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Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (series)
Encyclopedia
The Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic series, often abbreviated as KotOR, is a comic book and RPG
video game series based on the fictional universe of Star Wars
by George Lucas
. The first video game installment was developed by BioWare
, while the second was done by Obsidian Entertainment
per LucasArts' request. and they were both published by LucasArts
. The comic series was published by Dark Horse Comics
. This series acts as a prequel to the films.
's Star Wars Roleplaying Game
, which is based on the d20
role-playing game system
derived from the Third Edition Dungeons & Dragons
rules. Combat is round-based; time is divided into discrete rounds, and combatants attack and react simultaneously. However, the number of actions a combatant may perform each round is limited. While each round's duration is a fixed short interval of real time, the player can configure the combat system to pause at specific events or at the end of each round.
The alignment system tracks actions and speech – from simple word choice to major plot decisions – to determine whether the player's character aligns with the light or dark side of the Force
. In the first game, the player's speech and actions have no effect on their teammates. However, the player has influence over their companions in The Sith Lords, the player's actions determining not only what side the player is on, but their teammates as well. The influence the player has on another character can be minor, from converting a character from the dark side to the light, to something as major as teaching them the ways of the Jedi
themselves. Influence can be lost, however, if the player makes an action inconsistent with past decisions, causing the player to pay very close attention before reacting in any way.
types and colors, as well as Jedi
classes. One of the most notable colors would be yellow, as it is really the only new color to represent a new Jedi class: the Jedi Sentinel. Other colors include silver, cyan
, and orange.
Along with new lightsabers are new classes. As mentioned earlier, the Jedi Sentinel makes its introduction in the Star Wars universe. Unlike Jedi Guardians, identified by blue sabers and more fight-oriented, and Consulars, identified by green sabers and who choose to win their battles with words rather than swords, the Sentinel is identified by a yellow lightsaber and is balanced in both aspects of the former classes. “Gray Jedi,” or non-Jedi Force
users, are introduced as well and are usually identified by purple or silver lightsabers. Gray Jedi normally tend to follow their own path as far as the Force is concerned rather than obeying the light or dark side although silver lightsabers can only be acquired in the second game.
Lastly, a new type of lightsaber is introduced: the short lightsaber. This weapon is different from the longer lightsaber as it is easier to wield, making it more suitable for the off (defensive) hand and being smaller it also inflicts less damage.
.
armada against the Republic
. Many Jedi
, scattered and left vulnerable by Malak's aggression, die in battle whilst others swear loyalty and allegiance to Malak. The game opens with the player's character – whom the player can customize to be either male or female, though the gender is canonically male – awakening aboard a doomed Republic capital ship with no recollection of his past. After escaping the ship and crash-landing on Taris, the player gradually gathers companions and pieces together his past while attempting to stop Malak's forces. To accomplish this, the main character and his companions search for Star Maps that together reveal the location of the Star Forge, an ancient space station
that creates massive amounts of material for Malak.
The main character's actions and speech influence whether he aligns with the light or dark side of the Force
. Depending on the character's alignment, he eventually reaches the Star Forge either to defeat the Sith (the light-side path) or to usurp control of the Sith from Malak (the dark-side path). A light-aligned character and his companions are hailed as saviors and heroes; a dark-side character stands before the remaining Sith forces as the new Sith Lord.
The Sith Lords takes place five years after the events of Knights of the Old Republic, in a time when the Jedi
have been nearly exterminated by the Sith
. The player's character – a former Jedi Knight
exiled from the Jedi Order. is referred to as "the Exile" or "Jedi Exile."
During the Mandalorian Wars, the Exile served under Revan who ordered the activation of the devastating mass shadow generator that caused so many deaths to the point where she (or he, depending on what the player chooses) stripped herself of all connections to the Force
unconsciously to save herself, and was removed from the Jedi Order. Throughout the game, the player's character restores a connection to the Force while, with the help of her new companions, try and stop the Sith. Unlike the previous game where your actions affect the fate of the galaxy, here your actions affect only the planets you visit. You can choose to either help or hinder the Republic's attempt to rebuild these planets. In the end, if the character is light-aligned, the mass shadow generator is activated and destroys Malachor V and the Exile goes into unknown space to find Revan and help him if she can. A dark-aligned character, however, takes over the Sith academy on Malachor V and the shadow generator is destroyed.
