Viconia banters - need help.

[Domi]

I remain unsatisfied with Viconia's banters I have atm. I am looking for someone who is interested in either expanding/rewriting the existing ones (quoted below) or adding extras etc. There is only one requirement: under no circumstances they should become 'friends' or try to 'understand' each-other. What I am looking for is snapping, but without the "go for each-other's throat and the wise PC has to step in"

 

SPOILER (below are 4 banters I have):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EXISTING BANTER:

 

 

~Feeble darthiir... I cannot say how much I despise the fact that I have to suffer your company yet again. I do not now why <CHARNAME> insists on keeping you around.~

== BP#KIV ~ Viconia, the very last time we tried to talk we came to blows and <CHARNME> had to stop us from madness.~

== BVICONI ~Madness? Killing darthiiri is a sport among drow, O ignorant rivvin.~

== BP#KIV ~ Just stay away from me, witch.~

 

 

~Every time I look at you, you tighten. Were we in Menzoberranzan, I'd give you a good flogging so you'd prostrate yourself instead.~

== BP#KIV ~ ...~

== BVICONI ~But ripping out your tongue would not be necessary. Not that it is common, mind you. Hearing them wail and beg is part of the fun.~

EXIT

 

~Should I heal you, darthiir, or would you rather die of your wounds as a favour to us all?~

== BP#KIV ~ Death is gentler than your healing.~

== BVICONI ~Death is gentler than most things, pathetic fool. I take that as a no... very well, I will await for our leader's command to force the spell upon you. ~

= ~Maybe this time I would hear you scream. ~

EXIT

 

 

~Still breathing? How disappointing. It is unbearable to be in a party with a darthiir... ~

== BP#KIV ~The only thing that makes it unbearable is your foul mouth, witch. If all drow are like you, I cannot comprehend how you can live in communities. It is not surprizing that even some of your kind are fed up with the vileness of your ways. I wonder how long it will take before the best of your kind will gather enough strength to rebel against the Spider Queen. ~

== BVICONI ~That is a false hope, rivvin. Lloth is a cunning Mistress and watches her herd carefully. The high priestesses are ever restless, hunting the outlaws to sacrifice to Lloth and gain her favor.~

== BP#KIV ~ Drizzt is famous for his escape... and you have mentioned that your brother was a deviant as well. That's three renegade Drow in a short period of time.~

== BVICONI ~I know none, save myself. Drizzt (spits) brought misfortune and ill fate to all of Menzoberranzan. I doubt that anyone would feel anything but loathing for him. Drizzt's treachery strengthened my people's resolve to keep to their own ways.~

== BP#KIV ~ I know your people's ways. I have seen babes and women slain without pity by their sharp blades! How can a being that presumably has a heart commit deeds of such cruelty?~

== BVICONI ~If you wish for me to answer to all of my kin's doings, you are too late. You should have thrown a torch into my pyre.~

== BP#KIV ~ That would be adopting the way of the drow, Viconia. Drow who do not hesitate to cut an elf's throat, no questions asked. ~

[Kulyok]

I am by no means a Viconia expert (my own rate at the moment is one banter a day and 50% chance of deleting it afterwards), but this is what I would do:

 

Kill number 1;

Add something nasty of Kivan's to number 2;

Number 3 works for me;

Number 4 - some lines are somewhat long-winded, what I would do is

change it somewhat:

 

~Still breathing? How disappointing. It is unbearable to be in a party with a darthiir... ~

== BP#KIV ~The only thing that makes it unbearable is your foul mouth, witch. It is not surprizing that even some of your kind are fed up with the vileness of your ways. Perhaps some day they will rise...~

== BVICONI ~That is a false hope, rivvin. Lloth is a cunning Mistress.~

== BP#KIV ~ Drizzt is famous for his escape... and you have mentioned that your brother was a deviant, as well. That's three renegade Drow in a short period of time.~

== BVICONI ~(spits) Drizzt brought misfortune and ill fate to all of Menzoberranzan. His treachery only strengthened my people's resolve to keep to our own ways.~

== BP#KIV ~ I know your people's ways. I have seen babes and women slain without pity by their sharp blades!~

== BVICONI ~If you wish for me to answer to all of my kin's doings, you are too late. You should have thrown a torch into my pyre.~

 

To me, it looks much stronger like this; last Kivan's reply screws it.

