Baldur's Gate

Markn951

Markn951

CAGiversary!
who remembers this game? IMO it's the best PC game of all time but i was just scrolling through the Xfire supported games list (just joined) and saw this title and remembered it. Then I ordered it from Goozex :D
should have it in like a week cant wait.

but yeah post your stories/fond memories/ comments/anything here.
 
I didn't play these games when they first came out, which is a mistake. I tried playing the second game recently and it just feels too dated... it has not aged well at all, IMO.
 
I recall putting in about 6 hours or so before getting bored to tears. Not sure why I didn't like it since I usually dig those types of game. Best RPG would have been planescape torment for me.
 
Go for the eyes Boo. GO FOR THE EYES!!!

Oh Minsc. I really dug BioWare's scriptwriting back then. After playing Mass Effect it seems they lost a bit of that edge since then.
 
Just picked up Baldur's Gate 2 and the expansion for $10 sealed and shipped via fleabay, and seen it cheap on amazon a few times.

I wonder if It's worth picking up the first one to.
 
I remember when the game first came out in like 98 or so. Preordered it, dug through the manual like a madman when I got it and played the hell out of it.

Got allllll the way to near the end of the game, and could not beat the endboss for ANYTHING. Course, I'd not really messed with the AD&D ruleset before this game and kinda messed up my stats something FIERCE.

So gave it six months, restarted, read up as much I could on the system.... and promptly steamrolled through the game and raped the mother loving crap outta big nasty.

Baldur's Gate 2 was even better. Damn though, Bioware use to have SO MUCH BETTER writing in general for their RPGs. And SO MUCH MORE complexity and depth to their combat systems.

They never have done random encounters worth a SHIT though. Some people like that, I HATE it and consider it the largest flaw to the BG games. Like my random encounters dammit. Just give people some weirdass totem to carry to ward em off if they don't like em.

So, uh, ya, I remember BG1 and 2 pretty well, hehehehe. Played those, then picked up KOTOR when it finally came out... and... halfway through the game realized it was garbage comparitively. WHAT difficulty? WHAT combat depth? Meh. Lotta people liked it, and thats cool.... but DAMN was it ever a step back. Not gonna even mention Jade Empire. Hoping Mass Effect is better overall. Being a Cheapass about not buying it yet though.

Minsc man, hell ya. And don't forget Boo. Any one remember that bitch Anomen from BG2? Euughhhhh... just as bad as Carth in KOTOR. Dude needs a good cry and lay off the estrogen injections.

Planescape Torment easily outdid BGs writing though, but that sucker was lightning in a bottle, script and character wise. Icewind Dale series was fun just to smack stuff around. A more involved Diablo really.

[quote name='Monsta Mack']Just picked up Baldur's Gate 2 and the expansion for $10 sealed and shipped via fleabay, and seen it cheap on amazon a few times.

I wonder if It's worth picking up the first one to.[/QUOTE]

I think it is, if you care about all the little details of the story throughout. BG1 is referenced a lot in BG2. In terms of gameplay, BG1 is definitely rougher overall than BG2. But I think its worth starting the game from the beginning, the story is well written enough that if you care for that aspect, you won't want to miss a detail.
 
BG1 was especially brutal on parties composed of mostly melee or weak-ranged characters. That kobold dungeon was pretty much a death trap for my Fighter and the other ragtag NPCs that could only melee (Jaheira could throw darts or something... that's it).

If you compare Mass Effect to Baldur's Gate, it's a major step back in a lot of departments IMHO, especially the script and quest writing.
 
BG1 is probably my favorite game of all time (competing with MOM, MOO2, BG2, and Diablo2). I can't remember how many times I've finished this game, each time with a different character. I wasn't as concerned about the story after I finished it 1st time. I would just try to make some outrageous characters (like a halfling battle-axe warrior) and use them to rip everything apart. I would always play the unpatched version that had the Ring of Wizardry buried by the 1st keep, and use that extra cash to usually buy the full-plate armor. Then I'd sleep in the golem cave until I'd gain several levels. Ahh, I still remember spending hours rolling up my characters. I was a real munchkin back then. Those were the days!
 
Hell, yes, BG is probably my favorite PC series next to only the Fallouts. It's a lot of fun rolling different characters and seeing how differently they play! Even better is trying to solo it. One day I plan to play through all 3 starting with the same character from the beginning.
 
