BioWare's new Star Wars MMO covers a lot of ground when it comes the pre-history of Luke Skywalker's universe. But, even with all the gameplay and dialogue in The Old Republic, there' s still lots of stories to be told about the conflicts between Jedi, Sith, Mandalorians and The Republic of the old.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic: War—written by John Jackson Miller and drawn by Andrea Mutti—chronicles one Jedi's saga as the galaxy's most powerful factions collide into full-blown armed conflict. If you're a fan of the video games set in The Old Republic era, you might even see some familiar names, too.
The first issue of the Dark Horse comics limited series is out today, but you can win a free copy by putting your own dialogue into the words and captions into the blank spots below. You'll have until noon on Friday to post your entry in the thread below and we'll pick out ten lucky winners from the submissions.
In addition to the fame and adoration of your fellow Kotaku readers, winners will get a free digital version of the first issue of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic: War. After entering the redemption code at Dark Horse Digital, ten winners will be able to read the digital comic on a web browser or on an iOS device via their app.
1. Create your entry.
2. Upload it to a free image hosting service. I suggest imgur. It's stupid simple. No account is necessary.
3. This is very important: You must use the URL of the image itself. In imgur, this is the second URL it gives you after you upload the image. It's under "Direct Link (email & IM)"
4. At the beginning of the comments roll, click "Start a New Thread"
5. To the right of your name, select "Image." 6. Paste the imgur URL in the image URL field. It's the field that says "Image URL."
7. You can add editorial commentary if you want, but then just hit submit and your image will load. If it doesn't, paste the image URL as a comment.
8. This is important: Keep your image size under 1 MB. It will not upload to comments if it is over that size. What's more, we're getting reports that if your 'Shop is more than 1000px tall (vertical), it won't upload. If you're getting the broken-image icon, try resizing to a smaller dimension.
Last Friday we announced 1997's Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II was the next addition our growing list of video game classics, presented by MobyGames.com.
Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II finally gave Star Wars fans the power that they've always wanted: the ability to use a lightsaber. Released as a follow-up to LucasArts' first shooter, Dark Forces, it continued the story of the mercenary Kyle Katarn as he raced against Sith Lord Jarec to find the legendary Valley of the Jedi, and realize his true Force potential.
Many folks like Shacknews user reznory remembers Jedi Knight quite fondly, especially it's vertigo-inducing level design. He calls it "One of the best FPS of all time," adding that, "The vertical scale in most levels was insane. I actually felt the sensation of being afraid of heights."
Shacknews user timmie concurs. "The scale of the maps in that game were awesome," he writes. "The one map where you have to walk along some girders of a bridge freaked me the fuck out when I was a kid. It felt like I was 10 miles up in the air."
For Shacknews user jipey, Jedi Knight served as an early inspiration to get into game development. "JK was the game that lured me into editing," he states. "The user community developed a custom level editor (JED), documented JK's scripting language (COG), and shared dozens of tutorials and hundreds of levels and mods. The homegrown nature of the editing community inspired creativity and openness long before any gamers got their hands on engines like Epic's UDK."
"I can't believe the game came out when I was 11 years old; looking back 14 years later, it's hard not to smile as I prepare to start a gig at an awesome game studio," jipey writes. "Bigger team, faster computers, but it's still a community of dedicated folks working to inspire and entertain. Thanks for starting me on this journey, Kyle Katarn. Even if you did find a lightsaber in your dad's garage and call yourself a Jedi."
Kyle Katarn, a former mercenary and now an ally of the rebels, discovers that he is in fact a Jedi, and is on a quest to find his lightsaber and learn the techniques of the Force. The evil Sith lord Jerec, who was responsible for the death of Kyle's father, is on a quest of his own, searching a mythical place called Valley of the Jedi, where his dark powers could be unleashed. Will Kyle be able to stop Jerec and become a true Jedi without falling to the dark side?
Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II is a sequel to Dark Forces. The game is set in Star Wars universe and its events occur after those depicted in the movie Return of the Jedi (Episode VI). Primarily a first-person, 3D shooter, the game also allows the player to switch to third-person perspective. Kyle can use blasters and rifles to take care of his enemies, and later in the game is also able to fight enemies with a lightsaber.
