Skip to content

Imoen chatter inside cadlekeep

GilgalahadGilgalahad Member Posts: 237
edited September 2012 in Archive (General Discussion)
Probably a nothing thread, but it's always bothered me that in the early stages of the original BG1, you, the protagonist and Imoen are supposed to be childhood friends, yet the conversation choices when you 1st run into her makes it seem like you're an old codger and she's some 5 yr old nuisance. Too many of child this and little one that. Always wanted to simply replace the words "child" and "little one" with her name. That would make it sound more like childhood friends. It's an important part of establishing their relationship early in the story yet i always thought someone dropped the ball on that. She didn't feel like a childhood friend so much as someone's annoying kid pestering me. That is all.

Comments

  • KosonKoson Member Posts: 284
    True.
  • HaHaCharadeHaHaCharade Member Posts: 1,644
    Gilgalahad said:

    Probably a nothing thread, but it's always bothered me that in the early stages of the original BG1, you, the protagonist and Imoen are supposed to be childhood friends, yet the conversation choices when you 1st run into her makes it seem like you're an old codger and she's some 5 yr old nuisance. Too many of child this and little one that. Always wanted to simply replace the words "child" and "little one" with her name. That would make it sound more like childhood friends. It's an important part of establishing their relationship early in the story yet i always thought someone dropped the ball on that. She didn't feel like a childhood friend so much as someone's annoying kid pestering me. That is all.

    I think they're just stressing how young she's still supposed to be at the start of the game... I wouldn't doubt that her immaturity is by design. She grows up as the story progresses cuz she is forced to.
  • GilgalahadGilgalahad Member Posts: 237
    I could see your point HaHacharade if the choices were worded differently like say..."don't be a child" or "stop acting like a child", but the way the choices are written makes it sound more like he's talking to some annoying little girl rather than his friend. I'd be happier if i could use the actual quotes/choices but my beloved BG1 is piled under a mound of dust atm lol. It may simply be different people interpret it different ways so you may be right.
  • PaheejPaheej Member Posts: 126
    I somewhat agree with @HaHaCharade

    Imoen's clearly designed to be similar to a pestering child, you can still be childhood friends - the two ideas are not mutually exclusive.
  • NazgulUFNazgulUF Member Posts: 8
    Could have been better written. Oh well. You can't knock them all out of the park.
  • JalilyJalily Member Posts: 4,681
    edited September 2012
    Gilgalahad said:

    I could see your point HaHacharade if the choices were worded differently like say..."don't be a child" or "stop acting like a child", but the way the choices are written makes it sound more like he's talking to some annoying little girl rather than his friend. I'd be happier if i could use the actual quotes/choices but my beloved BG1 is piled under a mound of dust atm lol. It may simply be different people interpret it different ways so you may be right.

    Here's the dialogue.

    Imoen: I'm surprised that stuffy ol' Gorion let you away from your studies and chores. That ol' fiddle faddle. I snuck off too. Old Puffguts Winthrop was looking for me, but I've got all day to do his chores. You have time for a story today? No, I can tell you don't. What have ya been up to?

    Responses:
    - I'm afraid I cannot chat today, little one. My foster father wishes me to prepare for a journey, but will not say to where.
    - I am sorry, child, but I am not to tell anyone what I am doing. I must go. You should not tarry about either. Winthrop will want the beds turned down after you are done in the stables.
    - Leave me be! I've no time to waste on you today, child!

    Only the last one sounds like a dig on her immaturity. The weirdly formal and polite tone of the first two really makes it seem like an older person speaking to a literal child. If you pick those, Imoen tells you she's not much younger than you (exposition!), but that means all your responses are either nasty or sarcastic. =/
    Post edited by Jalily on
  • DeeDee Member Posts: 10,447
    edited September 2012
    Yeah, it would be nice if one of the choices was something along the lines of:
    CharName: Studies, yes, but chores? I don't think everybody else got the memo. I don't think Gorion gave everyone the memo that I'm leaving today. Come to think of it, all he told me was, 'Pack your things; we're leaving.' Ol' fiddle faddle indeed!

    Imoen: Well, I'm jealous. Nobody ever takes me on an adventure. ...Not that I know you're going on an adventure. I certainly didn't read Gorion's letters.
    It's nice that Imoen grows up, but it does seem a missed opportunity that none of your options establish a friendship. All of them put you at odds with each other, which seems counterintuitive considering that you're the only orphans living in Candlekeep.
  • jpierce55jpierce55 Member Posts: 86
    The problem with referring to her as child and little one is that she has to be roughly the same age as the pc. They are both Bhaalspawn after all!
  • QuartzQuartz Member Posts: 3,853
    Space_hamster said:

    I prefer innocent childlike Imoen from BGI....as opposed to mind raped eternally damaged Imoen of BGII ;)

    Goodness yes. Too late now, of course, damage is done.
  • Space_hamsterSpace_hamster Member Posts: 950
    Even her portrait in BG II makes me SAD! So depressing. Sure it motivates the charname to rescue her ASAP and send Iranicus to the 9 hells, but damn!
  • CrazedSlayerCrazedSlayer Member Posts: 131
    At least she's not Noober and following you around to say more things ;)
  • ajwzajwz Member Posts: 4,122
    Imoen's character deteriorated seriously in bg2. That moment when jaheira's husband has just died and she butts in and starts talking about how he was tortured is just... less than sympathetic
  • DeeDee Member Posts: 10,447
    I don't know. I think about Anya from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, in the episode "The Body". Sometimes a person is just so disconnected from reality that they don't really understand that what they're saying is wrong.
  • jpierce55jpierce55 Member Posts: 86
    ajwz said:

    Imoen's character deteriorated seriously in bg2. That moment when jaheira's husband has just died and she butts in and starts talking about how he was tortured is just... less than sympathetic

    I think the idea there is to imply Imoen is not mentally well.....

Sign In or Register to comment.

2025 Overhaul Games, a division of Beamdog. © 2025 Hasbro, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Baldur's Gate, Dungeons & Dragons, D&D, Forgotten Realms, Baldur's Gate, Wizards of the Coast and their logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast LLC in the U.S.A. and other countries, and are used with permission. Hasbro and its logo are trademarks of Hasbro, Inc. and are used with permission. © 1998 BioWare Corp. All Rights Reserved. BioWare, the BioWare Infinity Engine and the BioWare logo are trademarks of Bioware Corp. Black Isle Studios and the Black Isle Studios logo are trademarks of Interplay Entertainment Corp. Atari and the Atari logo are trademarks owned by Atari Interactive, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.