BG2 is my favorite game of all time (and Minsc and Boo are my favorite videogame characters of all time).
The first Baldur's Gate was good, but I don't really like low level 2ed D&D that much, and they didn't have nearly as much cool dialog as Baldur's Gate 2.

I really need to reinstall and play BG2 and its expansion again.
 
[quote name='sfriedlander']never played it but i know its a bioware game ^_^.[/quote]
If you enjoyed Mass Effect pick up the Baldur's Gate 2 colleciton on Amazon, it's only $10 and has Baldur's Gate 2 and its expasion.
 
I know It's not Baldur's Gate but I'm going to throw it in here: Planescape.
Yeah, that and the Fallouts ;)

I'm actually going through Planescape first and trying to win BG1 on fleabay before delving into BG2.
 
Be sure to pick up that robot party member since he could shot 4 arrows at once. I remember that I paid $50 for this when it came out.

[quote name='Monsta Mack']I know It's not Baldur's Gate but I'm going to throw it in here: Planescape.
Yeah, that and the Fallouts ;)

I'm actually going through Planescape first and trying to win BG1 on fleabay before delving into BG2.[/quote]
 
Got to say, I've been going back and playing all the classic PC RPGs in the past two years, and I disagree with Chac -- I think BG II holds up VERY well. The first BG, not as much, granted, and Fallout/Fallout 2 and Torment are better games ... but they still rock socks, even by the standards of someone who's only JUST getting to most of them.
 
[quote name='crystalklear64']Tried playing BG2 a few years ago and it just seemed like an extremely slow paced D2. Nothing special IMO.[/QUOTE]

That's because it's NOT D2 and isn't TRYING to be D2, they're two totally different types of RPGs. One is a click-fest, the other is a pause and take your time thinking out a strategy type of game.

IMO D2 sucks ass compared to BG2. And talk about not aging well, D2 looks TERRIBLE next to BG2!
 
[quote name='keithp']That's because it's NOT D2 and isn't TRYING to be D2, they're two totally different types of RPGs. One is a click-fest, the other is a pause and take your time thinking out a strategy type of game.

IMO D2 sucks ass compared to BG2. And talk about not aging well, D2 looks TERRIBLE next to BG2![/QUOTE]

I enjoy D2 plenty, but it's an action game. BGII is an RPG. It's like saying Final Fantasy is an extremely slow paced Soul Calibur. It just misses the point entirely.
 
Bought the game and played it for all of 7 hours back in '99. Still have all of the discs in the enormous CD booklet they came in + the expansion. I've been meaning to play it through and through ever since, but I doubt I'll get around to it at this point...
 
Considering we are talking about these great oldie RPGs in this thread, I figured it would be worth it to ask for some advice on getting copies.

Anyone know where I can pickup Planescape Torment at a decent price? I see auctions on ebay, but they go for a lot of cash. Amazon has one new copy for $100 with used ones for only a little less.

Also, anyone else know where I can get Baldur's Gate Tales of the Sword Coast for pretty cheap? I have the original Baldur's Gate (haven't played it yet even though I bought it in 1999) but am trying to get the expansion.

Thanks!

-Noise
 
I don't know about Planescape Torment, but you can get:
  • Baldur’s Gate
  • Baldur’s Gate: Tales of the Sword Coast
  • Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn
  • Baldur's Gate II: The Throne of Bhaal
  • Dragonshard
  • Demon Stone
  • Icewind Dale
  • Icewind Dale: Heart of Winter
  • Icewind Dale II
  • Neverwinter Nights
  • Neverwinter Nights: Shadows of Undrentide
  • Neverwinter Nights: Hordes of the Underdark
  • Temple of Elemental Evil
in one package for $50 + $2.50 s/h here.
I would get it myself, but I already have all that I am interested in.

Credit for this deal goes to Schadenfroh from anandtech. Here is his post.
 
Wow, that's an awesome collection. I thought Baldur’s Gate and Icewind Dale were only attainable through piracy or exorbitant ebay prices.
 
I actually played BG on the gamecube first, I got it for like 8 bucks or something ridiculous and beat it twice. I really, really enjoyed the game.

You wouldn't call Baldur's Gate a RPG though would you?? Isn't it more correctly labeled a dungeon crawler?

