I think I'm gonna try for Jaheira, Khalid, Minsc, Dynaheir and Imoen until the Nashkel mines. Then I will dump Minsc and Dynaheir and look up Raasad and Neera and try those bad boys (girl).
Regardless of our decisions in BG1, the beginning of BG2 is always the same: we start in the dungeon along side with Imoen, Minsc and Jaheira, even if we didn't have them in the team before. So why can't we start with some of the characters from BG1? I understand that not all of the NPCs from BG1 are present in BG2, yet Dynaheir and Khalid are officially dead, let's kill more of them if needed, except for Edwin and Viconia (a powerful mage and a drow priest! Irenicus would totally dig them!), so it would be possible to start in the dungeon with: Imoen, Edwin, Viconia, Minsc and/or Jaheira. Any thoughts?
This topic has come up before so I'd best flag it for a potential merge to @thantalas
The thing about this issue is that you have to either do it wholesale and make the party in Irenicus's dungeon match your end party in BG, or keep it pretty much the same. I can't really see the point of maybe adding Edwin or maybe adding Viconia. The thing is: no matter how you look at it, it can't be done without altering the game substantially. If you have Edwin, then what happens to the Maevar quests? What if you killed Imoen in BG?
The best I could imagine would be that you could establish through dialogue that you have no idea who Minsc and Jaheira are, or that they weren't with you when you were captured, and that your past companions are nowhere to be seen. That could add a little consistency without making any major changes.
It would be nice to allow your BG1 party to carry over into the new game but it would fall into the "not allowed to mess with original content" issues probably. Especially Imoen has to be there since she's the main plot element for the first half of the game or so to try and give an extra reason to go to Spellhold since not many sane people would want to go looking for someone so ridiculously powerful who's intent on torturing them.
They have said that the new BG:EE NPCs are going to carry over into the new game. With Imoen, Minsc and Jaheira joinable, it leaves two slots three for two of these new NPCs to join you enjoying Irenicus's unique hospitality and the other could be floating around Amn "looking for you" (or some other barely plausible reason) ready to join up again. Personally, I like the BG1 NPCs (not that they really have any dialogue) and I'd like to have them continue the journey and enjoy BG2s level of dialogue but BG2 was made to be playable by everyone, not as a direct continuation of the first game, and as a result I don't think there's any room for this kind of feature to be added (officially).
Just a warning there is a few spoilers in this comment and iv not a clue how to hide them so read on only if you know the story or dont mind reading spoilers
if you killed Imoen off in bg 1 and you didnt start with her in bg2 your going to have a much shorter story to begin with unless there is some dialog explaining that when you left her for dead she was in fact not dead and later on captured by Irenicus followed up with some good old fashioned hate for you for leaving her for dead. It would be difficult to implement some other Bhall spawn in place of Imoen so Bhodi can get a soul because you wouldnt have the drive to rescue your child hood friend (or make up for leaving her for dead, or possible just an evil drive to travel to spell hold and finish her off for good.) Edwin could possibly be in your group to start with but forces his way out the second you leave the dungeon under the impression he has some old business partner he needs to deal with and its a good way to get rid of some unwanted attention from the cowald wizards, it could even change a small bit of dialog to follow this through with the assassination mission explaining how he has been followed since the moment he was caught up in the mess at waukeen's promenade.
I cant really say it would make much of a difference to the game if you could start of with new party members or not because the pro-log to the game explains how you have traveled a little and people have become wary of you since your role in Baldur's gate, with your adventure complete its is expected that people will eventually leave you.
Either way for me it's all good i think the people who are with you when you start the game have a good explanation of why they are all there i don't think it needs changing but also i see the reasons behind wanting a more costume party especially if you start of as Evil its kind of like "you guys are still following me after everything i did!?!"
I meant: I don't want to have all of the BG1 NPCs in BG2, the ones that aren't present in BG2 can be either killed or they run away or whatever. You can start with Edwin in the dungeon. "What about the thieves' quests"? Well: other mage, but this one in the end tries to kill you instead of joining you. What if we killed Imoen? Well, didn't we kill Edwin as well? And Drizzt? She simply survived, carried on with her life, then Irenicus caught her.. Also: if you 'killed' before, what would be the reason to chase Irenicus? Well, you are a bad person, that seeks power, also you discovered that you are a child of a dead god and Irenicus made clear that he knows that, so you simply want to find out about yourself. A reason for a good person would be saving your sister. It can't be that hard to make it happen..
