Is there really any point playing Icewind Dale?
Ive been really thinking about Icewind Dale and I remember playing the 2nd game and just how ridiculously brutal it is compared to baldurs gate and planescape. I mean, there really isn't 1 thing that Icewind Dale 1 and or 2 did that BG and PS:T didn't do better. Both the games listed were epic but you really can't say that about ice wind dale. In any case, I don't even know how its made with the same engine and or even the same developer!
The problem is just like all other create party rpgs, there is no focus on the main character or character that is leader. Its all just a bunch of mindless/antisocial losers who band together with no dialogue, less epic of a story and all focused on fight scenes. The problem is fighting doesn't sell games, awesome stories and characters do and class options do.
Temple of Elemental Evil is out, Knights of the Chalice is out and Icewind Dale 2 is out as that game gets boring right after chapter 2 and from there its just crap. But is Icewind Dale 1 any better or is it just another mindless grind?
The problem is just like all other create party rpgs, there is no focus on the main character or character that is leader. Its all just a bunch of mindless/antisocial losers who band together with no dialogue, less epic of a story and all focused on fight scenes. The problem is fighting doesn't sell games, awesome stories and characters do and class options do.
Temple of Elemental Evil is out, Knights of the Chalice is out and Icewind Dale 2 is out as that game gets boring right after chapter 2 and from there its just crap. But is Icewind Dale 1 any better or is it just another mindless grind?
Post edited by Jalily on
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for IWD2 there is even tactics mod improving AI and skills of enemies for hardcore gameplay
oh and some of the new abilities spells are great in IWD1 like shapeshifts for druids and spells for clerics
iwd2 it is great system(dnd 3.0? 3.5?) but _really diffucult_ and can't be used to it's full potential in hack and slash like IWD2
icewind dale with combat oriented gameplay is much better for multiplayer with friends than complicated multilocation quest lines of baldur's gate
could you imagine playing barbarian/mage or paladin/thief?
you can in IWD2
Though sadly, it handles a lot of things MUCH better then BG. There's more stat/class context sensitive quests (which is just bizzare for a game focusing on the combat aspect), classes generally do what they're supposed to. Fatigue is brutal, rather then an easily ignored joke. Bards have proper spell progression and were actually compensated for having 2/3 of their PnP value cut out. R/C works correctly whether it's dualed or MC (No druid spells until 8th ranger, and only up to a max of 3rd level), and rangers get the ability to "dual-wield" by getting an extra attack when equipped with a 1hd hand weapon and no shield.
And after finishing IWD, if you've read the Icewind Dale Trilogy,....well...now you know how Crenshinibon got there in the first place. (IWD takes place 144 years before the first book).
I can do PS: Torment and Baldurs Gate 1 and 2 with that party build, can I do that in Icewind Dale 1, probably not. Playing with 3 or more characters is too tedious.
THere are no predefined companions, but to be honest with you, I'm ok with this. Many RPGs were liek this in the past, and I actually RP all six of my characters.
Icewind Dale can be solo'd as easily as any other infinity engine game, even on heart of fury mode. It's a bit harder on a mage though, cause your spell selection is largely garbage for a good portion of the game. My bard solo was pretty fun though, since they're able to qualify for not only most fighter, mage, and thief responses, they also get unique bard-only responses as well.
http://www.pocketplane.net/mambo/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=174&Itemid=122
http://www.gibberlings3.net/iwd2npc/
The NPC Project for IWD mod has voice acting from the great Jason Compton, of Kelsey fame.
Both the NPC Projects for IWD1 and IWD2 have fully voice-acted dialogues, with very complex and interesting character development through the game plots, including both interactions with your player character, and banter interactions with each other.
The IWD1 NPC Project even has potential romances that will develop between certain npc's.
If you love Baldur's Gate style interaction with npc's, you owe it to yourself to try IWD1 and IWD2 with the two NPC projects. When you combine these lovable characters with the improved character building systems, superlative art and music (especially in IWD1), and the increased complexity of the tactical combat possible in the Infinity Engine, you have a total win with both games.
I will never again be able to enjoy either IWD1 or IWD2 without the NPC Projects installed. These characters are just as memorable and a part of my gaming life as Jaheira, Imoen, Minsc, and company.
