If Attack Mode was called Pursuit Mode...

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If Attack Mode was called Pursuit Mode...

Post by lunchmeat » Tue Dec 23, 2008 12:24 pm

....would you like it better?

I was thinking about this after seeing some clips of TOS season 4 Super Pursuit Mode. From what I gather, some people really liked this mode. (I haven't watched season 4 yet, but I don't really like what I've seen about SPM.)

KI3T basically has two modes - Normal Mode and Attack Mode. Similar to TOS season 4, there is a transformation that takes place to change between the two forms. Also, similar to TOS season 4, the primary change in KI3T's attack mode is his speed. (He also has rockets, but I think I've only seen these used once.)

A lot of people don't really like Attack Mode (myself included; I like the idea, but the execution is lacking in some areas (although totally beast in others)) and a lot of people (myself included) have said that Kitt shouldn't need an "Attack Mode".

If they'd called it Pursuit Mode from the start, would you be onboard with the idea? Do you think that Knight Rider fans would have been more accepting of the Attack Mode? I postulate that a lot of people didn't like the idea because it was a departure from the original. However, Attack Mode is basically a beefed-up SPM...I'm curious. What do people think about this?
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Re: If Attack Mode was called Pursuit Mode...

Post by Lost Knight » Tue Dec 23, 2008 12:44 pm

I've always personally liked Super Pursuit Mode, though I see where others are coming from who don't like it. A lot of fans (including Glen Larson) think that it was just a desperate gimmick to maintain ratings (which is arguably true), and others just don't like the look of it. Maybe I like it because most of my childhood memories of watching the show have been from Season 4 episodes, and the use of SPM was typically felt like part of episode climaxes to me.

Although Attack Mode isn't quite the same thing, but nonetheless I think it's been used incoherently thus far. It's certainly not used in the same way SPM was used in the original series (as in being reserved typically for the end of the episode), and at times it's use is even at awkward moments like flying through the air during a turbo boost. And I'm still not entirely clear as to what exactly can be done in Attack Mode that can't be done in Normal Mode, aside from excess speed.
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Re: If Attack Mode was called Pursuit Mode...

Post by Kaine » Tue Dec 23, 2008 1:04 pm

i hated Super Pursuit Mode in TOS season 4 and i too hate the Attack Mode!

'nuff said!

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Re: If Attack Mode was called Pursuit Mode...

Post by maxwellmilian » Tue Dec 23, 2008 3:28 pm

Hmmm. Attack mode.... Pursuit mode.... SPM...
We pretty much agree that SPM was the original "jump the shark" moment for Knight rider back in the day.
We also have had great advances in tech, especially nanotech, since.
Personally, as a buff for anything technologically fantastic, I personally had thoughts of a car that could be artificially generated by a different form of nanotech, if you will, long before Knight Rider's pilot first aired. It was in 1980 I thought this up, and it was about the size of a briefcase. SciFi made it into a cell phone....

2008. I've been trying to figure a way for a LONG time to have a truly stealth law enforcement vehicle, to blend with normal cars, and utterly transform when the berries n' cherries are popped. Talk about being intimidating....
Interesting concept, intimidation. Yes, considering that KITT has all of his capabilities in any mode so chosen, why Attack Mode? I would use it as an edge in unpredictability, and make my opponent wonder if he hasn't gotten himself into a position he wasn't planning on.....making him doubt himself. I'll take any edge I can get, even if its simply psycological.
An edge is an edge...

if it were mine, I'd use an even more unnoticeable version for street cruising, like make it look totally base stock, no-go-no-show version. The F150 is decidedly unremarkable, and the other Ford products he morphs into are also decidedly unnoticeable. I'd use some other colors besides black, like silver or blue. We also know that the car can do just about any shape its programmed into, so maybe an old 1968? Who would notice that?

I like it as an intimidation factor, a weapon of the mind. Otherwise, it truly is useless, and unneccessary.
Put a enemy up against him that will hammer home the point. ( What the hell is that thing made of! ) or, like the old school, ( Who the said that! ) or, ( What else does that thing do! ).

