The Art Gallery of Alberta is a beautiful building, I have to add. (I know, you guys don't care about how beautiful the building is but since I can't say anything official for a few weeks yet...) I had my grad pre-ceremony dinner there and it was an amazing space. I'm so glad Trent picked it.
Also, Don Iveson is our mayor if anyone was wondering.
Hmmm ... people (and especially writers, who necessarily have a good command of language) don't normally say "a few" unless they mean at least 3 (and probably more).
I suspect that Trent is being a little disingenuous in pretending that the date isn't set. No-one sends out VIP invitations to busy people until after booking a definite date at the venue, so that they can plan their availability.
Probably not, @bengoshi - the implication of @AndrewFoley "raising a cup of memory" is that the wordplay in question has been "sacrificed on the altar" by deleting it from the game.
Sadly (or gladly, depending on your patience for terrible, terrible jokes), that particular groaner is no longer in the game text. If someone reminds me, I'll reveal what it was after the game comes out, which, once unleashed upon the world, should ensure that no one talks to me ever again.
Probably not, @bengoshi - the implication of @AndrewFoley "raising a cup of memory" is that the wordplay in question has been "sacrificed on the altar" by deleting it from the game.
Sadly (or gladly, depending on your patience for terrible, terrible jokes), that particular groaner is no longer in the game text. If someone reminds me, I'll reveal what it was after the game comes out, which, once unleashed upon the world, should ensure that no one talks to me ever again.
*bookmarks this post*
Another reason why adventure Y needs to be released as soon as possible.
Another reason why adventure Y needs to be released as soon as possible.
Not necessarily, @deltago. Even the writer admits that it was a terrible joke, and evidently the powers-that-be thought it was too terrible to include.
Role-playing generally needs a player to be able to imagine himself into the situation and personalities of the characters in the story, in order to figure out how the characters would behave. If the game becomes too blatantly absurdist or self-parodying, then it's more difficult to take it sufficiently "seriously" for effective role-playing. Thus a joke which is too disruptively groan-worthy can diminish the role-playing quality of the game, even if the joke is otherwise rather good ... in which case the powers-that-be might be correct to rule it out.
I hope I am wrong, but changing the canon party to the player's own party would come with massive consequences, thus making that an unlikely addition to Adv.Y. '
The Jaheira/Khalid interaction replaced by what.. ? If removed/replaced, how would that affect the chateau Irenicus? Which NPC's could be used as replacements? None really or should the game choose one randomely from your party to be killed and add som generic dialogue after you find the corpse?
Minsc can be replaced and just found in the copper coronet instead I guess, or not if he dies in your playthrough of BG1 and/or Adv.Y.
Imoen, if you kill her off in BG1/Adv.Y, how to bring her back into the story without breaking the playthrough? It's easily done by creating one canon storyline, but alot harder to retcon I guess.
Added NPC's to BG2 from BG1 would mean they have to be added throughout, possibly even needing endings I guess. Can be done of course but probably fairly costly.
none of these are a real problem (just don't have jaheira and khalid's body etc.). the only problem is jaheira's involvement with the harper hold quests
imoen is surely the one follower that will always remain canon, no one ever disputed that
not all bg1 npc's can be added but a few can. especially those that aren't already there (as non-joinable characters).
Another reason why adventure Y needs to be released as soon as possible.
Not necessarily, @deltago. Even the writer admits that it was a terrible joke, and evidently the powers-that-be thought it was too terrible to include.
Role-playing generally needs a player to be able to imagine himself into the situation and personalities of the characters in the story, in order to figure out how the characters would behave. If the game becomes too blatantly absurdist or self-parodying, then it's more difficult to take it sufficiently "seriously" for effective role-playing. Thus a joke which is too disruptively groan-worthy can diminish the role-playing quality of the game, even if the joke is otherwise rather good ... in which case the powers-that-be might be correct to rule it out.
I am bookmarking because I cant hear the horrible joke until the game is released.
