Baldur's gate.... 3? [Archive] - Giant in the Playground Forums

reivax

2012-02-29, 07:33 AM

Doesn't look like anyone's posted this out yet.

http://www.baldursgate.com/

New site, went up yesterday afaik. Not much information there, a slick logo á la BG2, however if you go a bit deeper and check the HTML the following appears....

Before <head>










After </html>



So, what is this? That Infinity Engine goes Open source is old news, so.... What's up with this?

Gamerlord

2012-02-29, 07:41 AM

The same group who made a HD remake of MDK2 appear to be behind this, so perhaps they're planning something similar with Baldur's Gate?

Yora

2012-02-29, 07:45 AM

Most people seem to expect some kind of graphic-update or handheld port.

Aidan305

2012-02-29, 12:33 PM

I saw it yesterday. I find it intriguing. BG 3? Or a revamp?

Cespenar

2012-02-29, 12:38 PM

Most people seem to expect some kind of graphic-update or handheld port.

What graphic update? It already has better graphics than Dragon Age.

Gamerlord

2012-02-29, 12:39 PM

I saw it yesterday. I find it intriguing. BG 3? Or a revamp?
It's unlikely the group behind this would be able to get the rights to make BG 3, so most likely an HD remake or something similar.

dsmiles

2012-02-29, 12:40 PM

Either way, "Something awesome this way comes." (Or something like that.)

Muz

2012-02-29, 12:51 PM

Please don't be an MMO...
Please don't be an MMO...
Please don't be an MMO...
Please don't be an MMO...
Please don't be an MMO...
Please don't be an MMO...
Please don't be an MMO...
Please don't be an MMO...

Boo must have his single-player RPG, lest he bite us all in hard to reach places!

Edit: A (little) more info from Gamespy (http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/baldurs-gate/1219662p1.html).

Etcetera

2012-02-29, 12:55 PM

Darn. Now I want to play Baldur's Gate again. And again. And again.

Cikomyr

2012-02-29, 01:00 PM

Morty

2012-02-29, 01:02 PM

I expect it to be a remake of some sort... the saga of the Bhaalspawn reached its natural and definite conclusion. Still, it looks interesting and I'm looking forward to learning more about it.

Spiryt

2012-02-29, 01:11 PM

Somebody can always deal with the clusterf*** left eveywhere by Bhaalspawn and all other event I guess.... They could easily come up with plot connections, return to Baldurs Gate at least for a while to justify the name more, and ta -da.... :smalltongue: :smallwink:

I hope it wouldn't be in teh 3d though, but it probably won't pass today. Maybe Infinity 2?

Alchemistmerlin

2012-02-29, 02:10 PM

I wonder why anybody would consider making a new Baldur's Gate game. The story effectively reached its natural ending. The style of game it presented is not favored by game designers anymore.

Even story-heavy companies like Bioware seem more interested in COOOLZ GAMEPLAY over substantial storyline (see Dragon Age 2, Mass Effect 3)

Good Story and Good Gameplay are not mutually exclusive. The gameplay in the first mass effect was AWFUL (The story was also just below par as well, in my opinion) any change they made would have to be a net gain. (Have not played since)

Bad Gameplay and Good Game ARE mutually exclusive however. No amount of writing can fix a broken game engine. A masterfully written game that is unplayable is not a game, it is an extremely poorly formatted book.

Winthur

2012-02-29, 05:08 PM

These coders must be some literal freshmakers. (www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOeRPyDllOU)

Also:

Aidan305

2012-02-29, 05:49 PM

Axolotl

2012-02-29, 06:52 PM

It's not going to be BG3. Interplay owns the rights and at the moment they aren't in a position to make anything.

Kittenwolf

2012-02-29, 07:10 PM

Here's hoping it's a "Full series" remake of BG
BGI & II plus expansions, plus all the little bits and pieces (like the Ascension mod) that the devs thought up but didn't get in before release.
Add in a few extra quests and such, maybe even ask some of the better fan made mods if they can be included, modify the dialog and sequencing (and add in a few scenes) so it flows as one game rather than a game and sequel, update the graphics (keep it as the isometric view etc of course) and viola, Baldur's Gate X Edition :)

Zen Monkey

2012-02-29, 08:19 PM

hobbitkniver

2012-02-29, 08:25 PM

I don't know what this will be, and I don't care. I'm fairly certain it won't be a new game because of all the legalities involved with getting permission from the owners.

Eldonauran

2012-02-29, 08:49 PM

:smallconfused: I am watching ... closely.

For those interested in a portable version of the game ... You can get GemRB for the iPad(s) or iPhone 4 by going to the gibberlings forums and looking at the GemRB port for the iOS. Its a work in progress though.

Latest news on this is a working .ipa file that you can install (with a dev certificate signed on the ipa) or a jailbroken device.

The Anti Hero

2012-02-29, 10:13 PM

I'd actually guess that this is going to be some kind of an update, remake, or port. Which might actually be pretty cool, but it isn't necessarily anything to get overly excited about.

Then again, I've heard that this isn't just going to be a steam rerelease, so there is the potential for it being something new. If it is something new, though, that'll probably mean that it'll be in the 4th edition. Plus, there have been rumors about a new Baldur's Gate hanging around for a long time. Black Hound anyone?

Yora

2012-03-01, 05:40 AM

Plus, there have been rumors about a new Baldur's Gate hanging around for a long time. Black Hound anyone?
For about 12 years.

Mx.Silver

2012-03-01, 06:15 AM

I believe Dragon Age I, a highly acclaimed game, had a similar style of gameplay didn't it?

Well, both of them had you controlling a part and ran in real time with a pause mechanic. That's about as far as the similarities went.

Kittenwolf

2012-03-01, 06:51 AM

Some more source code in there now:

Etcetera

2012-03-01, 06:56 AM

If this turns out to be an HD pack or something similar, as is most likely, and not a new game, would anyone be interested in trying a multiplayer campaign with it?

Lifeson

2012-03-01, 09:04 AM

shadow_archmagi

2012-03-01, 09:11 AM

Well, both of them had you controlling a part and ran in real time with a pause mechanic. That's about as far as the similarities went.

Well, they also both had inventory systems, multiple choice dialogue, similar world map and random encounter systems, and could be made into cakewalks by spamming AoE spells.

Maryring

2012-03-01, 09:24 AM

If this turns out to be an HD pack or something similar, as is most likely, and not a new game, would anyone be interested in trying a multiplayer campaign with it?
Yes!

Well, they also both had inventory systems, multiple choice dialogue, similar world map and random encounter systems, and could be made into cakewalks by spamming AoE spells.

Improved Alacrity and Robe of Vecna. Who needs fireballs when you have magic massacre missile.

iyaerP

2012-03-01, 09:51 AM

I hope, I hope, I hope, I hope, I hope, I hope, I hope, I hope, I hope, I hope, I hope, I HOPE that they don't futz it up.

ZeltArruin

2012-03-01, 11:23 AM

Improved Alacrity and Robe of Vecna. Who needs fireballs when you have magic massacre missile.

Don't forget the amulet of power for free action fingers of death!

Edit: FaFoD's?

hobbitkniver

2012-03-01, 04:53 PM

I want to believe this will be all kinds of awesome.

I could even deal with the Baldur's Gate trilogy re-done in Dragon Age's engine, or some other silly rehash.

If it's just an iOS port, though, I will be severely disappointed. I don't want to buy an iOS device just to play Baldur's Gate.

I saw someone who made the starter dungeon in Baldur's Gate 2 in the DA:O engine. If I remeber correctly, its called Baldur's Gate II Redux but I've never tried it.

Jeivar

2012-03-01, 05:05 PM

Oh the nostalgia. THE NOSTALGIA.

Amazing epic story.

Amazing epic music.

Amazing epic enemies.

Jaheira is STILL my favorite video game character.

The possibility of replaying it all with modern-day facial animations, fully voiced dialogue and gameplay upgrades? YES PLEASE. WHERE DO I SEND MY SAVINGS?

Triaxx

2012-03-01, 08:53 PM

We have that, it's called Skyrim. It's awesome, but it's not really Baldur's Gate.

iyaerP

2012-03-01, 09:14 PM

Except that skyrim is nothing at all like Baldur's gate. At all. Baldur's Gate is an AD&D, isometric party RPG. Skyrim is a first person hack and slash, and all the dragons are dime-a-dozen.

The modern comparison would be Dragon's Age: Origins. DA2 unfortunately got hit with the dumbed-down-for-the-console-tard hammer just like ME:2, so that comparison doesn't hold water either.

Triaxx

2012-03-01, 11:41 PM

Precisely my point. You can't change it too much, or it's just not the same.

QuickLyRaiNbow

2012-03-02, 02:17 AM

Also Baldur's Gate is one of the greatest RPGs ever, and Skyrim is... Well, it's certainly one of the top ten-ish Bethesda games ever! It's got a crap story, crap dialogue and crap combat. Hooray?

Mx.Silver

2012-03-02, 06:40 AM

DA2 unfortunately got hit with the dumbed-down-for-the-console-tard hammer just like ME:2, so that comparison doesn't hold water either.

And to anyone who still thinks the charge of 'dumbing down' means anything thing, you can go home now. It's all over :smalltongue:

Well, they also both had inventory systems, multiple choice dialogue, similar world map and random encounter systems, and could be made into cakewalks by spamming AoE spells.
Touché

Also Baldur's Gate is one of the greatest RPGs ever,
Bladur's Gate 2 I'd agree with. The original doesn't really hold-up that well without a hefty dose of mods.

Morty

2012-03-02, 06:57 AM

Honestly, I'm not sure if a transplantation into Dragon Age: Origins engine would work well. DA:O tried to merge old-school gameplay with new technology and the effect was weird in places. Never mind the sterility and plasticness of the whole thing - the one thing that gets me is the contrast between the Grey Warden and everyone else. In BG ot PS:T, everyone is a miniature and dialogue is purely text based with only the most important dialogue getting voice acting. In Dragon Age, everyone gets full animation and voice acting... except for the Grey Warden, who just stares creepily at people. I'm not sure I'd like to see that in Baldur's Gate.

Yora

2012-03-02, 10:12 AM

What I was thnking a while back was how cool it would be to make a game from the Dragon Age engine that uses the plots and NPCs from Baldur's Gate. But I agree, no recreating an accurate copy of BG in another engine, that wouldn't be fun at all.

Philistine

2012-03-02, 11:01 AM

Yes!

Improved Alacrity and Robe of Vecna. Who needs fireballs when you have magic massacre missile.
Good old Macross Magic Missile Massacre. Nothing like loading up a couple of Spell Triggers with MM to show your foes the true meaning of spam.

