51 replies to this topic

[berelinde]

(shrugs)

I'm not bothered.

Maybe it's different for the guys. After all, you've got three romanceable women. Female PCs just get Anomen (and a bevy of mod NPCs, but never mind). And Anomen's had the same flirt pack for a long time. Even if the flirt writers *did* like him, a little variety might make a nice change.

About Keldorn's apparent age, though, I won't argue he looks older. But then, lifestyle has a profound affect on appearance. I was a rescue worker for years (10, to be precise). One of my patients was born on the precise day I was. I looked at her and thought she looked like she was a hundred. She was 33, but a lifetime of tanning had left her looking pretty leathery. How much time must paladins spend out of doors?

[Ankhes]

(shrugs)

I'm not bothered.

Maybe it's different for the guys. After all, you've got three romanceable women. Female PCs just get Anomen (and a bevy of mod NPCs, but never mind). And Anomen's had the same flirt pack for a long time. Even if the flirt writers *did* like him, a little variety might make a nice change.

About Keldorn's apparent age, though, I won't argue he looks older. But then, lifestyle has a profound affect on appearance. I was a rescue worker for years (10, to be precise). One of my patients was born on the precise day I was. I looked at her and thought she looked like she was a hundred. She was 33, but a lifetime of tanning had left her looking pretty leathery. How much time must paladins spend out of doors?

You make good points Berelinde, better than I can. I was once in Vegas and a woman there asked me how old I thought she was. I hesitated but she insisted. I said, "well, about 50." She said she was 30. All the sun and wind really weathers a person. She didn't mind thought but it certainly made me think how even just climates can "age" a person.

Well for the record I hope you win the lottery and DO write the romance! I mean I am looking forward to the one being done at BWL as it is the only one that will we will see for awhile but your writing is terrific and I think you could pull it off. Even though you would do it very differently.

BTW a few new Anomen flirts would be nice. I have to admit that I really liked some of them. The one with the "rose" made me weak in the knees when I read it!

Yeah we women got cheated by Bioware by just having one guy but at least there are some really really great mod males out there and I am eagerly playing some betas right now (thanks Berelinde by the way!) and I think JCompton began the trend with the very high quality Kelsey. Or was it Weimer's Solaufein? Anyway at least the ball got rolling for we ladies.

[KIrving]

Edit2: @JC: It isn't like I'm likely to have the time to write it.

That's irrelevant to the matter of reassuring you.

The process was fairly well-documented on the old FWP forums, but of course those have been offline for years.

Well yes, that's true. I was a lurker for a quite a while and then a member at FWP and, from what I saw, some of those involved in the flirt pack were fans of Anomen. There seemed to be more Anomen fans about then, unlike now. I even remember posting praise for aspects of the Anomen section of the flirt pack at the old forums.

However, no offense to anyone, the way Jaheira's part of the flirt pack was handled/written was actually my favourite part of the whole flirt pack.

Even with Anomen fans writing the flirt pack there are aspects of it that grate on me to the point that I haven't installed the flirt pack for a few years. I will venture to suggest that the flirt pack isn't going to be developed/changed or added to in the near future and I'd like to see Anomen given some new/different treatment.

I think berelinde knows where I'm coming from as I think we're on the same page when it comes to Anomen.

[Adia]

Damn, I like both of these ideas. Can we send you lotto tickets?

I'd love to see expansion of the Anomen romance. More talks, flirts and all that good stuff would be wonderful. I'd definitely have this as #1, but I also like the other idea too...

The Keldorn expansion would need to be handled right. Perhaps only talks, maybe subtle flirting late in SoA, and then a romance in ToB?

But I think these are awesome, awesome ideas

[Ankhes]

Damn, I like both of these ideas. Can we send you lotto tickets?

I'd love to see expansion of the Anomen romance. More talks, flirts and all that good stuff would be wonderful. I'd definitely have this as #1, but I also like the other idea too...

The Keldorn expansion would need to be handled right. Perhaps only talks, maybe subtle flirting late in SoA, and then a romance in ToB?

