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Originally Posted by Abits
Even though Volo is original and not a dandolion copy, I highly doubt he would have been in the game if it weren't for the Witcher 3.


Why not, he was in BG 1 & 2? I doubt the Witcher has much to do with this.

Volvo is suppose to be a wizard, though a pretty bad one, you may as well call him a "Rincewind wannabe", that about as accurate as calling him a "Dandelion wannabe"

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Originally Posted by Firesnakearies
This. Mostly. Except for the part about not liking Wolverine. Wolverine is awesome.


I mean. He's okay. He's just in too many things :P


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Originally Posted by Merry Mayhem
Originally Posted by Abits
Even though Volo is original and not a dandolion copy, I highly doubt he would have been in the game if it weren't for the Witcher 3.


Why not, he was in BG 1 & 2? I doubt the Witcher has much to do with this.

Volvo is suppose to be a wizard, though a pretty bad one, you may as well call him a "Rincewind wannabe", that about as accurate as calling him a "Dandelion wannabe"

I addressed it and I feel like I'm repeating myself too much on this topic


Larian's Biggest Oversight, what to do about it, and My personal review of BG3 EA
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Originally Posted by Abits
Originally Posted by KillerRabbit
The Witcher series was largely plagiarized so I don't think the Witcher franchise has any rights to complain if it were:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkiP64adGjY

(disclaimer: I *do not* agree with this guy's politics -- it confounds me that he could be so right about Elric and so wrong about so many other things. Another lesson in: people are complex)

It is true, but we don't deal with the books here, we deal with adaptations. And it's important. It is very apparent in the movie industry, where you have a new highly acclaimed and innovative movie that is not a direct adaptation of a source material, but has enough elements of it, and then when the source material is being adapted and to the casual movie goer looks like a copy of the movie.
Some examples - matrix and ghost in the shell, valerian and the fifth element, etc.

My point is that if we talk about Volo and dandolion, the fact that Volo is the original is completely irrelevant here. Unless Larian can do anything new or interesting with him, he will always be (at least in the context of bg3) a less cool dandolion copy. And the big thing here is that unlike Elric for example, Volo is not a super important character that you can't build a forgotten realms story without. So the decision to add him in is worthy of criticism and comparison to dandolion

Actually, the fact that Volo is the original is completely relevant here. In fact, I'd say it's of tantamount importance given the thread title, yes? IF one is copy of the other, it would be Dandelion that's the copy, since his origins come after Volo's. So, I have to ask, how is Volo used in Act II? Act III? What's that you say, you don't know, because you haven't played them yet? Then trying to justify "But mah Witcher" with how he's used here is pointless, to the extreme, yes?

As an aside to this, "but we're not talking about books/lore, only about the game", doesn't that sort of fly in the face of "not enough like BG/DnD"? An NPC that firmly ties a game to the FR setting can't be swept under the rug because one wants to claim "but he's a clone of this character over here that didn't even exist when he was written". At least, those things that do in fact tie it firmly to the FR setting can't be. The first thing I thought when I read the topic title was "No, because Volo has been around a lot longer". It's obvious from reading the thread that the OP wasn't aware of that fact. So no, we can't just pretend Volo didn't exist in the FR before the introduction of Dandelion, especially not because he didn't play a prominent role in games that weren't about him. He's played prominent roles, or at least been involved with some of the most important things in FR history, "recent" history, anyway, and so, we don't get to just ignore that because "but I want this other thing to be true".

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There's a difference between "Volo is a plagiarized version of Dandelion" and "Volo's role in BG3 would be vastly different without The Witcher/Dandelion's popularity."
I'm pretty sure @Abits is arguing for the second point while most others here (@robertthebard, @Merry Mayhem, @Dexai, @Firesnakearies) are arguing against the first point.

Originally Posted by Merry Mayhem
Originally Posted by Abits
Even though Volo is original and not a dandolion copy, I highly doubt he would have been in the game if it weren't for the Witcher 3.

Why not, he was in BG 1 & 2? I doubt the Witcher has much to do with this.

Originally Posted by Abits
About Volo in BG - I played a lot of BG and I had to check the wiki to find out where can you find him in game. What I'm saying is that his roles in the early game was nothing, just a short cameo. He wasn't a character. Just a cool NPC. Bg3 did much more with him. I would claim they gave him a role similar to the one dandolion has in the Witcher - a non fighting companion that is there for humour.

Volo exists in FR regardless of Dandelion's existence. That's not really up for debate.

