BigRob

It looks fine in game. Overall, it may need a tad of lightening up. Here's a partial screen shot of how the portraits look side by side, see what you think:

Thanks. As long as you're won over at some point, then everything's just fine.

Not at all. It's a very good effort. Considering the dark background he's on, it might be a shade too dark, but I'd have to see it in game to know for sure. Actually, the unnatural brightness of the original is probably something to do with that dark background. I'll have a look at how the tweaked portrait looks in game and if it looks good I'll package it with the final release, with your permission.

Ah, thanks. Better learn some scripting then.

This means that these classes cannot be kitted for a PC, correct? NPC only kits for these classes can be made, can't they? (Good to know before I start trying to tinker about)

OK, another little update. Two more interactions done. With twenty now complete (excepting one that needs to be re-written) we're half way there.... ish.

Yep, Dancer Fitz and JPS are right, Aklon is 6' 7" (197cm) tall, so he's one tall boy. Giants (in human terms) start at about seven feet, I believe, so while he is tall, he's not ridiculously so. Just imagine Darth Vader without the black armour.

Yes, a definate editing job needed there. I do tend to use "and" an awful lot. Aklon: Hmmm, yes, it is perhaps your defining characteristic. I would like to know how you judge who is to be the reciever of your wrath, how you judge who is good and who is evil? Better?

OK, just a quick update. Two more interactions down and about half-way through a third. And all I can say is: I'm so glad I haven't been doing the writing on computer. So many corrupted files.... so much re-installing.....

Thanks icelus (says BigRob ten days later... ), progress is always being made, just not always at the same pace. On that note, I've finished another dialogue, making 17 total PC initiated dialogues. Now, I'm moving onto the romance specific PC inits. There will probably be slightly more of these (20ish), but some of them are going to be very short. There will also be the "story" PC init, which is available to all players, but draws on things said to Aklon during the romance as well as in other PC inits, so I'm doing it last. After that, it's flirts, quests, banters, cleanup and coding.

What wonders a weekend trapped in one's home with no power does for one's writing speed. Two more down (for a total of 16 PC initiated conversations).

A particularly tolerant and respected high-preist might be a useful tool in that regard. Of course, the fact that Keli gets her spells at all might solve a few arguments, since the Goddess obviously doesn't care about her blood.

One to pick up, definately. There was talk a while back on FWP about Anishai as a full blown NPC, so maybe this is a good start.

Ok, after a vast gap, I've finally finished another dialogue. It's a pretty big one, describing the various people Aklon's met and befreinded in his travels, so I haven't spent all this time swanning about doing nothing. The next couple of dialogues are short, so they should be done much more quickly.

Yes! A BGII expansion of TC proportions! Sounds like a lot of fun. G3's growing like a weed! *waits with baited breath*

Then this line is for you. "PC: 3. Still, it was a nice touch. Very satisfying crunch. (Z.X.X)" And his "Soothex Troat Balm", relieves a dry, sore throat. Great for flu and tonsilitis. Only 40gp a bottle!

Heheh, don't worry, you've only missed the portrait, I think I'm still working on the same dialogue as I was when it was made.... It's more than half done, I swear! (EDIT: And having checked that, I am. Gah!) Thanks, I'll pass the compliment on to TAFKNAA. Being chained up in the back of a dank pub isn't Aklon's idea of fun. And that's just what's been happening to him lately. Scars, scars, scars. Is that all you ever think about? Whan I get TAFNKAA to tweak the shoulder, I'll ask her if she can blend a scar in somewhere, or give a hint of the "existing" one on his back. Thanks Dancer. It helps if you think of Aklon as "movie star" 37 rather thangibberlings3.netgibberlings3.net "homeless vagabond" 37....

It's good that we've fixed him up a bit. Now that I've seen the new and old pics side by side, the older one looks almost as concept art-esque as the very first portrait. We might go into a third iteration if TAFNKAA goes into another artistic frenzy, but I should probably steer her onto item art now. Not that steering her is easy. Seek and ye shall find. Glad you appreciate the hairstyle. The right shoulder shouldn't be too hard to drop a bit, since it's a layer over a slightly worse shoulder. I'll see what I can do.

Excellent. But monks are quick Bev, you'll have to apply the oil of speed that Aklon has so thoughtfully left behind for you.

Alright, yes, he still doesn't look 37. But he's actually got some wrinkles now. Thanks for all the comments so far. TAFNKAA will be pleased.

Well, on that note, I'd like to announce that in a fit of artistic pique TAFNKAA () has re-done Aklon's portrait, sharpening him up and adding a little (but not too much!) age to him. Go check it out at Aklon's website here. Also be sure to have a look at the new teaser art posted on the Comments, Links and Samples section.

The alternate portrait (I'll really have to get that one posted) is more or less facing straight on. The current "official" portrait is a lot more skewed than the normal BGII portraits, but, well, I'm just gonna have to live with it  Aklon's portrait definately needs some aging and I'll try and to get that added. Aklon doesn't advertise how old he is, so we can just say he's a "veteran" adventurer to avoid the "He certainly doesn't look 37" problem.

Yes, the blurriness. We did that to remove the features of the original photographee and stamp a bit of Aklon on there. I'll see what we can do about sharpening him up a bit.

Thanks. I really should get around to putting up that alternate portrait. So people, what, precisely, is not Baldurish about Aklon's portrait? If I get detailed criticism, it'll help TAFNKAA work.

Thanks for the comments, Koson. I'm glad you like the second portrait, anyway. Ideally, I would love to have Aklon's portrait blend seamlessly into BGII and if I knew where the artists for Baldur's gate lived, I'd bundle them into my van and.... well, that's neither here nor there. The problem, of course, is finding an artist who can produce a BGesque portrait and will do so for little to no money, coz I ain't rollin' in cash here. I do actually have an alternate portrait, kindly furnished by Paxsenarrion (thanks!), but I haven't posted it up anywhere yet. It's probably a little more Baldurish. I'll talk to my artist (The Artist Formerly Not Known As Anything) as well and see if we can sharpen the portrait up a bit. Of course, if you know anyone who could produce a better portrait (for little renumeration), by all means direct me to them.