Gothic 2

[Enoch]

Okay, I have recently borrowed a copy of Gothic 2 (from my grandfather, a 76-year-old widower who loves CRPGs, but doesn't understand why his CD-RW drive won't read DVD games). I've read over the comments in this month-old, locked thread (which was quickly diverted into the endless genre-definition debates), but I want more.

 

Any advice on getting the most out of the game? Links to useful fansites? I hear there was an expansion-- is it worth getting? (And, if so, is it downloadable, or do I have to hunt down a hard copy?)

[Krookie]

With the lack of response here, I'd say your best bet is to Google all this.

[Kaftan Barlast]

I dont know about the expansion but you might want to check gamefaqs.com on how to give yourself a bit more Exp so you wont have to mindlessly grind random critters in the woods for an hour just so youll level up enough to be able to actually control your characer with something akin to precision

[Bokishi]

Do goths play Gothic 2?

[Krookie]

I've never heard Gabs talk about it, so probably not.

[Morgoth]

Gothic 2 is now a game for dinosaurs, it was released in 2002 here. While it was good back in the good ol' days, I doubt I'd now have the time or patience to embark another journey in the (even bigger) world of Gothic 3.

[SteveThaiBinh]

Gothic 2 was fun, but difficult, and doesn't have a strong story. I never played the expansion pack, though I heard reasonably good things about it. Kaftan's comment about searching for creatures in the woods just so you could level up rings grimly true, though. I don't think I've ever played an RPG where I felt so weak relative to the monsters I was meeting. I actually quite liked that, though it was frustrating at times.

[astr0creep]

I did QA on the Gothic 2 expansion Night of the Raven.

 

I had never played G1 but I bought it during the QA project as I had some problems getting used to it since we were testing the German version and I don't understand German... Anyway long story.

 

The expansion adds a chapter between the first and second because apparently C2 was very difficult mainly because there is not enough xp gainable in C1. The new chapter is very well integrated in the game.

It also adds pirates!

 

The problem I found with Gothic 2 was Chapter 1. It is way too long to complete and you spend most your time running away from everything while fetching this and that. Some quests are pretty good though and others rely on dialogs.

 

Once C1 is done you hunt dragons. How bad can that be?

[elkston]

If you are in the states, the way to obtain the expansion is to buy the budget pack: Gothic 2: Gold. It includes the original G2 and the expansion. You can get it at amazon.com.

 

My advice is that since you already have G2, just play the original game for a bit and if you like it enough -- stop playing and buy G2:Gold so you can play it with the expansion.

 

The expansion requires you to start a brand new game because it alters details about gameplay and adds lots of content to the 1st and 2nd chapters. There is also a brand new part of the island to explore that most players do during the 2nd chapter.

 

And unlike what a lot of people say, the expansion is not exceedingly difficult. It is challenging, yes. But not impossible. Just remember to specialize and not try to be a "jack of all trades".

[Kaftan Barlast]

The expansion adds a chapter between the first and second because apparently C2 was very difficult mainly because there is not enough xp gainable in C1.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

See?! Im not crazy when I say you have to go out into the woods and grind random critters just to be able to level enough to deal with the enemies of the next chapter(orcs)

 

 

Hah!

[Pidesco]

The expansion adds a chapter between the first and second because apparently C2 was very difficult mainly because there is not enough xp gainable in C1.

 

 

See?! Im not crazy when I say you have to go out into the woods and grind random critters just to be able to level enough to deal with the enemies of the next chapter(orcs)

 

 

Hah!

 

Millions of people love that kind of gameplay. Just look at about every JRPG released.

[LostStraw]

I got all the way to the end of FF9, when I reached the final boss I realized I had no way of defeating him without some grinding / finding better items. I stopped playing after that. My friend brought his saved game over to show me the ending, made me glad I didn't spend any time grinding away.

[astr0creep]

I got all the way to the end of FF9, when I reached the final boss I realized I had no way of defeating him without some grinding / finding better items.  I stopped playing after that.  My friend brought his saved game over to show me the ending, made me glad I didn't spend any time grinding away.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I remember going on the search for Zidane's ultimate weapon. I eventually had to look it up on the internets.

I had to send my chocobo digging on the right pixel... in the ocean.

Without the nets I would never have been able to find it. This is the kind of game design that really pisses me off.

