114: Telos: Underground Base and Secret Academy (KOTOR II 05)

You can watch Austin play through this section of the game right here. The Exile and their companions delve into the abandoned military bunker on the surface of Telos in search of a shuttle that can, potentially, bring them to whoever has stolen the Ebon Hawk. And oh, what a "whoever" that turns out to be... Show Notes Invisible Headgear Mod Hosted by Rob Zacny (@RobZacny) Featuring Alicia Acampora (@ali_west), Austin Walker (@austin_walker), and Natalie Watson (@nataliewatson) Produced by Chia Contreras (@a_cado_appears) Music by Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal) Cover art by Xeecee (@xeeceevevo)

You can watch Austin play through this section of the game right here. This week, our various Jedi exiles are forced to pick a side in ongoing dispute on Citadel Station. Should we back the new age-y Ithorians who have a little knowledge, a lot of heart, and no resourcing? Or well-funded, profit-minded (put poorly budgeted) Czerka? Hard choice, I know. But what if I told you that one of these pathways introduces one of the greatest droids of all time... Next Time: The Underground Base, the Polar Plateau, and the Secret Acadmey Show Notes Hosted by Rob Zacny (@RobZacny) Featuring Alicia Acampora (@ali_west), Austin Walker (@austin_walker), and Natalie Watson (@nataliewatson) Produced by Chia Contreras (@a_cado_appears) Music by Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal) Cover art by Xeecee (@xeeceevevo)  

You can watch Austin play through this section of the game right here. With Peragus behind us, the Exile takes some time to chat with Kreia, Atton, and T3-M4 before heading to the nearest safe port: Citadel Station, a city orbiting the ruined planet of Telos. There, the group run into some cops, deal with an assassin, and finally focus on the three most important things in KOTOR: 1. Talking. 2. Shopping. 3. Minigames.  Support the show by going to Patreon.com/civilized! Show Notes Kreia & Atton Facts Hosted by Rob Zacny (@RobZacny) Featuring Alicia Acampora (@ali_west), Austin Walker (@austin_walker), and Natalie Watson (@nataliewatson) Produced by Chia Contreras (@a_cado_appears) Music by Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal) Cover art by Xeecee (@xeeceevevo)

You can watch Austin play through this section of the game right here. After T3-M4 and 3C-FD (who we're all sure will be very important throughout the game) managed to repair the Ebon Hawk, it and its unconscious crewmembers--the so called "last of the Jedi" and a mysterious robed woman named Kreia--have come to in the abandoned Peragus Mining Facility. Well. Mostly abandoned. There is the matter of the sneering (but surprisingly aware) scoundrel Atton... and the droids. So many droids. Hallways and hallways of droids. Now if only we could get a lift off this station. Hey, look, a ship!  Next Time: Chatting on the Ship and Telos: Citadel Station intro and Side Quests. For part 1, we're not getting deep into the Czerka or Ithorian quests Support the show by going to Patreon.com/civilized! Show Notes Our KOTOR II Mod List Galactic & Going Rogue Kickstarter Hosted by Rob Zacny (@RobZacny) Featuring Alicia Acampora (@ali_west), Austin Walker (@austin_walker), and Natalie Watson (@nataliewatson) Produced by Chia Contreras (@a_cado_appears) Music by Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal) Cover art by Xeecee (@xeeceevevo)  

As we announced last week, today we're diving headfirst into Knights of the Old Republic II, Obsidian's follow-up to the BioWare game that dug into the ancient history of our favorite galaxy far, far away. (Though before we dig into that, we talk more about that announcement from last week to try to share some of our thoughts and process about getting where we got.) Because KOTOR II is a pretty big meal, we took our time today to set the table. We dig into our characters, the state of the galaxy after KOTOR II, the mods we used, and the various technical fixes we had to adjust for. If you're playing along with us on a device that can run mods, well here's that mod list (along with additional instructions) for you. (That last sentence had a link in it. If your podcatcher doesn't see one, try going to our site directly.) Finally, another little announcement. We know that many folks don't have time to play through all of KOTOR II along with us. To help those of y'all who nevertheless want to get a sense of the game, Austin will be uploading an episode-by-episode Let's Play to the official AMCA YouTube Channel. Here's the first episode!  (That was also a link.) Next Time: Peragus Support the show by going to Patreon.com/civilized! Show Notes Our KOTOR II Mod List The First Episode of the KOTOR II LP Episode 01 of ReBoot Hosted by Rob Zacny (@RobZacny) Featuring Alicia Acampora (@ali_west), Austin Walker (@austin_walker), and Natalie Watson (@nataliewatson) Produced by Chia Contreras (@a_cado_appears) Music by Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal) Cover art by Xeecee (@xeeceevevo)  

