I'm specifically talking about the meeting with the dragonrider and his troop. Larian does a very annoying thing during the dialogue here
If you have Lae'zel in your party she attempts to take the initiative during the dialogue, this is good, my issue comes after this. If you cede that to her the game still seems to think you're in control of what happens next, I've done this a few times both with a Lae'zel who dislikes me and one that respects me, it doesn't make sense either way for her to be looking to me for guidance when she's talking to her own people, and a superior.
Having every dialogue beat revolve around secret hand gestures telling her what to say is pretty egregious, I can understand a persuade check to get her to hold off on talking about the tadpoles or the mystery box but as it stands there's really nothing yet that makes Lae'zel look to your character for leadership. In fact I think she might actually find it a little insulting.
I forgot about this scene. There would be a bit of disconnect there. I just would treat it like the Baldurian tag for those who have decided they come from other cities for now but hopefully they can modify that scene.
Originally Posted by Sozz
]I don't think a lack of imagination is at question here, but that you aren't given any tools to craft your own background. Currently you can choose race, sex, class, and a generic occupation (straight out of the handbook) which is little more than a way to Tag! skill proficiencies. Unless you're talking about making head-cannon backgrounds for your custom mc, which I consider akin to playing D&D without rules or dice rolls, it can be fun, but without any feedback from an impartial third-party, It ends up just feeling a little shallow.
The head canon background would be using the DnD rules which are very open when it comes to this. I haven't played with a DM who expects the background to be randomized with dice rolls unless I have misinterpreted you? I come up with backstory using the DnD rules and the proper world setting, and there is only discussion if there is to be any homebrew stuff in there. My character then develops as the game progresses according to things that happen, this part I do in any rp game.
Originally Posted by mrfuji3
There is a big difference between being the "most important person in the game" and "having a unique in-game connection to the world (not just headcannon in your mind)." Currently, Tav's only in-game connections to the world are the tadpole and the [Baldurian] tag. See @Tarlonniel's comments above on ending up disconnected from the story. I'm not necessarily asking for a premade backstory. Tav's connection to the world could also determined by a more detailed tagging system: e.g., personality traits tags (honest, kind, lawful, violent, etc) and more locations for our character's hometown than [Baldurian] Or Tav could have a more unique connection/relation to The Absolute, played or narrated through right before being abducted
I disagree with your assertion that "[players who want Tav to be the most important in the game] probably want no companions and only followers." Afaik, the difference between origin characters and followers is only the ability to start the game with them & the tadpole. Backstory freedom can be almost entirely separated from NPC stories/importance/strength of personality.
My comment was not directed at you, rather at reading between the lines of things some have said in different threads. Some people seem to feel overshadowed by the companions simply because they are fleshed out. This is why having complete freedom to create backstory is good, you can make yourself as great or as insignificant as you want. Some players want to be the only "hero" and any npcs are only there to make them shine more brightly, not to be actual companions. This I don't understand, followers are boring to me.
A more detailed tagging system would be nice, especially if personality traits/demeanour could affect the immersion breaking facial expressions in cut scenes. As for the Baldurian tag, I just simply do not use that option if I am playing a character from another city. What I am worried about is if they add more tags and people complain it is not enough because their personal option is not there, so they keep this cycle until they get frustrated and scrap the whole system and force premades on us, which goes entirely against the spirit of DnD to me. Having a more unique connection to the Absolute could be interesting if it was an option only. I still think our memory loss is going to be important to the plot. and personally I would not like to be told what I was doing before the abduction, it would ruin this element.
