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#1 Tempest

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Posted 01 March 2014 - 10:39 AM

I'm sorry for the lack of activity here for several months, but the truth is that there were some difficulties behind the scene. The dust has largely settled now, and I'm preparing to start work on Valerie BG2 again. However, a significant change is likely to happen.
 
As I'm currently preparing things, Valerie will not have a Shadows of Amn romance arc. She will abruptly terminate the relationship when she would have originally confessed her love to the PC, due to the PC being a Child of Bhaal. This is actually more true to Valerie's concept in my mind than the original plan, when Valerie's passion would override her better judgment. Whatever her feelings for the PC, she knows that the PC is a Child of Bhaal.
 
This is not necessarily the end of the relationship, however. As currently outlined, if the PC does not commit to another romance after Valerie breaks things off in Shadows of Amn it will be possible to rekindle things with Valerie on the condition that the PC find some way to lay Bhaal's legacy to rest without surrendering to their heritage. The epilogue will proceed accordingly.
 
This arc is more true to Valerie's personality than the alternative, I feel, but I am open to feedback about this change of plans.

"The righteous need not cower before the drumbeat of human progress. Though the song of yesterday fades into the challenge of tomorrow, God still watches and judges us. Evil lurks in the datalinks as it lurked in the streets of yesterday, but it was never the streets that were evil." - Sister Miriam Godwinson, Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri


#2 -Guest-

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Posted 01 March 2014 - 03:35 PM

I've been checking in here and there to see how Valerie for BG2 was going. 

 

I understand not wanting to do another typical character arc all about "the powah of tru-lub" and give more control to the NPC, but one of the draws (at least for me) for BG2 NPCS is that they have content that varies a bit depending on romance status. That way you can get content for both regular and romance playthroughs all the way from SoA to ToB.

 

Basically, I would prefer to not to see her with the same content from the point she breaks it off till the end of ToB. Is that what you mean by the Epilogue, in this case?

 

Either way it's your character to write, so I'd say do what's enjoyable to you.



#3 Tempest

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Posted 01 March 2014 - 06:34 PM

The way I am currently outlining it to work is that Valerie's break-off point in SoA will be the end of the relationship, period, although it will set a flag that Valerie backed down at the last moment. If the PC does that, then doesn't commit to another NPC in SoA, Valerie will have a different ToB relationship with the PC - I'm still debating how overtly romantic it will be, including the possibility of a wraith scene for her - that can then lead to them getting together in the epilogue if the PC stays mortal.

 

The truth is that I ran into serious difficulties writing the later phases of Valerie's romance. Valerie's preferences in love are different from mine, and I found myself in a quagmire of trying to write that in an appropriate way without basically just writing Valerie as a guy, which I felt was a disrespectful writing angle to approach it from. 

 

I'm still not wholly decided, but I didn't want to let all the work I've already done on Valerie go to waste - she's about 2/3 done for SoA, and this is one of the options I'm considering.


"The righteous need not cower before the drumbeat of human progress. Though the song of yesterday fades into the challenge of tomorrow, God still watches and judges us. Evil lurks in the datalinks as it lurked in the streets of yesterday, but it was never the streets that were evil." - Sister Miriam Godwinson, Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri


#4 ConfectionaryChan

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Posted 01 March 2014 - 08:12 PM

Guest from before (finally registered, because that Captcha is a pain in the ass.)

 

I think it's nice to be able to experience romance content while the game is in progress. Valerie was the same in BG1, where her "romance" content (if you can call it that) was at the very end. Doing the same with the next two chapters might be a bit of a let-down if you were expecting to finally get into that part of her character.

 

And I believe the character arcs should be mostly complete (sans some extra flavour dialogue perhaps) a bit before the game ends, because they're not the main focus of the story. And you won't have time to enjoy the fruits of your dialogue-selection labour if there's no time to run around slaying liches with Charname's newly-minted significant other... or other types of events either, like Aerie and her baby for instance. That's your choice however; if you think you can make it interesting enough, and add enough variety to not have that kind of arc, you might as well go for it.

 

Finally, I wouldn't worry too much about writing too appropriately, because there are no real stakes. As long as you don't write it as some crack romance fanfic, whatever voice you have in mind for a character will work just fine. Doesn't have to be perfect.

 

Just giving my individual feedback, I definitely don't want to dissuade you from taking your own path with your mod. I'm sure it'll be enjoyable either way.



#5 -Arcmyst-

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Posted 28 April 2014 - 08:18 AM

I'd like to point out in the original game both Aerie and Viconia went through a full romance arc and broke it off at the end of Shadows of Amn only to renew it in TOB, Because both romances contained significant story and content for both parts I don't think anyone ever felt cheated by this. If you feel she needs to break it off for a time go for it. I do want to point out (or point a finger) at the Icewind Dale 2 NPC project in which they give a romanceable npc who breaks it off the second the game is won. That was not the most satisfying end to be written for the players in my opinion. So as long as something like that doesn't happen and the content is developed enough it should be great. Especially if this content gets into the inner workings of the Cowled wizards. The more that is developed the better. I am also interested to see how the crossmod with Sarah goes. 



#6 Sergio

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Posted 15 May 2014 - 03:51 PM

I'm tracking this mod.

By the way, good luck with it.


Low hung brow, dazed look on your face..... It appears that you are correct, my friend. You are indeed a complete imbecile.