Stand-alone adventures: vehicle for development of old NPC and new NPC interaction?

Lemernis

Per devs, contractually, old NPCs may have interactions with new NPCs in the game's new areas only. They aren't allowed to change content for original NPCs in the existing game. But they can further develop the old NPCs in new adventures that they build outside of the original. We don't have details on whether there are limitations to their development outside of the existing game. But the new and the old NPCs can interact there.

This contractual aspect suddenly made a little more sense of why they're designing stand-alone adventures. It is also true that 6 hours of gameplay would add XP that would be unbalancing. That alone is legitimate enough reason to separate them out from the main story. But these are the areas where (presumably) we'll get to see some further dialogs for the existing NPCs.

It looks like these stand-alone adventure modules are essentially modeled after expansions. I know some fans are disappointed that they won't earn XP from them (although some the modding community may figure out how to change that). The stand-alones will definitely be more appealing for me if they offer further development of the NPCs we already know and love.

Excalibur_2102

Thing is, I think youre wrong about them being contractually unable to have party banter between old and new characters in old areas. I remember trent saying AGES ago that creating new content in old areas IS possible. party banter with new characters is classed as new content, I think

Ward

@Excalibur_2102 The general verdict is new conversations have to be in new areas, they can't change anything with any of the old NPCs otherwise.

Atleast that's what I heard.

Excalibur_2102

@Ward Yeah, im not 100% sure..

http://forum.baldursgate.com/discussion/1588/bgee-please-read-list-of-things-that-cant-be-done/p1

Im sure youve read this but point three says :

Add new encounters to old areas

Possible

With a new character involved, it might be classed as a new encounter. It says they cant modify or change current NPC dialogue. its just unclear what exactly a "new encounter" is..

Lemernis

I had asked about this in one of the threads (FAQ?) and was advised what I stated above. But that would certainly be great if it Is at least possible for old NPCs to interact with new ones in original areas.

Ward

I think they oughta' take every chance they get to add more to the NPCs, because DLC means no pressure.

Excalibur_2102

Im basically just hoping... But lets say they add a new encounter where elminster appears and turns your entire party into rabid badgers just for the lolz, Im pretty sure they can have old characters say something about it.

Whether they have had the time to add any new encounters is another question entirely.

Lemernis

Okay, well Tanthalas advised in another thread that the old NPCs may have interaction with respect to new content even in old areas. And that's actually a relief to know.