Dragon Age: Inquisition Pre-Release Thread

[Delterius]

The original Dragon Age had more prolific C&C than Baldur's Gate. No branching though.

 

[set]

That sounds very nostalgic. In actuality BG2 choices were as "Cosmetic" as in Dragon Age. It is a hallmark of Bioware writing.

That sounds like bias to me as well. In actuality, BG2 choices are far more meaningful than those in Dragon Age.

I've played BG2 numerous times over the years. It's not nostalgia. It holds up as a game. If you want to say it's less reactive, less fun than DA or something, then you'll need to provide some concrete evidence. I've extensively replayed DA and DA2 as well, so I know how mediocre/awful they are in comparison.

 

[Roguey]

I am not.

Have you forgotten that KOTOR suffered from "word counts" that were imposed at BioWare after they were shocked by the amount of text in BG2? FFS, you posted about that yourself!

Yeah, and Gaider said they relaxed those word counts after they realized the story they were writing was no good.

The companions in KOTOR said a lot more things than the ones in BG2.

 

[hoverdog]

the non-fully voiced RPGs of the past.

I think you forgot to list some of these. You can start with the Infinity Engine games.

I don't have any numbers but no one can seriously claim that the dialogue in BG, BG2, IWD, and IWD2 comes anywhere close to the amount of dialogue in even Knights of the Old Republic. Torment was always an outlier.

Icewind Dales? Probably not. Baldur's Gates? Definitely.

 

[Roguey]

Icewind Dales? Probably not. Baldur's Gates? Definitely.

Definitely not 1. Lukas Kristjanson said that Jaheira alone in 2 had more dialogue than all the BG companions combined (because of the romance).

 

[Edward_R_Murrow]

The most important of your choices in BG2? Siding with Bodhi or Bayle does the exact same thing.

They lead to the same outcome (hitching a ride to Brynnlaw), but each path has significant, unique content in that each faction caps off Chapter 3 with a different dungeon...the raid on the opposing guild's base of operations. It's a lot more significant than DA:O in which players would go through the exact same content for ~99% of the questline, only choosing a unique boss fight at the very end of the area (most notable in the Deep Roads as well as the place where the party tries to pick up Andraste's ashes).

 

[Dreaad]

Icewind Dales? Probably not. Baldur's Gates? Definitely.

Definitely not 1. Lukas Kristjanson said that Jaheira alone in 2 had more dialogue than all the BG companions combined (because of the romance).

Ah god don't remind me. Blah blah khalid.... blah blah harpers.... blah blah bahl spawn.... blah blah salt and vinegar. "Nature could find a voice here if it were properly blah blah blah..." At least arie provided comic relief with that rapist evil dwarf who attacks her.

 

[Morality Games]

The most important of your choices in BG2? Siding with Bodhi or Bayle does the exact same thing.

They lead to the same outcome (hitching a ride to Brynnlaw), but each path has significant, unique content in that each faction caps off Chapter 3 with a different dungeon...the raid on the opposing guild's base of operations. It's a lot more significant than DA:O in which players would go through the exact same content for ~99% of the questline, only choosing a unique boss fight at the very end of the area (most notable in the Deep Roads as well as the place where the party tries to pick up Andraste's ashes).

That's one positive way to look at it. I can argue that destroying or Using a pinch of the ashes actually affects the story as it decides the fate of the companions and meddles with the important plot points. Helping the were wolves or Elves (or ending the curse) leads to different groups assisting you in the final battle. Helping one or the other side in the Dwarven conflict decides what political stance Orzammar takes.

The point is, that in either case, the choices are cosmetic in that they do not really change the gameplay or the story significantly in the game. Their effects are either in the background or at the end-power point slide.

What I was trying to motivate was that bioware never really wrote in any serious choice and consequence that changed the story significantly. Now granted that the cosmetic choices in BG2 actually give you tangible content in the form of dungeons, but then Combat (at least in my opinion) was never a superlative aspect of IE games.

That partly because of the way the popular PnP campaign settings work in the cRPG market. Crazy stuff can happen, but ultimately it has to set the world state back to 0. The Forgotten Realms is a story generator. The player can only affect the way the story is told, not the setting itself.

