Shem

Original Review on Filefront:
 
Well, what do we have here? Shem has finally released his Playable Dopak mod. I say finally because he's been using that head to make YouTube videos for ages, and now he's decided to give all of you out there the chance to use it as well. Now, let's see...there are six parts of a head mod that I can think of: there's the head skin, the dark side transitions, the portraits, the basic clothing, the underwear, and of course there's all that .2da editing that you won't have to worry about because this mod uses the TSL Patcher. So let's start with the head skin.
 
Well, it's Dopak. Not much more to say than that. Dopak is one of the mercenaries on Dantooine that hangs out with Azkul by the old ruins. He's the guy with whom Zherron has been secretly trading messages, and he'll give you his opinion about the settlers, the administrator, and just about everyone on the planet. Shem took Dopak's head and made it as an optional head for a male Exile. As for dark side transitions, there's one skin, featuring Sith eyes similar to the ones that Anakin gets in Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. And of course there are custom portraits included.
 
One of the things I've noticed that most modders include with head mods is custom underwear and clothing for their character. Well, this is no exception. Dopak will have a black jumpsuit instead of a potato sack and red bowling shoes. And the clothing is a reskin of Jolee's clothing from Knights of the Old Republic I, I believe--just one of many KotOR I elements left over in the game files.
 
And that's about it. If you're looking for another head option, well here you go. As I mentioned earlier, the TSL patcher will install everything. Make sure you select your SWKotOR2 folder, not the Override folder. And you'll need WinRAR/7zip to extract the files. Enjoy!
 
NOTE: Please leave comments/feedback for the author, especially if you download and use this mod; usually it's the only reward modders receive for their efforts.
 
~JC

Original Review on Filefront:
 
Ah, Shem returns with another head mod, so soon after the last one. This one is of another non-player character from Dantooine, but this time it's a female one. In order to complete the main quest on Dantooine, you have to enter the Jedi Enclave sublevel, which has been overridden with laigreks and salvagers. Before you enter, you come across a group of such salvagers led by Taepalae. She might look familiar, as it's similar to one of the female head options from Knights of the Old Republic I. (For the record, it was Shem who told me this...it's been ages since I've played KotOR I. )
 
Anyway, as I was saying with the Dopak skin, there are five parts of a head mod, not including all the .2da editing, which is done by the TSL Patcher for this mod (of course ). I'll start with the head skin: it's Taepalae. Shem didn't make any changes, and this sort of thing is really a matter of preference anyway. As for dark side transitions, instead of the zombie look, you'll get a pair of Sith eyes. There are custom portraits, one light side, one dark...though she kind of looks evil in both. Custom underwear is the same as Brianna the Handmaiden's, since they have the same skin tone, and for clothes Shem used a reskin of the Twin Sun outfits. There's a bit of a problem with the latter in the character creation screen, but after that it's fine.
 
That was five things, right?
 
As I said with the Dopak mod, if you're interested in trying something new for a change, give this a download. You'll need WinRAR/7zip to extract the files, and be sure to select the SWKotOR2 folder--not the Override folder--when you run the TSL Patcher. Enjoy!
 
NOTE: Please leave comments/feedback for the author, especially if you download and use this mod; usually it's the only reward modders receive for their efforts.
 
~JC

Original Review on Filefront:
 
Well everybody the wait is officially OVER I just got this mod from Shem and I have to say I think you all will be really excited about it. These robes are the robes Shem uses in most of his pictures for PotD's of Kotor. These robes are all made to Custom specifiations of all of your party members, or at least the ones that are Jedi anyway. Here is a little quote from Shem's readme on how these robes are made for specific players...

Now as you can see from the quote Shem put a lot of effort into these robes but not all of the effort was his. Prime made the base of the robes that are being used here. Shem also has made all of the PC's robes race related, which means that if you are playing as an African American PC the body texture will show the skin on the body as the color of the PC's head. These robes will also replace all of the original bioware robes to give you a good looking aresenal of cool robes. As a bonus Shem has also added a couple of really cool things to the game, but you are going to have to work to get them as they are being sold at Crattis Yurkal's shop on dantooine. If you don't know where that is just refer to the readme. So all I have to say is nice job Shem on the mod, it is always good to see one of my fellow modders make an awesome mod. Also Shem and I want to give personal thanks to the creator of the base of mod Prime for allowing Shem to add on such an awesome mod. I hope everybody loves this mod as much as I think you guys will, enjoy!  

