Interview with Writer Chris Avellone @ EUCantina.net (4.27.08)

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Interview with Writer Chris Avellone @ EUCantina.net (4.27.08)

Interview with Writer Chris Avellone

 

After reading Chris Avellone's interview, I can see why he is in support of Team-Gizka. During my own personal experiences, I found design errors that I would have liked to have fixed. Interesting and quick read. i wished he didn't use it as a learning tool. "It is what it is." Time to move on.

 

If you are wondering, this is a very new interview.

 

EUC: How satisfied are you now with KOTOR II, considering all the things that were left out of it?

 

CA: Not terribly satisfied, mostly because I can see what was supposed to go into it vs. what made it in. I thought the ending (which was my fault) could have been much stronger if I’d focused on that more than setting up the global companion conversations - although I did think the player was likely to hit the global companion conversations first. I still think it’s a fun game, but it could have been much more. I do think the design team in general put in a lot of hours to make the game at the level it was, and in the time provided, did some amazing stuff, so I thank them.

 

EUC: If you could go back and change one thing about Kotor II, what would that be?

 

CA: Drop a planet, chop 1 or 2 levels off of Peragus, drop the Disciple and Hanharr, and then use that energy to focus more on Malachor V. I would also remove all party-splitting mechanics (which while true to the franchise, didn’t go over well with players), and de-emphasize all cut-scenes (which the engine couldn’t really do well in the time provided with the programming and scripting support we had available).

 

EUC: Let’s move on to the well known Kotor II Restoration Project, Team-Gizka. Have you been following them lately? I believe they are almost done. From what you’ve seen, will the mod really Obsidian envisioned for Kotor II?

 

CA: I’ve actually been too busy to study it, unfortunately. If they were able to use most of the sound files and recover some of the closed-off levels, however, I hope that gives them enough to play around with.

 

EUC: What part of the infamous Kotor II cut-content would you like to see Team Gizka restore, or are happy they have restored.

 

CA: If they get HK-47’s infiltration of the droid factory on Telos in, I would be forever grateful.