New Jedi Knight Petition

[kasser]

me too, hoping there will be a new JK game

 

whatever its stroy my wishes will be that Kyle will have a rule in it (we liked that cool dude and its a shame to dump him now!)

 

 

BTW:

 

Dark Forces = DOOM 2 Engine ... they didnt made an engine by theirselves

[JDKnite188]

I don't see another JK game happening, and, over time, I have begun to not care. LEC is a company that doesn't care for the quality of the game itself, but rather prefers to release and make quick cash. Okay, I admit there are exceptions, mainly KOTOR and BF (well, it had a rough start before patches). On the other hand, my opinion works with the JK series since the Q3-based sequels don't even compare to the detail and innovation in the original JK and expansion MotS. LEC used to produce titles that compete with other games; now they have dissolved into a mode where they are trying to make the best "Star Wars" game. Who asked for the separate category? The fanboy. LEC complied, knowing that they could hit the big money there.

 

The developers aren't even given the chance to even compete with big game titles, such as UT2k4 and Call of Duty as mentioned.

 

No more for LEC, no more.

 

Sequels are supposed to outdo their predecessors. Think about this and take a look around.

[StormHammer]

Originally posted by Amidala from Chop Shop

This is the word from LucasArts as of 5/4/2005:

 

 

 

Jedi Academy came out approximately a year-and-a-half after Jedi Outcast. Jedi Academy is more than a year-and-a-half old, but not only is there no follow-up game, they aren't working on one or even have plans for another one.

 

After what the "community" did to Jedi Academy, you can hardly blame them for not wanting to invest time, money, and effort to make a follow-up game if the same thing is going to happen to the next game.

 

Here is how I put it in another forum:

 

 

 

Originally posted by Amidala

That's right, and that's the problem with Jedi Academy: there is so little variety. Almost all "FFA" servers are really mass dueling, no guns, no Force, "no laming" JA+ servers. The rest are Lugormod or ForceMod III RPG servers. Where is the variety?

 

There are only 66 Duel servers, and on a Friday night only 17 are being used, 49 of them are totally empty. There are only two Power Duel servers.

 

Tonight there are only 13 Siege servers with any humans on them.

 

There are only 25 TFFA servers, and on a Friday night all but 5 of them are totally empty.

 

There are only 20 CTF servers, and all but 4 of them are empty or have only bots.

 

Where is the variety? Because so many players have left due to boredom playing the game with 80% of it disabled, "honor codes" and "rules" that punish people for playing the game by the real rules, and abusive admins who humiliate, kick, and ban players on a whim, there isn't much left.

 

Meanwhile, another Quake III engine game, Call of Duty, which came out only three months after Jedi Academy, has 4,182 servers with 3,539 players tonight.

 

Even the oldest Quake III engine game, Quake III, has 2,755 servers with 2,630 players tonight.

 

Compare that to Jedi Academy, based on the same engine, and with the magic of the Star Wars universe, lightsabers, and Force powers going for it, with a pitiful 476 servers, most of which are empty, and less than 1,000 players on a Friday night.

 

No wonder LucasArts has "no plans for another Jedi Knight game" at this time. A "community" that punishes and humiliates players, tells players to "go play Quake or UT2004", disables 80% of the game's features, calls people who use weapons other than their favorite one "gun noobs" (imagine calling someone that on a Call of Duty or Quake III server), and uses game servers mostly to chat and play act doesn't deserve the time, money, and effort that a company and programmers put into designing, programming, and marketing a new game.

 

All the fools happily "punishing rule-breakers" on their servers don't realize the harm they are doing. They are too focused on controlling and dominating their own little worlds. They are missing the big picture.

 

Meanwhile, KOTOR came out for PC after Jedi Academy, and KOTOR II is already out. Battlefront II has been announced, even though Battlefront is less than a year old.

 

A "community" that actively punishes players and drives them out of the game can't prosper and thrive. Any smart game company is not going to invest time and money making a new game for a self-destructive "community", when they can get a much better return on their investment making new games for better communities.

 

Quoted complete for emphasis...because I agree with everything you just said. A portion of the community basically killed the game stone dead for everyone else who wanted the MP experience.

 

I moved onto playing CoD myself (it's held my attention for many, many months), and although you might still get idiots, team killers and people shouting 'cheater/hacker' at anyone who shoots them - the majority of players just brush it off as the nonsense it is and play the game how it's meant to be played. I have yet to see anyone try to 'roleplay' the game. Most of the servers are clan servers, and the admins simply wouldn't stand for it. The whole community takes the game more seriously - although I will say that recently I've seen more people calling people 'MG noobs' because they're using rifles.

