Plano Skywalker

right...MOST people who want a returning PC probably want Revan but then there are some who would much prefer the Exile....another reason to have a totally new protagonist. However, KOTOR III should be all about wrapping things up. IMO, they should go ahead and set the Exile's identity and make him a prominent scripted character. What to do with Revan? Well, I would refer people to the "Magnum P.I." television show. The two main characters were Magnum and Higgins who worked for "The Robin Masters Estate" in Hawaii. You never saw Robin Masters and your rarely heard his voice but he was a VERY important character in that series. All kinds of new material could come from "I just got this letter from Robin Masters" kind of stuff. If this franchise goes on for several games (as I believe it will), then I think having Revan in the role of Robin Masters would be very fitting and would allow LA to keep his/her identity in limbo for a long time. If you loose Revan, you loose some of the magic. If you bring him back as a PC, you would HAVE to delevel him (which is a device that was already used on Revan and the Exile). Best to have Revan in the role of Robin Masters, IMO.

I agree with you there. A bit of openendedness for those who want it. Those who don't want it would really not be missing out on anything. When you go to Tatooine, Anchorhead is NOT the only city that you should be able to go to (even if it is the only city which hooks into the main plot). <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Actually Plano, I wasnt speaking so much as multiple cities on each planet (although thats cool to) as I was some of the areas. For example, in KotOR2, after doing the starting area and then Telos, Dantoine was a mojor letdown and sooooo small compared. Same thing applied for KotoR1 when you think back to Tantooine outside areas or Wookie homeworld. Just make all the areas larger with more to do in them. Give us extra areas/zones on each planet, make exploration a larger part of the game. Exploration doesnt take away from the storyline at all but creates a more epic feeling to the games IMO. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I thought that is what you meant....basically, more wilderness that might have some caves, ancient tombs, big bad Boma beasts and such. I am with you there. It probably wouldn't be that hard to add this kind of stuff and it would mean alot for gamers like you and I.

Dear Mods, I kind of hate to ask this but it seems things have gotten to the point where you really might want to look into the possibility of a "Flamer Forum". As many of you know, I am not exactly a fanboy but I feel that the experience here on the forums is highly cheapened by threads whose entire purpose is to discourage people from making a purchase, etc. Constructive criticism is one thing but much that I have seen lately is not something I could call "constructive". Hence, I ask that you create an entire forum called "The Flame Pit" or something to that effect and automatically move threads there that are blatantly anti-Lucas Arts or anti-Obsidian. I must admit that your tolerance for dissenting views is admirable (you are probably much more tolerant than other places). I just think you should allow the tolerance to continue while providing the grownups here with the quality discussion that brought us here in the first place. All in all, keep up the good work!

Right, and therein lies the problem. Obsidian and BioWare tell stories much differently. A number of people have expressed the hope that it will be a joint venture between BioWare and Obsidian. I don't know how feasible that is but that would probably be best: let Obsidian handle the story and let BioWare handle gameplay.

I hate to respond because I realize the only thing I am accomplishing is giving your thread more prominence than it deserves. However, if you want to take the game back, take it back. If you don't, then don't. Buggy games? Welcome to RPGs. I just started playing Arcanum and it is a great game but there are ALOT of little anoying things that SHOULD NOT BE THERE. Does that mean I am going to stop playing? No, overall it is a really good game. I also own the Xbox version of KOTOR II. That means that I will not benefit from these content hacks and other mods that people are making. So what? I don't care. I like KOTOR II despite some limitations.

Well, true to a point. I believe that LA wanted BioWare to do the second one but BioWare said "nah, we're working on Jade Empire". Then, LA asked for recommendations and Obsidian was recommended. So far, so good. But then LA sensed the opportunity to muscle their way around and took full advantage of it. They couldn't do that with an established company.

That seems right. As much as I like the way Obsidian tells a story, perhaps it would be best if they not do another LA title right now. It would be great to have LA BEG BioWare to do KOTOR III on BioWare's terms. It would also be nice to be able to use that new Jade Empire engine with it.

well, you know what I mean...it would be nice to have other destinations (and more of a surrounding area around the cities)....the advantage of using a made-up world like Taris is that you can do whatever you want without running into continuity problems.