The Old Republic takes place 300 years after the previous two games, shortly after the establishment of a tenuous peace between the re-emergent Sith Empire and the Galactic Republic. The Jedi are held responsible for the success of the Sith and chose to relocate from Coruscant to Tython, where the Jedi order had been initially founded, to seek guidance from the Force. The Sith control Korriban, where they re-established a Sith Academy. The game begins as new conflicts arise.
(often abbreviated as KotOR) is the first installment in the Knights of the Old Republic series. KotOR is the first computer role-playing game set in the Star Wars
universe. The game was released on the Xbox
on July 15, 2003 in North America
and on September 12, 2003 in Europe
. The PC
version was released on November 19, 2003 in North America and on December 5, 2003 in Europe.
(KotOR II) is the second installment in the video game franchise. The game was released on the Xbox
in North America
on December 6, 2004, in Europe
on February 11, 2005, and in Australia
on February 15, 2005. The PC
version was released in North America on February 8, 2005 and in Europe on February 11, 2005. Per request as to have time to deal with other matters, BioWare
, the original developer, handed over the job to Obsidian Entertainment
.
In addition to technical changes – such as more combat animation and interface scaling – The Sith Lords includes several drastic changes from the original game's features. As mentioned earlier in the gameplay section, the player’s actions now affect not only the player themselves but their teammates as well. The player can also teach some teammates the ways of the Jedi
. The player also has more diversity when upgrading items, and can even create certain items, such as computer spikes and explosives, themselves.
In a similar way the player’s actions and alignment with the light or dark side affects their teammates (both a teammate’s alignment and who teams with the player in the first place), gender is also a factor when it comes to companionships and gameplay in general. In addition the appearance (due to choices) also affects your teammates. For example, choosing a female character teams the player with Mical the Disciple, while being male teams the player with Brianna the Handmaiden.
vehicle and a new character named Naresha.
CEO John Riccitiello
confirmed a Knights of the Old Republic MMORPG
. The release was planned for 2010 but has since been pushed back to December 20 2011.
During E3 2008, several websites began reporting that John Riccitiello
announced the development of a KotOR MMO in an interview. However, at the time of the reports no verification from official sources or evidence to back up the claims was available. Chris Priestly of BioWare
refused to say anything about either a KotOR3 game or a KotOR MMO, citing BioWare's rule about "not commenting on rumors". The website "The Old Republic" in 2008 found the domain name www.swtor.com with possible information that it might be the official website for The Old Republic Online.
On October 6, 2008 LucasArts
and BioWare
sent an invitation to the press, inviting them to attend the unveiling of their next game on October 21, 2008. As stated in the invitation: "BioWare
and LucasArts
invite you to attend the official unveiling of the game that has been rumored about for years." This official unveiling was widely believed to be about Knights of the Old Republic 3 or the much rumoured Old Republic era MMO game.
On October 21, Bioware and Lucasarts confirmed their next project is an MMO, Star Wars: The Old Republic
.
The Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic comic book
series takes places around 3,964 BBY, the Sith era, approximately eight years prior to the story of the video game series. The publisher and publishing company for all issues are Mike Richardson
and Dark Horse Comics
, respectively. Art work was done by Brian Ching, while the series’ script was done by John Jackson Miller
. Each issue was released monthly.
at the academy graduation ceremony the very same day. After numerous hurdles along the way, Zayne manages to capture Gryph, but is late to the graduation ceremony. Upon arriving back at the academy, Zayne is horrified to find the Jedi Masters, his own included, standing before the slain corpses of his fellow Padawans. Instinctively, he flees from the scene with Gryph and the two are soon framed for the murder
s. With no other option, Zayne must now learn the ins and outs of being an outlaw, with Gryph as his mentor, hoping to stay alive long enough to clear his name and discover the reason why the Jedi Masters murdered the academy students.
