New Mod? bg1npc - BG2 /Flirt pack continuity

[vtancredi]

Ok,

 

Summary:

Create content to link BG1NPC mod with BG2/ Flirt Pack. Specifically to acknowledge the loss of Dynaheir and Khalid, and help move the PC into a relationship with choices from the BG2 Flirt Pack. I would also work in content with the other survivors of the BG1 group.

 

 

Details:

I have done some searching around here and at pocketplane and sorcerer's area, and I haven't seen anything that addresses continuity between the romance mod for BG1 and the romances for BG2.

 

I'm thinking of diving into the pool and trying to make a mod. I can't say when it will be ready, but I'm trying to get some ideas together, and am going to try to learn about creating a mod from the resources on the typical sites.

 

Basically, my idea is that if you play BG1 with the BG1NPC mod, when you move on and play BG2 nothing acknowledges your actions in BG1 romantically. I am thinking especially of the dyanaheir romance. Additionally, aside from Jaheira and Minsc having some mourning comments, there's hardly any ackowledgement of the loss of your comrades in arms from the PC side or other NPCs.

 

Ideas:

I'm approaching this from this specific scenario:

based on the initial characters in BG2, the BG1 party would have been made of

PC, Imoen, Khalid, Jaheira, Dynaheir, Minsc. For my initial effort, the PC romanced Dynaheir. Perhaps later I will be able to make more content reflecting the other choices in the bg1npc mod.

 

In BG2, I intend to make content that will allow Minsc, Jaheira, Imoen and PC to commiserate and experience the shock etc. from the loss. I will attempt to work in

content reflecting a mourning period between the PC and the romantic choices from BG2, and perhaps have a delaying factor in the Flirt Pack interactions until some closure has been achieved.

Now to be perfectly honest, I'm thinking of all this having not played all the way through BG2 SOA/TOB yet, for the first time. I'm aware perhaps it may appear a bit hasty, but I think it could make for a richer experience if I can pull it off.

Any suggestions or comments?

[Domi]

You will not be able to do that without the concent of Flirt Pack authors, because you'll be patching their mod. The way the flirts work is that they have to be the last thing attached to J-file. You will need to patch the Flirt-pack itself with those option in order for your PC to express that he did romance Dynaheir to Jaheira.

 

On another hand, if you add it to Minsc or Imoen, you will be able to do this w/o Flirt pack author's conscent, but you'll be incompatible with Imoen's Romance.

 

Alternatively you can interject the fact that you did romance Dynaheir into initial dialogue with Minsc.

 

You will have to do that to establish the fact of the romance, because no Globals are transfered from BG1 into BG2.

[BigRob]

Assuming that you can smoothly introduce the concept that the various romances occurred in BGI (and got permission from the various authors), then I think that this would be a very nice little enhancement for people playing through from one game to another.

[Kulyok]

As far as I'm aware of, Jastey works on Ajantis for BG2, and Kulyok(ah, that's me!) works on Xan for ToB(Xan SoA was released in February 2006). Branwen Romance I think wraps up nicely in BG1 - I like it ending where it does. This leaves - Coran, Shar-Teel, and Dynaheir's fate?

 

 

So, about the transition:

 

In ToB, Fate Spirit solves the problem of summoning your lover nicely. For example, for Xan this is:

"Bring me Xan, the elven mage"

"Bring me Xan, my (insert lover title1 - *spoilerish*)"

"Bring me Xan, my (insert lover title2 - *spoilerish*)"

 

In SoA, I suppose this is better done via the initial dialogue, or later, through a banter, rather then through a player-initiated menu. Compatibility, as Domi suggested, is one reason. Another reason is, if PC meets his or her lover, he or she is likely to behave rather differently than if this NPC is just a former companion.

[vtancredi]

Assuming that you can smoothly introduce the concept that the various romances occurred in BGI (and got permission from the various authors), then I think that this would be a very nice little enhancement for people playing through from one game to another.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Any suggestions on where to get permissions?

[Domi]

That depends which mods you are going to modify. Mere mentions of BG1NPC content in SoA/ToB are fine, but you will want too coordinate with Jastey and Kulyok on Ajantis and Xan repectively to make sure your PC does not end up mourning the lover who shows up few minutes down the road. If you are patching the PID functions of the Flirtpack for the NPCs that already have PID content in it, you'll need to contact JC and Co. If you'll have to patch PIDs in Imoen's Romance you'll need to contact Mirrabo.

[Guest Vimes]

I'd love something like this but a little less ambitious. I'm not a modder so I couldn't change this if my life depended on it, but the only thing I'd change is the initial dialogue with Minsc in Irenicus' dungeon considering Dynaheir. I think the current answer right now is, 'Dynaheir? There is another trapped in here?'. I'd like to change this to something more suitable in the case of her being my interest back in BG1.