But I think these are awesome, awesome ideas

You are so right but I have to say that people see things differently and being "handled right" is definately subjective. I would personally love to play Senka's where you likely (I think) begin a romance sooner and also one where it is handled the way he is being discussed right now.

I'm a nut and am not capable of modding in any way but I've always hoped that someone would provide a Xzar romance for BG2 all the way to end of TOB. It is definately possible as he can be saved due to Quest Pack but I am probably the only person insane enough to even consider him wonderfully weird enough to fall in love with!

[berelinde]

The only thing that bugs me about the approach Senka is taking is that it's possible that the PC might be acting for selfish reasons. Is she telling Keldorn to do the lawful thing because it's better for him or because the PC wants him for herself, and she is only trying to get rid of a rival?

I'm not saying that it can't be handled well. I'm also not saying that I don't appreciate the moral ambiguity of it. If anything, her approach might allow more variety in roleplaying options, because it would allow an evil PC (or one who knows how to lie) to deceive Keldorn as easily as it would allow a lawful PC to do what the law says is right.

But I still prefer the attempted reconcilliation route, even if it takes longer (a lot longer!). That way, the only kind of PC who would get the romance would be one who was acting in Keldorn's best interests, not out of any promise of personal gain.

But Senka's will eventually be finished. Since I've got a lot on my plate before I get to this point, mine may never start.

[Adia]

But Senka's will eventually be finished. Since I've got a lot on my plate before I get to this point, mine may never start.

...in that case, Anomen first? (first, being after your already long list of things you want to do)

Edited by Adia, 24 May 2009 - 03:07 PM.

[berelinde]

It all depends on how long you are still going to be playing BG2. I've got no plans to stop modding anytime soon.

[Leila]

What you're describing sounds like the perfect mod to me. Anomen and Keldorn are my two favourite NPCs, and I didn't really like the flirt pack, not because he seemed like a prat, but because I'm a bit of a prude and not very romantic, and I really wanted some less mushy and/or smutty flirts and more discussion. Anomen has a lot to say, and he overthinks a lot of things, and I'd love to see that represented in the flirt pack, a la Xan's 'Can we talk?' option. It'd be nice to hear his opinion on things other than the Order and the drink, after all.

As for Keldorn, I like the way you describe the romantic friendship. It'd have to be subtle, and to be honest, I don't think anything could really happen until the -end- of ToB, where there'd be a confrontation, and then a happy-ending epilogue or something similar. But I would like just the option for friendship. I suppose it could be kind of like Kivan, where there are romantic options in the friendship dialogues that would determine if other talks would be romantically coloured.

(Not trying to tell you how to do your own idea, as it probably comes off that way, just thinking... because I -really- like this idea. It's the kind of idea I'd wait years to be materialised.)

[Senka]

This is different from BWL's romance, which happens only if Maria is imprisoned, as I understand it.

No-no, you didn't understand I afraid

But Senka's will eventually be finished. Since I've got a lot on my plate before I get to this point, mine may never start.

Unfortunately it depends but not from me.

[Cal Jones]

I see Keldorn as around 50 - but a fit 50 (after all he's handy with a big sword). He's a silver fox - not appealing to all, but definitely to some. There's nothing to say someone can't be fit and attractive in their fifties and as for virility, well you just have to look at Mel Gibson.

Anyway, yes, I see that scenario as feasible. It's a relatively common phenomenon in Japan where salarymen are out working long hours then expected to go drinking with their colleagues. The home is their wives' domain. Then suddenly, husband retires and the wife wonders who the heck this strange man is invading her territory, and the marriage breaks down. It's a sad scenario but I can certainly imagine it happening with Keldorn and his long periods away from home.
Go for it, definitely.

[xdeathplanetx]

I see Keldorn as around 50 - but a fit 50 (after all he's handy with a big sword)

if i'm not mistaken in some dialogues he specifies that keldron is around 40

[berelinde]

Based on the debate GeN1e and I had, the oldest he can be is 40.

