The Adventurer's Hall

[forgottenlor]

So we know there will be an Adventurer's hall where you can create your own party members. We don't know much else about it. What would you like to see in the Adventurer's hall?

 

Here are some ideas.

*I'd like characters created in the hall to be able to choose a personality like in Wizardry 8. Its not like having a companion with a story, but its better than the generic PCs in Icewind Dale.

*I'd hope the adventurer's guild come relatively early in the game, so you don't have to play half the game with a makeshift party.

*I'd love it if the hall is more than a generic building. I'd like it if it played some minor role in the story even if you don't want to make characters there. Maybe there could be some optional side quests there. Maybe they have a cool shop inside or provide useful services.

Edited October 26, 2013 by forgottenlor

[Tuckey]

Well if you could choose a personality what would that look like in the game proper?

 

Not being familiar with Wizardry 8 does that mean choosing a voice set that is sardonic or wise or angry etc ~ you know for the selectable actions (go there, do that, I've just been hit) or are you referring to personality as in a smiley face or frowny face equivalents when the pc performs an action that the npc doesn't like? Maybe the companion performs some approval or disapproval animation in lieu of conversations because that would be absent. Then again adventurers hall characters are mercenaries whose only love is the paycheck alignment not withstanding, although that doesn't mean they won't care about your actions just that it probably would not affect their loyalty.

 

The adventurers guild building itself I hope resembles a viking structure with training yard, alcohol, with adventurers visiting from near and far away spreading tales of adventure. I'd imagine the building itself residing on a hill (more defensible) with various shopkeepers nestled around the guild building providing essential services.

[motorizer]

I'd like the adventurers hall characters to at least make the odd comment about your actions/surroundings even if they are not fully fleshed out characters with a backstory, so yeah, some personality would be nice

 

and I agree it would be nice if  it played a role even if you don't make characters there

[ManifestedISO]

A blackstone tower resembling Orthanc might be too much, but one can dream. 

[Larkaloke]

I do hope it comes relatively early in the game, but I'll be cool with it if it doesn't. Just a longer wait to acquire more party members on those playthroughs where I don't feel like picking up NPCs. I don't much care how it'll look. I'm sure however it ends up looking will fit in better than what I might think of beforehand.

 

*I'd like characters created in the hall to be able to choose a personality like in Wizardry 8. Its not like having a companion with a story, but its better than the generic PCs in Icewind Dale.

That would be quite a bit worse, to me. I mean, if you want a character with a precreated personality you've already got the NPCs that can join up. I'd much rather just be able to create more PCs. I wouldn't have a problem with a preset personality choice being completely optional, of course, but such things rarely are.

[forgottenlor]

Well if you could choose a personality what would that look like in the game proper?

 

Not being familiar with Wizardry 8 does that mean choosing a voice set that is sardonic or wise or angry etc ~ you know for the selectable actions (go there, do that, I've just been hit) or are you referring to personality as in a smiley face or frowny face equivalents when the pc performs an action that the npc doesn't like? Maybe the companion performs some approval or disapproval animation in lieu of conversations because that would be absent. Then again adventurers hall characters are mercenaries whose only love is the paycheck alignment not withstanding, although that doesn't mean they won't care about your actions just that it probably would not affect their loyalty.

 

The adventurers guild building itself I hope resembles a viking structure with training yard, alcohol, with adventurers visiting from near and far away spreading tales of adventure. I'd imagine the building itself residing on a hill (more defensible) with various shopkeepers nestled around the guild building providing essential services.

 

In Wizardry 8 there were amoung others the following "personalities:" friendly, kind, eccentric, loner, chaotic, burly, aggressive, cunning, intellectual. Each had 2 distinct female and 2 distinct male voices. Not only did they chime in at specific commands, but they chimed in at specific places. For example at level ups, at the end of combat, et. and each one distinctly (with their own phrase fitting their personality.) Also very rarely during a major story event they might have something to say fitting to their personality.

 

Here is a video from character creation:

 

Edited October 27, 2013 by forgottenlor

[forgottenlor]

That would be quite a bit worse, to me. I mean, if you want a character with a precreated personality you've already got the NPCs that can join up. I'd much rather just be able to create more PCs. I wouldn't have a problem with a preset personality choice being completely optional, of course, but such things rarely are.

 

 

I just wanted to be clear that these personalities don't have their own stories per say, but still do have something unique, but short to say on specific occasions, which for me is a major improvement over Icewind Dale characters, who have their own distinct voices, but nothing interesting to say and thus come across more or less as puppets (which are fun to dress up at least )

Edited October 27, 2013 by forgottenlor

[Karkarov]

I would be happy if they go the wizardry 8 route.  Having a bunch of mute, personality deprived, stats on paper.... would sort of suck.  That said the power gamers probably love that

[Larkaloke]

I just wanted to be clear that these personalities don't have their own stories per say, but still do have something unique, but short to say on specific occasions, which for me is a major improvement over Icewind Dale characters, who have their own distinct voices, but nothing interesting to say and thus come across more or less as puppets (which are fun to dress up at least )

Well, that's a bit better than I initially thought, but it still is worse than in Icewind Dale for me. The voices in Icewind Dale are generic enough that they don't interfere with any personality that I come up with for the character, but them saying things on their own occasionally as you propose would. I consider added characters (such as the full party in Icewind Dale or Baldur's Gate) to be additional PCs, and so them saying things I don't want them to say annoys me just as much as it would if the only PC you have does it.

