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10-Oct-2003 We use the old Jedi mind trick on BioWare and walk away with all the revelations on the PC version of its Xbox RPG smash Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic has proved to be rather popular on its lead format, Xbox. Following launch, the role-playing game from BioWare became the fastest-selling title ever for Microsoft's console, proving that one should never ever underestimate the power of the Force.
With the Xbox version of KOTOR out there, BioWare can now turn full attention to completing the massively anticipated PC version of the RPG. We recently caught up with Knights of the Old Republic lead designer James Ohlen to talk about additions and enhancements made for this latter release, BioWare's thoughts on the success of the console version and much more:
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We suppose the most important question is: what's been added for the PC version of Knights of the Old Republic?
Ohlen: We have a new planet that you can visit; it's a space station orbiting the planet of Yavin. The space station is a small area where you can buy new items, meet a few new NPCs. It's got its own movies as well - one landing sequence and a leaving sequence.
We also have a bunch of new items - new weapons, armour, lightsaber crystals and a new colour of lightsaber. We've also spent a lot of time developing the keyboard and mouse interface to ensure that it's as intuitive as possible.
Probably most importantly, we have different resolutions, so you can play at 1600x1200, which is the maximum resolution and the game looks incredible at that resolution. All the textures are higher resolution and everything looks sharper. So I think that's probably the most impressive change.
Would you say that these changes have made the PC version a more accomplished game, or are both Xbox and PC versions as good as each other?
Ohlen: I think they're both good games in their own right. It really depends on what type of fan you are - if you love console games it's probably because you like to sit in your couch and have your controller in your hand and drink your beer while you're playing [laughs]. You're much more concentrated on your chair when you're at your computer.
But the PC game does have extra features that aren't in the Xbox version and that's because we had extra time to work on it.
Will this new content for the PC version be available for download for the Xbox version through Xbox Live?
Ohlen: Eventually the new items and the new planet featuring in the PC version will be downloadable through Xbox Live.
Have you got a time frame for that at the moment?
Ohlen: The Xbox Live stuff... Basically as soon as the PC version of KOTOR is done we'll finish off the Xbox Live stuff. And since it's essentially adding in the PC additions, it shouldn't take that long, I don't think. But we don't have an official date yet.
In KOTOR the player has the option to follow either the Light or Dark side of the Force - can parties of characters actually be made up of both Dark and Light Jedis?
Ohlen: Yes. The way it works is your main character is very important to the Republic war effort, and there's a reason - which becomes evident when a twist in the game is revealed - why the Jedi council really needs you on the mission you've been sent on. So the good Jedi are kind of like your friends but they are also your handlers. So when you're going down the Dark side they're constantly complaining and trying to get you to change.
However, as the game progresses obviously the relationships deteriorate, and if you go to the Dark side of the Force, by then end of the game you've either killed, betrayed or perhaps perverted to the Dark side, every other Jedi in your party.
Other elements of the game change as well, depending on which side of the Force players follow. The plot, for example...?
Ohlen: If you're following the Dark Side, instead of just wanting to destroy the Sith, you want to destroy the Sith master and supplant his as the master of the Dark side of the Force. So you have different motivations.
The good player wants to have the Republic win and the Sith to be driven out of the galaxy forever. But if you're evil, then you want to take over that conflict with the Republic yourself.
Obviously you're working for the Republic, and they don't know your motivations.
The Xbox version of KOTOR has been massive - the fastest-selling Xbox game of all time. That must have made you extremely happy, that you've been rewarded for all the work that's gone into the game?
Ohlen: Oh yes, we're very happy - it's our first console RPG. We were a little bit worried because we were trying to do something different from other console RPGs. We were trying to bring the BioWare style of game to console, which is a lot different from the Japanese style of role-playing game. We were worried how people would react to it, but it's been a very good reception.
KOTOR is set 4,000 years prior to the events portrayed in the movies, and this has allowed you to create new content for this massive and hugely popular universe that's now become part of the Star Wars mythos - how has it felt, being able to do this?
Ohlen: It's been lots of fun. My favourite movie of all time is The Empire Strikes Back - I'm a huge Star Wars geek [laughs]. And basically the chance to work on Star Wars is like a dream come true for me.
How much free rein did LucasArts give you in terms of developing content for the game?
Ohlen: LucasArts gave us a lot of free rein. We were able to develop the look of the game and develop the story for the game and the dialogue. LucasArts gave us feedback and guidance, but I think we only had two or three disagreements over story or art issues.
I was worried that, because it's LucasArts and because it's Star Wars, the biggest license in the world, it would be more difficult to get things passed but it was actually very easy. I think it was because we went 4,000 years in the past and that separated us from the continuity - we didn't have to worry about where Han Solo was, for example.
How different an experience do you think it would have been if you were basing the game in the "classic trilogy" era of Star Wars?
Ohlen: I think we would have had to modify the storyline completely, because we wouldn't have been able to have the galaxy-spanning threat and we would have had to make the story smaller.
When you're dealing with the current continuity, you're having to deal with all the other books and comics and movies and other games, and they all have their continuities and they all have to match together.
So we couldn't have a Sith lord who's destroying the whole Republic.
Obviously a big part of the appeal of KOTOR is that it's Star Wars, but what are the other ingredients that have lead to the winning formula?
Ohlen: I think because it's the first Star Wars role-playing game... It's a game that allows the players to live the movies like no other game has before. You get to create a character that's you and you get to live your childhood fantasies of like exploring the Star Wars galaxy and flying around in your own starship and visiting worlds that you've never seen before.
I think that's a really powerful appeal. I think role-playing games are built for Star Wars. In fact Star Wars is basically fantasy in space, so I'm surprised there weren't any Star Wars role-playing game before. We're very lucky to be the first.
Is that it now for BioWare and Star Wars, or would you do another Star Wars game if the opportunity arose?
Ohlen: That's up to LucasArts. There's nothing going on right now, but KOTOR has been a successful game so you never know - we'll see in the future.
