KotOR2 PC Dev Diary
Monday, January 31st, 2005 - 8:13pm
My pick for the 2004 RPG of the year, hell RPG of the last few years, is slowly making it's way to the PC, and GameSpot's got a new developer-diary up for it. This one's on the voice acting/recording process, and I found it quite interesting.
[edit] - GameSpot's got the street date pegged as February 5th. Guess it's now approaching 'slowly' after all.
"PEACE ON EARTH. GOOD WILL TO MEN. PUBLIC SHELTER. ADMISSION 50¢"
I''m currently playing the game, but I''m a tad disappointed.
So far, I feel very much ""railed"", limited in freedom.
Stuff like this annoys me:
***** SPOILER WARNING *****
On Telos in the Citadel Station, in the quest to ""take out Slusk"", you end up in Slusk''s office in a showdown between you, him, and Luxa. Regardless of whether you choose to side with him, side with her, or kill them both - you end up having to fight them both. Your ""choice"" is just a meaningless dialog box as you ride the game''s rail.
***** END SPOILER *****
On the plus side, the first section of Knights 2 was much more fun than the first planet of Knights (Taris - stone cold boring). Though Knights 2 has been much easier so far - perhaps as much a product of the fact that I played through the original and was much more familiar with the combat system & such this time around as anything else.
Gaming / PC Tech Blog: Blast Processing - www.blastprocessing.net
Xbox Live: Legion SB | PSN: Legion_SB
"Damn, your comedic timing is awesome." -- Spaz, *Legion* Fan #1437
The 5th? Isn''t that a Saturday, as in, this Saturday?
"Men like sex, thus boobies! Oogaba!" - dejanzie
"If ads put your sanity to the test
come on down to Rat Boy's nest!
light up a stogie, and soon you'll see
how rock can be commercial-free!
'I'd hit it!'" - HP Lovesauce
Legion: I think you''ll find that your dialogue options have much MUCH greater impact on the story than in KotOR1. Every now and then you''re blocked into a certain thing, but then again that happened in KotOR 1 as well.
SPOILER!
Remember how, no matter what you did, you ended up having to fight both Yuthura and Uthar after the final Koriban test? It''s the same deal.
/SPOILER!
In truth, I''m glad that you can''t get out of absolutely every situation in absolutely every way. Given the characters, certain ways of dealing with the situation just don''t make sense, short of force-persuading them.
The main thing I loved about KotOR2 was the story. There are big BIG chunks of it that you are unable to see on one run through. For instance, there''s a whole thing with two characters, and depending on which one your favour more, the other has a long and involved set of interactions with you which explain stuff and even lead to some quests.
In KotOR2, it feels as though you''re playing through a story, not a game story. In KotOR1, it felt very contrived. ''Here are your four places, collect the keys/rings/essences/gems/maps/whatever-gaming-cliche, and then we''ll talk.'' In KotOR2, you''re experiencing the story as the characters do, without the sorts of concessions that Bioware made to give you a more defined overall objective to keep you going. In my opinion, the gameplay and the quality of the writing are more than enough to keep you going.
You''re right, though. Just like KotOR1, the beginning is by far the most boring part. It''s better than KotOR1''s intro world, but not by too too much. Just wait until you start getting some of the more interesting party members. I have no idea how much dialogue I''ll never hear between two party members I don''t happen to pick together.
"PEACE ON EARTH. GOOD WILL TO MEN. PUBLIC SHELTER. ADMISSION 50¢"
*** SOME SPOILERS WITHIN ***
I do remember that, and I knew that would get brought up.
But the difference last time was that it was a surprise that time, while still seeming in character. They were Sith, they were tough, and you''re by yourself without your party. This time, it was obvious and telegraphed, and came across like lesser characters marching blindly into my slaughter. Plus last time, there were consequences! It kicked off one hell of a fight. This time, nothing. I can forgive it last time for its place in what followed, but by itself, lame.
*** OK YOU CAN READ NOW ***
*** HA THERE''S NOTHING LEFT TO READ, SUCKER! ***
Gaming / PC Tech Blog: Blast Processing - www.blastprocessing.net
Xbox Live: Legion SB | PSN: Legion_SB
"Damn, your comedic timing is awesome." -- Spaz, *Legion* Fan #1437
So is it out for PC yet? Or next week?
If we allow these people to marry, they'll be dancing in the streets, making everyone gay and poking pee-pees together. Do you really want that!? We need to stop this gay madness before it destroys us all! - baggachipz
I thought the release date was next Thursday, but they''re saying Saturday which makes little sense to me.
"You just checked in to Hotel Califoni-getyourasskicked!" Steely Dan said to The Eagles
LEC is saying the 5th. EB is saying the 8th. Gamestop is saying the 15th. I''m saying, huh?
"Men like sex, thus boobies! Oogaba!" - dejanzie
"If ads put your sanity to the test
come on down to Rat Boy's nest!
light up a stogie, and soon you'll see
how rock can be commercial-free!
'I'd hit it!'" - HP Lovesauce
The ads I''ve read say the 8th, so it looks like it''ll be shipping on Tuesday of next week.
"Men like sex, thus boobies! Oogaba!" - dejanzie
"If ads put your sanity to the test
come on down to Rat Boy's nest!
light up a stogie, and soon you'll see
how rock can be commercial-free!
'I'd hit it!'" - HP Lovesauce