[Rictor]

Originally posted by Liberator
Well, I have my initial feelings after having played for about 3.5 hours.

The story feels...rushed...somehow, I'm not really sure what exactly is going on yet, just that I have to rescue some Jedi babe named Bastilla.  The annoying "Fed Ex" type quests are missing for the most part, which is a bummer since those type quests are useful early on to allow new players to assimilate into the play style.

As far as game play goes it feels like a port from a console, but it's intentional since it was multi-platform release.  I'd still like it better if I could play it from a NWN type perspective, trying to drive with the WASD keys is mushy at best.

Load times are also quite decent.  Most areas load in 5-8 seconds on my Athlon XP 1800+.

My biggest complaint is the voice acting.  Bits of it are adequate.  But overall the VAs speak too fast to pronounce the words properly and get the right emotion into their voice.

It performs decently on my system, it's playable at about 12 or 13 fps, but it will be nicer when i upgrade.

I do not understand, however, how it won so many game of the year awards with such glaring flaws.

Trust me, its an aquired taste. As for the voice acting, I think its one of the best I've heard in any game. The voice-acotr who does Carth also has a role in Republic Commando, or at least thats the way it sounded in the demo, and deservedly so. I also thought the perspective was a very refreshing change from the standard isometric view, its like a third person shooter/rpg.

Stick with it, and you will soon see why it won so many awards. Like Grey Wolf said, the story doesn't really start until Dantooine, which is the planet after Taris.

[Liberator]

When I said it felt rushed, I meant that it feels like I'm skipping parts of the story.  That and I haven't hit any random encounters yet either.

Carth is annoying as hell.

I had just got Mission(stupid name, even for a Twil'lek) when my system decided to do a hard restart.(It does this from time to time, mostly when the page file has filled up and it's low on memory, yet I can leave BT up for 12 hours at a go(when I'm at work) and it's as smooth as glass when I start using it again)

I'm used to it mostly already, but I think it would be better if it strafed instead of turned.

It's also annoying that there is no quick switch between ranged and melee weapondry, unlike previous Bioware games.  And why can't I use a blaster and a Vibrosword(the first upgradeable one) at the same time.

The graphics are top notch, which is surpising given the short load tmes and the battle animations are the best I've ever seen however.

How long is it BTW?

I guess it's just not what I was expecting, I was expecting NWN set in the Star Wars universe and it's not like that at all.  All of BWs RPGs have had the same control scheme since the very first BG and granted the hotkeys are mostly the same, but the feel is different.  Most of my "complaints"(they aren't really, they're just really little, ticky things that are annoying me) all stem from the game being essentially a console port.  BG&E was the same way.  I got sick of fighting with BG&E controls, they were just too clunky, and thusly uninstalled it.  I pray that I doesn't happen with KOTOR.

[Ace]

KOTOR was developed on PCs, the X-Box version is the 'port.' The WASD controls are on purpose to make the game more like an FPS. It's a little tricky at first, but you get used to it.

KOTOR2 has a switch between ranged/melee hotkey.

Anyway, the plot is rather bland until you get to Dantooine, where the game definately picks up.

This is the first time I've heard anyone complain about the voiceovers. All of the voice actors/actresses are the ones in previous Bioware/BIS games and are all competent people. Also the fact that the whole game has voiceovers is very nice, considering the amount of dialog.

Also, if you go darkside you can kill Mission. Darkside females get to kill Carth too if they get the romance going

If you think Carth is annoying, you'll love the comments that a certain homicidal droid you haven't met yet has to say about him in KOTOR2.

As for KOTOR1's length- 20-30 hours. 40 hours if you do every side quest. Then there's the replayability between male/female and lightside/darkside.

KOTOR2 is about the same length, with a tad bit more replayability due to the influence system.

[redsniper]

Originally posted by Ace
Also, if you go darkside you can kill Mission.

Dang it, now I've got a good reason to play the game again as the dark side. That's a whole 'nother 40 hours to waste.

[Lt.Cannonfodder]

Originally posted by Ace

Also, if you go darkside you can kill Mission.

The way you can kill her is propably the most evil thing you can do in the game. It was the only time I really felt like: "I can't do this. It's just too sick and twisted". All the other evil stuff is just being a bully and stealing a candy from kids.

[Rictor]

Oooooooh.
How?

I'm (re)playing as darkside (though I'm not technically darkside yet, kind of grey) and this would definitely be interesting. So far, I can't seem to stick to consistanly doing evil things, but I'm on Korriban so hopefully I can change that.

Lib: you do realize that you can use the mouse almost exclusively, right? Holding down the right mouse button allows you to rotate, and holding down the left moves you forward. I can imagine how you might find the control clunky if you're using WASD, but try the mouse for a while and I think you will probably like it better. All you need the keyboard for is Tab to switch members and Space to pause.

If you ask me, I would like to see more RPGS made this way. Its so much closer and more dynamic that lets say Baldur's Gate or even NWN.

BTW, does anyone know if those two panels over in the station near Yavin (with the wierd hermit inventor) are at all openable, or are they just for show? The two at the bacl I mean, one on each side.

[Ace]

How?

