Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - General Can a Larian rep confirm if EA can play offline?

Reason for the question: friend is in a mid-move situation to another country, and while he's getting his PC in about 2 weeks, won't have internet connectivity established for at least a month. We were discussing things via IM, and he said he could probably go to a local internet cafe and download the game there and possibly transfer the files over via an external drive perhaps, but the one variable that couldn't be accounted for is if the EA version of the game will launch/play without internet connectivity (especially keeping mind the back end metrics you guys are wanting to gather as people play).

On the one hand I'd want to assume there wouldn't be a requirement for connectivity to play, but also don't want to just assume such either given your focus on EA metrics, so just looking for insight/clarity on this angle of things - if this is something that can be confirmed or spoken to at this point before EA official opening.

They have said that you have the option to not send Larian your gameplay data, so while gathering that data is a main objective for EA, it isn’t required. I can’t imagine any reason why L would require a constant internet connection.

Thanks WL, that's what I would typically expect too generally speaking....but I didn't want to just assume one way or another without at least checking.

My guess is, since it's been announced on GOG, yes.

I guess if you want to be sure about the necessity for a lack of internet connection you could get it on gog?

The Steam version does not require an internet connection, either.

Cool then, not familiar with Steam

Does anyone know what the back-end metrics are, and what they are actually used for? I suppose they would say it is so they can make better games in the future.

I recall the early days of Al Gore's internet, and I was thinking gosh, why are these net publishing and service companies putting so much content online for free, and at that time with very few advertisements? Thanks, this is great!

Years later, I realized they were making a lot of money by selling information about what you do online. One Ring to rule them all ...

One example is combat data, to see for example death heat maps of where people often die. This helps indicate where an encounter may be too difficult or imbalanced, or the opposite; If no body dies there, then maybe the encounter is a bit too easy and boring and needs an extra touch.

That orange bit in the middle of the right cerebellum. D:

Edit: I probably meant cerebrum. But that doesn't sound as good.

When you can get a legitimate answer and a bit of a laugh out of a post (/tiphat vometia), I must say, its not too much of a bad day

Thanks to all who responded.

It is indeed to make the game better. Other things tracked (if you agree to provide anonymous gameplay data) are where people explore (hidden secrets nobody finds may be too well hidden), what skills are used (if everyone or noone uses particular skills they may need to be adjusted), class/race selections, dialogue choices, etc. There should be more detail about this before Early Access starts.

This maybe why Swen wants us to try out being evil in early access. Personality profiles of deviant minds are worth more to corporations and governments than boring normal profiles.

Just kidding.

Or am I?

Yes, like much of human progress, the Internet was born out of intellectual altruism, and has devolved by stages.

Nowadays, a good rule of thumb for internet services is "if you cannot see clearly what the product is, and how it is paid for, then the product is you".

I could pretend to be a Larian rep? If that helps.

Roll a deception check please...with disadvantage.

Sorry big guy. No can do.