Direction of expansion?

[Psychonaut]

So now that we know for sure that expansions are in the works, the biggest question I have is how will it/they relate to the existing story?  Will it be a continuation of the original plot like Throne of Bhaal for Baldur's Gate 2, or a tangential kind that doesn't impact that original story at all like the BG1 and Icewind Dale expansions?

 

Personally, I think a continuation would be more rewarding, but there would have to be some fairly intricate narrative gymnastics to account for player choices.  And of course, just invalidating or ignoring those choices to facilitate expansion, as some games do, is a pretty cheap copout that I hope Obsidian avoids.  The tangential path is certainly a lot easier to accomplish under the circumstances, but there is kind of the same issue there too.  Do player choices in expansion land exist in a vacuum?  Does the main quest continue on exactly as it would if you had never interacted with the new content?  That too can take away from the experience in a significant way.

 

Reactivity is a heavy burden to carry for a game developer, but I'm sure if anyone's up to the task it's Obsidian.