[Domi]

Thank you, the 4th looks better now, though, I'd still remove that exclamation mark, I think.

 

The problem is that both 3 and 4 are for the case when Kivan is wounded, and someone made a point that he would not be wounded all that often, being an archer and all, so he and Viconia won't talk. So, I need more generic exchanges between them. Which is where I don't have any ideas, appart from the repetition of the above. So, what I need are a couple of good banters to replace 1 and 2 or something to that extent.

[Guest Guest]

I don't really consider that a spoiler. I don't take Viconia along. I've been playing Baldur's Gate, and your soundset is great.

 

 

Oh, and are you also working on the BG1 NPC project?

[Domi]

Thank you, I am glad that you've liked Deheriana's soundset; Kivan's come from BG1, unchanged. Viconia is a popular character, and I would like to have better content for her, so hopefully, someone would come along and give me a hand.

[Raven_Song]

The problem is that both 3 and 4 are for the case when Kivan is wounded, and someone made a point that he would not be wounded all that often, being an archer and all, so he and Viconia won't talk.

 

I don't know about that, for some reason it always seems to be poor old Kivan that gets hits by that damned lightning bolt.

 

Also because of his lower hitpoints/lack of heavy armour I always tend to keep him near the back of the group so if I get theat annoying "Your party has been ambushed" voice chances are Kivan gets injured.

[Domi]

I don't know about that, for some reason it always seems to be poor old Kivan that gets hits by that damned lightning bolt.

 

My poor dear

[Domi]

After much cursing and head-scratching... Am I wandering totally off course? Any better ideas? Etc?

 

~This world is cursed! The burning sun, the deafening bird-noises, the stifling pollen - (coughs)~

== BP#KIV ~Then crawl back into the hole from whence you came.~

== BVICONI ~Ignorant rivvin, I would return should I had an army to take Menzzoberranzan from Baenres’ clutches. I would have destroyed the highest Houses, to make De’Virs the greatest, and myself the First Matron if I could.~

== BP#KIV ~Despite your professed hatred for the traitorous Lloth?~

== BVICONI ~Not all drow worship the Spider Queen, darthiir, and Shar’s favor is more lucrative. But my nation is fierce, and only a madman would live alone in the Underdark.~

== BP#KIV ~You must have done that, after you fled.~

== BVICONI ~Of course, I did. I am strong, but I did not ascent to this blighted place out of my own volition.~

== BP#KIV ~You acknowledge your defeat so easily, Viconia, while calling everyone else weak at a smallest hint of wavering?~

== BVICONI ~Phew, I’m not a stupid surfacer to persist in a folly. Only the fools think it shameful to run before an overwhelming foe. “Better to die, but keep one’s honor.†Phew. The smart one lives, the stupid dies, that's the truth.~

 

~I’ve heard them call you a ‘wise man’. Phew, a wise man! This is a contradiction in terms.~

== BP#KIV ~Do you maintain that wisdom is the province of women, and that you possess this virtue?~

== BVICONI ~You dare questioning me, feeble darthiir?~

== BP#KIV ~Then explain how it is wise to poison your company against you.~

== BVICONI ~I would not mock an equal or a superior, rivvin.~

== BP#KIV ~But you would hound those you consider beneath you. A battle party is only as good as its weakest companion.~

== BVICONI ~If the commander <PRO_HIMHER>self is a senseless whiner, who recruits and coddles the weaklings, driving them away falls to those who are truly the strongest.~

== BP#KIV ~So, you call arrogance wisdom. I thought so.~

[Kulyok]

The first one is in character, I think. Nitpicks:

" I would return, should I had an army "

" make De’Vir the greatest "

 

The last line is rather long. Perhaps:

== BVICONI ~Phew, I’m not a stupid surfacer to persist in a folly. The smart one lives, the stupid dies, that's the truth.~

 

With the second banter, I have difficulties understanding it. What is it about?

