Icewind Dale on sale on GoG

[``;..;´´]

https://www.gog.com/en/game/icewind_dale_enhanced_edition

The GoG version includes the classic Icewind Dale Complete. In case anyone is interested in different price and the original version of IWD.

[nuther]

It would be more challenging than EE.

[``;..;´´]

why you said that? I read the original version is more balance.

[nuther]

More balance would be harder.

EE has class/kit combinations which are more powerful.

[``;..;´´]

Originally posted by nuther:

More balance would be harder.

EE has class/kit combinations which are more powerful.

Giving you access to kits and spells means the balance is broken.

In any case "Enhanced Edition" is a Mod of "Icewind Dale complete" (the original), the same goes for Baldur's Gate, which can found in GoG too.

People needs to knows, if they want to play the original games, how the developers (Bioware) envisioned it. Beamdog took it and make the "Enhanced Edition" removing content and adding new content.

[Nukoolamukmuk]

play both versions is best. The replayabliilty of this game is good.

[``;..;´´]

Originally posted by Nukoolamukmuk:

play both versions is best. The replayabliilty of this game is good.

Exactly! ;)

[ParabolaWaVe]

The Enhanced versions are superior in many different ways. I particularly enjoy the player circles going from green to your character colors, its a small but important detail which helps with visibility, considering the sprites are small. Not to mention the native Linux and Mac ports. I'm not sure if the original Mac OS version of Icewind Dale actually runs on modern configurations.

Good that Gog offers both original and enhanced. Its a good store but Linux users are somewhat stuck with Steam.. running Windows code with Wine, instead of Proton, gives the user a lot of headaches. Sometimes its not even possible.

[iamdorf]

Originally posted by ParabolaWaVe:

The Enhanced versions are superior in many different ways. I particularly enjoy the player circles going from green to your character colors, its a small but important detail which helps with visibility, considering the sprites are small. Not to mention the native Linux and Mac ports. I'm not sure if the original Mac OS version of Icewind Dale actually runs on modern configurations.

Good that Gog offers both original and enhanced. Its a good store but Linux users are somewhat stuck with Steam.. running Windows code with Wine, instead of Proton, gives the user a lot of headaches. Sometimes its not even possible.

I agree. Also it's much easier to do custom portraits, which are my jam.

[``;..;´´]

Originally posted by ParabolaWaVe:

The Enhanced versions are superior in many different ways. I particularly enjoy the player circles going from green to your character colors, its a small but important detail which helps with visibility, considering the sprites are small.

The sprites are not small unless you use a high resolution, the game was not designed with that in mind.

Originally posted by ParabolaWaVe:

running Windows code with Wine, instead of Proton, gives the user a lot of headaches. Sometimes its not even possible.

No. There is already well know games and apps that works without any issue on Linux with Wine. Unless you try to install a game that is not supported.

But in any case Windows OS still a OS for games. It's stupid to try to install modules, drivers or whatever to try to run graphic cards or whatever you need to run a game in a good performance on Linux. I don't care Mac users...

[``;..;´´]

Originally posted by iamdorf:

I agree. Also it's much easier to do custom portraits, which are my jam.

What problem do you have? I don't remember having any issue adding custom portraits.

[``;..;´´]

For me the Enhanced Edition is ugly, too stretched and everything small. I don't see any advantage over the original Icewind Dale. The original IWD works great using the latest Win10.

The best versions are the "D&D Anthology Master Collection". Forget the Enhanced Edition.

[ParabolaWaVe]

As a Linux user, I have no reason to run Win32 code when I have the modern version compiled for my OS. Plus, as I said, it has some quality of life improvements which I appreciate. In fact, this is the same version Gog offers, Linux executables included, along with the original version for people who, for some reason, prefer it over the new. And that's fine, more choice is always better.

Computer monitors changed since the game was released. I no longer have a 1024x768 CRT monitor to run games like the original Icewind Dale, which originally ran at 800x600 pixels, I think, and 16 bit color. Games from that time have issues with widescreen displays. Sprites look ugly and blurry when monitor switch to non native resolutions. Now, you might say that I can modify the game executable to reduce the issues. True... but if I'm going to modify or patch the code, then why run the original version in the first place?

The Gog vs. Steam discussion is interesting, worth having it, but I don't think this is the right place for a general discussion like that. As far as Icewind Dale is concerned, the Gog release is superior, but Steam integrates the game into their platform and adds some social extras, like achievements.

