Knights of the old republic - PC 28:11:2003 (uk)

[craig]

I'm sorta considering buying this because I really enjoyed Jedi Academy, but whats the actual difference between the two?

Since I dont own an X-Box and can only use screenshots on the internet as reference I'm pretty worried that the two games will be pretty similar and I'll feel like I've wasted my money.

Can someone please explain the plot, etc.

 

[dawdler]

If I'm not mistaken, KOTOR is an RPG, and is apparently considered one of the best games ever. Whereas Jedi Academy is a shooter (with swords) and concidered a very crappy game. That's the difference

 

[Brian Damage]

Errrrrrr... what dawdler said.

Also, doesn't KOTOR use the D20 rules for gameplay?

 

[dawdler]

Probably. It is NWN2 in disguise, set in the Starwars universe

Sad about the lack of multiplay, and even worse about the lack of a toolkit

 

[Warbie]

KOTOR's a wonderful game - craps on NWN from a massive height.

 

[Blair]

I didn't like KotOR that much when I got it on xbox. You have no real affect in combat, you press a button, sit back and watch. Blaster rifles become useless pretty fast after you get a lightsaber, and forget attacking large groups of emeies unless you have 2 or 3 friendlies with you.

It's was an OK game, I don't rpg much but I wouldn't consider it the best game ever.

 

[iamironsam]

Originally posted by Sn7
I didn't like KotOR that much when I got it on xbox. You have no real affect in combat, you press a button, sit back and watch. Blaster rifles become useless pretty fast after you get a lightsaber, and forget attacking large groups of emeies unless you have 2 or 3 friendlies with you.

It's was an OK game, I don't rpg much but I wouldn't consider it the best game ever.

Well, if you don't like turn-based combat and swords that are more powerful than guns, what the hell are you doing playing a Star Wars RPG???

 

[theGreenBunny]

It's not really a good rpg, but NWN wasn't either, so that was to be expected. Problems of KOTOR are as mentioned the lack of modding possibilities (which was one of the few things that made NWN worth it's money somewhat) and the quite boring combat.
Otherwise it's fun, but not all that special. Has the star wars license going for it of course.

About the comparison with Jedire Academy, well, you can't really compare the two. Two entirely different genres. So no, you're not wasting money on two very similar games.

EDIT:

Well, if you don't like turn-based combat and swords that are more powerful than guns, what the hell are you doing playing a Star Wars RPG???

Say what? Turn-based? I think you're confusing turn-based with the bioware-style real-time-with-pause-based combat.

 

[Gunner]

Can you create your own char from scratch and distribute skill points? or do you have to go with the prefabs?

 

[dawdler]

Originally posted by theGreenBunny
Say what? Turn-based? I think you're confusing turn-based with the bioware-style real-time-with-pause-based combat.

Its still turn based even if its displayed in realtime.

Anyway, I also see the problem in it being worth it in the long run. Xboxers doesnt have much choice, nor much competition, but a game really NEED to be moddable to last on the PC. I am still playing both NWN and Morrowind. Without modding ability, both would have gone down the drain a year ago or so, and would have been long forgotten. NWN got new worlds for playing, but Morrowind really SHINES with the mods.

KOTOR will be good for about 2 weeks I think. Then it will quickly fade. Hardcore fans will replay it for the next months. And then its gone. All the while I'm probably still playing Morrowind. That is, unless Gothic II is moddable. Havent really checked into that. If it is, I'm throwing Morrowind out the window

 

[Blair]

Originally posted by iamironsam
Well, if you don't like turn-based combat and swords that are more powerful than guns, what the hell are you doing playing a Star Wars RPG???

Actually, it's not turn based (This isn't Axis and Allies). And I don't play it... anymore that is.

 

[Javert]

Went Gold

Coming out November 18.

*squee!!*

:bounce: :bounce:

 

[Bad^Hat]

All the reviews are saying it's the best game to use the SW license yet I have to say it looks pretty nice, awaiting PC version eagerly.

 

[Shakermaker]

It's out in the US now. Anyone play the PC version yet?

 

[ph34r t3h cute]

I dont belive that star wars games is better then Never winter nights, that was VERY deep and well, basicly everything you can want from a D+D game (well allmost)

Whats the classes in KOTOR?

