Trying to get into Knights of the Old Republic...

[lucky_sharm]

It's hard to tell whether or not my characters are attacking or just posing in front of the baddies, the controls feel really awkward, and Taris, where I'm at right now, is just really bland and confusing to travel around. I turned off the auto leveling option, but I can't figure how to add the stats I'm getting to my characters. There are a bunch of + signs and numbers next to my original stats, but I can't seem to use them.

All this confusion is most likely because I played Dragon Age before this. So I'm just going to ask, does it get better later on?

 

[Flying-Emu]

No. They haven't aged well. If you're expecting a Dragon Age-like experience, you're much better off with Mass Effect. However, take into account that KotOR is about... six years old; that's a long-ass time for PC games.

 

[Indecipherable]

You need to understand that the game is old, and that it is based off the d20 system (3rd edition D&D). Because it is essentially turn based that is concealed into real time combat, you should expect to see pauses in action, especially at low level when you have less attacks/round.

I would say you need to approach the game with a love of storyline and characters, because the combat and graphics are dated. That isn't to say the combat isn't challenging or dynamic or tactical, but ... yeah. Not so flashy anymore.

I found KOTOR to be 100 times the game Dragon Age is. I can't really think of anything apart from graphics that Dragon Age has that's better.

 

[Flying-Emu]

You need to understand that the game is old, and that it is based off the d20 system (3rd edition D&D). Because it is essentially turn based that is concealed into real time combat, you should expect to see pauses in action, especially at low level when you have less attacks/round.

I would say you need to approach the game with a love of storyline and characters, because the combat and graphics are dated. That isn't to say the combat isn't challenging or dynamic or tactical, but ... yeah. Not so flashy anymore.

I found KOTOR to be 100 times the game Dragon Age is. I can't really think of anything apart from graphics that Dragon Age has that's better.

Wasn't d20 in place long before 3rd ed. DnD?

 

[lucky_sharm]

Yeah...I understand that it's an older, more dated game and was probably a lot stunning back then than right now. As much of a noob that I am, I still can't figure out how to add my stats manually after leveling up. So I suppose I'll give this a try again with auto leveling.

 

[Indecipherable]

You need to understand that the game is old, and that it is based off the d20 system (3rd edition D&D). Because it is essentially turn based that is concealed into real time combat, you should expect to see pauses in action, especially at low level when you have less attacks/round.

I would say you need to approach the game with a love of storyline and characters, because the combat and graphics are dated. That isn't to say the combat isn't challenging or dynamic or tactical, but ... yeah. Not so flashy anymore.

I found KOTOR to be 100 times the game Dragon Age is. I can't really think of anything apart from graphics that Dragon Age has that's better.

Wasn't d20 in place long before 3rd ed. DnD?

d20 was the name of their open source release that anyone could pick up and use. People have been rolling d20s for a long long time before they released that particular edition.

You can find all the d20 stuff by just typing it in google. The d20 SRD (system reference documents) are the basic ideas behind rolling d20s and adding stats/skills to beat a difficulty. 3rd edition used d20 (well, I imagine they were developed at the same time).

 

[Indecipherable]

Yeah...I understand that it's an older, more dated game and was probably a lot stunning back then than right now. As much of a noob that I am, I still can't figure out how to add my stats manually after leveling up. So I suppose I'll give this a try again with auto leveling.

It's been a while since I've played, but the d20 system gives you 1 attribute point every 4 levels. I don't think it changed much from that, so this may be why you can't just increase everything up to insane levels.

 

[Flying-Emu]

d20 was the name of their open source release that anyone could pick up and use. People have been rolling d20s for a long long time before they released that particular edition.

You can find all the d20 stuff by just typing it in google. The d20 SRD (system reference documents) are the basic ideas behind rolling d20s and adding stats/skills to beat a difficulty. 3rd edition used d20 (well, I imagine they were developed at the same time).

I was just curious what your definition of d20 system is, because I used to play 1st ed. AD&D, and I distinctly remembered using d20's

Yeah...I understand that it's an older, more dated game and was probably a lot stunning back then than right now. As much of a noob that I am, I still can't figure out how to add my stats manually after leveling up. So I suppose I'll give this a try again with auto leveling.

Your stats remain fairly static throughout the game; since it's based off of DnD, which treated 'stats' as attributes (I.E. genetic strengths and weaknesses) and therefore offered little movement. What makes the difference is your feats and skills. Those are what determines what your character can and cannot do.

 

[Indecipherable]

d20 was the name of their open source release that anyone could pick up and use. People have been rolling d20s for a long long time before they released that particular edition.

You can find all the d20 stuff by just typing it in google. The d20 SRD (system reference documents) are the basic ideas behind rolling d20s and adding stats/skills to beat a difficulty. 3rd edition used d20 (well, I imagine they were developed at the same time).

I was just curious what your definition of d20 system is, because I used to play 1st ed. AD&D, and I distinctly remembered using d20's

Well it's not my defintion, WOTC quite literally called their "new" system d20 That particular dice has been around for a long long time however.

 

[drizztmainsword]

the d20 system refers to a few specific things:

-The idea of a "Difficulty Class" IE: you're trying to roll higher than a number. This is in contrast to ADnD (2nd edition) where all attack rolls were trying to hit zero.

-The specific combination of abilities(6), saves(3), skills(too many) and other values.

