@Fardragon: What second language do they choose in England? Here (The Netherlands) we get mandatory English and some years in French and German.
English wasn't mandatory on the school I visited (well, up to 3rd grade, just like french and german). After third grade, you just had to pick at least one, though 99% of the students picked English.
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I don't see a faster levelup time as something wrong, as long as it doesn't come accompanied with ridiculous gains in power.
Remember that AD&D is a system designed for tabletop, where players need to track everything by hand. It's not used by computer games because it's such a great system for computer RPGs (it's not!), but because it's recognizable, people are already familiar with it, or have good times with it, and thus are more easily stepping into it.
Even then, 2nd edition is old... As a fighter, the only thing that you get to choose over the course of your leveling to 20 are weapon proficiencies and nonweapon proficiencies (and the latter don't even make it to most games). Most other classes don't do a lot better. If you look like modern variants, such as 5th edition or Pathfinder, you'll notice that most classes receive some kind of minor ability at every level (exception for full casters at the levels they receive access to a new spell level, but that quite feels like access to new abilities as well).
For a computer game, it would be no problem to, say, multiply hit points, attack rolls, saves, armor class and damage all by 50. Then make 10 times as many levels, and have your attack rolls and saves go up by 5 every level (lower attack roll increases for clerics and wizards, obviously), so while only gaining a tiny bit, you get that feeling of "Hey, I just got a little bit stronger!" a lot more times, which can give players a satisfying feeling, though 10 times as much may be overdoing it. :P
2nd edition has this extra complexity that all classes scale at a different level, so if you work with an XP cap, it's practically impossible to make sure that all classes get "something cool" at the very last level that they can achieve within the game/expansion. Computer games that have their own system practically always have a cool max-level ability to reward you for getting that far. (Actually, 5th and PF do to, afaik.)
Not that I'm saying that BG should switch. It is, and has always been, something recognizable to players of AD&D, and should stay that way. But I certainly wouldn't call it better than a good system designed for a computer RPG specifically.
Oh I know, I'm between the two in Saskatchewan. All you have to do is go to a job site, and you'll find people from Quebec that have fled Quebec for Saskatchewan.
"Fled"? That almost sounds as if they're refugees from some sort of "ethnic cleansing" in Quebec!
Yes. Haha! It was a kwak kwak beer... As in a duck goes... hmmm... Only me then
Also... Brugge is the dutch name... But you are right. We should name everything again so it is easier to say in English. I'm very thoughtless sometimes.
We should name everything again so it is easier to say in English.
To be fair both words are just as easy in English as we understand Brugge from the Germanic side of English (inherited from the Saxons) and we understand Bruges from the French side of English (inherited from the Normans)
In terms of things we want to know about SoD, is there anywhere where details have been released in a compact and accessible form? I've been a bit elsewhere for some time now, and coming back to this thread with 500 new comments, I'm having difficulty sifting through it all. Personally, however, I haven't received anything from the newsletter that I subscribed to!
In terms of things we want to know about SoD, is there anywhere where details have been released in a compact and accessible form? I've been a bit elsewhere for some time now, and coming back to this thread with 500 new comments, I'm having difficulty sifting through it all. Personally, however, I haven't received anything from the newsletter that I subscribed to!
Which BG NPCs will be on SoD? Or which will have more attention? I'm aking this cos i wish to prepare final saves of BG for the game.
We are promised that all parties from BG1ee can be imported at the beginning of SoD, so there's probably no need to worry about it when preparing final saves from BG1ee.
However, we have been warned that not everyone will stay with us, although the devs haven't revealed specific details.
Probably some BG1 characters will compulsorily leave the party soon after the start of SoD, while others will remain available for much (or all) of SoD, but we don't know exactly which NPCs will leave or stay.
All we know for sure is that Jaheira, Khalid, Minsc, Dynaheir, Safana, Neera, Edwin, Viconia, Dorn and Baeloth are all seen at some point in the trailers and announcement stream as party members, so we can assume that these NPCs are joinable companions for at least a significant part of SoD. (Maybe for all of SoD, but we can't be sure about that.)
It also seems like a good bet that Rasaad will be available, since he's one of Beamdog's "own brand" products, even though he's not seen in the trailers.
We also know that both Imoen and Skie have some sort of role in SoD, since Imoen is seen talking to the party (but not as a party member) and Skie is mentioned in a journal entry visible in the announcement video, but we don't know whether either of them is joinable.
As for any of the other BG1 NPCs ... it's all guesswork and speculation.
But no, I haven't bothered to do this, instead I habitually stack them all in the FAI (but that's long been true, much pre-dating the announcement of SoD).
