A lot has been said about the new UI, and I want to clarify my own feedback on the subject: I don't want a purist GUI that looks exactly like the one in the vanilla game, nor do I mind learning new layouts or seeing a new aesthetic style. I'm fine with all that. I just want to be able to access information and make changes as quickly/easily as I can in the current version of BG:EE.
In particular, I'd like to have the option to retain the following UI features: - character record that displays all stats in a single tab, - spell book that can display all spells of each spell level on a single screen, - inventory displaying detailed information about the current equipment's stat bonuses (ala current EE version).
I'd be fine with modding the new GUI to my tastes, as long as all these UI changes will be revertible via modding. (And I don't think that has been clarified yet.)
I'm not going to argue with you over our individual subjective judgments of the quality of the EE dialogue. You've got your opinion and it's perfectly valid. I've also got mine, Chris Avellone has his, my employers and WotC have theirs; it's all good. I sincerely hope you and everyone who plays Siege enjoys it, especially the writing, but if you don't, you don't. Such is life.
The fact that people have individual subjective judgments doesn't mean you can't apply critical thinking to a text, or that there aren't certain objective criteria that can be (and often are) used in such an approach.
If a dialogue is circular, or reveals nothing about the character(s) speaking, or contradicts their established personality/tone, it is not a matter of opinion to say that that particular dialogue fails in its objective. (Unless you're reading Pinter or Mamet, where the pointlessness is the point, but that's neither here nor there.)
Subjective opinion comes in later, because you can acknowledge a thing is flawed and like/enjoy it anyway.
I see that Team Beamdog has been very active here, and tried to answer all of our questions... That is SO great... Thank You @beamdogs , and have a nice weekend.... Looking forward to more news
I for one like the direction the new GUI is heading in. The only suggestion I have are the menus look a bit bland at the moment. They could use a bit more artistic elements (like having a shield around the AC in the inventory, nice borders around things, etc...) and a bit less blank space. Here's to hoping that the GUI shown in the steam is a more of demo to show off what it can do and how it will be organized and not the final product.
Pretty sure Andrew meant we've got to regain the reputation after the complicated BGEE and BG2EE releases. The path we've set on with IWDEE, and will continue with SoD and future projects.
Not an impossible task by any means - even at this preliminary stage, SoD having stronger story oversight and input from the legendary Chris Avellone is already a point in its favor.
And if BGEE and BG2EE are held to the same standards in future updates, Beamdog will have even less cause for concern. The proverbial ball is, as ever, in their court.
The fact that people have individual subjective judgments doesn't mean you can't apply critical thinking to a text, or that there aren't certain objective criteria that can be (and often are) used in such an approach.
Sure. If everyone's in agreement about what the criteria are/should be, then a productive discussion can be had if all parties are actually interested, willing, and able to have that discussion.
I'm always interested, sometimes willing, and rarely able to have those discussions, just because I don't have time to give them the attention they deserve (and when I do, I tend to see "tl,dr" a lot, which makes me feel like I'm wasting my time.)
Is there any more specific information about the new shaman class?
@Noobacca (great name btw) I read somewhere that it is a sorcerer-style divine caster. I'd assume that means they will have some spells in common with druids as well, or at least I hope so.
Sure. If everyone's in agreement about what the criteria are/should be, then a productive discussion can be had if all parties are actually interested, willing, and able to have that discussion.
I'm always interested, sometimes willing, and rarely able to have those discussions, just because I don't have time to give them the attention they deserve (and when I do, I tend to see "tl,dr" a lot, which makes me feel like I'm wasting my time.)
You have, in the past, declined an open invitation to just such a discussion with interested parties like myself and @Nonnahswriter. Ultimately, it really is up to you if you want to have that dialogue - we're still here, after all.
I'm not going to argue with you over our individual subjective judgments of the quality of the EE dialogue. You've got your opinion and it's perfectly valid. I've also got mine, Chris Avellone has his, my employers and WotC have theirs; it's all good. I sincerely hope you and everyone who plays Siege enjoys it, especially the writing, but if you don't, you don't. Such is life.
The fact that people have individual subjective judgments doesn't mean you can't apply critical thinking to a text, or that there aren't certain objective criteria that can be (and often are) used in such an approach.
If a dialogue is circular, or reveals nothing about the character(s) speaking, or contradicts their established personality/tone, it is not a matter of opinion to say that that particular dialogue fails in its objective. (Unless you're reading Pinter or Mamet, where the pointlessness is the point, but that's neither here nor there.)
Subjective opinion comes in later, because you can acknowledge a thing is flawed and like/enjoy it anyway.
Thank you for elaborating on the point I was trying and apparently failing to make.
