Hiro Protagonist II

Another cutscene comparision with the Friendly Arm Inn. Original version 1998 Enhanced Version 2012 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3luiJuN7t2Q&list=UL The picture looks a lot better, but it's just a picture with music. I was hoping for something more. Mixed feelings overall. I think they should have put an option in the settings like: "Disable/Enable Showing Low Quality Movies"

Just been checking out the game and so far, first impressions are mixed. Pro - Great choice of kits and skills for you character. - Graphics look better - The fight between Gorion and Sarevok looks better. - The journal looks a lot better. Con - Encountered my first broken quest. Firebeard scroll. Tethoril was *missing* and didn't appear where he was supposed to. He's vanished from the game. - The zoom feature is annoying as heck. You set the zoom at a distance you like which is great. However, everytime you enter a house, it defaults to being zoomed out and the characters are very small (on a 22" monitor). When you exit the house, it goes back to how you originally had it. It seems to save the zoom in the outdoors but doesn't save it anytime you enter a house. - After the Gorion vs Sarevok fight. It's zoomed all the way out even though you are outdoors *sighs* - If you exit a game and then reload, the zoom is zoomed all the way out again. - The cutscenes don't look as good as the original movies. Original Introduction and Friendly Arm Inn are so much better than in the enhanced edition. The zoom needs to be fixed because it breaks immersion so much when the screen zooms out every time there's a cutscene like Gorion/Sarevok or entering new houses/inns/stores/etc.

There seems to be divided opinions on the BG forums. The consensus from forums posts that I'm getting is most people prefer the new intro, while a minority prefer the old one. Not having a go at Beamdog as they've obviously spent some time into doing this. Having seen both and even though the resolution is dated, I prefer the old one. Sarevok's entrance with the door exploding in pieces shows Sarevok's raw power, the different lighting effects againts Sarevok's armour, the helplessness of the bhaalspawn trying to get away which you don't see in the remake, the cut lines from the bhaalspawn saying 'there are others', Another example of Sarevok's raw power with the sequence of picking up the bhaalspawn, pushing him through the fence and having him hang over the edge, seeing the bhaalspawn struggle with his arms and legs. In the remake, the Bhaalspawn just seems to sit there and do nothing while Sarevok grabs him and then the next shot is Sarevok already out over the fence. It's a shame the original videos couldn't have been used, restored and enhanced in some way with higher resolution like they do with restoring movies on DVD. (the old Doctor Who episodes and Lawrence of Arabia comes to mind). I think it really highlights the difference between full motion and still images.

Comparison between the original and enhanced intro movies. Original Introduction 1998 Enhanced Edition 2012

No, I'm not making a storm in a tea cup. Ripping out most of the original cinematics and not replacing them with anything goes against everything they said about enhancing the game and their statement on the website that all cinematices would be enhanced. So now you've admitted you don't mind having original content such as most of the cinematics ripped out of BG2 and not replaced with anything. And then having Overhaul label it an enhanced edition. Since you've played BG2 and you would know what's missing and have no problem with this. Thanks for admitting that you like games with cinematics ripped out of them and being labelled enhanced editions.

You seem to be avoiding my question. This is the third time I'll ask it. Imagine a developer saying they are going to enhance all the cinematics in BG2 and even stating this on their website, then having nearly every cutscene and movie taken out of BG2, despite relabelling the game 'Baldurs Gate 2 Enhanced Edition'. You seem to be okay with this? You're okay with most of the cinematics and movies taken out of BG2 even though the game is being marketed as the 'enhanced edition' with upgraded graphics and cinematics? If Overhaul are having problems enhancing and finishing BG1 on time (even with one delayed release date) and BG1 is no where near the size of BG2, then what problems are Overhaul going to have when they start on the BG2 enhanced edition next year. Because I think my question is relevant when it comes to BG2.

Well you have no comparison to compare with. You won't know what's missing because most of the movies and cut scenes have been taken out. You'll go to a new area and think nothing of it. However, for some people that have played it year after year, it may feel a little strange expecting a cutscene to a new area, chapter, town, city, etc and there isn't any. It also comes back to my question: Imagine a developer saying they are going to enhance all the cinematics in BG2 and then having nearly every cutscene and movie taken out of BG2 and relabelling BG2 'Enhanced Edition'. You seem to be okay with this? Since you've played BG2, you would know what is missing from the game. Would you want most of the movies and cutscenes taken out? It's the same thing with BGEE.

