Dear Larian,
I write to you, about 10 fire waters deep, and a gallon of imported fine spirits to go. Amongst the chaos, the siege, and the desire to be the earliest victor I was one of the firsts to download the game. Separated by many miles/kilometers, collectively we amassed an army enough to bring down the mighty "Steam". A bloody battle of failed purchases, lost transactions, and dubious try again messages. I write to you MANY moons later, but better late than never. I ask you forgive this master procrastinator, and take my input with a grain of salt (the fire water is stronger than Mephistopheles' stout).
I have played the BG series since the beginning, and any other RPG I could find. This however is my first Early Access, beyond excited I dove face first into it. Wasn't until about 25+ hrs in that I realized I had a list of things to suggest and had the memory of a goldfish. So, I started writing them down. Now here is where it becomes an input worth about 2¢. I work 8-12 hrs a day, and my relaxation time is coming home, taking off my work boots, throwing on some PJ's, and stacking some goblin bodies...oh and pouring a glass of fire water.
***all further input is impaired, take it as ya want, it’s just my 2¢***
**all further input is also me "interpreting" my drunken notes**
*1: Lack of tutorial: its just plain lacking, you give 5 VERY BRIEF tool tips on attacking then leave the player to his own accord. How does the inventory work? How does lvling up work? How in the world is a new player supposed to know that a rouge/ranger do extra dmg when cloaked in darkness using a finesse weapon, WTF is a finesse weapon. Spell casters lvl up and you basically choose between spells (pick 2) and prepared spells (pick 5)…there is no explanation for first time players. what is a prepared spell vs “spells” and the 2 options you can pick. Furthermore, stats…you have all your basics stats: str/int/wis/dex/con/cha … when you hover mouse over each it says basically this is the stat wiz use to do dmg///this is the stat rouges use to do dmg…dex is used to do more than just dmg by rouge str is used to just do dmg with melee weapons either put it all in the tool tips or offer a tutorial that explains all the basics not everyone is a die hard D&D 5e fan…FIGURE IT OUT!
*2: issue with doors being opened, if you die or leave and come back, doors appear closed but you can walk through them or vise versa, doors are gone but you cant walk through because they are "still there"
*3: I feel like its mostly my computer set up, but, the button tool bar/ spell icons/ inventory buttons are INCREDIBLY SMALL. due to lack of computer room/stuff I use what I got. My t.v. (55"/149cm) is my monitor, so I don't know how people with normal computer monitors are. With a (55"/149cm) screen the tid bits around the spells or actions, or to extend the spell options are so small I have to skootch like (3'/90cm) away from my screen to see what is what....is it my set up or are the icons incredibly tiny for everyone
*4: I've started about 3 toons, since HOT FIX 3, and noticed a few cut scenes have changed. the 2 biggest notes that my drinking ass could remember where #1 the dragon landing on the illithid's ship right before they transport. his hand is in mid air on.. glass? but there obviously isn't any glass. Secondly there is a terrible loss of connection between the speech and the characters lips moving.
*5: Camera following terrain: its close, i like how walls disappear as i rotate the camera, but when it follows the deep trench and my only way out is to hit home is frustrating
*6: Inventory UI: I’d like a way to transfer items between characters quickly, ctrl + 1 moves item to toon 1, ctrl+2 moves item to toon or just a highlight multiple and drag. Again, due to lack of tutorial, I didn’t know during sell items you could select each toon individually in the bottom left until half way through first play through. I saw reddit post about how to sort inventory and tons of people were amazed there was even the option...LACK OF TUTORIAL!
*7: kind of ties to tutorial: I noticed the weapon “Dragon’s Grasp” (hand axe) uncommon melee weapon…just what proficiency does that tie to, don’t know because there was no explanation of weapon proficiencies
*8: the map, good lord the map, either more detail where its followable or make it like Lewis and Clark maps, its currently between where the fudge am I and ahhh I think I’m in that smudge
*9: I complained again about how small the buttons are to adjust the size of the spell bar and in the inventory ( I blame using a T.V. for a monitor )
*10: Lack of tutorial again: no explanation of action//bonus action
*11: current inventory move/drag one item sometimes the item is like 3” away form the mouse cursor …do you drop it so the item is in the slot or the mouse is in the slot. Again if the was a quick highlight/ctrl+ style would make item transfers much easier
*12 Gales death can fuck right off…I’m stuck on my input in this one, it was funny the first time. All the mobs attack him like he is a lvl 1 goblin with +3 plate mail, so he dies faster than my cup of fire water. HOWEVER I like where you were going with him always giving you the option to revive. Maybe one cut scene, then done? I dunno crowd source the opinion on that one
*13: traps…so you group does a perception roll, finds the traps, they are in front of a rope ladder. Cool cool cool cool. There is enough room for people between the trap and the rope ladder, so you click…THEY ALL WALK ON THE DAMN TRAP THEY NOW KNOW EXISTS ….. did they discover the damn thing or not!! If it is discovered I shouldn’t have to disarm it, the see it, know it, and should just walk around it.
*14: again just like my stupid T.V. set up, I’m pretty sure this applies to me. Since I use my t.v. I use a wireless mouse/keyboard so I don’t have to sit so close to the big screen. It is ONLY this game that for some reason my wireless keyboard can only reach like (1 foot/30cm). makes no sense right, can’t be the game…well, I've not had this issue with any other game, can shut this game off and NOT MOVE, the turn another game on and key bard works just fine. Reload BG3 and I have to position it just right sitting Indian style with the keyboard precariously placed between both knees or it just doesn’t work…it can’t be just me…can it?
*15: I did my best to make a evil toon, named him Swen Vincke so I could watch true and utter destruction…I jest I jest… Seriously tho, the evil play through has absolutely ZERO reward. If I am going to play a evil toon I better get a evil weapon that steals HP, or armor that makes me walk with the dead, I dunno man just, there is NO incentive to be evil and from what I've read, the majority of people start off like OWW YEAH, gonna be EVIL…oh, you want me to kill this innocent child….NOPE, not happenin, Go for the eyes Boo, GO FOR THE EYES!! RrraaaAAGHGHH!!!, wait no, wrong quote. I meant to say Butt-kicking! For goodness!
