Larian Studios Forums Beyond Divinity (English) General Can one be a female character in Riftrunner?

boy, I'm glad to see someone else has read Eygpt's partial history... I always wonder why her son did that... he was still pharoh!

They shared the power (co-regents) - he wanted it alone - she wanted peace, buildings, wealth for her people, strengthen religion, she was too mighty - he wanted to conquer. Thutmosis lead quite a few conquests (that's what "real" heroes are made of, hm? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/suspicion.gif" alt="" /> ) - wars are expensive.
To cut a long tale short: maybe the old tradition of interfering interests?

Kiya, wishing she could interview Hatschepsut

Remember, shortly before she was born, Ancient Egypt was devastated by the Hyksos - the country had suffered a lot.

But back to topic: As Carrie said already, there are a lot of female heroes - and we represent more than 50% of the world population - so, it's more than fair, if chars in a game are represented as female - human or non-human.
And as <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/riftrunner.gif" alt="" /> has this, I'm going to buy it for sure <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />

Yay DAD! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/up.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/up.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/up.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wave.gif" alt="" />

Yes. You are right. Just treat me like C-3PO.

(Sometimes I have problems recognizing irony ...)

Because you are made of!
Iron_Y <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/question.gif" alt="" />
<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wave.gif" alt="" />

Rarely can I recall an RPG game that attempted to seriously integrate a female experience. The truth of matter is that even if the players can choose to play a "female character" in RPGs, most of the time it makes virtually no difference in terms of the gaming experience. With the exception of some notatble games billed around the "adventure game" genre, such as the Longest Journey, or some of the titles from the "King's Quest" series, the option of play a "female character" has typically constituted mere aesthetic alterations to the game.

With the noted exceptions of games such as Fallout 2, in most RPGs, the character, regardless of whether they are male or female, not only must perform the same series of quests and objectives in order to "succeed", but must perform them precisely in the way that a male character would (talk to get quest, kill to gain xp, rinse and repeat). The plot did not branch off differently because you chose a female character and made different choices. NPCs dialogue may alter slightly (usually with the addition of "flirting" by some very annoying male NPCs....), but generally exerted zero impact on plot and character development.

Just speaking for myself, I don't really care if the main character of a game is female or male. Games don't earn my favour (or my money) just by implementing the option to let me select a female icon and re-live a disctintly masculine experience. I much rather the developers concentrate a writing a interesting and immersive storyline. If it helps to keep the plot developments manageable and the story convincing by attributing a male identity to the primary character (and it most certainly did in "Planescape: Torment"), then I much rather they do that, as opposed to scripting a half-hearted attempt at "appeasement" to female gamers.

On a related note, I was really interested by what the characters had to say at the character selection screen in Divine Divinity. Needless to say, I was quite disappointed when I uncovered that this bit of gender commentary did not rub off on the rest of the game.

It was very interesting for me to read your post because I had an equal impression but there is a very good reason. I complained that <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/div.gif" alt="" /> did not implement a rigorous storyline with parallel paths interrelated by the choice of the character that represents US as CRPG players.

I selected the female survivalist and trained her to level five lock picking when to my disappointment found doors which I was forbidden to unlock while I was the ultimate goddess of lock picking. It did not make sense to me.

When I chose to be a female enchantress and used an Elven bow as my most favourite weapon, I still had to be the one that flirts with the Elven Handsome rather than being proposed to as I was supposed to be really charming. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />

When I chose the tall blond killer and from what she said, I expected the blacksmith at the marketplace to refuse to sell weapons to a woman that killed one of his trade, fair or not. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />

Anyway, I think that the game design as it came out just needed a more comprehensive dialog system that takes into account the character being played; Read my bitter praise.

Cheers.

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wave.gif" alt="" />

Yes, I agree. I am not sure, but aren't all the unlockable doors activated by a switch? If they are, it's pretty logical that you cannot pick the lock as there's no lock. Or the doors are magically locked?

Yes, in many games there's no difference in playstyle for male or female. [In Arcanum, female characters had +1 Dex (methinks) and -1 constitution, they had many female-only quests and most possible answers was exclusive to the player's sex. Also in Arc. males treat better the opposing sex (depending on the "beauty" stat)...] But in <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/riftrunner.gif" alt="" />, I think the main character is always male, so a separate path for females is not needed.

