Didn't get the romance option...

[Xiao]

I was playing a NG elven cleric, took Kivan in early, went through a number of triggered conversations with him. I exhausted his click-to-talk "tell me about yourself" options. I chose sympathetic and friendly responses when I talked with him. So why did Aphril say "she is calling to you!" when we talked to her in Spellhold? Is there something I can check on/change in ShadowKeeper?

 

In Shadowkeeper, under Kivan's Affects section, there are four Local Variables which I assume are conversations? All are "1" for Param 1. They are P#FIRSTTIMEHERE, P#KIJA3, P#KIJA4, P#KIMA3.

[Domi]

The tracking variable is actualy a GLOBAL, called

 

Global("P#KivanLove","GLOBAL")

 

Right now it is a bit difficult to get it high enough. I'd like to caution that Kivan's 'romance' track is all of the whooping 3 talks at the moment, since I released beta while still on the fence about 'to love or not to love'.

 

To romance Kivan, set P#KivanLove to 4 prior to talking to Aphril:

 

CLUAConsole:SetGlobalGlobal("P#KivanLove","GLOBAL",4)

 

and, yep, it will be a bit easier to get him to like you once I have more conversations added to the friendship track (that's right after I get interjections finished)

[Kulyok]

Some questions about romantic content :

 

Is it safe to assume that Kivan and PC do not have and will have no romantic talks whatsoever before Spellhold? Like with Imoen and Solaufein Romances?

 

Is P#KivanRomanceInactive the only variable determining whether romance is inactive? Is P#KivanRomanceInactive=1 the same as AnomenRomanceActive=3?

 

By the way, you've a typo in P#KIV01.baf: "StartCutScene("#PKIVFIX")" -its P#KIVFIX, I think.

 

(Is tempted to ask: "When will there be more Kivan?" but restrains herself.)

 

You know, it would be very symbolic, if, say, PC had a certain romance in Chapter 2 and 3, then, say, in Chapter 4 or so she is left with a broken heart, and at the same time, Kivan learns of Deheriana's death. And then *sniff*, two lonely hearts *sniff* *grin* come together. Though, of course, it is unlikely and rather unrealistic, but something in the idea attracts me...

[Domi]

I am actually... not sure. I will be likely rebuilding the whole structure of the mod and Globals to accomodate the new relationship.

 

Basically before Spellhold, PC will have 'gentle' options in the friendship talks, both sequential and event-based. The RomanceActive will only govern the female-specific talks after Deheriana's death had been confirmed by Aphril. RomanceInactive shuts down this branch.

 

The Globals that overoll will govern the relationship are:

 

P#KivanLove

 

This variable hitting 3 kills Deheriana. This variable hitting 10 makes Kivan certain that PC is in love with him, and triggers third version of the Tress of Life.

 

P#KivanOffence

 

Is an index that governs which tlks Kivan will initiate and which he would not.

 

P#KivanMatch just indicates the match.

 

My problem with the going from one romance to another is that Kivan's romance initiation requires a display of affection, and you know whom is a highly intelligent and sensitive man

[Kulyok]

Yeah, and that's why I am scratching my head. Basically, with other romances it is easy to see whether they are killed or not. With this one, it is difficult => we may have the same situation as I described in BG1 NPC review, when PC dances with Kivan among the leaves right after giving Ajantis a wedding vow.

/end ramble.

 

Good luck with restructuring, and I'd be eager to see what you will come with.

[Domi]

Not so much, no. Once I have the next version out, I will put a certain value of P#KivanLove on the Crossmod banter pack that will mean that Kivan's romacne is "Noticeable", and, after a certain talk from the past-Aphril sequence will make it "Commited".

 

we may have the same situation as I described in BG1 NPC review, when PC dances with Kivan among the leaves right after giving Ajantis a wedding vow.

 

That was in a closed alpha version though, and will not happen in the public release

[Kulyok]

Not so much, no. Once I have the next version out, I will put a certain value of P#KivanLove on the Crossmod banter pack that will mean that Kivan's romacne is "Noticeable", and, after a certain talk from the past-Aphril sequence will make it "Commited".

 

That is good to know.

 

However, my nasty interest extends as far as to know whether it will be possible to kill it off completely at the earliest stage. You say that in early friend talks there will be romantic options - will they run no matter what? Even if PC has a committed relationship?

[Domi]

Yes, accompanied by very similar, but non-romantic option. It is equivalent of a situation when a person is in love with someone's unavailable, but do not want to spend his or her life alone, so s/he choses another mate. Sometimes it shows in interacting with the true love, sometimes it does not. In other words a female PC can be nice and friendly to Kivan. She does not need to be in love with him to do that. In this case her commited love interest is not threatened. However, there will be an option for her to give away her feelings and then her commited LI will be in conflict later on. If she wants to create a conflict.

 

If bedding a man made a woman forever his, at least 50% of romances would have never taken place. Replacing bedding with 'kissing and saying gentle words' would have risen that number to what? 90%?

[Kulyok]

It is not about love, it is about variables.

 

Most NPC mods tend to have, say, IvanRomanceActive variable:

1 if romance is at earlier stage, may run together with other romances

2 committed, may not run together with other romances

3 no relationship is available

4 friendship

 

As I noticed from Crossmod Romance conflict thread, it is very useful in romance conflicts, and also useful when monitoring relationship progress. I have noticed that you do not have one in the usual sense of the word, and have been nagging for four posts for you to create one. I think it is a good idea.

[Domi]

I thought that I have answered CBP concern with this snippet here:

 

Not so much, no. Once I have the next version out, I will put a certain value of P#KivanLove on the Crossmod banter pack that will mean that Kivan's romacne is "Noticeable", and, after a certain talk from the past-Aphril sequence will make it "Commited".

 

In other words, P#KivanLove will play such a role. I just don't have the exact numbers to give you now. But it will not stop non-romantic talks from occuring, and I will not shut down the gentler options there. Because, I am looking into a flexible structure, as opposite to the rigid one.

 

In any case, it is too early to worry about it now, before the romance had even been finished.

[Domi]

OK, I think my preliminary scheme will be something like this:

 

'tender' options increasing P#KivanLove are always present in the dialogues. When I say 'tender' it means that PC is demonstrating affection (ie not just saying "My poor boy", but takes Kivan's hand while doing so)

 

Any other romance having RA=1 reduces P#KivanLove by one point. If that RA goes to 3, P#KivanLove increases by one point.

 

Any other romance having RA=2 sets P#KivanLove to -3. If that RA goes to 3, P#KivanLove is set to 0.

 

If I am to utilize P#KivanRomanceActive, it will only be applicable to the female specific talks, and it will be goverened by P#KivanLove. It will be set to 1, if P#KivanLove reaches 3, set to 2 if P#KivanLove reaches 10 and set to 0 if P#KivanLove is equal or less than 0, or if P#KivanOffence exceeds 4.