University study, Storytelling and games. Tell me your favorite char.

Hi all
I am currently doing a university study at the Danish IT-University concerning storytelling and games. More specifically I am looking at the connection between NPC Quest givers and the quest itself. I am using Vampire the masquerade, Bloodlines as a study case, and I was hoping you would help me?

All you have to do is to tell me:
• Your favorite characters
• And the best quests that they gave you

It would really help me

Thanks

Probably Pisha, all she does is ask if you have items you bring them to her though. Though the hospital bit before you find her is amazing. I nearly missed it on my first play through as it is only flagged by exploration I thought that was great!

Sure !
My favorite character is Strauss, as he explains his point of view and his view of the Camarilla, and talks to the character even if he doesn't agree with him or her. He also give you choices of rewards, and admits to the Gargoyle.
The best quest that he gave me is the one where asks you to get rid of the gargoyle after you ask him about it (if you took the book).

I also like Beckett, but that's because of the pen and paper Beckett. I won't name any of his quests because he only asks you to get the archeologist.

The best quest is, for me, the Ocean House Hotel quest, given by Therese. I'm not a huge fan of either Jeanette or Therese, but that quest if the shit. I'm not a fan of why you have to go there, but what you learn, what you see is awesome The pendant is just a McGulliver

My favorite character would be Jack, as he's simply ... yeah, Jack, as Damsel tells us in the game. x] But since he doesn't have any quest to provide, I think I'll have to go with another one.
Yeah, this is where it gets funny.
I'd choose LaCroix instead. It's somebody I can really like to hate without having any bad feelings about it. He's slimy, has a hot temper (you can see his self-control slip as he gets angry after the museum) and is stupid enough to underestimate the player even if he/she comes for him at the end of the game and has obviously fought his/her way up through the Venture Tower. (He tries to dominate. Can you believe it? As if that would work if one is strong enough to kill the sheriff.)
My favorite quest is clearly the one where he sends my character after the sarcophagus (which he does all the time in the game *cough*) and I have to go to the Giovanni mansion. I love that part. Nothing better than slashing a few zombies and infiltrating the necromancer family.

Hmmm, my favorite character is probably Fat Larry, dude is freakin halarious, I love his slang talk. My second favorite is probably Jack because he's so interesting to talk too. Alot of the things he says just makes you really like and trust the guy.

My favorite quests are probably the ones involving Vampire Hunters (SOL), the stripper hunter quest is probably my favorite, but the Ash sewers mission and invading the Society of Leopold are a close second. Something about Vampires vs. Hunters is just so sweet. I also really enjoy the quests involving Me vs. Humans, like the Mafia guys or the Parking Garage quest.

I'm going to move this thread into the appropriate area and sticky it so it doesn't get missed. Goodluck on your case study!

My favorite characters? Well, Jack is Jack And I like Nines, especially when he says "the only place LaCroix belongs is in an urn". But they both are the people who don't give you quests. At least if you leave out the fact that Jack pulls all the strings concerning the "old box" from behind the scenes.
For the quests: The ocean house is great. And if I'm in the mood for violence, slashing and shooting my way through the Sabbat hotel is a nice one. Oh yes. the Grout mansion, at least if I'm feeling mad enough to listen to his tapes That leads to two quests given by the guy I dislike the most in the whole game. I always want to have the option to do something more creative to him than just let him blow himself up

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Not to hijack the thread so maybe we can PM each other, but if I reused some old Jack dialogue .wav files do you think you and I could setup a minor quest given by Jack and/or Nines? Both characters have alot of voice .wav files I can split up and manipulate to sound like new dialogue. I can do the sound, lip movements, and write the dialogue, what I can't do is the python scripting....

fortunately you happen to be a wizard with that.... Something to think about for CE and/or TFN.

Ok back to the case study...

Zer0 and Childe, fusion ! Could you do the dancing for me please ?


Oh, fat Larry is awesome too, as Denis, they are very funny

Does your study differenciates humans, vampires and ghouls ?
Mercucio is nice overall, and when you meet him at the beginning, all beaten up and everything, the dialogue is nice* !


(*is it possible to add a humanity loss when not worrying about his state and not asking to call an ambulance ?)

So now we're really hijacking the topic (btw Jack again ).
putting a humanity loss into the dialogue is no trouble. But as a Malk you don't get the chance to ask for an ambulance. So you can't select the only choice that doesn't lead to humanity loss. Personally I don't mind, but some people might want to keep their humanity up.

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Claudia,

If this is an idea you've been having you should setup a new thread in the "Ideas" section so we don't disrupt their thread too much. Knowing us we'll end up splattering this poor guy's thread with our Vampire bantering... HAHA

My absolute favourite character through the whole game is Isaac Abrams.
I love how he is, on the one hand, jaded and cynical after decades of playing the games of politics and intrigue, while on the other retaining the passion and creativity which no doubt inspired his sire to embrace him in the first place.
To me, he was also one of the most engaging characters in the game, I really sympathised with him when he told the story about how he embraced Ash.
He is the stereotypical Toreador Ancilae/Elder, one who has spent too much time on the wrong side of death and clings all the harder to whatever scraps of humanity he still retains.

