There's a lot of discussion about characters from the game, and from other Star Wars games, on this forum. Many times I've seen a lot of game mechanics referenced as the basis for certain infamous "What If" arguments (I'm looking at you, Meetra Surik fans) so I thought I would post an interesting tid bit from an article I found Here

Okay, with all that out of the way it’s time to talk about Revan – video game hero and literary protagonist. I know some people are concerned about the “power level” of Revan as a Jedi because of what they saw him accomplish in the video games. Other people are excited because they want to see Revan in a book smashing thousands of Sith with his uber-powers.

Let’s set the record straight right now: games and books are NOT the same thing. In a game, we have to constantly progress the power level of a character to keep things interesting. In a book, any character progression is slow and arduous – it often makes up the character arc, which is the whole point of the book. The two mediums are meant to convey different experiences and the two representations of the character cannot simply be laid overtop of each other.

To put it bluntly, Revan in the book will not be the uber-powered death machine you controlled at the end of the video game. You might have min-maxed your character to smack Darth Malak down in seconds without breaking a sweat, but in a book that battle would have been a brutal, hard fought affair spread over multiple pages. In a video game it’s fun to kill hundreds of Sith Masters, but in a book that would just be boring. It would suck out any drama or conflict or tension, and as an author I have no interest in writing that.

Now, I suspect some of you are already getting worked up about how I’m ruining SW canon by nerfing the Revan from the game. Well, tough. The game was a game – the powers and abilities you had in it were ways to make the game fun. They were representative of Revan’s power level versus enemies faced in the game, but they weren’t a blueprint of his abilities in the persistent fiction of the Star Wars universe.

I will applaud the day somebody makes a game where rather then killing thousands of worthless opponets, it more resembles a book where each encounter is truly intense and character building, so as the entire game only needs a handful of such opponents.

These battles would probably end up like 90% just talking/arguing. Personally, I would love that. He's right that a book trying to be like a game just full of hours of pure action would be terribly boring. Fight scenes in novels are usually the hardest to get through. But I would love to see it the other way around. A game could work like a book if done properly. Maybe it wouldn't be a blockbuster AAA title, but it could still be something amazing to people like me.

Bioshock Infinate just recently (like yesterday) made me think about this. All the action in that game actually bogs it down and sours the true art behind and all throughout it. I mean sure, its fun as hell, but some times, when a game's story is a true work of art, I wish the actual video gaming had been separated, and just been able to have this interactive narrative on its own in all its uninterrupted glory.

And to be fair there are some shorter indie games that already do this, and I love those. But I would like to see it on a grander scale some day. And no, Heavy Rain isn't what I'm talking about. Just a long sequence of QT events is dreadful.

I was more concerned over how he reduced Revan to a blathering, genocidal fool in a subplot riddled with inconsistencies than the disparity between his power levels from one form of media to the next, but hey.

Not sure if he wrote that part of the game. He said most of his work was on the Jedi Knight storyline, so while it's possible he wrote that part of it, it's also possible that he passed on the responsibilities for writing Revan's character to other members of the BioWare team.

It'd be more convincing if he would actually let Revan DIE.

He got 300 years more than he should have. How bout Drew prove that Revan is not the Immortal Master of the Force?

I will applaud the day somebody makes a game where rather then killing thousands of worthless opponets, it more resembles a book where each encounter is truly intense and character building, so as the entire game only needs a handful of such opponents.

 

These battles would probably end up like 90% just talking/arguing. Personally, I would love that. He's right that a book trying to be like a game just full of hours of pure action would be terribly boring. Fight scenes in novels are usually the hardest to get through. But I would love to see it the other way around. A game could work like a book if done properly. Maybe it wouldn't be a blockbuster AAA title, but it could still be something amazing to people like me.

