When the player recruits an NPC into the party, they get that text exchange like "What will it take for you to join this most important of Quests!" And the NPC gives you the goal. Larian can use this vehicle to suggest to the player stuff that might be tried, or that they want to show off in EA. Every NPC with their unique price/quest to recruit, clues the player in.
Once completed, the NPC joins the group, but when that happens, let us (the EA player) respec the Character. As if in the Char Creator for attributes and abilities, class background etc. This would be the data gold mine.
It would tell Larian, who is being chosen, who people like, what impression they had of that character such that they felt X, Y, Z should be their stat spread and features. Then use information gathered to inform future builds. Their Stats and abilities as Hostile Enemies or for looting could be whatever is needed for tactical intrigue and overall game balance in the actual campaign as NPCs, but once recruited into the Party/Camp they become like normal PCs that we can build out ourselves and respec according to sensible PC parameters, within a mini char creation display to tweak their attributes or class or whatever makes sense.
No further VO lines are even really required for the NPCs that already exist with cutscenes. They could start doing it right now, or as soon as they get the char creation prompt and recruitment quests tied in. Create a VO bark from something they've already recorded. Or add a few generic lines that fit with getting hit or healed or whatever. Do it in simple text for story-ish quest material would be easy. Let them play like PCs.
The systems are in place, the characters are already there. All that's needed is a key to the char screen door, and there would be every reason to explore the EA again with different people. You want Abdirak? I'm sure he's got a score to settle somewhere, or a pain he wants to know. Some rando goblin in it for the gold or the fear. Some Tiefling you thought looked cool. Maybe one druid want's another humiliated. Etc. You click the NPC and after the "cinematic" one liner, you get that extra check reveal called "Recruitment." Basically anyone not hostile or who could conceivably be recruited.
They become like EA Action Figures that way!
How fun would that be? I mean just to see who people chose and what they built out of them. That would be so rad!
Here are my top picks for a first wave! But maybe yours are different right? So lets let everyone choose from everyone! heheh
Ps. This would answer the Origins dilemma, the idea that the game does not have enough companions, and the fear of act 1 party locks. Instead what happens is that EA Act 1 is the player's opportunity to recruit all these peeps to respec. It would work brilliantly with a split XP option, because with an EA lvl cap in place, the Player could still recruit and build out NPC companions to continue progressing in some way. Say later NPCs in Act 2 which is the Full Release, any old NPC could not be respec'd in the same way, but the ones in Act 1 EA could, if we can keep them alive long enough to make it through the playthrough. It would probably become my favorite game overnight if they did that. Keep us busy all through Christmas. Especially if they could make some updates to UI or party movement around the same time. Add in the little text convo lines to recruit with the price/quest, and the tools we'd need are there already from the existing Char creator. Sure none of those NPCs would be as fully reactive as the 5 origins, but that's ok.
The idea is just to make a fun and engaging presentation that indulges that Boba Fett concept. Like they can learn who is everyone's favorite action figure. Especially maybe even adding a custom bio option, where the player can type what they thought the NPC's deal might be, or give an "after-action" biography of what actually happened on this playthrough with this NPC at the close of Act 1 lol. Little touches like that to personalize it. That would make the EA a really worthwhile and enduring experience. Let us keep like 4-8 at camp at once. Throw a salon in there for the hair and the makeup etc, and I would say they did it up right! Least it would be a fun idea for continued EA engagement.
Then we get Minthara, but also so much more! Something to do!!!
![[Linked Image from i.ibb.co]](https://i.ibb.co/zFmQBT0/Wave-1.jpg)