I'm not going to try to put words into any writer's mouth, he does what he does for his own reasons.
I'm building my second Knight 2000 for my own reasons. I would build the Knight 3000 if I had the tech, and the money. Why? It looks cool, and because it would turn heads. But who wants to drive a one of a kind car all the time? I've been through that. You can't get away with ANYTHING. Plus, if you respect the show, you have an image to uphold, all the time. Consider that from the character's point of view.

My judgement? Attack Mode stays. Use Normal Mode when you are hiding and do not wish to be noticed.

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Re: If Attack Mode was called Pursuit Mode...

Post by Mike Knight » Tue Dec 23, 2008 3:45 pm

My biggest problem with the new Attack Mode is that it's just damned ugly. It looks like the cheapest, ugliest Hot Wheels car you've ever seen. It's not "sleek," and it's not "cool." It's what a 12 year old would call "cool."

Why ruin the beautiful look of the Mustang by transforming it into that monstrosity? Of course, the same could be said of SPM and the 1982 Trans-Am.

But at least SPM didn't break the laws of physics. It was entirely believeable that those spoilers and stuff were hidden inside the Knight 2000, and we saw a real-life, existing model for the "transformation" scenes. There's no way in Hell that the Knight 3000 would be able to transform like that and not be a hollow shell on the inside. KR is unrealistic enough with such high artificial intelligence and half of KITT's gadgets are impossible. The last thing that's needed is impossible gain of mass from nowhere.

I was okay with the Attack Mode from the pilot, because that was portrayed as a more believeable, thin-layer of nanobots on the car doing the transforming. Nanobots would not do what the S1 Attack Mode does. It's growing mass and flipping panels from nowhere. The pilot's version was still unrealistic, but less over-the-top.
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Re: If Attack Mode was called Pursuit Mode...

Post by Garthe Knight » Tue Dec 23, 2008 5:47 pm

Mike Knight wrote:My biggest problem with the new Attack Mode is that it's just damned ugly. It looks like the cheapest, ugliest Hot Wheels car you've ever seen. It's not "sleek," and it's not "cool." It's what a 12 year old would call "cool."

Why ruin the beautiful look of the Mustang by transforming it into that monstrosity? Of course, the same could be said of SPM and the 1982 Trans-Am.

But at least SPM didn't break the laws of physics. It was entirely believeable that those spoilers and stuff were hidden inside the Knight 2000, and we saw a real-life, existing model for the "transformation" scenes. There's no way in Hell that the Knight 3000 would be able to transform like that and not be a hollow shell on the inside. KR is unrealistic enough with such high artificial intelligence and half of KITT's gadgets are impossible. The last thing that's needed is impossible gain of mass from nowhere.

I was okay with the Attack Mode from the pilot, because that was portrayed as a more believeable, thin-layer of nanobots on the car doing the transforming. Nanobots would not do what the S1 Attack Mode does. It's growing mass and flipping panels from nowhere. The pilot's version was still unrealistic, but less over-the-top.
Exactly. Couldn't have said it better.
And although the attack mode from the pilot was also ugly, it was a little bit more believable.
Image

But again, since they don't seem to be able to get real reasons for having an attack mode and to make it look good, why not just drop it. The "normal" Mustang GT500KR looks great, why ruin it?

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Re: If Attack Mode was called Pursuit Mode...

Post by Kram061-1 » Tue Dec 23, 2008 10:29 pm

TOS SPM was silly, but not as silly as the Convertible mode.....They surely did these functions for ratings.....They'd have had more success probably if they'd have just changed the vehicle itslef, but there wasn't too much to change to. Even the "then current" Trans-Ams still looked pretty much Identical to the one they had already, and the only other feasible car back in those days was mabye the IROC Z.

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Re: If Attack Mode was called Pursuit Mode...

Post by knightprobe89 » Wed Dec 24, 2008 1:21 am

i like the attack mode from the pilot, i dont like the attack mode from the series its too over the top and very ugly.
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Re: If Attack Mode was called Pursuit Mode...

Post by K2000kid » Sun Jan 25, 2009 2:56 pm

Attack mode was never supposed to serve as Super Pursuit Mode
It was only to facilitate KITTs weapons and Turbo Boost

writers may be afraid of enticing kids to street racing or thinking speed is cool
so they keep KITT's speed capped at around 100.
Personally i miss those times when KITT would approach speed traps
and watching a small town cop react as KITT passed him doing 225 mph
Theres no reason for increased volume, I'm scanning your interogitives quite satisfactorilly.

