What can you do about annoying anomen ?

at99 · Post by **at99** » Mon Jun 18, 2001 9:08 pm

My main character is paladin and I need a cleric. I have jaheria but I also want a cleric. The problem is that Anomen is ANNOYING!!!!.
Can I turn off his voice somehow or find a magical item to raise wisdom for another npc to be a cleric?

Mr Snow · Post by **Mr Snow** » Mon Jun 18, 2001 9:12 pm

As far as I know, he only lets up (and only a little at that) when he is raised to knighthood.

Yes, very, very sad

Krimmy · Post by **Krimmy** » Mon Jun 18, 2001 10:17 pm

nah, just kill the poor bastard and put him out of his misery.

He will thank you for it....

Then run and pickup Viconia, much for fun to have around.

Cygoth · Post by **Cygoth** » Mon Jun 18, 2001 10:39 pm

If Anomen is the only npc that you find annoying, then you're doing ok - I find them all annoying. They're like Bugs Bunny cartoon characters - argh!
You could always get Viconia and the Happy Fuzzy Love Fun Party Patch (so she doesn't leave at 18+ rep). I'm still waiting for the STFU Patch. Maybe BIS could do an English language version for us non Americans? 90's American accents and mannerisms seem to grate a little in a high fantasy setting.
If all else fails, then copy your savegame into the multiplayer save folder, roll your own cleric and import.

Kayless · Post by **Kayless** » Mon Jun 18, 2001 11:18 pm

Originally posted by Arameus:
<STRONG>Maybe BIS could do an English language version for us non Americans? 90's American accents and mannerisms seem to grate a little in a high fantasy setting.</STRONG>

Shadows of Amn features a great variety of accents; American, English, Russian, Scottish, Irish, and others. And their dialogue is usually appropriate for the time period (i.e. “Does mere mention of Drizzt invoke your ilk?”). So I fail to see why you think the voices are inappropriate for the setting. You may not like them (I think they're great) but they are appropriate.

fable · Post by **fable** » Mon Jun 18, 2001 11:33 pm

Kayless writes:
And their dialogue is usually appropriate for the time period...

Depends on what you mean by the time period. If this is set in some hypoethetical Middle Ages, then the dialog is completely off. It's really an "anciently inflected" modern speech, just for show.

Astafas · Post by **Astafas** » Tue Jun 19, 2001 12:35 am

Take Viconia or Aerie if you can't stand Anomen. Your loss, though.

Manveru · Post by **Manveru** » Tue Jun 19, 2001 3:58 am

Ok.. Anomen is really some rarely kind of idiot that was usually eliminanted by my demons (Manveru is the cleric) when he reached some point in his continuous whinning (he was even worse than Aerie or Nalia)

Take Viconia or Aerie instead.

Cygoth · Post by **Cygoth** » Tue Jun 19, 2001 4:02 am

Perhaps an American wouldn't find the accents annoying, but *every* accent in SoA that isn't 90's US is a charicature, just like in cartoons. They all sound like bad Hollywood imitations of 'foreign' accents. The guy that does Irenicus (and half a dozen others) sounds ok, but the rest are just awful - to my ear at least. They should strangle the guy that does Galen - Coo! my arse.
As for the appropriate time period - there isn't one. FR is a fictional setting, so there's no reason at all why they shouldn't have 90's American accents. It's a question of taste, and most English speaking people from outside the US (which probably make up a major share of sales) are accustomed to more subtlety. BG was no better - what Americans call an 'English' accent usually amounts to an American doing an exaggerated impersonation of Ringo Starr.
It's not just games - it seems endemic to the US entertainment industry. eg - the film 'Dinosaurs' was universally panned by critics outside the US as having the worst voice acting in the history of cinema, but it was the same as every US cartoon, where I assume most voice actors get most of their work. Since foreign sales usually make up the majority of revenue for movies and probably games, then it's about time the standards were raised to a point that rates as something more than pathetic charicatures.
Games (and us gamers) are already looked down on by the general public, and using the same production values as cartoons reinforces that attitude. Games have now reached a point where the design and technology has become quite sophisticated, but the direction of the voice acting is still hackneyed and cliche. I would consider crpg's to be 'serious' games, and I would like to see better production values in future games. Leave cartoon production values to the consoles.

ReignsOfPower · Post by **ReignsOfPower** » Tue Jun 19, 2001 4:55 am

I still don't Know why everyone is giving **** to Anohmen. He's the best Non-evil cleric in the bloddy game!
JEEEZ lay off the knight man!

He is NOT annoying...how IS he annoying? Tell me exactly? He helps out your guys from dieing (very, NOT annoying), Tanks very well, expecially with Crom Fyer (very Cool, and may I say, NOT annoying)....and SO WHAT?! he has a little attitude...BIG WHHOOOP!