They added to the story the first time through, usually at Act changes. There are also different areas where they pop up too. They also give you a hint as to what may happen in that act or new area. Some examples below with spoilers: Nashkel: Gnoll running along the fence to a house while the farmer's wife says goodbye to her husband. Sewers: Eggs shown at the bottom of the sewers - probably Carrion crawler eggs. Gnoll Fortress: Pans through and down a pit. Cloakwood Forest: Wyvern comes out of nowhere and takes off with a cow. They add to the story and immersion to the game. Imagine a developer saying they are going to enhance all the cinematics in BG2 and then having nearly every cutscene and movie taken out of BG2 and relabelling it an 'Enhanced Edition'. You seem to be okay with this?

Bit of a rant time. I'd have to say I'm a little disappointed with most of the movies (cut scenes) taken out of BGEE. Scenes that have been taken out: The Iron Throne; The Duchal Palace; The Dungeon; The Wyvern; The Temple of Bhaal; The Sewers; The Gnoll Stronghold; Beregost; Entering Durlag's Tower; Sunset; Sunrise; Candlekeep. Now some people might be not be too concerned with some of those scenes like sunrise and sunset being taken out, but seeing all those videos taken out, I'd have to ask what's left? Not much at all. Taking most of the cutscenes out really misses out on the immersion and story for new players as well as those players who have always enjoyed the cutscenes. What would a new player prefer? 1. Original version from GoG for less than $10, has ALL the original content and you can mod the game with new content for free. 2. Enhanced version with original content taken out., eg. most cutscenes taken out, but has new content added in for $20 For a so called 'enhanced' edition with taking most of the cutscenes out, it flies in the face of being enhanced. It seems more like a 'cut version' of the game that's been modded with new content. Especially when they say and still say on their website that ALL cinematics will be enhanced and in the game. http://i47.tinypic.com/sq0189.jpg The right thing to do is for them to to put all the cinematics to be enhanced back in the game with a future patch. It just won't be the same when I expect a cutscene for a new chapter and it won't be there. For someone who has defended BGEE up until now, it's very hard to defend it against the GoG version when original content has been cut.

Feargus mentioned in the KS comments that the KS funds are taxable and they'll have to speak to their accountant on how they'll manage the funds. I'm sure they'll be trying everything to legally minimise any tax as any responsible company would be doing. As a famous person once said, "if anybody in this country doesn't minimize their tax they want their heads read".

Nothing wrong with how identify worked in the IE games. Surprisingly that so many people liked the old IE games but turn around and then say about the IE games: this was bad, that was bad, identifying was a chore, etc. It almost seems everybody hated the IE games everytime a topic like this pops ups.

I don't understand why people are comparing powergaming to cheating. Powergaming isn't cheating, it's just min-maxing and optimising your character. Doesn't everybody want the best out of their characters? I know I do.

A lot of gullible people on the internet if they believe the OP's ramblings.

Everyone assumes its one publisher and is trying to figure out who this one publisher is. Everybody seems to be missing the fact it was 'some publishers'.

Link I don't get it. What point are you trying to make?

What's with all these conspiracy theory threads popping up.

This was a train wreck from the very beginning. It doesn't help when they're making it up as they go along.

You're a long way off. Fallout released in 1997 had a budget of 3m. BG2 would be at the very least 5m.

6'8 Italian Warlord?

I didn't vote. Not enough options in the poll and don't know how the main story of PE will pan out.

ROFL. nice generalisation. You'll find that in every discussion and poll since the Obsidian forums opened as well as the old BIS boards that the majority of people here preferred the BG games over the IWD games. Yes, you'll get some people that prefer IWD, but those people are in the minority. For some reason people like to compare the two. eg. BG1 vs IWD1, BG2 vs IWD2. I find they're both very good and different games which I enjoy for different reasons.

http://greenshirtgirl.com Just forward to the last half hour or so. The good thing is that you don't see the terrible comments from the internet idiots. Obsidian saw the fun in it and made a url.

They even made a url during the countdown http://greenshirtgirl.com

TBH, I never heard of the guy before. However I managed to dig up this little nugget. Cleveland Mark Blakemore has quite a lot of posts deleted by himself but have been quoted by others. It gets even more interesting from Page 2 onwards. http://www.rpgwatch.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17968

I'm surprised anyone has donated to this. And the screen is so small where you look out to view the world.