Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - Suggestions & Feedback Relationships

Poly is much more common then you'd think. But it's less about "poly" and more about "why and why not and why aren't we talking about that when I can (or can't) be with you without resulting in neglect". Think about it. At no point do we have any conversation like that. And you can kind of sleep with gale and Astoron but that's more of an oversight I think (that might not get fixed and left in. Why fix it if it's entertaining?). Just saw a youtube vid of it. Those two also are male and neither are female. Lucky gay people.

Jaheira from BG2 actually is understanding with that drow you sleep with if you're careful. But it's a very one sided situation the player is forced in (as opposed to working things together with all involved). This is of course if you're in a relationship with her. This is what it boils down too. "Sleep with the drow to not have the whole city attack you, or... admit you have a small penis". I'm not even joking. That's literary what it boils down too and it's done in the most immersive entertaining way. That "delicate" female companion with the wings (forgot the name) will outright go "Boo hoo, we're over" no mater what you do. If anyone knows otherwise let me know. She's just beyond reasoning with and I think I tried everything. She's extremely emotional like that. I much prefer Jaheira's interactions. And after what she's been through she actually handles it pretty well even if she is letting you have it (Her recent lover was tortured to death only recently. Of course she's letting you have it). "Logical. Debates with reason". You're on very thin ice but she also gives you a chance to get to safety. Mainly I'm pointing this out because you really FEEL the tension in the interaction. Like this could actually be happening. And that's how you handle jealousy when it gets ugly. By SHOWING it. Without resorting to "Cheap childish emotional tantrums". It makes the player feel immersed. Player choice remains intact. Multiple interactions remains intact (if you choose too). This should be how all games involving multiple companions as potential lovers. And despite that other girl being emotional, unfortunately that is a very realistic reaction at times as well. There should be multiple responses to such situations depending on who. Simply put, some people are simply more logical or/and understanding then others. And some people act like children. And that's how it should be.

If we're going for the simplest approach then simply flag companion A to talk to you at X time and companion B at Z time. Why didn't BG2 (or for that matter, Dragon Age) do this? You don't even need to add more conversations. Just let the player talk to them both. That's it. Job done. If a player wants to sleep with one or the other then that is their choice. If they want to sleep with both (and provide the emotional support) then that is their choice. What happens between you is between you. You just don't talk about it basically (but anything else added with that is a bonus). Less to code in the game. Very LITTLE effort to make it happen (using this specific approach). Basically, it should be the players choice. So if anyone has a very good reason why this can't be done beyond being judgemental then by all means point it out. I'm more interest why it wasn't in BG2.

And yes, the party in 3, I know. But you can work around that. See person B on a different night. If either person A or B is neglected, player gets punished. Likely with a break up due to neglect. Technically even BG1 has "Companions that quarrel" (and killing each other). So even here we see a very good reason to have conversations about "Let's work things out between you two". Or at the very least talking to one of them which goes "Fine. But you better make it worth my while."

Here's a quote from BG1.


My current thought process is this. "Why doesn't the PLAYER have the option to talk Ajantis down?" If I have a max charisma sat with max persuade and talk my way through ANY other situation it should be an option. It makes my invested charisma and persuasion in my own party feel wasted. Similar flaws are also in BG2. BG3 is an unknown factor currently. So... Devs can be bothered to code companions to be scripted first but if you don't have that companion the player can do nothing at all with not options given? Is that what I'm gathering from this?

No offense to you but this is why I feel BG3 is giving people the wrong idea on what kind of game it is. There is so much more to give feedback on, yet a subset of people are seemingly in it for the debauchery.

That is not limited to you either; Cool "fantasy setting" I guess.

wtf did I just read?

Excuse me? You do realise poly means "love" and not "sex", right? That said even in mono intimacy is important regardless. Does this offend you?

