Professor Benjamin Doon V3.0?

[skinnytecboy]

Hello my fellow makers and shakers. A moment of your time if you please my friends.

 

So, lately I've been pondering about revitalising the old man in a brand spanking new version (version 3).

 

Why? You may ask..

 

I made Ben sometime ago when my scripting and quest writing skills were only just starting out and as a result, some of his inner workings are a lot less refined than they could be. Additionally, I'm a better modder now than I was then (thanks to being schooled by the creation club team).

 

Re-Creating Ben would not only allow me to really improve him, but would also allow me to throw in a couple of new side quest ideas that I've had for a while now. Also, it would allow me to incorporate your suggestions too, which is why I thought I'd make this post.

 

Question: What functions would you like to be added to Benjamin Doon?

 

Here's some of my ideas:

• Re Record all dialogue (his current version has various quality recordings that annoy me)
• Book readings will be run with scenes - allowing the player to move about while Ben reads (make him like a Jukebox :ermm: )
• Ben will learn spells
• Ben will learn more books
• Ben will have more quests
• Ben will be main quest aware.

If would be great if you could let me know your thoughts here friends

 

regards

 

Skinny

[Tasheni]

Hi Skinnytecboy, good to see you back :thumbsup:

 

I was with Ben some years ago and enjoyed him, he's very special, oh yes. Quest awareness and more dialogue is always nice. I personally like it, if my followers have something to say in other worldspaces than Skyrim, too, so you have fun to take them with you to new land mods. And I love scenes between npcs. And - songs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5ug6ALhceM :tongue:

I'm really curious what content comes with the next Ben. Hopefully I will find the time to play.

Greetings from Tasheni and keep up the good work.

[skinnytecboy]

Thank you my friend ð

[guitarfan01]

I would also love to see more consistency in the voice lines and functionality. Ben is quite a singular follower. Not too many are like him, but he routinely leaves me in stiches and laughing tears.

[Noxoumet]

I just found out about this mod, and made some research. Ben is one of few followers that feel natural to me. An old man? Sarcastic and bitter? Yeah, we miss characters like that and we can't rely on Bethesda to create anything meaningful. I just posted on Shirley mod page, too, for the same kind of reason. Yeah, an old lady who goes back on the roads like Bilbo did? I like this idea that completely detracts from all the stereotyped characters out there.

 

As such, my main hope for your Ben is that this 3.0 happens someday. That you add some random comments that do not always need to be tied to situations or quests, and can take the usual 'logic' of writing banters backwards. I don't know... like feigning to remember an embarassing moment your character had a few days prior, and simply ask about it out of the blue at the worst time? I don't know, something like that, that comes out of nowhere and defeats the purpose of banters. Cynism and teasing are probably the two faces of the same coin. I have a grandma like this, except, she doesn't do it deliberately...

 

Other than that... i like characters whose psychology makes sense. And human psychology is fascinating in that it doesn't make sense for logical people. A bitter old man who suddenly travels again and meet new people. He has reasons to behave the way he does, to feels a certain way about others. Nobody knows what mechanisms may trigger in his mind to make him worse or better, more confused or more lucid. What makes people bitter? What is it that they may desperately look for without realizing it?

 

And probably, some banter with some other moods followers. Do not need massive amounts, but it feels like he would have a lot to say to certain characters. Lucien comes to mind, and... the khajiits. So, it would feel strange if he seems to showcase more restraint by saying nothing.

 

So, overall, a more developed character. That doesn't need to voice everything and rely on the player being able to understand the unsaid. Hope you the best for the times to come.

Edited November 19, 2022 by Noxoumet