That was my first thought too and probably, like you said, the main reason why it wasn't done. I wouldn't even mind having the companions as DLC in the future but the odds are not very welcoming. Like I said, a shame, since I like Beamdogs writing.
Not for me, it isn't. Look, I respect that for a lot of people these new classes posibilities are very appealing but for me they are just a "nice" extra. What I was really looking forward was the kind of party interaction that made BG2's journey really memorable (for me).
You can never tell what might happen, and I certainly wouldn't complain if Beamdog released a bunch of interesting companions in a future DLC. More options increase replayability. If IWDEE is popular enough anything is possible, even IWD2EE.
I think it would be fun if writers like Ed Greenwood, Elaine Cunningham, R.A. Salvatore, etc. each created a unique NPC for the game. Since Wizards of the Coast seems to want to promote the Forgotten Realms these days that would be a nice way to do it. It's really unlikely, but I can dream.
So even if introducing 5 companions is a lot of work, I think is still much less than what they did for BG and BG2, but who knows, I am just assuming stuff here. In any case, for a lot of players there will be no reason to buy ID and ID2 EE if they don't have new companions. What would be the point?, I just can reinstall the vanilla ID for a vanilla experience at that point.
I don't think it' such a huge effort. The way it it now, the party consists of six people who wound up in Easthaven for one reason or another and stick together after they survive the avalance that kills Hrothgar and the other relief for Kuldahar.
I love the feel of playing a klose-knit group of companions who together brave the way to Kuldahar, struggle against the evil forces that threaten the town, and survive the dangers of the Spine of the World; who rely on each other in a deadly environment. To me, joinable NPCs should be found only in Easthaven and maybe one or two in Kuldahar, but not later, because it would dilute the sense of 'common' experience and the individual purpose of being part of the party if you picked up and kicked girls and guys as you roam through the mountains.
Personally, I think the team have made up their mind but, like you said, we can dream. For me, DLC companions would be the difference between passing on this EE or buying it for sure, and probably I am not alone on this one since a lot of people already have the disc or GOG version. We'll see. I would love to be wrong about it though.
We are planning five NPCs, all of whom will be required to be in the party and can't be kicked out, and four of them will be single-class thieves. The fifth is a wizard slayer.
Not even remotely serious
I was looking forward to that gay romance gnome monk/kensai.
Then you'll get cries for the lack of Neutral NPCs, so hike that number up to 15 total. All with their own voice actors, storylines, dialogue interjections, etc.
Good luck waiting for that in a tactical RPG where the story is in the lore and the atmosphere, and the non-party characters, and less so about the characters in your party.
Ha! Good fun. Players who actually think they're being punished are either bad players, or have been conditioned by a bad DM who literally does punish them. Are there players out there who think having the constabulary come after them for that town they destroyed are being "punished"?
My point is: Alignment doesn't have to mean anything. Viconia is neutral evil and still despises child-murder. Keldorn is lawful good and still a racist.
Character alignments are just guidelines. If players believe they can't have both good, neutral and evil aligned party members in their party, that either means the characters are badly written or that the player is too shallow for their own good.
I will say that as a player, the scenarios I dislike most are the ones where two characters don't get along to the point where one or both of them leave. I would much rather see those characters find a way to get along, or else spend the entire campaign "at each other's throats" in banter, not disrupting the gameplay itself.
@Dee Again, I agree. No matter what conflict causes it, a character leaving always seems like a failure. If a character is going to leave the party, it should be because they get dramatically separated, or some other obligation prevents them coming along, not because a given player/character can't handle the drama.
I don't know, having actual real-life experience on hiking parties, I know that two people who would usually be at each other's throat do indeed start working together when they are on the road. A common goal and having to depend on each other can work wonders and I believe that is especially true for an environment as hostile and life-threatening as north of the spine of the world.
Even if two characters would end up hating each other, they wouldn't be so stupid to suddenly travel alone through the dale unless they have a serious death wish.
This of course is a plotpoint advantage that IWD has over BG, so IWD can get away with far fewer NPC companions as BG2 does, if every character gets a legitimate interest in the main quest and/ or traveling with the protagonist.
