Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - General BG1 & BG2 worth it while waiting ?

I think the EE found a way to monetize what was happening already anyway in the game's afterlife with the modding community, and just made that concept easier to distribute. The problem with mods or house rules or anything like that is always the tension between continuing improving something vs pushing it out to as many people as possible for broad buy in. Or visual art in general is like that I think, knowing when to keep going or call it finished.

Though even if I like portraits, video games are more like theater companies or film crews and their own thing. Ensemble with a big crew. Trying to synchronize and get some big aggregate package of mods out is tough. Plus you had Trent with the connection the franchise there, so sort of an idea that we might get a directors cut of sorts.

The nice thing about BG is that after a couple decades in the works, many of the mods have been merged and made easier to use. And since its one steam and gog and such, makes installing and reinstalling less a chore, or fucking something up accidentally less likely. Baldur's Gate has basically had hella bonus disks and DVD director's cuts, expansions and special edition-ified extras added onto it, more than any other game I can think of. Like if Ridley Scott just never stopped making Blade Runner heheh. Or like Star Wars, as long as there is a simple way to see the original, I like that that exists. There should be a way to launch the thing in "classic mode" just from like an art historical interest standpoint.

But yeah, going back to BG1 resolution to play is an exercise in eyeball implosion lol. There's no going back from BG2EE reso and movement speed and UI bonus features. Before there was a way to play BG1 in the BG2 game engine, it was almost impossible to play BG1 after experiencing BG2. Which I think is why the latter had such a long shelf life, and why BG1 has been a thing of nostalgic fascination. I like that it was remade in NWN2, that project is a fun idea. Or basically like the idea carried over from film of the reboot.

The original game came out at like the peak of ISO 2d sprites before everything transitioned to 3d. Even with the short timelines, it came out at like the fin de siecle of an era in video game art. I think early 3D games don't hold up as well. Like its way harder to hop back in on DOOM or even the best of the best in early 3D cause just hadn't had time to develop. Eventually there will probably be a Baldur's Gate in AR/VR and we'll look back on the end of the 3D era with nostalgic favorites, but I don't think its there yet. Someone still needs to come along and make "the portrait generator" for a 3D model or "sound studio" for voice next level first. To match up with the custom content of the day.

I'd still love to see a BG game that essentially looks and sounds like the old ones, but where the animations and vfx and sound were just totally dialed. Like on a visual front where entering "Sneak/Hide" the character would put on their hood and hunch over and to move all stealthy like. Mages scribing. Warriors using all kinds of badass attacks like battle of the mounds. Or where the areas were larger and had the same basic features but everything was painted out to unreal detail. It would be a fun challenge to see a really well done reboot of BG1 using whatever the final BG3 engine can handle.



That spot is great!

yeah, tell me about it, the shift from 2D drawn environments to 3D generated ones was one of the most jarring things i can remember (in respect to bideo games)

icewind dale looking like this now (EE):



While nevewinter nights be looking like this now (also EE):



Even now I look at something like pathfinder:kingmaker and it still doesn't look as good as the IWD:EE, its far more detailed than NWN but its still got that plastic lego feel that seems to come with isometric 3D environments.

As far as the monetisation of mods re: the EEs; yeah, the EEs never would have happened if there hadn't ben a 15 year old modding community for those games, and as far as I recall there was quite a lot of work between modders and beamdog discussed on the forums at the time with beamdog really wanting to work with modders - understandably from both a community and a monetary point of view... i have no idea who got paid and who didn't though. As an example as far as I know "DavidW" transferred all his modding assets for "Icewind Dale in BG2" over to beamdog and i'm pretty sure that formed the backbone of IWD:EE

NWN1 was ugly when it first came out. NWN2 stands up alittle better. But the 2D backgrounds of BG.ToEE, etc are still prettier. Arcanum was 2D and ugs tho so not a rule tho.

I mean. BG2, Icewind Dale 1&2, even ToEE were very pretty. But much of BG1 looks pretty terrible, only certain set piece areas look good.

speaking of, lets go for something completley different.

has anyone tried the BG remake for NWN2?
id go for BG replay with friends in 3.5 given i have Tome of Battle, but only if the mod is actually any good and they put in the voice acting and it doenst look like complete ass


also

>IWD vs Kingmaker
gonna disagree, the prerendered backgrounds in IWD are great, but PFK has an amazing artstyle and while IWD has a pretty nice feeling combat with all the screenshake and whatnot, you cant realy win against the splatter in PFK.
Also hand painted 3D models are strictly superor to baked in sprites

Even if I think nwn did not age as well (Also as it is limited to some old 3d stuff), modding did help it a LOT to make it look better. Either for character models, outfits, creatures and even the toolset/area creation. This is mostly relevant to the online play and custom made models/servers, the base game looked ugly even back then but still!

I'm always surprised when I remember that Icewind Dale came out before Baldur's Gate II because the art presentation always seemed more refined than In BG:II, but for a forgettable story, it could easily have been the capstone for isometric CRPGs instead of Shadows of Amn.

EE versions still looks amazing with some of the EE UI mods (the later version EE UI design is horrible!) , Lefreut's enhanced UI is A MUST (pics bellow).
Also nearly all the great original BG2 mods are now compatible with EE.

I personally hate playing max resolution wide screen were everything is tiny or on scaled mode were the UI graphics looks REALLY BAD and out of proportion.

