I have been watching Retcon Raider’s playthrough and encountered something which I really disliked in D:OS2 - NPCs engaging in conversation with an unintended Party member, and what’s more - treating conversation with another member as if it was the first time. Examples are in the video below:
https://youtu.be/cZSWAyzfbUItime stamp 18:27 for the first conversation when NPC starts talking to ShadowHeart
Time stamp 33:04 - when RR re-engages the NPC with his Main.
Preferences first: I think I would prefer if NPC always engaged my PC, as it happens in other RPGs - this can lead into tedious gameplay style with having to disengage and reengage in conversations with optimal party members, or not even using our main if he is not build around conversation checks. I much rather prefer PoE2 system (where companions stats contribute to our checks although to lesser degree then our main as to keep each playthrough different) or Kingmaker (where dialogue automatically picks companion with best chance to succeed). What BG3 and D:OS2 offers is more tedious and more artificial.
An alternative which would keep BG3 work as it does now - I think NPCs should see us as a party. Dialogue initiated, should be a dialogue initiated for all part members, not just one. Making ways to continue conversations with other members without going from the top again would be work, but it is something worth doing I think, considering how often that happens - singleplayer or multiplayer.