Disappointing to see Trents tweet there, personally I think I'll wait until I've either exhausted BG1&2EE, they release DLC companions or some modders get together and produce something great.
For me it's not enough to simply port the new engine, kits and spells from previous EEs I was hoping for a bit more "new" content personally.
Disappointing to see Trents tweet there, personally I think I'll wait until I've either exhausted BG1&2EE, they release DLC companions or some modders get together and produce something great.
For me it's not enough to simply port the new engine, kits and spells from previous EEs I was hoping for a bit more "new" content personally.
They're also adding more items and restoring cut content. So, there will be new loot to grab, and more quests to quest.
Already played IWD with UB and Kuyloks NPC mod, so apart from a few new items it will be an inferior experience for myself.
Well, if you already played with one of the vaunted NPC mods, wouldn't any new NPCs likewise be an "inferior experience," since it's apparently boring after you've seen it once?
What are you talking about? I am looking for new content preferably in the shape of new NPCs, why would I find that boring? And how could I have already played the game with them?
Each to their own man, for me IWD is too shallow in the storyline/character development department without additions to that area I personally don't feel like paying $20 for a game I already own, twice.
"Have planned" as in I was continuing @CamDawg's earlier trend of tongue-in-cheek misinformation. If we do create NPCs, they'll use alignments just like any other character in the game.
Comments
I think it would be fun if writers like Ed Greenwood, Elaine Cunningham, R.A. Salvatore, etc. each created a unique NPC for the game. Since Wizards of the Coast seems to want to promote the Forgotten Realms these days that would be a nice way to do it. It's really unlikely, but I can dream.
I love the feel of playing a klose-knit group of companions who together brave the way to Kuldahar, struggle against the evil forces that threaten the town, and survive the dangers of the Spine of the World; who rely on each other in a deadly environment.
To me, joinable NPCs should be found only in Easthaven and maybe one or two in Kuldahar, but not later, because it would dilute the sense of 'common' experience and the individual purpose of being part of the party if you picked up and kicked girls and guys as you roam through the mountains.
Personally, I think the team have made up their mind but, like you said, we can dream. For me, DLC companions would be the difference between passing on this EE or buying it for sure, and probably I am not alone on this one since a lot of people already have the disc or GOG version. We'll see. I would love to be wrong about it though.
Good luck waiting for that in a tactical RPG where the story is in the lore and the atmosphere, and the non-party characters, and less so about the characters in your party.
Players who actually think they're being punished are either bad players, or have been conditioned by a bad DM who literally does punish them.
Are there players out there who think having the constabulary come after them for that town they destroyed are being "punished"?
Viconia is neutral evil and still despises child-murder.
Keldorn is lawful good and still a racist.
Character alignments are just guidelines.
If players believe they can't have both good, neutral and evil aligned party members in their party, that either means the characters are badly written or that the player is too shallow for their own good.
Plus, having bickering partymembers is great
I once ran a Chaotic Good Fighter charname with Aerie (romanced), Jaheira, Viconia, Minsc, and Jan in tow. The banter was truly choice.
Again, I agree. No matter what conflict causes it, a character leaving always seems like a failure. If a character is going to leave the party, it should be because they get dramatically separated, or some other obligation prevents them coming along, not because a given player/character can't handle the drama.
Even if two characters would end up hating each other, they wouldn't be so stupid to suddenly travel alone through the dale unless they have a serious death wish.
This of course is a plotpoint advantage that IWD has over BG, so IWD can get away with far fewer NPC companions as BG2 does, if every character gets a legitimate interest in the main quest and/ or traveling with the protagonist.
For me it's not enough to simply port the new engine, kits and spells from previous EEs I was hoping for a bit more "new" content personally.
Each to their own man, for me IWD is too shallow in the storyline/character development department without additions to that area I personally don't feel like paying $20 for a game I already own, twice.
"Actually, the NPCs we have planned make use of 4e's "Unaligned" alignment. It's like they can fit in any party!"
"Have planned" as in they will eventually come out as DLC or "had planned" as in they are scrapped now?
Haha, ok, thanks for elaborating. Well, I hope to see those NPCs in the future!