Bartimaeus

Patch released: http://forum.baldurs...2-build-2009/p1 The maximum frame rate can be edited right in-game now. FTR, what's supposed to happen is that a few are supposed to continue working on BG1, while the rest go onto BG2. They are trying, so...

Not at all, that was good. I was wondering if the EE game still used the core assets; and whether Bam-workshop or any of the Team-X tools would work on it. If it can be done, I expect that it might be; BG1 can run in BG tutu and effectively be BG1 campaign in BG2's engine. Yes...but the core assets - i.e. areas - were updated to be used with BG2:ToB's engine, similar to what Baldur's Gate Trilogy does, (I have no idea about TuTu - never used it - but I imagine it's probably similar). I'm not so sure, however, that there's a process for bringing BG2-type assets back into form with the BG1 engine - there might be a mod that brings the new assets to BGT or maybe TuTu, but I wouldn't exactly count on it, given that at least two of the most major BG(T) modders, Ascension64 of ToBEx/BGT and DavidW of SCS, will, as far as I understand, be mostly working on BG(2):EE [mod compatibility], especially in the coming months. Have no idea about BAM-Workshop, though.

1. I can alt-tab just fine. Sucks that you can't, though. 2. That sounds like a script problem. So...firstly, is party scripting enabled? If so, have you tried assigning her a mage script? Have not had the problem you've had at all, but I don't use character scripts, so...(soloing with a multiclass Mage/Thief, for the record).

Assuming you don't want to actually incorporate it into a mod via WeiDU, (if you did, you'd obviously have to understand WeiDU, which I don't have a lick of understanding of...), you'd have to manually update any areas to reference new items/characters/rects/etc. You'd also have to recreate the items from scratch, because BG1's items' file structure is very much different from from BG2(:ToB) items. I think BG1 items are actually backwards compatible with BG2, but not the other way around. Unsure about creatures - fairly easy to recreate if broken, though it may be a bit of work. Icons, (items, spells...), you could just import. Sounds, you'd have to down-sample from the new 44.1KHz 16bit .wav format to the old 22.05KHz 16bit .wav format, (fairly easy, even if sucky). Graphics...I would have no idea how to do, so I imagine it's probably fairly hard if you don't know what you're doing, (i.e. me), especially given how relatively little there is in the way of mods that add graphics that are not item/spell icons, (only ones I can think of at the moment are 1PP/Infinity Animations and some GUI mods). Any engine changes, (which, by the way, there are quite a few in BG:EE), would be completely out of the question, of course. Don't know about scripts or spells. Spells would be easy to recreate if their file structure is different, (though, again, potentially a bit of work), but I don't like to touch scripts...at all. All in all, a fair bit amount of work for what's possible...and some of it is just not realistically possible. That was probably more than you wanted to know, though.

I, uh, actually took out extreme, because it felt condescending, (playing the game a lot doesn't make you more of a fan than somebody else...), but okay. There actually have already been multiple patches released, (three, I think). Here's a post from the official forums regarding current technical issues: http://forum.baldurs...ber-3rd-2012/p1 I laughed really hard after seeing that picture coupled with what he said, and then proceeded to feel bad. Also, it would appear that, at least according from that post, they're offering refunds if you want it, particularly if you have Intel HD integrated video chips.

Personally I am glad you are defending the game as I want to purchase it, I never played BG1, and its good to see some positive feedback that is factual. But you never answered my question. You seem to know loads about the game, are you a committed fan or some sort of developer? I am a fan. I have been playing Baldur's Gate (2) at least once every year, (usually two or three times), since I was five years old. I remember playing Baldur's Gate alongside Age of Empires and Diablo at home when everybody else was at school, (since Kindergarten you only attended every other day - or at least it used to be that way. No idea if it is now...). I was terrible at them back then, of course, but I've learned better since.

If you're directing that entire post at me, then all I can say is that...I completely agree with you on every point. I don't think the release was a major disaster, but I do think, failing just aborting the entire project, they should've just stuck with enhancing what they could, (bugfixing, adding a few new features like the inventory information display, (which, by the way, they've now patched to work properly), adding a few truly outstanding modders' works if they could, (i.e. 1PP, TobEx, ...), do as much graphics enhancing as they could, (since BioWare "lost" all the original art assets - also, not in the form of a big blue UI that doesn't match tone-wise with the game at all), etc.), not introduced mod-quality content that has absolutely no relation to the original game. If they had done that, people, (especially me), would've probably been happier with the game, especially at launch, since they presumably would've spent more time making sure the game actually worked. But what's done is done...the only reason I'm defending the game at all is because some of the criticism is either ridiculous or patently false. The only reason I will maybe switch over to using BG:EE is because my favorite modders, (DavidW, Ascension64, Erephine, Demivrgvs), might be working with BG(2):EE exclusively from now on. If not, well...like everyone has said before, there's always the original (enhanced by modders).

