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Baldur's Gate II - A nostalgic look back

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Posts

  • DisruptorX2DisruptorX2 Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    I'd play it as a self buffing fighter, with magic missles and debuffers for more punch.

    Stoneskin, blur, mirror image, then remove the enemies spell protection and fuck them up.

    I don't really like the NPC tanks, I like doing it myself. As I said earlier, minsc's 8 int and 6 wis means he fails nearly every saving throw. Later in the game, he'll do nearly as much damage to your own party as he does to the enemy.

    DisruptorX2 on
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  • tehkensaitehkensai Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    bigtuna wrote: »
    Sorry if this has already been brought up, but can anyone confirm that the game actually works on Vista?

    It has so far.



    it does, but to me it seemed slightly buggy-more corrupted saves, some weird things like
    the kid from the umar hills quest coming up to me at the end of the game. After I had already done the damn quest.
    and I'm fairly sure I missed out on some conversations between characters because they didn't trigger, but I'm not really sure.

    tehkensai on
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  • XagarathXagarath Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    And damn, if this game isn't totally awesome. It will never be surpassed. Ever.

    Xagarath on
  • Random Name GeneratorRandom Name Generator Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    tehkensai wrote: »
    bigtuna wrote: »
    Sorry if this has already been brought up, but can anyone confirm that the game actually works on Vista?

    It has so far.



    it does, but to me it seemed slightly buggy-more corrupted saves, some weird things like
    the kid from the umar hills quest coming up to me at the end of the game. After I had already done the damn quest.
    and I'm fairly sure I missed out on some conversations between characters because they didn't trigger, but I'm not really sure.

    I'm getting corrupted saves, but that's it, and it seems relegated to auto-saves, which I never use anyway. I've also started over again after spotting a solo thief guide on gamefaqs. I started a swashbuckler and damn if it didn't take 10 game days to get through Irenicus dungeon. Wasn't helped by the fact that I took long sword prof and managed to lose one of the only 2 long swords you get until you escape. One hit per round takes forever.

    Random Name Generator on
  • AldoAldo Hippo Hooray Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    I'm getting corrupted saves, but that's it, and it seems relegated to auto-saves, which I never use anyway. I've also started over again after spotting a solo thief guide on gamefaqs. I started a swashbuckler and damn if it didn't take 10 game days to get through Irenicus dungeon. Wasn't helped by the fact that I took long sword prof and managed to lose one of the only 2 long swords you get until you escape. One hit per round takes forever.
    How do you lose a sword? o_O

    Aldo on
  • VicVic Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    I never did complete the expansion pack. Guess I might have to go back and play through it again!

    Considering an evil wizard/cleric to replace Aerie. Any ideas on how to build such a character?

    Vic on
  • AldoAldo Hippo Hooray Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Vic wrote: »
    I never did complete the expansion pack. Guess I might have to go back and play through it again!

    Considering an evil wizard/cleric to replace Aerie. Any ideas on how to build such a character?
    Hmm

    Maybe start as a human wizard for the first 9 or 10 levels, so you can get a few of the debuffs and buffs, then go for cleric so you can make use of the fancy high level spells. Unholy Word comes to mind.

    Aldo on
  • VicVic Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    I'd have thought multiclassing would be far superior to dual classing. Am I wrong? Only my power in the long term matters, I dont mind having a hard time at low levels.

    And I wonder how high ability scores I will need. If 19 is needed in each of the caster stats I will be in trouble, otherwise I'll just make sure I have 16 of each when I start the game.

    Vic on
  • AldoAldo Hippo Hooray Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Vic wrote: »
    I'd have thought multiclassing would be far superior to dual classing. Am I wrong? Only my power in the long term matters, I dont mind having a hard time at low levels.

    And I wonder how high ability scores I will need. If 19 is needed in each of the caster stats I will be in trouble, otherwise I'll just make sure I have 16 of each when I start the game.
    Yah, multiclassing is stronger, but it takes so long to level up. :(

    Aldo on
  • VicVic Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Thats what party members are for. Carrying around my dead weight as I slowly crawl towards an acceptable level of power.

    It'll be worth it in throne of bhaal.

    Vic on
  • AldoAldo Hippo Hooray Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Vic wrote: »
    Thats what party members are for. Carrying around my dead weight as I slowly crawl towards an acceptable level of power.

