For Baldur's Gate Fans: New Expansion

[Volourn]

"I generally thought the developers hearts were in the right place"

 

How cna you say that when they trash the IE and BG repeatedly? L0L

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

Which is unfortunate for me, since I want to play them on PC but want absolutely nothing to do with the character DLC...them making that optional on PC would've gone a long ways to increase my goodwill towards them, but what's done is done.

Don't you usually roll a custom party anyways? I think the VA on new companions is pretty poor and mod-quality myself.

 

"I generally thought the developers hearts were in the right place"

 

How cna you say that when they trash the IE and BG repeatedly? L0L

When did they do that?

[213374U]

 

Which is unfortunate for me, since I want to play them on PC but want absolutely nothing to do with the character DLC...them making that optional on PC would've gone a long ways to increase my goodwill towards them, but what's done is done.

Don't you usually roll a custom party anyways? I think the VA on new companions is pretty poor and mod-quality myself.

 

Well, as with the rest of BD content, it's hit-and-miss. Dorn is good, Neera is bad. So, so bad. And so annoying I've actually developed a newfound appreciation for Jaheira. Baeloth is pretty good. Rasaad is so-so. Then again, Rasaad and Baeloth are both Mark Meer, so I'd be surprised if he suddenly couldn't do VA. Unless you mean the actual quality of the recording, as in, it sounds as if I had recorded them with my webcam mic, in which case I tend to agree.

 

The only thing that no mod has come close to in terms of added content quality are the new areas. And those still feel different for some reason I can't quite put a finger on. Color palette maybe?

 

They are bringing back "some" of the original cast, so it'll be interesting to see if it's a matter of VA direction or what.

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

Well, as with the rest of BD content, it's hit-and-miss. Dorn is good, Neera is bad. So, so bad. And so annoying I've actually developed a newfound appreciation for Jaheira. Baeloth is pretty good. Rasaad is so-so. Then again, Rasaad and Baeloth are both Mark Meer, so I'd be surprised if he suddenly couldn't do VA. Unless you mean the actual quality of the recording, as in, it sounds as if I had recorded them with my webcam mic, in which case I tend to agree.

I was talking about the recording quality. I also didn't like the replacements for the cutscenes, but I hate the cutscenes anyways.

 

The only thing that no mod has come close to in terms of added content quality are the new areas. And those still feel different for some reason I can't quite put a finger on. Color palette maybe?

Possibly. From what I remember from my EE run a year or so ago, the areas just looked off. Could be that the artist had a different style that clashes somewhat with the original game.

[Bartimaeus]

 

Which is unfortunate for me, since I want to play them on PC but want absolutely nothing to do with the character DLC...them making that optional on PC would've gone a long ways to increase my goodwill towards them, but what's done is done.

Don't you usually roll a custom party anyways? I think the VA on new companions is pretty poor and mod-quality myself.

 

Yes...it still damages my image of the game whe these random NPCs that I know aren't supposed to be a part of the game are just sitting around in certain locations...feels like I'm playing with mod-added party members, which is a huge, immersion-breaking no-no to me. If I recall correctly, too, Neera talks to you immediately upon spotting you in...Beregost, was it? ...and...Rasaad...or Dorn...whoever the monk in Nashkel is...has ridiculous boots that you could sell for like 15k gold or something insane when I played. It was all just very disappointing. I actually thought about making my own little weidu mod to remove them, but weidu was still broken for the EEs at that point...and really, why bother? Mods that I feel like I need still aren't compatible with the EEs, so there's no point in ever bothering with the EEs over the originals. *shrug*

Edited July 23, 2015 by Bartimaeus

[Fardragon]

Nah. I use my keyboard to fight not my fists except in self defense.

Trent knows where you live...

 

 

(He used to work for Baskin Robbins)

Edited July 23, 2015 by Fardragon

[Excalibur_2102]

 

Volourn, on 22 Jul 2015 - 11:44 PM, said:

"I generally thought the developers hearts were in the right place"

 

How cna you say that when they trash the IE and BG repeatedly? L0L

When did they do that?

 

I assume he might be talking about Trent saying things like the game was poorly coded because they were new to video game development back in 1998, and maybe the bugs that were still present in the games.  I dont really see that as "Trashing the game" though, especially as some of them worked and progammed the original, so they would know if it was a mess or not.  Cant recall them saying "If you dont like this then you arent a BG fan," or "BG and IE suck," though.

[Namutree]

I'll say what bothered me the most about EE. The multi-colored circles under the companions. Just be friggin' green gosh darn it.

[213374U]

I'll say what bothered me the most about EE. The multi-colored circles under the companions. Just be friggin' green gosh darn it.

 

You can disable that by flipping the corresponding option in baldur.ini from "1" to "0". Not sure if it's anywhere in the options menu though.

