I happen to have a Geforce 5900 XT, and it's pretty old... I think I got it about a year ago, and even back then it wasn't the cream of the crop card. What pains me especially is seeing the poor thing trying to run 3DMark05 With that card I could turn graphics up to 1280x1024, max detail, 4xAA/8xAF, all effects on except soft shadows (which I thought looked worse than hard shadows ) and it would run at a respectable framerate EXCEPT the places with mist/smoke. Like Dantooine Cave. Ugh. Anybody who didn't get framerate drop there with upped details must have one powerful machine. Still, it obliterates the Xbox version by a long run in terms of graphics.

A question I would like to ask - I'm getting this in February, but I've heard this game is easier than KotOR 1? Would you people agree? If so, I find that disheartening... the original on PC was very, very easy for me, to the point that I ended up applying things like the Hardcore mod just to make it a bit more challenging. What they need to add is the good ol' Impossible, Legendary, Master, or Nightmare 4th difficulty level.

Gah. Something WORSE than Selkath speech? The one twilek word that really stuck in my head was "Jedebedewananidibobo." Anyone remember that? Only male Twileks said it though.

Wait, so are the PnP rules actually used in Kotor 2, or passed by as in Kotor 1? I was rather disappointed by how Kotor 1 so obviously favored double/dual sabers over single, not having implemented the 1.5x damage on large weapons thing.

I'm waiting for the PC version, because if I'm not mistaken, PC and Xbox International versions both come out in Feb 2005? Of course, if both come out at the same, time, it's a no-brainer which one to choose. I'm confident they'll get bugs worked out. What I would like fixed is how mist or smoke just HALTED the framerate (remember Dantooine Kinrath Cave? Gah). While my faith remains very strong in the sequel, what I find disheartening is that the accursed NAR SHADDAA has been included in it! The abomination of Nar Shaddaa seems to have put its ugly blemish on every good Star Wars game except for KotOR (I express my eternal gratitude). But now it comes back to scar the sequel of a blessedly Nar-Shaddaa-free game. Curses.

The problem is that this game was simply not hyped enough. While too much hype is very bad, too little hype can be bad as well. It seems like hardly anyone was talking about this game over here. Just seems (keyword: seems) like nobody was looking forward to it until the actual release date.

Well, I can certainly agree on the graphics after seeing the video review... never played the original on Xbox, but good God they look so much worse than Kotor 1 PC, especially when close-up. And some horrendous framerate issues as well. I can agree to how reviewers are critisizing the graphics now that I've seen that...

Well, the opposite of pink is... dark green?

As far as I know, the only working emulator out there runs only Halo 1 and is more novel then functional. So, no.

I love making extreme cheesed-out characters - max strength, secondary dex; max dex, secondary wis/cha; and max wis/cha, secondary dex. They tear through things far, far faster than all-around, mild builds. Perma-choking Malak with a max caster build and kung-fuing him with a max strength build was simply beautiful :D Constitution is always 10 for agility/caster builds and 10 to 14 for strength. No stat is less than 10. Class/feats/forcepowers are allocated depending on the build type. Either double/dual unless single saber setup was buffed. Oh, yes, and about the leveling, the experience required for each following level is triangular, and so it can be figured by e = 500n(n+1) where n is the level, e is total experience required for attaining that level.

Gah, I'm torn... I do have an Xbox, but I've been a longtime PC gamer and after seeing the difference between Xbox version and PC version at 1280x1024 with AA and AF cranked to max, I really, really want the good graphics. So herein lies the rub. I'm definitely going to get the PC version, but now I need to decide whether it's really worth the $40-50 to play it 2 months early.