A pretty close second on my fav-list is Beckett. I just love the whole travelling scholar thing.
The fact that he sees the Jyhad and all the other nonsense for what it is makes him instantly likeable to me. His extremely dry sense of humour is also a big plus.

This game remains one of my favourite ones ever simply because of its rich and intriguing characters. Sure, there are some who are a bit less interesting than others, but they are never boring or predictable.

@Tamlin
what do you mean by "never predictable"? Strauss is so soaked in his prejudicies against the anarchs, it always is a pain in my ass. And that bloody "Prince", well he's just that boring politician, who expects everybody to suck his ****.
But that's why I love playing as a Malk. Giving LaCroix answers like "It was stolen, but there were lots of dinosaurs, so i had fun" or making this bloody arrogant pasta tester think he ate maggots is always fun.

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The Anarchs are quite predictable too ; Damsel is a young commie angry about everything, Nines is an ideologic who acts on the heat of the moment... Jack is the character you can less put in a box, for me

Oh, Childe ? Here : this should make your day, as a malkavian player molesting the Prince

The worst thing about Strauss is that, I think, he thinks it's for the best of the Anarchs. He do wants to "protect" and "save" them, not just to give them random orders. But he has been formed and formated by the Tremere pyramid, which is about the group and bending to the society. You know, the basic rules of living in society and the basic concepts of laws, social contract and stuff ;-). Strauss is, to my mind, a nice guy. He just acts like a parent, with its flaws, and doesn't want to think about another way. The PC cannot have a "conversation" with him, as the only thing the PC can do is agree with him or tell him he doesn't need the capes (basic young anarch talk). The PC has not a Ph.D in psychology (nor does most of the players, right ? ) and can't think of having a well thought debate of ideas If proven "wrong" or "not the only truth", Strauss would probably accept the idea that the anarch movement is not just about young stupid commies defying authority.


I think what Tamlin meant is that the characters are "credible" in their intern logic, their persona. They could be seen as caricatures, but not that much ^^. And because most of us have been playing the game and now the pen and paper game, it seems normal and predictable how they act (because we know the clans, the tenants...). Yes, LaCroix is a basic Ventrue, with a bit too much ambition, Jeanette is the vague idea of what "crazy" is, Nines is an ideological fighter against the world's injustices... but credible

I like the fact that you chose such a topic for a university paper. Today's literature (in the wider sense) doesn't get what it deserves, especially if it comes to "unscholarly" media. I wrote a paper on Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri for didactics of philosophy once. Got a good mark for it

My favorite quest is the Serial Killer-quest. I liked how it evolved largely independent from your action (it was until late game that you knew about his whereabouts). Also you had to pay a lot of attention to your surroundings for your investigation. And it was a nice thing that you couldn't let him go when your humanity has already dropped low. If you're down the road, this is the way you would respond to a possible breach of the masquerade. Wasn't it a masquerade violation to let him go? His explanation was also very convincing ... If I were to become a vampire and somebody slaughtered my familiy this is the way I would respond. Vigilance is romantic yet unkantian idea.

I absolutely adored Beckett. He is the type of teacher I'd like to become one day (apart from the fangs) ... A seeker of wisdom and knowledge, an analytic yet passionate mind and despite being significantly more experienced and powerful always kind to the weaker ones.

My favorite npc is "Gorgeous" Gary Golden , because of his kind of talking , i also like andrei because of that...
And my favourite quest is maby "Society For the Preservation of Professors" - it's perfect for nosferatu , or "Calling Dr. Grout".

Gary...he gives me porn...well as close to porn as he can give

Lu Fang no speak english , when he drunk :D:D <chineese singing> lmao

i have guilty pleasures, guilty secrets;
i have a sappy sentimentaloid romantic corny streak
and i tend to take rooting fot the underdogs too far.
the thin bloods, and reuniting E with Lily...
aww...

on a more serious note, Ocean House is awesome, though frustrating: you take damage without being able to fight back, and it is incredible long. i would wish... i don't know, instances when the ghost becomes subastantial and you get to fight him, and... somewhere where you could resuply your blood... random musings.

and indeed grout mansion is awesome.

my favorite character exists in an alternate universe where you play a malkavian, you get to save grout, grout gets to tell you himself of whom he was so suspicious, grout becomes to you what strauss is to the tremere players, and you get as a haven a room inside grout's mansion.
yes, my favorite character is grout.
and, ultimately, though i love the quest, grout mansion, i would dearly love it could have a hapy ending.

i also love jeanette, and the sibling rivalry, making them coexist in peace... not to mention sleeping with jeanette...

argh the list could go on, the game made an excellent job of NPC development.
for example, i love isaac the old fashioned gentlman
but then brooding ash, tormented by demons
and VV, this game has charcters to fall in love with as kids worship superstars...

jack, of course, the ultimate rogue, my role model when i play...

and indeed grout mansion is awesome.

my favorite character exists in an alternate universe where you play a malkavian, you get to save grout, grout gets to tell you himself of whom he was so suspicious, grout becomes to you what strauss is to the tremere players, and you get as a haven a room inside grout's mansion.
yes, my favorite character is grout.
and, ultimately, though i love the quest, grout mansion, i would dearly love it could have a hapy ending.

