Do You Think Obsidian Has Done A Good Job On K2?

[Belhawk]

I also enjoyed the game, but it's easier than KotOR 1. Most sith attackers don't use their force powers on u. I never used force breack or resistance. I wish there were more hk50s attacking my party; they are only on nar shaddaa, telos, and the mining colony. They had cool weather and a improved interface. I liked the influence system, but not the romance(KotOR 1 was better). Light Sabers are much cooler and more powerful, some thing too powerful, but i like it.

The end game could of been better, but that is LA fault for pushing it out the door early. Obsidiam wants to do a content patch, but LA hasn't replied to that as far as yet.

Its harder to achieve dark mastery than light mastery, at least for me, i don't like being evil :D

[Lara_Jade]

The FINAL KoToR 2 would`ve been simply breathtaking

I completely agree with you there DarhtNihilus. I think Obsidian did a great job with the game, they jsut didn't have time to finish it. I think that instead of being just an alright game it could've easily been as good as or better than the first if LA would've given Obsidian the chance to carry out the rest of their plans for it. I mean if you see evryone's complaints hardly anyoone actually has a problem with the game, it's with the elements of the story that aren't there due to time restraints by LA.

 

So, anyway, yeah I think Obsidian did an awesome job with the game.

[DeathScepter]

they did a good job with the Limited Time that they had.

[Hive]

I don't quite understand the comments about the game being oh so good because they didn't have enough time to do it right...

 

I mean, the games they compete with are *full* games - you shouldn't give this game slack when reviewing it just because of their time schedule. Did you only pay half money for this half game? No, so don't treat it any different than any other game.

 

It's like saying "wow, that guy drive real swell considering that he's dead-drunk..."

[CoM_Solaufein]

A very good game that made more use of things that the first one lacked. Something like awareness, intelli8gence and wisdom among many more skills and stats that are used in dialogues. Plus a well written story.

[ShadowPaladin V1.0]

Most definately. Could it have been better, most definately. But thats applicable to 99% of other games I've played too.

 

I'ts a game I've played 4 times which is rare and really something I've not done much of since IWD days.

 

Use of skills/stats, turning the walking furball into a deep thinking (in his own way) and the beeping trashcan into someone that just oozed character.

 

The elements to streamline the gameplay were also much appreciated, easy weapon switching and having the AI on the selection panel where you could access it more easily.

 

The crafting system needs work. It might be a little masochistic, but having gotten used to crafting systems that involve scouring the world for the bits to make the best items, it came across as a bit flat.

[Volourn]

Yes, Obsidian did a good job. I have some (major) problems with the game overall; but it was fun. That's all that matters.

 

Unlike SP, I played it once through just like the original. Neither game in the series is in my top 10; but that doesn't mean I dislike them.

 

Good stuff.

[Darth Frog]

I think Obsidian did an excellent job with TSL. In many ways the game is superb and surpasses the original, but there is also the lack of QA/playtesting and the incompleteness due to the rushed schedule. And if you replay the game then it becomes painfully obvious that this is Obsidian's first game.

[Redmen]

Gameplay is great maybe the story is not upto the original kotor but hell ive played this game six times through so it was worth the money

[kirottu]

they did a good job with the Limited Time that they had.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Ditto.

[SteveThaiBinh]

They did a great job, creating interesting and engaging characters and some subtle story elements.

 

The dissatisfaction with the seemingly rushed ending is a testiment to how good the rest of the game was. I hope Obsidian will take it as such.

[Gorth]

Given the working conditions, they did a great job with what they had. I would have loved to see what they would have done with a three year project instead of a one year project though...

[Guest Damar Stiehl]

No.

 

The ending ruined it.

 

Even if the content HAD to be cut, it should've been cut cleanly, without leaving hanging threads - like G0T0 vs. Remote, Mira vs. Hanharr and others.

 

I also didn't appreciate being force-fed Visas and Mandalore during Ravager assault (the LAST TIME you get to run with a party).

