Jump to content

Your favorite IWD2NPC is.../NPC you miss....


Domi

Your favorite IWD2NPC is...  

122 members have voted

You do not have permission to vote in this poll, or see the poll results. Please sign in or register to vote in this poll.

Recommended Posts

I am noticing that people are starting to comment on the NPC preferences, so I figured out it's a good time to start a poll like this.

 

It's unlikely I will be doing another NPC (though another priest is a most likely possibility), but I am wondering if there is a functionality gap that cannot be filled with the PC, or I am forcing your PC into a too narrow field of specialization.

Link to comment
It's unlikely I will be doing another NPC (though another priest is a most likely possibility), but I am wondering if there is a functionality gap that cannot be filled with the PC, or I am forcing your PC into a too narrow field of specialization.

Well, was mainly writing to say that I'm the little maverick who voted for "other" as in "I think you already have a pretty nice panel of NPC and maybe don't really need to add another". :(

Kudos to you, Domi on the great work you're doing!! ;)

Link to comment

Other- a second thief option, maybe more good or evil. As it is, either I take Nikosh or I can make my PC a thief. There are a lot of roles that can be filled by more than one NPC - I've always used druids and clerics pretty much interchangeably, just about anybody can become a melee fighter, there's a sorcerer and a wizard, etc... But if you need someone to pick locks and disable traps, well, there's only one class that does that well.

 

And you have no idea how hard it was for me to pick a favorite!

Link to comment

There are a couple of multiclassing options that can be explored for a rogue: Salomeya can be MC'd as an evil-leaning rogue (and with her personality an assassin fits her very well), and Prachi - as a more good-leaning MC to a rogue.

 

"I think you already have a pretty nice panel of NPC and maybe don't really need to add another".

 

Oh, nice :(

 

Well, to be honest, we were thinking about a priest pack a few times....

Link to comment
There are a couple of multiclassing options that can be explored for a rogue: Salomeya can be MC'd as an evil-leaning rogue (and with her personality an assassin fits her very well), and Prachi - as a more good-leaning MC to a rogue.

 

"I think you already have a pretty nice panel of NPC and maybe don't really need to add another".

 

Oh, nice :(

 

Well, to be honest, we were thinking about a priest pack a few times....

 

I... Kinda sort of forgot that you could multiclass and get those class abilities back before you caught up with that level; I've been playing way too much BG2. Well, that's an idea, then!

Link to comment

As said before, a new thief would be a good choice I think. I am not fond of my PC being one (don't know, just don't like the class but a party badly needs one) and Nikosh, although neutral, has a tendency towards beeing good. Roleplaing wise it's strange he would come along with guys like Diriel, Rizdaer, Salomeya or an evil PC.

 

I personally think no priests are needed (we have good Valeero and evil Diriel...well, he's not a cleric but still can heal) but on the other hand I can imagine all the roleplay posibilities knowing that the game centers on evil cults.

 

As for tanks...Sir Nord, Hildury and Rizdaer (even Prachi when developed in a good way) are perfectly fit for the role, so I guess those are covered.

 

Now, my favorite NPC...

I still haven't seen all of them but I doubt anyone will make me go like "wow! no kiddin'!" like Sir Nord did ;) Though I admit Diriel is not far behind (to witch my first reaction was "At last! An elf that broke that chaotic good barrier)

If you would make a poll about NPC we hate (story wise, all of them are great when it come to design!) I could give you a rant about Salomeya :)

 

ok, I'm going to stop talking right now :(

Link to comment

Heya, good idea about the hated poll, will try to put one up (I have troubles with setting up polls at G3, I don't know why). ;) And I have to confess that I made Jaemal's romantic conflicts with Salomeya based on the anticipation that it would be fun to have a conflict with her, because she's disliked. The Peony's conflict for Rizdaer is based on the opposite anticipation. :( ANd heh, I guess I have better luck with writing males LOL!

Link to comment

I forget which I voted for. It was probably "tank", but I'd also like a different thief option.

 

As for favorite NPC, I was torn between Nord and Jaemal. Nord is rude, crude and obnoxious... and those are his good points! I love him for that. Jaemal is a bittersweet character. I like how conflicted he is, and how he is still kind, despite it all. He doesn't like you to feel sorry for him, either, which is refreshing.

