BG2: the ***BIGGEST SPOILER OF ALL***

[berelinde]

As for goodbyes: All I can say is that I can't give Miranda a happy ending, but I can give her a hopeful one. As it stands now, there is a chance the woman can find what she is looking for, and the possiblity that it could include having a larger role in her daughter's life. Having said that, though, I do not plan to include Miranda in Gavin's epilogue. I'd prefer that to focus on his relationship with the PC. I really hate how Cernd's epilogue forces the outcome onto the player without any chance to say "Go home, Cernd, and get to know your son." As I don't want to have to write 900 different epilogues to cover all the different possibilities, Gavin's will make minimal mention of family, more along the lines of "<CHARNAME> and Gavin lived together with their family happily, to the end of his days," although obviously not that cliched. As I have even less intention of dragging Miranda into it, any future reunion will happen off- camera. Goodbyes are necessary, even if they are brief, because I do not want the last words Lanie hears from her mother to be angry ones.

 

As for sending Lanie to wait, there is a very large statue (although it might actually be Torm) , not far from the place where the exchange between Miranda and Nirkhas takes place, where the walkway bends. The implication is that he's sending her to wait near a paladin of the Order, who wouldn't let anyone bother an unescorted child, and I plan to place one there. But I admit that I haven't openened the area. Should it turn out that there's no convenient statue within visual range, but still a short distance away, I'll add one using the "petrified human male fighter" animation. Nonexistant statues are a well-known feature of the Temple district. After all, Sir Sarles is expected to build one, but it never actually appears in game.

 

I originally considered adding a "Gavin, this is private. Do what you need to do and I'll catch up with you later," but discarded it. I understand that the player has the right not to hear this dialogue, but I am violently opposed to having this conversation play out only from Gavin's side. I understand that it's necessary to include a "give player a summary" option, but I wanted to make it as unattractive as possible. Even a brief, completely unbiased summary, were Gavin capable of delivering such a thing, would appear biased.

 

Like I said: commentary is fine, but I'm not likely to change anything. I'm willing to state my reasons for writing it the way I have, but I know that at some point, the dialogue is finished, whether or not everyone loves every line. For better or worse, this one's done.

[Kulyok]

Should it turn out that there's no convenient statue within visual range, but still a short distance away, I'll add one using the "petrified human male fighter" animation. Nonexistant statues are a well-known feature of the Temple district. After all, Sir Sarles is expected to build one, but it never actually appears in game.

 

I am not sure such a drastic measure is necessary, especially since this statue will most probably be 1) breakable; 2) subject to Stone to Flesh spell, too. It might be just me, but I think Ajnos had the right idea here: just drop the statue bit; "go over there, sweetheart(or something less modern)" would be nice.

 

 

Edit: and, no, I wasn't asking about Miranda's future life - rather, how this conversation may look to a first-time player. A woman stands with her daughter, then the daughter's father arrives, a daughter is asked to wait a bit, and then the mother just leaves without saying goodbye to her daughter, without indicating she might wait somewhere, without even saying 'I'll meet you later'. If I were a daughter(or, indeed, a PC who never travelled with Gavin before BG2), I'd be fairly surprised. "And she dropped her daughter on you without saying goodbye, and you're meeting her again when? Never? Ooookay..."

[Shieara]

I would not spawn in a statue. I think it would look out of place. Hopefully there is one near there that is usable or, if not, you can just leave it as-is and players can use their imagination.

 

Most people aren't as anal as I am about dialogue (if the npc mentions a red building then there better *be* a red building or I have to go alter the dialogue), so I doubt anyone else will care.

[Kitana]

 

There's a statue right there. Three, in fact. I doubt adding another one would be necessary.

[berelinde]

Kitana, I'd be interested in seeing your WeiDU log. I'm curious what mod added that line of dialogue in your screen shot. I've never seen it in my game, and it isn't present in my installation.

 

My curiosity is because I know of only one mod (Xan) that adds anything at all to that encounter.

 

If you can provide it, I'd be grateful.

[Kulyok]

I think it's the line which shows when the player talks to Lanie herself.

[Kitana]

I think it's the line which shows when the player talks to Lanie herself.

 

Yeah - after the dialogue, if you talk to her, that's what she says.

 

In case you still want to see it;

 

HUGE BLOCK OF UNNECESSARY DELETED WEIDU.LOG TEXT

 

If that wasn't necessary after all, tell me and I can delete that from my post since it takes up a lot of space and I feel bad cluttering up a thread that's supposed to be about Gavin and his family.

[berelinde]

Yeah, I guess you can delete it if you want. I'm embarassed to admit it, but I've actually got it in my notes for BG2 from six months ago, and just forgot it was there.

 

Sorry for the wild goose chase.

[Tameon the Dragoon]

I haven't read the entire thread (as usual), but I felt the need to suggest this. I can imagine a few NPCs interjecting during the conversation. I mean, sure, the PC doesn't get that much time to say anything, but I can't imagine Jaheira staying quiet. Keldorn might say something, despite his obvious family troubles. Edwin might suggest the party leave Gavin. I dunno, just a suggestion.

 

Fantastic dialogue, though. Honestly, I always considered Miranda and Lanie to be mostly comic relief. I mean, sure it was sad to see the little girl being dragged through Miranda's schemes, but the interaction between her and Talon seemed to be meant as humorous. This, however, completely changed my opinion on the encounter. Excellent job!

[berelinde]

Yeah, I can certainly see Jaheira, Keldorn, or especially a jealous Anomen stepping in, but if they did so, Gavin's response would be a swift and thorough pummeling. Our boy is a tad emotional, even at his most placid, which he certainly is not at this particular moment. I really don't want to interrupt this dialogue with fight scene, so probably best if J, K, or A save their comments for afterward.