471 réponses à ce sujet

[Bhryaen]

Sorry- missed this post...

Bondari the Reloader wrote...

Bhryaen wrote...
The only extra element worth mentioning is that, due to appeals to a "wider" audience in newer games, the creation of a very gender-equal game in DAO was a great move, with main characters being women and storylines regarding women's issues. But then again this was already pioneered in BG from the get-go with all the female NPC companions and romances. And really that approach is best to life generally, just coming out in the games produced...

I've always loved the fact that women played some vital roles in the BG franchise. Imoen is one of my favorite video game characters ever, and growing up I actually used to wish she was my real sister. Jahiera's attitude may get on my nerves, but she has a definite presence and spirit. In BG2, Aerie and Nalia have many similar ideals, but they're still separate, distinct characters.

That said, BG caters more to male charcters than female characters. Look at the romances. If you play a male you can choose from Aerie, Jahiera, and Viconia, but if you're a woman you get... Anomen, a character I find extremely annoying and usually don't bother to take with me. (Yes, I know there are mods, but who knows if any of them will be included in the EE.) Compare that with DA:O where the options are equal for both genders and your gender can potentially influence the story.

That's one reason I'm intrigued by this new male character and whether he could possibly be romanceable, not because every character should be romanceable, but because it would be nice for female PCs to actually have a choice other than between Anomen or spinsterhood.

This is true. I hope that does happen for girl players with the new male NPC, and maybe that was even the idea behind creating him... and hopefully if he's a BG1 char with that sort of option, he'll go on to BG2. It does sound though like they're going out of their way to make BGEE backwards-compatible, so to say. I may have missed quoting him saying that BGEE is going to be "WeiDU-based" or some such, right out of modder language. Did you ever use the mod GavinNPC? He's kinda funny, and there's definitely a BG2 version for him also, and he's romanceable, but I'm not sure if GavinBG2NPC works to extend a romance from BG1.... Alas he sounds as appealing to me as a Lelianna in DAO with all the religion bunk going with it (or Viconia, for that matter). Maybe just a more or less funnier Anomen. lol His interactions with other chars are good though- all modder-made content...

BG was also good for bringing in non-companion female NPCs, with a woman leading the bassilisk area adventure party, with the "amazon" hunting party, with Nashkell's Neira, with a Kristin to go with Slythe, etc. It set a good precedent, but it wasn't as "modern" as it could've been, probably given the milieu in which it was generated. I find that with all I love about BG, DAO actually has this one aspect solidly over BG. It'd be great if the Oster team addresses this somehow, at the very least adding the romance you mention.

And again, take the beards off dwarf girls, Trent!

Modifié par Bhryaen, 04 avril 2012 - 06:51 .

[Mathuzzz]

Bhryaen wrote...
"Wow. We are the #4 Most anticipated game on shacknews. http://www.shacknews.com/ Woot."
Naw... really? That ranking'll surely be rising the more people learn of it and the closer it comes to release...

Yup, it´s already third

Bhryaen wrote...
"There will be new equipment in #bgee we're constrained to existing character animations, but hope to add equipment for neglected classes"
Finally a katana for people specialize in starting from Candlekeep!... maybe...

Animations are my biggest worry about the graphics. Especially in case of BG1, animations aged the most. In BG2 there were lots of absolutely great animations, which still look great.

[LeBurns]

Bhryaen wrote...

Actually he did mention (not announce) that there are so far more than a half-dozen new areas... So there'll be both extra areas tucked in as well as a sort of TotSC+ extra expansion. Vampire Island as well! Nononono... Actually what I'd like more than lots of new areas would be adding encounters to numerous oddly dead spots in the original areas- particularly in the southwest but other places as well- where there's great scenery that just begs to have something happen there but just ends up being some large open section I nevertheless always feel compelled to clear anyway. Hm, I wonder if they're going to use the same black-blotch world in BGEE or maybe have a check-off option for clearing it...

Ok now this is starting to worry me.  I really didn't want a lot of new area's added, or changes made.  I figured maybe add a couple that were maybe cut from the original game, but I really didn't want the game to be that much different.

