KOTOR 2 impressions

[Otaku_Hanzo]

Who really cares about similarities? I'm sure it didn't ruin the experience for most people out there. Only the most anal of stupidheads would be severely bothered by that. The story in and of itself was quite original and good. I enjoyed it immensely.

Oh, and on the subject of combat, I found out how to make the combat somewhat more challenging. Just cheat and give yourself like 20 extra levels. It totally bumps up the enemies and they were actually giving me a run for my money. I actually found myself using adrenal stims and such. It was alot more fun at that point. Just don't give yourself godlike stats.

 

[AlanC9]

Wait..... you're saying the game gets more balanced at higher levels?

 

[Otaku_Hanzo]

Wait..... you're saying the game gets more balanced at higher levels?

Actually, I think it only happens if you cheat. I was effectively 30th level when I beat the game the first time (20th level Sentinel, 10th level Weapon Master) and never had a problem at all with combat. Even the Storm Beasts posed no threat to me. However, I'm fresh out of Peragus, cheat my way to level 30, and now finding myself fighting for my life during combat. Not even bosses gave me this much trouble my first time through. It's nuts.

 

[Spazmo]

My brief thoughts:

• Combat still sucks bad and is too easy. That said, I wouldn't want this combat to be hard because that'd make it even more tedious
• I still don't like the engine a whole lot
• Buggy as hell
• Crafting items is a neat idea, but not altogether useful
• MAJOR PH4T L3WT OVERLOAD--so much items I can't even be bothered to check what new ones do
• Interface is still weak, especially the inventory which gets impossible to navigate towards the end
• The use of skills and stats in dialog is marvelous, nice work on that one. Dialog is also very well written.
• Central plot is pretty weak. Track down four different dudes, ask them the exact same set of questions. The ending is particularly bad and hardly resolves anything. The last planet is very, very tedious to go through. That said, the story itself has some neat themes and some parts are fun, but overall not that great.
• Blasters are a lot less gimped and do very decent damage (upgraded Mandalorian Rippers/Desintegrators are very effective) but ranged characters are only effective if they have melee meat shields. A melee character will ruin a ranged char one on one.
• Influence is pretty neat and must be expanded upon in subsequent games from... everyone (do starting vignettes too, please).
• G0-T0 really bugs me in the sense that why the fuck is he there? I blew up the guy's fucking yacht and ruined his business and now he sends me an expensive droid to help in my quest? What the hell?
• Most side-quests and the individual planet main quests are well done and have a lot of choices to them
• I REALLY HATE KREIA. My biggest issue with KOTOR1 was Bastila constantly whining at every opportunity about the Force and being good when I was more light side than she was. Kreia is even worse.
• Loads of other stuff to complain about/praise I can't remember right now

It's not bad, and I played it pretty compulsively, but it's not great.

 

[Volourn]

"now he sends me an expensive droid"

Hahahaha. What a maroon you are.

Anyways, more seriosuly, I agree with you 99.9% other than the gunning thing. Guns still suck in this game. In some ways they're even worse due to the fact that melee epsicially light sabres have become even more super uber.

 

[Fez]

It sounds like they didn't listen to the fans again. I remember people complaining about the guns in the first game (and the difficulty, etc.). It's a shame as I wouldn't have thought it'd be difficult to boost the weapons a bit. Maybe in KOTOR 3 they'll get it right? :D

 

[Sol Invictus]

The ranged weapons are actually pretty good this time around. While admittedly not as good as lightsabers (that wouldn't make sense) they can still kick a whole lot of ass, especially with Precision Shot taken as a feat, and Sniper Shot as your main attack. I found a weapon called "Charric" which I gave to one of the characters. Even though she turned into a Jedi, she's still way better off doing ranged support.

 

[Fez]

The problem I had with them in the first one is that you can run right up to someone in the open who is holding a gun and they'll only manage to get one shot off or two at most. Once you close in it's death for them. I'd have liked a closer imitation of the films, which made it look more dangerous and impressive.

 

[Spazmo]

Well, in the films, everyone had blasters. KOTOR's problem that it makes everyone a swordfighter.

 

[Fez]

I think I'd have liked it more if swordfighting was rare and special, with only the most skilled daring to use a melee weapon against guns (or the mad and drunk). It makes the sword/lightsaber more of a badge or warning to others.

 

[NeverwinterKnight]

I think I'd have liked it more if swordfighting was rare and special, with only the most skilled daring to use a melee weapon against guns (or the mad and drunk). It makes the sword/lightsaber more of a badge or warning to others.

maybe it has something to do with the d20 system? im not sure since im not too familiar with the pnp rules.

it would make more sense if blasters were more powerful though.

 

[Chefe]

hello world

 

[Otaku_Hanzo]

Well, in the films, everyone had blasters. KOTOR's problem that it makes everyone a swordfighter.

Maybe in the first one, but the second one is different. Sure, anyone can wield a sword, but the question is, are they good with it? Kreia is way better with a blaster than sword/lightsaber anyday simply due to her dexterity. Same with Atton, Mandalore, and HK. Hell, Mandalore and HK rock the solar system when equipped with rifles and Precision Shot. In my latest game I even roleplayed my character to the hilt opting for the decisions where she really doesn't want her lightsaber and just doesn't care anymore. Instead, she used dual Watchmans fully rigged up all the way until the end.

