[K3] What Feature Do You Want To Be Evolved?

[The Source]

[K3] What Feature Do You Want To Be Evolved?

This is not a thread about the story.

 

What I am looking at are the features, which give you control or affect your interaction with the environment. Otherwords, the influence feature was a pretty neat idea, and I think they could push this a little further. Instead of having certain characters joining your team based upon your alingment, I thought it would be better to influence NPCs to join you.

 

What do you think?

[FiEND_138]

I'd want to see the Inf. expanded as well. Make it so it's not so much a cosmetic feature on an NPC's character sheet. I really like the idea of using Inf to get people to join you.

 

That & the dark side. 9/10 I'll play LS just because I don't feel like a Sith Lord, more like a back alley thug robbing poor saps for their lunch money. I'd prefer an option to be more subtle, twisting people & my party to my own ends, not so.... I'm evil, give me the credits or die!! Though this has been a complaint of mine since the first game.

[tbl]

The influence system definitely. If your DS a nd have a high inf. w/ a previously LS party member, they no longer complain about you killing innocents.

Also once you train them as Jedi, they should start calling you master. If your LS you could say "You don't have call me that" or vice versa for DS.

[MarkL]

Force telekinesis, which would perforce require a deformable environment so I could pick up and fling all those containers or debris or what-have-you that right now just sit there and do nothing.

 

A deforrmable environment would be cool in it's own right. My errant lightsaber swing (as if!) ought to be chopping down pillars and gashing doors, etc. Grenades ought to put holes in the floor (or dirt), etc.

 

Better textures and lighting ... fog effects, dust storms, etc.

 

Much smoother and realistic character animation. Lightsaber combat still looks pretty "jerky" at times. I'd like some to have the Darth Maul style of combat (more fast and sharp) and some to have the Count Dooke style (more flowing).

 

I'd like to Force Jump at my own discretion, not just when the computer thinks I should.

 

An optional "PG-13" setting where I could get more realistic combat damage ... blaster burns, severed arms, whatever is appropriate.

 

I'd like more variety in the models for the people .. maybe I envision having a fat, short Jedi, or I want to be an alien race or something.

 

I'd like to have have more vehicles available than swoop bikes. I dunno ... throw in some X-Wing Commander in the middle of a quest?

 

More party options. Maybe 2 companions is all that's managable, but I did like the split-party stuff in TSL. More of that, I guess.

 

A feature that, assuming KoTOR III builds on I and II, can read your save-game files from I and/or II so that the story from III can "build on" what choices you made in II, including what your PC looked like (if appropriate).

 

Is that enough stuff?

 

Wait, thought of one more. When you are, say, on the workbench looking at your inventory, and it says "equipped", it should say "equipped by <name>" so I can tell the 5 different vibroswords apart!

[Feagildin]

... the dark side. 9/10 I'll play LS just because I don't feel like a Sith Lord, more like a back alley thug robbing poor saps for their lunch money. I'd prefer an option to be more subtle, twisting people & my party to my own ends, not so.... I'm evil, give me the credits or die!! Though this has been a complaint of mine since the first game.

I couldn't have said it better.

 

 

Anyways, I'd like to see the romance and side quests more fully integrated into the mainstream storyline. Who you're macking with and who you're tromping through the jungle hunting tach should affect some sort of dependent plot, imo. For example, if you went light side male in K2, and "romanced" HM, then she should insist on joining you against Nihilus, while Visas should be shunning you out of jealousy.

[Diego Varen]

Influence. It wasn't really done well in TSL and it was a good idea.

[Jediphile]

Force Telekinesis. It's in all the movies, but not in these games. Force Push and its progressions probably come the closest, but are woefully geared toward combat only. If KotOR3 has a completely new engine - which I would take as a given that it's now two years past TSL and we haven't even heard of it - it should at least allow us the same freedom to manipulate objects that Half-Life 2 does.

[Darth InSidious]

Again on the Dark Side...Particularly with the Exile, I always feel so...pathetic, threatening harmless people etc...Palpatine doesn't go out onto the street and electrocute the homeless just to feed his 'evilness', AFAIK...Why should we?

 

I'd also like to see the attributes thing evolved...

[Sabretooth]

Again on the Dark Side...Particularly with the Exile, I always feel so...pathetic, threatening harmless people etc...Palpatine doesn't go out onto the street and electrocute the homeless just to feed his 'evilness', AFAIK...Why should we?

 

I'm no expert, Insidious, but I don't see any other gamey way to go particularly Dark Side, since KotOR isn't a big strategy game of sorts... You do small things, which build into a big outcome, like any RPG. But I do agree with you at the same time - it seems just plain weird to mug a civilian and kill him, just to become more evil...

