I never played these games when they originally came out. My first experience with Bioware's great games was Neverwinter Nights and KOTOR back in 2002/2003, but for years I've been hearing how great these games are. (I noticed these games avaliable as I was downloading NWN1 from GOG.COM and I'm thinking about buying both.) I have a few questions:
1. I realize that the rules are AD&D--the ruleset prior to 3.0/3.5. I'm a fairly experienced D20 gamer (various PC/console games and pen and paper rules) but never played D&D prior to 3.0. Will the learning curve be slight for me compared to those that come to this game without D&D knowledge?
2. I'm very experienced with mods, haks, etc, thanks to NWN's, so I was wondering if BG1 & 2 rely on these as heavly? Is there a "vault" like there is for NWN 1 & 2? If so, what are the "essential" mods/haks that would improve my experience?
Thanks in advance.
Some general questions about BG 1 & 2
Débuté par
Brannon
, mai 20 2011 07:10
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#2
Posté 20 mai 2011 - 07:47
Flamedance
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1 The learning curve won't be as steep for you as for those who start playing these games without prior knowledge of D&D. Having said that, D&D changed significantly with 3E. 2E rules are somewhat counter-intuitive (in 2E you want your AC to be as low as possible, for instance).
Also note that the Baldurs Gate series is significantly more challenging than either KOTOR or NWN. Don't be fooled by the people on this forum who usually play with difficulty enhancing mods. They've been playing this game since it was first released and know every tree on the Sword Coast.
If you need a good introduction to 2E rules and the Baldurs Gate series, read Dan Simpson's walkthrough on gamefaqs.
2 A comprehensive list of mods: http://www.pocketpla...list/index.php.
For someone first playing the game, i'd recommend: http://www.gibberlin....php#bg2fixpack (mandatory), http://forums.spellh.../261-bgt-weidu/ (allows you to play BG1 in the BG2 engine, which is far superior and makes the entire series one seamless game) and BG NPC project which adds to the depth of interaction with other partymembers http://www.gibberlin...1npc/index.php.
There are literally hundreds of other mods, but these would imo be best for a new player. An alternative to BGT would be Tutu http://usoutpost31.com/easytutu/. I myself prefer BGT, but there's nothing wrong with Tutu either.
Edit: The two major modding communities are Spellhold Studios: http://www.spellholdstudios.net/ and G3: http://www.gibberlings3.net/
Also note that the Baldurs Gate series is significantly more challenging than either KOTOR or NWN. Don't be fooled by the people on this forum who usually play with difficulty enhancing mods. They've been playing this game since it was first released and know every tree on the Sword Coast.
If you need a good introduction to 2E rules and the Baldurs Gate series, read Dan Simpson's walkthrough on gamefaqs.
2 A comprehensive list of mods: http://www.pocketpla...list/index.php.
For someone first playing the game, i'd recommend: http://www.gibberlin....php#bg2fixpack (mandatory), http://forums.spellh.../261-bgt-weidu/ (allows you to play BG1 in the BG2 engine, which is far superior and makes the entire series one seamless game) and BG NPC project which adds to the depth of interaction with other partymembers http://www.gibberlin...1npc/index.php.
There are literally hundreds of other mods, but these would imo be best for a new player. An alternative to BGT would be Tutu http://usoutpost31.com/easytutu/. I myself prefer BGT, but there's nothing wrong with Tutu either.
Edit: The two major modding communities are Spellhold Studios: http://www.spellholdstudios.net/ and G3: http://www.gibberlings3.net/
Modifié par Flamedance, 20 mai 2011 - 07:54 .
#3
Posté 20 mai 2011 - 09:28
ussnorway
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There are two big differences between NWN and BG. 
1. NWN has the good, neutral and evil system along with control or chaos points where as BG works on 20 reputation... 1-7 is child rapist and above 13 is saint hood.
2. NWN is linear, that is you do the quests in order to advance the plot but BG is freeform where you wake up and say “Do I feel like going to watchers keep today or just hag around town… Do I kill the silver dragon or take a pass and while we are at it, who votes we leave little Imoen in the lockup?” Enjoy!
1. NWN has the good, neutral and evil system along with control or chaos points where as BG works on 20 reputation... 1-7 is child rapist and above 13 is saint hood.
2. NWN is linear, that is you do the quests in order to advance the plot but BG is freeform where you wake up and say “Do I feel like going to watchers keep today or just hag around town… Do I kill the silver dragon or take a pass and while we are at it, who votes we leave little Imoen in the lockup?” Enjoy!
Modifié par ussnorway, 20 mai 2011 - 09:29 .
#4
Posté 20 mai 2011 - 09:45
Czacki
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BG plot is also extremely linear. Just because you may or may not kill an optional boss - or insert a optional location somewhere inbetween main quests - doesn't make it not linear (that would mean pretty much every game with side quests is not linear).
