Which old Infinity Engine game should I play in preparation for Project Eternity?

[samm]

I found BG2 horrible even on the first playthrough regarding story motivation and "epic-ness": Ok, so I want to go free Imoen, but I can't really do that fast enough and when I do it's all this god-stuff mixed with everyday trivialities, random **** like flesh-eating gnomes, and every other enemy in TOB is a dragon and ugh... nah, not really anything that resonated with me, all the proportions were skewed.

BG1 was much better in that regard. I played a fledgeling hero, there was a sense of discovery, some political motivations in a scope that felt more realistic etc.

 

 

 Dark Sun: Shattered Lands would like a word with you.  

 

 

 

Ah, I haven't had the chance to play the SSI games yet... hm, even though I think I started a game of Dark Sun in a Dos-box after having played PS:T, hm, yeah, I remember liking the desert setting and wonder about psionics, but somehow I cannot recall anything more of that game... As I said I've only been playing PC games since BG1, so I've missed most of the older RPGs (with the exception two games of the old The Dark Eye trilogy and some others).

[Zoraptor]

The kobolds man, the kobolds! They're coming out of the goddamned walls! SargeKhalid! DrakeMinsc! I say we stand back and fireball the mine from distance, it's the only way to be sure! Well sir, there's only 3 problems with that, 1, we don't have a fireball, 2 we don't have a fireball and 3, we don't have fireball. Now technically that may be only one problem, but it's so big I thought it worth mentioning three times. I've got two sleeps and a magic missile, and I'm all out of sleeps.

 

..

 

Game over man, Game over!

 

(I like BG1 well enough otherwise, but it's like saying I liked a meal well enough excepting the compote of dead rodents. Nashkel mines- long, boring, arbitrary enemies that can kill you with a single hit and yield a staggering 6 to 30 odd xp a pop. Probably the single worst area in any RPG I've played. And I still see Kharlie hiding behind every rock, even today months later)

[alanschu]

So many kobolds indeed.  Thanks for reminding me of the horrors...

[Nepenthe]

Yeah, my core issue with BG1 has always been that it attempts to combine (a somewhat) open world and non-scaling enemies with low level ad&d. Where your character basically doubles in power at every level... and then makes that progression rather slow. I like the way IWD shows that lessons were learned, but still..

[Katphood]

Currently I am playing BG1 and PS:T to warm myself up for Project Eternity. Soon I'm gonna go for Baldurs Gate 2, the Icewind dale games and dare I say...Temple of Elemental Evil. As for the games I'm playing right now: Baldurs Gate is ok but sometimes I have a hard time figuring out how some of the things work. Planescape Torment on the other hand is simply amazing. Contrary to what most people experience, I have had absolutely no trouble playing this game at all till now. It just feels like being at home!    

Edited April 25, 2013 by Astiaks

[Keyrock]

My biggest issue with BG1 is less about BG1 and more about low level D&D.  There's a whole lot of combat encounter > die > reload > combat encounter > die > reload > combat encounter > survive > save > combat encounter > die > reload > combat encounter > survive > save.  You get the picture.  At level 1 your characters are always one or two bad d20 rolls away from death, especially mages & rogues, but even fighters.  Until you get to about level 4 or so, death can come so quickly, with just a few bad dice rolls, that you don't even have a chance to react strategically and try to help said character.  The sweet spot for D&D is, and has always been, IMHO, levels 7-15.

 

I thought IWD2 handled low level combat encounters the best.

Edited April 25, 2013 by Keyrock

[SadExchange]

Anyone know if GOG will have the combo package discount for the DnD titles again, or was it a one time thing?  I have a bunch of IE games on disc, but would rather deal with a download and the ability to play on Windows 7 without hassle.  Also, the package on gamersgate, is that the same as one would find on gog or do we know if I need to finagle it to work on Windows 7?  With all this talk of the IE games, feel like getting back into them.

[Humanoid]

GOG have done D&D bundles more than once previously (though before they got the rights to NWN2, so that last time was the first time that "full" set appeared). And Zoraptor pointed out earlier in this thread that the Gamersgate pack is literally a bundle of the GOG versions, installer and all.

