[333] Unintuitive behavior when opening containers with multiple party members selected

[Gairnulf]

[Description of the issue]

Trying to open a container with multiple characters selected will send the character that's closest to the container to try to open it.

 

[DETAILED list of steps to reproduce the issue AND what to look for]

Test case:

- Select multiple characters

- Click on a container

Result:

- The character closest to the container goes and opens it.

 

[Expected behaviour]

- The character with the leftmost selected portrait should go and open it.

 

Sorry if it's a known issue.

[Sensuki]

Happens with dialogue as well, should always be the PC.

[Gairnulf]

Like in the IE games - whoever is selected, and if multiple are selected, the topmost (in our case, the leftmost).

[Lychnidos]

That's only unintuitive if you are too deeply seated in the IE games. Dialogue on the other hand should only be initiated by the PC, his stats are the only one that matters after all.

Edited November 2, 2014 by Lychnidos

[Gairnulf]

That's only unintuitive if you are too deeply seated in the IE games. Dialogue on the other hand should only be initiated by the PC, his stats are the only one that matters after all.

I don't feel like arguing over why I think this is the correct behavior to expect. I hope you'll agree it's easier to remember the order of your party'sportraits than calculate which character is closest to the container you are about to click or character you're about to start dialogue with, and do this calculation every time before you click.

 

I also don't agree dialogue should only be initiated by the PC. I don't see why should there be such limitation. It's more work adding the checks where other characters refer to the PC if the conversation requres it, or writing specific dialogue options only available when conversation is started by party members, but otherwise, why not be able to roleplay the rest of the party. The expected behavior should be that whoever was selected should start conversation when clicking on another character, and if more than one was selected, it should be the leftmost character, whether or not the PC is among those selected. Clicking an NPC without the PC being selected and having the PC move and start the conversation is indeed unintuitive.

Edited November 3, 2014 by Gairnulf

[Sensuki]

Like in the IE games - whoever is selected, and if multiple are selected, the topmost (in our case, the leftmost).

It's different in PE though, companions don't speak except in interjections.

[Gairnulf]

I didn't know that. I wish they would speak. When I think about it. i think the differentiation in BGII was when you were speaking to a quest giver or a quest-important character, only then did the game switch to the PC. In the rest of the cases - random NPCs, shops, etc, you could use any character for conversations. It didn't make any difference though which I'm not sure if it's a good thing.