I've noticed this saber blade/hilt mismatch problem too - mostly in the trailers, but on rare occasions in JO gameplay. As others have stated, I hope it's not going to be too much of an issue in Jedi Academy. :)

a few people have been touting versatility as a valid reason for using a single saber instead of the double or dual, because it has the three stances. but you really have to ask yourself how much you'll use this versatility. if the single saber combat is anything like it was in JO, then the light/fast stance will be next to useless, apart from perhaps lunging. medium will have a few uses, but strong/heavy would easily dominate the repertoire of a single bladed saberist.

this is, of course, assuming that single saber combat hasn't had many changes made to it. im talking about things like the inability of light/fast stance to block incoming saber swings, and the very poor amount of damage it does, and it's speed contributing to difficulties in controlling it.

if so, then i for one won't be touching the light/fast stance. from what i understand, the dual sabers can be changed to a single saber in light/fast stance, something that isn't really useful as anything beyond a novelty. the lightstaff can be changed to a single blade in medium stance, but without the (fairly useless) medium DFA. this would give it perhaps more versatility that the dual sabers.

from here, you have the choice of a single blade (strong/heavy and medium), two blades (dual saber stance), and the lightstaff (lightstaff stance and medium). to me it's a competition between the lightstaff stance and strong/heavy stance, with the added fact that lightstaff wielders can throw a half-lit saber, and kick with the fully ignited blade. whichever turns out better (strong/heavy or lightstaff stance) will be the most useful, unless the dual sabers are on their own able to create enough versatility in speed and damage to compensate for lack of viable versatility in available stances.

sorry about the length of the post, was just pondering how the game would eventuate, based on what i've seen in JO and read here. a lot is based upon assumptions, and i really hope they find a way to make every option available to players a viable one in a competitive sense, rather than have a tournament where the top 10 are all using one stance with one configuration.

Strong/Heavy isnt the godly stance that you make it out to be. A good medium user will easily beat a strong/heavy user anyday. I think that each saber style will be equal in the number of strengths and weaknesses, and it will take playing ability, not which saber you use.

and a good strong/heavy will beat a medium anyday. you cant compare different stances with players of differing skill levels!

my point is, since light/fast stance is so useless because of its low damage and inability to block, dual sabers would have to be awesome by themselves to equal lightstaff or single. if we discount light/fast stance, then single saber has medium and strong/heavy, while lightstaff has medium and its own stance. whichever turns out to be more powerful - lightstaff stance or strong/heavy - will, in my opinion of course, be the more "powerful" weapon.

of course a skilled user of any combination will be able to beat others, but there will always be someone better who uses a different setup. i just hope the light/fast stance has been made more viable, perhaps with a faster lunge or better blocking.

Originally posted by BigMexican
my point is, since light/fast stance is so useless because of its low damage and inability to block... Actually, I found each of the stances to be useful. I sometimes used light against heavy, because I could get in quick strikes between their swings. I probably used each of the stances equally, depending on the situation. I'm just saying that I didn't find light stance to be useless at all. :)

This thing really bugged me at JK2.

Isn't the strong/heavy stance supposed to be the best when it actually costs more force points ?

Maybe they should have enabled all stances right from the start and just have given more damage to saber based on how much force points you used on offence skill.

I just hope that everyone doesn't just go with the double or the duel wield. It will make it look bad it you see no one with just one lightsaber. It wrecks the starwars-iness of it. There should be some definate advantages to using just one LS.

This is a major concern I have for MP.

:slsaber:

Originally posted by tom4stir
I just hope that everyone doesn't just go with the double or the duel wield. It will make it look bad it you see no one with just one lightsaber. It wrecks the starwars-iness of it. There should be some definate advantages to using just one LS.

This is a major concern I have for MP.

:slsaber:

Why worry? Just master Single Saber and hand them their a$$!

Also - the balance of single / dual / staff really doesn't make it more or less 'StarWars-y', IMO. Something like FFA is always going to be a bit 'funky' in a licensing sense. Look at any movie/TV licensed FFA - like Star Trek Elite Force (I or II). OK - got the characters, got the weapons got the music ... but in FFA it looks & feels NOTHING like any of the shows/movies *I've* ever seen. Siege mode is what looks to be really good in combining strategy & RPG (not in the sit & bow sense ;) ) in what can be a very Star Wars-like environment.

Personally, I've found all of the stances to be very useful, but mixing stances can be very effective as well - I was on a FFA server last week and engaged in a duel . First move I did was a lunge, which was a 'soft' hit, then I switched stanced to red while crouch walking at him - he thought I was telegraphing another lunge and was ready. Then I stood up and did the normal red front chop. That duel lasted about 10 seconds ... and we had a good laugh :D Point is - mix it up, find what works for you best.