I like horrible jokes especially if they are so bad that people stop talking to he teller. That sir takes gumption.
not all bg1 npc's can be added but a few can. especially those that aren't already there (as non-joinable characters).
"Can" in the sense of being technically possible, yes, of course. However, Beamdog are a commercial operation with bills and obligations.
In the first place, Beamdog don't own the intellectual property rights to the characters from the original BG1, so they'd need to negotiate terms with WotC (etc.) for the re-use of additional BG1 characters in BG2ee.
In the second place, every character added takes quite a lot of development work - you need graphics drawn (animations, portraits, etc.), text written (standard reactions, banters with numerous other characters, context-specific comments, end-game epilogues, etc.), voice-overs recorded, and so on. Then all of these elements must be programmed into the game, and tested.
Beamdog are technically capable, but it's neither easy nor cheap to do all this. There'd need to be a credible commercial justification for the investment of significant resources, else (obviously!) they won't do it.
My thread seems to have been absorbed into this one? Could somebody please explain to me how that happened?
The forum moderators sometimes merge threads if they think the topics are very similar. (Although they do usually post a note explaining that they have done so.)
I usually 'gib' minsc in most of my bg1 games. There are only a few reasons in role play to listen to apparent mad men (not meaning to say he is mad but his introduction talk sure points in that direction).
not all bg1 npc's can be added but a few can. especially those that aren't already there (as non-joinable characters).
"Can" in the sense of being technically possible, yes, of course. However, Beamdog are a commercial operation with bills and obligations.
In the first place, Beamdog don't own the intellectual property rights to the characters from the original BG1, so they'd need to negotiate terms with WotC (etc.) for the re-use of additional BG1 characters in BG2ee.
In the second place, every character added takes quite a lot of development work - you need graphics drawn (animations, portraits, etc.), text written (standard reactions, banters with numerous other characters, context-specific comments, end-game epilogues, etc.), voice-overs recorded, and so on. Then all of these elements must be programmed into the game, and tested.
Beamdog are technically capable, but it's neither easy nor cheap to do all this. There'd need to be a credible commercial justification for the investment of significant resources, else (obviously!) they won't do it.
they've already got the ip for using them in adventure y so maybe not a lot of negotiation is required to use them in bg2:ee as well
the characters already have their graphics - the original ones will be used in adY and why couldn't they be used in bg2:ee? it's not such a big style difference. reactions, banters etc. imho really don't require that much work. that seems absolutely doable to me. voice acting is an issue, but as we know, a lot of work with original voice actors has been done. maybe some of it for this purpose.
i'm not convinced that it's such a big deal.
but maybe any bg1 npc's will be killed like dynaheir and khalid were and then instead of minsc and jaheira you might get dorn and someone else
So, there will be a FAQ. I expect it to have following questions answered, among other things:
- How can I import the final Adventure Y party into BG2EE? Will it affect the BG2 NPCs' locations?
- What items from the Adventure Y are transferrable to BG2EE?
- Will there be any story for Gl... in BG2EE in the future?
- Will the Adventure Y UI enhancements, kits and spells, as well as other changes, including those new cool baldur.ini options, be ported back to BGEE and BG2EE as patches?
- I've very much liked the person X from the Adventure Y but he can't be recruited into the party. Is there a chance it will be changed in the future? Do you plan to make any additional content for the Adventure Y later?
- Where's that pretty Easter Egg with the Gazebo partying with Elrandir the Fox, Lolien the Myconid, Anduin the Mummy and Nimran the Ferret King?
- Export a character from Adventure Y in the same way you export from BG2. We might support importing saves as well as characters, but the outcome would be the same. The location of BG2 NPCs will not be changed.
- You'll have to wait and find out!
- If the response to Adventure Y is overwhelmingly positive we are interested in exploring further IE content if the market is there for it.
- Yes, our plan is to backport new features to the other EE games, though the timeline for this has not yet been defined. We'll be getting into that as soon as Adventure Y wraps up.
- Again, if the response to Adventure Y is large enough that we can justify the expense of adding a new NPC to BG2EE, we are interested.