First, Greeetings to Di and Kiya <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wave.gif" alt="" />

Well, I am glad to hear one can be a female character in <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/riftrunner.gif" alt="" />.

I have no intention of defending it, and certainly in reading I do not insist on female characters to identify with, but in CRPGs I seem to lose a bit of interest without at least one character who is female and broadly human for me to identify with.

I love to see all sort of males and strange races and fantasy wierdness even as members of a party, but I need that one character to identify with straightforwardly.

In any case, I am now looking forward to <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/riftrunner.gif" alt="" /> enormously! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/up.gif" alt="" />

Of course! Who needs males? All they do is watch hockey/football and drink beer <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
So, the main character can be male or female OR you meet females???

In my games:
If I can choose a main char in party/single = female, preferably mage/paladin.

If I can't (Summoner), then my sympathies go to a female party char (Rosalind).
In BG2 I eliminated all males except Minsc (Boo is so sweet) and Yoshimo/Keldorn for a while - saved me the trouble of all this love quarreling stuff.
In BG1 I had Minsc and Khalid, rest were females.
In NWN I had a main female char(rogue/paladin) and the male monk was my favourite co-char.
In Wiz8 I had 2 males in my party IIRC.
Morrowind = female

It depends on the game, some males are so cute, I keep them, depends on my sympathy or the main plot.

So to answer you question:

Main char female, if possible and meeting gender depends on my sympathy/main plot needs.

Woohoo!! *jumps up and down excited*.

That's interesting, because when I played BG2, I stacked my party with mostly male NPCs (except Jaheira, because she is attached to so many sidequests), since I found a considerable amount of fun in ordering these big men around... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/delight.gif" alt="" />

If only I could have gotten them to equipt some scrubs and buckets. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />

I figured that un-pickable doors didn't actually have locks, but were barred, openable by a mechanical lever. But of course you can find keys for these doors, can't you? I hate it when I kill my own argument. Maybe they're computerised locks, like on expensive cars... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />

The initial character selection should have a much bigger impact on the game. This could be why they removed the selection from RiftRunner, to avoid further disappointment. In D&D, your character's history is often used against the player and implemented into the story by the DM. Since Larian has created six pre-made characters to chose from, there should be stages where this affects the story. It would add a bit for replayability too! Survivors could receive bonuses in the poor area by being able to sympathise. Like DAD said, the female warrior made her reputation by killing a Blacksmith. Perhaps all Blacksmiths should start with a -25 attitude towards her. The "pretty" female Wizard should have strong moral objections to the Prostitute's Guild.

A simple change in initial reputation for each social class and profession would reflect a lot of the past experiences of each character. Although more could be done with time.

For some obvious reasons I was under first impressions that male / female variation is mainly a gender influenced dialog path, which turned out to be very true somehow; while other than gender dialog, such as gender related reactions and choices was never found.

On the other hand, that first impression included the idea that by selecting a different class we automatically choose a difficulty level.
Choosing a warrior = Easy.
Choosing a mage = Normal.
Choosing a survivor = difficult

This is not too far from being a fact as I read from what Raze had posted on the differences on combat mathematics. Yet by selecting a difficulty level and combining, we get 9 difficulty levels altogether, with unclear evaluation between an easy-survivor and a difficult-warrior while a difficult-survivor is the most challenging and an easy-warrior is for beginners.

Thus, those choices were not intended to mangle with the make-it-as-you-go story line but rather as a fixed difficulty level ONLY.

The locked doors, which I mentioned are members of a set of objects that include an Orcish barricade and a treasure cave wall. Those objects prevent the player from accessing an area if some conditions were not met.
It is fine to have it that way but it hurts the game rules and lowers its competitive rank among other games.

Cheers.

Chosing a class can make the game diffrent if you're willing and disciplined enough to restrict yourself to that class. I'm playing almost exclusively as a Warrior, but I couldn't help getting Identify, and skills I need for quests. Aside from that I'm strictly Warrior.

Next time I play, I'll stay strictly Wizard (bar a few Survivor skills), relying on magic as much as possible.

With the baricades, I agree that they should only vanish for a plausable reason, not because you did that quest over there and now you're worthy of this one. For the Orc barricades, you should have to clear the way for the battering ram or something, and the Treasure Cave is magically sealled, requiring a magical artifact or word, and then you see it slide open before you. Rumours of the key to the Cave can be found scattered over the land.

