Baldur's Gate enhanced edition

[BruceVC]

Seems faster to me. Must be old age catching up.

 

You sure it doesn't just seem that way to you because you're seeing more of the level?

 

You'll have to forgive me, for I was wrong...but then again, so were you. :D I had forgotten how *truly* slow BG1 walkspeeds were. But, similarly, you forgot how fast BG2 walkspeeds were.

 

Time Test: (From Candlekeep Inn door to the steps up to the Temple of Oghma at 30FPS for each game; from the click to the moment the character gets there, as well as making sure the character doesn't bump into any patrolling guards)

BG1: 31-32 seconds

BG2: 20-21 seconds

BG:EE: 25-26 seconds

 

Looks like they went smack in between the two speeds. I recorded the results via Fraps, but don't have the inclination to upload the videos right now. Maybe in a little bit. Still wish they would've just systemically upped the speeds of everything. If creatures went at speed 5, they should've went at 10. If they went at speed 4, they should've went at 8 or 9, (probably 9, to maintain balance for slower creatures). Et cetera. But that's just me. I feel as though BG2 walkspeeds are still too slow at default FPS - at 40-45, it's the best, IMO. I have no patience for walking around.

 

Are you sure its not fast because your characters aren't wearing Boots of Speed? Thats probably the reason....

[Bartimaeus]

Are you sure its not fast because your characters aren't wearing Boots of Speed? Thats probably the reason....

 

Boots of Speed does make it more than tolerable, generally...but that doesn't really help unless you're playing solo, because you'll have to wait for everyone else to catch up to the character with the Boots of Speed regardless. Always made Boots of Speed worthless in my estimation. Especially considering it doesn't add the full haste effect, (the bonus attack per round), but just increases movement speed.

[BruceVC]

Are you sure its not fast because your characters aren't wearing Boots of Speed? Thats probably the reason....

 

Boots of Speed does make it more than tolerable, generally...but that doesn't really help unless you're playing solo, because you'll have to wait for everyone else to catch up to the character with the Boots of Speed regardless. Always made Boots of Speed worthless in my estimation. Especially considering it doesn't add the full haste effect, (the bonus attack per round), but just increases movement speed.

 

Bart you seem to know loads about the BG series, is that because you are a committed fan or some kind of developer. I hope you don't me asking its just that I am finding your insight into the game interesting.

[Hiro Protagonist II]

Are there any other cinematics in the EE aside from the intro and the FAI?

 

Here are two new ones. Apparently they did do Nashkel.

 

Nashkel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OToyNepKgyA

 

Rest

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kx9LJTiXkjQ&list=UL

Edited December 3, 2012 by Hiro Protagonist II

[Hiro Protagonist II]

The rest cinematic look quite good. Oh and here's the Death cinematic.

 

Death

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7ywSbgacR8

[Deraldin]

Are you sure its not fast because your characters aren't wearing Boots of Speed? Thats probably the reason....

 

Boots of Speed does make it more than tolerable, generally...but that doesn't really help unless you're playing solo, because you'll have to wait for everyone else to catch up to the character with the Boots of Speed regardless. Always made Boots of Speed worthless in my estimation. Especially considering it doesn't add the full haste effect, (the bonus attack per round), but just increases movement speed.

 

Eh, the main draw of the Boots of Speed in BG1 for me was the ability to kite enemies all over a map. Toss them on a ranger or someone specializing in bows and they become extremely deadly against anything other than those damn bandits. Also helps out if they get hit with a confusion effect. Zooming around the map randomly so the enemy can't take advantage. :D

 

EDIT: I like the rest video. Death isn't bad. I miss the kobolds in Nashkel though.

Edited December 3, 2012 by Deraldin

[Spider]

re walkspeed: In BG2 (and thus also BG1 running tutu) there was a setting for frames per second. If you cranked that up to 60, it'd have a dramatic effect on movement speeds in the game (and other things like spell animations, which weren't necessarily a good thing). From what I've read, that option is gone in EE, instead it's locked at 30 FPS. Which is why it feels slower than BG2 to many I suppose.

[MrBrown]

re walkspeed: In BG2 (and thus also BG1 running tutu) there was a setting for frames per second. If you cranked that up to 60, it'd have a dramatic effect on movement speeds in the game (and other things like spell animations, which weren't necessarily a good thing). From what I've read, that option is gone in EE, instead it's locked at 30 FPS. Which is why it feels slower than BG2 to many I suppose.

 

... This would majorly suck, if true. I can't stand the slowness.

