Did you change topics from what you quoted? I fail to see how individual people not liking particular elements of the original games (which I assume this is a reference to) means the entire team can not make a suitable game. Especially since, as I stated, some BG1&2 fans share the same opinions. For what you quoted, with a junior environmental artist asked to make a tree, with or without knowing about a game released before they were born (when the internal announcement was made), it makes no difference to the tree.
Look, I'm on board with most of what you guys are doing. Hell, I even PREFER some of the changes you guys are introducing to the series (like the added verticality and the turn based combat). So far my only genuine bummer is the recently confirmed lack of day/night cycle (that's a massive low blow on your par, let me tell you).
THAT SAID, let's be honest here: you guys aren't even TRYING to throw a bone to the old fans, are you?
The cartoonish animations, the controls with that awkward "chain/follow" mechanic, the (allegedly placeholder) UI, the core gameplay changes, the four men party, the indirect dialogues, the lack of a day/night cycle... It's almost starting to feel like Larian is deliberately trying to ANTAGONIZE the old fanbase.
Even ignoring the fringe group of rabid grognards that will be unhappy no matter what... My worthless advice would be: maybe you guys should start considering that there could be some merit in some of the mixed feedback you are getting. Don't turn this is another scenario like the armor system of DOS 2 or the shitty progression system/itemization of both the previous games, where people pointed out the flaws from the beginning but the studio ignored them entirely and chose to stick to their guns at all costs.
Cartoonish animations are a matter of taste, and I don't think they're that cartoony. Chain/follow mechanic is a lot better than BG2 style. UI is already better than BG2. Core gameplay is way better even at this stage. Four man party I agree with but I understand why they want to do it. Dialogues could be better. Lack of day/night cycle doesn't matter.
I also enjoyed the abundance of loot in DOS2. Even with that much, I often had some really old and bad equipment for a long time.
There are a lot of opinions and trying to pander to them all just changes which people are unhappy. Better stick to their vision and iterate on it, rather than trying to pander.
