13 replies to this topic

[Neane]

Hmmm... It would help to explain why the Red Dragon would put so much effort to draw <CHARNAME> into the trap that he set in the Windspear Hills. And what would we base it on? Sure the NPC Baldur gate 1 Project gave us insight intp what happened during this time period, but it is not canon. ( I am using the Baldur's Gate VideoGame as Canon and not the novels on the topic.) We know for sure that the party was only able to cut the Red Dragon's skin and not kill him. So that means that the party would be below Level 19. And Gorion was one of the most powerful Mages in the game, so you are going to include Gorion, you have to options:

1.) Make the game before Gorion became so powerful, so around his early years. But I do not believe it would have Khalid and his wife.
2.) Have Gorion not kill him for some strange reason.

Or you can leave this in the dust and have it be like Baldur's Gate 1 but with a character that can then join the ones you metioned. ( That way, you cannot have the Dragon adventure take place at all.)

But:

1.) In Baldur's Gate 1, Khalid and his wife are only level one. And the harpers that you meet in BG2 are not level one. So that means that the Company made them level one for balence. ( Going through the woods and into the Gnoll Stronghold with level 9 NPCs!)



So you would have to take that into account. Either way, if you want to build it, so be it.

[Jarno Mikkola]

1.) In Baldur's Gate 1, Khalid and his wife are only level one. And the harpers that you meet in BG2 are not level one. So that means that the Company made them level one for balence. ( Going through the woods and into the Gnoll Stronghold with level 9 NPCs!)

That's simple to solve, don't make Jaheira and Khalid available, just Gorion, the priest of Bhall and a few others, like Khalids or Jaheiras parrents... it's here you take the lead with the story, of course you'll have to be able to make the game intresting even without the above characters too, but the PC can be just another member of the party.

[Zireael]

Khalid and Jaheira's parents are no no. Both sets are dead, that's why. And none of the four were Harpers. But Gorion, Khalid & Jaheira and Reviana - why not. And Alianna! We mustn't forget about her! And little Sarevok! And Rieltar! ...

[Neane]

Khalid and Jaheira's parents are no no. Both sets are dead, that's why. And none of the four were Harpers. But Gorion, Khalid & Jaheira and Reviana - why not. And Alianna! We mustn't forget about her! And little Sarevok! And Rieltar! ...

Or you could just include Khalid and Jaheria as normal NPCs that do not matter. Just like how most of the NPCs in BG1 became simple NPCs in BG2. ( Someone I heard did did say that Jaheria was about 86 yrs old in the games.)Also, it could include the mother of the <CHARNAME> in the Baldur's Gate Saga. If I do remember, Elminster Aumar was the lover of one of the gods. So Gorion could have a Romance with <CHARNAME>'s mother. Gorion was Lawful Good and he said in his letter that <CHARNAME>'s mother was his lover. Also, while Jaheria's bio mom and dad were not harpers, she was raised by druids. So the Druids could be Jaheria's parents the same as Gorion was the father of <CHARNAME>.

[Kulyok]

I don't think it's interesting, or it's already would've been done. In Dragon Age, there were those DLC campaigns, new adventures for the players. Well, those adventures that were about the Warden, the protagonist - they worked(especially the ones with the Warden's original party). The ones where you took the Warden's party away and ESPECIALLY the ones where you had to play a different protagonist - not so much.

So, playing some random Harper/PC's mother with Khalid, Jaheira and Gorion - boring. Even playing young PC with Imoen doesn't sound so hot. Unless you get the entire party of Minsc, Jaheira, Anomen, Xan and so on, and they lose their memories at the end of the prequel, but that's cheap.

[Neane]

So, playing some random Harper/PC's mother with Khalid, Jaheira and Gorion - boring. Even playing young PC with Imoen doesn't sound so hot. Unless you get the entire party of Minsc, Jaheira, Anomen, Xan and so on, and they lose their memories at the end of the prequel, but that's cheap.

That is why no one was interested in the text-adventure prequel game of <CHARNAME> and Imoen when it was released a year ago in beta verison.

Edit: Or you could build the whole adventure as a map in BG2 where the party goes back in time and either helps or causes the whole series of Baldur's Gate to begin by accident by doing something. Could be the reason why Saverok was found by the Iron Throne. Or something else.

Edited by Neane, 19 April 2011 - 11:05 AM.

[RavenSW]

The problem with doing a prequel AFTER the main part is done is how limited it really makes it. You have to keep the story within certain limits, for example the Red Dragon, we already know they dont kill him, which means you have a battle you cant win which takes the enjoyment out of it. Knights of the Old Republic took a much different approach by going so far back in the history that no characters could conflict with established story lines, and this allowed them to have the freedom of movement to do what the story would require. There just isnt enough room to move without restrictions.

