BG3

[InsaneCommander]

23 hours ago, Hawke64 said:

It's one of the unmarked "romance" options, as far as I know. ("Do you see me differently now?", if I'm not mistaken). I hope they will be more transparent in the Definitive Edition (either rewriting to "Hey, wanna bang?" or "You look like a swell lass/lad/person" or just adding the [flirt] tag).

I refused it in the dialogue and that scene that happened later was about the tadpole, not romance. In Lae'zel's case it looks the same due to her apparent tastes.

21 hours ago, Bartimaeus said:

That first screenshot is the line she gave to me immediately after she got done telling me that I was wretched and vile, literally the first time I talked to her in camp. I did not find it to be altogether kosher.

Well, she had already said something similar before, but this time she explained that she was wrong about me and I'm not that bad. It may have been a bug, since this first dialogue was a reaction to the goblin camp, while the second happened after I put her in the party and gained more approval in the Githyank meeting.

[Bartimaeus]

At least with older games, if you played a female main character, you could just butcher all the guys to make sure no sham romances would suddenly start to fire off. Isn't it that only Cernd, Anomen, and Haer'Dalis are romanceable for female main characters in BG2? I'd gladly kill all those morons even if I weren't playing a female main character, but the fact that I do makes it even better. Now, my only option is to apparently murder everyone I meet.

(e): Wait, no, I don't think Cernd is romanceable - he's already got a kid, right? He really is the worst...until I remember that Anomen exists.

Edited September 3, 2023 by Bartimaeus

[Hawke64]

17 minutes ago, Bartimaeus said:

At least with older games, if you played a female main character, you could just butcher all the guys to make sure no sham romances would suddenly start to fire off. Isn't it that only Cernd, Anomen, and Haer'Dalis are romanceable for female main characters in BG2? I'd gladly kill all those morons even if I weren't playing a female main character, but the fact that I do makes it even better. Now, my only option is to apparently murder everyone I meet.

The hirelings might be interesting - level-appropriate backgrounds and no inclination to bother the PC (also more variety of classes and races). Though, I'd like them having 1-2 lines of dialogue (as is, they are corpses lore-wise). With the Origin companions, I think they calm down and focus on their own quests after Act 1.

[Humanoid]

14 minutes ago, Bartimaeus said:

Isn't it that only Cernd, Anomen, and Haer'Dalis are romanceable for female main characters in BG2?

Nope, it's literally only Anomen for female player characters, who is no option at all. Haer'Dalis is a mod.

[Bartimaeus]

47 minutes ago, Humanoid said:

Nope, it's literally only Anomen for female player characters, who is no option at all.

You know, we talked about this within the past year and I thought I remembered that being the case, but I went against my memory and thought for sure Haer'Dalis had to be an option as well. Even though he's really not that much better than Cernd, he is at least not Anomen...but apparently not. How disgusting: BioWare must've really hated its female playerbase.

But these kinds of character romances for me, at this point, feel like they just kind of unnaturally break the character in question. It's way too painfully obvious what the game is trying to do, it's both too gamey and transactional (especially with the constant CHARACTER DIS/APPROVES prompts for everything you do, big or little)...and too uncomfortably masturbatory. I don't want silent cardboard cutouts for party members either though, so I guess I'm kind of stuck with not really liking any of my options here. It's an odd thing, looking at BG1 and BG2 and seeing how laughably limited their character dialogues and personal developments largely are, but also being like...well, at least I wasn't annoyed by most of them being in my party, at least they weren't constantly taking me out of the game by being way too obviously playersexual, and I actually rather like a number of them, as simple as they may be. With BG3, it seems that I have to go out of my way to either not interact with characters, or maybe pick responses based purely off of balancing all of their approval levels, in order for things to not get immediately weird and off-putting. But the thing is...neither of those are how I want to play either (the amount of self-rules I'm having to implement or consider implementing in order to fix 'problems' with this game is too high already!), so again, I kind of just feel like I can't really play the game how I'd like to. Why the hell does everyone want to get into my pants just for asking some basic questions about them and for trying to be generally polite while tossing bards down cliffs? Well...actually, now that I think about it, I suppose I'd be pretty in love with anybody that tosses bards down cliffs myself, so maybe that's it.

It seems that someone else apparently hates the approval system, because there's already a mod that completely disables it. Well...okay, I guess I'm going to install that, because I really have had zero inclination to play the game since my first camp (i.e. the last time I played).

Edited September 3, 2023 by Bartimaeus

[Humanoid]

I think a big part of the problem is that Larian has chosen to change their approach from previous games, where none of your dialogue options were actually verbatim. It thus adds another layer of obfuscation between you and the game, where you can only guess at the intention behind the written dialogue line.

Now in most cases it's fairly obvious:

DOS2: *Ask him to tell you more about LOOM*
BG3: "Hey, tell me more about LOOM"

But when it comes to interpersonal relationship building...

