Preview SW:KotOR preview on GameSpot

[Saint_Proverbius]

Tags: Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

<a href="http://gamespot.com/">GameSpot</a> has landed themselves a <a href="http://gamespot.com/gamespot/stories/previews/0,10869,2896724,00.html">preview</a> of the Star Wars based CRPG that <a href="Http://www.bioware.com">BioWare</a> is working on, <a href="http://www.bioware.com/games/knights_old_republic/">Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic</a>. Here's a sample:
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<blockquote>The gameplay in Knights of the Old Republic is shaping up to be a truly impressive balancing act that will walk the line between the deep gameplay and options available in BioWare's PC RPGs and the far more simplistic RPGs found on consoles. Rather than opt to cannibalize both styles of game, BioWare has layered them to offer two distinct levels of play in Knights of the Old Republic. The core gameplay uses the basics of all RPGs and focuses on exploration, character interaction, quests, and character development. The exact mechanics, especially those revolving around character creation and development, can be tailored to suit your preferences. If you're accustomed to the fairly limited options in console RPGs, it will be possible to create a character and hop into the game with a minimal amount of work. You'll just pick a name, a gender, and a class; choose some default options the game offers you; and then hop into the game. If you prefer PC RPGs or you're hankering for more to do with your virtual self, you'll find the ability to customize nearly every aspect of your character's attributes and abilities.</blockquote>
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What? You mean <a href="http://www.bioware.com">BioWare</a> hasn't done that balancing act between console and PC CRPGs before? I thought they'd been doing that since the late 1990s.
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Spotted on <a href="http://ve3d.com">VoodooExtreme</a>

 

[Constipated Craprunner]

The only console game they have ever done is MDK2, and anyway, what, did the Infinicrap games not have enough character molding?
If the BGies had anything, they had that in spades.

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

The only thing missing from Baldur's Gate was save game spots.

 

[Constipated Craprunner]

What in the hell are you smoking, Saint? More blind hatred?
You customized the character that not even FO saw, you had a choice in some quests and for most of the Chapters you could go almost anywhere you want, let alone the polar opisite endings of BG2TOB.
How on earth are they the same?
Most Console rpgies are adventures with stats- BG had lots of stats, alot of character development and far to many choices and diologue options to be considerd a Console rpg.
Plese, think before you type blind hatred on the Infinity games, Saint. I agree that most of them are nowhere near FO or PST, but let us be honest here- they are, at the very least, commerical yet nonlinear games with a tightly written and excellently pulled off story and enviorment. Sure, they are about as original as Pearl Jam, but are we really going to critize everything that does not start or drasticlly change a genre?

 

[Section8]

You customized the character that not even FO saw, you had a choice in some quests and for most of the Chapters you could go almost anywhere you want, let alone the polar opisite endings of BG2TOB.

You get about as much travel choice as you do in Final Fantasy games. At least they've got balanced random encounters.

Most Console rpgies are adventures with stats- BG had lots of stats, alot of character development and far to many choices and diologue options to be considerd a Console rpg.

Golden Sun has just as many choices, and just like BG, 99% of them make no difference one way or the other.

Plese, think before you type blind hatred on the Infinity games, Saint. I agree that most of them are nowhere near FO or PST, but let us be honest here- they are, at the very least, commerical yet nonlinear games with a tightly written and excellently pulled off story and enviorment. Sure, they are about as original as Pearl Jam, but are we really going to critize everything that does not start or drasticlly change a genre?

How was the story excellent? It was shit and cliched. And I think it's quite valid to criticise something that has drastically changed a genre...for the worse.

 

[Constipated Craprunner]

!) Okay. Yeah, that is right, I forgot how in FFVII you could go anywhere save BG in the 2nd chapter! I forgot the legions of diolouge! I forget the interesting characters!
@) Yes, the fantasy aspect was cliche, but I do not remember a fantasy RPG being based on the nature of choice against birth. Also, I do not remeber the ending in FFVII where Cloud decides to take Sersomething's power and destroy the world! Forgive me if I am sceptical of anything you blind, castrated hobboes say!
Yes, it is linear, but in my view, until one can perfectly balance non linearity and story, that is not something that can be heald against it, and any amount of non linearity is just a bonus.
I belive you forgot everything (or, most likely) did not play any part of BG. After the Green Griffin Inn you could go anywhere.
There is a diffirence, to some extent. In BG2, you can do certain quests and gain mansions based on a few desicions, let alone the fact that in most respects, BG2 had about two or three ways to progress through the story. Take, for instance, the Insane Asylum. You could pay a bunch of people, or do several other things to bypass alot of the monster killing. I, for one, would argue that BG2, in many respects, is, in terms of gradiose non linearity only seconed by the games that RPG codex is made to honor and maybe the GTAs.
Shit and cliched? Dark gods, redemption, lost love. Not to mention the aforemetnioned nature of birth and redemption from it. Indeed, in retrospect, BG1/2 could almost be seen as a metaphocal attack on the Catholic church!
"First there was the memory, than the memory of the memory and now there is nothing".
Iranicus is the greatest non Troika/BIS boss ever.