[Hiro Protagonist II]

After 14 years, I never noticed this before but the original death cinematic has similar type of 'essense' that floats away as the original ending cinematic with Sarevok's essense. Yours has an orange glow to it while Sarevok is yellow. It's those little things that I like and re-discover after years of playing.

 

Original Death cinematic

(Skip to 11 sec mark)

[Bartimaeus]

re walkspeed: In BG2 (and thus also BG1 running tutu) there was a setting for frames per second. If you cranked that up to 60, it'd have a dramatic effect on movement speeds in the game (and other things like spell animations, which weren't necessarily a good thing). From what I've read, that option is gone in EE, instead it's locked at 30 FPS. Which is why it feels slower than BG2 to many I suppose.

 

You are correct. The option is no longer usable - it still exists in the ini, it just does...nothing. I hope that they restore it, or fix it, or whatever.

 

@Nashkel Cutscene: Huh. I did not see that before, though I have surely been to Nashkel. Looks alright. I also completely forgot about the death cinematic, though I saw it more than a few times.

 

Eh, the main draw of the Boots of Speed in BG1 for me was the ability to kite enemies all over a map. Toss them on a ranger or someone specializing in bows and they become extremely deadly against anything other than those damn bandits. Also helps out if they get hit with a confusion effect. Zooming around the map randomly so the enemy can't take advantage.

 

I try not to exploit cheap tactics in a game that is already easy enough, (I actually killed Drizzt laughably easy with Boots of Speed - just stealth up to him, backstab him, run away, stealth again, backstab, repeat). Here's to hoping SCS, (Sword Coast Stratagems), is made compatible with BG:EE in the coming weeks, and that I hopefully have my butt kicked once again.

Edited December 4, 2012 by Bartimaeus

[Nepenthe]

After 14 years, I never noticed this before but the original death cinematic has similar type of 'essense' that floats away as the original ending cinematic with Sarevok's essense. Yours has an orange glow to it while Sarevok is yellow. It's those little things that I like and re-discover after years of playing.

 

Original Death cinematic

(Skip to 11 sec mark)

:D That was kind of the point.

 

So I guess they upped the walk speed to bg2 levels (as they said), but scaled back the fps (which they didn't say), nullifying part of the change.

[Lorfean]

Ok, I like the resting cinematic -- the fire looks nice and the atmosphere matches the original. Not a fan of the death cinematic. It just doesn't look very good and feels too short.

 

As for Nashkel... I have the same problem with it as with the Friendly Arm Inn one -- they're basically just still images with some zooming. Sure, there's a day/night cycle thingie in this one, but what's the point of that? The original, with the farmer's family and the sneaking kobolds did a great job at showing you that the care-free lives of the people living there were about to take a turn for the worse -- or already had. I really don't mind the hand-drawn cinematic style and think it has worked to great effect in many RPG's, including BG2 and the IWD's, and more recently Dungeon Siege III, but the quality of the ones I've seen so far from BG:EE is inconsistent and most of them feel too short. But the biggest problem is that they don't match the effectiveness of the originals. They're poor replacements.

[WorstUsernameEver]

The Kobold's absence from the Nashkel cinematic is strangely conspicuous. It felt like *the point* of the original to me.

[Felithvian]

You can only buy extra portraits (they are not worth it) and as a big **** you they have taken out the option of having your own portraits in the game. It is kind of insulting. The Black Pits, this new "adventure" is just a series of staged battles, always in the same environment, and after each battle you get sent to a store area to upgrade your gear and speak to the shopkeepers, rinse and repeat. In addition to story being totally absent the characters you meet and the dialog you can choose to exchange with them ranges from mildly annoying to Dragon Age 2-ian retarditude. Worst is the Arena Masters whose voice acting and dialog is just plain awful. Add to that ridiculously high xp and gold rewards after each battle and you'll have the classic modern rpg within the Baldur's Gate saga.

 

Only one more complaint worth adding, Overhaul went ahead and took out the original cutscenes and added new "enhanced" cutscenes, in 2d. Unfortunately that may have been an oversight, they look very amateurish and stiff and feel uncomplete, and there are at least two lines missing in the opening cutscene and it lacks all drama and soul of the original 3d cutscene.

 

Generally speaking, one must be an ardent mindless devotee to purchase such product. Seriously, **** this rip off.

[Bartimaeus]

So I guess they upped the walk speed to bg2 levels (as they said), but scaled back the fps (which they didn't say), nullifying part of the change.

