The child of Bhaal stirs...

February 29, 2012 9:05 AM

The Baldur's Gate series of games is considered legendary amongst CRPG fans. They are routinely considered amongst the greatest of all time, and was recently voted the best series in the history of video games by a panel of 1,000 game devs. Today, the Baldur's Gate web site was updated with a new product teaser.

Hidden in the main page is the following text:

"Shadowy Figure- Raise Dead : Infinity Engine

For years, I clung to the memory of it. Then the memory of the memory.

And then... it returned. Better than it was before.

Pore over the tapestries and works of art hanging from our walls if you wish, Child of Bhaal... perhaps you will find a clue. But patience, ah... patience would reveal it all.

As the silver moon waxes and wanes, so too does life."

GameBanshee.com is already in touch with the development team at Beamdog who have confirmed a new project, but have released no details.

posted by WinnipegDragon (156 comments total)

Oh, man. I hope it's not just an HD version of the original. I mean, that'd still be awesome, but I really hope it's a brand-new RPG in the same world.
posted by Mr. Bad Example at 9:09 AM on February 29, 2012 [1 favorite]

I admit I've opened the logo and background in PS and screwed around with every possible slider to see if I could find any 'hints in the tapestries'...
posted by WinnipegDragon at 9:11 AM on February 29, 2012

OOoh - this is great news. Thanks for letting us know.
posted by YAMWAK at 9:11 AM on February 29, 2012

YES!
posted by zarq at 9:12 AM on February 29, 2012

No 3D shit, okay?
posted by Faint of Butt at 9:13 AM on February 29, 2012 [5 favorites]

Gah! Don't keep my hopes up like that!

As Minsc says: "Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, watch it! I'm huge"
posted by 7life at 9:13 AM on February 29, 2012 [3 favorites]

One more clue. The site went live on the 28th, the day of the moon waxing. The moon will be waning on March 17th, so that may be the day of the reveal.
posted by WinnipegDragon at 9:14 AM on February 29, 2012 [1 favorite]

I don't ever do this.

Really.

But.

OMG.
posted by rudhraigh at 9:15 AM on February 29, 2012 [1 favorite]

WinnipegDragon, you're going to have to explain to my wife why I spend tonight singing that "the Lord of Murder shall perish" bit from the first game.
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 9:17 AM on February 29, 2012

Raise Dead? I guess Shadowy Figure isn't high-level enough for Resurrection. Are they implying that the project can be instantly killed off again if someone looks at it wrong?
posted by derrinyet at 9:18 AM on February 29, 2012

No hack-and-slash action-adventure spinoffs, please.
posted by naju at 9:18 AM on February 29, 2012 [2 favorites]

No hack-and-slash action-adventure spinoffs, please.

They already did that with the Dark Alliance series. They were fun enough, but they weren't Baldur's Gate.

My gut says that this will be an HD remake, but that is a tough sell considering that background art of BG and BG2 was one of it's best selling points. Still, it would be a TAKE MY MONEY moment.
posted by WinnipegDragon at 9:20 AM on February 29, 2012

They already did that with the Dark Alliance series.

Exactly what I was referring to. Give us the real deal or nothing at all!
posted by naju at 9:21 AM on February 29, 2012

I really liked the Dark Alliance series.

But not instead of the good stuff.

Where's your giant angry space hamster when you need it?
posted by rudhraigh at 9:24 AM on February 29, 2012

Please be awesome.
posted by Sternmeyer at 9:25 AM on February 29, 2012

Butt kicking for goodness!!
posted by Pendragon at 9:25 AM on February 29, 2012 [7 favorites]

GO FOR THE EYES BOO
posted by The Whelk at 9:26 AM on February 29, 2012 [19 favorites]

Also, no 3D, please, beautiful isometric 2D.
posted by The Whelk at 9:27 AM on February 29, 2012 [1 favorite]

God, I love Baldur's Gate.
posted by Pendragon at 9:27 AM on February 29, 2012

pweese mista i doan have no monies fo a new pooter buts i gots an ipads and a long commute
posted by robocop is bleeding at 9:28 AM on February 29, 2012

I just wanna piss of Jahera again. God she was fun to annoy.
posted by The Whelk at 9:28 AM on February 29, 2012 [1 favorite]

I want to be happy about this, but... ... I've been hurt before.
posted by lumpenprole at 9:29 AM on February 29, 2012

I just wanna piss of Jahera again.

I didn't know Jahera's piss was a collectible item. What hidden realms were you exploring?
posted by Think_Long at 9:34 AM on February 29, 2012 [2 favorites]

I think you know. ::nudge nudge::
posted by Splunge at 9:39 AM on February 29, 2012 [1 favorite]

Time to reinstall Baldur's Gate. Off to GOG.
posted by Pendragon at 9:42 AM on February 29, 2012 [4 favorites]

And.... it's down
posted by azarbayejani at 9:46 AM on February 29, 2012

All this enthusiasm... have you all forgotten BG2?
posted by Threeway Handshake at 9:50 AM on February 29, 2012

I never played this series, though I've played similar games, and definitely was gaming right in this time period.

Do these games hold up to a play through by someone in 2012 who doesn't have the benefit of nostalgia goggles?
posted by utsutsu at 9:52 AM on February 29, 2012

All this enthusiasm... have you all forgotten BG2?

Uh, yes. It was... awesome beyond measure?
posted by WinnipegDragon at 9:53 AM on February 29, 2012 [7 favorites]

DragonAge really was intended to be produced in the spirit of Baldur's Gate 2, although whether or not it was successful is obviously open for debate.
The game has a lot of fans in development circles, but the industry has changed.

