NWN2 Mod - Starting Conversation Poll

[oldmanpaco]

I was thinking about having an initial (maybe OOC) area where the PC would start the module. In this area there would be someone to talk to and the PC could get certain background feats depending on his answers. Think the beginning of Daggerfall but in conversation form. Always take the Ebony Dagger people - I cannot stress that enough.

There would also be information about the world, either in books or in conversation, that the char would have the option of going over. This would cover things like family, friends, known people, and a short history of the world. Basically anything that the char should have some knowledge before the start of the mod would be available here. This info would also be available in the mod itself.

The other options would be to have all this reveled in game or have the background info available in downloadable document (like a players guide).

 

[Sceptic]

The other options would be to have all this reveled in game

When done well this is the best way to go, by far. A starting conversation (especially if OOC) is like telling the player "this is what you should know, here are the people you should care about. This is how you should play the game. Now EMOTE. FEEL." Let the players themselves develop their own feelings towards the game world and the other characters. Obviously this is harder to do, but ultimately much more satisfying for the player. Now if your mod requires that the player be familiar with the world and characters (and if not knowing anything isn't a major theme at the start a la PST) then you can either provide the bare-bone material out of game (manual-style) or as a wall of text just before the game proper begins. In-game books and information being available in conversations is great if done well, but don't make it an infodump at the very beginning. I think most of us are more likely to develop interest in the setting if the information is provided consistently over time.

 

[oldmanpaco]

The other options would be to have all this reveled in game

When done well this is the best way to go, by far. A starting conversation (especially if OOC) is like telling the player "this is what you should know, here are the people you should care about. This is how you should play the game. Now EMOTE. FEEL." Let the players themselves develop their own feelings towards the game world and the other characters. Obviously this is harder to do, but ultimately much more satisfying for the player. Now if your mod requires that the player be familiar with the world and characters (and if not knowing anything isn't a major theme at the start a la PST) then you can either provide the bare-bone material out of game (manual-style) or as a wall of text just before the game proper begins. In-game books and information being available in conversations is great if done well, but don't make it an infodump at the very beginning. I think most of us are more likely to develop interest in the setting if the information is provided consistently over time.

Quality points. How would you go about getting the background feats determined? In game conversations?

 

[Murk]

Yes, or whenever you actually accomplish something of that nature.

come across a problem and the way you solve it will earn you a background feat appropriate to your method of resolution to said problem.

What kinds of background feats did you have in mind?

 

[Sceptic]

come across a problem and the way you solve it will earn you a background feat appropriate to your method of resolution to said problem.

That's a nice way to do it, but I worry about its effect on replayability. Everyone hates forced tutorials, and the only way I can think of it working is if all the feat-granting choices are in some kind of self-contained obligatory tutorial.

Quality points. How would you go about getting the background feats determined? In game conversations?

Either Mikayel's way (though I've expressed my concern about it), or conversation, or Daggerfall-syle before the game proper. Conversation is tricky to pull off well because it requires specific setups to make it work as a believable conversation. Non-fantasy example: a game that starts with you doing a job interview where how you answer questions determines which feats you have. Something like being questioned for fitness to join a militia/army/mercenaries would work in any setting. I think there are a lot of variations that can work and not come across as cheesy. The Daggerfall approach has the advantage of getting all this over with before you start the game proper, but is the least interesting option.

 

[oldmanpaco]

What kinds of background feats did you have in mind?

I was thinking of adding some mutually exclusive backgrounds that would then be used as checks for certain situations. Basically these would be an indication of what the PC did before the mod. I hadn't really thought about them in detail yet.

Lets say the story involved a PC returning home. Why did they leave in the first place? These might be the options to choose from?

Caravan Guard
Treasure Seeker
Affair with the Mayor's wife

All three are reasons to leave and can be referenced in conversations. The goal would not to make one more or less useful than the other but to add some character to the generally generic backgrounds.

The problem is where do you add those background feats unless it's in an initial selection conversation.

 

[oldmanpaco]

The Daggerfall approach has the advantage of getting all this over with before you start the game proper, but is the least interesting option.

This is what I am currently leaning towards I think but if there is a better non-tutorial based way I would be up for it.

 

[J1M]

It's you're not your.

 

[denizsi]

Think about going through the process, whether it's a char. creation page or form questions or a conversation, dozens of times ie. everytime you start a new game. If it feels like a chore, screw it.

 

[oldmanpaco]

It's you're not your.

My poll my grammar.

 

[hanssolo]

It's you're not your.

your an idiot

 

[oldmanpaco]

General background should be given in the manual.
Background feats should be chosen during char creation.

When I say background I don't mean the standard char creation backgrounds. I am referring to the feats the your character received automatically during the course of the OC. Like Harborman and Kala-Chakra(?). These would tell a story about what happened from levels 1-3 in the chars life.

Starting conversation could be done as "thoughts" of our hero, who kinda narrates who/what he is, why he is here, what he is going to do now. If done right, it will be really cool.

Exactly what I am talking about.

No amnesia. It just doesn't work anymore.

Never even considered it. That's why we need to generate the background story if the char is not starting at level 1.

No NPCs dumping all the general and obvious information about how the world works to a PC. In major cities, there could be guides, who would tell the overdramatical story about said city.

Trying to avoid this as well. Options seem to be a 'manual' or in game books.

Also, information about major areas could be given to the PC in form of a journal entry.
Example: PC enter BG for the first time, he makes note in his journal that he arrived to the Baldur's Gate and that it is a beautiful city.
If his lore skill is high enough, he'll right down a bit of a BG's history, and recall some places of interest like famous tavern, store or museum. The higher the skill, the more info will be revealed.
XP should be given for a passing such check.

That is a quality idea.

Sry 4 my grammar, i'm in hurry.

Your a bad person and should be ashamed of yourself.

 

[oldmanpaco]

General background should be given in the manual.
Background feats should be chosen during char creation.

When I say background I don't mean the standard char creation backgrounds. I am referring to the feats the your character received automatically during the course of the OC. Like Harborman and Kala-Chakra(?). These would tell a story about what happened from levels 1-3 in the chars life.

I would prefer not to use such feats, because it shouldn't be obvious to player which choise he made during the course of the game is important later on. It should be a mystary!

When I say background feats I'm basically referring to things like:

Caravan Guard
Hedge Wizard
Bandit

These would not give any abilities or advantages but might have an effect, either positive or negative, on interactions (not in the first section). The players actions in the module would not have obvious advantages or disadvantages.