I force my display to 1600x900 before launching the game and make sure I turn scaling off in the game options. The proportions are great for a 32 inch LCD, not too small or too big and the game plays very similar to how it was intended, quite zoomed in.
The BG2 art style is just timeless...still looks great in 2021. The UI is fantastic.

Artist for the manga Dungeon Meshi did the Baldur's Gate crew too:
They also did Baldurs Gate II.

That Eldoth
the others, eh but, Eldoth. I get it now.

Coran, with a jawline? Heresy

True, but some real modules had better graphics also. Problem with NWN1 creation it could take really long time to create content example could take even 2 years specially if it was great content.

You do not know whole truth about NWN1.

The original campaign did not look great true. NWN1 had much more content modding then most people could imagine edit make better graphics and you create persistent player driven worlds little bit like a MMO except they can set you can not load many times or set a heavy exp penalty if you die.

I played as multiplayer (compare to MMO) on a beautiful persistent Online World NWN1 and I also played many single player community made modules (adventures in NWN1). I liked NWN1 more then NWN2.

Anyway on topic:

BG1 and BG2 are both classics excellent! Icewind Dale? Yeah very good though a bit more say less open world feeling then BG more linear perhaps in my opinion.

On top of that BG1 and BG2 supports also multiplayer. We played and you do not need to be adult to play games with my brother BG1 and BG2 on LAN network back in the days.

Well another question I wonder sometimes am I partly eternal as an Elf since I have eaten strong antioxidiants and Carnosine for n years? I will keep my age secret not telling if you ask.
Carnosine oh tell me how young or old am I really? Keep on guessing.

I like this mix version of Baldurs Gate music. Eh for your oldest ones on the forums please excuse me for I do also like modern music, but depends on what music. There existed a thread where people posted how old they though most ignored or joked about OP inquiries.
Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance [28] Elfsong Tavern (Remix)

I've been playing BG 1 since this game (BG3) isnt seeing anything approaching reasonable update or even dev interaction.

Sorcerer, Paladin, or Fighter that will Dual Class to Cleric, all have their own appeals, and honestly the game holds up fine.

Right a bit raincheck here. I like more European and say Russian taste then USA in music (I do not mean any USA country music, rock music or electronic older music no meant so called modern 40 on top list songs in USA).

DON'T START NOW DUA LIPA and GODZILLA EMINEM FT JUICE WRLD are released year 2020 was ok/good for me and below are 2 other videos from 2020 tunes that I like of say USA 40 so called "best" tunes The Official Top 40 biggest songs of 2020 (but that is so in USA). Another tunes some might think I am r..... but I can not connect with the music or singer on any level sorry no.

Difference USA vs Europe/Russia taste?

Ian Carey Red Light was average in USA. It was NUMBER 1 in Russia still during year 2009 despite released in 2008:


Oh and another tune that I like released roughly year 2009:
Paul van Dyk - For An Angel 2009


Paul Van Dyk & Sylver - Forgiven Angel (VNRG MASH UP REMIX)


I really like this nasty song... sounds like a Werewolf and/or MURDERER if you listen to the dark words !:
Meg Myers - Desire [Music Video]


Baby, I'll learn to touch you
I wanna breathe into your well
See, I gotta to hunt you
I gotta to bring you to my hell
Baby, I wanna fuck you,
I WANNA FEEL YOU IN MY BONES
Boy, I'm gonna love YOU
I'M GONNA TEAR INTO YOUR SOUL

DESIRE, I'm hungry
I hope you feed me
how do you want me, how do you want me?
how do you want me, how do you want me?
how do you want me, how do you want me?
how do you want me, how do you want me?

Honey, I wanna break you
I wanna throw you to the hounds,
I gotta hurt you, I gotta hear from your mouth
Boy, I wanna taste you, I wanna skin you with my tongue
I'm gonna kill you,
I'M GONNA LAY YOU IN THE GROUND

DESIRE, I'm hungry
I hope you feed me
how do you want me, how do you want me?
how do you want me, how do you want me?
how do you want me, how do you want me?
how do you want me, how do you want me?

I wanna feel YOU, I want it ALL
I wanna feel YOU, I want it ALL

[Guitar strings]

how do you want me, how do you want me?
how do you want me, how do you want me?
how do you want me, how do you want me?
how do you want me, how do you want me?

ＳＨＯＴ ＩＮ ＴＨＥ ＤＡＲＫ [Award Winning]
Award winning video with Within Temptation music:


Oh and if you believe I am 100% Ku Kux Klan racist you are wrong despite I belong to True Finns party I like this tune most of 2020 songs:
The Weeknd - Blinding Lights (Official Audio)

In addition I have on friend from Iran Teheran. This friend of mine consider himself Persian and not Arab. My friend of Iran does NOT like Iran government who he consider hardcore Arabs. My friend is Muslim yes but not hardcore. He has come to Finland not as some fucking refuge that get unemployed. He works full time in Finland and has come to Finland to work and study. He is my friend and he agrees with me on politics.

What I have one friend from Iran do I hate USA? No!!!
Please note I do like USA! If I would decide Finland would be member of NATO, but that remains to government to decide.
I like Russia though in sports and have nothing against Russian tourists or women and I have had Russian girlfriend.

Another tune from year 2020 that I like:
Selena Gomez - Rare (Official Music Video)


Hahaa perhaps I am bit old find many tunes say 2000+ that are good, but year 2020 yawn on USA so called 40 best tunes for most part. It does not mean I hate those songs, but find most of them to be average and nothing special though some exceptions that I find good.