 

Technically TSL is a good game, but the execution was more sloppy than could be forgiven, and a great, engaging story ended not even with a whimper, but with a HUH.

 

I suspect that NWN2 will be similarily screwed up.

[Bored Wizard]

Hmmm...

 

I think that Obsidian made one of the better games of the year, even with the cut content and bugs. No doubt they worked hard to get the game out within the set time parameters. It could, however, have been better. The storyline just fell apart after the meeting with the Jedi Council, an entire planet was cut, and Korriban was way to short. It did not fell like the game had ended after Kreia's death, it just seemed to fade away.

 

Anyway, I think what's there qualifies as "good"

 

Here's to hoping for NWN2...

[Hive]

No.

 

The ending ruined it.

 

Even if the content HAD to be cut, it should've been cut cleanly, without leaving hanging threads - like G0T0 vs. Remote, Mira vs. Hanharr and others.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Exactly, I totally agree.

[DarkLordRulius]

Another thing that pissed me off is at the end, when you're fighting Sion, he refered to me as a Jedi even though I was a Sith Lord... didn't make any sense. "I have waited for the last of the Jedi to fall before me" And yet my character *wasn't* a Jedi. (Unless you describe wearing black robes, having a red double blader, and a Sith Lord prestige class being a Jedi anyway....)

[Hive]

Another thing that pissed me off is at the end, when you're fighting Sion, he refered to me as a Jedi even though I was a Sith Lord... didn't make any sense. "I have waited for the last of the Jedi to fall before me" And yet my character *wasn't* a Jedi. (Unless you describe wearing black robes, having a red double blader, and a Sith Lord prestige class being a Jedi anyway....)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

It is you who misunderstand the concept of being a Sith Lord. You are merely a Dark Jedi.

 

Or something, it's not entirely clear to me either...

[DarkLordRulius]

It is you who misunderstand the concept of being a Sith Lord. You are merely a Dark Jedi.

 

Or something, it's not entirely clear to me either...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

But, there is a big difference with a Dark Jedi and a Jedi. I say you're a dark Jedi when you are DS but don't yet have a prestige class. Just my opinion though.

[FeeZ]

Mmm, I think this is a tricky question. I think it is both an excellent game and a terrible game. "Apathy is death Feez!"

 

It did set up wonderfully for a philosphical discussion of human nature (much better than the original Star Wars movies I found), but because of LucasMoney, it all fell by the wayside at the end. At least EA doesn't do that.

 

Having said that, Obsidian should of cut all the potential confuse-threads at the end (yes, G0-T0 vs Remote, Mira vs Hanharr. Hell, they should probably just cust the entire aspect of Remote scurrying around near the end.

 

If I had to choose (to prevent both fans and Obsidian from attacking me), I'd say that no, it isn't a game that you should get. Reasons: 1) Why buy a broken product (no matter how much you love it?), 2) Why should we reward LucasMoney for forcing said unfinished product?, 3) No Mira + PC romantic intwine . Okay, so that ISN'T a valid reason, but the first 2 are.

[Althernai]

The game is very good... up to a point after which things become disappointing. It was good enough to keep me up much of the night on weekdays, but I have absolutely no desire to replay it.

[kalimeeri]

I think many folks are being very hard on Obsidian. There are always bugs that slip by, and many of the complaints I've read (and had myself, ATI Radeon here) are 'relatively' minor, when viewed from a distance. They will not stop me from playing it again.

 

Truthfully, this game is very good in comparison with some of the stuff that the powers in the gaming industry seem to think we want. Obsidian was able to create compelling (for the most part) characters; provide a good level of intrigue; and uphold, even deepen, interest in this continuing story. I don't believe it's up to their Planescape:Torment standards--but that's a real hard act to follow. And if they were rushed, it makes sense. They wanted and fully intended to do a good job, and succeeded for the most part.

