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Dirk Benedict

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About Dirk Benedict

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  1. OMG, I haven't been here for months. I've tried to speed-read through this mammoth topic as best I can, but forgive me if whatever I write below has already been discussed. Regarding features vs. storyline, it's a balance that only the developers can decide as they know the capabilities and limitations of resources, time, business and politics. Having said that, I think the most likely product we'll be getting in the end would have a pretty revamped engine and UI. The original engine is seriously beyond its age and will simply not compete. Next-gen consoles and PC are simply going to be able handle a lot more. I'm writing a list of improvements to the existing game that I think are plausible to do, these are small subtle changes that I think would improve the quality as a whole. - Some of the interface elements could be improved. ie: when equipping and upgrading items, the camera zooms in on the item to show detailing and animations... a pretty crude example of this is in, say, the Create-A-Player section in EA's NBA Live. Lightsaber and weaponry building would be visually satifying, at the very least. It's slick, but not a very hard thing to implement. - Jedi robes should be broken down into two separate items: inner uniform and outer robes. The inner uniform has its own stats that's pretty much the same as past KOTOR robes. The outer robes have slight defense/resistance/special skills bonuses, but with some dex limits and/or attack rating penalties. Players are able to take off a robe via a "take off robe" action command under that dialogue/interaction button in-play, so that your character resembles Qui-Gon and Obi-Own taking off their robes when they confronted Maul. During a fight, they cannot discard their robes via menu, just like you can't change armor during fight. They also can't re-equip their robes. If you want your character to become offensive-oriented during a fight, you will have to waste a turn by using the "take off robe" action. This encourages a physical-based character to dress more mobile and althetic, while a force-based character obviously dresses mysteriously. - There's also a "put hood on/ take hood off" action if you are wearing an outer robe. Depending on the type of robes, putting the hood on slightly increases certain skills such as stealth and better fortitude saves (good for consulars), but decreases awareness and critical strikes. Taking it off will have no penalties, but no bonueses either. Hiding your face and identity should also affect the outcome of a sidequest or two. - Armor needs to be encouraged to use, and only at a sensible cost. K1 and K2, the only purpurse armor had was cash. So much time has been put into those designs were wasted. Have less restrictions of powers and dex penalities. - Light Side/Dark Side alignment should affect effectiveness of offensive force powers. ie: light side users get a DC roll bonus when using lightside powers, and DC roll penalties for using darkside powers.
  2. Same here, I have the Xbox game. I had hoped there would be more people here using Xbox, because the many the of replies automattically assume you're playing the PC version. In fact, I've noticed a problem when you use the exploits on the Xbox. I have a lvl 50 character and got my lightsaber at nar shaddar, my first planet after telos, and I haven't been anywhere else. This made the game impossible for lightsaber drops from quest rewards. No lightsaber from Jorran (slight chance of getting a color crystal), no lightsaber from Zerron, no lightsaber from Vrook, no lightsaber from Vash, no lightsaber in Korriban cave, no lightsaber period. It goes to show that exploits aren't always the way to go....
  3. In all fairness to people who missed out on some of the details on these sidequests, I think some of them are buried within too many sublevels of dialogs for the average mall boy to notice that they exist. Granted the sidestories are supposed to subtle, and rewards those players who pay closer attention, but on the flipside, it was getting a little out of hand... I was always asking the same questions again and again and again just to see if the new dialog pops up. OE could've made a few more hints at critical triggereing points to indicate something is different with one of your teammates. Case in point: Visas showing up and I tried to be nice her; next thing I know Handmaiden would never talk to me. Never gave me a hint until it was too late, and I had to go back to saves that was a good 3-4 hours of play before. I had to backtrack so many times on my first play, I really have no desire now to have to go through all of that again.
  4. As much as I would like to see Revan and/or the Exile as the main character, I think the basic appeal of KOTOR is for players to build their "awesome" character from scratch and exploring the unknown. Having to play a pre-defined character like Revan or the Exile would lose this apeal. Granted, the story with Revan and the Exile (and just what exactly is his/her name???) must be resolved, it doesn't necessarily mean that you have play them as a character. I think most of us get too concerned with their story that we forget that underneath it all, there's the actual gameplaty aspect that drives the story. So, I think it is completely sensible to start KOTOR3 with an entirely new character and somehow becomes entangled with the fates of Revan and the Exile. This character must have some connection with these two of course, but what this connection is exactly will be the core of the story. I dunno, maybe he/she is an offspring of Bastila or Carth, depending on Revan's gender (not Dustil, although he would be an interesting part of the story), or maybe he/she is just another young Jedi trainee who ultimately has to decide who shall live: Revan or the Exile, in which, towards the climax, find themselves at odds with each other. I'm kind of stretching it right now, but these are just examples anyways. If you think about it, the Star Wars OT/PT actually shifted protagonists... the OT originally centered around Luke, but by the time the PT are made, the story focuses more from Obi Wan and Anakin's point of view. Other examples that come into my mind are: Mary Reily, the story of Dr. Jekyll/Hyde from a different point of view; the Band of Brothers series, in which it constantly shifts points of view from episode to episode. Even Star Trek, where one episode focuses primarily on, say Kirk, then the next episode focuses entirely on Scotty. It's entirely plausible, an it's not shoddy writing at all.
