surf dtoid with 
Rising (10+)
People you follow
More Baldur's Gate is always welcome!
One of the few videogames that makes me truly glad I indulge in the hobby as a whole. Though I'm not sure how they'd continue the story as the narrative was concluded to quite a satisfactory degree as far as I'm concerned but I'm definitely curious to find out more!
Definitely picking up the Baldur's Gate remakes, the job the studio did on MDK2 was sterling so can't wait for some awesome CRPGing marathons!
One of the few videogames that makes me truly glad I indulge in the hobby as a whole. Though I'm not sure how they'd continue the story as the narrative was concluded to quite a satisfactory degree as far as I'm concerned but I'm definitely curious to find out more!
Definitely picking up the Baldur's Gate remakes, the job the studio did on MDK2 was sterling so can't wait for some awesome CRPGing marathons!
"Kickstarter is pretty clearly changing the future of videogames."
How fucking beautiful is that? I mean really. Developer directly communicating with, taking funding and even creative input from, the gamers.
Anyone back Wasteland 2 and read the second Update from Brian Fargo when the game hit its funding goal? Here's a portion of that...
"This is a paradigm shift that is way bigger than Wasteland 2. This is the beginning of a new era in gaming where the developer gets to work directly with the fans to build the type of product that the fans want. No focus groups, no pitches to the marketing team, no trying to get an executive committee to group-think their way to a project green-light. Now we just have a developer with a creative idea that resonates and a group of dedicated fans who are willing to lay down their money to buy it."
I'll man up and admit that I got a little misty-eyed. You can feel the passion and excitement.
It's a goddamn amazingly good time to be a gamer right now.
How fucking beautiful is that? I mean really. Developer directly communicating with, taking funding and even creative input from, the gamers.
Anyone back Wasteland 2 and read the second Update from Brian Fargo when the game hit its funding goal? Here's a portion of that...
"This is a paradigm shift that is way bigger than Wasteland 2. This is the beginning of a new era in gaming where the developer gets to work directly with the fans to build the type of product that the fans want. No focus groups, no pitches to the marketing team, no trying to get an executive committee to group-think their way to a project green-light. Now we just have a developer with a creative idea that resonates and a group of dedicated fans who are willing to lay down their money to buy it."
I'll man up and admit that I got a little misty-eyed. You can feel the passion and excitement.
It's a goddamn amazingly good time to be a gamer right now.
I would be interested in where they would possibly go in Baldur's Gate 3, given the end of Throne of Baal, but I guess a new protanist would probably be in order.
@UltorOscariot.
Indeed i imagine you play a new guy, unless they decide which of the choices was cannon and play by that.
Indeed i imagine you play a new guy, unless they decide which of the choices was cannon and play by that.
@Tristrix - I've been thinking the same thing lately, and you're right, it's pretty goddamn exciting.
Just think of the possibilities!
Just think of the possibilities!
@UltorOscariot
I'd be happy with a 'Baldur's Gate' format game, that is to say an isometric party based RPG with pausable combat but based in the forgotten realms, featuring the city of the same name of course!
I'd be happy with a 'Baldur's Gate' format game, that is to say an isometric party based RPG with pausable combat but based in the forgotten realms, featuring the city of the same name of course!
@Zerodown
I'd agree win most I that. Though I could go for a Waterdeep based game, with perhaps a visit to lovely Kara-Tur.
I'd agree win most I that. Though I could go for a Waterdeep based game, with perhaps a visit to lovely Kara-Tur.
"Just think of the possibilities!"
Like, every type of game that I miss that we supposedly don't want to play anymore. Point-and-click adventure, turn-based strategy, 2D platform, vertical-scrolling shoot-em-up, insanely stat-heavy loot-micromanaging RPGs (none of this "action-RPG" bullshit)... GAAAAAH. SO MUCH WIN!
Like, every type of game that I miss that we supposedly don't want to play anymore. Point-and-click adventure, turn-based strategy, 2D platform, vertical-scrolling shoot-em-up, insanely stat-heavy loot-micromanaging RPGs (none of this "action-RPG" bullshit)... GAAAAAH. SO MUCH WIN!
WOW. Didnt expect that amazingly awesome news given the already amazing EE news. Crazy. I would love more tales of the Sword Coast and its environs. Waterdeep would be amazing. There is just SO much in the Forgotten Realms to draw upon!!!
I admit that this whole Kickstarter thing is a very very interesting and potentially promising direction. But at the same time I could see it being very easily misused, and I like to pay for my games after I get them.
I know I'm not the only one, but one reason I simply can't contain my excitement is because of the letdown of follow-up RPGs like Dragon Age II and The Witcher 2. I can respect the gameplay changes, but abandoning the type of isometric pausing-and-queuing battles still left me a bit empty.
