Sensuki's Let's Play Icewind Dale

[Sensuki]

 

Hi guys. I've been going pretty hard at testing in Pillars of Eternity for the duration of the beta so far and I thought it would be healthy to go back and play an Infinity Engine game for some perspective. I chose Icewind Dale as the game I'm going to play (mostly due to the fact that it's not super long and I had it installed) and I'm going to play through a fair amount of Icewind Dale at least, perhaps all of it and make comments in relation to Pillars of Eternity.

 

This is not stock Icewind Dale:HoW though I have the following mods installed: HQ movies, HQ music, 1PP IWD Fixes, components of Auril's Bane, G3 Dale Tweaks and IWD Fixpack.

 

Part 2 transcoding now and I will record some more tomorrow.

[HoonDing]

It's a p. bland and soulless game overall, but Wyrm's Tooth was a great level.

[Sensuki]

I always have issues with getting Icewind Dale 2 to work properly (usually graphical glitches unrelated to the DirectDraw fix) and BG2 is too long

 

I really liked Dragon's Eye, particularly the final level with all the Yuan-Ti.

Edited October 4, 2014 by Sensuki

[gkathellar]

and BG2 is too long

 

I always just sort of approach each of the major dungeons as a separate module, personally. So it would be less, "Let's Play: BG2," and more, "Let's Play: De'Arnise Stronghold," or "Let's Play: Planar Sphere," or "Let's Play: Umar Hills ..."

 

... man, Umar Hills was a fantastic quest. I'd play BG2 again just for that. Well, that and Watcher's Keep.

[Sensuki]

Well I actually just finished BG2 again like a week or two before the PE beta as well.

Edited October 4, 2014 by Sensuki

[Sensuki]

[archangel979]

I am waiting for IWDEE to play it again.

[Uomoz]

Dang that movement speed looks so awkward.

[Skie Nightfall]

I am waiting for IWDEE to play it again.

 

I wonder how good it would be. The original was pretty bland. Felt like an IE hack and slash game, since other than a few quests in the beginning, it was just one fight non stop.

 

I found IWD2 much better, as the story was more appealing, dialogue was better, and it was probably the peak of the Infinity Engine. It surprised me that some of the new things IWD2 offered didn't make it into BGEE (first thing which comes to mind is the much improved quick weapon slots, something that PoE has at least :D).

Edited October 4, 2014 by Skie Nightfall

[archangel979]

I don't mind lots of fighting in IE games, the combat is fun and classes are distinct enough that it is fun to combine their strengths to defeat challenges. And I am excited to try out BG2 classes in my own 6 man party vs the game.

[Skie Nightfall]

I don't mind lots of fighting in IE games, the combat is fun and classes are distinct enough that it is fun to combine their strengths to defeat challenges. And I am excited to try out BG2 classes in my own 6 man party vs the game.

 

Sure. Just out of all the IE games, I always got bored with IWD quickly. Will give it another go when the EE comes out though :D

[Seari]

IWD>IWD2

[gkathellar]

It surprised me that some of the new things IWD2 offered didn't make it into BGEE (first thing which comes to mind is the much improved quick weapon slots, something that PoE has at least :D).

 

That's because BG:EE is basically just an installation of BGTutu with a bunch of mods. IIRC, virtually all of its new technology is stuff that was developed on the major modding sites, with various more-or-less minor updates.

 

And since Weimer's Icewind Gate flickered out in early development like a decade ago ... yeah.

[Hiro Protagonist II]

Combat moves a lot faster because you don't have to select any powers for your front line characters. You only have to micro-manage your spell casters, but even then ranged weapons are viable for both front line and back line. The combat log is easy to follow and is right in front of you, not to the wrong side of the screen. The icons below the combat log changes from party to individual members when you select them which I'd like to see in PoE.

 

You can have more icons along the bottom for individual members with the IE games. You can assign different spells that you use a lot for your characters icons in the bottom of the bar. if I'm using fireball a lot with PoE, I don't have that 'favourite spell' button I can just click on.

 

There's a lot more but this is just watching things at a glace. Damn, I want to play IWD1 now for the 150th time.

[Valmy]

As somebody who loves IWD it sure hurts my feelings to see people call it bland and lifeless.  I think it is amazing and fun as hell.  This makes me want to play it again.

[Valmy]

Ah man I love Easthaven's theme.

 

And yes Sensuki I love the narrator guy as well.  Best Narrator in all the IE games.

Edited October 5, 2014 by Valmy

[Seari]

 

It surprised me that some of the new things IWD2 offered didn't make it into BGEE (first thing which comes to mind is the much improved quick weapon slots, something that PoE has at least :D).

 

That's because BG:EE is basically just an installation of BGTutu with a bunch of mods. IIRC, virtually all of its new technology is stuff that was developed on the major modding sites, with various more-or-less minor updates.

 

And since Weimer's Icewind Gate flickered out in early development like a decade ago ... yeah.

 

That's not true, the enhanced addition runs way smoother and I'm glad I bought it. The easily reconfigurable key bindings+improved inventory is a big plus as well.

Edited October 5, 2014 by Seari

[Valmy]

 

That's not true, the enhanced addition runs way smoother and I'm glad I bought it. The easily reconfigurable key bindings+improved inventory is a big plus as well.

 

 

 

 

That a fact?  Anything PoE might benefit from?

[ToolofIsis]

I like both Icewind's. They have great music and really allow you to get into the nuts and bolts of combat for the IE games. Yeah, it's soooo close to straight up hack n slash but it does not bother me.

[Sensuki]

I prefer the original BG to BG:EE. The original art assets rule, and nothing can replicate the BG1 spawning system properly (not BGT, Tutu, or BG:EE)

[Bill Gates' Son]

As somebody who loves IWD it sure hurts my feelings to see people call it bland and lifeless.  I think it is amazing and fun as hell.  This makes me want to play it again.

 

Same.  People think IWD is nothing but a hack n slash, but there is an interesting storyline in the game if you actually don't skip the dialog.  

Edited October 5, 2014 by Bill Gates' Son

[Monte Carlo]

IWD is all about party builds, tactics and exploring. There's an interesting story in there too if you're interested but it's not in your face.

 

It's one of my favourite IE games and my best playthrough was with an iconic Fighter / Thief / Magic-User / Cleric single classed party based on characters from the old AD&D rulebooks.

[Jajo]

Well, damn. Just finished IWD2 a week ago and now I'm going to have to install the first one again.

I have a feeling it's the same with all IE games. When someone starts a thread about one of them, someone else goes and installs it.

 

Also, I'd never call IWD bland. Yes, it's a dungeon crawler with just a few quests sprinkled on top, but despite this it has quite a few memorable NPCs and arguably the most memorable locations.

[Cluas]

I love this game :D

[Sarex]

IWD>IWD2

 

In what universe?