*MOD* JK 4: Rise of the Shadow (Suggestion)

[dark_apprentice]

Hello to everyone and a Happy New Year! I hope you've all had fun during the winter holidays and got what you wanted, spend time with your love ones or if not, than just smile and say fuck it anyway back to the topic.


I just had an idea as I was sitting in my room, composing some new demos and I was like: Ok, so now Lucas continues the family story of original SW saga with Disney, people have taste some amazing games like both TFUs, but somehow JA is still very loved game by many of us. I am not really able to help with the modding/scripting etc, but even with the little help i guess it can be brought to life. So here is my idea:

...Since I was searching around the internet some storyline of the basic JKA characters and story, I have read some stories of Jaden Korr, that did not happen to be in the official game (I am talking about, after Jaden takes the path of the Dark Side and kills Tavion). So I thought, why not suggest you some of my ideas and discuss an mod idea for JKA, that brings a new story line under the working title: "Jedi Knight 4: Rise of the Shadow".

** Below I will make something like FAQ of the storyline **
 

The Dark Jedi made it back to his ship and escaped Korriban's surface unopposed. He then docked with the Star Destroyer Dark Hand above the planet, claiming that Tavion had placed him in command before she was killed by the Jedi. Arriving on the bridge, Jaden killed the captain, who refused to follow him, and took command. The other officers, fearing the Dark Jedi's power, offered no resistance. Jaden evacuated the ground forces, and ordered the Dark Hand to leave the system, knowing that New Republic forces were on the way.

While en route to a small Imperial outpost at Thule, Jaden discovered a stowaway on his ship, who identified himself as "Persia", a Dark Jedi who wished to join his organization. Jaden accepted the man into his ranks, since the Disciples of Ragnos had lost many Force-wielders in battles against the Republic. Korr was unaware, however, that the man was the Sith Lord who had been observing him on Korriban, and had planned on using Jaden as an opportunity for his own rise to power. However, the Sith managed to mask his true strength in the Force, and Jaden didn't suspect anything.

After recalling his fleet to Thule, Jaden made it known to his subordinates that he was their new leader, mostly through the executions of any of the officers who refused to follow him. After reorganizing the Cult into the Dark Order of Korr, Jaden set out to conquer the New Republic.
 

“No... This is just the beginning...”— Jaden, referring to his deeds on Korriban
 

A few weeks after the battle at Korriban, Jaden himself led an attack against the Jedi Academy on Yavin IV, beginning the Dark Order War. The objective of the battle was to demoralize the Jedi and strike fear throughout the Republic, as well as to capture Jedi apprentices for recruitment into the Dark Order. Despite heavy Imperial casualties, many Jedi were wounded, killed, or captured. After the battle at Yavin, a month passed with a mostly equal number of victories and losses on both sides. As time went on, Jaden realized that he required a large shipyard to repair his worn and damaged fleet, as well as to produce more warships. At the suggestion of one of his generals, he took his fleet along the Hydian Way trade route and attacked the massive shipyards over Kuat, destroying the defending Republic forces and capturing the facilities. For about seven weeks he repaired his fleet and completed the construction of the many Imperial ships there. However, because the Kuat system was strategically surrounded by Republic territory, Jaden had decided that Kuat would inevitably be lost. At the suggestion of General Persia, he ordered his men to secretly place explosives throughout the Orbital Shipyard Array, which was the most important asset in the system. Persia reasoned that there was no reason to let the Republic take the array if the system could not be kept under Imperial control. As expected, the system was attacked by the New Republic fleet soon after. As the battle began to turn against the Dark Order, the explosives were activated crippling the shipyard array. The Imperial fleet then finished off what was left of the facility and retreated. The destruction of one of the galaxy's largest shipyards was a blow to the economy which would not be recovered from for decades.
 

Following what was known as the Kuat Disaster, Jaden's forces executed a series of successful military operations against the New Republic. Much of this was due to the tactical capabilities of General Persia, who led a campaign into Bothan territory and captured three planets in an impressive use of tactical and strategic prowess. In the process, Persia gained much respect from the other commanders. Jaden, wary of a power shift, engineered Operation Dark Disease, which was designed to use dark troopers as a psychological weapon against the Republic. Despite two victories over Coruscant and Taris, the campaign's failure a short time later lost Jaden even more support from his underlings. The Dark Jedi was already not regarded as an entirely competent leader after the Skirmish on Ryloth and other strategic errors.

