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NPC banters - the game needs more of them! - get partners to agree, please

LemernisLemernis Member, Moderator Posts: 4,318
edited December 2012 in Feature Requests
I know that, at least for now, the partners don't want the original game's NPC dialogs added to. But I still feel compelled to make this request:

There are some banters in the original game but they are far and few between.

What will dramatically improve this game to the nth degree is to add banters. When possible use the original voice actors, of course. If not, there are undoubtedly pros who can sound exactly like the original actors (that's why they're professionals).

This should be a DLC component that is optional, so that purists can still play the original game in all it's pristine glory.

But nothing will breathe new life into the game more than having the characters interact. Imvho. Just saying.

Comments

  • IchigoRXCIchigoRXC Member Posts: 1,001
    I think the fact that it is one of the most requested mods, BG1 NPC Project I believe (I get so many mods mixed up) It shows how much it is wanted.
    The contract limitations are just that, limiting, but we beg of you good sirs, you must try. As Lemernis said, it would be fantastic DLC as it would be optional for the purists, and possibly even a way to get around the contract (as the main game is not being altered, it is merely available for those that wish it)

    Good sirs who hold all of the licensing, please let this happen, you have no idea the improvement it would make. Truly a masterpiece reborn.
  • MeizMeiz Member Posts: 18
    edited December 2012
    I thought they couldn't alternate existing content. Were they really restricted on creating new banter as well? There is some banter between new npc's and old ones. It could easily be done without voice acting
  • kamuizinkamuizin Member Posts: 3,704
    But the new NPCs should have more interaction with the game history, the greatest flaw of BG characters have being passed to the new NPCs, the lack of interaction with the environment, quests and other NPCs. Not a single new NPC has even 1/10 of the interactions scripts of any of the BG2 NPCs.

    So please devs, change that. And by the way, if possible, speed the banters between the NPCs cos at least with me until now i didn't saw a single banter between any of the old NPCs.
  • ScooterScooter Member Posts: 182
    kamuizin said:

    But the new NPCs should have more interaction with the game history, the greatest flaw of BG characters have being passed to the new NPCs, the lack of interaction with the environment, quests and other NPCs. Not a single new NPC has even 1/10 of the interactions scripts of any of the BG2 NPCs.

    Because if they did, they would look entirely out of place next to the Bioware NPCs in BG1. They couldn't add BG2 depth to the new characters without adding on the old ones which was and is against their contract.
  • IecerintIecerint Member Posts: 431
    They could elevate BG1 NPC to the status of "official plug-in."
  • kamuizinkamuizin Member Posts: 3,704
    edited April 2013
    Yes @Scooter, i heard some people saying this before the launch of the game, but when i think about this i always come to the following sentence:

    "BG 1 Characters are extremly bad explored in terms of banters. We make an enhanced edition to make things (edit)better(edit) than before. We can't change the old. If we make the new better than the old, the old will be felt out of place. So we will make new content almost so much boring than the old."
    Post edited by kamuizin on
  • ScooterScooter Member Posts: 182
    @Kamuizin yes, more or less. The thing that really is their only option. Personally, and I think many would agree with me, I would rather have the new characters be more "boring" then have them forcefully injected and entirely out of place next to the rest. The desire to ensure the BG:EE retains the feel of the original was one of the developers key plans and rightly so, if the new NPCs were so obviously different to the old ones they would be going against that.
    Now if BG1 NPC were included (to be honest I actually haven't played it but heard lots of great things about it and will be when its available for EE) this would be a different matter.
    Also remember we have BG2EE which will expand on the new characters.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 3,675
    The user and all related content has been deleted.
  • ScooterScooter Member Posts: 182
    @Samus umm, did you change your name?
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 3,675
    The user and all related content has been deleted.
  • EdvinEdvin Member, Translator (NDA) Posts: 3,244
    @Samus
    " Samus "
    Next step in Bhaaldog evolution...
    image

    To end like This?!

