They could continue with further content for BGEE and BG2EE. They should perhaps tread with caution in regard to diluting the original experience too much, though. There is still room for further expansion, but there is also a limit (not that I am going to pretend to know what or when it would be) that should be respected.
I think what RnRClown is very important to keep in my mind. Though I think with the solution Beamdog has used, ie. 95% of the new stuff is tied to the new NPCs it really helps avoiding it. Also stuff like kits is pretty safe. You can option to choose from hundred different kits, but you can still only play one.
With that out of the way here's what I'd like to see. First of all I hope Beamdog keeps working on the BG EEs for another year, at least. We all saw what huge improvement BGEE saw in that time, and they even had to stop working for couple months.
So I'll answer this from the point of view of where I'd like these games to be in November 2014. -Obviously they need to finance their continued development so there should be have been couple DLC packs released at that point. I'd personally prefer NPC additions in the way of the current 4 have been done. -Overall I'd prefer the DLC model to be closer to original expansion of these games. So lots of stuff bundled together. New NPCs with their quests and areas, new kits, and well those two I really only things I really want to see. -Even more improved UI. Lots of usability improvements like eg. the green background for scribeable scrolls. Allowing people to choose the font size they prefer. Fullscreen windowed mode. Etc. -Improve moddability. I think this really important to keep the modding community vibrant, and is also the best way to make sure that the EEs are the definite version of BG. -I certainly wouldn't hate some graphics improvements as well, or maybe concentrate on making new sprites of their own. There are still plenty of monster in DnD lore that don't appear in BG1 or 2. -Finally I of course hope that year from now the game is rock solid, and bug free, both in single and multiplayer modes.
Can't say I really care for BG3. The series is done. I don't mind a new game in the style of BG though! But honestly I think they should focus on BG1/2:EE for now, keep fixing things and adding nice features, maybe drop some new dlc down the line.
Of the IE games I think P:T would benefit most from some enhancing.
In all seriousness though, as much as I'd love to see them start on BG3, I think it would be a huge development time and thus worth waiting until a few more EEs are hashed out...
As much as I'd love to see them start on Icewind Dale (and next Icewind Dale 2), I think BG1 and BG2 need some more love in the way of many bug fixes, improvement, and additional content/DLCs.
I'd easily pay $5 - $10 for additional hours of content/optional side quests. I'd love to see additional modding support (especially a modding API sort of setup where you could drop content files in a folder and organize them through a utility program or in game in a preferred precedence). I'd love to see new items, stories, characters, etc.
And I'd very much love the ability to create my own items, stories, characters, etc, in a very straight forward and easy manner
1 and 6. Conclude the Slaver Ring quest (Give me a reason to get Celestial Fury instead of just for the sake of Celestial Fury). More Quests pl0x More everything.
1. Continue producing large amounts of post launch content for both games of breathtaking scale? - well maybe not LARGE and BREATHTAKING, but I would love to get some more goodies (kits, few more items or other smaller enhancements) in the next patches. - DLCs - I would gladly pay 5 euro/pound/dollars/marbles for a new DLC with some new areas/dungeon, perhaps a NPC and a good story to tie it together and make us play for a couple hours more. (Just don't overdo it)
3. Start enhancing another D&D game? + 8. Start making an entirely new D&D game? - Why not? This one was a success and D&D is a good system. Whether you choose to enhance or make entirely new one is up to you, you have made your fan base already and we'll look forward to it anyway.
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? & 9. Start making an entirely new rpg? - 'nuff said.
I want to ask the users that has as preference the option 1. Why do you want content for BG2, a game that all of you played already dozens of times? I mean, the same contents could be added on the next baldur's gate. Why do you prefer adding extra content to something already overwhelming instead of a fresh new game where everything is new? I for sure enjoy BG, but the fresh feeling of the new quests and characters fades as soon as I have to redo again the Nalia's quest, the Irenicus dungeon, the Amaunator's ruins, all the neverending underworld... wouldn't it be more pleasant to have a full new game with all those characters and stories skipping those places? After all old missions can be played in the original game.
