If you're talking about backstory and hint books... it looks like everything that isn't a consumable or equipment was discarded. Most of it is still available to be found again in FoV but if you like keeping your novels, you had to start over again.
And if by cameo you mean corpses, then yes. It is a rather annoying mixed message. There is an excess of nihilism in D2. There seems to be two classes of characters. The typical high fantasy where every named character seems to have a greater purpose, such as yourself and anybody else that's a great wizard, sorcerer, dragon, etc. And then you have characters that amount to empty shells. You meet them, a little depth is added and then poof. Its like the characters never even tried to escape their fate. Seemly like a group of extras in a movie whose purpose is to be stomped on by godzilla. Its oddly distracting because there seems to be no apparent reason why they can't be the type of forgettable faceless souls that gives one or two line non-conversational dialog. Of course, some of them are simply there to fulfill a game mechanism. But still, for me the utilitarian purpose of the character appears to break the illusion of suspended disbelief. Is a character's worth only what he/she can do to maximize his/her practical function?
EDIT:
I must also add, before anyone starts bringing real-life into the discussion... If I meet you and get to know you, and then suddenly you turn into a cardboard cutout at the first sign of danger... it would certainly be disconcerting. For instance, on your island its not like you see corpses of the survivors as they attempted to run for your tower. Its like they were simply illusions, there to play out a scene and then be relegated back to the abyss of anonymity.
Last edited by candlebbq; 10/12/10 08:41 AM.
