Baldur's Gate 3?

[rajpoot]

For a shooter you could argue that. But not for an RPG.

It depends on what you grew up with. I stopped using gamepads when I got bored with Contra and haven't since used anything other than the keyboard and mouse for my games.
I cannot imagine playing any game without them.

[Fragony]

I did. You know how I'll never play an RPG on the PC. There are 3 reasons 1. Baldur's Gate 2. Neverwinter nights 3. Fallout 3, all the proof I needed that a keyborad/mouse it not to be used for an RPG game.


Also this isn't a new game it's a compilation of BG 1 and 2.

I am oh so totally ok with that. It's the mana of the gods

[The Wizard]

I still have BG2 installed and play it at irregular intervals. I don't see what the problem is with its interface. I guess I'm sort of interested in a BG1 redux, mostly because the last time I tried installing the original it didn't work, and I'm too lazy for bgtutu (the mod that installs both games as an integrated whole on the BG2 engine). Also, I last played it seriously as a kid and never managed to get beyond Cloakwood Forest (I know, I know, hang my head in shame).

At least they didn't go for a sequel. That would've invited disaster.

[johnhughthom]

When did you try to play tutu, Wizard? There have been different versions released and the newer ones are much easier to install, for me the only confusion comes after installing tutu, when I'm adding other mods.

[TinCow]

More details.

It turns out that there will actually be two games, BGEE and BG2EE, also known as the Baldur's Gate 2 Enhanced Edition. The first game will include the original Baldur's Gate plus the Tales of the Sword Coast expansion; BG2EE will include Baldur's Gate 2 plus the Throne of Bhaal expansion. It's the whole shebang, in other words, plus new content including new characters with new voice actors.


But Oster also made it clear that all the important bits will remain untouched. All the original voice files are in the game, so everyone will sound like they're supposed to, and the game will be entirely isometric 2D. It will also continue to make use of the 2nd edition ruleset, as the original Baldur's Gate games did, and the music is being left as-is because it's already so epic.


A few other details of note: The game is being built on the "Infinity Advanced" engine based on the last Throne of Bhaal build, meaning that all the enhancements from that game will be included in this one. It will be a digital-only release through Beamdog, although the studio is "putting some thought into" a Steam release as well, and while it's currently a PC exclusive, Oster hinted that other platforms could be announced next week. The studio is "trying hard not to break mods" and at this point the save game formats are the same, so you might even be able to make use of those old saves you've kept lying around for the past decade. You still have those, right?


Imports from BG1 to BG2 will be supported, controllers will not be supported - this is mouse-and-keyboard only, as it should be - and if you want a truly authentic BioWare experience you can play with just the original content and ignore all the new stuff, although I think that'd be kind of silly.

Bah... 2E. Bah.

[The Wizard]

So it's basically just bgtutu only you pay money for it?

When did you try to play tutu, Wizard? There have been different versions released and the newer ones are much easier to install, for me the only confusion comes after installing tutu, when I'm adding other mods.

At least 5 years ago, admittedly. I might give it another try, then. Though that last bit you mentioned is a bit of a problem to me, because I do so prefer to have DungeonBeGone installed for BG2. If only for the hilarious fanmade (and spoken!) dialogue.

[Vladimir]

What? No. This isn't tutu, it's newnew and I'm so excited.

[easytarget]

I did. You know how I'll never play an RPG on the PC. There are 3 reasons 1. Baldur's Gate 2. Neverwinter nights 3. Fallout 3, all the proof I needed that a keyborad/mouse it not to be used for an RPG game.

RPG's on a console, oh my. It's as if you're oblivious to where the genre started.

[lars573]

So? RTS games started on consoles. And Gort was a text based game. Doesn't change the fact that the keyboard and mouse is the wrong way to play an RPG

[TinCow]

So? RTS games started on consoles.

Uh... no.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real-time_strategy

One game on the Intellivision with a few RTS-style designs is not the same thing as starting a genre. All significant early RTS games were on computers.

