Follower NPCs and their hidden trigger reactions (SPOILER)

Discussion in 'Arcanum Discussion' started by symban, Jan 22, 2011.

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  1. symban

    symban New Member

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    I wanted to learn about the hidden scenes triggered by Followers in certain cases. I will share some of mine please do so;

    Magnus
    Make him wait, or dont even get him in the party before entering P.&Sons. If you handle things peacefully he will questin you about inside and refuse further dialog with you.

    If you try to have Torien Kel into party while Magnus is in, he will note that he is a product of Dark Arts used by the necromancer cult with snake's head and bird's body and begin bitching his way out

    Virgil
    If you ask Vollinger to join while Virgil around, he would warn you against short people generally being prats

    unfortunately at the moment I dont recall at all many, as soon as I remember I will edit them in. Thanks for your additions already.

    PS: I can swear I married once in Arcanum in my first gameplay. Was a male elf magician with high charisma master persuasion and good reputation, and remember marrying a NPC that joined me afterwards. was that a misundertanding of mine or there is some hidden dialog with one of female NPCs ?
     
  2. Muro

    Muro Well-Known Member

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    My bets are on a misunderstanding. I recall no marriage in Arcanum involving the player.

    What is your definition of a hidden scene, though? Every time when a follower unasked joins/initiates a dialogue?
     
  3. General Mandible

    General Mandible New Member

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    Magnus and Virgil also need a moment alone when you get to the Caladon cemetary.
     
  4. symban

    symban New Member

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    yes simply that. I enjoy exploring dialogs game has to offer. I loved it in my second play where in the very very beginning Virgil was muttering about Living Being nonsence, "OOHHH Yeessss.. I am THE living being, now serve me" and I really enjoyed Virgils anger. I want to find out what dialogs there are added to the game that I havent found yet.

    I also go everywhere with all NPCs and ask their opinions about the place.

    Lastly for anyone who havent played dumb dialog options I STRONGLY suggest it and having virgil around. sad though certain followers wont initiate joining dialog with you.
     
  5. General Mandible

    General Mandible New Member

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    I never actually tried the dumb dialogue for long. Have to try that.

    How would it be with others if you had them join you, then lowered the intelligence?
     
  6. symban

    symban New Member

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    unfortunately have no idea. My dumb dialog characters always had a very high intelligence but due to background choice they had dumb dialogs. (Freinkenstain backgrounds and rainman background).
     
  7. DarkFool

    DarkFool Nemesis of the Ancients

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    Being a dumb character is perhaps the greatest thing I ever did in Arcanum. I think my 3 INT half-ogre had me crying with laughter the entire time I played him.
     
  8. Viktor_Berg

    Viktor_Berg New Member

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    I stuck with a dumb character until Tarant. Then the irritation of being unable to do the world-affecting quests properly (reclaiming Bessie Toone Mine, rejoining Black Root to Cumbria, etc) pissed me off more than the dialogue made me laugh and I quit.
     
  9. Nekrocow

    Nekrocow New Member

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    I started a stupid half-ogre who ran from the circus just to have fun advancing in the main plot 5 times faster... but we are off-topic-ing here =O
     
  10. Hawkthorne

    Hawkthorne New Member

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    I know what you mean about the limitations of dumb dialogue, Viktor_Berg. When I finally stuck with a dumb character long enough to find out if things get better once you leave Shrouded Hills, I cheated a few times and used Essence of Intellect potions to get quests that NPCs won't offer you when your INT is low.

    There are all sorts of unexpected drawbacks to dumb dialogue that do enhance the playing experience in a way because at least the exchanges you have with various characters aren't exactly like your last three games. But not being able to powergame as much or get the best results from some quests can be annoying.

    You can still use Persuasion to do a lot of stuff (which results in more new dialogue), but those darn INT checks force you to kill some people who you can normally just con into doing what you want, which is less fun.

    Some NPCs totally screw you over or overcharge you for things when you're stupid, which might be funny once but would just suck the next time through.

    On the other hand, the dumb journal entries are hilarious, so it's almost worth it just for those.
     
  11. Arthur_Vaapeli

    Arthur_Vaapeli New Member

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    You know what, Magnus is a useless bitch...

    My team is almost perfect with Virgil, Sogg Mead Mug, Dog and an ugly girl who makes healing salves.
     
  12. Muro

    Muro Well-Known Member

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    Quite something you asked for, there. Took me a weak to get motivated enough to finally write this down.

    In addition to what has already been said in this thread:

    General:

    Dumb dialogue has already been mentioned, but since the thread is about followers, it should be added that quite some followers have something unique to say to a dumb player as well. Especially the expanded interactions with Virgil in a low Intelligence game are pure gold.
    Quite some followers have a hidden dialogue line, initiated when the player asks them "What should we do now?" after completing the game. Virgil's Debug menu can be used to force the "game completed" main plot status to try this.