 

The developers who make these types of games are rare. Just browse the 'games' section of the software stores, and you'll see what I mean. I for one appreciate the effort this game shows, and dread the thought that this type of adventure/rpg hybrid will become extinct, in favor of 'what-sold-last-year' hack-n-slashes.

 

I'm sure they know, now that THEY have some distance, is that the game lacks a sense of completion at the end, in what we generally expect from any story in order to be satisfied. How could they not? They created PST. The butchery of their creative 'child' has to hurt their pride.

 

If a game patch or add-on is released that provides a sense of closure for those 'lost' Jedi who traveled so far with me on the Ebon Hawk, I would be eternally grateful. If not, salvation can only come from Kotor3. I would be as glad to see Obsidian's name in the credits again as I would Bioware's; they've shown they can handle it, and they have even more reason now to do it justice.

[AgainstOne]

i think they did a horrible job! bioware had already written the engine, that's the hard part. all obsidian had to do was write a good story and implement it. we all know they wrote a good story, but they failed to implement it - and failed miserably they did. KotOR2 is just a shell of a game with huge plot holes, sloppy editing, and an extremely poor excuse for an ending.

 

as a software developer myself, i believe it is the developer's sole responsibility to ensure that their software is of the highest quality before releasing it. this obviously was NOT done by obsidian. release dates can be pushed back, as we all know from years and years of seeing it happen first-hand.

 

the developer is supposed to be the one with the sense enough to know when the software is ready to be released. of course LA wanted to get the thing out onto the shelves. that's their job, to get it to market and start turning a profit on the huge amounts of money they invested into the product.

 

the developer is supposed to have sense enough to keep the publisher funding the project until it is finished and ready to be released. obviously, obsidian lacks this sense. if they can't run with the big dogs, they need to get their arses back to the porch and let someone more capable handle it.

 

what more than likely happened is, after a great showing at E3, M$ and/or LA offered them quite a substantial bonus if they could pull off a holiday release and they went for it and sacrificed us all in the process.

[Gorth]

If this is the extent of your knowlegde of the development and busniess side of things, remind me never to offer you a job

[AgainstOne]

so you are saying that you'd rather hire someone who will stick to the schedule and release unfinished products that will drag the name and reputation of your company through the mud? well, remind me to never ask you for a job

[Gorth]

so you are saying that you'd rather hire someone who will stick to the schedule and release unfinished products that will drag the name and reputation of your company through the mud?  well, remind me to never ask you for a job  >_

It's the bird in the hand thing.

 

A thousand bucks in the bank is better than a million well-wishes and pats on the back.

 

Big-ass publisher asks you to do a job. BAP tells you terms and conditions (which probably suck). Do you turn offer down and worry about the next rent, or do you take it and worry about getting your next project after that one.

 

I think it says a lot about the publisher wanting a sequel to a major title done in a year (read: "$").

 

So, developer is left with doing the best possible job on a project where the deadline plays the yo-yo game and bounces back and forth during the project.

 

If you, as you claim, are a developer, you should know that this is a real killer for a product, when you have to start cutting on your feature list on a short notice.

 

And when the developer is new and doesn't (didn't) have it's own QA department, it was all in the hands of the publisher, determining both if and when it was fit for release.

 

Not a situation I would put people in, if I could avoid it.

 

Given that, I thought they did quite well, what they managed to come up with.

 

As for the technical side of things, both 1 and 2 had an existing engine that needed reworking to fit their needs. In this case, I would consider it a fair assumption that engine work happens simultaneously with the game content (assets, story etc.) work, as some engine features might depend on requirements from the actual game design.

 

It's a fun thing about writing... it doesn't go ten times faster because you put ten authors to write ten different chapters in a story. There are things where you can't force results by adding more manpower, it simply requires time.

 

By comparison, that gives the first game 3 years of story writing, character and plot development etc. The second game had 1 year.

 

Again, I think they did pretty well, having had one third of the time...

 

I know, you can't judge people by a few posts, I just found you to arrive at all the wrong conclusions in a single post, hence my somewhat (perhaps undeserved) sarcastic response