New areas from new NPCs Neera, Rasaad...Dorn????

shiffd

Hello,
I am running through EE in the way I normally did BG, with no NPC usage (this time I am duoing, 2 characters using multiplayer)...

I just realized that these new fandangled NPCs bring with them new areas and contents 'up to 4 hours of gameplay'...

Questions~
Is it really 4 hours worth of new content?
Can I access these areas/adventures without the NPCs in my party?
I don't want any spoilers per se, but....how soon/at what chapter/level should I take on these side quests?

My thought is to try to complete these areas without the NPCs, but if I have to have them in my party, I figure, snag them up, complete the content, then dump them.

If this new content is any kind of good so etc. then all the bugs and stuff will be worth it.

Cowled_wizard

you wont be able to access this areas WITHOUT the npcs.

Madhax

All three have romances, not sure if you care about them.

Dorn has a multi-stage quest, beginning with a couple early-game encounters and culminating in a late-game encounter.

Neera's main quest is early-game, though she has a minor late-game encounter.

Rasaad's quest begins in baldur's gate city.

All together, 4 hours seems roughly accurate. None of that content is accessible without the appropriate npc, though.

Delvarian

I liked Neera's quest the best, though a lot of people seem to like Rasaads better.

Tieoken

All three quests are interesting to say the least and you do need the NPCs for the quest. It doesn't matter when you get them in your group per say however they do require a moderate amount of travelling time in your party before their quests actually start. So I'd say post-nashkell mines approximately. Plus why wouldn't you get Dorn in your party, he kicks evil's butt better than Minsc! Also, each three provide different sorts of fights, where you have to use differing strategies.

nano

Rasaad's quest... so much walking

The reward is great though.

elminster

Maybe like 2.5 hours extra content.

element

definitely wouldn't say it takes 4 hours

also u may be interested to know that dorns quest has no new areas it all occurs on pre-existing maps

shiffd

thanks guys...tried to add rasaad but he bugged.
I got a real predicament because CLUA doesn't work for me because I use a Japanese keyboard and there is a different key in the place of the key that these engines use for accessing cheat console I hate when games are designed only for American keyboards..mostly because I live in Asia.

@teioken I never ever liked the idea of NPCs in my party in any RPG ever for any reason. If I didn't design the character, I don't want to pretend to be him. Just the way I work. I respect folks that enjoy it, but its not for me. I'm very much a custom design avatar type if that makes sense. I don't even like fighting with NPC characters/CPU/AI etc. that are not in the party. summoned creatures is where I draw the line, if its any smarter than a bear etc. and if its anything more important than fodder...I don't need it in my party.

Actually I like BG a lot, but the whole bhaalspawn thing I don't like much either. For me I like best the traditional make a party that takes on a quest, with no predefined connection to the quest. D&D at its core. BGs whole bhaalspawn thing really mixed finalfantasy/dragonwarrior/Zelda etc. They make a D&D game like all the other RPGs...moving towards the generic...I find though if you kill all the NPCs, use multiplayer to create your own party and/or solo...then it works out fine, even if the spawn storyline and being forced to have your main characters backstory written for you.... You can kind of ignore that though and really play it like a traditional D&D game, the way D&D is suppose to be played (IE if the GM tried to make your character for you or predefine your backstory...you would smack him upside the head)

Tsyrith

Everything you just said describes Icewind Dale to a T. I assume you're aware of its existence, but if not; GO! BE FREE AND RUN IN THE FIELDS OF GREEN KNOWING ONLY BLISS AS TEARS OF JOY GLIMMER IN THE LIGHT OF YOUR BEAUTIFUL SOUL. LIVE, AND IN LIVING; REMEMBER US.

Ahem.

So... you might like it, maybe?

Corvino

@shiffd But bringing along NPCs sort-of simulates playing with a group of other people who disagree about what you should do. You can pretty much just overrule them though, not always possible with a real group.

So while having the main character have a specific background does change things from PnP in a way, I find the NPCs give it that "party" atmosphere. You know what I mean.

karnor00

If you prefer, you can play through BG with a party of 6 characters you roll up yourself. You lose out on any interesting intra-party interactions and a few character-specific sidequests but otherwise the game is the same.

Beowulf

You guys are WRONG. Once you get the map updates of Neera and Rashad on your world map you can kick or kill them - you will still have the areas all the gear - and even the speech too- they appear off the screen walk up and bother you.... Also once you get the final show down with the last enemy of DOrn info you can boot Dorn too ,,,

shiffd

@Tsyrith I have played basically every single D&D title ever made and atleast 100 other titles, old and new. I own all the infinity engine's on disk, and a few electronic copies here and there except NWII which I will buy and play eventually... I like to wait for them to be old enough to be dirt cheap when I have doubts about how much I will enjoy them...mainly that NWNI I disliked it, so I decided not to pay/pay much for NWNII...so I haven't...Oh and I have never played the new PoR cuz I can't find anywhere to buy it legit from Japan. So yea, I know all about IWD and it is awesome. BG is better though because it is less linear. err...just the right amount of linear and not linear IMO which is really why it is a cult classic as it is.

@Corvino Playing with computer simulated companions is not like playing with a party. It's like playing with characters run by the GM...ie NPCs. You are not suppose to care about, control etc. NPCs, they are GM toys...normally they give you quests and rewards, you carry them out of a dungeon 'rescue' them...or they turn on you at some point and you kill them...you don't share XP wtih them. IN BG though they are inparty PCs...but run by you...why would I run a character I didn't roll...except for odd moments when the GM steps in (i never used NPCs so not sure how that works if/when it happens) and I guess they will leave party over alignments etc....which is probalby what the Rasaad bug is all about.
Also I think multiplayer is for the party atmosphere. So either another human roles the extra party members or you do. I like the clear delination of PC and NPC (party and not-party) and rolled by player or rolled by GM (game designers).

