63 replies to this topic

[leahnkain]

Thanks for the File Sir Billy Bob.

Edited by leahnkain, 29 March 2006 - 07:10 AM.

[WizWom]

Ok, I'm playing 0.35a, and I got through to the inner portion of the Lizardman caves. They aren't attacking, just standing around posing. I try talking to everyone, only one character can be engaged in conversation. Looks like somehow I didn't get a trigger.

I've just looked through the ARE again, I'm going to try heading back in again. The only thing I think I did odd was blast the guards up above; were they supposed to chat with me?

Yeah, looks like me killing TCLIZ01 broke the adventure :-) Time to spawn him and see what happens.

And that corrected my little ahem, injudicious, use of fireballs.

[leahnkain]

I am curious which NPC?s everyone seems to be using. It will help me out if I know if there are any trends when building your party. It makes it easier to write banters when I know who the players are using and who they aren?t. I usually have in my group Vildamyr or Dirbert, Althon, Aesdale, Blush, Shadow. I am wondering how many players keep Paraway in their group after meeting Althon. Also how many people drop Aesdale and Blush for Vildmayr and Rihn.

[WizWom]

By the way this game is so hard cause quest and journal entries are not detailed and you cant get any clue about the situations

You do know you can edit a journal entry?

[Alatariel]

I'm testing CA now, and I wonder if Aesdale romance is available or just in plans? I'm already at the end of chapter 2 and still clueless. If the NPC plot is still under development you should add this information to his description on CA homesite. If you won't some female testers may be.. dissapointed while playing.

Ah, btw, I have found two small possible-be-bugs for Blush. Her special abillity (charm) appears in the end of her spell list, not in the 'special' slot.
And, in her voicing script (or how do you call it) there is "Seraline Moonbow" (should be Sehanine, of course). And if I may ask -- why swear on the name of Sehanine when you are a priestess of *Sune*? ==' That is something... well, a little illogical.

Edited by Alatariel, 13 January 2007 - 04:07 PM.

[Celestine]

Aesdale's romance will be a late one (somewhere in chapter 4) and is still currently being written. Rilithar's romance will most likely be released first as it is more complete than Aesdale at this moment and also can be initiated in chapter 3.

I will update the homepage to reflect these info. Thanks for bringing it up.

[Alatariel]

Why so late? That means we don't have any romance/frienship path till chapter 3. I understand that some people wouldn't be interested in something like that after their village just being torched down, but I surely know that my character is not one of them:). Also, I think that you should develop interactions between NPC's in the first 2 chapters and, well, develop them more in the game itself! CA has a potential to be better production than BG, you just have to do some hard work on writing... I do not envy you, I must say. Still I think that if you want to change the level of interactions the faster you do that, the better. Add regular NPC kit (like in BG1 NPC project, for example), some additional stuff... And it will all be great.

If you need some opinions on anything, I may be of some help, may come out with some new ideas too, so if you need anything - just let me now. I really like the idea of total convertion games^^'.


Btw is Paraway going to be romanceable? Just curious. I didn't think of him as a suitable NPC for that after visiting your website but after playing the mod I guess that he is an option and an interesting, if somewhat Kivan-ish NPC.

[leahnkain]

Why so late? That means we don't have any romance/frienship path till chapter 3.

It isn't so late in the game for a romance. Classic Adventures will take the player from 1st level all the way to 20th level and beyond. The group should be around 8th level when his romance option comes into play.
It is a lot of work writing a total conversion, last year it was just Sir BillyBob and myself writing all of the NPC's. I ma lucky Celestine has joined our team. She has written alot of new dialogs which will be added to 4.0. I have been slowly writing an evil path for players. The evil NPC's will be in the next update.
I hope there is a little to please everyone. Paraway will not have a romance. I never intended him to have one. He is one of the few NPC's who will follow the player without ever betraying him/her. One thing I do enjoy to hear is NPC feedback. I am always wondering who are the prefered members. So far it seems most players end up with Althon, Shadow, Dirbert, drop Aesdale+Blush to add Vildamyr and a lot of people keep Paraway. I wonder who is in your group?

