Another plus point of Icewind Dale that wasn't mentioned yet: There are no Noobers, Neebers, or some other distant relatives of their bloodline present in this franchise. And I love it!
Another plus point of Icewind Dale that wasn't mentioned yet: There are no Noobers, Neebers, or some other distant relatives of their bloodline present in this franchise. And I love it!
You say that now, but wait until Nuuber shows up in the EE. That's what makes it so enhanced.
I really like that mage robe that gives you really good strength but can only be worn by pure mages. It's fun to play as a pure mage and pretend to be a fighter/mage!
HoW Staff: "You don't REALLY want those weapons that can stun giants and friggin' Marilith demons, do you? No, of course not! Here's a mage robe with 18/99 Str for single class mages instead... because dual classing at 2-9 of fighter is too hard!"
Though I love Baldur's Gate a lot, there's some things in IWD that make for a refreshing change, but all have already been mentioned:
- the luscious graphics of the game; my favourite is the entrance hall of Dorn's Deep, with the big dwarf statues, the pits of boiling lava but also the contrast with the cold of the glacier outside.
- druidic spells that are much better suited to damaging the enemy: all the ways to turn nature against evil-doers, not by talking about it like Faldorn, but actual spells that turn thorns, ice-shards, the rock of which a cave is made into a weapon to help defeat the opponents. The only drawback is the casting time of many spells: often the enemy is upon me before I can get a wave of disruption - or whatever it's called, haven't played for a long time - to flow forth from my druid's hands.
- the bard songs, being able to choose which song to sing and the joy once you get the healing song - and those wonderful names of them!
The thing I remember most fondly about IWD was the SIZE of the armies. Nothing was small in that game past Kuldahar. Oh, you killed a frost ghoul? That's nice, here's 50 more. Also seeing Giants for the first time was so awesome and I didn't get the same feeling again until I met Firkraag.
I really like that mage robe that gives you really good strength but can only be worn by pure mages. It's fun to play as a pure mage and pretend to be a fighter/mage!
HoW Staff: "You don't REALLY want those weapons that can stun giants and friggin' Marilith demons, do you? No, of course not! Here's a mage robe with 18/99 Str for single class mages instead... because dual classing at 2-9 of fighter is too hard!"
I know it's not nearly as good, it's just funny (to me anyway).
I agree bards and druids are very useful and unique in their own right in IWD. I also love all the glaciers, ice caves, snowy vistas you travel. I actually really loved Rasaad's quest area in bg1 as it reminded me of IWD. Just love the sound of boots trudging on snow so much.
I really like that mage robe that gives you really good strength but can only be worn by pure mages. It's fun to play as a pure mage and pretend to be a fighter/mage!
HoW Staff: "You don't REALLY want those weapons that can stun giants and friggin' Marilith demons, do you? No, of course not! Here's a mage robe with 18/99 Str for single class mages instead... because dual classing at 2-9 of fighter is too hard!"
In IWDEE it might be usable by Sorcerers, Dragon Disciples, and Wild Mages.
IWD looks more like a DnD pen and paper session you will do with friends which gives a better immersion and space for your imagination.
So if you can have one good idea, just ONE, make IWD 3
That's a matter of opinion...
A tabletop game with a live DM that can adapt and work with the ideas that players spawn around the table can never be matched by a computer game that is restricted to the options that the programmers provided, no matter how many options are included.
Therefor, a computer game focusing entirely on emulating a tabletop game will always fall short. Can it still be a good game? Yes. Does it mean that trying to be the real thing is per definition the best way to go? No.
In IWDEE it might be usable by Sorcerers, Dragon Disciples, and Wild Mages.
And you're meleeing with your single class caster because.... Sure, it effects slings, but I'd rather have the extra MR provided by Infusing or Necro Robes.
In IWDEE it might be usable by Sorcerers, Dragon Disciples, and Wild Mages.
And you're meleeing with your single class caster because.... Sure, it effects slings, but I'd rather have the extra MR provided by Infusing or Necro Robes.
With mob-type enemies I Tensered my mage wearing the 18/99 STR robe to resolve a fight using up just 1 spell.