    It'll be worth it in throne of bhaal.
    I suppose so. I think I'm used to an idiotically strong PC by now, he's such a hurricane of destruction by now. Mage/Kensai=<3

    Aldo on
  • VicVic Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Aldo wrote: »
    I'm playing a Kensai just like everybody else, because they are sooooo good! Bla bla bla bla bla bla.

    Sorry, didn't quite catch that.

    Vic on
  • AldoAldo Hippo Hooray Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Vic wrote: »
    Aldo wrote: »
    I'm playing a Kensai just like everybody else, because they are sooooo good! Bla bla bla bla bla bla.

    Sorry, didn't quite catch that.

    They're not "good", they're easy. :P

    Aldo on
  • BurnageBurnage Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Aldo wrote: »
    Vic wrote: »
    I never did complete the expansion pack. Guess I might have to go back and play through it again!

    Considering an evil wizard/cleric to replace Aerie. Any ideas on how to build such a character?
    Hmm

    Maybe start as a human wizard for the first 9 or 10 levels, so you can get a few of the debuffs and buffs, then go for cleric so you can make use of the fancy high level spells. Unholy Word comes to mind.

    If you dual to cleric you miss out on the completely fuckawesome higher level mage spells like Time Stop and Improved Alacrity, and dualling to a mage will leave you with slightly higher HP and fairly pathetic healing powers. Multi-class is the way to go if you want a mage/cleric.

    Burnage on
  • ZellZell Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Burnage wrote: »
    Aldo wrote: »
    Vic wrote: »
    I never did complete the expansion pack. Guess I might have to go back and play through it again!

    Considering an evil wizard/cleric to replace Aerie. Any ideas on how to build such a character?
    Hmm

    Maybe start as a human wizard for the first 9 or 10 levels, so you can get a few of the debuffs and buffs, then go for cleric so you can make use of the fancy high level spells. Unholy Word comes to mind.

    If you dual to cleric you miss out on the completely fuckawesome higher level mage spells like Time Stop and Improved Alacrity, and dualling to a mage will leave you with slightly higher HP and fairly pathetic healing powers. Multi-class is the way to go if you want a mage/cleric.
    You could dual class instantly to a cleric from a mage at the start of the game in a fighter heavy party if you wanted a really good healer (robe of vecna). Dual classing is something you always should do when you really want to be a single class. More equipment options is always good.

    That said, missing out on higher level mage spells isn't too bad, they're just too overpowered and makes the game little fun. Especially chain contingency, which has to be the most shitty spell ever. Power Word: Kill is awesome for ending mage battles before they get to the "shit, I don't even know what protections he has, how am I supposed to know what to use to dispel them" stage though.

    Zell on
  • themocawthemocaw Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Zell wrote: »
    That said, missing out on higher level mage spells isn't too bad, they're just too overpowered and makes the game little fun. Especially chain contingency, which has to be the most shitty spell ever. Power Word: Kill is awesome for ending mage battles before they get to the "shit, I don't even know what protections he has, how am I supposed to know what to use to dispel them" stage though.

    "Shit, I don't even know what protections he has, how am I supposed to know what to use to dispel. . . oh wait. <Mordenkainen's Disjunction. Breach. Invisibility Purge.> Never mind. Go kill him, guys."

    themocaw on
  • AldoAldo Hippo Hooray Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    themocaw wrote: »
    Zell wrote: »
    That said, missing out on higher level mage spells isn't too bad, they're just too overpowered and makes the game little fun. Especially chain contingency, which has to be the most shitty spell ever. Power Word: Kill is awesome for ending mage battles before they get to the "shit, I don't even know what protections he has, how am I supposed to know what to use to dispel them" stage though.

    "Shit, I don't even know what protections he has, how am I supposed to know what to use to dispel. . . oh wait. <Mordenkainen's Disjunction. Breach. Invisibility Purge.> Never mind. Go kill him, guys."

    "Shit, let's just hit him until everything wears off"

    Aldo on
  • DisruptorX2DisruptorX2 Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Sure, if you like them casting time stop followed by loads of instakill spells.

    DisruptorX2 on
    1208768734831.jpg
  • AldoAldo Hippo Hooray Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    So I finally finished SoA for the first time. That ending was surprisingly easy, I only had to restart the finale once.