 

So in this respect, on the one hand I would like to see another Jedi Knight game - but on the other I would earnestly dread what that portion of the community would do to the online experience again. I think the only possible way of salvaging it is to have an actual RP game mode built into the game out of the box so that people so inclined have no reason to bother the rest of the community. Some people obviously enjoy it...so give them what they want, and give back the default MP modes to the rest of the community.

 

That is the only way I could see it working. Otherwise it's doomed to failure online - and therefore an unwise financial investment. Furthermore, there are some very strong MP games competing out there, and it would take something special to attract a lot of players back into the JK universe (particularly clans). Look at how Tribes Vengeance bombed...

 

Personally, I'd like to see an MP only version that expands on Siege - in the same way the Unreal Tournament games have evolved. But I suppose they see 'Battlefront' as filling that gap - unfortunately.

[Prime]

Originally posted by StormHammer

A portion of the community basically killed the game stone dead for everyone else who wanted the MP experience.

Especially now. Anyone knew who buys this game is going to be completely unaware of the "honour rules" and is going to get called a newb or gay as soon as he swings at someone. After the initial "WTF?" they will find that apart from a few places (chop shop) every server is like that. They will then proceed to go on to other games. There is no way for the community to grow with players who play the game as it was intended.

 

It really is a shame.

[Amidala from Chop Shop]

Originally posted by Prime

Especially now. Anyone knew who buys this game is going to be completely unaware of the "honour rules" and is going to get called a newb or gay as soon as he swings at someone.

As this poor guy discovered http://www.lucasforums.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=148602

 

Originally posted by StormHammer

So in this respect, on the one hand I would like to see another Jedi Knight game - but on the other I would earnestly dread what that portion of the community would do to the online experience again. I think the only possible way of salvaging it is to have an actual RP game mode built into the game out of the box so that people so inclined have no reason to bother the rest of the community. Some people obviously enjoy it...so give them what they want, and give back the default MP modes to the rest of the community.

 

That is the only way I could see it working. Otherwise it's doomed to failure online - and therefore an unwise financial investment.

Actually, it's even easier to fix than that. They don't need to make a whole RP game mode, with just some relatively simple changes they could make everyone happy: the no Force no guns no "laming" saber duelers and the traditional competitive deathmatch players. The saber duelers could do their "thing" with no possibility of "laming" and no need for admin mods, admins, and the abuse that inevitably follows, and everyone else could play the game the way it was designed to be played. People would no longer be punished or driven from the game, and the game would be way more popular and profitable for LucasArts.

 

The only people who would be unhappy are the "professional lamers" who go to "no laming" servers and attack players for fun, and the hall-monitors-with-lightsabers (admins) who "love to admin" as one of them said, because there would be no need for them.

[DarthCobra]

Im not gonna read all this but just wanted to show support....

 

 

DO IT!! MAKE MORE JEDI KNIGHT GAMES!! THEY SOLD WELL!!! JUST DO IT!!

 

End rant.

[jasond22]

I think the best "chance" to reach LucasArts is to sign the petitiononline.com petition here:

http://www.petitiononline.com/jkdf4/petition.html

 

And also post to the LucasArts forum JK thread here:

http://forums.lucasarts.com/thread.jspa?threadID=93209&tstart=0

 

Heck, I'd be happy with even just an expansion pack to Jedi Academy. Just give me some new single-player levels, story, & cut scenes and I'll pay. Come on LucasArts, milk the series!

[Mikouen]

Companies never listen to those petitions. Sad but true fact. LucasArts have received hundreds of those, totalling tens of thousands of signatures, to no avail.

 

First they'd need to find someone to develop the game in the first place. Games don't grow on trees. Raven Software are working on an upcoming Wolfenstein game, so count them out.

[jasond22]

>LucasArts have received hundreds of those, totalling tens of thousands of signatures, to no avail.

 

I know. That's why I wrote "chance" in quotes. I'm hoping for a miracle...maybe this will be one of those times that a company actually listens to what its customers want.

 

>First they'd need to find someone to develop the game in the first place. Games don't grow on trees.

 

Well, they're developing TFU for PS3 & 360, & found developers for the other platforms, I assume if they decided to to JK4 they'd either find a way to do it in-house or they'd find some developer somewhere.

 

But I'd be happy if they just found someone to make an expansion pack for JA. That should be cheaper for them to do, and require a less skilled set of developers, since the engine would be done. All they'd need are some artists, scripters, writers, and voice actors.

