Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic - General Discussion thread (KotOR, KotOR II)

 
I am a huge fan of both KotOR games, particularly KotOR II for its philosophical themes, and decided to start this topic to discuss all things related to the games (character build, favourite companion, etc.). Before posting I had originally written down my thoughts on both games plus some comments on Star Wars: The Old Republic and wound up writing seven pages in a notebook, after which I think it’s better if I just posted what I wrote bit by bit.

I’ll start by saying that I hope Revan is one day reintroduced to the SW canon, though I’m not sure EAWare would be capable of replicating the quality of the original, as the original staff has left BioWare and this is EA we are taking about after all.

KOTOR - Wikipedia Page : Wookieepedia Page : GameFAQs Page : StarWars.com Page

KOTOR II - Wikipedia Page : Wookieepedia Page : GameFAQs Page : StarWars.com Page

• They should have made KOTOR the beginning of the “New Sith Wars”, with Revan being the “founder of the Sith” talked about in the TPM novelization. This way, the difference in aesthetics, technology, and institutions between TOTJ and KOTOR would make more sense (because KOTOR would take place 2000 years after TOTJ). I feel that it would make sense for the “founding of the Sith” referenced in the TPM novelization to also be the beginning of the “Darth” title and red lightsabers.

• KOTOR II should have taken place many generations after KOTOR I and well into the New Sith Wars. Kreia talks about Revan as if he’s a historical figure rather than a contemporary and Kreia’s cynicism and the decimated Jedi would fit the endless Jedi-Sith conflict of the New Sith Wars.

• Maybe canon could combine Ulic Qel-Droma and Revan into a single character. Ulic could start calling himself “Revan” in reference to his revanchism. This character could even be the founder of the Sith in canon.

• What I don’t like about the first KotOR is that the skills points distribution is far too limited unless you’re playing Scoundrel, a problem that was fixed in the following game.

• I have a problem with the way the influence system is set up in KotOR II. Wether you choose to accumulate positive or negative influence with your companions the end result is the same, which is: they tell you more about themselves and in some cases you can eventually train them in the ways of the Force. That doesn’t make any sense to me. Look at it this way: I dislike you so much that I will now tell you more about myself, and eventually, I hate you so much that now I want you to train me in the ways of the Force. Huh? No relationship works like that. It’s why, whenever I play KotOR II I always make sure their moral alignment reflects mine, even if means unwanted dark side/light side points depending on which path I’m setting for my character, plus it adds another layer to my character, as I’m basically manipulating some companions into ditching their own convictions and start to see things my way, which I’m sure Kreia would very much appreciate.

• Now the one thing I don’t like about both games is how the dark side transitions look like. You’ve been barely immersing yourself in the Dark Side for a few months at most within the games’ timeline and already you look like a decrepit corpse. I always install a mod in the first KotOR game where only my character’s eyes turn yellow, but when you’re on the path to the Dark Side in the second game many characters will comment on your change in appearance, so I keep the DS transitions as they are, but I still think they are too extreme, with your eyes, hair and skin turning grey. The only Dark Side transitions that were done right IMO are Bao-Dur, Handmaiden and Mira, with Bao-Dur having facial tattoos similar to Darth Maul, Handmaiden wearing black clothing and dark make-up, and Mira’s hair turning a darker shade of auburn, her skin turning pale with visible veins and dark make-up in addition to the characteristic yellow eyes. Atton and Disciple on the other hand look far too decrepit. Maybe I should join the Deadly Stream forums and suggest something along those lines.

Those are all my major complaints about the games.

I also think that the Star Forge should have been an invention of the Sith species or of the TOTJ Sith Empire instead of introducing the Rakata. Korriban was never stated to be the homeworld of the Sith species before KOTOR, so if they used the Sith species in place of the Rakata, they could have said that Korriban was just the only colony of the Sith species that the Jedi Exiles knew about and made the tropical planet at the end a colony that was founded before the Korriban colony and where the Sith species still thrives. If they made the Star Forge an invention of the TOTJ Sith Empire, they could have had the “True Sith” mentioned in KOTOR II turn out to be ruled by the Dark Lord who tattood Exar Kun and Ulic Qel-Droma.