Check out Prime's website for more of his awesome mods.
http://warpedproductions.echonetwork.net/
 
Note: Please leave the author feedback, especially if you download this mod and use it. It really helps encourage the author to make more mods in the future.
 
-SithRevan

Original Review on Filefront:
 
Well now this is a site for sore eyes, Shem the manager of this wonderful site has submitted to me a great looking mod that he should be very proud of. So have any of you guys lately ever though that maybe kotor was getting a little boring? Well this one will fix that, what is does is it makes 90% of the stores in Kotor 1 better. What I mean by that is they will now give you more useful items for your journey. This mod was inspired by Shem's thought of people who have mastered this game, they know how to get butt loads of credits but they really have nothing to spend them on. So this is where this one comes in.
 
My personal opinion of this mod is it is great, the idea is really a winner. Making more useful merchants in the game allows for more poeple to actually have what they need when they get stuck between a Dark Jedi and a hard place. So all in all I say this is on of the most well crafted mods that I have seen in a while. So to you Shem great job I think you did a wonderful job! Now to all of the people I have to say download this mod if you want to have an overall better game...and as always...Enjoy!
 
Note: Please leave the author feedback, especially if you download this mod and use it. It really helps encourage the author to make more mods in the future.
 
-SithRevan

Original Review on Filefront:
 
Ever since Yoda's introduction in The Empire Strikes Back the tiny green muppet has inspired thousands. His appearances in the prequel films solidified his fan following which spawned various spin offs, such as Yaddle or, as are probably more familiar with, Master Vandar.
 
We were blessed to be given a Yoda-inspired model with Knights of the Old Republic, and your friendly neighborhood manager Shem was not about to give up an opportunity to expand this model's role within the game. This mod will change Jolee Bindo's appearance to that of Master Vandar, but with some modifications so it's not a direct copy of the pint-sized Jedi master. Only the appearance is changed, so you don't have to worry about losing Jolee's unique sense of humor and his wit.
 
Shem was kind in the way he designed this mod so that if you want to uninstall it at any point, you won't need to do any fancy 2da editing to get good ol' Jolee back. Just delete the UTC files and you're set! It also makes use of the TSL Patcher for easy installation. This mod includes a very nicely made custom icon, a new color scheme for the Yoda model, and some differently-colored robes. It's a fun mod, so if you don't mind Jolee looking a little green I'd definitely recommend giving it a try!
 
Note: Please leave the author feedback, especially if you download this mod and use it. It really helps encourage the author to make more mods in the future.
 
~Inyri

Original Review on Filefront:
 
Are you tired of kicking Malak's ass? I know I am....so get ready guys and girls for the new and improved Malak! Here we have one beefed up dude ready to give you a whoopin This little mod does what it is meant to and to great effect. Have fun guys
 
- JediKilla

Original Review on Filefront:
 
Remember Sherruk? He was that Mandalorian on Dantooine with all the trophy sabers he bragged about. Yet when you had to fight him he used blasters/swords. I know "civilians" aren't trained to use lightsabers, but that never stopped anybody before! So why didn't Sherruk use those sabers, huh?! UGH!
 
If you reacted in the above manner when you first played KotOR then you're in luck. Shem brings us a lovely mod that, while simple in concept, adds a new dimension to that part of Dantooine. Sherruk will now attack you with those trophy sabers, just like a good arrogant fool would. Apaprently Shem also didn't think a lightsaber collector would be caught dead with only two lightsabers. Where Grievous had four, Sherruk shows his prowess by having a whopping seven on his mangled body when you're done with him! Check his body for some other surprises that have been included!
 
~Inyri

Original Review on Filefront:
 
Our benevolent overlord returns with an interesting addition to the planet Korriban. Remember the Sith Academy? Of course you do; it was in both games. Well, it's only in the first Knights of the Old Republic game that you get to become a student of the academy, and more importantly (at least for this mod), meet other students. Currently, all of the students of the academy wear those uniforms that Sith officers wear. It's a little odd, because they're not supposed to be just normal Sith officers, but Dark Jedi. Even the two masters of the academy, Uthar Wyn and Yuthura Ban, wear regular uniforms.
 