I liked the chick who threw "Ball Lightning" leveled up it was just SICK! Not only would it stop foe's in their tracks but it would hit them for 3, 6, 9, or 12 damage like 30 times ina second!

I just finished Mass Effect (Twice) but have no other basis for comparison in juding Bioware's forward (or backward) progress.

How can you even compare BG to ME? They're SOOooooo different. ME and KOTOR I get, but ME to BG? Totally different game.
 
[quote name='pittpizza']I actually played BG on the gamecube first, I got it for like 8 bucks or something ridiculous and beat it twice. I really, really enjoyed the game.

You wouldn't call Baldur's Gate a RPG though would you?? Isn't it more correctly labeled a dungeon crawler?

I liked the chick who threw "Ball Lightning" leveled up it was just SICK! Not only would it stop foe's in their tracks but it would hit them for 3, 6, 9, or 12 damage like 30 times ina second!

I just finished Mass Effect (Twice) but have no other basis for comparison in juding Bioware's forward (or backward) progress.

How can you even compare BG to ME? They're SOOooooo different. ME and KOTOR I get, but ME to BG? Totally different game.[/QUOTE]


BG on the consoles is totally different than the PC games. It's a travesty, really.

On the consoles they made it an action RPG on rails (more like RPG-lite), but on the PC you have a full-on character customizing RPG with party members that converse among themselves and have their own back-stories you play through. There are different ways to complete quests, and it's a really long game. Combat is made so you can pause the action, plan your moves then resume the action.

Do not equate console BG with the older PC Baldur's Gate.

Same with the Fallout game they put out a few years ago on the consoles.
 
[quote name='Baron O Hell']I recall putting in about 6 hours or so before getting bored to tears. Not sure why I didn't like it since I usually dig those types of game. Best RPG would have been planescape torment for me.[/QUOTE]


yes. PST is the greatest rpg ever made

Baldurs gate 1 starts off very slowly, but when it picks up, whoa. You are in for a hell of a ride if you can get past the first couple of chapters.
 
[quote name='Teh Nitwit']I don't know about Planescape Torment, but you can get:
  • Baldur’s Gate
  • Baldur’s Gate: Tales of the Sword Coast
  • Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn
  • Baldur's Gate II: The Throne of Bhaal
  • Dragonshard
  • Demon Stone
  • Icewind Dale
  • Icewind Dale: Heart of Winter
  • Icewind Dale II
  • Neverwinter Nights
  • Neverwinter Nights: Shadows of Undrentide
  • Neverwinter Nights: Hordes of the Underdark
  • Temple of Elemental Evil
in one package for $50 + $2.50 s/h here.
I would get it myself, but I already have all that I am interested in.

Credit for this deal goes to Schadenfroh from anandtech. Here is his post.[/QUOTE]


ordered.

I sold off bg1 and 2 a while back. i never played the rest. Actually i think i tried icewind dale but it froze up on me halfway through. it was more combat oriented, more of a roll playing game, less of the role playing.

i will have to try out neverwinter nights. For some reason i thought that nvn was a mmorpg? or am i mixing it up with world of warcraft?
 
[quote name='keithp']BG on the consoles is totally different than the PC games. It's a travesty, really.

On the consoles they made it an action RPG on rails (more like RPG-lite), but on the PC you have a full-on character customizing RPG with party members that converse among themselves and have their own back-stories you play through. There are different ways to complete quests, and it's a really long game. Combat is made so you can pause the action, plan your moves then resume the action.

Do not equate console BG with the older PC Baldur's Gate.

Same with the Fallout game they put out a few years ago on the consoles.[/QUOTE]

i liked the console games. I never tried fallout, but i really didnt get much into the fallout games for the PC. i about halfway through the first one then lost interest
 
Oh okay thanks for clearing that up. I had no idea they changed the game so drastically from PC to consoles. Now I kind of feel jipped but at the time I wasnt really that into playing games on my PC.
 
[quote name='dracula']i liked the console games. I never tried fallout, but i really didnt get much into the fallout games for the PC. i about halfway through the first one then lost interest[/quote]

I played through Fallout 2 for the first time a few years ago and it was the first Fallout game I had played. I had a bit of trouble getting into it first because the interface is so outdated at this point (all modern RPG's have a task log or diary so you actually know what you are supposed to be or can be doing, etc). However, once I got past those initial issues I realized that other portions of the game are way, way ahead of their time.

