We're recording our latest Novel Not New episode at 2PM ET, so this is our last call for questions! We had an internal mail hiccup that shut down our email address for a while, but it's back up and running: if you have any thoughts about Wonder Project J2 or any of the games we've covered previously for Novel Not New, please send them to emails@scanlinemedia.com!

It's 1997 Star Wars is back in a huge way. I had spent that earlier winter standing in line at out towns small and delapitated theater waiting to see the Star Wars Trilogy Special Editions. Over the course of a few months all three films had released. It was an exciting time to be a fan the toys where taking off again in a huge way and all the cross media stuff was everywhere.

Enter Fall of 1997 and Star Wars Jedi Knight Dark Forces II (I honest to god have no idea how that is supposed to be written out as I have seen it done a million ways). I remember walking in on my dad playing this demo of a Star Wars game. he was shooting various characters that looked like Bossk, the lizard dude from Empire Strikes Back, and then suddenly he pulls out a lightsaber and my mind was fucking blown away. The demo was the spaceport level refueling the bad guys huge evil spaceship thing with a probably evil Star Wars name. I can't remember it. Anyhow it was a few more years till I was able buy me a copy of the game.

Jedi Knight is called the first Jedi simulator and like the name makes sense, but it's not accurate at all. Jedi Knight II is by far more of a Jedi simulator. You get your lightsaber fairly early in Jedi Knight but this game is a shooter first and foremost and a rather damn good one at that. It's easily the first cinematic FPS game with a proper story and everything we are accustomed to today. It had a rather impressive 3D engine for the day considering it was one of the few non Quake based shooters.

This game is also notorious for its Full Motion Video sequences. Most levels start with and end with an FMV. The effects for the time are actually rather well done even if most of the environments are CGI. This was not a cheap game to make. But all of those production values pays off this is a really fun and memorable game with the highlight easily being the level where you have to escape a crashing spaceship. Here is a clip of the FMV cutscenes to see for yourself.

I won't go much into the story as it is typical Star Wars expanded universe flare from the 90's, but it's not terrible it gets the job done. This is a must recommend however it can be a real pain getting it to run on modern systems. As a lot of these now they are available DRM free on GOG.

I'm back on my Minecraft Bullshit >:3

Putting together a 1:1 floorplan now for this Baroque palace project, starting with the main floor (which is, in fact, one floor above ground level)
This thing is absolutely huge; 540 blocks by 234 blocks, and that's before any of the facade work!

There's not a whole lot of Stuff done on it yet, but I've started throwing together and color-coding the rooms by use, with green meaning "public" halls/access, brown meaning servant's access passages, and red meaning sets of apartments for nobles - other colors have context-sensitive meanings. The second image is an annotated version, marking out the major courtyards (numbered) and building sections (lettered) as follows:

• 1: Grand Court, will be largely gardens with hedgerows and trees; the most public courtyard, with (mostly) unchecked access
• 2: Honor Court, will have some small garden sections; used by residents of the main palace body, and separated from the Grand Court by a fence & gate
• 3: Royal Court, will be fully paved; used only by those who have business with the sovereign, and separated from the Honor Court by a (much more elaborate) fence & gate
• 4: Palace Court, will be a mix of paved and gardens; used for large events and gatherings, as well as the enjoyment of all palace residents
• A: Celestial Hall, a large entry hall leading to the "public" throne room as well as the general access halls on the main floor
• B: Apollo Pavilion, the throne room and the shared first room of two sets of state apartments (outlined in magenta to either side)
• C: Opera house
• D: Chapel
• E: Great Hall (1 of 2), a place for large indoor events such as meals

Dae's Music Share 💜

Today's song is Fleece Snowkbs by Pilotredsky