Baldur's Gate and Baldur's Gate II Enhanced Editions Announced

[greylord]

Well, the unofficial patch did it already.

 

unofficial patch?

Edited March 26, 2012 by greylord

[Zoraptor]

Created by Japanese/Russian self made eunuch and man of a thousand alts Drog, no less. Obtainable from various sources (eg terra-arcanum.com)

 

Didn't stop it being a game that I know I ought to like in theory, but don't in practice.

[Tigranes]

Arcanum is a fantastic game, and I think if you really enjoyed Fallout and IE games, you are actually pretty well guaranteed to enjoy arcanum - if you give it time. It actually does some Fallout-y things better than Fallout, IMO, and unofficial patch has helped.

 

It is a game with major broken bits and one that just isn't elegant in anything it does, but it has a world filled with more meaningful, memorable and clever quirks and encounters than just about any other game, it has a unique setting that is consistently well delivered, and the combat, once you learn some of the pitfalls (design flaws), can be fun enough.

 

Certainly, I think it's more rewarding entertainment-wise to invest a bit of time on something like Arcanum and let it deliver, rather than just sit down into a puddle of mediocrity you can stand like Amalur.

[Lorfean]

Arcanum is a fantastic game, and I think if you really enjoyed Fallout and IE games, you are actually pretty well guaranteed to enjoy arcanum - if you give it time. It actually does some Fallout-y things better than Fallout, IMO, and unofficial patch has helped.

 

It is a game with major broken bits and one that just isn't elegant in anything it does, but it has a world filled with more meaningful, memorable and clever quirks and encounters than just about any other game, it has a unique setting that is consistently well delivered, and the combat, once you learn some of the pitfalls (design flaws), can be fun enough.

 

Certainly, I think it's more rewarding entertainment-wise to invest a bit of time on something like Arcanum and let it deliver, rather than just sit down into a puddle of mediocrity you can stand like Amalur.

I try it every now and then, but never manage to stick with it for long. It's like Zoraptor said -- I feel it's a game I should like in theory, but simply don't in practice. Yet. Some games just need to be played at the "right time" for me to really get into them, if that makes any sense...

 

Anyway, I'm hoping for some real BGEE screenshots this week. I understand why they've included iPad as a platform but that's not the version I'll be playing -- give me some proper PC screenshots and convince me this is gonna be awesome!

[Nepenthe]

Edit: meh, ninja'd, stole the punch out of my line.

Edited March 27, 2012 by Nepenthe

[Drowsy Emperor]

Didn't stop it being a game that I know I ought to like in theory, but don't in practice.

 

Exactly.

 

 

It is a game with major broken bits and one that just isn't elegant in anything it does, but it has a world filled with more meaningful, memorable and clever quirks and encounters than just about any other game, it has a unique setting that is consistently well delivered, and the combat, once you learn some of the pitfalls (design flaws), can be fun enough.

 

That's basically it, a collection of good ideas mashed into a clunky game.

 

I remember quitting when I got into some endless grindy jungle/maze with apes. At that point the combat was already broken, I was killing most enemies in one or two hits along endless screens of identical vegetation which completely soured the whole experience.

[Humanoid]

Arcanum is an example of a game where I'm happy to turn down the difficulty to easiest level so I can ignore combat and just experience the rest of the game; and it was playable enough for a budget title used in that manner. Would like to see more Victorian-era games (steam without the punk!), though I'm not so hot on including the elves and orcs and stuff.

Edited March 27, 2012 by Humanoid

[HoonDing]

Last time I played I couldn't get past Black Mountain mines. Most boring dungeons and worst combat in a RPG ever. The setting alone was also not compelling enough to suffer through the whole ordeal. Pity, since the mage is pretty interesting to play.

 

As for Victorian RPGs, maybe Larian will churn one out after they are finished with Divinity series.

[Lexx]

Yea, Arcanum does have some annoying dungeons, but luckily you can skip most of them.

[Starwars]

I can't say that I'm particularly excited for this, just feels like a cash-grab to me. I don't think these games call for a makeover or "enhanced edition" or whatever. They are what they are, you can still play them just fine on new computers and so forth.

 

Sequels, re-makes oh my...

[Monte Carlo]

My wife has an ipad. I shall steal it.

[Cutlock]

Hey guys, Overhaul Games are the guys behind MDK2 HD which put Beamdog on the map and was Interplay's only recent success. In its making they took in consideration of requests from fan's and intergrated new ideas, so since BG is very big, I suggest that you guys and I give requests.

[Auxilius]

Well, for me, Arcanum is better than Fallout 1 or 2. Let me explain why.