I think that I'd probably be more excited about updated graphics/engine on the old one than a sequel, the industry has changed so much that I'm not sure they could make BG2 again today.

Although I left pc gaming behind a long time ago, so I'm not sure how I'd play the remake anyway. :)
posted by Stagger Lee at 9:55 AM on February 29, 2012

I never played this series, though I've played similar games, and definitely was gaming right in this time period.

Do these games hold up to a play through by someone in 2012 who doesn't have the benefit of nostalgia goggles?
posted by utsutsu at 11:52 AM on February 29 [+] [!]

One of the best things about a 2d isometric game with hand drawn art is that you won't notice the graphics being outdated. The UI is a little clunky but perfectly usable, and the gameplay itself stands up very well.

You are limited to 800x600 resolution, and there are some other limitations, but the games are great. Steam is launching a 'complete edition' shortly if you are interested, or you can grab them on GOG now.
posted by WinnipegDragon at 9:56 AM on February 29, 2012 [5 favorites]

Do these games hold up to a play through by someone in 2012 who doesn't have the benefit of nostalgia goggles?
posted by utsutsu at 9:52 AM on February 29 [+] [!]

It's impossible to answer that question, really.
Give it a shot, the worst you do is not play it.

The game had a lot of issues, but it was pretty much the king of top down isometric rpgs. Very important for the genre, although obviously there were some other titles in there that can make similar claims. (Ultima 4-7 maybe?)
posted by Stagger Lee at 9:57 AM on February 29, 2012 [1 favorite]

Baldur's Gate with the (later bug fixed) Temple of Elemental Evil engine would have been good. However, I think that time is passed.
posted by demiurge at 9:57 AM on February 29, 2012

OK - I am an old man new to gaming. Just got Skyrim and Dragon Age for Christmas. What and where would I start with Baldur's Gate?
posted by Ber at 9:58 AM on February 29, 2012

How about playing it on Android?
posted by ODiV at 9:59 AM on February 29, 2012 [2 favorites]

SHUTUPANDTAKEMYMONEY.JPG
posted by Mr. Bad Example at 10:06 AM on February 29, 2012

OK - I am an old man new to gaming. Just got Skyrim and Dragon Age for Christmas. What and where would I start with Baldur's Gate?

Start here and then go here.

GOG's installers do a nice job of getting it running on modern hardware.
posted by WinnipegDragon at 10:08 AM on February 29, 2012 [2 favorites]

Dungeons & Dragons Classic Anthology featuring:

• Baldur’s Gate 1 & 2 + Expansions.
• Ice wind Dale 1 & 2 + Expansions.
• Planescape: Torment.
• The Temple of Elemental Evil.

on sale for $6.78. (Stumbled across this on a deal website yesterday.)
posted by Zed at 10:12 AM on February 29, 2012 [1 favorite]

The Lord of Murder shall perish,
but in his doom he shall spawn a score of mortal progeny.
Chaos will be sown from their passage,
So sayeth the wise Alaundo.
posted by moonbiter at 10:13 AM on February 29, 2012

Still waiting for the Shard of Spring reboot...
posted by steinsaltz at 10:18 AM on February 29, 2012

Alora Annoys James Brown
posted by moonbiter at 10:21 AM on February 29, 2012

I tried to play BG & BG2 a year ago for the first time ever with all these fan-made upgrades and mods to improve the engines. It was great for a while but then I got stuck in some buggy nightmare situation and gave up unsure if it was the mods or the original game. I hope they do an HD version.
posted by frenetic at 10:21 AM on February 29, 2012

Dungeons & Dragons Classic Anthology featuring:

Baldur’s Gate 1 & 2 + Expansions.
Ice wind Dale 1 & 2 + Expansions.
Planescape: Torment.
The Temple of Elemental Evil.

on sale for $6.78. (Stumbled across this on a deal website yesterday.)

!!!
posted by Elementary Penguin at 10:23 AM on February 29, 2012

> utsutsu -- yes, they do. It was hard for me to get the hang of it at first -- a little frustrating, since I'm used to games being much kinder to me and easier to manage -- but it's a beautiful game, and tons of fun. My boyfriend worked quite hard to get our computers to emulate it so we could play together on the home network. I had zero experience with the game or the mythos, and we've only played through I think the first chapter, but I love it, and I'm thrilled at the prospect of a new game that won't require as much fragile Wine tinkering.
posted by Made of Star Stuff at 10:26 AM on February 29, 2012 [1 favorite]

I would kill for updated version of BG 1 and 2 that doesn't shit the bed on any of my new PCs.
posted by Dark Messiah at 10:27 AM on February 29, 2012

I've gone through Baldur's Gate II about 2.5 times, which I think amounts to about 300 hours of gameplay or something. I probably don't need to play it anymore. And yet, an HD version...hmm, I might.

Awesome find from a recent AskMe: You can play Infinity Engine games on an iPad! Uh, if you go through some steps.

Man, Temple of Elemental was so good for about an hour and then I just kept running into crashes. Did they ever end up getting it into decent condition?
posted by ignignokt at 10:29 AM on February 29, 2012 [2 favorites]

Er, Temple of Elemental Evil.
posted by ignignokt at 10:33 AM on February 29, 2012

So, just to be absolutely clear, anything that's being done is being done by Beamdog, right? And not the Gaider-Hepler abortion that is modern Bioware?
posted by kafziel at 10:36 AM on February 29, 2012

I'll second the GOG.com packages. They even work under OS X with a version of Crossover I've not updated in almost two years. Also, they get rid of the annoying CD-swapping of the original. I've just started a new BG campaign just for the heck of it.