I'll very likely play SP through the first time with single saber only, trying to master that as much as I can. I may play differently on subsequent SP runs, trying dual or staff and see what suits me in the long run ...

Mike

Originally posted by Khaza
This thing really bugged me at JK2.

Isn't the strong/heavy stance supposed to be the best when it actually costs more force points ? I think that is what it is supposed to represent, yes. But I don't think it really makes sense, since (IMO) each stance is sueful in different situations. So now I tend to look at the extra points as buying versatility.

Originally posted by Khaza
Maybe they should have enabled all stances right from the start and just have given more damage to saber based on how much force points you used on offence skill. This is kind of a neat idea :) Or maybe give you more special moves for more points.

Originally posted by Prime
This is kind of a neat idea :) Or maybe give you more special moves for more points.

I think that sounds OK, but as a Padawan, to me it makes sense that you'd just have one stance to start, as some stuff from 'SW Insider' I remember reading talked about training for considerable time in each style before moving to the next.

I do like the idea of getting more moves as a function of 'rank'.

Mike

Originally posted by txa1265
I think that sounds OK, but as a Padawan, to me it makes sense that you'd just have one stance to start, as some stuff from 'SW Insider' I remember reading talked about training for considerable time in each style before moving to the next.

I do like the idea of getting more moves as a function of 'rank'.

Mike

I agree. I wouldn't want all stances handed to me on a platter from the start - I want to have to work for them, like a Padawan should.

Anyway, going back to the orignal point of whether or not it will be worth having a Single Saber at all...I think it's obvious from the range of moves/stances available for the Single Saber alone that it will definitely hold it's own against someone wielding Dual Sabers or the Saber Staff. I'm actually more concerned that Dual sabers will be effective, because it has fewer moves than either of the other saber choices.

I guess we'll just have to wait and see exactly how they stand up to each other in combat.

Originally posted by StormHammer
Anyway, going back to the orignal point of whether or not it will be worth having a Single Saber at all...I think it's obvious from the range of moves/stances available for the Single Saber alone that it will definitely hold it's own against someone wielding Dual Sabers or the Saber Staff. I'm actually more concerned that Dual sabers will be effective, because it has fewer moves than either of the other saber choices.

I guess we'll just have to wait and see exactly how they stand up to each other in combat. You really have to think about the amount of time and effort it must have taken them to put in two completely new saber types, all of these new moves, provided them each with a 'power evolution' through the SP game, and then worked to balance them ... whew!!!

Can't wait to see them in action.

Mike

i think that its best 2 use different sabers 4 the situation. cause if there is gonna be 2 reborn type people 2 face then ur gonna need 2 sabers but is u hav loads of stormtroopers 2 cut through then a dual saber would be great:bdroid2:

Originally posted by jadenkorr
i think that its best 2 use different sabers 4 the situation. cause if there is gonna be 2 reborn type people 2 face then ur gonna need 2 sabers but is u hav loads of stormtroopers 2 cut through then a dual saber would be great:bdroid2:



this guy is right.:D.

I dunno, I managed to beat 2 reborn easily in JO using light stance XD In fact I used light most of the time in SP O_o Well once I aquired it.

Originally posted by StormHammer
I updated the FAQ with this information, taken from the official site...

New moves have been implemented for the whole range of saber combat, and the recent update to the official site confirms the stances for each blade type...

Single Saber

Fast

Stab Back
Lunge Attack
Force Pull Impale

Attack Kata
Attack Enemy on Ground
Cartwheel
Stab Forward

Medium

Slash Back
Flip Attack
Force Pull Slash

Attack Kata
Attack Enemy on Ground
Cartwheel
Stab Forward

Strong

Slash Back
Jump Attack - DFA
Force Pull Slash

Attack Kata
Attack Enemy on Ground
Cartwheel
Stab Forward

You will be able to use saber throw as usual.

Dual Sabers

This stance will incorporate faster and coordinated types of attacks as follows...

Slash Back
Flip Forward Attack
Twirl
Saber Barrier
Stab Front And Back
Stab Left And Right

Attack Enemy On Ground
Cartwheel
Stab Forward

You will be able to saber throw one blade, while retaining the other for defence or attack.

Saber Staff

This stance will incorporate acrobatic flips and kicks in any direction, including...

Slash Back
Backflip Attack
Butterfly Attack
Twirl
Kick
Jump Kick
Split Kick
Spin Kick
Flip Kick

Spinning Kata
Attack Enemy on Ground
Stab Forward



i heard from rumors that the Force Pull impale and the long jump are only avaible in sp....

o and dont enjoy from the enemy-on-ground-special, i also heard it never hit because the guy can get up too fast, and when u get lucky enough it does like 30 dmg...

I think a single saber is much cooler than the new stuff. :cool: I have already decided. I'm gonna play with a single purple saber. :D