 

Back in 2001, I was already a teen but I was new to video games. That's when I really started to buy stuff, mainly on Dreamcast and PC, instead of playing endlessly games given with the computer, like Comix Zone or Duke Nukem 3D, and failing miserably.

Thanks to Arcanum, I understood what is a good RPG. A real good RPG. The map to explore was gigantic, you got fun characters, excellent worldbuilding, different ways to play and your choices mattered, in true Black Isle fashion. The first time I reached Qintara, damn son, I felt like I was Christopher Colomb or Captain Picard, exploring new lands and discovering new civilizations. That negociation with the Caladon council? Truly epic.

 

I never witnessed such a piece of great writing since. KOTOR2 and Mask of the Betrayer are better on their own rights, because they touch interesting subjects and are excellent atstudying them. They just doesn't give you the possibility to unite two countries and change geopolitics on that degree. That's why I also hope Brian Mitsoda, who was a creative lead on Arcanum, will start a kickstarter for that zombie RPG he talked about. It's been years but nobody want to give him a chance apparently. It's sad when the best people of the industry got such problems. Between Mitsoda, Fargo, Garriott, Spector and even Avellone, it's like all those cool old guys who made the best video games ever back in the day can't do jack**** now. It tells a lot on our beloved video games industry.

 

See Troika, they made three great games but thanks to Activision and Valve, it is dead, which is a shame. Arcanum is still my favorite RPG of all times, even if I'm not objective because this is kind of a childhood memory now, but Vampires: Bloodlines was also awesome and Temple of Elemental Evil is the game that follows the best D&D rules today still. They had a true respect for their customers, considering them smart enough to be challenged with good, deep content. That's why I was rejoiced when Tim Cain, Tim mother****ing Cain, founder of Troika, joined Obsidian. He worked on MMORPGs for a while and I truly felt like he was wasting his talent. Tabula Rasa? Man, it never had any chance back then, when WoW was in full motion against old school titans like Everquest or Day of the Camelot.

 

I hope Parker & Stone will be somehow generous with Obsidian and let them earn some profits coming from the sells, because as it is, they got a Dream Team, which could craft the best written RPG ever made. The industry needs it, I need it, because currently, it's not Bioware or Blizzard that will offer gamers these possibilities. There are other good actors, who do a fine job, like Larian Studios (Divinity 2) or CDProjekt (Witcher 2), but I will be direct, they do not share the passion for good writing than Obsidian has.

 

They truly must remain independant.

[Volourn]

"See Troika, they made three great games but thanks to Activision and Valve, it is dead, which is a shame."

 

No, they didn't.

 

Arcanmum is an a very good game. BL is a good game hamred by one ofm the worst comabt systems ever. TOEE is a below average game with a greta combat system but subpar combat.

 

 

"They had a true respect for their customers, considering them smart enough"

 

No, they dodn't. They lie to their customers face. They make very easy combat. And, teh on combat is not challenging or overly deep.

 

L0LZ Troika L0LZ

[Nepenthe]

I think I only got only about half of that.

[Auxilius]

"Arcanmum", "hamred", "ofm", "comabt", "greta", "dodn't", "teh".

...And all in two mere lines.

Dude, your grammar sucks ass. Make an effort if you want to be read. We're not on MSN.

 

And stop with the "LOLZ" and the likes, it makes you look like an edgy tough 14 years old kid nobody want to argue with. But maybe that's the point.

[Drowsy Emperor]

Ah, I see you're new here.

[Auxilius]

Am I fighting a losing battle?

[Amentep]

Am I fighting a losing battle?

 

Volurn is eternal and unchanging (except when he changed from being the "Go Dwarves Go!" guy to the "lolz" guy). I kid, I kid.

 

So...any word as to whether they'll fix thieves' dual wielding?

 

Maybe they'll fix the bug that prevented people from finding the Terrasque?

[Gfted1]

Ah, the Tarrasque. Good times.

[sorophx]

there's a tarrasque in BG? O_O

[Gfted1]

Yes, in the oasis.

[Volourn]

"Dude, your grammar sucks ass. Make an effort if you want to be read. We're not on MSN."

 

Who are you and why should I care what you think?

 

 

P.S. Amentep > U

[Gorth]

*mumbles something about Xerxes punishing the sea at Hellespont*

[Gromnir]

Yes, in the oasis.

 

wanna go serious old skool bio (interplay) board nonsense? how 'bout the furor over the hidden holy sword in the firewine bridge ruins? bio let that bit of wacky live for a significant 'mount of time. am not certain how many folks rolled paladins just to take advantage o' that "find."

 

HA! Good Fun!