Xan BG2 Mod Released

jcompton · Post by **jcompton** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 7:13 pm

Version 1 of the Xan NPC Mod for Baldur's Gate II has been released at PPG.

Xan has an extensive friendship path with the PC, banters with every Bioware NPC, a vast amount of interjections, character reactions and other scenery dialogue. His soundset and banters are fully voiced.

If you played and enjoyed Xan Romance included into BG1 NPC project, you may continue it. As well, you may start a completely new, different romance with Xan. Content currently covers the Shadows of Amn portion of the game, but users with SOA or SOA+TOB installed may use the mod.

For more information and download links, visit the Xan home page.

Luis Antonio · Post by **Luis Antonio** » Thu Feb 16, 2006 4:59 am

Coolio! Xan is my fave NPC from BG1, and I always wanted it to be scripted into BG2. Worth a shot with a female NPC, too, if there's a romance. Even though everything is pointless. He remembers me Marvin from The Hitch Hiker's guide

Sytze · Post by **Sytze** » Thu Feb 16, 2006 5:06 am

If you make a run through BG: SoA with Xan, Luis, then please post what you thought about him here. So far I've seen no reviews, thoughts or even opinions, so I'm reluctant to give it a go. Moreover, I haven't found out if he has his own voice, or if he only uses the lines he already had in BGI.

Thats said, I like the depressed mage, too, and might give him a go nonetheless.

Kulyok · Post by **Kulyok** » Thu Feb 16, 2006 7:11 am

To answer your question, Sytze: Xan has his own voice. His soundset is now complete, and first lines of his banters are voiced, as well.

If you have any reactions to share, please, let us know at the Pocket Plane Group forums: http://forums.pocketplane.net
Xan's forum: http://forums.pocketplane.net/index.php/board,84.0.html

I hope that you will find some of your answers in Xan's Readme:
http://mods.pocketplane.net/kulyok/Readme-Xan.txt

Xan should be compatible with other WeiDU mods.

Have fun playing!

Rhûn · Post by **Rhûn** » Thu Feb 16, 2006 8:02 am

Thanks very much, I always had a soft spot for Xan and it'll be great to have him back in the party

Rhûn · Post by **Rhûn** » Thu Feb 16, 2006 12:49 pm

I've started a new game with me as a fighter/cleric, with Kivan and Xan. The Elven trio are back

Soundset is very good as are the banters, good job!

Luis Antonio · Post by **Luis Antonio** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 5:54 am

THe mod is installed. I'll start a new party this saturday eve, with Tactics and Ascension installed. There is also Solaufein - I wonder if he has the banters, I havent checked out the readme - and improved items, along with the default bugfixes.

I'll updade every week, what happened, when he bantered, what was my reaction. My pc will be:

Barbarian, dual wielding, human, axe, flail. Maybe afterwards I'll give him katanas or hammers for Crom or Celestial Fury.

Sytze · Post by **Sytze** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 9:49 am

@Kulyok: an NPC with his own voiceset is way more appealing than one who hasn't, so that's good to know.

@Luis: Don't spoil everything, though. A general overview would be more than sufficient.

What I'm most interested in at the moment is Xan's voice. Does he measure up to the quality of Kelsey and Keto, or does he fall in the Chosen of Mystra category?

VonDondu · Post by **VonDondu** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 12:37 pm

All of the original BG1 NPCs are shallow, and the only thing that makes them interesting is some gimmick the creators gave them to make them "interesting". A cowardly fighter with a nagging wife and a speech impediment. A ranger with a head wound who talks to a hamster. A female warrior who hates men. A moronic gnome who thinks he's a genius. A halfling thief who has an insufferably happy personality. Etc., etc. It's amazing to me how Xan (whose appeal frankly eludes me) has been turned into an interesting, full-blown character when you started with practically nothing. I salute you!

Luis Antonio · Post by **Luis Antonio** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 12:48 pm

Xan had the funniest lines IMO - command lines. "What is the point?" make me remember Marvin, the robot from Hitch Hicker's Guide to the Galaxy. Also, he's a strong mage, and I like to play him due to his moonsword - which was not really an ubber weapon for SoA, but for BG it is a very good +2 weapon. I think the intention was originally to make him multiclassed due to that.

Also, there's mention to Xan in Icewind dale, when you find a cousin or nephew of him dead with a note saying he's talking as his uncle Xan.

I think how his romance will be

Rhûn · Post by **Rhûn** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 1:43 pm

[QUOTE=VonDondu]All of the original BG1 NPCs are shallow, and the only thing that makes them interesting is some gimmick the creators gave them to make them "interesting". A cowardly fighter with a nagging wife and a speech impediment. A ranger with a head wound who talks to a hamster. A female warrior who hates men. A moronic gnome who thinks he's a genius. A halfling thief who has an insufferably happy personality. Etc., etc. It's amazing to me how Xan (whose appeal frankly eludes me) has been turned into an interesting, full-blown character when you started with practically nothing. I salute you!

[/QUOTE]

These sort of 'gimmicks' actually put me off. I don't even remember the last time I had ANY of the NPCs you referred to in my party. It's interesting sometimes, but I like characters who are just well, more normal