Off-topic, but...see, the funny thing is, I've technically been registered longer than you have...

Yea sure, search the net for an easy solution, after all you bought the "Enhanced Edition". They left it out on purpose (Portraits Folder), so people can buy their crappy portraits. Their portraits are, indeed, crappy. I cannot contest that. They are not very well made nor do they stylistically fit in with the old ones. However, what you just said is patently ridiculous. Having a folder not being automatically created is not "leaving it out". "Leaving it out" is making it so the feature doesn't work at all. It works perfectly fine. The only thing that has changed from the original game is that the location is slightly moved. (edit) I am so confused...I thought you were upset earlier about how they "upped the pace the game" or something. Why didn't you say that was a joke when I originally responded to it? I reinstalled BG2 and waited 15 minutes for BGT to install just so I could test the walkspeeds perfectly! Jerk.

Uh, no, as I demonstrated before, they went in between the two. And wait, weren't you just complaining about how they upped the speed of the game? So now you would've rather have the entire game sped up instead of just the walkspeeds? That's not inconsistent at all. 1. O.K., wrong again, guys. All you have to do is navigate to your (User)\My Documents\Baldur's Gate - Enhanced Edition folder and make a new folder called "portraits". Could've taken you about ten seconds to look up... 2. The Black Pits is not in any way, shape, or form connected to the main game, so it hardly matters. But yes, it is is bad and I really wish they hadn't used up time on something so silly, especially given the problems they've had at launch.

No, I typically only play on Core difficulty. You're right - right in the beginning, it's also hard, but after that first rough spot, your character starts to amass experience so quickly, (6x what a normal party would gain), that everything becomes extraordinarily easy for most of the game, (with the exception of the end-game content, as I said before). That ogre dude with the belts, I admit, is pretty tough right when you come out of Candlekeep, but a backstab and a few Larloch's Minor Drains later... :D (edit) In regards to Dragon Age: Origins...I liked some things about DA:O. The combat was not one of them. In fact, I can unequivocally say that combat was probably my least favorite part of that game, especially given that the isometric view was completely broken and any sort of real tactics were thrown out the window. The only one I could ever fully control was my own character - I gave up on the rest and just hoped they didn't get horribly murdered because of their extreme stupidity. It is too hard to control multiple party members from a non-isometric view, and the isometric view was completely broken in that game. Made me so mad when enemies were shooting arrows at me from across the map and I couldn't move my camera to even close to where they were.

You are correct. The option is no longer usable - it still exists in the ini, it just does...nothing. I hope that they restore it, or fix it, or whatever. @Nashkel Cutscene: Huh. I did not see that before, though I have surely been to Nashkel. Looks alright. I also completely forgot about the death cinematic, though I saw it more than a few times. I try not to exploit cheap tactics in a game that is already easy enough, (I actually killed Drizzt laughably easy with Boots of Speed - just stealth up to him, backstab him, run away, stealth again, backstab, repeat). Here's to hoping SCS, (Sword Coast Stratagems), is made compatible with BG:EE in the coming weeks, and that I hopefully have my butt kicked once again.

Is it really going to be tougher solo? In Baldur's Gate (2), for example, most of the game was hilariously easy if you soloed, because your one character would be getting all of the experience, instead of having it be split up, and your stats would be ridiculously overpowered, (especially if you were a caster!), in comparison to where they were supposed to be if you had been using a 6-player party. Until you hit max level and then hit the real encounters that you were supposed to be fighting with a max level full party... If they do it NWN2:OC style, (and I am not completely sure whether or not I want that), the party itself has experience, and all of the party members always have that amount.

One thing that always bothered me about NWN(2) was the lack of enemy equipment dropping after killing them. Even if the equipment is utterly worth less to me, it's still neat to actually see what they were wearing. Balance-wise, it sort of does make sense to not have them drop everything, especially at higher levels when +2 or higher items become the norm, because they can just pick everything up and sell all of it for boatloads of cash...but still. (edit) Also, a neat idea above - I don't agree with it exactly, but having normal items break/shatter upon death would be okay too, as long as it's not every time and it's not breaking anything important/particularly useful, and as long as there's some sort of unusable item to replace the old one, (i.e. broken sword).