@karnor00 That is exactly what I do/did...but I don't always use 6. Sometimes 2, or 3, or 5 or whatever. I have to turn the difficulty way up to run with 6, and for how the content is designed it can just make it tedius IMO. BG is challenging with 1 character...I'm havinga fun time with 2 and found it breezy with any more than that. I probably overpower my characters though, if you gimped a party of 6, or used the NPCs and a modest main character i could see BG might be a challenge. Still probably better to keep party around 2 or 3 members...maybe though since I use smaller parties my teams are just leveling faster, with a full crew if you level slower maybe it stays challenging...especially if you don't balance out your classes/roles and lack good buff/tank/CC etc. balance.

@Beowulf...
Can you tell me the names of the areas for each NPC
Rasaad-
Neera-
I want to know how I can see if I have got access yet...once i can see them on the map, from what you said, I can safely boot them from party and do the content as my intended duo right??

Also this Rasaad bug is annoying...I'll have to figure something special out to get to his content at this point...he is totally bugged for me now.

Corvino

If you're not playing with the NPCs in BG2 then I'd say you are missing some of the best dialogue in a computer game. Jan Jansen + just about anyone is always a chuckle. While you can create better characters for your party they add a depth to the world and do often give you interesting interactions or even quests you might miss out on. For example, Jaheira in BG2 has a fairly lengthy questline involving the Harpers that requires her in the party for a significant period of time.

If you don't like NPCs then it's your call, but I feel that they add a lot of character to the experience.

Not really an issue as much in BG1 though, as they don't say much.

shiffd

I would like the quests if I didn't have to run the NPC. I would be ok/semi-ok following/leading etc. an NPC on a quest. As far as dialogue, I hate dialogue. More of a story guy...the line can be blurred...Personally what little tidbits I have gotten of most of the NPC dialogues/banter really turns me off and I have never really heard/ read anything that made me want more. The quests do seem nifty though. I guess where I draw the line is talking which has no connection to any action/story/progress. That stuff is usually cheesy and annoying to me. Anything relating to an actual quest or action though, can be really good and keeps me interested. most banter is the exact opposite of that and I can't imagine the nightmare of sifting through senseless banter all game to amke sure you don7t miss that line that was going to trigger a quest of consequence...actually many years ago I did do a NPC run of BG, I hardly remember it. The only thing I remember was it being tedius...some of the tweakpacks etc. I know are meant to help make it better.

shiffd

http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Baldur's_Gate_series

yea all that is stuff I don't like and don't want interrupting my game.

GemHound

shiffd said:

http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Baldur's_Gate_series

yea all that is stuff I don't like and don't want interrupting my game.

I personally like the NPC Dialogues unless they fire off at completely inappropriate times.

nano

Ah yes, the poorly timed sex scene.

GemHound

For example: Aerie stopping to complain to you about her wings when you are being chased by hundreds of blood thirsty drow.

Edit: It happened.

Eudaemonium

I heard one story where Aerie gave birth during the final battle of ToB. It might have been an exaggeration, though.

FinneousPJ

@Eudaemonium And what's she to do? Hold it in?

GemHound

@FinneousPJ I am pretty sure that Aerie in reality would have mentioned not being able to travel let alone fight before then. She is not that tough.

FinneousPJ

@GemHound Perhaps the evil bhaalspawn forced her.

Eudaemonium

I think she's only meant to give birth during non-combat phases. However (I can't remember), if the final ToB battle has breaks in its combat then that might account for why it triggered.

GemHound

@Eudaemonium
It does very much so have breaks in combat, yet sleeping is not an option.

Eudaemonium

@GemHound: Your party was ambushed by Dark Planetars!

Beowulf

ow I can see if I have got access yet...once i can see them on the map, ahh one place is Andoys Enclave and the other is called cloud peaks - the one know you have it as it say "Andoys Enclave" the other you know you have it as it is actually in the drwan in stenciled mountian range background with a cave opening.

shiffd

I guess I like a bit more serious.... then again someone complaining about wings while being chased, that I might actually find amusing..but might be annoying too. Reading it here made me laugh. In the middle of a forest walking around though, it would not make me laugh. I don't like internet videos of cats either so I am proetry sure I am in the minority when it comes to disliking cheesy banter....I understand for most it is a selling point of BG and I respect that. Nothing wrong with harmless humor for those who like it.
Having birth in the middle of an epic battle...LOL....silly to have a pregnant woman in a battleparty/adventure..but in the case that you did for some reason...strenous activity and stress very much can force labor...so its a bit realistic....I think if people were shooting stuff at her and attacking her and she had no help/water etc....the mother and child would both die and that is neither funny nor appropriate content for a video game to me...just a bit grim and frankly...demented. I also find the idea of a game with sexscenes etc. extremely inappropriate...as with the cheesy banter I understand that people like it...but in this case it seems a bit like getting off and well...to me it has no place in this genre of RPG, not something that should be mixed or messed around with IMO for mainstream gaming titles...it would be like putting adult videos in the fantasy section at your local video store... I'm okay with people doing whatever they want in their private time...but put it behind a curtain and don't connect it directly to non-sexual stuff....On the otherhand for the US its to be expected...your average hollywood movie is more likely to have a sex scene than a moral these days.