Good Story and Good Gameplay are not mutually exclusive. The gameplay in the first mass effect was AWFUL (The story was also just below par as well, in my opinion) any change they made would have to be a net gain. (Have not played since)

You'd be surprised. I don't think this is the right thread to really get into the details, but... I played through the first game nearly a dozen times, and eagerly awaited my pre-ordered copy of ME2. I played the second game a couple of times, and am waiting on ME3 until I can grab the "complete" edition (with all the DLC included) from the bargain bin. Partly because of story wallbangers in 2 (You're working for WHO?!), but mostly because the gameplay went sharply downhill from the first game (and the early word on #3's gameplay is, amazingly, even less appealing).

Ave

2012-03-02, 12:57 PM

I wonder why anybody would consider making a new Baldur's Gate game. The story effectively reached its natural ending. The style of game it presented is not favored by game designers anymore.

Even story-heavy companies like Bioware seem more interested in COOOLZ GAMEPLAY over substantial storyline (see Dragon Age 2, Mass Effect 3)

The owner of baldursgate.com is Trent Oster, an ex-BioWare employee who apparently got fed up with the new style.
He now owns an indie company, and apparently is intending to revive the old style. I doubt, they will create a new game though, but it is mostly for licensing reasons.

Mordokai

2012-03-02, 01:48 PM

Cespenar

2012-03-02, 01:56 PM

And I'm really not interested in replaying Baldurs Gate with newer and shinier graphics. I liked Dragon Age, but I don't want to see BG in that style. For me, that would be a step backwards. Infinity Engine had it's charms and no 3D and special effects can conjure that same magic feeling for me.

This, oh so much.

QuickLyRaiNbow

2012-03-02, 02:05 PM

Bladur's Gate 2 I'd agree with. The original doesn't really hold-up that well without a hefty dose of mods.

I'm guilty of thinking of BG1, BG2 and ToB as a single game a lot of the time, so when I say 'Baldur's Gate' I'm thinking of the full and complete story, starting with you talking to the fat bloke in Candlekeep and ending with Edwina turning a spit in Waterdeep. I do agree that from a gameplay perspective BG1 doesn't quite hold up but a lot of that has to do with BG2 taking a huge leap forward. I find that Tutu pretty much fixes every objection I have with BG1 by making the continuity between it and the sequel even more seamless.

QuickLyRaiNbow

2012-03-02, 02:07 PM

You'd be surprised. I don't think this is the right thread to really get into the details, but... I played through the first game nearly a dozen times, and eagerly awaited my pre-ordered copy of ME2. I played the second game a couple of times, and am waiting on ME3 until I can grab the "complete" edition (with all the DLC included) from the bargain bin. Partly because of story wallbangers in 2 (You're working for WHO?!), but mostly because the gameplay went sharply downhill from the first game (and the early word on #3's gameplay is, amazingly, even less appealing).

My experience was that the gameplay in ME2 was better while nearly every other aspect was worse. When I refer to gameplay, I'm basically talking solely about the FPS elements (and the lack of the bloody Mako). The story, dialogue, leveling, inventory and UI were all superior in ME1. YMMV of course.

Weezer

2012-03-02, 02:25 PM

For reasons already mentioned, I too am sceptical about new game. If nothing else, I really don't see where the game would go. It has been ended, good and well. I guess you could make some sort of spin-off that is going on while the main game is happening, but I'm not sure how many would be interesting in playing The Tender Years of Biff the Understudy :smalltongue:

And I'm really not interested in replaying Baldurs Gate with newer and shinier graphics. I liked Dragon Age, but I don't want to see BG in that style. For me, that would be a step backwards. Infinity Engine had it's charms and no 3D and special effects can conjure that same magic feeling for me.

Well if "Raise dead: Infinity Engine" means what it says on the tin, then it appears that whatever they are making uses the Infinity engine, which is great news indeed. All of Baulder's Gate (including expansions and the sequel) combined into one with hi-res textures and natively supporting decent resolutions would be a must buy for me. Especially if they add back in a lot of the content that didn't make it into the originals.

ZeltArruin

2012-03-02, 02:48 PM

Mordokai

2012-03-02, 02:56 PM

Well if "Raise dead: Infinity Engine" means what it says on the tin, then it appears that whatever they are making uses the Infinity engine, which is great news indeed. All of Baulder's Gate (including expansions and the sequel) combined into one with hi-res textures and natively supporting decent resolutions would be a must buy for me. Especially if they add back in a lot of the content that didn't make it into the originals.

If that would happen, yes, I agree with you. So lets wait and see what the following months bring. I will remain cautiously optimistic.

And seeing how many mods have came out since the original game, the authors would have nice choice of extra options to ad. And that's not even counting the cut-offs of the original game.

Muz

2012-03-02, 05:06 PM

Personally I think it's exceptionally cruel of them to tease us with the web page like this without giving details, and I must say that if I were in their shoes, I would do exactly the same thing!

So, basically, I want to be in their shoes. :smallbiggrin:

...And I want more details!

...And a banana split and a bag full of money would be nice, too.

hobbitkniver

2012-03-02, 07:15 PM

iyaerP

2012-03-02, 07:17 PM

My experience was that the gameplay in ME2 was better while nearly every other aspect was worse. When I refer to gameplay, I'm basically talking solely about the FPS elements (and the lack of the bloody Mako). The story, dialogue, leveling, inventory and UI were all superior in ME1. YMMV of course.

To avoid starting a flame war, I am simply going to say that I want the money I paid for mass effect 2 back, and leave it at that.

Weezer

2012-03-02, 09:15 PM

Yeah, I wish they just had said nothing until they were willing to divulge some info.

For whatever reason teasingly announcing your announcements has become a major thing lately. It's kind of irksome, but it does work, gets people really excited and curious over what? The splash screen of a 13 year old game and some cryptic message left in the HTML? That's what I call marketing.

iyaerP

2012-03-02, 09:47 PM

For whatever reason teasingly announcing your announcements has become a major thing lately. It's kind of irksome, but it does work, gets people really excited and curious over what? The splash screen of a 13 year old game and some cryptic message left in the HTML? That's what I call marketing.

Well, rather than spending any money on TV spots, youtube ads or anything else, all they have done is pay for their domain space, occasionally put in some HTML comments to tease us with, and let us (the community) do the rest. It is quite genius really, especially if this is a small team/low budget project.

Weezer

2012-03-02, 10:09 PM

Well, rather than spending any money on TV spots, youtube ads or anything else, all they have done is pay for their domain space, occasionally put in some HTML comments to tease us with, and let us (the community) do the rest. It is quite genius really, especially if this is a small team/low budget project.

I agree, 'tricking' the community into doing your marketing for you is a great way to spend almost no money and get a great result. Though it does have its limitations, the main one being that you usually need to have a known brand for it to really work, but if you have that down, which BG certainly does, you're golden.

Muz

2012-03-02, 10:24 PM

Oh, I agree, too. That wasn't a typo when I said I'd do the exact same thing if I were them. But this is the Internet, so I'm still obligated to complain about it. :smallbiggrin:

Remmirath

2012-03-03, 12:43 AM

I doubt that it would be a third game, since I don't believe that the current D&D rights are in the correct hands for that - and from what I gather, I doubt that even if they were, making a 2nd edition based game would be on the table (and later editions just would not work for Baldur's Gate). Besides that, everything wrapped up just fine. As much as I love Baldur's Gate, they aren't games that I'd say are in need of a sequel.

I guess I can see some potential merit for a re-release on some other system, or some such. For people who haven't played the games before and all. I myself am quite happy with them how they are, but hey, I'm sure some people would like subtly updated graphics or what (and, if they were subtly enough updated, I might like that).

And I'm really not interested in replaying Baldurs Gate with newer and shinier graphics. I liked Dragon Age, but I don't want to see BG in that style. For me, that would be a step backwards. Infinity Engine had it's charms and no 3D and special effects can conjure that same magic feeling for me.

I very much agree.

Maxios

2012-03-03, 04:29 PM

I doubt it'll be an iOS port, it'll probably be a remake.

hobbitkniver

2012-03-03, 04:31 PM

I doubt it'll be an iOS port, it'll probably be a remake.

Yeah, I'm thinking a remake is much more likely than anything else.

Kish

2012-03-03, 04:41 PM

Bladur's Gate 2 I'd agree with. The original doesn't really hold-up that well without a hefty dose of mods.
The typo aside, all I can say to that is "no accounting for tastes."

Icedaemon

2012-03-04, 03:44 AM

Probably the only thing I view through rose-tinted spectacles getting an update or (unlikely) sequel?

They will probably make a complete hash of it, but one can hope...

Avaris

2012-03-04, 08:43 AM

I'm expecting a remake or port personally, which would be pretty cool. The hoops I have to jump through to get the thing running on vista are bad enough, I dread to think what'll happen when I move to Windows 7 on the new gaming pc I'm getting...

A sequel is unlikely. As many have said, the story is complete, so unless they wanted to tell a story elsewhere at the same time as the bhaalspawn saga (which would necessitate leaving out all the popular character/locations) it's unlikely to happen.

One thing I did wonder about though was a prequel... thats how I'd take it if I had to write another part of the story. The Time of Troubles would be an interesting era for a campaign, and recent enough that several of the known characters could make an appearance ("Now listen carefully; if we ever become seperated it is imperative that you make your way to the Friendly Arm Inn. There you will meet Khalid and Jaheria. They have long been my friends and you can trust them.")

Maryring

2012-03-04, 09:25 AM

The 4 in 1 Baldur's Gate works well on Windows 7 for me.

Gamerlord

2012-03-04, 10:09 AM

The 4 in 1 Baldur's Gate works well on Windows 7 for me.
Yeah, same here.

QuickLyRaiNbow

2012-03-04, 11:01 AM

In November, Trent Oster was looking for a 2D illustrator and concept artist, because the next project from Overhaul Games would be 'a biggie.'

https://twitter.com/#!/TrentOster/status/139470084321189889

hobbitkniver

2012-03-04, 12:19 PM

Triaxx

2012-03-05, 06:48 AM

I'm half-expecting a prequel, showing the adventures of Gorion.

Kish

2012-03-05, 07:13 PM

A prequel is possible.

A prequel with the required premise, "You are a Lawful Good wizard" is not.

Triaxx

2012-03-05, 11:39 PM

Not necessarily what I meant. I mean, following along in the wake of Gorion could be interesting.

Were it me writing, you'd start as a messenger tasked with hunting down Gorion to find out just where he's disappeared to, and following the trail of havok he's left in his wake. At least once crossing paths with Firkraag, and engaging in a battle of wits to get the information. Possibly involving something like Wizards Chess.

Ultimately you find Gorion sequestered in Candlekeep, and have to decide whether to report back to your masters with the truth, or say he's vanished from the face of Toril.

Etcetera

2012-03-06, 05:18 PM

So...
Any suggestions on what this might mean?

Maxios

2012-03-06, 05:30 PM

So...
Any suggestions on what this might mean?
1. Your character is an ex-bandit perhaps, or a villain from the games might re-appear.

2. You're a bhaalspawn again.

Arbitrarity

2012-03-06, 05:37 PM

So...
Any suggestions on what this might mean?

