Star Wars 1313 Revealed at E3: Third Person Action Adventure Bounty Hunter Game Set In Coruscant's Underworld

The video game arm of LucasFilm, LucasArts debuted it's next video game franchise at the The Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3).

Level 1313?  I guess I know where the bad real estate is on Coruscant now.  Apparently we are getting a bounty hunter game.  From the family friendly company, we are getting a "mature themed" game, I wonder if that means lots of half-naked Twi'leks?

This is certainly an interesting pre-cursor to the Live-Action Series which is largely set in the same environment.  Any one want to bet this is set in the Dark Times or Rise of the Empire era?

In many ways this reminds me of Shadows of the Empire and the way it tested the waters for the Prequels. My belief is that this new game franchise is to create buzz and test the appeal of a more mature set of Star Wars stories set between Episodes III and IV.

I believe 1313 will be used to introduce characters and settings that we will be further developed in the Live Action Series if they can ever get that project into production.

The real test is whether fans will flock to a Star Wars game where the Force is not a real factor.

If 1313 performs well, I think we will see the Live Action Series. If 1313 is a flop, I bet we see the show tabled indefinitely.

Another thing to keep in mind is that 1313 and it's motion capture technique could be testing a more cinematic style of animation that could be used on a television series down the road.

No doubt the visuals will be incredible, but will the story and game play be up to snuff?

We have more questions than answers at this point. Stay tuned as we learn more.

From LucasArts Press Release:

LucasArts Drops Gamers into the Criminal Underworld with New Mature Themed Videogame Franchise, Star Wars 1313™

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif - May 31, 2012 - LucasArts, a Lucasfilm Ltd. company, announced today a new internally developed videogame franchise, Star Wars 1313™. The game will make its formal debut at the 2012 Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles June 5-7. As players take control of a lethal bounty hunter in a never-before-seen dark and mature world, Star Wars 1313 introduces an integrated development approach by bringing together great artists across the Lucasfilm organization, including LucasArts, Industrial Light & Magic, Lucasfilm Animation Ltd. and Skywalker Sound. A third person cinematic action adventure game, Star Wars 1313 will bring to life the Coruscant underworld, the most dangerous place in the Star Wars™ galaxy. 

Named for Level 1313, a ruthless criminal underground deep below the surface of the planet of Coruscant, the game puts players in control of a deadly bounty hunter as he uses an arsenal of exotic weaponry to hunt down his marks and uncover the truth surrounding a criminal conspiracy. Star Wars 1313 emphasizes epic set pieces and fast-paced combat with a hero who uses human skills and gadgets, rather than supernatural Force powers, to make his way through this dangerous world. 

"We're excited to share one of the projects LucasArts has been hard at work developing," said Paul Meegan, President, LucasArts. "Star Wars 1313 dives into a part of the Star Wars mythos that we've always known existed, but never had a chance to visit. We are committed to bringing the best gameplay experience and visual fidelity to life and I truly believe the work we are showcasing at E3 will speak for itself." 

More details about Star Wars 1313 will surface in the coming months. Visit 

www.StarWars1313.com for the latest updates. 

About LucasArts
Founded in 1982 by filmmaker George Lucas, LucasArts is a leading publisher and developer of interactive entertainment software worldwide for video game console systems, computers and the Internet. With development facilities in San Francisco and Singapore, LucasArts leverages the global skills, technology and resources of the  Lucasfilm family of companies -- including visual effects leader Industrial Light & Magic, Lucasfilm Animation and Skywalker Sound -- in addition to strategic partnerships with best-in-class external partners, to further the boundaries of game development.

LucasArts, the LucasArts logo, STAR WARS and related properties are trademarks in the United States and/or in other countries of Lucasfilm Ltd. and/or its affiliates. © 2012 Lucasfilm Entertainment Company Ltd. or Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved.

LINK: STAR WARS 1313 FACEBOOK PAGE

SOURCES: LucasArts

Star Wars: Celebration III: Clone Wars Prelude to Landing at Point Rain Script Reading

Related to the TCW script that was mocked up for Celebration III, the cast actually read the script posted here the other day at the convention.  The Youtube channel MovieGeekFeed has posted the video of that panel in three parts on Youtube.