[ReluctantSamurai]

Doesn't change the fact that the keyboard and mouse is the wrong way to play an RPG

Beating a dead horse again? Just add that it's the wrong way for you, and everything would be cool. And btw, RPG games started with a cardboard dungeon map, small pewter figurines, a Dungeon Master, and for real 1d4 to 1d20 dice! [yes, I'm that old to have played D&D that way]

My biggest question for BGEE/BG2EE would be: do they make all the myriad changes and tweaks that were needed (and done mostly by folks at the G3) or will all the glitches, oversights, and incompletion's be carried over, as well?

[lars573]

Beating a dead horse again? Just add that it's the wrong way for you, and everything would be cool. And btw, RPG games started with a cardboard dungeon map, small pewter figurines, a Dungeon Master, and for real 1d4 to 1d20 dice! [yes, I'm that old to have played D&D that way]

If I believed that I'd say that. I mean it's the wrong way for everyone.

And we're only talking video games.

Uh... no.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real-time_strategy

One game on the Intellivision with a few RTS-style designs is not the same thing as starting a genre. All significant early RTS games were on computers.

That entry is wrong. The Sega Genesis game is the first RTS game. It has all the basic elements, and isn't clearly another type of game

[Fragony]

An rpg that was made for the console like (the incredibly awesome) BG:DA is of course better with a controller. For pc-rpg's having more buttons means better gameplay. Basta.

[Martok]

Incidentally, it's coming to the iPad as well.

That entry is wrong. The Sega Genesis game is the first RTS game. It has all the basic elements, and isn't clearly another type of game

It's arguable as to whether or not Herzog Zwei is the first "true" RTS title; it lacks a key convention of most modern RTS games, which is the ability to control multiple individual units. I've always felt HZ to be more of a forerunner of the genre, rather than its "father" ("grandfather", perhaps?).

[TinCow]

That entry is wrong. The Sega Genesis game is the first RTS game. It has all the basic elements, and isn't clearly another type of game

Even if I agreed that all the games that came before Herzog Zwei were meaningless, which I don't, I don't see how that makes the origin of RTS games to be the console. The vast majority of the games that pioneered the elements of RTSs were on PC of various kinds. Once the elements came together, there were a few releases of that kind on consoles and a few on PCs, before Westwood and Blizzard popularized the genre entirely on PC. Even the first Herzog game was a PC game. The one constant in the history of RTS games is the PC. Consoles are an aberration wherever they appear.

Personally, I've always considered Dune II the first true RTS. Everything before it was still building towards the genre, but hadn't gotten there yet.

[gaelic cowboy]

Dune 2 = Comand and Conquer = Red Alert = fun fun fun fun fun fun

Apart from graphical upgrades I dont there think there has being any real innovation in the genre since.

I stopped buying RTS games mainly cos I hated having to build a base and research/build infantry after I had unleashed a nuke in the previous map. (thats one of the reasons I think Total War took over in the 2000s) Course even they still in my view commit the cardinal sin of forcing you to build forge-foundry-cannon maker-artillery factory even after you did it before.

I mean come on has my society forgotten how to make a rifle cos were in a different province, surely if you conquer a province you should start further up the tech tree with buildings if you already know it.

Dawn of War is the only significant title to try develop new styles of play and even then most of it has been seen before.

[The Wizard]

I think Warcraft III was pretty innovative in the way it made some subtle but significant changes to unit management and army building by using a more significant hero unit as a central element in the gameplay. I mean, it was traditional in almost any other way, but the hero did make it significantly different from most other RTS games (with the possible exception of its forebear, Starcraft).

[Fragony]

Kinda lost interest in the genre after Starcraft. Starcraft was perfect, what a nightmare it must have been making the game so balanced.

[The Wizard]

Actually, I forgot about three titles that were definitely very different from the Westwood/Blizzard/Ensemble mold: Homeworld, Sacrifice, and Ground Control. Personally I regard Homeworld as the greatest RTS of all time (though Sacrifice is my favorite).