Mass Effect and Dragon Age were supposed to change that, but the save file transfer system became a game of hot potato. The consequences kept get pushed back and never materialized.

 

[Morality Games]

That partly because of the way the popular PnP campaign settings work in the cRPG market. Crazy stuff can happen, but ultimately it has to set the world state back to 0. The Forgotten Realms is a story generator. The player can only affect the way the story is told, not the setting itself.

Mass Effect and Dragon Age were supposed to change that, but the save file transfer system became a game of hot potato. The consequences kept get pushed back and never materialized.

Mask of the Betrayer.

... did what it could, but the plot backed down hard from the stated goal of bringing down the Wall of the Faithless (which is sad considering the 4e unceremoniously did away with the Wall of the Faithless anyway) to preserve the integrity of the setting.

The most significant setting altering choices you made were destroying/recruiting a "bear god" and saving/destroying/leaving alone a magic talking tree that was important to the local witches. "Bear gods" are a dime a dozen in Rashemen and the magic tree blends in with innumerable unstated precious things the witches venerate and protect. Both characters were invented for the game and are PnP quest fodder.

 

[Azrael the cat]

Icewind Dales? Probably not. Baldur's Gates? Definitely.

Definitely not 1. Lukas Kristjanson said that Jaheira alone in 2 had more dialogue than all the BG companions combined (because of the romance).

Ah god don't remind me. Blah blah khalid.... blah blah harpers.... blah blah bahl spawn.... blah blah salt and vinegar. "Nature could find a voice here if it were properly blah blah blah..." At least arie provided comic relief with that rapist evil dwarf who attacks her.

Alll the romances would have been significantly better if you had an option to say: 'SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP WILL YOU STOP FUCKING MOANING I HAD MY GODDAMN SOUL RIPPED OUT AND DO YOU SEE ME COMPLAIN ALL THE FUCKING TIME LIKE THAT???'

 

[Morality Games]

... did what it could, but the plot backed down hard from the stated goal of bringing down the Wall of the Faithless (which is sad considering the 4e unceremoniously did away with the Wall of the Faithless anyway) to preserve the integrity of the setting.

The most significant setting altering choices you made were destroying/recruiting a "bear god" and saving/destroying/leaving alone a magic talking tree that was important to the local witches. "Bear gods" are a dime a dozen in Rashemen and the magic tree blends in with innumerable unstated precious things the witches venerate and protect. Both characters were invented for the game and are PnP fodder.

You can destroy the Coven of Nighthags. They are practically the unique storage of dream knowledge of FR.
You can destroy a GOD.
You can either strengthen the Crusade against the wall or weaken it.

(1) same principle governing the tree and the bear is also applicable to the Night Hags. The nature of Planescape makes it so there can be hundreds or thousands of unique things across the multiverse Night Hags are involved with. Considering the sheer scope of the Planes, destroying them is basically like bringing down the local neighborhood drug lord. Someone else will just take their place, and they blend into the background.

(2) one of the things that made the Dead Three so alluring as plot devices in the D&D cRPG meta series is that they are all already dead. The Bhaalspawn saga just ends with Bhaal being "extra dead." The same can happen with Myrkul in Mask of the Betrayer. Doesn't matter, because they have almost no influence over events. Big faces, but they too blend into the background.

(3) which blends into the background along with every other decision you make. A true consequence is bringing down the Wall or utterly crushing the Crusade for all time, not same hazy combination where "anything could happen" later depending on the needs of the setting.

 

[Morality Games]

(1) same principle governing the tree and the bear is also applicable to the Night Hags. The nature of Planescape makes it so there can be hundreds or thousands of unique things across the multiverse Night Hags are involved with. Considering the sheer scope of the Planes, destroying them is basically like bringing down the local neighborhood drug lord. Someone else will just take their place, and they blend into the background.

(2) one of the things that made the Dead Three so alluring as plot devices in the D&D cRPG meta series is that they are all already dead. The Bhaalspawn saga just ends with Bhaal being "extra dead." The same happens with Myrkul in Mask of the Betrayer. Big faces, but they too blend into the background.

(3) which blends into the setting along with every other decision you make. A true consequence is bringing down the Wall or utterly crushing the Crusade for all time, not same hazy combination where "anything could happen" later depending on the needs of the setting.