Jedi
Sucky gun user
Sucky Medic
Sucky etc

I dunno, help me out here, whats it like, the screenshots just make it look like a buggy shooter lol so I cant tell from them

 

[dawdler]

Originally posted by ph34r t3h cute
I dont belive that star wars games is better then Never winter nights, that was VERY deep and well, basicly everything you can want from a D+D game (well allmost)

Whats the classes in KOTOR?

Jedi
Sucky gun user
Sucky Medic
Sucky etc

I dunno, help me out here, whats it like, the screenshots just make it look like a buggy shooter lol so I cant tell from them

I havent played it (european), but you call NWN "VERY deep"? Have you actually PLAYED the game?
From what I read, the classes in KOTOR is very different. When you start, you have 3 choices. Fighter/scout/rouge or something (doesnt have those names, but that's the classical class). When you reach the point where you can be Jedi, you select from one of three new classes, fighter/balanced/mage (also classical naming from me, hehe). Thus, you are always a 5/15 (20 is the cap) or 6/14 or 8/12 or whatever you which to use, since you can choose not to level up so much before you become a Jedi. So the only class in KOTOR is Jedi, of various degrees of strenght and style.

But I still havent got the game, so I'm not sure I'm correct

 

[Maskirovka]

Originally posted by dawdler
I havent played it (european), but you call NWN "VERY deep"? Have you actually PLAYED the game?
From what I read, the classes in KOTOR is very different. When you start, you have 3 choices. Fighter/scout/rouge or something (doesnt have those names, but that's the classical class). When you reach the point where you can be Jedi, you select from one of three new classes, fighter/balanced/mage (also classical naming from me, hehe). Thus, you are always a 5/15 (20 is the cap) or 6/14 or 8/12 or whatever you which to use, since you can choose not to level up so much before you become a Jedi. So the only class in KOTOR is Jedi, of various degrees of strenght and style.

But I still havent got the game, so I'm not sure I'm correct

you've got it sorta right.

you pick from fighter/scout/scoundrel in the beginning

then later in the game you start learning the force and you become a jedi consular/sentinel/guardian (i'm not sure if this is fixed depending on your choice of scout/scoundrel/figher or if you get to pick this on top of your earlier choice...i haven't gotten that far yet)

throughout the game you choose feats and skills (and distribute attribute points) much like NWN.

how quickly you advance in feats/skills/attributes depends on which class you chose at the beginning. fighters gain feats more quickly and scoundrels gain skill points more quickly...scouts are in between.

it goes the same for the jedi classes. consular gains force power (amount you have) quickly, guardian gains more variety of powers (and more advanced versions of the same power) more quickly.

=================

the combat is sorta boring until you get more feats/powers to choose from...then it becomes a bit more interesting...but remember that this is an RPG, so the fun comes from going through the story...doing all the quests, gaining XP, playing mini games and having the occasional cool looking fight.

from what i've played, the game is an amazingly good RPG. it has all the nice features of NWN, and it fixes some of the stupid things i hated about NWN (especially the interface).

if you like RPGs, you won't be wasting your money at all. if you like more you-control-the-action, you'd better look somewhere else...cause this is an RPG.

==================

here are some player-written strategies (they don't contain many spoilers...it's mostly about character development and feats, skills, etc.

http://www.gamebanshee.com/starwarskotor/strategyguides.php

that site also has a big list of all the feats and force powers and stuff...just navigate around...but be careful of spoliers

 

[ph34r t3h cute]

Originally posted by dawdler
I havent played it (european), but you call NWN "VERY deep"? Have you actually PLAYED the game?

Very deep compaired to start wars games

Apart from things like Baulders gate and icewind dale, nwn is the best D+D game your going to get.

 

[theGreenBunny]

Plenty of (older) rpgs have interesting combat, always turn based to allow a large amount of control and strategic decisions. But since the Baldur's Gate games many rpgs have begun using realtime fighting. Quite boring.

 

[dawdler]

Originally posted by ph34r t3h cute
Very deep compaired to start wars games

Apart from things like Baulders gate and icewind dale, nwn is the best D+D game your going to get.

Pff... NWN is like a child compared to Baldurs Gate. They arent in the same league. KOTOR is more like the original Baldurs Gate. NWN was a patched together campaign on top of a DM client, which basicly sucked. That is why KOTOR also lack MP. Its always a fine balance between the SP and MP in an RPG. Baldurs Gate II was a SP game with a functional MP component. NWN was a MP game with a functional SP component. KOTOR is a SP game without a MP component

On another note: Tie Fighter still reigns supreme as one of the best space sims ever. It had it all really. Excellent flying, good graphics (gourad shaded models, w00t! ), a story, and even twists to the plot. People always forget about that one, you darn kiddies...

