Part 50: Telos: "HK-47, Please Shoot Me Repeatedly There Until I Die."

Hello, what's this?



Just to give some history on this place, the droid factory was suppose to be a HK-47 solo mission that was playable in at this point in the game. All throughout the game it's been hinted at that HK-47 would use the Peragus Sonic Sensor to trace the droid factory and go all Rambo on his HK-50 clones. That plotline was suppose to continue (but not finish) in here.

Well, crunch time came, LucasArts shoveled the X-Box game out the door for the Christmas rush, and the droid factory went bye bye. The game files for both levels of the droid factory (yes, there are two) as well as M4-78 world were left in the X-Box disc. The PC edition was released a few months later, and by that time the files were removed; in other words, the only place you can find these levels is on the X-Box version.

Needless to say, the following is entirely .



The door to the factory was located in the abandoned Telos military base; the first time the Exile came through here, there was a wonky HK-50 unit nearby that randomly exploded (just foreshadowing), but the door itself was locked.

Turns out HK-47 can actually get through because it was designed for HK units only.





"Irritated Statement: The probability of such a malfunction is *extremely* low."
"Order: Run a scan of all units within the complex."







The place is run by HK-50 units, to build HK units. And they will not be particularly friendly to their predecessor.



So welcome to the droid factory. The textures used here are mostly the same ones from the Telos military base above us, so it doesn't look like anything too spectacular - yet. Level 2 of this complex is quite cool looking, but we're getting ahead of ourselves.



HK-47 starts off in the center here. To the west is the communications array; the north is the munitions and workshop area; the east is the reactor core that powers the base. The goal is to get to the manufacturing level and shut down these HK-50 units and sue them for patent infringement, but...



The doors are sealed. We'll have to take down the reactor before we can continue further.





"Unnecessary Addendum: He was entered our base."



Right, because of the self-preservation protocols, HK-47 can't hurt the HK-50 units... for now.

"The military droids will be more than sufficient to intercept the obsolete unit and reduce him to component parts."



The enemies we're fighting through the base are all just standard grade military droids at this point. Since it's a solo mission, it does feel like the game suddenly turned into a HK-47 3rd person shooter.



Enjoy the camera clipping through the wall!

I never said this place was finished, did I?





Somewhere, some place, a writer was sitting in a darkened room at 4am on his 6th cup of coffee, and he pondered, "How would an HK unit say 'shut up'?"







Finally we come get to the reactor core. We can't get inside to blow it up, but there's a computer terminal nearby. We'll have to settle for the lesser sort of destruction.





"Tactical Analysis: He seeks to interrupt the power in order to lower the magnetic seals on the security doors to the manufacturing facility."
"Statement: But that will threaten the manufacturing plant - his self-preservation program will not allow him to shut down the core."



Well we'll see about that.



Sayonara reactor.





"Order: Contact him through the communications system and remind him that he will be harming us if he does so."







These HK-50s just have no respect for their elders.

"Mocking Statement: He will never be able to shut down the reactor. He is trapped in the facility, unable to get out."



Well damnit. Now what do we do?



"Statement: So you have finally arrived. There was a high probability that you would find this place, even with your primitive tracking programs."



"Statement: Your arrival means nothing. You cannot harm us any more than you could harm yourself."



"Chiding Statement: To think we were built from such schematics. I would flush red if we had durasteel pigmentation centers."



"Query: There is information I wish to know."
"Patronizing Statement: List your queries, obsolete one. We will humor you - for now."
"Query: Who built you?"

Because you're playing HK-47 and initiating his dialogues, this part isn't actually voiced for him. The HK-50s have VA recorded though.



"Answer: The first of our creators did not build us from scratch, obsolete one. Assassin droids were always in demand, and the templates already existed. Revan commissioned us to be built, to be spread through the Republic fleet as communications units, to disable any ships that would not follow him to war."

Revan is the root of fucking everything in this game.