You are really hard to satisfy. By these standards if I were to recite the tale of Job or of Sodm and Gomorrah, you would be claiming that that's just one city and one man and that God has to contend with a million. FR is indeed a huge realm and things more or less of equal importance as those in MoTB do happen there. The significance of any single one is always self contained and contextual. In this regard, the game does an admirable job of actually developing a story that is both cosmic (as far as the Crystal sphere is concerned) and still relevant to the protagonist. I think that adequately qualifies as FR affecting. Now if you still thing that this is not satisfactory I would conclude that we just have very different ideas of what constitutes a good story.

In debate. Mask of the Betrayer definitely satisfies me. But we're arguing at cross purposes, anyway. The "argument" we're having is more of an excuse to share thoughts.

PnP settings are story generators. Generated stories only work if they don't threaten the mechanisms that create them. Otherwise the entire logic of the system breaks down.

Mask of the Betrayer is a quality story with a great deal of effectively implemented "C&C" with regards to the destinies of its generated characters and institutions, but the only events that are allowed to truly shape the face of PnP settings are company supervised ones carried out in setting books and novels, like The Time of Troubles, the Iron crisis in Baldur's Gate, and the plague in Neverwinter. Such events sometimes bleed into generated stories (that is after all the point).

In the great scheme of things, Akachi was basically a serial arsonist. His crimes fit a certain profile (devouring spirits) and he terrorized a community that was dependent on them off and on for centuries. Not pleasant, but never enough that his presence or absence altered the course of history in any decisive way. Whether he is driven out, imprisoned, or cured, it doesn't affect events in the Planes or even the Forgotten Realms on a grand enough scale to alter the history of Rashemen. In terms of bringing down or preserving the Wall of the Faithless, the player character and his/her Crusade can be listed as Cause #982, one of innumerable tiny reasons that go into long term processes like the fall of the Roman Empire. If the Wall falls in later editions or stays up, the player can think back to Mask of the Betrayer and appreciate their alter-ego's involvement with the process, but they can't claim to be more than reason #982.

The thing is when there are 1000 reasons why something happens instead of just one or two, then it all blends together.

I suppose I would happily concede that Mask of the Betrayer is good at micro-level choice and consequence.

 

[Chaotic_Heretic]

Also Spirit eater feats are p. Cool during all the shit the PC goes through.

What do you get in terms of gameplay for being a gay warden? Yeah gay romances.

 

[Infinitron]

This thread has been Shrek'd

Yeah, and Gaider said they relaxed those word counts after they realized the story they were writing was no good.

The companions in KOTOR said a lot more things than the ones in BG2.

Companions != dialogue

Both Baldur's Gate games have a shitload of blabbermouth fluff NPCs strewn throughout the world.

 

[Cyberarmy]

The companions in KOTOR said a lot more things than the ones in BG2.

Jan Jansen disagrees...

