NPCs neccessary?

Author	Topic: NPCs neccessary?
Igor Shock Trooper Member # 3513	written Sunday, May 1 2005 14:51 Profile Homepage #0 I never bothered to go back and pick either of them up from the school, and I seem to be doing fine. Does anybody find them absolutely vital? -------------------- Nobody appreciates me. It's all "Igor! Fetch some wine!" "Igor! Clean up this experiment!" or "Igor! Bury this in the garden, we're leaving town in 10 minutes!" —Alorael, who tried to become a deivore once. The priest gave him a funny look after the third wafer. Posts: 301 | Registered: Thursday, October 2 2003 07:00
Dolphin Shaper Member # 5437	written Sunday, May 1 2005 15:02 Profile #1 Greta and Alwan are not really necessary. They give opinions at different times in the game, but nothing you need to know. Only one will stay with you, and even the one who chooses to stay may leave if you do certain things. They are good early on if you are dying a lot, as a lackey that reincarnates endlessly can come in handy. If you are doing well on your own you'll advance faster if you don't have to share the experience points. Posts: 2032 | Registered: Wednesday, January 26 2005 08:00
Student of Trinity Electric Sheep One Member # 3431	written Sunday, May 1 2005 15:17 Profile #2 They're kind of fun, and since you get to control them, they are at least potentially worth their cost in experience sharing. If you pick them up, remember to upgrade their abilities when they gain levels! Unlike with your creations, it won't cost you any essence when you upgrade Alwan and Greta, and it keeps them quite competitive as you advance through the game. You certainly don't need them; I played one game without them fine. But now I'm bringing Greta along, for a different experience on the second game, and she's okay. I started out with Alwan too, but after he got blown away by one of the four big Spawners on Harmony, I didn't bother to go back and get him. I'm looking forward to playing an uber-loyalist Guardian next time, with Alwan as my wingman. [ Sunday, May 01, 2005 15:20: Message edited by: Student of Trinity ] -------------------- We're not doing cool. We're doing pretty. Posts: 3335 | Registered: Thursday, September 4 2003 07:00
shell Apprentice Member # 5667	written Sunday, May 1 2005 20:38 Profile #3 At the start of the game I only picked up Greta, but then she left me when she saw how loyal I was becoming. I was able to finish just fine without her, thank you very much! -------------------- Whatever happens, happens. Posts: 48 | Registered: Monday, April 4 2005 07:00
VCH Shaper Member # 247	written Sunday, May 1 2005 20:39 Profile Homepage #4 The whole XP sharing thing was the reason I did not take either along. If the XP system had been better perhaps I would have. Although, I actually did take Greta with me until leaving the rebel Island. Stupid slag though she was too good for me. -------------------- The Knight Between Posts. Posts: 2395 | Registered: Friday, November 2 2001 08:00
Student of Trinity Electric Sheep One Member # 3431	written Monday, May 2 2005 10:06 Profile #5 Playing without either NPC, as a strictly singleton Agent who never shared a single experience point with anyone, and went out of her way quite a bit to grub up every point available, I hit Gull Island at level 30. Now as a Shaper who has never had fewer than four in his party, who kept both NPC through most of Harmony, I am about to enter the Creator's Hall on Dhonal's Isle, with Greta and some Ur-glaahks and Drayks. I'm at level 28. In other words, the experience sharing factor is very minor. Greta is currently level 22, with Strength and Dexterity maxed out, and nearly 300 hit points. She always strikes first, and her Searers are very respectable. She is definitely worth far more than two more levels with my Shaper. The bottom line is that the NPCs are definitely not necessary, but definitely do pull their weight. The powergamer's choice would probably be to pick just one of them, to maximize their experience by the endgame. But it's sort of fun when the two bicker. -------------------- We're not doing cool. We're doing pretty. Posts: 3335 | Registered: Thursday, September 4 2003 07:00
Dolphin Shaper Member # 5437	written Monday, May 2 2005 10:34 Profile #6 I always preferred Greta to Alwan, as she has both magic and melee attacks. I would have liked it if Alwan had javelins at least. Posts: 2032 | Registered: Wednesday, January 26 2005 08:00
Harlequin Warrior Member # 5523	written Monday, May 2 2005 16:02 Profile #7 Regardless of there combat abillitys, I think that their oppinions and personalitys add to the game. -------------------- “Medicine, Law, Business, Engineering - These are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But Poetry, Beauty, Romance, Love-These are what we alive stay for.” Posts: 150 | Registered: Sunday, February 20 2005 08:00