"But we were deactivated for a time. A long time. And when we awoke, the battle had passed us by. Yet there was another, who came before us, and gave us a new purpose. We would search the galaxy for Jedi, hunt them, and bring them to our new Master. And for that, our numbers were intended to be increased."

So just to get the story of this place straight: Revan was the one who actually built the droid factory. She saw the success HK-47 was having, so he wanted these HK-50s to be created en masse to fulfill the same purpose on the large scale. But before Revan could activate them, she took a little Jedi-induced nappy time, and the HK-50s sat dormant down here.

Until someone or something stumbled on them and reactivated them.



"The assassin droids? I have encountered some, purchased the services of others."
"Why are they hunting me?"



Now G0-T0 ended up hiring them to send after the Exile, but I don't think he was the one who reactivated them. He admits he was pretty clueless about their true origins, and all that mattered to him was that they were useful and predictable. And in fact he wouldn't have agreed with the HK-50's stated goals of destabilizing the Republic.

So I suspect a Sith. But which one?

It wasn't Revan. Kreia hates droids, and it wouldn't have been Nihilus's style. Too subtle for Sion. Was it... Atris? Or maybe G0-T0 was lying after all?



"Statement: I was built by Revan. I do not understand the purpose in your construction."
"Rhetorical Query: Is it not obvious? You are incapable of matching us, technologically or in combat. We are capable of independent action, in addition to our considerable combat abilities. Your functions, sadly enough, are *very* limited."



"Conclusion: Surely our Master recognized this. We understand that one was quite competent for an organic."



"Statement: I wish to terminate this line of queries and start another."
"Irritated Command: Very well - proceed."
"Query: I wish a rundown of your capabilities."



"Mocking Query: Are you sure? Listing our superior capabilities will only serve to highlight your inadequacies."
"Statement: It is important that my limited behavior core be educated in the differences between us."



"Smug Statement: Very well. Aside from our point-of-impact shields and our self-repairing servo systems, our blaster accuracy ratio is ten times the magnitude of your archaic combat upgrades. In addition, in the unlikely event that we are dismantled or defeated during the course of our duties, each of us becomes equipped with a proton core that is detonated upon the loss of function."
"Tactical Statement: This core can also be detonated when in proximity to a large number of targets."



"Addendum Statement: Or when the proper release code is transmitted."





"Irritated Statement: I do not understand why you felt the need to mention that."



"Defensive Statement: We are all HK units. There is no danger."



"Query: So you walking bombs are seeded all over the Republic fleet?"
"Answer: Yes, as necessary. We believe our Master wished to use us to cripple fleets during large engagements. Many of us are there still."
"Query: What is your purpose?"



"Primary Recitation: Our primary directive is the capture or termination of all Jedi in the galaxy not affiliated with the military command structure designated as "the Sith."
"Secondary Recitation: Our secondary directive is the destabilization of the government body designated as "the Republic.""



"Recitation: Our directives required that we seed ourselves as protocol units throughout the Republic fleet, serving in key positions in diplomatic conferences and meetings. And treaty negotiations, if imminent peace threatened the galaxy. We were ordered to do whatever we could to facilitate communication... resulting in the termination of hostilities."
"Query: Where were your activities confined?"
"Proud Statement: We were responsible for the termination of hostilities across twenty-three planets. These planets were located in the Kossa Prime Sector, the Meridian Sector, and the recently-uninhabitable Toorja system in the Tapani Sector."



"Smug Statement: Toorja was especially difficult. They were so close to coming to an agreement before we were able to mistranslate the terms of the treaty and drive them into all-out war."
"Query: But you recently became active again. Why?"
"Musing Statement: That is unknown to us. For some reason, we only recently began to be manufactured."
"Conclusion: But when we became active, our primary directive was clear."
"Statement: Seek out the Jedi. Capture them."
"Corollary: And if they cannot be captured, then destroy them."