 

Again, as a completely optional thing I would not mind it (as I could just not use it), but it would bother me if it were how it had to be. It's somewhat interesting, and if the characters I make have to be saying things I didn't want them to say, I'd rather be able to choose a basic personality, but I'd far rather just not have to deal with that at all. It has nothing to do with powergaming and everything to do with roleplaying.

[Chairchucker]

The premise behind the Wiz8 voices is exactly the same as behind the IWD voices, (or even the BG main character voices) they're just slightly more talkative.

[Pipyui]

Oh!  What if your previous PC incarnations appeared in the adventurer's hall?  They might level as your PC had (without guidance), and perhaps comment on events as is consistent with the choices that PC made in another game.

 

I think it would be best to only have PCs that have completed the campaign appear in the hall (so they can have a personality as I mentioned above).  This way they could be a veteran adventurer (gimped somehow to fit your own experience), and might even make odd quips subtly indicating familiarity with your quests.

[rjshae]

It would be good if the Adventurer Hall personalities could be given some personality, either through the Wizardry 8 approach above or by selecting back stories. However, I don't know that there will be sufficient resources available to develop it. I suspect that most of the writing effort is probably going to be spent on the recruitable characters.

[JFSOCC]

I imagine the adventurer's hall to be like a really big and beautiful high domed building (a bit like the Hagia Sofia) well lit by natural light during the day. And much like a giant council-house hall annex employment agency. With bustling scribes, potential employers, members and a few named NPC's all roaming the hall.

The building dominates a square in the centre of the first big big city you're in. (so probably Defiance)

 

"I'm looking for a" option with one of the named NPC's allows you into character creation. (price set based on what you require, so higher levels mean more cost/upkeep)

and the response will be "I have just what you are looking for"

et voila. you found your employee.

[Amberion]

Every time I think of the adventurer's hall I envision Liza's Place from Dragon Warrior 3. A tavern, busy, with lots of people coming in and out, fine food, good drinks and wheeling and dealing in every booth.

[rjshae]

The Adventurer's Hall could start out in a similar fashion to a Veteran's Hall--a place for war veterans to hang out and trade stories. It naturally acquired a bar and a lounge, then gravitated toward gambling and sparring--often combining the two activities. In time then, the Hall attracted those with a penchant adventure, brawling, and recklessness. The original purpose of the Hall may have faded, but it still possesses many of the old war trophies contributed by the veterans. Some of those old soldiers still linger, providing tips and advice about how to stay alive during battle.

[Fearabbit]

I'd like the custom companions to have no personality at all, apart from a certain type of voice of course. But essentially being able to make a party with characters who don't always bicker and fight with me is the main reason I even want the feature.

 

As for the Adventurer's Hall... I'd love it if it just was some tavern, nothing more. Maybe a well-decorated one, the most popular place in Defiance Bay... but I don't want it to be some fantasy building like the ones proposed here. That sounds artificial and gamey as hell.

I mean it could be a guild of mercenaries or something. But then you only get "guild members" which is kind of limiting. I prefer a simple inn which is well-known and popular and where adventuring types just tend to hang out.

 

I'm also against introducing the Adventurer's Hall as a location via quest, or having it tied into the narrative... look, for me the whole concept is already pretty gamey. Tying it into the game and explaining obvious gameplay mechanics with some handwaved lore would make it even worse.

I would even have preferred it if the whole character creation thing was a game menu, not an actual location. And if they tied it into the world by saying that you hung up posters and a character who fits your description then tracks you down and joins your party. Won't happen, but I'm fine with having a location as well, as long as it doesn't stand out too much and doesn't have a ridiculous lore about how the Adventurers Of Olde built it so that their noble trade gets honored or whatever.

[JFSOCC]

I'd like the custom companions to have no personality at all, apart from a certain type of voice of course. But essentially being able to make a party with characters who don't always bicker and fight with me is the main reason I even want the feature.

I get that.

 

I mean it could be a guild of mercenaries or something. But then you only get "guild members" which is kind of limiting. I prefer a simple inn which is well-known and popular and where adventuring types just tend to hang out.

I dunno, it could be an open guild where hopefuls also tarry.

