The KOTOR 3 Collab

[The Meme Repository 6]

So, I see that you're still working on the project alone and I thought I might give some insight as to why, just based on everything I can see in this thread.

Right now, we only have an eight page concept doc for what you're pitching as a literal sequel to KOTOR II. A concept doc is a great starting point, but as it stands, it looks like you might be putting the cart ahead of the horse, as you're already going into level design and putting cutscenes together. Ten years of modding experience is fantastic, but how much writing experience do you have? Narrative writing, I mean. Is this another area you have a lot of experience in?

I took a look at your work, and it seems to be mainly technical stuff. Don't get me wrong, you look like you know what you're doing as a modder, but I think the skepticism is coming with the story itself and if it has been fully thought out. For reference, a script to a feature film can sometimes take up to a year to write. At least, if you want it to be good. An RPG story, meanwhile, would take much longer unless you were an incredibly experienced writer or had other writers helping you out (and even then, I don't think they'd be able to do it in just a week).

So I guess a lot of people might be wondering if you have anything more to show than the concept you linked at the beginning? Is there a full script you're working from? Do you have a firm understanding of plot mechanics, story structure, worldbuilding, character writing, themes, etc? Does your story have its own unique hook?  Have you sought out help to fully realise your ideas on a writing level? Have you given thought to what the story will be about on that broader, thematic level?

What made KOTOR II really work was Chris' focus on deconstructing The Force and the RPG genre, which allowed him to explore existential themes of freewill and the like. You'll also notice that every character in the game is broken in some way, and that is very much by design. The story is that of a broken galaxy filled with broken planets that are the homes extremely broken people. This was the first time we'd really seen the aftermath of one of these huge, galactic conflicts and seen the consequences of such wars from the point of view of everyday people.

If you want your mod to live up to that legacy, it'll need its own hook. It will need an incredible amount of thought put into what kind of meaningful story you can tell in this universe. How do the threads left behind by the last two games converge in a thoughtful way?

I haven't worked on a game before, but I have worked on film and other creative projects, and I'll tell you from experience, no one is going to jump on board unless you have a polished script in place. Especially when no one is being payed, it's difficult to commit to a story-driven project that doesn't have concrete story beyond an outline. And let's not mince words, this is a story-driven project, no matter how the mod turns out. KOTOR isn't an action game. The gameplay on its own is never going to be compelling enough to sustain a full-length campaign, so the story and characters really have to be strong for this to be worthwhile.

This might be difficult to hear, but I'm only saying this because I want this project to be amazing. I'm still tweaking my own screenplay after a year and half of redrafting. Still taking on feedback and getting different perspectives on it, and some of the most important elements of my story came months after that initial draft, the majority of the most important moments in my story weren't even in my initial outline, an outline that was still about 40 pages long, and this is only for a ninety minute film.

There's just not much here to really grasp onto beyond the curiosity of how the project is going to unfold, so that's why a lot of people probably aren't leaping at the chance to help. The promise of KOTOR III is enticing, but only if there is a solid foundation in place, which right now, there really isn't.

My advice would be to keep your assets and everything you've done so far, maybe continue to work on the mod on & off, but refocus on your priorities on creating a finished, polished script that tells a compelling story with branching paths. You really want the characters, themes and worldbuilding to leap off the page before you commit them to the game itself.

I know this might not be the easiest thing to hear, and I'm not trying to be harsh by any measure, I just know how much work these huge project are, and what always makes or breaks them is how much time was spent in the planning stages, and right now, it's looking like you spent a week on it before immediately moving into development.

I could be very off-base here, but from the outside, it does look like there's only a rough outline and everything else is kind of being made up as you go along. Perhaps instead of trying to get modders on board, you should be looking for people with writing experience to flesh out the story. People who are great with characters. People who know the Star Wars universe inside & out. People who have a solid understand of plot and structure to help bring your vision to its fullest potential before it even reaches a game screen.

You're free to do what you want, but that's how I feel you'll get more people on board. People will gladly work for free if they have full confidence or are extremely compelled by a concept. At the moment, it's looking a bit half-baked, so you might want to flesh things out before proceeding.   Conversely, this will also speed development along, as you won't be figuring out all the details as you go along. It'll give you a completed blueprint, and the main challenge will be the "how" as opposed to the "what".

Edited December 28, 2020 by The Meme Repository