Spoiler

• [When HP falls to 0] Don't... Forget... To Raise... Me....
• There goes a truly evil man. Uncle Scratchy looks like a saint compared to him.
• You know, this reminds me of that time, wa-a-a-ay back...
• I'll do it, for a turnip.
• [on a critical hit] Take that, turnip-hatin' scum!
• Beware! Your knees are mine!
• (burps) Pardon, turnip reflex.
• I can't! I'm allergic! Well, all right, I'm not that allergic...
• I think we make a fine partnership, like Drizzt and Wulfgar! Elminster and Volo! Heh, we should go into the mobile vegetable peddling business together!
• Well, there's a lesson in there somewhere, I suppose. Never whip a sick ogre? Never tell someone twice your size to pick something up? Never boss someone around unless you can run faster than they can? Aha! If you're going to hire ogres, give them sick days and benefits or they will kill you. Yes... that about sums it up, I think.
• Whooo... all this talk of Umar brings back memories, let me tell you! My great-great-cousin One-Knee was one of the adventurers that hunted the Great Witch of the Hills a long time ago. Said she had a fondness for little children and that her house was made out of chocolate candy, of all things. Personally, a house made of turnips sounds much more appealing, but One-Knee stated decisively that the house was delicious, nevertheless. According to his stories, the witch was dead... something about getting shoved in an oven... but then Grammy Jansen said that One-Knee was pretty delusional, so who knows?
• [in Hell] Whoa! This place looks just like... it reminds me of.. this is just like that time I... hm. I don't think anything like this has ever happened to me before...
• [before the final battle] Some villains refuse to die. Kill 'em once, kill 'em twice, they just keep coming back. It's just like a bad play. Here's hoping for a decent ending...
• [after being resurrected with Keldorn in the party] Greetings, everyone. Sorry, no gifts or souvenirs this time but I'll keep you all in mind the next time I'm gone. Oh, Keldorn: the gods say 'hi' and that you should wash your underwear more thoroughly. Everyone ready? Let's go adventuring.
• Oh, yes indeed. It reminds me of my Cousin, Tyllie Fleetknees, and the garden she had at the foot of a dryad tree in the Forest of Wyrms. I tell you, she went up expecting well-aerated soil and did she get a surprise? Oh yes indeed! Why, I remember it like it was burned into my memory with a flaming stick, which was very close to the truth actually...
• Well, there goes the wizard with a body in tow. Not the sort of thing you see every day unless you happen to be living with a necromancer. I did, once, when I was working for Golodon. He used to come into the tower every second day with a body over his shoulder. I would look at him all suspicious-like and ask him where he found it, and he would just shrug and say vaguely, "oh... around". It took me a while, but eventually I decided Golodon wasn't being entirely above-board with me on the body issue. Since then, I've never trusted a wizard with more arms and legs than he was born with... unless he's been polymorphed, of course, but even then it's usually wisest to keep your distance.
• [after sunset] I've had this little problem ever since I was a wee gnome. When it gets dark, everybody glows red. Frightens a child something fierce...

