Yeah, I might try loading up some really old games on DOSbox... some are forgetable, but some are not surpassed in their own personal niche. Moo2 was mindblowing when it came out, and still is seen as an exemplary micromanagement strategy game. Does every kid play it? No, but some try it, and I've never had anyone hate it, even more casual gamers play it for awhile.
Regarding the Classics of culture, they are indeed niche, but they are also powerful/influential. Anyone out there never seen a Romeo and Juliet movie? Or song? *shrug* I've read some plays by Shakespear, but am bigger on novels and short stories; my big niche is Russian and European Romantic era lit, for example, but I've read lots of other stuff obviously. If you know much about Baroque music, its one of the 'big' periods, but nowadays, its mostly Bach that people still listen too. Only the best will survive; who has heard of Thales, and who has heard of Plato?
Well, only the best of games get re-imagined and revived. Just like BG did in the EEs.
While people, who played and loved this game are around, it will never truly die. In a half a millenium, kids will learn about the world's most known writers: Shakespeare, Tolkien, Bioware, Stephanie Meyer...
Incidentally, I did play several hours worth of old-old Realms of Arkania: Star Trail (made in the 90s) recently... Gotten from GoG, played on a DOS-box (emulator) on a quarter of my actual screen...
If you know much about Baroque music, its one of the 'big' periods, but nowadays, its mostly Bach that people still listen too.
I am partial to Monteverdi, Purcell, Pachelbel, and Vivaldi, myself, and I like the tonalities of the harpsichord over those of the piano. If you haven't heard any pieces played on a glass harmonica (or glass armonica, depending upon which source you believe) then seek them out--it is probably the perfect instrument for fully realizing the content of the music from that era.
@DreadKhan, I need to correct that misconception about Baroque music and Bach, since I'm a classical musician and teacher. Sure, Bach is popular, but so are the other Baroque composers. Just to name a few super-popular works by Baroque composers other than Bach:
-Handel's "Messiah" -Handel's "Water Music" -Handel's "Music for the Royal Fireworks" -Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons" -Pachelbel's "Canon" -Telemann's Viola Concerto (Admittedly less popular than the others, but if you're a viola student, you're going to play it and love it. And there are more of us violists around than you think.)
The Handel pieces and the Pachelbel Canon are especially prevalent at weddings. Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons" is omnipresent in commercials, TV soundtracks, movie soundtracks, in restaurants and on elevators. I almost can't go though a day without hearing an excerpt from it played somewhere.
So, back on topic, I see no reason why Baldur's Gate doesn't at least have the potential to become a timeless classic like these works of music. Will it survive for over 300 years like the compositions? Well, maybe it doesn't have quite *that* much artistic power.
@BelgarathMTH [*Quote*] "...I see no reason why Baldur's Gate doesn't at least have the potential to become a timeless classic like these works of music. Will it survive for over 300 years like the compositions? Well, maybe it doesn't have quite *that* much artistic power."
Well as I now see Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition, I feel rather impressed but not 'awestruck'. I know that I can improve the experience of the overall game experience; but it will take time, A Lot Of Time.. I can see potential (unmade) areas, features and content within Baldur's Gate that I think could improve its overall quality. *I am working to create an extensive the Isle of Mintarn location and a few other Non-Player Characters as we currently communicate; and that is just a one 'module' of many to come hopefully.*
I agree there's tremendous potential in BG2. I've actually thought about writing a screenplay for the trilogy--Charname is a student of Ilmater who turns to magic to defend himself and Imoen after being forced into the hostile world outside of Candlekeep's walls. Imoen studies Enchantment from Gorion's spellbook so she can put bandits to sleep; Charname studies Divination to try to foresee ambushes. I've even found some workarounds for the trilogy's plotholes--like why they don't raise Gorion. Jaheira won't try to raise Gorion because as a druid, she believes that people have no more right to return life to a person than to take it away (Charname and Imoen don't accept this argument). They don't bring him back until after BG1 ends, when they don't have to dedicate every moment to taking down Sarevok.