Jaden's last battle:

“I wasn’t sent by anyone, Jaden. I came here on my own. Miserable failures always need to be corrected by the ones who caused them.”—Kyle Katarn
 

A few months into the year 15 ABY, New Republic Intelligence pinpointed the location of Jaden and several of his remaining supporters on the Imperial-controlled world of Bakura, overseeing the production of the Dark Trooper Factories there. Hoping to kill Jaden and splinter his forces apart without a visible leader, the Republic dispatched a fleet to Bakura to end the Dark Order War. However, the Imperial fleet which was tasked with defending Bakura from any invading forces was commanded by Persia himself. Using his tactical expertise, the Sith Lord kept the Republic forces at bay. As the battle went on, he realized that with Jaden and most of his supporters on the planet below, his chance to seize power had presented itself. He sent his apprentice Darth Imperious to the planet, with orders to kill Jaden and take his scepter.

 

The Sith confronted Jaden inside the main Imperial Base. All of the guards had gone outside, to repel a massive Republic ground attack. Imperious ordered Jaden to turn over the scepter. Jaden refused, and Imperious tried then to goad him into attacking by revealing Persia's plot, saying that Jaden was a mere pawn in the Sith's plans. As they prepared for battle, they were interrupted by Kyle Katarn, who had also come to stop Jaden, dead or alive. Korr, furious and in no mood for conversation, attacked and a three-sided duel began. With his newly acquired strength in the dark side, as well as possession of the Scepter of Ragnos, Jaden managed to keep both of them at bay as they dueled on a catwalk.

The fight eventually reached the roof of the base, which overlooked a huge valley where Republic ground forces were advancing on the Imperial front lines. During the duel, Imperious managed to stun Jaden and take the scepter. He then used the artifact to hurl bolts of dark side energy at his two opponents, overpowering their defenses. However, the Sith apprentice soon began to loose control of the scepter, drastically reducing his accuracy. Using this to his advantage, Jaden threw his lightsaber at Imperious, cutting his left arm off at the joint. The Sith staggered back and completely lost control of the dark energy blasts, which incapacitated him. The Dark Jedi attempted to recover the scepter, but was interrupted by his old master. Katarn and Jaden then traded words for the first time since their first battle on Korriban.

Unfortunately for Katarn, Jaden refused to surrender to the Jedi, leaving Kyle no choice but to fight him to the end. As the two dueled on the edge of the cliff, Darth Persia found himself unable to sense his apprentice through the Force, due to his incapacitation. Fearing that Jaden would escape if he waited any longer, the Sith ordered a Base Delta Zero of Bakura, which consisted of destroying the surface of a planet. Jaden fought with all of his strength, but without the scepter, couldn't break through Katarn's defenses. Nevertheless, he managed to push his old master directly onto the edge of the cliff as the bombardment began. Kyle fired a bolt of lightning at the ground, in an attempt to blast a chunk of the cliff off, sending Jaden to his death. However, the Dark Jedi leapt back, and it was Katarn who fell off of the ledge. Jaden then saw Kyle's ship, the Raven's Claw fly to safety, for Katarn had used a homing beacon to summon the vessel to their location. Kyle escaped, leaving Jaden to die with the rest of the planet.

“He was an empowered fool who worked a coincidence in his favor. Fortunately, that provided a perfect opportunity.”—Darth Persia

Original material used from: http://swfanon.wikia.com/wiki/Jaden_Korr_%28Dark_Order_War%29

FAQ:

Q: Why making a new mod, that is based on this story and why another mod?!
A: - Because, this is the best story fitting really good to JKA and giving the most JKA feeling of what would've happen, when Jaden Korr turns into the Dark Side and takes the Scepter of Ragnos, after killing Tavion.

Q: Why the name "Jedi Knight 4: Rise of the Shadow"???
A: - The name is only a working title for now. It can be changed if anyone ever likes this idea and wants to collaborate with other people here to make this mod possible. And simply this name I personally find for a good title to the story, based on the fact there is another sith that was watching over Jaden and wanted to defeat him, in order to rise in power for his own purpose becoming the Sith Lord.