However, Larian made a decision to include Volo as a decently big part of BG3 (instead of a brief cameo as in BG2) and also to give him this personality/character type of a "goofy chronicler that gets themselves into trouble." It could be easily argued that, without The Witcher's popularity, Larian would not have implemented the version of Volo we see in BG3, either reducing his role in the game or making him more competent/less bumbling.

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This is exactly what I meant. I didn't try to argue Volo is a dandolion copy. I just said this version of him is.


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I'm not familiar with Volo before this game that much. Also never played The Witcher games, read the books, or watched the show so don't know a whole lot about Dandelion.

After Googling Volo appearance wise he looks similar with the same kind of hat and kind of portly body. Also his description says he gets into trouble.

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I feel like this is one of those 'damned if you, damned if you don't' situations. Elminster, Drizzt, Volo (and Minsc) are all going to show up in this game. People want it to be linked to the first games and to FR lore. He has always been a puffed up moron that thinks waaaay to highly of himself, nothing about this implementation is out of character.

Having a 'jester' character has also been common to the earlier games and though generally filled by gnome companions, it makes sense for a famous character to pull double duty like this, especially now that we have a 'home base' mechanic. I for one am happy that I won't be burdened with a quality companion that has to play the fool just to fill the archetype.

He is really easy to ignore, just ignore him.


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Someone could ask Greenwood when Volo was first made. My guess is that he was one of the original cast made in 1967

I do agree that this Volo has been 'danylioned' some. To make him a bit more Volo like they could have him give a long winded story full of irrelevant details that nonetheless contain a vitally important clue. One of the things that I really liked about the Volo guidebooks was the mix of the mundane and essential information. After describing how a particular inn prepares its trout dinner and confirming that rooms are free of death linen Volo would mention that a particular pillar in the inn would open a portal if someone were to carve a particular symbol on it.

I also liked how his descriptions made places come alive. Even if has no impact on gameplay I just like learning that particular village performs an ancient druidic ceremony once a year.

But he was always a fool, not because he got into trouble -- indeed, he seemed to have remarkable luck -- but because he couldn't distinguish relevant from irrelevant details.

Last edited by KillerRabbit; 24/11/20 07:42 PM. Reason: grammar is the enemy. probably still r0ng
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Well that sounds much more interesting than what we got in bg3


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Originally Posted by mrfuji3
There's a difference between "Volo is a plagiarized version of Dandelion" and "Volo's role in BG3 would be vastly different without The Witcher/Dandelion's popularity."
I'm pretty sure @Abits is arguing for the second point while most others here (@robertthebard, @Merry Mayhem, @Dexai, @Firesnakearies) are arguing against the first point.

Originally Posted by Merry Mayhem
Originally Posted by Abits
Even though Volo is original and not a dandolion copy, I highly doubt he would have been in the game if it weren't for the Witcher 3.

Why not, he was in BG 1 & 2? I doubt the Witcher has much to do with this.

Originally Posted by Abits
About Volo in BG - I played a lot of BG and I had to check the wiki to find out where can you find him in game. What I'm saying is that his roles in the early game was nothing, just a short cameo. He wasn't a character. Just a cool NPC. Bg3 did much more with him. I would claim they gave him a role similar to the one dandolion has in the Witcher - a non fighting companion that is there for humour.

Volo exists in FR regardless of Dandelion's existence. That's not really up for debate.

However, Larian made a decision to include Volo as a decently big part of BG3 (instead of a brief cameo as in BG2) and also to give him this personality/character type of a "goofy chronicler that gets themselves into trouble." It could be easily argued that, without The Witcher's popularity, Larian would not have implemented the version of Volo we see in BG3, either reducing his role in the game or making him more competent/less bumbling.


What big part?

I missed him in my first PT and outside getting him as a camp vendor and seeing his canonically total incompetence, he doesn't do anything special.

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Originally Posted by azarhal
What big part?

I missed him in my first PT and outside getting him as a camp vendor and seeing his canonically total incompetence, he doesn't do anything special.

It's not a huge part. But he is part of a quest, then joins your camp, and (Volo camp events spoiler)
is a method of attempted tadpole removal, with pretty significant effects to your PC

It's unclear what role he'll play in Acts 2 and 3, but it's not unreasonable to guess he'll be present throughout.

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Originally Posted by Abits

About Volo in BG - I played a lot of BG and I had to check the wiki to find out where can you find him in game. What I'm saying is that his roles in the early game was nothing, just a short cameo. He wasn't a character. Just a cool NPC. Bg3 did much more with him. I would claim they gave him a role similar to the one dandolion has in the Witcher - a non fighting companion that is there for humour.