I haven't worked on the screenplay lately, since I have other (more viable) projects, but my favorite part is the opening scene of BG1, when Shank, a Mage/Thief, has to scale the Candlekeep walls at night with a Spider Climb spell. He has to eat a live spider--and is visibly upset about it--and because he forgets how to work the spell, he gets his hands stuck to everything and has to thumb through his spellbook with his tongue to look up how to make his hands unsticky. When he gets spotted by one of the Watchers atop the wall, he knocks him out with a Sleep spell and puts a bottle of beer next to the sleeping guard's mouth... so the next Watcher, who wakes up the sleeping guard, will think the guy's just drunk when he starts jabbering about a man climbing up the wall. I thought starting out with some silly antics by a hammy assassin would set the right tone.
Then there's an abrupt mood swing when Shank slips into Charname's cabin, sticks a long blade deep into Charname's neck, pins him down, and doesn't let go of his struggling victim's mouth until he stops moving. Shank is not incompetent here--he is ruthless, and very, very effective. He smiles, whispers a quiet congratulation to himself for a successful kill, and slips out the door, satisfied and relax.
One of the Watchers tackle Shank on the way out--sparking some boasting by the Watcher about how Helm sees all--and as the other burly guards gather around to check out the skinny guy in mottled gray clothes, they belatedly realize he's an assassin when they see blood on Shank's sword in the glimmer of the moonlight. When Gorion hears what happened, he teleports down to Charname's cabin and then teleports Charname across the Candlekeep grounds to make sure he reaches Finch (cameo!) soon enough for her to save him. In his haste to make sure Charname survives, he therefore loses both Teleport (or Dimension Door, whatever) spells he had memorized, and has to flee on foot.
Gorion puts up a pretty big fight against Sarevok. He nails Semaj with a Flaying spell, and gates in a Pit Fiend when Sarevok starts to gain the upper hand. Much more dramatic than some low-level Evocation spells. And a much bigger spectacle for our young and innocent Charname. Gorion gets sliced in half. And eventually so does his Pit Fiend--Sarevok is a monster, and we see it pretty early.
I also found a couple places for Xzar to squeal his signature line.
I'm not saying literally nothing but Bach has continued to be relevant, merely that all other composers of the error pale in comparison. I can't think of any other period so thoroughly dominated by one musician/composer. His only real competition was Handel. Others certainly existed, but he personally extended the Baroque period until his death, and the Classical period was not kind to the Baroque style; even the term 'Baroque' was meant to express disrespect. Of course, Bach's rebellious nature might have played a big role in the growth of the 'music business', meaning later eras had many more composers with increased freedom.
I generally prefer the Romantic period though, even the ridiculous Wagner. I do have a huge fondness for the pipe organ though, much more than piano. Imho, go big or go home! (Yes, I played trombone in highschool...)
On topic, PsT and BG2 have certainly been referred to as an interactive novel, though BG1 is more of a game. IWD also has significant novelesque characteristics, but with so much of the dialogue so spaced out by an hour or two of dungeoncrawling, you tend to lose immersion sometimes. Mind you, first time through was pretty immersive for me.
*Complained about crappy games on the market - watches and remembers about InXile* Well, That solves it. Where the F*ck is that bank card.. WHERE IS IT!?!?! _._
Produce very, very carefully... its easy to make a very, very bad fantasy or sci-fi movie, and incredibly expensive to make a really good one.
Mind you, money alone doesn't guarantee a good movie, but as The Hobbit beat into the ground, money will make it possible to make a trillogy that takes as long to watch as the book takes to read. And it STILL POed many uberfans.
So, if you're going to be fabulously wealthy, consider forcing PeterJackson to direct, or at least help produce.
Pity I don't know Peter Jackson. The biggest obstacle to creating such a movie is simply making contact with somebody who could fund it. Much of screenwriting's success depends on the screenwriter's ability to market his or her work--even more so than with normal book publishing. Naturally, a BG movie, especially BG2, would require a substantial budget, and a talented director, which is why I haven't generally viewed the project as viable. If there was much interest in a movie from the community, then it might be more practical to start looking for producers. But right now, I've got normal job applications to deal with, and trying to promote a would-be movie instead would be very risky, to say the least.
I definately do not agree movies were consistently better in the past; I think the average is noticeably better, unless you count questionable low-budget straight to DVD movies, which are a REALLY mixed bag; however, I think most of the really, really crummy movies are salvaged by significantly higher standards... tons of people work on every movie, and often there are lots of producers, meaning issues tend to be caught. This is by no means perfect, but lots of really terrible/problematic movies exist where somebody should have made an issue.