Spoiler:

Force persuade "Big Z" to choke the life out of mission.

As for the two doors in that station, they're just for show.

My first game I joked around with the thought that "I'm going to go all evil once on Korriban" but when seeing just how stupid the Sith were save Master Uthar... I decided to stick to the lightside. I mean... they were soooo stupid and petty. Who ever knew that Sith actually stood for: "Shrubs in Training... Hallelujah!"

At least Sion and Nihilus reek of badassitude. Unlike Malak who probably lost his jaw whining to Revan.

Also, Libertator please tell me you figured out the plot twist by now...

[Rictor]

No! Just shut up man, just keep your fool mouth shut.
Don't tell him anything. Don't even tell him that there is anything to tell.
Just...shoosh!

As for going dark side, I doing it only for the replayability. I've already finished it once on light.

[Jetmech Jr.]

Originally posted by Ace
How?

Spoiler:

Force persuade "Big Z" to choke the life out of mission.

As for the two doors in that station, they're just for show.

My first game I joked around with the thought that "I'm going to go all evil once on Korriban" but when seeing just how stupid the Sith were save Master Uthar... I decided to stick to the lightside. I mean... they were soooo stupid and petty. Who ever knew that Sith actually stood for: "Shrubs in Training... Hallelujah!"

At least Sion and Nihilus reek of badassitude. Unlike Malak who probably lost his jaw whining to Revan.

Also, Libertator please tell me you figured out the plot twist by now... [/B]

Oh, man...that's just HORRIFYING...

I'll have to try it out. :devil:

Personally, I felt Revan with his mask and cloak outfit was the best out of them all for badassness.

[aldo_14]

Damn.... and there was me searching for a reason to replay KOTOR1.  Should probably complete the sequel first, though

NB: KOTOR2; better story, worse game (but not by much).  They worked in some real moral ambiguity there.

[Liberator]

Originally posted by Ace
Also, Libertator please tell me you figured out the plot twist by now...

Plot twist...?!?!?

I haven't seen much of a plot yet, most of the game so far has been a blur.  I'm thinking about starting over.  

It seems like there's not enough happening between story related dialogues.  I mean you talk to one person in one place and they tell you to go talk to another person in another place and there is no conflict or sense of flow other than the 5 mins it takes for you to walk there.

I think the part of the GUI I miss the most is the scroll window at the bottom that keeps up with what's been said.

My complaint about the VAs and the general pacing is that it takes me longer to read the subs than for them to finish speaking, and that means they are speaking to fast.  Also, it feels like I spent more time on the Endar than I have running running around Tiras, maybe because there was actual conflict and Tiras is all stealth and crap.  Anybody who's played against me in Renegade will tell you I don't doo stealth all that well, unless I"m actually invisible.

If I start over:

Scout or Soldier?  I kind of like the scout, they mix the skills of the other two fairly effectively.  They don't suck at combat and have the more important of the scoundrel's skills(lock picking).

[redsniper]

don't start over, just keep going. How much have you done on Taris so far?

[Liberator]

Let's see, going from memory(I'm at my parents ATM):

I've saved a couple of folk from getting whacked by the local mob(which I think I'm going to have to ingratiate myself to to get offworld alive)

went wandering around the lower city(not the undercity), killed an assasin and a bunch of Vulkars for no reason(though the assassin had some nice gear)

ran into a cutscene with a bounty hunter that looked like a reject from a Devo video.

figured out how the work table works to upgrade weapons n armor

bought my panaak deck(i'm not terribly good) beaten 2 of the dudes in the Arena

run out of cash...twice

gotten a suit of sith armor by making a deal with the former owner

bought a droid that blew up in the doorway out of the shop and got a refund

maybe a couple of other things top side

but the last thing i did was get Mission into my party but my computer decided to restart for no reason.(which it does from time to time)

[Rictor]

You've still got a fair way to go on Taris, but you should be getting plenty more combat very soon, but I don't want to spoil it.

[redsniper]

yeah, you've barely scratched the surface of the story. just keep going.

[Jetmech Jr.]

Story? The story doesn't even really START till you get Bastila.

Keep going, Lib. It'll pay off.

...and If they're speaking faster than you can read it, you're reading damn slow

[Liberator]

I'm used to reading sub on my Gundam fansubs...

I also thought that rescuing Bastila was a major story point and a fairly major quest since all I've been getting is here play this game or go fight in this arena.

BTW, what level should I be when I get Mission?

[Jetmech Jr.]

The first planet, Taris, is really just to help you get a feel for gameplay. Think of it as an excruciatingly long tutorial.

The level you're at is fine. Really, you want to be as low-level as possible, until you become a Jedi.

[aldo_14]

Yeah, once you get off Taris it picks up and becomes really good.  Not that I'd recommend leaving Taris too soon - oh, and try not to level your main character up atall on there like Jetmech said; you can be incredibly powerful once you become a Jedi.

[Rictor]

The dark side is...fun.

Bwahaha! I just killed Master Uthar at the Sith Temple, then killed his apprentice Yuthura, then proceeded to slaughter the entire base down to the last man when the fools made the dire mistake of attacking me. I am death, destroyer of worlds!