Expansion or interlude for BG2:EE ?
brus
Member Posts: 944
With SoD rounding up, is there a room for the official expansion story of Shadows of Amn and Throne of the Baal ?
Or maybe some interlude DLC as Watcher's Keep with new and old characters and locations?
For example, exploring a subplot involving other Baal's priest and priestesses or maybe another deities like Talos, Amauntor, Lathander, Mielliki, Shar, Lolth, Illatmer ...
What do you think?
Or maybe some interlude DLC as Watcher's Keep with new and old characters and locations?
For example, exploring a subplot involving other Baal's priest and priestesses or maybe another deities like Talos, Amauntor, Lathander, Mielliki, Shar, Lolth, Illatmer ...
What do you think?
Post edited by brus on
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There is very little time between SoA and ToB. Unlike between BG1 and BG2 (where something happened and we never knew what, until recently), the story makes it clear that between BG2 and ToB you just stay in Suldanessalar for a while, enjoying elven hospitality until they politely as you to leave (at which point ToB begins). Fitting an adventure into that time frame is not IMPOSSIBLE within the narrative, but seems overly contrived.
Still, there could definitely be other ways such an adventure could be implemented.
HOWEVER, a TotSC-style expansion to ToB would be much more do-able, and would help to alleviate the linearity of ToB. This would mean adding a couple of locations to the ToB map with some substantial side-quests to tackle, integrated into the game but not part of (nor required for) the main plot, just as TotSC did for original BG1.
There's room on the ToB map for at least two more locations without it becoming excessively crowded - there's still a nice big blank space in the west (south of WK) which could take at least one new location (perhaps a small coastal port since we know that WK is on the coast), and another could easily be fitted into the isolated (volcanic-looking) mountains in the desert (south-west of Amkethran) - and a desolate region with fiery volcanoes is classic dragon terrain! Plus, in the TotSC tradition, some side-quest could involve travelling to somewhere off-map, which is readily explicable if one of the new locations is a port village.
Also in the TotSC tradition, it'd make sense for the expansion material not to be accessible until we've reached an appropriate point in the ToB storyline. The natural point seems to me to be to allow access to new areas at the end of Chapter 8, when the Siege of Saradush is over and the immediate urgency of events is (at least somewhat) lessened - the Oasis at the end of Chapter 8 could now become the route not only to Amkethran (to start Chapter 9) but also to the (conveniently nearby) additional locations.
A few ideas about what sort of side-quests could be included have been kicked around in this forum on previous occasions, some of which seemed to me to be pretty good suggestions. There are ample possibilities to build a worthy expansion, and there'd also be a neat opportunity to tie up a few loose ends from some earlier events.
This scheme also has the major advantage that gaining extra XP from the expansion won't trivialise the remainder of the game - the XP cap is so high that (with a full party) you almost certainly won't yet have reached it, yet the remaining major enemies in the main plot of ToB are so tough that even at the XP cap they're still quite respectable opposition. (This is unlike the sub-optimal situation in SoA, where if you elect to fight all the way through WK before reaching ToB, then that's very difficult and satisfying to complete, but you end up so high-level that the remainder of SoA is disappointingly easy.)
IF u become the lord of murder/or not?
I think a focus in the drow world will create a wonderful game.
Last year I started to design a Balthazar NPC mod that would largely alter ToB plotline and eventual possible outcomes. I did write all the story, dialogues, and designed new bosses etc... involved but never got time to make the actual Mod
Here are the key features I thought of:
After speaking to a couple of new NPC in Amkethran, you discover Balthazar is a Bhaalspawn.
If your character is LN, LG or NG, and your reputation above 14, you are allowed to enter Balthazar monastery.
Then you can discuss with Balthazar, and choosing the right options would allow you to recruit him, your goal now being to chase down other Bhaalspawns over the Sword coast. That , of course, includes Sendai and Abazigal, and a couple more I designed, as well as a scene that let you spectate the BP2 fight involving BP2 characters against the Bhaalspawns Kastulor and Enegar, and depending on the outcome you get to go into the battle to finish them, or not.
I wrote a few banters involving Balthazar and Charname, the former wanting to be sure your will is to get rid of all Bhaalspawn.
Once you've dealt with all of them, you go to Amelyssan, the dialogue is slightly tweaked to reflect the fact you get one of the Five to fight along with you.
The final dialogue would have different options:
You could choose to surrender your essence to Amelyssan and get it destroyed, and Balthazar will do the same. Normal ending.
You could as well claim the essence. If you do so and have more than 14 reputation, Balthazar would accept to surrender his part to you and you will have the godhood ending. If not, he would tell you that he disapproves of this and will ask once again if you truly want this. If you agree to surrender it, CF first ending I mentioned. If not, then you will have to fight and kill Balthazar and the other good-aligned member of your team, then your alignment is changed to Neutral Evil, and you will have Evil godhood ending.
Lastly you may surrender your essence to Balthazar and convince him it is a good idea. That would be normal ending for you, and a special epilogue for Balthazar.
Of course I wrote a different epilogue fitting each situation for Balthazar.
I know a similar mod exists but I wanted to expend it with more content.
I agree, though, that there are definitely some modding possibilities in expanding the options for the interaction with Balthazar.
Having said that, it would be great if some genius could draft a sequel to BG2 that made good sense (doesn't feel forced) and left room for character development, story, etc.
Edit: sequel to BG2 not BG3
I would rather see the brand expanded, using the same format and mechanics, somewhere else in Faerun but in context with BG (I find IWD too abstract and difficult to identify with the participants, or the setting).
In short, I prefer to play struggling underdogs than all-conquering superheroes.
" Thultanthar was created in the year -1471 DR. In 1487 DR, Thultanthar was brought to ground by Elminster Aumar. It fell upon Myth Drannor, destroying both cities."
I don't know if Baldur's gate is in this timeline between -1471 DR and 1487 DR but nevertheless there is rich lore to be explored potentially. Furthermore, it could be very compelling and delightfull to see some new continent beside Faerun or even new planet except Abeir-Toril. Possibilities are really endless.
I like playing BG and ascending to a superior status, but I would also love seeing what the world is like on a "godly" point of view, once you have ascended. Countering evil schemes of massive impact, plotting your own, etc..., I believe I would like that.
I continue to think that the more feasible way to devise a game which could justify being called "BG3" would be a follow-up story about a new mortal protagonist who is involved in the aftermath [insert story here] of the Bhaalspawn War, rather than trying to continue the story of Gorion's Ward.
The party gets attacked in the Oasis so after you see the bounty notice and the message from the queen, you can head there. Maybe even encounter other Bhaalspawns similar to Gromnir going mad or innocent ones.
As for the BG3... I'd would much rather see an improvement for said expansion above... ToB could use a lot more of locations, side-quests, characters maybe, and more liberty for our protagonist... You're a damn demi-God, you're supposed to be following strict orders from a demonic angel you've just met? No! I say allowance to the free roaming and rampage! xD Really so. Our protagonist could use a little more of freedom to move along new areas, and do whatever he/she pleases to do and to get more experience! At the end of the day, you're going to kill you know who... So... What's wrong with roaming around? Besides, all RPG factors aside, improving ToB seems a lot easier than starting a new game from 0. Just my opinion, though..