Loki-Lowkey (American Gods?):
We'll see: after KotOR, the interest in console RPGs jumped up, the release of KotOR2 and Fable confirmed and games like Jade Empires on the horizon, maybe not everything is lost.
Yet I can't deny you are right: Final Fantasy doesn't have dialog choices and everyone plays it. Your idea of an AI gamemaster is most possible. Small steps in random generation and AI Dungeon Master were made and I am sure they will soon evolve.

Well, I just finished KotOR on the Dark Side (and tried the easter-egg ending). Without spoilers, I'll say that I loved Bastila by the end.
Janggut: First, being banned from Manaan happens only if you are lying like a Hutt in the jury. It means that it is a part of the world's reaction to the player. Now being executed on Manaan was even more unexpected. Especially that I had to move four areas later (forgot to save).

Now about the ending:
*NO spoilers, for those who haven't played the game*
That was probably the longest ending ever in an RPG! A great ending to conclude an equally great game. Excellent conversations, FMVs and, unlike most endings, it doesn't look rushed! Now when I look back at the game, I can see why it impressed me so much. The game's story had usual elements, but used in ways I never seen before. There were some GOOD twists. Sure I could guess many of the elements, but it was because of the great foreshadowing. It's more like guessing the end of a mystery novel than guessing the end of an american action flick. As I said before, I find Star Wars flat like a brick. KotOR was not.
Still I laugh at the idea of dense energy of defined lenght in lightsabers but now there is a new dimention to the Star Wars elements:
Understanding the Sand People, discovering the rotten sides of both the Jedi and the Sith, seeing memorable characters (Luke was paper-thin [character-wize]).

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come to think of it; KOTOR manages to make the game & story work together by limiting players to only certain types of playable characters. u have the melee & range in the beginning. later on characters will evolve to jedis. nevermind consular or superfly or salesperson. u're a jedi & that's that. & i don't hear major complaints on why players can't be bounty hunters like bobba fett, or fishy like akbar or idiotic jar jar binks.


This is the whole idea behind a story-driven RPG. Nobody complained you can't play a Mystra-offspring in Baldur's Gate. Nobody asked to play Lord of Chaos in Divinity.
I would disagree when you say "you are a jedi and that's it" unless you meant that all what makes a jedi is waving a lightsaber and being able to force-persuade. It's like saying that the only difference between a religious person and a non-religious is a wooden cross. The comparison is vague but I think you understand: in KotOR, you do not have to accept Jedi's philosophy. Nor you have to settle for the Sith view. You can be neutral. Jolee is.
KotOR's number of side-quests surpassed Divinity and Baldur's Gate 1.
To conclude, KotOR has two (three, if you consider the easter egg) endings. That alone is worth considering. I said a long time ago that Vampire: The Masquerade has three endings. Nevertheless, the three VTM endings together are half as long as a KotOR ending. They also have a rushed feel.

Now I'll take a breath, watch Futurama and make a new character for a new KotOR game (this time on the light side) tomorrow.