So, Baldur's Gate...

[Hrafn]

...anyone know much about it? Picked it up today at a thrift store. Looking forward to trying it out, since I've been hearing about it for years. And the last PC game I got from that store was in '07 when I picked up Fallout 2, which did end up being as good as advertised (if not better). But while it did have all five discs, the manual is a no-show this time. Poops.

[orius]

Re: So, Baldur's Gate...

You're kidding right? One of the best western RPGs of all time and you know nothing about it?

Don't worry about the manual, it didn't really have much of one. At least the version I bought which had the original game and the Tales of the Sword Coast expansion bundled in one set. Had 3 game disks and a soundtrack disk. There should be a .pdf manual on the disks anyway.

Anyway, it's a great game. Have fun with it.

[Perversion]

Re: So, Baldur's Gate...

Red Dragon, it's your time to shine!

[John Mora]

Re: So, Baldur's Gate...

It was like $5 from GOG a while back and had the soundtrack and manual and everything digitally.

[Perversion]

Re: So, Baldur's Gate...

I played through Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance on the original Xbox once.

[Hrafn]

Re: So, Baldur's Gate...

I know some about the story and whatnot, usually from articles about their subsequent games that made reference to this one. But as far as how it plays? Definitely don't know much about it. Just hoping it handles real-time RPG combat with multiple characters better than Freedom Force. That was not pleasant to play, which was a shame. Otherwise an interesting game, but I couldn't get over the controls and mechanics to stick with it.

In general, I don't know much about PC-only games. Console-centric right here. Especially RPGs; before Fallout 2 I had literally never played one on my PC before.

[Ryner]

Re: So, Baldur's Gate...

I played it around the time it came out, but never finished it. It's not a bad game, but has some flaws that made me lose interest. I found it to be pretty slow both in term of plot and gameplay. You start as level 1 in 2nd (or is it 3rd?) edition D&D rules, that means you suck. Wanna play a Mage? Enjoy your 4 HP and only having one spell that you can cast once before having to rest. And you better keep those 5 CDs (I could have sworn it was 6) close by because you'll be switching back and forth a lot. Combat is fine, you just gotta play smart and pause a lot (spacebar).



Now I admit I was new to that style of game when I played it and if I tried it again I might find it more enjoyable. But I don't think that'll happen since I've experienced the sequel and going back would be too much of a downgrade. For the record BG2 is absolutely phenomenal and such a vast improvement (on, again, what isn't a bad game) that it staggers the mind. The perfect example of what a sequel should be and one of my favorite games ever.

[Hrafn]

Re: So, Baldur's Gate...

It's 5 discs. Wiki seems to confirm this as well. And if I enjoy this one enough I'll probably snag 2 from eBay or something, give it a go.

Mages need to have low HP and a limited number of spells in D&D, to make up for the fact that they tend to generally rock faces. I played a bit of competitive D&D (3.5 edition), and cooked up a wizard that won four matches without even being touched.

[orius]

Re: So, Baldur's Gate...

I played through Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance on the original Xbox once.

Ok.

First off, comparing Baldur's Gate and Baldur's Gate 2 to the DA games is like comparing this:



to this:



Don't get me wrong, Dark Alliance isn't a bad game, but it's nowhere near the PC BG series.

I know some about the story and whatnot, usually from articles about their subsequent games that made reference to this one. But as far as how it plays? Definitely don't know much about it. Just hoping it handles real-time RPG combat with multiple characters better than Freedom Force. That was not pleasant to play, which was a shame. Otherwise an interesting game, but I couldn't get over the controls and mechanics to stick with it.

In general, I don't know much about PC-only games. Console-centric right here. Especially RPGs; before Fallout 2 I had literally never played one on my PC before.

I think BG uses the same or a similar engine that the first two Fallout games use. Also, it is real-time, but you can set up combat options that pause the game automatically during certain conditions. Enough pauses can make it almost psuedo-turn-based.

Mages need to have low HP and a limited number of spells in D&D, to make up for the fact that they tend to generally rock faces. I played a bit of competitive D&D (3.5 edition), and cooked up a wizard that won four matches without even being touched.