His epilogue states that he was killed defending Amn from an invasion by giants and that he was 60 when he died. Since no giant invasions happened in Amn before 1390, though the timeline mentions the giants invading other places, none of them are near Amn, he didn't die before 1390. If he did die in 1390, he would have been born in 1330. Since BG2 happens in 1369, he would have been 39.

The game exagerates an aged appearance. Probably because most adventurers are barely out of childhood. There was a CRPG trope that said tht in a CRPG, the grizzled veteran would prove to be about 25. Right on.

[Cal Jones]

How depressing! Well I guess I'm going by modern appearances. After all, I'm almost 42 and am fitter now than I was at 22. Most people think I'm in my early 30s. Grizzled veteran, indeed! Heh.

Of course my view is also coloured by the fact I've played the Angelo mod a few times and Angelo (who is 49-50) calls Keldorn old. But there you go.

[Crazee]

I'm another person who thinks of Keldorn as 50ish, but I don't really mind.

If you ever get round to doing this (which I'd love, by the way), there's nothing saying you have to mention his age, anyway. Then everyone would be able to think of him however old they wish.

[Solaufein]

He's had some hard living if he is suppose to be in his 40's.

[berelinde]

Yeah, I'm a young-looking 41 myself, so I get a little peeved by the gaming industry's decision to portray anybody over the age of 30 as a fossil. I mean, look at Madonna... (Joking! I'm joking! Don't kill me!)

Honestly, I don't think SisterV has any idea how old Keldorn is. I'm not sure he knows how old Angelo is. Yes, it's his mod, he can call the character Angelo Dosan and say he's half Sembian and half Kara-Turan and he can say that the character is 49-50 years old, but how old is the Angelo you meet in BG1?

He's had some hard living if he is suppose to be in his 40's.

He's a paladin. He's probably spent too many nights sleeping in soggy bedrolls and too many days sweating under the sun while on campaign.

Anyway, with Keldorn, I'd probably take the same tack I took with Casavir: not say how old he is at all. Does it matter? No. He is however old the player thinks he is.

Edited by berelinde, 27 May 2009 - 03:04 PM.

[Cal Jones]

Yeah, I'm a young-looking 41 myself, so I get a little peeved by the gaming industry's decision to portray anybody over the age of 30 as a fossil. I mean, look at Madonna... (Joking! I'm joking! Don't kill me!)

Honestly, I don't think SisterV has any idea how old Keldorn is. I'm not sure he knows how old Angelo is. Yes, it's his mod, he can call the character Angelo Dosan and say he's half Sembian and half Kara-Turan and he can say that the character is 49-50 years old, but how old is the Angelo you meet in BG1?

Yeah there's a lot of license taken with that mod. It's one of my favourites, though. And I'm assuming SisterV based Angelo's age on the fact he has an adult daughter. Anyway, off topic, and all that.

Anyway, with Keldorn, I'd probably take the same tack I took with Casavir: not say how old he is at all. Does it matter? No. He is however old the player thinks he is.

Yup I think that's a good plan.
I hope you follow through with this mod, it sounds promising.

[Kulyok]

Honestly, I don't think SisterV has any idea how old Keldorn is. I'm not sure he knows how old Angelo is. Yes, it's his mod, he can call the character Angelo Dosan and say he's half Sembian and half Kara-Turan and he can say that the character is 49-50 years old, but how old is the Angelo you meet in BG1?

Are you sure that your vision is more correct than SisterVigilante's? Personally, I am rather inclined to agree with his opinion.

[berelinde]

Are you talking about Keldorn or Angelo?

If you're talking about Keldorn, yeah, I'm pretty sure. Read the discussion with GeN1e. I'd actually imagined he was at least a few years older than the math showed, but the math doesn't lie. I'm not going to state an age in the mod, if I ever get around to it, though, because people do have different opinions, and there's no reason to go there.

If you're talking about Angelo, I don't much care. I like the BG2 Angelo better. It isn't BG1 Angelo at all, really, thank goodness (that voice... do you remember that horrible voice?), so he can be however old SisterV says he is.