How Much Detail?

[Adria Teksuni]

I'm rather curious, how much detail regarding character backgrounds (mainly the PC) and such. As with KoTOR, a lot of people were disappointed that no die-hard facts concerning Revan's past were ever released, but a lot of people liked that fact because they were able to come up with their own history for many characters.

 

Despite what Obsidian is putting into the game, what are y'all's preferences on this?

[Leferd]

I actually prefer that my character's general background is developed by the designers. That gives them more options in writing the game story. Games in which the PC is not defined (like IWD) tends to bore me.

 

The background doesn't have to be in detail, but leave enough background in which the npc's can react to it.

[TSAdmiral]

Some aspects of the story critical to Revan's fall was not outlined. His past before the Mandalorien Wars were unknown, and probably Bioware's most profound mistake was their inability to mention WHY Revan fell. Was it because of the Star Forge? If so, WHAT aspect of the Star Forge made him fall? Was it the dark taint from the Star Maps. Why didn't the Star Maps affect you the same way it did the first time? What was Malak's connection with all this? NONE of these were explained. Malak's jaw may have had a part in this process, but Bioware said they would "leave it up to the player's imagination." I personally think this is an excuse for a somewhat flawed backstory.

[Blackbishop]

I would have loved more generlized background info on Reven and Malak.

 

I want there to be enough there to state why they fell to the ds and what really happned to Malak jaw....

 

From those generalized backgound the fanfic writers or players can go from there with their own history based on some general information.

[Zach Morris]

I would have liked more background on Revan. It's nice to know about your PC if not they become the most boring character in the game. You tend to like the other characters more than your PC because you feel like you know them more.

[ampulator00]

I personally think this is an excuse for a somewhat flawed backstory.

 

I agree with him. If the backstory was flawed for KOTOR I, a lack of backstory for this game would be even be terrible. We would need to understand what happened to Revan very clearly.

 

You guys don't need much story for this main character, and you guys can make it easier on yourselves. My biggest issues with Revan was that anything that happened to him or Malak was not explained clearly.

[Janmanden]

I guess a little background would be nice in some way to shape your role, but I see that just as much as a hindrance, shackles of the past, to define your own role.

 

I prefer that the story evolves, even your own, thru the progress you make in the game.

[Adria Teksuni]

At character creation, would you like a general roadmap of background choices like what planet you're from; parents alive or dead; etc. Nothing particularly to give away future story outlining, but general ideas that would be tied into the character development further down the game to explain certain events and motivations.

[Blackbishop]

At character creation, would you like a general roadmap of background choices like what planet you're from; parents alive or dead; etc.  Nothing particularly to give away future story outlining, but general ideas that would be tied into the character development further down the game to explain certain events and motivations.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Yes I think that would be great for general background on your charater.

 

For the fans of the KOTOR games that would be a bouns (for me anyways).

 

But for the causal gamer that might be a turn off. (Maybe)

 

Kotor is the first rpg that I have picked up since FF3 (american release), oh so many years ago, and I have enjoyed it very much.

[ampulator00]

But for the causal gamer that might be a turn off. (Maybe)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

O don't think so. I think they will see it as somewhat of a hindrance, and maybe even annoying, but if they do in fact rent or buy the game, it shows that they have enough intereste in the first place.

[Janmanden]

Hm, some options at creation to flesh out your character any way you like it to create a background by choice, roots...but unless there was some moral disposition I dont really see the point.

[Dark Wanderer]

At character creation, would you like a general roadmap of background choices like what planet you're from; parents alive or dead; etc.  Nothing particularly to give away future story outlining, but general ideas that would be tied into the character development further down the game to explain certain events and motivations.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Ah, that would be interesting indeed, through not really necressiary IMHO. The more important thinfs would be how you can develop and change thigns through the whole game and then have an ending either for yourself or the whole galaxy/party/whatever depending on what you did in the game. But your suggestion sounds cool for soem purposes; for example, if the main chara we were playing was from Onderon, he'd know certaint higns about Onderon and also be known among people there to a certain extent...

[Blackbishop]

But for the causal gamer that might be a turn off. (Maybe)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

O don't think so. I think they will see it as somewhat of a hindrance, and maybe even annoying, but if they do in fact rent or buy the game, it shows that they have enough intereste in the first place.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

That's why I said maybe...... I wasn't to sure if the causal gamer would the like idea of going through the extra steps to creating a backgound for their charater.

 

Hm, some options at creation to flesh out your character any way you like it to create a background by choice, roots...but unless there was some moral disposition I dont really see the point.

 

Why would moral dispostion be considered for background information when you play your charater they way you see fit....... Regardless of your background.....

 

Every heard of rich people/preist comminting crimes (yep)

[Meshugger]

I'm rather curious, how much detail regarding character backgrounds (mainly the PC) and such.  As with KoTOR, a lot of people were disappointed that no die-hard facts concerning Revan's past were ever released, but a lot of people liked that fact because they were able to come up with their own history for many characters.

 

Despite what Obsidian is putting into the game, what are y'all's preferences on this?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

A nice back-story would surely enrich my gaming experience, if properly written ofcourse.

