Story and combat

[Hikari.ws]

Hey guys

I'm playing Baldur's Gate for the first time. It's sad I never had opportunity to play these games before but at least I'm enjoying it a lot.

I'm reading about Icewind Dale and I saw more than 1 review saying it emphasizes more the combat and the story isn't as good as BG.

For my tastes, I like to battle in BG and earn XP and enhance my chars, I'm not playing easy mode and try the best to not use cheats, but it's still not so enjoying. Any other game has battles and XP, and some 2010's games have much better graphs. I don't think I'd wanna play an Infinity based game for combats.

What I'm looking for is a game with great story, great quests, and freedom to create my char and *role play* him with a variety of dialog options and see them affect the environment and the relationship with all NPCs.

I'm afraid ID won't be a game for me, do you think I'm mistaken or should I stay away?

[Julius Borisov]

IWD has a story, although it's more linear one than in BG. It has side quests but fewer than in BG. In the same time, IWD offers unique atmosphere, beautiful locations and interesting fights.

[fauxpas]

Yeah, if you are in it for the story and RP then IWD isn't for you.

As for expanding the "RP" in the BG Saga I'd point you towards http://gibberlings3.net/forums/ especially the NPC Project.

For more interesting combats, I'd try Stratagems from the same site. (You'll need to apply the "hotfixes" in order to get it to install but it is truly worth it.)

[bram_thibaut]

Originally posted by Hikari.ws:

What I'm looking for is a game with great story, great quests, and freedom to create my char and *role play* him with a variety of dialog options and see them affect the environment and the relationship with all NPCs.

If that is what you're looking for, I'd try Baldur's Gate 2. An even bigger story, tons of quests and your decisions have much more impact on your relation with NPC's.

[Hikari.ws]

Thanks, I won't play IWD then.

What's http://gibberlings3.net/forums/ about? Mods for BG and BG? Will they work on Beamdog's?

[fauxpas]

Yeah, most of them work with EE, but if you like me were suckered into buying SoD you'll have to run Mod Merge which can be found over at bd's forum.

[Julius Borisov]

Mod Merge is only needed for BGEE+SoD, it's not needed for BG2EE.

[fauxpas]

Originally posted by Julius Borisov:

Mod Merge is only needed for BGEE+SoD, it's not needed for BG2EE.

Well considering that SoD is for BGI ONLY ... oh, apparently Mod Merge is also only needed for the Steam and GoG release as well.

[Snorcraff]

Hi Hikari ! I just discovered BG a couple of years ago, through the enhanced, and loved it.Loved it ? That sounds lacking. I Actually think that it's just the best game i ever play. By now, i'm playing IWD EE and love it too. I'm not this kind of old fan, i just playing it by now, and i'm ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ blown away by the quality of these games. About IWD, the story isn't good as it is in BG (wich i think it's masterpiece class), but it is more than decent, and the ambiance (I talk about graphisms : landscape, interiors) is better. Engine seems to be pushed here to his limits. + This game is better than i thought, it manages to create a good vibration, keeping all the old secrets to create a good atmosphere, and keeping it by the rythme it creates. It is NOT an hack and slash, but a true rpg, simply more fun, but complete. i recommend it. Fights are very, very cool. Even in 2016. Coz it's all about a good, good feeling. So i recommend it to you. This is not the masterpiece as BG is, but you'll have fun as you had playing BG, that's for sure. Coz it manages to create all you need to have fun, just like it does in BG. BUT I have to say this : if you enjoyed BG, because yo're not a nostalgic player, but just because it's good, then you MUST try Planescape Torment FIRST. It is that kind of old classic game that is so mindblowing that you could enjoy despite of its age. The scenario in this is so top class that no game today could match it. So it could answer to your way of trying old rpgs, because it's still pertinent to play it today, thanks to his fabulous, amazing scenario. You'll anoy your friends and family with that ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ game, you can be sure of that. Life changing, actually.It must be First on your top list if you still wanna know all the old genious stuff. But, IWD is a very, very cool game, even by now. You cannot make a mistake by tring an IE game, the fact is here. +check for Arcanum and Fallout 1+2.

[Hikari.ws]

tnx Ssnorcraff!

I heard of Planescape just recently. I'll play it then after BG2 then try IWD.

But I ended up reading a lot about the people who developed BG and ended up trying Dragon Age Origins, and loved it. Just finished the main game, and there's a lot to play yet.

Some day I'll go back to BG and play it at least twice.