[Inyri]

Why make an expansion pack for a 5-year-old game that admittedly wasn't very good (at all) in the first place?

[jasond22]

>Why make an expansion pack for a 5-year-old game that admittedly wasn't very good (at all) in the first place?

 

Plenty of people still like it even if you didn't, I'm a big fan of lightsaber action so I really enjoyed it. If they can make some $ at it, they might as well, and what's the alternative? TFU? Which isn't out yet, will have no multiplayer, will have no ability to modify, and can only be played on consoles, and will look terrible unless you're willing to shell-out for a new console. As far as I can see there's still no substitute for JK and if they won't make JK4 the least they could do is give us some more JK action in the form of an expansion pack.

[Inyri]

People can like a game and still admit that it's of poor quality.

 

You're pulling at strings here and ignoring reality, I think. PC games are on the way out -- making an expansion for an obsolete game won't make them nearly as much money as making a state-of-the-art console game, which is why it'll never ever in a million years happen, by your own logic.

[jasond22]

>PC games are on the way out

 

I don't believe that. As long as computers exist, someone will make games for them. Especially since some gamers aren't interested in consoles. The new id & Unreal engines are multi-platform. Someone will always want to get that computer market. Maybe not LucasArts, maybe not huge AAA expensive titles, but some kind of computer games will exist. And maybe even decent titles from LA.

 

>making an expansion for an obsolete game won't make them nearly as much money as making a state-of-the-art console game

 

I disagree. An expansion is much cheaper to make then developing new tech, and if it's based on technology that runs on a wide range of computers, they have a potential large base to sell to. All they have to do is pay a writer, license someone to make the mods, and put a little QA staff on it to make sure it's done well enough. I think they could very cheaply churn out an expansion, sell it for discount ($25?), and potentially earn a decent chunk of $.

 

I don't know why LA didn't do this long ago. DFII got Mysteries of the Sith expansion pack. Of course now they might feel such a product on an old engine wouldn't showcase enough "wow" factor, but they really should be looking too at profits, and giving customers at least a little of what they're asking for. And we want JK!

[Inyri]

And we want JK!

Speak for yourself.

 

Those of us who've been there from the beginning are fully aware that Kyle's ready for retirement. I don't see why you'd want to play as a middle-aged Jedi who's now turned into George Lucas, tbh. LucasArts needs to move on... and thankfully they seem to have done just that.

[Mikouen]

Practically all the characters are irrelevant now, due to Lucas allowing them to be whored out in the EU materials.

 

Jedi are irrelevant these days. Jedi this, Jedi that, with Lucas completely ignoring the fact they're a stereotypical cliché with all the depth of a dried-up reservoir. Jedi are just not that interesting any more, because the whole Jedi thing has been whored out too, doubly so considering they've been watered down so much that if you know one Jedi's story, you know every Jedi's story. 'tis ridiculous.

 

Georgie Peorgie needs to learn, that too many cooks spoil the broth.

 

It's kinda sad. I really can't think of any way any of the Star Wars materials could be made even remotely interesting again due to the over-whoring by Lucas. Star Wars is the village bicycle of sci-fi. Kind of upsetting, really, that a good thing was spoiled so readily.

[Sir Vougalot]

I would very much like to see a knew Jedi Knight game using the same engine as The Force Unleashed.

 

I doubt this petition will have any effect, but I will sign it nonetheless:

 

John "Zerimar Nyliram" Vougias

[nizwiz]

... Jedi are just not that interesting any more ... I really can't think of any way any of the Star Wars materials could be made even remotely interesting again due to the over-whoring by Lucas. ...

 

What about the Sith? I think the time between the end of Darth Bane - Path of Destruction (or its sequel) and the prequel trilogy would be well suited for a game or two, where one could play as the Sith apprentice sent on some errands by the master. You know, subterfuge, sabotage, assassinations, things like that. Kind of "Sith Creed", know what I mean? But please not a console oriented "hack and slash and force pwn" game like TFU, more something like jk2 with its magnificent lightsaber control via mouse/keyboard.

[jasond22]

Kyle's ready for retirement.

I'm not saying it has to be Kyle. Just some kind of JK-like game or expansion pack where there's plenty of lightsaber action. Though I prefer Jedi, if LucasArts feels Sith is what will bring in the buyers, then make JK-like Sith game/expansion pack.

 

I would very much like to see a knew Jedi Knight game using the same engine as The Force Unleashed.

