I hate babysitting party members...

[Artificial]

I come from NWN where you'd only need one party member and you didn't have to be their momma either and could just focus on your own character. Should I just turn on Story mode for now and play through it that way or will I be missing too much?

[Black Sheep Inc]

It's possible to finish the game without them, if that's what you mean. There is some content you won't have access to, but not anywhere near as much as in most future Bioware titles.

[Artificial]

Originally posted by Black Sheep Inc:

It's possible to finish the game without them, if that's what you mean. There is some content you won't have access to, but not anywhere near as much as in most future Bioware titles.

I just turned on Story mode in the end. I'm sure there's a deep RPG experience if I'm willing to wade into it and grit my teeth and the story and characters are great so far but there's just so many issues I have with it mechanically that were fixed very nicely in NWN. It's just kind of grating.

I'll plow through the amazing story that BG1 and 2 offer, but after that, I'll probably just keep myself to NWN afterwards.

[ÄmJii]

Instead of "babysitting" your hireling, your NWN companion piloted on a rather brainless AI which made spellcaster hirelings rather worthless in a "I see a lone goblin in the horizon, better blow my Flame Strike on it!" kind of way.

The combat system is really the most fun aspect of Infinity -engine games. Methinks you're shooting yourself in a foot by wading it through on Story mode, but if you prefer button masher approach I really can't convince you otherwise.

[Artificial]

Originally posted by ÄmJii:

Instead of "babysitting" your hireling, your NWN companion piloted on a rather brainless AI which made spellcaster hirelings rather worthless in a "I see a lone goblin in the horizon, better blow my Flame Strike on it!" kind of way.

The combat system is really the most fun aspect of Infinity -engine games. Methinks you're shooting yourself in a foot by wading it through on Story mode, but if you prefer button masher approach I really can't convince you otherwise.

In terms of spellcasting, you really should be choosing which spells to cast yourself for the most part anyway. If that really doesn't work for you though, you can use the Henchman Inventory and Battle AI mod.

But it's not even so much the combat that I find tiring but everything outside of it. And this game really does toss NPCs at you like crazy, almost guaranteeing that you'll have 5 others besides yourself to take care of all the damn time. Even if I had to watch over my henchman's every move in combat, it's still better than being forced to handle almost EVERYTHING in BG by yourself.

And I actually understand why people like it. Some people like the tactics of comandeering a full party. Fair enough. I do get it. It's just that for those who'd rather focus on just their own character, there's no choice. You have to pull everyone long and you have to take care of them all unless you turn on Story mode or perhaps Easy mode.

The thing is, BG is built to simulate a D&D session as best as possible, and it's a VERY admirable effort, but I really think they stumbled with this in terms of combat and party management. In a normal D&D session, you take care of your own character. You don't take care of anyone elses. You don't need to manage their loot, they manage that mostly by themselves. Or their spells. Or their attacks. Or their healing.

So when BG drops an entire party in your lap and expects you to do ALL the work, it can quickly get very tiresome for those who wanted to just focus on the character that they made. And that's what NWN allowed for the most part.

[mike_hanna211]

If it were true to PnP AD&D, you wouldn't be controlling NPC party members. If the AI were better, I would love to do that, and just worry about Gorion's ward.

[Foolish Bastion]

As this thread is not super old I'd like to make a suggestion.

Multiplayer.
That way everyone can focus on their own character.

[Yann]

You can solo run, or make a party of 2-3 ppl

[Hi my name is Duck!]

I'm surprised no one has said this yet.
AI scripts are a thing, you can use those. Granted, I don't use them so I'm not sure how much they actually do, but I imagine they do most things other than inventory management and regular movement.

[Internet Cafe]

Which AI script make them less retarded?

[Hi my name is Duck!]

Originally posted by Yeömenn:

Which AI script make them less retarded?

Don't use them, so I wouldn't know. But from what I've heard, it sounds like they're at least a little trustworthy. Most of the time.

[Včelí medvídek]

Originally posted by Yeömenn:

Which AI script make them less retarded?

Just select advanced AI and choice buttons on the right side as you wish.

Works pretty well lot of time, casters cast their spells, rogue atuo hide in shadow or search for traps, fighters dont stay away and go aggresivelly against enemies in sight,c ahracters switch range and melee weapons as needed..

Of ourse manual control is needed there and there (particualrly if you need cast specific spell or focus on some target) but most of time it works pretty well. (generaly casters need more attention but thats it)

[two_or_three_raptors]

Managing a whole party is kinda the point of this game. If you don't like it, this game might not be for you.

[vitamin boost]

I hate having to manage party members too. I just play solo (Sorcerer) and use the Godbow when I'm in a tight bind.

[SMJSMOK]

I personally love this system much more than something like Fallout (1 and 2), where you have no control over your companions and you have to suffer through their idiotic actions. You constantly have to save their sorry 4sses as they rush the enemy while getting "accidentally" shot by them :-D

[Newart Beauregard]

i feel like the AI has improved a lot since the OG games. It used to be awful.