A More Civilized Age will not be covering Andor Season 2 as planned, due the the ongoing boycott of Disney Plus by the BDS Movement. This is a surprise to us, as it is likely to you and some explanation is required. Last year, the BDS movement targeted Disney Plus for boycott on the grounds that it has cast Israeli actors in its films who have been cultural ambassadors for Israel and do not support the Palestinian cause for liberation or justice. Additionally, Marvel films have made use of characters who have a history in the comics of being connected to positive depictions of Israel and its intelligence service, the Mossad. We were not aware of this boycott when it was declared, and we were not aware of it when we covered Skeleton Crew earlier this year. We are aware of it now, however, and in becoming aware of it, we had to make an affirmative choice that our ignorance had permitted us to avoid. We were not agreed as to what that choice should be. However, what was clear was that if we went ahead with covering Andor Season 2 while this boycott was in place, we would be arriving at an unacceptable outcome. It was either demand members be willing to compromise their own values and do work they did not feel they could perform in good conscience, or it was to go ahead with a partial panel until we were again able to cover something that was not covered by a BDS boycott. This has been a challenging moment for us. We are all firmly committed to the cause of Palestinian liberation and the end of the ongoing genocide perpetrated by Israel under the pretext of waging a war in response to the October 7, 2023 attacks. However, we have differences of opinion and standards of personal and professional obligations when it comes to how we respond to the Boycott, Divest, and Sanction movement and all its calls for action. Those differences were intensified by the compressed time-frame in which we had to have this discussion. We include these details because it is important to acknowledge that on this point there is real disagreement among us which prevents us from making a more straightforward statement. Similar disagreements will certainly arise in the future, and our views will also continue to evolve and change. However, it’s also important to note that we can disagree pretty strongly and continue to work together to make AMCA as good as it can be, a show that every member can participate and take pride in. But we do have news on what we'll be covering next. Beginning in May, we'll be kicking off our coverage of Knights of the Old Republic II. We'll have more info on how we'll be covering that game, what mods (if any) we end up using, and more soon. We thank you so much for your patience. This has been as much of a surprise for us as it is for you, but we're going to focus on making the best possible show we can as we continue to move through the Star Wars catalog. Support the show by going to Patreon.com/civilized! Show Notes Guide To BDS Boycott & Pressure Corporate Priority Targeting Decolonize Palestine, a collection of resources for organizers and anyone who wants to learn more about Palestine Hosted by Rob Zacny (@RobZacny) Featuring Alicia Acampora (@ali_west), Austin Walker (@austin_walker), and Natalie Watson (@nataliewatson) Produced by Austin Walker Music by Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal) Cover art by Xeecee (@xeeceevevo)

It took us a little bit longer than we planned, but we've done it: We finished Rebels. And hey, in the process we sort of learned that time is sort of a malleable thing anyway, right? So kick back and enjoy this finale--and this final episode before the Spring of Syril kicks off in earnest. That's right: We're covering Andor Season 2 as it releases, with our new episodes releasing on MONDAY every week from now until the show finishes. We haven't seen any of it yet, but early buzz seems great, and we cannot WAIT to feast. So join us, and make sure to tell your friends to listen too! Next Time: The first three episodes of Andor Season 2! Support the show by going to Patreon.com/civilized! Show Notes https://www.tiktok.com/@patrickhwillems/video/7161835913016773930   Hosted by Rob Zacny (@RobZacny) Featuring Alicia Acampora (@ali_west), Austin Walker (@austin_walker), and Natalie Watson (@nataliewatson) Produced by Chia Contreras (@a_cado_appears) Music by Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal) Cover art by Xeecee (@xeeceevevo)

Since the middle of season 3, the crew of the Ghost--none more than Ezra Bridger--has been begging Rebel Alliance command to send a unit to liberate his home world of Lothal. Finally, with a little help from an old underworld friend (not that one) they're doing it. But instead of knocking down the Empire... they end up knocking on a mysterious door. Next Time: The rest of Rebels! 73 & 74 (A Fools Hope and Family Reunion -- and Farewell) Support the show by going to Patreon.com/civilized! Show Notes Balalyka's Letterboxed List of AMCA Movie References Hosted by Rob Zacny (@RobZacny) Featuring Alicia Acampora (@ali_west), Austin Walker (@austin_walker), and Natalie Watson (@nataliewatson) Produced by Chia Contreras (@a_cado_appears) Music by Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal) Cover art by Xeecee (@xeeceevevo)  

A clever mix of stakes material and spiritual? A return to Lothal, only to find it terribly transformed under the industrial violence of the Empire? A series of episodes where Ezra and Sabine really click as complementary characters? Oh, we are so back. And we won't even let the kind of forgettable (but basically enjoyable) fourth episode of this set bring us down. Support the show by going to Patreon.com/civilized! Next Time: Rebels 68 - 71 (Rebel Assault, Jedi Knight, DUME, and Wolves and a Door) Show Notes Hosted by Rob Zacny (@RobZacny) Featuring Alicia Acampora (@ali_west), Austin Walker (@austin_walker), and Natalie Watson (@nataliewatson) Produced by Chia Contreras (@a_cado_appears) Music by Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal) Cover art by Xeecee (@xeeceevevo)

The final season of Rebels starts with a bang: a pair of excellent two-parters, giving us some of the best action and most exciting character dialog we've had in the whole show. And hey: We finally get to learn what the hell the deal is with the damned Beskerator. Support the show by going to Patreon.com/civilized! Next Time: Rebels 64 - 67 (The Occupation, Flight of the Defender, Kindred, Crawler Commandeers) Show Notes Hosted by Rob Zacny (@RobZacny) Featuring Alicia Acampora (@ali_west), Austin Walker (@austin_walker), and Natalie Watson (@nataliewatson) Produced by Ricardo Contreras (@a_cado_appears) Music by Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal) Cover art by Xeecee (@xeeceevevo)