Guys, characters like Volo or Dandelion are literally staple characters that have been around in one or the other form since the invention of storytelling. No matter which one was earlier - even he would be "plagiarism" of earlier stories and books.

And that's ok, because stories/games/movies are "evolving". You wouldn't have BG3 in this form without Lord of the Rings and you wouldn't have Lord of the Rings in this form without Norse Mythology. You have to "steal" such ideas to a certain extent.

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Originally Posted by Merry Mayhem
Volvo is know for travelling everywhere so I am not surprised in bumping into him.


Okey.
I just hope we won't just happen to bump into Drizzt Do'urden or one of his buddys in Act II.
This stuff starts to feel pretty mediocre pretty fast.


But who would have thought that this suicidal maniac Bard, was a pal of maybe the most prominent OP figure in the Forgotten Realms?
Is there 'anyone' more famous as Elminster?

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Originally Posted by KillerRabbit
Someone could ask Greenwood when Volo was first made. My guess is that he was one of the original cast made in 1967

I do agree that this Volo has been 'danylioned' some. To make him a bit more Volo like they could have him give a long winded story full of irrelevant details that nonetheless contain a vitally important clue. One of the things that I really liked about the Volo guidebooks was the mix of the mundane and essential information. After describing how a particular inn prepares its trout dinner and confirming that rooms are free of death linen Volo would mention that a particular pillar in the inn would open a portal if someone were to carve a particular symbol on it.

I also liked how his descriptions made places come alive. Even if has no impact on gameplay I just like learning that particular village performs an ancient druidic ceremony once a year.

But he was always a fool, not because he got into trouble -- indeed, he seemed to have remarkable luck -- but because he couldn't distinguish relevant from irrelevant details.


+1

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Originally Posted by JustAnotherBaldu
Originally Posted by Merry Mayhem
Volvo is know for travelling everywhere so I am not surprised in bumping into him.


Okey.
I just hope we won't just happen to bump into Drizzt Do'urden or one of his buddys in Act II.
This stuff starts to feel pretty mediocre pretty fast.


But who would have thought that this suicidal maniac Bard, was a pal of maybe the most prominent OP figure in the Forgotten Realms?
Is there 'anyone' more famous as Elminster?


Oh, we are most definitely running into Drizzt at some point. I will name my third character after you if he and Elminster don't show up in some form.


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Originally Posted by JustAnotherBaldu
After finding out about him I must say... he was okay, I think.

But maybe it was because of the stuff I found around him, books, letters & stuff.
I kind off try not to read stuff that was yet not translated into my non-english client.
Simply because I am lazy. wink

But this dude is NOT SERIOUSLY someone who knows Elminster, is he?
Please not. That feels soooo forced.
Elminster is kind of like a Magic-Geralt of Rivia in the Forgotten Realms.
Please don't.

That feels too coincidental to met a real somebodys friend in the middle of nowwhere.

  • Thoughts?


I think his appearance is explained in a somehow acceptable way, he ended up in that area because he moves to where things happen, places like the starting point of this game. There we have an unseen alliance between goblins, drows (the underdark elves are even walking in sunlight), bugbears, a new cult is rising, thieflings are forced to search asylum in a druid's lair, a powerful hag in messing around probably in accord with shadowdruids, furthermore these is a place full of mindfliers living incubators (that is the sentient beings infected with the tadpoles).

As far as I get he is not only an explorer but a bardo, the more stories he get the more valuable his perfomances became, also he is a major personality of BG backgroundm one who has mapped all Fareun, so it's realistic to think that he has a vast web of connections that allow him to know where the interesting stuff is happening.

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People, stop calling Volo a bard… Did you hear his singing? It's awful! He has 0 in Performance skill.
https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Volothamp_Geddarm

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The title of your thread is so trollish ! You got me !

Thank you Zellin for protecting the Bards' professional standards !

Volo is a very mysterious character that I am quite certain is not normal, and probably has some Devine protection (his said proverbial "luck"). I laughed how the game purposefully shows for him about 7 HP and level 3... Sure ! I suspect he is a powerful Wizard that has made many magical copies of himself, allowing him to travel and record events in many places at once (or some other powerful Wizard did it for him).

Last edited by Baraz; 26/11/20 01:50 AM.
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I dont like any of those two ...
Not sure if those characters was created on purpose to anoy people, but its definietly working for me ... hardest part of EA for me was convince myself to free Volo from goblin camp. frown

Last edited by RagnarokCzD; 26/11/20 10:26 AM.

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