I 2ould agree though that while committee style production management usually avoids complete crap, its much harder to make a 'great' movie that way. Too many artists working on one project tend to produce a less creative project, meaning both less high and low moments of quality. We can see this in games too.
@DreadKhan Older movies where.. A different style and some were very amazing and most are forgettable.. Although I would like a movie for Baldur's Gate but.. I just do not see a 'just way' to do it as of Yet. Although that does not mean that an amazing movie could not be created.. I just really do not want a mediocre or heaven forbid a 'crap' movie akin to 95% of Video Game Movies. *Fingers Crossed: Warcraft*
I look around myself and I am am disappointed. We have ability but we lack direction, we have creativity yet we stick to tight dead lines, we have great budgets yet we throw money at are problems instead of finding a solution.. In the Heart of Greed there is no greatness of the Human Spirit. In the Human Spirit there is no greatness without the triumph over the Heart of Greed.
I look around myself and and I see so many Hearts of Greed in positions of creativity, yet I hold my hands high and I count the empowered creative hearts; one finger by one finger.. I have spare fingers my friend.
I think some studios could handle making a videogame movie that isn't complete rubbish; many of the same problems comic book movies had are the same ones that ruin videogame movies. The solutions exist; they just need to be applied now I suppose.
I suspect a game as vast as BG would need lots of screen time to work, not unlike the +3 hours Tolkien movies, that or be a TV series. It'd be hard to sum up SoA in 3 hours even. It might make more business sense to make BG2 first, as its a more thorough story, and more linear-feeling. The annoying part of that would be then making Bg1 as a prequel if BG2 worked, and BG1 would seem strange indeed, unless you made the transition betwern the two much longer, at least 5-10 years, MAYBE 15-20. The Bhaalspawn could be different actors, and this would dodge some of the issue of 'how the **** did Bhaslspawn go from a noob holding his sword by the wrong end to a complete badass mofo in 1 year?'. By BG2 you're fighting powerful Vampires, BG1 you're poking at kobolds.
I may like Sarevok more than Irenicus, but Irenicus could be pretty damn cinematic.
I just want it do right and I see a lot of things that could go very very very very very very Very VERY wrong with a film adaptation. Baldur's Gate is one of the Greatest Role Playing Games of all time..
@DreadKhan: In my version, the Bhaalspawn went from "a noob holding his sword by the wrong end to a complete badass mofo in 1 year" using Divination magic. By the end of BG1, he can see 2 seconds into the future with perfect clarity, and a little further in less detail. Makes him an excellent duelist.
But perfect reflexes don't mean perfect fighting, particularly since Charname is still a puny Cleric/Mage with 10 STR. Sarevok figures out Charname's strategy and learns how to counter it--Sarevok is smart, and just as vicious in the final battle as he is when he's bisecting Gorion in the intro. I want Charname to show off the fruits of his labors, but Sarevok is not going to fall on his back just because it's the final battle. Sarevok is going to be terrifying at every stage, as a good villain should be.
What constitutes a game being "alive" in discussions like this? Having one person play it regularly? Or hundreds? Why not millions? Seems like an arbitrary line, wherever it is.
BG is the game I can't go on too long without playing. Other games have tried to invade that spot, but none have really come very close so far. I doubt I'm in any way unique in this. There must be a bunch of people out there who will play these games as long as they're alive.
@DreadKhan: In my version, the Bhaalspawn went from "a noob holding his sword by the wrong end to a complete badass mofo in 1 year" using Divination magic. By the end of BG1, he can see 2 seconds into the future with perfect clarity, and a little further in less detail. Makes him an excellent duelist.
But perfect reflexes don't mean perfect fighting, particularly since Charname is still a puny Cleric/Mage with 10 STR. Sarevok figures out Charname's strategy and learns how to counter it--Sarevok is smart, and just as vicious in the final battle as he is when he's bisecting Gorion in the intro. I want Charname to show off the fruits of his labors, but Sarevok is not going to fall on his back just because it's the final battle. Sarevok is going to be terrifying at every stage, as a good villain should be.
Well, I was referring to the time between BG1 and 2, lengthening it out. No reason a movie would have to keep the scheduel, and 'trying to be true to the game' can quickly make a 'based on' movie garbage. Just because something worked in a game doesn't mean it'll be watchable in a movie. Keep what works, and change what does not.