Here, let me give you an idea of where I'm coming from. See how romance is done in BG2.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPST9bJfCpo

BG3 is still in development. So we've yet to see if it can deliever on the emotional impact strongly. Some people get closer through debauchery, like Lae'zel. Even though it might seem otherwise. She likes to be in control, you're hers, obeying is appreciated (because people like it when you make it about what they want). Will also admire you if you challenge her. She finds safety in that.

This is very different then, say, Shadowheart. Who is more on the "afraid" side of things. It makes her much less direct. And she's used to loss. Makes her much more well guarded. So she's slower to do anything with you. Let alone sleep with her.

I used to go with Aerie from BG2. But looking back I realise she's very emotion and out of control at times. I used to not like jaheira at all. But now I can that I misunderstood her and have grown to appreciate her. She'll have lost her recent husband, catches you in an act of debauchery and she'll STILL be udnerstanding and patient with you. Even if she might struggle. Don't think that scene is shown in the vid. I skimmed parts because I played the game before and romanced her already. But you can clearly see how the characters develop a strong relaitonship over multiple scenes.

Which is very different then how BG3 is doing it. You still get those moments but it's all "Scripted". Very dependent on being at place X to trigger conversation Y. Instead of letting the characters talk to you in their own time and discuss things unrelated to the immediate situation.

It's not that it's "about debauchery". It's that you get so little time with the characters due to most of the important conversations happening at camp. As a result it ALL feels more "crammed in". The fact that you can get closer to people quicker is fine. This happens very often in life without it being about "just sex". That said I do think someone like Shadowheart could do with taking longer to do anything physical with. Due to her much more well guarded nature.

Regardless of the character you interact with though it should always be possible to reach an understanding with them. Which is something I just can't do with Aerie at times. With Jaheira I can ALWAYS reach an understanding. Regardless of the situation. As unpleasant as events can be with Aerie though the fact that some people are weaker and refuse to listen to reason when they get that overwhelmed does make sense. So despite that Aerie is still a very believable character. But if we get someone like her in BG3 I would hope there's room to "Resolve misunderstandings". Which is impossible to do in BG2. Which simply locks you out of talking about any further feelings at all.

If I pointed out the drow with Jaheira it wasn't to focus on the debauchery. No, it was to point out Jaheira's understanding nature. And let's not pretend that people won't get jealous and make it about their OWN debauchery if you're sleeping with others. That would simply be unrealistic.

Just because the player wants to be a harem protagonist does not mean the companions will meekly accept their roles as notches on a bedpost. Shadowheart, for instance, brushes off Wyl's flirtations with the given reason that she knows he has flirted with Laezal and she does not want to play second fiddle. "Poly" aside, if you want to bring real life into this, adultery is often the death knell of a relationship, no matter how much the adulterer may wave their hands and try to "resolve misunderstandings."

dude...

Different strokes and all that.

Nothing wrong with a polyamorous opportunity within the game if done right, just as I would like to see characters only interested in slow burn single relationships before anything, kinda like Shadowheart appears to be.

Witcher 3 was fun in this regard, Yennefer was “unhappy” but understood the needs of a Witcher and the flirtatious powers of other sorceresses, but when it came to actual love she wanted you all to herself, thus trying to bed both Yennefer and Triss at the same time yielded hilarious results (and I loved that the choice was so hard that choosing that 3rd cop out was there and that it resulted in failure). You had to pick yes, but both gave you time to do so. It felt mature (enough) often surprisingly intimate and in keeping with the world it was set in.

Here it feels a little forced for the moment, very much a “pick me pick me” affair and not very natural, even for just a spontaneous fling, but perhaps that’s more down to how you initiate dialogue with static campers.

Maybe if the party felt like a party, with more cut scenes before you got into your one on ones it might feel better. You know, Wyll might try to play the wing man, or Astarion... showing you how each character looks or feels in this moment.

Look, Laezel is a Gith and she just has needs, if that’s your thing, but Shadowheart there, all reclusive, tread Carey there my friend...

That might all come, and I hope it does, because whilst some lament the Witcher for being more an interactive movie, those cinematic approaches and interactions made me care, and for me that’s key in any story.