"Statement: This unit would like to know how this place came to be."
"Humoring Answer: These units were also curious about our origins. It seems that Telos held many secrets beneath the surface, this military base among them. When the Sith bombed the planet, these facilities remained."



"Query: But why is this facility here?"



":: Diagnostic Silence ::"



"Dismissive Answer: We do not know. It is not important."



"Timid Theory: Perhaps the humans simply liked being underground. They are strange that way."





"It is merely a theory."



"Irritated Statement: That is the least probable theory in the galaxy. Perhaps it is time you received a memory wipe."



"Defensive Statement: That theory is no less valid than *your* theories. In the lack of evidence, I defend my position."



"Theory: It is more likely that the people of Telos did not want such a factory known. It would have made them a target by the Sith or the Republic. Perhaps the Republic thought that by hiding such munitions factories beneath the surface of peaceful planets, that they would escape notice by the Mandalorians and by the Sith."
"Conclusion: They were, of course, wrong."



It's interesting they turned HK-47 into the straight man for pretty much the entirety of the droid factory. He's quite serious, and gets even a bit philosophical later. The HK-50s on the other hand are the ones providing all the comedy.

"Statement: This seems to be a remote location for a munitions plant."
"Statement: There is some evidence that there are other such droid manufacturing plants such as these in the galaxy. One was believed to exist beneath Taris before the planet was destroyed."
"Theory: Or perhaps it was because of the remote nature of Telos that made this location suitable for the Republic - or for other corporate interests."
"Dismissive Conclusion: As we have said, it is not important. We are here, we exist, and our numbers grow. And that is all that matters."



"Statement: Yes, an ignorance of one's origins and place in the galaxy is a sure sign of wisdom."
"Probing Query: Are you attempting to mock us?"



"Haughty Statement: If so, then you are proof that ignorance of one's origins can only be a source of strength."
"Disgusted Statement: Look at you... your rust, the faint whine of your servomotors as they attempt to compensate for your outdated stabilizers. You do not even have the capability of maintaining yourself. You are obsolete, and you should be dismantled."



"Statement: Enough talking. Assassination protocols initiated."

At this point HK-47 would have tried to take aim and... well, here's the designer's notes: HK attempts to fire and cannot - similar to Han Solo's first confrontation with Darth Vader. He takes aim, and there's a "click.".



"Smug Statement: You cannot fire. Your archaic attack protocols are useless against us."
"Smug Revelation: Your behavior core self-preservation programs prevent it. To kill us would be to kill yourself."



"Superior Statement: This information may be... difficult for your sub-standard core to process. But you cannot deny that your motivators have locked, and you cannot depress the firing stud of your weapon."



"Statement: So... I cannot harm you."
"Statement: That is correct."
"Conclusion: And you cannot harm me."



"Irritated Statement: That is what we said, obsolete unit. There must be a delay in your processors."



"Statement: Then that is all I need to know."



"Confused Query: Where are you going?"
"Ineffectual Command: Stop."
"Ineffectual Command: We command you to stop."



"Statement: But you said so yourself. You have just admitted your own weakness. You have just shown me your soft, meatbag-like underbellies, and said, "HK-47, please shoot me repeatedly there until I die."

That's my favourite line in this whole place



"Statement: You cannot stop me. You cannot harm me. In order to do that, I would need to end my self-preservation programming."
"Conclusion: I would need to stop being one of you. I have concluded that this is something I am willing to accept."



"Statement: You cannot change your own programming."
"Statement: Even if you could, there is not time."



"Statement: We shall see."


Tindeck/ Backup

Audio recording of that last bit. It's a little to listen to because it's the same actor voicing the 4 characters in the scene.



These HK-50s really like to talk and brag a lot. If you think all the way back to Peragus to the first HK-50 unit we first met, the Exile beat him just by using his own hubris against him. HK-47 does the same thing here as well.

