Dialog!!!!

[Trayen]

Dialog should always start with the MC!

I just had to kill a NPC that I did not want to because my MC was across the room when they walked in and Halsin the nearest character botched a persuasion check. Why can they not make it so the MC gets first crack. It really screws a play through up. Guess next time I will SOLO the game.

[Lani]

Game triggered dialogue (as opposed to player triggered dialogue) will generally be with the party member nearest to them unless there's an overriding (i.e. story based) reason for them not to. It's not a bug but a feature simulating a level of realism and being in a party.

You could try with a party of henchmen. I'm not positive that'll work but they aren't exactly talkative so an NPC trying to talk to someone in the party may begrudgingly settle for the guy with Main Character Syndrome.

if not, good luck on your SOLO run, I hear it's quite doable.

[Dr.Abscondus]

It doesn't always start with the active character. Sometimes it defaults to the MC. I had to respec my MC and play the fight to free Orpheus over because the game forces the dialogue regarding becoming a mindflayer to the MC only. My MC wizard has crap Wisdom so winning that throw is impossible. The game should at least be consistent

[id795078477]

Originally posted by Lani:

Game triggered dialogue (as opposed to player triggered dialogue) will generally be with the party member nearest to them unless there's an overriding (i.e. story based) reason for them not to. It's not a bug but a feature simulating a level of realism and being in a party.

You could try with a party of henchmen. I'm not positive that'll work but they aren't exactly talkative so an NPC trying to talk to someone in the party may begrudgingly settle for the guy with Main Character Syndrome.

if not, good luck on your SOLO run, I hear it's quite doable.

The requests to remove this "feature" or at least give options to regulate it in the settings were asked a lot since EA days.

This is a game, not a RL simulator. In this game people will try to optimize the party so that it covers for as much as possible - including speech checks and alike. The game disrespecting that and demanding to dance around it is nonsense - especially remembering that some scenes are triggered after the combat meaning that whatever ending combat positions were occupied will influence that scene.

I honestly can't recall even a single other RPG that did it so terribly wrong as BG3 does. I have no idea why it is a thing.

[McGoodGreen]

The game is also touted as multiplayer. Imagine how boring it would be if every time something interesting triggered it only ever went to Player 1. Having an option isn't a horrible idea though.

But since I am treating this more as a DnD outlet, the focus going to whoever feels random and right.

Besides, nothing stopping you from reloading a save. Only a big issue on Honour Mode and even then, you should be ready to take whatever the game throws at you and adapt.

[Kamuizin]

Originally posted by McGoodGreen:

The game is also touted as multiplayer. Imagine how boring it would be if every time something interesting triggered it only ever went to Player 1. Having an option isn't a horrible idea though.

But since I am treating this more as a DnD outlet, the focus going to whoever feels random and right.

Besides, nothing stopping you from reloading a save. Only a big issue on Honour Mode and even then, you should be ready to take whatever the game throws at you and adapt.

This is an exception. A feature to allow party leader or anyone to speak in multiplayer doesn't conflict with a feature that trigger dialogues with main character in single game.

Edit: With Lae'Zel, many times i had dialogue options to let her speak. Companions could have this same feature by default, to allow MC speak most of the time.

[404]

yeah a feature for another member of your party to "interrupt" or take over a conversation is sorely needed for SP. Had this happen with me, i just lucked out and had Karlach be the one petitioned and she intimidated them into submission.
Only work around i have right now is to save regularly.

[Lani]

Originally posted by id795078477:

Originally posted by Lani:

Game triggered dialogue (as opposed to player triggered dialogue) will generally be with the party member nearest to them unless there's an overriding (i.e. story based) reason for them not to. It's not a bug but a feature simulating a level of realism and being in a party.

You could try with a party of henchmen. I'm not positive that'll work but they aren't exactly talkative so an NPC trying to talk to someone in the party may begrudgingly settle for the guy with Main Character Syndrome.

if not, good luck on your SOLO run, I hear it's quite doable.

The requests to remove this "feature" or at least give options to regulate it in the settings were asked a lot since EA days.

This is a game, not a RL simulator. In this game people will try to optimize the party so that it covers for as much as possible - including speech checks and alike. The game disrespecting that and demanding to dance around it is nonsense - especially remembering that some scenes are triggered after the combat meaning that whatever ending combat positions were occupied will influence that scene.

I honestly can't recall even a single other RPG that did it so terribly wrong as BG3 does. I have no idea why it is a thing.

Let me help you remember: Just about every party-based CRPG made with the infinity engine. (So Icewind Dale series, Planescape Torment (-ish) and Baldur's Gate series)
One mechanical reason for the popularity of Palladins in the Infinity engine era was that it allowed you to have a tank with a Charisma stat in front.

