First post in quite some time, but after reading through most of this thread I do actually want to give my (unasked) two cents.
In fact, after some a..annoyance with some posts (not really warranted, tbh) I actually starded to recall something: When the Enhanced Edition for BG1 was announced I joined there forum, since I really loved BG 2 -and BG1 was also fun. Sure there where many flaws, but it was the game that actually got me into cRPGs. In fact, I played it so much that I memorized much of the script, just through playing. Anyways, when I joined Beamdogs forum I was surprised, even shocked to find out that there where people who enjoyed combat in Baldurs Gate. That *really* confused me, because until that point I used to say that Bioware could not make decent combat in any of their game if there lives depend on it.
At first I thought that it was just different tastes or something, but nowadays I think it is something deeper. It is the reasoning why you play it. I enjoyed BG2 for the characters, their personality and banters. The battle where just annoying and distracted me from, well, reading that interactive story in which I can (somewhat) change the direction. I still only care about battle as a result of my action, as part of my character and the story I want to read.
But during that time in the days of the EE version, I saw that there are people who seem to care more for the strategic side of the game. Which I jsut can not understand and probably not even really describe, because it is so alien to me.
I want to challenge myself in the story, I want to play a character and see a different live. If that character lives in a violent world and violence fits that character, sure I can fight, but it is just one facet for me and not even a very important one. It my sound weird, but if I have to chose between more well-crafted and engaging fights or another romance option, I would stop reading after romance and pick that.
But if that is my focus, I have trouble to even understand *why* people are so opposed to these changes, since they are (to me!) purely combat ones?
I am actually more annoyed about the +2 proficency on explorer, because I dislike buffs like that on easier settings. Because I find anything that makes you *weaker* when you raise the difficulty is a bad idea. make the rest stronger, more numerous and smarter - but *never* change the player. (I want to have challenge in skill roles, apparently. )
Well, for those that read till the end, thanks for reading my ramblings. =)
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