I suppose, if the initial experience of SoD were to convince me that I need to change my starting party, then I could trudge back and fetch whoever. But
1) they'd mostly be at a disadvantageously lower level; and
2) I'm truly not expecting to find myself wanting to do this, because if one of my companions compulsorily bails out, then I'll probably just respect the decision and look for a replacement from among those available in SoD; and
3) I'm happy to play like a noob at first (because hey, I'll be a noob), then when I've been through it enough to feel that I know it fairly well, I'll again feel qualified to plan in greater detail.
Flags of various factions? A crescent moon reflected in water and surrounded by mountains. A flamming fist. A dagger or shortsword.
It has been confirmed (er ... somewhere) that your Coalition against the Shining Lady's Crusade consists of the Waterdhavian Army, the Flaming Fist and the Daggerford Militia, so these are their banners.
But no, I haven't bothered to do this, instead I habitually stack them all in the FAI (but that's long been true, much pre-dating the announcement of SoD).
I suppose, if the initial experience of SoD were to convince me that I need to change my starting party, then I could trudge back and fetch whoever. But
1) they'd mostly be at a disadvantageously lower level; and
2) I'm truly not expecting to find myself wanting to do this, because if one of my companions compulsorily bails out, then I'll probably just respect the decision and look for a replacement from among those available in SoD; and
3) I'm happy to play like a noob at first (because hey, I'll be a noob), then when I've been through it enough to feel that I know it fairly well, I'll again feel qualified to plan in greater detail.
Phew!
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Glad that others thought about it.
I'm going to say. I have a play where just me and Imoen did a lot of non-questing, bumming around. Ankhegs, the High Hedge map got grinded into submission, so I could collect the NPCs at level 5... So they are spawned at a level 5 plus already (yes you lose planning out there characters) so I have a lot of mid level characters hanging around, no one is hitting the xp barrier... So should be good to go still.
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Apart from Branwen who is always low, no matter what. Not sure what is going on there...
Flags of various factions? A crescent moon reflected in water and surrounded by mountains. A flamming fist. A dagger or shortsword.
It has been confirmed (er ... somewhere) that your Coalition against the Shining Lady's Crusade consists of the Waterdhavian Army, the Flaming Fist and the Daggerford Militia, so these are their banners.
The left and middle banners are definitely from Waterdeep and the Flaming Fist.
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragonspear_Castle: "a concentrated effort by local municipalities including Daggerford, Waterdeep, and Baldur's Gate finally cleaned the castle out for good."
Is anyone else producing a save where they have hauled all the original NPCs and left them congregated outside Bhaals temple?
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Anyone?
No point. It's been confirmed that you won't be able to return to old areas after starting SoD. Some of the maps will be OF of old areas, but they are technically new maps, so anything you left there will be gone.
I suspect that some of the NPCs (e.g. canon party) will be recruitable from within SoD, even if they weren't in your party at the end of BG, whatever you did with them previously.
I get the impression SoD begins a few days or weeks after your return from Bhaal's temple, possibly during a celebration of your victory.
Is anyone else producing a save where they have hauled all the original NPCs and left them congregated outside Bhaals temple?
No point. It's been confirmed that you won't be able to return to old areas after starting SoD. Some of the maps will be OF of old areas, but they are technically new maps, so anything you left there will be gone.
I think he means you could go back to that save and assemble different parties before transitioning to SoD.
Not that I think it'll be necessary since there's definitely going to be some way to assemble a group out of scratch for players who start a game at the expansion (much like in ToB).
Any news about the Shinning Lady? Who is her voice actress, her stats... Official portrait? Anything? I'm really curious about this character...
As I read about her what is known, there is possibility of some plot twist around her. It could be major spoiler to hint her role. Her's background is shrouded and I bet there lies the twist.
Any news about the Shinning Lady? Who is her voice actress, her stats... Official portrait? Anything? I'm really curious about this character...
I think the background picture on the SoD website (reproduced above by @Abel), in which she is fighting a horde of undead and demons, is meant to be her official portrait.
Any news about the Shinning Lady? Who is her voice actress, her stats... Official portrait? Anything? I'm really curious about this character...
As I read about her what is known, there is possibility of some plot twist around her. It could be major spoiler to hint her role. Her's background is shrouded and I bet there lies the twist.
My money is Dave Warner and Jim Cummings sharing the voice acting role.
It's actually Mark Meer as Alveus Malcanter, doing an impression of Baeloth, doing an impression of Commander Shepard, doing a terrible Irish/Jamaican accent that sounds eerily like Paul Rudd.
But we run it through some crazy filters, so you'd never know it.
Comments
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I don't see a faster levelup time as something wrong, as long as it doesn't come accompanied with ridiculous gains in power.
Remember that AD&D is a system designed for tabletop, where players need to track everything by hand. It's not used by computer games because it's such a great system for computer RPGs (it's not!), but because it's recognizable, people are already familiar with it, or have good times with it, and thus are more easily stepping into it.