  • DeeDee Member Posts: 10,447
    Wait--Bhaaldog's a GIRL?
    (Spoiler alert from 1986!)
  • kamuizinkamuizin Member Posts: 3,704
    @Samus, as said before, the devs can generate banters for the new NPCs, that aren't binded to the assignment terms of the copyright, they can also make banters for the old NPCs when they're interacting with the new (the only difference is that those banters will have no backsound for the old NPCs of course).

    So the devs can do the chances, they just don't want to. What i ask is it's in reason of the justify raised by other people here, that too much banters for the new could make the old obsolete, if it's just lazy work (the banter's between Neera and Baeloth when we meet Baeloth is a bit ridiculous) or if it has another reason for it.
  • LemernisLemernis Member, Moderator Posts: 4,318
    edited April 2013
    It's a contractual limitation, at least under the current contract, at least as I understand it from posts from the devs. Contracts can always be amended, though. I'm just hopeful that at some point they could get partners to sign off on offering (much) increased occurrence of existing banters, plus a host of new professionally voiced banters, eventually via DLC.

    Offering it via DLC maintains the integrity of the original game. I.e., it's optional to install. But enhancing the banters makes it possible to truly revitalize and enhance the game in a major way. I think it's a fair bet that everyone who loves the game and still plays it via EE will purchase it.

    It has to make business sense. At least it can't lose money. And it has to be done to a very high professional standard. I dunno, I'm actually optimistic that it could be successfully pitched and get a green light. In time, one day. But I'm a 'glass half full' kind of guy to begin with. (I'm just a forum moderator here, and this is just a pipe dream of mine.)

    For the time being I'm sure Beamdog is more concerned with a) getting the Android platform and cross platform multiplayer out, and b) completing BG2:EE. They still have the rest of their contract to fulfill.
  • KilivitzKilivitz Member Posts: 1,459
    I think so far the quality of the new dialogues is up there with the original content. I was particularly surprised by the content on the Black Pits - some very nice fluff for what's essentially an arena mode.

    Judging by that, I wouldn't think twice before purchasing DLC with more banters and voice-overs. Specially if they're able to bring back some of the original cast. More Jim Cummings please!

    On a sorta off-topic note: I know he never voiced anyone in BG (that would be IWD), but an NPC voiced by Mark Hamill would make my head explode from too much awesomeness at the same time.
  • LemernisLemernis Member, Moderator Posts: 4,318
    Just another note to add to this general subject: Reportedly the CLUA Console command Ctrl+I increases the occurrence of banters. So at least for the time being that helps up the interaction a bit.
  • kamuizinkamuizin Member Posts: 3,704
    Not when the party simply does not have banters at all, Old NPCs of BG have only 3 or 4 banters at maximum with 1 to 3 specific other NPCs.
  • MalicronMalicron Member Posts: 629
    kamuizin said:

    Not when the party simply does not have banters at all, Old NPCs of BG have only 3 or 4 banters at maximum with 1 to 3 specific other NPCs.

    And those, if I'm not mistaken, are only preludes to characters of differing alignments trying to kill each other.
  • kamuizinkamuizin Member Posts: 3,704
    Yes, in fact most are, not always, Brawen and Kivan have a nice speech with each other for example, others are just flirting banters as Coran and Safana (Safada? portuguese translation for naughty, pretty proper i think).
  • IecerintIecerint Member Posts: 431
    Edwin and Alora are bffs.
  • LordRumfishLordRumfish Member Posts: 937
    The ideas presented here sound like they could work: amend the contract to allow DLCs to add new banters. The original game integrity holds, the fans are pleased, the work as a whole is improved, money is made. I fail to see a downside to this plan because I'm sure it would be a polished professional end product.
  • elminsterelminster Member, Developer Posts: 16,315
    I think improving existing banters (especially the rarer ones) so they are less random in their firing would be a good start too.
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