I hope it works as long as I stick with regular/lower difficulties. Im still not going to give the 2nd Dale game a chance but maybe the 1st game isnt so bad. Gotta love the old rules of 2nd edition!
Druids are incredibly badass.
Stay away from running a single-class Thief, it's worthless. Multi or Dual class it. Fighter/Thief at the very least, I guarantee you won't regret that decision.
Could you go into more detail about why a single class thief for Teri is worse than a Teri who is a fighter-thief?
I will have to make Teri a fighter-thief, then.
2.) The atmosphere is in my opinion much better in IWD1 and IWD2 than it is in Baldur's Gate. Very pretty and love how they got the snowy mountains to feel cold, and kuldahar to feel like a warm place. Also i would like to rate the Music score better in the IWD series.
3.) The voice actors in BG are great, especially Irenicus. But there are so many great voice actors in the Icewind Dale series too. Arundel (IWD1), Sherincal and Guthma (IWD2) are some of the greatest voice actors i have had the pleasure of enjoying.
4.) The stories aren't that bad in IWD and IWD2. I personally love them just as much as the BG trilogy. The difference for me is that there are much less quests and such, this makes the story seem a little worse for wear. But everytime i complete either IWD1 or IWD2 i can't help but to sit back and enjoy the adventure.
5.) I would say that on some points the combat system was more Improved in IWD than it is in BG.
IWD's biggest "Fault" was that it's a dungeon crawler. Most people prefer the system in Baldur's gate. Imagine if IWD had the same amount of quests that BG has and was less linear... I would probably enjoy it more than BG then.
I'd also like to add bards to the list of classes often whinged about but are unbelievably awesome in IWD.
Baldur's Gate is definitely better at giving you much freedom to roam the world with its multitudes of side quests, but the actual core plots are quite minimalistic. Icewind Dale, on the other hand, does not give you much freedom for personal mini-quests and exploration, but its story is deep and complex.
same reason
bg freedom
iwd no freedom
characters i will describe what i know fromy my LP of iwd1+ expansion
ranger - very good with 1hander you gain +1 apr (kind of dual wielding)
ranger/cleric is very powerfull with this addon maybe stronger than f/c in bg
paladins - till level 8 they are poorman's fighters but buffed with duhm + best weapon in the game they are awesome
druid - druids are kind of like clerics with more offensive spells but like medicore spells BUT elemental shapeshifting is soo good he is the best tank in the game maybe only weaker than mage
also best summoner
mages - they are quite weak compared to bg2 mages the spells are weak and there are no scrolls i don't know how but i couldn't find anything usefull my most used spells were haste/fb/sunfire + mirror image for def i was disappointed by mages from iwd1
fighter/ilusionist is great because he will have those 5 levels spells for def + str of fighter and mirror image for tanking
thiefs - are useless unless you just love pure class get f/t or m/t c/t f/m/t or even dual level 5 thief with maxed traps and go for something usefull like mage there are monsters dealing really good blows and being thief doesn't help in the fights f/m/t is great give him improved invisibility and haste he will stab them undead many times in round!
fighters are ok big hp pool and grandmastery
in my opinion power level of characters in iwd1 mostly accurate
druid
fighter/ilusionist best mage
f/m/t best thief
ranger/cleric or 7-13ranger/cleric
fighter/cleric
f/m/c
m/c
ranger
paladin
fighter
mage
bard
thief
Also, paladin can't cast DUHM till 11. (they get new spells level 1 level slower then rangers as well, 9 instead of 8 for 1st level).
Icewind Dale is more focused, therefore it has a more solid story. And as mentioned several times, paradoxically, it's roleplaying options blow BG/BG2 away, despite technically being a dungeon crawler. Can't touch Torment, but makes BG almost as soullessly hack/slash as Diablo by comparison.
in baldur's gate you can do anything even kill everyone in town
in icewind dale you can only kill 1 town and that would be the end
in baldur's gate you have story and many mini quests
in icewind dale you have story + like 5 mini quests
in baldur's gate you have freedom of doing any quest
in icewind dale you have to kill them!