Random Kid: You're a gnome, aren't you? My momma says that gnomes are good for nothing other than decorating the grounds.
Jan: Actually, young one, I have an Uncle Witherjar who decorates grounds professionally. He has become known all across his hometown as the Garden Gnome, and I understand he makes quite the fair living at it. I don't know if I would like to work all those hours during the day, as Uncle Witherjar does, so I think I would have to turn down your mother's suggestion. I could always refer her to my Uncle, I suppose, although it is such a far way. He wants to spread his work amongst all the gnomes, but I don't think he's made much headway, yet. If your mother would rather decorate her kitchen, I suppose I could give it a whirl even if I haven't got the Witherjar touch.
Kid: Huh?
When the Protagonist is asking for advise from the party about the decision to achieve godhood or reject it.
Jan: Well, you know, it's funny that this situation should come up. It's not something that I like to think about much, but I spent a whole year as a god back in '03. Oh, I know what you're thinking... why only a year? It's a touching and involved tale, but I'm happy to shed some light on it if it helps with your predicament.
Protagonist: This I've got to hear.
Jan: It's nice to hear you eager, for once. It's not every day that a gnome finds himself in the middle of the Abyss fighting an avatar and talking to a solar, you know. I haven't done that for at least a year, now... although to be honest, the last time was only in the company of Aunt Patty and we all know what a puchover her Larry was... and it's nice to see that my tribulations in this party are recognized.
Jan: Anyway, it was during the Time of Troubles that I'd run afoul of some Banite cultists who accidentally mistook me for Bane's earthly avatar. Don't ask. Maybe they didn't have a picture I wasn't sure what to think, myself, and resolved to spend more attention towards my breath in the future. It wasn't long before I was worshipped by thousands on a regular basis. They made good stew and the constant chanting wasn't unpleasant, so I decided to play along. No one grows turnips under threat of eternal torment quite as well as a Dreadmaster, and I'll stand by that statement to this day.
Jan: Well, it wasn't long before the whole Time of Troubles thing was over and suddenly little old worshipped me found myself up in the heavenes before the Overfather, Himself. Seems they were short of death gods at the time, and it didn't seem like such a big gig, so I took him up on his offer. Plus, the dental plan was extraordinary.
Jan: Being a god isn't what you'd expect, though, Sune was all over me from day one...I hear she developed a thing for turnips about a decade ago. She just wouldn't leave me along! There were parties at all hours of the night. Lliira would get plastereed and fall into the tiny pond and eventually Torm would start a brawl with somebody. Did you know what it's like to have Helm pounding on your door at three in the morning? I could never get any sleep at all. If it wasn't one thing it was getting slapped by Umberlee or hit on by Loviatar. All night long...and in the morning, all the gods would be in a foul mood. Terrible.
I couldn't find anything good about the experience at all. No wonder Ao kicked them all out. He probably had to catch up on his housekeeping, of all things. Well, after all of that I was more than happy to let Cyric have the job, eager puppy that he was. Left it behind me for a turnip farm and a nice pension, and gladly...although I eventually traded the pension for some stock in a spelljammer trading cruiser, which was a bad decision but all us mortals arn't immune to that, of course. Lost the farm, too, in a game of checkers to Uncle Fibbert. But that turned out all right, as the turnips got a bad root that year and Uncle Fubbert died of too much intestinal gas. Poor man.
Jan: Anyhow, I hope all my experience has been of some help. Ummm... feel free to accept others opinions. Ummm... no need to stare, now. Move on, move on.
Conversations started by Jan
Jan: Korgy old pal, have I ever told you how much you remind me of my uncle, Uriah Twin-Hammers?
Korgan: Watch yer step, gnome. If ye make me angry, I’ll bury the head of me axe so far up yer backside yer breath will smell like magic metal!
Jan: That’s exactly the kind of thing Twin-Hammers would say. He was a ruthless, savage, bloodthirsty outlaw who would kill anyone or anything that got in his way. He used to repeatedly terrorize a certain gnomish village he frequently wandered through in his neverending quest for profit and bloodshed.
Korgan: A man after me own black heart! Carry on, gnome ... ye got me blood stirrin’!
