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[WIP] Aura, a gnome artificer NPC for BG2:EE

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  • BrokenkatanaBrokenkatana Member Posts: 47
    I think it's a totally acceptable reaction and the dialogue is very in character. However, I could also see this scene building over several interactions before it comes to a head.
  • megamike15megamike15 Member Posts: 2,666
    korgan only bullies people to see if they can stand up for themselves. so he would respect aura alot more if she stood up to what he was doing to aerie. in a tob banter he says it out right to aerie when she stands up to him.
  • SkitiaSkitia Member Posts: 1,083
    edited June 2019
    I didn't know EE changed it so she just went off into the circus., then could be recruited back as if nothing happened They should have done it in a more SoD style, where she mentions she won't rejoin while Korgan remains in the party if her final warning about him being in the party happens. Maybe something to add into Wings when I work on it.

    In regards to the question, it's more in character than I could make it! I think it's fine, minus the unpredictability of banters so I'm not sure if the Aerie/Aura friendship, however it is scripted, will reliably occur before it happens.

  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    megamike15 wrote: »
    korgan only bullies people to see if they can stand up for themselves. so he would respect aura alot more if she stood up to what he was doing to aerie. in a tob banter he says it out right to aerie when she stands up to him.

    This ^

    How would this change the ToB version of this banter? Aerie standing up to Korgan is one of my favorite banters in the game.
  • Saber83Saber83 Member Posts: 94
    I've never really played a lot with Korgan but from the little i remember, this definitely sounds in character for him. Personally i've never really had a problem with Mod NPCs "winning" an argument with the Bioware/Beamdog NPCs.
  •  TheArtisan TheArtisan Member Posts: 3,277
    edited June 2019
    Hardest bits of non-romantic/friendship/banter dialogue to write so far: Salvanas and Crazy Celvan.

    Stupid limerick is done. Almost didn't want to bother.

    Salvanas is just hard because while I can insert bits of levity in serious dialogue I have major trouble with moments that are intentionally meant to be comedic.
  •  TheArtisan TheArtisan Member Posts: 3,277
    I'm not sure if I've mentioned it already but Aura's upgrades and a few other items from BG1 can be imported to BG2. The items whose base equivalents don't show up (e.g. Ossifier and Gold Digger) have original placements. The exception is the Idol of Kozah which won't show up at all. This will be an optional component.
  •  TheArtisan TheArtisan Member Posts: 3,277
    edited June 2019
    I think I've finally figured out working journal entries into existing quests.

    Let me put things into perspective: I've come across some extremely annoying hurdles in my modding experience.

    The EE journal mechanics may be the worst thing yet.

    5dpi7fhoyakt.png
  • jasteyjastey Member Posts: 2,780
    Yes, that is always open for surprises. Mine was the finding that if a quest title is once marked with a SOLVED_JOURNAL entry, opening up the same quest title for another unsolved quest entry does not work, the quest is still marked as finished. While sounding useful per se, this forces me to split my NPC's various little quests along the game into separate ones with an own title each.
  • megamike15megamike15 Member Posts: 2,666
    i hate the 2.0 journal. it's why i use a mod to revert it back to the old one. it's the only part of the new ui i don't like.
  •  TheArtisan TheArtisan Member Posts: 3,277
    edited June 2019
    Progress report: ha, what progress. The reason it takes eons for me to get things done is because I’ll prioritize things like going back and rewriting an introduction dialogue from months ago over writing new things.

    Things are getting done though, I promise.
  • MaurvirMaurvir Member Posts: 1,093
    I'm glad to hear it. I, for one, am really looking forward to it.
  • megamike15megamike15 Member Posts: 2,666
    so i finally got around to playing the bg1 part of the mod. and in the back of my mind i'm just thinking ' the yoshimo banter is gonna be interesting.'
  •  TheArtisan TheArtisan Member Posts: 3,277
    @megamike15

    Yes, Yoshimo will be worth taking along even though there’s a bit of a class redundancy there. It actually could’ve been Korgan instead if I went along with my older concept, in which Aura was living with dwarves after leaving Lantan... as an internal nod to that they get along surprisingly decently despite their alignments being polar opposites, besides the aforementioned Aerie incident.
  •  TheArtisan TheArtisan Member Posts: 3,277
    The different categories of NPC banter:
    • Fun and easy to write: Imoen, Minsc, Neera
    • Not fun but easy to write: Viconia, Dorn
    • Fun but difficult to write: Haer'Dalis, Jaheira
    • Neither fun nor easy to write: Jan
  • megamike15megamike15 Member Posts: 2,666
    thats not even everyone either. i feel korgan is gonna be added to the list with jan because that's how it was with your previous mods. not sure where yoshimo is but he will be interesting to say the lest.
  •  TheArtisan TheArtisan Member Posts: 3,277
    edited July 2019
    @megamike15

    Honestly Korgan is dependent on who he’s talking to. With Aura and Drake it’s not so hard. Yoshimo would fall into the ‘difficult but fun to write’ category but only because my Japanese is only a few steps up from beginner level so I have to be careful. Also he has a larger number of banters than most.

