Silent Winter

^Happens to me too - if you wait a few minutes after booting up the computer and then start the game, the options should be available. (Failing that, double-check that the saved games are in the folder. For windows it's in C:\users\[name]\Saved Games\Pillars of Eternity )

Description: Detection circle isn't showing up for my Ranger's animal companion. The detection mechanic is still working, and I hear the 'ping' when the AC is detected and combat starts. Didn't notice at first because Calisca/Heodan was always at the fore. Since Valewood, the lion's been leading and no yellow/red detection timer has been showing for it. Have since tested with 3 different companions at start of game - none show a detection circle. Steps to Reproduce the Issue: Start a new game, normal difficulty. Create a Ranger with Lion, Wolf or Stag (haven't tested the others) animal companion. (Wood-Elf / Pale-Elf, Living-lands, Hunter background if that makes a difference). Approach first wolf enemy with the AC - no detection circle shows up, though it does work for Calisca and PC. Expected Behaviour: AC gets a detection circle (especially as wolf is said to be a good scout) (Last ranger I had was Sagani in 1.04 - I'm pretty sure Itumaak had a detection circle then) Can't upload save-game to dropbox/mediafire/4shared as they're blocked in China - if nobody else is having this problem, I'll try a full reinstall.

Hmm... Are there acually any concept art of similar done for some key NPCs (like Lady Web or Roderick), that was released to the public? not that I know of, but that doesn't matter - we can create some from their description in game or (if that is lacking) improvise. I'd just like to know if it's possible to mod - I added loads of portraits to my BG games using near-infinity or DLTCEP - I'm hoping, in the future, there'll be some basic modding tools for PoE too

I don't have a save game from which I could check, but I recall that certain someone stating that being Awakened is a prerequisite to being a Watcher -- though whether or not you want to regard them as a reliable source is another matter, of course. In the case of the PC this at least holds true, as they didn't have the ability to see into the souls of others until their awakening. Or to look at it from another angle, it'd be odd if the Watcher had the ability to perceive the souls of others, but not their own. Whether one needs to be Awakened to become a Watcher, or one automatically becomes the former upon becoming the latter, it doesn't look like you can be a Watcher without also being Awakened. The reverse doesn't hold true, however: there are plenty people who are "only" Awakened. They are rarely seen as having been overwhelmed by their past lives, and indeed this isn't treated as any great concern even in the case of characters close to the PC. Being a Watcher, meanwhile, is implied to carry a great risk of succumbing to madness, perhaps because their abilities also let their own past lives to emerge more easily. I may be wrong, since I can't remember the exact dialogue. Regardless, I think it's a missed opportunity, as the past lives bubbling to the surface could've been used to better integrate the main story into the gameworld. I agree with that last point - just that it's not necessarily in the lore that it must. Your PC is not the only one who fears the madness from an awakened soul (without being a watcher) - but wrong forum for more than a hint due to spoilers. I'm just saying that watcher doesn't equal ALL (or even more than one of) your past lives being awakened.

I'd be happy with the ability to mod the character files to reference a portrait - then we could get an NPC portrait pack out there with the community (similar to what was part of the BG1 NPC pack)

Your first few posts on the forum must be approved by a moderator before they go 'live' and others can see them. (It's to prevent spam and such). You should be alright now you've had 6 posts.

It was in the 1.06 update thread - there you said "I bought it through GOG" so I replied with the GOG method (only works if you've got the gog version installed - Steam will need the steam patch) http://forums.obsidian.net/topic/80035-update-106-is-live/?p=1700541

I just did, few minutes ago. Worked pretty well, actually. Just murdered him inside the keep and the bad reputation was gone. Beautiful. Thank you for the inspiration. I'm afraid that may not have worked as well as you'd expect (unless some bug fix has changed the game's behaviour since I tried it). It's smart enough to remove their physical existence from the world, and to restore your stronghold's stats when they die. However, the stronghold system seems not to realise they should be permanently dead, so they can come back despite no longer having bodies. Has this been reported as a bug?

Faith and Conviction bonuses apply depending on your various repuations (in other words - if your order supports a cruel disposition but you're being benevolent to everyone, then you won't get the bonus (or you'll get a malus - not sure). Looking at your reputations on the screens, they align with your paladin's order. So if you're not getting the bonus, then it's probably a bug.

