| Lightsaber Combat
Now I liked KOTOR as much as anyone, but after abusing Final Fantasy XI and other such real-time combat RPGs, I grow weary of the standard "toolbar" of combat, where you just hit the execute button on a little function button for "Attack" or "Critical Strike" or a power. I think KOTOR III should try NOT to emulate the previous two as much as they did each other. I mean, there were SOME sweet additions to KOTOR II as opposed to its prequel. I think the best one would have to be the fact that when you empty a wicker box or a plasteel cylinder, it'll actually say "(Empty)" beside it when targeted. I loved it because I didn't feel like running around Nar Shaddaa checking every box fourteen times like I did on Taris. Other than that, there weren't enough differences. They made it so that statistics applied more to the Lab Station and Workbench stuff, but it was irrelevant. You don't actually need to ever even use a workbench, or Adrenal Alacrity, or any of that jazz. There are just too many unnecessary things going on. For once I'd like to see a game that forces you to take advantage of every aspect. Por ejemplo: In 1987 SNK made an 8-bit Nintendo title called "Crystalis". It was my favorite RPG of all-time, and when you fought particular enemies, you needed to wield certain weapons and relics to even do damage to them, and, you needed to be a certain level. Here we are almost 20 years later with hundreds of buttons to learn per controller, and games are getting EASIER?! "Disturbing, this is."
I think KOTOR III could incorporate a renovated battle system where when you engage in your queue, pick about 8 general commands, (Attack, Power Attack, Force Aura, whatever) and within each command is a certain time interval that increases with level. In this interval, for instance, while the "Attack" function is active, there would be specific combos to learn and execute, rather than just hitting the OK button 100 times. Force Powers could be just one button on the battle toolbar, instead of having them in a slot and scrolling through them up and down. When you execute "Force Power" in your queue, and that interval begins, then there would be button combos for each force power. These more interactive abilities would pave the way for up-close, detailed real-time combat, with realistic strategic elements that would keep us on our toes. Other than that, I feel that most aspects of the series are well-structured. Maybe you'll all think I'm crazy or not be able to picture it as I have, but I just figured I should put it out there.  |