  5. Oh, you guys are cute. Let's see if anyone can beat this KOTOR = Macross How so? Roy = Revan Rick/Hikaru = the Exile Minmay = Bastila Milia = Handmaiden Max = Canderous Protoculture = The Force *Runs away before getting flamed*
  6. thats really annoying for me because he always gives me red. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Step 1) Save game. Step 2) Talk to Jorran. Step 3) Be dissapointed at the crystal he gives. Reload while cursing the random loot generator. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Are you sure this works? I seem to remember that the randomizer only happens ONCE -- at the very first time you load into the area. Meaning that, you have to go to a saved game that's before you entered the area.
  7. Well, I'm not blaming Obsidian at all.... just the LA accountants.
  8. First of all, there should've been a few areas of respawning enemies, and relegate the random items to them. It makes no sense to get random items from finishing missions and key fights. Well, at least they don't have prefix/suffix systems, like getting a "Shimmering Gladiator's Blaster Pistol of the Moon"
  9. It would be the best way to go. However, ulness their genders have nothing to do with the story and dialogs, the climax still needs 4 variations (1: boy Revan + boy Exile, 2: boy Revan + girl Exile, 3: girl Revan + boy Exile, 4: girl Revan + girl Exile)
  10. I think that calling Vrook a Sith -- or more acurately, a fallen Jedi -- is an interesting observation. It seems that the main theme in Star Wars has always been how people perceive their situations and judge how them as either good or evil... how the Republic was transformed into the Empire, how Anakin was killed by Vader, etc. History itself is not objective, and perceptions change over time, while those who are too close to it only see ambiguities and subtle details and can only react on what they know and see in front of them. The power of the force comes from the person's understanding of how the elements of the universe interact, and the more conviction they have on certain matters, the stronger they become. The difference between light side and darkside is difference between the opposing forces of -- for instance -- inertia and perpetual motion. The Jedi believes in acting only to restore balance, while the Sith believes in the inevitable pursuit of pure power and progress, and its consequences are a natural byproduct. Both sides have their own paradox: sometimes it is neccessary to destroy in order to restore balance, and sometimes is necessary to stop destroying or else there is nothing left. The fact that this pretty obvious to the average person is not the point. The drama of the Jedi and the Sith lies in the fact that they both *HAVE* to believe strongly in either ideology in order use the force their highest potential. The "Grey Jedi", in addition to being rare, is also misperceived. They are not so much "grey", but they actually sway from one side to another so constantly, and they rarely exist in the grey area for long periods of time. Revan, the Exile, Kreia, are powerful Grey Jedis, all who committed great atrocities and yet also sacrificed themselves to save the universe, and are the key players in the turning points of the universe. I would also argue that Anakin/Vader is a Grey Jedi.
  11. The thing I'm wondering is how can they pull off the third installment and still keep the gender option consistantly. I noticed, in some of Kreia's last lines of dialoge, she refers to Revan as "he" even though I chose Reven from the beginning to be a female. And in addition of having Exile as a dual-gender character, he/she does not even have a real name. I'm not saying it's impossible, but it's definately a writer's nightmare to create the closure for these two characters. So, as much as I would like to see Revan and the Exile back as major characters, the size of the game would increase as much as 4 times (two Revans and two Exiles sequences). There would have to be some REAL clever of writing and technical execution to pull this off. Again, not impossible, but if they can do it, it's going to have to be a ground-breaking game, or else it just won't fly. Sorry, but another incomplete effort like KOTOR2 will not go well at all with fans.
  12. If you want to cast, cast actors who can actually act... Atton: Jason Lee - he's a clown. he's a scoundrel. otherwise i'd put in Jonny Depp, but he'd steal the spotlight. Visas: Rachel Weisz - she's got the voice and she's got the lips, and please... no more Asian babes as your default choices. Handmaiden: Shannyn Sossamon. nuff said. Kreia: Judy Dench - that's a good one. Mandalore: Russell Crowe. the aussies will love it. Hanharr: whatever. GOTO: Helmut Bakaitis - he played the architect from Matrix sequels. Mira: Claire Danes - tough on the outside, soft on the inside kind of girl. T3-M4: Yamaha DX-7. Bao Dur: believe it or not, i think Joaquin Phoenix can nail this role. Darth Nihilis: whatever. Darth Sion: Jean Reno. Atris: Meryl Streep (good opposite to Judy Dench) The Exile: Matthew McConaughey. the thankless roll. ...
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