[MOD] A Moment With Imoen - Romance mod for Imoen
Wombat
Member Posts: 14
Introduction
A Moment With Imoen is a romance mod for Imoen in Baldur's Gate 2.
Features:
- Full romance arc with a human male PC
- Numerous new banters with every Bioware NPC
- A full array of interjections
Installation
To Install: Unpack the archive into your BG2 directory and run Setup-AMWImoen.exe.
Mod Components:
1. A Moment With Imoen - Base mod.
2. Improved EE Thief Avatars (EE Only) - Allows unarmored and chainmail to change appearance for thief avatars. See screenshot for before and after.
3. Classic BG2 Imoen Colors (EE Only) - Restores Imoen's colors from original Baldur's Gate 2.
4. Romance Cheat: No Race Restrictions - Removes race restrictions in Imoen's romance.
(Install both Improved Avatars and Classic Colors if you're using EE and want Imoen to look exactly like she did in the original BG2. Personally, Imoen without her little skirt and hooded Aran Linvail will never not bother the hell out of me.)
Compatibility
The mod is fully tested for Baldur's Gate 2 EE. It installs fine for the original BG2 and should work, but I've never tested it in depth, so I don't know for sure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: "Is the romance incestuous?"
No. Imoen and PC have no familial relations whatsoever. Their shared Bhaalspawn heritage is treated strictly as a spiritual bond by the game world.
Q: "Didn't Imoen and PC grow up together like family?"
No. They didn't meet until they were 10 to 11 years old, well past the family bonding age window. Moreover, they were very much living apart in Candlekeep.
Q: "What is the content rating?"
PG-13. Overall, the content probably sits somewhere between Aerie and Viconia.
Q: "Is there any questionable content regarding Imoen's early years?"
No. Imoen and PC's early years are treated with utmost respect, if mentioned at all.
Q: "Who will Imoen romance?"
Human male PC only. Optional cheat to remove this restriction is included, but it's highly recommended to just play as human.
Q: "Do I have to play around romance timers?"
No. There is not a single romance timer. Everything relies on scripted triggers. The mod is written to be as unintrusive to the gameplay as possible.
Q: "Should I rescue Imoen as soon as possible or take my time in Chapter 2?"
It is highly recommended to rescue Imoen as soon as possible.
Q: "What happens if I don't romance Imoen?"
There are non-romance related interjections and banters, but you will miss out on most of the content. For example, there are 7 banters with Jaheira, and it drops to 0 if Imoen isn't romanced.
Q: "Should I play the game a certain way to get the most content?"
Yes. Try not to skip content and follow the intended path: Spellhold -> City-of-Caverns -> Ust Natha. Explore and talk to everyone. Stuff like that.
Q: "Who should I take in my party to get the most content?"
The mod adds well over 80 banters for all Bioware NPCs, so pretty much anybody works. See the Banter List section if you have trouble deciding who to go with.
Q: "Does the mod add any content to Chapter 2/3 prior to rescuing Imoen?"
Mostly no. The base game already has enough good well-written content for her in those early chapters. Though, this is another reason to get her early.
Q: "Does the mod use descriptive parentheticals?"
They are only used a few times when it's absolutely necessary, as per the vanilla game.
Q: "Does the mod include any content for EE NPCs?"
No. Convenient Enhanced Edition NPCs is great if you're looking for a way to get rid of them altogether.
Q: "Does the mod play off of the events in Siege of Dragonspear?"
No. The mod does not recognize any of the material written by Beamdog. It only recognizes the story in the original BG1 and BG2.
Q: "What music does the mod use?"
The mod uses only vanilla music tracks. Imoen's romance theme is Melissan's Theme from TOB.
Q: "Why is there no music in the romance talks?"
Having the theme pop up on every dialogue is simply annoying. Plus it telegraphs that "duh duh duh, a romance talk is happening right now!" Instead of letting it speak for itself. Just keep playing, you'll hear some music eventually.
