In RPG games, player experience often depends not just on the mechanics or visuals, but also on the complex nature of the narrative and the surrounding character’s development. Baldur’s Gate 3 managed to strike that balance, and the results show that it is one of the biggest games in recent times.
One of the most talked-about and intricate parts of the game’s story was the romance and the various relationships with companions. Lead Writer Adam Smith shed some light on this by explaining how the romance between characters was handled by only one person.
The Significance of Individual Expertise in Baldur’s Gate 3
In an interview, Lead Writer Adam Smith discussed the development process of various aspects of the game. When asked how the studio managed to form complex relationships between characters. His answer was:
Part of the answer is we have really good designers, and all our writers are designers as well. For the romance in particular, we had one person dedicated to it, who literally worked out all other permutations, sat down and worked it out, and then gave us dialogue files and said, ‘I need this reaction to this, I need this to this, I need this to this.
Smith explained that every companion had its own writer who handled the character’s story. Then, the person responsible for romance goes to the team and discusses that this dialogue should be added here or here. After the integration of the dialogues, the whole team discussed the setting of the character.
By delegating the work, Larian Studios maintained the vast narrative of Baldur’s Gate 3. As with each choice made by the player, every word spoken during dialogue sequences has the potential to alter the course of relationships in significant ways. So the number of dialogues was vast as well.
The decision to assign the design of the romance narrative to a single individual speaks volumes about the level of trust and creative freedom given to developers at Larian Studios.
The Impact of the Developers Behind the Scenes
As players immerse themselves in the beautiful world of Baldur’s Gate 3, navigating romantic relationships and forging bonds with characters, they experience the creative vision of one person brought to life. It’s a testament to the power of storytelling and also the impact that a single individual can have.
But as Smith said, the game’s success can’t given to that single-person effort. The whole team worked together to create the game. His exact words were:
There’s not a single line of dialogue in the game that one person can take credit for. Because even if you’re the one who wrote it, the artists made it look good, and the voice actor performed the hell out of it. The answer is always because somebody did their job really well. That’s how it works
In an industry driven by innovation and creativity, Baldur’s Gate 3 stands as a great example of what can be achieved when talented developers are given the freedom and opportunity to explore new ideas and concepts.
In the end, while gameplay mechanics and visuals may draw players in initially, it’s the depth of storytelling and character development that keeps the players coming back for more.
