Wait... is Dark Urge replacing a Custom character story???

[Ephemerant]

So, last Origin was revealed to be "Dark Urge," where you create a custom character. It's a dark and brutal story "not for the faint of heart" (said by Swen). It's apparently full of blood and violence.

My problem is that I think this means normal Custom characters are going to get shafted in story quality again, just like in DOS2. Not everyone wants their Custom story to be dark and brutal...

Is Larian really about to make Normal Customs the worst option again because they won't have the same dedication to quality with cutscenes and the like?

[Ephemerant]

Messaggio originale di Yojo0o:

Messaggio originale di Dex:

Yep, it's essentially a "Tav+". Now, if they added in 3 or 4 more Tav backgrounds, that could be cool, but for the only special Tav treatment to be a serial killer is a bit frustrating.

"We want more attention to Tav!"

"Here's Tav+!"

"HOW DARE YOU NOT GIVE TAV THE ATTENTION TAV SO RICHLY DESERVES!"

Guess what? Custom additions to the blank-slate character are just Origin characters.

Being reductive doesn't make it right. It's obvious they could make a unique neutral story that runs parallel to the main plot for Normal Customs to play around with. Some people don't want a dark brutal story thrust onto their Custom just so they can have more content.

[Yojo0o]

Messaggio originale di Dex:

Messaggio originale di Yojo0o:

Exactly. Tav is the "don't write my character for me" option. Project whatever you want to project onto your own Tav.

If you want a curated character journey woven into the narrative, pick an origin. There are seven of them now?

Can't have both. Not sure why you'd expect both. What game has both?

Yes, you definitely can have both. When origin companions are designed to be more complete than a custom character, you're choosing to have an inferior experience. You can't choose a proper background that has a ton of consequences, you're just a mute puppet.

I can definitely have both? Then help me out and provide me with an example of this sort of thing, because right now all I'm hearing are people wishing their OC could get personalized attention by a pre-written adventure.

[Ephemerant]

Messaggio originale di Yojo0o:

Messaggio originale di Dex:

I'm just saying, right now "Tav" has NOTHING. At this point I'll take anything that makes me feel as special as the super special extra origin companions.

Can't have both. Not sure why you'd expect both. What game has both?

BG1 and 2....

[Yojo0o]

Messaggio originale di Ephemerant:

Messaggio originale di Yojo0o:

"We want more attention to Tav!"

"Here's Tav+!"

"HOW DARE YOU NOT GIVE TAV THE ATTENTION TAV SO RICHLY DESERVES!"

Guess what? Custom additions to the blank-slate character are just Origin characters.

Being reductive doesn't make it right. It's obvious they could make a unique neutral story that runs parallel to the main plot for Normal Customs to play around with. Some people don't want a dark brutal story thrust onto their Custom just so they can have more content.

There are SEVEN such unique stories running parallel to the main plot. They are associated with fleshed-out characters. What's a "unique 'neutral' story"? Because anything that isn't character-specific might as well just go into the game for everybody to enjoy, no?

[Yojo0o]

Messaggio originale di Ephemerant:

Messaggio originale di Yojo0o:

Can't have both. Not sure why you'd expect both. What game has both?

BG1 and 2....

BG1 and 2 feature you playing the origin character Gorion's Ward. You can choose their class/sex/name, but they have one singular story you are forced to adhere to. You cannot do anything other than play through Gorion's Ward's story.

[Ephemerant]

Messaggio originale di Yojo0o:

Messaggio originale di Ephemerant:

Being reductive doesn't make it right. It's obvious they could make a unique neutral story that runs parallel to the main plot for Normal Customs to play around with. Some people don't want a dark brutal story thrust onto their Custom just so they can have more content.

There are SEVEN such unique stories running parallel to the main plot. They are associated with fleshed-out characters. What's a "unique 'neutral' story"? Because anything that isn't character-specific might as well just go into the game for everybody to enjoy, no?

Idk, the same thing as Dark Urge but NOT a psychopath? Weird, I know.

[Yojo0o]

Messaggio originale di Dex:

Messaggio originale di Ephemerant:

Idk, the same thing as Dark Urge but NOT a psychopath? Weird, I know.

This. They could have added a number of different backgrounds that had similar gameplay as the Dark Urge, but of course, it just had to be a psychopath as the only Tav background that has significant gameplay differences.

And again, I do not understand how extra optional content means you're worse off for not using it.

[Ephemerant]

Messaggio originale di Yojo0o:

Messaggio originale di Dex:

This. They could have added a number of different backgrounds that had similar gameplay as the Dark Urge, but of course, it just had to be a psychopath as the only Tav background that has significant gameplay differences.

And again, I do not understand how extra optional content means you're worse off for not using it.

I don't understand how it's eluding you. We're being punished for wanting to play a Normal Custom character. Dark Urge is the treatment we want, but in order to get it we have to be a psychopath. That is what I mean by a Unique "Neutral" story. Give us something outside of the main plot to play around with that doesn't force us into a darker brutal story.