I thought Clone Wars fans like myself would get a kick out of this if they haven't seen it yet.







SOURCE: MovieGeekFeed

Seven Star Wars: Clone Wars Season Five Episode Titles Revealed by Insider Magazine

The July 2012 issue of Star Wars Insider magazine features a couple Clone Wars features including the titles to the first seven episodes of Season Five and an interview with Supervising Director Dave Filoni.

Episode Titles Revealed:

• 5.01: A War on Two Fronts
• 5.02: Front Runners
• 5.03: The Soft War
• 5.04: Tipping Points
• 5.05: An Old Friend
• 5.06: The Rise of Clovis
• 5.07: Crisis at the Heart

Check out the issue for a look back at Season Four and a preview of Season Five that includes mentions of Onderon, Black Sun, and story arcs for Padme and R2.

SOURCE: Star Wars Insider via Wookieepedia

Star Wars Fan Days III: The Clone Wars: Prelude to Landing at Point Rain Script

This is posted for posterity as it is no longer available on StarWars.com after the remodel.  I went looking for a copy of a Clone Wars script and this was the best I could come up with.  It is not actually from an episode but was prepared for Fan Days III when the cast did a script reading.

Fan Days Script: A Prelude to "Point Rain"

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November 3, 2009

At the recent Star Wars Fan Days III convention near Dallas, supervising director Dave Filoni reunited most of the cast of The Clone Wars for a table read of a script specially prepared for the event.

Since this script serves as a prelude to "Landing at Point Rain," the next episode of The Clone Wars, we are making it available here for you to read.

You'll have to supply your own actors.

---

EST. SHOT CORUSCANT - JEDI TEMPLE EXT - DAY

Traffic buzzes past the towers as we push in on the temple

INT JEDI TEMPLE - HALLWAY - DAY

Obi-Wan and Ahsoka greet Padmé and Anakin in the hallway towards the Jedi war room.

OBI-WAN
It's good to see you up and about again, Padmé. Congratulations on the success of your mission.

PADMÉ
Thank you, General Kenobi. Of course the mission would have failed had Anakin -- I mean General Skywalker -- not accompanied me.

OBI-WAN
Yes, well, you're too kind. We all know you were the one taking the risk.

ANAKIN
Hey, I was taking risks.

OBI-WAN
Of course you were, Anakin. The question is how many of them were unnecessary?

AHSOKA
Well, he was only gone a day or two, so I'd guess fifty percent were unnecessary.

OBI-WAN
That's right, I forgot I asked you to start keeping track.

ANAKIN
Ignore them, Padmé, they don't realize no one else finds this funny.

PADMÉ
Actually, it's quite entertaining.

OBI-WAN
You see, Anakin!

ANAKIN
Go ahead, laugh it up, but in the end the risks BOTH of us took paid off. Lott Dod, is a traitor; everything the Jedi have been reporting about the Trade Federation and the Banking Clan is true.

OBI-WAN
And I'm certain that you never let your emotional involvement get the better of you and you brought back proof of these claims?

ANAKIN
Proof?!! Padmé was poisoned what further proof do we need!

OBI-WAN
Anakin, if the Senate or the Chancellor were willing to act based solely on the word of the Jedi, then the corporations would have been put to trial years ago.

PADMÉ
He's right, Anakin. I've seen the accusations against the Trade Federation come up in the Senate and they always fall on deaf ears. We couldn't even convict Gunray after he invaded Naboo.

ANAKIN
But Clovis admitted everything!

OBI-WAN
So naturally you took him into custody? But, no wait, you did the exact opposite of that. You left him on Cato Neimoidia!

ANAKIN
I had no choice.

OBI-WAN
I want to believe you. I really do, but sometimes, Anakin, you place your feelings ahead of the mission, and I'm afraid in this case--

PADMÉ
I'm afraid in this case Anakin might have put my safety and our friendship ahead of the mission, yes. But Obi-wan, I cannot believe, as Anakin's mentor, if put in his place you would not have done the same. After all, we are all friends are we not?