    Aldo on
  • nexuscrawlernexuscrawler Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Muilti's really can bite in ToB. There amounts of exp to advance with them get sickening and its likely you'll never reach high casting levels with a multi caster. It's a big problem with Pallys and Ranger too. their special abilities really get outclassed be vanilla fighters since they'll always be a couple levels behind your fighters.

    nexuscrawler on
  • Random Name GeneratorRandom Name Generator Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Aldo wrote: »
    I'm getting corrupted saves, but that's it, and it seems relegated to auto-saves, which I never use anyway. I've also started over again after spotting a solo thief guide on gamefaqs. I started a swashbuckler and damn if it didn't take 10 game days to get through Irenicus dungeon. Wasn't helped by the fact that I took long sword prof and managed to lose one of the only 2 long swords you get until you escape. One hit per round takes forever.
    How do you lose a sword? o_O

    It's easy: drop sword with the rest of the trash because I wasn't really paying attention because hey, I've done this shit so many times -> rest numerous times to recharge traps/regain health -> item deteriorates -> :x.

    Random Name Generator on
  • PancakePancake Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Aldo wrote: »
    I'm getting corrupted saves, but that's it, and it seems relegated to auto-saves, which I never use anyway. I've also started over again after spotting a solo thief guide on gamefaqs. I started a swashbuckler and damn if it didn't take 10 game days to get through Irenicus dungeon. Wasn't helped by the fact that I took long sword prof and managed to lose one of the only 2 long swords you get until you escape. One hit per round takes forever.
    How do you lose a sword? o_O

    It's easy: drop sword with the rest of the trash because I wasn't really paying attention because hey, I've done this shit so many times -> rest numerous times to recharge traps/regain health -> item deteriorates -> :x.

    Why are you not using Dungeon-Be-Gone?

    If you've played through Itenicus's dungeon once there's never a reason to do it again.

    Pancake on
    wAgWt.jpg
  • Random Name GeneratorRandom Name Generator Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Pancake wrote: »
    Aldo wrote: »
    I'm getting corrupted saves, but that's it, and it seems relegated to auto-saves, which I never use anyway. I've also started over again after spotting a solo thief guide on gamefaqs. I started a swashbuckler and damn if it didn't take 10 game days to get through Irenicus dungeon. Wasn't helped by the fact that I took long sword prof and managed to lose one of the only 2 long swords you get until you escape. One hit per round takes forever.
    How do you lose a sword? o_O

    It's easy: drop sword with the rest of the trash because I wasn't really paying attention because hey, I've done this shit so many times -> rest numerous times to recharge traps/regain health -> item deteriorates -> :x.

    Why are you not using Dungeon-Be-Gone?

    If you've played through Itenicus's dungeon once there's never a reason to do it again.

    Why am I not using any of the good mods? Probably just can't be arsed to, that's why. I installed the game after seeing this thread and fired it up. I'm also getting a weird bug trying to edit baldur.ini. Vista is telling me it can't the file to save it because I might have gotten the path wrong (??), then when I specify the location it tells me it the same damn thing.

    Random Name Generator on
  • KhavallKhavall British ColumbiaRegistered User regular
    edited January 2008
    I enjoy beating on mages with Carsomyr. What's that? Spells? DISPEL MAGIC BITCH. What's that, did it again? DISPEL FUCKING MAGIC, BITCH.



    Granted I still cast all the breach/pierce magic shit anyways to be sure, and it never really goes past the second round after I have my stupid caster-heavy party let losse.

    But it's still fun.

    Khavall on
  • BroloBrolo Broseidon Lord of the BroceanRegistered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Should I start a Let's Play for my new run through BG2 and ToB?

    Brolo on
  • Professor PhobosProfessor Phobos Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    DO IT.

    I've played through the whole trilogy...once. Damn I'm tempted to start it up again, even though I did it like last year.

    Professor Phobos on
  • PancakePancake Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    It makes me really happy that people still play and enjoy BG2 even now more than seven years after the game came out.

    It's weird, but I feel like I have a personal stake in people playing and liking the game.

    It's a part of me.

    Pancake on
    wAgWt.jpg
  • SilpheedSilpheed Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Pancake wrote: »
    It makes me really happy that people still play and enjoy BG2 even now more than seven years after the game came out.

    It's weird, but I feel like I have a personal stake in people playing and liking the game.