Jan: Of course, all good things come to an end. Fed up with Uriah’s antics, the village hired a hero to protect them and enforce the law - the legendary Clint Hackman (so named for his habit of chopping his foes to little bits). With the townsfolk peering from their windows the outlaw and the famous lawman stared each other down in the center of the dusty, deserted street. Cold as ice, Uriah said: ‘I’ve killed women and children. I’ve killed everything that walks or crawls on this earth. And now I’m here to kill you.’ Alas, Uriah met his end on that street. With his first blow he broke his hammer on Hackman’s shield, and that was it. Weaponless, he wasn’t much of a match for the mighty Clint. If my uncle had only been named Two-Hammer because he carried two weapons he still might be alive today. But Uriah got his nickname for the mighty hammer he carried in his belt and the even mightier ... uh, ‘hammer’ he had *beneath* his belt, if you get my drift. A fine instrument to have, but not much good in a fight.
Korgan: HAR! HAR! HAR! ‘Tis a good thing ye know yer audience, gnome ... me axe stays in me belt.
Jan:That wasn’t the first time I met a god.
Minsc: Tiny has met a god before this?
Jan: It was Oghma, the god of knowledge. Although I can’t say I really met him. I suppose, as he was drunk, and fast asleep in cousin Roffer’s back lawn. Or perhaps I should say On cousin Roffer’s back lawn… he was a giant of an avatar, sprawled out and snoring. I wonder how how you get a god drunk?
Protagonist: I truly doubt that happened, Jan.
Jan: But it’s true! Someone had drawn a moustache on him and yanked his underwear clear up to his shoulderblades. No idea who, but all I can think is that it must have been one hell of a party. But if you won’t believe me… well, as much as it hurts poor old Jan I suppose there’s nothing I can do about it. (sniff) Poor Jan Jansen, he’s such a liar. (boo hoo!)
Jan: Minsc! Look out behind you!
Minsc: Where? He who sneaks on Minsc loses teeth!
Jan: C'mon Boo! Quickly, come to Jan!
Minsc: Stop it! Boo is not for you, tiny! You'll hurt him!
Jan: He likes me. Gnomes are far cuddlier than oafish humans.
Minsc: No, I know what is best when talking of Boo. If you could hear his wishes, you would agree, but you cannot. The words of Boo are for Minsc alone.
Jan: You can't fault a fellow for trying.
Minsc: I can and will. And another thing; no more sneaking Boo crackers! He is getting rather portly, and the crumbs make for an itchy bedroll.
Jan: Ah, Minsc! 'Tis truly a beautiful day, no?
Minsc: Weather is nice, maybe.
Jan: It is day to get out into the world, breathe in the fresh air.
Minsc: (grunt)
Jan: Too bad, though...
Minsc: What is too bad?
Jan: It's too bad that I won't live to enjoy it.
Minsc: What do you mean?
Jan: Hadn't you heard, old friend. I've got the Calimshan Itch. Alas, poor Jan! (sob, sob)
Minsc: An itch? Can you not scratch it?
Jan: Only death will cure this itch. I shall not live out this day. Oh, terrible powers of the heavens! Why will you let me die without granting me a final wish? Cruel, cruel fate!
Minsc: What can Minsc do to help? A tragedy, this is! I will slay those that need slaying!
Jan: I do have one final wish...no, no. I do not wish to burden my companions with my death. My teensy-weensy wish is unimportant. Travel on, good Minsc. Carry the torch and so forth.
Minsc: It is only fair, big-nosed little one. We will do all that we can to aid you.
Jan: Truly, it is a small thing. As a child I had a pet hamster, named Spanky. Those were the only pure days in my life. Every day was perfection. Oh, the pain! If I could just hold a hamster while I die, perhaps I could capture the innocence of my youth and die a happy gnome.
Minsc: You will not steal Boo from me! I know your tricks!
Jan: Tis no trick, (cough, cough). Nevertheless, you are correct about one thing, my oafish friend. I do not deserve happiness. Please, leave me to my excruciatingly painful death. I am close now... Spanky I miss you!
Minsc: Boo shall comfort the little dying gnome for a moment. Only a moment!
Jan: Ah, thank you, Minsc. May I have a moment alone?
Minsc: Alone? No, I draw the line... hey! Stand still! I warn you!
Jan: At last Boo is mine! I cannot believe this stupid trick worked. Come, noble hamster, a life of frivolity awaits.
Minsc: I'll throttle with your own arms if you do not return him this instant! This is no longer amusing! It was never amusing! I am not laughing!
Jan: Alright, alright. It was only a jest, Minscy. I meant no harm.
Minsc: That's right, you apologize! It's hard enough keeping Boo's roaming in check without you stealing him. Bad Jan! There will be a booting if this happens again!
Jan: So Viconia, I suppose you must be a drow, eh?
Viconia: Speak not to your betters, surface slave.
Jan: My brother, Elgar Buttercup, had skin the shade of charcoal, too. Well, technically it WAS charcoal. He died in a nasty fire, you see.
Viconia: You do love the sound of your own voice, don't you gnome?
Jan: My own voice? Heartless wench! Do you not know? I am deaf. I have never heard the sound of my own voice. I read lips... (sob)... only lips...
Viconia: Deaf? Truly? In the Underdark the deaf are killed or used in pain threshold experiments.
Jan: I heard that! In fact, it reminds me of the time I was eaten by an avatar of Lolth. I was stuck inside her stomach with a miserable drow called Biffle Chump for days. Of course, I was forced to eat him. A matter of survival, you understand. Nothing personal. He tasted a bit like chicken.