Baldur's Gate III can sate that emptiness.
Baldur's Gate III can sate that emptiness.
@UltorOscariot
@Patrick Hancock
I feel exactly the same, Dragon Age is a nice enough game but it's just not as epic or as atmospheric compared to Baldur's Gate on the whole, for me.
I would love, LOVE for a team to just make a modern predecessor to the infinity engine, beautiful hand drawn and stylised visuals but keep the isometric perspective intact.
It would be a thing of geeky beauty!! ;__;
@Patrick Hancock
I feel exactly the same, Dragon Age is a nice enough game but it's just not as epic or as atmospheric compared to Baldur's Gate on the whole, for me.
I would love, LOVE for a team to just make a modern predecessor to the infinity engine, beautiful hand drawn and stylised visuals but keep the isometric perspective intact.
It would be a thing of geeky beauty!! ;__;
@seph
Ya know, that's a perfectly valid viewpoint. The way I see it though, we've accepted pre-ordering as a thing for the last decade or so now, haven't we? How is this really different? It's essentially a "pay what you want to pay" system similar to Humble Bundle, except here, you get to pick what tier of product you want and match your price to it. Do you just want a digital copy? $15. Boxed collectors edition? $50. Signed? $100. Wanna party with the devs? $10,000.
I don't see much of a downside. Yeah, of course I miss being able to pay for my games at the register but I've gotten so used to pre-ordering that this isn't really much of a problem for me. *shrug*
Ya know, that's a perfectly valid viewpoint. The way I see it though, we've accepted pre-ordering as a thing for the last decade or so now, haven't we? How is this really different? It's essentially a "pay what you want to pay" system similar to Humble Bundle, except here, you get to pick what tier of product you want and match your price to it. Do you just want a digital copy? $15. Boxed collectors edition? $50. Signed? $100. Wanna party with the devs? $10,000.
I don't see much of a downside. Yeah, of course I miss being able to pay for my games at the register but I've gotten so used to pre-ordering that this isn't really much of a problem for me. *shrug*
Excuse me, I need to open a window for this
FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH
FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH
@The Silent Protagonist
EA's Bioware/EA themselves have no rights to the Baldur's Gate IP.
It all belongs to Atari/Wizards of the Coast.
Sooooo yeah. EA won't fuck this one up. Cross your fingers that no one else does.
@Stealth
Big surprise.
EA's Bioware/EA themselves have no rights to the Baldur's Gate IP.
It all belongs to Atari/Wizards of the Coast.
Sooooo yeah. EA won't fuck this one up. Cross your fingers that no one else does.
@Stealth
Big surprise.
@ZeroDown
Its odd isnt it, fantasy games has become so generic latley and pretty much share the same ideas.
Baldurs has alot of the standard stuff but they also got canibal fish people, tentacle faced mind flayers and... the gnomish Jan family.
Its odd isnt it, fantasy games has become so generic latley and pretty much share the same ideas.
Baldurs has alot of the standard stuff but they also got canibal fish people, tentacle faced mind flayers and... the gnomish Jan family.
@UltorOscariot
I agree, curious indeed. It would be hard I imagine to call something Baldur's Gate without being somehow intertwined with the Bhaalspawn saga. Perhaps Cyric, the current Lord of Murder will play a part?
I agree, curious indeed. It would be hard I imagine to call something Baldur's Gate without being somehow intertwined with the Bhaalspawn saga. Perhaps Cyric, the current Lord of Murder will play a part?
Can someone give me a breakdown about who owns what rights? Id have figured Baldurs Gate was owned by Bioware, thus EA. And I sure as shit cant see EA letting anyone else play with their shit without having their hands all over it.
I get that theres some old Bioware people in Beamdog and Overhaul Games, but did they personally own the rights or something?
I get that theres some old Bioware people in Beamdog and Overhaul Games, but did they personally own the rights or something?
Just so we're clear here, the EEs of BG1 and 2 are not really "remakes" per se. They are more like updates. To illustrate: they are hoping to maintain save game and mod compatibility with the original releases. Yeah.
I think, in general, there are three sets of goals here:
1. Update BG 1 and 2, making them playable for today's market
-Updated graphics, modern resolutions, etc.
-Updated UI (they have explicitly noted that modernizing the UI is a central goal)
-Fixed multiplayer
-Fixed bugs
-Potentially better (!) mod support
2. "Don't break the fun"
-All the old elements central to gameplay will be left untouched
-Still 2.0 D&D rules
-Same music, same voice work for original characters
-New content is optional
-Old mod and, potentially, save game support
2. Preparing for a BG 3 kickstarter
-New content - Almost certainly, this is here to test the new team's capabilities (make sure they're capable enough for a full on game), train them to get better for a potential BG 3, and prove to fans of BG that the new guys are up to snuff.