 

I do actually hope the adventurers hall gets some place in the story. even if it is just a faction you can do some quests for aside from recruiting members,

[Karkarov]

Yeah for the physcial location.... It really should just be like a big tavern or ale house.  Or a barracks like facility with offices that works like the base of a mercenary company or something.  The concept of some big overwrought building with all this elaborate stone work or whatever makes no sense.  It is an adventurers hall, not a museum, a college, or a government building.  When I walk in there I expect to see some rough and tumble ready to roll people who seem capable and good sorts to have in a fight.... not a well dressed clerk with a pile of papers for me to fill out while I sit in a well lit indoor garden. 

[JFSOCC]

Yeah for the physcial location.... It really should just be like a big tavern or ale house.  Or a barracks like facility with offices that works like the base of a mercenary company or something.  The concept of some big overwrought building with all this elaborate stone work or whatever makes no sense.  It is an adventurers hall, not a museum, a college, or a government building.  When I walk in there I expect to see some rough and tumble ready to roll people who seem capable and good sorts to have in a fight.... not a well dressed clerk with a pile of papers for me to fill out while I sit in a well lit indoor garden.

sure that's your interpretation, but I do see it as a college/government building of sorts. I have this national geographic society type idea in my mind. Combine that idea with the idea of an employment agency. The frontier seems a perfect place for such an organisation to thrive. There would be new pioneers joining the colonies every day, looking for work or adventure. and with the colonies largely untamed, there's a wealth of interesting things for which their services might be desired.

 

So yes, I do envision a large overwrought building. One with lots of people going to and fro, business is booming. People are here recruiting for all kinds of work, protecting caravans, skilled labour for frontier towns, cartographers, naturalists, and scientists.

I imagine that the service the player requires from the adventurer's hall (HALL, not tavern) is but a small part of their day to day business.

(but part of their business nonetheless.)

[forgottenlor]

I'd like the custom companions to have no personality at all, apart from a certain type of voice of course. But essentially being able to make a party with characters who don't always bicker and fight with me is the main reason I even want the feature.

I'm also against introducing the Adventurer's Hall as a location via quest, or having it tied into the narrative... look, for me the whole concept is already pretty gamey. Tying it into the game and explaining obvious gameplay mechanics with some handwaved lore would make it even worse.

I would even have preferred it if the whole character creation thing was a game menu, not an actual location. And if they tied it into the world by saying that you hung up posters and a character who fits your description then tracks you down and joins your party. Won't happen, but I'm fine with having a location as well, as long as it doesn't stand out too much and doesn't have a ridiculous lore about how the Adventurers Of Olde built it so that their noble trade gets honored or whatever.

I guess as an old guy I'm kind of nostalgic for the early Might and Magic, SSI AD&D gold box games, and Bard's Tale series, where your party always started off at some kind of inn or adventurer's hall, which you could return to at any time and create a new character.

[motorizer]

I'd like the custom companions to have no personality at all, apart from a certain type of voice of course. But essentially being able to make a party with characters who don't always bicker and fight with me is the main reason I even want the feature.

 

I understand that, but when I said I wanted them to have some personality I didn't mean bickering and fighting with you, I just think the odd comment would go a long way to making it feel like there are actual people following you rather than mindless puppets. the comments could be expressing thoughts about your location or situation..it doesn't need to be an opinion beyond "it's dark in here" or "I've got a bad feeling about this" or similar comments

 

I know for a fact I will never use them if they are just silent PCs

I'll have a PC, I don't want 5 more.

 

Not too bothered about this though really, just my thoughts on the matter.

Edited October 28, 2013 by motorizer

[Lephys]

Maybe they could all just act out their comments without speaking, like Mario in Super Mario RPG.

[Barothmuk]

Those advocating personalities for the custom companions are completely missing the point of their existence.

 

Custom companions allows the player to have complete freedom in determining their thoughts, histories, personalities and so on. Those who wish to have more 'defined' companions or companions with personalities will be able to recruit the companions crafted by Obsidian.

[Lephys]

Those advocating personalities for the custom companions are completely missing the point of their existence.

 

Custom companions allows the player to have complete freedom in determining their thoughts, histories, personalities and so on. Those who wish to have more 'defined' companions or companions with personalities will be able to recruit the companions crafted by Obsidian.

I believe you misunderstand. They're simply advocating the complete freedom to craft some modicum of personality for the "custom companion" for whom you've hand-crafted everything else. As opposed to "They just are silent robots who never do anything but fight and get controlled by you," and certainly "They are super customizable, except that they come with pre-defined personalities just like the regular companions that you have no control over."

[forgottenlor]

Those advocating personalities for the custom companions are completely missing the point of their existence.

 

Custom companions allows the player to have complete freedom in determining their thoughts, histories, personalities and so on. Those who wish to have more 'defined' companions or companions with personalities will be able to recruit the companions crafted by Obsidian.

I completely disagree. Lephis is correct. I don't just want to play out their personalities in my head or write it somewhere that I can click on occasionally. I would like it if I can completly design a companion, including a personality which actually manifests itself in the game.