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Moosferatu

Baldur's Gate Enhanced Edition

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I swear there's already a thread about it, but I failed to find it. Anyway, apparently it's being released on the 18th. Has anyone seen any recent gameplay footage? I'm quite curious to see what they did to it.

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My favorite game of all time, enhanced! This is the first game I've pre-ordered in probably three years (not including Kickstarter awards).

As far as I know none of the original assets have been improved; the interface has been rebuilt and there are changes to the code to make it run smoothly on modern systems. And of course, widescreen support. Beyond that, there are three new characters with their own quests and a separate arena-style game mode. The frustrating thing is all the screen shots show the game in interface-less mode so we have no idea how the new system works.

They are hinting at a new, isometric Baldur's Gate 3 if they can demonstrate a biggest enough interest in the series. In other words, if they sell enough copies of BGEE and BG2EE they will make a new one. That means everyone has to buy this game!

I'd really like to play the game with no reloads, except in the case where my main character dies (instant game over), but I'm not sure if I can trust myself to not cheat. I was entertaining the thought of doing a video let's play for the game but then I remembered that 90% of the text is unvoiced. Since my day is spent talking and singing I couldn't stand reading all the text for the viewer and also commentate on the game, and I don't think it would be very entertaining for the viewer to have to read all the text themselves. Maybe I'll just stream it on Twitch.

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Very much looking forward to it. Never played either of the Baldur's Gate games but have always loved story based RPGs so this should be great.

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BG is one of my all-time favorites too. It'll be nice to have both games together, but I am a little concerned that it's so close to release and they seem so reluctant to show-off what they've done.

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BG is one of my all-time favorites too. It'll be nice to have both games together, but I am a little concerned that it's so close to release and they seem so reluctant to show-off what they've done.

Well, for starters, and perhaps most importantly, it's (BG1) natively running in the BG2 engine, a la BGTutu. That alone is cause for celebration.

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I absolutely love BG2, played it three times through and will happilly play it a fourth once the Enhanced Edition for that comes out. That being said, should I play BG1 as well? I've heard differing opinions. Some that 1 is too basic and straightforward versus 2's more modern take (ala non linearity, companion dialogue, etc.). Others of course say to just go for it.

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You should. It's low level 2.5 D&D, so it's a slog in places, but it's worth knowing the whole story.

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Very much looking forward to it. Never played either of the Baldur's Gate games but have always loved story based RPGs so this should be great.

The main story in Baldur's Gate is nowhere near as good as Planescape: Torment or something like that. What is does have going for it are many well written side quests that are connected by a small set of themes, such as family and madness. If you enjoy games that reward you for paying attention and reading all of the text (and also punish you for not doing those things) I think you'll enjoy Baldur's Gate.

I absolutely love BG2, played it three times through and will happilly play it a fourth once the Enhanced Edition for that comes out. That being said, should I play BG1 as well? I've heard differing opinions. Some that 1 is too basic and straightforward versus 2's more modern take (ala non linearity, companion dialogue, etc.). Others of course say to just go for it.

Give the original a shot. I think if you have the right expectations there's a good chance you will enjoy it a lot.

If Baldur's Gate 2 is The Lord of the Rings then the original is The Savage Sword of Conan; smaller in grandeur and scale, but also grittier and more down-to-earth in tone. It took me a while to get used to the sequel because it is so bombastic and loud in everything it does. I'll admit that the combat starts off slow, but there's just something about getting a long sword +1, or learning raise, or casting fireball for the first time and feeling like your power just increased ten-fold. You can't get that in a game that starts you off with +3 equipment, maxed-out stealth and lock picking, and tons of healing options.

In terms of physical places to go Baldur's Gate 1 is definitely the less linear of the two since you can travel all over the map a la an Elder Scrolls game. Keep in mind that all the classes from BG2 are in the enhanced edition so you won't miss out on your favorite kit.

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BG2 is my favorite game of all time, so I'll probably check it out. Unfortunately (not really) it wasn't too long ago I purchased the Dungeons and Dragons Anthology: The Master Collection with Baldur's Gate, Tales from the Sword Coast, Baldur's Gate II, Throne of Bhaal, Icewind Dale, Icewind Dale II, The Temple of Elemental Evil, and Planescape Torment all in one bundle updated to run on modern machines. I don't see the need to buy this game a fourth time quite yet.

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In terms of physical places to go Baldur's Gate 1 is definitely the less linear of the two since you can travel all over the map a la an Elder Scrolls game. Keep in mind that all the classes from BG2 are in the enhanced edition so you won't miss out on your favorite kit.

Finally I can beat the everloving shit out of Durlag's Tower with a Kensai.

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Well, for starters, and perhaps most importantly, it's (BG1) natively running in the BG2 engine, a la BGTutu. That alone is cause for celebration.

The enhanced edition is a 14-year-old game upgraded to work in a 12-year-old engine? That doesn't sound like much.

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Baldurs-Gate-screenshot.jpg

Vs

Bg2%2B12.jpg

In two years there were pretty significant strides in resolution and not having an utterly terrible UI. It admittedly won't matter much to you if you haven't played both of them in their original packaging, but suffice to say there is a reason that Baldur's Gate Tutu, a mod that does the "BG2 engine in BG1" change, is the most downloaded Baldur's Gate mod. After the resolution fix, of course.

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That big gate reminds me of something, but I can't quite put my finger on it.

It's right on the tip of my tongue. :getmecoat :getmecoat :getmecoat

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You should see the rest of the place.

Also someone you know needs to see a doctor.

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I prefer BG1's UI, but a larger part of the screen assigned to the world is great.

There's a fair chance I might buy this and waste a lot of time.

That big gate reminds me of something, but I can't quite put my finger on it.

