Road to E3 - Part 3

By Tom Ohle May 15, 2002

With less than a week left until I take off for E3, I thought it would be high time for another "Road to E3" article. We’ve already visited the initial planning stages of our Neverwinter Nights demo, as well as preliminary discussions about our presentation booth. I’ve expunged all pretenses about Stanley Woo and Chris Priestly not being a Venezuelan boy, and shown everyone just how exciting photocopying can be. In this final pre-show "Road to E3," I’ll explore some additional Neverwinter Nights demo planning, and I will also unleash our Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic demo plans upon the world!

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When Jay and I sat back and looked at the possibilities for our E3 demo module, we had to think—who could create the best module—he and I, or the game’s designers? With that in mind, we decided that rather than creating an entire custom module for E3, we would just pull a dungeon out of the game and modify it to our heart’s content. In doing so, we are ensuring that everyone who plays the game gets a rock-solid gaming experience. The best Jay and I could think up was a module where chickens and cows engaged in a holy war with elven pimps and their half-orc "employees," arguing about what utensil to use when eating Chunky soup. "Fork!" shouted the cows and their chickeny brethren. "Spoon!" roared the elves and their scantily clad, heinously ugly half-orc prostitutes.

We pulled a dungeon out of Chapter 2 that stands on its own quite well, containing only a few references to the game’s central plot, and set out to modify it so that a band of novice adventurers could make it through without being slaughtered like cows and chickens engaged in a holy war with elves and half-orcs involved in the adult-entertainment business. To achieve this goal, we had to add a training area, weaken or remove some monsters, and add some new plot elements to make the module seem a little less hack ‘n’ slash than it would have been without them. In the end, we want a module that someone who has never played the game will enjoy, while at the same time experiencing many of the game’s features.

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I mentioned earlier that I was going to unveil our KoTOR demo plans. Well, since LucasArts has announced that Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic would, indeed, be shown at E3, we can finally explore the magical land of E3 preparation for that title. The Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic team has spent the last few months working its collective butt off, in preparation for the late-2002 release of the Xbox version of the game. Among the milestones they regularly meet is the E3 demo, a monstrous monster of a task. What could we possibly show? I mean, the game is still half a year away from shipping! Well, I’d love to tell you, but I can’t. I know. I’m a tease. Somewhat anti-climactic, I’m sure.

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On the PR-side of things, it’s been business as usual. I had mentioned our daily 9:30am meetings last time, and much to my chagrin, those have continued—I still have to come in way earlier than my body wants me to, and become involved in a conversation about trucking and exhibition passes and beer and more highly entertaining stuff like that. Nothing wakes you up in the morning like a nice discussion about crates! What size? How many? Oh, the insanity! Regardless, all of our stuff has been shipped off to LA, and should be arriving there anytime now. BioWare will be everywhere at E3... Best. Show. Ever.

The next Road to E3 article will probably be posted during the show, and will detail my exciting plane ride over the western United States (I am the lone member of BioWare "Team 2"), as well as my equally exciting landing at LAX. Hoo boy, I can’t wait!

Other Road to E3 Articles:

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