And, never to forget: Myth.

[Fragony]

Actually, I forgot about three titles that were definitely very different from the Westwood/Blizzard/Ensemble mold: Homeworld, Sacrifice, and Ground Control. Personally I regard Homeworld as the greatest RTS of all time (though Sacrifice is my favorite).

And, never to forget: Myth.

Shut up and kiss me, Sacrifice is without a doubt the best strategy-game ever made. I want, no, DEMAND a sequel. Not only is it a blast to play, it is also incredibly funny.

Homeworld was also awesome, especially the gardens of kardesh.

[The Wizard]

"What is a life... without strife?"
"Peaceful. And that ain't so bad in my book."
"I didn't know you could read!"

I can quote half a dozen dialogues verbatim from that game. God I miss Shiny.

[Fragony]

Beating the game with Charnel is the funniest

'Charnel, death isn't the answer to everything'
No, torture also has it merits
'Exactly'

[gaelic cowboy]

Actually, I forgot about three titles that were definitely very different from the Westwood/Blizzard/Ensemble mold: Homeworld, Sacrifice, and Ground Control. Personally I regard Homeworld as the greatest RTS of all time (though Sacrifice is my favorite).

And, never to forget: Myth.

Ah Homeworld I had forgotten about that one yes indeed a worthy addition to the genre.

No one ever made a simmilar one after though, I wonder why surely twould have been so easy to use it for sea battles from ww2 or ww1.

[Gregoshi]

Baldur's Gate 3....discuss.

[TinCow]

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news...-Gate-Overhaul

If you've been waiting with bated breath for the release of Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition this summer, you'll apparently have some more of the game to look forward to in the form of downloadable content. Overhaul Games' Trent Oster, who founded its parent company Beamdog, announced that the game would be supported with paid DLC after release. In a tweet this morning, Oster stated, "We'll be doing free feature improvements and existing content improvements as we go, but we are also planning some paid DLC."

Oster clarified that the content in the paid DLC will be brand new, stating that it would include "new BG storylines" and "new characters" in a follow-up tweet to the original announcement. He didn't reveal any more specifics about the planned add-ons, but he did take some time to reassure fans of Overhaul Games' commitment to being faithful to the original Baldur's Gate games. If the studio needs to add any lines for the characters Irenicus and Minsc, for example, Oster promised to "try to pull" David Warner and Jim Cummings, the original voice actors of the popular NPCs. By mentioning Irenicus, the antagonist of the sequel, Oster may be implying that the studio plans to use him in the DLC - or he may simply be referring to Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn as the obvious next game for the developer to bring into the modern era.


Announced back in March, Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition is an overhaul of the classic AD&D-based RPG originally developed by BioWare over a decade ago. The aim of the new game is to faithfully port the original to new devices, updating the graphics and particularly bringing the multiplayer up to speed so it can work without third-party tools. So far the game has been confirmed for PC, Mac OS X, and iPad. The studio is aiming to release the game before the end of September, although the date has not been set in stone.

Bah, sounds to me like all of the 'new' content will be DLC-only. The EE itself will just be a modern-polish game, and you'll have to pay extra (and wait longer) for new content. I'm growing increasingly skeptical of this. It's better than the incredibly-poorly-named BGT how?

[Fragony]

Ah Homeworld I had forgotten about that one yes indeed a worthy addition to the genre.

No one ever made a simmilar one after though, I wonder why surely twould have been so easy to use it for sea battles from ww2 or ww1.

Garden of Kardish, the most awesome thing.

[Vladimir]

I'm happy enough with the updated version and look forward to the BG II version. I'd rather have a DAO-style POV with BG formations but I'm still excited.

