Prime Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 http://www.swtor.com/news/news-article/20110422-0#close Q: How does it feel to finally reveal that the title of your latest Star Wars book is Revan? A: I'd like to start by saying how gratifying it was to work on this book. Knights of the Old Republic™ (KOTOR) was my first creative foray into the Star Wars universe, so writing Revan felt a little bit like I was returning to my roots. I also know a lot of fans have been patiently waiting a long time to find out what happened to Revan after KOTOR -- it's probably the number one question I'm asked on my website. I'm glad the story is finally being told, and I'm ecstatic that I'm the one who gets to tell it. Q: The book is months away, but can you say how much of Revan will be revealed? A: We called the book Revan because this is his story; he is the main character, and readers are going to see much of this book through his point of view. There are other characters, of course - some old and some new - but Revan is the primary protagonist. Q: How much of this is material that had been developed earlier for KOTOR? Was Revan fleshed out at that point, or was he always a sort of a cipher to be filled in later? A: Anyone familiar with the KOTOR games knows that we walked a delicate line with Revan: the legend and reputation of this great Jedi-turned-Sith were well established, but players were also able to define many aspects of the character as they played. Obviously this wouldn't have worked for a book with Revan as the main character, so I decided to focus on certain universally established elements from the KOTOR games while also reinforcing previously established canon from the greater Star Wars universe, such as Revan being male and choosing the light side/redemption ending of the game. However, by coloring in these details I was also able to delve much deeper into the character than we did when Revan was the "blank slate" of the games. It was a difficult decision, but I feel the payoff was worth it. Fans want to know what happened to Revan after KOTOR, and now they'll finally get to see that story. Q: What other characters from Knights of the Old Republic and Knights of the Old Republic II might we expect to see? A: You can't tell a story about Revan without also exploring his companions; they were such a key element of the KOTOR experience that it wouldn't feel right without bringing some of them back. Of course it would be impossible to include all of them in a novel in a way that would make a cohesive and fulfilling story, so I focused on those who felt most directly relevant to what happened to Revan after the KOTOR games. I don't want to give too much away, but Canderous, T3-M4, the Exile and Bastila Shan all have significant roles to play in the novel (along with some significant characters who appear in Star Wars: The Old Republic). Q: How much time do the events of Revan span? And where does it sit in relation to the other Star Wars: The Old Republic novels? A: The story picks up right after the end of the first Knights of the Old Republic and continues through and beyond KOTOR II -- a span of roughly five years. There are allusions to the events of KOTOR II, but my focus was on the story taking place before, between and after the games -- I didn't want to rehash a story fans already knew. Because we're set in the same time period as the KOTOR games, we're roughly 300 years earlier than the other The Old Republic novels... though the events of this book have a major impact on shaping The Old Republic universe. Q: How has working at BioWare influenced your writing of Star Wars fiction? A: For starters, it's easier for me to make the connections between the book and the game. Instead of trying to work from a twenty-page summary, I have the advantage of knowing the intimate details of the hundreds of hours of story we've created. I know the feel and flavor of the universe, and I know the subtle nuances in the game that I can call out, tease and play off. Similarly, being the lead writer on KOTOR has given me a deep understanding of Revan and other KOTOR characters. I was thinking about all this years before the original KOTOR ever released, so it's fair to say I've spent more time with the canonical Revan than anyone else. I never knew for sure if we'd continue his story, but it was always in the back of mind, just waiting for the opportunity. Q: In what ways will readers who have read Revan benefit when playing Star Wars: The Old Republic? A: I think the novel will give them a much better understanding of the Sith Emperor and the Empire, for one thing. The Old Republic Sith Empire is very different from what people know from the movies, or even from the Great Hyperspace War comics that focus on characters like Naga Sadow and Ludo Kressh. The novel will also give them some very direct background and detailed information that ties in directly with key Flashpoints in the game. I can't say too much, of course, but like any great prequel the books will give you the details of what came before to add an extra layer of depth to the experiences in the game. Q: Readers know you from your bestselling Darth Bane books. Might Bane fans see things they recognize from that trilogy, even though this is set much earlier than those books? A: I didn't make a lot of direct references to Bane or his time period; after all, Revan is almost three thousand years removed. And I like to think that both Revan and Bane have stories that can stand on their own. However, I think fans will recognize the complex way I approach both the light and dark side. I would never want to meld them into a shade of gray - that isn't what Star Wars is about. But Revan walked both paths, and he came to understand there were positives and negatives to both sides of the Force. That theme ripples through the novel and the characters in the same way that I tried to have Bane's story be a reexamination of the dark side in a way that most Star Wars fans hadn't experienced before. I think this sounds pretty awesome. Now we can stop bemoaning that the story was not finished (which I never really agreed with, but I digress). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mimartin Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 I will read this book because of two words. Q: What other characters from Knights of the Old Republic and Knights of the Old Republic II might we expect to see? A: You can't tell a story about Revan without also exploring his companions; they were such a key element of the KOTOR experience that it wouldn't feel right without bringing some of them back. Of course it would be impossible to include all of them in a novel in a way that would make a cohesive and fulfilling story, so I focused on those who felt most directly relevant to what happened to Revan after the KOTOR games. I don't want to give too much away, but Canderous, T3-M4, the Exile and Bastila Shan all have significant roles to play in the novel (along with some significant characters who appear in Star Wars: The Old Republic). It does sound really great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totenkopf Posted April 26, 2011 Share Posted April 26, 2011 Well, I guess it sounds a bit like a sop thrown to the masses that wanted this to be the focus of a K3. Hopefully it turns out reasonably well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Qui-Gon Glenn Posted April 26, 2011 Share Posted April 26, 2011 Well, I guess it sounds a bit like a sop thrown to the masses that wanted this to be the focus of a K3. Hopefully it turns out reasonably well. Agreed... I would really prefer the game though... I know.... I know.... can't help meself sometimez Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Q Posted April 26, 2011 Share Posted April 26, 2011 Looks like Drew wanted that story arc to have an actual ending, too. I guess it's better than nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liverandbacon Posted April 26, 2011 Share Posted April 26, 2011 No matter what Karpyshyn says in the book, I'm still going to believe what I've stated before: Revan found out he got Bastila pregnant (critical failure on Force Contraception roll), and left for the "Unknown Regions" (hiding on a resort planet) to avoid paying child support. "Oh honey that's great, I can't wait to raise our child! Of course, to make the galaxy safe for it to live in, I must vanquish the... uh... TRUE SITH in the Unknown Regions! Because uh, you see, I was actually planning to fight them all along, even when I was with the Dark Side, but I totally just remembered that. Oh and you shouldn't come, because I want the baby to be safe." 