I'm also now starting to be concerned about the EXP and the level cap.  If you did it all in BG you would hit the level cap just before the end and could carry a maxed out character into BG2.  With them adding more than a half-dozen new areas I fear that we'll hit our level cap way earlier, leaving us stuck at a set level for the whole last part of the game and expansion.

[BlackVader]

LeBurns wrote...

Ok now this is starting to worry me.  I really didn't want a lot of new area's added, or changes made.  I figured maybe add a couple that were maybe cut from the original game, but I really didn't want the game to be that much different.

It's already been said that the content is completely optional. If you don't want it, ignore it.

I'm also now starting to be concerned about the EXP and the level cap.  If you did it all in BG you would hit the level cap just before the end and could carry a maxed out character into BG2.  With them adding more than a half-dozen new areas I fear that we'll hit our level cap way earlier, leaving us stuck at a set level for the whole last part of the game and expansion.

Trent also said that they'll most likely increase the xp-cap for BG1 slightly to make the new content more meaningful for character developement. So we should expect maybe 1-2 additional levels per class when compared to TotSC.

[LeBurns]

The BGEE will include TotSC won't it? I had assumed it would.

Also, who is Trent and where does he say all these things? Is there some Blog I should be following? I feel like all the info I get here is piece-meal and second or third hand.

[Mathuzzz]

I like the idea of new areas, but also BG1 doesn´t need too much new areas, because it was actually like open world. It is BG2, that need more areas. I must confess, that once BG2 came out, I didn´t like it, because of no free roaming throughout the land.

[fro7k]

LeBurns wrote...

The BGEE will include TotSC won't it? I had assumed it would.

Also, who is Trent and where does he say all these things? Is there some Blog I should be following? I feel like all the info I get here is piece-meal and second or third hand.

Co-Founder and former employee of Bioware, currently works at Beamdog and is spearheading BG:EE.

Trent Oster's twitter
Official BG:EE thread on the beamdog website (he makes a few posts there)

[LeBurns]

fro7k wrote...

LeBurns wrote...

The BGEE will include TotSC won't it? I had assumed it would.

Also, who is Trent and where does he say all these things? Is there some Blog I should be following? I feel like all the info I get here is piece-meal and second or third hand.

Co-Founder and former employee of Bioware, currently works at Beamdog and is spearheading BG:EE.

Trent Oster's twitter
Official BG:EE thread on the beamdog website (he makes a few posts there)

Thanks.  I feel empowered now.

Any word on TotSC being included or not?  EDIT:  Nevermind, saw it on the official forum.

Modifié par LeBurns, 04 avril 2012 - 03:33 .

[Redcoat]

"No, Phil Athan is not our new writer. Our new fellow has done magazine work, a few novels and time at Bioware."

Well THAT'S a relief!

[Bondari the Reloader]

Bhryaen wrote...
And again, take the beards off dwarf girls, Trent!

Yes, please! I rolled a dwarf girl last time I played through and was completely blindsided by the beard! Thankfully, she was a thief so you couldn't really see it under the hood, but every time she died she came back to life as a man...

[Gem Hound]

Mathuzzz wrote...

I like the idea of new areas, but also BG1 doesn´t need too much new areas, because it was actually like open world. It is BG2, that need more areas. I must confess, that once BG2 came out, I didn´t like it, because of no free roaming throughout the land.

I agree 100% about this statement. That is the only reason I didn't like BG2, othrwise, I liked it.

[Gleym]

Agreeing on the BG2 needing more exploration part. With BG1 there were maps after maps after maps until you finally reached the World Map screen leading to the next batch of maps after maps after maps.. you get what I mean. I'd love to see that in BG2. Being able to do more.. world-roaming.. as it were.

[aries1001]

The problem with a hard copy of this game is that it'll need to have a publisher involved. And the whole point of digital distrubution is to sort of cut out the middelman - the publisher. However, the game could as well be out on steam, on gamer's gate, on direct 2 drive and other digital distribution networks.

