Knights of the Fallen Empire...Good or not so good? [Spoilers]

[Cathana]

Hi all o/..
I finished the kotfe story and omg !! i loved it ..all of it!!...its draged me in it from the start to the end!..

And wonder what all of you tought of the new story?

[Iaera]

There are some things I liked. There are some things I didn't like.

I liked a lot of the visuals, the environment design, some of the thematic callbacks, and the use of music. I like Koth, and of course some of the returning characters as well. I thought the character development was stronger in the earlier chapters, but started to get rather weak by the end.

The things I did not like would probably require an essay or two. So I'll just keep it simple and say Seyna & Vaylin. Grrnnhgh.

[SquigglyV]

I like most of KOTFE, though I expected a bit more variety in the choices we are able to make. It feels a bit too linear imo, at least so far, and I wish the new companions had more quests. Visuals were great, cutscenes were excellent, the story itself was just alright but the dialogue and writing was incredible. Also has addictive star fortresses. Overall I love it and definitely enjoyed it, but I think it could have been a bit better.

4.0 on the other hand, I pretty much hate completely.

[kitaree]

KOTFE was an interactive linear cinematic experience. Taken as that, it was fine, which we should expect from Bioware. However it had nothing to do with an MMO. In fact, patch 4.0 brings SWTOR into much more of a single player than an MMO, by speeding up the leveling process even more, and making most of the new areas instanced and linear, along with no new raid or operation or pvp area, and a single FP.

Also, removing all of our previous companions is a kick in the teeth.

[Toasty McGrath]

I can only comment on the storyline, but overall it seems pretty cool. I do agree with Iaera about the antagonists being the weakest link in the chain, though. They seem one-dimensional and bland, which is in complete contrast to the deep, emotional feel we first got from the Sacrifice trailer.

[Orell]

I liked it. I'm glad that they were willing to say "Screw it, lets just go all out with the damn cutscenes and story beats. Why the hell not, am I right?"

I loved how they handled the choices of how to use V's awesome power. First, putting Lana (the only returning love interest at that point) in mortal danger, and was the only time that Story!Shaantil gave in and let him loose (show of hands, who's surprised?). Then making you fight Douche-scryer a second time if you refuse the power...

...and the third time, having you get stabbed in the gut if you refused it against Half-Mask. Sort of a great "I don't need your he- I IMMEDIATELY REGRET THIS DECISION!" thing :D.

The comedy in the story was wonderful too (although I was reeeeeaaaaally tempted to force-choke Tora...), with tons of great lines coming from more or less all corners. I kinda have a feeling people will be referencing the "Three minutes!" running gag from time to time.

I don't mind the linearity. The more linear, the more cohesive a story can get, because the writers don't have to keep going "Wait, what if they did X? Gaaah, that would make no sense, gotta rewrite this...".

I've got my own theories about Emperor V's different attitude to the Zemps, and where the Eternal Fleet came from (...basically, Revan on both counts :D ), but that's a longer rant.

There are two problems that I've got so far, though...

1: Koth and Seyna's attitude towards V is... frustrating. I get it's kinda supposed to be, and Seyna has completely legit reasons for her mindset, but it just feels like it's a bit overkill. I don't expect them to suddenly be all "Yeah, V's a bastard", but... I would've liked it to be a bit more of a pecker slap to them, getting them to consider that their idol/lover was not entirely the man they thought they knew.

2: The Republic/Imperial Team Up issues. I'm not against the Republic and Empire teaming up against the Zemps, mind you, or even that some Sith and Jedi would be able to work together for the common good.

But it should be harder than this. There are hardline Sith out there that are still going around killing everyone they can. There are Jedi that have seen more than enough of the Sith's horrors that they could never see themselves trusting the Sith for even a moment.

It doesn't feel like the story is trying too much to force the two sides to work together... yet... but there really does need to be that conflict and frustration. It shouldn't be a campfire singalong, the Alliance should be an overflowing powder keg next to a fireplace. Hopefully they'll go into that more in the future, and not just in a "There's something wrong with the people that can't set aside their differences!" manner.

...but that's the future. Should at least be interesting to see.

[kitaree]

The constant collaborating is one of the main negative points of the last few expansions. It doesn't feel like Star Wars at all, in fact it feels more like Mass Effect where you have to gather your team from various species to fight a common enemy.

Star Wars has always been about Light vs Dark. They don't even touch how the ZEmp Force users even balance the Light/Dark aspects, or whether they are one or the other, when it's supposed to be incredibly rare and hard to be grey.

[Orell]

The constant collaborating is one of the main negative points of the last few expansions. It doesn't feel like Star Wars at all, in fact it feels more like Mass Effect where you have to gather your team from various species to fight a common enemy.

Star Wars has always been about Light vs Dark. They don't even touch how the ZEmp Force users even balance the Light/Dark aspects, or whether they are one or the other, when it's supposed to be incredibly rare and hard to be grey.

Aye, but on the other hand, the KOTOR stuff has done a good job of delving into the Grayness, whether dealing with Jolee Bindo, the... debatable actions of the council regarding Revan and the Mandalorian War, and then there's all of KOTOR 2...

To me, this first 9 chapters is basically set-up: They set up the new threat (the Zemps, particularly the villains), why they're so powerful (the Eternal Fleet), the glimmer of hope that gives us a chance (the Gravestone), a hint of the wider impact (the Asylum), round out the cast of characters (Koth/Lana/Seyna/T7/SCORPIO, the scryers and the villains), remind us that this won't be easy (blowing up the Asylum) and then setting up how we can scale up to actually be a threat to the enemy.