I can understand BG1/2 EE to be some proof to see if they are capable of continuing with the saga, adding new experiencies to give a fresh air, but I believe it's not necessary anymore. I personally don't want to play all the underword once again because the DLC gave me a new character and three extra missions.
1. Continue to improve the engine. 2. Rewrite character creation system. This hardcoded stuff has to go. 3. Perhaps release a toolset for the community to use. Games like Fallout 3 wouldn't nearly as popular today if their modding communities weren't always keeping people interested and even drawing new players. Supporting modding is a smart business practice.
I think for the same reasons I've played the game multiple times it just changes the overall game experience ever-so-slightly that makes it refreshing with all the subtle changes having a different party has - or a different weapon that maybe specifically useful in the weirdest of situations.
I think most people like the Hexxat questline alot due to
The bag of holding you are given at the end of the first quest - after a relatively difficult fight at low levels. But it just makes doing quests that much easier as you don't have to micromanage weight balances and can carry all the loot from a dungeon crawl until you go to sell it. Where usually you'd have to wait until chapter 4 until you get the Bag of Holding usually.
If I decided I didn't want Hexxat in my party - I wouldn't go and do the quests for the early bag.
If each new DLC had an added bonus (not quite to the degree Hexxat's does) I'd be quite happy varying the playstyle I would adopt.
All platform launch , Full Languages work , Fix bugs , cloudy saves, Link BG-EE and BG-EE and make easy import character , adventure Y , free-DLCs for BG1/2-EE, Paid DLCs for BG1/2-EE , even expansion pack , HD version ,
It will show what's their capability , if they can't done above things , how can we desire they make BG3??
I know it's not gonna happen but it'd be great if the graphics outside of the backgrounds could be redone with modern graphics with most importantly realistic fighting animations, or at least make it easier for the community to do that sorta thing. That alone would bring the game visually up to modern standards. It's not essential but would add a lot to an old game.
edit: this is a hard question to answer without sales numbers. Continuing support of these projects in the form of DLC/expansions would require a minimum number of sales. Similarly, projects like IWD:EE (which I really hope is made) would need healthy sales of the previous EEs to convince Atari/Hasbro/The Illuminati to continue investing in Overhaul.
Obviously continue patching (the bugs I've encountered aren't anywhere near as bad as people scream about), but I'd like to see them overhaul other games instead of release more content for bgee and bg2ee.
I'd especially like to see them do games that are great but have aged very badly. Planescape:Torment is one. Diablo and Diablo 2 are others, but I can't in a million years imagine Blizzard would hand those over.
Beyond that, for their own survival it would be nice to see them get out of D&D.
Have 2-3 people ironing out all the remaining bugs in BGEE and BG2EE (and introduce a bit of new content now and again). The rest of the gang should go all in for BG3 (and use the community for ideas). /J
@TrentOster Would love another bard character to recruit in BG2, maybe with a bit of music added in from Sam Hulick (and even have music play when you use your bard song ability). Haer'dalis is one of my favourite characters, but he needs a bit of competition in the companion category. I used the Keto mod back in the day, which I really liked, but an offical companion and a bit more love for the bard class would be most appreciated (i.e. real music, and such).
1) Obviously patch up the bugs. That'll take a bit.
2) DLC! I usually don't like DLC as a concept because most games I only want to play through once, so adding 5-10% of new content isn't really a draw for me... but Baldur's Gate is a pretty big exception to my rule. I'm going to replay it numerous times anyway, so if you keep adding content, I'll keep buying it!
And honestly, why wouldn't Beamdog want to do this? They've spent the time to re-tool the entire engine and fix all the bugs. They've developed the necessary expertise to make new NPC's, items, quests, and areas. In other words, they've already laid all the groundwork, now all that's necessary is to put the pieces of the puzzle together.
