I honestly was just thinking to myself right now, how would the story beats hold up here if we never got to see any of these Origins till the full release? Like basically the reverse approach of what they actually went with. Say they had used mercs at first and held back on the origins for example. Instead of grumbling about how Shadowheart isn't nice enough, or has lame stats or whatever, could we then just judge the story progression in a more direct sort of way? Maybe held in suspense about who the Origin characters were actually going to be without really knowing and having that be a point of enthusiasm and anticipation (basically the way people are pulling for Minthara or Halsin or Sazza to join the party right now?) I'm not sure the opening of the game would connect in anything like the same way.
Right now the first Act is pretty reliant on the Origin companions to set the stage and introduce the whole narrative thrust, since they deliver most of the key early dialogue. To the point where if they were removed, the game wouldn't have much set up at all, and the PC would have no clue what's going on or where to head half the time.
Then I was trying to imagine, how does this get set up when a player chooses to play as Lae'zel? Lae'zel as the protagonist I mean. Rather than running into Lae'zel jumping down at us on the Nautiloid, is that suddenly going to be like Gale or Wyll, delivering the "Abomination! This your End!" line? Because that would certainly take away from the drama of that "scene" in the prologue. I can imagine a totally different convo with a different Origin companion getting subbed in, but it would definitely impact the feel and the delivery.
Or like if you play as Shadowheart, is it going to be Asterion in that pod? Or someone else banging at the door on the beach to make it really clear that you should "look for a healer" since otherwise the protagonist probably doesn't have the first clue.
I can't see myself playing the game as any of the Origin characters, but my understanding is that it's pretty much the point of them, as pre-rolled toons with all the VO content. But because they've sort of been presented as the "Stars" of the show in EA, now it feels near impossible to consider what the game looks like without them driving the story and the cinematics.
In know BG1 certainly worked like that to a degree. You were forced to interact with Imoen after Gorion gets dusted, no matter what you said to her the day before. But I think unlike this one, leaving candle keep you could opt to ignore literally everyone, and the game would still basically lead you onto the path. Even if you ditched Imoen, ignored the Zhents, punk'd Elminster, or told Jaheira to get bent, they weren't the one's conveying the main narrative. That happens through the forced NPC interactions, and dreams and such. But I think BG3 uses the Origins companions as a much more involved plot device, to the point where its picture the early game standing up without them. Because this one is way more cinematic, with the early scenes mostly comprised of Origin companion intros, I think the initial story beats would be a lot less compelling. But I want the game to be about my Custom Character, not the fab 5 Origins. I just wish there were more classes and more companions to choose from, so the idea of substitutions or leaving someone behind in a playthrough wouldn't feel like that's upending the run.
