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How does this fit with banter pack?


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#1 -guest-

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Posted 05 April 2008 - 05:18 PM

Hey,

I'm just wondering how well this fits with the banter from ppg?

I mean, you won't run into strange conversations...like a 'ppg banter pack' conversation does something, and then the next banter between the same two npcs is from the 'IEP' and seems to forget that the previous one happened at all and you end up with some strange conversations...

How well do these mesh together basically?

Oh, and are there any 3 way npc banters?

I'm very much interested in installing this, and would love it if it fits nicely with the banter pack too!

Oh, and any particular install order? Should this come before or after banter pack?

Or indeed any other particular install order in relation to any other mods?

Thanks very much

#2 Kaeloree

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Posted 05 April 2008 - 08:42 PM

It should work well with the Banter Pack, as it was written and put together with the Banter Pack in mind. :) I don't think there should be any odd conversations, but if you experience any oddness, let us know and I'll ensure it's better in the next version released.

Unfortunately at the moment there aren't any 3-way conversations--we're mainly focusing on ensuring all NPCs have at least 2 banters with each other. Once we've hit that point, we'll hopefully start expanding out and doing some banters with more participants. :)

As for install order, it can go wherever, really--but if you've already installed the original Banter Pack banter accelerator and then wish to install IEP's customiseable one, install IEPs accelerator after--it will automatically uninstall any previous accelerators.

Hope that helps, and if you have any feedback whilst playing, we would love to hear it! :cheers:

#3 -Guest-

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Posted 06 April 2008 - 05:28 AM

It should work well with the Banter Pack, as it was written and put together with the Banter Pack in mind. :) I don't think there should be any odd conversations, but if you experience any oddness, let us know and I'll ensure it's better in the next version released.

Unfortunately at the moment there aren't any 3-way conversations--we're mainly focusing on ensuring all NPCs have at least 2 banters with each other. Once we've hit that point, we'll hopefully start expanding out and doing some banters with more participants. :)

As for install order, it can go wherever, really--but if you've already installed the original Banter Pack banter accelerator and then wish to install IEP's customiseable one, install IEPs accelerator after--it will automatically uninstall any previous accelerators.

Hope that helps, and if you have any feedback whilst playing, we would love to hear it! :cheers:


Glad to hear it can go whenever; i haven't installed the game yet, but am simply gathering info for my install!
I think i'll put it after the ppg one and use this one's banter accelerator (if i use one at all).

Btw, just a query about the accelerator: What options are available? And i assume the times given are in real-time terms, kinda like BG1NPC for romances? Also, no one seems to know what the standard time between dialogues is in vanilla/non-accelerated banter game, you wouldn't happen to have this information by any chance would you?

Oh, and am i correct in assuming that these 'interjections' are currently the only component "completed" (speech marks, since i think you imply from your post that you're still to add more? As i'm sure not all NPC listed in the readme have at least 2?).

I mean, no scenery dialogues or friendships available yet, unless i've missed something?

And sorry to pester, but, around when would these become available?

And one last thing: Whilst scenery dialogues seem self-explanatory and are probably small snippets here and there in the game world (to do with plot etc, far as i understand from FAQ?) which will simply add flavour (and hence shouldn't clash conceptually or have problems 'integrating' themselves into the game), I am wondering instead about how the friendships work though: Will they be well integrated as well in the game, with standard banter/ppg banter etc taken into account.

More importantly, do they 'override' the romances you can have with NPCs? I mean, just how do these friendships work?
Are they simply added responses to the romance chain on talks that take you down a different route, or an altogether separate set of conversations? (If it's the former, i hope it's clear which path is friendship only and which is romance - or if they're similar, i hope you're not locked out of either until such a conversation where the choice to be made is clear!
If it's the latter, the issue i can see certain NPCs having too much...i mean, take for eg Viconia, she has a lot of dialogues if you romance her IIRC, but you say in the forums she has around 16 friendship dialogues - this, if these are separate sets of conversations would be a bit unbalanced compared to other NPCs).

Finally, i realise you'll have taken all this into account most likely, and of course different people have different opinions, so i simply would like to know how you implement all these!

Thanks very much!

#4 Kaeloree

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Posted 06 April 2008 - 03:12 PM

With the accelerator, there are the following times available:
  • 10 Minutes
  • 15 Minutes
  • 20 Minutes
  • 30 Minutes
  • 45 Minutes
  • 60 Minutes
This mod doesn't add interjections into the game, it adds NPC-NPC banters. :) The interjections and friendships are still in development (and may be for some time, unfortunately).

This mod will still have content added to it, yes--there should be a release within the month, actually, with a number of new banters. :)

Scenery dialogues are simply topical discussions relating to the gameworld. So, for example, Viconia comments when you see her family imprisoned in the Underdark, and after you see Elhan. Another NPC might talk about the Copper Coronet once you enter, and yet another might advise caution when entering Firkraag's Lair. In ToB, it might concern the fights erupting in Saradush, or perhaps the irony that Sendai's lair is positioned beneath such an idyllic and beautiful forest.