So Shem has decided to give all of the students Dark Jedi robes. It's a nice addition, I think, and it means you might get a few extra robes for your party, and a few other nice items. But I'll explain that later. In addition to having robes, some of the NPCs' appearances have been altered, to avoid repetition. Also, Master Uthar and his former master, Jorak Uln, each wear special armor.
 
Now, as if that wasn't enough, there are a few surprises here and there. But if you haven't played the game yet, you might want to stop reading.
 
The main objective for Korriban is to find the Star Map in the Tomb of Naga Sadow. To get to that tomb, you have to gain enough prestige to be chosen to take the final trials. As I alluded to above, you'll be able to take some those Dark Jedi robes from for yourself; that's because you'll have the opportunity to terminate hostilities with some of your competition before you enter the tomb, and again afterwards.
 
There are several different endings for Korriban, depending on your choices in the Tomb of Naga Sadow. For best results (i.e. to get the most items) you should kill both Uthar and Yuthura. This will throw the Sith academy into a rebellion, and all of the students and teachers will become hostile. This is both a light side and dark side option, so you don't have to worry about that. But if you want some extra LS points, befriending Yuthura and helping her kill Uthar, then bringing her back to the light will get the same results, though you won't get any of Yuthura's items.
 
OK, you can keep reading now if you stopped before.
 
This mod utilizes the TSL patcher to make the necessary appearance.2da changes, and there is an extra file included that will make the mod compatible with T7nowehere's Weapons of the Old Republic, for those of you who have that mod. The mod is also compatible with Prime's Jedi Model mod, so no worries if you have that as well. Enjoy the new Sith academy!
 
NOTE: Please leave comments or feedback for the author, especially if you download and use this mod; usually it's the only reward modders receive for their efforts.
 
~JC

Original Review on Filefront:
 
Here we have a mod idea that no-one has done before. Have you ever wondered why Bastilla's mother was wearing a Jedi Robe instead of common peoples clothing, I mean considering she's in a place like a tatooine bar you'd think she'd be wearing common clothing. The second part to this mod also changers the messenger Malare's clothing to more common ones as well. To be honest that part didn't really phase me when I saw her in a dancers outfit, maybe because I'm not so picky Very simple mod that corrects mistakes in the game, and also very well done.
 
- JediKilla

Original Review on Filefront:
 
Star Wars if you look through all of the movies, games, fan media, ect. always had one thing in common, masks, and not your normal run of the mill costume masks that you could by at your local convenient store. They have these great elaborate masks that give them special abilities or give them some extra bounus that they need to do what they are doing. The only thing that is bad about those masks is that they are UUUUUUUUUUGLY (excluding a few choice ones of course.) Now you ask "SithRevan what can we do about these ugly masks that make our characters look stupid?".
 
Well my friends I have the solution. Actually Shem our Site Manager and all around cool guy has come up with the solution... I am just reviewing it.
 
Anyway though I am proud to announce that the solution to making the ugly masks go away is to simply make them invisible and that is exactly what Shem did. What this mod does is makes all of the default masks in the game completely invisible so that you can get the bonuses with out having to make a fashion statement in the process.
 
So I say awesome work Shem. I am glad to see you have a couple cool mods left in ya. Now to all of the other out there waiting to get you greedy little hands on this treasure... Enjoy.
 
Note: Please leave the author feedback, especially if you download this mod and use it. It really helps encourage the author to make more mods in the future.
 
-SithRevan

Original Review on Filefront:
 
This mod is basically the same, except it changes the red lightsaber crystal red instead of it being white by default.
My review of the one for TSL:


- JediKilla

For the mod linked below, go HERE for the info.
 
Original Review on Filefront:
 
There have been many Revan's Robes mods over the years, but this is the first one to grace FileFront. Each mod that gives the player Revan's robes is slightly different, usually in the placement of the robes within the game. Generally I tended to believe there was a reason they were stashed on the Star Forge in the first place, although the whole backstory of the Star Forge actually making the robes never made sense to me since Revan was clearly wearing them in the Dantooine vision with Malak before he ever found the Star Forge. Oh well!
 
