The Baldur's Gate Saga and Baby Tea:
Anyone who knows me even a bit on these forums, knows one thing: I freaking love Baldur's Gate. I admit it freely and regularly, I am trying to convince my wife to let us name our future daughter 'Imoen', and I even attempted a piece of fan fiction that depicted my play-through of the entire game (Which failed, due to it's huge scope and my inability to keep up with writing as well as my work schedule)
It was that last failure (Since I didn't get too far) that got me thinking about this attempt. I've never done a 'Let's Play' before, and have only seen 1 or 2 in my time, but seeing as I have a week off, and just got my old nice monitor back from my brother (Which means I can play on that instead of the 10" screen on my netbook), I'd like to attempt an LP for Baldur's Gate. Perhaps, at least, just the first chapter.
So here I will post the opening part of my attempt, a small sample, if you will, and see what the feedback is. If people are interested, then I'll continue to the end of Chapter 1 and see what happens then. If the interest is low, or zero, then I'll write this off and think of something else to do on my week off (Maybe some more crazy reviews or something).
Fair enough? Let's give it a go:
Introductions and Prologue:
I own Baldur's Gate, its expansion pack 'Tales of the Sword Coast', its sequel Baldur's Gate 2, and the sequel's expansion pack 'Throne of Bhaal'. And I have all of these combined into 1 super game using the BGT MOD. This means I'm playing BG1 using the BG2 engine, with BG2 assets (Like races, character classes, and class kits. Yes, I can be a sorcerer in BG1. It's awesome. This also means the switch from BG1 to BG2 is seamless. So I never stop playing, right until the end of Throne of Bhaal.
I'm also using the widescreen MOD, which means I'm playing the Baldur's Gate Saga in delicious 1440x900 resolution. A huge leap from the original 640x480 of the original, and the 1024x768 of BG2. This is all good news for you, the read, because the screens will be big and clear (You might have to open them in a new tab/window in order to get full detail), and there is more content to enjoy.
The Character:
I've decided to pick a character I haven't played before. This will make the game fresh for everyone involved, including me!
I have chosen a half-elf Shapeshifter druid named Tanus:
The stats aren't incredible, but they'll work.
The thing about the shapeshifter druid, for those unfamiliar, is that I get to shape-change into a werewolf! It's pretty great, and is pretty powerful for level 1. But the problem is that I cannot wear any armor, at all. I also cannot cast my priest spell while shape-changed, so I'm either an unarmored spell caster, or a half-decent fighter (But not nearly as good as a full fighter. I won't see big benefits until I'm level 14 with my 'Greater werewolf' ability, and that's a long way off. So this will be interesting.
The Prologue:
So here we are, ready to rock and roll in Candlekeep.
There is little in the way of story here. This is the tutorial level, really. The only 'story' you'll get here is that you were raised here as an orphan by Gorion, a powerful wizard. Imoen, your childhood friend, also lives here with you. Gorion has got you up and told you that you must get ready to leave, so the point of this level is to learn to play and leave with Gorion.
I have the prologue memorized, so I fly through it. The best stuff is just afterwards anyways. I will say, however, that using the shapeshifter druid, I had some fun with the mini-quests you collect in the prologue:
Like I said, I know it off by heart and I just fly through it. Here is me, in need of a shave, finally saying 'let's go' to Gorion:
Gorion gives me the orders that, if anything should happen to him, I should travel to the 'Friendly Arm Inn' to meet his friend Khalid and Jahiera. We leave the keep, and night falls. As we travel through the woods, our party is ambushed in a scene that I can quote entirely in my sleep, and have forever etched in my brain:
After the brief cutscene, where Gorion is cut down by the armored man, Tanus stands ready, but fatigued, on the road the next morning when Imoen rushes up and says she saw everything. She followed Tanus and Gorion, and wants to help find Khalid and Jahiera. Since the keep has, as they say, very draconian entry rules (You need to supply a rare book for the great library if you want entrance), going back isn't an option.
And so, to the Friendly Arm!
That's it for the first part! If people are interested, I'll post more as I play!
Any and all feedback is welcome, as it's only through feedback that I'll be continuing, or stopping, this endeavor!
Part 2: The Road to the Friendly Arm
Part 3: Gear, quests, levels, and Beregost
Part 4: Spiders! A Talking Chicken! Zombies! A Witch! An Angry Father! Levels! And Nashkel!
Part 5: The Mines of Nashkel
Part 6: Quest Cleanup and Searching for a Purpose
Part 7: Dying, Bandits, tombs, and Exploring...not in that order
NOTE:
Due to a saved game corruption, and a subsequent reinstallation of BGT, I have completely lost all my saved games. That includes this LP, as well as all my other characters. Dang it. My bad-ass fighter-mage, my LP druid, and my many, many others...just disappeared in a puff of digital smoke.
*sigh*
So, the LP will not continue.
Thank to those who have been reading, and those who commented, offering advice on my first 'Let's Play'.