 

Uh, no, as I demonstrated before, they went in between the two. And wait, weren't you just complaining about how they upped the speed of the game? So now you would've rather have the entire game sped up instead of just the walkspeeds? That's not inconsistent at all.

 

You can only buy extra portraits (they are not worth it) and as a big **** you they have taken out the option of having your own portraits in the game. It is kind of insulting. The Black Pits, this new "adventure" is just a series of staged battles, always in the same environment, and after each battle you get sent to a store area to upgrade your gear and speak to the shopkeepers, rinse and repeat. In addition to story being totally absent the characters you meet and the dialog you can choose to exchange with them ranges from mildly annoying to Dragon Age 2-ian retarditude. Worst is the Arena Masters whose voice acting and dialog is just plain awful. Add to that ridiculously high xp and gold rewards after each battle and you'll have the classic modern rpg within the Baldur's Gate saga

 

1. O.K., wrong again, guys. All you have to do is navigate to your (User)\My Documents\Baldur's Gate - Enhanced Edition folder and make a new folder called "portraits". Could've taken you about ten seconds to look up...

 

2. The Black Pits is not in any way, shape, or form connected to the main game, so it hardly matters. But yes, it is is bad and I really wish they hadn't used up time on something so silly, especially given the problems they've had at launch.

Edited December 4, 2012 by Bartimaeus

[Felithvian]

1. O.K., wrong again, guys. All you have to do is navigate to your (User)\My Documents\Baldur's Gate - Enhanced Edition folder and make a new folder called "portraits". Could've taken you about ten seconds to look up...

 

Yea sure, search the net for an easy solution, after all you bought the "Enhanced Edition". They left it out on purpose (Portraits Folder), so people can buy their crappy portraits.

Edited December 4, 2012 by Felithvian

[Nepenthe]

1. O.K., wrong again, guys. All you have to do is navigate to your (User)\My Documents\Baldur's Gate - Enhanced Edition folder and make a new folder called "portraits". Could've taken you about ten seconds to look up...

 

Yea sure, search the net for an easy solution, after all you bought the "Enhanced Edition". They left it out on purpose (Portraits Folder), so people can buy their crappy portraits.

BS, the import button is just as conspicuous as ever - if it were some sort of sinister plot, it wouldn't be there.

Edited December 4, 2012 by Nepenthe

[alanschu]

But how will we feed the DLC conspiracy!?

[Nepenthe]

So I guess they upped the walk speed to bg2 levels (as they said), but scaled back the fps (which they didn't say), nullifying part of the change.

 

Uh, no, as I demonstrated before, they went in between the two. And wait, weren't you just complaining about how they upped the speed of the game? So now you would've rather have the entire game sped up instead of just the walkspeeds? That's not inconsistent at all.

Reading comprehension, mate. I am quite aware of the end result. How it was reached was what I'm interested in.

 

The walk speed was used as a humorous example to ridicule all the people who claim that the game has been somehow adhd'd for da Kidz.

 

Any other jokes you want me to explain, since I'm here?

[Bartimaeus]

1. O.K., wrong again, guys. All you have to do is navigate to your (User)\My Documents\Baldur's Gate - Enhanced Edition folder and make a new folder called "portraits". Could've taken you about ten seconds to look up...

 

Yea sure, search the net for an easy solution, after all you bought the "Enhanced Edition". They left it out on purpose (Portraits Folder), so people can buy their crappy portraits.

 

Their portraits are, indeed, crappy. I cannot contest that. They are not very well made nor do they stylistically fit in with the old ones. However, what you just said is patently ridiculous. Having a folder not being automatically created is not "leaving it out". "Leaving it out" is making it so the feature doesn't work at all. It works perfectly fine. The only thing that has changed from the original game is that the location is slightly moved.

 

(edit)

 

Reading comprehension, mate. I am quite aware of the end result. How it was reached was what I'm interested in.

 

The walk speed was used as a humorous example to ridicule all the people who claim that the game has been somehow adhd'd for da Kidz.

 

Any other jokes you want me to explain, since I'm here?

 

I am so confused...I thought you were upset earlier about how they "upped the pace the game" or something. Why didn't you say that was a joke when I originally responded to it? I reinstalled BG2 and waited 15 minutes for BGT to install just so I could test the walkspeeds perfectly! Jerk.

Edited December 4, 2012 by Bartimaeus

[Nepenthe]

I am so confused...I thought you were upset earlier about how they "upped the pace the game" or something. Why didn't you say that was a joke when I originally responded to it? I reinstalled BG2 and waited 15 minutes for BGT to install just so I could test the walkspeeds perfectly! Jerk.