The company that took the ball of plot-heavy isometric RPGs is Spiderweb (apparently a company of three or four employees). Their games are arguably better in some ways, and worse in others. But their shareware model with huge sections of the game available as a demo is worthwhile as a preview of the genre, and they just updated Avenum to their current engine for OS X, with MSWin coming soon.

I thought I saw a trailer a while back for a BG-centric MMORPG by a different company from DDO.
posted by CBrachyrhynchos at 10:37 AM on February 29, 2012 [3 favorites]

Crap. I didn't realize that, in addition to the D&D collection above there's a Neverwinter Nights collection.

Free time, I need it.
posted by eyeballkid at 10:39 AM on February 29, 2012

Stagger Lee: "The game had a lot of issues, but it was pretty much the king of top down isometric rpgs. Very important for the genre, although obviously there were some other titles in there that can make similar claims. (Ultima 4-7 maybe?)"

Ahem. Darklands.
posted by jiawen at 10:39 AM on February 29, 2012

(Ultima 4-7 maybe?)

Truth that ..... AHM ..... AHM ..... AHM .....

on sale for $6.78.

$1.16 per game? TOO MUCH.
posted by mrgrimm at 10:54 AM on February 29, 2012

I had never heard of Beamdog before this post, and now have discovered that there is an HD version of MDK2 that I can play on my computer. My day is markedly improved.

(Baldur's Gate, though. Once, just once, can there be a D&D game that doesn't try to shoehorn it into a beat-em-up or RTS?)
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 10:55 AM on February 29, 2012

Planescape pumishes players who treat it as a hack and slash
posted by The Whelk at 11:06 AM on February 29, 2012 [2 favorites]

Only in that it punishes players for relying on combat at all. It's perfectly possible (and indeed often the easiest route) to just click on things until they die, Diablo-style, provided you get adequate experience from the non-combat interactions that are the real meat of the game.
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 11:10 AM on February 29, 2012

I've never gotten rid of my old games. They are what started me. My brother and I would play together, we'd take turns on the same characters, one watching and the other controlling for a couple hours before switching off, always making decisions together, asking for help or advice if either of us felt like we needed it. We started it with Fallout in 1993 (somehow took us years to realize it was 'Ian' and not 'Lan' and even after that we kept calling him Lan anyway) and then Fallout 2 in 1998. I convinced him that we should give Baldur's Gate a try and can still remember how blown away we were by the intro graphics, ha. We rolled our starting characters over and over and over again to get the best stats with a somewhat ridiculous amount of dedication. We made fun of Imoen mercilessly, grew pretty fond of Khalid and tolerated Jahiera, and waited for the day we finally encountered Minsk and got him on our team.

I replayed Fallout 2 just this past weekend because of how much I loved it for the above reasons and simply because it's an amazing game, and it has lost absolutely nothing with the time. My copy is a little bit glitchy (I think I need a patch to avoid some video card ugliness) but it's functional and it took me right back. It is still, hands-down, my favorite game ever. I could (and have to some unfortunate friends) waxed poetic about it. But it's all tied in with memories of Baldur's Gate as well, and while I love contemporary games these old RPGs give me something a lot of modern stuff doesn't.

I remember wondering if there were ever any plans to revisit Fallout 2 and remake it with the same dialogue and plot, so it's kind of funny this news should come up now. This weekend I was planning to replay Baldur's Gate and I think you've given the the right incentive. Thanks.
posted by six-or-six-thirty at 11:20 AM on February 29, 2012 [2 favorites]

Where's your giant angry space hamster when you need it?

Better be in my captain's quarters in about 6 days.

the Gaider-Hepler abortion that is modern Bioware?

Ugh, leave that /v/ /r/gaming troll shit out of Metafilter, please.
posted by kmz at 11:32 AM on February 29, 2012 [4 favorites]

ignignokt: "I've gone through Baldur's Gate II about 2.5 times, which I think amounts to about 300 hours of gameplay or something. I probably don't need to play it anymore. And yet, an HD version...hmm, I might.

Awesome find from a recent AskMe: You can play Infinity Engine games on an iPad! Uh, if you go through some steps.

Man, Temple of Elemental was so good for about an hour and then I just kept running into crashes. Did they ever end up getting it into decent condition?"

Yes. I had the original that was eventually fan patched to working condition. I also got it via GOG and it is working just fine on Win7 64, at least for me.
posted by Splunge at 11:37 AM on February 29, 2012 [1 favorite]

If you're a fan of the classics I really have to suggest using the TuTu mod to roll all the BG1 content into the BG2 engine. I did a mostly seamless playthrough of both games at 1600x1200 a few years back that was one of the best gaming experiences I've ever had.
posted by Ryvar at 11:38 AM on February 29, 2012 [7 favorites]

Ugh, leave that /v/ /r/gaming troll shit out of Metafilter, please.

Baldur's Gate, Baldur's Gate 2, and Throne of Bhaal were all Bioware games. It's not unreasonable that the Bioware of today, which is a very different animal than the Bioware of the 90s, might still have a grip on the franchise. Knowing exactly who is going to be making a new installment is kind of central to knowing how to react to this.

Unless you're saying that it is the Official Stance on Metafilter that Dragon Age 2 wasn't a boring nonsensical pile of shit, and as such any displeasure with the prospect of modern Bioware getting involved in something like this is an unacceptable opinion here.
posted by kafziel at 11:54 AM on February 29, 2012

Displeasure with DA2 or Bioware is fine. Calling any company an "abortion" and perpetuating an incredibly ugly incident (based mostly on lies) that revolved around one of their employees (who's not even a leader writer) is bullshit.
posted by kmz at 12:03 PM on February 29, 2012 [6 favorites]

I think the non-official stance is to stop attacking David Gaider and Jennifer Hepler personally.
posted by WinnipegDragon at 12:04 PM on February 29, 2012 [1 favorite]

More updates in the page source!

