Baldur's Gate II - A nostalgic look back

Pancake

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Barcardi

I never really understood the concept behind half those mods, most of them add strange characters, odd romances that are poorly written, or make an already hard game even harder. I would be willing to try out some weapon mod ones but beyond that no way, the characters are fine as is.

[spoiler:ef89a3bd08]Oh no...this is bad....hang on, these aren't too bad, actually they're pretty good! Hang on, what happened to my....no...NO....NNNNOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!![/spoiler:ef89a3bd08]... or something like that

Pancake

Barcardi wrote:

I never really understood the concept behind half those mods, most of them add strange characters, odd romances that are poorly written, or make an already hard game even harder. I would be willing to try out some weapon mod ones but beyond that no way, the characters are fine as is.

[spoiler:354327fc40]Oh no...this is bad....hang on, these aren't too bad, actually they're pretty good! Hang on, what happened to my....no...NO....NNNNOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!![/spoiler:354327fc40]... or something like that

Yes, a lot of them are quite bad, but I tried to shy away from the poorly written ones. The voice acting isn't usually so great, though.

Steel Angel

Needs some reminiscing about Irenicus. Years later and that bastard is still my favorite villain in a game. He just always found ways to make his jackassery so personal instead of just sitting on a pedestal of evil somewhere waiting for you to come to him.

yotes

I've had BG2 for four or five years, but never really played it because I kept getting SMOKED in the circus tent, and simply got frustrated. Now I've recently given it another spin and reconsidered my previous stance on it being a 'criminal piece of crap'. Up to chapter 5 now, and loving it.

Aerie wrote:

Quicker than Chiktikka Fastpaws!

:x
BITCH SHUT THE FUCK UP. There is only one place for her, and that's a certain smashy-smashy un-disarmable trap in the early mid-game. I can't count the number of times I've let her wander into that.

Pancake

Steel Angel wrote:

Needs some reminiscing about Irenicus. Years later and that bastard is still my favorite villain in a game. He just always found ways to make his jackassery so personal instead of just sitting on a pedestal of evil somewhere waiting for you to come to him.

After a few hours taking some screenshots and digging through the dialogue files, I had forgotten all about them in my haste to get this posted. Edited into the OP.

Overlord

I bought game pack that came with the expansion, but I never got around to installing it or playing. Its just been sitting on my shelf for about a year. I'll have to give it a whirl during xmas break.

Ant000

yotes wrote:

I've had BG2 for four or five years, but never really played it because I kept getting SMOKED in the circus tent, and simply got frustrated.

Wow, that sums up my BG2 experience pretty succinctly, which sucks because everyone seems to adore it.

JAEF

This game was exquisite and holds up a lot better than NWN, thanks to the beautiful 2D graphics. I think my favorite quest is one of the later large cities with the

Silence of the Lambs killer investigation deal

Good times. The forced removal of a stat point in the latter part of the game pissed me off pretty good though. I work hard for my stats! How dare you wantonly strip me of them.

Edit: What the fuck? I guess spoilers got broken during the server update. Fixed.

Cynic Jester

ToB makes Aerie so much ..... not quite bearable, but less of a whiny bitch that you constantly want to choke, but you can't, because she's such an excellent character stat wise.

Also, Edwin. Quest. Best sidequest in any game.

Lastly, talking sword. It deserves it's own spot next to the companions.

Mahnmut

This is such a good game. It's one of the few RPGs that I've a) beaten and b) wouldn't trade for store credit even if I still could.

This playthrough, I lost Aerie because she was fighting with Jaheira and I told her to suck a cock. Does she ever reappear? Because she was way helpful.

Hoz

JAEF wrote:

The forced removal of a stat point in the latter part of the game pissed me off pretty good though. I work hard for my stats! How dare you wantonly strip me of them.

Oh they dare. And not only that there was an instance prior to that with the same effect and probably the same reasoning of sacrifice for the greater good. When they took a second bit of my dexterity at the end I wasn't pleased. I demand godliness from my monk.

DisruptorX2

Discussion of this game really just serves to highlight how much other RPGs, especially newer ones, suck hard in comparison.

bongi

simply the best rpg ever crafted

i was totally going to make a thread one of these days about the whole saga

this one is fine though

ToadTheMushroom

DisruptorX2 wrote:

Discussion of this game really just serves to highlight how much other RPGs, especially newer ones, suck hard in comparison.