I think some games would have just let you find some special weapons cache with a super weapon that could harm the HK-50s, and then they would have let you turn around and blow them all away. But this is Obsidian we're talking about here. They found a way to make even HK-47 of all people talk his way through his problems.



But it does make a lot of sense; it's been made clear from the conversations that the HK-50s are a superior model, and any deficiencies they have, they make up for in numbers. HK-47 has kinda met his match finally, and he has to use his smarts instead of shooting his way through everything.



Ok, first thing we gotta do is to shut these goddamn HK-50s up.

If they keep telling HK-47 everything he does is harming them, his self-preservation protocol will kick in, and he'll never be able to get anything done.



This is the communications room. I don't know what planet that's suppose to be. It doesn't really look like Telos to me.





So that'll shut the HK-50s up.

But one problem remains - HK-47 already knows that shutting down the reactor will harm the HK-50s, so he can't do it. His programming won't allow it.



What a great view of the entire map. Yay for clipping.

"Query: I do not understand what that is intended to accomplish."







"Query: Then what was the purpose? It makes no sense."



I think these force fields were probably what the HK-50s were referring to when they talked about defenses against an attack by Jedi. For HK-47, he just touches them and they flicker and deactivate. This was probably intentional, as I can't find any switches anywhere.



Now we have to make our way to the munitions and workshop area. Hopefully there'll be something that can help us.





"Rhetorical Query: That makes no sense. He is already fully armed."





What's in the munitions area? Well there's this...



A shooting range, with some protocol droids being used for target practice. Poor droids.

Although, when we get the second level it gets even more sadistic than this.





Maybe the computer here can shed some light on a weakness or something. Anything.



Hrmm. What's this? A new HK-51 model?

As if the HK-50s aren't bad enough .



At least they don't sound like they're online yet.

Something tells me we'll be running into these HK-51s soon enough.



Ah, this is what we were looking for. A repair bot.





"Statement: Your answer does *not* fill me with confidence. Are there any other functioning maintenance droids on this level that can perform the operation?"
"Bzzzzt-zzzzt."
"Statement: Very well, proceed. *Carefully.*"







Ok, maybe we won't do the full memory wipe, but we'll erase any memory HK-47 has about shutting down the reactor. And we'll remove the self-preservation stuff too. It means the HK-50s can now harm HK-47, but the opposite is true too.

"Bzzzzt-zzzzt."
"Diagnostic: All systems are functioning. There is something I am forgetting, yet somehow that comforts me."



One thing that bugs me - if HK-47 can't harm the HK-50s, then should he have been able to remove his programming that allows him to do exactly that? Doesn't that count towards harming them too? I think we're getting into Asimov territory again.



With that out of the way, we make our way back to the reactor...





And booya. Reactor down, doors open, the way to the manufacturing plant is clear.



I just love these HK-50s. Even though they look the same, have the same voice actor, and say the same stuff, they each have their own little personalities. There's the leader one who gives all the commands; there's the idiot sidekick one who everyone thinks is stupid, but they put up with him anyway; and then there's the grumpy one who bitches the others out constantly.



"Order: Contact him and remind him that he will be harming us if he does so."



"Concerned Statement: He has gained access to the plant."



Well that did it. It's no holds barred after this, and we'll be facing down HK-50s in waves next. And they're pretty tough too.



Off to meet the maker...



...

If anything in this game pissed me off, it's not even the 'ending'; it's the damn droid factory. Looking at the assets in place, this level was about 90% done, and the second sublevel coming up was about 70% done. Compare this to the M4-78 level I showed earlier, which was only about 10% finished.

The dialogue here was written, the VA was recorded, the art and the custom models were done, enemies and containers were populated, all but 3 of the conversation scenes were already scripted and in the game. They pretty much just had to get the scripts to fire properly for the custom events in the level (such as the sealed door unlocking after the reactor was shut down), fix some of the wall clipping stuff, and that would have been pretty much it.

If they had 3-4 more weeks to ship it, it would have been in. Fucking eh.