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Re: If Attack Mode was called Pursuit Mode...

Post by KnightCrusader99 » Sun Jan 25, 2009 11:58 pm

K2000kid wrote:Attack mode was never supposed to serve as Super Pursuit Mode
It was only to facilitate KITTs weapons and Turbo Boost
That comment reminds me of the Defender from Viper.... had to transform before it could do anything. Of course we have seen this is not the case, as KITT Turbo Boosted through KARR while in normal mode.

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Re: If Attack Mode was called Pursuit Mode...

Post by Rockatteer » Mon Jan 26, 2009 12:14 am

K2000kid wrote:writers may be afraid of enticing kids to street racing or thinking speed is cool
so they keep KITT's speed capped at around 100.
Even Knight Rider can't escape the political correct nonsense. :(

Maybe that's why we haven't seen Kitt smashing through any walls either... the reign of stupidity doesn't want to give idiots any ideas of trying to smash their cars through walls... personally I think it would go a long way towards natural selection.. but that's just me. :twisted:
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Re: If Attack Mode was called Pursuit Mode...

Post by Sky_Blue_Civic » Mon Jan 26, 2009 1:54 am

Yeah...I think it's because they don't want idiots trying to Turbo Boost at home. :|
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Re: If Attack Mode was called Pursuit Mode...

Post by Charlie Brown » Mon Jan 26, 2009 2:24 am

Michael Long was a Cop, so Pursuit mode as a name made sense.

Mike Traceur was in the Military. Pursuit mode wouldn't fit as a name.

The most appropriate name for KI3T's new transformation would either be "Transform" or "Hi-Speed" mode. The former has lawsuit written all over it from the Transformers crew. The latter is lacking in the "Cool" department.

Attack mode sounds slightly inappropriate for a no-killing crime-fighter, but was probably the most acceptable name the writers could think of. Heck, I'm fine with it from a certain context (the racing phrase "attack the corners" comes immediately to mind).

The name that has me irked, however, is "Silent Attack Mode" from Day Turns Into Knight. Was "Stealth Mode" missing from the writers' thesaurus? (That comment was lighthearted in nature.)

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Re: If Attack Mode was called Pursuit Mode...

Post by KnightINSTINCT » Mon Jan 26, 2009 2:35 am

Pursuit mode to me was that KITT was programmed to appear "governed" under a certain cap of speed. Attack mode appears to just do what the other poster said on here: facilitate weapons, and possibly enhance turbo boost. So far, Attack mode is nothing more than an elongated hood with intakes, and a super sized spoiler on the end.

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Re: If Attack Mode was called Pursuit Mode...

Post by BlueChaos » Mon Jan 26, 2009 4:24 am

Like I said in another thread, how about they call it KNIGHT MODE?

But the ONLY differences between the Normal and Knight Mode should only be:
- Black rims
- Black tinted tail lights
- Black tinted glasses
- OK, or maybe a rear spoiler or something?
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Re: If Attack Mode was called Pursuit Mode...

Post by K.A.C.I. » Mon Jan 26, 2009 3:58 pm

K2000kid wrote:Attack mode was never supposed to serve as Super Pursuit Mode
It was only to facilitate KITTs weapons and Turbo Boost

writers may be afraid of enticing kids to street racing or thinking speed is cool
so they keep KITT's speed capped at around 100.
Personally i miss those times when KITT would approach speed traps
and watching a small town cop react as KITT passed him doing 225 mph
Especially considering that IIRC, in the pilot his speed was never mentioned on the trip from Standford to Vegas, but based on the distance traveled and the time KITT said it would take, when I ran the numbers I came out with somewhere in the whereabouts of 190mph.

I LOVED the Pilot transformation, but don't like the series attack mode except for the redesigned taillights:
Image
Wish they'd kept the Movie pilot transformation, but fitted it with those taillights. That would've been nice.

And I have no problem with the name "Attack Mode" as that's what it's designed to do. Anyway, I grew up with KR Season 1, so I think SPM looked really, REALLY silly.
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Re: If Attack Mode was called Pursuit Mode...