@Beamdog Team: seeing that there are already people preferring the old GUI system and people liking the new GUI system there is the chance to put a check option to select between the old and the new GUI so everyone is happy? Would this be a difficult thing to implement?
The fact that people have individual subjective judgments doesn't mean you can't apply critical thinking to a text, or that there aren't certain objective criteria that can be (and often are) used in such an approach.
If a dialogue is circular, or reveals nothing about the character(s) speaking, or contradicts their established personality/tone, it is not a matter of opinion to say that that particular dialogue fails in its objective.
Critical thinking is the formation of a judgement through objective analysis and I find it quite hard to believe you are completely objectice when criticising the EE's writing, but maybe you should at least take solace in the fact that people are enjoying SoD dialogue and hope it is up to your standards.
Question for Devs! I know we will be seeing some scripting/AI tweaks on harder difficulties, what about core setting? Is it unchanged or will it also have scripting improvements?
Will that feature also be ported in BGEE and BG2EE?
Question for Devs! I know we will be seeing some scripting/AI tweaks on harder difficulties, what about core setting? Is it unchanged or will it also have scripting improvements?
Can't understand people wanting the GUI to stay the same? If you like the old GUI you must then have a copy of the old game... So... Without modding, you can play that copy.
It is the enhanced edition. It has been enhanced. Expect it to be enhanced.
What it shouldn't be is the same. ...
Unfortunately, I have a beef though now very similar to the "fond of the old GUI peeps" if the other way.
If I get shiny new cutscenes for stopping at an inn or such in BG1... And I presume we get shiny new cutscenes in the seige of Dragonspear... Why on earth do I want, or need, the old grainy cutscenes in BG2?
*sigh*
I'm with you on the movies, don't understand using the old grainy ones in BG2, had to manually change them out for the new ones, problem is most of the movies have nothing you can change them too. So the movies you see most often, like rest videos are the shiny new ones and the important one off cutscenes are all look like unfinished playblasts.
Gods I hate nostalgia for things that make no sense.
Like awhile ago I got hold of the original Reboot and Beastwars and they are both unwatchable. It's like watching a poorly made student stop motion project, where all the characters are made with origami. Actually scratch that, that sounds kinda cool. They were just bad ok.
I got a question, will there be any new PC portraits and PC Soundsets (not counting the NPC portraits)? Anyone heard anything or seen anything to imply this?
I don't mind new GUI but it definetly needs more art work to make it look less plain. I also didn't quite like the bland red journal entries highlight color, or eye popping green color of adjusted attributes numbers. I'd love to see journal and spellbook backgrounds more parchmenty or leathery and highlight colors less...in your face? Tone them down to a color that complements the overall UI palette.
I like the new rest movies too, but I'm glad they had kept the old ones for BG2:EE because the contrast in style between the old movies and the new ones is significant. I suppose it comes down to preference between consistency and visual appeal.
Comments
In particular, I'd like to have the option to retain the following UI features:
- character record that displays all stats in a single tab,
- spell book that can display all spells of each spell level on a single screen,
- inventory displaying detailed information about the current equipment's stat bonuses (ala current EE version).
I'd be fine with modding the new GUI to my tastes, as long as all these UI changes will be revertible via modding. (And I don't think that has been clarified yet.)
If a dialogue is circular, or reveals nothing about the character(s) speaking, or contradicts their established personality/tone, it is not a matter of opinion to say that that particular dialogue fails in its objective. (Unless you're reading Pinter or Mamet, where the pointlessness is the point, but that's neither here nor there.)
Subjective opinion comes in later, because you can acknowledge a thing is flawed and like/enjoy it anyway.
And if BGEE and BG2EE are held to the same standards in future updates, Beamdog will have even less cause for concern. The proverbial ball is, as ever, in their court.
I'm always interested, sometimes willing, and rarely able to have those discussions, just because I don't have time to give them the attention they deserve (and when I do, I tend to see "tl,dr" a lot, which makes me feel like I'm wasting my time.)
Question for Devs! I know we will be seeing some scripting/AI tweaks on harder difficulties, what about core setting? Is it unchanged or will it also have scripting improvements?
Will that feature also be ported in BGEE and BG2EE?
http://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/656268/#Comment_656268
Follow up question: Can we choose a flavor?
Gods I hate nostalgia for things that make no sense.
Like awhile ago I got hold of the original Reboot and Beastwars and they are both unwatchable. It's like watching a poorly made student stop motion project, where all the characters are made with origami.
Actually scratch that, that sounds kinda cool. They were just bad ok.
Anyone heard anything or seen anything to imply this?
is this because all the gazebos blot out the sun?
Now that that is out of the way
An echo free version of the start of Beamdog's stream has been released. You can watch it here.