It's right on the tip of my tongue. :getmecoat :getmecoat :getmecoat

:finger:

now I can't unsee it

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The character profile pics look pretty crappy compared to the originals. Also, bkrl, I hope that wasn't some hideous medical picture that you posted to get a cheap laugh. (I haven't looked -- but I don't want this forum to be a place where I have to think twice before clicking on things.)

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That big gate reminds me of something, but I can't quite put my finger on it.

It's right on the tip of my tongue. :getmecoat :getmecoat :getmecoat

:tup: I laughed (and my laughter doesn't come cheap).

While a nice and easy Baldur's Gate Tutu (what, 10 CDs for both games, patches, the mod itself) substitute is a good thing, I'm not too eager about them adding new characters, areas and quests to the game. Baldur's Gate is a classic and now, after 15 years, other people than the original creators tack on content that is not easy to make well in the first place and probably even less easy to fit well into a game without sticking out. Maybe I'm just old and grumpy, them kids should leave my BG1 alone.

And the notion that if this does well enough commercially they will consider a Baldur's Gate 3, mh, I fear it lands in the hands of Black Isle. Yeah, the new Black Isle, you know, the "Our goal has always been to make the world's best RPGs"-Black Isle. God this is stupid!

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:tup: I laughed (and my laughter doesn't come cheap).

While a nice and easy Baldur's Gate Tutu (what, 10 CDs for both games, patches, the mod itself) substitute is a good thing, I'm not too eager about them adding new characters, areas and quests to the game. Baldur's Gate is a classic and now, after 15 years, other people than the original creators tack on content that is not easy to make well in the first place and probably even less easy to fit well into a game without sticking out. Maybe I'm just old and grumpy, them kids should leave my BG1 alone.

And the notion that if this does well enough commercially they will consider a Baldur's Gate 3, mh, I fear it lands in the hands of Black Isle. Yeah, the new Black Isle, you know, the "Our goal has always been to make the world's best RPGs"-Black Isle. God this is stupid!

Overhaul Games, the team behind the Enhanced Edition, is made up of ex-Bioware guys who worked on the original release. The new characters are a monk (cool), a wild mage (awesome) and a blackguard (ffffffuuuuuuuuuckk yes). The new quest has you create a custom party of six characters and fight in an arena, so there's no way it can affect your experience in the main game. In my experience, if you go into a situation like this already against the new content it will never win you over.

The company currently calling itself Black Isle has zero say in a new Baldur's Gate game unless it can convince Atari to hire them to make it. Otherwise they would have to raise the money to purchase the license from the DnD people when their deal with Atari runs out. The people who are most likely to make a Baldur's Gate 3 would be Overhaul.

So to counter your "God this is stupid" I would say, "God how could this be any better!" ;)

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That big gate reminds me of something, but I can't quite put my finger on it.

It's right on the tip of my tongue. :getmecoat :getmecoat :getmecoat

:grin: Well, the tone of the final level has changed forever for me.

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enthusiasm
Mh, I'm still a bit sceptical. As said, maybe it's just me being too fond of the original to see it tampered with, and my scepticism is a lot bigger than my knowledge about this 'Enhanced Edition', so get off my lawn!

Who are the people who worked on the original that work on it now? What was their position back then? I read in some places that Overhaul is made up of former Bioware-employees, but I couldn't find specifics.

Regarding the new content, as I read it on their site, it seems just some stuff is completely separate (The Black Pits), other stuff seems integrated (the other characters and their areas and related quests) - but here it might be bad wording on their part or bad understanding on mine. This, and "Add [Neera the Wild Mage] to your Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition experience and ignite your wild side [with] an engaging romantic adventure" - shudder!

Regardless of the quality of the content I think there is a discussion to had about the merit of adding new content to a standing experience. Yeah, there are (or were) expansions, there is DLC but this happens when the 'experience' is still in the making. This feels like re-releasing StarWars with tacked-on new stuff - nobody would do that (yeah, I know). Games are a strange medium.

But actually I don't mind the Baldur's Gate Enhanced Edition much, it's probably good that the game finds a new audience and life (even with some added questionable content) but I do mind the Black Isle thing and I guess that is where my reluctance comes from - even though they are not in relation nowadays they share a history, and a rather sad one.

My 'God this is stupid'-comment was rather aimed in that direction, the resurrection of 'Black Isle'. I followed their work back in the day and was sad to see Fallout 3 and Baldur's Gate 3 cancelled and the studio shut down - now Interplay wants to use the name, tada, Black Isle is back. Stupid stuff! Them doing BG3 just seems like a fitting very-stupid-thing to happen, like a cruel joke of video-game-history.

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Baldurs-Gate-screenshot.jpg

Vs

Bg2%2B12.jpg

In two years there were pretty significant strides in resolution and not having an utterly terrible UI. It admittedly won't matter much to you if you haven't played both of them in their original packaging, but suffice to say there is a reason that Baldur's Gate Tutu, a mod that does the "BG2 engine in BG1" change, is the most downloaded Baldur's Gate mod. After the resolution fix, of course.

I have been playing Vanilla Baldur's Gate 1 downloaded from GOG off-and-on for the past month or so. I had heard about the mods, but decided not to bother with them. Of course, now that you've shown me these screenshots, I feel a bit of a fool.

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I have been playing Vanilla Baldur's Gate 1 downloaded from GOG off-and-on for the past month or so. I had heard about the mods, but decided not to bother with them. Of course, now that you've shown me these screenshots, I feel a bit of a fool.

Don't worry about it your first time. Baldur's Gate is one of those games (like Morrowind) that if you try and play the first time with mods, you spend so much time tweaking and modding (with no sense of the vanilla game) that by the time you enter the game you are weary and give up.

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