Dynaheir

[Smiling Imp]

Have begun coding a Dynaheir addition for the mod. My work situation has been hectic, so it might take some time. If anyone wants to help out or has any ideas or suggestions, please feel free to either post them here or contact me. 

[Kulyok]

I would offer one suggestion - for compatibility, it's probably best not to change lines in dialog.tlk, but quietly update variables for those talks in the vanilla game that include dead Dynaheir. This way those talks won't trigger(=perhaps your own talks will trigger at some points, instead, if you like). This includes Minsc's rant in the cage, Aerie-Minsc's-Witch sequence, and so on.

You'll still have forty mod NPCs mentioning dead Khalid together with dead Dynaheir left and right, though.

Aaand Dynaheir was possibly a love interest for male PC in BG1(BG1 NPC), so there's that issue to address, too.

[Smiling Imp]

I would offer one suggestion - for compatibility, it's probably best not to change lines in dialog.tlk, but quietly update variables for those talks in the vanilla game that include dead Dynaheir. This way those talks won't trigger(=perhaps your own talks will trigger at some points, instead, if you like). This includes Minsc's rant in the cage, Aerie-Minsc's-Witch sequence, and so on.

You'll still have forty mod NPCs mentioning dead Khalid together with dead Dynaheir left and right, though.

Aaand Dynaheir was possibly a love interest for male PC in BG1(BG1 NPC), so there's that issue to address, too.

  Aye-yai-yai! Now I remember why I decided not to add Dynaheir the first time around. 

Changing lines in dialog.tlk is not going to be a problem b/c to be completely honest, I have no idea how to do so. More problematic is the possible love interest angle that you mentioned and the mentioning of her death by other NPCs in their banters. I do not think there is much I can do to change the situation with the NPC banters other then adding a warning. I flirted with the idea of making her undead, possibly a vampire, working w/ Bodhi or Valen, but decided against it.

As far as the romance possibility I guess I can go back and describe an instance that might have happened in the original game in one of the banters. The PC might be able to respond as such.. How could I forget that special night, Yes I vaguely recall that instance, I have no idea what you are talking about etc. and depending on how the follow up dialogs go, it will determine whether or not 1. If the the PC had a relationship in BG1 and 2. If they would like to continue it in SoA.

This would actually be my first romance.. Montaron's is more of an anti-romance and was intended to be on the humorous side. Yeah, time to break out ye Olde English dictionary and see what I can conjure up. 

[kmark2323]

She was Lawful Good in BG1. Go with the story of her being dead and then resurrected by another being/party/etc.. with an agenda. She could now be working for the forces of Good, raised by say an Astral-Planar being and now have her race change to Aasimar. Or by a High Priest of one of the LG deities that is aligend to the Order of the Most Radiant Heart to help thwart the growing might of the Vampires in Athlatka. Or the Beholder Cult. Or the Mind-Flayers or all of them... the possibilites are endless. It would explain Minsc's Racial enemy being changed to Vampire from Gnoll....

[Smiling Imp]

She was Lawful Good in BG1. Go with the story of her being dead and then resurrected by another being/party/etc.. with an agenda. She could now be working for the forces of Good, raised by say an Astral-Planar being and now have her race change to Aasimar. Or by a High Priest of one of the LG deities that is aligend to the Order of the Most Radiant Heart to help thwart the growing might of the Vampires in Athlatka. Or the Beholder Cult. Or the Mind-Flayers or all of them... the possibilites are endless. It would explain Minsc's Racial enemy being changed to Vampire from Gnoll....

LOL! Truly a buffet of choices to choose from.

As far as the dilemma of NPC mentioning her death in their talks, there is this..

http://forum.baldursgate.com/discussion/17851/should-dynaheir-wear-a-mask

Seems that in canon lore, the Wychlaran of the Rashemen wore enchanted masks that concealed their identities. It could be that she reveals her identity only to the PC, for some reason wanting to keep resurrection a secret until later in ToB when most of those banters would be over.  

[Smiling Imp]

Revised her intro dialog again. Going to use the mask idea, but not the idea of keeping her identity a secret. I do not want to limit her, banter-wise.

[kmark2323]

The Witches of Rashemen were Mages in 2nd edition, Protecters of the Realm of Rashemen per se, but evolved in 3rd edition into a Prestige class that required Divine and Arcane magic, a.k.a. Cleric and Wizard levels. Giving her a kit that gave her some healing or other cleric only abilities would be interesting.... she has Slow Poison I believe in BG1 as a special ability. Maybe add to that?

[Smiling Imp]

The Witches of Rashemen were Mages in 2nd edition, Protecters of the Realm of Rashemen per se, but evolved in 3rd edition into a Prestige class that required Divine and Arcane magic, a.k.a. Cleric and Wizard levels. Giving her a kit that gave her some healing or other cleric only abilities would be interesting.... she has Slow Poison I believe in BG1 as a special ability. Maybe add to that?

That sounds awesome actually. However as of this date, I have still been unable to produce a kit. If anyone that has any experience in that department can lend some time to create one that would be greatly appreciated. In lieu of that a link to a tutorial might be nice. I have read the one by Camdawg but still cannot get it down.

[Smiling Imp]

Okay, got a playable version of Dynaheir for SoA. It's more of a sneak preview of things to come, as I have not had time to write up banters yet, but those will be added later in updates. If you decide to give her a try, find her at the Promenade.

She will be available in the next version, which should be up soon.

 

[kmark2323]

Ohhhhyeah!

[Smiling Imp]

Added a banter with Minsc and some interaction between her and Edwin, when you first meet him in the docks. Not a big addition but it will get there, little by little.

[Smiling Imp]

I have decided to give Dynaheir a Dream Vision Quest. Ideally, the way it will go down is that after every dream sequence with Irenicus, Dynaheir will banter with the <CHARNAME>, teaching him/her the way of the Dream Warrior. After all the dream sequences are over, Dynaheir will ask the PC if they are ready to challenge the Dream Master.

I was thinking of using the dream version of Candlekeep as the basis for a level filled with tough psychic creatures and phantom projections from BG1 that might present some type of moral challenge that cannot be defeated by either sword or sorcery.

I will probably focus working on this quest and banters/interjections. Romance options and other stuff are going to have to wait for the moment.

[Smiling Imp]

Okay. Started working on the new Dream Level. The way it will play out is that eventually Dynaheir will ask you if you think you are strong enough in the ways of the dream warrior to challenge the Dream Master. Expect it to be challenging. 

[Smiling Imp]

Dream level is almost done. I still have to write and code the banters that lead up to that point, but I am happy with the results so far. Had to scrap two versions already.. the first b/c anytime I tried to just edit the 'dream' Candlekeep, things would get buggy and lead to game crashes.. the second because the edited version I tried to make of the real Candlekeep level from BG1 was too big to load on WEIDU. Finally I decided to mix the two and start over. Like I said before, expect it to be difficult.. not because opponents are just tough, but also b/c you are not going to be able to rest since you are dreaming! 

[Smiling Imp]

Damn! I had a new version with a dream quest for Dynaheir complete with new level  ..... but I accidentally deleted it. 

Back to the drawing board.