OBI-WAN
Well, yes, I guess you're right.

They all pause and smile at their odd argument

OBI-WAN
Come along now, we can not keep Master Yoda waiting. It's time to see what the Council has decided to do about the revolt on Geonosis and the new droid foundries there.

They all start to walk towards the war room, Ahsoka walks along side Padmé

AHSOKA
You're really good at defusing those two. You have to teach me your methods

PADMÉ
Most of the time I defeat them with common sense. That's your best weapon

They enter the war room where they find Master Yoda and Plo Koon waiting for them, a hologram of the planet Geonosis looms above him, and another smaller planet is on the display screens along the walls.

YODA
Welcome back from your mission, Senator. More successful than we hoped, you were.

PADMÉ
I only hope we discovered this plot in time

YODA
Perhaps answer your question, this transmission from Captain Rex can.

Yoda plays a hologram transmission from Captain Rex who went ahead to scout Geonosis.

REX
This is Captain Rex, 501st recon mission to Geonosis. Upon arrival in orbit we were unable to establish any communication with the clones on the surface. A preliminary scan indicated massive construction in both the northern and southern hemispheres of the planet. There appear to be several droid factories which are already operational, and many more in the final phases of construction. This goes far beyond a simple revolt, we are looking at a full scale invasion of the planet if we want to take it back. I shall provide a further break down of the planet's defenses that we scanned when my mission is complete. Rex out.

The room is quiet.

OBI-WAN
Looks like we're going back to Geonosis.

ANAKIN
Great.

YODA
Not you, Skywalker. Master Plo Koon has a different mission for you.

PLO KOON
The planet Dorin has been attacked by Grievous. Because of Dorin's orientation between two nearby black holes, we'll need your expert space combat tactics to help guide the command ships and fighter squadrons.

ANAKIN
Of course, Master Plo. Whatever I can do to help

YODA
Kenobi, with you shall go Master Mundi and Master Luminara. Skywalker and Master Plo Koon shall aid you, if successful on Dorin they are.

OBI-WAN
Good, we'll need whatever ships of the fleet can be spared. As Captain Rex said, this will be a full scale planetary invasion. We're settling the score on Geonosis once and for all.

---

INT. SEPARATIST FRIGATE COMMAND BRIDGE

Grievous sits on his command ship witnessing the devastation his army has inflicted on the planet Dorin. He is gloating in his success.

GRIEVOUS
Yes, commander, press the attack. I don't want any of that Kel Dor filth to survive. The people of the planet Dorin must suffer the consequences for staying loyal to the Republic.

BATTLE DROID COMMANDER
Roger, roger. The commando droids will hunt down any survivors.

GRIEVOUS
Very good.

The doors to the bridge open and the doctor droid A-4D enters.

A-4D
Master, you have an urgent transmission on channel 5. Why have you not answered it?

GRIEVOUS
Not now, Doctor. I'm in the middle of a battle.

A-4D
But the transmission has a top level priority code. It must be important.

GRIEVOUS
Bah! What could be more important than the destruction of a civilization?

A-4D
I can compute there are several possible answers to that question.

GRIEVOUS
Silence! Who is sending the transmission?

A-4D
Asajj Ventress, my lord.

GRIEVOUS
Ventress! Dooku's play-thing? I have no time to waste on her.

A-4D
She is Count Dooku's personal assassin. I would answer her call if I were you.

GRIEVOUS
Ah, but you are not me, Doctor, for I am the leader of the most powerful droid army the galaxy has ever seen, and you are a simple servant droid!

A-4D
Doctor and advisor.

GRIEVOUS
I tire of your comical wit. Do not make me regret having you reassembled.

A-4D
Of course not, but if the message Ventress relays comes from Count Dooku, it would be wise to hear what she has to say.

GRIEVOUS
Very well, put her through. But if I miss any good destruction while I'm distracted, I'll have your head back on a platter.

A-4D
Yes, my lord.