-New characters, with new voice actors
I think, in general, there are three sets of goals here:
1. Update BG 1 and 2, making them playable for today's market
-Updated graphics, modern resolutions, etc.
-Updated UI (they have explicitly noted that modernizing the UI is a central goal)
-Fixed multiplayer
-Fixed bugs
-Potentially better (!) mod support
2. "Don't break the fun"
-All the old elements central to gameplay will be left untouched
-Still 2.0 D&D rules
-Same music, same voice work for original characters
-New content is optional
-Old mod and, potentially, save game support
2. Preparing for a BG 3 kickstarter
-New content - Almost certainly, this is here to test the new team's capabilities (make sure they're capable enough for a full on game), train them to get better for a potential BG 3, and prove to fans of BG that the new guys are up to snuff.
-New characters, with new voice actors
I'm curious about the enhanced editions. I play through BG2 every couple of years anyway. But I'm not sure if there is a development team around today that I would trust with BG3. It can't really continue the story anyway, and at what point is a new plot line a generic DnD plot coasting on the Baldur's Gate name?
As interested as I am in a BG3, I wonder how it would fit in the series' hierarchy. I mean, the saga definitively ended with Throne of Bhaal, and there was little wiggle room between games narratively speaking.
Oh well... I'm still on board, if for no other reason than curiosity.
Oh well... I'm still on board, if for no other reason than curiosity.
@Timboxxx
*SPOILERS BIOCHES* That could be interesting. Another option I guess would be stating that the cannon ending of Throne of Bhaal being the Essence of Bhaal was sealed away in Mt Celestia, and it somehow leaks back into the mortal realms, creating not necessarily Bhaalspawn, but a new generation inflicted with his taint.
*SPOILERS BIOCHES* That could be interesting. Another option I guess would be stating that the cannon ending of Throne of Bhaal being the Essence of Bhaal was sealed away in Mt Celestia, and it somehow leaks back into the mortal realms, creating not necessarily Bhaalspawn, but a new generation inflicted with his taint.
Just as a heads up, the two main guys at Beamdog are Bioware alum. Trent Oster (the main dude) was lead designer on Neverwinter Nights. I'm not sure if they have anyone else from Bioware, but at least they aren't total newbs.
"It can't really continue the story anyway, and at what point is a new plot line a generic DnD plot coasting on the Baldur's Gate name?"
Because of the BG brand name, it'll increase the chance of a new BG-like hardcore RPG. That's worth it all on its own, if the team is any good. We'll know if the team is any good from the new content in BGEE 1 and 2.
Let's remember that Interplay also whored out the BG brand name. Dark Alliance, anyone?
"It can't really continue the story anyway, and at what point is a new plot line a generic DnD plot coasting on the Baldur's Gate name?"
Because of the BG brand name, it'll increase the chance of a new BG-like hardcore RPG. That's worth it all on its own, if the team is any good. We'll know if the team is any good from the new content in BGEE 1 and 2.
Let's remember that Interplay also whored out the BG brand name. Dark Alliance, anyone?
Uhh.. so they're going to re-do BG1+2 using AD&D 2nd Edition, which is nice, preserving the old games, but no way in hell would Wizards pass up the chance to force them to use the new AD&D 5th Edition rules in a game with brand recognition like Baldur's Gate. (considering the time they would start development on the third would probably be shortly after the release of AD&D 5.)
Plus, Atari has the current rights to the AD&D license right now, don't they? I'd imagine the enhanced editions are probably a sanctioned project, but a kickstarter version of BG3, they're going to have to kickstart quite a bit of money for that license.
Plus, Atari has the current rights to the AD&D license right now, don't they? I'd imagine the enhanced editions are probably a sanctioned project, but a kickstarter version of BG3, they're going to have to kickstart quite a bit of money for that license.
If the updates on bg series end up being good i'm a happy gamer. But they should leave the overall story as it is for a 3rd installment. Throne of bhaal ended the saga as far as i'm concerned.
Best thing of gaming I own: Baldur's Gate and Tales of the Sword Coast on a 6 disc pack. Now that is hardcore.
"Best thing of gaming I own: Baldur's Gate and Tales of the Sword Coast on a 6 disc pack. Now that is hardcore."
My buddy randomly gave me BG when I was a kid. It was the 6 disc version. However, I didn't have the manual, so the game confused me to all Hell. I still have only played parts of it. I was planning a 'big start' soon, but I may as well wait and see if these are worth it.
