Preview KotOR glance at Gamers Europe

[Saint_Proverbius]

Tags: Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

<A href="http://www.gamerseurope.com/">Gamers Europe</a> has put up a <a href="http://www.gamerseurope.com/article.php?id=333">preview</a> of <A href="Http://www.swkotor.com">Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic</a>, based n the X-Box version of the title, but here goes:
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<blockquote>Having spent the last seven or so years consistently churning out Star Wars games ranging from a bit of alright to total pig swill, LucasArts seem to be hitting a stride with their license. Perhaps they?ve been firing bullets into the abyss, randomly hoping that they?d hit something. Perhaps they?ve lacked what it takes to make a decent game. Either way, we want more good Monkey Island games. But aside from wishful thinking, we?ll just stick to looking at their production line of Star Wars games. Next up: Knights of the Old Republic, which is basically 3D Baldur?s Gate to the extent that BioWare is heading up the development.</blockquote>
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And to the extent it uses the d20 system like D&D.. And to the extent it has magic items.. And to the extent it uses the same BG style combat system.. And to the extent that even though you're evil, you're still the good guy..
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Spotted this on <a href="Http://www.bluesnews.com">Blue's News</a>.

 

[Vault Dweller]

And to the extent that even though you're evil, you're still the good guy..

Perhaps they believe that there is somethig good in everyone.

 

[Constipated Craprunner]

Comments on the end are a little unfair, though it will almost certainly end up that way.
Actually, LucasArts used to make some of the best games anywhere. Monkey Island, Dark Forces II, Sam&Max, Full Throttle, some of the Indiana Jones games.

 

[Psilon]

I think I'm probably the only person who preferred Dark Forces to Jedi Knight. At any rate, I'm looking forward to Sam and Max 2 and Full Throttle 2 far more than I am to SWG and KOTOR.

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

Zak MacKracken and the Alien Mindbenders was one of the best adventure games ever made, just because of the campiness of the game world.

 

[Sabotai]

On the combat system:

The combat system is by far the most complex system ever to grace an RPG. Or maybe the word should be “lumber”, because it’s big. It’s part real-time, part turn-based. Before a battle begins, you chose the moves your party will execute during the battle. These moves will continue to be executed until the rules are changed (how we’re not sure), at which point a new set can be chosen.

Or maybe the word should be "fucked up". Most complex combat system evar to grace an RPG? With regard to the average XBox fan, their attention span and IQ-level this doesn't really seem a wise design choice.

For the most part you’re better off leaving the fighting to the AI, but if you want you can take full control. How effective this system will be is anybody’s guess right now.

Now this sounds like BioWare combat to me; leave it to the AI. To me it seems they want to cater to a lot of different game tastes, but are not seeing they are breeding a RTS/TB/FPS/NWN/RPG monster which will scare off the fans of all genres mentioned.

 

[Azael]

Most complex combat system ever? By the sounds of it, it's just like what have been used in all other Bioware games, and that combat system is easily surpassed by games like Fallout and indie games like Prelude to Darkness in terms of complexity.

 

[Sabotai]

I think the complexity of the combat system is in figuring out what kind of combat system it actually is.

Who in his right mind would think up a combat system with the following characteristics (and thinks combat will be fun and challenging):

-It's part real time
-It's part turn-based.
-You can choose the moves before a battle begins
-These moves are executed until the rules are changed.
-But, like any BioWare game, it's best to let the AI do its work for you.

edit: typos

 

[Crazy Tuvok]

the most complex evar but it is best leaving it to the AI? Wow that must be complex if a mere human is unable to handle it. Better fire up my Cray so I can play this soon to be declared masterpiece.

 

[Psilon]

No, it's like MOO3. There's a massive spreadsheet for you to play with but it's best to let the AI do it. Clicking "TURN" every 30 seconds is fun!

 

[Sabotai]

Fortunately BioWare is renowned for its excellent AI programming, so at least that part will be done rightly. A fine example of this is the henchman AI behaviour in NWN.

*burst out laughing*

 

[Azael]

...or the various AI scripts in Baldur's Gate that made your party members attack each other.

 

[Araanor]

WHAT IF... Bioware had made a mediocre Warcraft-clone instead of a mediocre RPG...

 

[Spazmo]

They wouldn't have had a cushy liscence to back up their game and it would be BioWho?

 

[Sabotai]

There is this XBox preview of Kotor at GameSpy. Overall the tenor of the preview is pretty positive. This part of the preview made me laugh out loudly:

That said, there are also parts of the game that seem influenced by Japanese RPGs. You must acquire five Star Maps before facing the main villain, which sounds an awful lot like collecting four crystals before facing the bad guy.

First NWN with four reagents, then SoU with the four missing artifacts and now we have 5 Star Maps. How's that for creativity?

As for the graphics, to me they seems pretty bland and unimpressive. Or is this standard XBox-quality?

 

[Binary]

For the most part you’re better off leaving the fighting to the AI, but if you want you can take full control. How effective this system will be is anybody’s guess right now.

Now this sounds like BioWare combat to me; leave it to the AI.

Sounds more like Dungeon Siege to me "Leave the combat to the AI. In fact, leave the whole game to the AI!"

 

[EEVIAC]

As for the graphics, to me they seems pretty bland and unimpressive. Or is this standard XBox-quality?

Hardly. As an example, compare the character and environmental detail of KOTOR on the XBOX with those of Fable.

As for the "find (x) bits of crap" story device... I would have thought seeking revenge on the person that killed your father would be more appropriate in the Star Wars universe. They could even have a twist, A Twist, A TWIST at the end where your foe turns out to be a woman.

 

[Sabotai]

Definitely a quality difference there. But even your Kotor XBox sceenshot looks much better than this XBox Kotor screenshot,which looks downright shitty.

About the NPCs:

There were three that really stood out to me: Mission Vao, Juhani, and Mission Vao. Mission is a young Twi'ilek street urchin that joins up with you on Taris. She serves as the naïve and innocent youth that keeps things lighthearted. Juhani is a Jedi that fell to the dark side, but thanks you, once again walks the path of light. Her struggle with the dark side isn't over and it's interesting watch her tread the line.

I wonder if Juhani has jiggling b00biez and a lover who has recently been executed?

 

[Astromarine]

maybe you'll find her tied to a stake, getting ready to be burned by angry villagers?