Anyway, my point was there is a reason you shouldn't have the robes right at the beginning of the game, which this mod does. It gives you the robes right at the beginning, on the Endar Spire, before you're ever able to set foot out of that first room. There's a good side to this and a bad side. Good side: You have Revan's robes! Yay! Bad side: You can't use them yet, and you won't be able to for quite some time (unless of course you cheat). As always, they are limited to dark side only, meaning of course you must be a Jedi, and then manage to get yourself over to the dark side of the Force. That takes a bit of time -- you at least have to wait until Dantooine. Personally I would have found it more believable to have the robes stashed away on Dantooine. It doesn't seem to me like the Jedi council would have just given you Revan's robes.
 
But regardless of the details, this mod does exactly as it promises -- it gives you Darth Revan's robes, both the robes and the mask, in case you want to see your pretty little face in that hood. It does exactly what it's meant to do, and that's the most important point. Give it a download now if by some chance you don't yet have a Revan's robes mod and you want to run around the galaxy pretending to be the Dark Lord.
 
((Psst, don't include any spoilers in the comments, please. Believe or not, not everyone in the galaxy has played through the entire game yet! Thanks!))
 
-Inyri
 

February 24, 2007: Go HERE to get Kristy Kistic's fixed Darth Revan model to use with this mod.
 
Then with the male unmasked model files, make three copies of each N_DarthRevanM.mdl and N_DarthRevanM.mdx files. Name one copy pmbjl.mdl, pmbjl.mdx, the next one pmbjm.mdl, pmbjm.mdx, and the last one pmbjs.mdl, pmbjs.mdx.
 
For the female ones, either pick out the original look or the more feminine look. The file names are N_DarthRevanF.mdl and N_DarthRevanF.mdx and make three copies of each. Name one copy pfbjl.mdl, pfbjl.mdx, the next one pfbjm.mdl, pfbjm.mdx, and the last one pfbjs.mdl, pfbjs.mdx. Then put them in the override folder. Make sure when you rename them that you don't rename the extensions (the .mdl and .mdx).
 
With the masked version, just dump Kristy's version in the override folder. No renaming is needed.

Original Review on Filefront:
 
Our glorious leader Shem returns, with a mod that--as usual--you'll all enjoy. I know this because so many of you have already requested that he release this mod, after seeing it in some of his YouTube videos. Yes, Shem has finally released Carth's Republic Uniform--and then some.
 
As you can tell from the screenshot, Carth will now wear the Republic soldier variant armor during his brief appearance on the Endar Spire. He will also be wearing this armor when you first wake up on Taris. Carth is a Republic soldier, so it's only natural that he wear the armor of one. However, he wouldn't make it ten feet out of the apartment parading around in that thing without being captured by Sith. So as soon as Carth leaves the apartment, you should switch to his classic Orange Jacket of Doom so the Sith won't know who he is. I guess it's supposed to be a flight suit, seeing as Carth's a pilot.
 
In any case, once Carth joins the party, he will have two sets of armor in his inventory: first, as I said before, the flight jacket, and second, his set of Republic armor that he was wearing earlier. They have identical properties, so you're free to pick which one you think is appropriate. Personally, I think it makes more sense for Carth to wear his jacket, for reasons already mentioned. Anyway, as I said, they have identical properties, properties good enough that you'll want Carth to wear them. While the defense bonus for each set of armor is moderate, they give a whopping +5 to Carth's regeneration rate. And they can only be worn by Carth of course; how Shem managed to do this may be of interest to some of you modders out there. Carth also comes with a few extra items, some credits, medpacks, an extra blaster, and such, but it will be more fun for you to be surprised.
 
The mod uses the TSL patcher, of course; however, the Republic armor uses the J slot in appearance.2da, so it won't be compatible with mods that allow Carth to wear Revan's robes. Well, it should be compatible, but Carth won't be able to wear the armor after you install this mod. And you'll need WinRAR/7zip to extract the files. Enjoy!
 
NOTE: Please leave comments/feedback for the author, especially if you download and use this mod; usually it's the only reward modders receive for their efforts.
 
~JC

Original Review on Filefront:
 
The ear is impressively good at distinguishing the most minute of differences between sounds, however without a context or direct comparison it can do an amazingly poor job at just that. This is why judging a sound mod just from listening to the sounds won't give you a clear picture of how good (or bad) the mod really is. From listening to the sound files from this mod out of game, they didn't sound all that impressive. However from experience I know these findings are generally inaccurate. Testing this mod in-game proved just that.
 