-The advancement system: move up levels gain feats, class abilities, and skill points in a regimented fashion.

Combat is another aspect of DnD that defines it. Based on rounds, turns, and the number of certain types of actions you can perform in a turn (such as Move Actions, Standard Actions, and Full Round Actions).


I personally find that the d20 system has aged rather badly. I'm working to develop a more free-form approach to table-top RPGs.

 

[Selka]

KOTOR was one of the best RPGs of its time when it came out. Sadly, it hasn't aged that well. The combat is slow, the "moral choices" are pretty cut and dry (there's good and there's evil, and it's pretty obvious which is which), the voice acting is poor compared to BioWare's more recent Mass Effect and Dragon Age, and the mini games just kind of suck. That being said, the story is awesome, there are some characters I found myself being really attached to, the spells you get access to and the feats are varied and fun, and the settings you go to post the first world (which is by far the worst part of the game) are all unique and have lots of life to them. It's certainly a classic that you should play if you claim to be a fan of computer RPGs, and it was brilliant in 2004, but the genre has progressed so much since then that there may be features you can't stand. I would give it until you get to Kashekk (or however you spell it), the game really picks up once you start going between different worlds.

 

[Selka]

the d20 system refers to a few specific things:

-The idea of a "Difficulty Class" IE: you're trying to roll higher than a number. This is in contrast to ADnD (2nd edition) where all attack rolls were trying to hit zero.

-The specific combination of abilities(6), saves(3), skills(too many) and other values.

-The advancement system: move up levels gain feats, class abilities, and skill points in a regimented fashion.

Combat is another aspect of DnD that defines it. Based on rounds, turns, and the number of certain types of actions you can perform in a turn (such as Move Actions, Standard Actions, and Full Round Actions).

This guy knows what he's talking about.
Difficulty Class was probably the best thing D20 ever did for table top RPGs, the rest of it is "meh..."

 

[Canadamus Prime]

Those + & - signs should be clickable. Really you should have gone through the process of adding stats and whatever when you first created your character, unless you just went with a premade character.

 

[Tireseas_v1legacy]

One thing I need to know: PC or X-Box? I've only played the X-Box version (both I and II) and I find the control scheme to be fairly intuitive.

As for the game, Taris is just the starting area (a common pattern in Bioware RPGs) and serves primarily to get you fully into the story and world. The game and story will greatly pick up after Taris.

 

[gmaverick019_v1legacy]

It's hard to tell whether or not my characters are attacking or just posing in front of the baddies, the controls feel really awkward, and Taris, where I'm at right now, is just really bland and confusing to travel around. I turned off the auto leveling option, but I can't figure how to add the stats I'm getting to my characters. There are a bunch of + signs and numbers next to my original stats, but I can't seem to use them.

All this confusion is most likely because I played Dragon Age before this. So I'm just going to ask, does it get better later on?

well kotor might be my favorite game hands down, so its hard to not be a fanboy on this

the menu is a bit different, i will agree there, i would say not to do auto leveling, try and figure it out again and build your own characters

(the computer will sometimes pick...horrible feats and force powers, where it causes massive facepalm on the waste of stats, since you dont get too many)

but the story really picks up after taris i think, the characters open up when you talk to them just like in DA:O, and if your playing on pc try some mods, a few at a time, as i had some of my save games get really messed up for having like 20 mods on one playthrough

good luck and hope you can enjoy it!

 

[Nigh Invulnerable]

You need to understand that the game is old, and that it is based off the d20 system (3rd edition D&D). Because it is essentially turn based that is concealed into real time combat, you should expect to see pauses in action, especially at low level when you have less attacks/round.

I would say you need to approach the game with a love of storyline and characters, because the combat and graphics are dated. That isn't to say the combat isn't challenging or dynamic or tactical, but ... yeah. Not so flashy anymore.

I found KOTOR to be 100 times the game Dragon Age is. I can't really think of anything apart from graphics that Dragon Age has that's better.

Wasn't d20 in place long before 3rd ed. DnD?

Yes and no. The die itself, in all its 20-sided goodness, has been part of D&D since the beginning, but the actual d20 game system came into being with 3rd edition. Older editions still used the d20 for a lot of things, but 3rd ed. made pretty much all rolls, aside from damage, based off a d20.

 

[SimuLord]

KOTOR drives me up a wall. There's a great game underneath Bioware's crappy gameplay mechanics. I hate the Aurora Engine with the burning passion of a thousand suns.

 

[GBlair88]

I picked up KOTOR a few months ago in a Steam sale and went into it expecting Mass Effect in the Star Wars universe. Gave up in less than ten minutes because the whole pointy clicky gameplay got irritating. Graphics weren't great but I looked past that because its such an old game and it gets so much praise here.

 

[drizztmainsword]

This guy knows what he's talking about.
Difficulty Class was probably the best thing D20 ever did for table top RPGs, the rest of it is "meh..."

I'd have to agree. I was working on an alternate random number engine, but I kept coming back to Difficulty Class. It's totally intuitive, and it works really well.

OT: I tried playing KOTOR, cause everybody said it was awesome. I went in there, found it rather buggy and not at all compelling.

 

[xXDeMoNiCXx]

Played the game twice and I'd probably play it again if I still had it. Definitely easier to get into if you start it without expecting anything similar to other games as it's its own type of game if that makes any sense.