Possibilities of changing active group members.

[ttlan 18]

Possibilities of changing active group members.

 

I can not determine the rules for being able to change active group members on certain maps and not on the others.

 

There must be a rule.

 

This can not be done, as now, at haphazard. "Here, it suits me...", "There it does not suit me...", based on constraints of scriptwriting, and by mocking of all what make a sense.

 

Why we can not change the active group members in the enclave of Dantooine while we can change them when we are on Ondéron planet although the other members are in the Ebon Hawk, far away, on Dxun moon?

 

I would like that, in the interest of the credibility of Kotor 2, a newsgroup is created and discuss this.

 

I think the discussion could begin with the following basic rules:

 

You can always change members of the active group (dismiss members of the actual group and call other members) as long as it is physically possible, that is to say as long as a member can come from and return to the Ebon Hawk, whatever the number of maps to cross (to the extent that these maps are physically contiguous).

 

We can not change the members of the active group if the other members are on another planet (ie all maps of Iziz while the Ebon Hawk is on Dxun).

 

We can not change the members of the active group when it has been established for a particular task (ie the maps of the tomb of Freedon Naad or of the secrecy tomb of Ludo Kresh or the map of the Academy on Korriban wich is a trap).

 

In all other cases, there is no reason to be enable to change the members of the active group (including the case of the Enclave on Dantooine or the case of the Polar Academy after the release of compagnions).

 

I know, for example, than in Iziz, actions, dialogues, influence points, etc. ... are provided for all companions (including Atton ! I have done a full inventory of this with all options in the Kotor 2 handbook) and that members can be changed to glean things for each other. I play with that and I give all the tips to play with that, but it's shocking. This is uncomfortable.

 

This turns the situation to ridiculous - the companions are on another planet and we can throw them as Kleenex or as if we had a molecular disintegrator on fingertips. It's absolutely shocking and it ruins any credibility (of the game, of the scenario, of the enrollment in Extended Universe, etc ....).

 

For what compelling reason we can not dismiss a compagnion, and call another, in the enclave on Dantooine? And, as long as I remenber, this was possible before TSLRCM.

[Hassat Hunter 571]

For what compelling reason we can not dismiss a compagnion, and call another, in the enclave on Dantooine? And, as long as I remenber, this was possible before TSLRCM.

Nope, you weren't able before, and you still aren't now.

[Guest Bob Ta'aar]

Well, although you really got a point ttlan, I think that also the KotOR games are first and foremost games.

As you said, for example in Onderon there are a lot of important dialogue and especially influence options hidden and for a smooth playthrough of the game, those are very necessary, imo. Many characters don't have much more influence-opportunities than the bare minimum to get them maxxed.

 

If something should be changed, it could be the addition of a possibility of the NPC to go back and forth between Onderon and Dxun (or that you just take all of them with you, on a bigger shuttle for example).

 

What actually bugged me more (for it's a nuicance while playing) was that you can't change NPCs in Nar Shadda refugee-, dock- and entertainment era (especially tha first one sucks, 'cause it's fairly big and has tons of influence-oportunities).

[ttlan 18]

Change NPCs on Onderon (Iziz maps)

 

(or that you just take all of them with you, on a bigger shuttle for example)

 

Well, this was my idea :

And, for completeness, an idea would be to move the repair of the Ebon Hawk, as the group's initial approach was to go to Iziz with the Ebon Hawk, and as what must be done on the surface of Dxun now, within the meaning of Kreia, is done, at that point, and leave to Iziz with the Hawk.

 

This may enroll in another suggested amendment: the deletion of this horrible and unbearable automatic lift-off to Iziz, in a non linear game, after the attack of the Sith.

 

Change NPCs in other cases (all except Dxun/Onderon) :

Please note, Bob Ta'aar, that we are able to change NPCs on Nar Shaddaa Docks map.

 

Nothing prevents to leave a map, to go to another map where you can change the active group, and return to the previous map (beware some triggers).

 

So, I do not understand what that led to the establishment of these restrictions.

 

There must have been somewhere, with someone in the past, a reason given for this to be done.

 

For now, I do not see at all why.

 

The idea that must underlie the ability to change the active group, on a map, is simply to ask oneself:

 

Can I ask someone in my active group to go back to the Ebon Hawk and tell him to send me someone else in his place? (Or, if I am alone, can I use the ComLink to tell someone to join me?).

 

That's it.

 

If I can logically reply "Yes" at that question, we must be able to change the active group members on that map. Apart from the constraints of the scenario.

 

The maps concerned are, at least:

 

Nar Shaddaa - Refugee quadrant

Nar Shaddaa - Entertainment Promenade

Dantooine - Enclave Sublevel

 

I can also reply "Yes" at the question concerning "Dantooine : Rebuilt Jedi Enclave" but, on that map, during the Jedi Concil, it is useless. And, here also, after the Jedi Concil, it would be advisable to remove the automatic lift-off to Malachor V. Obsidian, as I've said many times, including here on the old forum, seems to have been afraid of the reaction of the players cope with the complexity of the text and the darkness of the events of Kotor 2, wich is not a funny game. In this sense, they have introduced horrible things (taking players like idiots while the riddles of Kotor 2 are already rather primary - for exemple, Mandalore telling us to see Kiph) and they introduced, on several occasions, this maddening linearity wich return some Kotor 2 phases to years 1990.

[Hassat Hunter 571]

Railroading plot along isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Imagine how Nar Shaddaa would have been without it in the end, would you really like it?

 

That said, I don't see why you shouldn't be able to switch about at the 3 specified locations.

[ttlan 18]

Oh ... Kotor 2 is not an epic game. It is not spectacular at screen (thank you TSLRCM for restoring some scenes like the battle of Khoonda and harden certain combat situations).

 

The true content of Kotor 2 is much more (quasi exclusively) in the text and require to tear off, with difficulty, snatches of secrets from each one. After what, we must then correlate them, what lead to new mysteries of the Star Wars Extended Universe and new questions (and no answer).

 

But Kotor 2 is, overall, an easy game, very easy.

 

For the vast majority of players, which crosses it with no interest at all at the Extended Universe (I think more than 95% of the players), it is anomalous that this game can be finished by mere beginners in 20 or 30 hours, as I see on several boards where I stand.

 

The enigmas of Kotor 2, compared, for example, at the enigmas of Kotor 1, are childishly simple.

 

So I can not imagine and admit that in addition, Obsidian take me by the hand and tell me where I should go and what I do.

 

And I always keep in mind the non-linear games that has just released the player from these burdensome situations.

 

The linearity introduce monotony and a too easy way towards the solution.

 

There are some sequences of movements that must, indisputably, be linear, and I don't speak about, but the automatic lift-off from Dxun to Telos, Nar Shaddaa to Goto's yacht and Council to Malachor are aberrations pure and simple.