[TinCow]

Lots more info on the first release:
http://kotaku.com/5928997/baldurs-ga...g-september-18

If you've been getting the urge to replayBaldur's Gate, you might want to wait til this fall.
The classic role-playing game will see new life on September 18, when developer Beamdog releases Baldur's Gate: Extended Edition, an enhanced remake with new characters and a new adventure that the company says will take you six hours to play through.
PC and Mac versions of the game will run you $20 unless you pre-order, in which case they'll be $18. They'll come with three new playable sidekicks: half-Orc Blackguard Dorn (whose head is pictured below), half-elf Wild Mage Neera, and human monk Rasaad.

Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition will also feature a new dungeon called The Black Pits, set within the Underdark, that tasks you with fighting your way through fifteen levels of arena-style battles.


The iPad version, which Beamdog is hoping to release around that same time in September, will cost $10. The interface for this version will be totally retooled so it's pleasant to play on your tablet. However, new characters Dorn and Neera will be sold separately as downloadable content for the iPad edition. Additional voice sets and portraits will also be DLC. The new Black Pits adventure is included with the game.


This version of Baldur's Gate will also feature the classes, kits, and races that were available inBaldur's Gate II. It squashes a whole bunch of the original version's bugs and also offers cross-platform multiplayer among all versions.

The Black Pits:

"Rouse yourselves, you lice-laden layabouts. Stand and salute your new master, Baeloth the Entertainer!"
Across the realms, individuals of great power and prestige receive a scroll via magical means. Unfurling it, they discover that they have been selected as one of the very few to enjoy the finest forms of entertainment in all creation...
Come one, come all! Baeloth the Entertainer cordially invites you to the greatest spectacle the realms have to offer - mortal pitted against mortal in a desperate bid to survive! Thrilling combat, scintillating magic, and the grim spectre of death lurk above this, the greatest of all shows! All this and more can be enjoyed within... THE BLACK PITS!
Deep within the Underdark where few dare to tread, the mad drow Baeloth has used his extensive mastery of magic to force a duergar colony into creating an entertainment complex of his own design. He has invited guests from across the realms, from Maztica to Menzoberranzan, and they will readily attend - Baeloth is known to be an excellent showman.
—
The Black Pits is one of the enhancements that make up Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition that allows you to create a full party and battle through fifteen hellish battles in a desperate bid to escape. Difficult challenges, unique battles, and a bizarre cast of characters await you within the Underdark!

• A stand-alone adventure set deep within the Underdark
• Fifteen levels of arena-style combat challenges
• Full control and customization of up to six party members
• Over 6 hours of additional gameplay

The Black Pits are your new home... enjoy your stay while you can!

NPC Dorn:

"Do not annoy me with such simplistic notions of morality."
Born in the Spine of the World, Dorn fled to Luskan with his human mother when a rival tribe annihilated his father's savage people. In that northern city, Dorn's ruthless strength soon won him a deadly reputation and the attentions of a band of mercenaries whose wickedness exceeded even Dorn's. Imprisoned for the crimes of the entire group, Dorn made a fiendish bargain granting him even greater power and the promise of revenge.
A Blackguard of few words, Dorn is only too happy to ally himself with a child of Bhaal and cut a bloody swath across the Sword Coast with his black greatsword, as long as that path continues to lead him to the traitors he has sworn to destroy.
—
Dorn is a half-orc Blackguard whose otherworldly patron grants him terrible powers in the form of his black sword and unholy spells. Add him to your Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition and inflict evil to the last corpse.
Dorn adds the following Enhancments to Baldur's Gate:

• The Blackguard Dorn II-Khan, a new NPC to join your party
• Up to four hours of additional gameplay
• The Blackguard kit to create your own champion of evil

Betrayed by his former companions, the half-orc Dorn Il-Khan lusts for revenge and glory in equal measure.

[LeftEyeNine]

I was... I was confused... I was.. As I gazed into the abyss... It also gazed into me... It cost me $18...

[Fragony]

I was... I was confused... I was.. As I gazed into the abyss... It also gazed into me... It cost me $18...

That's a steal it must cost a fortune to update such on old game, I would be willing to pay full retail of a AAA title