As for what mods, there'll be in the game, I hope Ascension might not be forced on us, but more of a voluntary thing, especially since I've had a tough time beating the game just on the normal modes and with the normal monsters etc. in the game. As for 3D, the isometric view is fine. However, I would still like to have the option to turn the image around like in NW`N, the first.

As for who will get the money, part of the deal with Bioware and EA (when Bioware was bought by EA in2007-2008) was that all rights to the D&D games made by Bioware/Interplay/Black Isle came back to Atari and in the last instance Wizards and the Coast/TSR. So Beamdog will get the money, I think. However, it it still Bioware's engine....

[fro7k]

Just noticed something between BG1 and BG2... the narrators are completely different. All this time I had it in my head they were the same, but they sound nothing alike!

[Redcoat]

Yes, the narrator in the first game is Kevin Michael Richardson, who also does the voice of Sarevok and the "You must gather your party..." line. In the second game, the narrator is John. H. Mayer, according to IMDB.

[Mathuzzz]

Both those voices are great in my opinion, but the first one, Kevin Michael Richardson sounds incredible. Sarevok may be my most favourite villain voice.....No, actually he is my favourite villain as a whole.

[Bhryaen]

LeBurns wrote...

Bhryaen wrote...
Actually he did mention (not announce) that there are so far more than a half-dozen new areas... So there'll be both extra areas tucked in as well as a sort of TotSC+ extra expansion... Actually what I'd like more than lots of new areas would be adding encounters to numerous oddly dead spots in the original areas- particularly in the southwest but in other places as well- where there's great scenery that just begs to have something happen there but just ends up being some large open section I nevertheless always feel compelled to clear anyway...

Ok now this is starting to worry me.  I really didn't want a lot of new area's added, or changes made.  I fiured maybe add a couple that were maybe cut from the original game, but I really didn't want the game to be that much different.

Actually I'm having this same reaction now. This moment for BG seems like the moment that all the great game fixes we've always wanted could happen- the window of opportunity to clean it up and make it shine, not to gild the lily- i.e., not in order that so much new content could weigh into it that other things might get neglected just to make it work. New content would be good for a number of reasons- not the least of which would be to have new material for those of us who already know the game so well, but the priority of this probably-final official reworking of BG should probably be:

1. Fixes, gameplay improvements, sound and graphics (maybe some animation sharpening)
2. Added options that we presently now can mod but already included as startup clickable options
3. Added content

That said there are some great content options I'd want to see, chief among which would be a more official BG1-to-BG2 story. Maybe the Dukes say outright that you should return to them if you defeat Sarevok, so then you go back. They say that trouble with Amn is overwhelming, please investigate X for them... and in transit... voila abduction and torture! Fun! Just something that makes it a whole game. Or I've seen one of idea of cameos by BG2 chars in  BG1- or storyline hints, etc. Content that ties the game together, not just completely new stuff "like BG" that hopefully we'll like.

GemHound wrote...

Mathuzzz wrote...
I like the idea of new areas, but also BG1 doesn´t need too much new areas, because it was actually like open world. It is BG2, that need more areas. I must confess, that once BG2 came out, I didn´t like it, because of no free roaming throughout the land.

I agree 100% about this statement. That is the only reason I didn't like BG2, othrwise, I liked it.

I like this idea too, though you'll have folks who want to keep BG2 as linear as it is... Still, if there's a place in the series for extra areas it would be BG2. Other completely new content that would only enhance the game would be the extra romanceable companions mentioned earlier, extra dialogue for BG1 NPCs/ party banter, extra story development for party NPCs....

More to say, must dash...

Modifié par Bhryaen, 05 avril 2012 - 11:56 .

[meteor0L]

i don't really bother the new areas.
you probably won't be "forced" to play them. ( i don't think they will change the mainquest and force you to visit new areas). they will probably have sidequest there, which means you don't have to play them if you don't want to.

[fro7k]

I like this idea too, though you'll have folks who want to keep BG2 as linear as it is...

Linear!? It was never linear, just not free-roaming.

