How great of a game was Baldur's Gate!

[J_Monsterface]

Can you imagine if they made a game like Baldur's Gate 2 but with this generations graphics and voice acting?. I think the world would implode with awesome.

Probably never happen unfortunately. As much as I love Dragon Age, just look at the number of recycled environments in that game compared to the Baldur's Gate games which often had you travelling to tropical pirate islands, twisted underdark passages, underwater cities, and hell itself in one questline.

The sheer amount of time it would take to try and craft all that in 3D plus the cost of voice acting all that dialogue would be crushing.

Nice thought though, but methinks this is one sort of game that could and would only ever work in 2D. Shame because if they ever managed to pull it off, damn, that would be pretty amazing to see the whiskers on Boos nose as Minsc charges into battle, hamster at the ready.

i agree, id even go so far as to say that im glad its something you have to experience n 2D

the further contemporary aesthetic moves away from it, the more unique and special and sacred it becomes

besides, like d&d, the more left to the imagination, the more epic and personal it can be

 

[KingsGambit_v1legacy]

I think it was prob BG2 that originally gave me a love for modern games. I've played it a couple of times over the years but never managed to make it all the way thru BG1...until recently.

Am currently in the process of a complete run through from BG1 to ToB. Finished both BG1 and 2 already, as a chaotic good elf sorcerer. Got a few mods (multiple romances and strongholds, no xp cap, etc) and having a lot of fun. For example, I genuinely got the Golden Pantaloons I'm currently carrying myself after a visit to the Friendly Arms Inn. I travelled with Khalid for many hours and he was with me when I faced Sarevok. I was glad to see Coran toward the end of BG2, even if only in passing.

It's taken quite literally days out of my summer holiday but has been great fun. I can't wait to see the results of the BG Redux project, to bring BG2 to life in the DAO engine. Sorcerers are very powerful in later levels, and am currently rolling with Jaheira, Minsc, Viconia, Imoen and Sarevok after dumping Jan who's been my mainstay thief throughout BG2. I might recruit him again...he offered me three turnips.

 

[KingsGambit_v1legacy]

For example, I genuinely got the Golden Pantaloons I'm currently carrying myself after a visit to the Friendly Arms Inn. I travelled with Khalid for many hours and he was with me when I faced Sarevok. I was glad to see Coran toward the end of BG2, even if only in passing.

But do you have all three pieces yet and are you going to use them? That smith makes some rediculous stuff with them.

Don't have Bronze pantalettes yet. Just finished Gromnir fight yesterday. Will get suit forged, use it once against mundane enemies for some Big Metal Cheese fun, then stow it in BoH My tank, Jaheira is already more than -10 AC (Red Dragon Plate, Helm of the Rock, Fortress Shield, Ring/Cloak of Prot +2, Harper Pin).

My wish would be that Coran was still playable in BG2 as he was a great compliment to my party. I'm the main spellcaster, Viconia my cleric/healer (Crom Faeyr). Jaheira tank/2nd healer, Imoen thief/2nd mage, Minsc DPS (blackrazor + axe of unyielding + ring of Gaxx = regenerating ranger). My ideal would be a fighter/thief and there isn't one in BG2 :-( I had Jan throughout BG2 but 5 casters is too many. And Coran was an archer too.

But I am enjoying it immensely. I prefer the fewer restrictions of 3.5ed rules (for multiclassing and weapon proficiencies) but the Bhaalspawn trilogy is no less enjoyable for lack of it. Improved Alacrity + Time Stop + Triple Horrid Wilting + Double Comet/Dragons Breath never gets old and is a screen clearer :-D

 

[Jeran Korak]

I've always considered Baldur's Gate II to be easily the finest role-playing game in human history. It combines a fantastic narrative with streamlined combat controls, a rich and unique gameworld and an understanding of the setting it takes place within. What is best about BGII is the same as the Mass Effect series, but on a much larger scale. Everything is unique and has a part of the story, nothing is sacrificed for the sake of XP-grinding or crowbarred into the narrative just to shunt the player from point A to B (although subsequent playthroughs may leave a player annoyed that the only way to progress at a certain point is to fall into a trap that they'll now be able to see the hints about right at the start). The game also has no karma system, beyond reputation checks, so you can roleplay fully as you wish, being as much of a jerk to jerks and a savior to those that need saving.

I also found that only having about 35% of the dialog voice-acted meant that the actual depth of the game greatly increased. The writers had room to make a living world with hundreds on characters that you could interact with rather then just a large handful who were mostly connected to the plot or sidequests. The voice acting that does exist is absolute top-notch as well. Baldur's Gate II is really one of the only games that has made me feel truly sorry for the people in it. That is quite an accomplishment. When a character comes up and begs me to help save his village, I genuinely want to help him for purely alturistic reasons, as they feel real and it feels as if my actions have consequences in this world.

 

[sage42]

When I first played it I was too young to be good at it so I never got into it. now that I know how to play it none of my computers will run it. But from what I remember of watching my dad play I still love the game and hope to at least find a remodeled copy that will run on our Windows 7 system.