I agree with you there. A bit of openendedness for those who want it. Those who don't want it would really not be missing out on anything. When you go to Tatooine, Anchorhead is NOT the only city that you should be able to go to (even if it is the only city which hooks into the main plot).

so far, some really good ideas I would say. >>>I would agree that DS's are not trusted and really should not benefit from the same quality of companions as LS's. Thus, the DS should have only a couple of mercenaries and a squad of droids. And maybe a Dark Adept. >>>agree with D Nuke that influence should NOT be alignment based. But this is assuming they deal with alignment in other ways such as mentioned above. >>>I would definitely prefer for this to have an epic, multithreaded endgame. >>>Revan's own story does not have to be totally wrapped up in this trilogy. If they could find a way to not use him and yet not kill him either, that would probably be best for the franchise. >>>you SHOULD NOT be able to train everyone on your ship as a Jedi. I would say LS should get 2 adepts and DS should get 1. >>>I like the option of DS cooperating with the Sith rather than fighting the Sith. If the war goes well and you defeat the Republic, you then have a BOSS battle for dominance of the Sith Empire. >>>go ahead and set the identity of the Exile and make him the Master Vrook of KOTOR III (whether there is an actual council or not). >>>you are NOT someone with a "hidden past"....the protagonist's identity is totally open....non-human PCs could start appearing in KOTOR III. >>>you are the most powerful Force user on your ship. If you need to talk to a master, you have to go to where your master lives. At some point in the game, your master dies and his Force Ghost mentors you (thus, a shortcut). >>>definitely no more "Force Bonds" between master and apprentice. This device has been used twice. Time for a ghost to take over this role. >>>if you meet someone like Jolee, he teaches you a new technique. They did something like this in KOTOR II....I want to see it again. >>>absolutely agree that weapons should not be drawn and sticking into the stomachs of diplomats and Jedi masters as they as talking to you. >>>customizable hilts for lightsaber would be very nice...not a showstopper for me but it would be an easy way to make alot of people happy. >>>I like the idea of using minor EU characters in the story (in your party, even)...but not major ones. >>>main story clues should come from only one or two people on your ship...also, other ships should radio your ship with hologram messages as triggers. >>>the majority of the people on your ship are all about side quests (not main quest). >>>definitely need an "Engineer" class that has all kinds of skills...like Bao-Dur. >>>dual class option for non-adepts. >>>we need all the loose ends wrapped up (including HK factory/Droid World).

Well, you're right about that . With the last movie about to be shown, the SW franchise effectively moves to video games. Video games ARE the modern equivalent of comic books. That's why LA needs to get some of their top EU writers to map this thing out. This could easily go on for 10 more games.

It's all about the mask and the fact that you are the first "Darth".

Oh, yes, I've heard about that. Basically, everyone who you see (that is not a triggered encounter) has a "goal driven AI". Which means, say you walk into a bar, the guy in the corner is not just standing there...he is thinking about something and trying to accomplish certain things. This could lead to all kinds of spontaneity and replayability. This would effectively set a new bar in the RPG world.

right, they can still do that....as long as you don't have to see Revan and/or hear his voice, you're fine. they would just need to come up with a way to explain why he is not doing anything now and without killing him (although killing him would be easiest)

Hmmm, going head-to-head with Dragon Age, Jade Empire, Oblivion and such? Well, hopefully they will hit a home run with it. I would like to see Obsidian become a major producer of good RPGs.

I think you are right. BioWare thought they were telling Revan's story. KOTOR II comes along and now we realize that the story is really about the . I would say they should have the Exile appear as a scripted character (maybe someone who is TRYING to get all the Force users together for the big battle with the alien threat). Go ahead and set his identity. Heck, I'd say an orange Twilek male...yeah, why not? And finish the story with . Revan's own story remains unresolved at the end KOTOR III (basically, we all get to write our own endings for Revan). Then, in KOTOR IV, Revan will have died and someone (such as the Jedi Historian) can tell us everything we want to know about Revan. That really wouldn't tick off too many people. What would tick people off is to have a PLAYABLE Revan that is the wrong gender, alignment, appearance, whatever.

