Originally Posted by Hemingwey
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the hirelings system being convoluted, unnecessary and an inadequate replacement for people who actually wanted a custom party from the start.

I suspect the Larian design team is highly resistant to this suggestion.

The Larian team developed their ‘origins characters’ formula for their past games, and those games were successful.

Larian managed to acquire access to the venerable Baldur’s Gate and Forgotten Realms brands and IP—thus insuring front loaded sales success for BG3. However, based on my research of press releases and interviews, the Larian team didn’t really care for the design and storytelling style of the existing Baldur’s Gate and Forgotten Realms brands and IP.

They also didn’t want to make a game with the typical consumer of those brands in mind—apparently because they don’t really like “those people”. For example, see the stories about Larian designers complaining that early access users were overwhelmingly creating caucasian masculine male player characters.

Larian wanted to tell a different kind of story, to advance certain pet ideologies, and to use Larian’s own previously existing design formula. So, again, I think it is unlikely Larian is going to lift a finger for those who prefer a user choice driven design that allows the player to create a party having the character, demographics and dynamics of the user’s choice.

Also, in fairness, it appears the “origins characters” formula probably wouldn’t play well with custom parties because the limited, half dozen (6) origins characters—as compared to BG2’s roughly 25 core companion choices and 5 (?) additional non-core—are too heavily integrated into the critical path of the game design/story to accomodate that level of user freedom/choice.

Larian already has sufficient amounts of the consumer’s money—which they got largely by accessing the Baldur’s Gate brand, as well as based on the studio’s own deserved reputation for making good games. In summary, I am not judging whether the game is “good” or “bad” as I have chosen not to purchase this title; however, despite what the moniker of the game implies, you are playing in a new world envisioned by Larian, not in the Forgotten Realms.

Peace,

Hem

This is just nonsense. Larian did not have some deep seated agenda in mind for the game. They developed characters like any writing team and they gave you a breath of options to tell very different stories depending on your choices. Conservatives like you can't see past your own biases and look at everything like a personal attack against your ideology.

With regards to "it not being Forgotten Realms", that is just bullshit. I have played D&D for nearly 11 years now. I have read many of the books, and have played almost exclusively in this setting. Larian have done a masterful job in adapting a ton of lore, characters and stories. Did they do everything perfectly? No. I have my onw minor issues with the game that I chope at some point are addressed. But to act like this isn't a worthy successor to Baldur's Gate is just ridiculous.