I'm dreaming for that too-since i've played the game

I'll make it short:
Ocean House and Grout Mansion are both superb quests. Between the two? Hmmm... Ocean House for its wonderful mood and since there is no fight, it gives a feel closer to what could be a scene within a game of Vampire around a table
Character, I would opt for the two sisters their duality is lovely and I truly get surprised the first time, maybe because I lack background on the books, but then I was smiling to myself.

the two sisters are awesome no matter how many times you play the game, they never get hold.
i know it's... questionable to have hots either for movie stars, rock stars, or even worse fictional characters. but i have to admit i have a serious case of hots for Jeanette.

in Camarilla Edition you get to bed Jeanette and later on reconcile them both so then can continue to coexist in the same body but in a healthier relationship... i won't say those are my favorite quests... and they could well be - there are quests in the game that are solved only through dialogue, and others more run of the mill which involve exploration and combat, of the first kind this is my favorite (the hitman impasse is also awesome) - but certainly no other quests give me as much a sense of acomplishment as these.

Oh yeah, that's true. The reconciliation quest is also very nice.

Hots? Who is feeling hot? It is very hot here in the Philippines...

Romero. While his name may be an homage to George R. Romero, his personality (and way of speaking) is (to me) clearly based on Ash from the Evil Dead movies. He's got great lines.

The Chinese Hit Men is the best quest: "You want me to be friends with puppy murderer?" (or words to that effect). Hearing their banter makes all the running back and forth more than worth the time it takes.

I also love Pisha.
simply put, she is the only one who feels like an unnaturaly old undead.
all the other ones seem frozen in time, not just physically but psychologicaly, mentally.
lacroix still in his napoleonic lust for power, straight from the time he was embraced, damsel still a 60s hippie chick, skelter still roams the jungles of viet nam, nines still a 30s politician, jack hasn't aged a day since his pirating the caribean seas, the sisters never left their childhood home behind, even grout is locked in pre freudian mental health care.
they are wholly defined by their pre embrace concerns.
in pisha you can feel every single one of her 230 years of age.
true you sense who she was before her embrace
a scholar, a philosopher
but that allowed her to take in stride her embrace
there is something old fashioned about her, and something ageless, from her philosophical and scholarly knowledge, but also accrued wisdom from those 230 well lived years, years invested gathering knowledge and wisdom and using those to change, evolve, improve herself.
also there is tragedy.
that such an intellectual person, philosopher and scholar, had to be cursed, corrupted, with a straing of undead that even revolts "standard" undead, while vampires drink blood she must also eat the flesh, canibalism.
(note: i find it limiting that when talking with pisha you have dialogue options that allow you to express your revolt, negative, there are neutral dialogue options, matter of fact, but none to convey how much i admire her wisdom).
such a tragic fall for her that she forsook her name and adopted another.
and then the tragedy of the loss of her love... (i see in my minds eye highlander loosing his first love, he cursed to remain forever young and witnessing his lover dying of old age.)
the fact that she honors her lover by wearing the name (i hate english language, that can be so vague about gender, i do not know if pisha's lover is male or female, it could be female (i have a soft spot for lesbians))
pisha is presented as a collector, your quest for her is to collect artifacts, but in truth... skelter seems to know a lot about vampirism, beckett is reputedly a scholar on vampirism, but somehow pisha seems to me the one true genuine scholar of the undead condition, maybe motivated to revert it and return to her pre embrace condition, still in denial, maybe the opposite, already at the wisdom of acceptance and so devoted to probe the width and breadth of her new condition...
in a nutshell, ancient, knowledgeable, wise, scholar, philosopher, tragic, fallen
plus she has the weight of her years, the weight of her tragedy, of her fall, and yet there is a lightness brought by her acceptance of her condition, there is a self confidence, a self acceptance that will withstand any scorn and revulsion heaped upon her by anyone leery of her condition.

and all that conveyed by so few dialogue lines.

i believe pisha should be explored more, have a bigger role in the story.
maybe a relationship develop

you sure should have more often the chance to send her food, not just milligan and patty but other inconvenients as well

Velvet wrote:

\i believe pisha should be explored more, have a bigger role in the story.
maybe a relationship develop

you sure should have more often the chance to send her food, not just milligan and patty but other inconvenients as well

I also have always been curious about Pisha. I've always wanted a chance to find out what her birth name is.