Link to comment

The beauty of IWD2 is that you can immediately multiclass your characters. I switched Salomeya/Prachi to fighters, gave them good armor and weapons, and they can stand their ground in battle now.

 

My very favourite is Diriel, of course. All of him.

 

Salomeya is very nice, too - a surface Viconia, only, perhaps, a more ruthless one; romanced Viconia becomes softer in ToB. She's a "what-you'd-love-to-be-but-never-will-dare" air about her. Prachi is interesting, with an air of a reserved and thoughtful grown up about her.

Link to comment

First things first: sorry for my poor English in this post. It has been written in hurry and is not a fine piece of writing. Also I didn't express myself in the end - I got distracted and decided to leave it as it is.

 

I am noticing that people are starting to comment on the NPC preferences

 

Indeed.

I have been playing with IWD2NPCP some time now, and while I have encountered few things that *may* be bugs (or may not; I will give it a go later in the bug thread, when I will be able to read all the pages about the already reported ones -- no need to multiply solved problems), most of my thoughts were given to the NPC development. Now, I am going to describe (more or less) my party, the NPC's I have been playing with, the things I liked and the things I didn't like. It is mostly useful (if useful at all) for Domi, and may be count as a constructive criticism. Or something else, seeing that I like the existing stuff. Very much so. So, if you are not interested with my musings, don't read that.

 

First of all, I am not playing with the party I would like to play. Why? Because I want to see the romance conflicts, of course! ^^' I have Diriel (!), Jaemal, Rizdaer, Nikosh and Salomeya in my party. I must admit I find it a little disturbing: playing with neutral good character (as usual...) I have ALL the evil NPCs in my party... And I *like* all the evil NPCs iny my party:| Oh, dear. Any general opinions? Yeah. They all are very... different from what I have been expecting. My opinions after playing differ from the ones before. Also, some of the characters have stats not equivalent to their behaviour. I mostly mean int&wis here. Rizdaer for a guy having only 10&9 is FAR too intelligent, and Diriel with his statements and plots is most certainly higher than 12 :| However this is not a serious matter, seeing that in ID2 we have little points/choices in that pool. I just ignore the stats and have fun:) However funny it may sound when Diriel with his lower stats is considering my PC as 'primitive', lol. If it would be a hypothetical setting the girl could outsmart him easily!

 

As a general comment I would also like to point out your mastery in 'making' evil NPCs. Not only are they well written and enjoyable - they are painfully true. Not some exaggerated fools who want to burn the whole world for the idea itself, but complicated and complex characters with their beliefs, dreams and good sides. Evil by alignment, yes, but that doesn't mean they have to be evil 24/7! Or have to be in-human. And, yes, now I agree - Rizdaer is most obviously Lawful Evil. Though I would say he is reaching the Lawful Neutral part of the diagram, and fast;).

 

The character I would like to start with will be the first in my thoughts even before the release - no surprises here - Diriel. I must say I imagined him to be more like Salomeya - a male Salomeya with some difference here and there, you may say. And now I see he is far more... Edwin-ish. At first I thought - "Hey, you CAN'T be serious... he is formal to the point of being ridiculous!", but then, in Shaengarne, you convinced me to take him 100% serious. Also, regardless to my expectations, he *still* is my favourite (voted for him in the pool, of course; I also see that mostly women are voting - the highest scores given to the 'hot' guys;>). And I *still* want to romance him. If you thought I would change my mind after playing, you were wrong:). He is also full of contradictions. The only bad thing in Diriel's development is that I would like to see more of him. There was a moment when I got really... angry, seeing that even *Salomeya* has some flirty lines with Diriel and *I can't*! Phew! Also, besides 'more of him' for PC I would like to see more banters with other NPC's. In my party Diriel is not very talkative (besides his HILARIOUS banters with Rizdaer! Domi, you are the best! The two of them in the party is one big, moving entertainment! If you got Jaemal it is becoming even more amusing, but I could easily pass over him and be the same happy). He haven't talked to Jaemal or Nikosh (I know that he is going to later, but I thought that it is a one-banter-with-everyone-every-chapter kind of thing^^) yet, and his banters with Salomeya... but I have already made a point here, I guess. Also, I would like to be able to chat with my companions the way you can do that in P:T, for example. I thought that the player initiated menu was the kind of menu you got later with the flirts -- that you can chose to accelerate the banter, yes, but besides that ask your companions how do they fare, what do they think, and so on, and so on. And even with some quasi-flirts for them, whose number would increase along with the number of friend's talks. Of course, I am probably just a silly dreamer.