Boots of Speed does make it more than tolerable, generally...but that doesn't really help unless you're playing solo, because you'll have to wait for everyone else to catch up to the character with the Boots of Speed regardless. Always made Boots of Speed worthless in my estimation. Especially considering it doesn't add the full haste effect, (the bonus attack per round), but just increases movement speed.

You'll have to forgive me, for I was wrong...but then again, so were you. :D I had forgotten how *truly* slow BG1 walkspeeds were. But, similarly, you forgot how fast BG2 walkspeeds were. Time Test: (From Candlekeep Inn door to the steps up to the Temple of Oghma at 30FPS for each game; from the click to the moment the character gets there, as well as making sure the character doesn't bump into any patrolling guards) BG1: 31-32 seconds BG2: 20-21 seconds BG:EE: 25-26 seconds Looks like they went smack in between the two speeds. I recorded the results via Fraps, but don't have the inclination to upload the videos right now. Maybe in a little bit. Still wish they would've just systemically upped the speeds of everything. If creatures went at speed 5, they should've went at 10. If they went at speed 4, they should've went at 8 or 9, (probably 9, to maintain balance for slower creatures). Et cetera. But that's just me. I feel as though BG2 walkspeeds are still too slow at default FPS - at 40-45, it's the best, IMO. I have no patience for walking around.

Yes...I remember Bassilus' audio for that line missing, though I thought Nimbul's was intact. Perhaps that's just poor memory, though. I'm pretty sure that's probably the result of some bug occurring, though, not them actually taking the lines out. That'd be terrible if they actually did take them out, since they obviously had no plans to replace any audio lines, whereas it at least sort of makes sense for movies, because the style would be extremely inconsistent. Too bad my DLTCEP, (Infinity Engine game editor), isn't working correctly with BG:EE - it refuses to play any sound at all, even ones that I know are there. However, I checked into the creature files, and the sounds are still being referenced to play, (line "Heh hurh heh! Oh, brother Thurm, why not grace our ears with a ripping tale of the old days! Always a delight!" should be playing BASSL01, but it doesn't appear to be working in game - don't know if that's because the sound is not present, or whether they introduced a new engine bug, or...), so I'm not completely sure what's going on. The lines will be no doubt restored pretty sharpish, however, regardless of the cause, given the amount of complaints on the forums. (edit for the rest of you) As far as I can see, the release actually offers more for modders than players - though, hopefully, that should translate for it being more for players as more mods are introduced. As I understand, a load of stuff was unhardcoded, (I have no idea what, not being much of a real modder), which should make things a lot easier to mod or make some things actually possible whereas they weren't previously. I just hear modders like Ascension64, (ToBEx creator, essentially my lord and master), praise BG:EE just because of the things they did on a coding level, even if things aren't looking great on a content level. So...we'll see. As for me, I hope they fix the content-level stuff and get around to BG2:EE. I really, really wish they hadn't introduced 3 new party members, or the Black Pits, as I feel that they were the two most unprofessional things they did to the game. The game is supposed to be "Enhanced", not "shove mod-quality content down your customers' throats while breaking other things". Pfah. Not that it matters to much to me, anyways, as I'll probably be disabling any area references made to the new party members to begin with, (i.e. disabling their appearance in-game at all). I've always hated NPC mods.

That's nonsense, of course. Walk speeds are the same as pre-BG2, (i.e. BG1). It's actually painfully slow. I would've wished for BG2 walk speeds, except that all the other non-(demi)humans should also get a speed increase in order to make it fair, (which they didn't in BG2). Thank God for Boots of Speed. @Lorfean: They did make a new mine flooding one, which actually looks good, (I didn't think the intro/Friendly Arm Inn ones did). Resting one looks decent. There's no Inn resting scene, nor Nashkel; haven't gotten far enough to get to the Duchal Palace/Candlekeep Library/Durlag's Tower to comment, however. Also haven't see the Gnoll Stronghold, if there is one, because I haven't bothered to go there yet. (edit) Just went to Baldur's Gate for you, (was exploring all the wilderness areas): there is a Baldur's Gate one. It's not...bad, in my estimation, but not very good, either. It seems to me that they sort of fall apart whenever the camera moves or there's supposed to be any sort of real action...(hence the failure of the intro and Friendly Arm Inn, especially compared to the originals, whereas the resting and flood cinematic seem pretty good). (edit again) No Durlag's Tower or Gnoll Stronghold, either. So you're right there, too.

