How is the multiplayer

[OrneryDave]

i was wondering if the multiplayer is played through steam and is it VS. or is it more like you and a friend quest through the story line together?

[Pookie The Krogan]

its co op. im sure its the same as the orginal one

[DnD Detective]

Its co-op but its done through your own network (tcp/ip) or through a program like Hamachi, not through steam.

[EvilBash]

alot of bug ! whait for patch

[choden]

Did any of you manage to connect to a game?
I'm trying to figure this out with a buddy but still cant connct to him.

[Ffoeg]

It is as you say more like you and a friend questing together. A better way to think of it is as though you were playing single player, but different people control the several (up to six, obviously) characters in the game. Generally each person creates a character and you play together, with one player as the leader (the host by default, the host can choose whether to allow players to lead the party). When NPC characters join your party, they can be assigned to be controlled by different players. For example, Imoen (or any other character) will be assigned to the first player, the host, by default when she joins at the beginning of the game, and will respond when selected only by them. You can assign her to second or third player if you like. If you have six players, you cannot take any more characters in game, but I think at that point latency would be your main enemy.

[OrneryDave]

ok so my friends will control NPCs not create there own characters ok cool thans for your help

[Ffoeg]

Your friends can create their own characters. They can also control other characters assigned to them by the host. Just as you can control your character as well as the NPCs in single player. So for example, you could play a three player game in which each of you have created a character, then pick up three NPCs (say, Imoen, Khalid and Jaheira), then split each of the NPCs between you so that you each control two characters (your own and an NPC). I suppose if you prefer, they could just join up and play as the NPCs as you encounter them in the game. Of course, you don't have to take on NPCs at all, you could just go adventuring with your buddies, and usually people like to, at least in the beginning, as experience is shared, so a larger party means less XP. Usually people like to have their own character.

[Ffoeg]

But as kamster99 said, its done through direct (TCP/IP), not through Steam directly, so you have to make sure you set it up right to keep it from crashing, and I'm not sure how/if it can be done without Hamachi.

This guide is useful to figure out how to get it all set up: http://forum.baldursgate.com/discussion/15872/setting-up-bg-multiplayer-full-guide

It also may be useful to just create an empty MP game just to look at how the screen looks as players join the game.

They are supposed to be getting a matchmaking system set up cross-platform between Steam and BeamDog, but no news as yet... For the moment, its still direct (TCP/IP).