[Memnoch]

Today's info. Don't you all get excited finding out a little bit more each day?


Kevin Martens (Lead Designer)
Items you create with pieces: Created items will be carefully placed in BGII:Throne of Bhaal so feel free to flame me if you don't like how it's done in the expansion.

BTW - we also have plenty of items that can be upgraded. This means that you can use them when you find them and then upgrade them into something even better when you find the component.
Dave Gaider (Senior Designer)
Continuing romances: There is an 'initial stage' in a romance during which if you kick them out of the party the romance will quickly be over. With Jaheira, it's over right away...for others, I think it takes a day or two.

Once you're past this initial stage, you can kick them out and take them back in later, no problems. If this is the case and they aren't currently in your party, you can summon them as per normal and the romance will continue...not, however, if you've already started a romance with someone else.

But you are correct...if you simply import a character and not a save game/final save, then there are no globals set...and therefore no romance. If you import a save game and hadn't finished the romance plot inside of BG2, as long as you made it a good half-way it should pick up in the expansion as if it were completed.

We are definitely bringing the already-existing romance stories to a conclusion as the story concludes. They actually conclude in very different and perhaps unexpected ways, in fact...

As for new romances, nothing has been announced, yet, so I can't comment. Not that any of you Mazzy- and Valygar- and Haer'Dalis- boosters should stop clamoring. Clamor! Clamor!! Hold protests!!

Merchant selling all spells: Well, we do have a merchant with a much more complete library available...but I dunno about all the spells. Especially the really high-level ones, that'd be quite the merchant. Heh...he'd probably have Elminster on his rolodex.

We do have some new summoning spells, for sure.

More dialogue: Well, we can't add dialogue into BG2 itself, but there is plenty of dialogue in the expansion if that's what you mean. The NPC interactions were a big hit...if space permitted, we would put a lot more in (space being the sound files as opposed to the relatively small dialogue files of course).

More types of Dragons: We have new types of dragons, absolutely.

More weapons you have to assemble: OK, done!

The new NPC: Well, can't win them all. We have one more NPC which you can add into the party in the expansion (after you defeat Irenicus), as I'm sure everyone's aware of. Fortunately, the NPC is of the cool sort that might tempt even people with long-established parties to open up a slot. (I hear that this NPC might even look like Jessica Alba from Dark Angel!)

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Memnoch - Custodian of the Order of the Holy Flame