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What's the deal with all the nobles in bgii??? I mean, aren't they A BIT too many? The noble(wo)man/commoner ratio seems to be something like 1/4. Now that's a piece of historical accuracy if ever I saw one.

I've never really given it much thought, but Athkatla is the City of Coin, after all. It gives the Shadow Thieves something to pilfer besides half a loaf of crusty old bread and a soiled cloth.

1/4???
Did you take the beggars into account. Because the slums is littered full of them. Hence the name.

i agree with edguy 100 percent....perhaps the wealth of Athlatka does throw a twist on things, but there are way too many nobles walking round with their noses up in the air.

I think that's a bit of an exaggeration. I would say the noble to commoner(or less) ratio is more like 1 to 8 or 1 to 10. And it's not like most commoners have free time to laze around the city; I don't think the bohemian lifestyle has ever come to faerun. Rather, they're all out working the fields, the mines, the mills, and what have you.

Historically speaking(let's take France in the 17th century for example), 90% of the population were farmers or tradesmen, 7% were nobility while the remaining 3% were clergy. However, most of the farmers kept to the country. In the big cities, then, you had a high concentration of nobility and bougeoisie, maybe as much as 1 in 5.

Look at it the other way round

There aren't too many nobles; there are far too few commoners! The city sometimes seems almost deserted to me. Where are all the throngs and crowds?

but look how many theives there are and vampires too

Originally posted by Xyx:
<STRONG>
There aren't too many nobles; there are far too few commoners! The city sometimes seems almost deserted to me. Where are all the throngs and crowds?</STRONG>

Someone will take into account the logistic difficulties inherent in getting the game engine to recognize and control crowds consisting of hundreds of commoners in one map, as well as the difficulties the player would have navigating his party through such a crowd or finding an important npc to talk to. Someone will not be harmed.

Originally posted by edguy:
<STRONG>What's the deal with all the nobles in bgii??? I mean, aren't they A BIT too many? The noble(wo)man/commoner ratio seems to be something like 1/4. Now that's a piece of historical accuracy if ever I saw one. </STRONG>

Have you seen anything in the BG series that IS historically accurate???

@C Elegans wrote exactly what I was about to write. After all, there hasn't been a single game thus far which presents anything remotely approaching the European Middle Ages, even if you make allowances for the fantasy element. It's all just costume stuff, done to provide a bit of an exotic backdrop for an age which focuses its sense of romance on pseudo-medievalism.

Someone will take into account the logistic difficulties inherent in getting the game engine to recognize and control crowds consisting of hundreds of commoners in one map

No worries, I know that. It's just so odd that I hear people screaming all the time, but never see them...

What does that loudmouth in the docks shout? "Throw off the boat!"?

@Fable

Baldur's Gate is set in Canada, not Europe.

Just thought I'd let you know.

@ReignsOfPower

Great! Then we can consider the issue settled, yes? Athkatla is really, what, Vancouver?

No idea Edguy

I live Down Under (Australia) LOL

No I'm no Auzzie either!
I'm Greek

Originally posted by ReignsOfPower:
<STRONG>@Fable

Baldur's Gate is set in Canada, not Europe.

Just thought I'd let you know. </STRONG>

I thought it was set in the Forgotten Realms...

Originally posted by ReignsOfPower:
<STRONG>No idea Edguy

I live Down Under (Australia) LOL

No I'm no Auzzie either!
I'm Greek </STRONG>

Melbourne or Sydney Greek?

Reigns writes:
Baldur's Gate is set in Canada, not Europe. Just thought I'd let you know.

Next you're going to tell me that four physicians can cast fireballs, right?

(For anyone who wonders what's going on, Bioware was founded by four Canadian physicians who enjoy playing RPGs during their sparetime off.)