[Alatariel]

Heh. My opinions on NPC's? Here you go.


My favourite one this far is Shadow. In my opinion she is the best written one and a good thief in addition. I know already that I won't drop her later in the game.

I keep Paraway, Althon, Aesdale and Blush because of Aesdale's quest. I plan to drop Blush as fast as it'll be possible without skipping 'her part' of this quest, since I really dislike her. Althon is well-designed and his story will probably prove very interesting later in the game - or that is at least my first impression. Paraway strikes me as very loyal if somewhat aloof - very Kivanish indeed:). I don't know if I won't drop him after Aesdale's quest, but it is possible that he will remain in group since he has some of my sympathy. As for Aesdale... This character has a true potential, and his story sure is one to look forward to, but he... well, I guess he could be a little more developed. I know he is the young&naive type, with low wisdom in addition but even with this knowledge he still appears too childlish for me. And somewhat... Well, I think that you should rewrite some parts. Just trying to be constructive. Remember, I intend on romancing him, right? So I don't dislike him that much, just think he needs some improvement. That, and his voicing is really irritating. And I mean REALLY, when I say 'really' .


As for Dirbert - he is the 'brother' type and I view him as a male Imoen, in a way. I had to drop him since there is no place for another character in my party, though.

Erky I find useless and somewhat boring - he is not well developed yet.

Rilithar - heh. I am not the kind for paladins anyway, but I must say that when I met him first time in the inn it striked me just how... different he seemed. Different from other NPC's, that is. Somewhat better in the technical way. I don't have place for another NPC in my party, but if I had I would took him in. He appeares interesting.

Rurik - surely better priest then Blush, and more interesting character at that.

Vildamyr - heh, look, Coran has returned! Oh no, wait, it's not him...XD What can I say? I find this character to be the most amusing one .

But still, besides Shadow there is no NPC in CA that I would really like and wouldn't want to change anything about them.

Also I really loathe the 'one-and-only' dialogue option in conversations with NPC's. Unnerving.

Once more I must say that this project requires much work and I don't envy you:). You shoul have some people ho would specialize in NPC's, dialogues, and alike. You have done well this far, but you can't do everything alone. And when one must do all the aspects of some project alone, they'll never be perfect. Or it'll take forever to be done.

*Shrugs* Just trying to be supportive. But you surely had thought about that already.

So.. When the next release will take place?:>

Edited by Alatariel, 14 January 2007 - 03:03 AM.

[leahnkain]

Just curious...did you add rihn to your group? She has a quest in Myth Drannor which is currently in this version. As for the next version Sir BillyBob is working hard getting the maps finished. the dialogs are ready to go. So hopefully soon.

[leahnkain]

When I wrote the original core NPC's dialogs I was only provided the shell. Most of the dialogs will be edited in the future. The players interjections need to be added too. As for Aesdale's soundset, it is his second one. I am really having a hard time finding something suitable for him. I admit I got bored writing him and focused more on Althon. thankfully Celestine has taken over writing him. I was originally going to have Blush killed in a cutscence with Althon and Aesdale leave the group after his storyline was finished. My prefered group is Althon, Shadow, Vildamyr, Rihn and Dirbert. It is interesting how everyones group contains certain key NPC's always.

[Alatariel]

No, I didn't try her out and that's why I didn't comment on her. I don't have place for Rihn, and I don't find her so interesting at all... Besides, if a bard is not Haer'Dalis or Keto, there is no place for him/her in my party. My favourite character (and the one I play CA with) is elven sorceress, so while having Aesdale in my party I don't need more magic users. Low-leveled bards aren't good warriors, and have low HP, so from practical POV there is no place for Rihn in my game.


But maybe I'll try her out later, for the Althon/Rihn banter/romance. When it'll be done, that is.

As for the key-NPC's - Althon and Shadow *are* the best written/planed ones

Edited by Alatariel, 14 January 2007 - 03:12 AM.