Moby Games Classic is our chance to look back at the games that helped shape the video game industry with the help of our sister site MobyGames.com. It combines a short history lesson on the title and anecdotes from the Shacknews community.
Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II finally gave Star Wars fans the power that they've always wanted: the ability to use a lightsaber. Released as a follow-up to LucasArts' first shooter, Dark Forces, it continued the story of the mercenary Kyle Katarn as he raced against Sith Lord Jarec to find the legendary Valley of the Jedi, and realize his true Force potential.
Today we add 1997's classic shooter, Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II, to our growing list of video game classics, presented by MobyGames.com.
MobyGames reviewer Chris Martin highlights two of his favorite aspects of Jedi Knight: the high-quality soundtrack and effects. "John Williams," he states. "The name alone means that LucasArts was smart enough to put REAL soundtracks from the movies into the game, and not just MIDI recreations of them. The weapon fire, the whine of Tie Bombers, and Crunching sound of AT-ST's walking around give the game that much more 'authentic' atmosphere than most 3D-shooters."
While fans were excited to try out the lightsaber, LucasArts certainly left some room for improvement. "The game's biggest selling point is, of course, is the chance to brandish a lightsaber, and it is precisely here that the game blows it," notes MobyGames reviewer Zovni. "When it comes to lightsaber fights the game really comes apart," he explains, "since the collision detection between the swords is poorly realized and you simply go at it smashing all the buttons you can and praying that you hit and don't get hit."
Tell Us Your Stories! We want to hear about your experiences with Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II. Tell us your stories. Why did you love it? What drove you crazy? Remember it fondly with us in the comments below. We'll select some of your thoughts and memories and add it to a Weekend Update to this feature.
Kyle Katarn, a former mercenary and now an ally of the rebels, discovers that he is in fact a Jedi, and is on a quest to find his lightsaber and learn the techniques of the Force. The evil Sith lord Jerec, who was responsible for the death of Kyle's father, is on a quest of his own, searching a mythical place called Valley of the Jedi, where his dark powers could be unleashed. Will Kyle be able to stop Jerec and become a true Jedi without falling to the dark side?
Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II is a sequel to Dark Forces. The game is set in Star Wars universe and its events occur after those depicted in the movie Return of the Jedi (Episode VI). Primarily a first-person, 3D shooter, the game also allows the player to switch to third-person perspective. Kyle can use blasters and rifles to take care of his enemies, and later in the game is also able to fight enemies with a lightsaber.
Moby Games Classic is our chance to look back at the games that helped shape the video game industry with the help of our sister site MobyGames.com. It combines a short history lesson on the title and anecdotes from the Shacknews community.
The Daily Wishlist Giveaway continues today on Steam. Each day 10 people will win the top 10 games on their wishlist!
To enter, you must have a Steam account and a Wishlist with at least 10 games, and each day you will need to visit the gamepage of the featured daily deal. The Daily Wishlist Giveaway began December 1st and will continue into the holiday season.
BioWare's iconic role-playing game Knights of the Old Republic will be half-price, £3.50, on Steam this weekend.
It's part of a weekend-long Steam Star Wars deal timed to coincide with the Blu-ray release of the Star Wars Saga.
Other discounted Star Wars games on Steam include Battlefront II, Republic Commando and Empire at War.
Knights of the Old Republic reinvigorated the Star Wars licence for gamers. It's set thousands of years before the Star Wars films. You are a mysterious stranger with no memory of your past. You escape an attack on your rescuer's ship, and your subsequent mission to rescue a Jedi marks the beginning of an epic tale.
Eurogamer called Knights of the Old Republic as "the best Star Wars game since X-Wing and/or Tie Fighter, if not ever". Kieron Gillen's Knights of the Old Republic review for Eurogamer awarded a delicious 9/10.