[The Source]

Force Telekinesis. It's in all the movies, but not in these games. Force Push and its progressions probably come the closest, but are woefully geared toward combat only. If KotOR3 has a completely new engine - which I would take as a given that it's now two years past TSL and we haven't even heard of it - it should at least allow us the same freedom to manipulate objects that Half-Life 2 does.

It would be pretty cool to summon environmental elements, and use them in a combat manner. Nice.

[Vaelastraz]

The best feature would be that the Kotor III engine requiered an AMD 64 X2, 2 GB RAM and a directx 10 video card to make all those wishes possible.

 

Anyway, I'd like to see Characters (Party members) that have a realistic attitude, that can be influenced in their opinions, that speak a lot more than in Kotor II, that do not always agree with the PC.

[RedHawke]

I'm no expert, Insidious, but I don't see any other gamey way to go particularly Dark Side, since KotOR isn't a big strategy game of sorts... You do small things, which build into a big outcome, like any RPG. But I do agree with you at the same time - it seems just plain weird to mug a civilian and kill him, just to become more evil...

One big way would be for us to have manipulative dialog options with the NPC's. This would allow us to mold the NPC's how we want them to be. Especially with our companion characters.

 

Example: You would have the usual LS dialog option, and the usual others (Including the sad lunch-credit stealing punk responses), but you would also have one or two that would be similar to the LS option but twisted somewhat to benefit our character and corrupt the NPC's views a little more, these options could start with [Lie] or [Manipulation]. You can very much be a Dark Lord of the Sith and 'act' good, save lives, and be a hero-type if that helps to further your goals.

 

Also to flesh out the influence system so the characters would behave DS if they were turned.

 

That would be more than enough for me.

[Emperor Devon]

Traditionalist here... I don't care too much about features beyond dialogue (includes influence and LS/DS choices) being evolved. Some I would under no circumstances want to be changed, like the combat.

 

While new weather effects, items, animations and other such things would look cool, I'd much rather have a plot that can compare to the ones in the first and second games.

[HerbieZ]

Honestly, id like to see a more advanced light side/dark side system BUT it did'nt tell you your points or give you any clues as to whether you just lost darkside points or gained them. The answers to questions should also be less obviously orientated so. At the end of the game it tells you via an npc what your level of light/dark was and the game only gives you subtle hints such as people commenting on your appearance ala Kotor 2. Somehow i think it would be more satisfying knowing that any action i make could have been bad or good.

[nick3333]

A more in-depth alignment system, I guess. Like Emperor Devon though I'm a 'traditionalist' when it comes to KotOR, and what I'm most interested in is the story.

I'd like the influence system done away with, however. I found it to be a crude hindrance to my interaction with other characters in TSL. I hated the influence system completely and absolutely, to be honest. On paper it may look good (I was excited about it before I played the game. I thought 'hey, there's a cool feature!') but in practice it truly annoyed me.

[The Doctor]

The influence system would definately be cooler if it were expanded upon a little. The feat system in TSL, however, was irritating - namely the class skills. There were skills where you had to use two points to update until you got a feat to go with it. Get rid of that, and it'll be fine.

[The Architect]

One big way would be for us to have manipulative dialog options with the NPC's. This would allow us to mold the NPC's how we want them to be. Especially with our companion characters.

 

Example: You would have the usual LS dialog option, and the usual others (Including the sad lunch-credit stealing punk responses), but you would also have one or two that would be similar to the LS option but twisted somewhat to benefit our character and corrupt the NPC's views a little more, these options could start with [Lie] or [Manipulation]. You can very much be a Dark Lord of the Sith and 'act' good, save lives, and be a hero-type if that helps to further your goals.

 

Also to flesh out the influence system so the characters would behave DS if they were turned.

 

That would be more than enough for me.

 

Spot on RedHawke! I want more different ways to be LS and DS in KotOR III rather than the old 'give me all your credits (DS)' and 'I'll give you all my credits (LS)' ways used in KotOR and KotOR II. It would be nice to role-play as more of a 'smart, manipulative evil' in KotOR III rather than the clichéd thug evil used in KotOR II and KotOR (more so).

[Master Kavar]

I would take the influence system, and beyond just enhancing it like others have suggested, I would evolve it into a kind of "Reputation System".

 

For example; playing a LS Jedi, I peacefully negotiated a treaty on a disputed world. Both sides were happy with the outcome, so I will be greeted warmly and treated well whenever visiting those systems. This will unlock new related quests, improve the reputation of the Jedi Order, and maybe even grant access to rarer items and store discounts.