My buddy randomly gave me BG when I was a kid. It was the 6 disc version. However, I didn't have the manual, so the game confused me to all Hell. I still have only played parts of it. I was planning a 'big start' soon, but I may as well wait and see if these are worth it.
@Achromatis
Baldur's Gate is a game based on the Forgotten Realms dungeons and dragons setting, which is owned by Atari/Wizards of the Coast. Even though they didn't create the games themselves they own the the license to make the games.
Baldur's Gate is a game based on the Forgotten Realms dungeons and dragons setting, which is owned by Atari/Wizards of the Coast. Even though they didn't create the games themselves they own the the license to make the games.
@Themuad
Weirdly enough, for me, I think it's something to do with the visuals... Are Dragon Age's visuals bad? Certainly not! But stylisticaly, I really liked the fact that I can still use my imagination to fill in the blanks with an isometric view point, I can use my imagination to flesh out the 'framework' that the developers have given me, much like having a room described to me by a DM in a game of Dungeons & Dragons, something I couldn't really do with Dragon Age even though it was a solid enough game on its own terms.
Baldur's Gate also having the forgotten realms setting and D&D to back it up also meant that I'm more familiar with the fantasy setting even though it's, as you say, generic as they come.
Cannot wait to hear more anyway!
Weirdly enough, for me, I think it's something to do with the visuals... Are Dragon Age's visuals bad? Certainly not! But stylisticaly, I really liked the fact that I can still use my imagination to fill in the blanks with an isometric view point, I can use my imagination to flesh out the 'framework' that the developers have given me, much like having a room described to me by a DM in a game of Dungeons & Dragons, something I couldn't really do with Dragon Age even though it was a solid enough game on its own terms.
Baldur's Gate also having the forgotten realms setting and D&D to back it up also meant that I'm more familiar with the fantasy setting even though it's, as you say, generic as they come.
Cannot wait to hear more anyway!
@ZeroDown
I mainly disliked the locals in Dragon age (tho i did enjoy the game plenty) it was a bit too much of whats been seen before.
And i think the writting was plain better in baldurs, i feelt the story was more involving and characters were just better put together. Dragons age was ok, likable but not memorable^^
I mainly disliked the locals in Dragon age (tho i did enjoy the game plenty) it was a bit too much of whats been seen before.
And i think the writting was plain better in baldurs, i feelt the story was more involving and characters were just better put together. Dragons age was ok, likable but not memorable^^
@Themaud
Yes, I agree with you there! Not played it in a couple of years so can't name all of the lesser characters off of the top of my head but Jon Irenicus, Sarevok and Edwin were particularly memorable for being generaly menacing badasses and still managed to come across as having a human side to their character with motives and vulnerabilities to match.
I think the writing might have something to do with the universe being tied to D&D and therefore being better fleshed out and having more well written resources to call upon for the developer than Dragon Age which is Bioware's take on D&D I guess.
Or I could be talking utter shite, but it's what I've felt playing through the latter anyways.
Yes, I agree with you there! Not played it in a couple of years so can't name all of the lesser characters off of the top of my head but Jon Irenicus, Sarevok and Edwin were particularly memorable for being generaly menacing badasses and still managed to come across as having a human side to their character with motives and vulnerabilities to match.
I think the writing might have something to do with the universe being tied to D&D and therefore being better fleshed out and having more well written resources to call upon for the developer than Dragon Age which is Bioware's take on D&D I guess.
Or I could be talking utter shite, but it's what I've felt playing through the latter anyways.
@ZeroDown
Plus the voice acting was effing stellar. Irenicus was fantastic at all times. I guess when you only got audio and text to convey emotion you have to put alot more efforts into it. No HD graphics to carry the show.
Plus the voice acting was effing stellar. Irenicus was fantastic at all times. I guess when you only got audio and text to convey emotion you have to put alot more efforts into it. No HD graphics to carry the show.
Yeah, this is truly awesome.
All i want to know now is how to get this Kickstarter biz all up in my Mega Man Legends 3.
All i want to know now is how to get this Kickstarter biz all up in my Mega Man Legends 3.
I'm impressed already if their plan is to make some money off the rereleases and then go to Kickstarter to top it off instead of just going straight there with a plastic cup on their hands. I already gave money to a complex old school RPG and can do so for another.
quote from the article:
"I think the new RPGs are great, but I don't think they should be a replacement for classic strategic in-depth RPGs like Baldur's Gate,"
^THIS
"I think the new RPGs are great, but I don't think they should be a replacement for classic strategic in-depth RPGs like Baldur's Gate,"
^THIS
follow