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
video game series based on the fictional universe of Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
by George Lucas
George Lucas
George Walton Lucas, Jr. is an American film producer, screenwriter, and director, and entrepreneur. He is the founder, chairman and chief executive of Lucasfilm. He is best known as the creator of the space opera franchise Star Wars and the archaeologist-adventurer character Indiana Jones...
. The first video game installment was developed by BioWare
BioWare
BioWare is a Canadian video game developer founded in February 1995 by newly graduated medical doctors Ray Muzyka, Greg Zeschuk, and Augustine Yip. BioWare is currently owned by American company Electronic Arts...
, while the second was done by Obsidian Entertainment
Obsidian Entertainment
Obsidian Entertainment is an American video game developer founded in 2003 after the disestablishment of Interplay Productions' Black Isle Studios, for PC and console systems...
per LucasArts' request. and they were both published by LucasArts
LucasArts
LucasArts Entertainment Company, LLC is an American video game developer and publisher. The company was once famous for its innovative line of graphic adventure games, the critical and commercial success of which peaked in the mid 1990s...
. The comic series was published by Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent American comic book and manga publisher.Dark Horse Comics was founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson in Milwaukie, Oregon, with the concept of establishing an ideal atmosphere for creative professionals. Richardson started out by opening his first comic book...
. This series acts as a prequel to the films.
Gameplay
The game's system is based on Wizards of the CoastWizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail stores for games...
's Star Wars Roleplaying Game
Star Wars Roleplaying Game (Wizards of the Coast)
On June 5, 2007, Wizards released the Star Wars Roleplaying Game: Saga Edition. The game was streamlined to be easier to play and a greater emphasis was placed on miniatures. Some of the major changes include:...
, which is based on the d20
D20 System
The d20 System is a role-playing game system published in 2000 by Wizards of the Coast originally developed for the third edition of Dungeons & Dragons...
role-playing game system
Role-playing game system
A role-playing game system is a set of game mechanics used in a role-playing game to determine the outcome of a character's in-game actions...
derived from the Third Edition Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
rules. Combat is round-based; time is divided into discrete rounds, and combatants attack and react simultaneously. However, the number of actions a combatant may perform each round is limited. While each round's duration is a fixed short interval of real time, the player can configure the combat system to pause at specific events or at the end of each round.
The alignment system tracks actions and speech – from simple word choice to major plot decisions – to determine whether the player's character aligns with the light or dark side of the Force
Force (Star Wars)
The Force is a binding, metaphysical and ubiquitous power in the fictional universe of the Star Wars galaxy created by George Lucas. Mentioned in the first film in the series, it is integral to all subsequent incarnations of Star Wars, including the expanded universe of comic books, novels, and...
. In the first game, the player's speech and actions have no effect on their teammates. However, the player has influence over their companions in The Sith Lords, the player's actions determining not only what side the player is on, but their teammates as well. The influence the player has on another character can be minor, from converting a character from the dark side to the light, to something as major as teaching them the ways of the Jedi
Jedi
The Jedi are characters in the Star Wars universe and the series's main protagonists. The Jedi use a power called the Force and weapons called lightsabers, which emit a controlled energy flow in the shape of a sword, in order to serve and protect the Republic and the galaxy at large from conflict...
themselves. Influence can be lost, however, if the player makes an action inconsistent with past decisions, causing the player to pay very close attention before reacting in any way.
Lightsabers and corresponding classes
The KotOR series introduces more than just new characters; it also introduces new lightsaberLightsaber
A lightsaber is a fictional weapon in the Star Wars universe, a "laser sword." It consists of a polished metal hilt which projects a blade of light about 1.33 metres long. The lightsaber is the signature weapon of the Jedi order and their Sith counterparts, both of whom can use them for close...
types and colors, as well as Jedi
Jedi
The Jedi are characters in the Star Wars universe and the series's main protagonists. The Jedi use a power called the Force and weapons called lightsabers, which emit a controlled energy flow in the shape of a sword, in order to serve and protect the Republic and the galaxy at large from conflict...
classes. One of the most notable colors would be yellow, as it is really the only new color to represent a new Jedi class: the Jedi Sentinel. Other colors include silver, cyan
Cyan
Cyan from , transliterated: kýanos, meaning "dark blue substance") may be used as the name of any of a number of colors in the blue/green range of the spectrum. In reference to the visible spectrum cyan is used to refer to the color obtained by mixing equal amounts of green and blue light or the...
