Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - Suggestions & Feedback Reactions??????? Just......WHY??????????

Well then you should probably articulate yourself a bit better ^.^

Clearly just the presence of selectable classes/races and a fantasy setting with magic are not the full definition of what makes a game feel like D&D for you, or that incredibly broad spectrum of games across multitudes of genres that I mentioned would indeed meet that standard; since D:os2 didn't make it for you, but BG3 is, yet Solasta does not... but SCL does... I'm actually deeply curious about what it is that makes a game feel like D&D for you, because that's got to be a pretty peculiar combination of elements, and fairly unusual. I say this with no malice or ill-intent, truly; if BG3 as it is scratches that itch for you, then I've no ill-will for you over it - but I am truly curious about how it can, amidst that other selection of yes and no discernments about other titles. Can you explain your perspective a bit more? What elements are necessary for you, and what detracts from achieving that feeling, for you, to arrive at such an odd juxtaposition?

That aside, this thread is about a proper reaction system - and a proper reaction system is one of the core backbones of how the mechanical game system functions in D&D 5e; it should not be a surprise to anyone that people who play 5e will, in large numbers, as they have done, voice that for them the game is not managing to really feel like the game system it advertises as being 'the definitive video game representation of', and upon which advertising their purchase may have been predicated.

Since you do not and have not played 5e, I'd ask that you cede you opinion of whether or not it lives up to that acceptably enough to folks who do; you don't know whether it does or not, and you have no means to gauge such an opinion meaningfully. Others do.
BG3, in its present state, does not feel like an adequate representation of playing D&D in a video game environment, to me. Not by a decently wide margin - not a huge gulf, by any means, but a decent margin short of the baseline mark.

I'm not saying they will get rid of the ship. That is definitely staying.

What I am saying is there could be a small window of events before that where you are wandering around in or around Baldur's Gate or something like that - then you get snatched up and wake up on the ship.

Will that happen? I dunno.

I kind of hope it does though. I think that would be a lot better beginning to the game than Michael Bay cinematic intro and waking up in pure chaos.

I said CGI cinematics - I don't see it working as anything but the very start of the game, plus it is designed with character creation in mind - and that would need to be moved out of the CGI cinematics, before the potential new prologue.


BG3 is really over the top, but it's not an outlier - BG2 starts with escape from the dungeon, KOTOR1 starts with escape from a ship under siege, Mass Effect1, 2, 3 starts with more or less a cold open, Arcanum starts with our zepelin getting shot down, etc. etc. etc. Most RPGs moved away from understated openings to bombastic hooks a while ago.

Narratively I don't think this is a terrible idea - you want to start where the story gets interesting, and capture by Mindflayers is the inciting incident which brings all heroes together. And after the escape there is opportunity for downtime and calmer exploration in an unfamiliar wilderness. I take issues with storytelling itself, but as far as big picture storybeats go, I don't think it is unsalvageable. It's been done well before.

On the first point - just totally misunderstood.

Also, I actually quite like being in the world of BG3, meeting characters and wandering around. I have genuinely enjoyed the game so far and I'm hoping it only gets better. My overall disike for the opening has less to do with it being action packed and more to do with it being way over the top (at least in my opinion). I also think starting on a flaming mindflayer ship soaring through the skies of hell while being attacked by dragon riding gith and then super high level demons fighting mindflayers makes it so that... uh... there isn't much to shock us after that?

To me that comes off as more of an end of the game, everything has gone to crap scenario.

But again - maybe that is just a preference thing.

Sorry to nitpick but in BG2 we start as much higher level characters and it's a dungeon in a city not a burning Mindflayer ship hurtling through the realms being attacked by Dragons et al. I don't think that an understated introduction implies an uninteresting story. BG1 did a good job in that respect that once you leave Candlekeep there is a shocking event and you are left on your own in the wilderness to undertake your quest.

I agree with you there - that's what I mean by issues of storytelling. It is a lot to take in, and I don't think the intro conveys the danger we are in. I think it could work if it managed to instil dread and intrigue.

I mean is that a dangerous foe or a buddy cop comedy.
Not to mentioned slapstic that happens right after.


I am not arguing against slow starts. Just pointing out that bombastic openings can work well. As to the level - at the moment I don't treat BG3 levels as anything more then gameplay contrivance. I am not convinced that the game uses those as an actual representation of our character's standing in the world.

Not wanting to sound negative yet again...though I really want to love this game...that screenshot really illustrate this weird Larian artstyle I feel is great for a Divinity DOS games but really strange in a D&D Baldurs gate game. Its way too colorful, too bright, the lighting is just off the charts makes the scene feel silly/funny instead of scary & atmospheric. It needs more...darkness...grittiness...roughness...contrast...
Right now its too shiny, colorful and bright.
IS this a rating thing? Or a platform thing? It needs to be appropriate for kids so the game is getting brighter and brighter (seems like past versions where a bit darker?) as release approaches. Or people nowadays just wants a bright and colorful game?
I mean the original BG2 trailer is pretty horror educing lol. Sets the tone perfectly...and it BUILDS UP. .From a dark weird dungeon, to a bustling city to explore to etc...

BG3 has higher age rating and has more explicit violence/sex then old games so I don't think it is it.

BG3 has a "candy" quality to it's look, but I don't think it is entirely that either. The game has a different vibe, but it's D&D5e thing as well. Personally, I don't think BG3 look is too bad outside some things that just feel off to me (like body tight armors).

I would personally blame poor use of cinematics - cinema has language and that language communicates stuff. Adding cinematics to your game can be advantegous, but can also work against you if you use it poorly, BG3 rarely does more then point a camera at a model.

In this point of the story PC have been captures, got tadpole and is using assault on the ship to run for their lives. Mindflayers are clearly a threat to us. But that's not what BG3 communicates, especially in the shot I attatched that frames both actors as equals. That demistifies the creature, and it being a monster with glitchy tentacles only makes it hilarious. Imagine Riplay just hanging out with Xenomorph like that. A while ago I pasted Witcher3 Gaunter o'dimms pact scene as a comparison:

See how he appears from shadows, in close up shots he is shot from below to make him a more towering figure then Geralt, Geralt is sitting down, with Odim going down to his level, showing their power dynamic. It could be a laughable scene, if it wasn't handled well. You can make an average looking joe look creepy, and you certainly can a tentacle monster that just eye raped you look creepy.