Optional Full Party Creation, BG/IWD style

[Saber-Scorpion]

My apologies if there has already been a topic about this, but my search turned up no results exactly like what I'm trying to say.

 

I would like to see optional full party creation, like in Baldur's Gate.

 

Yes, like in Baldur's Gate. It was not technically a supported feature, but it was easy enough to accomplish: just start a multiplayer game by yourself, and you can create your entire party from scratch, Icewind Dale style. Then you can play through the game with them instead of NPC companions, which provided some nice variety after you've played the game a dozen times with the story companions. I love how the Infinity Engine allowed for options like this.

 

I understand that the focus of this game is going to be NPC companions with their own personalities and stories, probably tied into the plot in many cases. And that's great. I prefer games like that. I'm almost ashamed of all the times I played through Baldur's Gate II with different companions just to see what they would say in the party banter. And I spent hours delving into the conversations with all of the companions in Planescape Torment, and loved every bit of it.

 

But after playing a game like Baldur's Gate II half a dozen times with story companions, it's fun to mix things up a bit by creating your own "perfect party" with your own characters. It's even more fun if the game has a super-challenging mode like Icewind Dale's "Heart of Fury," forcing you to really build the best possible party in order to beat the dungeons and encounters.

 

Obsidian and Troika (RIP) have made a lot of games with full party customization, like Temple of Elemental Evil and NWN2: Storm of Zehir (both of which I enjoyed, though I had to mod them to allow me to make all 6 characters instead of just 5), so I hope they will include this option in true Infinity Engine style.

Edited September 23, 2012 by Saber-Scorpion

[hideo kuze]

Yes, there are other threads including a poll

http://forums.obsidi...ble-companions/

 

 

IMO the less the number of duplicate threads on the forums the better

Edited September 23, 2012 by hideo kuze

[Saber-Scorpion]

The problem with that thread is that the poll makes it sound almost as if having player-generated companions would preclude the possibility of having an all-NPC party... which is why the results are so skewed in favor of option 1, I think.

[Zombra]

I love making characters and building parties, but weirdly I'm going to vote "no" on this option. Single-character games have their place in the world. Look at Fallout vs. Fallout Tactics for example. With its great character building depth, Fallout was excellent. Apply the same system x6 in Fallout Tactics and it turns into a huge mess.

 

Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale are a good counterexample, because they have the opposite problem: character development is relatively shallow. I never came close to finishing BG because my one character was boring like any other D&D character. Icewind Dale on the other hand I loved to death, playing it and its sequel through to the end, because building a custom party of shallow characters, complete with imported portraits, was a blast.

 

I guess the bottom line is that you should either have deep character building or you can have multiple PCs, but not both. Based on what I have seen so far of P:E's intended design, I'm hoping that the character building will be super deep and meaningful.

 

As for throwing in multi-character as an "option" not intended to actually be played ... eh. The dev team has better things to do; wait for the inevitable mod.

[Tigranes]

Actually, such things may not be very easy to mod. it certainly would have been difficult in IE games if they were not built in. It shouldn't be too difficult for the devs to put it in, so I support it, if possible. It's one thing that extends longevity, even if you'd normally play with the proper NPCs.

[Merin]

There are at least three other threads on this. Just saying.

 

Voted anyway. My preferred option is being able to create my own party.

[Leferd]

If they are going to include co-op multiplayer, it'll definitely be in.

[dlux]

We already have a thread about this topic.

 

http://forums.obsidian.net/topic/60531-should-there-be-player-generatable-companions/

[Saber-Scorpion]

Yes, thank you, that has been pointed out.

 

I love making characters and building parties, but weirdly I'm going to vote "no" on this option. Single-character games have their place in the world. Look at Fallout vs. Fallout Tactics for example. With its great character building depth, Fallout was excellent. Apply the same system x6 in Fallout Tactics and it turns into a huge mess.

Unless I'm mistaken, Fallout Tactics did not give you the option to create all six characters yourself. The player only created the main character. Everyone else was hired from a computer, to be replaced by hiring someone else if they died. I remember this because I had to mod the game fairly extensively in order to add my own custom squadmates.

 

Fallout Tactics had its issues, but I don't think the complexity of character creation was what caused the squad-based tactics to go awry. I'm hoping Wasteland 2 (which has the player create 4 squad members from scratch) will have equally complex character creation but much better gameplay.

 

I think Project Eternity could as well. If this option can only be accessed through mod tools or some kind of multiplayer, so be it, but I would still like to see it in the game somehow.

Edited September 23, 2012 by Saber-Scorpion

[ddillon]

I want this *option*. Even more so now considering the announcement of the challenge modes.