 

[Volourn]

"Kreia is way better with a blaster than sword/lightsaber anyday simply due to her dexterity."

Nah. As a Jedi, she's betetr off using her fists if she doesn't have a lightsabre since Jedis are all Kung Fu masters in KOTOR2.

 

[NeverwinterKnight]

Nah. As a Jedi, she's betetr off using her fists if she doesn't have a lightsabre since Jedis are all Kung Fu masters in KOTOR2.

haha i made the mistake of equiping kreia with the plasma torch on peragus as her only weapon instead of going bare handed. suffice it to say she didnt do too much damage.

 

[sInfernal]

The problem I had with them in the first one is that you can run right up to someone in the open who is holding a gun and they'll only manage to get one shot off or two at most. Once you close in it's death for them. I'd have liked a closer imitation of the films, which made it look more dangerous and impressive.

Well, the main problem is with the engine. IRL (or in the films...) a gunslinger would be able to run backwards away from the swordsman, run to the side to hide behind a column, or circle-strafe around the swordsman... all while shooting. With the NWN system, making actions and moving are two mutually exclusive options. Thus you can only attack while being stationary.

Kreia is way better with a blaster than sword/lightsaber anyday simply due to her dexterity.

Finesse: Lightsaber?

 

[Expresso]

Same old 3 classes that are forcefully upgraded into 3 better classes later.

I finished the game with Level 28 Jedi Guardian. Prestige class was not forced.

 

[jsaving]

Is this game really that bad? I never jumped on board with KOTOR, because it's "Starwars"...., and I almost bought this game because of all the hype over the first one.

You have to understand that people on these boards hold games to a high standard. They're certainly correct that KOTOR2 isn't very challenging for the experienced role-player who knows how to properly allocate his stats and skills and feats. But that's inevitable in a world where the average gamer controls the marketplace -- the kind of guy who actually uses the "auto-level" button that none of us have ever touched.

Does KOTOR2 combine the depth of Planescape with the open-endedness of Morrowind? Absolutely not. But it's still a very entertaining game with a solid story, a solid engine, and a solid stat system. And it's worth buying.

 

[Otaku_Hanzo]

But it's still a very entertaining game with a solid story, a solid engine, and a solid stat system. And it's worth buying.

I second that, although the solid engine part is something I disagree with. It definitely is in need of a patch or two... or three. Still, a great game that I love even more than I did the first one.

 

[Spazmo]

Even if the KOTOR engine worked as intended, it'd still suck, because it's just a badly designed engine. The interface is terrible, the combat is a bore and it doesn't look that great.

 

[Otaku_Hanzo]

I liked KOTOR's engine better than NWN's though.

 

[bryce777]

Well, to be fair, I can't imagine whacking someone with a lightsaber and having it NOT kill them or at least seriously cripple them.

I don't think that in and of itself is an issue; after all, when a melee character closes on a ranged character and finally hits it's all over let alone if you hit them with an energy sword capable of tearing a starship apart.

The problem is more that from what is being said the blasters are pretty much worthless. If they did more damage then it would necessitate a little bit of cunning such as sneaking up on larger groups, hiding around a corner to force them to close with you without you being in blaster range, etc. etc.

Instead you can just absorb enough blasterfire to stop a tank, and indiscriminantly trash anything that stands in your way...maybe once in a blue moon using a magic heal potion, er, med pack.

Or the jedi power could only be effective to block so many attackers at once...no matter how good you are if you have 20 guys shooting at you from different directions you can't avoid them all....

 

[Naked_Lunch]

Whoa, flashback.

 

[TheGreatGodPan]

Speaking of shooting saber-wielders, remember in Attack of the Clones when Jango is blasting at Jedi in the colloseum? That was cool, but I wanted a much longer fight between him and Windu (like the fight between Jango and Obi). I also wanted to see the Jedi-Mandalorian wars that were supposed nearly wipe out the former and completely wipe out the latter. Instead it winds up happening long before the movies. Lame. Armies of mandalorians, armor bearing the ponytails of slaughtered padawans as a sign of completing a rite of passage, eradicating jedi all over the galaxy, would be way better than this lame 2 sith at time manipulating seperatists and clones crap.

 

[Crichton]

You can use Kotor Tool to mod the base damage of weapons to whatever you want. (You can also use it on KOTOR).

Modding the damage values to the d20 values (essentially tripling blaster damage; pistols do 3d6, blaster rifles do 2d8, bowcasters do 3d10, etc) does make ranged weapons much more dangerous, and I think it makes for a better game. If you do this, the droid ambush will be very scary. No other fight in the game gave me any trouble on "difficult", but w/ official d20 ranged weapon damage, I had to lower the difficulty to easy just to get through it.

I played through once and enjoyed it. I've decided to play through again without a lightsabre, instead using duelling, force reflection and the most powerful gammorean war axe I can find. Red nails for the pillar of vengenace!