Viconia is the Shar worshipper. I'm trying to think about who she might say that to... the Bhaalspawn is the only one I can think of. Drow wouldn't care, except maybe her brother, but she liked him. Nobody else really fits. Shar doesn't display much favor throughout BG.

Brother is almost certainly more Bhaalspawn stuff. My guess is Sarevok, it sounds like him.

But what does that mean? Sarevok isn't that relevant before BG1, so I guess we're not looking at a prequel. Sarevok doesn't exist between the end of BG1 and ToB, so we aren't looking at sneaking an extra chunk of story in the middle. Post-Ascension stuff seems unlikely. Plausibly we're looking at a remake with more fleshed out character development/dialogue?
Oh, another possibility is some sort of prequel involving Viconia somewhere. I can't really see how you'd include her though, since she has few opportunities for a hidden backstory.

I have this odd desire to see "Minsc and Dynaheir's Excellent Adventures in Rashemen"

Etcetera

2012-03-06, 05:39 PM

Viconia is the Shar worshipper. I'm trying to think about who she might say that to... the Bhaalspawn is the only one I can think of. Drow wouldn't care, except maybe her brother, but she liked him. Nobody else really fits. Shar doesn't display much favor throughout BG.

Brother is almost certainly more Bhaalspawn stuff. My guess is Sarevok, it sounds like him.

But what does that mean? Sarevok isn't that relevant before BG1, so I guess we're not looking at a prequel. Sarevok doesn't exist between the end of BG1 and ToB, so we aren't looking at sneaking an extra chunk of story in the middle. Post-Ascension stuff seems unlikely. Plausibly we're looking at a remake with more fleshed out character development/dialogue?

The only problem with the "brother" part is that I don't think the main character had a canon gender (ignoring the less than stellar books). I agree that it does sound Bhaalspawn related, though.

Saintheart

2012-03-06, 10:55 PM

Arbitrarity

2012-03-07, 12:00 AM

She left me to die. YOU left me to die. But Shar... Shar wanted me to live.

This could be Jon Irenicus. Remember how he had a thing going for Ellismae, so that could be the "she" being referred to. Anybody checked David Warner's schedule recently?

Another possibility -- Khalid?

I want Dynaheir back too, but neither she, Khalid, or Irenicus have any real ties to Shar. Irenicus is as close as it gets.

In excitement, I'm doing a dumb-sized BWP install. WHY DO PEOPLE PUT FOLDERS CONTAINING EXE INSTALLERS INSIDE THEIR RAR FILES?
NO. BAD FORM.

Jeivar

2012-03-07, 01:33 AM

Er, where are people getting this dialogue from?

Arbitrarity

2012-03-07, 01:47 AM

Html comments on the webpage. Use browser of choice, open up developer console, look at the html. Really obvious comments in their main template.

In chrome, do this by clicking on the wrench->tools->developer tools
I think you need Firebug in firefox, not sure (I always use firebug for developing)
In IE, I think you click on the options bar thing, look for "Developer Console F12" or somesuch.

Kish

2012-03-07, 06:32 AM

She left me to die. YOU left me to die. But Shar... Shar wanted me to live.

This could be Jon Irenicus. Remember how he had a thing going for Ellismae, so that could be the "she" being referred to. Anybody checked David Warner's schedule recently?
Good thought, although the elf queen's name is Ellesime.

And considering that...

"If you wish me dead, brother, it must be by your hand. No one else."

Bodhi, speaking to Irenicus?

Mordokai

2012-03-07, 11:17 AM

Good thought, although the elf queen's name is Ellesime.

And considering that...

"If you wish me dead, brother, it must be by your hand. No one else."

Bodhi, speaking to Irenicus?

I could see that, but Irenicus and Bodhi seem to share a weird kind of bond, where they actually care for each other, in their own way. The way it is put here, it comes off as if you said that to somebody with polar opposite feelings for you.

danzibr

2012-03-07, 11:24 AM

So uhh, I never played Tales of the Swordcoast. How was that?

Squark

2012-03-07, 11:35 AM

So uhh, I never played Tales of the Swordcoast. How was that?

Fun, but no real tie to the plot.

Eddums

2012-03-07, 01:27 PM

Could be Bhaal speaking. 'YOU' being the PC, 'She' being Melissan?

Triaxx

2012-03-07, 02:20 PM

Do we really think Shar would be that dumb? Cyric perhaps, but he's also mad.

However two things say no: One is that you were the progeny of Bhaal, not his brother. and second, Shar isn't likely to be that kind of goddess. Lolth perhaps but not Shar.

I wonder. Perhaps Yaga-Shura? Fits brother. Her is the old dryad. Totally had his own evil army...

Or Gromnir, being Melissan, and an outcast not unlike Viconia.

Ooh, remember that last monk guy? What if he's the one that did it to us, and we've come back from the dead to get some vengeance because our taint was so much stronger that it overcame his selfless urges? Fits brother, fits Melissan, fits a goddes wanting us to come back because we're the only one strong enough to withstand the taint.

Plus we'd get to have another crazy awesome fight with him.

---

Firefox shows you by right-clicking a page and tapping View Page Source. IE is similar, but it's just View Source.

Cespenar

2012-03-07, 03:17 PM

Personally, it feels like the quotes belong respectively to Irenicus and Bodhi, but that's just me.

Talesin

2012-03-07, 07:42 PM

Tbh i'm not sure how i'd feel with it being either a new game or a remake. The game is just so iconic for me as a time in my life and I wouldn't want it to be ruined. If it kept the same Isometric style view but went for a graphics update I could imagine that being pretty good.

As for a new game I would probably buy it, much like the graphic update above, however i'm not sure where the story would fit in.

I do agree it sounds like Irenicus and Bodhi though the connection to Shar i'm not all that sure of. It could be Bhaal though
as Melissan does ultimately want power for herself. Though its been ages since i've played so I could be wrong. The she being Melissan and the you being the protagonist from the game.

From what I remember there were some god 'alliances' in FR lore. Not sure if Shar ever allied with Bhaal but she might have an interest in seeing him as the God of Murder once again rather than any one else.

iyaerP

2012-03-08, 06:44 AM

The 4 in 1 Baldur's Gate works well on Windows 7 for me.

Sadly, for me it crashes every time I enter the Iron mines.

:smallfurious::smallfurious::smallfurious:

The Anti Hero

2012-03-08, 10:00 PM

I still have no idea what this is all about, but I have gone ahead and visited Oster's twitter (he's the one behind the webpage that started this all). He's had a meeting with the Wizards of the Coast and he also mentioned "Great meeting with #Atari at #GDC now we need to get all the ducks in a row for an announcement"

I'm still lost but... I am getting more and more curious as to what this all is. They're doing a damn fine job marketing this :smallamused:

Triaxx

2012-03-09, 08:12 PM

I've got a similar problem. I can't go to High Hedge because something scratched the disc. Fortunately, I can play around it. Is it the outer area? If so can use use the console to jump past it?

Arbitrarity

2012-03-09, 08:57 PM

I've got a similar problem. I can't go to High Hedge because something scratched the disc. Fortunately, I can play around it. Is it the outer area? If so can use use the console to jump past it?

Probably corrupted ARE file, or associated resources. If you have a full install, you could replace the .bif that contains it with a new one, which would probably fix the issue. I'll have to check which one is the right one, but I might be able to upload to mediafire or whatever.
Specifically, AREA5400.BIF (http://www.mediafire.com/?yxuxl37xn6gjx76) is Nashkel mines, and AREA3200.BIF (http://www.mediafire.com/?u919j1k53x5n3ui) is High Hedge.
I think that that won't require updating chitin.key, though if it does... that would be messy, and I would be confused (since you're just swapping files directly... might need to check with nearinfinity or something)
Nah, probably not. Just download the file corresponding to the area that's broken, and swap it into your (install directory)/data folder. Might make a backup of the older file, but I'm fairly confident this won't break saves, since you've "never been to" those areas, so they don't correspond to anything in your save files.

hobbitkniver

2012-03-10, 10:51 PM

Hey, did anyone know that they were planning on making BG III way back in 2002? I certainly didn't, so here's the wikipedia article. This may clear up some confusion about the cryptic hints (I repeat, may).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baldur%27s_Gate_III:_The_Black_Hound

I wish there was a better source of info, but the only place I see it mentioned is in old forums posts.

Picture Here (http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110506010139/conduit/images/e/e0/Baldur%27s_Gate_III_The_Black_Hound.jpg)

Aidan305

2012-03-11, 05:29 AM

I remember hearing talk of it at some point. Can't remember much though.

Lynam III

2012-03-11, 08:27 PM

Doesn't ATARI own the rights to BG?

They would just ruin the whole setting, like what they did to M&M.

Triaxx

2012-03-11, 08:41 PM

Or Temple of Elemental Evil.

Yes. ATARI has a depressing record with games. SOB's still won't release the rights to Total Annihilation. And won't do anything with it themselves. Jerks.

Muz

2012-03-14, 11:40 PM

There's a countdown timer now... (http://baldursgate.com/)

:smallbiggrin:

MammonAzrael

2012-03-15, 01:05 AM

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c384/Mammon_Azrael/BG.jpg

So clooose! In a bit of likely irrelevant detail, the timer will end at noon PST, which implies that the people in charge on are in that time zone.

Muz

2012-03-15, 10:40 AM

I'M in that time zone!

...I'm in charge! Hamster-meal and turnips for EVERYBODY!

:smallbiggrin:

Maxios

2012-03-15, 10:53 AM

I'm in that zone, too! I wonder what's going to happen. A trailer, perhaps? Screenshots?

Muz

2012-03-15, 11:18 AM

I'm in that zone, too! I wonder what's going to happen. A trailer, perhaps? Screenshots?

Watch it be nothing software-related. Just Cespenar plushies made from Sham-Wow technology.

"Ah, well! Back to cleaning, I guesses!"

:smallbiggrin:

Aidan305

2012-03-15, 01:53 PM

Six minutes to go and the site's starting to error 500. Looks like there's a lot of curious people out there.

Mordokai

2012-03-15, 01:59 PM

T minus one minute.

MammonAzrael

2012-03-15, 02:01 PM

Technically it's over. But I'm guessing 10 or more more minutes before I'll be able to load the page and find out what it was all about!

Maxios

2012-03-15, 02:01 PM

The site isn't working for me. What is it!?!?!?!?

Avaris

2012-03-15, 02:02 PM

I'm having no problem with the site loading, but nothing yet... I watched the countdown to 0!

Divayth Fyr

2012-03-15, 02:05 PM

The site isn't working for me. What is it!?!?!?!?
Probably thousands of people trying to access the site at once were too much for the server...

Alchemistmerlin

2012-03-15, 02:10 PM

Hah, 00:00:00 aaaaaaaaaaaand...Nothing.

Marketing/Website department fail.

Reinboom

2012-03-15, 02:13 PM

Before the server died:
Baldur's Gate Enhanced Edition

Divayth Fyr

2012-03-15, 02:14 PM

http://tbreak.com/megamers/files/bgannounce-430x891.jpg

MammonAzrael

2012-03-15, 02:22 PM

So I'd say that's officially a remake.