 

It would be great if someone could release this as a mini-mod for BG2. Nothing with flirts, but just a small change of dialogue and perhaps a slightly different reaction from Minsc and the other NPC's present (which would limit it to Imoen and Jaheira early on). I'm no expert, but I suppose something like that could be coded in one afternoon? It would add so much to the bridge from BG1(NPC) to BG2.

[Kenyon]

Very good idea, Vimes. Nothing too ambitious, do-able, and the effect would be great.

[cmorgan]

Hey vimes, tell you what - I am pretty involved right now, but I have had lots of help from great folks around here and at PPG, and I have a suggestion. If you wrote up a post or two in this thread with dialogue, I bet that several folks could help translate it to code on the fly.

Example:

 

you post

 

PC says to Minsc after Minsc joins: Heya, big dude, what happened to my love, Dy?

Minsc: The Evil Ones did much But-Kicking for Badness, and killed her.

Imoen: oh no!

Minsc: oh yes, and Boo says that they were smelly, too

PC : alas, alack, oh woe.. boy, cmorgan had better stick to code, 'cause he stinks at creative writing

Jaheira: Yes. Stop that third-wall breaking drivel and hire vimes, instead!

PC: Fttthppt. Ack. Sorry, can't swear, so I gota spit.

 

We reply with some attempt at basic code.

 

This only works if you stick to simple commentary, that doesn't have tons of conditions, but it would have the advantage of allowing others to help edit dialogue and provide options, and let anyone who was involved in modding these characters have a say if they feel that their authorship is being touched on.

 

 

 

PC:

[Domi]

I think the current answer right now is, 'Dynaheir? There is another trapped in here?'. I'd like to change this to something more suitable in the case of her being my interest back in BG1.

 

Actually, as described it is difficult to do because one has to resolve the problem of "globals are not transfered between BG1 and BG2". In other words, BG2 is "blind" concerning anything that happens in BG1. There are a few possible work-arounds it, but they are more than one afternoon work.

 

An easy way around it is to simply add a non-restricted option to the dialogue available to all male PCs that meet Dynaheir's romance requirements. That is, indeed, a few lines of code.

[cmorgan]

For vimes' idea, I was thinking even more simply than that: a three-chain mini-mod.

 

Since it would be one or two dialogues on initial joining for Jaheir, Minsc, Imoen, and PC, vimes could just set up the "dynaheir was mine" condition dialogue. As everyone has discussed, the other NPC relationships are much more complicated and the NPC's can come back, but you (Domi) took pains with Dynaheir to make the plot work consistently, so she is the simplest. If someone wants to customize another relationship, they could do it too, and then add the dialogue as a subcomponent the player simply chooses on install.

1. Romanced Dynaheir

2. Best Friends with Dynaheir (female and male responses)

3. Romanced Branwen (dialogue: silly person, she quit and headed to work in Athaalka or whatever the name of that far off place BG2 starts in is)

4. Romanced Shar-Teel (dialogue: well, you were ambushed. You don't seriously expect her to hang around with a wimp like you? last I saw her, she was spilling Shadow Thief blood while she amputated their limbs without anesthetic; if she really wants to find you, she will)

 

I know people want more, but I think vimes has the only idea that lends itself to big-group-community-minimod (sort of a "IronModder" with group participation).

[Menelanna]

just thought of this...if you modders continue the all romaces from BG1 into BG2 with this mod being talked about or in anyother way...you may want to think of a good way to get Adjantis. I do not know if everyone knows this (sorta hard to get this small banter) but the leader of those knights disguised as ogres in the Windspear hills...that is Adjantis. Mabey you could have an option if you have mage to dispell the magic, or if you do not have a mage <charname> get devistated when she sees she killed her love. just a thought. good luck on all your modding work!

[Domi]

Jastey who wrote Ajantis romance for BG1 already working on Ajantis romance for BG2, building it from that very encounter, so that is covered. Xan's romance was already transfered by Kulyok. There are no other plans in the group to transfer other romances (ie Domi is not interested in writing Dynaheir, Shar-Teel or Coran's for BG2 doing something else entirely), and Branwen's romance for BG2 was worked on independently by lennon.

[Kulyok]

3. Romanced Branwen (dialogue: silly person, she quit and headed to work in Athaalka or whatever the name of that far off place BG2 starts in is)

 

Ahem. Actually, some time ago I played with Xan and Kivan, and it was rather weird when Kivan said thoughtfully: "If Xan were here..." - and I was, like: "Er... but he is here, right?" I wish this small mod avoided this.

 

I mean, wherever _romanced_ Branwen is at the time of BG2, she is definitely not in Athkatla, right? Unless I get another sunstroke and start writing her there, of course.

[Domi]

Do you know which banter is that? I am pretty sure I was making checks for NPC in party to avoid that effect.