I would like to recommend that Exarch Dagger of Arcona be recognized
for his contributions to the Epilogue of the 5th Great Jedi War.
As you may remember, Dagger was responsible for the creation of the JA
level which tortured many a dark jedi in the final hours of the War. I
remember spending no less than 6 hours on the level, being roasted,
sliced, or eaten by a countless number of devices, puzzles, traps,
enemies, and other ingeniously laid out devices of torture. An
exercise in patience, every new corner had a new twist that required a
knowledge of physical navigation, strength in guns combat, adept saber
wielding, and a focused, constantly engaged intellect. One wrong turn
or one bad plan of action, and you were dead. Dagger employed several
concepts not usually seen, or rarely seen in the original JA SP
campaign. I remember the first challenge as the player starts,
surrounded by randomly placed rocks in a sea of lava extending as far
as the eye could see. Somehow, the player had to disable a forcefield
- yet there was no obvious way to lower it. I remember jumping in
inconceivable locations trying to disable it, before finally finding
the means to move on. The next most memorable part was an area placed
immediately after a strategically placed concussion rifle soldier - a
cutscene begins, showing a bridge destroyed that the player must
somehow jump over without falling into the lava or landing on the
electrified rails below. I initially thought it was impossible to
cross the blown out bridge until i discovered a cunning way around it.
The creation of an NPC which had two rapid fire pistols and basic
force powers was something never before seen in the original SP
campaigns - what a formidable opponent. Two keys are needed to open a
door - another innovation. Dare I describe how the player must fall
through an unstable floor only to be presented with a rancor pit? What
of the chambers of a Sith Lord who hangs jedi from the ceilings? And
most of all, the puzzle near the end where the player must somehow
break the code to enter into the final area of the level to gain
access to the river of lava - and beyond the final opponent of the
level - one of the most powerful reborn in all of JA...and if that
wasn't enough, if the player saves and restores, he is severly
disabled - the lightsabre deactivated. This means, the player must go
through ALL of these trials without being victimized and killed by a
twisted element of gameplay that Dagger has conceived. All of these
combined made for one of the most memorable gaming experiences I have
yet had in the DB. It was a thrilling, compelling, and engaging
experience that I still look back on with wonder.
Dagger was never properly recognized for his efforts in the creation
of a level that literally took 50 hours of pure evil plotting. His
mastery of Radiant shines through long after the GJW ends. He is still
recognized as the only member who has enough experience with the
program to make anything as amazing as what came out in the Epilogue
of the Fifth Great Jedi War. His effort is inspirational to those who
ever wanted to learn Radiant and try to emulate that which he created.
I believe this level will be a fascinating trial for members of any
clan that have an appreciation for Jedi Academy. You really have not
played JA until you have played Dagger's GJW level...
It is only fitting that we recognize Dagger's contribution to the
Obelisk Order and the Jedi Academy gaming population at large within
the Brotherhood with an equally exceptional reward. The Amethyst Kukri
is such a reward, symbolizing Dagger's unwavering dedication - from
creation to completion - of the massive undertaking of a project like
the GJW Epilogue SP JA level - one that I will never forget. -- Dark
Side Adept Pyralis, One of the Seven
, 2005-04-06 22:00:00 UTC