As the devs are making KotOR III (I hope), one of the things I think they should put in/keep is the Lightsaber forms. TSL was a good start in this respect, with the different bonuses and hindrances that the forms gave you, but it would be cool if they took them a little bit farther. Such as:
1) Different stances for the lightsaber styles. Maybe even different stances in combat, since, you know, there are such things as "Jedi ready stance," "Neutral forward," "Defensive neutral," and so on. Maybe not all of them, but maybe just different form stances and a aggressive and a defensive stance.
2) I would like them to include the other forms: Sokan, Jar-Kai, Shien, Trakata, and Dun Moch. Perhaps even your own personal form, when you got advanced enough? The fact is, it is always referred to as "the seven lightsaber forms", but there are technically about 13 or so that have been used.
3) Different animations for the different forms. Not the varying animations for stuff like Flurry and Power Attack, but different looking attacks depending on saber form. Maybe they could kind of put those animations in distinctive sets, so that while using Makashi, the attacks will look different but have the "Makashi look" or style to them. But then, when you change forms, say to Ataru, the attacks look more brutal. This would be easy with Trakata- each attack the animation will show, the blade will turn off, and then turn on attacking the enemy.
I like that. Even though there were times I would get confused as to which on to use, I found them to be quite useful. The idea that the animations change so as to reflect the forms is a cool one because in TSL I couldn't tell if the PC was doing the form or not. Kudos to you!!
Good idea, but I don't know how much time or effort it would take to build such a wide variety of animations. There are other places that I would prefer to see resources allocated (like Jedi robe textures that don't violate the laws of physics :D).
^That would be the only downside to it, of course. But it would make a nice addition.
True, but the forms only help your performance in battle.
As Achilles said above, instead of adding 'fluff' animations for combat, I also would rather see development time spent on story related things, like the Influence system, also actually being able to redeem or corrupt your NPC's, have an actual seen effect on the planets you visit as you either save them or condemn them to darkness... and fix them darn robe textures too! :D
That would be nice, but why not have both?
I really like the idea of being able to creat your own saber form. To me that's what a true sword fighters do to best suite their own ablilities. Maybe even simply be a combination of other forms.
That would be a nice touch and another step towards improving the look and feel of saber wielding.
But, I must agree with Achilles, there has to be something they can do with these ridiculously unrealistic robes. The devs have to improve this for the next Kotor experience.
I think we could agree on that.
Well, hopefully, if they spend a good amount of time making K3, they could add this in. But I agree with you all, I don't want this to take first priority.
I had an idea about making your own form:
You get a Form-point. You can now go to one of the masters in the Academy to spend it on a part.
For example: If you go to Vrook, your can choose a defensive part.
Visiting (example) Master Kavar will result in a Attack boost.
You can 'buy' different parts and link them. Vrook may have +1 Blaster Deflection, +1 defense, and so on. Higher levels may require a negative penalty.
Don't you guys think that would be cool? Everyone can then make a form that reflects his own personality, without being stuck woth pre-made forms.
I have actually thought about that, getting "points" that you can spend to get so much of something. For example, extra attacks cost the most, and then have different costs for different things. There would only be so many points you could get, but you could have a pretty good form at the end of the game.
Jeez I feel abnormal...what's wrong with the robes? Does it have anything to do with when they flap?
I'd like to see 'form mastery'. Think about it, the longer you train in a particular form, the better you get. A Jedi trained in a particular form would have an advantage to an initiate in the form.
In game it could translate into a sub-tree of Jedi bonus-feats. Each form would have several levels, something like initiate - proficient - experienced - mastery - grand mastery. Each level would increase bonuses and decrease penalties. Jedi classes could then at certain levels pick a 'form feat' and decide to increase their mastery of a form or learn a new one.
There could be restrictions to the levels or even forms each class can access. A good example of this is a Guardian-type would have more lightsaberform specialisation whereas a Consular-type would have more Forceform specialisation. Or some forms could be accessable only if a character has allready learnt certain other forms or even through meeting other Jedi through the couse of the game.
What do you think?
That would be anothing thing to include as well, if it wouldn't take up too much time and effort.