    Virgil:

    All those comments in the Crash Site and Shrouded Hills. Everyone knows that, no point it mentioning each line here.
    Virgil shares his comments about the telegram from Joachim in Tarant and the book from Joachim in Stillwater.
    Virgil interrupts the initial dialogue with Magnus in Tarant, saying that the Living One doesn't need to take his crap.
    Virgil gets recognised by Maug and Pollock in the Boil. He pretends that there was a mistake, takes the player on the side, warns him about who he's dealing with, almost starts talking about his past but eventually decides to remain silent.
    If the player asks about Lawrence Brummond in the Hall or Records (possible after he learns about him on the Caladon cemetery), he receives a newspaper with an article about his death and his brother. Virgil then interrupts and comments on the topic.
    If the player follows the good path of the main quest, Virgil leaves the party after finishing the T'sen-Ang part of the plot, claiming there is something that has to be done. He can later be found in the Sobbing Onion's basement killed by an angry mob. If the player disposes of the mob and resurrects him, he finds him inwardly changed. He is now Zen Virgil, calm and enlightened, with new lines for every order as well as "what do you know about this place?" questions. Elder Joachim drops in conveniently after the fight and resurrection for a chat, too.
    If Alexander has returned to the Panarii Temple in Caladon already, Virgil will recognise him the moment you enter the temple and gives you a general idea about who to expect.
    If the player follows the evil path of the main quest, Virgil changes after finishing the T'sen-Ang part of the plot. He is now Surly Virgil: evil, mean and proud of it, with new lines for every order as well as "what do you know about this place?" questions. When the player enters Caladon with Virgl after his conversion, they are both confronted by an angry and disappointed Elder Joachim willing to kill them both. Virgil calls him weak, suggests that the old man leaves and eventually shows no remorse in killing his former master.
    If Virgil is in the party during the talk with Nasrudin, he initiates a meaningful conversation about religion and whatnot with the elderly elf.
    If Zen Virgil is in the party during the end speech with Kerghan, he interrupts the dialogue and tells the player that while what Kerghan says about the afterlife is indeed true, he does not agree with the conclusion the necromancer has drawn from it.

    Magnus:

    All those comments of his during/directly after dealing with P. Schuyler and sons. Not worth taking this apart.
    Magnus has dialogue trees triggered by taking his book and his gauntlets from his inventory.
    When on the Isle of Despair, the player can ask Thorvald Two Stones about dwarven names and confront Magnus with Thorvald's answer, which makes him act all defensive, as usual.
    If the player has Magnus in his party while talking with Caladon cemetery's gravekeeper, Bingham, he can learn a lot about Magnus. Turns out the two dwarves know each other quite well, even though Magnus will cut off his beard than admit it.
    When the player enters the iron Clan with Magnus in his party, the dwarf recognises the artwork on the walls as identical to the that which is present on his gauntlets and bracelet. Turns out Magnus is from the Iron Clan. If Loghaire is in the party as well, he entitles Magnus the new king of the Iron Clan.

    Geoffrey Tarellond-Ashe:

    If the player speaks with Torian Kel after his revival while having Goeffrey in the party, Torian will recognize him as a Derian Ka. Geoffrey will then tell you on the side how he did take part in an old dark ritual, not expecting that it will really mean anything. Also, if the player asks Torian to join the party, Geoffrey will ask him to reconsider it, saying that travelling with the undead is demeaning. He will not stop you from recruiting him, though.
    In the Void, after Kerghan's speech, Geoffrey says that as a necromancer he cannot question an authority such as Kerghan, making the player think that he's on his side. He then reveals that he was joking and while Kerghan might be right, he doesn't share his point of view simply because he enjoys what life gives him.

    Vollinger:

    I read on the Arcanum page on TV Tropes that if the player visits the Half Ogre Island with Vollinger in his team, the gnome says that he is disgusted by what has been done there. I wasn't able to get this line myself, though, so either the line is a rumour or the trigger is more complicated than Vollinger simply being in the party at the time.
    In T'sen-Ang, if you become a friend of the Molochean Hand, Vollinger is revealed to be their assassin. His mission is no longer actual now, but he wishes to continue travelling with the player if he would want to keep him.

    If the player does not become a friend of the Molochean Hand and kills Gideon Layer, Vollinger leaves the party at the entrance to T'sen-Ang, asking you to meet with him at a certain location, alone. That places turns out to be a house with a basement. If the player enters the basement with any followers, nothing happens (since he is not doing as asked). If he enters it alone, he is ambushed by Vollinger and some henchmen.

    Torian Kel:

    The moment you enter Kree, he recognises it as the city he lived in.
    He recognises his home in Kree. He mentions that he hoped to find his ancestral sword, only to find that it is no longer there.
    In the Void, if you ask the Bane of Kree to join your party, Torian will interrupt the conversation and demand to avenge the city of Kree. The player can either accompany Torian in this act or watch him fight the Bane on his own until there is only one survivor. Not all dialogue lines lead to Torian's interruption, though.
    The moment the player picks up Torian Kel's Ancestral Sword, Torian recognises it. There are dialogue lines leading to either keeping it for yourself or giving it to Torian.
    After Kerghan's speech, Torian expresses support for his cause. He adds that he will fight by the necromancer's side if the Living One decides to oppose him and keeps his word.