[Pidesco]

You must love console rpgs.

 

Although you must have also been annoyed by that cool mage's ring one could find under a tree in BG1.

Edited August 3, 2006 by Pidesco

[Musopticon?]

Or the Ankheg armor in a field.

[astr0creep]

You must love console rpgs.

 

Although you must have also been annoyed by that cool mage's ring one could find under a tree in BG1.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I hated BG1... :">

 

I cheated to levelup so I could finish it faster. I never found or even heard of that ring.

[Pidesco]

I hated BG1...  :"> 

 

Why? And what do you think of the other Infinity engine games?

[astr0creep]

I hated BG1...  :"> 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Why? And what do you think of the other Infinity engine games?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Although I did enjoy the story, I found the gameplay boring. Actually what annoyed me the most was the incredibly slow pacing and I wanted some spells or skills but it would take forever to get enough xp for a levelup and then all I had was 1 choice or 1 point to spend, after like 10-15 hours of play.

It must be noted though that I had never played table top D&D before at that time and I found the whole rule system very annoying.

Add to that the instant game over when the main character died(I understood why but it was frustrating) and how hard it was to gather enough money for equipment and resurrections of party members and I just gave up. I used cheats to fix what I was annoyed with and moved on.

 

IWD was ok but with basically the same problems as BG1 with some improvements.

 

I loved Torment because the problems I had with BG1 were irrelevant as it was a slow paced game more because of the dialog and storytelling and that is ok. the gameplay was essentially the reading.

 

But my gripes aren't for the engine itself, more for the D&D rules and as the editions evolved, my enjoyment for D&D-based CRPGs grew.

 

I still prefer FPRPGs like Morrowind, Wizardry and Ultima Underworld though.

[Musopticon?]

You would probably like IWD 2, it doesn't have the same problems, but the gameplay is essentially dungeonhacking, very enjoyable and well-done dungeonhacking with great writing, but hacking still.

[Kaftan Barlast]

Im the same way, got bored to tears by BG1 but I loved Bg2+Tob

[SteveThaiBinh]

The whole Baldur's Gate saga, from Candlekeep to the Throne of Bhaal, is greater than the sum of its parts. I enjoy BG1 more because I know I'll be taking the same character through into BG2.

[EUIX]

The expansion makes the game much harder, I would not recommend playing as Mage if you have the expanasion installed.

[Musopticon?]

I don't understand how the mage path was supposed to be hard in the original game. Sure, it takes a bit of effort at the start, before you have any spells, but if you raise your strength to something like 65 so you can weild the artifact weapon from the aztecy ruins, Orcslayer or something as lame, first two chapters are a breeze. And then you get spells enough to blast anything and everything.

 

I thought playing as Mercenary was way harder. It was freaking impossible to kill off the orc army in the first Valley of Mines chapter. Then again, I guess I could have buffed my crossbow skills. As a Paladin it was a breeze, since the paladin spells are so cheesy.

[Fairplay]

The game is usually cheap if you can still find it, so I would definitely say the expansion is worth it.

 

Can't wait for G3 to come out. Sounds good. I don't like the sound of the auto-leveling monsters. I have never liked that in a game.

[@\NightandtheShape/@]

I hated BG1...  :"> 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Why? And what do you think of the other Infinity engine games?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Although I did enjoy the story, I found the gameplay boring. Actually what annoyed me the most was the incredibly slow pacing and I wanted some spells or skills but it would take forever to get enough xp for a levelup and then all I had was 1 choice or 1 point to spend, after like 10-15 hours of play.

It must be noted though that I had never played table top D&D before at that time and I found the whole rule system very annoying.

Add to that the instant game over when the main character died(I understood why but it was frustrating) and how hard it was to gather enough money for equipment and resurrections of party members and I just gave up. I used cheats to fix what I was annoyed with and moved on.

 

IWD was ok but with basically the same problems as BG1 with some improvements.

 

I loved Torment because the problems I had with BG1 were irrelevant as it was a slow paced game more because of the dialog and storytelling and that is ok. the gameplay was essentially the reading.

 

But my gripes aren't for the engine itself, more for the D&D rules and as the editions evolved, my enjoyment for D&D-based CRPGs grew.

 

I still prefer FPRPGs like Morrowind, Wizardry and Ultima Underworld though.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

No Arx Fatalis?