I've found that good books have exciting action sequences because of the build up and anticipation created by the story. In ME3, when I finally caught up to Kai Leng and curb stomped his sorry ***, it was glorious. That was a good story/action mix. I wish that TOR were the same way, where I had enemies I hunted and interacted with instead of slogging through endless hordes of identical encounters which are always just slightly hard enough that I don't feel comfortable taking my hands off the keyboard.

Bioshock Infinate just recently (like yesterday) made me think about this. All the action in that game actually bogs it down and sours the true art behind and all throughout it. I mean sure, its fun as hell, but some times, when a game's story is a true work of art, I wish the actual video gaming had been separated, and just been able to have this interactive narrative on its own in all its uninterrupted glory.

 

And to be fair there are some shorter indie games that already do this, and I love those. But I would like to see it on a grander scale some day. And no, Heavy Rain isn't what I'm talking about. Just a long sequence of QT events is dreadful.

A game like what you're describing would be a good bit of fun, especially if you don't have the time to deal with repetitive combat encounters in an RPG. If I want to play recycled action sequences, there are first person shooters that handle it much better than any RPG. Diablo II and III give me all the hotkey based combat I could want.

When I play an RPG, I'm looking for great story and characters, with interesting choices presented to me that let me shape the outcome of the story. A little bit of action is fun, but I should be able to scale the level of action I want. If I choose to go in guns blazing, or negotiate, or use stealth and subterfuge to defeat an "encounter" I should get the same amount of experience, but a dramatically different story outcome.

The problem in TOR is that there is no real choice, except at a few small moments in the class story, and even then it's really not much.

It'd be more convincing if he would actually let Revan DIE.

 

He got 300 years more than he should have. How bout Drew prove that Revan is not the Immortal Master of the Force?

I agree. Let Revan die.

Have come back as a ghost if you MUST, but otherwise let him go his game was ten years a go.

I agree. Let Revan die.

 

Have come back as a ghost if you MUST, but otherwise let him go his game was ten years a go.

The Revan novel did a kinda sucky job of his story, so I'm glad he made an appearance in TOR. However I agree that his path is over now, although I understand BioWare's decision to make his death inconclusive, its always good to keep your options open.

He also ruined Darth Gravus.

I hated Darth Gravus, and savored his destruction.

Why? He's a very cool Sith.

Very interesting, I love how blunt Drew is about it. But yeah, game mechanics need to be taken with a pinch of salt.

agreed 100% it's noticeable that the most "over hyped" characters in SW canon are from video games

Guys, Revan had only made an appearance in one game since TOR. And technically that wasn't even an appearance as you had complete control over his appearance and personality. What's more his fate was left at a cliff hanger and the big question surrounding that game was 'what happened to Revan?' The least BioWare could do is answer that question and give Revan's story some closure - and at the same time canonise his character.

 

The Revan novel did a kinda sucky job of his story, so I'm glad he made an appearance in TOR. However I agree that his path is over now, although I understand BioWare's decision to make his death inconclusive, its always good to keep your options open.[/color]

All I want to know is if Revan died or not. If he did, fine. If he didn't, then it's time to conclude his story.

I will applaud the day somebody makes a game where rather then killing thousands of worthless opponets, it more resembles a book where each encounter is truly intense and character building, so as the entire game only needs a handful of such opponents.

Shadow of the Colossus

Shadow of the Colossus

Wasn't really any character building or... anything.. except fighting bosses. A little emotional but only in the ambiguous make your own kind of way. So again not what I'm talking about.

Why? He's a very cool Sith.

Well, firstly he has no sense of style concerning the proper attire of a Sith Lord. I mean when did he get that outfit, lvl 15? Secondly, he can't keep his stupid apprentice on a tight leash and let's her go galavanting about the place like a deranged Akk dog. And finally, he had the audacity to threaten me when I destroyed the impertinent worm. Ha! As if he could destroy me... weak fool.

He used Thana quite well, as a competitor to encourage you to destroy the pubs on Taris

What are you talking about? He was quite calm when you tell him you killed Thana.