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PC as a Father/Mother Figure


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Talk about families got me thinking about the original Witcher. One of the high points in the relationships of that game was the opportunity to be a father figure of sorts to Alvin. It gave the player some opportunities to develop/explore Geralt's personal philosophy. It didn't necessarily turn out well in that case, but the opportunity to be a mentor to a younger party member, as a way to add to the PC's character, has a certain appeal to the lecturer in me.

 

The idea being, the younger party member will be malleable to the PC's teachings. A PC with an evil and ruthless outlook on the world will endow the younger party member with those values, and a good and honorable will do the same.

Edited by Morality Games
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Only if we have ability to kill them..I know devs will work long on companions, but I want them killable, anytime through the game...

 

Sure. Not sure if you mean "kill on sight" or as part of the dynamics of the relationship, a master vs. apprentice sort of thing.

Edited by Morality Games

May Kickstarter be with you and all your stretch goals achieved. 

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As long as the kid can drag my flaming corpse out of harm's way and force a potion down my throat at the last second before I bite it, I'm in favor of this.

Grand Rhetorist of the Obsidian Order

If you appeal to "realism" about a video game feature, you are wrong. Go back and try again.

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Wasn't the Disciple in Kotor 2 an example of this? I've totally forgotten what his story was, so I may be wrong. Anyway... It would be interesting, yeah. Don't let them just blindly copy what you are doing though, they should have a personality of their own. In time they can shift a bit towards your own morals. Clinginess is a thing I want to avoid as well.

Edited by Christliar
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Wasn't the Disciple in Kotor 2 an example of this? I've totally forgotten what his story was, so I may be wrong.

 

You had a bit of that sort of relationship with most of your crewmembers if you decided to train them as jedi (or dark jedi).

 

But yeah, it could be interesting to mentor a character in game. It would serve as a good excuse for you to explain your beliefs on things. I usually find it kind of annoying when dialogue choices are designed to show the motivation behind the choice because often I'm trying to roleplay a terse character who wouldn't waste time pontificating. Having a disciple, however, would give such a character a valid reason to explain their views on things.

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I don't see why not. It would be nice relationship dynamics - through our actions we shape our companion's view of the world. As already mentioned, KotOR had this and isn't this exactly what happened with Viconia and her alignment change?

I'm not sure if a father figure can work out - if we create out character, we can choose for them to be very young themselves. They could still influence others with their strong personality, though.

Edited by Rosveen
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It could work, but it would have to be done well, and could be very easy to get wrong. And this might be just me, but I've always seen PCs as younger figures, more likely to be mentored than to mentor.

`This is just the beginning, Citizens! Today we have boiled a pot who's steam shall be seen across the entire galaxy. The Tea Must Flow, and it shall! The banner of the British Space Empire will be unfurled across a thousand worlds, carried forth by the citizens of Urn, and before them the Tea shall flow like a steaming brown river of shi-*cough*- shimmering moral fibre!` - God Emperor of Didcot by Toby Frost.

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I love the idea!

 

It appeals to me way more than the KotoR notion of having a strong influence on almost every party member. There should be a lot of interaction and dialogue with all members, maybe even a "bonding meter" or some such. But I'd prefer a mixture of very strong personalities on one hand - like e.g. Dak'kon from PST who will stay true to himself no matter what and maybe even influence me more than I can him. And on the other hand there should be one or two weaker personalities, whose outlook on life is not set yet and who (knowingly or unknowingly) are looking towards the player for guidance.

 

This does not necessarily have to be a child. There are endless possibilities: it could be a former cult fanatic who has broken free of the brainwashing... a being from another plane who just tries to understand the rules of this world... some father whose family was killed and who seems commited to revenge but in truth has no idea how he could go on.

 

Or, yes, maybe a child... like the OP mentioned, Alvin from The Witcher was a great character. It would make for some challenging and often hilarious plot to have an immature child of immense power in your party.

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On the other hand, if done well and actually imparting an emotional connection for the player, that same liability could be used to good effect in plot hook(s) for a quest line or two...or even to show just how ruthless and apathetic the main character is, by ignoring said plot hooks/quests...