    Perriman Smythe:

    Perriman despises dark necromancers and refuses to travel alongside Geoffrey. Being a master in Persuasion is required to change his mind.

    Doc Roberts:

    Each time you leave a location with a map (activating the World Map) with Doc Roberts in the party, he will say some hateful words, usually that he'll kill you for dragging him out of Shrouded Hills. This can only be achieved by controlling either his mind or his undead body.

    Raven:

    Raven despises dark elves and refuses to travel alongside Z'an Al'urin. Being a master in Persuasion is required to change her mind.
    On Thanatos, Raven and Nasrudin recognise each other and have a short chat.
    The player can initiate a romance with Raven if he is of the right race and alignment and chooses the right dialogue lines. In response, she is generally warmer towards you and smuggles some flirty lines whenever ask her about the location you are currently at.

    This reaches its peak when the player is just about to be banished to the Void. Raven then leaves the party, saying she needs to be alone for a moment. When confronted, she starts a conversation about her feeling towards the player, which can potentially end in an exchange of declarations of love and an intercourse before the banishment, if the right dialogue options are chosen.

    Z'an Al'urin:

    When the player returns to Loghaire after finding out what the Dark Elves did with the BMC dwarves (assuming Loghaire has been persuaded to return to the throne) with Z'an in his party, she gets verbally attacked by Loghaire, who claims all dark elves are alike. She then responses with saying that affinity alone does not tell everything about one's worth and points out that Lorek the Abjurer was of the Wheel Clan, winning the discussion in effect.
    When the player confronts the imprisoned Arronax in the Void and talk with about his actions, Z'an Al'urin enters the discussion, exchanges some line with Arronax and says that she joined the player because she knew this is where they would ended. She wanted to confront Arronax and kill him, but now that she's here, she knows that is not what is should be done.

    Arronax:

    Has quite some to say during the big end conversation with Kerghan.

    The Bane of Kree:

    If the Living One recruits the Bane, follow his instructions and find Kryggird's Falchion, the Bane will demand to hand it over. The player can either do as he says and keep the follower or fight him over it.

    Not sure if I wrote down everything here. Hopefully others will add that which I might have skipped.
     
  13. Drog Alt

    Drog Alt Member

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    A few more off the top of my head.

    Both Perriman Smythe and Geoffrey Tarrelond-Ashe have a few lines of dialog with Simeon Tor. The conversation is different depending on whether you have both of them in your party or just one.

    When the Bane of Kree says that he used the infamous Bangellian Scourge during his slaugher of Kree, you can mention that you actually have the sword with you. This is a very poor dialog choice, however, since it inevitably results in combat, whether you give him the sword or not.

    Virgil's conversation with Maug is only available in the UAP's Extra Content module. It was never properly scripted in-game, so it's not available otherwise. Pretty funny, since his conversation with Pollock was working just fine.

    Loghaire has a very cool conversation with Gilbert Bates. But again, this is only available in the UAP, since the trigger for this conversation was never placed in the release version.

    Also, it may be worth mentioning, that when/if Vollinger leaves the party, the NPC object simply gets destroyed. You always meet a new, level 30 Vollinger down there in the basement. Keep this in mind, if you don't want to lose any items forever.

    Typing a follower's name + fuck in the chat/command window (e.g. "virgil fuck") makes the follower hostile. But they also say a unique (even voice acted if they have voice acting) line before unleashing their anger at you.
     
  14. symban

    symban New Member

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    Thanks alot Drog and Muro !!

    I looked over the speechs and I am amazed to know most of them (really proud of myself). But of course there were several surprising points like.. ALL of drog's information (no wonder).

    Also Muro thanks alot for the long and organized work. I am especially fascinated by Doc Roberts part (it never occured to me that we could take him out of S.Hills)

    After reading your intructions I can say very soon I will make it clear about Vollinger (he is one of he NPCs I wanted to explore and currently following me). And as a side note I mentioned I remembered marrying in my initial post. But that was a memory from 10 years. It turned out that she was Raven and I mistook my memory of intercourse with marriage.

    I want to ask though, are you sure Payne has no dialogs at all? My party is Virgil / Magnus / Jayna(sad that I am sure she wont give me any pleasure of character depts at all) / Vollinger / Dog (well.. he barks? OH OH!! YES! he generates a new dialog preventing me to use trains. after trying trains as a fair MA char and max MA char that is the third one). and I decided to have Sebastian and Payne as well. Yes 20 CH and master persuasion.

    Will find out about Payne very soon hopefully. The most anticipated encounter is the Stillwater Giant (Bunny and Real one) while having Payne along.
     
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