There are a lot of mods being updated. Especially the BG2 mods.
Also remember a lot of these mods were made back in 1999-2005 era and most of these mod authors are not around to do it themselves, which leads someone else to pick up that task. Being the leader of my mod community, I take it upon myself to do the updates for compatibility. Some mods are easy to convert over and some are not. I've converted three mods over the weekend and I'm working on number four right now.
I'd say they go to WotC, point their finger at the EEs and say: "See how well that went? Now, let us touch some of the original content."
It would be great if they were allowed to flesh out all of the companions in BGI (not necessarily all with their own quests, but some voiceacting + interesting banters will do).
Also, the storytelling in BGI needs a major overhaul. What about some BGII-esque cutscenes after each beginning of a chapter, documenting the Iron Thrones reactions to the PC's actions?
I'm skeptical about adding even more content to the games. They already are incredibly dense content-wise. It might just upset the whole XP-balance.
They should make entire new IE game in Forgotten Realms not around Bhaalspawn. There are so many exciting places in Faerun to pick (eg. Thay, Cormyr, Western Heartlands). Definitely they should not continue Bhaalspawn saga, it's completed as it is.
1, 2, 9. The first thing they should do is pay attention to their current games that they currently have. Update them, flesh them out, and add DLC. The second thing they should do is make an enhanced edition of Icewind Dale, one that actually has companions and is not an empty wasteland with silent people. My reasoning of why they should make another RPG, and not D&D is that D&D will change, and will force all new games to use the new ruleset. That is what happened with Throne of Bhaal. Wizards of the Coast, demands that all content fits their new rulesets. EVEN when it is in the middle of a trilogy. With making their own rules, Beamdog would not have to deal with the sporadic changes of Wizards of the Coast, and could stick with one ruleset between multiple games.
My first option would be 6 then 1. After that, 7 and 8, but of course, as a BG fan who has bought the enhanced edition on the first day, I want more of the BG universe.
And of course, the bug fixing is comming all along. They don't have to the exclude each other. In fact, probably the devs in charge of bug fixing are not the same in charge of game design and preproduction.
Actually I would not go for ID saga. The devs of BGEE made a very good job with the new characters's stories, missions and interactions. Much better job than enhancing the engine. So IMO it would be a waste that probably their strongest point has almost no room in a game where you generate your own party and they don't have real stories to tell. I think they made a pretty good job with the new characters, and the new areas looks pretty awesome, really. If I were them I would focus in their strenghts and that is creating characters and enviroments, so a game pretty like BG3 would be a very good start for them, to give a great experience for the players and getting in the issues of building a game from scratch, so they get experienced and they can AIM higher next time.
@Tome - All I can say is that externalizations will happen post ship, and by that I mean "after BG2:EE is released". Right now, the devs are too busy fixing bugs and developing new content for BG2:EE; their schedule's pretty tight as is, and they cannot afford the luxury to spare time for anything else.
When BG2:EE is released, there will be some time dedicated to releasing patches, so externalizations might not happen right away. However, the devs are aware of every single request on this thread, plus a few others that came up during the beta, and they'll get to them eventually. It just takes time and patience
But first of all: Please finalize Bg2EE by adding missing translations.
Fix all bugs, add UI improvements, leave things as open-ended as possible for the modders. After all that happens, I'll be happy to pay good coin for TotSC/TOB-sized expansions.
Develop your own IP and develop an isometric RPG in it. Don't waste time and money on Atari/WOTC etc. They are done. Done. Too much corporate calisthenics, too little Game there.
You have "cred" now. That is valuable. Don't squander it.
As much as I'd love to see Planescape: Torment Enhanced Edition, I'd also love a completely new Infinity Engine game set in Forgotten Realms. I love that setting, and I wonder why there are no more games set in it. It doesn't have to be BG3, just a new game in that world.
We will see the inevitable patches in the coming months, but now Overhaul is drifting directionlessly in the black void of post-development uncertainty.
Clearly only you and I can solve this existential dilemma. So what is the answer?
Should they: 1. Continue producing large amounts of post launch content for both games of breathtaking scale? 2. Start enhancing another infinity engine game? 3. Start enhancing another D&D game? 4. Start enhancing another game? 5. Stop enhancing games, and start making their own games which they may or may not be able to enhance another 12 years down the line? 6. Start making Baldur's gate 3? 7. Start making what is basically Baldur's gate 3, but not actually called Baldur's gate 3? 8. Start making an entirely new D&D game? 9. Start making an entirely new rpg? 10. Start making an entirely new game? 11. Something else?
They should work on Icewind Dale. Their team already has a lot of experience with this engine, and there is a ton of content that they could add to that game considering that it is a relatively "blank" slate sort of game when compared to anything from the Baldurs Gate trilogy.
Not sure if it's possible, but new expansions for BG 1-2 would be amazing, adding new NPC's, new areas, new spells/items, new kits, lots and lots of new kits!!! I'd totally pay for these types of DLC!!! Specially new kits and NPC's!!!
Then I'd also love to see IWD 1-2:EE with IWD 1 on the IWD 2 engine, with prestige classes added, new items, spells, and I'd love some NPC's added to mix things up a bit, having romances, interparty chat, etc in IWD would make a amazing game 1000x better.
Not sure if it's possible, but new expansions for BG 1-2 would be amazing, adding new NPC's, new areas, new spells/items, new kits, lots and lots of new kits!!! I'd totally pay for these types of DLC!!! Specially new kits and NPC's!!!