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

You customized the character that not even FO saw, you had a choice in some quests and for most of the Chapters you could go almost anywhere you want, let alone the polar opisite endings of BG2TOB.

Okay, play a wizard that can wear platemail. How about a fighter that can thief in his armor? Fallout's classless system alone allows more range of freedom than D&D offers, especially 2nd Edition D&D.

Even Avernum's character system allows you to be a mage with armor. You just have to have the Strength to carry it and the Hardiness skill to avoid movement penalties.

!) Okay. Yeah, that is right, I forgot how in FFVII you could go anywhere save BG in the 2nd chapter! I forgot the legions of diolouge! I forget the interesting characters!

Even in the Final Fantasy Legends trilogy for the GameBoy, you had the freedom to go where you want. The only thing stopping you was that you'd most likely get killed in random encounters or you didn't have a boat.

Yes, it is linear, but in my view, until one can perfectly balance non linearity and story, that is not something that can be heald against it, and any amount of non linearity is just a bonus.

That's pretty much a boolean situation. It's either linear or it's not. Side quests don't make a game non-linear, you know. Furthermore, side quests that don't change anything are merely superfilous garbage tossed in to allow you do something other than chug your way through the linear plot.

There is a diffirence, to some extent. In BG2, you can do certain quests and gain mansions based on a few desicions, let alone the fact that in most respects, BG2 had about two or three ways to progress through the story. Take, for instance, the Insane Asylum. You could pay a bunch of people, or do several other things to bypass alot of the monster killing. I, for one, would argue that BG2, in many respects, is, in terms of gradiose non linearity only seconed by the games that RPG codex is made to honor and maybe the GTAs.

GTA is an RPG we should honor? Now that's just fucking hilarious.

Shit and cliched? Dark gods, redemption, lost love. Not to mention the aforemetnioned nature of birth and redemption from it. Indeed, in retrospect, BG1/2 could almost be seen as a metaphocal attack on the Catholic church!

Redemption from your dark passed.. Why no, that's certainly not been done hundreds of times.

And how the hell is that an attack on the Catholic Church?

 

[Constipated Craprunner]

Original Sin?
And Saint, have you even played BG2? True, you cannot go everywhere in a certain sequence, but if that is a hallamrk of an RPG, what of Geneforge, or Arcanum? The only RPG series I can think of that even dreams of that is FO.
I did not call GTA3 a RPG. I said it was non linear. Duh.
Let us take the Troll Castle quest as an example. With a small, thiefiy (Imoen, Yoshimo and my sorc with invisibilty), I was able to distract the trools with food, than sneak up with the perfect position on the boss.
For the Asylym, one time I just slaughted an entire brothel for access. Another time I did some work for a captain. Than another time I just walked right into it.
What of the Thief's guild and the Vampires? That is among the greatest instances of a balance of non linear choices and great story ever.
Again, what about the end of BGToB? Or did your blind hatred for the newfangled "not as nonlinear" rpgies prevent you from getting there?

 

[Rosh]

And Saint, have you even played BG2? True, you cannot go everywhere in a certain sequence, but if that is a hallamrk of an RPG, what of Geneforge, or Arcanum? The only RPG series I can think of that even dreams of that is FO.

Geneforge and Avernum let you take different paths, with some exceptions.

Arcanum allows you to go to more locations, if you search for them, than Baldur's Gate 2. You can't go anywhere in BG2 until it's marked on your map by someone or something. Which is usually governed by some NPC's whining or other factors. Read: It might as well be linear and skip all pretenses.

BG2 is by far quite restrictive, even moreso than BG1.

Again, what about the end of BGToB? Or did your blind hatred for the newfangled "not as nonlinear" rpgies prevent you from getting there?

I think it's because comparatively, there's nothing in those games worth drudging through them. Monotonous, linear, and just about only one way of playing them. Just about the only variety lies in which class you're playing for a different flavor of side-quests. Read: Nothing spectacular to validate wasting the time playing them.

 

[Constipated Craprunner]

The manatomy of the combat is a diffirent issue.
I was simply stating that BG has little in common with console adventure games.
Huh.
You know, I must have forgotten how you could get to the Isle of Despair without Gilbert Bates!

 

[Rosh]

The manatomy of the combat is a diffirent issue.

Pay attention. Either that, or point out where I was talking about the "manatomy of the combat" [sic].

I was simply stating that BG has little in common with console adventure games.

In many ways, BG is just as linear as most console RPGs. Most commonly the FF series, but also the Dragon Quest series, with the locations.

 

[Constipated Craprunner]

Yeah, remind me how cloud could join Seripoth?
Or when that other annoying, cliche dude had to choose between good and evil, instead of just being lumped into one (the Shodow Thievies Guild and the Vampires).
Or the Strongholds?
Or anything?