Dialogs options are too few

[Core]

BG3 is headed for release now.
Let's put combat mechanics and implementation aside for a moment. It was EA and we didn't expect a full product and it was fine. But I am still seeing way too few options in the dialog.
I remember more than a single page of dialog options in BG 1, 2, IWD 1, 2 etc. If there's anything that needs improvement, albeit costly, I think it should be in the aspect of RPG - dialogs and choices.
In my opinion, there are not many threads on these forums that could be marked as "yeah, this guy has a valid point". And most of those are about "RP is limited". Obviously UI does not support many more options, the story/RP is branched and is probably non modular; and frankly this looks quite difficult to improve at but if there should be any improvements about this game, it should be at dialog level, more good, evil neutral, different opinions.

BG series dialogs did not always have huge consequences but you could feel in a character you would want to RP as most of the times. And that was the most important part of RPing in BG.

[Popsicles]

https://twitter.com/larianstudios/status/1618640179496984576

[Frostlight Inc.]

There ARE a lot of dialogue options, my man, they're just there based on your race or class. There's a TON of different options, you just don't get to see them all at once. As you shouldn't.

[Pan Darius Cassandra]

I mean, there's more than any other game I've ever played...

[MistuhG]

There have been some times when playing a certain class, like paladin, that i thought there were certainly gaps where the only responses available didn't quite fit or could be fleshed out. But at the same time, there have been instances when I've been surprised that there were some additional unique options available i didn't anticipate.

With all the npc voice acting in BG3 compared to other games, I don't blame them for not going too ham on options. If the options have meaning enough to implement (and aren't just superficial stuff that changes nothing with the interaction), they would have unique responses, which means more voice work required. Its a balancing act.

I'm sure they will flesh it out to some degree by full release, maybe not as much as some would like and not as much as unspoken dialog would do, but improved over EA.

[Yojo0o]

You remember incorrectly.

[Lord Adorable]

Personally I have seen more dialogue options than what can fit on the screen than not.
Having to scroll to find the ones I can't see is always exciting.

[Core]

Originally posted by MistuhG:

With all the npc voice acting in BG3 compared to other games, I don't blame them for not going too ham on options. If the options have meaning enough to implement (and aren't just superficial stuff that changes nothing with the interaction), they would have unique responses, which means more voice work required. Its a balancing act.

See my point is not how they can do, what resources they do have, or what would be difficult for Larian. I simply do not care.
I am stating that if we are comparing BG3 to previous BG titles(and we certainly ARE doing that a lot across this forum), what we should be concerned is not the board game side, the combat mechanics(which is already long forsaken as soon as Larian had chosen 5e), but the dialog, story and the RP.
RP is exactly equal to the dialog options presented to the player. Not the graphics, not the weapons, not the spell dices or bonuses...
So what Larian should pursue, and again I add that I do not care how, in my opinion, provided that they want to make BG3 a worthier successor to previous BG titles, has nothing to do with classes, spells or voice acting, but the dialog options and RP variety that is presented to the player.

[Georgio]

I can remember very, very few times in the Infinity Engine games where a dialogue choice actually mattered.

[Core]

Originally posted by Georgio:

I can remember very, very few times in the Infinity Engine games where a dialogue choice actually mattered.

That's an excellent point and would very much work in Larian's favor, should the decide to give the players more RP options.

[Hobocop]

Having revisited IWD and BG1 fairly recently, the dialogue barely mattered. It was more about what quests or tasks you agreed to do or not do because it affected your single value good person score.

At least Fallout 1 had both Karma and individual reputations for different factions and settlements.

[Core]

Originally posted by Hobocop:

Having revisited IWD and BG1 fairly recently, the dialogue barely mattered. It was more about what quests or tasks you agreed to do or not do because it affected your good person score.

That's true, and is also what Georgio said. It didn't matter that the dialog generated points. Those, and there were lots of dialogs that had 7-8+ options allowed the player to RP the character they wanted.
I believe that is one of the biggest things that made BG so popular. That more often than not, we could find a dialog option that fitted our mindset.

[Tread]

There's definitely room for some more choices here and there. For instance talking to Shadowheart after the skeleton fight in the crypt you have a binary choice of either agreeing with her or making a comment about desecrating the crypt. I would really like a middle ground, because when presented with choices that don't reflex my character I will always choose the one that will benefit me the most, like gaining approval with Shadowheart by agreeing with her. Also I really hope classes like Eldritch Knight will get some special dialogue when it comes to magic effects and the like, similar to sorcerers and wizards.

[Hobocop]

Originally posted by Core:

Originally posted by Hobocop:

Having revisited IWD and BG1 fairly recently, the dialogue barely mattered. It was more about what quests or tasks you agreed to do or not do because it affected your good person score.

That's true, and is also what Georgio said. It didn't matter that the dialog generated points. Those, and there were lots of dialogs that had 7-8+ options allowed the player to RP the character they wanted.
I believe that is one of the biggest things that made BG so popular. That more often than not, we could find a dialog option that fitted our mindset.

I mean, not really? Most of those were asking for more information with maybe 2-3 at any one time presenting any kind of roleplaying choice, and BG3 is looking to be on par with that and more because it has actual reactivity to your race, class, and background choices during character creation.

[Quillithe]

Originally posted by Yojo0o:

Originally posted by Core:

Jesus christ, did you seriously just link a dialogue tree from the pedophile mod?

That's not the base game, that's mod dialogue from somebody who REALLY wanted a dating sim featuring a thirteen-year-old paladin.

Yeah, pretty sure this guy is just trolling.

If someone had wanted to actually make a serious response to this they could at least bring up Planescape: Torment, which actually does have more responses than fit on a page a few times. And that wonderful choice to say the same thing but lie when doing it as an option.


And this would be great, but this is a longer, more action-oriented game than PS:T (or Disco Elysium). And the number of options are very in line with the previous Baldur's Gate games, if not more.

[Yojo0o]

Originally posted by Quillithe:

Originally posted by Yojo0o:

Jesus christ, did you seriously just link a dialogue tree from the pedophile mod?

That's not the base game, that's mod dialogue from somebody who REALLY wanted a dating sim featuring a thirteen-year-old paladin.

Yeah, pretty sure this guy is just trolling.

If someone had wanted to actually make a serious response to this they could at least bring up Planescape: Torment, which actually does have more responses than fit on a page a few times. And that wonderful choice to say the same thing but lie when doing it as an option.


And this would be great, but this is a longer, more action-oriented game than PS:T (or Disco Elysium). And the number of options are very in line with the previous Baldur's Gate games, if not more.

For sure, I should hope that a game paced like PS:T would prioritize detailed dialogue trees, given how little focus there was on combat/tactics.