...well. It's probably not that difficult to have a BG movie made. "Just take the novelization, convert it to a script and let Uwe Boll direct it" (I'm being super-ironic of course)
I think that movies based on popular books etc have been proved again and again lately that they can be very, very good. LotR being the most obvious example, but also GoT as a TV show might just be a better medium for the BG saga. True, most movies based on games suck ass, but that's only partly due to the fact that crappy directors and lack of funds made the end result into a mess, most of the times the story from games just isn't good enough to transition to a movie/show without serious rewriting in order to make it work.
A series of movies or a lenghty TV show of the full saga would be an amazing way to keep the game alive for another 15 years. It would spark interrest to the lore and the setting of the game and, probably, spark a gazillion of expanded franchises based on FR. BG has something others don't, an amazing and intrigueing main story with a very classical protagonist and antagonist. It has all the side characters already in the game, some with fleshed out backstories which could be used pretty much straight up in the movie/show, so you wouldn't even have to add anything. They could theoretically even use some of the in-game conversations and banter!
Oh man, writing this made me super-psyched on the idea. I'm not a huge fan of GoT, but I would love to see that level of the production and effort be put into creating BG - the movie/show.
But how the hell would one choose a 'class' for CHARNAME? Aah, imagine being in a conference room together with the core team of writers, debating the class of the charname and which companions you should put into the movie! Hah, I would give a testicle to be part of that.
I can imagine a pretty great TV show about the rise and fall of the Iron Throne. That particular storyline has enough arcs to easily carry a show. Let's see...
- CHARNAME's party always being up to their usual shenanigans. - Tazok/Tranzig/Mulahey carrying out the iron shortage through their bandit raids and iron poisoning. - Rieltar betraying Yeslick and Davaeorn capturing the Orothair mines. - Sarevok betraying his step-dad and the Iron Throne. - Iron Throne corporate dealing with aforementioned betrayal. - Whatever internal drama must be going on inside Sarevok's little band of misfits (not to mention the Sarevok-Tamoko-Cythandria love triangle). - The Grand Dukes dealing with the rising tensions between BG and Amn. - The doppelganger subterfuge of the political and capital powers of BG. - The incredibly disturbing romantic adventures of Slythe and Krystin. - Shadow Thief and Zhentarim agents dealing with the false accusations against their organizations. - Harpers. Just... Harpers.
And sure enough, CHARNAME and his party would be the least interesting part of that show.
@Skatan "Which actor would play the magnificent role of Noober?" -Uwe Boll and maybe Micheal Bay as Neeber. (Yes they are not 'actors' per se, but hey they can be pretty annoying with their screen plays.)
i don't follow all this discussion now , i just saw something and must write fast , please don't say me that BG 3 will be arised in 15 years , it must be earlier , BG deserves it , BG fans desreved it , all BG fans around the world , and also connected with the world of game developping should get around this thing
Comments
I did try the NWN Pool of Radiance mod. It was fun, and is exactly one of the things I was thinking of; is it REALLY Pool of Radiance?!
Regarding the Classics of culture, they are indeed niche, but they are also powerful/influential. Anyone out there never seen a Romeo and Juliet movie? Or song? *shrug* I've read some plays by Shakespear, but am bigger on novels and short stories; my big niche is Russian and European Romantic era lit, for example, but I've read lots of other stuff obviously. If you know much about Baroque music, its one of the 'big' periods, but nowadays, its mostly Bach that people still listen too. Only the best will survive; who has heard of Thales, and who has heard of Plato?
While people, who played and loved this game are around, it will never truly die. In a half a millenium, kids will learn about the world's most known writers: Shakespeare, Tolkien, Bioware, Stephanie Meyer...
Incidentally, I did play several hours worth of old-old Realms of Arkania: Star Trail (made in the 90s) recently... Gotten from GoG, played on a DOS-box (emulator) on a quarter of my actual screen...
-Handel's "Messiah"
-Handel's "Water Music"
-Handel's "Music for the Royal Fireworks"
-Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons"
-Pachelbel's "Canon"
-Telemann's Viola Concerto (Admittedly less popular than the others, but if you're a viola student, you're going to play it and love it. And there are more of us violists around than you think.)