 

Speaking of dreamers - Jaemal. I like all of the NPCs here, I think, all are very well-writen and likeable, and all. But if I were to point out the person I like the LESS it would be definetely Jaemal. To put it one the line - sometimes he is really getting on my nerves. And it is not because he is enuch. I must say that while I am all for dreamers in the Life of Real, everything has to have its limits. Jaemal is good and kind, and very, very naive. Also he is quite hypocrtical. Or that is at least my opinion. And don't forget 'overprotective'. Though I am not sure if that is the word. He thinks that what he does is the best for the pc and as a sensitive man would be probably hurt if you told him to mind his business - even in a subtle way. With Diriel you could argue and banter, and if you would remain polite and civilised (heh, irony...) he probably wouldn't leave. With Rizdaer there is no problem at all, you can do as you wish and have every freedom you would like to have. Jaemal however wants to help you 'survive'. He has good intentions. But that still doesn't work with me Also, knowing that he feels unworthy of your attention is not helping. He wants to be useful -- but why in this unnerving way?

 

Rizdaer. I won't play his "Mistress" this time, as I am playing neutral good priestess of Selune (had to, because of the balance in the party -- I always play with a mage or druid, but since I have Diriel I need no more druids, and Jaemal has taken my place as the main spellcaster), but I most certainly will do that with the next run:). As it is, I enjoy him very much, and, honestly, I don't think I will have many things to say about him - he is perfect, if not very vocal. As I already said I LOVE his banters and exchanges with Diriel. I was surprised he haven't got a banter with Salomeya yet - she seems to be randomly taunting every male in the party. I think, however, that there is one thing I would like to see later in the romance. If there is an option like this, I just haven't encountered it yet, that's fine. But if not, maybe you would take it into consideration? When you tell him in the early flirt options that you think he is very handsome, he can answer with something in the lines "You haven't seen me the way I truly am." I would like to tell him to stop dying his hair and skin later in the romance. He doesn't have to - the party will look after him, *I* will look after him, and I would like him to look natural and feel comfortable. Perhaps it is my inner druid speaking, but I find it very sad when people are forced to behave in an unnatural way. I would like to help him with this.

 

The next on the list is Nikosh. I had to take him with me because I need a thief. But I like him so I have no problems with that. I think that he is perfectly neutral (at least to that point), I adore his halfling input, his banters with Salomeya (lol) and the one banter with Rizdaer (_-_). I am curious what would/will Diriel say about him... That probably would be very amusing. I like the way he both is and is not a 'typical' halfling. However since you have little less interactions with him than with the rest of (at least my) group, I have little to say about him.

 

Salomeya. I am not surprised most people will hate her. However I can understand her (not that I am *like* her - far from it; but I still can understand), and she does amuse me. The 'girl talk' about Jaemal was ridiculously funny, however I would like to answer "Diriel" not "Rizdaer" (as it is, I have chosen a different option so I won't kill the romance conflict to soon), even if just to see her reaction, lol. That would be something! I like her outfit-changing-thingie, lovely portrait (thanks once again Mrs Cake!) and voice actress (that is IMO the best voice acting in the mod). It is a little funny that being a girl you can 'check if Salomeya has anything to say to you in private', but I have heard that Jaemal will romance a male pc, so maybe Saloma would romance the 'right' girl? Who knows...

 

As for other NPCs - while lots of people here seems to love Nord, and a lot of content is focused around him and Hildury, I don't really see what is so great in him. He is all right, I guess, from what I have seen in the second (only prologue) play, but still I prefer Rizdaer as a team-tank, and I think Nord is loosing much when Hildury is not around, so I wouldn't take him in my party, even if Jaemal hadn't been selected. If not for the romances I would take Prachi along. She is great!

