What happened to IceWind Dale 2?

[WhispersOfTheWind]

I mean (in) the actual game, I have played some of it and noticed right off that some classes are missing compared to Icewind Dale 1 which then makes 1 kind of a superior game but don't get me wrong, Icewind Dale 2 is still good to play it's just I wondered why is it so different than say

Baldur's Gate 1/2 or even Icewind Dale 1?

[D'amarr from Darshiva]

Well, IWD2 adapts the D&D 3rd edition ruleset rather than the 2nd edition ruleset (as in IWD1 and BG/BG2).

[WhispersOfTheWind]

Originally posted by D'amarr from Darshiva:

Well, IWD2 adapts the D&D 3rd edition ruleset rather than the 2nd edition ruleset (as in IWD1 and BG/BG2).

I truly assumed that this was the case, as a matter of fact I remember someone briefly mentioning it and me reading up on it just yesterday but I am truly trying to get a picture of the 3rd ruleset.

Does this mean that they excluded or removed Dwarven Defenders then in favor of just 'plain' Fighters and Barbarians?

Icewind Dale 1 had really good classes that were by then sadly removed in 2nd part, class kit creation wise coming close to something like Wizardry 8.

[ScothMcBeast]

They said they'd do it BUT the source code of the original game is currently lost/missing because the rights been going from one place to another. Until the code is found it's a no go.

[WhispersOfTheWind]

Originally posted by ScothMcBeast:

They said they'd do it BUT

Nice. Thank you for your positive words of encouragement basically because that sounds great.

Just the idea of a continuation of this awesome game is really exciting because all the Infinity Engine games are really a gem.

Originally posted by ScothMcBeast:

the source code of the original game is currently lost/missing because the rights been going from one place to another. Until the code is found it's a no go.

I knew of a similar situation with a game that had lost not its source code but rather its rights where the situation was also similar for a long time before something happened and that game got restored (from obligations) and released to the public. That game was of course System Shock 2, which the 1st edition of got a Enhanced Edition as well as a (long in the making) remake, that just looks great in this new jacket of (modern) technology.

It's just a dream to have old games restored to a new standard because that makes me not just play them again but relieve moments and puzzle out new things that I hadn't realized nor seen before, some of which make me better as a player.

[Saxton]

Originally posted by HellsWind:

Originally posted by D'amarr from Darshiva:

Well, IWD2 adapts the D&D 3rd edition ruleset rather than the 2nd edition ruleset (as in IWD1 and BG/BG2).

I truly assumed that this was the case, as a matter of fact I remember someone briefly mentioning it and me reading up on it just yesterday but I am truly trying to get a picture of the 3rd ruleset.

Does this mean that they excluded or removed Dwarven Defenders then in favor of just 'plain' Fighters and Barbarians?

Icewind Dale 1 had really good classes that were by then sadly removed in 2nd part, class kit creation wise coming close to something like Wizardry 8.

They didn't remove or exclude things like Dwarven Defenders in IWD2 - the original IWD didn't have any kits at all! So the move from IWD to IWD2 was a big step up in terms of multiclassing with the 3E rules (not 3.5, mind you).

[Zotliatlicor]

The 3.0 rules for D&D really changed things up, and in the pen & paper game it was all for the better.

For Computer games it took some time getting used to, but i still think today the IWD2 ruleset is the best. My most anticipatd mod ever for this series is the Icewind Gate mod, that puts the frame of IWD2 on top of BG2. Jaheira is now a Fighter 2 / Druid 7 When you meet her, and you can remake her as you wish, Fighter 4 / Druid 26, or Fighter 15 / Druid 15. Your Choice.

All classes level up with the same XP. 1000 to reach lvl 2, 3000 to reach level 3, 6000, 10.000, 15.000, 21.000. As you see, it follows the same pattern, +1/+2/+3/+4 etc. A fair system.

A lot of new Races. Asmiars, Thieflings, Drow, new Elves, New Halflings, New Dwarves. And Duergar. All this makes for a much deeper possible character generation setup. You have total freedom.

Oh, any Dwarf basically IS a Dwarven Defender in IWD 2. A dwarf can be a Fighter 4 / Mage 26 Character just for fun. You can't get better defence than that in a basic IWD 2 game (well you can, but that is "advanced" character building, and there is lot's of that).

Armor Class and Thaco work in the same way basically, but it is wastly more easy to understand. No more negative numbers. You get plusses to all. AC 15 is better than AC 10, Hit bonus +5 is better than +1.

Dual classes are gone, and everybody can multiclass as much as they wish within the ruleset of the classes. MAkes for some truly interesting build. Consider the Bard 11 / Druid 19 Character just as one crazy but strong example.

The Ranger was the true sadness of IWD2. You never need more than one level as a Ranger to get its benefit, and it was severly gimped, did not have anything interseting at all. Some minor bonuses vs various monsters IF you stayed on a ranger path, and some minor spells that all in all was rather poor.

But i still have Ranger as a multiclass splash level for several builds, like the Ranger 1 / Rogue 2 / Paladin 1 / Wizard 26 Drow.

True Classes are back, same as old Ad&d was for the original IWD 1. Druid is Druid, Fighter is Fighter, Rogue is rogue and so on. The only "specialist" classes are the schooled mages, and most of them suck.

IWD 2 was the rise of the Sorcerors game. But i Guess so was BG2 & 1 (with the EE), and the true Winners are the Clerics. Cleric come with a sort of Alignment Kit, With 9 different Deity setups, and all Clerics become super super strong.

[Thyranis]

Originally posted by HellsWind:

I mean (in) the actual game, I have played some of it and noticed right off that some classes are missing compared to Icewind Dale 1 which then makes 1 kind of a superior game but don't get me wrong, Icewind Dale 2 is still good to play it's just I wondered why is it so different than say

Baldur's Gate 1/2 or even Icewind Dale 1?

Wait IWD 2 is out in EE ???

[WhispersOfTheWind]

Originally posted by Thyranis:

Originally posted by HellsWind:

I mean (in) the actual game, I have played some of it and noticed right off that some classes are missing compared to Icewind Dale 1 which then makes 1 kind of a superior game but don't get me wrong, Icewind Dale 2 is still good to play it's just I wondered why is it so different than say

Baldur's Gate 1/2 or even Icewind Dale 1?

Wait IWD 2 is out in EE ???

Check this out:

https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/79872/icewind-dale-2-enhanced-edition-is-here-and-the-red-chimera-group-is-looking-for-playtesters#latest

in that regard.

[Thyranis]

Originally posted by HellsWind:

Originally posted by Thyranis:

Wait IWD 2 is out in EE ???

Check this out:

https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/79872/icewind-dale-2-enhanced-edition-is-here-and-the-red-chimera-group-is-looking-for-playtesters#latest

in that regard.

Fan-made?? ooff wouldnt touch it with a 10-feet pole

When they use nicknames in the credits, you know somethings wrong

[Vambran]

Siege Of Dragon Spear has shown they can create new content. So if they really wanted they could recreate Icewind dale 2 from scratch.

[.O.]

Originally posted by Vambran:

Siege Of Dragon Spear has shown they can create new content. So if they really wanted they could recreate Icewind dale 2 from scratch.

There are probably legal ramifications for that. It's one thing for fans to do it. But a company charging money for something has a lot more restrictions