Q: "Does Imoen conflict with any NPC?"
She gets along just fine with everybody.
Q: "Can I skip the Irenicus dungeon?"
Yes. The mod can be installed mid-game with no issues as well. However, it's not recommended to do this once you've progressed further than the Chapter 2 auto-save, because the mod has to keep track of a few things. If you do install it mid-game, then take a trip to Waukeen's Promenade afterwards and stand there for a few seconds to let the script initialize.
No. Imoen and PC have no familial relations whatsoever. Their shared Bhaalspawn heritage is treated strictly as a spiritual bond by the game world.
Q: "Didn't Imoen and PC grow up together like family?"
No. They didn't meet until they were 10 to 11 years old, well past the family bonding age window. Moreover, they were very much living apart in Candlekeep.
Q: "What is the content rating?"
PG-13. Overall, the content probably sits somewhere between Aerie and Viconia.
Q: "Is there any questionable content regarding Imoen's early years?"
No. Imoen and PC's early years are treated with utmost respect, if mentioned at all.
Q: "Who will Imoen romance?"
Human male PC only. Optional cheat to remove this restriction is included, but it's highly recommended to just play as human.
Q: "Do I have to play around romance timers?"
No. There is not a single romance timer. Everything relies on scripted triggers. The mod is written to be as unintrusive to the gameplay as possible.
Q: "Should I rescue Imoen as soon as possible or take my time in Chapter 2?"
It is highly recommended to rescue Imoen as soon as possible.
Q: "What happens if I don't romance Imoen?"
There are non-romance related interjections and banters, but you will miss out on most of the content. For example, there are 7 banters with Jaheira, and it drops to 0 if Imoen isn't romanced.
Q: "Should I play the game a certain way to get the most content?"
Yes. Try not to skip content and follow the intended path: Spellhold -> City-of-Caverns -> Ust Natha. Explore and talk to everyone. Stuff like that.
Q: "Who should I take in my party to get the most content?"
The mod adds well over 80 banters for all Bioware NPCs, so pretty much anybody works. See the Banter List section if you have trouble deciding who to go with.
Q: "Does the mod add any content to Chapter 2/3 prior to rescuing Imoen?"
Mostly no. The base game already has enough good well-written content for her in those early chapters. Though, this is another reason to get her early.
Q: "Does the mod use descriptive parentheticals?"
They are only used a few times when it's absolutely necessary, as per the vanilla game.
Q: "Does the mod include any content for EE NPCs?"
No. Convenient Enhanced Edition NPCs is great if you're looking for a way to get rid of them altogether.
Q: "Does the mod play off of the events in Siege of Dragonspear?"
No. The mod does not recognize any of the material written by Beamdog. It only recognizes the story in the original BG1 and BG2.
Q: "What music does the mod use?"
The mod uses only vanilla music tracks. Imoen's romance theme is Melissan's Theme from TOB.
Q: "Why is there no music in the romance talks?"
Having the theme pop up on every dialogue is simply annoying. Plus it telegraphs that "duh duh duh, a romance talk is happening right now!" Instead of letting it speak for itself. Just keep playing, you'll hear some music eventually.
Q: "Does Imoen conflict with any NPC?"
She gets along just fine with everybody.
Q: "Can I skip the Irenicus dungeon?"
Yes. The mod can be installed mid-game with no issues as well. However, it's not recommended to do this once you've progressed further than the Chapter 2 auto-save, because the mod has to keep track of a few things. If you do install it mid-game, then take a trip to Waukeen's Promenade afterwards and stand there for a few seconds to let the script initialize.