, and orange.
Along with new lightsabers are new classes. As mentioned earlier, the Jedi Sentinel makes its introduction in the Star Wars universe. Unlike Jedi Guardians, identified by blue sabers and more fight-oriented, and Consulars, identified by green sabers and who choose to win their battles with words rather than swords, the Sentinel is identified by a yellow lightsaber and is balanced in both aspects of the former classes. “Gray Jedi,” or non-Jedi Force
Force (Star Wars)
The Force is a binding, metaphysical and ubiquitous power in the fictional universe of the Star Wars galaxy created by George Lucas. Mentioned in the first film in the series, it is integral to all subsequent incarnations of Star Wars, including the expanded universe of comic books, novels, and...
users, are introduced as well and are usually identified by purple or silver lightsabers. Gray Jedi normally tend to follow their own path as far as the Force is concerned rather than obeying the light or dark side although silver lightsabers can only be acquired in the second game.
Lastly, a new type of lightsaber is introduced: the short lightsaber. This weapon is different from the longer lightsaber as it is easier to wield, making it more suitable for the off (defensive) hand and being smaller it also inflicts less damage.
Locations
Several new planets make appearances in the series as major locations. These include, for example, Dantooine and Korriban, the locations for the Jedi Academy and the Sith Academy, respectively; aboard the Star Forge space station where the final battle between master and apprentice takes place in KotOR; and war-ravaged Telos and its orbiting Citadel Station. Travel between locations happens aboard the freighter Ebon Hawk, which is also a playable location, though no combat takes place onboard, except for three instances in KotOR 2 where you have to fight off Sith attackers, the character Visas Marr, and members of the Red Eclipse slavers. A space station near Yavin is also playable location in the PC version of KotOR and is available to Xbox players via download from Xbox LiveXbox Live
Xbox Live is an online multiplayer gaming and digital media delivery service created and operated by Microsoft Corporation. It is currently the only online gaming service on consoles that charges users a fee to play multiplayer gaming. It was first made available to the Xbox system in 2002...
.
Synopsis
Four thousand years prior to the Star Wars films, Darth Malak – Darth Revan's apprentice – has unleashed a SithSith
-Sith:The Sith is a name applied to certain characters in the Star Wars universe. In the films they are the central antagonists. They are capable of using the dark side of the Force.-The Invention of the Sith:...
armada against the Republic
Galactic Republic (Star Wars)
The Galactic Republic is the name of the interplanetary State used in the fictional Star Wars universe prior to the establishment of the Galactic Empire. The form of this government, created by the Senate, was introduced in the Prequel Trilogy. By the time of the original Star Wars trilogy, it is...
. Many Jedi
Jedi
The Jedi are characters in the Star Wars universe and the series's main protagonists. The Jedi use a power called the Force and weapons called lightsabers, which emit a controlled energy flow in the shape of a sword, in order to serve and protect the Republic and the galaxy at large from conflict...
, scattered and left vulnerable by Malak's aggression, die in battle whilst others swear loyalty and allegiance to Malak. The game opens with the player's character – whom the player can customize to be either male or female, though the gender is canonically male – awakening aboard a doomed Republic capital ship with no recollection of his past. After escaping the ship and crash-landing on Taris, the player gradually gathers companions and pieces together his past while attempting to stop Malak's forces. To accomplish this, the main character and his companions search for Star Maps that together reveal the location of the Star Forge, an ancient space station
Space station
A space station is a spacecraft capable of supporting a crew which is designed to remain in space for an extended period of time, and to which other spacecraft can dock. A space station is distinguished from other spacecraft used for human spaceflight by its lack of major propulsion or landing...
that creates massive amounts of material for Malak.
The main character's actions and speech influence whether he aligns with the light or dark side of the Force
Force (Star Wars)
The Force is a binding, metaphysical and ubiquitous power in the fictional universe of the Star Wars galaxy created by George Lucas. Mentioned in the first film in the series, it is integral to all subsequent incarnations of Star Wars, including the expanded universe of comic books, novels, and...
