Weekend Programmer #3

[Akari]

As I've long since forgotten what a day away from work is like, I'm in the office again today and I'm willing to take a stab at some questions once more.

 

Though be warned, I think the previous two threads have mostly bled me dry of information I can actually get away with sharing. Also, I'm very busy with deadline material, so I might not be able to spend a lot of time monitoring this thread.

 

Also, here's some killjoy guidelines copied from the second thread:

I stay away from story matters as much as possible when it comes to giving answers. Partially because there's a lot of things that I don't even know about the story, but also because I think this is one of those stories best experienced rather than have ruined in advance. Having us be tight lipped about story details is for your own good.

 

I try to answer questions in the order they're posted.

 

Keep in mind I'm also, in theory, working today. So there may be long periods of time where I don't have time to post any answers. When I leave for the day I'll lock the thread, so you'll know when I'm actually done.

 

Try to avoid repeating questions. Like I mentioned in the previous week's thread, I don't like repeating myself. Read the previous week's post and see if your question has already been answered.

 

-Akari

[XboxSithLord]

Will this gaem have a storyline that will be hard to play again and again. Cause in the first one it was hard to play it again because we all knew what was gonna happen

[Carth Vader]

Who made the Telos flyby video on ign?

[OKSTATE99]

Will this game allow you to jump. As in you have to jump across a bridge or up to a second level balcony? Will there be a place to sell your items that has better prices than the rest or will they all be the same? One last thing on techinal side, I wish you could look up dialouge from the game that goes farther back sometimes I missed something and it didnt go back far enough for me to find it.

[Akari]

Will this gaem have a storyline that will be hard to play again and again. Cause in the first one it was hard to play it again because we all knew what was gonna happen

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's a subjective question that I can't really answer. I think everyone is going to at least have to play KotOR2 twice.

 

-Akari

[OKSTATE99]

Will this gaem have a storyline that will be hard to play again and again. Cause in the first one it was hard to play it again because we all knew what was gonna happen

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's a subjective question that I can't really answer. I think everyone is going to at least have to play KotOR2 twice.

 

-Akari

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

You can play it DS and LS but then when you start you can play it from saying either Revan won or lost DS and LS. So it might not be a major difference but you can play it atleast 4 times differently.

[Akari]

Who made the Telos flyby video on ign?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I imagine Lucas Arts did.

 

Some notes on that: The video is noteably darker than it is in the actual game. While those areas are intentionally dark, that video was to the point of being hard to see at some places. Though also realize that some of the shots in the video were from from angles where you probably can't ever even walk, so the lightning from those angles probably wasn't ideal. The choice of song used in the video doesn't carry any special significance. They probably just felt it sounded nice.

 

-Akari

[Catalyst]

Is there any information you would be willing to share on:

 

a ) Lightsaber stances

b ) New colours (aside from silver/white)

c ) Jedi Robes

d ) Prestige classes

e ) Lightsaber upgrades

 

Thanks

[Akari]

Will this game allow you to jump. As in you have to jump across a bridge or up to a second level balcony? Will there be a place to sell your items that has better prices than the rest or will they all be the same? One last thing on techinal side, I wish you could look up dialouge from the game that goes farther back sometimes I missed something and it didnt go back far enough for me to find it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

No real 'jumping'. There's still the force jump force power, but it can't be used for crossing gaps and the like.

 

I think prices will all be the same again, though I'm not 100% certain on that. I believe the engine supports differing prices at locations, but I don't think we're using that.

 

A backlog of dialog would be interesting, but isn't really possible with this engine. The log you have on the Messages panel is all stored in memory, and if it went all the way back to the start of the game, it would grow so huge that eventually the game would be unplayable. If it had some kind of caching or the like, then it would be possible, but it doesn't.

 

-Akari

[Darth Ravok]

1. I'm not sure if this has been answered but is armor going to look differnt? Because in KOTOR 1 the armor was just painted over with the same textures.

 

2. OXM stated that one of the party members on your journey will be an HK model droid, is this HK droid similar to Revans droid in functioning and class..... (Combat Droid)

[Sabahattin Dere]

The video is noteably darker than it is in the actual game. While those areas are intentionally dark, that video was to the point of being hard to see at some places. Though also realize that some of the shots in the video were from from angles where you probably can't ever even walk, so the lightning from those angles probably wasn't ideal.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Thanks for clarifying that. Would it be reasonable at this point to ask whether trailers-preview videos-screenshots that are being released nowadays still make use of 'stand-ins' for certain graphics such as character types, robes, weapons, etc.; or, can we hope to start interpreting everything that we get to see, to be genuine in-game TSL images?