    Cernd and Nalia have made for more interesting dialogues than I anticipated.
  • MaurvirMaurvir Member Posts: 1,093
    I would think Jan would at least be easy. Everything revolves around turnips or an uncle drunk on turnips.
  • ZephyllainZephyllain Member Posts: 5
    Hi, is Aura doing fine? ;)
  •  TheArtisan TheArtisan Member Posts: 3,277
    Alive and well. If people are interested in the project and want to see it complete faster however, a little motivation comes a long way. Talk about what you thought about Aura-BG2 or, even better, speak up regarding what you'd like to see for BG2 whether it be specific interactions or questions about any details in particular (I will indulge in anything not too spoilery). This isn't just for the sake of boosting my ego, by the way, it genuinely helps for me to know what people are looking forward to and want to see.
  • ilduderinoilduderino Member Posts: 773
    This is the mod I am most excited about and have been for a long time.

    I am looking forward to her hopefully modding and improving BG2 items and to seeing her interactions with Sirene and Mazzy (probably my favourite non mod npc), I would think they have a lot in common, the Imoen romance also sounds fun.

    Hoping I don’t blow her special quest and get a bad ending like I did for Rasaad, hope that she gets a happy ending whatever is chosen.
  • CaszidyCaszidy Member, Translator (NDA) Posts: 311
    I am really looking forward to this mod. It's definitely on the top of my wait for it list (right with All things Mazzy mod).
    I would really love to see something more about her kozakuran past (would even some trip to this far east country be possible through some teleportation magic? That would be awesome).
    Some "more to the ground" wishes:
    - please make some reaction of Aura regarding Big Metal Unit in ToB and about its completion - in the end, she's into inventions a lot. I played a lot of NPC mods and can't remember single one, which reacts to Big Metal Unit.
    - please make some funny or some kind of important interaction between Aura and Crazy Celvan in Docks district. Or maybe some little quest with Crazy Celvan "oraculum" abilities?
    Thank you for your hard work.
  • megamike15megamike15 Member Posts: 2,666
    i want to see her and yoshiomo's relationship due to the whole twist of the bg 1 section involving her mentor. mabey add afew talks with her during the friendship/romance after his death to go more deeper into that.

    also during jan's personal quest have her try to bound with his family as they remind her of hers that she not seen in years.

    and of course aerie friendship all the way. as friendships with aerie is always welcomed.
  • ZephyllainZephyllain Member Posts: 5
    I personally like the idea of upgrading gear or weapons, maybe she will like meeting Cromwell.
    Next thing is her interactions with Yoshimo and a return of Tamoko ...
  • masteralephmasteraleph Member Posts: 274
    I'll actually add a variation on the BMU request from above- an alternate path to acquire it. The Bronze Pantalettes aren't really morally problematic to acquire (a little arrogance is required, but not evil or lawlessness). But the Golden Pantaloons are only possible to acquire through dishonesty (and theft, technically), and the Silver ones are far worse. I can't imagine Aura going along with the latter, in particular, as it's written.

    She probably should have something to say about the Illithium Ore (again, a crafting thing), as well.
  •  TheArtisan TheArtisan Member Posts: 3,277
    edited September 2019
    Thanks for the responses, guys. I'll go through the topics on each comment in order in order:

    Sirene and Mazzy interactions:
    oh, definitely. She really likes Mazzy since she's reminded of big sister Juno. Not as extensive as her interactions with Mazzy but she has a healthy number of dialogues and some quest interjections.

    Personal quest:
    no bad ending is planned (Drake is another story :wink:). There are multiple resolutions, and they affect epilogues, but none of the options will be 'wrong'.

    More Kozakuran content:
    wasn't planning anything in terms of gameplay, but Aura still has plenty of things to say, of course. This may change.

    BMU and Pantaloons:
    Aura will not modify the BMU as it's a little... bizarre for her tastes but she will comment on it. Silver Pantaloons will not be covered for this mod but my House Rules mod has a good resolution.

    Crazy Celvan:
    I've already written a limerick and it took a huge amount of creative energy out of me. Not touching on that anymore, especially when I already struggle with Jan. Speaking of Jan:

    Jan's Personal Quest:
    As much as Aura hates the situation, she will not interfere, but she'll have her share of choice words throughout as well as post-quest banters with Jan (a good chance for me to write some semi-serious Jan dialogues there)

    Cromwell:
    This is minor but Aura has already met Cromwell before she encounters the PC in BG2 and will recommend him the first time the party enters the Docks. He plays a minor part in the new quests and can work with a couple of the new items.

    Tamoko:
    Is not coming back. I will stick by the Yoshimo/Tamoko relationship despite its questionable canon status however so her name will come up again.

    Illithium Ore:
    She does comment here. However, she will not stop the PC from trying the con, even if she doesn't like it, since she is very aware of how insane 200lbs is as a request, which she will note as soon as the value is mentioned.
  • MaurvirMaurvir Member Posts: 1,093
    I've been playing Aura in BG1, and I have loved her character so far. Ok, so the party is only in Nashkel, but still, I have been impressed. I definitely would love to complete her story arc with Aura in BG2.

    Of course, I wanted this mod before I even knew there WAS a BG1/SoD version, but now I'm really excited about it. I probably need to do a complete clean/start over on my BG2 install anyway, as I got a little carried away with the mods on that last run, so I would be willing to help test her out.
  • Necromanx2Necromanx2 Member Posts: 1,246
    Where is the link to the download (sure I am blind)?
  • ilduderinoilduderino Member Posts: 773
    BG2 Aura is a work in progress, she can be downloaded for BG1:

    https://artisans-corner.com/aura-npc/
  • BlackWolfBlackWolf Member Posts: 13
    how's with aura for bg 2
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