DOS2: *Flirt with him*
BG3: "I don't want to kick your head in"

Yeah... BG3 really needs to tag the lines where any interpretation other than the literal one is possible.

[Flirt] "I don't want to kick your head in"

Problem solved.

[MrBrown]

https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/baldurs-gate-3-characters-were-super-horny-due-to-a-bug-larian-admit

[Hawke64]

Finished the second playthrough as the Dark Urge. Slightly broke the game in the process (Act 3 and end-game spoilers)*. Most importantly, discovered that 1. Grub the cat can die; 2. In order to save him, a story companion (not a hireling) must remain in the camp during Act 3 and Grub's human (a red-haired child with heterochromia) must be given food or gold upon starting Act 3. The human is unlikely to be avoided on the first playthrough, considering the location. 

*

Spoiler

The order of actions; the Dark Urge PC under Greater Invisibility:
- thunderwaves Orin off the platform without initiating dialogue (why would anyone except her cultists want to talk to Orin is another question)
- picks up her key and Netherstone dagger from the ground (no cut-scene)
- releases Minthara, who becomes a follower (hard-bound to the PC) but not a companion again (no dialogue, the other cultists on the platform remain hostile and in-combat)
- runs away to the Waypoint and finishes the combat there (only 1 foe followed all the way, the rest stayed at the temple)

Results:
1. Minthara remains a non-interactive follower for the rest of the game
2. The "Orin is dead" cut-scene does not trigger
3. When the party enters the end-game via the boat, Minthara teleports to the Upper City Sewers and faces several opponents (then she died there in my case)
4. After losing to the Netherbrain, the Emperor stays next to Orpheus without suggesting to eat his brain, but retreats if attacked (then Raphael appears and gives the Orphic Hammer and the story continues normally)
5. At the ending sequence at the pier, the narrator says that Bhaal is disappointed and one of the options is to die. The PC proceeds to stab himself in the stomach repeatedly, instead of going for 1 clean and reliable cut or asking the companions to assist.

On a positive note, I've confirmed that the Butler opens the Temple's gates allowing to skip the murder investigation completely.

About the other unavoidable combat sequence (between Act 2 and Act 3):

Spoiler

A dryad was able to protect the Emperor and kill Orpheus' honour guard single-handedly - they were "attacking" (all attacks were misses) the Intellect Devourers until the party met the Emperor (started a dialogue), while summons, such as the dryad, do not trigger cut-scenes. So, even with 40% hit chance, she was able to win.

 

Edited September 5, 2023 by Hawke64

[MrBrown]

https://www.pcgamer.com/baldurs-gate-speedrun-brought-under-5-minutes-thanks-to-shadowboxing-a-trick-where-you-kill-shadowheart-and-stuff-her-in-a-box-to-skip-act-2/

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

I went to a shadowy ****hole, saved some harpers, saved some harpers again, led an ambush where I saved harpers a third time, and "infiltrated" the evil cult base by walking in the front door.

Thots

-Swords Bard is too good. He's close to or even beats the three martials in terms of damage, has some great cc and utility spells, and is able to pass most checks with Guidance. The result of this is that I end up burning through all the companions' resources while my main still has most of his slots.

-I like the design of the shadow cursed lands, it's very creepy and dark in a way that let's you forget it's in eternal afternoon.

-I think I've got the Dark Urge figured out, thanks to some encounters (spoilers and speculation ahoy)

 

Steelclaw the cat remembers DU kicking her and Kethric Thorm recognizes DU enough to gloat over them in their "diminished state", which tells you that you've been there before and are now "less" than you were. But if you climb up to the rafters you can touch some fleshy tendrils that belong to something mindflayer, which is The Absolute, and it not only recognizes you but calls you The Dark Urge and confirms you were a big player in this cult. Also the more I've seen Absolute cultists the more I've seen their symbol, and it happens to prominently feature a skull and a bloody hand, which are the symbols of Bhaal and Bane. I assume the triangles are for Myrkul, which would explain Kethric's death armor and immunity to death.

So I put that all together and have concluded that the Dark Urge is something like Revan from Kotor. You were the villain in a life you can't remember and you were behind the plot being orchestrated, which by all appearances is a collaboration between the Dead Three, as the chosen of Bhall. The Absolute seems angrier about you getting cut out than Kethric so I assume that it wasn't mindflayers that did you in, but more likely Kethric and at least the new chosen of Bhaal, maybe the other chosen as well who I assume is Bane's guy.

If this is how it goes then I think it's nice.

Edited September 5, 2023 by PK htiw klaw eriF

[InsaneCommander]

I drank a potion in the Underdark and it messed with the tadpole. No more avoiding it, I'm afraid. The dream guardian finally appeared and now won't shut up about using these powers. Don't trust this person.

After many "failed" attempts at avoiding combat (I pass skill checks, but then ask about slavery or something else, starting a fight), Shadowheart asked me to stop with the violence, but then I met the first enemies that actually wouldn't let me pass. I refused to give them gold and another massacre  begun.

