How will Obsidian fit in the 100+ backer designed NPCs?

[NoxNoctum]

I mean that's quite a lot, I hope they can just be people standing around at a tavern or something... I want Avellone and co. to be able to design at least some of the main story NPCs ya know

[Ieo]

Oh, I'm sure there will be PLENTY of space between City 1 and City 2.

[jivex5k]

They will probably be filler npcs, but with that many being designed I'd imagine some will have side quests and fuller back stories.

Maybe the best designs?

[HumanFlesh+5]

Oh, I'm sure there will be PLENTY of space between City 1 and City 2.

 

not only between but also plenty of space within City 1 and City 2

[adamsorkin]

Sounds like a great way to make sure there's variety in the game world.

[markness05]

I was thinking the same thing about the ~6000 names to go in the credits.

[TheOptimist]

I recall one of the obsidian team posted this humorous video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEaY4JYooJk

that sort of deals with the subject. Keep in mind Banner Saga only had 20,000 backers, with 70,000+ things should be lively at Obsidian after the kickstarter finishes.

Edited October 16, 2012 by TheOptimist

[norolim]

I mean that's quite a lot, I hope they can just be people standing around at a tavern or something... I want Avellone and co. to be able to design at least some of the main story NPCs ya know

They will hold oil lamps along the road from Enormous City One to Gargantuan City Two.

[Hassat Hunter]

Of course, some will be killable.

So a party of foes, already 6 or so NPC's to name (and kill)...

[Death Machine Miyagi]

I expect somewhere along the way we'll find 100 named enemy NPCs in a large, cramped room, each with 1 hit point. Which will subsequently be cleared with the equivalent of a single 'fireball' spell.

 

Ha! Suckers.

Edited October 16, 2012 by Death Machine Miyagi

[rjshae]

I recall one of the obsidian team posted this humorous video

...

that sort of deals with the subject. Keep in mind Banner Saga only had 20,000 backers, with 70,000+ things should be lively at Obsidian after the kickstarter finishes.

Wow. I guess movie-style posters aren't necessarily ideal as a backer item.

Edited October 16, 2012 by rjshae

[Kilroy_Was_Here]

As a permanent part of the architecture of city #2.

 

[SarcasmoTheGreat]

This is why I didn't pay $1,000 to design one. I'm not shelling out that kind of cash to have my NPC featured in an alley leaning against a wall as the PCs walk by. There wasn't enough real information for me to risk paying that much.

 

And yeah, I can't wait for the game credits. All 1.5 hours worth.

[Ashram]

Seeing as how the other 1k tier was to create an EPIC weapon, armor, or wondrous item, I sure hope that these player made NPCs are more than just eye candy. Most player made items in that tier are going to be in high demand. The NPCs should have an equal ability to draw people's attention and further the story.

 

I think it would be great to have them as quest givers, competition, adversaries, rescuees and rescuers, essential plot hooks, comic relief, etc. The number of player created NPCs should help to bring a breadth of diversity to the game world which helps to make it real.

[Majek]

People will get to fill out a form and choose a name, race and class. OE will then use that how they see fit. Maybe they'll just kill all of them off in the first ingame cinematic in some grand battle.

[septembervirgin]

I suspect many of them will be potential opponents. Note, this is along the lines of an epic magical item. This probably means that most of the NPCs will be high level. We can also guess alot of these NPCs will be fantasy approximations of their designers. We probably won't see them ganging together at the 1000 tier level, but at 5000 we will have to face gangs of brutal adventurers designed by rich people. Eek.

[Mastercomputer]

How can we be sure that we won't have 200 My Little Pony references in the game? Honestly, I want the game to have a more serious tone than Borderlands 2, where everything is a pop cultural reference.

 

Planescape: Torment had only one reference and it was to the The Dark Tower series.

[Gyor]

I think it'll offer greater depth honestly.

[pedroantonio]

I'm very worried about the backer created content. I hope people doesn't feel entitled to design weapons based on 4chan memes or things like that, totally breaking the coherence of the world and lore. Maybe Obsidian should implement an option to deactivate "crazy content", as they did in Fallout NV.

[Regenshire]

I'm very worried about the backer created content. I hope people doesn't feel entitled to design weapons based on 4chan memes or things like that, totally breaking the coherence of the world and lore. Maybe Obsidian should implement an option to deactivate "crazy content", as they did in Fallout NV.

 

The price is a pretty large barrier against this, plus Obsidian will have creative control. I am guessing the #1 source for inspiration for most NPCs will be based on player characters from PnP games that backers remember fondly. These will probably have fleshed out back stories that they can provide to Obsidian, ect. There will probably be a few humor ones I am sure, but as long as their aren't a ton of them and are tasteful I think it will work out well.

Edited October 16, 2012 by Regenshire

[Tsuga C]

Companions might be NPCs, but not all NPCs are companions. The fellow selling baked goods, the lumberjack fearful of dryads or a pack of wargs, a civic guard with a clue regarding one of the quests, the shifty character down by the docks from whom you can buy illicit traps and poisons--all of these generic in-world folks and others like them are prime choices for being protrayed by backers. I'm sure that Obsidian is more than capable of working the mega-buck donors into the game in a way that won't be unduly jarring.

 

And I say more power to them. After all, who wouldn't want to be an NPC in a superb cRPG?

[Larkaloke]

I'm sure there will be plenty of space for them, especially with two large cities. Think back to Planescape: Torment or Baldur's Gate, and the sheer number of strange or interesting NPCs you would encounter in the cities, in buildings, or wandering around out in the wilderness in the case of Baldur's Gate; many of whom had associated quests or just a fascinating story to tell. I've never made any attempt at counting them in either game, but I wouldn't be surprised if the total number was well over a hundred. I'm not worried.

[Hmm-Hmm.]

To answer the OP's question: Heh, I'd say that in RPGs there's more often a lack of NPCs than a deluge. Lots of places for colourful characters who aren't necessarily big quest npcs. At least, I suppose (hope?) those backer NPCs will be fit into the world like that. Discuss the character with said backer and find a suitable role/location. If done right people won't even know it's a backer-designed character.

[AlphaShard]

I thought they answered this already, that they would be in some quests nothing major but that they were more added in for flavor or scenery additions. They will be great fillers for the Big Cities I am sure.

[Starglider]

I will write a pitch document for my enemy adventuring party design, laying out my concept, suggested implementation and why I think it would be a good addition to the game, Obsidian will decide whether that is something they want to use (even if they do, probably with some adaptation).