Take heart fellow adventurers, for you have curried the favor of Boo, the only miniature giant space hamster in the Realm!

and

I can teach you how to use your wrath.
posted by WinnipegDragon at 12:07 PM on February 29, 2012

I just posted that I was looking for a great iOS RPG over in Ask. Dare I dream?

And yeah, I'm hoping this will be solid. I remember how excited I was about the Bard's Tale reboot, and then how crushing it was to discover it was watered-down Diablo with more misogyny and poop jokes.
posted by Shepherd at 12:07 PM on February 29, 2012 [1 favorite]

The second line "I can teach you how to use your wrath" is from this full speech by Sarevok from BG1:

"I can teach you how to use your wrath. You can control the taint, direct it, summon it at will. You can become the Slayer at will and become the weapon of murder that you were meant to be! So think of me. Think of how I destroyed your precious Gorion, how I plundered the lives of your Candlekeep. Summon your rage, stir the depths of your black heart! Summon wrath. Summon wrath and become it, for if you cannot, then you are not worthy of Bhaal's blood. It should have been I. It should have been I! ATTACK ME, WORM, IF YOU DARE!!!"
posted by WinnipegDragon at 12:09 PM on February 29, 2012

oh please oh please
posted by Legomancer at 12:12 PM on February 29, 2012

This makes me very very worried. The chance for a screw up is huge.
posted by graxe at 12:31 PM on February 29, 2012

control the taint?
posted by mrgrimm at 12:31 PM on February 29, 2012 [1 favorite]

Baldur's Gate is how I know what a doppelganger is. Had I come across the word before? Sure! But thanks to Baldur's Gate, I know.

By this alone it has enriched my life immeasurably.
posted by vanar sena at 12:32 PM on February 29, 2012

You can control the taint, direct it, summon it at will.

*snrk*
posted by Faint of Butt at 12:51 PM on February 29, 2012 [3 favorites]

Baldur's Gate is how I know what a doppelganger is. Had I come across the word before? Sure! But thanks to Baldur's Gate, I know.

You probably already know this, but the D&D Doppelganger is different than the traditional Doppelgänger. D&D doppelganger is more of a shape-shifter, I think, whereas the traditional/folklore sense is a true "double" of a person. (Also, I believe D&D doppelgangers can also "Detect Thoughts.")
posted by mrgrimm at 12:56 PM on February 29, 2012 [1 favorite]

The great iOS RPG at the moment is Avadon, by Spiderweb Software. Highly recommended. Has some minor issues: the god damned lockpick system, the click to walk next to the bad guy rather than attacking him combat system, the ridiculously over the top proliferation of trash items which should be background graphics as you can't use or vendor them, the frequent crashing but that's really Apple's fault; however all of this is forgivable as the game itself is good and the story is excellent. I want an Avadon setting supplement for tabletop RPGs.
posted by aeschenkarnos at 1:01 PM on February 29, 2012 [1 favorite]

I... know.
posted by vanar sena at 1:01 PM on February 29, 2012

I should mention Avadon's junk bag. Effectively infinite inventory space with a "sell all of this at once" button. Also, "quest items" are journalled rather than taking up inventory slots. Thank you, Jeff Vogel. You are a genius.
posted by aeschenkarnos at 1:08 PM on February 29, 2012

YOU MUST GATHER YOUR PARTY BEFORE VENTURING FORTH
posted by Sebmojo at 1:08 PM on February 29, 2012 [24 favorites]

YOU MUST GATHER YOUR PARTY BEFORE VENTURING FORTH
posted by Sebmojo at 3:08 PM on February 29 [+] [!]


I'll just set AIPathNodes=400000 in the .ini

TAKE THAT!
posted by WinnipegDragon at 1:15 PM on February 29, 2012 [3 favorites]

For those who are curious about the game, here's a Let's Play of a heavily modded BG/BG2 at SomethingAwful.
posted by Sebmojo at 1:25 PM on February 29, 2012

Stand away citizen!
posted by Snyder at 1:39 PM on February 29, 2012

Now if only Chris Avelone launches his kickstarter project and makes a successor to Torment! My life will be complete! Maybe not complete but I will have more video games to fill the soul destroying emptiness I feel inside!
posted by Justinian at 1:47 PM on February 29, 2012 [3 favorites]

Oh sweet mother of god, I love these games, so, so very much. In fact, I've never loved a game more than BGII - what a revelation! Much like Planescape, it was the closest to an interactive novel (which is all I really want) I've ever got, and was like the computer game that the DragonLance games purported to be but never were.

I would - without question - shell out even a hundred bucks for another game with the scale and scope of BGII, and - crucially - the same kind of engine, so I can run it, and love it, on a simple computer.

The thought of another BG game fills me with joy.
posted by smoke at 1:58 PM on February 29, 2012

Oh, also, if people want to recommend other games as much like BGII as possible that will run on a fairly standard laptop in this thread, that would just be awesome.
posted by smoke at 2:16 PM on February 29, 2012

I'm trying to think of what kind if super nerdy BG Bg2 reference or item I could work into a bit of craft or shirt or something.