As far as BG2EE starting locations go keep in mind how many NPC's storylines are connected with their starting location. Examples include (but are not limited to)
Edwin - needs to be found in Mae'var's thieves guild. Quayle - needs to be in the circus (and age considerably ) Jaheira, Minsc, Imoen (their dialogue mentions how they suffered under Irenicus)
As far as BG2EE starting locations go keep in mind how many NPC's storylines are connected with their starting location.
That is the reason I might be a little bit relieved. Rewriting all that to allow for greater customization in a game as huge, complex, and highly acclaimed as BG2 would be flirting with career suicide.
Comments
Also, Don Iveson is our mayor if anyone was wondering.
I suspect that Trent is being a little disingenuous in pretending that the date isn't set. No-one sends out VIP invitations to busy people until after booking a definite date at the venue, so that they can plan their availability.
End-July, I guess.
Another reason why adventure Y needs to be released as soon as possible.
Role-playing generally needs a player to be able to imagine himself into the situation and personalities of the characters in the story, in order to figure out how the characters would behave. If the game becomes too blatantly absurdist or self-parodying, then it's more difficult to take it sufficiently "seriously" for effective role-playing. Thus a joke which is too disruptively groan-worthy can diminish the role-playing quality of the game, even if the joke is otherwise rather good ... in which case the powers-that-be might be correct to rule it out.
I like a good joke as much as the next guy and a bad joke nearly as much as a good joke, but for the sake of the game this one had to go.
imoen is surely the one follower that will always remain canon, no one ever disputed that
not all bg1 npc's can be added but a few can. especially those that aren't already there (as non-joinable characters).
I like horrible jokes especially if they are so bad that people stop talking to he teller. That sir takes gumption.
In the first place, Beamdog don't own the intellectual property rights to the characters from the original BG1, so they'd need to negotiate terms with WotC (etc.) for the re-use of additional BG1 characters in BG2ee.
In the second place, every character added takes quite a lot of development work - you need graphics drawn (animations, portraits, etc.), text written (standard reactions, banters with numerous other characters, context-specific comments, end-game epilogues, etc.), voice-overs recorded, and so on. Then all of these elements must be programmed into the game, and tested.
Beamdog are technically capable, but it's neither easy nor cheap to do all this. There'd need to be a credible commercial justification for the investment of significant resources, else (obviously!) they won't do it.
You question is about the Dragonspear Crusade and this subject is closely tied with the Adventure Y. So your question and all the answers belong here. I also suggest looking at least at the OP here http://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/40963/the-adventure-y-swords-not-words-only-facts#latest, at point number 17 (BG2EE related reveals).
Few 1-4
Several 5-9
Pack 10-19
Lots 20-49
Horde 50-99
Throng 100-249
Swarm 250-499
Zounds 500-999
Legion 1000+
the characters already have their graphics - the original ones will be used in adY and why couldn't they be used in bg2:ee? it's not such a big style difference.
reactions, banters etc. imho really don't require that much work. that seems absolutely doable to me.
voice acting is an issue, but as we know, a lot of work with original voice actors has been done. maybe some of it for this purpose.
i'm not convinced that it's such a big deal.
but maybe any bg1 npc's will be killed like dynaheir and khalid were and then instead of minsc and jaheira you might get dorn and someone else
- You'll have to wait and find out!
- If the response to Adventure Y is overwhelmingly positive we are interested in exploring further IE content if the market is there for it.
- Yes, our plan is to backport new features to the other EE games, though the timeline for this has not yet been defined. We'll be getting into that as soon as Adventure Y wraps up.
- Again, if the response to Adventure Y is large enough that we can justify the expense of adding a new NPC to BG2EE, we are interested.
- That will be in an $80 DLC Pack.
Edwin - needs to be found in Mae'var's thieves guild.
Quayle - needs to be in the circus (and age considerably
Jaheira, Minsc, Imoen (their dialogue mentions how they suffered under Irenicus)