 

By contrast, as a Dark Jedi I solved the conflict by lightsaber to get to the outcome I wanted as quickly as possible. News of that bloody conflict will spread to other systems I haven't even visited yet, changing how I will be recieved when I go to those places. Maybe I've made new enemies, or gained the attention of valuable allies. Maybe people will cross a busy street after taking a single look at your ds corrupted face, or stampede away in fear when you brandish your red lightsaber.

[Prime]

I'd like to see a more interactive environment in general. Blaster marks, force-movable items, etc.

[darth_dub]

I agree with Master Kavar a rep type system would be really cool and i would like to see some battle action when traveling to new planets like random space pirates or bounty hunters.A rep system would be great with bounty hunters if you made a few enemies during your quest.

[nick3333]

Wow, judging from most people's replies here it seems I'm the only one who doesn't want the influence system any more than he wants gonorrhea.

[jonathan7]

Id like to be able to use enviromental stuff in fights more, eg like kenobi vs grevious body guards of being able to squash people with large heavey objects... then if you were fighting a force sensetive they could throw away it eg. yoda vs dooku, the odyssey engine probably couldnt support this, but if they use a new game engine would be quality!

 

I also agree with RH over different ways to gaine LS/DS points, for example in K1 when deciding your close Dopak asks u how u would respond to different situations (eg. a gang is attacking a young mother and child, do you, 1 protect the mother, 2 help them escape or 3 ask the attackers why they are doing) so you could respond in the way a sentinal/guardian/consular would depending on what you think would be the best response

[jonathan7]

Id like to be able to use enviromental stuff in fights more, eg like kenobi vs grevious body guards of being able to squash people with large heavey objects... then if you were fighting a force sensetive they could throw away it eg. yoda vs dooku, the odyssey engine probably couldnt support this, but if they use a new game engine would be quality!

 

I also agree with RH over different ways to gaine LS/DS points, for example in K1 when deciding your close Dopak asks u how u would respond to different situations (eg. a gang is attacking a young mother and child, do you, 1 protect the mother, 2 help them escape or 3 ask the attackers why they are doing) so you could respond in the way a sentinal/guardian/consular would depending on what you think would be the best response

[The Architect]

Wow, judging from most people's replies here it seems I'm the only one who doesn't want the influence system any more than he wants gonorrhea.

 

I suspect you don't want the influence system in KotOR III because it was poorly implemented in KotOR II right? Well, if the devs don't improve on how the influence system was implemented in KotOR II then I agree that it shouldn't be in KotOR III, but if it's implemented properly then I'm all for it.

 

An example of good implementation is simple. I'll use KotOR II here: if HK-47 is LS, then he should act LS. If the Handmaiden is DS, then she should act DS. If Bao-Dur is neutral, then he should act neutral. If the main character has high influence with a companion, then they should 'take after', 'follow' or 'mirror' the characters actions, beliefs and so on, hence the term 'influence'...

[nick3333]

I suspect you don't want the influence system in KotOR III because it was poorly implemented in KotOR II right? Well, if the devs don't improve on how the influence system was implemented in KotOR II then I agree that it shouldn't be in KotOR III, but if it's implemented properly then I'm all for it.

 

An example of good implementation is simple. I'll use KotOR II here: if HK-47 is LS, then he should act LS. If the Handmaiden is DS, then she should act DS. If Bao-Dur is neutral, then he should act neutral. If the main character has high influence with a companion, then they should 'take after', 'follow' or 'mirror' the characters actions, beliefs and so on, hence the term 'influence'...

 

Good point. However, correct me if I'm wrong here, but being able to tun characters to different alignments and having their personality reflect this would take much away from what makes them unique as characters.

For instance, consider these scenarios:

 

HK-47 as LS? If he had a bolt missing, sure, it would make a comical little subplot. If he truly went LS, however, that would be... ridiculous, to say the least.

Jolee as DS (or fully LS)? Wouldn't that take the point of characters like Jolee away completely? Jolee's whole character is based around the fact that he pledges allegiance neither to the Jedi nor the Sith. He sees the world holistically and thus has little care for extremes. To turn him either way would simply be wrong.

 

In my opinion, an influence system would only get in the way of a good, tight, cohesive narrative. One of the reasons I think KotOR is generally viewed as better than its sequel is because the characters were extremely well done. Their subplots and narratives were tight, they were coherent, and they had direction (as opposed to KotOR II where I can only describe the narrative structure as loose and dangly, and the characters rendered a lot less interesting than they could be).

 

Again, in my belief, an influence system carries too much danger with it. What do I mean by danger? I mean that characters would run the risk of being bungled, confused and watered down. Their motivations would become muddled and their whole purpose would be unclear; and part of this would be because developers spent more time thinking how the characters would 'switch', rather than thinking of building the characters themselves and fleshing them out.

 

Do you see what I mean? I think I understand your point; do you get mine?

I want us to fully understand each other before we start arguing.