Friendship first?

[berelinde]

BG1 is done. Nothing more will be added from here on out.

 

Which means that it's time to focus on BG2.

 

Now I've got to make a decision. I'm going to be writing the friendship first in any case, so saying "hold off until the romance is done" won't make the mod come out any faster.

 

My question is whether to hold off releasing the mod until the romance is done, or to release the friendhip-only portion, which is over half done, first and save the romance for version 2.

 

There has been some discussion about a lack of clerics for BG2 recently.

[Eleima]

I voted for "hold off til romance path is completed", because I'm **really** looking forward to playing Gavin's romance path after what I experienced (and loved) in BG1 (ahhh, the laundry flirt!!!).

Of course, that doesn't mean I won't download and play Gavin if you decide to release just the friendship path for starters...

[berelinde]

Thanks! I'm glad you liked the romance enough to wait, and I do intend to finish the romance, no matter when I release the friendship portion.

 

But here's the thing: I could have the friendship portion done in a month, with a bit longer added for testing. Include the romance portion, and it will be six months, at least.

[Amaurea]

BG1 is done. Nothing more will be added from here on out.

 

Which means that it's time to focus on BG2.

 

Now I've got to make a decision. I'm going to be writing the friendship first in any case, so saying "hold off until the romance is done" won't make the mod come out any faster.

 

My question is whether to hold off releasing the mod until the romance is done, or to release the friendhip-only portion, which is over half done, first and save the romance for version 2.

 

There has been some discussion about a lack of clerics for BG2 recently.

 

I voted for release the friendship first since I'm one of those who'd like to have another choice for cleric (I'm enough of a dork to feel bad about hurting Anomen's feelings if I romance someone else, and I'm not much of a Viconia person).

 

In all honesty, though, which would be easier for you? Would you rather have to deal with bugs/typos/feedback for the whole thing at once? Would it be a problem to move forward with a new, very eagerly anticipated portion of the mod while dealing with the bugs/typos/feedback for the already released part?

 

At the end of the day, happy modders are productive modders, and productive modders are best for players - so my real answer is whichever works best for you.

[Ankhesenpaaten]

I want love love love. I voted romance first. I don't need no stinkin' friendship!

Seriously whatever you do will be fine but either way I won't play until the romance is done. I can wait though if more people want the friendship.

[berelinde]

It's easier to work in stages. Since I'll have to test them all anyway, it's far easier to build from a stable platform. In other words, it is easier for me to use a stable, tested friendship-only mod as a base for the romance.

 

This is advice I give new modders whenever I get a chance, so it would make sense if I followed it myself. I'd planned to just that: write and code the friendship, test, then move on to the romance. All this would do would add "release" between "test" and "move on."

 

But don't be discouraged, Ankhesenpaaten! I can't give up on the BG2 portion of the romance, since that's what I'd wanted to write all along. If anything, it will probably come out faster, since I will know that I can't get started on it until the friendship part is done.

[Amaurea]

To be honest, I'd feel just as bad about not romancing Gavin if he was there as I do Anomen, so having a run with friendship only available would ease my conscience. I am so pathetic!

[CrazeeFFan]

I've got to say friendship first, if it will not just be a summarised version of the romance. (As in 6 of the 7 talks are edited, lustless versions of the romance talks). It's unlikely I'll play out the friendship, otherwise. I mean, the only friendship track I've actually played out is Kivan's and that is only because I got another NPC at the end of it. I think, just because I know Gavin is awesome, I'd download him at the first opportunity, and then be motivated to do download him again with the romance.

 

Good luck, whatever your decision.

[sisterpatrick]

It sounds like you'd prefer to release it a stage at a time, which makes sense. I will play both the friendship and romance paths eventually in any case, so for me it won't make any difference, save for what order I play them in. It will be nice to see the guy in Athkatla. He's a great character - I really miss him when I play BGII. (And I'm like Amaurea - I feel a bit guilty not romancing someone if the option is there, so I suppose it's better for me not to have that option at first. ...well, 'better' if you think catering to my sentimental foolishness is a good thing.)

[Ankhesenpaaten]

I know you'll do the romance Berelinde! You won't leave Gavin to waste away in the limbo of unfinished mods.

I'll definately be here to snatch him up the moment he's available. I have to say he is the sweetest romance ever and the most real imo. I am really looking forward to the Lanie content. I've had time to think it over and I think my pc can adore her too.

[Beetle]

I'm hesitant to offer an opinion, since I haven't yet played Gavin in BG1 (I only recently discovered the joy of Easy Tutu and had to have Finch, but Gavin is next - I promise).

 

Still, like Ankhesenpaaten I'm confident that you will actually finish Gavin and not leave him as friendship only (or SoA only, for that matter). With all the time you're spending on this, you should do it in whichever fashion is easiest for you (i.e. - makes you less crazy) and build it out as time allows. From your early posts, you seem to lean heavily towards releasing the friendship track first, so you should do it that way.

[jastey]

If you know that there is a demand, I would make the version publically available. It comes down to how to call and announce the version with the friendship path, all officially or as a bublic beta. That is what I'd do; I wouldn't call it version 1 but a beta, for those who want to play with Gavin before the final release.

 

I would have done the same, if I wouldn't have that mixed language problem.

 

In principle, though, I am all for holding off until it's done, since I am no fan of "half" versions, so I don't know what to chose for the poll.

[berelinde]

Not a bad idea, that, offering it as a public beta, in stages.

 

To be honest, I'm strongly leaning toward that. I won't be satisfied until the full plan is implemented, so the romance will happen, but I see no reason to hold up an initial release of just the friendship until the romance is done. There are folks who just want a good-aligned single-class cleric who isn't Anomen.

 

It might be strange for some to go from a romance in BG1 to just friends in BG2, but for others, it might allow them to explore some of the other tasty romanceable males in the meantime. Ajantis is moving right along, after all, and there's Angelo.

 

Though I should probably say that there is another mod I'm putting the finishing touches on now that will be out first. Gavin's got about a month's work of work before I would consider him ready to take on the world. Haldamir has about a week. I'm going through all my incomplete mods to clear the decks. That's why BG1 Gavin v-omega came out before anything else.

[KIrving]

I'm all for, 'do whatever works to get the mod completed'. If releasing Gavin before the romance is added helps you to write and complete the romance portion then go for it.

However, in all honesty, I can't see myself playing a version of friendship only Gavin for BG2 so I'll be eagerly waiting for the cute, fully romanceable, cleric release.