How exactly DOES multiplayer work in BG:EE?

Minscandboo1987

Hey all, just joined the forums ^^ Been a HUGE fan of Baldurs Gate since 98 but I never got the chance back then to play MP. How exactly does it work in-game? For example: If I talk to an NPC will my buddy see what I see or will he see his own conversations? I read that whoever is hosting and is playing the main character controls the pause and you can only travel a certain distance from one another but that is about the extent of my MP knowledge. If anyone would like to share what they know it would be greatly appreciated. I have about a week before I have to learn the hard way ^^

Templar

Basically the host assigns who gets to control each character, who gets to speak with npc's, who gets to buy or sell stuff, and so on.

From what I remember when playing it, you need good communication, because there is no control over looting, for example. If you kill someone, the other person loots, and picks up an item you would love to get, once he equips it, you cannot get it back. It is possible for the host to remove items from the party members inventories, but thats it. If one of you talk to an npc, both of you will see it, but only the person who started the conversation gets to choose which answers to give.

I played a bit of Icewind Dale multiplayer, and that game didnt set any restrictions on movement, except for places where you need to gather your party before venturing forth.. I dont think Baldurs Gate differentiates on this point. In the Icewind Dale game I played, both me and my friend could pause the game, so often both pressed pause at the same time, only to keep the game unpaused.. Not sure if its possible to turn off pause for other than host, but its always nice to have the option to pause the game yourself IMO, whether you are the host or not.

We sorta elected one of us to be the "leader", and that person went around talking to people, buying stuff (when I was on the item selection screen in the stores, the game was unpaused for my friend btw), and decided which buildings to enter.

I feel good communication will be a must for multiplayer, as there are several things that might kill you if you decide against cooperating. For example, if one of you play a mage, and the other one a fighter, it should be the fighter walking first, in case there are monsters attacking from range. Common things you do in single player that might not be that easy to do if your mage is a bit too eager to get going.

In regards to saving the game, I am not sure, but I think only the host gets to save the game, as you are joining another persons game, he will be in control of "his" game.

I'd like to restate, 90% of my experience with multiplayer comes from Icewind Dale, so it might be off at certain points.
Havent tried BG:EE on multiplayer yet, but I intend to do so once my friend gets his game to stop crashing.. :P

Seran

IWD and BG are pretty similar in multiplayer though I always felt IWD is more multiplayer-oriented than BG (No joinable npcs, choices in conversations don't have much impact, so on). You can wander away from each other as much as you like except through party-required areas and that is true for both games but BG had more "you must gather your party before venturing forth" if my memory serves me right.

Minscandboo1987

Thanks guys! The room isn't so dark anymore