Then there's the party-based Aurora game engine games (Neverwinter Nights I & II which ahd it.
CD Projekt's The Witcher escaped it by essentially being a single character RPG.
BioWare's Eclipse Engine ARPG first DragonAge also had it.

In fact it didn't stop being BioWare's default until they changed from party-based to trio-based for then more limited console play with KoToR and later Mass Effect where incidentally the MC is generally first one into the door, so I still wouldn't count it not being there completely either.
Pillars of Eternity I & II have it as well.

Thus, most Bioware Black isle / Obsidian games so far. Kinda the core of Isometric/DnD isnpired CRPG's.
Then there this this weird Belgian company with a penchant for putting 'Divinity' in their game titles that also does it most of the time. Oh and don't forget the Shadowrun ones.

Some noteable party-based CRPGs that didn't have it would be the OwlCat Pathfinder and RogueTrader games where nearest party member triggers the convo but your Main Character can but in from across the map, along with annoying camera shifts.
Oh and the Drakensang games. Those are more in the made for console Trio vein again.

Some of the above have what I personally find the better option, NPC talks to whoever he is scripted to or defaults to the nearest partymember, but player can take over the conversation from a reasonable distance or even a dialogue system where essentially the whole party talks and relevant skill advantages are portrayed.

The NPC initiates dialogue with the nearest party member is almost ubiquitous in this sort of game though. And you're right, it's not because it's more realistic but because it's more efficient to code it that way.

[Teskal]

I never had this issue. If my MC is active, he speaks during the dialogue. Few exceptions only if I allow someone to speak instead or I accidentily have a companion active.

[Kamuizin]

Originally posted by Lani:

The NPC initiates dialogue with the nearest party member is almost ubiquitous in this sort of game though. And you're right, it's not because it's more realistic but because it's more efficient to code it that way.

Can’t speak about all titles, but in NWN2 SoZ, where skills could change the result of a dialogue, we could clearly change the interlocutor.

On BG3, anytime a dialogue has a special meaning to some of the companions, we can decline and let that companion speak.

Thus, efficient code doesn’t look as a reasonable excuse, cos BG3 already has the method to implement this request and being heavily influenced by skills, it should be a must.

[id795078477]

Originally posted by Lani:

Originally posted by id795078477:

The requests to remove this "feature" or at least give options to regulate it in the settings were asked a lot since EA days.

This is a game, not a RL simulator. In this game people will try to optimize the party so that it covers for as much as possible - including speech checks and alike. The game disrespecting that and demanding to dance around it is nonsense - especially remembering that some scenes are triggered after the combat meaning that whatever ending combat positions were occupied will influence that scene.

I honestly can't recall even a single other RPG that did it so terribly wrong as BG3 does. I have no idea why it is a thing.

Let me help you remember: Just about every party-based CRPG made with the infinity engine. (So Icewind Dale series, Planescape Torment (-ish) and Baldur's Gate series)
One mechanical reason for the popularity of Palladins in the Infinity engine era was that it allowed you to have a tank with a Charisma stat in front.

Then there's the party-based Aurora game engine games (Neverwinter Nights I & II which ahd it.
CD Projekt's The Witcher escaped it by essentially being a single character RPG.
BioWare's Eclipse Engine ARPG first DragonAge also had it.

In fact it didn't stop being BioWare's default until they changed from party-based to trio-based for then more limited console play with KoToR and later Mass Effect where incidentally the MC is generally first one into the door, so I still wouldn't count it not being there completely either.
Pillars of Eternity I & II have it as well.

Thus, most Bioware Black isle / Obsidian games so far. Kinda the core of Isometric/DnD isnpired CRPG's.
Then there this this weird Belgian company with a penchant for putting 'Divinity' in their game titles that also does it most of the time. Oh and don't forget the Shadowrun ones.

Some noteable party-based CRPGs that didn't have it would be the OwlCat Pathfinder and RogueTrader games where nearest party member triggers the convo but your Main Character can but in from across the map, along with annoying camera shifts.
Oh and the Drakensang games. Those are more in the made for console Trio vein again.

Some of the above have what I personally find the better option, NPC talks to whoever he is scripted to or defaults to the nearest partymember, but player can take over the conversation from a reasonable distance or even a dialogue system where essentially the whole party talks and relevant skill advantages are portrayed.

The NPC initiates dialogue with the nearest party member is almost ubiquitous in this sort of game though. And you're right, it's not because it's more realistic but because it's more efficient to code it that way.

In both NWN games this is not the issue. In NWN 2: SoZ there is even a special UI to change the one talking during the dialogue (and it's possible to do it as many times at any point down the line) Dragon Age? In which one is it possible to engage with the surrounding NPCs as a party companion?

It is a poorly designed system (by the looks of it - it's simply "we don't care" sort of stuff). And you aren't a game developer nor did you make any of the aforementioned games - so with all due respect, "it's more effective to code" is a thing you just invented. You simply don't know.