Me want details! :smallbiggrin:

Maxios

2012-03-15, 02:26 PM

http://tbreak.com/megamers/files/bgannounce-430x891.jpg

...really? I was hoping for a new game, but hey, this is cool too.

Avaris

2012-03-15, 02:39 PM

A little dissapointed that the announcement (such as it is) was sent out via email, rather than hitting the actual site. Games sites and people on their list know officially, but those of us who were watching the actual site have to dig around a bit...

Shpadoinkle

2012-03-15, 02:55 PM

I knew it was going to be something stupid. I'm glad I didn't bother getting my hopes up.

Divayth Fyr

2012-03-15, 03:08 PM

Well, the EE can be either meh (if it's only a graphical makeover) or :smallyuk: if they do something really stupid (like using 4e rules - I could live with BG using dnd 3,5 but 4...).

Muz

2012-03-15, 03:12 PM

A slight bit more info, from IGN (http://pc.ign.com/articles/122/1220884p1.html):

A representative from Overhaul Games stated that Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition will not simply be a straightforward remake of BioWare's original game. "We're adding new original content in the spirit of the original game," the representative said, as well as "maintaining all the awesome that is Baldur's Gate."

Mordokai

2012-03-15, 03:14 PM

Well, lets wait and see for screenshots, trailers, playtests... whathaveyou. It may turn out to not be so bad after all.

Psyren

2012-03-15, 03:17 PM

Pleasenot4ePleasenot4ePleasenot4e...

Doesn't ATARI own the rights to BG?

IIRC, they have exclusive rights to all D&D CRPGs for quite awhile.

Here's some news: http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/116352-Atari-Reveals-Baldurs-Gate-Enhanced-Edition

Avaris

2012-03-15, 03:27 PM

It's been confirmed via twitter (https://twitter.com/trentoster?_escaped_fragment_=/trentoster#!/trentoster) to be using 2nd edition rules.

Also...

There will be two games. Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition and Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition #bgee=BG+TotSC, bg2ee=bg2+ToB

My interpretation of all this is to consider it as basically like what mods (Tutu and others of it's ilk) have been doing for years: running BG1 in the B2 engine, with various other enhancements. The difference though is that it's being done by people who know what they're doing, rather than by people like me who download said mods and make a mess of things (I don't mean the mod makers don't know what they're doing mind... just the consumers). This can only be a good thing.

Shpadoinkle

2012-03-15, 03:43 PM

(Stuff)

Hmm... Well, MAYBE they won't screw it up horribly and piss off the customers with some stupid, halfassed cash grab. I'm still not getting my hopes up until I actually see it, though. I mean, it sounds good, but they're basically advertising; this information was carefully constructed to make it sound good.

Psyren

2012-03-15, 03:48 PM

No edition change? :smallfrown:
It was already out of bounds for pure 2e with sorcerers and such, wasn't it?

If all it is is a graphical facelift then I'll just stick with the (likely much cheaper) GoG version.

Muz

2012-03-15, 03:48 PM

Hmm... Well, MAYBE they won't screw it up horribly and piss off the customers with some stupid, halfassed cash grab. I'm still not getting my hopes up until I actually see it, though. I mean, it sounds good, but they're basically advertising; this information was carefully constructed to make it sound good.

Well of COURSE they're advertising. Would you expect them to make the game in a darkened back room and not tell anyone about it? :smallsmile:

And it's not EA/Bioware that's doing it, so I figure that alone decreases the chance of screwing things up. (Though as it's not a sequel, just an updated edition, there's less TO screw up, so far as I'm concerned. Kind of a low-risk, low-payoff situation.)

No edition change? :smallfrown:
It was already out of bounds for pure 2e with sorcerers and such, wasn't it?

If all it is is a graphical facelift then I'll just stick with the (likely much cheaper) GoG version.

I expect they just mean "not 3e or 4e." But you're right, by TOB it already was somewhere between 2nd and 3rd. I take it you were hoping for a full 3rd edition or 3.5 upgrade (since you didn't seem to want 4th above)?

Psyren

2012-03-15, 04:00 PM

I expect they just mean "not 3e or 4e." But you're right, by TOB it already was somewhere between 2nd and 3rd. I take it you were hoping for a full 3rd edition or 3.5 upgrade (since you didn't seem to want 4th above)?

Honestly that was more due to wanting another 3.5 CRPG (the two we got were terrible and horribly bugged respectively) than true hatred for 4e. I think 4e would translate well to a CRPG, but if Daggerdale was any indication they still don't know how to differentiate the classes enough to make it truly fun, at least for me.

MammonAzrael

2012-03-15, 05:45 PM

Honestly I'm not expecting any changes to the mechanics of the game. They may clean a few things up, add new classes, streamline BG to mesh perfectly with ToB, but that's it. I think the biggest things will be the systems it is available on. And maybe the stuff they're adding...as long as that stuff doesn't suck.

Aricandor

2012-03-15, 05:54 PM

Maybe they'll find a way to make level 1 computerized D&D not suck. :P

Winthur

2012-03-15, 06:01 PM

Maybe they'll find a way to make level 1 computerized D&D not suck. :P

I found a way to kill Gorion as a 1/1 level character (Fighter/Mage), Firebeard Elvenhair can also be killed this way, and a 1st level mage with a sling + preferrably an archer teammate can genocide ankhegs. Granted, some of those usually require savescumming, but... :smalltongue:

Muz

2012-03-15, 06:27 PM

Level 1 sucks to better motivate you to continue playing in order to get to level 2!
:smallbiggrin:

WyvernLord

2012-03-15, 09:27 PM

Psyren

2012-03-15, 09:40 PM

I literally did a metal headband when I found out.
I never got a chance to play the originals so I'm hoping this will turn out well and not be to different from the original. So I'm in the excited group.

You can still (http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/baldurs_gate_the_original_saga) get (http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/baldurs_gate_2_complete) the originals, and most likely they're cheaper than this'll be.

Remmirath

2012-03-15, 11:11 PM

I admit I don't see the point to a new edition with enhanced graphics and all. They seem fine to me as is. Of course, I don't even like to use any mods, so I'm probably a bit of the odd one out.

It doesn't seem like it could do any harm, at least, so long as they don't change anything major, and I suppose there are probably a fair number of people who would want it.

Honestly, I would've been a bit leery of a completely new game. Not just because everything already seemed to be wrapped up fine, but also because sequels made after such a long time have a tendency to have something a bit off about them. Now, if there were to be a truly worthy sequel made in the same fashion as the others (2nd edition and all), I would be as close as I get to dancing in the street with joy. I guess I'm just too cynical to believe that would happen even if a sequel were in the works.

It's been confirmed via twitter (https://twitter.com/trentoster?_escaped_fragment_=/trentoster#!/trentoster) to be using 2nd edition rules.

Well, that's something anyhow. Changing rule sets would have been a terrible move, in my opinion.

Psyren

2012-03-15, 11:29 PM

Alleran

2012-03-15, 11:38 PM

It makes sense they're not updating the rules (this is designed to appeal to grognards, after all) but if all it is is a facelift, what's the point?
IGN and Escapist confirmed that they're adding new, original content (with new voice actors for some of the lines), but aren't removing any of the material that's already there. It's staying 2D (but with much-improved UI, graphics and so on), and they're not going to support controllers and the like (point and click only!).

MammonAzrael

2012-03-15, 11:40 PM

It makes sense they're not updating the rules (this is designed to appeal to grognards, after all) but if all it is is a facelift, what's the point? It'll have to be gorgeous to be worthwhile, and they can't make it too expensive either; 2e rules aren't going to be the massive draw they were back in the day.

But new graphics means a new engine and new art, which means dough...

Well, they've got artists, programmers, and designers, so it's a solid bet that everything is being "enhanced." On the plus side they do have members of the original development team on staff, so that breeds hope.

I'm wondering what this "re-forged" Infinity Engine will be capable of and how true to the original games it will look.

I think what I'm most disapointed in at the moment is their division of BG: EE and BG 2:EE, implying that they'll be two separate games, and not melding together into one glorious story.

Icedaemon

2012-03-16, 01:12 AM

IGN and Escapist confirmed that they're adding new, original content (with new voice actors for some of the lines), but aren't removing any of the material that's already there. It's staying 2D (but with much-improved UI, graphics and so on), and they're not going to support controllers and the like (point and click only!).

Isn't Sony or whoever makes the playstation making a controller with a touchscreen which they want to have the same effectiveness as a mouse? Granted, most console fans probably don't know that classic western RPGs even exist, but Atari might still plan on getting onto that.

Avilan the Grey

2012-03-16, 02:39 AM

...So... Bioware is not involved in this? *Happy dance*
This means I can buy it.

The Succubus

2012-03-16, 05:44 AM

They should put EA in charge of this remake and they could turn it into an FPS because, you know, that's what you do. You find a classic game with a distinctive playstyle that people have fond memories of...and then you turn it into an FPS, because everyone likes FPSes, right?

I look forward to using the Boo Launcher, personally.

Whoracle

2012-03-16, 06:19 AM

Matthew

2012-03-16, 06:23 AM

Seems like good news to me, and a reflection of the reprinting of the first edition AD&D books. This is all intended to build the D&D brand as we head into the new edition, and so far they are doing a pretty great job of rebuilding the bridges they have burnt down. Also, I love the idea of a Boo launcher! :smallbiggrin:

Triaxx

2012-03-16, 07:06 AM

I understand. This is all a plot by him. Tiax. He who will point and click. This is all his master plan!

Alleran

2012-03-16, 09:05 AM

Isn't Sony or whoever makes the playstation making a controller with a touchscreen which they want to have the same effectiveness as a mouse? Granted, most console fans probably don't know that classic western RPGs even exist, but Atari might still plan on getting onto that.
I pulled that particular tidbit from the Twitter feed of the guy in charge. They won't be doing any support for a controller.

JadedDM

2012-03-16, 10:00 AM

Hmm...guess someone should really change the title of this thread now.

Muz

2012-03-16, 10:34 AM

Well isn't THIS interesting? (http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/baldurs-gate-enhanced-edition/1220929p1.html)

"Baldur's Gate 3 has been our long term goal. We have a lot of things to put in place before such a project can be launched. So currently there is no such project but that's the one we want to do. Our thoughts have been that Enhanced Edition for BG 1 and 2 just make sense before there's any Baldur's Gate 3."

"We're totally thinking Kickstarter. It just makes so much sense and solves so many problems..."

That's from Cameron Tofer at Overhaul (the company working on it). There's more in the linked article. :smallsmile:

Does anyone remember that they WERE working on a BG3 back around 2000 or something? There's a Wikipedia article on it, even.

The Succubus

2012-03-16, 10:44 AM

And if BG 3 made it on to Kickstarter, there would be a melting of silicon and it would make the amount gathered by Double Fine look like pocket change.