[Lord Adorable]

Messaggio originale di Ephemerant:

Messaggio originale di Yojo0o:

And again, I do not understand how extra optional content means you're worse off for not using it.

I don't understand how it's eluding you. We're being punished for wanting to play a Normal Custom character.

How do you know? Have you played the full game already?

[Yojo0o]

Messaggio originale di Ephemerant:

Messaggio originale di Yojo0o:

And again, I do not understand how extra optional content means you're worse off for not using it.

I don't understand how it's eluding you. We're being punished for wanting to play a Normal Custom character. Dark Urge is the treatment we want, but in order to get it we have to be a psychopath. That is what I mean by a Unique "Neutral" story. Give us something outside of the main plot to play around with that doesn't force us into a darker brutal story.

It's eluding me because I'm not convinced what you want actually exists.

Let me be as clear as I can be:

You can play an RPG as an established character within the world. These characters will inevitably have links to the world, because they have lived in it. Larian calls these characters "Origin" characters, but many RPGs simply feature one playable individual, occasionally with some customization options.

You can play an RPG as a blank-slate custom-built character. These characters inevitably don't connect as much to the plot as a preconceived character would, but some people enjoy that, being able to project their own morals or backstory onto that character. In BG3, this is "Tav". (Edit to add: I'm unaware of any RPG that offers BOTH of these options, other than DOS2 and BG3)

The advantage of playing the former is that the writers of the game will prepare content for that specific character.

The advantage of playing the latter is that you get full creative control over your character, but it means that you are now the one to curate your own adventure for that character. There's no Dungeon Master present to place the tracks ahead of your train in real time.

What you seem to be asking for is the latter type of character, but with access to the former's level of detailed storytelling done for you. And I fundamentally do not understand what that looks like or how it is possible in a video game, barring advanced AI filling in the gaps in real time for you.

It's not a "punishment" for you to play a custom character. You've been given a wide swath of protagonists with curated stories to play as. If you choose not to make use of them, that's your own decision to take the reigns for yourself, that's not a "punishment".

[Ephemerant]

Messaggio originale di Lord Adorable:

Messaggio originale di Ephemerant:

I don't understand how it's eluding you. We're being punished for wanting to play a Normal Custom character.

How do you know? Have you played the full game already?

All through this thread I've been admitting I could be wrong.

[Ephemerant]

Messaggio originale di Yojo0o:

Messaggio originale di Ephemerant:

I don't understand how it's eluding you. We're being punished for wanting to play a Normal Custom character. Dark Urge is the treatment we want, but in order to get it we have to be a psychopath. That is what I mean by a Unique "Neutral" story. Give us something outside of the main plot to play around with that doesn't force us into a darker brutal story.

It's eluding me because I'm not convinced what you want actually exists.

Let me be as clear as I can be:

You can play an RPG as an established character within the world. These characters will inevitably have links to the world, because they have lived in it. Larian calls these characters "Origin" characters, but many RPGs simply feature one playable individual, occasionally with some customization options.

You can play an RPG as a blank-slate custom-built character. These characters inevitably don't connect as much to the plot as a preconceived character would, but some people enjoy that, being able to project their own morals or backstory onto that character. In BG3, this is "Tav".

The advantage of playing the former is that the writers of the game will prepare content for that specific character.

The advantage of playing the latter is that you get full creative control over your character, but it means that you are now the one to curate your own adventure for that character. There's no Dungeon Master present to place the tracks ahead of your train in real time.

What you seem to be asking for is the latter type of character, but with access to the former's level of detailed storytelling done for you. And I fundamentally do not understand what that looks like or how it is possible in a video game, barring advanced AI filling in the gaps in real time for you.

You're really gonna sit here and tell me that Dark Urge is a fleshed-out character? It's literally a Custom character with extra bells and whistles. It is exactly what you seem to think isn't possible. A Custom character with an Origin-level quality narrative to experience parallel to the main plot.

[Yojo0o]

Great! So by your standards, Larian has added more attention to the Tav character in the form of Dark Urge. Your possibilities have now been broadened, at no cost to you. Congratulations!

[Ephemerant]

Messaggio originale di Yojo0o:

Great! So by your standards, Larian has added more attention to the Tav character in the form of Dark Urge. Your possibilities have now been broadened, at no cost to you. Congratulations!

-------> point

You.

[Yojo0o]

Messaggio originale di Ephemerant:

Messaggio originale di Yojo0o:

Great! So by your standards, Larian has added more attention to the Tav character in the form of Dark Urge. Your possibilities have now been broadened, at no cost to you. Congratulations!

-------> point

You.

Okay, I'll guess again.

Is the point that Larian added something to the game that happens to not specifically be of interest to you, and that's somehow a problem?