 

It should require minimal effort to implement and would not affect those who choose to play with only NPC companions. Why vote against it when having the option will make more players happy without preventing you from playing the game the way that you prefer? BG2-style companions *will* be in the game; this would be an *additional* option for those who prefer it (or who prefer a hybrid approach such as two to three player-generated party members plus NPC companions or who might use it after completing the game one or more times with only NPC companions).

Edited September 28, 2012 by ddillon

[Majek]

I'm strongly against it.

[metiman]

I'm strongly against it.

 

Why? In terms of developer resources it seems trivial to implement. It's not like they have to balance the game for it. Just loop the existing character generation function and allow your slots to fill with custom characters. They wouldn't even have to support the feature if they don't want to. If playing with 6 characters introduces additional bugs for that mode they may choose to eventually squash the bugs or not. The feature wasn't officially supported by BG2 but lots of people did it and it didn't seem to introduce any more bugs. It definitely adds to replayability.

[Pope]

I see no reason why this shouldn't be an option, other than perhaps making the beginning of the game a bit unbalanced (if the campaign would take a while before getting a complete six member party).

 

A possible solution to this could be to introduce a "mercenary guild" somewhere (early) in the game, where the player would be able to create companions (maybe even for a price).

Edited September 28, 2012 by Pope

[Ashram]

I support the ability to create your own party. Even if for story purposes, you were limited to only creating 4/6 characters, that would be great. This is the best thing short of co-op you can do and it facilitates one of the most fun aspects of the game....character creation and development.

[Silver6986]

I don't see how there could be a problem with this, if you don't want to make your own party then you don't have to, simple.

[Silver6986]

I'm strongly against it.

 

Could you elaborate as to why if possible please? Just curious as to why you would be against such an option that would add more replay ability to this game??

[Jarmo]

I'd support the option. Because why not.

If there's a story reason why no companions in the start makes sense, then maybe make the option available on second playthrough?

 

I might use the option after playing through the game once or twice, but don't see it as something that'd take an amazing amount of developing time.

Some would use this from the start and miss out on companion interaction, some will play solo and miss the same stuff.

 

Can't see a reason to not include the possibility.

[ravenshrike]

I could see this as an option. Of course, that would mean completely OP parties of 1 tank, 1 rogue, and 4 mages of various flavors.

[Majek]

This is 1 person's story. There's no f reason to allow a party generation. You cannot explain it, it goes against OEs idea of NPCs being important. When do you decide who's the main character in the game? And if you change your mind in the middle the game?

 

Adds replayability? HOW?

[Pope]

This is 1 person's story. There's no f reason to allow a party generation. You cannot explain it, it goes against OEs idea of NPCs being important. When do you decide who's the main character in the game?

A possible solution to this could be to introduce a "mercenary guild" somewhere (early) in the game, where the player would be able to create companions (maybe even for a price).

[Silver6986]

This is 1 person's story. There's no f reason to allow a party generation. You cannot explain it, it goes against OEs idea of NPCs being important. When do you decide who's the main character in the game? And if you change your mind in the middle the game?

 

Adds replayability? HOW?

 

So was BG series (for the most part if you include Imoen as well as Sarevok within the scope of the story arc), it seemed to work quite well if I remember correctly, tbh I mostly stuck with the NPCs available to you but hey, if it isn't that hard for the Devs to implement that how is it hurting you??

[metiman]

I could see this as an option. Of course, that would mean completely OP parties of 1 tank, 1 rogue, and 4 mages of various flavors.

 

Or 6 mages. Or 6 thieves. That's why it adds replayability. Due to those weird sort of playthroughs which can be quite challenging and fun. Of course this only matters if the combat is actually decent.

[Jarmo]

The only reason to replay IWD, IWD2 or ToEE is to try them with some different kind of party.

I like themed parties, like a Cleric and 3 Paladins, or an elven party, or party of barbarians and druids, or something.

 

It isn't for everybody, but doesn't need to be.

[Bill Gates' Son]

This is 1 person's story. There's no f reason to allow a party generation. You cannot explain it, it goes against OEs idea of NPCs being important. When do you decide who's the main character in the game? And if you change your mind in the middle the game?

 

Adds replayability? HOW?

 

The thing is though, while companions are an important part of the game, they are also optional, allowing a person to solo the game if they want. So if someone can solo the game by themselves without the NPC companions, then what's the harm in allowing that person to created additional player generated characters?

 

IWD had this feature. BG1&2 had this feature. So I don't see why it shouldn't be a problem.

[BSoda]

I don't think it's a good idea in itself...and actually would prefer if Obsidian wouldn't waste any resources to implement that and istead focus everything on making the recruitable NPCs better and more unique.

 

...but than again I suppose such a feature probably would not need too much resources...so...ehh, whatever.