Have 2-3 people ironing out all the remaining bugs in BGEE and BG2EE (and introduce a bit of new content now and again). The rest of the gang should go all in for BG3 (and use the community for ideas). /J
I like this. Sorry, I know I'm repeating myself, but I have a very detailed idea of how to move the Bhaalspawn saga on and tie up a very big loose end in the console games without affecting what's gone before that includes not only a core quest but could be enhanced with a number of sub-quests and would introduce the player to several new areas of Faerun, also it would provide the potential for a truly cross-platform game, which is where Overhaul would really make the most money. I've been writing it sporadically for the last couple of years and to be honest it's the only reason I'm resistant to a BG3, because if the eventual game canon takes away from my head-canon I know it's only going to lead to disappointment. It would be very cool if the devs took ideas from the community to build the next game. The advent of 5E would make my idea feasible where 4E rendered all of the 'Gate' titles obsolete.
They should make Planescape: Torment EE next - this game really needs enhanced UI for widescreen monitors and big resolutions. By the way, there is a kickstarter project called Torment: Tides of Numenera, which is being made by most of the key devs that created PS:T. It comes out somewhere around 2015 - this might be a good idea to make PS:T EE by that time, so that people who will play Tides of Numenera and who are interested in its spiritual successor will get an enhanced edition of the old game.
@Aramintai, there is also a kickstarter project named project eternity by the creators of the original BG games.
Actually I am quite glad that this missing genre is reborning from the ashes. That's why also I want overhaul games to compete with an up-to-date D&D game, because actually both Torment and Eternity are not D&D based games.
Implement quick weapon slots for two weapon ranged > two handed > dual weapon. That single thing would outweigh anything else and totally overhaul the games over any other form enhancement. For me anyway.
Comments
Sharpen the character sprites. right now they look terrible when scrolled in compared to redone sharper background
More Content for BG2 EE in DLC form
With that out of the way here's what I'd like to see. First of all I hope Beamdog keeps working on the BG EEs for another year, at least. We all saw what huge improvement BGEE saw in that time, and they even had to stop working for couple months.
So I'll answer this from the point of view of where I'd like these games to be in November 2014.
-Obviously they need to finance their continued development so there should be have been couple DLC packs released at that point. I'd personally prefer NPC additions in the way of the current 4 have been done.
-Overall I'd prefer the DLC model to be closer to original expansion of these games. So lots of stuff bundled together. New NPCs with their quests and areas, new kits, and well those two I really only things I really want to see.
-Even more improved UI. Lots of usability improvements like eg. the green background for scribeable scrolls. Allowing people to choose the font size they prefer. Fullscreen windowed mode. Etc.
-Improve moddability. I think this really important to keep the modding community vibrant, and is also the best way to make sure that the EEs are the definite version of BG.
-I certainly wouldn't hate some graphics improvements as well, or maybe concentrate on making new sprites of their own. There are still plenty of monster in DnD lore that don't appear in BG1 or 2.
-Finally I of course hope that year from now the game is rock solid, and bug free, both in single and multiplayer modes.
Of the IE games I think P:T would benefit most from some enhancing.
In all seriousness though, as much as I'd love to see them start on BG3, I think it would be a huge development time and thus worth waiting until a few more EEs are hashed out...
As much as I'd love to see them start on Icewind Dale (and next Icewind Dale 2), I think BG1 and BG2 need some more love in the way of many bug fixes, improvement, and additional content/DLCs.
I'd easily pay $5 - $10 for additional hours of content/optional side quests. I'd love to see additional modding support (especially a modding API sort of setup where you could drop content files in a folder and organize them through a utility program or in game in a preferred precedence). I'd love to see new items, stories, characters, etc.
And I'd very much love the ability to create my own items, stories, characters, etc, in a very straight forward and easy manner
Then, remake of torment with a real engine would probably take the cake for me.