What’s TOTJ?

fmalover said:

What’s TOTJ?

Tales of the Jedi. Comics about the pre-KOTOR history of the Sith.

Oh OK. Thanks for clearing that up.

The name “Jedi Civil War” for the conflict of KOTOR I is utter nonsense. Based on the logic for the name, every Sith War besides the Naga Sadow War and the Vitiate War would be a “Jedi Civil War”.

Well, Kreia very eloquently explains that the Jedi Civil War is not the first of its kind.

How do you guys like to play KOTOR I?

• Dark Side or Light Side?
• Batila romance?
• Major decisions?

preussischblau said:

How do you guys like to play KOTOR I?

• Dark Side or Light Side?
• Batila romance?
• Major decisions?

I like to play Dark Side, but when going Manaan I always choose to destroy the Kolto processing plant, as killing the giant Firaxan shark would mean destroying the source of Kolto supplies, and one must have foresight and plan for the future. I tend to leave Zaalbar’s subplot unresolved as the problems of the Wookiees are ultimately irrelevant to the Galaxy. I always romance Bastilla and take up her offer to reclaim the title of Dark Lord of the Sith. The prospect of conquering the Galaxy with a pretty Force wielder as your lover is too good to pass up, plus I think the Dark Side ending makes a lot more sense, because in my mind Revan would have decided the Jedi are no better than the Sith after being manipulated by the Jedi throughout the game.

Darth Tremor said:

Kotor I is a classic. Sadly Kotor II I never could get past the first world.

The first world is a chore, no doubt about that. But the rest of the game is totally worth it. Be sure to install TSLRCM and give the game a second chance, you won’t regret it.

Darth Tremor said:

fmalover said:

Darth Tremor said:

Kotor I is a classic. Sadly Kotor II I never could get past the first world.

The first world is a chore, no doubt about that. But the rest of the game is totally worth it. Be sure to install TSLRCM and give the game a second chance, you won’t regret it.

Is the app version smoother? I had a glitch where I could not complete the main story quest.

Don’t know. I’ve only ever played it on PC.

I still wonder what happened to Revan. In the unmade Kotor 3. I don’t accept the story they gave us in the book and in the old republic. It doesn’t fit with the story of Kotor 2 the Sith Lords.

Kotor I was very familiar to the original film Star Wars, it wasn’t as original as II.The Revan twist was the only really novel thing about it.

JadedSkywalker said:

I still wonder what happened to Revan. In the unmade Kotor 3. I don’t accept the story they gave us in the book and in the old republic. It doesn’t fit with the story of Kotor 2 the Sith Lords.

Kotor I was very familiar to the original film Star Wars, it wasn’t as original as II.The Revan twist was the only really novel thing about it.

My biggest pet peeve with SW:TOR is how, apart from having the Exile show up as a Force Ghost, it otherwise pretends KotOR II never happened.

Yeah I’ll never forgive what they did by making the TOR MMO instead of 3, and having Revan and the Exile go down like weak punks in a tie-in book. One of the biggest betrayals or mistakes in the EU other than maybe Jacen Solo becoming a Sith.

KOTOR 2 having a mysterious open ending is interesting in its own way anyway.

Vladius said:

Yeah I’ll never forgive what they did by making the TOR MMO instead of 3, and having Revan and the Exile go down like weak punks in a tie-in book. One of the biggest betrayals or mistakes in the EU other than maybe Jacen Solo becoming a Sith.

KOTOR 2 having a mysterious open ending is interesting in its own way anyway.

Other than having the Exile as a Force Ghost, TOR otherwise pretends KOTOR 2 never happened.