Warning: This infobox has missing parameters: composer, programmer, producer, upc, director, designer, writer, expansions, artist, closed, basegame, release date, series and unrecognized parameters: released, era Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy is a Star Wars Video game played in first-person and third-person, and is part of the Jedi Knight series, although it is the first one of which Kyle Katarn is a non-playable character. Released September 16, 2003 (PC) and November 18, 2003 (Xbox). It was developed by Raven Software and published, distributed and marketed by LucasArts in North America and by Activision in the rest of the world.
It replaced the cancelled sequel Star Wars: Jedi Knight III: Brink of Darkness.
It is powered by the Quake III Arena graphics engine, with modifications to give a third-person view and new lightsaber effects. Players now have the ability to construct their own lightsaber by choosing the hilt style and color. After completing certain objectives, new saber styles become available including the ability to wield dual lightsabers as used by Anakin Skywalker during the closing fight in Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones (but first seen in Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II by the Dark Jedi Boc Aseca), or the double-bladed lightsaber made famous by Darth Maul in Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace and first used by Exar Kun in Tales of the Jedi.
Following The Walt Disney Company's decision to close LucasArts on April 3, 2013, the developers at Raven Software released the source code for the game on SourceForge under GNU GPLv2 licensing. However, the source code for both games disappeared from SourceForge without an explanation. SourceForge later explained that Raven had requested the removal of the code, and it is believed that this was due to the presence of proprietary code that was not intended to be made public.
Opening crawl
| JEDI KNIGHT: JEDI ACADEMY |
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Synopsis
Jaden Korr and other students are traveling to Yavin 4 to begin their training at the Jedi Academy. As they approach their destination, their shuttle is shot down and forced to make a crash landing. Korr and Rosh Penin are separated from the group and have to find their own way through the jungle. Along the way, they encounter the Disciples of Ragnos, a Sith cult, and see the cultists using a scepter to drain Force energy from a Massassi temple. While Luke Skywalker and the Jedi are busy locating the missing students, the Dark Jedi Alora breaks into Skywalker's room and steals a record of places where Skywalker felt a strong connection to the Force. She gives it to her master, who is later revealed to be Tavion.
At the Jedi Academy, Skywalker assigns Kyle Katarn to teach Korr and Penin. After completing basic training, Korr, as a Jedi Initiate, goes on missions to Mos Eisley, Tatooine, Bakura, Blenjeel, and Corellia to investigate cult activities. During this time, he learns that the cult is working closely with the Imperial Remnant. After the five missions, Skywalker sends Korr to Hoth to investigate the site where he had a vision of Obi-Wan Kenobi. While exploring Echo Base, Korr encounters Alora and duels her before she manages to escape. In the meantime, Penin has gone missing during his mission to Byss.
For his achievements on Hoth, Korr is promoted to Apprentice and ready for the next stage of training. He completes another five missions to Nar Kreeta, Zonju V, Kril'Dor, Coruscant, and Dosuun. Meanwhile, Skywalker discovers that the cultists have been going to the places mentioned in his record and draining Force energy from those places. He sends all available Jedi to investigate these places in pairs—as a precaution after Penin's disappearance. Korr and Katarn are sent to check out Darth Vader's castle on Vjun. While exploring the castle, they destroy a power generator to cut a path to the upper levels, but the ensuing explosion causes Korr to be separated from Katarn. Korr continues alone and encounters the Kothos twins and Penin, who has turned to the dark side. He kills the Kothos twins and defeats Penin before Katarn shows up. At the same moment, Tavion reveals herself as Penin's new master and the leader of the cult. She uses Force lightning to pin down Katarn and Korr, and destroys Korr's lightsaber with the scepter. Tavion and Korr flee when the ceiling collapses. Korr manages to cut a hole in the ground with Katarn's lightsaber and escapes with his master.
Katarn and Korr report their findings to Skywalker after returning to the Jedi Academy. For displaying courage and skill when he defeated the Dark Jedi, Korr is promoted to Jedi Knight and gets to build a new lightsaber. Katarn senses Korr's anger at Penin's betrayal and warns him that his anger can lead him to the dark side. While Skywalker and Katarn try to find out what Tavion intends to do with the scepter, Korr completes another five missions to Chandrila, Tanaab, Yalara, Byss, and Ord Mantell. Skywalker gathers all the Jedi and tells them that he has figured out the cultists' plan: they want to use the Force energy stored inside the scepter to resurrect Marka Ragnos, a Sith Lord who died about 5,000 years ago.