[PicklePepperPiper]

I'm personally excited for this - I think Trent's got the right kind of ideas, it's just a matter of drawing the line somewhere, and that can be a difficult maneuver.

For example, there have been comments around the place of setting up the quick weapon slots similar to NWN, having the sword and shield in one slot and a bow in another. I would be very surprised if anyone classified the extra time spent on unequipping shield and equipping bow "immersive", but at what point does the gameplay shift from the old style to a more streamlined, dumbed-down version? All about the line. (But I don't think anyone will have any qualms about better pathfinding AI)

But in all honesty, I am more than pleased for extra content. It's really the best compromise, to leave all the original content untouched and simply add more. Even though BG's replayability is the best I've experienced, I'm not adverse to the idea that I could squeeze out maybe 2 hours of content I haven't played before. Does anyone ever catch themselves saying things like "I wish I could experience playing BG for the first time again"? I sure do.

The best favour Trent and his team can do is iron out the best mods in the community - converting BG1 to a BG2 engine is a must (I'd prefer in the vein of a seamless, BGT experience), plus all the rebalancing of the kits to ensure that a young whelp from Candlekeep can't suddenly have the knowledge to control a werewolf beast form. Also ensuring that locks and traps give appropriate XP. NPC mods would be more subjective (please, no Solufein!), but the fully supported option of having each NPC from BG in BG2 (where appropriate) would be absolutely welcome.

The magic formula I think is to just have just a little bit more over the top of what exists on the content side. More diverse sound effects. More portraits. Maybe 2 or 3 more music tracks (not to belittle the originals, they are FANTASTIC).

For me personally they'd have to be massive dunderheads to screw this up. I know I'm going to enjoy it. And if I don't I've still got the old games with my favourite mod selection.

Another thing I haven't seen people commenting on is how these games will finally be properly supported in this day and age. Especially after Bioware took down the old forums, troubleshooting this game has been a nightmare.

-PPP

Modifié par PicklePepperPiper, 07 avril 2012 - 02:23 .

[PicklePepperPiper]

Reading some more comments reg. HP on level up, chance to learn spell etc. (from the Beamdog forums)

The general consensus seems to be that those "complexities" add annoyance rather than complexity. But I don't think people realise it's as simple as turning down the difficulty dial. I know for my no-reload games that it ALWAYS added an extra level of immersion - do I take the potion of genius to learn cloudkill, or do I risk it with an 90% chance? Boom, I've failed to learn the spell but hey, it's made the game richer, not more frustrating.

So the easiest thing to do with elements like these is to have it as it always was - optional.
-PPP

EDIT: Also rolling stats. I'm not in the business of powergaming and I think Trent should try to avoid giving the "I hate having to sit for 30 minutes to roll the best char" crowd what they want.

Modifié par PicklePepperPiper, 07 avril 2012 - 02:04 .

[PicklePepperPiper]

Also, what's the consensus on making CHA a more viable stat?

[Gem Hound]

PicklePepperPiper wrote...

Also, what's the consensus on making CHA a more viable stat?

I personally would like to have a viable use for charisma.

[Redcoat]

One thing I'd wish to have seen more of was speech checks in dialogue. I'm not saying they have to go as far as the Fallout series and have a low INT character talk like a caveman, but greater influence of your character's stats upon dialogue options would be a great addition. A character with a high CHA stat should be able to talk his way out of certain situations, for example, without having to resort to combat.

The way it is now, CHA is pretty much a dump stat, especially since you can easily boost it to 18 with the Ring of Human Influence, or with spells.

[Boiny Bunny]

Is there an official forum for this? I'm trying to figure out what exactly they are 'improving'.

From the iPad screenshots they released, it looks like they aren't updating the graphics at all, not making one single change. It also looks like the original animations are being kept, and nothing new being introduced there.

I'm sure there will be a variety of bug fixes, and one new character + a new quest or two sounds nice - but with the right mods you can fix most of the bugs in the games anyway...

Just confused as to what aspects of the game they are 'enhancing' enough that I would actually be convinced to buy it (even if it's < $10).