Lots of games advertise that they put you in a world that is truly alive and that the world will go on without you and treat you like just another character as opposed to revolving around you as THE character. Fallout 2 however is the only game I have ever played where I truly felt this was the case. Every part of the game is spread with content in a way that you will always find a unique scenario, character, situation, item or even just a funny bit of dialogue. It is done in a way that you discover these things rather than them being forced upon you as you travel down the linear path the game set you on. It is a really cool feeling when game developers take the risk of putting a lot of content in places where it might not or even probably won't ever been seen by some players in an attempt to let the players themselves discover that content.

Also, lots of games advertise that you can play however you want and do whatever you want. Fallout 2 was probably the closest to this being true of any game I have ever played. The combat and character mechanics were far from perfect, but they did a great job at trying to let you play the game however you want. Want to be a giant lumbering oaf who is stupid as hell but can beat the crap out of anything with your bare hands? Want to be an expert with gigantic guns and leave everyone you meet in a bloody pile? Want to be a super intelligent pacifist and try to talk your way out of every situation? You could play all these characters and more. For a game that strayed so far from what a traditional RPG is like, it allowed you to role-play more than most I have ever played.

Wow that was a bit of a ramble. That's what bored at work will do for you.
 
I have the PC versions and have yet to start them up. After playing jeanne D'Arc I am itching for more midevil stuff again ( I know they are not the same type of game exactly).

My wife loved the BG series on GC and Xbox. We bought and Xbox so she could play BG2 with me, I then dumped the game before it really hit the high rare price.
 
[quote name='Snake2715']I have the PC versions and have yet to start them up. After playing jeanne D'Arc I am itching for more midevil stuff again ( I know they are not the same type of game exactly).

My wife loved the BG series on GC and Xbox. We bought and Xbox so she could play BG2 with me, I then dumped the game before it really hit the high rare price.[/QUOTE]

While they're definitely more in-depth and a bit more complicated than the consoles, you and your wife would have a BLAST I bet playing through the PC versions multi-player. Try it.
 
[quote name='SpecTrE3353']I played through Fallout 2 for the first time a few years ago and it was the first Fallout game I had played. I had a bit of trouble getting into it first because the interface is so outdated at this point (all modern RPG's have a task log or diary so you actually know what you are supposed to be or can be doing, etc). However, once I got past those initial issues I realized that other portions of the game are way, way ahead of their time.

Lots of games advertise that they put you in a world that is truly alive and that the world will go on without you and treat you like just another character as opposed to revolving around you as THE character. Fallout 2 however is the only game I have ever played where I truly felt this was the case. Every part of the game is spread with content in a way that you will always find a unique scenario, character, situation, item or even just a funny bit of dialogue. It is done in a way that you discover these things rather than them being forced upon you as you travel down the linear path the game set you on. It is a really cool feeling when game developers take the risk of putting a lot of content in places where it might not or even probably won't ever been seen by some players in an attempt to let the players themselves discover that content.

Also, lots of games advertise that you can play however you want and do whatever you want. Fallout 2 was probably the closest to this being true of any game I have ever played. The combat and character mechanics were far from perfect, but they did a great job at trying to let you play the game however you want. Want to be a giant lumbering oaf who is stupid as hell but can beat the crap out of anything with your bare hands? Want to be an expert with gigantic guns and leave everyone you meet in a bloody pile? Want to be a super intelligent pacifist and try to talk your way out of every situation? You could play all these characters and more. For a game that strayed so far from what a traditional RPG is like, it allowed you to role-play more than most I have ever played.

Wow that was a bit of a ramble. That's what bored at work will do for you.[/QUOTE]

Great post. The thing that struck me about Fallout 2 along with everything you mentioned was how differently the game played depending upon your character choice. And I wish more developers would tuck content away in corners of the world for the player to discover like that. Here's hoping Fallout 3 does it!!
 
hmm i may have to try playing through fallout again.

Frankly, every time i try to start with arcanum, or some other rpg, i just say," screw it, i would rather just play torment again". And then that is what i do
 
For any of you guys who own Baldur's Gate II and want to try playing the original Baldur's Gate in the improved BG II engine (gives you more features and higher resolution), check out this BG1 Tutu Mod. Strange name, but it really spruces up the original game by being able to play it in the BG II engine.
 
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