[``;..;´´]

Is not a modern version or "new" version, is a different game, is running using BG2 engine with items from BG2, with other stuff changed, is like a modded game. I played both, and I don't see any reason to use the enhanced version unless I want a different fell/take of IWD (like any mod) the enhanced version is like a cash grab honestly.

Yes is the same version as GoG but GoG include the original game made by the original developers black isle, not from beamdog. I work fine for me in Win10, I don't use CTR or whatever you're saying.

Originally posted by ParabolaWaVe:

Computer monitors changed since the game was released. I no longer have a 1024x768 CRT monitor to run games like the original Icewind Dale, which originally ran at 800x600 pixels, I think, and 16 bit color. Games from that time have issues with widescreen displays. Sprites look ugly and blurry when monitor switch to non native resolutions. Now, you might say that I can modify the game executable to reduce the issues. True... but if I'm going to modify or patch the code, then why run the original version in the first place?

I guess you never tried to play the original game, because this is not true. For me is the contrary, looks ugly in the enhanced version. You don't need to modify the executable. Works fine vanilla, if you want a mod you need to install it. (I use two mods and the installation is a double click away)

Originally posted by ParabolaWaVe:

The Gog vs. Steam discussion is interesting, worth having it, but I don't think this is the right place for a general discussion like that. As far as Icewind Dale is concerned, the Gog release is superior, but Steam integrates the game into their platform and adds some social extras, like achievements.

The features on steam are superficial. I don't know the price in other countries, but GoG is a better deal. Some mods work for the last IWD patch, other mods for both.

But what I did was to take a different route and forget the "Enhanced Edition". Go for "D&D Anthology Master Collection" is way better.

[BLR | Adarviroh]

Originally posted by ``..´´:

Is not a modern version or "new" version, is a different game, is running using BG2 engine with items from BG2, with other stuff changed, is like a modded game. I played both, and I don't see any reason to use the enhanced version unless I want a different fell/take of IWD (like any mod) the enhanced version is like a cash grab honestly.

Yes is the same version as GoG but GoG include the original game made by the original developers black isle, not from beamdog. I work fine for me in Win10, I don't use CTR or whatever you're saying.

Originally posted by ParabolaWaVe:

Computer monitors changed since the game was released. I no longer have a 1024x768 CRT monitor to run games like the original Icewind Dale, which originally ran at 800x600 pixels, I think, and 16 bit color. Games from that time have issues with widescreen displays. Sprites look ugly and blurry when monitor switch to non native resolutions. Now, you might say that I can modify the game executable to reduce the issues. True... but if I'm going to modify or patch the code, then why run the original version in the first place?

I guess you never tried to play the original game, because this is not true. For me is the contrary, looks ugly in the enhanced version. You don't need to modify the executable. Works fine vanilla, if you want a mod you need to install it. (I use two mods and the installation is a double click away)

Originally posted by ParabolaWaVe:

The Gog vs. Steam discussion is interesting, worth having it, but I don't think this is the right place for a general discussion like that. As far as Icewind Dale is concerned, the Gog release is superior, but Steam integrates the game into their platform and adds some social extras, like achievements.

The features on steam are superficial. I don't know the price in other countries, but GoG is a better deal. Some mods work for the last IWD patch, other mods for both.

But what I did was to take a different route and forget the "Enhanced Edition". Go for "D&D Anthology Master Collection" is way better.

Enhanced supports Win 10 from the box, and has nice options I can't recall in vanilla
-no cosmetic attacks
-zoom
-flush accesible area on minimap
-no melee after ammo has been depleted
-scalable UI
and so on

Pay 5 bucks on sale to enjoy the game on 2k res win10 machinge from the box

[``;..;´´]

That what I said friend, the original IWD support Win 10, the other thing you said are just superficial features... zoom? really?. I'll say again, GoG is better deal, include both edition original IWD, enhanced and DRM-free. If you want to talk about features, the original IWD can play faster, you have a speed option, the "enhanced edition" doesn't.

"D&D Anthology Master Collection" is way better.

Originally posted by BLR | Adarviroh:

Pay 5 bucks on sale to enjoy the game on 2k res win10 machinge from the box

5 bucks is too much for a mod, bad idea to buy EE, unless you want to have the game in your Steam library.