"If we are alone in the universe, it sure seems like an awful waste of space"

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I had happily repressed the memory of Alvin. The one and only character in The Witcher I truly wanted to feed to a swamp monster before even knowing his later role. If we can't kill kids in this game, at least offer us the option to give them away for adoption.

 

Peasant girl (whose name I can never remember) was a similar figure in NWN2 that you had to play father figure for and it was equally horrible (at least her real father showed up and helped you get rid of her). I really wonder if it is worth the effort to try and write something not cringe worthy into the story?

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“He who joyfully marches to music in rank and file has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would surely suffice.” - Albert Einstein

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If anything having a young lad/lass in a adventuring party going into dangerous combat is a bit gimmicky. directly I see in my mind horrible movie plots. I don't think it fits apart from something limited. to really make this great you need to bring it integrally into the story and I believe we can already say that will not be done.

 

That is said even if I think this is a interesting concept. Even more if the person you affected becomes important later on and what you said and did during the game affects what that person will do then. Would possibly be some fantastic choice and consequence in that case.

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Geralt sort of had an ulterior motive for playing the father figure. *nudge nudge* I certainly wouldn't have done it out of altruism....

 

 

I also observe that due to this thread, I now have had that George Michael song in my head for the past hour or so.

L I E S T R O N G
L I V E W R O N G

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I had happily repressed the memory of Alvin. The one and only character in The Witcher I truly wanted to feed to a swamp monster before even knowing his later role. If we can't kill kids in this game, at least offer us the option to give them away for adoption.

 

Well to be fair you do run him through later. Interesting twist there. As for your PC being a parent, eh, I can't see much use of that unless in the story your progeny or you becomes some sort of leader or key figure.

Why has elegance found so little following? Elegance has the disadvantage that hard work is needed to achieve it and a good education to appreciate it. - Edsger Wybe Dijkstra

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idk, i liked Gorion and his... friend in red robe (forgot his name), and i liked buyin' swords + booze for the kids at Umar Hills

 

i don't hate too much dealing with other kids in games

unless they mock my char just coz they wanna, and are ultimately UNPUNISHABLE for that, plus for all the stupid **** they do sometimes

 

i mean, i'll load the save after i murder them brutally

just gimme at least an option of that relief ))

Edited by kabaliero
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Talk about families got me thinking about the original Witcher. One of the high points in the relationships of that game was the opportunity to be a father figure of sorts to Alvin. It gave the player some opportunities to develop/explore Geralt's personal philosophy. It didn't necessarily turn out well in that case, but the opportunity to be a mentor to a younger party member, as a way to add to the PC's character, has a certain appeal to the lecturer in me.

 

The idea being, the younger party member will be malleable to the PC's teachings. A PC with an evil and ruthless outlook on the world will endow the younger party member with those values, and a good and honorable will do the same.

 

No no no no! Absolutely no children! Sorry but everytime I hear something about children I THINK OF ANAKINWKETJKJGKLj

 

Haha ok, but seriously, it did work well in The Witcher. I was surprised how well, actually. But Alvin was also central to the story, and I think that's (partly) why it worked so well. The other part would be just CD Projekt being general bros and knowing how to handle the subject matter without annoying the **** out of the audience.

 

A teacher-mentor sort of situation sounds more palatable to me personally than parent-child, and it sounds a bit more like what you're describing, but I see what you mean. I can't help but get TOR/SW prequels bad vibes, though. :p

 

It could work, but it would have to be done well, and could be very easy to get wrong. And this might be just me, but I've always seen PCs as younger figures, more likely to be mentored than to mentor.

 

I like your username. ^-^

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i just remembered the "baby" item in Aerie's inventory :lol:

ok, >that< was not a well worked part of the relationship ))

i mean, i lol'd so hard with this whole happy ending in the image of "here's our item--ERR!.. baby..dear.. luv ya!~"

just sacrifice 1 inventory slot and u're fine

 

 

and yes, at least one of my characters would like having a teenage happy dream come true at the end

so YES to character kids, as much as to emo nobreeders. :biggrin:

Edited by kabaliero
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