[leahnkain]

If you try Rihn out now after Mistmoor there is one more quest for her in Myth drannor.

[Celestine]

I have something planned for Aesdale's romance but he need to shed his deadweight -- Blush, and certain events need to play out first before that. otherwise, it won't be a convincing romance. Also, Aesdale will somewhat 'grow up' a little so that he is at least capable of mature thinking.

I admit, I am not fond of Blush either... but that's one of the key things for Blush. Leahnkain did say, most female players will hate her.

For Rilithar's romance, he needs his quest done first. I reckon no man is going to think about love when he is in a dire situation. Help him finish his quest and his lovetalk will initiate a few days after that. That's the plan.

Elven sorceress is what I usually play too.

[Riviera]

Finally picked up Rilithar.

I love his voice! Plus he does seem very interesting.

Can't wait for the romance.. I've always liked the knights-types, that is what draws me to Anomen and Ajantis. Rili having the Chaotic alignment clinchs it though. For me it seems to signify that he'll still have all the knightly qualities of a paladin, but won't have the 'uptightness' that drives most people away from them. All of the good and none of the bad.

I am filled with happy.

I had to boot Dirbert to put Rili in. I'd like to put Rihn in, I like bards and her quest seems interesting, but I want to see the Blush/Aesdale thing through to the close, so I may have to drop Paraway for a bit for that. Will she have poetry/stories/songs available at some point? It'd be nifty to have a bard that is a bard, like Haer'dalis and Keto.

I actually don't mind Blush. She comes off as fake, but I do think she is a kind person underneath all of that. It'd be nice to see the real her after all of the.. 'whatever' goes down. I have a feeling we will, too. Plus, I must say that she has an insanely cute portrait. In fact, I almost hope she gets a different one so I can yoink this one for my PC.

I really like this mod, therefore I ramble like a weirdo.

Edited by Riviera, 15 January 2007 - 04:36 PM.

[Sir BillyBob]

Rihn can have songs and poetry, as soon as someone creates them. Don't expect me to do it, I hated English Lit in college. I should have realized back then that Emily Dickinson was a pre-Metalica poet, maybe I would have been more interested in it.

Every character has a storyline, some just aren't developed yet. Rurik and Erky both have quests later on (probably Chapter 5 after the slavers) which I will have to build at some point. Shadow has some dark disturbing experiences that I haven't figured out how to write yet. Dirbert doesn't really have a quest or past storyline other than following you around since you have the same quest.

Paraway is married, there is a cutscene between him and another elf where that elf tells him their village has been sacked. He asks about his wife and children. - so don't even think about it. Sorry.

Others have quests that happen later. Rilithar and Rihn both have completed quests now with Mistmoor and Myth Drannor. Everyone else will probably have either a quest or a major play in the Slavers series we are now starting on.

Interactions, banters, and other lite stuff will all come with time. I don't see any point in making Chapter 1 rich in details but nothing to do afterwards. So I am working on making a thin storyline right now as the rest of the team fluffs out the rest. We are always looking for ideas so your opinions are great to read here. Just realize that we can't include everything and some subjects, like Kits are things you can add to the mod yourself (well, not NPC kits - just PC kits).

[Celestine]

I love Ril's voice too, leahnkain's friend did the voicing and it is superb. I just hope his romance is up to expectation when it is finally released. He's my first written romance NPC for a female player.

[leahnkain]

Plus, I must say that she has an insanely cute portrait. In fact, I almost hope she gets a different one so I can yoink this one for my PC.

Plasmocat made it for us. I really like it too. It was made to how I envisioned Blush. I don't think I will change it. Thanks for the compliment. I am really pleased to say every NPC now has original pictures. I really live in tokyo. Rihn is based on a instrumental preformer.(Hence the Shamesen) She is also a Harper before they became Harpers. She is a unique bard who is more of a storyteller than a poet.

Edited by leahnkain, 16 January 2007 - 07:41 AM.