Q: How do you see this mod coming in real life?
A: - I have actually no good answer, beside "why not".. but I am sure most of you really love the "good old JKA" and are willing to see/play/feel the full story of this game, and what LucasArts haven't given us. I know this is very big and it will need a team, lots of time will be eaten with hours of hard work, but I am sure, that if we all want to make it and stay together as a team, we can manage to do it. I am not pretending to take a leadership (don't get me wrong), but I am open to discuss this idea and to do anything I am able to support and help others with the work on this mod.

Q: What do we get from this mod, JK4: ROTS
A: - A brilliant "new look" over the Jedi Academy game, and mainly of Jaden Korr, since this character is the leading one in the JKA story. You will be able to play few more missions on the next levels, but as a Sith Lord with much stronger force powers, ancient Sith Scepter, entire new imperial army behind you, having a new custom Sith Lord saber in red, new adventures and chances t use the Force. Also confronting the old white-haired Kyle.


Thanks to all if you manage to read this and if you really spend the time to read the entire topic, than I hope we can discuss ideas and suggestions around the mod idea, to create a team and start working on it.

Best regards:

- Dark_Apprentice

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Circa]

What will you offer to this project? Sorry if you mentioned above, didn't feel like reading it all at the moment.

[dark_apprentice]

@@Circa as I have answered in the FAQ and will repeat only that part + anything that I could do with music for the mod or around the scenario or any ideas of the story line, because it can be changed it is not 100% "must-to-do" as it is from the wiki-page.

Q: How do you see this mod coming in real life?
A: - I have actually no good answer, beside "why not".. but I am sure most of you really love the "good old JKA" and are willing to see/play/feel the full story of this game, and what LucasArts haven't given us. I know this is very big and it will need a team, lots of time will be eaten with hours of hard work, but I am sure, that if we all want to make it and stay together as a team, we can manage to do it. I am not pretending to take a leadership (don't get me wrong), but I am open to discuss this idea and to do anything I am able to support and help others with the work on this mod.

[eezstreet]

so...music and story?

[Lamented]

Rise of the Shadow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

...

(eventually)

--of Revan.

[Tempust85]

Will need more rend2 for a true JK4.

[Kualan]

Maps, models, coding/scripting.

 

Those are the pillars for any mod of this scale and ambition. For it to have a chance at coming to fruition, the requester needs to be able to bring at least one of those to the table themselves.

 

Are you able to provide any of those, OP? I fear your proposal is doomed to failure without it.

[Xycaleth]

I'd disagree actually. JKG had an abundance of all of those pillars but it still collapsed. The main pillar you need for a project of this size is a good team lead. This isn't necessarily the person who's best at a particular modding skill or the original idea man or even the person who thinks he knows the project best. It needs to be someone who can keep everyone focused on a single vision and to make sure everything is heading in the right direction. That's where all JK4 attempts have failed so far and it's a very common problem with large modding projects.

[Kualan]

I'd disagree actually. JKG had an abundance of all of those pillars but it still collapsed. The main pillar you need for a project of this size is a good team lead. This isn't necessarily the person who's best at a particular modding skill or the original idea man or even the person who thinks he knows the project best. It needs to be someone who can keep everyone focused on a single vision and to make sure everything is heading in the right direction. That's where all JK4 attempts have failed so far and it's a very common problem with large modding projects.

I'm happy to be proven wrong if the result is a new SP mod to play, but there's not much in the OP that suggests a specific plan or agenda to the project.

 

OP, maybe break it down some more. Locations that would need to be mapped, characters to be featured. Give any potential recruits an idea of what this project would demand of them

[MagSul]

I remember some time ago when a member of this community stepped forward with a similar vision (with a completely different story, of course.) The problem he encountered was that he wasn't prepared to think about his project from a different perspective - a modding/game development one. It's great that you have the story set out and it's clear that you're passionate about it. However! What you need to do now is start breaking it up into different segments that will ultimately become the mods playable missions. Every mission will need its own series of objectives which the player must complete to move the narrative forward.* When you have those, the modders still start to have a better idea of what kind of work will be involved and they may feel more inclined to get involved. Not being a modder yourself may be a hindrance, but that doesn't mean there isn't plenty else that you could get started with!