    It's a part of me.
    Join the club, Pancake. I think this is my favourite game series, it's just a fucking shame that we'll probably never see anything close to the BG series again..

    Silpheed on
  • RainfallRainfall Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Did anyone else always end up sending Keldorn back to his family because he was neglecting them?

    ...I always did, after selling off his armor/sword.

    And it felt right EVERY time, until my friends started talking about how much ass he kicks.

    Rainfall on
  • KhavallKhavall British ColumbiaRegistered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Rainfall wrote: »
    Did anyone else always end up sending Keldorn back to his family because he was neglecting them?

    ...I always did, after selling off his armor/sword.

    And it felt right EVERY time, until my friends started talking about how much ass he kicks.

    This is the one thing I hate about games that allow character customization.


    There is always an epic fight within me every time I start a game.


    Where the RP side of me says "BUT I WANT TO TRY DOING THIS 'CAUSE IT'D BE COOL!" and the Min/Maxer part of me says "NO WE'RE TAKING ONLY THE STATS THAT WILL MAKE ME AWESOME AND I WILL WIN".

    Games that allow me to choose the fates of party members are also pretty terrible.

    Khavall on
  • BurnageBurnage Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Rainfall wrote: »
    Did anyone else always end up sending Keldorn back to his family because he was neglecting them?

    ...I always did, after selling off his armor/sword.

    And it felt right EVERY time, until my friends started talking about how much ass he kicks.

    Yeah, I did the same. I have thieves for Carsomyr, damn it.

    Burnage on
  • DisruptorX2DisruptorX2 Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Silpheed wrote: »
    Pancake wrote: »
    It makes me really happy that people still play and enjoy BG2 even now more than seven years after the game came out.

    It's weird, but I feel like I have a personal stake in people playing and liking the game.

    It's a part of me.
    Join the club, Pancake. I think this is my favourite game series, it's just a fucking shame that we'll probably never see anything close to the BG series again..

    Baldur's Gate (mainly 2) is awesome because it took everything great about D&D (and similar) games before it, and took it to a completely new level of storytelling, graphics, and combat. It built on the winning formula and took it to its peak.

    Subsequent games don't even feel like they were created by people who'd ever played an RPG before. Even NWN. Especially NWN.

    When D&D 4e comes out next year, or whenever it is, 3e will have a total of one passable game (IWD 2) to its name.

    DisruptorX2 on
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  • themocawthemocaw Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    I happened to like Neverwinter Nights. It was a great engine for people to build fun modules. Wait, you mean the actual campaign? Oh. ummm. . . yeah, that was kinda lame. Played it through once only.

    themocaw on
  • Ant000Ant000 Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Apparently Mask of the Betrayer (NWN2 expac) is supposed to be really good, campaign wise.

    Ant000 on
  • DerrickDerrick Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Ant000 wrote: »
    Apparently Mask of the Betrayer (NWN2 expac) is supposed to be really good, campaign wise.

    It's not bad. It doesn't really hold a candle to BG:2 or Planescape, but in the realm of the rather shallow rpgs we get these days, it's pretty good.

    Derrick on
    Steam and CFN: Enexemander
  • DisruptorX2DisruptorX2 Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Offtopic, I know, but does the supposed static cam work as you'd expect (i.e., like it does in classic 2d D&D games)? One of the biggest complaints I have with NWN 2 is how much of a pain in the ass it is to switch characters. The AI is awful, yet manually controlling them all is a nightmare, and they often ignore orders anyway. Control of only one character as default, and needing to switch camera angles and queue order in order to control multiple characters is a huge sin. NWN 2 wasn't a console game, it doesn't have any excuses like KOTOR does.

    The option for a static cam, and giving multiple characters orders at once would drastically improve my opinion of the game. Also, I already own NWN 2 so the x-pac isn't a huge investment.

    God, NWN 2's interface is the worst ever put in an RPG. (well, its the same as the first NWN's). I don't know if its part of the game engine, but doing anything from moving, to looting, to giving orders, is a complete and total pain in the ass.

    DisruptorX2 on
    1208768734831.jpg
  • captainkcaptaink TexasRegistered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Derrick wrote: »
    Ant000 wrote: »
    Apparently Mask of the Betrayer (NWN2 expac) is supposed to be really good, campaign wise.