[SadExchange]

I'm not so much interested in the NWN series as I am with the BG, IWB, PT, and TOEE series.

 

I did see Zoraptor's post, but wasn't quite sure exactly if it was the GOG versions or not, but that is definitely good to hear that it is.  One last question, for those that have had the chance to play it, would it be better to get the BGEE or does it not really matter?

[Zoraptor]

Don't get EE unless you're terrified of modding, it's more expensive and still bugged and the free mods do as good or better a job of things.

 

Yeah, only difference is that it's a unified download on GG, rather than each being a separate download as on GOG. You can buy them separately at GG as well, I've used excess blue coins or 4/3 deals to get backups of both BGs and IWD2 there and they are literally the GOG installer. They both have sales fairly regularly, if the price is the same get them on GOG though as they actually did the work setting them up.

Edited April 25, 2013 by Zoraptor

[SadExchange]

Don't get EE unless you're terrified of modding, it's more expensive and still bugged and the free mods do as good or better a job of things.

 

Yeah, only difference is that it's a unified download on GG, rather than each being a separate download as on GOG. You can buy them separately at GG as well, I've used excess blue coins or 4/3 deals to get backups of both BGs and IWD2 there and they are literally the GOG installer. They both have sales fairly regularly, if the price is the same get them on GOG though as they actually did the work setting them up.

 

That's what I think I'm gonna do is wait for the next sale on GOG.  I do enjoy they're service and features.  Thanks for the help and info.

[Katphood]

My biggest issue with BG1 is less about BG1 and more about low level D&D.  There's a whole lot of combat encounter > die > reload > combat encounter > die > reload > combat encounter > survive > save > combat encounter > die > reload > combat encounter > survive > save.  You get the picture.  At level 1 your characters are always one or two bad d20 rolls away from death, especially mages & rogues, but even fighters.  Until you get to about level 4 or so, death can come so quickly, with just a few bad dice rolls, that you don't even have a chance to react strategically and try to help said character.  The sweet spot for D&D is, and has always been, IMHO, levels 7-15.

 

I thought IWD2 handled low level combat encounters the best.

Yup, that sums up BG1 pretty well. The only reason I am playing this is because everybody praises BG2 to high heavens and I never start a sequel if I haven't played it's prequel yet.

 

Also, I hope Project Eternity has a strong and unique story like PS:T.

Edited April 25, 2013 by Astiaks

[SadExchange]

Okay, So I just bought the DnD anthology from gamersgate due to being $6.00 which I think is insane for the content and am downloading it now.  As it's not downloaded, I don't know if it's including Trials of the Luremaster, does anyone know this?  I'll probably rebuy it from gog once it goes on sale there due to liking their service more and the ability to download one game at a time.  Anyone who has bought it from gamersgate have any tips for the setup?  I want to go the BGT route and use the install process gog has on their website.  That should work as well with this copy I'm assuming.

[Tigranes]

Do not get BGEE, unless you really want to play on tablets, or are really allergic to simple, easy to install mods. Every IE game has a small set of must-get mods, such as the widescreen mod, and I/the forum can walk you through finding and installing them easily. BGEE is not an authentic experience - it's not the type that adds new functionalities or fixes enduring bugs for the player, but fiddles with a new (ugly) UI and other things that can be hit and miss. It's a waste of your money coming at twice the original on GOG.

 

I like BG1, but for someone starting, yes, I'd recommend BG2 as their first. 

[Zoraptor]

I don't know if it's including Trials of the Luremaster, does anyone know this?

Should do, as the GOG version has it and apart from the unified download the GG versions are identical. I installed the CD version of IWD a month or so ago and had to redownload TotL and it is still readily available anyway.

[Humanoid]

They're also doing NWN1+2 for $9 for anyone who missed the GOG sale.

 

 

...unlike Tigs who pulled the trigger between sales.

[Katphood]

Man, why isn't NWN2 Platinum available on steam anymore? Wish I had bought it back in the days when it was still available.