The friendships should not clash with any existing content, as the authors work hard to try to make the characters as true to their Bioware incarnations as possible. Nothing from IEP should clash with any existing content--and if it is found that it does, we are always willing to work through the issue!

Friendships definitely don't override the romances, and I'd imagine it would work differently for each NPC. With Viconia at the moment, she will only start her friendship dialogues after ViconiaRomanceActive=3 (and only if the romance hasn't progressed very far), meaning the romance is over. If you're a female or elven PC, her friendship talk will start immediately. Of course, this system isn't set in stone, and it may be changed before release, but that's how it works currently.

Another NPC, for example, might have extra dialogue options added to earlier conversations which might switch you to the friendship track, etc.

Friendships are completely separate dialogue tracks that have nothing to do with the romances, and they don't work concurrently. You either befriend or romance a character, you can't do both. Of course, we use the term "friendship" very loosely. ;)

I hope I've answered your questions--if not, let me know! And if you have any more, shoot... :)

#5 -Guest, again!-

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Posted 06 April 2008 - 03:40 PM

Ah, i think i understand now.

So, there's really 4 different types of 'banter' that you hope to include in the end?

NPC-NPC banters (what you have now)
Interjections
Scenery dialogue
Friendships

As for the friendships; thanks for explaining that. I think i see how that works too, now, and it sounds like you've done it quite cleverly and professionally.

Viconia's example at any rate, sounds perfectly well done, in that you take account of all eventualities.

Let me know if this is what you're saying, at least to some degree: You give any male, non-elf the opportunity to romance her, and if they break it off, AND have not gone so far in the romance that it would be just seem wrong for Viconia to try and 'befriend' you, she goes ahead and starts the dialogues?

I also understand how it might well be implemented differently for the other members of the cast, which i have no disagreements with - whatever's appropriate after all.

In fact, the variation in how the dialogues actually proceed/switch would be good in itself i think.

So, thanks for the reply, and i'm now definitely going to install this, and hopefully use future releases too.

I'll be honest, i couldn't see at first what this would offer that the banter pack doesn't, and i wanted to AVOID researching this because i wanted to keep away from any conceptual irregularities between the two mods, and knew that if i looked at even ONE banter option between NPCs that i liked, i would be cursing myself because i would feel like i was missing out with just the banter pack installed! (say, the two banters between jaheira and imoen that this provides)

But now that it's clear to see that no such 'incompatibility' problems will arise, not to mention the fact that there is most definitely more than just the one banter option that looks good (the 6(wow) between minsc and aerie look very tempting!), i'm glad i stopped by!

Good luck, and thanks!

#6 Kaeloree

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Posted 06 April 2008 - 05:34 PM

No problem, I'm glad you've decided to check it out! :cheers:

As for Viconia's friendship, yep, you've got it. I'm not altering the romance, just allowing a male PC who has turned her down to be able to go into the friendship. Though I have to say, there's not much actual befriending involved--but it should be interesting all the same. You'll get close to Viconia in a slightly different way. :)

In fact, if you'd like to check it out, I'm happy to send you the current beta. ;)

Let us know your opinion once you've played through IEP Extended Banters with the Banter Pack, and if you notice any oddness or irregularities between banters, let us know and they'll be fixed in the next version. I'm sure all authors would love to hear some feedback!

#7 -whadaya know...guest-

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Posted 06 April 2008 - 06:29 PM

Well, thanks for the offer, but i'm not going to be playing until around a month's time, actually. For one thing, i'm waiting for the new easytutu so i can play all three games from start to finish! But that's an aside...
So, if viconia/anything else is done and added by then, then fine, otherwise no worries!

Anyways, i will try and post some feedback eventually; i have high hopes now though. So, if you don't see some anyonymous guy quibbling about something or other, it means it's all good!

But we shall see nearer the time. Once again, good luck and i'm sure it'll all turn out great.

It all looks to rather overtake the banter pack actually - i don't think that has any friendships, scenery dialogue, or even interjections? Again, an aside...but good for the ego eh? ;)

#8 Kaeloree

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Posted 06 April 2008 - 06:46 PM

Wow, now that is planning! *grins* And I bet the game'll be worth it, too. :)

I don't think IEP will ever "overtake" the Banter Pack, as it is a great mod with lots of content, and it is widely regarded as one of the best mods available--I recommend it to anyone who asks. My hope is that IEP complements the Banter Pack, and that can be viewed as companion mods, rather than rivals! IEP has been written and coded to work with the Banter Pack, so I hope anyone who uses IEP uses the Banter Pack and vice versa--after all, the more content, the better!

I really appreciate your thoughts, and I hope to see you around in future! And when you get to that game, have fun :D