The Handel pieces and the Pachelbel Canon are especially prevalent at weddings. Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons" is omnipresent in commercials, TV soundtracks, movie soundtracks, in restaurants and on elevators. I almost can't go though a day without hearing an excerpt from it played somewhere.
So, back on topic, I see no reason why Baldur's Gate doesn't at least have the potential to become a timeless classic like these works of music. Will it survive for over 300 years like the compositions? Well, maybe it doesn't have quite *that* much artistic power.
Well as I now see Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition, I feel rather impressed but not 'awestruck'. I know that I can improve the experience of the overall game experience; but it will take time, A Lot Of Time.. I can see potential (unmade) areas, features and content within Baldur's Gate that I think could improve its overall quality. *I am working to create an extensive the Isle of Mintarn location and a few other Non-Player Characters as we currently communicate; and that is just a one 'module' of many to come hopefully.*
Take Care, Live Long And Prosper.
I haven't worked on the screenplay lately, since I have other (more viable) projects, but my favorite part is the opening scene of BG1, when Shank, a Mage/Thief, has to scale the Candlekeep walls at night with a Spider Climb spell. He has to eat a live spider--and is visibly upset about it--and because he forgets how to work the spell, he gets his hands stuck to everything and has to thumb through his spellbook with his tongue to look up how to make his hands unsticky. When he gets spotted by one of the Watchers atop the wall, he knocks him out with a Sleep spell and puts a bottle of beer next to the sleeping guard's mouth... so the next Watcher, who wakes up the sleeping guard, will think the guy's just drunk when he starts jabbering about a man climbing up the wall. I thought starting out with some silly antics by a hammy assassin would set the right tone.
Then there's an abrupt mood swing when Shank slips into Charname's cabin, sticks a long blade deep into Charname's neck, pins him down, and doesn't let go of his struggling victim's mouth until he stops moving. Shank is not incompetent here--he is ruthless, and very, very effective. He smiles, whispers a quiet congratulation to himself for a successful kill, and slips out the door, satisfied and relax.
One of the Watchers tackle Shank on the way out--sparking some boasting by the Watcher about how Helm sees all--and as the other burly guards gather around to check out the skinny guy in mottled gray clothes, they belatedly realize he's an assassin when they see blood on Shank's sword in the glimmer of the moonlight. When Gorion hears what happened, he teleports down to Charname's cabin and then teleports Charname across the Candlekeep grounds to make sure he reaches Finch (cameo!) soon enough for her to save him. In his haste to make sure Charname survives, he therefore loses both Teleport (or Dimension Door, whatever) spells he had memorized, and has to flee on foot.
Gorion puts up a pretty big fight against Sarevok. He nails Semaj with a Flaying spell, and gates in a Pit Fiend when Sarevok starts to gain the upper hand. Much more dramatic than some low-level Evocation spells. And a much bigger spectacle for our young and innocent Charname. Gorion gets sliced in half. And eventually so does his Pit Fiend--Sarevok is a monster, and we see it pretty early.
I also found a couple places for Xzar to squeal his signature line.
I generally prefer the Romantic period though, even the ridiculous Wagner. I do have a huge fondness for the pipe organ though, much more than piano. Imho, go big or go home! (Yes, I played trombone in highschool...)
On topic, PsT and BG2 have certainly been referred to as an interactive novel, though BG1 is more of a game. IWD also has significant novelesque characteristics, but with so much of the dialogue so spaced out by an hour or two of dungeoncrawling, you tend to lose immersion sometimes. Mind you, first time through was pretty immersive for me.
*Complained about crappy games on the market - watches and remembers about InXile* Well, That solves it. Where the F*ck is that bank card.. WHERE IS IT!?!?! _._
Mind you, money alone doesn't guarantee a good movie, but as The Hobbit beat into the ground, money will make it possible to make a trillogy that takes as long to watch as the book takes to read. And it STILL POed many uberfans.
So, if you're going to be fabulously wealthy, consider forcing PeterJackson to direct, or at least help produce.
I 2ould agree though that while committee style production management usually avoids complete crap, its much harder to make a 'great' movie that way. Too many artists working on one project tend to produce a less creative project, meaning both less high and low moments of quality. We can see this in games too.
