Ink Blot

I can't think of a game I've played where the Ranger class was anything but boring/useless. This is one I wouldn't mind seeing get some overhauling, actually.

Looks like only about an hour ago, according to the time stamp on the GOG staff's thread.

If you haven't checked it out again, the patch is up on GOG now. @ Jojobob, yes I get this feeling with many games. I hate learning the mechanics and creating builds and characters with a certain goal in mind only to have that completely borked due to rebalancing patches. I wish games were released with much more attention to 'balance' in the first place, and patching involved minor tweaks and bug fixes instead. Of course, if wishes were horses...

Yeah, I'd say you're at least 3/4 through the game before you hit the cap, but there's still a significant chunk left. I don't find this too much of an issue, though, as I'd think if you're enjoying the game, you'd be more than motivated to see the end anyway. However, IMO the real issue is, as luckmann noted, you're overleveled starting in act 2.

As I noted above, it's in the beta changelog.

Bit of a necro on this thread, but: Coming in patch 1.05 (at least, it's in the beta changelog).

See Night Stalker's post. It doessteal resources from SP. We're not talking AAA games, as the OP specifically referenced this one.

Yeah, I'm not a fan of multiplayer. For games I'm interested in, I'd rather see all resources poured into single player. So I guess I'm also not one of the 'we' of which you speak.

Heh, yeah, no degenerative gameplay, huh?

For many, it seems to mean to mean "Can I solo the game with this class?" If not, then the game isn't balanced.

Anything but that.

I think 'who gives a crap?' If people are bent out of shape about a bloody achievement on Steam, they need to step back and take stock of what's actually important in their lives.

Yeah, I'm not sure if one has to do with the other, but I'll add my vote for more of them. Even though I agree with Tigranes that they weren't used to maximum effect, they really gave me the feeling I was playing a PnP session, which I found very enjoyable.

I voted for some but a little less. Honestly, I'd be fine with none. I just finished a run through The Banner Saga, which has no voice acting other than the narrator (and that's sparse). Granted, it's a different style of game, but I find you can get a good (if not better) feel for the characters with no voice acting at all. So if it's a limited budget and that money could go to adding something else or making what's there a lot better, then spend it somewhere other than voice acting.

Unfortunately, this seems to be the wisest course with games now. There are very few that I pick up close to release, with the prevalence of DLCs, much-needed patching, and GotY editions almost an inevitability down the road for many games that includes all fixes and extras - and at a reduced cost.

Isn't there an options setting to change that? Perhaps it defaulted to that when the patch was applied.

While the unique items do have different icons (so it's a matter of being able to recognize the non-magical and 'run-of-the-mill' enhanced item icons), I don't mind this one. For my 50 year old eyes, this doesn't seem so much a color-coding for stupid as it does a color coding for strained eyes. *shrug* No mention of the godawful load times in the notes though (I admit to not having tested 1.04 yet to see if it made a difference to my game).

Nor does praising it as the best game ever made. There's a bell curve of people out there, on the extreme ends of which are the, as you say, 'toxic ones that run it down' , and on the other end are the ones that think it's flawless. Unfortunately the two sides seem to think whoever shouts the loudest at those who dwell in between will win.

I feel genuine pity for people with this opinion. Genuine. Pity. There's nothing wrong with BG2 mind. I don't feel pity, but I am surprised that you could hate the first and like the second. Of course, since I actually like BG1 better, who am I to judge, right?

Retail copies are Steam-only. Not sure about upgrading from Hero to Champion on Steam though.

I'm trying to figure out what your definition of role-playing is, but I'm coming up empty. Yeah, I'm left scratching my head on that one as well.

Can you be more specific? Are you having technical problems installing the game or is this just a personal motivation issue?

Hit and miss.

A very well-written deeply personal and philosophical story with true consequences to your actions/choices.

That was actually Gygax/Arneson (and TSR). The BG series and IWD1 were based on the AD&D rules, which used thac0. The more 'sensible' d20 system of higher to hit roll vs higher AC wasn't developed/published until around the time of IWD2, which is why it used the 3.0 rules.