I think this goes here...

Edited December 4, 2012 by Nepenthe

[Bartimaeus]

I think this goes here...

(snip)

Off-topic, but...see, the funny thing is, I've technically been registered longer than you have...

Edited December 4, 2012 by Bartimaeus

[Lorfean]

The Black Pits is not in any way, shape, or form connected to the main game, so it hardly matters. But yes, it is is bad and I really wish they hadn't used up time on something so silly, especially given the problems they've had at launch.

That's the main problem with this project though, isn't it? It was in a very crappy situation from the very start, both contractually and from a development standpoint: 1) They weren't allowed to change any of the original in-game content, and 2) They didn't have access to the original art assets, so it was impossible for them to actually properly "enhance" the game's environments, character/creature sprites, animations, spell effects, etc. Knowing these facts, most developers would probably just have dropped the whole thing right there, and Overhaul should have, but they didn't.

 

OK, so what was next then? They needed to look at what they could bring to this game that would make their version a worthwhile purchase at a price point that is double of what the original is being sold for.

• Port it to latest version of the ToB engine? Yes. It had already been done very effectively by modders and results in a bunch of new, updated and streamlined features, so this was pretty much expected.
  
• Bug fixes? Yup. These have also been provided by modders for years now, so they're expected. These guys are pro's, right? Get in there and fix that ****.
  
• Widescreen / high resolution support? Again, done by modders and a requirement for modern video games, so expected.
  
• New interface? This ties into the previous point and is where they really could have made their edition shine. Screen layouts, fonts, icons, paperdolls, etc. etc. There was huge potential here but they didn't take it, most likely due to the time and resources needed for all the other content they decided to add. They also should've separated the interfaces for different platforms instead of using the same one for keyboard+mouse and touch. Really -- that decision baffles me.
  
• Creating the illusion that the camera is "closer" to the game world by zooming and applying shaders? This was not necessary for me personally, but I understand some people feel that content becomes too small on high resolutions, so sure. Though they should have implemented it at a set zoom level and made it optional -- a box that can be ticked: "Enable/disable camera zoom + shaders" -- instead of the unnecessary dynamic mouse wheel zoom.
  

And that's where they should've stopped. If they had spent their time and resources on these enhancements and really dug into them -- and made sure that, for the love of god, they created separate, specifically designed interfaces for the PC / Mac / Tablet versions -- they might've ended up with a worthwhile product. This game is HUGE already. It didn't need more joinable NPC's and it definitely didn't need some tacked on arena-mode. The wisdom in their choice of re-doing the cinematics is debatable too, especially seeing the results, and I really doubt old or new players would've had much of a problem with them retaining the originals.

 

All in all, what we ended up with just seems the result of very poor decision making. Which is a real shame, because there was huge potential here. People only need to look at the mod communities' efforts to see the possibilities -- just look at all the screenshots in the attached readme for Erephine's One Pixel Productions mod. Some of her work was used in BG:EE, but look at her work on the original BG2 interface, the fonts, the icons, the paperdolls, the spell effects... That stuff looks amazing. Why, if a modder can improve the game and streamline its visuals to such a degree, do we have to suffer a broken and badly executed $ 20,- "enhanced edition" from a professional developer?

readme.html

[Bartimaeus]

If you're directing that entire post at me, then all I can say is that...I completely agree with you on every point. I don't think the release was a major disaster, but I do think, failing just aborting the entire project, they should've just stuck with enhancing what they could, (bugfixing, adding a few new features like the inventory information display, (which, by the way, they've now patched to work properly), adding a few truly outstanding modders' works if they could, (i.e. 1PP, TobEx, ...), do as much graphics enhancing as they could, (since BioWare "lost" all the original art assets - also, not in the form of a big blue UI that doesn't match tone-wise with the game at all), etc.), not introduced mod-quality content that has absolutely no relation to the original game. If they had done that, people, (especially me), would've probably been happier with the game, especially at launch, since they presumably would've spent more time making sure the game actually worked.

 

But what's done is done...the only reason I'm defending the game at all is because some of the criticism is either ridiculous or patently false. The only reason I will maybe switch over to using BG:EE is because my favorite modders, (DavidW, Ascension64, Erephine, Demivrgvs), might be working with BG(2):EE exclusively from now on. If not, well...like everyone has said before, there's always the original (enhanced by modders).

Edited December 4, 2012 by Bartimaeus

[HoonDing]

Is Neera romance better than Saerileth mod? Neera is fifteen too, right?