'Is she buying it? Crap, I don't think she's going to believe me... maybe saying I was actually planning on fighting the Sith even when I was evil was a touch over the top.' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purifier Posted April 26, 2011 Share Posted April 26, 2011 Well this is pretty typical, it's been done before with other games. I remember back in the old gamer days when Doom was a big hit and not long after that, they wrote four books about the hellish adventures of a Marine named Corporal Flynn Taggart. And then of course they made the movie Doom with Dewayne (The Rock) Johnson in it, a little late but at least they made it; which kinda sucked because I felt they could of done so much more with that movie. Now what would really be great, would be for them to make the Kotor movie after the book(s). But I can hear everyone laughing including myself right now because we all know that won't happen. Well anyway at least we get to look forward to the book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ctrl Alt Del Posted April 26, 2011 Share Posted April 26, 2011 Is it really so much easier to give us anything but what we've asked for? A game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommycat Posted April 26, 2011 Share Posted April 26, 2011 Um they are giving us a game... it's called The Old Republic... Just because you don't like it doesn't mean it's not a game... On the one side, I understand that making a game is hard... On the other hand, I wonder why they couldn't at least give us SOME kind of update that involved the game itself. If this information had been released on a day other than Friday, I would have been happy. I want to know about this stuff... Unfortunately, we got this info instead of a game update... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mimartin Posted April 26, 2011 Share Posted April 26, 2011 Um they are giving us a game... it's called The Old Republic... Just because you don't like it doesn't mean it's not a game... I have nothing against The Old Republic, but it isn't what I consider a sequel to KotOR or TSL. I would love a game that continued the story alluded to in TSL. I want to know if the Exile found Revan and how she (the Exile) gutted him (Revan) like a fish for what he did to her and the soldiers under her command at Malchore V. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miltiades Posted April 26, 2011 Share Posted April 26, 2011 It's better than nothing, I guess. But I'd rather have Avellone's explanation than Karpyshyn's, since it's Avellone who created that particular plot point. Oh well... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ctrl Alt Del Posted April 26, 2011 Share Posted April 26, 2011 Um they are giving us a game... it's called The Old Republic... Just because you don't like it doesn't mean it's not a game... What Mim said. Whatever tale Drew is telling on this book could be in a game. It's better than nothing, I guess. But I'd rather have Avellone's explanation than Karpyshyn's, since it's Avellone who created that particular plot point. Oh well...I agree. And he's using the Exile too so it really doesn't matter who created which character. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabretooth Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 Lies and slander! Revan was dark-side female! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prime Posted April 27, 2011 Author Share Posted April 27, 2011 And you were looking at her ass for 40+ hours, weren't you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miltiades Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 I agree. And he's using the Exile too so it really doesn't matter who created which character. Oh, that's not it. Avellone changed up characters Karpyshyn (and friends) created as well, so that's not my problem. The thing is, Avellone probably knew where all this was going. We'll see if Karpyshyn's story makes sense with everything we know from Revan since K2. But I've read the first Darth Bane novel many years ago and was pleasantly surprised, so I'm giving this a chance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totenkopf Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 But what do we really know of Revan from K2 anyway? Much of Kreia's info about him is fairly cryptic or overly general. Aside from positing a few suggestions for his motivations (eg. he sacrificed himself to the DS to save the Rep from a potential threat from the "true Sith"), Revan is still something of an enigma. I suspect that given how strongly many people feel about their own personal interpretations of who/what Revan is, K's story will be a thankless effort (other than the $$, of course). So....who here plans on reading it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ctrl Alt Del Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 I do, despite all the possible troubles Karpyshyn might be facing. It may be the last time we see read about some characters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabretooth Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 And you were looking at her ass for 40+ hours, weren't you. Lies! Slander! I looked at the boobs for several hours as well! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JesusIsGonnaOwnSatan Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 Revan must bang Bastila. I must've had more requirements from this book in years past, but thats the only one that i can remember now, due to its all-encompassing significance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primogen Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 Nooo, don't ruin my steamy Revan/Kreia fanfics! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trench Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 I want to know if the Exile found Revan and how she (the Exile) gutted him (Revan) like a fish for what he did to her and the soldiers under her command at Malchore V. The Exile gave the command. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.:Lord Revan:. Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 Lies and slander! Revan was dark-side female! Actually last time I checked I was a dark-side male Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taak Farst Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 T3-M4 is in the book? Hm...yeah...about that... *slobbers like a hungry dog pressing F5 on Amazon until it's ready for pre-order* I love you T3... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Q Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 Revan must bang Bastila. Agreed, and LOL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purifier Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 Revan must bang Bastila. Agreed, and LOL. No,no,no gentlemen...Revan does not ever bang Bastila or any other Jedi, he simply sabers them. Revan: *bbzzzzz* How do you like me now? Bastila: ???! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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