So far all I got are golden pantaloons
posted by The Whelk at 2:17 PM on February 29, 2012 [1 favorite]

Since this thread has renewed my curiosity about what exactly people see in the BG games, I'll try a new approach: are there any mods out there that will either convert the Infinity Engine to at least a closer approximation of the turn-based combat it's based on, or failing that, effectively remove combat from the game altogether, e.g. by killing enemies as soon as they appear or reducing them to Planescape levels of competence? I'd love to at least reach the point where I can see Minsc and Boo for myself but I can never tolerate the gameplay for long enough to get there.
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 2:20 PM on February 29, 2012

The first install disk for BG1 won't work any more. (I feel so cold...) I really really want to play the Big Picture with as many mods as possible and play BG forever. Does modding work on the GOG version? Anyone try modding the entire saga on GOG? I feel like I got burned on TOEE and don't want to go through that again.
posted by CCBC at 2:25 PM on February 29, 2012 [1 favorite]

I'm not certain what you're asking Zarquon. In both games you can set up the preferences to auto-pause at the end of every round, as well as when combat starts.
posted by CBrachyrhynchos at 2:29 PM on February 29, 2012

Yeah, I used to do that for really hard fights.
posted by Sebmojo at 2:34 PM on February 29, 2012

. . . .you can. Wow. Okay, I feel epically dumb, because somehow I've managed to install, start, play briefly and quit in disgust the Baldur's Gate games four separate times without noticing that (in my defense, the first time I was 15 years old), muttering about the damn Canadians who turned my D&D into Command and Conquer or its 1998 equivalent.
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 2:35 PM on February 29, 2012

You can also set it to pause on weapon useless, target dead... and some other things. It's been a while.
posted by Sebmojo at 2:37 PM on February 29, 2012

These games were tough (and great) because it was almost necessary to know the rules of another game (AD&D 3.5) before you even started playing the game you just paid for (BG1or2). For me they're a huge nostalgia trip to D&D days of my youth. I only played BG1&2 recently as I didn't play games for many, many years.

Still haven't finished BG2 after several tries. It's a huuuuge game.
posted by jeff-o-matic at 2:38 PM on February 29, 2012

FOR THE GLORY OF AMN!
posted by tumid dahlia at 2:39 PM on February 29, 2012 [1 favorite]

You can also pause on "Enemy Sighted" which to me is almost essential. Makes it much easier to manage.
posted by jeff-o-matic at 2:39 PM on February 29, 2012

Auto-pause that is
posted by jeff-o-matic at 2:40 PM on February 29, 2012

The Baldur's Gate games are probably the most I have ever truly genuinely enjoyed myself while playing a PC game. Those and the System Shocks.
posted by tumid dahlia at 2:43 PM on February 29, 2012

Potentially new Baldur's Gate and Sim City, it's video game flashback day.
posted by the_artificer at 2:48 PM on February 29, 2012

The documentation for either of the games isn't that great when it comes to preferences.

jeff-o-matic: These games were tough (and great) because it was almost necessary to know the rules of another game (AD&D 3.5) before you even started playing the game you just paid for (BG1or2).

A modest understanding of D&D mechanics and an understanding of the rather dumb AI scripts involved makes some encounters either impossibly difficult or laughably easy depending on what your mages and clerics have memorized. (Web+Cloudkill cast at the limit of your visibility for example.)
posted by CBrachyrhynchos at 2:48 PM on February 29, 2012

Oh god I was the sneakiest motherfucker on the plane, summon beasts to do my bidding, kill at a distance with webs and cloud kill, charm the fuck out of things, invisible like all the time! At one point I don't think I actually fired an arrow for like four hours.
posted by The Whelk at 2:54 PM on February 29, 2012 [1 favorite]

Summon dude in room, let monsters move toward it, cast CloudKill, shut door.

So. Good.

And those dragon battles were a work of art. I'd always play through each a minimum of three times.
posted by ignignokt at 3:18 PM on February 29, 2012

DAY ONE DLC. You know it's coming.

• Minsc dialog pack: $4.99
• Ankheg plate armor: FREE with preorder through EBGames
• Wanna play online? Connect to the EA Servers!

posted by Ritchie at 3:18 PM on February 29, 2012 [1 favorite]

Oh god I nearly shat in terror playing fallout 3 when I realized my standard BG tactic of storming in, setting traps and then closing the door doesn't work CAUSE THEY CAN OPEN DOORS OMG OMG
posted by The Whelk at 3:22 PM on February 29, 2012 [5 favorites]

By Morrigan's Hammer, this is fucking great news.
posted by HopperFan at 3:37 PM on February 29, 2012 [1 favorite]

WinnipegDragon: You are limited to 800x600 resolution, and there are some other limitations, but the games are great. Steam is launching a 'complete edition' shortly if you are interested, or you can grab them on GOG now.

NO.

YOU ARE WRONG.

Baldur's Gate Mods & Suggestions
December 10, 2009 10:36 PM Subscribe

Baldur's Gate: I just purchased the compilation set on DVD, which includes both games and both expansions. Before I get started, what mods (if any) do you suggest installing? Any online guides in particular worth checking out? (Not looking for cheats or walkthroughs, though.) And any general advice for a first-time player? (I'm a pretty casual gamer.) Thanks!
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell to computers & internet (20 answers total) [add to favorites] 17 users marked this as a favorite [!]

(snip)

Also, Widescreen Mod. Note that the font size doesn't scale up, so don't try to play it at 1920 x whatever unless you have supervision.

Originally saw this a year ago on Rock, Paper, Shotgun.

Also, some skimming indicates the other one I was thinking of is Baldur's Gate Trilogy, and the TuTu is better.
posted by Decimask at 11:15 PM on December 10, 2009 [+] [!]

This merited CAPSLOCK.
posted by Decimask at 3:55 PM on February 29, 2012 [1 favorite]

Ritchie: "DAY ONE DLC. You know it's coming.

