My speculation: it'll be a bug-ridden mess at launch, and it'll stay that way for 8-10 months while the devs focus on something shiny like BG2:EE Android. Scripts won't trigger, bugs will break the game, etc. After about a year, they'll do a "Road to Adventure Y 2.0" so they can get the community to do the legwork for them again, resulting in a playable version.
The writing will probably be good, though. They've never had any real problems in that department.
Hahahahah! It's funny how we have nearly opposite experiences. I've had little trouble with bugs, but I think their writing is mediocre.
Hahahahah! It's funny how we have nearly opposite experiences. I've had little trouble with bugs, but I think their writing is mediocre.
If we're being brutally honest, though, the BG games were never the epitome of video game storytelling. It's turn-of-the-century stuff, when gamemakers were still figuring out how to do the basics. And on that level, Beamdog's new material fits in pretty well: decent characterization, but not necessarily up to present-day standards.
Of course, I think our perceptions of the characters are very much influenced by the types of characters we play in the game: for me, Dorn and Hexxat were welcome additions to the group because their personalities turned out to be very compatible with my first EE Bhaalspawn - Neutral Evil, obsessed with power, and always putting his own survival first. By contrast, Neera and Rasaad don't really "click" with me because I can't see my PC interacting with them in any meaningful way; he'd find Neera irritating and Rasaad preachy and naive.
Bugs, though. There was a point where I had to reload four times in a single session because of looping dialogue and cutscenes that wouldn't trigger properly. That's when I stopped and put the game aside. Four months later and nothing's changed, so... yeah, I'm not going anywhere near "Adventure Y" until the devs prove they're capable of doing better. Fool me twice, etc.
You would say: ok, good and what does that mean? Well, it's actually a huge source of information.
This story with lights comes from the Star Trek: The next Generation episode "Chain of Command". According to the plot, Picard is tortured by Madred, a Cardasian who forces Picard to tell him there are 5 lights, when in fact the real number is four. It's a tactic to force Picard to accept what Madred tells him is reality rather than what his senses tell him is reality. (In short, to break Picard to Madred's will.) If Picard breaks willingly, then he has given in and succumbed in the contest of wills.
And here is where the greatest revelation comes: an actor of Madred is .... David Warner! The voice over actor of Irenicus;))))
Yesss! We'll hear Irenicus again! It can be a confirmation that the Adventure Y will take place between BG1 and BG2 and will cover the dark circumstances of how the protagonist left the city of BG and was captured by Irenicus.
Ohh, I'm SO happy David Warner comes back! The voice of Irenicus is superb. It is simply one of the best voices of villains I have ever heard.
"You dare to attack me here? Do you even know whom you face? You will suffer! You will all suffer!"
Awesome detective work @bengoshi I had a feeling it was a clue but didn't have the necessary knowledge to figure it out, nicely done! This is exciting
According to the plot, Picard is tortured by Madred, a Cardasian who forces Picard to tell him there are 5 lights, when in fact the real number is four.
I think we have all been tortured by a Kardasian at one point in our lives
For anyone who hasn't seen the scene in question and feels like checking it out: http://youtu.be/o_eSwq1ewsU I remember being blown away watching this as a kid. Predictably, it stands the test of time.
Reminiscent of an episode in Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four. The protagonist Winston Smith at one point has said that, "Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two makes four. Once that is granted, everything else follows." The Party tortures him to say that 2 + 2 = 5, thus giving up his right to speak the truth.
As my post on the page 2 of this discussion shows, Jennifer Hale seems to be involved into this Adventure project. And now we certainly know David Warner is involved too.
This is huge, I always felt there is a void between BG1 and BG2 plot lines, which I hoped will be filled some day. It seems it might be possible after all and without third party mods like BGT needed. And I'd love to see (and hear) Irenicus once more. Niiiice:)
I hereby register my ongoing excitement towards Adventure Y and whatever it may entail (including coming that much closer to Adventure Z, Adventure ZZ, and Adventure ZZ Top). I had originally hoped for something involving the expansion of the Gnoll Stronghold, but a bridge between BG1 and BG2 also sounds cool. Getting the original voice actors makes the whole thing feel legit, I'm excited and intrigued.
I hereby register my ongoing excitement towards Adventure Y and whatever it may entail (including coming that much closer to Adventure Z, Adventure ZZ, and Adventure ZZ Top). I had originally hoped for something involving the expansion of the Gnoll Stronghold, but a bridge between BG1 and BG2 also sounds cool. Getting the original voice actors makes the whole thing feel legit, I'm excited and intrigued.
Maybe we get captured while revisiting the Gnoll Stronghold. :O!
I have to admit that after reading the post by @bengoshi about David Warner I did let out a very unmanly half giggle half squeal of joy... Luckily I live alone.
Not to be a downer, I think people are probably right about the assumption that David Warner is involved. But.... Could they be playing the old switcheroooo and it's actually Patrick Stewart that's involved? I mean at the end of that episode, Picard confides to Counselor Troi that he was prepared to say anything, but what's more, he actually thought there were five lights.
It's speculation either way, and I admit that Irenicus is by far the more probable choice, but just sayin....
So, something like the Black Pits, but set between BG1 and BG2 and with the Bhaalspawn as the protagonist? Maybe Baeloth or whatever his name was gets you there somehow.
