Strangebird Posted November 9, 2009 Share Posted November 9, 2009 Hello, I've been a huge fan of this modding community for years. I haven't played an IE game without at least one mod from G3 in so long I can't even remember. I've currently gotten back into PC gaming and the Baldur's Gate series specifically. I've come back to find a few new high quality mods waiting too. One thing I've always felt was lacking in BGII were Dwarves. There's only the one and he's not really an option if you want to play good and really only there to give evil parties a decent fighter. Neither do I ever often play a dwarf PC. I mostly feel the game is lacking representation of a prominent race in the FR. What surprises me is the near lack of Dwarven NPCs from the modding community. There is a plethora of elves, half-elves, humans and others, even a gnome or halfling here and there. If I had the patience, time and frankly the talent to sit down and actually create one I would, unfortunately I have the time currently but neither of the other requirements. My proposal is this, if anyone out there in the community would like to create an interactive, dialogued and voiced NPC to fill a void in our beloved game, let me know. I'd be willing to help with the portrait, voice work, back story and dialogue as much as I can. Anyway, thanks for reading all this and I apologize that I can not do more than post a request. ~Strangebird Link to comment
Domi Posted November 9, 2009 Share Posted November 9, 2009 Well, there could well be a reason why there are no dwarven NPCs. They are relatively limited in scope. Usually to outcasts with funny accents that are either clerics or fighters or both, or some quork like harboring some non-dwarven dream profession, a-la Khelgar or Pickles. They kindda gotta be in part outcasts, rebels or survivors because otherwise they'd be living in clans. You have a grey dwarf in BG2, the ore-merchant as an existing potential conversion. Other than that you will need to come up with his or her placement, backstory and personality that will make sense and will last for 60-70 banters, a couple hundred interjection and a dozen or more talks with the player character. It would be a good starting point for you to see if you can get someone interested Link to comment
Strangebird Posted November 11, 2009 Author Share Posted November 11, 2009 Good point, referring to the limited scope of profession/origin. however I see it as more of a challenge than a problem. Maybe he won't stay in the party through to TOB but part ways after his quest is completed, i.e. he returns to his clan once he's found or learned whatever he set out for. I just feel dwarves get the crap end of the creativity stick a lot. Always relegated to fighter, cleric and almost invariably smith(All races get this though). Maybe a dwarven bard.... ok yeah.. no, but you get my point. Actually a dwarf bard would sorta fit with the already existing precedent of bending the rules in odd ways to create a unique and interesting character. A chaotic neutral dwarven bard, a great deal off his rocker with a tendency to go berserk and kill hecklers in a fit of drunken rage, smashing them over the head with his mithril lute... it's a fun thought all the same. Really though I've also considered just bringing Yeslick back. Though I never liked him that much to begin with. Also, I can't seem to find it, but I swear someone already did that anyway, albeit without interjections, banters and whatnot. It's just an idea though and something I've been thinking about for awhile. I've always been a big fan of dwarves and thought BGII could use more than one violent, evil dwarf. To be honest I'd truly just like to see fewer elves, humans and half-elves(though nearly all are well done regardless) on the list of available NPC mods out there. Gnomes, half-orcs, halflings... even technically non-existent races such as Aasimar, Tiefling and hell a Gith or something else crazy and new. There are a few like that, but none that appeal to me for more than a single play or a peek. Anyway I know BGII is getting old, mods are possibly getting fewer and farther between, and the community will inevitably die down to a soft whisper before fading into darkness in the coming decades(I hope the legacy lives on in some way though). I'm just trying to come up with some new ideas, maybe spark some inspiration while there's still life. On a further note things happened and I doubt I'll have all that time I spoke of before anyway... jury duty, family issues, work... life, what can you do, eh? But if anyone is interested I'll still be able to help with writing and anything else I can do. P.S. Nice to see some Firefly love... you can't go anywhere these days without a Mal quote popping up! Link to comment
Jarno Mikkola Posted November 11, 2009 Share Posted November 11, 2009 Really though I've also considered just bringing Yeslick back. Though I never liked him that much to begin with. Also, I can't seem to find it, but I swear someone already did that anyway, albeit without interjections, banters and whatnot. You are referring to the Octavians Yeslick, in rosenranken.org... The BG2 moding communities aren't dead, just a bit slow perhaps... of course the next cliffhanger that can kill/distract the community members is the Dragon Age that was just released, but I still see a lot in making for BG2, as the BWP is still been worked on, the new creature animation update scheme is almost finished, there is a new TC mod almost finished etc. Link to comment
Strangebird Posted November 12, 2009 Author Share Posted November 12, 2009 Awesome, thank you for the link to the Yeslick mod. I knew there had been one, just couldn't find it. Thanks for the other links too. I'm checking them out as I write this. *Edit* I did find this http://bg2.gram.pl/artykul336.htm as well. It's a dwarf NPC mod... appears to have banters and everything. However... my Polish sucks. I read german well enough so the other website was fine. http://translate.google.com.au/?hl=en&...amp;q=Katalogu# A friend graciously tipped me off to the above site for quick and occasionally unfortunately hilarious translations. "Unfortunately the author was lost somewhere." Link to comment
Domi Posted November 12, 2009 Share Posted November 12, 2009 I understand the feeling that the short races are under-represented in mods. You also do not need to go as far as a dwarven bard to get an interesting character. You can, say, come across a scarcely clad dwarf(-ette) in the Slaver's Hideout waking up grogilly from the Black Lotus slumber. "Where's that shrew that told me this here was a decent inn? For that matter, where's me pants?" Seeing your inclination to clear up the den, s/he cheerfully crashes a nearby table to fashion him/herself a club and bashes in some slaver's heads. S/he will stick with you longer if you promise guidance in the ways of the city-folk and travelling, or if you ain't a person to his/her taste point out that you in all likelihood have saved him/her from the fighting pits. At length, you will find out that your new dwarven companion was a part of a large family that left from their clan house after internal dwarven political tensions. They were heading to buy a stake and in the new mining operation in Cloakwood that is headed by an ambitious dwarf Kagain. But our new friend got interested in fresh air, fresh food and discovered a bit of a wonderlust, so s/he decided to stay back in Athkatla. Besides, s/he heard a rumor that the mines were flooded, and drainage was never his strong suit. As a result you will aquire an NG-CG Barbarian with a Club profieciency, a slightly quorky story, and a bit of a connection to BG1. Link to comment
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