Plano Skywalker

I like the idea of day and night rotations....I also like variable weather (especially on temperate worlds like Dantooine). As far as actually logging time, I see no reason to log in-game time if there are no opportunity costs for how you use time.

I agree....Mission is hot.

didn't Mical say that Force Sensitive children who don't quite make it into the Order end up on Telos still serving the Order? anyway, I think there is a larger Force Sensitive community who would probably step in for something like that. also, former Jedi, who switched off their lightsabers to become "regular" citizens would also step in for something like that. if you think about, it is a really good hook for K3 (as are alot of things )

[sLIGHT SPOILERS AHEAD] that is actually a very strong argument in favor of returning characters such as Mission and Jolee. because, while it is *possible* to kill Bastila in K1, the devs put her in K2 (whether LS or DS). as I see it, only a scripted event (such as Vrook dying) is irrevocable and, even then, there are Force Ghosts. (I love Ed Asner's voice....really wouldn't mind hearing it in K3.)

Revan and Bastila share a Force Bond...that is a good story hook. It also might mean we don't have to have a Force Bond with the PC this time (can I get an amen?). The destinies of Revan and Bastila are inextricably linked. That is why I think it would be a mistake to include Revan but not Bastila in K3...it just isn't possible. However, allowing the PC to determine whether there is, in fact, a romance between the two would be nice. Why not? It is only one dialogue tree.

There is already a "continuity Revan" and there will, eventually, be a continuity Exile. Thing is, asking the PC about 1 previous character is awkward enough. Asking about 2 is, I think, kind of lame.

the easiest way to deal with Revan is to kill him off....but I don't think they will do that...not yet. having Revan being out there somewhere but otherwise not involved turns KOTOR into a soap--BAD STUFF! having Revan as PC at this point would be too unwieldy. sooo, as I see it, he has to have major involvement but there has to be room for the PC....same thing with Exile...Exile effectively becomes Atris but is not the primary protagonist. the PC cannot be Revan or the Exile but must work with them both. and then there is Bastila (a very popular character)....putting her into the role of Kreia is, I think, the easiest way to give her some play but, again, still leaving plenty of room for the protagonist. Bastila also has, shall we say, a "strategic gift" that would come into play nicely. Bastila is just as important as Revan as a plot device.

one of the limitations of only having one thread to work with. presumably, if and when this thing is officially announced, we will have an entire forum to talk about this game.

[sLIGHT SPOILER ALERT] my thoughts on the story: * Revan is the key to solving the crisis...he is in the Unknown Regions. he is a scripted character but you do somehow get to determine gender/graphical sprite/voice pattern (within reason...they can't have but so many voice samples)...I don't care how they implement it but this is the best way to use Revan IMO. Once Revan returns to Known Space, he is, essentially, calling the shots from the map room. He and Carth plan the Republic strategy. If the devs want, Revan can play some role in the endgame...not essential though. * Bastila assumes the role of Kreia but is not always on your ship....(sometimes, the game goes multithreaded and Bastila is the squad leader in such cases....she has her own ship). If you said Revan was male, then you also get to decide whether Bastila and Revan are lovers (you steer the conversation in a certain way but Bastila actually says it). If you determine that they are not, then the PC can have a romance with Bastila (if his Charisma is high enough). * Exile is a scripted character...I see no reason to have a variable Exile....hard-coded female Twilek....Exile assumes the role of Atris (trying to rebuild the Order, has party members to give you but Exile cannot join you herself)....Exile assists you in the endgame and as a controllable squad leader in certain situations.

as far as the IGN article goes: * first, IMO, IGN is like the New York Times when it comes to leaked information....they don't leak what they don't have....and if you are a developer or a publisher and want to stir the pot a bit, IGN would be on any short list of places to leak it to. * however, just because a leak is based on "credible" information does not mean that anything is carved in stone--as one reason to leak information in the first place is to send out a "trial balloon". my sense is that this is based on a credible leak but that, like any unofficial news, it is subject to change...heck, even officially announced projects can be delayed or even cancelled. I'm hoping we'll hear something from LA about the KOTOR franchise at E3. Even if they tell us not to expect anything, some sort of official word would be welcome.

perhaps...but I wouldn't mind hearing about how the Ravager was slated for repair and recommissioning...that would make the Mandalorian "transgression" a bit more real, IMO.

all I'm saying is that, just because D20 has never been implemented RT, does not mean it cannot be. as long as you keep D20 stats, feats, leveling up, etc, you have stayed true (for the most part) to D20. it is only a matter of time before we see RT D20 games anyway. WOTC knows what sells.

D20 is a good system, especially in the low to mid range. I don't think any D20 CRPG has ever featured RT combat....but there is really no reason it could not....Jade Empire is RT AND STAT-BASED. Turn-based and partial turn-based are really just holdovers from PnP role playing. As long as combat is not Double Dragon-style (i.e. no stats, no stat enhancements) then it could work in real time. Stats (and the continuing customization thereof) are the key.

oh, shall I did up the link? EDIT: OK, here is the snippet from IGN: LucasArts' recent silence by no means equals inactivity. On the contrary, Knights of the Old Republic 3, which we believe is in development with Obsidian Development, is in the early stages of creation for a late 2006 -- most likely a 2007 -- release. The game should feature more seamless interaction between NPCs and the lead character, as well as better, more economic interactions between party members. We predict the combat system will go entirely realtime, as opposed to partially realtime (the way it was in KOTOR 1 and 2), and RPG fans will be able to enjoy more distinct shades of gray recognized by characters instead of the black and white distinctions made in the first two iterations of the series. here is the hyperlink: http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/680/680220p1.html

I have posted about a number of things here...I'm not sure what the question is.