[Rabain]

I think ascent should be ascend in the first banter.

 

Also I don't know about others but the use of Phew seems out of context. Generally Phew is pronounced Few and is usually an exclamation indicative of having gotten away with something or just completed some difficult task i.e "Phew, thank god that's over!". Might be better of using Pah! as I take it she is meant to be dismissive?

 

With regard to Kulyok's nitpicks "I would return, should I have an army to..." would be better. If you're using had better to use if before "I would return, if I had an army...". Yeah greatest makes it sound like she is being childish "my house is the greatest house so there!" but I can't think of a better word at the moment...perhaps " I would have destroyed the highest Houses, raised the De’Virs, with myself the First Matron if I could."

 

I was just looking at the first few posts, if you have banters that are meant to happen if Kivan is injured why don't you also script them to happen after some of the major encounters in the game. The context would still be okay for them then even if Kivan isn't injured, for example you just finished Bodhi's lair for the first time: "~Still breathing? How disappointing. It is unbearable to be in a party with a darthiir... ~"

[Kulyok]

Also I don't know about others but the use of Phew seems out of context. Generally Phew is pronounced Few and is usually an exclamation indicative of having gotten away with something or just completed some difficult task i.e "Phew, thank god that's over!". Might be better of using Pah! as I take it she is meant to be dismissive?

 

When I was writing my own Viconia banters (the same goes for other NPCs) I kept SOA Romancing Guide, NPC interaction Guide and Baronius' Talk Viewer on my desktop to check every single world ("quite, merely, imagine, inspire"; not "it, is, why" obviously) on the subject of whether this particular NPC uses it.

 

Viconia uses "Bah!" and "Feh"; that's all, I think.

[Domi]

Thank you, guys, I will change Phew's to Feh's.

 

The second one plays on the fact that Kivan has higher wisdom than many other male NPCs, so Viconia expresses doubts about it, and Kivan retaliates, saying that he does not see her as wise, because she is so confrontational. Viconia asserts that it is wise to weed out the weaker party members by mockery, while Kivan is of the opinion that it is arrogant and they rather have to be supported and couched into fitting the party.

[Kulyok]

You know, I'd rather not risk the second one. After re-reading it again, I think that you'll get complains about the fourth-wall breakage: it suspiciously reminds me of SHS-PPG bickering.

 

I am not serious, of course, but still...

[Grand_Dracolich]

An interesting note: the DeVirs (not sure if there's an apostraphe) were wiped out by the Do'Urdens when Drizzt was born. That would entail Viconia fleeing Menzoberranzan before that, but not long. The Do'Urdens would've seen the weakness of having a daughter go to Shar, and would've attacked then and there.

 

Also, Kivan's pretty tough, I usually have him guard Imoen and Aerie, while the rest are in the front. If you give him a few points to Katana and either Celestial Fury or the Impaler spear, he can get pretty tough.

 

On the other hand, he was wiped out in one shot by the shadow dragon's breath, but was the only fighter-type left besides CharName after the fight with Firkragg.

[Domi]

You know, I'd rather not risk the second one. After re-reading it again, I think that you'll get complains about the fourth-wall breakage: it suspiciously reminds me of SHS-PPG bickering.

 

I am not serious, of course, but still...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

You know, I sincerely hope, that for the sake of more than this mod, the bickering you reffer to will be long forgotten by the time of the release. As for the banter, it relies on the character behavoir, mainly toward Aerie. I can put her presence in the party as a condition, to make sure that it does not spring from nowhere.