• Minsc dialog pack: $4.99
• Ankheg plate armor: FREE with preorder through EBGames
• Wanna play online? Connect to the EA Servers!

"

EA reserves the right to kill the online servers, erase your hard drive and steal your dog whenever we damn well feel like it. Problemo brah?
posted by Splunge at 3:56 PM on February 29, 2012

Look, I love me some BG (well, 2 anyways), but this much excitement seems premature when we don't even know what it is.

But, yeah, BG2. Liches (with freaking time stop and imprisonment) were no freaking joke if you didn't have the relevant defensive spells up.
posted by juv3nal at 3:57 PM on February 29, 2012

BTW, this is currently in the source:

<!-- February 29, 2012 -->
<!-- Shadowy Figure- Raise Dead : Infinity Engine -->

<!-- Take heart fellow adventurers, for you have curried the favor of Boo, the only miniature giant space hamster in the Realm! -->

posted by Decimask at 4:06 PM on February 29, 2012

And:

<!-- I can teach you how to use your wrath. -->
posted by Wossname at 4:21 PM on February 29, 2012

The next Baldur's Gate can be 3D or 2D; whatever. The backgrounds can be isometric painted or adjustable-camera-angle rendered; I don't care. I'll be happy whether the story line is more comedic or dramatic or light or dark than the previous. I'll gleefully adjust to D&D 3 or 3.5 or 4 or 5 or Pathfinder or Dragon Age or WoW or brand new game rules.

Just please, please give us back our cooperative multiplayer! Playing LAN BG+BG2 was some of the most fun I have ever had in my life! Why on Earth have so many CRPGs since then failed to allow that? Even the BioWare games will give you a party of characters, allow you to individually control each, but then fail to allow you and a friend to each control half of them. Gamers are not loners who dislike cooperation, I promise! Give me six-player coop again, and I promise I'll be buying at least six copies of the game for friends and family. It's not just the artistically correct thing to do, it's the financially wise thing to do.
posted by roystgnr at 4:33 PM on February 29, 2012 [1 favorite]

Just not a FPS! Please, not a first person shooter...
posted by Splunge at 4:42 PM on February 29, 2012

BG2 has some of the greatest characters in gaming. Here is one of my favorite exchanges between my two favorite NPCs:

Jan: Ah, Minsc! 'Tis truly a beautiful day, no?
Minsc: Weather is nice, maybe.
Jan: It is day to get out into the world, breathe in the fresh air.
Minsc: (grunt)
Jan: Too bad, though...
Minsc: What is too bad?
Jan: It's too bad that I won't live to enjoy it.
Minsc: What do you mean?
Jan: Hadn't you heard, old friend. I've got the Calimshan Itch. Alas, poor Jan! (sob, sob)
Minsc: An itch? Can you not scratch it?
Jan: Only death will cure this itch. I shall not live out this day. Oh, terrible powers of the heavens! Why will you let me die without granting me a final wish? Cruel, cruel fate!
Minsc: What can Minsc do to help? A tragedy, this is! I will slay those that need slaying!
Jan: I do have one final wish...no, no. I do not wish to burden my companions with my death. My teensy-weensy wish is unimportant. Travel on, good Minsc. Carry the torch and so forth.
Minsc: It is only fair, big-nosed little one. We will do all that we can to aid you.
Jan: Truly, it is a small thing. As a child I had a pet hamster, named Spanky. Those were the only pure days in my life. Every day was perfection. Oh, the pain! If I could just hold a hamster while I die, perhaps I could capture the innocence of my youth and die a happy gnome.
Minsc: You will not steal Boo from me! I know your tricks!
Jan: Tis no trick, (cough, cough). Nevertheless, you are correct about one thing, my oafish friend. I do not deserve happiness. Please, leave me to my excruciatingly painful death. I am close now... Spanky I miss you!
Minsc: Boo shall comfort the little dying gnome for a moment. Only a moment!
Jan: Ah, thank you, Minsc. May I have a moment alone?
Minsc: Alone? No, I draw the line... hey! Stand still! I warn you!
Jan: At last Boo is mine! I cannot believe this stupid trick worked. Come, noble hamster, a life of frivolity awaits.
Minsc: I'll throttle with your own arms if you do not return him this instant! This is no longer amusing! It was never amusing! I am not laughing!
Jan: Alright, alright. It was only a jest, Minscy. I meant no harm.
Minsc: That's right, you apologize! It's hard enough keeping Boo's roaming in check without you stealing him. Bad Jan! There will be a booting if this happens again!
posted by waraw at 4:42 PM on February 29, 2012 [26 favorites]

Holy crap. I am so hoping that you looked that up. If that's from memory, you need help.
posted by Splunge at 4:44 PM on February 29, 2012

If that's from memory, you need help.

Yeah, right, but if it was from Titus Andronicus we'd all be slipping over in our own frothing knicker-juices. Humbug!
posted by tumid dahlia at 5:27 PM on February 29, 2012 [2 favorites]

*favourites waraw out of solidarity*
posted by tumid dahlia at 5:28 PM on February 29, 2012

As a correction, Baldurs Gate was an AD&D 2 series. Neverwinter Nights was the first 3e game.

It holds up as a very playable game today. It also plays like AD&D did: you start with small scope missions, die easily, and gradually become more involved in a grand plot and have more ability to influence the world. You can go almost anywhere, but you are not going to be given a glowing path or handed a leveled list of enemies and loot, as in a modern game. That is, in fact, part of what makes these games glorious.