Jeez I feel abnormal...what's wrong with the robes? Does it have anything to do with when they flap?
Go into the "Jedi Robe Option for KotOR III" thread somewhere here and scroll down. Eventually you will find a pic that was posted by Achilles. Just click on it, and read the post, and it should be self-explanatory.
My only thought on creating your own form or being able to add to it is that whatever bonuses you choose do need to have pentalties as well like the other forms do. and also have a limit on how many bounuses you can have. would be cool to be albe to combine some of the force form bonuses with saber forms bonuses.
Perhaps they could make it kind of like choosing attributes in the beginning. The more you concentrate on one attribute, the more it cost to increase it more. They could do that with the forms, too- the more you tried to increase something, the more it would cost. And it would cost more points to increase something without having it take away from something else.
Buying a +1 attack should't have a penalty, but a +3 attack, does...
The balance shouldn't be lost, but it should be slightly stronger then the other ones..
Interesting Idea: Sith Lords having their own private fighting style^^
This way, they can increase/decrease power of all NPC's...
How would these be manifested visually?
Would there be the need for additional animations?
How much of of the writen story would this take up to explain to the MC?
How would the forms be aquired? ...through a session with the master or automatically upon a cetain level of XP?
Well,
I think your form has certaibn slots, and you can fill them by 'buying' / learning one from a master...
I don't know how they can do it visualy, but it could be done if they added some raggdolls...
Well,
I think your form has certaibn slots, and you can fill them by 'buying' / learning one from a master...
I don't know how they can do it visualy, but it could be done if they added some raggdolls...
OK, and what would this do?
How would the forms be aquired? ...through a session with the master or automatically upon a cetain level of XP?
The regular forms would be acquired through a session with a master, like in TSL (except perhaps very basic forms, like Shii-Cho, would be a matter of XP).
How would these be manifested visually?
Would there be the need for additional animations?
How much of of the writen story would this take up to explain to the MC?
As I said, there would be different stances for the different forms. The attacks would look different, too- remember in TSL when you were shown the master's fighting styles, you could tell that they were different. They had an obvious style to each of the example moves that the masters showed you. In the same way, the animations would have a different style.
It isn't necessarily needed, and it shouldn't be important compared to the story, and the characters, and things like that; but it would just be a nice touch, if they had the time.
As for your last question, I don't know what you mean by that. What is the "MC"? If you are talking about how they would take story time to explain it to the PC, then it wouldn't take any time at all. It took less than a minute to teach you the Jedi Master's forms in TSL, and it wouldn't take much longer to include a little dialogue blurb about creating your own form, either.
That would be a nice touch.
As I've stated many times, I like options in all gaming.
(IMO)The more control the better.
That would be nice, but why not have both?
Mmmm....Have the cake, *and* eat it! I like your thinking :D
I'd love to see more variety in the implementation of the forms. It would be nice to be able to become a master in one ot two forms as well, either as a feat or something similar.
I concure with that idea. Would be cool to Master a style or two.
Have feats like "Makashi Style: <something>" and then as you go along you will eventually recieve "Makashi Style: Mastery." Perhaps they could figure out some way to have you earn them.
I like that, the ability to earn mastery in a particular form. Though I do think that Shii-Cho and things like Force Channel should be gained be XP.
^^^
Well i actually meaned something like that. Only I wouldn't make it regular feats but some kind bonus feat, like a Fighter or Wizard if you play D&D. If you don't I'll explain in short: A fighter-class or wizard-class get their regular feats normally, but at certain levels they gain special bonus feats. A wizard b.e. could gain meta-magic feats making his spells last longer, do more damage etc. But they can only choose from a limited number of feats.
I would like something like that for Jedi classes. At certain levels they get bonus feats, but in this case only for lightsaberforms and/or Forceforms.
kinda like different fighting stances , maybe
Getting points and creating a lightsaber form is cool too because it goes to fit the individual style of the PC as you create it through the game.
^Its another way to even further create your own unique character.
Animating diiferent lightsaber forms would definitely be a nice advancement in the KOTOR series. As for time consumption to animate it, well i say that it would be worth it in the long run.