How much do you want our character defined?

[Ivan the Terrible]

We've got a definite origin; he's a Jedi and a veteran of the Mandalorian War who was exiled for reasons unknown, which will presumably be spelled out in the course of the game. So we've got a solid background there.

 

But what about even more detail? Do you want to run into past friends, enemies, etc. from your character's previous life, or would that impact too much on how you want to think of your character? For example, I always found it annoying as hell when Baldur's Gate 2 just assumed I was a goody two-shoes in the first game who travelled with Jaheira, Minsc and Imoen, rescued Viconia, etc. etc. even when my character was a freaking Priest of Talos.

 

KOTOR solved this problem (to an extent) by making our character as he is now a blank slate. The fact that he was the Dark Lord of the Sith meant nothing in the game because our character was a totally different person than he was before. The same was true of Planescape: Torment.

 

But here there are no memory problems. If you meet a character who was supposedly your 'friend' during the Mandalorian Wars, and you think he's a complete jackass, the problem of why you befriended him in the first place will still remain and put you at odds with the game's interpretation of your character.

 

On the other hand, a 'blank slate' usually ends up as pretty freaking boring. If your character could have been anything, as in Fallout, then the unfortunate consequence is (mostly) stale dialogue which tries to cover every base. Games like Morrowind don't even bother with the dialogue; they just have key words you can choose, and let you imagine what your character is actually saying.

 

In other words, each side has it's advantages and disadvantages. Which is more appealing to you?

[Resin]

I like to given the little info given on our character for this game. I don't want instances in dialogues and events to flesh out his past if at all possible. I would like for the game to enable me to define my character by going through "gray" areas, instead of black and white (i.e.: KoToR I)

[Carth Vader]

Leaning towards well-defined.

[Judge Hades]

I want to feel like I am playing my character not the developers. As open ended as possible.

[Errantry]

I would prefer it if I had to do as little imagining on who my character is as possible; while having it open-ended is nice for no-plot games, the character needs to have some traits that remain steady.

[GhostofAnakin]

well-defined.

 

i have no imagination.

[Stargate: 2000]

I am leaning to open ended. I think having some structure would be nice but having the choice of who or character is would help make the game more real, in my opinion anyways.

[Oerwinde]

As defined as it needs to be to make the story good, with as much left to me as possible.

[Iolo]

As open ended as possible.

 

I want to play an RPG. Not an adventure game with RPG elements.

[JohnDoe]

I'd like as much definition as is needed to complete a quality story.

[Dark Wanderer]

Open-ended for me, but I still want there to be a few things that are defined, like at least a few details about the character's past. Otherwise it risks become too boring, as has been said before.

[corebit]

I voted well defined.

 

It's not possible for open ended (other than good and evil) gameplay in this kind of game anyways. As in KOTOR you will be limited to several lines of dialog to choose, so most of the plot will be very defined.

The most important choices will be your morality and that will influence most of the plot and dialog, just like the original game.

 

And that's fine by me.

[Iolo]

Well defined sounds like crap to me. I don't want a game like that.

 

If they can't make a more open ended game, then make it like KOTOR1. More defined would just ruin the experience for me.

[Stargate: 2000]

what about having multiple story lines that will develope depending on how you answer the questions at the begining of the game, for example if you said that you did DS then you have a darker story line, LS a lighter story, or if you told atton to bugger off then it becomes more open ended beyond the peices of the back story we already know.

[Ivan the Terrible]

Heh. There seems to be a wide divergence of opinion on this subject.

[Meshugger]

what about having multiple story lines that will develope depending on how you answer the questions at the begining of the game, for example if you said that you did DS then you have a darker story line, LS a lighter story, or if you told atton to bugger off then it becomes more open ended beyond the peices of the back story we already know.

I'm supporting that idea.

[Darque]

I'd like to develop my "own" background using the same method the devs are using to define how KotOR 1 played out on an individual basis.

[BlackFlag311]

Open. "Role Playing".

[Kill Jar Jar]

Should be pretty open ended. After all, the PC was banished from the order after following Revan into the Mandalorian wars. I doubt you'll see many war buddies because they would've been other jedi who followed Revan, and the PC is supposed to be the last jedi left, right?

 

So, I'd think the PC is going to probably start the game as a loner former jedi, something like Jolee from KOTOR 1. Obviously, the Sith are after you, and I doubt any jedi you may encounter are going to be likely to trust you right off the bat, after all, you followed the dark lord of the Sith, right?

[Ivan the Terrible]

I doubt you'll see many war buddies because they would've been other jedi who followed Revan, and the PC is supposed to be the last jedi left, right?

Ahhh, but the key word is last Jedi. Who knows how many Sith you may encounter who were once your comrades-in-arms against the Mandalorians and who fell with Revan to the Dark Side?