It was fun.
--BT
Anyone who knows me even a bit on these forums, knows one thing: I freaking love Baldur's Gate. I admit it freely and regularly, I am trying to convince my wife to let us name our future daughter 'Imoen', and I even attempted a piece of fan fiction that depicted my play-through of the entire game (Which failed, due to it's huge scope and my inability to keep up with writing as well as my work schedule)
It was that last failure (Since I didn't get too far) that got me thinking about this attempt. I've never done a 'Let's Play' before, and have only seen 1 or 2 in my time, but seeing as I have a week off, and just got my old nice monitor back from my brother (Which means I can play on that instead of the 10" screen on my netbook), I'd like to attempt an LP for Baldur's Gate. Perhaps, at least, just the first chapter.
So here I will post the opening part of my attempt, a small sample, if you will, and see what the feedback is. If people are interested, then I'll continue to the end of Chapter 1 and see what happens then. If the interest is low, or zero, then I'll write this off and think of something else to do on my week off (Maybe some more crazy reviews or something).
Fair enough? Let's give it a go:
Introductions and Prologue:
I'm also using the widescreen MOD, which means I'm playing the Baldur's Gate Saga in delicious 1440x900 resolution. A huge leap from the original 640x480 of the original, and the 1024x768 of BG2. This is all good news for you, the read, because the screens will be big and clear (You might have to open them in a new tab/window in order to get full detail), and there is more content to enjoy.
The Character:
I've decided to pick a character I haven't played before. This will make the game fresh for everyone involved, including me!
I have chosen a half-elf Shapeshifter druid named Tanus:
The stats aren't incredible, but they'll work.
The thing about the shapeshifter druid, for those unfamiliar, is that I get to shape-change into a werewolf! It's pretty great, and is pretty powerful for level 1. But the problem is that I cannot wear any armor, at all. I also cannot cast my priest spell while shape-changed, so I'm either an unarmored spell caster, or a half-decent fighter (But not nearly as good as a full fighter. I won't see big benefits until I'm level 14 with my 'Greater werewolf' ability, and that's a long way off. So this will be interesting.
The Prologue:
Behold! Candlekeep in huge resolution!
Here is a map of the whole keep:
Here is a map of the whole keep:
So here we are, ready to rock and roll in Candlekeep.
There is little in the way of story here. This is the tutorial level, really. The only 'story' you'll get here is that you were raised here as an orphan by Gorion, a powerful wizard. Imoen, your childhood friend, also lives here with you. Gorion has got you up and told you that you must get ready to leave, so the point of this level is to learn to play and leave with Gorion.
I have the prologue memorized, so I fly through it. The best stuff is just afterwards anyways. I will say, however, that using the shapeshifter druid, I had some fun with the mini-quests you collect in the prologue:
Dang! My strength is too low to bash this lock open! Even when bashed a million times!
Well, let's try it as a werewolf!
Well that was MUCH easier.
Well, let's try it as a werewolf!
Well that was MUCH easier.
By Moradin's Hammer! Killing rats has never been easier!
Like I said, I know it off by heart and I just fly through it. Here is me, in need of a shave, finally saying 'let's go' to Gorion:
Gorion gives me the orders that, if anything should happen to him, I should travel to the 'Friendly Arm Inn' to meet his friend Khalid and Jahiera. We leave the keep, and night falls. As we travel through the woods, our party is ambushed in a scene that I can quote entirely in my sleep, and have forever etched in my brain:
After the brief cutscene, where Gorion is cut down by the armored man, Tanus stands ready, but fatigued, on the road the next morning when Imoen rushes up and says she saw everything. She followed Tanus and Gorion, and wants to help find Khalid and Jahiera. Since the keep has, as they say, very draconian entry rules (You need to supply a rare book for the great library if you want entrance), going back isn't an option.
And so, to the Friendly Arm!
That's it for the first part! If people are interested, I'll post more as I play!
Any and all feedback is welcome, as it's only through feedback that I'll be continuing, or stopping, this endeavor!
Part 2: The Road to the Friendly Arm
Part 3: Gear, quests, levels, and Beregost
Part 4: Spiders! A Talking Chicken! Zombies! A Witch! An Angry Father! Levels! And Nashkel!
Part 5: The Mines of Nashkel
Part 6: Quest Cleanup and Searching for a Purpose
Part 7: Dying, Bandits, tombs, and Exploring...not in that order
NOTE:
Due to a saved game corruption, and a subsequent reinstallation of BGT, I have completely lost all my saved games. That includes this LP, as well as all my other characters. Dang it. My bad-ass fighter-mage, my LP druid, and my many, many others...just disappeared in a puff of digital smoke.
*sigh*
So, the LP will not continue.
Thank to those who have been reading, and those who commented, offering advice on my first 'Let's Play'.
It was fun.
--BT
Cheers for the links, and Im looking forward to the rest if you have time.