I look around myself and I am am disappointed. We have ability but we lack direction, we have creativity yet we stick to tight dead lines, we have great budgets yet we throw money at are problems instead of finding a solution.. In the Heart of Greed there is no greatness of the Human Spirit. In the Human Spirit there is no greatness without the triumph over the Heart of Greed.
I look around myself and and I see so many Hearts of Greed in positions of creativity, yet I hold my hands high and I count the empowered creative hearts; one finger by one finger.. I have spare fingers my friend.
I suspect a game as vast as BG would need lots of screen time to work, not unlike the +3 hours Tolkien movies, that or be a TV series. It'd be hard to sum up SoA in 3 hours even. It might make more business sense to make BG2 first, as its a more thorough story, and more linear-feeling. The annoying part of that would be then making Bg1 as a prequel if BG2 worked, and BG1 would seem strange indeed, unless you made the transition betwern the two much longer, at least 5-10 years, MAYBE 15-20. The Bhaalspawn could be different actors, and this would dodge some of the issue of 'how the **** did Bhaslspawn go from a noob holding his sword by the wrong end to a complete badass mofo in 1 year?'. By BG2 you're fighting powerful Vampires, BG1 you're poking at kobolds.
I may like Sarevok more than Irenicus, but Irenicus could be pretty damn cinematic.
I am pretty tired right now but I hope this makes some assemblance of a logical thought process @DreadKhan
I love Baldur's Gate, I think if you post here on a regular basis; you too love Baldur's Gate I presume.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108255/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0419706/
http://filmschoolrejects.com/opinions/the-10-worst-video-game-movies-in-history.php
^ I don't want that to happen to Baldur's Gate.
Yes fallacy train, fallacy horn, what ever. I want this and this to succeed: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2488496/ and http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0803096/
I just want it do right and I see a lot of things that could go very very very very very very Very VERY wrong with a film adaptation. Baldur's Gate is one of the Greatest Role Playing Games of all time..
But perfect reflexes don't mean perfect fighting, particularly since Charname is still a puny Cleric/Mage with 10 STR. Sarevok figures out Charname's strategy and learns how to counter it--Sarevok is smart, and just as vicious in the final battle as he is when he's bisecting Gorion in the intro. I want Charname to show off the fruits of his labors, but Sarevok is not going to fall on his back just because it's the final battle. Sarevok is going to be terrifying at every stage, as a good villain should be.
BG is the game I can't go on too long without playing. Other games have tried to invade that spot, but none have really come very close so far. I doubt I'm in any way unique in this. There must be a bunch of people out there who will play these games as long as they're alive.
"Just take the novelization, convert it to a script and let Uwe Boll direct it" (I'm being super-ironic of course)
A series of movies or a lenghty TV show of the full saga would be an amazing way to keep the game alive for another 15 years. It would spark interrest to the lore and the setting of the game and, probably, spark a gazillion of expanded franchises based on FR. BG has something others don't, an amazing and intrigueing main story with a very classical protagonist and antagonist. It has all the side characters already in the game, some with fleshed out backstories which could be used pretty much straight up in the movie/show, so you wouldn't even have to add anything. They could theoretically even use some of the in-game conversations and banter!
Oh man, writing this made me super-psyched on the idea. I'm not a huge fan of GoT, but I would love to see that level of the production and effort be put into creating BG - the movie/show.
But how the hell would one choose a 'class' for CHARNAME?
- CHARNAME's party always being up to their usual shenanigans.
- Tazok/Tranzig/Mulahey carrying out the iron shortage through their bandit raids and iron poisoning.
- Rieltar betraying Yeslick and Davaeorn capturing the Orothair mines.
- Sarevok betraying his step-dad and the Iron Throne.
- Iron Throne corporate dealing with aforementioned betrayal.
- Whatever internal drama must be going on inside Sarevok's little band of misfits (not to mention the Sarevok-Tamoko-Cythandria love triangle).
- The Grand Dukes dealing with the rising tensions between BG and Amn.
- The doppelganger subterfuge of the political and capital powers of BG.
- The incredibly disturbing romantic adventures of Slythe and Krystin.
- Shadow Thief and Zhentarim agents dealing with the false accusations against their organizations.
- Harpers. Just... Harpers.
And sure enough, CHARNAME and his party would be the least interesting part of that show.
Which actor would play the magnificent role of Noober?
(Yes they are not 'actors' per se, but hey they can be pretty annoying with their screen plays.)