    It's not bad. It doesn't really hold a candle to BG:2 or Planescape, but in the realm of the rather shallow rpgs we get these days, it's pretty good.

    I would say it can hold a candle, just not very close.

    captaink on
  • OrogogusOrogogus San DiegoRegistered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Offtopic, I know, but does the supposed static cam work as you'd expect (i.e., like it does in classic 2d D&D games)? One of the biggest complaints I have with NWN 2 is how much of a pain in the ass it is to switch characters. The AI is awful, yet manually controlling them all is a nightmare, and they often ignore orders anyway. Control of only one character as default, and needing to switch camera angles and queue order in order to control multiple characters is a huge sin. NWN 2 wasn't a console game, it doesn't have any excuses like KOTOR does.

    The option for a static cam, and giving multiple characters orders at once would drastically improve my opinion of the game. Also, I already own NWN 2 so the x-pac isn't a huge investment.

    God, NWN 2's interface is the worst ever put in an RPG. (well, its the same as the first NWN's). I don't know if its part of the game engine, but doing anything from moving, to looting, to giving orders, is a complete and total pain in the ass.

    Aren't the NWN games made to be played multiplayer, in the style of actual RPG sessions, where everyone takes one character? I've never played them, but I think I remember the simulated D&D game aspect being their selling point.

    Orogogus on
  • PancakePancake Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Orogogus wrote: »
    Offtopic, I know, but does the supposed static cam work as you'd expect (i.e., like it does in classic 2d D&D games)? One of the biggest complaints I have with NWN 2 is how much of a pain in the ass it is to switch characters. The AI is awful, yet manually controlling them all is a nightmare, and they often ignore orders anyway. Control of only one character as default, and needing to switch camera angles and queue order in order to control multiple characters is a huge sin. NWN 2 wasn't a console game, it doesn't have any excuses like KOTOR does.

    The option for a static cam, and giving multiple characters orders at once would drastically improve my opinion of the game. Also, I already own NWN 2 so the x-pac isn't a huge investment.

    God, NWN 2's interface is the worst ever put in an RPG. (well, its the same as the first NWN's). I don't know if its part of the game engine, but doing anything from moving, to looting, to giving orders, is a complete and total pain in the ass.

    Aren't the NWN games made to be played multiplayer, in the style of actual RPG sessions, where everyone takes one character? I've never played them, but I think I remember the simulated D&D game aspect being their selling point.

    The first NWN was basically an online D&D game with an attached toolset. The actual campaign was built to be played singleplayer but as something more like a tech demo of the tools the game came with and it kind of showed as it was an entirely underwhelming campaign.

    NWN2 was different. Obsidian set out to shift the focus towards singleplayer.

    Pancake on
    wAgWt.jpg
  • SilpheedSilpheed Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Pancake wrote: »
    Orogogus wrote: »
    Offtopic, I know, but does the supposed static cam work as you'd expect (i.e., like it does in classic 2d D&D games)? One of the biggest complaints I have with NWN 2 is how much of a pain in the ass it is to switch characters. The AI is awful, yet manually controlling them all is a nightmare, and they often ignore orders anyway. Control of only one character as default, and needing to switch camera angles and queue order in order to control multiple characters is a huge sin. NWN 2 wasn't a console game, it doesn't have any excuses like KOTOR does.

    The option for a static cam, and giving multiple characters orders at once would drastically improve my opinion of the game. Also, I already own NWN 2 so the x-pac isn't a huge investment.

    God, NWN 2's interface is the worst ever put in an RPG. (well, its the same as the first NWN's). I don't know if its part of the game engine, but doing anything from moving, to looting, to giving orders, is a complete and total pain in the ass.

    Aren't the NWN games made to be played multiplayer, in the style of actual RPG sessions, where everyone takes one character? I've never played them, but I think I remember the simulated D&D game aspect being their selling point.

    The first NWN was basically an online D&D game with an attached toolset. The actual campaign was built to be played singleplayer but as something more like a tech demo of the tools the game came with and it kind of showed as it was an entirely underwhelming campaign.

    NWN2 was different. Obsidian set out to shift the focus towards singleplayer.
    Which is the only reason why I bought NWN2. I know that if I'm looking for a good singleplayer game I shouldn't have expected NWN to deliver but I was desperate dammit :P

    Silpheed on
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