@Whoracle

Bitter? Me? Why on earth would I be bitter about having waited best part of a decade for a sequel to Syndicate Wars and receiving a **** Deus Ex:HR clone instead?

Psyren

2012-03-16, 11:29 AM

And if BG 3 made it on to Kickstarter, there would be a melting of silicon and it would make the amount gathered by Double Fine look like pocket change.

I doubt it, not with the D&D fanbase as polarized as it is. No matter which edition they went with they would spark flames from the other two.

Aidan305

2012-03-16, 12:56 PM

That's from Cameron Tofer at Overhaul (the company working on it). There's more in the linked article. :smallsmile:

Does anyone remember that they WERE working on a BG3 back around 2000 or something? There's a Wikipedia article on it, even.

I rather liked the comment that they first wanted to ensure that Baldur's Gate retook its "rightful throne atop the fantasy RPG kingdom".

Starbuck_II

2012-03-16, 01:30 PM

So are they adding "unfinished business" mod or what?

Maybe they will add kits to BG 1?

Mordokai

2012-03-16, 05:04 PM

Maybe they will add kits to BG 1?

TuTu does that for you, as far as I recall.

It breaks the game, essentially.

Morty

2012-03-16, 05:28 PM

I wouldn't go as far as to say that it breaks the game. Some kits work fine in BG1, others don't.

Jeivar

2012-03-16, 06:28 PM

Is anyone else hoping they'll cut back the number of traps in BG1? And basilisks, for that matter? The first game DID have an awful lot of unexpected instant death murder hell bastardry.

Cespenar

2012-03-16, 06:48 PM

Low levels are all about instant kills anyway. Orc rolls critical, you die, etc.

Aidan305

2012-03-16, 06:49 PM

Is anyone else hoping they'll cut back the number of traps in BG1? And basilisks, for that matter? The first game DID have an awful lot of unexpected instant death murder hell bastardry.

Surely that's part of the enjoyment of the game. Like the Dire Wolf outside Candlekeep.

Morty

2012-03-16, 06:51 PM

Low-level AD&D without insta-kills? Madness.

Aricandor

2012-03-16, 06:57 PM

And low level spider bites. Which will invariably hit your main character just after you used your last antidote.

It doesn't matter what arbitrary number x of antidotes you have, you will be poisoned x + 1 times. At least.

stabbybelkar

2012-03-16, 07:21 PM

You can still (http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/baldurs_gate_the_original_saga) get (http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/baldurs_gate_2_complete) the originals, and most likely they're cheaper than this'll be.

Maybe, but consider this: Not everyone has a computer old enough to run BG1. Both of my computers run windows 7 and as a result I can't play the orriginal.:frown:

hobbitkniver

2012-03-16, 07:27 PM

Maybe, but consider this: Not everyone has a computer old enough to run BG1. Both of my computers run windows 7 and as a result I can't play the orriginal.:frown:

I played through both games on a Windows Seven computer and I know plenty of other people do too. I had quite a few problems, but none bad enough to stop me from playing.

Weezer

2012-03-16, 07:28 PM

Maybe, but consider this: Not everyone has a computer old enough to run BG1. Both of my computers run windows 7 and as a result I can't play the orriginal.:frown:

Even the GoG version? They do a good job at making old games work on new computers

Alleran

2012-03-16, 08:42 PM

I rather liked the comment that they first wanted to ensure that Baldur's Gate retook its "rightful throne atop the fantasy RPG kingdom".
That implies it lost the throne. :smallannoyed:

Aidan305

2012-03-17, 08:25 AM

That implies it lost the throne. :smallannoyed:

To those of us who have played it, no (well, except maybe Torment, but that would provoke many, many arguments). But the game was made a long time ago, and there are many now who haven't played it and would consider games like Mass Effect and Dragon Age (both decent games) to be "the best RPGs".

Clearly, they need to be taught otherwise.

Kish

2012-03-17, 08:38 AM

These games are unlikely to support already-existing, or minorly-modified, WeiDU mods. That...is a problem.

hobbitkniver

2012-03-17, 08:42 AM

What did the BG mods do that is so important to people? I've never used a mod for these games.

Aotrs Commander

2012-03-17, 09:06 AM

Colour me a bit apathetic. Perhaps because I played PS:T and BG2 through again a year or two ago (the latter especially with a lot of the mod tweaks, which both took of the of the irritation out of flaws and added lots of bells and whistles). I mean, yeah, I suppose it's good that it's being remade - but BG 1 was the weakest of the whole lot (being the first), and the advancement was so slow I didn't bother running through it again (I've played it through like three times in the past) before playing BG2.

Yeah, you could improve the graphics and add more voice-overs - but without some major overhauls of the conversation system and NPC revisions (to at least the sort of standard of BG 2/Torment), BG is just going to look very dated.

Yeah, I might be more inclined were I not able to play BG2, currently, but as there are still a mod or two I'm sort of half-waiting for to be finished, I can't say this fills me with excitement (the latest incarnation of the Imoen Romance mod, in fact - I always thought it was a crying shame that Imoen wasn't one of the options, her being by far the most interesting of the characters, and as Bhaalspawn aren't in fact blood-related (mere of a template, really)...)

Also, if you didn't get the right voice actors back, it wouldn't feel right - Minsc wouldn't sound like Minsc.

So, I'm rather more cautious about this. And as for a BG 3... Where would you go from there? I mean, you could become a god at the end of ToB, so you'd pretty much have to start from scratch anyway, right? But hey, if they do a BG3, I'll probably be very interested if they can even approach the overall standard of the games of that era (and perhaps add in some of the elements of the cinematics and character interaction of the modern Bioware games.)

Torment, now, I could really get behind a re-release of that, regardless; it's more self-contained and enhancing the already distinctive look and feel would do wonders. An upgraded BG 1/2 would likely come up with something not unlike Dragon Age.

Edit: Basically, I'm saying I'm not sure what a remake would add - apart from better graphics, which to me are unimportant - that ten years of work by the modding community couldn't have done.

Mordokai

2012-03-17, 09:21 AM

What did the BG mods do that is so important to people? I've never used a mod for these games.

Have you bothered looking at the mods? Some of them add a great deal of versatility and make the great game even better. If it's adding the missing contents(Unfinished Bussiness), making it more challenging(Improved Anvil, Tactics) or just adding some extra bits to make it more fun(Romantic Encounters, Flirting... too many to count really), many of them add even more replayability to the game. I honestly can't imagine my BG 2 un-modded anymore.

Yeah, I might be more inclined were I not able to play BG2, currently, but as there are still a mod or two I'm sort of half-waiting for to be finished, I can't say this fills me with excitement (the latest incarnation of the Imoen Romance mod, in fact - I always thought it was a crying shame that Imoen wasn't one of the options, her being by far the most interesting of the characters, and as Bhaalspawn aren't in fact blood-related (mere of a template, really)...)

Hey, we may actually see the SoA portion on Imoen Romance redone before the end of the year.

Needless to say, that makes me very giddy :smallbiggrin:

Muz

2012-03-17, 01:08 PM

Aotrs Commander: That's the longest "apathetic" post I've ever seen. :smallwink:

Remmirath

2012-03-17, 08:03 PM

I doubt it, not with the D&D fanbase as polarized as it is. No matter which edition they went with they would spark flames from the other two.

If it were a direct sequel to BG II, in the sense of being able to use the same characters, I would say it would have to be 2nd edition - else importing would be a mess.

The edition wouldn't be so much of a problem as the style, I think. If it were the same isometric style with possibility of full party creation, portraits, definitely no voiced PC, no pointbuy and all, I could deal with an edition other than 2nd (although I admit I'd twitch a bit if it were 4th).

Maybe, but consider this: Not everyone has a computer old enough to run BG1. Both of my computers run windows 7 and as a result I can't play the orriginal.:frown:

My computer runs Windows 7, and so does my brother's. We can both play Baldur's Gate just fine. :smallconfused: I don't even have old hardware any more.

And my copy is the same copy I've ever had. His is a slightly newer copy, but neither's the GOG version.

Muz

2012-03-17, 08:40 PM

Squark

2012-03-17, 09:10 PM

Yeah, my copy of the complete saga (DVD copies of the two base games) works pretty much fine on my Windows 7 laptop.

Hjolnai

2012-03-18, 02:18 AM

hobbitkniver

2012-03-18, 06:38 AM

To my understanding, Windows 7 does some strange things with permissions to things in the Program Files (x86) folder (and possibly the Program Files folder without x86). When my BGII install was in there I had problems (though I've forgotten whether that was just with mods or with the whole game), but when I reinstalled it outside that area most of those problems disappeared.

For me, number two worked but one time I had a serious problem with the first one. I'd literally have to reinstall it each time I played and it'd break after I exited.

Wraith

2012-03-18, 07:16 AM

Is it all quite sad, that I was told that they were getting around to remaking the BGT and my first and only thought was, "Oh goody! Now someone might get around to finishing a Mazzy Romance Mod!" ? :smallredface:

Aotrs Commander

2012-03-18, 01:29 PM

Starbuck_II

2012-03-18, 03:15 PM

If it were a direct sequel to BG II, in the sense of being able to use the same characters, I would say it would have to be 2nd edition - else importing would be a mess.

Only if you were importing from your BG II, their BG 1II might be easy to import from (after all they are remaking BG 2).

Wraith

2012-03-18, 03:57 PM

Not really. She is voiced by Jennifer Hale after all...

Mazzy Fentan is Commander Shepherd!? :smalleek:

I mean, I thought I was being clever when I spotted an unnamed NPC in ME1 being voiced by Imoen, but my mind, she is blown..... :smalltongue:

Remmirath

2012-03-18, 06:59 PM

I figure if there ever is a BG3, the sequel will be in the sense that it's set in Baldur's Gate with new characters (like the aborted BG3 was) rather than continuing on with the originals and the Bhaalspawn story. Like many others have said, there's just nowhere else to go.

True enough, and probably the best way to go, when all is said and done.

Only if you were importing from your BG II, their BG 1II might be easy to import from (after all they are remaking BG 2).

Well, I believe they did already say they were still using 2nd edition. I meant that converting 2nd edition characters to 3rd edition is inherently messy (I assume converting to 4th would be even messier). They could make it as smooth as it could be, in theory, but still a lot of things would change and the power balance of various classes shifted from edition to edition. Not to mention the XP conversion - strictly speaking, your average end-ToB character would go from around 30th level to around 100th level. You could work in some other conversion or just keep the level instead of the XP, but then you'd run into the problem that 30th level counts for a lot more in 2nd than it does in 3rd, and so on.

So, really, another reason that starting with different characters would be better, after this amount of time has passed.

To my understanding, Windows 7 does some strange things with permissions to things in the Program Files (x86) folder (and possibly the Program Files folder without x86). When my BGII install was in there I had problems (though I've forgotten whether that was just with mods or with the whole game), but when I reinstalled it outside that area most of those problems disappeared.

I have heard that, but I have not yet seen any evidence of it - though I also have seen no evidence against it. Both of mine are in the x86 directory. BG runs flawlessly, while BG II has one slightly annoying but easily worked around issue (have to turn off ambient sound or things get jerky).