 

You see, a half-second detail on a video and we'll use that to start new speculations.

[TSAdmiral]

I know Telos was recently given to the press, but when is more gameplay information / character introductions going to be revealed?

[Akari]

Is there any information you would be willing to share on:

 

a )  Lightsaber stances

b )  New colours (aside from silver/white)

c )  Jedi Robes

d )  Prestige classes

e )  Lightsaber upgrades

 

Thanks

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

a) Lightsaber stances are not something granted, you have to earn them.

b) Nothing new I'll say about those.

c) I honestly don't know much about them. They're there?

d) Don't know much about these either.

e) There's 6 things you can upgrade now. 3 crystal slots like before, plus the lens, emitter, and... something I'm forgetting. Probably power core or something.

 

-Akari

[Drakron]

I just like to know what levels is the game aiming for the story ending part.

[Darth_Gandalf]

Do you know how many total party members will be available in the game? I know we can only have 10 at a time, but how many will we have to choose from?

 

And can you tell us how many of the characters from KOTOR I are coming back? (Not who, mind you, but how many?)

 

Thanks.

[Akari]

1. I'm not sure if this has been answered but is armor going to look differnt? Because in KOTOR 1 the armor was just painted over with the same textures.

 

2. OXM stated that one of the party members on your journey will be an HK model droid, is this HK droid similar to Revans droid in functioning and class..... (Combat Droid)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

1) There wasn't a lot we could change there. Armor is still going to be retextured in most cases.

 

2) The HK droid does have the same class, yes.

 

-Akari

[Darth Sirius]

anything else you can tell us about the apprentices? is it in or just rumour?

[Leferd]

What up Darth Taylor?

 

Forgive me if this piece of information has already been let slip out but in any case thanks for once again taking the time out to speak to the community.

 

On with my question: I assume there will be no dice rolls for attributes. Can you shed light on whether it will it be weighted (like in the original) or non-weighted point buy?

[mkreku]

Wow. I finally caught Akari on one of his weekend work days!

 

Anyhow, time for my only question: Will the PC-version of KotOR 2 have real mouse-look this time, instead of that horizontal mouselook from the first game?

[Akari]

Thanks for clarifying that. Would it be reasonable at this point to ask whether trailers-preview videos-screenshots that are being released nowadays still make use of 'stand-ins' for certain graphics such as character types, robes, weapons, etc.; or, can we hope to start interpreting everything that we get to see, to be genuine in-game TSL images?

 

You see, a half-second detail on a video and we'll use that to start new speculations.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

That's a good question. The problem is that I'm not familiar with the details of the areas being shown to tell if it is a mockup or the real thing. I have to imagine that for the flyover they wouldn't have bothered setting up mockups when the real thing is already there, so the best I can say is that that was all probably the real thing, as it existed when they made the video. Everything is always subject to change of course.

 

-Akari

[Ivan the Terrible]

The IGN video mentions "a deeper Dark and Light Side system." Anything you can say about that we don't already know?

[lumen11]

I remember something about 'force jump' in KotOR 1 being intended as a series of very quick leaps and/or sprints. Instead it came out as one big jump, which is obviously less cool. Do the animations of 'force jump' progress with level now as well?

[Ivan the Terrible]

Without giving away specific details, will the different planets have a main quest which needs to be 'completed' in the same way as in KOTOR in order to proceed (and in order to trigger in-game events, ala Calo Nord and Darth Bandon)?

[eras jast]

hey can you plz answer me question because i registered jus to send it lol

 

i noticed that wen the player was walking outside the ground vegetation would appear around him as he walked to different locations as if their was a constant circle of vegetation nearbye but as the player ran about it wuld move with you and you could see the landscape the player was running towards become vegetated this seemed noticeable and annoying, in kotor1 i didnt notice it at all but its easy to spot in telos flyby movie is this going to be changed or worked on thx

 

if you had trouble understanding my niggle im sorry i had a lot of trouble trying to explain my question

[Darth Sun_Tzu]

Does the Ebon Hawk have any new features? There were alot of unused rooms.

 

Or any more 'secrect' compartments?

 

Or is it still just for transport and the base for 1 of the minigames?