First, off Larian, I want to say your product looks like quality work and a move forward from your previous games. I have played and enjoyed your DOS1 and DOS2.
After watching through the demo playthrough I actually really like what you're doing. I have some questions for the development team and not sure if you read all threads or respond. I'm mostly interested in the possibilities to make this game over the top in quality.
1. Is it too late stage in the process to tweak animations and sounds? For example, what if you determine a large portion of the customers points to a similar criticism is it even feasible to change this at the current stage of development in a practical way? A common issue from reading the responses both here, on Reddit etc. appears that many (but I don't know if its a majority) feel the DOS-style animations and sounds of actions are not the best choices for BG. If you were to create spell incantation verbal sounds, more realistic weapon sounds. don't make every action seem like a magical selection and change from the exaggerated movements found in DOS to something found in more serious RPG games is that even practical. If it is, do you see value in doing this if it were to change the overall vibe from the community?
2. I'm not sure if the community, in general, like the animations or if we are only hearing the vocal minority. But if you were to look at improvements that would be "practical" at this stage to change and provide a POLL to the fanbase, would you consider the outcomes?
3. Are there plans for any UI change from the current windows and graphics that look like DOS to something that you can call its own. Make it BG, not DOS? What about even D&D. Some sort of FONT, parchment, text that is representative of D&D even. (Like homebrew or manuals etc.). Is this UI really something that can change?
4. Graphic assets: are the weapon and item assets (which basically look identical to DOS) set in stone? Are they placeholders? Are there plans to update/refresh the item assets to look more unique for BG? Maybe even slightly less "DOS" like and again, maybe something that pulls you into the world without reminding us this is just DOS.
Most of these are just questions that would be awesome to hear DEV team respond to (as well as other players). I do plan to buy the game, I think it's well made and I'm sure I'll enjoy it regardless but my critical comment I'll leave with is this.
The more visual assets, sound effects, movements that are simply DOS-style, the more it reminds me as a player I'm not actually playing Baldurs Gate. It will constantly remind me I'm actually just playing DOS with a BG story. Is it even practical to make changes to the UI, sounds, minor animations to make this game stand alone on its own without reminding us it's actual DOS. (at minimum UI and graphic assets are probably the biggest reminder that pulls me out of BG).
With that said, I still think it will be a fantastic game by a talented group of developers.
Cheers and good luck with your project