Small point, but: - there's a difference between an Awakened Soul and a Watcher - the Watcher aspect allows you to see other people's souls/memories - the Awakened Soul is the one where your own past-self is encroaching on your present. The PC has both - but the awakened memories pertain to that one past-self, not all (as is 'usual' for an awakened soul). It makes sense that the memories are triggered as you cross Thaos' path. It's implied that like a certain NPC you meet, you can go mad from having too many (but in his case, there were specific circumstances to his Awakening and madness due to the nature of the past lives) (Tricky keeping this spoiler free, hopefully you know which one I mean). Having said that - I agree that more could have been done to make it 'pressing' for you to track down your quarry as it didn't seem disturbing at all to the PC to be in this 'predicament' - perhaps an occasional 'madness' malus/bonus combo kicking in (having an ability locked-out + replaced by another for a single battle) or a surge in might at the expense of resolve (not overdone though, as that'd get annoying and make a mess of our build choices).

On GOG - go to 'My Account', select Pillars of Eternity on your gameshelf/list - one of the available downloads should be 'Patch 1.06' (1.05->1.06 patch.) What are you seeing under available downloads for Pillars? Try https://www.gog.com/account/refresh and then see if it's available.

Your priest's spells should all be availabe (there isn't a grimoire mechanic for the priest or druid - only the wizard) When you hover/select the I, II, III, IV etc, you should see all the available spells in the same way you do when you select the wizard (just more spells available at any one time for the priest). Some priest (and some wizard/druid/cipher) spells will be greyed out until combat starts (not just enemy spotted) as they are combat-only spells

^In my current playthrough, that door was opened by a switch without needing to do the elemental thing at all (maybe tis bugged? - I'd thought I needed to do it in my first playthrough)

Has anyone tested: If you get a 'bad visitor' - can you find them in the keep and kill them to remove the reputation loss? (just thinking out loud - whenever a 'wanted criminal' arrived, I wanted to take them prisoner but that's not an option)

I don't see it as much of a money sink - since I have far too much money anyway - after the first couple of upgrades when money's more tight, it's not even a question of 'upgrade keep v. spend money on something else' - I just click. I agree that prisoners escaping regardless of security rating is silly - security should have a much bigger effect. Although full-scale keep invasions would be fun - it's not really that kind of game - so I can live with the smaller battles we have.

^I was hoping you could sell the blacksmith's crate to him as an alternate way to finish that quest, but sadly it's not an option so I just took the crate back to the blacksmith.

Looks to be nearly at the initial goal already - good luck with this (sadly I've no more money to give at the mo')

^I think takedown is an option at level-up for Sagani's Fox - can be taken as a class talent. (Then I think the option is under Sagani's bar - not sure as I didn't take it, but 'Master's Call' was there and this is probably something else the ranger would tell their companion to do)

^I didn't use her n my party the first playthrough (she sat at caed nua, doing the odd minor adventure), this time I'm using the companions I didn't the first time (Hiravias, GM and Pallegina - mostly because I already had a full team the first time before I met them). Took Aloth again as he's a fair wizard and added an adventurer's hall priest. It's interesting seeing the different reactions.

Well, I would've done, but you don't get the option if you send the Valtas girl first Aldwin seemed quite upset with himself that he couldn't resist eating her (First playthrough I saved them all - this time, my PC is a bit cruel )

^It only works before you recruit them for the first time - the option is 'auto-level companions' - set to 'off' You can't respec companions once you've recruited them.

For me, Itumaak was getting knocked out a lot early game - mostly because he was charging the enemy and getting there first - figured out how to use him and the he rarely died. Just wait a second before sending him in - let main tank(s) engage first. Status-effect/debuff the enemy for good measure. Take pet talents at level up for added durability and damage. Add in wounding shot and penetrating shot for the ranger - Sagani was ace.

^What are your stats? Armour? Weapons? Abilities?

^12 hired adventurers or 12 total companions? (You can hire the 8 available premade companions (Eder etc), plus 8 hired adventurers from the adventurers' hall)