Playing a strict survivor on Hard difficulty. I can say that it's nearly impossible! I had to get Metheor Strike otherwise I would've been squished to paste by the first goul who passed by. And I cannot find uses to Sneak... yet.
Though playing a mage is pretty easy untill you get to the treasury room in the castle. After that area mage succeeds.

I am sure that issue will be remouved in <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/riftrunner.gif" alt="" /> a bit since Rifty has no character class, so you just choose the skills you want <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />.
AH, can't wait for RR demo!

Apparently you did not get what I was talking about because you seem to be trying to help me out while I have seriously finished the game exactly 37 times based on the major directory list of the saved-saved games.

Being able to pick the lock of the poison room for example does not hurt the game but when you find the key that drops from TIPSIX then you do not know which door does it belong to because the game designer made keys consumable and locking doors with their keys forbidden.
Now here is my technical criticism in which I would have allowed door locking with their keys to keep my items safe. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />
In that way a key is not consumable and I could try all keys on any door to see if any fits.
When the cursor passes over a weapon out of the 4000 items that I have in my list, each weapon displays a statistic related to it, so why wouldn’t keys have tags relating them to the coordinates in which they were found and if there were any specific relations to someone such as the one that dropped it or the house which I found it behind or near to. Keys are definitely items too and the game would have been much more exciting if one MUST find the right key rather than picking its lock.

On the other hand, finding a magic-set-of--lock-picks should allow me to open any chest or door while keys could act as clues.

If someone objects on keys being items, then I would reply that I found spoons being defined as items!

Barring the player from casting spells or applying skills to force a scenario cripples the variance of the game.

In fact, I dream of a game that allows multiple beginnings and offer multiple ends; thus, while interacting with the simulated worlds you create your own story line through the combinatory possibilities of reaching an end from a given beginning.

Imagine a choice of a class based on a career that leads to be a superstar or a president or a happy go lucky punk or whatsoever as a Role-Playing-Game with lot of interrelations and the possibility of a multiplayer set up.

Now take this idea into a Science-Fiction or a Fantasy background allowing the assent to become the ruler of the Universes or a galactic singer or a cosmic pirate or even a rift runner. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />

Throw in thousands of characters by assembly and not by pre-rendering then focus on the dialogs to be context generated rather than pre-edited and you have the game of eternal FAME.

Cheers.

Hi DAD,


No, I'm not trying to help you solve the game. I haven't even finished it myself. I was trying to show a way to play so that the classes can have meaning other than difficulty. I was also agreeing with the fact that baricades disappear mysteriously because the game says so.


I never though of that with Lockpick. I've never used it much so never had any keys left over. Perhaps if you've picked a chest or door and come back later with the key, the key vanishes anyway? But who closes doors or leaves things in chests (aside from their stash)? What if chests and doors were closed by hidden NPCs (like what Geoff does with his shop) and lock automatically?


I think that a key ring item could help this. Opening the key ring would show a list of keys and what they open, if known. I agree that there's no reason others shouldn't be able to thieve from you (aside form that pickpocket).


I like that idea (where keys are found). Perhaps with finding keys, this could also be a class related thing. A Warrior must combat monsters to get the key, but a Survivor could pick the lock, getting the artifact first that can help kill the monsters (for experience).


Keys as clues? What do you mean? I think magical lockpicks are too overpowered if they open every lock. What about if they have +1 Lockpick, even above level 5.


Yet I've found only one fork in the game! Poor sods must be having a terrible time trying to eat with a knife and spoon. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />


Agreed. The character should at least cast the spell and watch it blow-up in his face. It's not fair to cripple any one class at any point in the story. Perhaps have a magical force that dampens all skills for all classes by one or two levels. Characters aren't crippled, but still have the turmoil of being held by a superior force.

P.S. I haven't reached that part of the game so let me know if I've lost the plot.


Shadow Watch does that to a degree. There are 162 random starting possibilities and you can control the direction of the game from there to branch out further. But there's only one end. The game is similar to UFO: Enemy Unknown, but with just combat and training, no micro-management.


That would be amazing. A bit like The Sims, but with a story. A number of MMORPGs have ideas like this. I played Space Merchant for a while. You could be a trader, cop, underworld-member, bounty hunter, part of an amarda, pirate, planet owner, explorer, bar-hopper... so many things, all without any class restrictions at all. It's just very hard to apply a story to so many possibilities. It'll happen, just wait...