You know the great thing about these old games is that they have been modified to the extreme. Now that we have the enhanced version the game presents new npcs and actual dialog from them. I wonder if there will be a new romance. But I also hope they fix the bug in BG2 with Jaheria. Eventually all these bugs will be patched and new mods will be added to garuntee your expectations of continious enjoyment of the forgotten realms. I always thought that having more npcs would be nice but wouldn't that be over doing it for most players who are new?
I don't entirely agree with the "quality > quantity" argument. The BG1 NPCs do suffer from a lack of character development and interactions, but the BG2 NPCs suffer from a lack of likable or interesting personalities IMO - so it's basically a wash as I see it. I think the makers of BG2 really dropped the ball by not bringing back more BG1 NPCs and developing their characters further - especially some of the late-appearing NPCs like Alora or Tiax (as playable), who appeared too late to make the most of their potential, and who also happen thieves, which BG2 notoriously suffers from a lack of. I especially would've loved to have seen Shar-Teel return and have her story fleshed out more - especially if she was dualed to a thief, which again would've addressed the thief problem.
I also agree that there should've been at least one or two more NPCs from the "new" classes, such as a barbarian or monk (although the latter will now be solved with the inclusion of Rasaad). I think an Undead Hunter would've also been ideal, and fit into the story very well (someone who shares the same goal of crushing Bodhi's vampires).
Not necessarily with his list of "disliked" characters but with the idea that not everyone likes all the characters in BG2.
Personally, I can't stand Jaheira mostly because I find her romance repulsive so I jettison her as soon as I am contextually able to do so. Sometimes I leave her with her Harper buddies. Sometimes I accidentally forget to res her and remove her from party leaving her dead forever. And either way pretend she is gone forever. So I can remember BG1 Jaheira who was a stern but caring stand-in guardian for my CHARNAME and not the creepy witch she becomes in BG2.
That's just my opinion however. Others love her as much as I hate her. lol.
I don't like Aerie (oh my god she is so whiny and she just assumes she is your girlfriend), Viconia (creepy milf), Cernd (just boring, also I'd feel bad taking him away from his druid circle), Haer'dalis (I reckon its mostly because I have no use for his class), or Valgyar (I find him to be an extraneous character - other chars do what he does better) for varying reasons as well. Again just my personal opinion.
So I would very much like a greater spread of NPCs to choose from as well to give me some more options for a party because currently I can't make up a good aligned party without mods, or without using neutral characters; without taking characters I don't like.
Example, because I don't like Aerie I can't in good concience keep Minsc after he asks her to be his witch, if I want to jettison her for another character. So both have to go.
So avoiding the "not liked characters" it leaves me with Mazzy, Keldorn, Anomen (help him go good), and Nalia. And I always let Keldorn go be with his family (don't have the heart to basically destroy his marriage). And Imoen when we get her back; but getting her back makes Nalia redundant.
So good aligned BG2 party for me is: Charname. Mazzy. Anomen. Nalia/Imoen. (Empty Space). (Empty Space).
Granted BG2EE will bring Rasaad. So one empty space for me. So more characters would be very much appreciated.
I would also pay for additional NPCs without hesitation. So far, you guys have shown me that you can create interesting characters with depth. As long as that idea isn't ruined by BG2EE (which I highly doubt), I would jump on an opportunity for more characters.
They need to add an NPC that is totally insane evil, who would kill you for looking at them wrong or an evil NPC that is cold and calculating, in full control of their facilities.
So if there'll be a DLC system with additional NPCs, good written and scripted like Neera, Dorn etc or even some new content with one or two new maps, encounters etc.. In that case I'm ready to pay up to 50 bucks for such a DLC. Actually I'm very unhappy with the latest news, that only 1 new NPC will be availible in BG2EE.
They're still "New" NPCs compared to Vanilla, and are all likely to have further full interactions and quests in BG2 which are new. I would say that compared to Vanilla BG2 there are a total of 4 new NPCs.
They're still "New" NPCs compared to Vanilla, and are all likely to have further full interactions and quests in BG2 which are new. I would say that compared to Vanilla BG2 there are a total of 4 new NPCs.
Look, I'm not trying to say, that BG2EE gonna suck or I won't buy it. I'm just unhappy about that fact and my opinion is - they rush with the release. Still I understand your thoughts. The big deal will be if they realy release some DLCs for extra money in the future. As I said before - I'm ready to pay up to 50$ for an additional official NPC DLC. But it would be better if they add another one new NPC just into the game - in that case - I will make a pre-order.
The difficulty with adding NPCs is that they're relatively expensive to make. I know we would absolutely love to add new NPCs, though, so:
Would you be willing to put your money where your mouth is? If we made new NPCs addons, would you be willing to pay for them to fund their creation?