Banter List
Banters 85 Total (+ TOB) Aerie 5 Anomen 2 (5 if LG, 5 if CN) Cernd 5 Edwin 6 Haer'Dalis 6 + 1 Jaheira 7 Jan Jansen 5 Keldorn 6 + 1 Korgan 5 Mazzy 4 Minsc 7 Nalia 4 Sarevok 0 + 1 Valygar 7 Viconia 5 + 1 Yoshimo 1 (PC only)The mod uses a custom trigger system for banters. Most of the banters are in Chapter 6, with some being location based. Everything is paced evenly throughout, so you don't ever have to sit idle to wait for the banters to come up.
If you feel like you're rushing through the game too fast and outpacing the banters, you can always just go somewhere like Umar Hills and rest repeatedly to exhaust the banters. This is most likely not needed if you are playing normally.
Gameplay Information
1. General Gameplay Tips
1. It's highly recommended to rescue Imoen as quickly as possible.
Simply put, the more you do in Chapter 2/3, the less Imoen content you'll see. There are romance dialogues attached to all the major side quests and a few minor quests, none of which are retroactive. The mod also adds a good amount of interjections, as early as the Circus Tent, Amalas in Copper Coronet, etc. Plus, most of the new banters occur in Chapter 6, so you want the breathing room. Ideally, you want to quickly assemble your party and set sail as soon as possible.
2. It's highly recommended to follow the intended game path: Spellhold -> City-of-Caverns -> Ust Natha.
Again, you've got to play the content to see the content. Also recommended to play the good path. Evil content in the base game is mostly lame and an afterthought.
3. It's highly recommended to raise dead party members as soon as possible, especially Imoen.
The mod relies on scripted triggers. Running around with dead party members is a very good way to skip trigger points and break intended behavior. Note that the romance will not end if Imoen gets disabled by spells that remove her from the party. You can just hire her back in and keep going.
2. Starting The Romance
Short answer: Be a human male and don't romance other NPCs.
Long answer:
1. You need to be a human male.
2. Don't sisterzone Imoen in any dialogue with the other NPCs prior to Chapter 4. Like referring to her as "like your sister".
3. Don't progress the other romances past a certain point. Going past these talks will shut off Imoen's romance even if you shut those romances down after the fact. Those romance talks are the following:
Aerie: Romance talk #7 - ("Have you traveled much? I have been over much of Amn and Tethyr with the circus...")
Jaheira: Romance talk #14 - ("So, what do you think of Amn so far?...")
Viconia: Romance talk #10 - ("Tell me... has there ever been anyone special to you?...")
4. Don't have an ongoing romance with another NPC when you rescue Imoen. The cutoff point is when you enter Spellhold and recruit Imoen.
The mod adds additional dialogue options to some vanilla romance talks, so PC can reject the ladies earnestly without being an total jerk or going out of character. You can do this as early as romance talk #1 with Aerie/Viconia and #2 with Jaheira.
3. Playing The Romance
The mod runs entirely on scripted triggers. There is not a single romance timer. So feel free to play at your own pace. Do make an effort to rest for the dreams and sleep triggers if you're really blazing through the game.
Besides that, just enjoy the ride. You are not walking on eggshells in this romance.
Download
Github
Nexusmods
Post edited by Wombat on
-1
Comments
Imoen Friendship looks like it could be compatible, but I guess the better question is why would you want to use the two together?
Imoen 4 Ever looks like a hard no. The romance arc and banter system in AMWI are woven around the default questline.
Imoen Romance is a hard no.
For the same reason, I'd also like to know whether you coded any *technical* incompatibility with the Imoen Romance mod, which is an absolute mainstay in my installs for its elevation of the ToB narrative (even without pursuing the romance route).
But sure, to answer your question, yes, AMWI does offer a fair bit of content for non-romancing PC. Most NPCs have a few banters that can trigger even without the romance. Several of them (Anomen, Mazzy, Nalia, Korgan, Valygar) retain all of their banters as well.
As for compatibility with Imoen Romance, there are probably some overlaps with the interjections at the very least. Although, to be frank, I've never played any of these mods or looked into their code, so I don't have a lot of confidence in my answer. Just a safe guess, seeing as the interjections in AMWI covers all of SOA. I don't think there's anything in the script that can break other mods, but then again, I've seen all kinds of things happen.
