Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic Q&A

LucasArts' recently announced Xbox game, 2851721Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic looks like it will be just what the doctor ordered for the system's growing library. Not only is it an RPG being developed by BioWare, whose Baldur's Gate games kick some serious tail on the PC, but it also happens to take place in the Star Wars universe. Set roughly 4,000 years before the events in the original Star Wars, the game will have you adventuring in the Old Republic that has been alluded to in the films. Star Wars fans got a hint of what things were like before the rise of the Empire in Episode I, but Knights of the Old Republic offers a look at the really good old days. The Jedi knights still maintain order in the galaxy, but they face a sizeable challenge in the form of the Sith order. Unlike the days of Episode I, where the Sith have all but been wiped out, the order is very much alive and well, and it's always on the lookout for new members.

Lightsabers work wonders on pugilistic droids.

We paid LucasArts a visit recently to look at the game. Not due until fall of this year, the game was still very early. But we got a quick peek at some of the characters and areas you'll be encountering in the game. We were treated to a look around the interior of the Ebon Hawk, which will serve as both your base of operations and your transportation around the galaxy. The Hawk is clearly a distant relative of the Millennium Falcon, featuring an interior layout that's reminiscent of Han Solo's speedy Corellian hunk of junk. The ship was very detailed, and it featured little touches such as floor grating that revealed the areas beneath it. We were also treated to a quick stroll around the grasslands of Dantooine, which were an awesome sight. Featuring tall grass that swayed in the wind and a sun that offered some slick lighting, Dantooine looked quite inviting. We also got to tool around Kashyyyk, the home planet of the wookiees, and we looked around a city in the trees that featured some nicely implemented bump mapping.

Chilling on Kashyyyk with a wookie pal.

Finally, we had a chance to check out a number of the characters that will be in the game, ranging from traditional humanoids and droids to bizarre alien creatures and a variety of assassin droids. The character design is extremely detailed and true to the Star Wars universe. Familiar faces such as rodians, hammerheads, wookiees, and the cantina band blend quite well with the new cast members like the amphibious aliens. The few samples of local wildlife we saw ran the gamut from the cool-looking krayt dragon to the bizarre one-legged creature whose head was a challenge to locate because of his quirky design. However, all the creatures we saw looked sharp and animated well, and their appearance reflected their respective homeworlds.

You'll find some new faces in your adventures.

Once we'd had our brief tour of Knights of the Old Republic, we had a chance to sit down with the game's producer at LucasArts, Mike Gallo, and grill him on what to expect from the game.

GameSpot: How long has the game been in development?

Mike Gallo: Preproduction started in 2000, but the discussions started back in 1999. The first actual e-mails were in October or November of '99. That's when we first started talking to BioWare. But some really serious work finally started at the beginning of 2000.