Honestly? Only if you can prove you can do better than the multitude of NPC addons which are already free via mods. And even then, you'd be working with a distinct disadvantage, because modders can change existing content to a greater extent than Beamdog can.
I suspect you'll get the final answer to that question after BG2:EE is released - if Dorn, Neera, Hexxat and Rasaad prove to be well-written and entertaining characters, I doubt you'll have any problem selling more party members as DLC.
You can have all the npcs you want. Just give me a larger party to play with. I understand DnD is a 4-6 sort of thing but come on. 2 dozen in BG and a dozen and a half in bg2? to me this is why the game has such high replay value (the goal is the same but the journey isn't) and then there's all the classes. It's almost too much for my indecisive mind. Almost =p
yes, this is a fact @DarkDogg. Otherwise Jaheira, viconia, minsc and edwin are also new npcs in BG2.
They may not be new to the series, but they are 'new' to the game. Same with Neera et al. BG2:TOB had 17 NPCs, BG2:EE will have 21. Ergo, there are 4 new (or additional, if one prefers) NPCs. The fact that they happen to be a continuation of BG1:EE NPCs doesn't change the fact that there are four more NPCs you can put in your party.
they're not new characters, but the continue of new characters of BG:EE.
About NPC numbers i have no problem. It's ok how it is atm, but something nice to do would make consequences for BG:EE or hard choices for BG2:EE. make some new NPCs in BG:EE and make them not all goes for BG2:EE, if you pick dorn, then a new paladin created in BG:EE wouldn't appear in BG2:EE, and things like this.
Even better, if you take someone as an NPC in BG2:EE maybe other NPCs would refuse to join the party in reason of that, this way we can bring more NPCs without making the game overpopulated of joinable NPCs.
I think your entire post pretty much illustrates what people have been saying - people who have been playing this game a lot may be bored and want new stuff, but to new gamers all the old NPCs are waiting to be explored. Old-time players seem to be making assumptions like having an all-good/evil party or putting up conditions that must be met for joinable NPCs, ie no "irritating" NPCs.
Seems to me like your expectations are high. Nothing wrong with that. I guess it comes down to if they can justify new characters economically. As I see it, they have lots of options for new content and new characters are just one of them.
Would you be willing to put your money where your mouth is? If we made new NPCs addons, would you be willing to pay for them to fund their creation?
heck yes assuming they were properly intergrated i would like this more then any other add on content add Alora or more halflings/dwarves and id even smile abit and may even do some kind of a dance
They need to add an NPC that is totally insane evil, who would kill you for looking at them wrong or an evil NPC that is cold and calculating, in full control of their facilities.
yes, this is a fact @DarkDogg. Otherwise Jaheira, viconia, minsc and edwin are also new npcs in BG2.
Jaheira, Viconia, Minsc, and Edwin weren't additions to BG2. They've always been in BG2. Neera, Rasaad, and Dorn aren't new characters for the series as a whole, but they are new characters for BG2.
yes, this is a fact @DarkDogg. Otherwise Jaheira, viconia, minsc and edwin are also new npcs in BG2.
Jaheira, Viconia, Minsc, and Edwin weren't additions to BG2. They've always been in BG2. Neera, Rasaad, and Dorn aren't new characters for the series as a whole, but they are new characters for BG2.
Jaheira, Viconia, Minsc and Edwin are NPCs from BG that appeared in BG:EE. Dorn, Neera and Rasaad are the same. The difference is that they're new now in BG:EE while in the past all NPCs were new in BG. Not trying to say the devs are fooling us or anything like that by the way, separated, isolated, it's just a true statement that i had to agree.
Neera, Dorn and Rasaad where meant to be in BG2:EE since before it's launch, was part of their propaganda "characters with a full history that will travel with you to the end of the saga". It's not new that they would appear in BG2:EE.
yes, this is a fact @DarkDogg. Otherwise Jaheira, viconia, minsc and edwin are also new npcs in BG2.
Jaheira, Viconia, Minsc, and Edwin weren't additions to BG2. They've always been in BG2. Neera, Rasaad, and Dorn aren't new characters for the series as a whole, but they are new characters for BG2.
You are wrong in both parts. If someone plays the game for the first time - Jaheira, Viconia, Minsc, and Edwin are not new for him, same as Neera, Rasaad, and Dorn ARE NOT NEW FOR HIM! New BG2EE NPCs for a new player are - Korgan, Mazzy, Aerie etc. And the new thief girl. We're talking about the EE series, the new game, and not about the old one, original game.
At this point I'd like to know: Would (some of) you prefer to have entirely new (see Definition 2) NPCs introduced in BG2:EE to having Dorn, Rasaad and Neera.
Dorn, Rasaad and Neera + 2 (two) new NPCs would solve the problem.
Why we had 4 (FOUR) COMPLITELY new NPCs in BGEE? Actually we liked them all. And in BG2EE we will have only 1 new NPC? And the game will be more expensive...