It's especially true for BG1 because BG1 doesn't offer any real differences in major plot points.
It's especially true for BG1 because BG1 doesn't offer any real differences in major plot points.
#5
Posté 20 mai 2011 - 01:45
morbidest2
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Brannon:
BG1 is much more muscle oriented than BG2 (magic pulls even with muscle) and ToB (magic is more important), so if you begin at the beginning with BG1 your learning curve will be very gentle. As someone who has played thru the 3 forms of NWN1 a few times, comparing it to the older BGxs is like comparing a Chevy to a Cadillac. They just don't make 'em like they used to!
BG1 is much more muscle oriented than BG2 (magic pulls even with muscle) and ToB (magic is more important), so if you begin at the beginning with BG1 your learning curve will be very gentle. As someone who has played thru the 3 forms of NWN1 a few times, comparing it to the older BGxs is like comparing a Chevy to a Cadillac. They just don't make 'em like they used to!
#6
Posté 21 mai 2011 - 03:52
Ishad Nha
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BG2 does not follow pen and paper rules all the time.
Some years ago, there was an attempt to convert the BG2 game to 3E, it was called Icewind Gate. It requires both Icewind Dale 2 and BG2. (It uses the ID2 game to run the BG2 files.)
http://forums.pocket....php?board=45.0
Some years ago, there was an attempt to convert the BG2 game to 3E, it was called Icewind Gate. It requires both Icewind Dale 2 and BG2. (It uses the ID2 game to run the BG2 files.)
http://forums.pocket....php?board=45.0
#7
Posté 21 mai 2011 - 08:07
Flamedance
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I don't reommend Icewind Gate. Wes Weimer abandoned the project and it's still badly bugged (nearly unplayable).
#8
Posté 21 mai 2011 - 03:16
Ishad Nha
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It is a bit buggy. Also, the two engines are very different, you can't finally re-create BG2 with the IWD2 game because so much is hard-coded. What it will do is give you an idea of the different styles of the two versions of the D&D rules.
I had to add some items to Icewind Gate like the original BG2 version of the Shield of Balduran. Beholders are still there in Icewind Gate but the IG version of the shield is not useful against Beholders.
There was another version done by someone else, Nameless One?
I had to add some items to Icewind Gate like the original BG2 version of the Shield of Balduran. Beholders are still there in Icewind Gate but the IG version of the shield is not useful against Beholders.
There was another version done by someone else, Nameless One?
#9
Posté 21 mai 2011 - 11:40
Cowboy_christo
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BG with 3E rules, /drool. Sad the project wasnt continued.
#10
Posté 22 mai 2011 - 12:20
LTD
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Cowboy_christo wrote...
BG with 3E rules, /drool. Sad the project wasnt continued.
Ehh, I like my women hairy, ale bitter and Baldur's Gate with pre 3E rulesets:l
BG I and BG II both just refuse to grow obsolete or dull. I played through them over 2008-2009 and had even more fun revisiting them than I dared to hope. Awesome games. I wish BG II's approach to spells and counter spells was introduced to modern RPGs
Modifié par LTD, 22 mai 2011 - 12:25 .
#11
Posté 22 mai 2011 - 05:38
bussinrounds
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I agree with LTD. Not about the hairy women, but about the 2nd edition d&d rules being my favorite.
#12
Posté 22 mai 2011 - 08:14
Ishad Nha
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BG2 will generally be simpler to follow than a 3E game. For example, in BG2 the 3E - style Skills don't exist, except for Rogue skills.
In 3E, spellcasters do well to concentrate on their primary class. They can occasionally pick up another class but it should be only occasional. In BG1 multiclassing is a possibility. In BG2 dual-classing is the way to go.
Stat increases don't need to be planned out ahead of time either. In 3E you need spellcasters (Cleric, Druid, Mage, Sorceror) to start with at least a 15 in their prime requisite.
Imoen is 7 Thief become 8 mage, this requires a minimum total of 40,000 + 90,000 = 130,000 XP. By contast in 3E this would make her Character Level 7 + 8 = 15, which requires a minimum total of 105,000XP.
In 3E, spellcasters do well to concentrate on their primary class. They can occasionally pick up another class but it should be only occasional. In BG1 multiclassing is a possibility. In BG2 dual-classing is the way to go.
Stat increases don't need to be planned out ahead of time either. In 3E you need spellcasters (Cleric, Druid, Mage, Sorceror) to start with at least a 15 in their prime requisite.
Imoen is 7 Thief become 8 mage, this requires a minimum total of 40,000 + 90,000 = 130,000 XP. By contast in 3E this would make her Character Level 7 + 8 = 15, which requires a minimum total of 105,000XP.
Modifié par Ishad Nha, 23 mai 2011 - 02:02 .