To avoid creating further continuity problems, you'd be limited in what NPC's you can use. Viconia is supposed to be around Beregost, Edwin already on his way to Amn to worm his way into the guild, and Quayle... well Quayle is just a nightmare. He has to have somehow travelled back in time several years at least, joined the circus, met Aerie, nursed her back to health and taught her magic, and grown a lot older and wiser.
But maybe it's just the Bhaalspawn at first, and you'll meet up with some of the unaccounted for BG1 NPC's, and somehow end up with the party you start BG2 with before Irenicus snatches you away.
But I'm hoping they'll follow it up with something between SoA and ToB before being summoned back to the grove, as there's not only a great choice of NPC's then, but just a lot more freedom in general. You can explore a whole different part of the world maybe, and with all your favourite companions.
@Coutelier: There's an exchange in the dialog.tlk between Rasaad and Jaheira about a place called Bridgefort, and how difficult it was for her to be separated from her husband. That would seem to place Adventure Y before the events of BG2.
Wow, you guys are good at compiling information. You don't realize the joy Phil would have pulled from someone catching his Star Trek reference. I think Phil is actually a symbiote, part Star Trek TNG repository, part human. We've made a big shift leading into the 1.3 patch. We've come to the realization that shipping quickly in the Infinity Engine means bugs. To combat that we've increased our bug vigilance at the cost of time. It will take us longer to execute, but we will deliver higher quality. We've brought this focus to Adventure Y and we'll be working on it and any other future projects until we are happy with the quality.
Comments
Of course, I think our perceptions of the characters are very much influenced by the types of characters we play in the game: for me, Dorn and Hexxat were welcome additions to the group because their personalities turned out to be very compatible with my first EE Bhaalspawn - Neutral Evil, obsessed with power, and always putting his own survival first. By contrast, Neera and Rasaad don't really "click" with me because I can't see my PC interacting with them in any meaningful way; he'd find Neera irritating and Rasaad preachy and naive.
Bugs, though. There was a point where I had to reload four times in a single session because of looping dialogue and cutscenes that wouldn't trigger properly. That's when I stopped and put the game aside. Four months later and nothing's changed, so... yeah, I'm not going anywhere near "Adventure Y" until the devs prove they're capable of doing better. Fool me twice, etc.
You would say: ok, good and what does that mean? Well, it's actually a huge source of information.
This story with lights comes from the Star Trek: The next Generation episode "Chain of Command". According to the plot, Picard is tortured by Madred, a Cardasian who forces Picard to tell him there are 5 lights, when in fact the real number is four. It's a tactic to force Picard to accept what Madred tells him is reality rather than what his senses tell him is reality. (In short, to break Picard to Madred's will.) If Picard breaks willingly, then he has given in and succumbed in the contest of wills.
And here is where the greatest revelation comes: an actor of Madred is .... David Warner! The voice over actor of Irenicus;))))
Yesss! We'll hear Irenicus again! It can be a confirmation that the Adventure Y will take place between BG1 and BG2 and will cover the dark circumstances of how the protagonist left the city of BG and was captured by Irenicus.
Ohh, I'm SO happy David Warner comes back! The voice of Irenicus is superb. It is simply one of the best voices of villains I have ever heard.
"You dare to attack me here? Do you even know whom you face? You will suffer! You will all suffer!"
It has simply made my day.
I don't even care if Warner plays someone different than Irenicus. He could read a phone book and I'd be entertained I think we have all been tortured by a Kardasian at one point in our lives
I remember being blown away watching this as a kid. Predictably, it stands the test of time.
"How many fingers am I holding up, Winston?"
It's quite a company! More to come, I hope.
ITS HAPPENING OH MY GOD ITS HAPPENING AAAAAAAA IM SO EXCITED
HERE IS MY REACTION SUMMED UP INTO AN ANIMATED .GIF FILE
Heck, I even love the Clerks animated series just because the villain sounds like David Warner.
Sometimes it's all about enjoying the little things in life!
I can't wait to hear his voice as Irenicus again!
Hamsters and rangers everywhere rejoice!!!
Oooh. Shiny ones.
It's speculation either way, and I admit that Irenicus is by far the more probable choice, but just sayin....
To avoid creating further continuity problems, you'd be limited in what NPC's you can use. Viconia is supposed to be around Beregost, Edwin already on his way to Amn to worm his way into the guild, and Quayle... well Quayle is just a nightmare. He has to have somehow travelled back in time several years at least, joined the circus, met Aerie, nursed her back to health and taught her magic, and grown a lot older and wiser.
But maybe it's just the Bhaalspawn at first, and you'll meet up with some of the unaccounted for BG1 NPC's, and somehow end up with the party you start BG2 with before Irenicus snatches you away.
But I'm hoping they'll follow it up with something between SoA and ToB before being summoned back to the grove, as there's not only a great choice of NPC's then, but just a lot more freedom in general. You can explore a whole different part of the world maybe, and with all your favourite companions.
We've made a big shift leading into the 1.3 patch. We've come to the realization that shipping quickly in the Infinity Engine means bugs. To combat that we've increased our bug vigilance at the cost of time. It will take us longer to execute, but we will deliver higher quality. We've brought this focus to Adventure Y and we'll be working on it and any other future projects until we are happy with the quality.
Best,
-Trent