The hologram of Ventress appears before Grievous and the Doctor

VENTRESS
Why General, thank you for receiving my transmission... finally.

GRIEVOUS
My pleasure, assassin. Now what can I do for you? I am rather busy.

VENTRESS
So I hear. It must be difficult for you to tear yourself away from all your toy soldiers.

GRIEVOUS
I do not expect a mere assassin to understand the intricate art of warfare.

VENTRESS
No, I guess not. That's best left to droids like you

A-4D
Oh my...

GRIEVOUS
I am NO DROID!

VENTRESS
Oh, that's right. My mistake, it's so hard to remember sometimes.

GRIEVOUS
The heart that beats inside my metal body is that of a true warrior!

VENTRESS
Interesting, Count Dooku seems to consider me his best warrior, and yet I have no heart at all.

GRIEVOUS
A fact that is not hard to believe, witch.

VENTRESS
You flatter me, General, but allow me to get to the point.

GRIEVOUS
Please do.

VENTRESS
Intelligence has reported a large Republic fleet leaving orbit around Coruscant. It seems the planet Dorin is finally going to receive reinforcements to counter your attack.

GRIEVOUS
A meaningless gesture. The more forces they send here, the better the diversion will work, and there shall be even less forces to raid Geonosis.

VENTRESS
I agree, except the General in charge of the reinforcements is Skywalker, and you can bet his brat went along with him.

GRIEVOUS
That changes nothing!

VENTRESS
Perhaps not, but if you fail to detain Skywalker at Dorin, Geonosis may be in jeopardy.

GRIEVOUS
I will not fail.

VENTRESS
Why General, who suggested you would? I look forward to our next encounter.

The hologram fades off

A-4D
Well that went better than expected.

GRIEVOUS
Recall the troops and prepare the fighters. We must prepare for Skywalker's arrival.

--END--

---

SOURCE: Web.Archive.Org & StarWars.com

Clone Wars Season 5 Trailer Speculation: Darth Maul & Savage Opress Arc

Sith, Bounty Hunters, Jedi, oh my!

We have already taken a look at two of the three story arcs previewed in the Disney Star Wars Weekends Season Five Trailer.  Now lets dive into the Sith.

We all know that Savage is the less chatty of the the duo, so it is fitting that all three lines we get in the trailer from the pair are spoken by Darth Maul.  In the order that they appear in the trailer, Maul says:

"We are brothers, true Lords of the Sith." 

"I serve no one." 

"Our combined strength will be rewarded when Kenobi, that Sith pretender Dooku, and all our enemies will fall."

We have a number of distinct scenes involving the brothers in the trailer, no doubt they are greatly out of order.

Scene 1: Opress and Maul descending landing ramp on a planet with smoke billowing in the background.  Next we see the pair involved in a battle either inside a ship or inside a building where Maul force chokes and throws a Twi'lek.

Scene 2: Maul speaking line #3 followed by a lightsaber duel of Maul and Obi-Wan on what looks like the Lion King's Pride rock on an unknown planet with smoke (presumably from a ship/speeder crash) in the background.

Scene 3: Dooku at his mansion on Serenno, Opress slashing his lightsaber in the dark, then Maul and Opress dueling some unknown Jedi on the same planet where Maul and Obi-Wan dueled in earlier clip.

Scene 4: Followed by shots of Sugi and Dengar blasters firing and Maul and Opress deflecting blaster bolts.

Scene 5: Next we have a scene of Anakin on the back of a speeder on a snow covered planet protecting two dark haired humans from Embo, who is snowboarding using his hat.  This scene is the one that may not be part of the overall Maul/Opress arc, the reason I include it is that Embo is in both clips and while I wouldn't be against it, I would be a bit surprised if Embo features prominently in two separate story arcs.  The other reason I include it is that it is an odd clip that doesn't seem to be connected to either the Mandalorian arc or the Ahsoka/Lux/Onderon arc.

