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Needlessly hack-and-slash?


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#1 Tancred

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Posted 28 June 2004 - 12:40 PM

I happened to watch Episode 4 today, and saw Obi-Wan creeping about the Death Star, distracting guards, hiding in corners and managing to do what he needed to do without killing anyone, in fact. And I began to think - why can't I do this? If this had been KOTOR, Obi-Wan would have no choice but to take the stormtroopers head-on. Even Jedi Academy - a game which is considerably more action-based - has an option for sneaking past people and avoiding battle. I feel KOTOR's force power selection and game structure is very heavily oriented to combat, and the only way, it seems, to use stealth, is to invest heavily in stealth units, or play as a Scoundrel/Jedi and use Mission and Juhani all the time. I don't want to have to slaughter my way through the game.

Does anyone else feel this way?

Edited by Tancred, 28 June 2004 - 12:41 PM.


#2 SConrad

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Posted 28 June 2004 - 01:32 PM

Come to think of it, you're right. Never thought about it before. Sure, the option is there, but as you say, you need to be a scoundrel and have both Mission and Juhani with you. Hopefully, this will change to KotOR2.

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#3 Cryomancer

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Posted 28 June 2004 - 01:34 PM

Besides, needless slaughter is against the Jedi 'code of honor' if you like. They're supposed to be the compassionate defenders that only kill when they absolutely have to.
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#4 -Ajnos-

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Posted 28 June 2004 - 09:16 PM

Does anyone else feel this way?

I think KotOR is paticularly bad at this. The game seems to insists many times that I slaughter whole bases of Sith. Several "missions" (retrieve the droid parts, get the launch codes) can be done with minimal (or no) combat required and yet I ended up killing every last person I found...IMO both of those instances hurt the immersion in the game.

My LS character wasn't stupid or homicidal so why would she go wandering around the Sith Base randomly killing and looting when she'd already accomplished her objective? Yet on Maanan if you haven't conducted a very thorough search you can get in serious trouble if you miss found the information about the Selkath youths. It annoys me every time.... And the Academy on Korriban after the final test? Pfui. :rolleyes:

#5 Beyshaliban

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Posted 29 June 2004 - 01:20 AM

That's true. I remember when playing Deus Ex I heard that you can actually play the game without killing anyone (except for the two tough cookies you blow up via deathswitch) just by using the 'buzzer' and the little crossbow. I tried and I got pretty far. I stopped playing because of RL issues and never got back to it, though.

Anyway, an option like that for the Light side would be wonderful for KotOR 2. Though, I admit I have no idea how to manage experience points such a case.

I guess you would have to choose the light side right from the start and XP would be counted if you don't kill someone.

But that would limit the game, wouldn't it? I, too, like to play good, and hardly ever choose the baddies, but still I would feel very limited if I would have to make a choice right away.

Unless XP woud be higher for the achieved goal and fights wouldn't count unless they are unavoidable and actually part of the plot. So the good side can avoid needless slaughter, and the evil ones can slaughter witout getting XP, which would make them even more evil! ;)

#6 The Amazing Maurice

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Posted 29 June 2004 - 01:31 AM

In Deus Ex 2 you don't have to kill anyone at all.

But anyway, you could use the stasis powers and run like a girl, but lets be honest it would'nt be much fun would it?

When playing KotOR, you want to fire up the lightsaber and take on the sith - well I did at least.

Also the scene you were talking about in Ep. 4 I think Obi-Wan is sneaking about to avoid getting into a fight that he won't win. Remember in the cantina at the start? No force persuade with the thug, he just chops his arm off :lol:

But I do see your point, maybe they could have implemented a counter with killing people in fights - when you kill too many you gain dark side points?

#7 Beyshaliban

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Posted 29 June 2004 - 01:52 AM

I haven't played Deus Ex 2 yet. My computer hardly managed KotOR. :(

Since my light side guardian needed her xp I didn't run like a girl. :P

I hate running...

#8 -Ajnos-

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Posted 29 June 2004 - 02:07 AM

In Deus Ex 2 you don't have to kill anyone at all.

But anyway, you could use the stasis powers and run like a girl, but lets be honest it would'nt be much fun would it?

When playing KotOR, you want to fire up the lightsaber and take on the sith - well I did at least.

Also the scene you were talking about in Ep. 4 I think Obi-Wan is sneaking about to avoid getting into a fight that he won't win. Remember in the cantina at the start? No force persuade with the thug, he just chops his arm off :lol:

But I do see your point, maybe they could have implemented a counter with killing people in fights - when you kill too many you gain dark side points?

I'm not saying it wasn't fun Force Jumping down halls and being a perpetual motion machine of instant death. It was. :P

But didn't that seem to contradict the idea of lightside vs. darkside? How easy and gratifying violence and power are? Through power I gain strength is the Sith code, after all. And yet my pillar of light Jedi seemed to be solving problems the same way as my DSider. I don't mind the fights, I certainly never avoided any....still what felt like an absolute lack of alternatives was irksome.

I don't know what a solution would be either. I'm curious to see if this will remain the same in KotOR 2...

#9 The Amazing Maurice

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Posted 29 June 2004 - 02:25 AM

I belive it will.

But if you had a game (particualy a Star Wars one) that encouraged you to avoid combat then you need to have a really strong narrative or people won't be interested.

Look at PS:T - probably the best writing in a game, ever. Yet there simply aren't enough people who appreciate that aspect to make said game profitable.

I can see the conflict of ideals tho.

#10 Archmage Silver

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Posted 03 August 2004 - 06:19 AM

The fighting... its all about xp. I hope that they would make it so that you could get the same amount of xp either when fighting or sneaking.