Viconia: [to Protagonist] How is it that you travel with such a wee buffoon?
Protagonist: Truthfully, it all goes back to the time that Jan's cousin, Plooty Paladin-piper, got caught in a nasty flesh golem eating contest...
Jan: Aye, Plooty had a way of attracting golems. Brilliant, really. You start with a saucer of milk - golems are suckers for milk...
Viconia: I refuse to listen to this.
Jan: You know, Binky, I have been considering this plan of yours that you had with the Iron Throne and all that. Interesting ideas... but flawed.
Sarevok: Binky? You had best not be addressing me, gnome.
Jan: For instance, whose idea was it to put impurities in the iron? Sounds like the lame idea of some yes-man underling who didn't know when to quit. No doubt you had him flogged.
Sarevok: I will not have my past commented upon by the likes of you, churl. Quiet yourself, lest that you experience more than mere flogging.
Jan: Speaking of a good flog, I'm brought to mind of poor Auntie Sara. She, too, had a master plan to take over the Sword Coast, you know. Although hers was considerably less dramatic and involved the use of some tasty recipes for a turnip pie and some mind-altering herbs that Auntie Sara had bought from a rather disreputable Turmish mage.
Sarevok: Are you listening of *nothing* I say?! Desist or suffer the consequences!
Jan: Do you think she would listen to us? You can trust a Turmish mage about as far as you can kick him... and even then it's not a bad idea to carry a good thumping stick. But, alas, Auntie Sara just cackled in her most villain-like way and was determined to carry on with her plan to hypnotize the Sword Coast. Alas, she was compeletely undone by an over-the-top exposition she gave to a spy she had captured... and who subsequently escaped, of course, before she could have him killed. It's what villains do, I understand, when they're not busy defiling iron.
Sarevok: I will not be mocked, gnome! This is your last warning!
Jan: Of course, they say that Duke Eltan had already had a bit of Auntie's pie and enjoyed it immensely. Rather than becoming hypnotized, he just became rather pleasantly obsessed with silken undergarments. This, of course, led to the first Great Underwear Shortage. It's also known as the Three-Year Wedgie Drought, but that's another story completely.
Sarevok: AUUUUGHHH!! How maddening! How can you put up with such impudence, <Protagonist>?!
Jan: Ah, the smell of adventure is nigh! Or is that ale spilled on the floor? You know, come to think of it, there's not too much difference between the two. One usually follows the other, if you take my meaning. Unless you happen to be Uncle Prebar, who took a milk bath both before and after an adventure. Ahhhhh, poor Uncle Prebar. If it weren't for those baths, he might still be with us.
Nalia: I almost hate to ask this... what, exactly, is wrong with milk baths?
Jan: Well, nothing... unless you happen to be attempting to sneak through a dungeon filled with hobgoblins and you have a few dozen cats noisily following the smell of sour milk and meowing all the time. Tsk. Well, at least the smell prevented them from eating him. The hobgoblins, I mean, not the cats.
Jan: Well, mageling, how goes the battle against all that is right and good in this world?
Edwin: (It would surely go better without annoying gnomes asking questions) Question not my designs, else you, too, will become an unwilling part of them.
Jan: I sometimes believe that it is my destiny to become part of some incompetant mages fizzled schemes. Golodon the Unmanned being a case in point. You, too, I suppose.
Edwin: I am to be continually plagued by fools? Conversation with you does not rate highly on my list of things to accomplish. Run along, now. (Yes, that will do.)
Jan: Truth be told, I feel a bit sorry for you. It must be frustrating to see your entire life's goals amount to absolutely nothing.
Edwin: What do you know of my goals, gnome?
Jan: If you say so. Let me know when it's time to bow. I might not notice it.
Jan: You know, Jaheira, in all our travels, your smile has eluded me.
Jaheira: Oh come now. Certainly I reserve my emotions for matters of great import but...
Jan: That is the thing. Perhaps I have moved you on occasion, but any fleeting glimmer of a smile is gone before it properly lights the room.
Jaheira: Well, have you a relative that might remedy the situation?
Jan: Eh, perhaps illustating the horror of unappreciated storytelling? Well. I had an Uncle Richard that tried to bring nude theater to a festival in Waterdeep...
Jan: Exposure is usually good for an actor's career, but even so, a cold reception for the play caused the cast to shrink steadily. Blackballed, my uncle tried to recruit from the thieves' guild, but they wouldn't let their nick-ers go.
Jan: 'Just bare with me,' he would say, but they were afraid of being stripped of their dignity. He gave up the lead to attract new members, and eventually the production's genius was uncovered, even with his part left out.
Jaheira: Ah...
Jan: Verdict?
Jaheira: Not... one of your best. (snicker)
Jan: They can't all take the brass ring.
Jaheira: Keep trying?
Jan: I will if you will, my dear.

