Long time lurker, first time poster. Hi!
Since I’m quarantined with nothing to do, this feedback is also available as a video. While I’d obviously appreciate any validation of the stupid amount of time it took, there’s a text summary as well as timestamps if you want to check the moments I’m referencing. The video is in 4k with most screencaps etc. upresed with the expensive software I use for work, in case you’re into that.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLxnjHTi77QThe video begins by talking about concepts and history because I think it’s important, but I won’t summarise it. It’s just me trying to contextualise what kind of feedback is useful, what kind of thing Baldurs Gate 3 is, and how to approach feedback in general. It’s long because I’m hoping to do more videos that make it proportional eventually. Like the Shire in LoTR. Exactly like that…
The video focuses on two main areas: cinematics and writing.
Cinematics [11:00]:
1. By film-standards, they’re awful. You would not watch a film-version of BG3. Scenes are poorly constructed, badly edited and often just plain dull. In the video, I focus on the scene as you approach the grove, where characters stand around talking to each other until goblins suddenly appear. Instead of the obvious dramatic chase scene that builds tension, threat and momentum as the three adventurers race desperately to safety, we get a surrealist theatre play where characters stand around talking to each other instead of ducking under an increasingly “open enough” gate. [12:30]
2. Compare The Witcher 3, where cinematics are used far more successfully and require far less suspension of disbelief. The difference is night and day, in my opinion. [14:52]
3. The point here isn’t that the content is necessarily bad, but that there is no reason for the game to take away control of the camera if it’s not capable of using the camera well. This is reinforced by focussing on a dialogue scene between three Tieflings. The main takeaway: why bother making this a cutscene? What does taking control away from the player achieve? [15:14]
4. In addition, cinematics create tension specific to Baldurs Gate 3 and similar role playing games in which you make your own character: by taking away control of your character and having them act in front of you. [16:36]
5. Queue hands on hips, raised eye brows and pantomime shock.
6. They will never be able to cover the infinite variety of characters that players might want to play. They try and get round this by mostly sticking to neutral, stoic expressions, but even this doesn’t work. It would be better to never cut to your character and let imagination do the rest. Like in Dungeons and Dragons...
7. This is one of the points where it becomes clear that the game is designed around playing one of Larian’s pre-made origin characters.
8. I also wonder if Larian aren’t making a similar mistake to games before the “RPG renaissance” where cinematics intrude too much, with reference to Mass Effect 3. [6:23]
9. And try to understand what makes BG3 players so horny. Is it having to look at so many intimate close ups? [17:41]
Writing [19:34]:
1. Not wanting to go on forever, I focus on the kind of companions written for us and problems shared by all of them.
2. Mainly, that they’re generally all versions of the same idea of what a cool character is, and this idea is straight out of YA fiction/ reality TV: overwritten backstory, disinterested/aloof, “dark secret”/mysterious stranger, “cooler than you” and trying too hard in a teenage way. Similarly, they have a history, but it’s always from somewhere else. No one is attached to the place you explore, like tourists. [21:12]
3. I have a section on the “I’m not here to make friends” trope that I’m quite proud of. [20:36]
4. The problem isn’t that some of them are like this, but that they all are. I compare them to the “bob the gatekeeper” concept I’ve seen on reddit/forums of a character really thrown out of their depth with the whole “alien probe” experience and how their completely understandable freaking out makes them a more interesting companion. As is, it’s death by backstory. [21:47]
5. Small extra point on how the word “companion” is ironic with characters not at all interested in “companionship.” Maybe self-employed freelancers is more apt?
6. In the video, I don’t talk about fetishism, but there’s a lot to say about “what romance is” in Baldurs Gate 3 and I think it influences character writing a lot. Everyone has to be a fetish, basically.
I was trying not to reiterate too much of what has been said before, so apologies if this is mostly old to you. I put a lot of effort into this because I care about the game (quarantine might be an influence…), so hope it’s helpful.
Here’s to the imminent patch solving all problems and making this a waste of time!