Play them in order. If you have never experienced them, do not start with a massive TuTu mod that rolls both games into one; stick with the Widescreen patch for BG1, and keep your resolution to 1280x1024 or smaller so that you don't completely break the visible range of the map - seeing too much at once ruins much of the excitement of being in a new area, and the zoomed out view robs you of the detail that went into the hand-painted art.
posted by ellF at 5:41 PM on February 29, 2012 [1 favorite]

Roystgnr: take careful, for what you speak of sounds like the abomination that was NWN.
posted by ellF at 5:43 PM on February 29, 2012 [1 favorite]

BG2 has some of the greatest characters in gaming.

The dialogue in that game was the best I've seen, but the incidental conversation just between the characters in your party was far better than any of the big event dialogue.

I liked seeing Korgan interact with anyone, and I was expecting LG vs. CE fireworks when I had Keldorn in the same party. But no - they were like old buddies from a cop movie or something. Kinda heartwarming!
posted by ignignokt at 7:27 PM on February 29, 2012

(i am out of sight of others)
posted by hrbrmstr at 7:46 PM on February 29, 2012

I've said this before, but Keldorn Firecam was like my first serious media crush.
posted by The Whelk at 7:53 PM on February 29, 2012 [2 favorites]

( I mean, c'mon that profile pic is totally a come hithler thing)
posted by The Whelk at 8:03 PM on February 29, 2012

Which is probobly why I lost my virginity to a guy wearing full plate armor at the ren faire a few years later.
posted by The Whelk at 8:04 PM on February 29, 2012 [4 favorites]

The day comes when Tiax will point and click!
posted by moonbiter at 8:25 PM on February 29, 2012 [1 favorite]

I absolutely loved BG 1 and 2, but for my money the first Icewind Dale was just about the best iso CRPG ever. Well, except for Fallout 2, of course. Fallout 2 is the best game of any category ever, for the rest of time, pistols at dawn if you disagree.

Maybe this is all really obvious, but just in case...If you're new to all this and want to try some seriously awesome games, just google these (they're available through many online gamesellers):

Baldur's Gate
Baldur's Gate II
Planescape: Torment
Icewind Dale
Icewind Dale II
Temple of Elemental Evil

And if you want sci-fi

Fallout
Fallout 2
Arcanum (steampunk and magic, actually)

If you bought and played all these that's like over 1000 hours of game time, and most of easily handle multiple playthroughs, so you could probably double that number. It's a wonder I ever get anything done.
posted by Doleful Creature at 10:16 PM on February 29, 2012

Oh, and NO THANKS to whoever brought up the whole MDK2 HD/BeamDog thing. Because now I have THREE gaming clients on my box - Steam, Impulse, and, yeah, BeamDog. Like I could avoid MDK2 HD.
posted by Samizdata at 10:34 PM on February 29, 2012 [1 favorite]

My biggest regret in life is I have not had more occasion to yell, "Make way, villainy! HERO coming through!"

(Wikiquote has more Baldur's Gate's quotes.)
posted by Asimo at 2:20 AM on March 1, 2012

Greengrocers' apostrophes around every corner. Careful not to step in any.
posted by Asimo at 2:26 AM on March 1, 2012

Doleful Creature: That first screen on Icewind Dale hurt my eyes it was so bright. That was a good game. Icewind Dale II, less so. Usually, II is the best -- think Civilization for instance -- and Baldur's Gate was no different in that respect. But when the great mods started coming out, that just made BGII the best ever. You want to romance Jaheira? Have we got a story for you! Want to be evil? Hey! If you play BG for the first time, go Fighter, Chaotic Good, that way you don't have to mess with spells and such. Later, for a challenge, go Bard, Evil (Lawful Evil is way up there on difficulty levels). You can play this game over and over, thousands of hours easilly. Between BG and CivII I probably lost years out of my life. And I'm not complaining.
posted by CCBC at 4:06 AM on March 1, 2012

The usually-reliable Quarter to Three forums have been having fun with various dire predictions about how a modern reimagining of Baldur's Gate might go.
posted by whir at 8:15 AM on March 1, 2012

Which is probobly why I lost my virginity to a guy wearing full plate armor at the ren faire a few years later.

Sounds hot. Details?



_{Yes I am very lonely.}
posted by some loser at 8:30 AM on March 1, 2012

Ha! No, no way I could do that from memory, although I do remember "Take THAT! Turnip hatin' scum!", and "This reminds me of a time, waaaaaay back..."
posted by waraw at 2:41 PM on March 1, 2012

Metafilter: You are not worthy of having a miniaturized giant space hamster scampering loose in your pants.
posted by waraw at 2:46 PM on March 1, 2012

BG and BGII managed to capture the idea that a D&D campaign could simultaneously be epic and ridiculous, the product of a guy who created the perfect predators evolved for dungeons designed around a 10x10x10 cube and greedy adventurers. The ultimate conclusion to the Bhaalspawn saga IMO isn't the battles at the Throne, but encountering an adventuring party of the protagonist's half-siblings...

... who happen to be woodland creatures.
posted by CBrachyrhynchos at 3:03 PM on March 1, 2012

Baldur's Gate: Latest Website Tease Suggests Dark Elf Homeworld
posted by homunculus at 10:12 AM on March 6, 2012 [1 favorite]

The hints about Shar are interesting, but it relates to the moon references before.

(nerd mode)
Selune is her sister, and represents the full 'silver' moon, while Shar is the new 'dark' moon.
(/nerd mode)

So the references to waxing and waning above are strongly reinforced here.
posted by WinnipegDragon at 10:20 AM on March 6, 2012

To be a complete nerd, the Underdark was visited in Shadows of Amn, not Throne as I recall. To me, it reads like a possible Viconia reference.
posted by CBrachyrhynchos at 10:56 AM on March 6, 2012

You want to romance Jaheira?