. Depending on the character's alignment, he eventually reaches the Star Forge either to defeat the Sith (the light-side path) or to usurp control of the Sith from Malak (the dark-side path). A light-aligned character and his companions are hailed as saviors and heroes; a dark-side character stands before the remaining Sith forces as the new Sith Lord.
The Sith Lords takes place five years after the events of Knights of the Old Republic, in a time when the Jedi
Jedi
The Jedi are characters in the Star Wars universe and the series's main protagonists. The Jedi use a power called the Force and weapons called lightsabers, which emit a controlled energy flow in the shape of a sword, in order to serve and protect the Republic and the galaxy at large from conflict...
have been nearly exterminated by the Sith
Sith
-Sith:The Sith is a name applied to certain characters in the Star Wars universe. In the films they are the central antagonists. They are capable of using the dark side of the Force.-The Invention of the Sith:...
. The player's character – a former Jedi Knight
Jedi
The Jedi are characters in the Star Wars universe and the series's main protagonists. The Jedi use a power called the Force and weapons called lightsabers, which emit a controlled energy flow in the shape of a sword, in order to serve and protect the Republic and the galaxy at large from conflict...
exiled from the Jedi Order. is referred to as "the Exile" or "Jedi Exile."
During the Mandalorian Wars, the Exile served under Revan who ordered the activation of the devastating mass shadow generator that caused so many deaths to the point where she (or he, depending on what the player chooses) stripped herself of all connections to the Force
Force (Star Wars)
The Force is a binding, metaphysical and ubiquitous power in the fictional universe of the Star Wars galaxy created by George Lucas. Mentioned in the first film in the series, it is integral to all subsequent incarnations of Star Wars, including the expanded universe of comic books, novels, and...
unconsciously to save herself, and was removed from the Jedi Order. Throughout the game, the player's character restores a connection to the Force while, with the help of her new companions, try and stop the Sith. Unlike the previous game where your actions affect the fate of the galaxy, here your actions affect only the planets you visit. You can choose to either help or hinder the Republic's attempt to rebuild these planets. In the end, if the character is light-aligned, the mass shadow generator is activated and destroys Malachor V and the Exile goes into unknown space to find Revan and help him if she can. A dark-aligned character, however, takes over the Sith academy on Malachor V and the shadow generator is destroyed.
The Old Republic takes place 300 years after the previous two games, shortly after the establishment of a tenuous peace between the re-emergent Sith Empire and the Galactic Republic. The Jedi are held responsible for the success of the Sith and chose to relocate from Coruscant to Tython, where the Jedi order had been initially founded, to seek guidance from the Force. The Sith control Korriban, where they re-established a Sith Academy. The game begins as new conflicts arise.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Star Wars: Knights of the Old RepublicStar Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is a role-playing video game developed by BioWare and published by LucasArts. It was released for the Xbox on July 15, 2003, for Microsoft Windows on November 19, 2003, and on September 7, 2004 for Mac OS X. The Xbox version is playable on Xbox 360 with its...
(often abbreviated as KotOR) is the first installment in the Knights of the Old Republic series. KotOR is the first computer role-playing game set in the Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
universe. The game was released on the Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
on July 15, 2003 in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
and on September 12, 2003 in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. The PC
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
version was released on November 19, 2003 in North America and on December 5, 2003 in Europe.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith LordsStar Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords is a role playing video game released for the Xbox and Microsoft Windows. The Xbox version of this sequel to Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic was released on December 6, 2004, while the Windows version was released on February 8, 2005...
(KotOR II) is the second installment in the video game franchise. The game was released on the Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
on December 6, 2004, in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
on February 11, 2005, and in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
on February 15, 2005. The PC
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
version was released in North America on February 8, 2005 and in Europe on February 11, 2005. Per request as to have time to deal with other matters, BioWare
BioWare
BioWare is a Canadian video game developer founded in February 1995 by newly graduated medical doctors Ray Muzyka, Greg Zeschuk, and Augustine Yip. BioWare is currently owned by American company Electronic Arts...
, the original developer, handed over the job to Obsidian Entertainment
Obsidian Entertainment
Obsidian Entertainment is an American video game developer founded in 2003 after the disestablishment of Interplay Productions' Black Isle Studios, for PC and console systems...