But only if additional content is supervised by Chris Avellone.
Yeah, EVEN if he's working on that new "Torment" project.
Conclude the Slaver Ring quest (Give me a reason to get Celestial Fury instead of just for the sake of Celestial Fury).
More Quests pl0x
More everything.
- well maybe not LARGE and BREATHTAKING, but I would love to get some more goodies (kits, few more items or other smaller enhancements) in the next patches.
- DLCs - I would gladly pay 5 euro/pound/dollars/marbles for a new DLC with some new areas/dungeon, perhaps a NPC and a good story to tie it together and make us play for a couple hours more. (Just don't overdo it)
3. Start enhancing another D&D game? + 8. Start making an entirely new D&D game?
- Why not? This one was a success and D&D is a good system. Whether you choose to enhance or make entirely new one is up to you, you have made your fan base already and we'll look forward to it anyway.
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? & 9. Start making an entirely new rpg?
- 'nuff said.
I can understand BG1/2 EE to be some proof to see if they are capable of continuing with the saga, adding new experiencies to give a fresh air, but I believe it's not necessary anymore. I personally don't want to play all the underword once again because the DLC gave me a new character and three extra missions.
2. Rewrite character creation system. This hardcoded stuff has to go.
3. Perhaps release a toolset for the community to use. Games like Fallout 3 wouldn't nearly as popular today if their modding communities weren't always keeping people interested and even drawing new players. Supporting modding is a smart business practice.
I think for the same reasons I've played the game multiple times it just changes the overall game experience ever-so-slightly that makes it refreshing with all the subtle changes having a different party has - or a different weapon that maybe specifically useful in the weirdest of situations.
I think most people like the Hexxat questline alot due to
The bag of holding you are given at the end of the first quest - after a relatively difficult fight at low levels. But it just makes doing quests that much easier as you don't have to micromanage weight balances and can carry all the loot from a dungeon crawl until you go to sell it. Where usually you'd have to wait until chapter 4 until you get the Bag of Holding usually.
If I decided I didn't want Hexxat in my party - I wouldn't go and do the quests for the early bag.
If each new DLC had an added bonus (not quite to the degree Hexxat's does) I'd be quite happy varying the playstyle I would adopt.
It will show what's their capability , if they can't done above things , how can we desire they make BG3??
Paid DLC in the form of subraces and kits.
edit: this is a hard question to answer without sales numbers. Continuing support of these projects in the form of DLC/expansions would require a minimum number of sales. Similarly, projects like IWD:EE (which I really hope is made) would need healthy sales of the previous EEs to convince Atari/Hasbro/The Illuminati to continue investing in Overhaul.
Was there ever any word on how BG:EE sold?
I'd especially like to see them do games that are great but have aged very badly. Planescape:Torment is one. Diablo and Diablo 2 are others, but I can't in a million years imagine Blizzard would hand those over.
Beyond that, for their own survival it would be nice to see them get out of D&D.
2) DLC! I usually don't like DLC as a concept because most games I only want to play through once, so adding 5-10% of new content isn't really a draw for me... but Baldur's Gate is a pretty big exception to my rule. I'm going to replay it numerous times anyway, so if you keep adding content, I'll keep buying it!
And honestly, why wouldn't Beamdog want to do this? They've spent the time to re-tool the entire engine and fix all the bugs. They've developed the necessary expertise to make new NPC's, items, quests, and areas. In other words, they've already laid all the groundwork, now all that's necessary is to put the pieces of the puzzle together.
And yes I thought half of the idea of rewriting the game engine was to give the modders an easier time
Actually I am quite glad that this missing genre is reborning from the ashes. That's why also I want overhaul games to compete with an up-to-date D&D game, because actually both Torment and Eternity are not D&D based games.
For me anyway.
Edit: Other than that I am all for new kits and Icewind Dale: EE