As the Jedi prepare to go to Korriban to stop the cult, Katarn tells Korr that he has received a distress call from Penin, who says he is being held captive in an Imperial facility on Taspir III. When Korr suspects that Penin is still with the dark side, Katarn tells him that he will not abandon Penin, so Korr agrees to follow him to Taspir III. Korr and Katarn split up at the facility to find Penin. Korr finds Penin, who apologizes to him and implores him to bring him back to the Jedi Academy. However, Korr becomes angry because he thinks that Penin has lured him into a trap, so he ignites his lightsaber and points it at Penin. While Alora tries to instigate Korr to kill Penin and join the dark side, Katarn uses the Force to communicate telepathically with Korr and tell him to spare Penin. Korr realizes his mistake and lets go of his anger; he puts away his lightsaber and tries to leave with Penin. Alora attacks them and cuts off Penin's arm. Korr then duels Alora and eventually kills her. Katarn shows up and tells Korr to leave for Korriban first; he will catch up later after bringing Penin to seek medical attention.
Korr lands on Korriban and joins the other Jedi in fighting the cultists while navigating his way through the Sith catacombs. He enters the Tomb of Marka Ragnos and sees Tavion using the scepter to transfer Force energy into the tomb. After Korr defeats Tavion in a lightsaber duel, Ragnos' spirit rises from the tomb and possesses Tavion. The possessed Tavion unsheathes a Sith sword hidden in the scepter and uses it to fight Korr. Korr eventually defeats the possessed Tavion and destroys the scepter with his lightsaber. Ragnos' spirit leaves Tavion's body and swears vengeance before disappearing back into the tomb, leaving only a dead Tavion behind. After leaving the tomb, Jaden seals the entrance and meets Skywalker and Katarn on his way out. They return to the Jedi Academy together. In the meantime, three New Republic Star Cruisers attack and destroy the Imperial Star Destroyer providing support to the cultists, ending the Battle of Korriban. Korr is honored as a valuable member of the Jedi Order and continues to go on missions to maintain peace in the galaxy. On the other hand, a redeemed Penin is accepted back into the Jedi Academy and gets a prosthetic arm.
Non-canon dark side ending
The player can choose to turn to the dark side by killing Penin in the Imperial facility on Taspir III. After mortally wounding Penin, Korr defeats and kills Alora, and then leaves Penin for dead before going to Korriban. Katarn shows up too late and assures a dying Penin that he is a Jedi before Penin departs in peace. Katarn then rushes to Korriban to find Korr and stop him.
On Korriban, Korr attacks and kills everyone (both Jedi and Dark Jedi) who stands in his way. He enters the Tomb of Marka Ragnos and defeats and kills Tavion. Just when he is about to take the scepter, Katarn shows up and tells him to resist the lure of the dark side and end the conflict. Korr refuses and engages his master in a lightsaber duel. Toward the end of the duel, Korr uses the Force to grab hold of the scepter and blast Force energy at Katarn, knocking him out. He then uses the scepter to make a pile of rocks fall on Katarn and breaks his way out of the tomb. A while later, Skywalker comes in and saves Katarn, who tells him that Korr has killed Penin and turned to the dark side. Skywalker says he can still sense good in Korr; Katarn leaves to find Korr in an attempt to turn him back. Meanwhile, Korr boards the Imperial Star Destroyer and seizes command of the ship.
Continuity
The main character of the game, Jaden Korr, was named in early drafts as Atton Rand. The name was later used in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords. One of Atton's in-game Easter Egg lines is a joke about him being added to the game last minute, and how he was supposed to have been in "a spin-off to Jedi Knight."
Using a cheat code, players can have level 4 Mind trick (normally the highest level is 3). Using this, players can take direct control of an NPC. Other NPCs ignore the captured NPC; however, Jaden is susceptible to attack and players cannot fight back until the player regains control of Jaden by waiting until the Mind trick time limit expires, killing the NPC (this can be done by either throwing them off a cliff or shooting at Jaden if the player has saber defend on 3), or by pressing the Mind trick command key again which immediately cancels the level 4 Mind trick. Also, when using mind trick, the screen looks the same as when controlling a droid in Jedi Outcast. Controlling droids is also possible, as well as various NPCs, using a cheat code. Specifically, after enabling the cheats (By typing 'helpusobi 1' in the console), merely spawn an NPC with a name. (Example: 'npc spawn stormtrooper bob') This will spawn a stormtrooper NPC, named 'bob'. After this, you will be able to control the NPC as long as it has a name, with the 'Control' cheat code. This also works with droid NPCs. (Example: 'control bob')
Aurebesh transliteration
Many ways exist to lose your money here...many...