Just from the saber ignite sounds I knew this was going to be a very popular sound mod. Try it out and you'll see what I mean. Shem has taken some of the sound effects from the recent (as well as older) films and put them into KotOR and KotOR2. This not only adds a wider variety of sound variation, since the styles between the two trilogies are actually quite distinct, but it also simply improves the sounds, making them all the more impressive. Of course not only the saber ignition sounds have been changed. All the saber sounds, basically, have been enhanced, as well as several of the blaster sounds, using familiar sounds such as those from Han Solo's DL-44 pistol. Several Force sounds have also been changed, and luckily changing the Force saber throw sound to something that actually sounds like a saber has been a key change!
 
This is definitely a mod to look into if you're either disappointed with KotOR or KotOR2's original sounds, or if you just enjoy hearing new sound variations added to the game. I'd certainly recommend it.
 
Note: If I didn't make it clear in the review, this mod is compatible with both KotOR1 and KotOR2, so you can use it with either. Simply make sure to read the read-me before installing.
 
~Inyri

Original Review on Filefront:
 
If you're looking for a mod to give you a foot up on your game, check this one out. It is designed to help you start off stronger and become stronger at each level. How, you might ask? It will start your character off at 18 for each skill, and 4 for each attribute. This'll make your player character a little more self-sufficient at the beginning of the game! In order to take advantage of these starting stats you must either click "recommended" for skills and attributes when creating your character, or alternatively you can just use quick character creation and they will already be set.
 
This mod also has a secondary function. It will also change skill bonuses to only cost one skill point, regardless of what it is. This is helpful if you're thinking twice about spending those precious skill points on a skill that costs more than one, because that's no longer an issue! This mod should be especially helpful for new players just getting into the game, or veteran players who just want a relaxed game with a bit less hassle. Keep it up Shem!
 
~Inyri

Original Review on Filefront:
 
Here we have a mod by our newest staff member JediShemL. This mod changes the way each Jedi Class gains their Force Powers per level. Every now and then your jedi will get two powers, then next level he will get one. It is pretty much random the way he has set it up. As for balance, I would have to say this mod is as balanced as it could be. The noticable difference that this mod has to other feat/force power gain mods is that it changes the rate at which your specific class gains powers.
 
- JediKilla

Original Review on FIlefront:
 
Ever get annoyed by some of the visual effects in Knights of the Old Republic? I know I have. Also, for some reason I'm talking like Andy Rooney. Anyway, I guess there's some unwritten rule in LucasArt's development bible that says there have to be shiny special effects even if they don't make sense. Take the Force Protection green bubble from the Jedi Knight games, or the glowing purple hands of the flurry animation in KotOR. Just about every Star Wars game--the ones that have Force powers, at least--are riddled with these weird special effects that make no sense in real life. They don't even make sense in the Star Wars universe, and they're not even consistent from one game to the next! So, our glorious leader Shem decided to fix all that.
 
Shem has gone through the visualeffects.2da file and has eliminated just about every visual oddity. There are so many that I can't even list them all, and it's probably better that you test the mod out and see for yourself. But I'll go over the basics:
 
*No more crazy glowing hands with any of the melee special attacks (Critical Strike, Flurry, Power Attack).
*No more weird white circles surrounding your player when you use Force Cure/Heal.
*No more blurry vision with Force Speed.
*And lots more Force visuals have been removed.
 
So, if you're looking for a more realistic visual experience, one that is closer to the movies, than this is the mod for you. Also, for those of you making fan films with the games, this come in handy. Oh, and this version is for the first Knights of the Old Republic game; the KotOR II version will be up shortly. Enjoy!
 
Since this is a major .2da edit, Shem has used the TSL patcher to ensure that it will be compatible with other mods. You will, however, need WinRAR or 7Zip to extract the files.
 
NOTE: Please leave comments/feedback for the author, especially if you download and use this mod; usually it's the only reward modders receive for their efforts.
 
~JC

Original Review on Filefront:
 
"Please, Shem," said InSidious, "what do you call good?"
"I call all mods good," said Shem; and instantly he vanished away and InSidious was alone with Inyri...'
 
And lo, it came to pass that InSidious, of the tribe of Holowan was elevated unto the Filefront. And a voice, liken unto an voice cried out unto the wilderness: "You're in trouble now, folks!"
 