Even then, 2nd edition is old... As a fighter, the only thing that you get to choose over the course of your leveling to 20 are weapon proficiencies and nonweapon proficiencies (and the latter don't even make it to most games). Most other classes don't do a lot better. If you look like modern variants, such as 5th edition or Pathfinder, you'll notice that most classes receive some kind of minor ability at every level (exception for full casters at the levels they receive access to a new spell level, but that quite feels like access to new abilities as well).
For a computer game, it would be no problem to, say, multiply hit points, attack rolls, saves, armor class and damage all by 50. Then make 10 times as many levels, and have your attack rolls and saves go up by 5 every level (lower attack roll increases for clerics and wizards, obviously), so while only gaining a tiny bit, you get that feeling of "Hey, I just got a little bit stronger!" a lot more times, which can give players a satisfying feeling, though 10 times as much may be overdoing it. :P
2nd edition has this extra complexity that all classes scale at a different level, so if you work with an XP cap, it's practically impossible to make sure that all classes get "something cool" at the very last level that they can achieve within the game/expansion. Computer games that have their own system practically always have a cool max-level ability to reward you for getting that far. (Actually, 5th and PF do to, afaik.)
Not that I'm saying that BG should switch. It is, and has always been, something recognizable to players of AD&D, and should stay that way. But I certainly wouldn't call it better than a good system designed for a computer RPG specifically.
Also... Brugge is the dutch name... But you are right. We should name everything again so it is easier to say in English. I'm very thoughtless sometimes.
...
I was ordering pizza.
"We'll check back again at the end of the month with more news, content, and sale announcements."
waiting for that
Hope to get some details soon.
There's this thread by the glorious @bengoshi
However, we have been warned that not everyone will stay with us, although the devs haven't revealed specific details.
Probably some BG1 characters will compulsorily leave the party soon after the start of SoD, while others will remain available for much (or all) of SoD, but we don't know exactly which NPCs will leave or stay.
All we know for sure is that Jaheira, Khalid, Minsc, Dynaheir, Safana, Neera, Edwin, Viconia, Dorn and Baeloth are all seen at some point in the trailers and announcement stream as party members, so we can assume that these NPCs are joinable companions for at least a significant part of SoD. (Maybe for all of SoD, but we can't be sure about that.)
It also seems like a good bet that Rasaad will be available, since he's one of Beamdog's "own brand" products, even though he's not seen in the trailers.
We also know that both Imoen and Skie have some sort of role in SoD, since Imoen is seen talking to the party (but not as a party member) and Skie is mentioned in a journal entry visible in the announcement video, but we don't know whether either of them is joinable.
As for any of the other BG1 NPCs ... it's all guesswork and speculation.
...
Anyone?
Depicts the ruins of a city (Dragonspear?). The bones of a Dragon are resting upon what seems a castle.
An army of demons (what kind?) closing in on a knight (the Shining Lady?).
Unbroken bridge to the city in ruins. Two large and high statues stand facing one another at each of the bridge extremities. Heroes?
Flags of various factions? A crescent moon reflected in water and surrounded by mountains. A flamming fist. A dagger or shortsword.
But no, I haven't bothered to do this, instead I habitually stack them all in the FAI (but that's long been true, much pre-dating the announcement of SoD).
I suppose, if the initial experience of SoD were to convince me that I need to change my starting party, then I could trudge back and fetch whoever. But
1) they'd mostly be at a disadvantageously lower level; and
2) I'm truly not expecting to find myself wanting to do this, because if one of my companions compulsorily bails out, then I'll probably just respect the decision and look for a replacement from among those available in SoD; and
3) I'm happy to play like a noob at first (because hey, I'll be a noob), then when I've been through it enough to feel that I know it fairly well, I'll again feel qualified to plan in greater detail.
EDIT: Apparently not.
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v
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Glad that others thought about it.
I'm going to say. I have a play where just me and Imoen did a lot of non-questing, bumming around. Ankhegs, the High Hedge map got grinded into submission, so I could collect the NPCs at level 5... So they are spawned at a level 5 plus already (yes you lose planning out there characters) so I have a lot of mid level characters hanging around, no one is hitting the xp barrier... So should be good to go still.
...
Apart from Branwen who is always low, no matter what. Not sure what is going on there...
http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Waterdeep
http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Flaming_Fists
Also, Daggerford is on the River Delimbiyr - also known as the River *Shining*. Perhaps that is the origin of the "Shining Lady's" name?
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragonspear_Castle: "a concentrated effort by local municipalities including Daggerford, Waterdeep, and Baldur's Gate finally cleaned the castle out for good."
I suspect that some of the NPCs (e.g. canon party) will be recruitable from within SoD, even if they weren't in your party at the end of BG, whatever you did with them previously.
I get the impression SoD begins a few days or weeks after your return from Bhaal's temple, possibly during a celebration of your victory.
Not that I think it'll be necessary since there's definitely going to be some way to assemble a group out of scratch for players who start a game at the expansion (much like in ToB).
But we run it through some crazy filters, so you'd never know it.