Edited September 5, 2023 by InsaneCommander

[Wormerine]

4 hours ago, MrBrown said:

https://www.pcgamer.com/baldurs-gate-speedrun-brought-under-5-minutes-thanks-to-shadowboxing-a-trick-where-you-kill-shadowheart-and-stuff-her-in-a-box-to-skip-act-2/

And people complained that Deadfire was too short.

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

I explored more of moonrise towers, explored the town outside moonrise and killed the three siblings with dialogue, got jumped by Githyanki, and helped reunite the spirit of nature for the area. Halsin's joined the gang officially and despite being jacked he's got 10 Strength, I guess he uses animal stats when shifted so that's not a big deal but it's a little weird.

Spoilers for Dark Urge 

Minor, but going through all the notes in the tower reinforced my earlier guess about the DU being something like Revan. Balthazar's apprentice with the lovely surname "Bonedaughter" was working on a usurped thing with a broken brain who got lost on the nautiloid that crashed. That's the DU to a T. And to boot there's some notes in Kethric's room that suggest Enver Gortash is very nervous about a shock trooper going missing, which combined with everything else really points to the DU. Let's see how Balthazar reacts to him.

Also may be a bug or something I read unlocking a tag, but Kethric has/had a daughter named Isobel....which happens to be the name of the priest in the Last Light Inn. Given that the undead dog recalls dying defending Kethric's daughter, I'd guess that Isobel was resurrected by Myrkul to recruit Kethric as his chosen.

[Wormerine]

I have explored most of the city, and I am starting to see the end. Gathered two of the infinity stones, but I still have some loose companion quests to do before going the final one.

The game started to experiment with fight gimmicks - I did prison break, haunted home, and Tribunal and Orin fight more or less back to back, and they all felt like underdeveloped, rough ideas rather than polished encounters. Especially prison break has potential, but I felt it wasn't set up properly. I thought it required preperation to be enjoyed, and the game doesn't really make it clear what one can expect from this event. Maybe if I went to forge first I would get better context - don't know.

I run into two unplayable returning characters. While I thought the potrayal of recruitable returning companions have been very good, those two felt off. Not quite bad enough to be offensive, but they didn't quite feel like characters they were meant to represent.

[InsaneCommander]

I defeated the forge boss easily because he somehow stayed in the middle of the map. Then I wanted to change the forged items and I discovered I didn't save after the battle. I had to do the fight again and this time the boss was smarter, avoiding the center area. Hasted Karlach took care of it.

Revisiting the Myconids, I discovered an area I hadn't visited yet and, I swear, it was another failed attempt to avoid a battle against some Kuo-Toas.

Now it's time for the mountain pass.

Edit: I almost attacked the Myconids when they started to dance. I thought they were turning hostile.

Spoiler

 

Edited September 7, 2023 by InsaneCommander

[Hurlshort]

This game is overrated. It is just a dice roll generator with a bunch of oversexed 1-dimensional companions. Jagged Alliance 3 is way better.

 

[InsaneCommander]

10 minutes ago, Hurlshort said:

This game is overrated. It is just a dice roll generator with a bunch of oversexed 1-dimensional companions. Jagged Alliance 3 is way better.

It is. And it has many annoying features like lack of party formation, missing content if you don't long rest enough times, companions walking over traps and poison clouds, the main character stepping on lava instead of jumping over it, for example.

A pretty good game, but not nearly as good as some people say, imo.

@majestic said it perfectly:

On 8/30/2023 at 6:16 PM, majestic said:

Then again, I don't know how glowing reviews come to be for a lot of games, TV shows and movies, so clearly it is not just the Baldur's Gate 3's problem.

 

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

18 minutes ago, Hurlshort said:

This game is overrated. It is just a dice roll generator with a bunch of oversexed 1-dimensional companions. Jagged Alliance 3 is way better.

 

BG3 automatically wins game of the century because it has JK Simmons. JA3 can't compete.

[Hurlshort]

17 minutes ago, PK htiw klaw eriF said:

BG3 automatically wins game of the century because it has JK Simmons. JA3 can't compete.

[HoonDing]

Maybe if it had Gene Simmons.

[Azdeus]

1 hour ago, PK htiw klaw eriF said:

BG3 automatically wins game of the century because it has JK Simmons. JA3 can't compete.

I'm sorry but Red Alert 3 already has that claim.

 

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

1 hour ago, Hurlshort said:

Greasy Basil has nothing on JK Simmons mocking you. Sad!

[Wormerine]

Well, there is always Portal, for a good J. K. Simmons.

 

[Humanoid]

JK Simmons? Is that the person who wrote the Harry Potter books?

[majestic]

Finally reached level 5, making the Goblin camp clearing much less tedious. Actually, it makes all the combat much less tedious.

Also, uhm, not sure if I'm wrong about this, but that Spectator battle was probably not meant for level 4 parties, right?