Update #73: Narrative Design: A Day in the Life, Companion Goals, and the Undead

[C2B]

http://forums.obsidian.net/topic/65209-reddit-ama-2262014-discussion-thread-c2b-approved/

[Frenetic Pony]

For companions I love the weird and different. I loved Shale in Dragon Age, the living essence of a person transferred into a golem, that hates birds because they poop on "her" like a statue, and likes pounding things, and thinks the crystals she can equip had better look pretty. That's something that it takes a while to wrap my head around, and that's awesome!

 

If they don't take time to understand, and I mean understand in a bizarre circumstances way and not in a "deeply emotional way but are otherwise someone you could meet on the street" then at least make them cute (your dog companion in just about anything, t3-m4 from kotor) or funny (Zevran, HK-47, Minsc). 

[C2B]

Reddit AMA

 

IS ON

[Lephys]

Reddit AMA

 

IS ON

Reddit AMA

 

IS BLOCKED (in my workplace). *saddy face*

[Frenetic Pony]

Reddit AMA

 

IS ON

 

Link?

 

Oh, and regarding NPC relationships: I hate when every last NPC will come to love and respect you. Fortunately this is Obsidian, the boss battle from NWN2 took me by surprise. But still, screw Sand anyway, what a prick. So if there's anyone like him, or a loudmouth self righteous Paladin, please give me a good excuse to beat him to a pulp and fling him off a cliff into a pack of hungry undead.

[Giantevilhead]

Oh great, more anti-undead propaganda. Why do the living always think that the undead are cannibalistic beasts? The undead are not cannibals because frankly, manflesh tastes terrible. Dolphin brains, on the other hand...

[Lephys]

Oh, and regarding NPC relationships: I hate when every last NPC will come to love and respect you. Fortunately this is Obsidian, the boss battle from NWN2 took me by surprise. But still, screw Sand anyway, what a prick. So if there's anyone like him, or a loudmouth self righteous Paladin, please give me a good excuse to beat him to a pulp and fling him off a cliff into a pack of hungry undead.

Seconded. However, they should either come to love/respect you or leave your party (through whatever means... maybe you fight, maybe they join the antagonist, etc.).

 

I hate it when they stick by your side forever and ever, but hate everything you do, ya know? It's like you're BF-effed at that point.

 

Oh great, more anti-undead propaganda. Why do the living always think that the undead are cannibalistic beasts? The undead are not cannibals because frankly, manflesh tastes terrible. Dolphin brains, on the other hand...

Is it truly cannibalism if the living are no longer your "own kind"?

 

Also, now I'm just picturing someone figuring out how to STOP the "continuum" of undeath at the fampyr phase, but failing to reverse it (to actually "live" forever), and coming to terms with it, remaining all civilized and starting a club, etc. Dolphin brains could be like the fampyr version of caviar. I mean, they're both already related to aquatic animals.

Edited February 26, 2014 by Lephys

[JWestfall]

Funny stuff, thank you.  Also interesting stuff about undead, I can easily imagine some intriguing quests/plotlines/characters being driven by those undead mechanics.

[C2B]

 

Reddit AMA

 

IS ON

 

Link?

 

Above.

[Giantevilhead]

When deciding what kind of undead you want to become, make the responsible choice, go for sustainability and pick an undead type that draws ambient energy from the environment or can feed without killing the victim.

 

Anyway, I think the most interesting aspect of the undead is the psychological element. There's a lot that can be done with the changes in senses, perception, priorities, and memories that comes with undeath. They no longer have the same concerns or worries as when they were alive. They can make plans for the long term. They have to have a whole new approach to what they want to remember and focus on. The kinds of petty things that the living do like holding on to grudges or regrets can plague an undead and drive them to madness since their lifespan is much longer and they can easily get lost in their memories and be driven mad.

[Jumble Murdersense]

**** yeah, skeletons.

 

What is incredibly cool about the undead having multiple stages is you could meet characters who appear normal but are actually undead. Perhaps there will be some way that lets clever people discover whom is alive.

 

Imagine someone is murdered during a robbery, protecting their family perhaps. But, they re-animate. Not knowing how to kill this undead person, the robbers take a member of his family hostage to keep the undead person silent. Perhaps if you uncover they are undead and confront them, they'll tell you the whole story and ask for your help. If do not discover this, the quest is missed. Maybe if you come back to their shop much later on they're gone/clearly undead and if you pick up the trails of the quest; you find the kidnapped family member dead somewhere.

