Plano Skywalker

IMO, rap is not music...it is expression. it can be incorporated into music (some songs have brief raps in them) and I think that is where it has its most potential. the music industry sell cds to kids who are angry at society and don't want to listen to mom and dad. rock used to be the vehicle of choice for this kind of angst. now, it is rap. because, while mom and dad may actually like rock nowadays, they probably don't like rap. it is the rebellion vehicle of choice...that's not to say that there isn't some decent stuff out there...but not really my cup of tea.

the first one was pretty good.

good stuff there Dyan! I hope they incorporate story ideas like that.

the story we are in now is something of a mess...that is one reason K3 cannot cut and run....the present story arch has to be wrapped up and wrapped up masterfully. now, going forward in this franchise, there is simply no reason future games cannot be self-contained stories. K3 should set up certain things (such as joinable factions) that can be used in future games. But the main plot has to be resolved in K3.

minigames... Pazaak: needs to have different types of AI (some patrons who want to play you should play like novices). also, I wouldn't mind there being a multiplayer version where several patrons are playing against the house....where you can see expressions on player's faces as they are dealt the cards and where they make VO comments. Swoop Racing: I prefer the KOTOR 1 type and I like having 3 tiers of play. I would say most racing should be like in KOTOR 1 but maybe 1 world with the more tricked-up type. Turret: I want full 180 Z-axis and I want the ability to upgrade to a quad turret....more opportunities to play the turret minigame would be nice....also, mix it up a little. The Ebon Hawk should be a target for pirates just as much as "the Sith" or whatever. Rideable mounts/vehicles: OK, surprise me but I want something in this department and on more than one world.

[sLIGHT SPOILERS AHEAD] not only is Bastila a Jedi, she shares a Force Bond with Revan...this is crucial to any plot finding Revan. Revan, of course, can be female so it doesn't have to a romantic thing between those two. The Exile (as far as we know) no longer has Force Bonds with anyone, at least not the empathic type. Bastila's ability to commune (at least in some sense) with Revan regardless of Revan's actual location is a huge storytelling device and it would help tie it all in together. Carth can play a significant role though, as can Dustil.

you know, I have heard rumors that he is involved in it but, who knows? but, I agree, why not? the fact that they have Dark Horse writting official continuity in this era shows that they are in this for the long haul, I think.

good point...I mean, it's not like KOTOR 2 was a beacon of game balance or anything...

it is essentially the flagship title of the franchise. Battlefront II might sell better but that is really just a hack of Battlefield II and will never be done in-house. a story-focused RPG like KOTOR is exactly the kind of thing that SW groupies would want to be involved in. and I think it safe to say that a good number of LA people are SW groupies. if KOTOR 2 is seen as a failure, then LA people can say "see, we told you so...BioWare doesn't do licensed projects and Obsidian is too small a company to handle it...bring it in-house". anyway, I think I am going to bow out of this debate as the only way I can make my point is to troll another company, which is against the rules.

now that could work!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}> I guess I forgot to mention the Tshirt and coffee mug

one world I really wouldn't mind seeing in KOTOR 3 is Yavin 4. Jedi Outcast has Yavin 4 in it. Here is the thing: Yavin 4 is a moon that orbits a red gas planet about the size of Jupiter. So, when you look up in the sky, you see blue skies, white clouds and this HUGE RED ORB. It is really cool. It is also where Exar Kun managed to get defeated and get his spirit trapped in the pyramids there so it has the potential of being a training area for dark side types or something similar.

yes, that is generally all they have been doing of late (and have had some hits to be sure). but they used to DEVELOP games as well....KOTOR 3 was going to be a totally in-house project according to the (well-founded) rumors. but it got cancelled. so, while there is still a desire to produce KOTOR 3, I think a number of LA people would like to develop it as well. why do I think this? the same reason the publisher abandoned (for the longest time, anyway) any semblance of post-production support for KOTOR 2.

KOTOR 3 should be about wrapping up everything in this story arch: * the Exchange * the Czerka Corp * the Revan/Malak Sith (what remains of them) and, of course, resolution to the unknown threat. and at least knowing of the fates of Revan and the Exile depending on what alignment you give them in dialogue. that is why I think Bastila being heavily involved is crucial....she fills you in on the wherabouts of Revan and the Exile.....she is already a major player in her own right and you are assisting her in completing the mission. I just think that she, more than anyone else, can tie K1's story in with K2's story and set up K3's finale.

if it had: * restored content * an extra (new) map * a toolset * a saved game editor * a soundtrack cd then I would pick it up, no question about it.

absolutley, if dialogue is going to be such an important mechanic in the game (and I generally like the idea) then we need CHAOTIC options in dialogue. we also need to be able to do good things just to look good, not because we are being boy scouts...again, chaotic options.

yes, they were PRODUCED in-house. I'm talking about DEVELOPED and produced and with an LA employee writing the storyline. I'm not saying it should happen. I'm just saying that I believe a number of LA employees are pushing for that and that is one reason we haven't heard anything.

how about Silent Storm and Hammer and Sickle? they are turn-based/squad-based tactical games with heavy RPG elements.

thing is, it is one thing to have an outsider make Republic Commando and such titles. KOTOR is different. It is, essentially, the crown jewel of SW games. It is where official SW continuity lives on. so, I am sure that many of the LA rank and file REALLY want KOTOR to be done in-house regardless of whether it makes economic sense to do so. however, I'm not sure they can handle the creative aspect of a true RPG, at least at this time. best bet would be to either contract out KOTOR-type games (how's that for being troll proof?) or to have it done in-house with paid consultants from BioWare or Obsidian. they would also probably want to license an engine that is geared toward making true RPGs, such as the NWN2 engine. my point is that I can see a scenario in which they do it in house but they would still need to bring in some old guns from a company like Obsidian.

I'm sure but that just seems like a lot in the way of game art, development and design for a company that hasn't done a lot in-house of late.

I don't know but they do have a number of job listings: http://www.lucasarts.com/jobs/

the way to use tanks, etc would be to do it in an RPGish sort of way. let us say that you have to infiltrate an enemy compound. you might scale the walls of the compound OR you might get Bao Dur to fix the old tank you found (the one with a bulldozer attachment on the front) and to have a squad member use that to compromise a section of wall in the compound. you dont HAVE to use it but it is one way to get the job done...I am definitely not talking about vehicle combat for a KOTOR game....while it would be sweet, it would probably take too much in the way of time....time that could be spent better on other things.

with regard to titles and RPG titles in particular, it is true that, in the past, occidental RPGs were normally made for PC and sometimes got a port (or watered down version) for console....whereas, JRPGs were developed with console in mind. that mentality is changing somewhat...obviously, moddable RPGs (such as NWNs and NWNs2) will always make their home on the PC. but other RPGs, and especially those that use real time combat, will have the console as their main home. the Xbox 360 will have 3 titles of Mass Effect, which is a platform exclusive from BioWare and Jade Empire 2 will presumably be console exclusive. Obsidian is apparently working on at least one 360 title and Mistwalker (the guy who founded Square Software) will be producing 2 360 exclusive RPGs. I like the idea of having a platform that can play 4 BioWare titles, an Obsidian title and 2 Mistwalker titles so I will probably get a 360 at some point, but not until the first price drop at least.

I think "continuing customization" is what an RPG must have. This can be class-based or skill-based.

I'm playing Jedi Outcast right now (on Xbox actually) and it is a great game. Really good story so far.