Bump? I think this is a too important subject to be forgotten.
In fact i never understand why i can't visit baldur's gate early game, for me just don't put viable any BG quests (or only a few insignificant ones) and let baldur's gate city a free place to visit.
Fell kinda BG2 is more coherent with his NPCs than BG, no playable NPC in BG2 is hold until too late of the adventure, and sarevok, the only exception has a HUGE justify for that.
Certainly, if I'm 6th level by the time I reach BG, with gear that has been carefully chosen for my existing party, I would need a good reason to overhaul my party structure, and BG doesn't have it. For that reason, I've never used any playable NPCs found from chapter 5 or later. Additionally, if they've been in the party for a while, you can guide their development, fill their spellbook, choose their weapon profs etc...if you bring in someone new, you have to throw out some good work you've already done.
While it might make a difference if the characters found in the city are a bit better...perhaps with some good stats or good gear (personalised if necessary, like in BG2) or perhaps a unique ability, the most appealing reason to play them was if they had quests. BG2 made me use quite a range of characters - Valygar, Jan and Cernd are three that I might not have used without the quest element, and that made me keep cycling over some members of my party. Additionally, some characters like Nalia, Keldorn, Anomen and Jaheira had reasons to leave at some point, which forces you to reconsider your lineup.
@kamuizin - yes, you may think that way now. But remember back, when you played the game for the 1st time. It builds up suspense. You always hear about that big city, you can see on the map how big it is, heck even the game is called after it! But no, you can't enter yet... but one day... one day!
Ok @Daedalus87m, but my point is not early acess to BG city, is early acess to BG NPCs.
In BG2, no NPC is hold until we're back from Underdark except Imoem, and for extremly plot reasons. All NPCs can be get early, it's just a question of what quest i do frist. If i want mazzy early i do the shadow lord quest early, if i want Crend i do the Trademeet druids quest early, if i want Haer'Dalis frist i do the planar quest frist.
BG2 is so balanced, that exist an equilibrium of time NPCs there, making all NPCs avaliable early but with a good excuse (not a "hey i want to join the adventure").
BG lack this balance. I would only chose Quayle/Tiax/Alora to the party IF i made a game with the sole propose of play with those characters, otherwise i will just ignore them.
Take Skie for example, at the point i can get her i'm a high level BG party, my thief already has the skills that i prefer on his thieve table. When i get Skie i will have a mix of skills (always shadow keeper her when i play with her). What would be the point of give up a good thief to play with Skie? no point.
By plot reasons, i fell that the NPCs adquired too late are kinda strangers to me, as:
"Hell i had a hell of a time with my group, we did too many things togheter, who is this person that want to join me when i'm 1 step of finsh the game? Why would i remove a old companion that share so much 'experience', banters and pain to have this stranger?"
I enjoy swapping in and out various NPCs, aside from imoen and jaheira (and perhaps minsc) , I view everyone as expendable. For different quests, some NPCs are more suited than others. Gathering the spare NPCs in a tavern in berghost or the friendly arm in is convenient, then they can be recruited when needed. They are employees, paid a percentage of loot, ie. mercenaries, they're not my friends
In conclusion, leave the original NPCs alone ; focus on the new NPCs instead.
Even if relocating NPCs to earlier parts of the story is something that people are against, at the very least we should get the option of having then wait for you at a tavern.
If you get to Yeslick with a full party, unless you skip flooding the mines (or go out of your way) you're leaving someone behind to drown.
Even if relocating NPCs to earlier parts of the story is something that people are against, at the very least we should get the option of having then wait for you at a tavern.
If you get to Yeslick with a full party, unless you skip flooding the mines (or go out of your way) you're leaving someone behind to drown.
This is a part of the charm of the game, witch icewind dale didnæt have unfortuanaly. Its part of the story to meat important persons as the story progress, new friends, new allies etc. Strange if you start knowing everyone you would work togheter whit, dont you think?
Half of the fun is to make your new allies work togheter whit your team, when you cant choose their profience weapons, lvl up etc. MUTCH more fun, its feel more "alive"
Even if relocating NPCs to earlier parts of the story is something that people are against, at the very least we should get the option of having then wait for you at a tavern.
If you get to Yeslick with a full party, unless you skip flooding the mines (or go out of your way) you're leaving someone behind to drown.
I agree, would love to see this implemented, I don't see any reason that you shouldn't be able to meet up with them later at some tavern.
Comments
In fact i never understand why i can't visit baldur's gate early game, for me just don't put viable any BG quests (or only a few insignificant ones) and let baldur's gate city a free place to visit.
Fell kinda BG2 is more coherent with his NPCs than BG, no playable NPC in BG2 is hold until too late of the adventure, and sarevok, the only exception has a HUGE justify for that.
While it might make a difference if the characters found in the city are a bit better...perhaps with some good stats or good gear (personalised if necessary, like in BG2) or perhaps a unique ability, the most appealing reason to play them was if they had quests. BG2 made me use quite a range of characters - Valygar, Jan and Cernd are three that I might not have used without the quest element, and that made me keep cycling over some members of my party. Additionally, some characters like Nalia, Keldorn, Anomen and Jaheira had reasons to leave at some point, which forces you to reconsider your lineup.
In BG2, no NPC is hold until we're back from Underdark except Imoem, and for extremly plot reasons. All NPCs can be get early, it's just a question of what quest i do frist. If i want mazzy early i do the shadow lord quest early, if i want Crend i do the Trademeet druids quest early, if i want Haer'Dalis frist i do the planar quest frist.
BG2 is so balanced, that exist an equilibrium of time NPCs there, making all NPCs avaliable early but with a good excuse (not a "hey i want to join the adventure").
BG lack this balance. I would only chose Quayle/Tiax/Alora to the party IF i made a game with the sole propose of play with those characters, otherwise i will just ignore them.
Take Skie for example, at the point i can get her i'm a high level BG party, my thief already has the skills that i prefer on his thieve table. When i get Skie i will have a mix of skills (always shadow keeper her when i play with her). What would be the point of give up a good thief to play with Skie? no point.
By plot reasons, i fell that the NPCs adquired too late are kinda strangers to me, as:
"Hell i had a hell of a time with my group, we did too many things togheter, who is this person that want to join me when i'm 1 step of finsh the game? Why would i remove a old companion that share so much 'experience', banters and pain to have this stranger?"
In conclusion, leave the original NPCs alone ; focus on the new NPCs instead.
If you get to Yeslick with a full party, unless you skip flooding the mines (or go out of your way) you're leaving someone behind to drown.
In Planescape if you had 6 party members when enter the Mordron cube, the only choices there was:
get Nordron and let another party member die when the cube gets a reset, or leave Nordrom and let him die.
The Tweaks of PS:T fixed that, and is a situation very similar to Yeslick mine flood.
Half of the fun is to make your new allies work togheter whit your team, when you cant choose their profience weapons, lvl up etc. MUTCH more fun, its feel more "alive"