Update 5/6/2012
RoR will make some new uses or tweaks with the Kotor2’s Skill system and the second is about expanding the team.
We will not be removing any existing skill mechanics but to expand so these skills can influence certain events in the game.
Computer Use Skill- This skill will no longer be tied to computer spikes. Computer Spikes will now be something you could just sell for extra money since now your skill number will more directly influence your ability to slice into a computer. All players will be able to slice into a computer but your computer skill number will determine your options.
An example will be a player will slice a computer with a low skill number will get the normal access but if their skill number is high then you might unlock a chance to gas the enemies in the next room or activate a turret. Sometimes these options could be info on enemies in the area or tips, lore, etc. This skill does connect on the Security Skill since both are very close in nature. To help make a distinction between the two its best to look at Computer skill is about moving around the system while Security Skill revolves around defense or walls that involve access a door. I will explain more in the Security Skill section. But if you want to be a great slicer its best to get points in both of these areas since at times they will piggyback each other.
Demolition Skill- This skill will now be checked at times during a conversation that will be about explosives. As Nindo being a arms dealer, this skill might get checked during some of his conversations with this companion.
Stealth Skill- no changes or tweaks
Awareness Skill- This will now be checked during conversations as well as investigating locations throughout the level. There will be invisible placeables which the player can click and there could be checks on the awareness that will determine what you discover including hints on lore, people, and even discover items/weapons. One goal I would like to do is to have some dialogue scenes play out a little different based on this awareness check.
An Example will be a player who talks to a NPC and due to their Awareness level they can see that the NPC has a tattoo or marking that resembles a certain Hutt gang or another faction. This then can be clicked and influence how you could handle this NPC where another player would not get this option due to a low level of Awareness.
Persuade Skill- This skill will work as the original use but we hope to expand on its use in major event/scenes.
Repair Skill- We are looking to expand this into Crafting/Modifying gear for your Jedi to allow you to wear armor and still use Jedi Powers. The system which is still being tweaked for balance will allow players to take armor and modify it so you can use all force powers but will lower the original armor defense number so the player is not over powering yet can live out that non conventional Jedi dream. This skill will also be used in the creation of Jedi Armor Robes.
Security Skill- This will be about breaking through secured doors as well as gaining access to secured sections of the computer system. These checks will be not as common as the Computer skill ones since this involves high level security areas.
An example of this is a player is trying to open a secured door and the Security skill number determines how many waves of enemies will attack you before you get past the security on the door. Think of Return of the Jedi where Han Solo is trying to get the security door open to the base on Endor, you will have a scene of dialogue then enemies then another short dialogue then the next wave. If the Security skill is high you will have just one or two waves verse a possible two extra waves.
Treat Injury Skill- no changes or tweaks
The Lightsaber Creations system/Progressive system
During the game there will be points where you will find damaged lightsaber hilts which will come from enemies who use a saber or found hidden within the game. This will allow me to control the number of lightsabers you can build and keep your items list from being clogged.
Once you have a damaged saber hilt you can then go to the workbench and select to create a new lightsaber. You will then create a general blue color lightsaber from the damaged hilt piece.
After you are done with this the workbench screen will ask you to choose a progression style. Each style will also have its own lightsaber hilt name. The player will have a few styles to select from which are based on lightsaber fighting forms like Makashi and Shii-Cho. Once you choose the style you will then choose the color of the crystal you will use to make this Style/Form Crystal. You will only be able to have one blue Makashi style crystal since if you have 2 and you go to change styles it will destroy all with the blue Makashi style tag. You can have a green, yellow and blue Makashi style crystals just not 2 of the same color for that style.
You then can go in and upgrade your basic lightsaber with the new color/style crystal which will then change the hilt and add the bonuses to the saber. Each style will have its own personality and bonuses which reflect that type of fighting style. Many of these saber styles will add bonuses to areas which other upgrades don't.
As you progress in your PC's levels you will be able to go back and update the style crystal to the next level. I plan to have the style crystals increase levels every three levels the PC gains.
You will be able to jump from one style to another by simply removing the crystal from the saber and then go into the workbench and select that style crystal which gives you choices in the styles you can change them to. If you do not like the style then simply change it back there are not penalties. This system is meant to be user friendly and bug free.
Going back to the selection of crystals colors;
Revenge of Revan will be doing something different because of the way the lightsaber creation operates. In the game you will start off with the option of blue, yellow and green for the colors of your style crystals. In the game you will find out that a friend of Kaila has just stolen some crystals which they thought were very expensive but instead they ended up stealing a shipment of crystals which are used by the Jedi for their lightsabers. Kaila will strike a deal and the stolen blue, green, and yellow lightsaber crystals will be sent to your ship the Raptor. During you adventure you can pay for this smuggler to hand over other lightsaber crystal colors or you can try to find stashes of these during your adventure which might include buying from merchants. Once you have the new crystal color then you will be able to use that crystal color in creating your new style crystal. When changing styles the crystal will transfer to that same color. Later in the game there will be an option to transfer then to different color crystals.
Balancing the System with existing upgrades for your lightsaber:
To balance the system so you don't end up with over powered lightsabers I have decided that the two extra crystal upgrades will be items which are hard to find and will sometimes be involved with side quests and other side missions. There might be a few that can be bought but I plan to keep many of them as rare. This means while conducting a side quest you might want to look around since you might only get one shot to get the crystal without paying. More details on these upgrade crystals will come later as we balance the game. As for the Lenses, Cells, and Emitters; they are 90-95 percent crafted items. This will give a player a purpose to do some crafting for their sabers. I will be looking over the present crafting system in the game to see if the itemcreate.2da needs to be tweak for these three lightsaber upgrades.
I have not disclosed the double sided lightsaber but this will work in the basic matter.
There will be no building of short sabers since there are few skins and in most cases players rather use two lightsabers verse a short saber with the other lightsaber.
The number of how many lightsaber styles there will be is still not decided but you will come across more styles by unlocking them from holocrons, party members, or even some NPCs.
I would like to say thanks to DarthParametric and Trigger for allowing to use their saber hilts for the demo video/modcast and also to allow me to use some of their saber hilt for the Revenge of Revan Mod.
MORE TO COME.........
Logan
Sounds good to me.