[Kulyok]

Edit: Or you could build the whole adventure as a map in BG2 where the party goes back in time and either helps or causes the whole series of Baldur's Gate to begin by accident by doing something. Could be the reason why Saverok was found by the Iron Throne. Or something else.

Great idea! And those who are evil could get their chance to kill Gorion(well, they'll fail, but it'll be fun anyway).

[Neane]

Edit: Or you could build the whole adventure as a map in BG2 where the party goes back in time and either helps or causes the whole series of Baldur's Gate to begin by accident by doing something. Could be the reason why Saverok was found by the Iron Throne. Or something else.

Great idea! And those who are evil could get their chance to kill Gorion(well, they'll fail, but it'll be fun anyway).

Hmmm....

That would destory the whole series that Bioware and Black Isle spent millions of dolllars on.
But what kind of <CHARNAME> would do that?

Let's face it:

90% of the Bhaalspawn lived in what we call "Third World" conditions. The life of Candlekeep was heaven compared to Savorak and that Kobold Bhaalspawn that the Orges and Jan Jansen ate for supper. <Kobold NPC runs from Jan> And after <Charname> left Candlekeep, everything became super hard. You have to sleep in Drow Enclaves, Beholder Caves, and you must be ready to fight at all times. And Gorion taught you everything you need to learn. He taught you how to make magic work, gave you weapon training, and you have a chance to steal without some Flaming Fist chop your head off, and you had a warm bed and food, and (According to the Canon ( May Abdel become fish food!)) you could leave with the Caravans for a small adventure. If Gorion did not find you, you would have had to live on your own, and you would have ended up like most of the other ones: poor, unable to fight, wolf-food, and you would not have had a chance to do what you want with your life for 20 years.

So only an insane, murdering,decieving, stupid, a special type of Chaotic Evil, and moron would kill Gorion. But I do believe that it should be an option. ( In other mods, you do some evil or "decieving" and your lover either kills you or dies of a broken heart. And you should have the freedom to make your own choices.)

So, if I made this mod: I would have it as some-sort of dream-like thing. Like when Immy helps you kill Bhaal in your Spellhold Dream. ( The only reason you do not recieve XP is because Bhaal does not die.) Also, I believe that it is possible to lower your stats down a bit so you are not level 40 and chop through every thing in your path. Also, I would make certain that the story does not change because it is nothing but a dream.

Edited by Neane, 19 April 2011 - 10:57 PM.

[RavenSW]

Hmm, a dream could definitely work here. You could even take it as far as you want and leave it in the "Dream" for quite some time. Dream worlds being much longer in a shorter amount of time. You can even cut into the existing game ala Check the Bodies and not overwrite the entire existing story line. More of an advanced extension to the game itself. Once you leave the dream stage you could cut the XP out or most of it and give maybe a special ability based on what you do inside the dream world. i.e. if you play good you get one ability if you play evil another, and perhaps a third if you can walk the narrow line of true neutrality. Lots of possibilities here.

[Zireael]

Putting it into a dream is a great idea... provided it stars people I've mentioned and our current party.
Alianna is the mother of CHARNAME, btw.

[Neane]

Putting it into a dream is a great idea... provided it stars people I've mentioned and our current party.
Alianna is the mother of CHARNAME, btw.

Alianna would be very interesting. I wonder.. If she is a Priestess of Bhaal at the time frame it covers, shoundn't she be able to sense your Bhaal essence?

If it happens in Baldur's Gate 2 SOA, then she would not tell the difference based on your "essence". So the only thing that would help her know who you are is mother's instict.

However, <CHARNAME> does not know who his/her mother is.

And of course it would matter when in Alianna's life it happens. If the dream is like another world, ( Like the dream with Bhaal and Immy) and if you pop in during her 20s... There might be a Back to the Future 1 problem. And if your evil.....
I am not going to say.

And, the dreams in Baldur's Gate are from the Bhaal part of you, so it could be like the BG1 dreams where you do something and like RavenSW said: You would get powers.

( BG1 dreams are affected by choices becuase it is your sub-mind doing it. This dream would be interesting if you are in direct control like the SpellHold Dream with Bhaal and Immy.)

Edit:( A bit sleeply when I made this, going to got to bed now.)

Edited by Neane, 20 April 2011 - 12:10 AM.

[Jarno Mikkola]

...

If you really wish to make prequel game mod, then you really need to make it a Total Conversion mod, not a dream adventure.
This also allows you to make a few interpretations, like allowing Gorion to be a joinable character that can die. Or you could end up needing to kill him in the other "bad" side. That will also remove the need to kick say Anomen out. You of course must create about 10 to 15 somewhat interesting characters to base the game to, of course you have the option to make the NPCs first silent and then add to them dialog as you develop from the base. And I think that's the best start up point.