[ 06-19-2001: Message edited by: ReignsOfPower ]

Callimar · Post by **Callimar** » Tue Jun 19, 2001 11:28 am

Well, to be frank I couldn't stand listening to a party of American accents for hours on end

But hey, what's wrong with the voice acting? The only thing I'd complain about is the lack of it during important dialogues... I mean, none of Irenicus's conversation with you after Ellesime buggers off is audible. Take Icewind Dale for example: sure, most characters had no voices but the ones that did said everything aloud, even Kresselack. I think some of Jaheira's stuff is a bit unrealistic though.

Callimar · Post by **Callimar** » Tue Jun 19, 2001 11:32 am

And yes, I'd have to say Anomen irritates me, too, but it's not so much his voice as his arrogance and self-importance. Why did they have to choose this idiot as the only option for female romancing?! Valygar or Haer'Dalis or someone would have been much better.

Callimar · Post by **Callimar** » Tue Jun 19, 2001 11:33 am

Woohoo, I'm an exalted member now.

Tutoric · Post by **Tutoric** » Tue Jun 19, 2001 11:38 am

I agree after getting his knighthood he does calm it down quite a bit. Before that I was seconds away from sending him packing but hung on and now he is a healing and buttkicking machine. Don't know how it happened but he dropped the Black Dragon in Suldanessar with one touch of the finger of death! Down he went! BAM!
And when he is not casting he is quite bad with the Flail of Ages.

Callimar · Post by **Callimar** » Tue Jun 19, 2001 11:51 am

Ah yes, there's nothing as satisfying as doing that to a 'mighty' dragon. I think one of my most satisfying moments was when I turned the Magnificent Firkraag into a... squirrel! BAHAHAAH! I did a right-click on him, just to hear him say "Oh, bother". Very appropriate.

violence · Post by **violence** » Tue Jun 19, 2001 11:55 am

Kill Amomen!
My first game Amomen only lasted about one day before I turned on him and ripped his annoying body to peices.

Ever since then I have killed Amomen in every game that I have played. I must have killed him 25 times.

I personnally don't include clerics or druids in my parties (usually) but when I do Viconia is the only choice. I just can't stand his arrogance. but hey, just my opinion

Yshania · Post by **Yshania** » Tue Jun 19, 2001 11:57 am

Calimar! Congrats! but what has taken you so long

Anyhow back to both of the subjects now on this thread, Anomen and accents.

Re Anomen.

How many of you people out there have (or have had!) young children? In order to stay sane and cope with situations the best way possible with all your best tools at hand - you learn to ignore the irritating behaviour and value the favourable behaviour. OK so you cannot mould Anomen - he is a grown NPC - but you can learn to value his strengths. If your only problem is his irritating habits - put cotton wool in your ears - he does have many good attributes too.

Re accents

Well, coming from the UK where accents differ so drastically within the space of 100 miles....don't they Callimar? (not picking on you but you would sound a WHOLE lot different to me! hehe)

I am a 'Northerner' (a Yorkshire lass) and have been living in London for over 13 years. I will be stopped during conversation and reminded I am not from around here! My children speak half southern/half northern which both my family (and my hubbies southern family) find amusing. And both sides will say in jest that my kids do not speak 'proper' English! (whatever that is!)

IMO our American friends do not do a great impersonation of the English way of speaking (take the vultures in Jungle Book - I know sad that I am!), but neither do the English do a good American accent in return! Let's live and let live and appreciate our differences! It is what makes the world an interesting place!

And regarding the accents in all the BG series, well they are adventurers after all and accents do dilute with travel!

If nothing else - they have diverted a topic!

Happy gaming all and let's be thankful our American friends try and represent us English accented gamers...

I would be interested to know what our European friends think

Krimmy · Post by **Krimmy** » Tue Jun 19, 2001 12:25 pm

Right on Violence!

Abecedarian · Post by **Abecedarian** » Tue Jun 19, 2001 12:46 pm

I'm surprised about the complaints regarding "American" accents. What has annoyed me in the game is the almost exclusive use in background speech and minor NPC's (merchants, streetwalkers, etc.) of lower-class English accents. Why all the citizens of Amn should speak like Eliza Doolittle before Professor Higgins improves her (in My Fair Lady) is beyond me. Coo, gor blimey, guv'nor, 'arf a mo', 'ave a cuppa char whilst I sells ya this bloomin' sword... Sheesh.

[ 06-19-2001: Message edited by: Abecedarian ]

Craig · Post by **Craig** » Tue Jun 19, 2001 12:49 pm

To the point KEP HIM HE IS THE BEST CLERIC!!