Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic E3 2003 Preshow Report

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, BioWare and LucasArts' role-playing game set in the Star Wars universe, will be on display at this year's E3. The game is set thousands of years prior to the events depicted in the film Star Wars: Episode I. It's a world filled with thousands of Jedi and their evil counterparts, the Sith, roaming the galaxy and embroiled in conflict with one another.

Knights of the Old Republic allows you to choose which side of the conflict you'd like to take, light or dark, based on your actions and dialogue choices. As characters develop into Jedi, your choices will reflect which of the game's more than 40 force powers, light or dark, will be made available to you. The game also includes eight different skills and more than 300 different, fully customizable items, such as lightsabers that can be modified in terms of color, power, and length.

You'll create a character from one of a few different classes and meet up with different characters, including humans, droids, Twi'lek, and more. Only two companions can travel with you at a time, so choosing which characters' skill sets and motivations complement yours will be critical.

BioWare has created an innovative combat system that can be adjusted to your preference. Those who prefer a faster game can choose to use KOTOR's real-time combat system, while players who like a more strategic combat experience can use a more traditional turn-based system. You'll also be able to switch back and forth between styles by pausing real-time combat at any point to issue strategic orders. Knights of the Old Republic will also feature a number of minigames, such as participating in a gladiator-style combat arena, a card game, and swoop-bike racing, which is similar to the pod racing from the Star Wars: Episode I film.

Currently, Knights of the Old Republic is scheduled to ship in July for the Xbox. The PC version will follow in the fall. We'll have more information about Knights of the Old Republic from the show.