One of the things that I liked best about SOA was the character's individual quests. One of the things I disliked about TOB was the fact noone seemed to recognise your party have become amazingly powerful (Archmages, High Priests etc.) even after they slaughter an entire army sent to capture them! So I decided to kill 2 birds with one stone! Introducing...
The High Level Adventures Pack!
This quest mod will add a character specific quest to each NPC that will take place in TOB. The quests will vary in content, but will each revolve around the fact the NPC is now a highly powerful person, and their actions and decisions carry a lot of weight. All quests will be optional, and some may incur penalties if taken / not taken. (i.e. "Shall we attend to this matter, it may give the Bhaalspawn more time to prepare"). Example quest idea's include:
> The existing Grand Druid dies and Jaheira is asked to take his place. However, the shadow druids have their own ideas about who should be Grand Druid.
> Korgan wants to set up his own raiding band and install himself as their Pirate King - a little "insurance" in case CHARNAME's plans fail to reach fruition.
> Mazzy is asked to help combat a great evil that threatens the land. Along the way her faith is tested. If she performs her task and keeps her faith her God may allow her to become a full Paladin.
> A warrior from Rashemon comes seeking Minsc. Why has he not returned from his Dejemma? Minsc's many deeds of heroism mean he is seen as a hero, but can he come to terms with losing his witch?
As I will not be Net connected at home for a few months, I will be working on this alone until then. Please feel free to drop comments or suggestions for quest idea's at this post until I am connected.
High Level Adventures
Started by
-The_Swordalizer-
, May 27 2005 08:41 AM
32 replies to this topic
#2
NiGHTMARE
-
- Member
- 2328 posts
Posted 29 May 2005 - 01:09 PM
I'm planning to do something like this in the Lands of Intrigue mod, though they'd just be encounters or short quests rather than anything major. The characters I'm planning to do something for are the four who're romanceable in unmodded BG2, plus Minsc and Mazzy.
#3
T.G.Maestro
-
- Member
- 4415 posts
Eclipse
Posted 30 May 2005 - 12:14 AM
Actually, there are references on your powers throughout ToB. Simply think on Yaga-Shure calling you The Terror of the Sword Coast...
Refinements v2 has been released!
Go and visit the website or the forum for more info!
Member of The Silver Star team.
#4
-Aristothenes-
-Aristothenes-
-
- Guest
Posted 30 May 2005 - 10:40 AM
You're so "powerful", why do you have to use tactics when the computer sends waves of soldiers after you...
(Sarcastic comment, do not flame)
(Sarcastic comment, do not flame)
#5
-Guest-
-Guest-
-
- Guest
Posted 31 May 2005 - 02:22 AM
@ Nightmare - If this mod ever gets anywhere near completion, I'll email you about compatibility and stuff.
@ Maestro - Actually several characters do make comments on this issue. Nalia has a banter about being an Archmage, for example. I just felt the fact your characters were now these masters of their respective arts should be shown in some way other than that they can kill a bigger monster...
@ Maestro - Actually several characters do make comments on this issue. Nalia has a banter about being an Archmage, for example. I just felt the fact your characters were now these masters of their respective arts should be shown in some way other than that they can kill a bigger monster...
#6
T.G.Maestro
-
- Member
- 4415 posts
Eclipse
Posted 31 May 2005 - 02:51 AM
I agree, the whole party should be more persuasive or intimidating, depending on alignment. This wasn't really developed in most of the dialogues in ToB.
We should notice however that most of the foes the party meets in ToB are from the same cathegory - meaning they won't just fall to your feet merely because you are just another Child of Bhaal...
We should notice however that most of the foes the party meets in ToB are from the same cathegory - meaning they won't just fall to your feet merely because you are just another Child of Bhaal...
Refinements v2 has been released!
Go and visit the website or the forum for more info!
Member of The Silver Star team.
#7
SimDing0
-
- Member
- 1654 posts
GROUP ICON
Posted 31 May 2005 - 02:59 AM
Why not just pretend ToB doesn't exist?
#8
T.G.Maestro
-
- Member
- 4415 posts
Eclipse
Posted 31 May 2005 - 03:17 AM
Because it does. And instead of trying to pretend the opposite, we should concentrate on making it better. It has several good features already, and has MUCH unused potential in it. 
Refinements v2 has been released!
Go and visit the website or the forum for more info!
Member of The Silver Star team.
#9
-The_Swordalizer-
-The_Swordalizer-
-
- Guest
Posted 31 May 2005 - 08:28 AM
I'm trying to contentrate not just on intimidating or awe inspiring dialogue choices, but situations where the NPCs recognise they have these awesome powers and must choose how to use them.
I'm currently deciding whether to have sections that must be carried out by the NPC alone (I've heard Weimer's Solaufein does this). This would make the quests more personal, and would help counteract the fact that by TOB your party can decimate armies - I'd rather not have to come up with enemies that can battle a full strength TOB party for every combat encounter.
I'm currently deciding whether to have sections that must be carried out by the NPC alone (I've heard Weimer's Solaufein does this). This would make the quests more personal, and would help counteract the fact that by TOB your party can decimate armies - I'd rather not have to come up with enemies that can battle a full strength TOB party for every combat encounter.
#10
T.G.Maestro
-
- Member
- 4415 posts
Eclipse
Posted 31 May 2005 - 08:48 AM
Solaufein (and possibly Chloe) are the worst examples here: both NPCs seem to take the credits from the protagonist, which is hardly acceptable. While there is a party with PC, this game is still his/her story, and this shouldn't be changed. The original NPCs were designed and made following this logic, sadly the mod NPCs just don't live up to the task. :closedeyes:I'm currently deciding whether to have sections that must be carried out by the NPC alone (I've heard Weimer's Solaufein does this). This would make the quests more personal
Refinements v2 has been released!
