A Director's Cut OC
Mirandel
Member Posts: 526
I think it deserves a separate thread. We have a slim chance to get somewhat reshaped OC if (!!!) there will be enough votes:
https://trello.com/c/XRSNLto9/111-a-directors-cut-version-of-the-original-campaign
https://trello.com/c/XRSNLto9/111-a-directors-cut-version-of-the-original-campaign
2
Comments
1. what are the highlights and iconic episodes (if any) of the campaign? (ask players)
- don't touch those parts until the end
2. of the remainder, which are the most hopelessly boring parts of the game (the bottom third, or quarter)?
- slash them (mercilessly)
3. when you look at the remainder (after cutting, and sans highlights), what potential does it have to be as good as the best part of the game, or to simply be of reasonable quality to today's standards?
- enhance the better half on a case-by-case basis, looking at each part as an individual piece (or "level") that needs to be fun in and of itself; let the other half remain mediocre, not everything has to be great
4. look at what you have and determine whether any gaps in the structure of the campaign or in the plot remain, or if some parts/areas are too "sparsely populated"
- fill the gaps with quality new content, that would most desirably, organically follow from the original stuff, i.e. add new characters and encounters to an existing quest in order to make it longer, more branching, feature existing characters again, possibly in new roles, make you revisit an area etc. this is the opposite of what you did in BG#:EE (completely self-contained new content, which was such a miss in terms of reception, especially with regard to the effort you put in; it was perceived as too invasive even when your intention whas the opposite)
5. look at the highlights again and see if they by some chance don't feel as exciting or dramatically involving when compared with the rest of now-enhanced content
- make them a little more exciting or involving: add a small difficulty spike where there was none, add an alternate resolution to a critical quest etc.
If they don't put in their best I fear we could get another mediocre Campaign like we have now.
I know what you mean about the OC, so much of it just isn't good enough to me.
If it does happen I hope Trent's attitude improves and they put in their all.
Where I'm going with all of this is that none of the major "fixes" to the campaign really require Trent re-writing the script or the Beamdog team doing a full Director's Cut - this could easily be a fan project, one that greatly benefits from the updated modding tools and client that Beamdog is providing, which to me, is more the point of this particular Enhanced Edition.
It's not that I don't want an official DC, but I know that Beamdog is only going to put so much effort into new content - they're only going to make so much money, and Trent has got to eat! I for one would much rather see them perfect the modding tools and get to some of their Icebox tickets (like fixing Parry) than see them spend the next one or two years of the project on something that won't get a lot of mileage.
Despite the big differences between NWN & BG for me NWN was much easier to learn the basics of D&D but since the OC was less than awesome I needed to go back to BG for a while.
I far more enjoyed SOU & HOTU but over all I still had fun getting to know the realm and the OC was a good introduction to a newer player but should have been better.