 

(I hate that **** too btw)

[Namutree]

 

I'll say what bothered me the most about EE. The multi-colored circles under the companions. Just be friggin' green gosh darn it.

 

You can disable that by flipping the corresponding option in baldur.ini from "1" to "0". Not sure if it's anywhere in the options menu though.

 

(I hate that **** too btw)

 

Good. Thanks for the info.

[Nonek]

With the recent Mr Avellone interview, and its favourable impression of this Siege of Dragonspear, i'm left thinking that I may eventually purchase the expansion (and by necessity the enhanced editions on sale as cheap as possible of course, as I don't wish to encourage exclusionary practises) if there are positive reviews from trusted sources. However i'm left with a few questions that EE veterans may answer if they'd be so kind:

 

1. Has the pathfinding been improved? As the most glaring error of the IE games I expect this was the first point on the list of fixes.

2. Have the ugly character models of the IE games (post BG1) been improved at all? The originals in BG were so much more palatable to me.

3. Can the absolutely hideous UI additions i've seen used in the EE be reversed back to the originals games?

4. Can the videos be re-introduced to the EE game, rather than the illustrations they've replaced them with?

5. Can the auto looting function be disabled?

 

Thank you in advance for any answers ladies and gentlemen.

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

With the recent Mr Avellone interview, and its favourable impression of this Siege of Dragonspear, i'm left thinking that I may eventually purchase the expansion (and by necessity the enhanced editions on sale as cheap as possible of course, as I don't wish to encourage exclusionary practises) if there are positive reviews from trusted sources. However i'm left with a few questions that EE veterans may answer if they'd be so kind:

 

1. Has the pathfinding been improved? As the most glaring error of the IE games I expect this was the first point on the list of fixes.

2. Have the ugly character models of the IE games (post BG1) been improved at all? The originals in BG were so much more palatable to me.

3. Can the absolutely hideous UI additions i've seen used in the EE be reversed back to the originals games?

4. Can the videos be re-introduced to the EE game, rather than the illustrations they've replaced them with?

5. Can the auto looting function be disabled?

 

Thank you in advance for any answers ladies and gentlemen.

Prefer the originals myself, but from what I've played of the EEs...

 

1. No

2. No

3. Not that I know of

4. Not that I know of, and would personally prefer both absent

5. I never experienced an auto-loot myself.

[archangel979]

1. Pathfinding is better in EE, and it is better than in PoE. Chris also said that he thinks it is even more improved in this expansion

2. They use BG2 models and I seen them also make changes to them for SoD that makes them possible even worse looking

3. Maybe with some modes, doubt it. 99% of players don't have a problem with it.

4. Maybe with mods.

5. There is no auto loot, you are probably talking about quick loot. You don't have to use quick loot button.

[Jotra]

I'll just answer #4. Yes, you can easily replace the BGEE cinematics with the original ones. I'd strongly recommend doing because not only are the Beamdog ones ugly as hell, they didn't even make them for like half of the original scenes.

 

Also this new Matt Chat is worth watching to see Chris talk about SoD:

 

 

[Nonek]

Ah much obliged gentlemen, it doesn't seem to be quite up my alley enhancement wise so i'll probably wait for a sale, once again thank you for your responses.

 

Mr Avellone seems rather busy lately doesn't he? Listening to the other podcast I was pleased to hear that he would be enormously interested in getting involved if Beamdog remakes Torment, and this would for me be one of the only reasons why i'd immediately purchase a Torment EE.

[213374U]

1. Has the pathfinding been improved? As the most glaring error of the IE games I expect this was the first point on the list of fixes.

 

I'm just going to comment on this real quick as others have already covered the other questions enough. Pathfinding is functionally the same, but I've experienced something that I don't remember being an issue present in the originals: when a creature cannot find a path (Iron Golems not fitting through doorways, Carrion Crawlers not being able to cross a stream) the game will often start lagging.

 

BG2EE retains the original cutscenes, btw.

[Lychnidos]

That also happens when you order movement to an unreachable spot, or place to which the path hasn't been discovered (is under the black fog of war). 

[sunshinex3]

theirs only 4 classes or races, meh...

[Fardragon]

theirs only 4 classes or races, meh...

 I think you may be thinking of a different game.

[Namutree]

theirs only 4 classes or races, meh...

???

[ktchong]

I'm still pissed that the Baldur Gate Enhanced Edition 1 and 2 came out on GOG right after I had purchased them on Steam, right after I had posted a question in the developer's forum and asked them if the games would come out on GOG.

[Fardragon]

I'm still pissed that the Baldur Gate Enhanced Edition 1 and 2 came out on GOG right after I had purchased them on Steam, right after I had posted a question in the developer's forum and asked them if the games would come out on GOG.

I'm pretty sure they discouraged people from buying on Steam, and said "we don't know, it's up to GOG" about GOG.

 

Obviously, for them, it was best for people to buy direct.

Edited August 9, 2015 by Fardragon