Go and visit the website or the forum for more info!
Member of The Silver Star team.
#11
-The_Swordalizer-
-The_Swordalizer-
-
- Guest
Posted 31 May 2005 - 09:06 AM
I'm sorry T.G. Maestro, but I don't agree with the entirety of that statement. In an NPC's personal quest, that happens but once a game, that NPC is the star. If a character constantly takes the limelight I can see why you would feel annoyed but the story focussing on an NPC purely during his or her quest IMO enhances the feeling your NPC's are real people with lives of their own, not just slaves of CHARNAME.
#12
T.G.Maestro
-
- Member
- 4415 posts
Eclipse
Posted 31 May 2005 - 09:31 AM
Don't get me wrong, I never saif that an NPC shouldn't have it's quest and get part of the credits/glory in the game! As I said, Bioware NPCs were made following this concept.
What I can't accept are characters like the two I mentioned above, where the PC starts to ask himself: "What am I doing here?"
If an NPC has comments on various events/things throughout the game, that is good.
If an NPC comments every damn thing on every corner, that is bad.
If an NPC gets special items, even some powerful ones, it is good.
If an NPC gets mega items in nearly every chapter that easily beat the average stuff of the party, that is bad.
And so on, you get the picture.
What I can't accept are characters like the two I mentioned above, where the PC starts to ask himself: "What am I doing here?"
If an NPC has comments on various events/things throughout the game, that is good.
If an NPC comments every damn thing on every corner, that is bad.
If an NPC gets special items, even some powerful ones, it is good.
If an NPC gets mega items in nearly every chapter that easily beat the average stuff of the party, that is bad.
And so on, you get the picture.
Refinements v2 has been released!
Go and visit the website or the forum for more info!
Member of The Silver Star team.
#13
-Guest-
-Guest-
-
- Guest
Posted 01 June 2005 - 03:08 AM
As I'm only going to be adding a single quest for each character that shouldn't be an issue. I'm starting work on Jaheira's quest, working out the plot and suchlike before I get coding. I was gonna start on Cernd but I wanted to create a quest someone will actually play 
#14
T.G.Maestro
-
- Member
- 4415 posts
Eclipse
Posted 02 June 2005 - 08:05 AM
First of all, before starting to work on specific quests, my advice would be to start adding some extra explorable areas to the game, where one can have some freedom for extra (non-linear) adventure. This is the hardest thing to do, I know, but without this extra room, there won't be enough time/place to play out those extra quests of the NPCs - ToB is just too short and linear for that.
Refinements v2 has been released!
Go and visit the website or the forum for more info!
Member of The Silver Star team.
#15
-Guest-
-Guest-
-
- Guest
Posted 02 June 2005 - 09:33 AM
Wouldn't that mean amending the world map? I'm, erm... not sure my coding skills run to that at the moment. :-p
#16
T.G.Maestro
-
- Member
- 4415 posts
Eclipse
Posted 02 June 2005 - 10:22 AM
Yes, I know.. that is why I said this would be the more difficult part... :closedeyes:
Refinements v2 has been released!
Go and visit the website or the forum for more info!
Member of The Silver Star team.
#17
Galactygon
-
- Member
- 938 posts
Modding since 2002
Posted 02 June 2005 - 11:51 AM
...However, I have heard some people were able to manage them (Ghreyfain?), so you could ask some advice from them.
-Galactygon
-Galactygon
#18
SConrad
-
- Administrator
-
- 11148 posts
I swear to drunk I'm not God
Posted 02 June 2005 - 12:13 PM
I did it a while back. Find the template here....However, I have heard some people were able to manage them (Ghreyfain?), so you could ask some advice from them.
-Galactygon
Khadion NPC mod - Team leader, head designer
Hubelpot NPC mod - Team leader, coder
NPC Damage - Coder
PC Soundsets - Coder, voice actor
Brythe NPC mod - Designer
DragonLance TC - Glory of Istar - Designer
The NPC Interaction Expansion Project - Writer for Cernd, Sarevok
The Jerry Zinger Show - Producer
Iron Modder 5 - Winner
#19
-The_Swordalizer-
-The_Swordalizer-
-
- Guest
Posted 03 June 2005 - 08:28 AM
Thanks to all for the help and the interest. The only issue I have now is that a mod that adds a whole free-roaming section (like Baldurs Gate or Athkatla are in the previous games) to TOB, amends the world map to include all the new areas, aswell as adding quests for every character (whilst very cool and long overdue for TOB) sounds like a much larger project than the one I had in mind.
As I said, I'm not net connected yet, and this sounds like a multi-person project. I have several r/l concerns aswell (job, family etc.) and cannot devote all my time to modding (unfortunately
).
I think I'll start purely with adding character quests, and work up to the rest. I'm looking at getting net connected in August, so once that is up and running and I can share files and suchlike I'll look at the whole mod concept again and see how much interest (and help!) I can generate.
As I said, I'm not net connected yet, and this sounds like a multi-person project. I have several r/l concerns aswell (job, family etc.) and cannot devote all my time to modding (unfortunately
).I think I'll start purely with adding character quests, and work up to the rest. I'm looking at getting net connected in August, so once that is up and running and I can share files and suchlike I'll look at the whole mod concept again and see how much interest (and help!) I can generate.
#20
Galactygon
-
- Member
- 938 posts
Modding since 2002
Posted 03 June 2005 - 09:00 AM
I think I'll start purely with adding character quests, and work up to the rest. I'm looking at getting net connected in August, so once that is up and running and I can share files and suchlike I'll look at the whole mod concept again and see how much interest (and help!) I can generate.
With ToB being the worst part of the entire Baldur's Gate series, I am sure it will generate a lot of interest.
-Galactygon