Then I'd also love to see IWD 1-2:EE with IWD 1 on the IWD 2 engine, with prestige classes added, new items, spells, and I'd love some NPC's added to mix things up a bit, having romances, interparty chat, etc in IWD would make a amazing game 1000x better.
I completely agree with this for the reason that I had stated above (that this team has experience working with this game engine and there's a lot of potential there). This guy is right.
I think BG & BG2 don't need extra content beyond the possible Adventure Y. (although I would gladly pay a lot of money if they would/could add an extra party member slot...) After ironing out remaining bugs n' stuff I'd hope they set a bigger goal for themselves which would be a brand new isometric old school RPG. While preparing its production a good way of generating some income would be to enhance IWD. Just covert it into BGEE engine, pretty it up a bit, add some minor features and voilá: I'm a happy customer. Converting it into IWD2 engine propably won't happen as it would take a whole lot of resources, while BGEE engine is already available. I think they should skip IWD2 and Torment altogether. The first one is rubbish, the second one simply doesn't need enhancing.
As for the new game? My fantasy-that-will-not-ever-gonna-happen: a new Infinity Engine rpg set in Forgotten Realms with no connection to the BG series (AD&D 2nd edition rules ftw!). More likely though it will be a brand new ip/ruleset in order to avoid getting jacked by wotc and other big bullies.
I would say 1 for a while (patches, fixes, new content etc). If they decide to make their own game, I would then say 8, fresh start with a new D&D game, similar to Baldur's Gate, but with another name. But I would also like to see an Icewind Dale EE someday, so maybe begin with that
I'd say they go to WotC, point their finger at the EEs and say: "See how well that went? Now, let us touch some of the original content."
So they can make the version in which Greedo shoots first ? No, thanks
Han shot first, the buggers decided to change it since it would "not be heroic" for the hero to shoot first. They completely messed it up too, since without Han shooting first, logically Han would have died instead of Greedo being shot since both were bounty hunters. Regardless, there are some things I would like changed, including ToB, but it would never happen.
Comments
This would most likely make me pick up my most ambitious mod to make, Return to the North.
Maybe i'm wrong but it seems only a few old ones are being worked on. Or already done and being updated like SCS.
Is the modding community just not interested in updating their mods for the EE's?
Also remember a lot of these mods were made back in 1999-2005 era and most of these mod authors are not around to do it themselves, which leads someone else to pick up that task. Being the leader of my mod community, I take it upon myself to do the updates for compatibility. Some mods are easy to convert over and some are not. I've converted three mods over the weekend and I'm working on number four right now.
It would be great if they were allowed to flesh out all of the companions in BGI (not necessarily all with their own quests, but some voiceacting + interesting banters will do).
Also, the storytelling in BGI needs a major overhaul. What about some BGII-esque cutscenes after each beginning of a chapter, documenting the Iron Thrones reactions to the PC's actions?
I'm skeptical about adding even more content to the games. They already are incredibly dense content-wise. It might just upset the whole XP-balance.
The first thing they should do is pay attention to their current games that they currently have. Update them, flesh them out, and add DLC.
The second thing they should do is make an enhanced edition of Icewind Dale, one that actually has companions and is not an empty wasteland with silent people.
My reasoning of why they should make another RPG, and not D&D is that D&D will change, and will force all new games to use the new ruleset. That is what happened with Throne of Bhaal. Wizards of the Coast, demands that all content fits their new rulesets. EVEN when it is in the middle of a trilogy. With making their own rules, Beamdog would not have to deal with the sporadic changes of Wizards of the Coast, and could stick with one ruleset between multiple games.
And of course, the bug fixing is comming all along. They don't have to the exclude each other. In fact, probably the devs in charge of bug fixing are not the same in charge of game design and preproduction.
Actually I would not go for ID saga. The devs of BGEE made a very good job with the new characters's stories, missions and interactions. Much better job than enhancing the engine. So IMO it would be a waste that probably their strongest point has almost no room in a game where you generate your own party and they don't have real stories to tell. I think they made a pretty good job with the new characters, and the new areas looks pretty awesome, really. If I were them I would focus in their strenghts and that is creating characters and enviroments, so a game pretty like BG3 would be a very good start for them, to give a great experience for the players and getting in the issues of building a game from scratch, so they get experienced and they can AIM higher next time.
But first of all: Please finalize Bg2EE by adding missing translations.
Don't waste time and money on Atari/WOTC etc. They are done. Done. Too much corporate calisthenics, too little Game there.
You have "cred" now. That is valuable. Don't squander it.
Then I'd also love to see IWD 1-2:EE with IWD 1 on the IWD 2 engine, with prestige classes added, new items, spells, and I'd love some NPC's added to mix things up a bit, having romances, interparty chat, etc in IWD would make a amazing game 1000x better.
As for the new game? My fantasy-that-will-not-ever-gonna-happen: a new Infinity Engine rpg set in Forgotten Realms with no connection to the BG series (AD&D 2nd edition rules ftw!). More likely though it will be a brand new ip/ruleset in order to avoid getting jacked by wotc and other big bullies.
They completely messed it up too, since without Han shooting first, logically Han would have died instead of Greedo being shot since both were bounty hunters.
Regardless, there are some things I would like changed, including ToB, but it would never happen.
1) torment EE, then IWD EE and IWD 2 EE
2) more content and bug fixes for BG1&2
3) BG3