There hasnt been a true RPG for a while. There are action games based in RPG worlds, but so few where you actually role play, and have involved character development and actually care about what the shit you are doing. I think the only games to actually keep this running are Bioware games. KotOR 1, 2 and Jade Empire were very good at character development, and blending action to keep us interested.

PotU

bongi wrote:

simply the best rpg ever crafted

i was totally going to make a thread one of these days about the whole saga

this one is fine though

Atro

Wasn't there some Paladin playable character in the game?

I could of sworn I picked one up in the sewers under the temple district or am I just crazy?

Craigopogo

Atro wrote:

Wasn't there some Paladin playable character in the game?

I could of sworn I picked one up in the sewers under the temple district or am I just crazy?

That would be Keldorn Firecam. He was great, once you got him the Gauntlets of Dexterity.

vrst

Must...study....not....reinstall.....

Stormwatcher

Squeeky Wheel gets the KICK!

BG2 is really the best electronic RPG ever made.
and it gets even better when you start with BG1, through Tales of the Sword Coast and BG2 and end with Throne of Bhaal. NO videogame in the history of mankind gets THAT epic. You really work hard towards your prize at the end.

And, most of all, the plots are never really about "saving the world". Even if, sometimes, you kinda do it. It's about who you are, mostly. Like Torment.

And I like Aerie, she didn't annoy me much. She's so pretty :oops:

Damn, I love this game.

Brolo

vrst wrote:

Must...study....not....reinstall.....

DO IT

DOOOOO IIIIIT

[spoiler:0feb360db6] Do it[/spoiler:0feb360db6]

ToadTheMushroom

vrst wrote:

Must...study....not....reinstall.....

I have so much work to do that getting a Wii, plus reinstalling this, plus Gears of war nightly lan tournaments, plus fucking Medieval total war which I didnt even fucking know about until 2 days ago is going to RUIN MY LIFE.

Jesus, Imagine all that PLUS if I still played World of warcraft.

I play too many games. But oh man sometimes its worth it.

Witchsight

Still playing it for the first time... Its been a year . Sometimes i forget theres an end to it eventually. But its mighty fun i must say.

bongi

Stormwatcher wrote:

Squeeky Wheel gets the KICK!

BG2 is really the best electronic RPG ever made.
and it gets even better when you start with BG1, through Tales of the Sword Coast and BG2 and end with Throne of Bhaal. NO videogame in the history of mankind gets THAT epic. You really work hard towards your prize at the end.

And, most of all, the plots are never really about "saving the world". Even if, sometimes, you kinda do it. It's about who you are, mostly. Like Torment.

And I like Aerie, she didn't annoy me much. She's so pretty :oops:

Damn, I love this game.

i am part-way through a playthrough of the entire saga right now, playing as a conjurer

Captain Uglyhead

I'll play through this game once I've gone through Baldur's Gate. I'm still working my way through, slowly. DAMN slowly. Sometimes I wonder about my choice of character, though. Chaotic Good Half-Elven Fighter/Cleric, man. Well, at least I can summon skeletal minions. I intend to see him through to the end, though. Then maybe I'll try something more interesting.

Malkor

[spoiler:27b083a658]Yoshimo is willing.[/spoiler:27b083a658] :winky:

I have to finish Icewind Dale I, II and Baldur's Gate again before I can get back to Amn.

#14

Ok, this is it, I'm fucking reinstalling. This game is so goddamn classic.

I remember playing it when I was 14 or something. It was a school holiday, and the weather was fantastic. Every kid was outside, but not me, I was behind my little computer, playing the shit out of this game. 1 week, non stop.


[spoiler:a442dec372]Did you guys see the Yoshimo thing coming? I didn't. I wonder if I will find it more obvious now that I'm older and more experienced with these kind of games.[/spoiler:a442dec372].

Xagarath

My feelings on this game can be summed up quite succinctly.
Best. Game. Ever.

Out of the various mods, Dungeon-be-gone, unfinished business and possibly the Imoen romance (crappy evil options, but decent nice ones) are worth a look.

The sorceror class at epic level may also be the most hideously broken thing ever.
(Amulet of Power, Robes of Vecna, Time Stop, Improved Alacrity, drop entire repetoire of spells)

bongi

also it is heinous that this game was not included in the game of the generation poll

Silpheed

DisruptorX2 wrote:

Discussion of this game really just serves to highlight how much other RPGs, especially newer ones, suck hard in comparison.

Indeed, BG2 set the mark for pretty much everything. I like NWN2 but my heart belongs to the Baldurs Gate games.