Aotrs Commander

2012-03-18, 08:12 PM

Mazzy Fentan is Commander Shepherd!? :smalleek:

I mean, I thought I was being clever when I spotted an unnamed NPC in ME1 being voiced by Imoen, but my mind, she is blown..... :smalltongue:

And this is why there was no male Shepard from the moment the ME voice cast was announced...

(If they do a remake, are they going to slip in a scene in Ribald's with Mazzy saying "I'm Mazzy Fentan and this is my favorite magic ship in Athkatla...?")

Archpaladin Zousha

2012-03-19, 12:32 AM

So does this mean BioWare will receive some measure of forgiveness for Mass Effect 3?

Jamin

2012-03-19, 02:03 AM

So does this mean BioWare will receive some measure of forgiveness for Mass Effect 3?

They are not the ones making this. At least that is my understanding of it.

JadedDM

2012-03-19, 09:25 AM

They are not the ones making this. At least that is my understanding of it.

Thank Ao for that!

Muz

2012-03-19, 10:15 AM

So does this mean BioWare will receive some measure of forgiveness for Mass Effect 3?

"I'm Commander Shepard and this is my favorite misconception on the Citadel!"

Bioware used to own Baldur's Gate, but then they took an arrow in the knee. :smallwink:

(As others have stated, Bioware is not involved. It's been amusing to watch people in comment pages on IGN and Gamespy related to the BG remake spew their vitriol at Bioware as they call this another cash grab and complain about ME3's issues. I think one person even directly blamed the remake for the face-import bug because time was being spent on BG and not ME3 testing.)

Soras Teva Gee

2012-03-27, 10:19 AM

I've found a relevant picture for this thread:

http://cdn.slashgear.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/sc1_21509.nphd_-525x281-e1332447799798-580x3091.jpg

Source (http://www.slashgear.com/baldurs-gate-enhanced-edition-to-include-multiplayer-support-27220218/#entrycontent)

Which shows, exactly what I want. Clearly the BGII engine on a modern system with what so help me is the... training grounds from Candlekeep. Also the article includes a price for this iPad edition: $10. Can't imagine they'd charge much different for Windows one.

Yora

2012-03-27, 10:32 AM

And this is why there was no male Shepard from the moment the ME voice cast was announced...

(If they do a remake, are they going to slip in a scene in Ribald's with Mazzy saying "I'm Mazzy Fentan and this is my favorite magic ship in Athkatla...?")
There's actually lot of well known people doing voice work on Mass Effect:

FemShep is Mazzy, Fall-from-Grace, Deionara, Bastila, and Naom Hunter.
Doctor Chakwas is Keeper Marethari (DA1)
Hacket is General Shepherd (MW)
Anderson is "Ramirez! Defeat the Reapers!!!" :smallbiggrin:
Liara is Lightning (FF13)
Saren is Swiftrunner and Zeratul
Tali's father is Loghain.
Matriarch Aethyta is Morrigan.

Calemyr

2012-03-27, 10:41 AM

Muz

2012-03-27, 10:55 AM

Maxios

2012-03-27, 11:09 AM

There's actually lot of well known people doing voice work on Mass Effect:

FemShep is Mazzy, Fall-from-Grace, Deionara, Bastila, and Naom Hunter.
Doctor Chakwas is Keeper Marethari (DA1)
Hacket is General Shepherd (MW)
Anderson is "Ramirez! Defeat the Reapers!!!" :smallbiggrin:
Liara is Lightning (FF13)
Saren is Swiftrunner and Zeratul
Tali's father is Loghain.
Matriarch Aethyta is Morrigan.

And Kaiden is Carth Onasi

hobbitkniver

2012-03-27, 11:33 AM

Wow, I thought a mobile port sounded pretty crappy but these pictures have definitely convinced me.

Triaxx

2012-03-27, 11:33 AM

If it exists, it can and shall be ported. You KNOW someone will do it. Even if it requires WINE-Droid.

Muz

2012-03-27, 11:53 AM

Triaxx rules all!!!

...Sorry. Couldn't resist. :smallbiggrin:

...Carry on.

Soras Teva Gee

2012-03-27, 12:03 PM

Oh, I'd pay four times that if I could get the trilogy for Android, as I have a Kindle Fire rather than an iPad. That picture makes me happy and sad at the same time and that's a confusing place to be.

Well so help me the article didn't state it but that was the choice for BG I so you might pay that again for BG II and something for ToB. That said I've bought the whole series more then once for having lost my discs over the decade so anything starting at $10 bucks is well within my commitment range. Hell you can pay more to unlock costumes on Street Fighter IV and that's a trend that's only getting worse. Real cost of a game these days seems to be pushing $70 for the stuff you used to just get for free.

As for Android versus iPad, ehh I'm going to be a dinosaur in a few years for strongly preferring the original mobile option: a laptop. So I can't describe my apathy on that front, I consider the content of the screen more important then the hardware behind the screen.

For any of the tablets though... the series has always been an absolute pig on disk space for full installs. The 5 GB of my current install is not quite trivial for a tablet, especially cheapos like the Fire at only 8 GB. Heck its still noticeable on a full computer given the way hard drives have stabilized in recent years and how much space HD video eats. Hopefully the graphics update will include some compression.

Eldonauran

2012-03-27, 07:39 PM

Oh, I'd pay four times that if I could get the trilogy for Android, as I have a Kindle Fire rather than an iPad. That picture makes me happy and sad at the same time and that's a confusing place to be.

:smallconfused: Trying to remember if the current GemRB for android software would allow you to play the triology on your device. I know I can on my iPad (even if its still technically 'beta'). You dont have to wait for the enhanced version.

Triaxx

2012-03-28, 03:53 AM

Better still, my user name predates BG1, so imagine my surprise to a character informing me Tiax will point and click. I mis-heard it and said: I already am pointing and clicking!

TamerBill

2012-03-28, 12:50 PM

Wow, I thought a mobile port sounded pretty crappy but these pictures have definitely convinced me.

...those pictures are mock-ups. They are non-indicative of any final product.

unundindur

2012-03-30, 06:48 AM

http://www.baldursgate.com/news/2012/03/29/announcing-baldurs-gate-enhanced-edition-for-mac-os-x/

It will now come to OSX too. JOY! :smallsmile:

Maryring

2012-03-30, 11:40 AM

Winthur

2012-03-30, 07:36 PM

I wonder, assuming that this is sending BG1/2 out again as a Trilogy, does that mean they're gonna fix things like pickpocketing being something you'll always only do after saving and quaffing potions of Master Thievery, and only on very specific enemies?

Anything wrong with being a Blade or Swashbuckler, escaping Chateau Irenicus, and making like 1942309328 gold pieces without leaving the Waukeen Promenade? :smallcool: (I mean, there's no Navarro I could steal an Advanced Power Armor from...)

Calemyr

2012-03-31, 07:17 AM

Anything wrong with being a Blade or Swashbuckler, escaping Chateau Irenicus, and making like 1942309328 gold pieces without leaving the Waukeen Promenade? :smallcool: (I mean, there's no Navarro I could steal an Advanced Power Armor from...)

Given the potion/gem bug, that was never necessary.

Aidan305

2012-03-31, 08:05 AM

http://www.baldursgate.com/news/2012/03/29/announcing-baldurs-gate-enhanced-edition-for-mac-os-x/

It will now come to OSX too. JOY! :smallsmile:

Whoot! BG not being legally available on the current Mac OS made me sad. This makes me happy.

danzibr

2012-03-31, 09:29 AM

Does anyone know how they're going to connect the games? I played the regular, then BGII:SoA and BGII:ToB. For instance, if you have a full party at end of BG:TotSC, do you lose everyone when you start Shadows of Amn?

Also, I'm quite pumped about the iPad version.

Yora

2012-04-01, 05:05 AM

Since most recruitable NPCs from Baldur's Gate don't appear in BG2 or only have cameos, you can't take them to the next game. You always start BG2 with Imoen, Minsc, and Jaheira.

So unless they add all those characters to BG2 for the EE, it probably stays that way.

Starbuck_II

2012-04-01, 11:16 AM

I always thought that was weird but I guess the canon story is you picked those bunch.
Though, I always had Minsc's witch have an "accident" so I can recruit someone else in BG 1.

hobbitkniver

2012-04-01, 01:19 PM

I always thought that was weird but I guess the canon story is you picked those bunch.
Though, I always had Minsc's witch have an "accident" so I can recruit someone else in BG 1.

It wouldn't be Baldur's Gate if you didn't send 5/6 of the party outside to slaughter her while Minsc waited in the inn.

Kish

2012-04-01, 01:25 PM

It wouldn't be Baldur's Gate if you didn't send 5/6 of the party outside to slaughter her while Minsc waited in the inn.
Sigh. I was already wondering why Starbuck_II felt the need to share ("Oh haha, I only play psychopaths in Baldur's Gate!"), before your claim that everyone does it.

Mordokai

2012-04-01, 01:32 PM

It wouldn't be Baldur's Gate if you didn't send 5/6 of the party outside to slaughter her while Minsc waited in the inn.

Why would you do that? She is a fairly competent mage, if memory serves. Maybe not as good as Edwin, but if that's her only sin, then pretty much every other mage in the game is guilty.

Granted, I never liked first game as much as second, but still, I usually found her good enough to keep her in the party.

hobbitkniver

2012-04-01, 02:03 PM

Why would you do that? She is a fairly competent mage, if memory serves. Maybe not as good as Edwin, but if that's her only sin, then pretty much every other mage in the game is guilty.

Granted, I never liked first game as much as second, but still, I usually found her good enough to keep her in the party.

The first time I played, I was a wizard and there was no other way to have Minsc. I don't do this kind of thing because I'm roleplaying a psychopath, I don't really roleplay in video games since they aren't responsive enough to let you create a character all your own.

Baldur's Gate had his bad habit of putting one of the best characters with a less useful character or having pairs of 2 that couldn't be broken. I'm pretty sure thats why they split them at the beginning of the second game.

Triaxx

2012-04-01, 04:00 PM

I rather liked Dynaheir. I tend not to play evil parties. My evil guys/gals always end up being loners. But she was possibly the most useful mage for a good party. The other option being Xan...

So yeah. Even if I had a Wizard main character, I didn't mind because she was awesome and so was Minsc. I could even play a plain mage, or her opposite without losing anything.

Then again, I also tended to end up with Branwen and Garrick as well. So... Not your average party composition. Why that composition? Imoen and Garrick with Haste and short bows. Wizards teleporting around and combining web and Cloudkill, plus Minsc and Branwen to smash mightily anything that got close enough to make a mess of my other characters.

danzibr

2012-04-07, 08:06 AM

I always played with Viconia, but otherwise a good party. The romancing Viconia was a nice tough in BGII.