 

* - Note that I am in no way a game development expert; I'm simply relaying the gist of what I absorbed from reading about the last person to propose a project of this scale on these forums.

[afi]

JKB was in development for years, same for ROTDS. Both had the same goal, both failed (I was a member of both teams). A project like this doesn't have a fair chance to ever get released if you don't have a big constant working team imo.

Best possible thing would be trying to continue JKB with a new team tbh

And I wish someone had the ROTDS files

[Ramikad]

Best possible thing would be trying to continue JKB with a new team tbh

 

I second that. I had the chance to read through the plot written for JKB, and I liked it.

[z3filus]

Best way to do this, in my opinion, is to devide the story into episodes (missions);  as @@Kualan has done with the Tales From The Clone Wars -comic.

This would mean that you can create each small SinglePlayer map with the help of anyone who happens to be interested and Online, without having a solid team that would

make you worry about your Modd whenever someone appears too remote or even offline.  Once a map is finished with the bot routes, the music and maybe some trigger activated

conversations between stormtroopers, you can release that work as an Episode, that you can continue creating episodes for as long as you have ideas and a few helpers.

 

 

 

This way the project can easier be kept alive and it would be interesting to follow the story, as it may change as you go. The Walking Dead game has episodes, and it's awesome.

[dark_apprentice]

I agree with most of you, that during time it happened that some of the good idea projects were led nowhere else, but to a dead project in time. I myself think that it's perhaps the missing person who keeps an eye on the team and also i guess missing open discussions. It seems to be a big mod project and perhaps it is (since I am not making mods i cannot give a good answer), it will be concentrated in 3 levels, as simple as possible and I also like the idea of the episodes, do not expect me to make a masterpiece work, but if you all agree I can try my best to sit down and write some scenario for the missions and the levels, like what characters, how they look, weapons, etc. Just don't think of it as something way new-ish, because I want to stick to the basic JKA. If there are some "new" characters, they'd be more of re-textured models (like old Kyle).

I'm understanding all of your worries and position of your opinions and I cannot argue for that + the fact that most of you here are amazing artists and make really fucking awesome work!!

But... I guess it would be better to let you know one common thing about my idea and here it is:
 I am not pretending to take a leader place, to say what you should do and not, I don't really want to push people for something they won't like to do at all, BUT if you all agree, that it will be better as I am the person giving this kind of idea and you really want me to take the leading roll of a team for this mod, than I'll do my best.
It would be great, if this idea/project/mod - stays an open discussion all the time, because I cannot do all the work. If I am going to write on paper and share with you some ideas of the missions, details etc. I want all of you, who will take a part in this project to be done, to discuss and for good or not it will lead for tones of discussions and arguing, until we all agree on one good point and each of us is unsatisfied equally.

Why open project and open discussion and why i am not pretending to take a leader position myself - because, I think we can do it all together with a good team and we can all lead it to it's birth. If we all just ignore it let the time pass it won't come out, even if there is 3 or 1 persons working in the bunch 24/7-365...you know. Yes it is hard to believe and I am not able to make you join a team and start working on this, I am not that type of person. But i will do everything I am able to bring this project to life, if you all stick together with me and collaborate. Yes it seems like "just another mod request, that will die in time". Agree. But it depends on us (those who will agree to become a team and work together). Even if something happens (and it will because shit always happens), I will make sure to make before that good backup plans and to let you know, so that even if I die or something, there will always be at least 1 person, who will be able to finish it with the team and not just let it pass. (Hope, that you didn't get me wrong i sometimes explain thing hard, than they actually are)

I may be passionate for this, but I will need all of your knowledge and we will have to discuss lots of things to keep some good SW story, that does not go into other universe, that is just a free-imagination of some crazy artists I mean we have to stick to the JKA story.

[Kualan]

JKB was in development for years, same for ROTDS. Both had the same goal, both failed (I was a member of both teams). A project like this doesn't have a fair chance to ever get released if you don't have a big constant working team imo.