Meanwhile (and on a more serious note ), Shem graces us with another of his mods. More specifically, it's a re-do of the Dark Side transitions - that is, with the increasingly zombie-like appearance - pale flesh, cracked, almost varicose skin and glowy yellow eyes.
 
Now, a lot of people think these look a bit rubbish, and would rather that just the eyes changed, and so Shem has given us a mod that does just that for the default heads for KotOR.
 
But not just that! Shem has gone a step further, and, given Inyri's go-ahead, has made his subtler Dark Side transitions for Inyri Forge's KotOR Male Head Pack!
 
How do you like them apples?!
 
Note: Please leave the author feedback, especially if you download this mod and use it. It really helps encourage the author to make more mods in the future.
 
- Darth InSidious

Original Review on Filefront:
 
Our dear and glorious leader Shem returns with an update to his Custom Party Member Portraits mod. Well, two updates, actually--but this one is for K1 (the K2 version will be along shortly). For those of you unfamiliar with the mod, Shem has replaced each party member's portrait with a close-up screenshot. The first version of the mod was released over a year ago. Well, Shem decided that he could do a better job, and is back with more.
 
Once again, each party member's portrait is replaced with a close-up screenshot over a light-colored background. Even Trask gets a new portrait for his brief stint as a party member. Also included is an alternate portrait for HK-47, with the assassin droid we all know in love sporting a blaster rifle, as well as alternates for Jolee and Juhani, to go with two other mods Shem has released in the past (the first replaces Jolee with a Yoda-species, and the second replaces Juhani with a reskin of one of the player appearances).
 
Not much else to say; if you like the look of the new portraits, give it a download. As for me, I think this version is even better than the first. Enjoy!
 
NOTE: Please leave comments/feedback for the author, especially if you download and use this mod; usually it's the only reward modders receive for their efforts.
 
~JC

Original Review on Filefront:
 
This is version two of the Character Reskin by Shem. Here's the first one with screenshots of the Vandar, Malak, Saul Karath, Star Forge Robes, and Sith Robe reskins. This is the review of the first one:

This version adds sith eyes to the sith. Personally, I don't really understand the fascination with sith eyes, but it's there if you like them. For some of these skins, I didn't really notice much of a difference from the originals. Some are very different, like the new skins for Yuthara, Uther, Jorak, Bandon, and Vandar look different and the first two are well-done, though I didn't really see much of a differnce of the new Malak, and Saul Karath. And personally I think he went a bit overboard with the black on the sith as now it's really difficult to see the details of the fabric. I think the problem is is that he tried to do too many reskins and so none of them have many details on them. Try not doing so much in the future. Anyway, good work and I hope to see more from you!  

-IfritZero

Original Review on Filefront:
 
Shem graces us with another mod of his, this time with it being a reskin for Juhani. Although there are quite a few skins for her out there, this one catches my eye in how it turns her into something more human rather than trying to make her more Cathar-like, though she still has those Cathar eyes.
 
In my opinion it is a vast improvement. No longer do I look at Juhani's face, shiver in disgust, and select the dialogue option to kill her as soon as possible! She looks much more like an actual person now, rather than a two-legged hairless cat. Although this mod doesn't change the dialogue at all with her, I find that it makes it far more enjoyable — without staring at her face and thinking, "WTF was up with the developers?" I can now fully appreciate what she has to say. (And even moreso by removing her clothes — Shem was gracious enough to include an underwear skin! XD)
 
This mod uses no 2da files, so no worries about compatibility. I would recommend it to everyone, especially dark side players � maybe you'll have second thoughts about killing her at the grove now. My compliments to Shem on this!
 
Note: Please leave the author feedback, especially if you download this mod and use it. It really helps encourage the author to make more mods in the future.
 
-Emperor Devon

Original Review on Filefront:
 
Bastila Clothes
 
Shem's addition offers an attractive re-texturing to Bastila's "good" and "evil" undies. They are tailored in solid black, and resembled Brianna's underclothes from K2. In addition to being flattering, Bastila no longer looks like she's going topless during the Swoop race or the Leviathan torture scene.
 
NOTE: If you download and use this mod, please leave comments and/or a review. Feedback is the only payment any fan artist gets, and it will help them produce more and better mods in the future!
 
Review by Allronix