Winthur

2012-04-07, 09:44 AM

hobbitkniver

2012-04-07, 12:17 PM

Sadly, she's the only mage in the game who has two banned magic schools because she's an Invoker (in BG2 Invokers are only banned from using charms) :smallyuk:

(She also has an exotic skin tone while speaking with a Russian accent. The hell?)

Well I'm not entirely up on Rashamen lore, but I think they all have they accent but the skin is part of what distinguishes her as a witch?

Morty

2012-04-07, 12:26 PM

Rashemen is stylized after Eastern Slavic ethnicities. That explains the accent. As for the skin tone... not sure about that.

Kish

2012-04-07, 01:41 PM

There's a lot of ethnic diversity in real-world Russia.

I mean, not that the original question is valid; the answer to it is "What is this Russia you speak of?" But even if it was, "Russian=white" would not be.

Maryring

2012-04-07, 01:58 PM

Unless I'm a mage myself, I'd always go for Dynaheir. Sure, she's got those annoying blocked classes, but I don't mind. She was an interesting character and fun to play with, and far preferable to Xan, whom I really can't stand due to his dreary negative attitude. Edwin, while plenty powerful, also suffered from that severe ego problem of his, so I really couldn't stand him either.

I also tend to prefer Branwen over Viconia, even though I love Viconia. Too bad that the spell resistance tended to work against her rather than for her in BG1.

My usual crew tended to be Jaheira, Khalid, Imoen, me and Branwen.

hobbitkniver

2012-04-07, 02:32 PM

Well, the way I see it is:

Mages: Blocked Spells, Emo with a sword, annoying evil doer (2 for this one)

As far as clerics... no love for Yeslick?

CGforever!

2012-04-07, 02:47 PM

As far as clerics... no love for Yeslick?

Absolutely love for Yeslick, but until you get him, Branwen is great.

I usually end up with Imoen (dual-classed thief/mage), Coran, and Yeslick. They're my bros. I also like having Jaheira and Khalid. I think I'm the only person in the world who actually likes Khalid, even more than Jaheira.

I try to use that evil dwarf with the super high Con, but he *always* dies before I get around to being powerful. Every single time, he inevitably gets hit with a lightning bolt and it fries him.

Morty

2012-04-07, 03:27 PM

I enjoyed having Kagain on my team in an Evil or Neutral party because his Constitution means he'll be fully healed after rest so you don't have to cast spells on him. Mind you, without mods his personal quest made no sense.

Starbuck_II

2012-04-07, 03:59 PM

Sigh. I was already wondering why Starbuck_II felt the need to share ("Oh haha, I only play psychopaths in Baldur's Gate!"), before your claim that everyone does it.

I didn't kill her directly, I just ordered her to attack without magic, I can't help it she forget her weapon and just used her fists. Must have just been her sharing Minsc's rage.

The Neutral evil (it says CE but he is NE to me) Dwarf in BG 2, I love him. His enrage makes him immune to imprisonmenr (which helps).

ZeltArruin

2012-04-07, 09:43 PM

I think I'm the only person in the world who actually likes Khalid, even more than Jaheira.

He was my favorite character when I first played the game, and I still think he is pretty awesome. It made me sad when he died....at least he didn't suffer.

Kish

2012-04-08, 04:38 AM

Absolutely love for Yeslick, but until you get him, Branwen is great.

I usually end up with Imoen (dual-classed thief/mage), Coran, and Yeslick. They're my bros. I also like having Jaheira and Khalid. I think I'm the only person in the world who actually likes Khalid, even more than Jaheira.
I like Khalid.

To say "I like Khalid more than Jaheira" would be damning him with faint praise.

My first game, I wound up with Imoen (pure thief), Minsc, Dynaheir, Yeslick, and Kivan. Now I always take Imoen and either Minsc and Dynaheir, or Khalid and Jaheira. (Usually Minsc and Dynaheir.)

Aotrs Commander

2012-04-08, 07:46 AM

You know, despite playing BG1 about three times, I don't think I ever used any of the stock characters. My mate introduced me to the game on the MP mode, so force of habit ensured I always made a full party, because I could.

After horribly abusing the MP to stock up and duplicate tomes, magic items and such in the first occasion (hello, Entire Party with Con 25!), of course (from his saves). (Nowadays if I want to be a cheatin' bastard, I just use a save editor - much quicker and less laborius! - but I don't think they were invented at the time!)

You know what, though? Even at all that, BG1 still wasn't a cake-walk.

Fun fact: it is impossible to play a very low-Con mage in BG1, because if your Con is low enough to make you only have 1 hit point at level one, you'll get killed right out of Candlekeep. Hilarious but true, as me and my mate experimented with while pratting about...

CGforever!

2012-04-08, 12:28 PM

Fun fact: it is impossible to play a very low-Con mage in BG1, because if your Con is low enough to make you only have 1 hit point at level one, you'll get killed right out of Candlekeep. Hilarious but true, as me and my mate experimented with while pratting about...

Are you sure there aren't any potions you can use or spells you can cast before leaving the candlekeep map that would get you through it?

Also, I think Kivan is actually my favorite of the available characters, but I've never actually used him. Has my favorite picture, the best favored enemy, a good reason to be around, and decent stats. When this comes out, I'm using him!

Squark

2012-04-08, 12:31 PM

Are you sure there aren't any potions you can use or spells you can cast before leaving the candlekeep map that would get you through it?

Also, I think Kivan is actually my favorite of the available characters, but I've never actually used him. Has my favorite picture, the best favored enemy, a good reason to be around, and decent stats. When this comes out, I'm using him!

Don't think so. I think any buffs you have on you would have worn off by that time, so you'd still be going into the fight with 1 hp (and thus have no chance of surviving the scripted cutscene)

Kish

2012-04-08, 12:37 PM

Also, I think Kivan is actually my favorite of the available characters, but I've never actually used him. Has my favorite picture, the best favored enemy, a good reason to be around, and decent stats. When this comes out, I'm using him!
I hate Kivan.

I took his whiny*, stoned** rear all the way through the first time. I know whereof I speak when I say I hate him.

*Why must we emulate the ways of the dwarven folk by crawling about these warrens!" Oh, jeez, Kivan, I don't know, maybe because the person you've come this far to get revenge on is in the next building? Also, Yeslick is more useful to the party than you are, so hold the racism.

**"That was a noble deed." Randomly addressed to Occupant, while we were just wandering around in the wilderness...many, many, many times. Also, "Your courage shames the others." You don't know how to compliment one companion without insulting the other four; that's just great, Kivan. Really.

Jeivar

2012-04-08, 01:45 PM

Fun fact: it is impossible to play a very low-Con mage in BG1, because if your Con is low enough to make you only have 1 hit point at level one, you'll get killed right out of Candlekeep. Hilarious but true, as me and my mate experimented with while pratting about...

I've never understood how it's even possible to play a 1st level mage at all. You get puny health and ONE spell to take on a wilderness full of bears, bandits, wolves, gibberlings and tranny ogres.

Morty

2012-04-08, 02:07 PM

You stay behind the bigger, stronger party member until you gain a few levels. :smalltongue:
Besides, some 1st spells can make a huge difference in an encounter, like Sleep, Charm Person and such.

Maryring

2012-04-08, 02:46 PM

You pretty much need Imoen if you want to survive the challenge at the doors of the Friendly Arms Inn if you're going straight there as a puny level 1 Wizard.

Of course, taking Imoen is usually a given. Great thief that makes a great mage down the road.

And I too love Khalid. Love Jaheira as well. I unfortunately never used Yeslick, because by the time I got to him, I really had a full party already.

CGforever!

2012-04-09, 03:52 PM

Jeivar

2012-04-09, 05:45 PM

Anybody wager a guess as to what these "improvements" will be? I'm thinking it will have better graphics and what not, but will the story, game options, etc, actually be different? Like, say, some of the mods added in?

A friend of mine said something about all the classed added in BG2 and ToB now being available from the start, but I don't know if he has that from a reliable source. But if true, it would be fun. Even though I don't know how someone confined to Candlekeep can grow up to be a barbarian.

As for graphics, I'm hoping they'll keep the gorgeous painted scenery but give the characters more detail.

Divayth Fyr

2012-04-09, 06:40 PM

A friend of mine said something about all the classed added in BG2 and ToB now being available from the start, but I don't know if he has that from a reliable source. But if true, it would be fun. Even though I don't know how someone confined to Candlekeep can grow up to be a barbarian.
It was mentioned by one of the devs. For now we know that:

everything is based on the system from BGII:ToB (so, the kits/new classes are available from the start, we specialize in specific weapons etc) and still using 2nd ed rules
they do plan to add some new kits/classes
there is at least one new party member in BGEE and a completely new "adventure" is added
some of the art will be improved
they said they're looking into adding some mod elements (especcially the ones made by the original team members)

danzibr

2012-04-09, 10:17 PM

It was mentioned by one of the devs. For now we know that:

everything is based on the system from BGII:ToB (so, the kits/new classes are available from the start, we specialize in specific weapons etc) and still using 2nd ed rules
they do plan to add some new kits/classes
there is at least one new party member in BGEE and a completely new "adventure" is added
some of the art will be improved
they said they're looking into adding some mod elements (especcially the ones made by the original team members)
Oh rats. I was hoping they'd convert it to 3.5. Still, the kits in BG1 will be cool. I'm hoping for more characters in BGII also.

Arbitrarity

2012-04-09, 10:31 PM

Oh rats. I was hoping they'd convert it to 3.5. Still, the kits in BG1 will be cool. I'm hoping for more characters in BGII also.

That would be kinda silly. They'd literally have to throw out and remake pretty much all of the original game assets (scripts, chr/cre's, itm's, various ui/art assets) they'd massively break their fanbase, and they'd have to rebalance every area and item. They also would be unable to use a bunch of already-made mod assets, like SCS AI.
Looks like pretty normal for a remake though. If I ever get around to my BGT playthrough, I expect to have a lot more content than this will have (albeit of varying quality)

Calemyr

2012-04-10, 11:42 AM

Speaking as someone who has played the whole BGT multiple times (and loves his mods), this is promising to me. BG2 resources (kits, rules, and classes) in BG1 were always nice. Monks get their butts kicked pretty bad early, but they actually make a lot of sense given that Candlekeep is run by priests of Oghma, especially given the iron rot aspect of the plot and the Scion's bloodline.

What I'm really hoping for is a revision and extension of the NPCs:

* Imoen: The girl got shafted in both BG1 and BG2 as she was only added to both games (as more than a prologue ally) late in development. As a result, her banters and interjections are shockingly limited in BG2 and non-existent in BG1. If they were to extend her Throne of Bhaal persona (playful little tease who even Sarevok couldn't intimidate into silence) into the previous games... it'd rock. Also, she should have the Swashbuckler kit - it was practically made for her.

* NPC Relationships: One of the coolest bits of BGT is the fact that the party has more relationships than just with the Scion. I don't mean just the paired NPCs from BG1, I also mean Aerie and Minsc, Aerie and Haer'Dalis, Mazzy and Valygar, among others. I would love to see these expanded. Jaheira going really motherly on Nalia, for instance, or Jan and Haer'Dalis collaborating on Scion-related fan fiction.