Best possible thing would be trying to continue JKB with a new team tbh

And I wish someone had the ROTDS files

I wasn't aware that JKB had officially closed down, shame that. Did the team ever release their WIP files?

[afi]

I wasn't aware that JKB had officially closed down, shame that. Did the team ever release their WIP files?

 

There was actually no official end, it's just the fact that the last post in their internal forum is almost one year old. They didn't release anything yet. I guess it would be the best to ask for the files as long someone got them on his computer... would be a shame if everything would get lost

[AshuraDX]

There was actually no official end, it's just the fact that the last post in their internal forum is almost one year old. They didn't release anything yet. I guess it would be the best to ask for the files as long someone got them on his computer... would be a shame if everything would get lost

I could ask what the others think about this, I wouldn't mind releasing my stuff

[therfiles]

I could ask what the others think about this, I wouldn't mind releasing my stuff

 

Lets make a topic there and discuss this. I know Jason still checks in often.

[AshuraDX]

Lets make a topic there and discuss this. I know Jason still checks in often.

messaged him on skype allready but didn't get an answer yet (hurray for timezone differences) , but feel free to open a thread - I'll pass the link to him

[Tempust85]

Here's a n00b question. What's JKB?

[Ramikad]

Here's a n00b question. What's JKB?

 

Jedi Knight: Jedi Betrayal is (or rather was, at this point) a fan-made sequel to the Dark Side ending of Jedi Academy.

 

http://www.moddb.com/mods/jedi-knight-jedi-betrayal1

http://jkhub.org/wiki/index.php/Jedi_Betrayal

[dark_apprentice]

So something about the topic?

[Jason Black]

Lets make a topic there and discuss this. I know Jason still checks in often.

I feel watched

 

There are a couple of different ideas in this thread concerning Jedi Betrayal.

1: We didn't officially retire the mod. I've been hoping someone other than me would pick it up and start producing work again. Perhaps you could be the guy for that job, Dark Apprentice?

 

1a: (edited) You're very welcome to join our team (as it is) at http://jedibetrayal.com/forum/index.php Your OP here and your HUD work is enough for me to fast-track your membership. Perhaps you could recruit new members, merge your story ideas with work we've done and make use of the team and work we have?

 

2:The Jedi Betrayal team has started a discussion about how we might go about releasing our assets. The thing is, if we are producing files aren't we back in business?

3:Sorry for the late reply Ashura - I'm never too far away. And yes I check the forums every day or two Reagan

[Lazarus]

I dont think we officially closed down. I mean, In got a very busy RL (own company, having a kid pop out my lady in a few months) and honestly, since I graduated from university, I havent been able to write or make shaders / textures or done any moddeling. Like Jason, I check project from time to time. Intrested in Progress.

 

To bring that up, I have to dig up my files, but I could release all my Imperial themed textures I once created for a Project I called Imperial Oupost (turned it later in a SP project called Republic Commando, a SP map where you had to carefully disable alarms and sneak in a facility to destroy an Imperial Virus. By killing an imp whilecakarms were active, lots of heavy stormies would spawn with life over 600.. happy shooting)

 

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_pQYh5tmcdg

 

Some of the textures are on my youtube channel movies. Let me know and ill zip the files.

[dark_apprentice]

@@Jason Black  @@Lazarus I agree with both of you, turns out most of us here in this forum (at least as from what i've noticed), we're all busy in some ways, some having family or moving in a new house (like me), or study/working etc. There is no real dead-line for this am I right? It depends on a good promoting and so on, yes we all do want to have something new ASAP, but maybe it can happen in a longer time and still be good piece of work.

About what @@Jason Black said above, well I am not really familiar with the JKB project (sorry for that), I've saw few months ago something on ModDb's webpage. I can say I am willing to join your team, but before that I want to discuss with you and let me know what's up with JKB, because I am not sure if both of our ideas are similar, we may talk about different projects atm, that have just few common lines. The question is - can we really manage to getter forces (assuming if i join the JKB team) and what can we produce as a whole new ideas, that makes all of us equally unsatisfied, so everyone's happy with the final result, that can bring us to start working with a good story line, that will give the players the pleasure of "falling into another good JKA adventure" continuing the story with the Dark Side.