BigDes

bongi wrote:

also it is heinous that this game was not included in the game of the generation poll

Was it from this gen though? it's pretty old. Older than Jazz even.

Silpheed

BigDes wrote:

bongi wrote:

also it is heinous that this game was not included in the game of the generation poll

Was it from this gen though? it's pretty old. Older than Jazz even.

Depends on, where is the "cutoff" point? I recall getting this in 98 or 99 so it might be too old, still unfair though considering that it has more gameplay than the vast majority of games released the last years.

ToadTheMushroom

bongi wrote:

also it is heinous that this game was not included in the game of the generation poll

Too old. Really Neverwinter Nights 1 was the start of this generation in the context of bioware RPGs.

Zell

Craigopogo wrote:

Atro wrote:

Wasn't there some Paladin playable character in the game?

I could of sworn I picked one up in the sewers under the temple district or am I just crazy?

That would be Keldorn Firecam. He was great, once you got him the Gauntlets of Dexterity.

He was great before that too. Dispel Magic and True Sight = dead mages.

captaink

Zell wrote:

Craigopogo wrote:

Atro wrote:

Wasn't there some Paladin playable character in the game?

I could of sworn I picked one up in the sewers under the temple district or am I just crazy?

That would be Keldorn Firecam. He was great, once you got him the Gauntlets of Dexterity.

He was great before that too. Dispel Magic and True Sight = dead mages.

And then Carsomyr, he just destroys them.

I wish I could try new characters in this game, but I get so attached to my favorites that it's hard to make much room. I need to do an evil playthrough and mess with those guys.

Cilla Black

So, since the opinion on some of these mods is they suck, what are the basic "must have" mods for BG2? I've played through this game, but it's never really felt like I actually played and I don't know why. Perhaps because my only time through was during a not-so good part of my life. That aside, I really want to get through this game over the Christmas break, or at least start back through, and get the whole experience. So, what mods are recommended?

Silpheed

captaink wrote:

Zell wrote:

Craigopogo wrote:

Atro wrote:

Wasn't there some Paladin playable character in the game?

I could of sworn I picked one up in the sewers under the temple district or am I just crazy?

That would be Keldorn Firecam. He was great, once you got him the Gauntlets of Dexterity.

He was great before that too. Dispel Magic and True Sight = dead mages.

And then Carsomyr, he just destroys them.

I wish I could try new characters in this game, but I get so attached to my favorites that it's hard to make much room. I need to do an evil playthrough and mess with those guys.

I was a big softie aswell, I could never bring myself to break up the remnants of my old team from BG1. Minsc, despite being subpar as a Ranger always had a place in my team.

Pancake

Zilla84 wrote:

So, since the opinion on some of these mods is they suck, what are the basic "must have" mods for BG2? I've played through this game, but it's never really felt like I actually played and I don't know why. Perhaps because my only time through was during a not-so good part of my life. That aside, I really want to get through this game over the Christmas break, or at least start back through, and get the whole experience. So, what mods are recommended?

The Baldurdash Fixpacks and Dungeon-Be-Gone are really the only must haves, though if it's only your second time, you might not need DBG. The other fix and tweak packs add or change some nice things, but often they serve to make things easier (or harder) and you might not want that.

Whether you like the NPC mods is really up to you. Most love them, some hate them, and most are pretty poorly done. It's like fan fiction in an interactive format and much the same rules of quality apply. I don't believe any in the OP are too bad, though, and can be enjoyable.

Johannen

Fap fap fap fap fap fap........fap.....

Right! This game was awesome, and the throne of Bhaal was a great expansion [spoiler:9a0532b84b] Your the fucking son of the GOD OF MURDER AND BLOOD for fucks sake!!... Turning into the Chaos monster thing was just cool, i did it in the last fight against Bhaal and raped his face.[/spoiler:9a0532b84b]

Also, about the characters:

[spoiler:9a0532b84b] Yoshimo is a backstabbing cunt, and Bhodi was a bitch of a vampire[/spoiler:9a0532b84b]

EDIT: Also, why do i remember there being a mod to make it so that you could have Drizzt i your party?

bongi

BigDes wrote:

bongi wrote:

also it is heinous that this game was not included in the game of the generation poll

Was it from this gen though? it's pretty old. Older than Jazz even.

2000, after the launch of ps2 in japan

Xagarath

jdarksun wrote:

OP is missing Keldorn, Mazzy, and Valygar.

Don't forget Nalia.