I you want 3d video and eye candy graphics, I think it is probably just easier to program for a specific console. After all, everyone has the same video card and sound card! Then, if the publisher wants to port it over to PC, fine. Basically, you are starting off in a more controlled environment and porting to a more variable environment. One of the big limitations with the Xbox (in the area of RPGs anyway) is the controller. I think the KOTOR games pushed the limit for a game with a significant amount of text in a console with console controllers. However, rumor has it that there will be 3 different types of next gen Xboxes and that the top of the line is essentially a PC in Xbox drag. This should allow for even more RPG titles to start off on Xbox. With regard to personal computers, I think we have come full circle. We have gone from "thin client" to fat client and now back to "thin client" or, perhaps more correctly, "specific client". If all you use your PC for is to game and send email, you need just as much resources as the guy using Autocad but you need it layed out differently (for optimal effect). The next gen Xbox PC is just that: a powerhouse for people who game, send email and listen to MP3s. It is probably not what you would want for Autocad.

Definitely (though PC is preferred). Happily, this appears to be what's happening. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I doubt they are working on their own intellectual property...too risky for a new company. They are probably working on a licensed project.

so if the designers of KOTOR III did that to the Exile, you would see that as taking a cheap way out? could be. I do, however, think people care more about Revan than the Exile. Heck, they could probably set the identity for the Exile....as long as they don't do it to Revan, they shouldn't loose too many fans. Revan is the problem.

I agree, "essential" storyline info should come through cutscreens primarily. However, I see nothing wrong with having 2 party members that you KNOW you need to talk to get main storyline info. In KOTOR I, this was Bastila and Carth. In KOTOR II, it was . But there should only be about 2 that you absolutely must keep on your ship. Feel free to let the others go and bring on others that are more to your liking. And these others should be all about non-essential sidequests.

right, and keep in mind that, since you are playing a someone of "lesser" significance, your PC would not even have to be a Force user. I like the idea of knowing that your PC will *probably* become a Force Sensitive but you have no idea at which level this will happen. Even if your PC goes Force Sensitive, you don't have to develop it...you can continue putting your feat slots into your primary profession.

well, I liked it alot (despite some limitations). as far as the story, media tie-ins in trilogies rarely have a satisfying story.

could be...let the mystique of Revan cool down and then you can do anything you want with the story. fine by me. I just want to see more SW RPGs. The KOTOR games are helping bring back the cRPG from near-extinction. It is that simple.

I think you and I would *prefer* to see much the same thing. I'm just saying, who in their right mind is going to write a story where the 2 main scripted characters do not have a fixed gender, alignment, skin color, voice, etc in a game that features voice acting and cinematic cutscreens. Nobody is going to touch that! Yes, they could find a way not to kill Revan off (some sort of twisted story about him being in a state of suspended animation or something). But it would be really hard for him to come back as an playable NPC and even harder to come back as a PC. As for the Exile, they could say that he lost his connection to the Force once . In other words, they could easily "retire" the Exile, but Revan requires special treatment.

Well, it is whatever the publisher wants it to be. I personally agree with another poster that it could be best thought of as the time until Darth Bane when a relative peace emerged. I WILL AGREE HOWEVER, that if there is a 3rd installment of this series, it needs to be the conclusion of the trilogy we are in. And that trilogy, as you have mentioned, is about the death of the racial Sith and the idea that, from that point onward, "Sith" is just a word that some Dark Jedi use to refer to themselves when they have expansionist aspirations. But they could keep using "KOTOR" to refer to any number of RPGs in that window of time. Revan and the Exile have been the main foils in the story thus far but it is not really their story so much as it is the story of the end of the racial Sith. (although that essentially changes EU continuity, but that is another discussion)