Maybe this is a decent alternative. I like how author put emphasis on faithfulness to the original story/writing in the readme.
Anyway, congratulations on the release!
Two questions. If you recommend not mixing with Imoen Friendship, does the mod offer a friendship path in case of non-romance? EDIT: I read the description; question is, are there dialogues that are not romance related.
And, I see a custom Imoen portrait in the first post. Is this an install choice or is it obligatory content?
But yeah, pacing is very important. Faithfulness as well, to the original game and lore and presentation, also very important. AMWI was written from the angle of "what if Baldur's Gate 2 was shipped with Imoen as the main love interest."
I still remember playing the game for the first time back in the day. Romance wasn't even a thing so I thought the plot was just about you saving your girlfriend. Next thing you know, Jaheira and Aerie are both trying to flirt with me, which caught me off guard. Then I rescue Imoen and then they tell me she's your sister now. Whole thing was a trip. What a massive missed opportunity that was, especially now that I've finished this mod.
No, I didn't say that. And if I did, then I take it back. The only mod I'd outright recommend against using with AMWI at the moment is Imoen 4 Ever. From what I've read, it changes the whole main quest line. That's bound to mess something up.
My thing was I didn't get why you would want to use Imoen Friendship with AMWI, but I was thinking along the lines of if you're romancing Imoen. If you're not romancing her, then yes, there are non-romance related dialogues, mostly interjections, and some NPC banters as well. It should work with Imoen Friendship.
The portrait is from my other mod. Not included in AMWI.
Yes, but why? Nexus has been my base of operation for years now.
Nexusmods is, in general, not a usual hub for IE mods. This might be my bubble, but afaik there is a few serious modders hosting there, and a lot of inofficial uploads of outdated mod versions from others.
Also, afaik, you need to be a member to be able to download.
> "Is this mod incest?"
> No.
Is this due to an older mod that had very strange dialogue? I was not paying that much attention to the discussion back
then (and I think it started before I joined the forum here, anyway). I think I played the mod perhaps once only, briefly,
before I realised that I am not that interested in Imoen (I usually tell her to go find her own way out of the dungeon,
because the other NPCs in the team are much cooler :P). It's nice to have more Imoen content in general though.
Anyway, just pondering - to me it is not so important either way.
One nice adjustment may be to have specific subquest(s). This does not have to be about finding some overpowered
item, per se, but could be like similar to the reward Neera gives (that figurine) or anything like that; no clue what may fit
to Imoen (for Edwin he just has to carry the teddy bear that can be found in one of Lava's mod, there is just no other
way for Edwin when I play him these days - finger of death wand in one hand, teddy bear in the other hand, that's
the way to go). The reason I mention this with regards to Imoen is just so that a mod can be more uniquely tailored
to a NPC; and one item may also not be too much work, assuming your mod may have been influenced by older
mods about Imon. (If not then this subsection does not quite apply that well, as a "distinguishing feature".)
Then you can also say in the mod that your mod is more fine-tuned towards Imon overall, aside from any other older
mod content. Although I think, if people do not know the older mod, they may not think about incest - wasn't that one
of the older discussions about? I mean there are many strange romances - romances around furries would be the
weirdest. Why does Wilson like rabbits so much ... I may not want to know anyway, but Acifer's mod where bears
teach smaller animals the ways in ... "group therapy sessions", got me thinking.
By the way, the image for Imoen is probably AI-generated? She looks a bit puffy there, like a hamster storing
chestnuts in the mouth.
> No Race Restrictions - Removes race restrictions in Imoen's romance.
I always suspected Imoen had an affection for the weirdo gnomeys. In particular when one uses the Lichdom
mod. Undead love lasts forever. Two liches finally joined as couple - how adorable. \o/
Anyway, let's stay on topic, folks. Thanks.
Cheers.