 

As for creating/adding new NPCs, I would rather see some new content added to the old ones (a romance for Diriel... or ar least a *flirtpack*! You don't have to be in an established relationship to *flirt* with somebody!). But if you want to add someone new... Well. I guess you should first think about the classes ID2 NPC project does not support. Rangers, for example.

 

Oh, well, my head is spinning and I am writing nonsense... So I guess it is end for now;) If yo are interested in more deep/serious opinions, I can take one (!/after one) character on sight and try to write something that actually could be useful, lol.

Link to comment

Interesting :( Thank you for taking your time to write this review ;)

 

I'd like to appologize in advance that I do not want to invest in the event-related PIDs. I feel that simple, not game-responsive menues are too little, and the game-responsive menues (ie what do you think about every other character in the party; what should we do now?; how do you feel? etc dependent on the progression etc) are simply too much work when it is multiplied per ten.

 

As for Jaemal, allow me to have a bit of exposure about him before I go back to fixing bugs. :)

 

He is the one who started the mod. It was a short story that started on a hot afternoon in Mulhorand, and he lifted his head off the scroll he just spoiled, and knew that he had done a folly. Originally, he and the Scribe in one of his biographical talks were the same character. Salomeya in those days was called Fatima. Anyway, for me the key feature of the character is that everything is always taken away from him, so the one thing he aspires to is to love. This is the core of the character.

 

As for Diriel's intelligence vs wisdom scores, one of the testers, I think either Noctalys or RavenSong had a perfect comment, that he does not have the *true* intelligence, just a superficial one, and I agree with it wholeheartedly. He looks right past fallacies, makes huge logical leaps etc. The only thing he has, is the ability to drone on about what he has no deep understanding of with a very self-satisfied, self-assured look. They are dime a dozen in any university, lol.

Link to comment
As for Diriel's intelligence vs wisdom scores, one of the testers, I think either Noctalys or RavenSong had a perfect comment, that he does not have the *true* intelligence, just a superficial one, and I agree with it wholeheartedly. He looks right past fallacies, makes huge logical leaps etc. The only thing he has, is the ability to drone on about what he has no deep understanding of with a very self-satisfied, self-assured look. They are dime a dozen in any university, lol.

 

 

Mostly true, however he has potential for being intelligent if he will ever bother reaching correct conclusions concerning his observations. As it is he is jost ignoring all possibilities that do not fit to his litte world. He is still amusing, though. And I would still want to romance him (I guess I am becoming monotematical...). He is an extremely interesting (and original) character anyway... And people do change. The battle Diriel is having with his emotions he is doomed to lose. And sometimes it may be hard to keep one's illusions when the world around you is bathed in fire. Also I think that he isn't as 'stupid' as it would appear. You have given him some higher virtues after all. I would be interested as to in *what* would he evolve if given enough time and attention. And in *something* he eventually would. He can't stay much longer the way he is now. He will evolve, or die stupid death.

And I am curious.

:(

Link to comment
When you tell him in the early flirt options that you think he is very handsome, he can answer with something in the lines "You haven't seen me the way I truly am." I would like to tell him to stop dying his hair and skin later in the romance.

 

(Slaps forehead) Forgot to tell that yes, you have the option to talk about it with him in one of the later talks.

Link to comment
And I would still want to romance him (I guess I am becoming monotematical...). He is an extremely interesting (and original) character anyway... And people do change. The battle Diriel is having with his emotions he is doomed to lose. And sometimes it may be hard to keep one's illusions when the world around you is bathed in fire. Also I think that he isn't as 'stupid' as it would appear. You have given him some higher virtues after all. I would be interested as to in *what* would he evolve if given enough time and attention. And in *something* he eventually would. He can't stay much longer the way he is now. He will evolve, or die stupid death.

And I am curious.

:(

 

Seconded. I can't really figure out why I'm so fascinated with this character, but would definitely romance him if given the option.

 

I strive to repress emotions, Charname, however this possibility chills me to the bone.

 

I can't help but be curious, really, what in the nine hells he's thinking most of the time.

Link to comment

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...