* BG2 style NPCs in BG1: The BG2 approach to NPC banter and interjections was so much better than BG1's.

* Khalid: Khalid was a badass. He should have been given more opportunity to show it.

Maryring

2012-04-10, 02:24 PM

I hope that they'll make all the characters that were playable in BG1 that weren't used in an event in BG2 playable in BG2. This includes no slaughtering of Khalid and Dynaheir.

I hope they'll include the Ascension mod as standard.

I hope they'll allow us to save the inmates at Spellhold, rather than just have them keel over when you beat Irenicus.

I hope that there'll be more romance options for female Bhaalspawn.

I hope they remove the level in jerkass Nalia took during ToB.

I hope there will be even more possible interactions between party members.

I hope for a quest that allows you to make Mazzy an actual Paladin, 2.ed rules be damned. Mazzy is the most awesome paladinish not-quite-Paladin ever.

I hope for NPC relationships.

I also hope for other random mods to be included. Like the flirt pack. Flirt-taunting dragons was fun.:smalltongue:

Jeivar

2012-04-10, 04:28 PM

I hope that they'll make all the characters that were playable in BG1 that weren't used in an event in BG2 playable in BG2. This includes no slaughtering of Khalid and Dynaheir.

Seeing as those slaughterings are essential for the motivations of two major NPC's and the romance plot of one of them, there is no possible way that is going to happen. Or should happen.

mangosta71

2012-04-11, 12:49 AM

I hope for a quest that allows you to make Mazzy an actual Paladin, 2.ed rules be damned. Mazzy is the most awesome paladinish not-quite-Paladin ever.
GateKeeper/ShadowKeeper. In my games, Mazzy is a paladin, Minsc is a berserker, Jaheira is an avenger... I just wish thief/sorcerer was a legal combo because Imoen should be a sorc, but to make that change I either have to tweak Nalia or have a PC thief.

Cespenar

2012-04-11, 02:19 AM

GateKeeper/ShadowKeeper. In my games, Mazzy is a paladin, Minsc is a berserker, Jaheira is an avenger... I just wish thief/sorcerer was a legal combo because Imoen should be a sorc, but to make that change I either have to tweak Nalia or have a PC thief.

I think the best usage of ShadowKeeper is to change your fighter mainchar's model to that of a thief or mage's (forgot now) model, to have a badass cowled warrior. :smalltongue:

Avilan the Grey

2012-04-11, 04:00 AM

I think the best usage of ShadowKeeper is to change your fighter mainchar's model to that of a thief or mage's (forgot now) model, to have a badass cowled warrior. :smalltongue:

I used it mainly to make a multiclassed Mage / thief have the mage model instead of the thief model.

Mordokai

2012-04-11, 04:51 AM

I also hope for other random mods to be included. Like the flirt pack. Flirt-taunting dragons was fun.:smalltongue:

How did you do that? Or do you mean Romantic Encounters? I can see it happening in the latter, but not in the former.

Yora

2012-04-11, 06:27 AM

I hope that they'll make all the characters that were playable in BG1 that weren't used in an event in BG2 playable in BG2. This includes no slaughtering of Khalid and Dynaheir.
Spoiler, man! :smallbiggrin:

Triaxx

2012-04-11, 12:55 PM

Khalid was awesome. In BG 1 with Minsc, they were unstoppable. I really hated not having him in two. Just so we could get romanced by yet another bloody elf.

You know what I suddenly find really stupid? The only romance options were elves. Okay, Jaheira is only half, but she's all stuck up and snooty, so she's full elf in my book.

And Khalid being dead isn't really a spoiler. For one, it's been more than five years, which is good enough for TVTropes, and good enough for me. And for two, it occurs in the prologue so it's not really a spoiler anyway.

Giving away the baddie to TOB would be a spoiler.

You can get away with being a low con mage in BG1, only by cheating. Drink a potion of fortitude just before you go, and it will last long enough for you to survive.

There's also a potion of clarity in the Candlekeep inn that you might be able to force the lock on. That will keep you from getting dazed long to duck past the wizard at FAI to pick up Jaheira and Khalid.

Or you can duck to the south end of the one map and pick up Xaar and Montaron to help.

And I just realized that Xaar is also a wizard and enough less of a jerk than eddie to make it possible to be evil without wanting to kill your wizard... Cool.

I recall a couple of awesome parties that consisted of my wizard, Khalid, Jaheira, Imoen, Garrick and Branwen. Very interesting if nothing else.

Mordokai

2012-04-11, 02:32 PM

You know what I suddenly find really stupid? The only romance options were elves. Okay, Jaheira is only half, but she's all stuck up and snooty, so she's full elf in my book.

I... hardly ever saw her as snooty. Stuck, yes, I could see where you're coming from, but considering her husband has just been killed and she is having feelings for a guy she's supposed to treat as something of surrogate child, I don't blame her for it. But snooty? She's a proud and harsh woman, a druid and a warrior. She says her mind and doesn't tiptoe around you and is sincere with you and she does believe in her mission. All part of why I like her.

Really, I don't see where this snooty thing is coming from.

Triaxx

2012-04-11, 05:42 PM

It's the way she acts. Even in BG1, she's just that little bit insolent, as if she expects you to simply bow down and let her have her way, regardless of whether you've got a valid point.

In BG2, all she ever seems to do is warn you of the painfully obvious. Oh, you think someone else might have figured out that I'm Bhaalspawn. I suppose the evil elf kidnapping us wasn't a clue?

It's just all the little things that normally would signal over protective mother. The problem is that when we're supposed to believe that the character would start a romance with her, the idea of her being that over protective mother doesn't change. She still believes she knows better, even after you've spent a couple of game months mowing through Dragons like a hot knife through butter.

Oh, hey! I think this Slayer thing is dangerous. "Um, since it's the Avatar of the god of murder, I kind of figured that out."

So, yeah...

Starbuck_II

2012-04-11, 05:56 PM

Oh rats. I was hoping they'd convert it to 3.5. Still, the kits in BG1 will be cool. I'm hoping for more characters in BGII also.

If they convert to 3.5 they have to do a ToEE style (turn based) for me or do a Fallout (turn base) with SPECIAL system.

Squark

2012-04-12, 08:44 AM

If they convert to 3.5 they have to do a ToEE style (turn based) for me or do a Fallout (turn base) with SPECIAL system.

Well, they've said they're not, so they won't. And personally, I wouldn't have it any other way.

Talanic

2012-04-13, 09:26 PM

hobbitkniver

2012-04-13, 09:31 PM

I feel like I'm the only one here who didn't like Khalid. I recall him as *always* starting to run if his HP dropped below 75% of maximum, screeching, "Better part of valor! BETTER PART OF VALOR!"

Leaving Minsc to shoulder the load alone.

Except for Boo. Boo was always there to help Minsc.

I didn't like him. I just remember hm being subpar. I think he had a low strength like 15 or so. Not terrible, but much less than Minsc who had 18 and then some.

Arbitrarity

2012-04-14, 12:48 AM

I feel like I'm the only one here who didn't like Khalid. I recall him as *always* starting to run if his HP dropped below 75% of maximum, screeching, "Better part of valor! BETTER PART OF VALOR!"

Ironically, the reason Khalid was best known for fleeing is because he has among the highest health in the game, because he has 18 con.

Cespenar

2012-04-14, 01:43 AM

I feel like I'm the only one here who didn't like Khalid. I recall him as *always* starting to run if his HP dropped below 75% of maximum, screeching, "Better part of valor! BETTER PART OF VALOR!"

Leaving Minsc to shoulder the load alone.

Except for Boo. Boo was always there to help Minsc.

There are probably checks involved, because while he was my main frontliner, he routinely fell below 50% and kept on fighting.

Calemyr

2012-04-14, 05:08 AM

There are probably checks involved, because while he was my main frontliner, he routinely fell below 50% and kept on fighting.

Could that be tied to the Scion's charisma? I mean, that's a morale check, and I would think that would be bolstered by the leader's charisma. And since charisma is everyone's favorite dump stat...

Cespenar

2012-04-14, 05:35 AM

Could that be tied to the Scion's charisma? I mean, that's a morale check, and I would think that would be bolstered by the leader's charisma. And since charisma is everyone's favorite dump stat...

If there was a synergy like that, I don't know it. But it sounds plausible, since I was playing a Paladin and had high charisma.

CGforever!

2012-04-14, 06:44 PM

I thought he had 17 con. Anyway, I remember him fleeing, but as far as I recall, it was when he was low on health. However, I usually had Imoen as the party leader, and equipped her with CHA boosting items and spells, so who knows.

I typically didn't use him as a meleer, I usually had him use a bow, and Jaheira a sling. If he was up front, I gave him a longsword and shield.

Maryring

2012-04-14, 06:52 PM

Of course, Khalid was nothing compared to Cespenar. Best NPC in any game I've ever played.

CGforever!

2012-04-14, 09:37 PM

Nah, man. Ender Sai. I want to know what the creators had in mind with him.

Cespenar

2012-04-15, 02:17 AM

Of course, Khalid was nothing compared to Cespenar. Best NPC in any game I've ever played.

Cespenar is good butler, oh yes!

Avilan the Grey

2012-04-16, 01:37 AM

Jeivar

2012-04-16, 09:41 AM

I also often did a bee-line to the gloves of dexterity myself to either use on my own character (both as a thief or as a fighter class)

Personally, I just rerolled again and again and again and again and again and again . . .

Morty

2012-04-16, 09:55 AM

Speaking of characters... I found in BG as well as in BGII that because how AC worked DEX was much more preferred than CON for fighters unless you wanted to micromanage them; it went so far that I tended to use Shar-Teel a lot despite her being Chaotic Evil because she had a decent STR and came with a DEX of 18. Add a heavy plate, a tower shield... and nothing could hit her.

I also often did a bee-line to the gloves of dexterity myself to either use on my own character (both as a thief or as a fighter class) for that reason or equip my other front line fighter with them (without them Misc dies way too often).

Sadly, that ceases to work on high levels in BG2 and gets even worse in Throne of Bhaal. You just can't get a high enough AC for the majority of the attacks not to hit you anyway. Not easily, anyway. My Shwashbuckler managed to have -25 AC, but that was while using one of the HLAs and wearing AC-boosting items restricted to other classes thanks to the HLA that lets you use anything.

ZeltArruin

2012-04-16, 10:00 AM

Sadly, that ceases to work on high levels in BG2 and gets even worse in Throne of Bhaal. You just can't get a high enough AC for the majority of the attacks not to hit you anyway. Not easily, anyway. My Shwashbuckler managed to have -25 AC, but that was while using one of the HLAs and wearing AC-boosting items restricted to other classes thanks to the HLA that lets you use anything.

I think -32 or something like that is the best you can get, again, as a Swashbuckler. Of course, that requires 25 dex and a bunch of other kinda cheaty face things to accomplish.