Mod community strikes back, restoring KotOR2
by Alan Rose 
{ Oct 23rd 2006 at 6:30PM }
LucasArts may or may not be guilty of pressuring Obsidian into wrapping up Knights of the Old Republic 2 before it was ready, but the Star Wars licenser isn't standing in the way of independent efforts to restore the game to its originally intended glory. In another inspiring example of mod communities taking matters into their own hands, Team Gizka (named after the small reptilian creatures in KotOR) has been hard at work restoring much of the "lost content " that is noticeably absent from The Sith Lords. You can check the Restoration Project web site for weekly updates as they near completion of a PC patch that should give fans a more complete KotOR2 experience than the standalone retail edition. Team Gizka is also considering an Xbox patch, but a decision won't be made until after the PC update is released.
See also: D&D fans fix Temple of Elemental Evil
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
BklynKid @ Oct 23rd 2006 6:40PM
Where's KoTOR3? And don't rush it!
Dracula Jones @ Oct 23rd 2006 6:43PM
Wow. That's awesome. How could they implement an Xbox patch, though? Mod scene stuff?
Skip @ Oct 23rd 2006 6:45PM
Any more explanation of what this "lost content" is/was? I played this game (and definately enjoyed it) following its release on the xbox but I'm not familar with what these problems are.
Thanks.
dixonij @ Oct 23rd 2006 6:47PM
Hate to break it to ya #1 but LucasArts announced a while ago that they were halting production on KoTOR 3. So this mod community is all we have in terms of experiencing how the game should have played.
Donnums @ Oct 23rd 2006 6:50PM
Skip -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knights_of_the_Old_Republic_2
Just skip to Deleted Content and you'll see a rundown of what was cut.
Anonononomous @ Oct 23rd 2006 6:51PM
Can I just ask why this was posted now? I've been keeping tabs on it for over a year so it's not like it's something hip and new.
Kevin @ Oct 23rd 2006 9:22PM
I own both KOTOR and KOTOR II and in both games my last save point is at the final boss. Silly, easily frustrated when it comes to bosses me.
Evil Closet Monkey @ Oct 23rd 2006 7:02PM
It is being posted now because someone at Joystiq just found out about it.
Good thing too, as I didn't know about the project and I would love to see the outcome! I replayed KotOR many (many, many) times and have it for both the PC and XBox. I bought the steaming pile of crap that is KotOR2 for the XBox and barely made it through once -- I tried to play a second time, but it was just too painful.
When this is released I'll pick up the PC version too, depending on how much of the lost content was restored.
Skip @ Oct 23rd 2006 7:08PM
Thanks for a link Donnums, thats a pretty substantial list.
As I mentioned, I did like the game (and admittedly didn't notice missing stuff) but it would have been fun to have even more things to do.
sith_lord @ Oct 23rd 2006 7:18PM
This isn't really a 24/7 news portal, Anon.. it's an opinion blog about gaming culture and game-related events (popular and obscure) happening around the industry. I've actually discovered a lot of things on here that I wouldn't have found on GameSpot or GameDaily-style sites. This is actually newsworthy because the patch is almost done.
May the Force be with Team Gizka!
bazald @ Oct 23rd 2006 7:51PM
Don't count out KoTOR III yet. They've been waffling. Once NWN2 is established, I'd be surprised if KoTOR III weren't at least reconsidered (if it isn't currently underway).
In any case, I wish you guys wouldn't publicize this too much for a few more months. Let them finish it first ;) As unlikely as a shutdown is, it would depress me to no end to find this project taken down prematurely.
G. McKinnie @ Oct 23rd 2006 11:16PM
Nice. I just reinstalled KOTOR I and II this weekend on my PC. Would love to go through both of them again.
Dave Silva @ Oct 23rd 2006 9:22PM
Great news. I've heard nothing but good stuff regarding KOTOR. I may end up buying it if this patch restores a lot of things.
Hell, who's to say that the game won't end up being rereleased somehow with this new content down the line?
darth lucas @ Oct 23rd 2006 9:48PM
Don't be afraid, Kevin! Malak's not that tough, you just need to outlast him. It took me about 18 min. to beat him, but I was able to do it on the second attempt. I'm about halfway through KoTOR 2.
Phillip @ Oct 23rd 2006 11:59PM
*Excited!!!!*
A little off topic, but I thought I'd put this out:
Lucasarts really should make a DeusEx style StarWars game. That way they could get the RPGness of KotOR and the action of JK/JO/JA.
Arkon @ Oct 24th 2006 2:44AM
It's too bad Lucasarts is not committed in creating Kotor 3 right now. Plus both Bioware and Obsidian are busy creating games. So this leaves me to believe that Kotor 3 isn't even being developed yet.
Even a confirmation from Lucasarts that the game will be made would make me so happy.
But as for the topic at hand, since I have played Kotor 2 nearly 5 times now I am at no degree interested. I just want to move on the 3rd Kotor.
Matt @ Oct 24th 2006 1:17PM
Is it just me or is LucasArts getting more lazy as time goes on. I remember when the games they would put out were always hits but recently they just seem to miss the mark.
Between all of the deleted material in Kotor2 and the horribly bugged Lego Star Wars II for the DS it just seems that they don't care about quality anymore.
Doug @ Oct 24th 2006 5:17PM
@Kevin:
Malak was a major pain for me. Then I realized that I could run away. If you run far enough, it cancels combat mode. Then you can apply health packs, shields, etc., and go in for another round.
You do know how to stop him from recharging, right? (Well, he'll still get in a few recharges, but you can prevent it from going on too long...)
Mugwump @ Oct 29th 2006 11:26AM
A deux ex style game? wouldnt be bad, or an oblivion style game? still waiting to see a game that offers character action and starfighter action and that is not galaxies. I hear starwars lego 2 offers that but I am not sure this is what I had in mind ^^
About the missing content (warning spoilers if you haven't finished the game )
I think the missing content is the resolution of the assassin droid plot, why all the droids come after the player? didnt you notice it was left unresolved? I hear things about a droid planet or something also, strange stuff like the green bounty hunter and the wookie at the end... no clue is given about their presence on the planet ( specifically why their presence is needed plotwise )and what happen to the bounty hunter afterward
Rubicant @ Oct 26th 2006 1:07PM
May the gods of gaming bless the mod community.
Without being able to put my finger on it, Kotor 2 felt very wrong so I went online and did some research after finishing it.
Disheartened doesn't begin to cover what I felt reading about the lost potential from this game, and the thought that I had wasted my time playing it through.
Honda's are Slow @ Jan 16th 2007 1:05PM
KOTOR 3 Is already coming out for XBox 360, it's called Mass Effect though.