Yes. They found every old voice actor that worked on the game over 14 years ago and had them record additional lines. 1. Sorcerer still lacks a primary stat. 2. In my humble opinion, get constitution up to 16, (max bonus HP per level for nonfighter classes), dexterity up 18 or 19, (if you're an elf), and make your other stats balanced. Wisdom/Intelligence/Charisma all at 12 or so, IMO. Then rest into strength. @Turn-based vs. Real Time With Pausing: Thank goodness it was real time. Would never have played it otherwise. @BG:EE itself: The game mostly works fine. There's no game-breaking or crash-making bugs that I am aware of yet unless you run with an Intel onboard GPU, (in which case, the game doesn't work at all, thanks to Intel's lack of proper OpenGL drivers for those chips). But there are a bunch of normal bugs, which should hopefully be fixed in the coming week(s).

I like the idea of soundsets.... But I don't like hardly any soundsets. Three that come to mind are Icewind Dale: Heart of Winter's two male soundsets, "Gods grant me strength", and "You'll sleep with the dead."; and one of the female ones: "Let's spill some blood." As mentioned above, Baldur's Gate 2's "Let's do this quick and painful" was also good. Otherwise, I can't recall a single good soundset from any other game. And, as also said above, certainly none from NWN. I always played with "none", because I couldn't really stand any of them. Ideally, yes, I'd like to have good soundsets. Failing that, and we're stuck with bad ones, I might just repurpose the repurposed IWD:HOW for IWD2 that I repurposed for BG2 (wat) for P:E. As for what type...I think BG2's is the most diverse. (edit) Also, definitely yes in regards to being able to limit when you hear them, (a la the Infinity Engine games).

In regards to earlier discussion about party members leaving/attacking: since there's not going to be any alignment system, but just a reputation system, I do hope that, unlike BG2, there's an internal reputation system, and an external reputation system. That is, how the rest of the world perceives you...and how your party members see you. Events like having Viconia join you in Baldur's Gate potentially making your other party members leave because of a reputation loss just by having her in your party is silly. It *should* affect how outsiders who don't really know you think about you...but your other party members should be able to see the sense behind your decision, as well as the fact that just because you let a drow into your party doesn't necessarily make you and your actions evil. And if they do have such preconceptions, you should be able to explain the reasons behind your decision. Maybe that still won't make it perfect, because drow murdered their entire family or whatever, but it should help at least a little, and shouldn't affect every single good-aligned party member. If I recall correctly, in Baldur's Gate 2, after you save Viconia from being burned at the stake, Jaheria even says that people will see the party as less, even though she doesn't see it that way, (or something like that), and the party takes a -2 reputation loss anyways, potentially causing good party members to leave if you were at like 8 or something, which is ridiculous. I have no idea if they've already covered something like this, though. They basically already had things down in NWN2, (especially Mask of the Betrayer), so hopefully it should be O.K. The only thing about NWN2, is that I don't think there should be visible influence meters, or big popups that say "Saying you like to murder babies was not O.K. with Kaelyn, 100 influence loss, derp". But that's just me.

I've always hated how some programs store settings/saves/other data somewhere in the (User)\ directory. Since firstly, I do not use the (User)\ folder for anything at all, and secondly, I have two partitions - one for games/files, one for Windows - when I reformat, that stuff always gets stinking deleted, because I assume that it's smart and is self-contained. Storing it in the game directory is infinitely preferable, (a la Baldur's Gate). In addition, I don't really care for having backups of the game's CDs on my hard-drive, and then having a backup of what the game directory should actually be after installing, (because when you reinstall, all the settings are messed up, patches aren't applied, etc.). So yeah, I agree with the OP on both points.

I would not have minded LAN support...but it is not something that I feel is absolutely needed, especially given that we'll be able to generate our own parties if we want to anyways, (yay!). But if they're absolutely focused on singleplayer, that is completely fine by me, too.

Yes, I always wanted this feature in Baldur's Gate. Pausing every time I finish casting a spell to make sure that the character is either attacking or preparing to cast their next spell is a mite...unneeded. It'd be better to be able to assign future actions all at once...if the situation changes, then you just overwrite what you did.

Well, this is an awfully strange thread.