.
In addition to technical changes – such as more combat animation and interface scaling – The Sith Lords includes several drastic changes from the original game's features. As mentioned earlier in the gameplay section, the player’s actions now affect not only the player themselves but their teammates as well. The player can also teach some teammates the ways of the Jedi
Jedi
The Jedi are characters in the Star Wars universe and the series's main protagonists. The Jedi use a power called the Force and weapons called lightsabers, which emit a controlled energy flow in the shape of a sword, in order to serve and protect the Republic and the galaxy at large from conflict...
. The player also has more diversity when upgrading items, and can even create certain items, such as computer spikes and explosives, themselves.
In a similar way the player’s actions and alignment with the light or dark side affects their teammates (both a teammate’s alignment and who teams with the player in the first place), gender is also a factor when it comes to companionships and gameplay in general. In addition the appearance (due to choices) also affects your teammates. For example, choosing a female character teams the player with Mical the Disciple, while being male teams the player with Brianna the Handmaiden.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 3 (cancelled)
In 2003, LucasArts cancelled the Proteus console MMOG project during its design phase (the game was intended to be an in-house sibling to Star Wars: Galaxies). Upon its cancellation, the Proteus project's team and elements of its designs were applied to developing Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 3. According to designer John Stafford, the team "wrote a story, designed most of the environments/worlds, and many of the quests, characters, and items." The game was cancelled as part of cuts initiated in 2004 aimed at positioning LucasArts for future success. Concept art from the cancelled Knights of the Old Republic 3 project was published in the book Rogue Leaders: The Story of LucasArts (2008); the artwork includes depictions of Taloraan, Rodia, and a Mandalore city, as well as a CoruscantCoruscant
Coruscant is a planet in the fictional Star Wars universe. It first appeared onscreen in the 1997 Special Edition of Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, but was first mentioned in Timothy Zahn's 1991 novel Heir to the Empire...
vehicle and a new character named Naresha.
Star Wars: The Old Republic
On July 17 at E3 2008, Electronic ArtsElectronic Arts
Electronic Arts, Inc. is a major American developer, marketer, publisher and distributor of video games. Founded and incorporated on May 28, 1982 by Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer games industry and was notable for promoting the designers and programmers...
CEO John Riccitiello
John Riccitiello
John Riccitiello is the CEO of Electronic Arts .He received his Bachelors of Science degree from the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley....
confirmed a Knights of the Old Republic MMORPG
MMORPG
Massively multiplayer online role-playing game is a genre of role-playing video games in which a very large number of players interact with one another within a virtual game world....
. The release was planned for 2010 but has since been pushed back to December 20 2011.
During E3 2008, several websites began reporting that John Riccitiello
John Riccitiello
John Riccitiello is the CEO of Electronic Arts .He received his Bachelors of Science degree from the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley....
announced the development of a KotOR MMO in an interview. However, at the time of the reports no verification from official sources or evidence to back up the claims was available. Chris Priestly of BioWare
BioWare
BioWare is a Canadian video game developer founded in February 1995 by newly graduated medical doctors Ray Muzyka, Greg Zeschuk, and Augustine Yip. BioWare is currently owned by American company Electronic Arts...
refused to say anything about either a KotOR3 game or a KotOR MMO, citing BioWare's rule about "not commenting on rumors". The website "The Old Republic" in 2008 found the domain name www.swtor.com with possible information that it might be the official website for The Old Republic Online.
On October 6, 2008 LucasArts
LucasArts
LucasArts Entertainment Company, LLC is an American video game developer and publisher. The company was once famous for its innovative line of graphic adventure games, the critical and commercial success of which peaked in the mid 1990s...
and BioWare
BioWare
BioWare is a Canadian video game developer founded in February 1995 by newly graduated medical doctors Ray Muzyka, Greg Zeschuk, and Augustine Yip. BioWare is currently owned by American company Electronic Arts...
sent an invitation to the press, inviting them to attend the unveiling of their next game on October 21, 2008. As stated in the invitation: "BioWare
BioWare
BioWare is a Canadian video game developer founded in February 1995 by newly graduated medical doctors Ray Muzyka, Greg Zeschuk, and Augustine Yip. BioWare is currently owned by American company Electronic Arts...
and LucasArts
LucasArts
LucasArts Entertainment Company, LLC is an American video game developer and publisher. The company was once famous for its innovative line of graphic adventure games, the critical and commercial success of which peaked in the mid 1990s...
invite you to attend the official unveiling of the game that has been rumored about for years." This official unveiling was widely believed to be about Knights of the Old Republic 3 or the much rumoured Old Republic era MMO game.