 

[KingsGambit_v1legacy]

Well just finished an epic journey beginning at Candlekeep early last week and ending on the Abyssal Plane about 45 minutes ago. I used David Gaider's "Ascension" mod which spruced up the end of ToB quite a lot. As well as harder boss fights through the expansion, the final fight itself was bordering on unreal.

Other changes with the mod installed...there's some more dialogue with Imoen and she starts developing Bhaal powers too, culminating in transforming into the slayer...at a very inopportune time. Further, I didn't have to defeat Balthazaar, instead convincing him to join my party against Amelyssan.

So the last fight...it begins with Melissan summoning old friends Irenicus and Bodhi. Imoen also transforms into the Slayer making it a hard fight indeed....harder in fact than the last Irenicus fight. I kept Mazing Imoen/Slayer, and eventually made it through Irenicus killing him for the third time (I think, it may be more, I lose count) with only 2 reloads (one because I killed Imoen/Slayer and couldn't res her after). Then the usual "3 pools of Bhaal Essence" bit, only the fights are significantly harder. Still I managed them with no reloads.

Then the last fight. Fully buffed, armed to the teeth with the best weapons and armour in Faerun, with Balthazaar helping me, I had to reload about 8-9 times. One CTD, the rest getting my Immortal Arse handed to me. You see the new end fight has Amelyssan summon all of The Five (minus Balthazaar of course. Heaven knows how I would have managed a) without him and b) further, fighting against him). That's right, the invulnerable fire giant, the half-dragon, Sendai the Drow mage and Illasera.

Far and away, Sendai is the most aggravating and disruptive. No matter how many times I cast True Seeing, she was always invisible/santuaried. In the end, I won with a little cheese, I must say. My PC used Simulacrum and had the copy use all his bhaal powers, summons, dispels, etc. I went after Abazigal first, using Whirlwind attacks and took him down fast. Ilasera next after a poor attempt to Time Stop and deal with Sendai.

As soon as Ilasera went down, Amelyssan joined in. So we went to town on Yaga-Shura. I don't know what killed him in the end. I tried using "Harm" and whirlwind attacks, eventually something gave though I don't think I could do it again, whatever it was. Sendai next, a couple of breaches, ruby rays, no idea if they helped. All the while having to keep heals going with Rods of Resurrection and potions. Finally I got a break and the drow b***h went down by some miracle, leaving just Amelyssan.

Again, Simalacrum and summons, whirlwinds and healing as best as I could. Imoen was close to useless as her stint as the slayer (or a level drain I didn't notice) made her forget most of her spells. Getting Amelyssan from Uninjured to Barely and from Barely to Injured was insanely hard. It took maybe 5-10 minutes of pausing and micromanaging and breaching and healing just for that. This was a party that more or less walked over everything else in the game to this point. Once she got to injured however, it was easy.

After another minute of summoning, breaching, whirlwinds and what not, she went down and I vowed I would never install Ascension again. Further, there was zero chance I would repeat that fight to see the alternate (ascended) ending. All in, the failed attempts took about 2-2.5 hours and the one successful one was about 30 minutes, and I don't think I could repeat it again with ease...there was certainly an element of luck involved.

So yeah, Ascension mod certainly makes ToB....interesting. In the end not one party member died, Balthazaar made it and got a pretty good ending of his own. Jaheira (romanced), Minsc, Imoen, Viconia (romanced, alignment switched) and Sarevok (alignment switched) all had good and slightly longer endings.

But now, I can crack on with DE: Human Revolution! Phew!

 

[KingsGambit_v1legacy]

And an addendum:
Before I even encountered Balthazaar, I caught back up with Saemon Havarian, the pirate/smuggler who betrayed the PC several times in BG2 and once again in ToB. He said despite all his backstabbing he considered us even and would help me enter Balthazaar's monastary.

I accepted and he said to come back when I was ready. Instead, I cast Improved Alacrity and time stop, then spell triggered any spell defences he had. 3 Abi Dalzims, a comet, another Imp Alacrity Time stop, a comet, a dragon's breath, 3 more abi dalzims, 2 fireballs, another time stop, another 2 fingers of death, 2 flesh to stones and a final abi dalzim.

When time restarted, the screen went completely nuts with about 15 spells going off at once. Needless to say Havarian got what was coming to him. I got 20k XP and had to find another way into the monastary. The sad thing is, it felt quite hollow. He was simply alive, then dead. I didn't get to make a lengthy exposition, no threats. If I had taken him up on his offer, I wonder if there would have been a better fate in store for him. Ah well.

 

[The Madman]

Glad you enjoyed, I personally consider playing from the start of BG1 straight through to BG2 with the same character pretty much the pinnacle of rpg experience available out there, and the Ascension mod among others helps make it even more incredible.

And how could you kill Saemon, that guy was amazing. Sure he betrays you a couple times and tries to pawn off the silver sword blade on you in the hopes of getting you killed, but hey, he's just so damned cheerful about it!

 

[Som_kun]

*looks up from watching Minsk break things* Oh hey guys, I'd talk but i'm busy playing again
(downloaded from gog on a whim last night... cant stop playing)