Exclusive Interview: Discover the Fascinating World of Baldur's Gate 3's Branching Dialogue with Orin, the Talented Actress!

Baldur's Gate 3 has emerged as one of the most successful RPGs in recent times, boasting close to a million simultaneous players on Steam and receiving an abundance of positive feedback. One key factor contributing to its triumph is the unparalleled freedom it grants players as they journey through the realm of Faerun. The game offers an extensive range of narrative outcomes, dependent on the interactions players forge with the diverse characters encountered in Baldur's Gate 3. These choices wield profound, long-lasting consequences within the storyline.

Consequently, the remarkable actors of Baldur's Gate 3 faced the daunting task of recording an unprecedented amount of dialogue to accommodate each of these possibilities. In an interview with Game Rant, Maggie Robertson, the talented actress behind Orin the Red, discussed the challenges involved in portraying a character who must respond to a multitude of player choices, all while remaining faithful to the character's core essence.

Baldur's Gate 3 Actors Had to Account for Every Possibility

Baldur's Gate 3 Actors Didn't Have the Full Picture

In Baldur's Gate 3, players enjoy unparalleled freedom in shaping the game's narrative through their choices, leading to a multitude of possibilities. Relationships can evolve in different directions, characters can meet their demise, and alliances can be forged and shattered. This even holds true for adversaries like Orin the Red, one of the game's main villains. Despite her prominence, players have numerous options to handle her, resulting in subtle variations that required Robertson to record multiple similar lines tailored to the player's actions.

This game is exceptionally unique due to its immense scale. It is a monumental endeavor, offering numerous storylines that arise from player choices. I was once shown a spreadsheet by Larian, outlining the countless potential outcomes for each player decision. Every choice made by the player immediately leads to a myriad of diverse possibilities for what may occur next. It astonishes me that they were able to keep track of it all. Even to this day, it amazes me.

As actors, this meant that during recording and working on the project, we had to repeat the same lines multiple times. However, each repetition required subtle adjustments based on the potential choices the player could make.

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During certain moments in the game, Orin engages in interactions that are influenced by the availability of Baldur's Gate 3 party members and the relationships established by the player. There is even an option for players to form an alliance with Orin, and this alliance results in subsequent variations. As a result, one of Robertson's significant challenges was to record lines that subtly vary in tone and delivery, reflecting the current state of the game, even if these variations are only manifested through a few words.

The talent working on Baldur's Gate 3 faced an additional challenge - they were not provided with the complete storyline of the game. Similar to actors in various forms of media, they were only aware of their own lines, without the overall plot or the context behind them. Robertson, however, put her trust in Larian Studios, who guided her in understanding the character and delivering her performance.

I have the smallest microscopic picture, while the dev team possesses the broader perspective. They possess knowledge of how all the elements within the game should interact and flow. Therefore, a strong level of trust is necessary because I rely on them to guide me in making the choices that will best serve the story.

I firmly believe that one should not be overly attached to their work. I may enter with a specific idea or assumption about a character, but the team might present something that completely changes my initial perception on the day. In such cases, I must be completely open to saying, “Okay, let's discard that idea and explore this alternative approach to see if it works better.”

The outcome of Baldur's Gate 3 speaks for itself by showcasing the remarkable depth and responsiveness of each character during conversations. Choices in gameplay and plot have a profound impact on players' interactions with others, emphasizing the significance of seemingly insignificant conversation choices. Undoubtedly, the immense success of Baldur's Gate 3 can be attributed to the dedication and hard work of the game's talented performers, including Robertson.

Baldur's Gate 3 is currently available on PC, and a PS5 version is set to be released on September 6.