OK. Been playing DOS 2, and my hopes for BG3 are increasing a lot. I have to say, with all the bad mouthing Larian and DOS 2 and such from various people on this forum, I was thinking that DOS 2 was really gonna suck. I don't even like the premise of a journey to becoming a deity or whatever.
But I've been quite pleasantly surprised. I started out playing it on Classic Mode with a custom character, and I managed to get out of Fort Joy into the marshes. That's when things went south. I decided to start over on Story Mode, for the combat does require a bit of a learning curve for me. I'm not used to all the surfaces and stats and how everything works, so it was getting more than a little frustrating.
But Story Mode has been going VERY well, and I've been enjoying it a lot. Several things I noticed:
1. Item Management is SO much better in DOS 2. I feel like everything has purpose and meaning - crafting, cooking, every weapon and item - and I don't feel like my inventory is overly cluttered. I also don't feel like it's difficult to move things around or buy and sell things. This gives me hope that BG3's Item Management will be just fine once the game is fully released. Items will be useful for crafting - even spoons and such - and it won't feel so pointless to pick up everything and the kitchen sink.
2. Resting mechanics are a bit TOO easy. I mean. Bedroll. Full health. There's literally nothing to it. I can see now why so many DOS 2 fans are so up in arms about any kind of restrictions on resting for BG3. Magic is virtually everything in DOS 2, while in D&D it is quite limited. All this to say, please, Larian. I understand there are a lot of fans of DOS 2 who love this kind of resting system and virtually limitless magic, but DOS 2's magic system is WAY different from D&D's. We still very much need a more restrictive resting system. We just do. I still have hopes that you will do something to make long and short rests more strategic and meaningful.
3. Dialogues don't allow you to switch characters. Once someone starts a dialogue, you can't switch it to someone else. I really hope you allow this for BG3. It drives me crazy when Astarion is, for some reason, suddenly thrown into a dialogue, and he sucks at certain skills that the dialogue calls for, but the character who is really good at said skills just sits there doing nothing. Let us switch characters out or at least take advantage of our party member's skills. I noticed that while traveling with Beast in DOS 2, when I open chests and stuff, I get to take advantage of his Luck bonus or whatever it's called for treasure chests. Why not at least apply the same thing for BG3? You need to convince Kagha to not kill Arabella, so the game gives you the option to have your persuasive cleric MC take the lead in that part of the conversation. Meanwhile, at the entrance to the dank crypt, when you're trying to trick the guy guarding the door using Deception, it'd be awesome to have the option to let my rogue MC with Deception Expertise lead the conversation instead of Lae'zel who I had leading the way.
4. Camera. Oh my gosh! The camera is worse in DOS 2. I almost always have to be zoomed out to see where I'm going. If the camera was tilted down just a little bit more, I'd be able to be in drive mode like a lot of MMORPGs or just plain video games period. Just let us tilt that camera a bit more in BG3 especially so that when we're going up hills we can keep it zoomed in.
5. Chain system/ pathing. It works better in DOS 2... sometimes. I notice that characters still have a tendency to run into poison surfaces, fiery surfaces, etc. especially when I switch between characters. Like others have said before, can we please at least make it so the characters don't move unless I tell the selected character to move somewhere? Just switching between characters shouldn't cause them to all come running up to the selected character. When I'm bouncing around between characters, it's like watching them all dance. I will say this, though. BG3 has come a long way on this. The Group and Group Stealth buttons are a tremendous improvement.
6. Party Management. I know others have said this before, but I feel it a lot in DOS 2. It is way too clunky to switch party members in and out. I'd REALLY like something more like Neverwinter Nights 2 where you just get a popup menu that lists the characters and you can pick who you want in the party and viola. Done. All this going up to them and talking to them to dismiss them and then going up to the one you want and inviting them to join you - and having them say the same things over and over again each time - it's redundant and time consuming. I felt it a lot more in Fort Joy because I dismissed Fane and Red Prince, and I wanted to get Red Prince back and had to go hunting for him. At least in BG3 they're all at camp for you. Even still, having to go to camp and get them is a pain in the butt and unnecessary.
7. Astarion and Sebille. Too similar. I REALLY would like a different meeting scene with Astarion besides a Sebille knockoff. She puts a needle to your throat... Astarion puts a dagger to your throat. They're both rogues. It's really unnecessary. Can we have a meeting with Astarion that's friendlier? I really think he'd be a bit more cunning and deceptive and manipulative rather than stick a dagger to our throats when he's outnumbered - especially if you have a cleric standing there (Shadowheart). Wouldn't he be just a bit concerned she might blast him with a holy spell or something? Either way, I get that he wants answers about what the mind flayers did to him, and for some reason he thinks you know, but there are better ways to get answers from people besides grabbing them and attempting to force them to talk by knife point. Besides, it wouldn't even need to get to that because you could simply have him connect with the MC and viola. No need for him to threaten you. None at all.
8. Speaking with Animals. Wow. It really is quite similar in DOS 2. The animals are all very similar to BG3 animals. I don't know what I expected, but I do feel like the animals from DOS 2 were brought into Faerun. They're all very cheaky, and some are a bit mean and rude. The first time the sheep in DOS 2 kicked my character, I thought about slicing it up with my knives. That said, I'm kinda enjoying Pet Pal. So, it's not necessarily a complaint. It is certainly more interesting than some games portray animals. I mean, they're not boring. I particularly enjoyed throwing the ball in the room full of guard dogs, and the leader was the one to chase it. And I like saving the one dog who the magisters were trying to corrupt. In BG3, I like the squirrels complaining about the bard's horrible singing, and I enjoy some of the animal interactions.
Anyway. That's probably enough for now. I just wanted you to know that I do think DOS 2 is a good game, and it gives me hope for BG3's end product. You guys are doing a good job with it overall. I have been enjoying the Bard class a lot - more than I thought I would. I don't normally like bards, but you've made it fun. I like playing tunes and having people come up and listen and make comments. I like that the bard has to make a Performance check to see how well she plays for the crowd. I like the smart-butt comments for Vicious Mockery and such. Overall, it's been a positive experience, and I can't wait for Full Release.
Oh...one last thing. Body types! Character creation REALLY needs them. I noticed each race in DOS 2 has a set body type and that's it. PLEASE do not do that for BG3. I want to create a half-orc as big as Halsin, but I also want to be able to create a half-orc that's a regular sized human. Likewise, I'd love to create a human barbarian as big as Halsin or a scrawny human mage that looks almost like your elves in DOS 2 (okay, so not THAT thin).
Anyway. Keep up the good work!