VCH Shaper Member # 247	written Monday, May 2 2005 18:38 Profile Homepage #8 I don't think Jeff explained how having either along affects the XP system. I was scared off by not gaining levels. Anybody play a guardian traveling alone? That's what I used. -------------------- The Knight Between Posts. Posts: 2395 | Registered: Friday, November 2 2001 08:00
Student of Trinity Electric Sheep One Member # 3431	written Monday, May 2 2005 18:52 Profile #9 How'd that work out? Did high Parry eventually make you nearly untouchable, as in G2? -------------------- We're not doing cool. We're doing pretty. Posts: 3335 | Registered: Thursday, September 4 2003 07:00
VCH Shaper Member # 247	written Monday, May 2 2005 19:30 Profile Homepage #10 Yes pretty much. As a guardian your endurance and parry reach up to around 20 so nothing really does any damage. Although I did have a problem dealing out damage. Gf3 has a serious lack of high powered melee weapons. I had 3 extra action points which when hasted gave me 16. But even that only allowed for my pitiful melee attacks to finish off an opponent. In some ways it was more realistic. Slowing is the greatest danger for a single guardian. The Rothogroth were ****ing terrible. I had to hit and run every time I came across one. Even Glaahks were annoying. Unlike G1 and G2 a guardian will not crush all opponents in one hit. Magic attacks on mass are also a hazard. Servile Cultists ahhh, :mad: stop running away from me! -------------------- The Knight Between Posts. Posts: 2395 | Registered: Friday, November 2 2001 08:00
Dolphin Shaper Member # 5437	written Monday, May 2 2005 19:34 Profile #11 A brief test with a level one Shaper and Greta: PC starts with 0 experience. Greta starts with 3100 experience. Killing a low level creature in South End gave a total of 120 experience. PC received 112 experience points for said creature - new total is 112. Greta received 9 experience points for said creature - new total is 3109. PC got roughly 93% and Greta got roughly 7% The same portions are given no matter who killed the creature. Note this is for one creation (in this case Greta) I really hope I didn't screw up the elementary math. [ Monday, May 02, 2005 19:36: Message edited by: Dolphin ] Posts: 2032 | Registered: Wednesday, January 26 2005 08:00
VCH Shaper Member # 247	written Monday, May 2 2005 19:38 Profile Homepage #12 I ended at level 40 after taking Greta along until the docks leaving the second Island. What levels have others reached? -------------------- The Knight Between Posts. Posts: 2395 | Registered: Friday, November 2 2001 08:00
Slarty Raven v. Writing Desk Member # 261	written Tuesday, May 3 2005 08:26 Profile Homepage #13 The thing to keep in mind: Experience penalties from having allies are constant (it will always be 8% per creature, or whatever it is) However, experience penalties from gaining levels are exponential. Ever notice how the 32 points (or whatever) you got for killing a Fyora quickly drops to 16, 8, eventually 1? 1 or 2 levels can make a drastic difference in the amount of experience you get. The net result is that singleton players will always have more experience than full parties -- but only by a little; they will constantly hover just slightly ahead. I don't know if this was Jeff's intent, but there's no real game mechanic incentive to run solo. (The incentive there, I suppose, is that it's less hassle to move your party around, and often easier to keep 1 player alive than a full party of 8.) -------------------- Slarty vs. Desk • Desk vs. Slarty • Timeline of Ermarian • G4 Strategy Central Posts: 3560 | Registered: Wednesday, November 7 2001 08:00
Khoth Post Navel Trauma ^_^ Member # 67	written Tuesday, May 3 2005 12:29 Profile Homepage #14 The only time I've done it without help is when I was playing without killing anything, and I thought I needed every experience point there was all to myself. If I was to do it again, I'd take a helper as a meatshield. -------------------- Barcoorah: I even did it to a big dorset ram. New Mac BoE Posts: 1798 | Registered: Thursday, October 4 2001 07:00
Learned Noremac Warrior Member # 4345	written Wednesday, May 4 2005 12:33 Profile #15 Additionally, having them alters your ending slightly(well with Greta it did. I have yet to try with Alwan) -------------------- "Damn Scots. They ruined scotland!"-Groundskeeper Willy, the Simpsons Posts: 96 | Registered: Tuesday, May 4 2004 07:00
VCH Shaper Member # 247	written Wednesday, May 4 2005 13:02 Profile Homepage #16 How does it alter the ending? -------------------- The Knight Between Posts. Posts: 2395 | Registered: Friday, November 2 2001 08:00
Dolphin Shaper Member # 5437	written Wednesday, May 4 2005 14:32 Profile #17 There is a small commentary on the NPC that joined you. It's similar to the way they comment throughout the game. It adds their personality, but doesn't really effect the story. [ Wednesday, May 04, 2005 14:35: Message edited by: Dolphin ] Posts: 2032 | Registered: Wednesday, January 26 2005 08:00