And this is without his quest lines.

 

[Commissar Draco]

What they tear apart the wall of faithless? How the planes will turn now if mortals will live without the Consequences to their life Choices? Gods damned Librul scum. Also getting rid of Blackguards and making Paladins generic. 4th Edition went full

 

[Roguey]

Both Baldur's Gate games have a shitload of blabbermouth fluff NPCs strewn throughout the world.

Not particularly, and KOTOR also had these.

 

[Chaotic_Heretic]

What they tear apart the wall of faithless? How the planes will turn now if mortals will live without the Consequences to their life Choices? Gods damned Librul scum. Also getting rid of Blackguards and making Paladins generic. 4th Edition went full

Also everyone is basically a reskinned mage....With healing surges!!

 

[J_C]

Time to put Roguey's bullshit to rest:

In his presentation at the Framework conference in Melbourne on April 23, Gaider revealed exactly how many words have appeared in the Bioware RPGs he’s worked on, including the upcoming Dragon Age: Origins.

Baldur’s Gate II (2000) – 1,200,000 words
Neverwinter Nights (2002) – 200,000 words
NWN: Shadows of Undrentide (2003) – 200,000 words
NWN: Hordes of the Underdark (2003) – 200,000 words
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (2003) – 600,000 words
Dragon Age: Origins (2009) – 900,000 words

How do you even come up ideas like this? Did you even play BG2? There is an enourmous ammount of text in it, and you compare it to FAllout 3/NV?

 

[Roguey]

Time to put Roguey's bullshit to rest:

In his presentation at the Framework conference in Melbourne on April 23, Gaider revealed exactly how many words have appeared in the Bioware RPGs he’s worked on, including the upcoming Dragon Age: Origins.

Baldur’s Gate II (2000) – 1,200,000 words
Neverwinter Nights (2002) – 200,000 words
NWN: Shadows of Undrentide (2003) – 200,000 words
NWN: Hordes of the Underdark (2003) – 200,000 words
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (2003) – 600,000 words
Dragon Age: Origins (2009) – 900,000 words

How do you even come up ideas like this? Did you even play BG2? There is an enourmous ammount of text in it, and you compare it to FAllout 3/NV?

The majority of those words are in item and spell descriptions, and copy-pasted Forgotten Realms lore. I'm talking solely about dialogue. Try again.

Also note that it's New Vegas that has the world record for most dialogue lines in a RPG, not BG2 or even Torment.

 

[Delterius]

I'm sure you can quote some numbers yourself Roguey. They are probably on your bookmark page 72 of the year 2010.

 

[Rake]

Time to put Roguey's bullshit to rest:

In his presentation at the Framework conference in Melbourne on April 23, Gaider revealed exactly how many words have appeared in the Bioware RPGs he’s worked on, including the upcoming Dragon Age: Origins.

Baldur’s Gate II (2000) – 1,200,000 words
Neverwinter Nights (2002) – 200,000 words
NWN: Shadows of Undrentide (2003) – 200,000 words
NWN: Hordes of the Underdark (2003) – 200,000 words
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (2003) – 600,000 words
Dragon Age: Origins (2009) – 900,000 words

How do you even come up ideas like this? Did you even play BG2? There is an enourmous ammount of text in it, and you compare it to FAllout 3/NV?

The majority of those words are in item and spell descriptions, and copy-pasted Forgotten Realms lore. I'm talking solely about dialogue. Try again.

Also note that it's New Vegas that has the world record for most dialogue lines in a RPG, not BG2 or even Torment.

Most voiced lines. If you can give a source that mentions lines in general instead of voiced, prove it.

 

[Roguey]

Most voiced lines. If you can give a source that mentions lines in general instead of voiced, prove it.

Reclick my link, it said nothing about voiced lines.

Additionally, a lot of New Vegas's lines aren't voiced because they're player character dialogue. The 65,000 counts all of them.

 

[Dreaad]

Most voiced lines. If you can give a source that mentions lines in general instead of voiced, prove it.

Reclick my link, it said nothing about voiced lines.

Additionally, a lot of New Vegas's lines aren't voiced because they're player character dialogue. The 65,000 counts all of them.

65,000 lines of dialog or words? I can't keep up

 

[Infinitron]

The majority of those words are in item and spell descriptions, and copy-pasted Forgotten Realms lore. I'm talking solely about dialogue. Try again.

Also note that it's New Vegas that has the world record for most dialogue lines in a RPG, not BG2 or even Torment.

If that was true then NWN would have had an enormous wordcount as well. It doesn't.

This is getting pretty ridiculous, Roguey.