IMO, what prevented the new Bard's Tale from being a true RPG was the lack of meaningful dialogue not the fact that combat was real-time.... if KOTOR 3 has the kind of dialogue and meaningful choices that K2 had, then it will be a CRPG in my book.....the problem is the lightsaber....multilayered combat just can't do justice to it....the more I think about it (in light of this unique problem) the more I'm hoping for RT combat.

well, if the boys at IGN are right, K3 will, essentially, be an action RPG. and, you know what? it will sell better if it is.

would you consider the new Bard's Tale a CRPG?

it seems to me that one of the biggest problems with lightsaber combat is, in fact, in the area of the 1-1 boss battle. chances are, neither you nor the boss is wearing any armor.....if you get hit with a lightsaber, you ARE going to: 1) die. 2) suffer a self-carterizing sever wound of some kind. 3) your lightsaber gets hit and gets shorted out. it is that simple and it is precisely because of that that we need a sophicated system to determine what actually happened and whether what happened can be averted (i.e. defensive feats turning a blow into a glancing blow, etc)....even a glancing blow from a lightsaber will have you howling and falling to the floor. in squad-based combat it is not as big of a deal since: 1) ranged weapons will be used in some fashion. 2) the opponents will (often) have armor on. but even then, we need more realism...we need armor damage (i.e. Morrowind) and we need to see lightsabers slicing right through Gaffi sticks....even Vibroblades should not get a 100% saving throw against a lightsaber.

well, I do agree that, at least in principle, any dangling thread that a game introduced should be resolved in future games... let us hope so....

I haven't played the rereleases (something that I plan to remedy soon). But I have played the old Amiga version and that version definitely forced you to retire. At the beginning of the game, you get to choose a special skill (i.e. fencing, navigation, gunnery, etc). Well, if you chose Medicine as your skill, then that generally allowed you to play for much longer, as I recall. Basically, you kept getting slower and slower (and get captured more often), your reputation wanes and, thusly, you are not able to attract as many recruits....the game reminds you that you need to retire. Whether it actually cuts away to that without your consent, I'm not 100% sure...but the end result is the same.

good points and that could work....but I think aging is more than just a balancing mechanism...it also provides a purpose to an open-ended game. the idea that, OK, I am going to completely ignore the main quest and do a bunch of side quests and/or faction quests....or maybe I am just going to hunt deer and sell the hides in town (heh, talk about open-ended!)....but if you have that kind of flexibility, then you also need a point and that is where forced retirement comes into play. OK, so you spent 100 hours hunting deer? fine, the devs come and save you from your vicarious existence by making you retire. And, depending on how well you did your trade (and managed your money and reputation), the retirement can vary widely. For me, one of the most exciting things in Pirates! was the end of the game when I found out how I retired. It provided a point to an otherwise pointless game. Now, some open-ended games have a main quest that makes the PC the center (and saviour) of the universe...that's fine but that's not why I play open-ended games. The trick, of course, is in the implementation. I'm not saying Pirates! had the right relationship for time....I'm not saying Fable did....heck, maybe the game should allow us to decide what the relationship is....I'm just saying that many of us like to play our open-ended games in a really open-ended fashion and having some sort of time constraint (i.e. opportunity cost) does, in my view, help out that kind of game.

indeed...I think that aging and forced retirement (mind you, Pirates! has you retiring at about age 35 IIRC, which is pretty realistic) is THE solution to the open-ended problem. now, if you like Morrowind just the way it is then I'm not talking to you. but if you think open-ended games need some sort of mechanism to complete the experience (WOW, I retired as a governor this time!), then there is nothing better IMO than aging and forced retirement. It is the best way to introduce opportunity costs in an otherwise unlimited playground. if you don't like unlimited playgrounds without some sort of opportunity cost and balancing mechanism but refuse to play a game with aging, then linear RPGs are for you, not open-ended ones.

I think the idea is that Bane "revived" the use of the Darth title. Revan is, in fact, the first one to use the title (we effectively have a continuity change and not everybody is happy about that). However, the EU explaination of Darth is that it simply means "Dark Lord of the Sith".....others have used the more drawn-out title, such as Marka Ragnos. It is the abbreviation that started with Revan (and before there was a Revan, yes, it was Bane who started the abbreviation).

I agree with Hades on the replay thing....basically, if I play BG with 5 mages and a thief, that is a much different experience than playing with 2 fighters, a cleric, a thief, a bard, and a mage....TOTALLY DIFFERENT.... same goes for the PC's class, gender and alignment....one of the reasons K2 has decent replay value is there are different convos and even party members depending on how you play. I, of course, think the KOTORs could use more party management (more like BG) but they are moving in the right direction with things like that.