I've always thought the bugginess of the Jaheira romance was an unexpectedly blessing, since it saved you from being in a romance with that woman and encouraged you to do something better, like involve yourself with Viconia.
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 1:46 PM on March 6, 2012 [1 favorite]

Possible spoiler: If you hook up with Jaheira and then go on to win the game you do not live together happily ever after. Instead there's a kind of amicable split and she goes her way and you go yours (sort of). On the other hand, if you're Good and you hook up with a Bad girl, they tend to settle down with you and since they have better artwork...

But the extended Jaheira mod is well worth playing. You can dump her afterwards.
posted by CCBC at 3:22 PM on March 6, 2012

Also, Widescreen Mod.

It is not currently possible to install the mod on Mac OSX.

Darn.
posted by homunculus at 4:43 PM on March 6, 2012

Updated again this weekend:

-- "She left me to die. YOU left me to die. But Shar... Shar wanted me to live." --

-- "If you wish me dead, brother, it must be by your hand. No one else." --
posted by WinnipegDragon at 1:46 PM on March 8, 2012

I'm going to see if I can get the widescreen mod to work under Wine/Crossover later.

"She left me to die. YOU left me to die. But Shar... Shar wanted me to live."

Probably Viconia.

"If you wish me dead, brother, it must be by your hand. No one else."

Sounds like a Sarevok line.
posted by CBrachyrhynchos at 2:46 PM on March 8, 2012

Cryptic Baldur's Gate Website Updated With Countdown and New Message.
posted by smoke at 7:39 PM on March 14, 2012

Also, if this is just a HD remake, I will be both unsurprised yet sorely disappointed.
posted by smoke at 7:46 PM on March 14, 2012

I don't know. How else could you improve on it? A fresh coat of paint would be great.
posted by WinnipegDragon at 6:58 AM on March 15, 2012

Got largescreen mod almost but not quite working on Crossover/Wine last night.
posted by CBrachyrhynchos at 9:02 AM on March 15, 2012

Well in 8 minutes you might not have to worry about that anymore!
posted by WinnipegDragon at 11:51 AM on March 15, 2012

00:00:00 and the server is getting crushed!
posted by WinnipegDragon at 12:00 PM on March 15, 2012

Looks like it's a remake:

http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/15/baldurs-gate-enhanced-edition-arrives-this-summer/
posted by WinnipegDragon at 12:15 PM on March 15, 2012

BOOOO.

(goes to pre order it anyway)
posted by The Whelk at 12:16 PM on March 15, 2012

YAAAY!
posted by homunculus at 12:41 PM on March 15, 2012

Hmm, full access to the source, full IP license, and they are not just 'remaking' but 'expanding'...

So the six million dollar question is: Will the engine be overhauled?
posted by WinnipegDragon at 12:50 PM on March 15, 2012

So the six million dollar question is: Will the engine be overhauled?

That what the link I finally read on their page says, and to be honest, I think it's probably the think that most excites me - even though the new content being added is also exciting. Honestly, I would give me eye teeth to play more fantasy games with the infinity engine with good narratives. That's all I would need.
posted by smoke at 4:08 PM on March 15, 2012

I don't suppose this will be for Mac as well?

Hmm. Looks like Beamdog has never done a Mac version.
posted by ignignokt at 4:42 PM on March 15, 2012

I sincerely hope its not in 3d. That being said, I don't see the point of a graphics overhaul if the engine stays in an isometric format as its already a beautiful game. I really want more project details before I will consider any sort of a positive reaction.
posted by graxe at 4:48 PM on March 15, 2012

My bet is that this will be an official, commercially available version of the game BG has been turned into by the modding community. Widescreen support (with graphics properly scaled for modern resolutions), both games in the same engine, cut content restored, etc. Nothing revelatory for the diehard fans, but much more accessible to the people whose eyes glaze over at the thought of installing a dozen mods.
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 6:02 PM on March 15, 2012

I think this is good news. Keep it Isometric. High-Res art. Tweak the UI just a tad (I really fucking hate too much chrome in games, but I get that keeps with the spirit). If I could have something like Bartender where I could tweak the UI to my liking, that would be wonderful.

Better pathfinding would be nice, too. It wasn't that bad, but I'm sure they can do better these days.

And that's all I ask for. It's a great game, but lets not pretend that game UI in general hasn't improved over the past decade+...
posted by symbioid at 10:39 AM on March 16, 2012

I wonder if they'll fix the idiosyncratic network code? Not that anyone will play co-op with me SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE I'm not bitter.
posted by Ritchie at 10:02 PM on March 17, 2012

You must gather your party before venturing forth
posted by The Whelk at 10:09 PM on March 17, 2012 [1 favorite]

iPad port is official!
posted by WinnipegDragon at 6:42 AM on March 23, 2012 [2 favorites]

Man - so I bought the year sub to WoW and Cata so I could get D3 "free". Then of course find out D3 is coming in May (LOL ya right!).

Then this. And so I just last night installed BG1 and BG2 (none of the expansions, alas). I did install the high res mod for 2 cuz it seemed easy, but the instructions for 1 looked much harder (it's a total conversion of 2, is that right?) So I said fuck it and am playing the way Bioware/Black Isle/Interplay intended.

And I also installed Fallout 1 and 2, since I never got very far in those either.

I have a lot of fucking gaming to do! (and for some reason I'm too lazy to do it).

LET THE RPG-ing BEGIN!
posted by symbioid at 11:58 AM on March 23, 2012