[Jedi Master D Murda]

Some aspects of the story critical to Revan's fall was not outlined. His past before the Mandalorien Wars were unknown, and probably Bioware's most profound mistake was their inability to mention WHY Revan fell. Was it because of the Star Forge? If so, WHAT aspect of the Star Forge made him fall? Was it the dark taint from the Star Maps. Why didn't the Star Maps affect you the same way it did the first time? What was Malak's connection with all this? NONE of these were explained. Malak's jaw may have had a part in this process, but Bioware said they would "leave it up to the player's imagination." I personally think this is an excuse for a somewhat flawed backstory.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I completely agree. I have said this many times. I think Revan's *real* past has something to do with TSL seeing as we barely know anything about Revan's past.

[Janmanden]

Hm, some options at creation to flesh out your character any way you like it to create a background by choice, roots...but unless there was some moral disposition I dont really see the point.

 

Why would moral dispostion be considered for background information when you play your charater they way you see fit....... Regardless of your background.....

 

Every heard of rich people/preist comminting crimes (yep)

 

Unless you play an approximation to a chaotic-neutral/madman character or someone of dubious morals then I think it would be logical to assume that whatever pattern you followed before you returned to the world and realized all the sith trouble that that would be your moral disposition...a pattern of your char, as I mentioned in my first post, shackles of the past, would exist unless I had full control of my figure...is what I meant. A total deviation of personality would seem just as pointless if not.

[ampulator00]

Some aspects of the story critical to Revan's fall was not outlined. His past before the Mandalorien Wars were unknown, and probably Bioware's most profound mistake was their inability to mention WHY Revan fell. Was it because of the Star Forge? If so, WHAT aspect of the Star Forge made him fall? Was it the dark taint from the Star Maps. Why didn't the Star Maps affect you the same way it did the first time? What was Malak's connection with all this? NONE of these were explained. Malak's jaw may have had a part in this process, but Bioware said they would "leave it up to the player's imagination." I personally think this is an excuse for a somewhat flawed backstory.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I completely agree. I have said this many times. I think Revan's *real* past has something to do with TSL seeing as we barely know anything about Revan's past.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

That would be interesting; TSL being about Revan's past just as much as future.

[Blackbishop]

Hm, some options at creation to flesh out your character any way you like it to create a background by choice, roots...but unless there was some moral disposition I dont really see the point.

 

Why would moral dispostion be considered for background information when you play your charater they way you see fit....... Regardless of your background.....

 

Every heard of rich people/preist comminting crimes (yep)

 

Unless you play an approximation to a chaotic-neutral/madman character or someone of dubious morals then I think it would be logical to assume that whatever pattern you followed before you returned to the world and realized all the sith trouble that that would be your moral disposition...a pattern of your char, as I mentioned in my first post, shackles of the past, would exist unless I had full control of my figure...is what I meant. A total deviation of personality would seem just as pointless if not.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Personality still would not figure in to a general background creation.... Note "General" information.

 

No moral or personality questions, cause you play as you would see fit in the game and not shackling you to your "General" backgound.

 

Adria Teksuni can we get a little more info on the general backgound creation please

 

[Archmonarch]

She's just a mod, not a dev. I doubt she can answer that sort of question. As I understand it, this thread was a hypothetical to begin with.

[Blackbishop]

yes hypothetical question that would still need to be clearfied casue some of the people do not fully understand what she explained.

[Adria Teksuni]

Ack, first off, sorry if I caused any confusion with the questions, these are simply things that have made me curious and I have no idea if there's going to be anything like this in K2, K3, or K9000. Just a mod.

 

Okay, by "general" background information, what I meant was just rather physical specifics. Not personality. That, as a previous poster said, would be developed by the gamer over the course of interaction, rather than in a simple Q&A session.

 

As with KoTOR1, there were certain things your character did no matter what (like find Bastila, search for the Star Maps, etc.), part of the limitations of a CRPG. The background Q&A I was talking about would allow for additional dialogue options depending on what you answered.

 

In my previous example, I used something like "parents murdered" as a possible selection.

 

This could be used as a motivation for either Light or Dark, for obvious reasons. The dialogue trees could change according to the answers given in that initial Q&A.

 

Not so unlikely as some might think, considering K2 is supposed to have a general Q&A letting you outline how you want the history of the game to reflect K1, and this will affect cameos and other such things throughout the course of the game.

 

In short, no personality, just reasons for the personality, if you will. If, in K1, you decided that your character came from Taris at the beginning of the game, how would that have changed some of the dialogues with the NPCs and your actions as the PC over the course of the game?

 

Naturally, there would have to be "random" and "neutral" settings for this, so those who do not want to be bothered with such things wouldn't have to deal with them. Again, I was just curious as to how deep everyone here wanted the info on their main characters.

[Archmonarch]

Hmm. Interesting. One question though, would these backgrounds be just that or would they give numerical bonuses and deficits to your attributes, skills, etc? Ex: You were raised amid the mechanics of wherever +2 to repair or something like that

[Adria Teksuni]

No attribute or other bonuses, pure RP stuff only.

[Archmonarch]

Then if possible Id probably create a whole life history for him (just the main points - who, what, where, and why). Afterall, I am an amateur author.

[Adria Teksuni]

Heh heh heh, well I've got enough people doing that anyway over at my site.