It could be done theoretically, although it would require rewriting character dialogue and plot elements which they have stated they have limited freedom to do.
Overall it would be nice, simply to change things up a little, but probably isn't realistic to hope for. But in all honesty i'd prefer more time into new side quests and areas.
I think that BG1 characters who haven't advanced to the sequel had their participation in the story, but it sounds more exciting to me the fact that the new bg2 characters have the same amount of depth and charisma - characters such as Aerie, Haer D'Alis, Valygar or Jan are very well developed , even better than some BG1 ones.
Not that I don't miss Kivan or Branwen , but I like to imagine that they followed their own paths .
Besides , Safana and Coran, Xzar and Montaron, Tiax and Quayle already participate in the plot , uninsterested in joining you, but rather doing what they feel it's best for them. It emphasises the fact that 'npc's have their own thoughts and opinions".
The way I look at it is that CHARNAME and company did not get ambushed straight after Sarevok's defeat. They probably had a week or so to recuperate. Whoever was with me at that time decided to strike out on their own, managed to escape Irenicus' ambush or they were killed during the ambush.
Of the 25 (I think) companions in BG1 only 9 of them (Alora, Branwen, Dynaheir, Eldoth, Kagain, Kivan, Shar-Teel, Skie and Yeslick) do not appear in BG2. Actually I forget where I was going with this...
Anyway, as for Imoen, Minsc, Dynaheir, Jaheira and Khalid; maybe they were with you during Sarevok's defeat or maybe they met up with you after that and, for whatever reason, wanted to accompany you still/again/now on whatever journey you were to embark on.
My biggest problem is that... I always kill Dynaheir and Minsc (I love Edwin). Oh well...
Technically Dynaheir DOES show up. There is a corpse in a cage at the end of the first room in Chateau Irenicus, and Minsc eludes to that being here saying that Irenicus killed her.
I was thinking about this today while hiking around in the woods and I've decided I don't really care who shows up in BG2 or exactly how the new NPCs are handled for that - I'll cross that bridge when I come to it -
After all one of my favorite all time parties that went through both games was an evil party made up of 3 PCs (made in MP and moved to a regular save) and 3 NPCs - only two of which were available for both games.
Palins Plunderers led by Palin Silentfist- a half-elf neutral evil male bard with his two sidekicks Grim Woodswalker- a true neutral human male fighter & Belladonna- a neutral evil female elf fighter/thief.
Viconia, Edwin and Kagain made up the rest of the BG1 party and Korgan replaced Kagain for BG2 while Palin became a Blade and Grim dual classed to druid - it was an awesome group in both games and the fact that a couple of adjustments had to be made for BG2 didn't take away anything for me
So one of the things I am going to do while waiting for release is think about some new and exciting party combinations using the new mix of NPCs that will be available and not fret over what's going to happen if/when I take them to BG2...
Comments
I think I'm gonna try for Jaheira, Khalid, Minsc, Dynaheir and Imoen until the Nashkel mines. Then I will dump Minsc and Dynaheir and look up Raasad and Neera and try those bad boys (girl).
Any thoughts?
The thing about this issue is that you have to either do it wholesale and make the party in Irenicus's dungeon match your end party in BG, or keep it pretty much the same. I can't really see the point of maybe adding Edwin or maybe adding Viconia. The thing is: no matter how you look at it, it can't be done without altering the game substantially. If you have Edwin, then what happens to the Maevar quests? What if you killed Imoen in BG?
The best I could imagine would be that you could establish through dialogue that you have no idea who Minsc and Jaheira are, or that they weren't with you when you were captured, and that your past companions are nowhere to be seen. That could add a little consistency without making any major changes.
