What is Shadows of the Empire?

1. What is Shadows of the Empire?

Shadows of the Empire was a multimedia project (made up of a novel, comic book, and videogame) which was meant to explore the possibility of making another Star Wars film.

2. When does it take place?

Shadows of the Empire takes place between Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back and Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. It is a sequel to Episode V and a prequel to Episode VI.

3. When was the SOTE story written? Who wrote it?

Shadows of the Empire was created by Lucasfilm Ltd. in 1996. The story was written by Steve Perry.

4. What part of the SOTE story will I play in the mod?

The Shadows of the Empire story was originally told in 3 media forms: the novel, the comic books, and the video game. Each version was originally very different. This mod is combining all three accounts into one storyline.

Gameplay

1. How many levels will there be?

At this time, we plan to have 19 levels.

2. Will the levels be accurate to the original game?

The Shadows of the Empire mod will feature all of the levels from the original SOTE game. In addition, we plan to integrate the story of the comics and novel adding more levels which tie together the three originally very different storylines. The original levels will also be modified and expanded to take advantage of the possibilities of the Quake 3 engine.

3. Will Dash have the same weapons as the original game?

Yes, the weapons from the original N64/PC game will be available to player.

4. Will the mod feature any new weapons or enemies?

The mod will feature new enemies and improved AI. The player will encounter many of the classic enemies from videogame levels. The possibility of adding more weapons to Dash's arsenal is being discussed.

5. Will there be an online mode?

The SOTE mod will not offer a multiplayer or co-op mode.

6. Why do screenshots from the mod look darker than the original game?

The original N64/PC videogame was limited by technical constraints at the time it was released. Just like the architecture and modeling, the lighting was very primitive in the old SOTE game, because computers had a lot less processing power than they do today.

7. I found a bug in the original videogame. Will it be removed in the mod?

We are recreating the Shadows of the Empire story from the ground up, so any bugs found in the original videogame should not occur in the mod. We will be testing the mod rigorously before it is released to remove any bugs that appear during development of the mod.

Development

1. How long has this mod been in development?

The Shadows of the Empire mod has been in development since late 2006.

2. How many developers are working on the mod?

There are currently 18 developers on the mod team.

3. Can I join the mod team?

We are currently looking for talented members to join the mod team. You must have examples of previous work. Read the stickies, and post in our Applications forum if you are interested.

4. Can I submit ideas or suggestions?

Sure! We always welcome new ideas and suggestions from the community. However, there is no guarantee that your idea will be implemented. We have to evaluate whether an idea will fit with the rest of the game, and add enough value to merit the time invested in implementing it. The best way to express your ideas is to post on our official forums.

Release

1. When will the mod be released?

When it's done. The mod will be released in several volumes.

2. Where can I download the mod?

When the mod is released, it will be available from several mirrors.

3. Will the mod cost money?

No. The developers on the SOTE mod team are working as volunteers. It would be illegal for us to require players to purchase the mod.

4. Can I donate money to speed up the development process?

No. We are not taking any money for our work on the mod. If you would like to contribute, consider joining the mod team or spreading the word!