- The title screen of Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy shows Aurebesh characters in the background which, when translated, read the following:
- Star Wars Jedi Knight Jedi Academy Developed By Raven Software Published By Lucasarts Entertainment Company Features Create Your Own Jedi Tiered Level System New MP Game Siege New Sabers New Force Powers Arioch Terrain System New Enemies And more Coming Summer 2003 And yes this really does say something if you translate it.
- In the mission to Tatooine, when you release the Raven's Claw and the Millennium Falcon from the beams, Chewbacca shows up from the exit to tell you to follow. The door reads SALIDA (Spanish for "exit") in reversed Aurebesh.
- Outside Lannik Racto's office, the inscription on the gate reads OFFICE. The small yellow brown pillar reads just Pillar.
- Numerous objects bear labels that translate to literal descriptions of the object. On Hoth, for example, large crates are labeled HOTH CRATE and chairs in the Echo Base command center are labeled REBEL CHAIR.
- During the Second Mission to Coruscant, a number of billboards flank the path taken by Jaden Korr. One of them reads, "Many ways exist to lose your money here...many..."
- The prisoners wear clothes with text saying "CREW"
- In the main menu, things such as Load or Options are also written in aurebesh if highlighted with mouse.
Other changes from Jedi Outcast to Jedi Academy
- The player's character, Jaden, is customizable and players have the option of being male or female of different species including a Twi'lek female, Kel Dor male, Zabrak female or Rodian male (as well as Human of either gender). You can also choose from several lightsaber hilts and blade and clothes colors (Skin Color For the Twi'lek).
- Halfway through the game, players can choose to wield one lightsaber, two lightsabers, or a double-bladed lightsaber. The latter two can both be wielded as single blades; The player can select to ignite only one of the two blades interchanging between one and two whenever they wish.
- There is a mission selection screen with five missions on it. You can decide which one you want to do. After you have completed four it asks you if you want to complete the fifth or skip it. Then there is another story mission, and then five more missions.
- New moves including katas, wall gripping, and acrobatics, which add a new level to combat, instead of the standard slashing and cleaving. Depending on your type of lightsaber(s), you can have additional defensive and offensive moves.
- Two new weapons: DL-44 heavy blaster pistol and Stouker concussion rifle.
- New gametype: Powerduel—Players join as an individual or as a team of two. The individual has more health and Force power in exchange for being at a disadvantage in numbers.
- Siege Mode: Players work to complete goals and stop the other team from completing their goals.
- Enhanced rendering of the Quake 3 Engine.
- Force powers are now selectable, and you can't learn all of them. Instead, you gain your universal force powers automatically, but with each mission you choose to add a point to either a light or dark side themed Force Power. New powers include Force absorb and Force protection, Drain Life, Force rage, and Force sense. All of the classic powers (Force Push, Force Pull, Force Jump, Force speed, Mind trick, Force Choke, Force lightning), are still selectable.
- Force Sense can now be used in story mode, and is not just a multiplayer exclusive. It is even needed to solve puzzles.
Credits
| Cast | Uncredited cast | Crew | Uncredited crew | Special thanks |
Cast
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Appearances
| Characters | Organisms | Droid models | Events | Locations |
| Organizations and titles | Sentient species | Vehicles and vessels | Weapons and technology | Miscellanea |
Characters
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Organisms
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Droid models
Events
Locations
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Organizations and titles
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Sentient species
Vehicles and vessels
Weapons and technology
Miscellanea
Bibliography
LucasArts announces Jedi Academy on StarWars.com (content now obsolete; backup link)- Official Jedi Academy Site Launched on StarWars.com (content now obsolete; backup link)
Notes and references
- ↑ Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy Review (3), published by IGN.com on www.ign.com (September 16, 2003) (backup link not verified!)
External links
- Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy on Wikipedia
- Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy on SWGames, the Star Wars Gaming wiki
- Source code mirror at the Internet Archive
- OpenJK - a community project to update Jedi Academy and Jedi Outcast