Scene 6: Obi-Wan wielding two blue lightsabers, followed by a quick cut of Maul toying with a fallen enemy using lightsaber slashes against the floor around what looks like Sugi. Why do I get the feeling that the unnamed Jedi dueling Savage Opress above loses that battle and Obi-Wan ends up with his/her lightsaber? I certainly hope Sugi survives.

Scene 7: We then see Embo engaged in hand to hand combat with Savage Opress until Opress caches him with a force punch to the helmet that sends him across the room.

Scene 8: Opress igniting his double-bladed lightsaber as a trio of aliens are at a table, one of them begins to rise and Opress throws his saber at the central alien.  Maul's face is superimposed between the appearance of Opess igniting the saber and throwing it. Over at the Star Wars Report, I had a post speculating on the direction Darth Maul's story arc would take in Season Five of The Clone Wars.  This speculation was based on the description for a Scholastic book, "Darth Maul: Shadow Conspiracy" written by Jason Fry.  The description of that book states:

"For the first time ever, Scholastic is publishing Star Wars Clone Wars... based off the hit Cartoon Network TV show, viewed by over 2.4 million every week! 

Our story will follow the highly anticipated return of Darth Maul--the infamous villain of Episode I: The Phantom Menace--whose popularity rivals that of Boba Fett. When Darth Maul reunites with his brother, Savage Opress, can even Obi-Wan Kenobi stop him before he rallies the criminal underworld to his cause?" ~ Edelweiss Link

Based on the fact that we are dealing with the criminal underworld and the fact that the three characters clothing is vaguely similar to Prince Xizor's robes, I have been speculating that these are the new heads of Black Sun that replaced Alexi Garyn whom Darth Maul hunted and executed on Darth Sidious' orders in the Dark Horse Comic Darth Maul #3 and #4. I would also note that the pattern on the wall is vaguely similar to  the Black Sun logo inverted.

It would make sense that if Maul is trying to gain control over the criminal underworld that he would go after the biggest criminal organization, i.e. Black Sun.

What do we make of all this?

Maul and Opress certainly know how to pick their enemies.  Both the Jedi and the "other" Sith, Dooku and Palpatine will be gunning for them in Season Five.  For the Jedi the motive is obvious, they need to stop these two monsters.  For Dooku and Palpatine, the motivation is to remove these destabilizing forces from the chess board. The Chancellor and the leader of the Separatists are playing a very delicate game with the Clone Wars and the fact that their is this now alternate branch on the Banite Sith tree poses a risk to that balance and a threat to the Grand Plan.

I believe that Dooku, who we have seen deal with the bounty hunters directly in Season Four will be hiring the bounty hunters based on Palpatine's orders to hunt down Maul and Opress. At the same time we have Obi-Wan hunting after the pair. My best guess is that both Obi-Wan's Jedi shuttle and the bounty hunters led by Sugi are in pursuit of Maul/Opress' turtle-ship, all three ships are damaged and crash land on a planet or one ship is damaged and believed destroyed and the other two ships arrive in close proximity to each other.

Could this planet be one of Black Suns Outer Rim hideouts?  It would seem to make sense if Opress/Maul where intercepted on their way to decapitate Black Sun's leadership.  Perhaps what we see happen is that in a multi-part battle first the unknown Jedi is killed and Obi-Wan is injured.  Maul and Opress head towards their targets, while the bounty hunters continue pursuit and engage them.  This is it ends up with Sugi vs. Maul and Embo vs. Opress.  Opress incapacitates and possibly kills Embo, while Maul is about to kill Sugi when Obi-Wan shows up with his two lightsabers.  Obi-Wan engages Maul in battle and forces him out of the hideout onto the rock outcropping in an epic duel.  Meanwhile Opress continues to his targets and is successful in eliminating them.  Opress then commandeers a vehicle and hovers over the outcropping as Maul leaps into the vehicle and the escape, leaving Obi-Wan looking up impotently.

I am still not sure how the Anakin-Embo scene fits in or even if it does.  It is also possible that the Obi-Wan vs. Maul and bounty hunters vs. Maul/Opress are from separate episodes or arcs, but I think my theory works overall.

What do you think?