[Chief]

I'd be interested to hear, what do all of you think? Not so much specific characterizations, but more, what are the abstract qualities that make you enjoy and remember a companion? (e.g. They made you laugh, they seemed like a real person, their quest was engrossing, etc.)



Most important qualities in companion characters? Well instantly I think straight back to Baldurs Gate 2. The way the companions always had interesting banter. Whether it was between you and them, or them and another NPC/companion. It gave them so much life and I always found myself interested in what they had to say, on what we were doing or just their previous lives etc. The game wasn't always just about what I wanted and they didn't just trail around behind me doing whatever I told them and just fighting. They were just so engaging!!

Love your different take on the undead too btw! Great way to spice them up a little!  

[Gyges]

A genetically gifted giant's thumbs up. I particularly loved the part about the companions dynamic development. The lore was very appreciated too because a factor in bad world bulding is using magic as a cop out for explaining why certain things exist. This, on the other hand was an interesting and satisfactory explanation.

Edited February 26, 2014 by Gyges

[Bryy]

Informative and trying to be funny, you score points for trying, thank you for update.

Video games are serious business.

[Barothmuk]

Great update.

 

I'm curious, is it possible to configure one's class in such a way so you can play as an 'animancer'/necromancer type character?

[UlrichVonBek]

The art is still so awsome ... 

[ManifestedISO]

So alone.

 

Haha, fantastic, well-written update. What, exactly, is a fenster, and how do you make one?

 

My dark paladin is pleased and is now preparing a dank hole to store all manner of disintegrating undead in his quest to rid Defiance Bay of cat druids.   

[AirBreather]

Update by Eric Fenstermaker, Lead Narrative Designer

I'd be interested to hear, what do all of you think? Not so much specific characterizations, but more, what are the abstract qualities that make you enjoy and remember a companion? (e.g. They made you laugh, they seemed like a real person, their quest was engrossing, etc.)

 

Hmm. Great update!

 

Per the general request, a few things come to mind:

 

- Strong personality (of whatever type): a personality core that stays intact and influences the way they DO change, like a visual filter for their evolution - the 'filter' is still there, but the way things are interpreted/act out change (if that makes any sense??).

 

- Depths of personality: hidden depths, some sort of mask/layer that can be uncovered in certain situations. (Obviously this could be overdone, and maybe only makes sense for a particularly 'guarded'/silent/quiet type, or certain overblown/hyperbolic personalities) Some cliched examples would be berserker that really likes art/quiet/peace/talking but does the dumb brute act, the fragile type with a merciless mask, bitter poisoneer with a 'princess' facade, etc. (Can be done with a lot more complexity, I hope/imagine)

 

- Constant reinforcing of the personality through very *small* things, even as simple as regular greetings, catch phrases (maybe! Heh), (changing/evolving) reactions to certain situations. Much more important than a big monologue every hour or so (unless their 'comment' is a grunt, significant silence, etc, that is drawn attention to)!

 

- Granting the *player* able to do *small* things to reinforce the nature of the companion: like pointing out a bush to a druid (for a one-line comment), swords for warrior, certain magical energies for a wizard, etc. The key to these is that they are frequent and very, VERY small - the equilivant of "hey, what about that? Oh really? Cool thanks!" There might be more involved versions of this, such as asking a companion about their take on a certain subject, but these 'small' things are meant to blend as seamlessly into the world as possible. This could include just about anything: first time (or some set number of times) an item is viewed in store/inventory (or used somehow), spells cast/hit, certain areas walked into/specific parts examined, etc. It shows that the companion is not just a silent/trigger/banter machine, but more active in their views in the world and towards you/the player.

 

Hmm. Thats it for the moment...

[Whitefox789]

Great Update!

 

Artwork is awesome as always. I also believed you nailed the perfect motives and life cycles for the Undead.

[Silent Winter]

Nice update - love the undead lore.

Looking forward to Druids in the next one

[Shadenuat]

Are all undead intelligent then, a-la Torment? How will you be able to raise your own with spells, or you won't?

[DRock]

Will the undead be able to spread their 'disease' through biting/scratching others as well?  Oh, and a link to that wrestling robot raptor video would be nice, too.

[Failion]

Sounds interesting. Is undeath connected with same god that spawns death godlikes though I wonder. All this technology and spin on  undeath reminds me of NBC's Dracula. 

[BillyCorgan]

Thanks !

[Godfather101]

Nice Update, but still no more MCA playing arcanum.

Makes me little sad.