Post by Mike K » Mon Jan 26, 2009 6:00 pm

Garthe Knight wrote:
Mike Knight wrote:

Exactly. Couldn't have said it better.
And although the attack mode from the pilot was also ugly, it was a little bit more believable.
Image

But again, since they don't seem to be able to get real reasons for having an attack mode and to make it look good, why not just drop it. The "normal" Mustang GT500KR looks great, why ruin it?
looks so much better

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Re: If Attack Mode was called Pursuit Mode...

Post by bige » Mon Jan 26, 2009 6:55 pm

I think they change attack KITT for a reason. The reason is that so they could make KITT look mean.

I Knight Rider was real in real life and I was one of the bad guys and if I was a Ford Mustang in Attack Mode with the read scanner, I would be scared and I know I would be in trouble.

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Re: If Attack Mode was called Pursuit Mode...

Post by Lynda414 » Mon Jan 26, 2009 7:07 pm

I dunno, the current attack mode I find rather comical. I think if I saw that car in real life, changing into attack mode I would be like. "What did it do to deserve that? I thought you were supposed to punish me?"

And as the GT500KR, KITT already looks fairly mean. Much more aggressive than TOS KITT. Which is good and bad.

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Re: If Attack Mode was called Pursuit Mode...

Post by K.A.C.I. » Mon Jan 26, 2009 7:13 pm

You know, I think the "Glowing Drag-Ricer" attack mode fits KARR better than it does KITT:
Image
Anybody agree?
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Re: If Attack Mode was called Pursuit Mode...

Post by Lynda414 » Mon Jan 26, 2009 7:29 pm

K.A.C.I. wrote:You know, I think the "Glowing Drag-Ricer" attack mode fits KARR better than it does KITT:
Image
Anybody agree?
Hmmm.... you have a point there...

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Re: If Attack Mode was called Pursuit Mode...

Post by lunchmeat » Mon Jan 26, 2009 7:50 pm

Wow, KACI, nice pic! Did you photoshop that? That looks great as KARR. I like the fact that you darkened the pic and desaturated it a bit...nice atmosphere. The red ground effect is a nice touch.

A while back, I wasn't really a proponent of Attack Mode - but I've realized that without the blue ground effects, it actually works for me. I confess that I like the overall shape of the car in attack mode - I love the angular hood and the headlight "stripes". The taillights also look really great. I also like the rearview mirrors, as long as they don't have the blue lighting active.

I originally didn't like the grille, but it works. I also thought that the silver rims were too much, but in one of the recent episodes (the one where they turbo boost into the prison) they looked alright. I don't know - I'm not really sure what it is, but Attack Mode has really grown on me and I think it's because they got rid of the ground effects and the other neon stuff. In the scene where the guard see KI3T in Attack Mode through his binoculars, KI3T looks simply awesome. It's here on Hulu: http://www.hulu.com/watch/51778/knight-rider-jailbreak" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The thing about Attack Mode....it's only ugly from certain angles. It looks great from the front, and it looks great in the picture below - it also looks okay from the back. It can look okay from the side, but it depends on the shot, and I really wish that they'd integrated the spoiler better. That would make a large difference for me.

So I dunno - Attack Mode, I kind of hope it stays because the look has grown on me. I just hope that they find a good way to integrate it into the plotlines - I don't mind only seeing it once in a while, as long as it makes sense. Logically, Attack Mode wouldn't be needed except for certain situations.
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Re: If Attack Mode was called Pursuit Mode...

Post by Lynda414 » Mon Jan 26, 2009 7:57 pm

I can tolerate Attack Mode. Maybe if they toned it down a bit, I would even like it. Like you said, in certain situations. But I won't ever complain about Attack Mode again if NBC gets rid of the transformations.

Pretty please, NBC? *wide puppy dog eyes*

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Re: If Attack Mode was called Pursuit Mode...

Post by bige » Mon Jan 26, 2009 8:10 pm

I doubt it that NBC is going to get rid of the transformations, I think that the transfermation are good because then KITT can blend into his surroundings

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Re: If Attack Mode was called Pursuit Mode...

Post by Lynda414 » Mon Jan 26, 2009 8:12 pm

He can change color and minor details and do that. He doesn't need to turn into a van or a truck...

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