Plano Skywalker

I agree with alot of what Yst said here. Dialogue is already one of the stronger points of the KOTOR games. That is why you have people who don't even like Star Wars playing them. However, there is room for improvement. But the proposed changes would take away from the "organic" feel that dialogue must have in order to create the immersion that only dialogue can create. I personally like the idea of knowing that everything I say will affect something (even if it is something unrelated). For instance, let us say that you have a LS answer, a DS answer, a "take a pass" answer and 3 totally fluff non-answer responses. I like the idea of knowing that the only response I can give that will not affect anything is the "take a pass" answer...everything else WILL affect the story in some way (even if the exact way is not clear). They should probably also include a [bribe] selection more and more deception options (not just outright lies) for non-bully DSers. Also, verbal feats like Group Inspire would be nice. But the kind of gymnastics that you have mentioned is probably a bit much.

All I know is, they left the door WIDE OPEN in the KOTOR Chronicles when it comes to Naga Sadow.

Let us assume for a moment that there will be 10 KOTOR games. There is no reason why Revan cannot have some sort of role in all of them. Revan is like Charlie from Charlie's Angels...a shadowy figure but a very important plot device. That is the proper way to see Revan at this point, IMO.

the best way to have a "true romance" in the Star Wars setting is to make it tragic (i.e. Bastila getting kidnapped). they apparently did not want to do that this time around so they just had a number of teaser, non-romances. makes sense, you have to lay off the cliches once in a while to make them effective.

Darth Nuke, I hope you are right. If there is going to be a bloody war, why the heck can't we fight in it! I'm hoping KOTOR III is epic with a capital E. No question about it. I agree that the True Sith are "playing both sides" as with Palpatine. The Revan/Malak Sith are basically the Trade Federation in all this. Again, I HOPE that is what we get.

also, remember the *kind* of war the True Sith are waging. It is all about assassins with stealth generators, etc. It is a guerilla war. Maybe that is why Revan went out to where he thought the Sith are at...to see how this terrorist organization can be shut down (in other words, this is not a matter of my armada versus your armada). I suspect most of the game will be in Galactic space looking for clues and I suspect that the BIG BOSS will be Naga Sadow (who is being his arrogant, overreaching self again). Revan and/or the Exile could be playable in the endgame but otherwise, it would be really hard to have either one as PC IMO.

well, let's see: Mandalore = OK, he's a retread, doesn't count. Atton = a really gritty, seedy character. A cross between Carth and Han Solo. I thought it worked. Plus, I suppose better eye candy for the ladies than Carth was. HK and T3 = nothing much different than before. GOT0 = definitely a flat character until you get his backstory....sidequests would have worked wonders here. Mira = I must have missed the sexual abuse part but I like this character alot. Again, sidequests (not just cutscreens) would have done alot. Gameplay-wise, this is one of the more useful characters. Visas = Visas is really the Bastila of KOTOR II. She is woven so heavily into the main plot that you loose sight of anything else. Because of this, she comes across as "artificial" in some ways. Still, one of my favorites to take out on adventures. Kreia = granted, a well-written disaster. Handmaiden = I thought her backstory was pretty good and the whole training bit was really good. Bao-Dur = my favorite NPC of the series so far. I like the cool, no-nonsense attitude. Again, sidequests and more backstory would have worked wonders.

that was the SHORTCUT DEVICE FROM HELL, I'll make no quarrel with you there!

I thought the NPCs in KOTOR II were quite good. The main problem is that they did not have *enough* backstory/sidequests and were too tied in with the main plot. The only NPC from KOTOR I that has yet to be equaled or surpassed is Jolee.

Right, also Mistwalker has 2 exclusive RPGs planned for the next-gen Xbox.

