Conception and Creation
Minsc and Boo originated in pen and paper Dungeons & Dragons sessions held by Baldur's Gate's Lead Designer James Ohlen. Played by Cameron Tofer, associate producer and lead programmer of MDK2, Minsc was conceived as an unstable comic relief ranger who carried around a pet hamster named Boo in the Dark Sun campaign setting. The lead writer for Baldur's Gate, Luke Kristjanson, expanded upon the character and created dialogue intended to make Minsc funny and memorable to the general audience. During development, Minsc's lines were modified in accordance with his voice actor Jim Cummings. As this progressed, the writers noted they were able to interject dialogue more freely for Minsc into the script in a tone suitable for the character. Bioware co-founder Ray Muzyka has stated that out of the Baldur's Gate series, Minsc is his favorite character.
The notion of Minsc's animal companion Boo as possibly a "miniature giant space hamster" originates from Dungeons & Dragons source material, first mentioned in the Spelljammer campaign setting which described them as giant hamsters bred to paddle wheels for flying ships, which can alternatively be bred in miniature form, looking like a normal hamster. The possibility of Boo as such was purposefully left up to the player to determine, though senior designer David Gaider noted that regardless Boo had no powers or abilities beyond those of a regular hamster. He also noted Boo was handled differently from the standard concept of familiars as creatures that fought alongside their owners, due to both the frailty of hamsters and the impact Boo dying would have upon Minsc in the game. In an open discussion with BioWare developers, scriptwriter Drew Karpyshyn described Boo's role in the game as " wisdom and moral support to Minsc".
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