They have said that the new BG:EE NPCs are going to carry over into the new game. With Imoen, Minsc and Jaheira joinable, it leaves two slots three for two of these new NPCs to join you enjoying Irenicus's unique hospitality and the other could be floating around Amn "looking for you" (or some other barely plausible reason) ready to join up again. Personally, I like the BG1 NPCs (not that they really have any dialogue) and I'd like to have them continue the journey and enjoy BG2s level of dialogue but BG2 was made to be playable by everyone, not as a direct continuation of the first game, and as a result I don't think there's any room for this kind of feature to be added (officially).
if you killed Imoen off in bg 1 and you didnt start with her in bg2 your going to have a much shorter story to begin with unless there is some dialog explaining that when you left her for dead she was in fact not dead and later on captured by Irenicus followed up with some good old fashioned hate for you for leaving her for dead. It would be difficult to implement some other Bhall spawn in place of Imoen so Bhodi can get a soul because you wouldnt have the drive to rescue your child hood friend (or make up for leaving her for dead, or possible just an evil drive to travel to spell hold and finish her off for good.)
Edwin could possibly be in your group to start with but forces his way out the second you leave the dungeon under the impression he has some old business partner he needs to deal with and its a good way to get rid of some unwanted attention from the cowald wizards, it could even change a small bit of dialog to follow this through with the assassination mission explaining how he has been followed since the moment he was caught up in the mess at waukeen's promenade.
I cant really say it would make much of a difference to the game if you could start of with new party members or not because the pro-log to the game explains how you have traveled a little and people have become wary of you since your role in Baldur's gate, with your adventure complete its is expected that people will eventually leave you.
Either way for me it's all good i think the people who are with you when you start the game have a good explanation of why they are all there i don't think it needs changing but also i see the reasons behind wanting a more costume party especially if you start of as Evil its kind of like "you guys are still following me after everything i did!?!"
What if we killed Imoen? Well, didn't we kill Edwin as well? And Drizzt? She simply survived, carried on with her life, then Irenicus caught her..
Also: if you 'killed' before, what would be the reason to chase Irenicus? Well, you are a bad person, that seeks power, also you discovered that you are a child of a dead god and Irenicus made clear that he knows that, so you simply want to find out about yourself. A reason for a good person would be saving your sister.
It can't be that hard to make it happen..
Overall it would be nice, simply to change things up a little, but probably isn't realistic to hope for. But in all honesty i'd prefer more time into new side quests and areas.
http://forum.baldursgate.com/discussion/161/how-to-format-your-posts/p1
It is very easy to hide spoilers.
http://forum.baldursgate.com/discussion/comment/98326/#Comment_98326
These are just two examples of how this topic has come up before.
Not that I don't miss Kivan or Branwen , but I like to imagine that they followed their own paths .
Besides , Safana and Coran, Xzar and Montaron, Tiax and Quayle already participate in the plot , uninsterested in joining you, but rather doing what they feel it's best for them. It emphasises the fact that 'npc's have their own thoughts and opinions".
Of the 25 (I think) companions in BG1 only 9 of them (Alora, Branwen, Dynaheir, Eldoth, Kagain, Kivan, Shar-Teel, Skie and Yeslick) do not appear in BG2. Actually I forget where I was going with this...
Anyway, as for Imoen, Minsc, Dynaheir, Jaheira and Khalid; maybe they were with you during Sarevok's defeat or maybe they met up with you after that and, for whatever reason, wanted to accompany you still/again/now on whatever journey you were to embark on.
My biggest problem is that... I always kill Dynaheir and Minsc (I love Edwin). Oh well...
Technically Dynaheir DOES show up. There is a corpse in a cage at the end of the first room in Chateau Irenicus, and Minsc eludes to that being here saying that Irenicus killed her.
After all one of my favorite all time parties that went through both games was an evil party made up of 3 PCs (made in MP and moved to a regular save) and 3 NPCs - only two of which were available for both games.
Palins Plunderers led by Palin Silentfist- a half-elf neutral evil male bard with his two sidekicks Grim Woodswalker- a true neutral human male fighter & Belladonna- a neutral evil female elf fighter/thief.
Viconia, Edwin and Kagain made up the rest of the BG1 party and Korgan replaced Kagain for BG2 while Palin became a Blade and Grim dual classed to druid - it was an awesome group in both games and the fact that a couple of adjustments had to be made for BG2 didn't take away anything for me
So one of the things I am going to do while waiting for release is think about some new and exciting party combinations using the new mix of NPCs that will be available and not fret over what's going to happen if/when I take them to BG2...