On October 21, Bioware and Lucasarts confirmed their next project is an MMO, Star Wars: The Old Republic
Star Wars: The Old Republic
Star Wars: The Old Republic, abbreviated as TOR or SWTOR, is an upcoming massively multiplayer online role-playing game based in the Star Wars universe. Currently in development by BioWare Austin and a supplemental team at BioWare Edmonton, the game was first announced on October 21, 2008, at an...
.
Comics
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
series takes places around 3,964 BBY, the Sith era, approximately eight years prior to the story of the video game series. The publisher and publishing company for all issues are Mike Richardson
Mike Richardson (publisher)
Mike Richardson is an American writer, film producer and the founder of Dark Horse Comics, a comic book publication company based in Milwaukie, Oregon.-Career:...
and Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent American comic book and manga publisher.Dark Horse Comics was founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson in Milwaukie, Oregon, with the concept of establishing an ideal atmosphere for creative professionals. Richardson started out by opening his first comic book...
, respectively. Art work was done by Brian Ching, while the series’ script was done by John Jackson Miller
John Jackson Miller
John Jackson Miller is an American comic book writer and commentator, known for his work on the Star Wars franchise as well as his research into comic book circulation history, as presented in the Standard Catalog of Comic Books series.-Biography:...
. Each issue was released monthly.
Synopsis
Zayne Carrick, a young Padawan training at the Jedi Academy on Taris, is given one last chance at capturing a notorious Snivvian smuggler Marn "Gryph" Hierogryph, which will allow him to be promoted to Jedi KnightJedi
The Jedi are characters in the Star Wars universe and the series's main protagonists. The Jedi use a power called the Force and weapons called lightsabers, which emit a controlled energy flow in the shape of a sword, in order to serve and protect the Republic and the galaxy at large from conflict...
at the academy graduation ceremony the very same day. After numerous hurdles along the way, Zayne manages to capture Gryph, but is late to the graduation ceremony. Upon arriving back at the academy, Zayne is horrified to find the Jedi Masters, his own included, standing before the slain corpses of his fellow Padawans. Instinctively, he flees from the scene with Gryph and the two are soon framed for the murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
s. With no other option, Zayne must now learn the ins and outs of being an outlaw, with Gryph as his mentor, hoping to stay alive long enough to clear his name and discover the reason why the Jedi Masters murdered the academy students.
List
- Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic: Commencement is the first story arcStory arcA story arc is an extended or continuing storyline in episodic storytelling media such as television, comic books, comic strips, boardgames, video games, and in some cases, films. On a television program, for example, the story would unfold over many episodes. In television, the use of the story...
in the comic bookComic bookA comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
. The arc consists of six issues; the first issue was released on January 25, 2006, while the last was released on June 28, 2006. - Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic - Flashpoint is the second story arcStory arcA story arc is an extended or continuing storyline in episodic storytelling media such as television, comic books, comic strips, boardgames, video games, and in some cases, films. On a television program, for example, the story would unfold over many episodes. In television, the use of the story...
in the comic bookComic bookA comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
series. - Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic - Reunion is the third story arcStory arcA story arc is an extended or continuing storyline in episodic storytelling media such as television, comic books, comic strips, boardgames, video games, and in some cases, films. On a television program, for example, the story would unfold over many episodes. In television, the use of the story...
in the comic bookComic bookA comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
series. The arc consists of two issues, the first issue released on December 27, 2006 and the second released on January 10, 2007. - Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 0 - Crossroads is a comic flip-bookComic bookA comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
included in the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic/Rebellion 25¢ flip-book, released on March 1, 2006.