My hope is that they take their time with the story. That they do worldbuilding, like what makes Zakuul so special, what exactly is up with the Knights, how the Jedi and the Sith react to it all...

That's the advantage of the Episodic format, there's no real hard limit on how long the story can be. They just need to take advantage of it.

[Crimsen]

The constant collaborating is one of the main negative points of the last few expansions. It doesn't feel like Star Wars at all, in fact it feels more like Mass Effect where you have to gather your team from various species to fight a common enemy.

Star Wars has always been about Light vs Dark. They don't even touch how the ZEmp Force users even balance the Light/Dark aspects, or whether they are one or the other, when it's supposed to be incredibly rare and hard to be grey.

Aye, but on the other hand, the KOTOR stuff has done a good job of delving into the Grayness, whether dealing with Jolee Bindo, the... debatable actions of the council regarding Revan and the Mandalorian War, and then there's all of KOTOR 2...

To me, this first 9 chapters is basically set-up: They set up the new threat (the Zemps, particularly the villains), why they're so powerful (the Eternal Fleet), the glimmer of hope that gives us a chance (the Gravestone), a hint of the wider impact (the Asylum), round out the cast of characters (Koth/Lana/Seyna/T7/SCORPIO, the scryers and the villains), remind us that this won't be easy (blowing up the Asylum) and then setting up how we can scale up to actually be a threat to the enemy.

My hope is that they take their time with the story. That they do worldbuilding, like what makes Zakuul so special, what exactly is up with the Knights, how the Jedi and the Sith react to it all...

That's the advantage of the Episodic format, there's no real hard limit on how long the story can be. They just need to take advantage of it.

That and the collaboration was only with a select few. For example, in SOR only those under Satele and Darth Marr's command aligned together. And during Forged Alliances, it was only 2 people- Lana and Theron. As far as we know, the Republic and Empire were still very much at war, which got confirmed during the Ziost episode where the Republic and 0 qualms about sending a huge fleet the moment the Sith Empire was vulnerable.

If anything, I'd say faction-wise the Alliance could be considered a faction on its own made up of a very select few of those within the Eternal Empire, Sith Empire, Republic, and Hutt Cartel that actually think working together will defeat the enemy as opposed to continuing the war. And even in that we already see some cracks, such as some of the smugglers still trying to sell things and even charges the alliance for their services. My guess the next chapters will show that not everything is a basket of roses, and there are people there for the wrong reasons.

[Orell]

Oh, I put up a post on ze official forums about a theory I've had about Emperor V and the Eternal Fleet: http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=844701

[Karmic]

Ok I've just cleared the first two chapters, and am starting chapter three.  Want to be sure I made sense of the jumping around...

Spoiler Rich here for the two first chapters!!



Ok so in Chapter one - we're on Marr's ship, they've been attacking... blahblahblah - Marr informs you they've been hitting, killing, and running to disappear.  You discuss this odd thing. And then BAM ITS THE BORG err only ZUUL err.. Zakul. 

They take out Marr's ship, and take prisoner <insert your character here> and Marr.

Chapter two - Marr says no; he biffs it.  You say *whatever you say here* and Zeus   err Valkorian says "HAHA I got dis..." and while he's blue lighting your chest his son comes and "kills him".  Takes over.  You get blamed.

You get put in Carbonite for XYZ Time and while you're there you and Valkoiran play around with visions in your head, while you're being poisoned in Carbonite.

Chapter three - Lana's just busted you out; and that's when you find out "The Imperial and Republic Forces have been almost totally wiped out."  But you stll don't know how long you've been in there.

~~~~

I'm trying to get clear - Zakul "wiped our forces with the twins" - was that between the NOW in game and Chapter One.  Or is that taking place between 2 and 3 while you're in Carbonite?

~~~

This expansion really confused me up front with all this plot that supposedly already happened, but never happened, during our "now".. So just trying to figure out where Karmic's head is at before she's on Marr's ship in Chapter 1.  Are we decimated already? Or does that happen while you're in carbon-sleep?

[Crimsen]

Actually Lana busting you out is chapter 4. Chapter 3 is when you're talking to Valkorian over the 5 years.

As for the trailers, that supposedly happened while everyone was busy on Ziost and couldn't go defend Korriban.

Decimation happens in carbon sleep. ((No offense but if you kept playing some of your questions would be answered in the story...))

[Karmic]

Actually Lana busting you out is chapter 4. Chapter 3 is when you're talking to Valkorian over the 5 years.

As for the trailers, that supposedly happened while everyone was busy on Ziost and couldn't go defend Korriban.

Decimation happens in carbon sleep. ((No offense but if you kept playing some of your questions would be answered in the story...))

I only had one question; and that was when did Zakul overrun the Republic and the Empire.

The rest was a synopsis and I was making sure I understood the events.

To "Keep playing" or not isn't always by choice. Some of us have bedtimes ....

[Brintte]

Spoiler: show

I am just SO happy about the Mandos still be fighting 5 years after while the Pubs and Imps aren't. THANK YOU BIOWARE! The Expac made me really really happy.

[Toasty McGrath]

Spoiler: show

I am just SO happy about the Mandos still be fighting 5 years after while the Pubs and Imps aren't. THANK YOU BIOWARE! The Expac made me really really happy.

Which scene established this?