Larian Studios Forums Divinity: Original Sin 2 Divinity - Original Sin 2 - General [Suggestion]No multiple dialogue options in SP

Either this (simple, but necessary) or group-based dialogue (not so simple, but way more powerful and consistent).

This is similar to another thread I posted in a few minutes ago, I really think Wasteland 2 nailed the dialogue system. For those who don't know/can't remember, any party member could talk at anytime and if they had any charisma skills (i.e. smart ass, kick ass) those specific characters could use them whenever the game prompted a use for them. A skill, like barter, is a 'dump' stat that is shared across the party, so no matter who is talking, the bonus(es) from the barter skill will be used. Imo, this is the correct way to do party dialogue in an RPG. This solves the problems of x is closer to y therefore only x can talk, "missing out" on dialogue because the correct character isn't being spoken to, and not being able to roleplay in general in the sense of pen and paper freedom.

However, topic at hand, I'm content with only the player themself can control their own dialogue choices, whilst the other NPC party members have their own AI. Having said this, though, this would not work if you had the ability to make 4 custom party members (which I REALLY HOPE is a thing for the main game).

That's pretty much exact the same mechanic as the "group based" dialogue I suggested, so yeah, I agree.

Yes, I forgot to mention that in my reply. We'll try out what happens when if the avatar is present, it's the avatar that gets triggered.

That would be absolut awesome.

That's reassuring to hear, because for me single player also felt inferior.

Personally, I like that all 4 party members can talk to NPCs. However for me there are still a few problems that a simple addition of companion AI won't solve.

1. Currently NPC have no memory. If I talk with them with a different party member they'll just repeat the same dialog.
Example: I can talk with Withermoore with 4 different party members 4 times. Each time he has no idea how many years have passed even though a different companion just told him a few seconds ago.
That might be good in mp where you need to make sure each player has the information about quests. But in sp that's immersion breaking. NPC should remember I already talked to them with a different companion and give their introductory dialogs only once.

2. All NPC interact not with a party but only with a character who's talking to them.
Example: Lohse's dwarf friend. If I talk with him using anybody exept Lohse he doesn't notice her even if she stays right there. Then he suddenly recognizes her when I switch to Lohse.
Another example: when Gavin asks if I'm alone I can say yes even if there are 3 companions behind and he'll instantly believe it.

3. Companions themselves don't interfere when they realistically should.
Example: Sebille is about to kill Stingtail. Red Prince is quietly watching.
Now this one I don't understand at all because an ability to interfere other players dialogs without throwing fire grenades in them would benefit coop as well.

4. Companions automatically join combat even when just one party member is attacked.
Example: Lohse is possessed and tries to kill Sahelia and everybody else in the cave. Others willingly help her.
This one I don't understand as well because in coop people don't necessarily want to join other players combat. So again solving this issue would benefit both sp and mp.

About that NPC having no memories, with the crime system the NPC will only ask a member of your party if they stole something and no other NPCs, which kind of makes the system feel artificial because it feels like I'm the only one actually doing something. Perhaps if the NPC sees an item stolen, they could call over a guard who spawns in or something, or moves the rest of their possessions inside a locked chest? It's a little funny stealing items 1 by 1 from an NPC to where they have nothing on display left and they are still standing there like nothing has happened.

Alpha and all I know, but perhaps there could be some recipe of disaster involving crime; a tool of distraction and espionage. Imagine if you stole off an NPC so much and they have no idea who's doing it, they will become enraged and storm off to the local guards and complain, allowing you to sneak by somewhere?

I agree with this I think it is the most annoying thing I have encountered in the alpha when I have my main character selected and someone walks up to sebelle and starts talking to her rather than my main character.

We mentioned that companions will have AI in future to control the way they offer their opinion.

It occurs to me that I'd like them to have AI when talking to NPCs in general. What this means is that you can control them and tell them who to talk to, but once talking, you have few, if any, options during the conversation. It essentially removes choice where the options would be considered role-playing. I really don't like the idea of role-playing companions. They should role-play themselves.