I would guess JE2 for one. As far as KOTOR III goes, the devs did say that they now consider themselves open to "established licenses" if it is the right project. I'm not getting my hopes up too high, mind you, but someone has to be developing this thing. The next-gen non-disclosure agreement would explain the uncanny silence.

here is the URL....notice how the BioWare devs are now saying they are open to "established licenses". Hmmmm, one can fantasize anyway.... http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/05/26/news_6126561.html

Also, there is FULL EXCLUSIVITY and there is LIMITED-TIME EXCLUSIVITY. I think we will see the limited-time variety as we did with K1 and K2.

I do, however, like a bit of "customizable past". In Arcanum, for instance, you can choose various pasts such as "raised by wolves" or "joined the circus", etc. I like the idea of having a list in dialogue like this: "I'm from Tatooine and my dad is a moisture farmer" "I'm from Onderon and my (late) dad was a senator" etc, etc and for this to have some bearing on how the story progresses...that would be cool.

you would have been tempted to do it as well if you had to write 2 40-hour games and sell them as one shrinkwrap. both KOTOR games thus far have given us a predefined character with a "hidden past". this allows us to quickly customize our characters to LS or DS simply by expressing our views on what we have already done. while it has worked in a sense, it is starting to wear a little thin and, of course, it introduces other problems that are hard to deal with. hopefully, we have seen the last of the "hidden past" PC.

well, given the story arch we are in now, there are some real advantages to having a PC that is the UNOFFICIAL FORCE BADDIE. The PC may decide to join a faction (such as the Jedi or Sith) but he is still going to save the galaxy regardless of his official faction affiliation. I think the connection should be a blood connection (i.e. Revan's nephew or niece). Or, if you chose a non-human PC, you have this blood connection with the Exile.

I think it does make sense. It reinforces the idea that the Exile is a character that you and I "borrowed" from LA....it is not really our character. Making the Exile an alien helps reinforce that idea, IMO. Of course, going forward, LA needs to avoid this hellish situation by making the PC's identity TOTALLY OPEN!!!

I look at it like this: "True Sith" refers to those who grew up with Sith teachings and were never Jedi. Exar Kun is not a True Sith because he was a Fallen Jedi. True Sith can refer to anyone whose teachings came directly through Sith heritage. For instance, Palpatine was True Sith while Dukoo was a Fallen Jedi. There is, of course, the "racial Sith" who have largely died out. However, there are holes in that story that could be exploited to bring about an appearance of these "racial Sith" as well. But True Sith does not necessarily have to be racial Sith.

just as Revan's gender, appearance and alignment would be defined in dialogue, I would say Exile's appearance (and lightsaber color) could be defined in dialogue. Otherwise, I would say orange for skin and silver for lightsaber.

Absolutley agree! Cut back on the number of adepts but increase the quality and intensity of the Jedi/Padawan relationship or Sith/Dark Adept relationship. Also, send your Padawan out on missions....good way to have more multithreaded aspects.

I agree about Revan....they need to keep Revan's identity ambiguous (or gamer-created) in these games. HOWEVER, I don't think as many people are as attached to the Exile, at least not the kind of people who would go postal over a set identity. My suggestion....keep Revan ambiguous for the next few games, but SET THE EXILE'S IDENTITY and make him a prominent scripted character in these games. I personally would like to see the Exile as a male Twi'lek.

don't suppose you know who the dev is? if it is going to be released by end of the year, how could it be anyone except for, perhaps, Microsoft?

i thought "domain camping" was illegal.

I agree. The best way to use the old gang is with cameos and plot devices (i.e. Admiral Carth Onasi).

I generally agree...I would say MOST of the time, it is based on alignment. But there could be a few that are based on gender (i.e. Mical the Disciple) and some based on faction affiliation and still others based on what aliens you already have on your ship. Also, the ability to PURCHASE SENTIENT DROIDS would be nice....DSers would probably have to do that to compensate for the fact that most of the NPCs would not want to join them. And again, there are the "automatic" party members and the ones that you have to go out of your way to get. And only the Carth/Atton character should be absolutely non-replaceable. Your Force mentor is NOT a passenger on your ship.