Ok, so you're kind of familiar with D&D gameplay, so you should know a bit what to expect here. It's 2nd edition rules though, so things are a bit different, definitely more hardcore. The game does a fairly good job of presenting classic D&D gameplay in an electronic game. Someone who's used to something like say Final Fantasy, particularly the newer easier ones will probably find BG difficult. However, I say it's a damn fine and solid game. In any case, yes a solo wizard will have it tough, but you've got a party of up to six characters. So if you have enough tanks to balance things out it should be fine. I've played the game as a wizard without too much difficulty.

[Hrafn]

Re: So, Baldur's Gate...

First time through I'll probably roll up a melee guy anyhow. Or cross-class, if it's allowed. Ironically, it wasn't in the actual D&D Tactics videogame. The class you pick for your guys at the beginning is the class they are forever. And no Deflect Arrows, my favorite feat.

I like Steak Ums. Good on sandwiches, if greasy. But I agree, the little bit I played of the first Dark Alliance game could never be confused with a Bioware title. Just a low-rent Diablo clone. Although still stellar in quality compared to Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel. Ugh. It's a testament to how much I liked Fallout 2 after playing it that I actually finished BoS. Just that desperate for more Fallout, I guess (and it was still a year before 3 was released, satisfying that need a whole lot better).

I like what I'm hearing; Fallout 2's engine was fine by me, and pseudo-realtime sounds reminiscent of KotOR, and I really enjoyed that game's combat engine. Combined the best elements of turn-based (the increased strategy and control, the ability to queue up actions) with the more energetic and kinetic real-time veneer. Not seamless, but still one of my favorite setups for a fight. If I get my work done early this week I'll see if it works on my laptop. Hopefully it isn't too old.

[Red Dragon]

Re: So, Baldur's Gate...

Hmm... A Baldurs Gate topic..

I should post in it.

Honestly, I actually would recommended getting Baldurs Gate 2 as well.

Oh and download this:

http://www.usoutpost31.com/easytutu/

This basically makes Baldurs Gate 1 play on Baldurs Gate 2's engine.

You'll thank me later when you have a superior engine running he game and the ability to hit TAB and actually see the items around your feet. (among other things)

Otherwise, have fun with it. It's my favorite series and the sequel is my favorite game of all time. The combat will most likely like to kick your butt. So make liberal use of the quicksave feature.

[Hrafn]

Re: So, Baldur's Gate...

Another thing I'm used to from my Fallout 2 time. Between the permanent nature of companion death in that game and their tendency to catch some of my stray bullets with their backs, saving often was a necessity.

However, I think before I start in on something big like this I'll probably try to finish Tactics Ogre. Might do a Jedi Academy runthrough as well, it doesn't take long and it's been a couple years since I chucked a Dark Jedi into a bottomless cliff with level 3 Force Grip...only to watch him wall jump off the other side of the cliff and try to chop me in half with his lightsaber. Good times. The Force Unleashed wishes it was half as interesting.

[tjoris9]

Re: So, Baldur's Gate...

First time through I'll probably roll up a melee guy anyhow. Or cross-class, if it's allowed.

Melee is good, cross-classing isn't as nice in 2nd edition.

In 2nd edition you do have to stay the same class the whole way through. When you cross-class you choose two classes at the start and get both of their abilities and half of their total HP, but afterward they level up separately (You apply half XP to each and gain half HP when they level up). It's kind of a confusing system for a beginner, but in the BG games the computer is doing most of the work.

[Jehuty]

Re: So, Baldur's Gate...

If you're just playing it for story, you really don't need a guide or manual of any sort.

If you want to be an OCD completionist game-master, I recommend you google some guides.

[Hrafn]

Re: So, Baldur's Gate...

I don't know which of those fit me. My only thing that pushes me to guides is I don't like having story options or character recruitment (ESPECIALLY character recruitment) closed off because I accidentally did or did not do a certain thing at a certain time. It's one of the bigger gripes I've been having with Tactics Ogre, albeit not an unexpected one since it is like the original game in that aspect. BG have a lot of that?

2e cross-classing sounds a bit like 3.5's Gestalt, except for the half XP thing. I'm familiar with the concept, but haven't ever done it myself. Not allowed in the Arena, and of the few campaigns I've played none of them incorporated it. Seemed like catnip for the min-max crowd, but I would agree that it might be too micromanage-y even for me. Sometimes having too many options is a headache.