Comments
I don't entirely agree with the "quality > quantity" argument. The BG1 NPCs do suffer from a lack of character development and interactions, but the BG2 NPCs suffer from a lack of likable or interesting personalities IMO - so it's basically a wash as I see it. I think the makers of BG2 really dropped the ball by not bringing back more BG1 NPCs and developing their characters further - especially some of the late-appearing NPCs like Alora or Tiax (as playable), who appeared too late to make the most of their potential, and who also happen thieves, which BG2 notoriously suffers from a lack of. I especially would've loved to have seen Shar-Teel return and have her story fleshed out more - especially if she was dualed to a thief, which again would've addressed the thief problem.
I also agree that there should've been at least one or two more NPCs from the "new" classes, such as a barbarian or monk (although the latter will now be solved with the inclusion of Rasaad). I think an Undead Hunter would've also been ideal, and fit into the story very well (someone who shares the same goal of crushing Bodhi's vampires).
Not necessarily with his list of "disliked" characters but with the idea that not everyone likes all the characters in BG2.
Personally, I can't stand Jaheira mostly because I find her romance repulsive so I jettison her as soon as I am contextually able to do so. Sometimes I leave her with her Harper buddies. Sometimes I accidentally forget to res her and remove her from party leaving her dead forever. And either way pretend she is gone forever.
So I can remember BG1 Jaheira who was a stern but caring stand-in guardian for my CHARNAME and not the creepy witch she becomes in BG2.
That's just my opinion however. Others love her as much as I hate her. lol.
I don't like Aerie (oh my god she is so whiny and she just assumes she is your girlfriend), Viconia (creepy milf), Cernd (just boring, also I'd feel bad taking him away from his druid circle), Haer'dalis (I reckon its mostly because I have no use for his class), or Valgyar (I find him to be an extraneous character - other chars do what he does better) for varying reasons as well. Again just my personal opinion.
So I would very much like a greater spread of NPCs to choose from as well to give me some more options for a party because currently I can't make up a good aligned party without mods, or without using neutral characters; without taking characters I don't like.
Example, because I don't like Aerie I can't in good concience keep Minsc after he asks her to be his witch, if I want to jettison her for another character. So both have to go.
So avoiding the "not liked characters" it leaves me with Mazzy, Keldorn, Anomen (help him go good), and Nalia. And I always let Keldorn go be with his family (don't have the heart to basically destroy his marriage). And Imoen when we get her back; but getting her back makes Nalia redundant.
So good aligned BG2 party for me is:
Charname.
Mazzy.
Anomen.
Nalia/Imoen.
(Empty Space).
(Empty Space).
Granted BG2EE will bring Rasaad. So one empty space for me. So more characters would be very much appreciated.
The fact is that only the new thief girl is the only new NPC in the game...
Still I understand your thoughts.
The big deal will be if they realy release some DLCs for extra money in the future.
As I said before - I'm ready to pay up to 50$ for an additional official NPC DLC.
But it would be better if they add another one new NPC just into the game - in that case - I will make a pre-order.
I suspect you'll get the final answer to that question after BG2:EE is released - if Dorn, Neera, Hexxat and Rasaad prove to be well-written and entertaining characters, I doubt you'll have any problem selling more party members as DLC.
About NPC numbers i have no problem. It's ok how it is atm, but something nice to do would make consequences for BG:EE or hard choices for BG2:EE. make some new NPCs in BG:EE and make them not all goes for BG2:EE, if you pick dorn, then a new paladin created in BG:EE wouldn't appear in BG2:EE, and things like this.
Even better, if you take someone as an NPC in BG2:EE maybe other NPCs would refuse to join the party in reason of that, this way we can bring more NPCs without making the game overpopulated of joinable NPCs.
I think your entire post pretty much illustrates what people have been saying - people who have been playing this game a lot may be bored and want new stuff, but to new gamers all the old NPCs are waiting to be explored. Old-time players seem to be making assumptions like having an all-good/evil party or putting up conditions that must be met for joinable NPCs, ie no "irritating" NPCs.
Seems to me like your expectations are high. Nothing wrong with that. I guess it comes down to if they can justify new characters economically. As I see it, they have lots of options for new content and new characters are just one of them.
add Alora or more halflings/dwarves and id even smile abit and may even do some kind of a dance
Neera, Dorn and Rasaad where meant to be in BG2:EE since before it's launch, was part of their propaganda "characters with a full history that will travel with you to the end of the saga". It's not new that they would appear in BG2:EE.
New BG2EE NPCs for a new player are - Korgan, Mazzy, Aerie etc. And the new thief girl.
We're talking about the EE series, the new game, and not about the old one, original game.
Why we had 4 (FOUR) COMPLITELY new NPCs in BGEE? Actually we liked them all.
And in BG2EE we will have only 1 new NPC? And the game will be more expensive...