Then go here & here:

http://www.petitiononline.com/jkdf4/petition.html

http://forums.lucasarts.com/thread.jspa?threadID=93209&tstart=0

[Mikouen]

What about the Sith? I think the time between the end of Darth Bane - Path of Destruction (or its sequel) and the prequel trilogy would be well suited for a game or two, where one could play as the Sith apprentice sent on some errands by the master. You know, subterfuge, sabotage, assassinations, things like that. Kind of "Sith Creed", know what I mean? But please not a console oriented "hack and slash and force pwn" game like TFU, more something like jk2 with its magnificent lightsaber control via mouse/keyboard.

They could do much better than JK2's saber system - recent games have proven that context-sensitive input has come a long, long way since the olden days. Morrowind, for example, allowed different attack types based on the slightest character motions. Granted, Morrowind did only use three basic attack types instead of freeform combos, but it's a step in the right direction - namely, away from hack-and-slash to a more elegant, focused, and definitely more realistic type of swordsmanship.

 

The Sith are a grey area for a game plot. There's a lot of room for development, but only if carried out properly. We're looking at more of a JK2/Oblivion hybrid as far as engine, technology and gameplay mechanics go, as a JK-styled game wouldn't really allow the freeform approach to the general rogue-like tactics we'd expect Sith to indulge in. Without the freedom, they just become more generic Jedi clones, simply sold in a different way.

 

The concept is solid. I'm just skeptical as to whether it could effectively be applied to the dynamic provided by the Jedi Knight series thus far.

[Astor]

Kyle's ready for retirement.

 

Plus, with all the established EU stuff fleshing his activities in YV war, and Legacy of the Force, there's not much to do with him - unless you want a game recreating the ins and outs of a member of the Jedi Council

 

PC games are on the way out[/Quote]

 

I wouldn't go as far as saying that, but I do agree that they aren't as popular. The ever increasing technology, and higher machine demands for PC games is the result of the increase of console gaming - It's easier to buy a console for £300 pounds that will last maybe 5 years, as opposed to spending £300 pounds every year to be able to play the latest PC games.

[nizwiz]

Well, I guess I have to try Morrowind, then. Problem is, most of the games either have a hack and slash / combo oriented swordplay or stats-based combat, both are not very satisfying. IMO jk2 has still one of the best swordplay mechanics out there, and it's definitely not hack and slash. The combination of mouse movement and keyboard makes for fairly refined combat control, especially the "foot work" is pretty well simulated.

[jasond22]

Plus, with all the established EU stuff fleshing his activities in YV war, and Legacy of the Force, there's not much to do with him

Who cares if it's Kyle? It can be another Jedi, or even a Sith. Just as long as it offers good lightsaber action & Force powers.

 

>It's easier to buy a console for £300 pounds that will last maybe 5 years, as opposed to spending £300 pounds every year to be able to play the latest PC games.

 

So base a game on an older engine and it will run on a wide variety of systems. They could make some $ and please some customers.

[Astor]

Who cares if it's Kyle?[/Quote]

 

I never said that it would be Kyle, I was actually stating that it would be hard for it to be Kyle - as I mentioned above, his activities are well documented.

 

So base a game on an older engine and it will run on a wide variety of systems. They could make some $ and please some customers.

 

I understand your point, but 'some' is not enough to warrant making a new game, even if it does use an older engine. The costs involved would overshadow any potential profit that would be gained by such a title.

 

And besides, if TFU does well, LA *might* make another JK game.

[Mercenary]

What was the last game released by LucasArts for the PC? I think there was a strategy game in 2006. It's not looking good for PC gamers. Highly rated games like Call of Duty 4 and Crysis couldn't make a profit on the PC. EA isn't making their flagship product "Madden" for the PC this year. There are a lot of troubling signs out there.

[Sir Vougalot]

What about the Sith? I think the time between the end of Darth Bane - Path of Destruction (or its sequel) and the prequel trilogy would be well suited for a game or two, where one could play as the Sith apprentice sent on some errands by the master. You know, subterfuge, sabotage, assassinations, things like that. Kind of "Sith Creed", know what I mean? But please not a console oriented "hack and slash and force pwn" game like TFU, more something like jk2 with its magnificent lightsaber control via mouse/keyboard.

I had a similar idea but set during the Legacy era, during Darth Krayt's Sith Order. The series would almost be a mirror of Kyle Katarn's saga, only the direct opposite: the first game is strictly an FPS akin to Dark Forces, only you are a stormtrooper sided with the Sith infiltrating and destroying those loyal to Roan Fel. And then the following games would be just like the Jedi Knight series only you are training to become a Sith.

 

I envisioned the series being entitled Sith Lord; a nice foil to Jedi Knight.