Larian Studios
Posted By: WebTech Nettie and Astarion bug - 13/03/21 05:02 PM
Hey there,

I went to talk with Nettie as Astarion, she poisoned Astarion with the branch. I succeeded a medicine check telling her I have none of the symptoms, she came around and gave Astarion the wyvvern poison and the antidote.

After chatting she reopened the door, enabling my party members to chat again.

When my main character chatted to Astarion, Astarion was talking as if my main character was the one who convinced her that he'd take the poison if it came to it. Kind of immersion breaking because Astarion was the one who actually did it.

I understand these player choices are hard to accomodate for, just giving a heads up this was strange.

In-case it matters I'm playing on Google Stadia. Game runs flawlessly this was just a weird quirk.

Also a thank you for putting the game on Stadia. Baldurs gate is a really large game, it is so nice to not have to have it take up space on my computer, as well as not need to download the updates. I get to just hop right in where I left off. It's fantastic.
Posted By: Kajsentlyha Re: Nettie and Astarion bug - 13/03/21 06:32 PM
IMHO the problem is we shouldn't be allowed to speak to NPCs as another party member. Conversations should always default to the MC even when initiated by other party members.
Posted By: WebTech Re: Nettie and Astarion bug - 13/03/21 08:45 PM
I disagree because there may be reasons you swap out to another character. For example if I'm talking to a wizard character I might want Gale to talk to them because his magic knowledge may be able to influence what happens.

There's also the awesomeness of having your party members talk to eachother, without your main character.

It's a feature you don't see in many games, most probably because it means a lot more voice acting. That said I'd be okay with say the main character butting into conversations sometimes to make it so fewer voice acted lines are needed. Seems like a fair compromise.
Posted By: Kajsentlyha Re: Nettie and Astarion bug - 13/03/21 10:01 PM
As far as I know, you can't have party members talk to each other . If you take control of a party member to speak to another, the conversation with that character will indeed default to the MC. But I hardly ever even tried, so I may be very wrong.

I personally don't like choosing dialog options for characters that are not the MC. I don't like having the option to make them act out of character and I hate when I'm forced into a conversation through a party member just be cause he/she happened to be the closest to whoever wanted to talk to us (it happens to me all the time with Flind the gnoll and Rugan). In those cases I'd rather have the option to try to persuade/intimidate the other party member to do what I want rather than choose for them.

I do agree that you should be able to take advantage of Gale's proficiency in magic during a conversation with a mage, but it should be Gale to butt into the convo between the NPC and the MC, not the other way round. It would also be great if during conversations we were given the option to ask companions for help when they are better at something, but it should all happen through the MC, not bypassing them.
Posted By: WebTech Re: Nettie and Astarion bug - 14/03/21 04:54 PM
"I personally don't like choosing dialog options for characters that are not the MC. I don't like having the option to make them act out of character"

I hear ya on that. At least to a mild degree. I don't want to make them do things that are out of character, but I like the opportunity to let them do something that IS in character for them, that may be unexpected. I don't want to be limited to only one path to doing something because "it'd be out of character" to do anything else.

For example if I want to lie and deceive it seems fitting to have Astarion do some talking.

If they made Baldurs gate so you can't have your party members do things like that. You might as well just play a linear traditional video game RPG where NPCs are completely mindless and just follow you, attacking what attacks you. Your character does everything largely as if the other characters are idiots.

Instead you get a bit of a D&D party vibe. Where you can play to characters strengths as well as try to do something that fits your characters motivations.

Also makes it a lot more fun to play multiplayer, if party members can take actions.

That said it's a matter of opinion.

Still doesn't change the fact what I reported above is a bug.
Posted By: Kajsentlyha Re: Nettie and Astarion bug - 14/03/21 05:54 PM
Originally Posted by WebTech
If they made Baldurs gate so you can't have your party members do things like that. You might as well just play a linear traditional video game RPG where NPCs are completely mindless and just follow you, attacking what attacks you. Your character does everything largely as if the other characters are idiots.

I do want them to do things like that, but not by taking control of them myself. As I mentioned in my previous post, it would be great if companions intervened in conversations when they are more skilled at something. E.g. Nettie takes out the branch and you fail your Nature skill check. Another party member passes the check and warns you that she's trying to poison you. Or your in Ethel's lair, your MC knows nothing about magic, when you talk to the door and you fail your Arcana skill check, Gale butts in and tells you the door is just an illusion. That would give me a party vibe, not taking control of Gale and having him speak to the door himself.

But sure, it ultimately comes down to personal preference.
© Larian Studios forums