The success of Knights of the Old Republic lead to a sequel (developed by Obsidian) and to BioWare's biggest ever project, MMO Star Wars: The Old Republic. The success of KOTOR also helped bring about the Mass Effect series of games, which share many similarities.
X-Wing and Tie Fighter dev LucasArts is hiring staff for an Aerial Combat Title.
Experience with flight sims, aerial shooters and "especially space-based shooters" is considered "a plus", according to a senior gameplay engineer job advert.
Could LucasArts be in the throes of reviving 1990's spaceship shooter series X-Wing?
There's no indication yet of what they are. A third Star Wars Battlefront game has long been lost in development purgatory, and was once in the hands of TimeSplitters studio Free Radical Design.
Earlier this year, LucasArts signed the Unreal engine for use in "multiple" titles. LucasArts boss Paul Meegan also promised to make better games than 5/10 effort The Force Unleashed 2.
In June this year LucasArts admitted its recent games hadn't been good enough - but promised to do better in the future.
"LucasArts is a company with tremendous potential," boss Paul Meegan said. "I think people look at it and wonder why it hasn't done better in recent years.
"Lucasfilm has some of the most beloved and powerful brands in entertainment, we have a loyal community of fans, and talented people in every discipline. We're surrounded by staggeringly bright and creative people at the top of their games.
"In recent years, LucasArts hasn't always done a good job of making games. We should be making games that define our medium, that are competitive with the best of our industry, but we're not. That has to change.
"Our priority is to create authentic, immersive, high quality Star Wars games."
Star Wars The Force Unleashed creator LucasArts has admitted its recent games haven't been good enough but promised to do better in the future.
5/10 was the verdict in Eurogamer's The Force Unleashed II review. "While there are certainly pleasures to be had in The Force Unleashed II, they come off as the dregs of a concept that has run its course," wrote John Teti.
Now, LucasArts plans to return with a bang with better games.
"LucasArts is a company with tremendous potential," boss Paul Meegan told MCV. "I think people look at it and wonder why it hasn't done better in recent years.
"Lucasfilm has some of the most beloved and powerful brands in entertainment, we have a loyal community of fans, and talented people in every discipline. We're surrounded by staggeringly bright and creative people at the top of their games.
"In recent years, LucasArts hasn't always done a good job of making games. We should be making games that define our medium, that are competitive with the best of our industry, but we're not. That has to change.
"Our priority is to create authentic, immersive, high quality Star Wars games."
A number of Star Wars games are in development but none announced are being made inside LucasArts.
BioWare is hard at work on the Star Wars The Old Republic MMO, and Terminal Reality is creating Star Wars Kinect.
Sometimes Easy Mode just isn't enough. In today's Speak-Up on Kotaku, commenter Sullyville begs game developers for an option to skip the harder sections of games altogether.
So I always choose to play games on Easy for a reason. I am not so good at them.
I love games to death, but usually death is what ends up loving me.
There are several games I have never finished. Not because I didn't love them, but because I kept dying.
God of War 3's spike room is the last thing I saw in that game. I never got by Force Unleashed's star destroyer.
You could tell me to "suck less", and all I can do is confess, "I suck." But as a result of this, I've stopped buying games and started renting them because I don't know if a game is going to stymie me at some point, and make me feel like an idiot because I spent $60 on a game I could only get to the third chapter of.
So I am making a plea to all developers out there: PLEASE MAKE A 'SKIP TO THE NEXT CHECKPOINT' button on the pause screen. Please make it an industry standard like a pause button, or an options screen. I don't care if I miss some of the story. I don't care if you disable achievements or trophies from that point on. I don't care if by using it I give up my gamer card or any gamer cred. LET ME FINISH MY GAME. LET ME SEE THE END.
I choose Easy for a reason. Please make it easy on me.
About Speak-Up on Kotaku: Our readers have a lot to say, and sometimes what they have to say has nothing to do with the stories we run. That's why we have a forum on Kotaku called Speak-Up. That's the place to post anecdotes, photos, game tips and hints, and anything you want to share with Kotaku at large. Every weekday we'll pull one of the best Speak-Up posts we can find and highlight it here.
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