 

[The Dark Elf]

Originally posted by theGreenBunny
Plenty of (older) rpgs have interesting combat, always turn based to allow a large amount of control and strategic decisions. But since the Baldur's Gate games many rpgs have begun using realtime fighting. Quite boring.

you can configure BGII to play as a turn based game quite easily if your into that type of gameplay

 

[theGreenBunny]

'Playing as' isn't the same as 'developed as', I can (hypothetically) make quake play like it's turn based, but it won't have good combat.
BG was built as a (semi-) realtime game, they simplified a lot of things to make it playable in realtime. Of course one could play it semi-turnbased, but it wouldn't be the same

I just feel realtime combat makes an RPG play like a mini-RTS with talking in between (even more so now that lots of RTS games are implementing a form of character development). I know that's oversimplifying things, but it gets my point across

 

[Brian Damage]

Geneforge is a good modern turn-based RPG...

 

[iamironsam]

I'll be honest, I don't know what turn-based really means. I thought just ment you pick an attack, and then sit around and wait for your dude to do it. The only RPG I ever played was Pokemon on Gameboy, my buddy let me borrow it to kill some time on my way to and from college every day. It was stupid.

 

[Maskirovka]

i recognize a difference between turn based and pausable real-time combat, but i don't think it really matters either way...

pausable real-time is basically "take the same turn over and over until i choose to do something else"

if you want that super control over strategy feeling, then pause after each attack and do whatever.

 

[ph34r t3h cute]

Originally posted by dawdler
Pff... NWN is like a child compared to Baldurs Gate.

BG is not that much better then nwn..

besides, paper d+d owns them both.

 

[Maskirovka]

paper RPGs are cool only because you can try to do whatever you can think of...there's more creativity...if you could somehow do that on the computer it'd be just as good (except the socialization part of being with real people)

but not everyone knows a group who likes to play the paper games

 

[dawdler]

Originally posted by ph34r t3h cute
BG is not that much better then nwn..

besides, paper d+d owns them both.

Experience wise, it is. Both BG I and II RULE (with big letters) NWN. Try playing through NWN one time. Then play through Baldurs Gate II one time. I've done that. BGII is like a masterpiece in comparison, despite it being older. Ignoring the hype that "3D is better", I think BGII looks better too. There is nothing real about NWN. You never get immersed in the world, it just looks... odd... The slums area of BGII look better than the entire NWN model library combined.

I'm hoping KOTOR will give this BGIIish feeling too, even though its 3D. It WAS better before

 

[csmighty1]

I have been playing KOTOR for about 13+ hours and im at the part where you need to infultrate the Sith base. This is the first game i have bought (or played for that matter) that is an RPG. I can say that the combat is different but i like the way you can disengage an enemy while you are fighting him if you find that he is to strong or you're abou to die. It's also pretty cool that the game sutomatically pauses the game once you spot an enemy (this can be turned off). Then you can set the appropriate weapons for each of your characters, desigrnate who fights who, wher grenades are placed, and in what order you will use your fighting skills on that enemy.
You guys probably already know this but for people that haven't bought the game
I usually dont find RPGs interesting but I am finding this game very enjoyable...and for me, thats saying alot

 

[Maskirovka]

lol what have you been doing for 13+ hours? it only took me around 5 hours to get entirely off the first planet, let alone just to the sith base :O

i know there's the mini card game and stuff...but wow...you spent more than double the time i did...did i miss something or are you just taking your time?

 

[csmighty1]

1, im new at rpg///takes awiale to get used to fighting...all i play are fps

2, taking my sweet time

 

[theGreenBunny]

Well, there's at least 1 thing bioware did right, first time rpg players can also enjoy the game

 

[Dedalus]

i can't wait till friday. i haven't played a truly good star wars game since tie fighter and possibly jedi knight. all my american friends have simply said "play it or you're a raving homosexual". so i'm gonna play it.

regardless of whether it compares to morrowind or baldurs gate, i think from what i've heard it'll be a good all round game. hardcore RPGers probably won't like it all that much. i'm personally just looking forward to finally getting my teeth into a proper singleplayer game in the star wars universe, SWG just doesn't cut it for me as a star wars experience.

here's hoping it isn't sucky like DX2.