It seems that some people really enjoy rolling up a party of 4 to 6 characters, and working out extensive biographies for them, and as they play along, imagine what kind of conversations their characters are having with each other.
If you enjoy that type of game, that's all fine and interesting, but you could take that a step further and write your own story, rather than being restricted to a game. Alternatively, you could hook up with some friends and play some table-top D&D where you can actually interact with the other members of your party.
Personally, when I play a video game, I treat it much like watching a movie or reading a book story wise. I want the media to bring the story to me, not to have me work out the story myself. I do enjoy working out such stuff myself, around the table with friends, in an environment that's actually designed around that. In a computer game, I want the characters to talk, not to have to imagine them talking.
@Thels For some people, getting together and playing D&D isn't an option. I feel blessed that I have a group of friends to do tabletop stuff with, but I feel blessed not just because it is fun, but rare. Writing your own story is a private endeavor anybody can undertake, but being able to conceptualize and actually being able to put that concept down on paper are two different skills not always represented in the same individual.
In a computer game, characters don't always talk, precisely for the purpose of allowing the player to invest a little bit of themselves into the character. Gordon Freeman of the Half-Life franchise doesn't speak as a design decision, because he is your avatar, and Valve doesn't want to put words in your mouth. Icewind Dale is very much in this same vein of immersion.
Still, one player, one avatar, not six avatars. In BG/BG2, you create one character, and run into other people to follow you, which is similar to the Half-Life issue you're referring to. (I get reverse motion sickness from 1st person games, so unfortunately, I never got into Half-Life.)
I don't think a computer game should try to emulate a tabletop game completely, but draw it's strength from things that aren't readily available in tabletop games.
It seems that some people really enjoy rolling up a party of 4 to 6 characters, and working out extensive biographies for them, and as they play along, imagine what kind of conversations their characters are having with each other.
If you enjoy that type of game, that's all fine and interesting, but you could take that a step further and write your own story, rather than being restricted to a game. Alternatively, you could hook up with some friends and play some table-top D&D where you can actually interact with the other members of your party.
Personally, when I play a video game, I treat it much like watching a movie or reading a book story wise. I want the media to bring the story to me, not to have me work out the story myself. I do enjoy working out such stuff myself, around the table with friends, in an environment that's actually designed around that. In a computer game, I want the characters to talk, not to have to imagine them talking.
That's fine. I don't like games about racing cars. You know what? I don't buy them. Save your money for PSTEE.
Still, one player, one avatar, not six avatars. In BG/BG2, you create one character, and run into other people to follow you, which is similar to the Half-Life issue you're referring to. (I get reverse motion sickness from 1st person games, so unfortunately, I never got into Half-Life.)
I don't think a computer game should try to emulate a tabletop game completely, but draw it's strength from things that aren't readily available in tabletop games.
Like I said, it's in the same vein. By that I did not mean they were the exact same thing. So, yes, one player, six avatars. That's what Icewind Dale is about. It's perfectly valid and was an intentional design choice by the Black Isle developers.
It sounds to me like you don't have enough imagination to create your own characters. You want the equivelent of "Story Mode" for people with a creativity bypass.
Here is a tip. You know that box labeled "biography"? Use it. You will soon find your characters stop being "dead".
Man, disagreement is fine, but is it really necessary to be so bitchy about it? Just because you don't agree with him doesn't mean you should be snobby.
Why not just be kind to one another, and respect differing opinions? Some people like @Thels like their CRPGs to be like movies in which they act the protagonist through a 'charname', whereas others like to create a larger part of their game world (more characters). Both are perfectly respectable points of view. No need to bicker. @booinyoureyes subtly tried to direct the discussion into a more positive direction. His contribution and subsequent posts have been pasted in a separate discussion. I'd say either let the current discussion die (it was becoming pretty repetitive anyway) or try to contribute something new.
I think everyone understands that people like different things. The dispute is over wether to change something that one person likes to be more like something a different person likes.
Liam: Icewind Dale has never really been about the companions, it's more about the strategic combat and epic locales. Companions aren't something we're currently considering, but that said, if IWD:EE does well it's definitely something we could consider if people were interested!"
Comments
If you enjoy that type of game, that's all fine and interesting, but you could take that a step further and write your own story, rather than being restricted to a game. Alternatively, you could hook up with some friends and play some table-top D&D where you can actually interact with the other members of your party.
Personally, when I play a video game, I treat it much like watching a movie or reading a book story wise. I want the media to bring the story to me, not to have me work out the story myself. I do enjoy working out such stuff myself, around the table with friends, in an environment that's actually designed around that. In a computer game, I want the characters to talk, not to have to imagine them talking.
For some people, getting together and playing D&D isn't an option. I feel blessed that I have a group of friends to do tabletop stuff with, but I feel blessed not just because it is fun, but rare. Writing your own story is a private endeavor anybody can undertake, but being able to conceptualize and actually being able to put that concept down on paper are two different skills not always represented in the same individual.
In a computer game, characters don't always talk, precisely for the purpose of allowing the player to invest a little bit of themselves into the character. Gordon Freeman of the Half-Life franchise doesn't speak as a design decision, because he is your avatar, and Valve doesn't want to put words in your mouth. Icewind Dale is very much in this same vein of immersion.
I don't think a computer game should try to emulate a tabletop game completely, but draw it's strength from things that aren't readily available in tabletop games.
Please, continue discussing the topic, not anyone's behavior. And when you behave, follow the site rules and everything will be fine.
"RPGWatch: Will you add some fleshed out companions? (With banter, background story, personality etc.)
Liam: Icewind Dale has never really been about the companions, it's more about the strategic combat and epic locales. Companions aren't something we're currently considering, but that said, if IWD:EE does well it's definitely something we could consider if people were interested!"
is interested!
DLC! DLC! DLC!