* edit: usinging is using something while singing from joy, still I corrected the typo.
But you'd get better results from a Fighter/Mage multi or dual-class, who can provide the correct exceptional strength (18/91+) with enough rerolls, and gets better weapons, like say... a Fighter/Mage specific sword... or any weapon that isn't staff or dagger?
I have to agree with everyone who says the music is brilliant. It just grabs you and pulls you into the game. Also the visuals are just gorgeous. I do love the amazing mosaic style inter chapter graphics in BG2, but the simple but effective IWD chapter cut graphics have their own power.
This might've been something that was introduced in HoW, but I really like how rangers have three different types of undead to choose for their racial enemy, instead of simply being able to choose "Undead." There's a lot of undead in Icewind Dale, so a ranger shouldn't be able to just trump them all.
Maybe im the only one, I dont know.... But I sort of like the fact that IWD is a tight linear expirience! I hate wasting time running around chasing after side quests. That gets really old when you play Baldurs Gate for the umteenth time.
But then again ive never finished IWD completely (it doesnt play nice with my pc)
With mob-type enemies I Tensered my mage wearing the 18/99 STR robe to resolve a fight using up just 1 spell.
* edit: usinging is using something while singing from joy, still I corrected the typo.
But you'd get better results from a Fighter/Mage multi or dual-class, who can provide the correct exceptional strength (18/91+) with enough rerolls, and gets better weapons, like say... a Fighter/Mage specific sword... or any weapon that isn't staff or dagger?
rerolling is not what i consider to be fun. so the robe would give strength with less unfunness (though the rest of your points i still think are good).
- Lots and lots of great tactical fighting. It's well paced, well balanced, consistently challenging. - Leveling up really quickly and finding great loot all the time - Druids have a lot of fun spells to play with - Plain bards (no kits) are really good - Avoids most of the annoyances of BG2: the awful romances, the obtuse mage defense/counter system, running 12 quests simultaneously, etc. - The graphical artwork in general forms a more cohesive whole and is of a higher quality - The writing is just better, it's always a pleasure to read what characters have to say, books, item descriptions, etc. - Kuldahar
As far as I'm concerned, the only things I really miss from BG2 are some of the high-level spells and sorcerers.
IWD feels more like actual D&D. BG1 and BG2, while built on the foundation of D&D could easily be remade as single player over the shoulder camera adventure RPG's, and you'd get the same experience.
D&D is never about one dude. It's always about the group.
Comments
There are no Noobers, Neebers, or some other distant relatives of their bloodline present in this franchise. And I love it!
- the luscious graphics of the game; my favourite is the entrance hall of Dorn's Deep, with the big dwarf statues, the pits of boiling lava but also the contrast with the cold of the glacier outside.
- druidic spells that are much better suited to damaging the enemy: all the ways to turn nature against evil-doers, not by talking about it like Faldorn, but actual spells that turn thorns, ice-shards, the rock of which a cave is made into a weapon to help defeat the opponents. The only drawback is the casting time of many spells: often the enemy is upon me before I can get a wave of disruption - or whatever it's called, haven't played for a long time - to flow forth from my druid's hands.
- the bard songs, being able to choose which song to sing and the joy once you get the healing song - and those wonderful names of them!
*warm fuzzies* ahh nostalgia
A tabletop game with a live DM that can adapt and work with the ideas that players spawn around the table can never be matched by a computer game that is restricted to the options that the programmers provided, no matter how many options are included.
Therefor, a computer game focusing entirely on emulating a tabletop game will always fall short. Can it still be a good game? Yes. Does it mean that trying to be the real thing is per definition the best way to go? No.
* edit: usinging is using something while singing from joy, still I corrected the typo.
But then again ive never finished IWD completely (it doesnt play nice with my pc)
- Leveling up really quickly and finding great loot all the time
- Druids have a lot of fun spells to play with
- Plain bards (no kits) are really good
- Avoids most of the annoyances of BG2: the awful romances, the obtuse mage defense/counter system, running 12 quests simultaneously, etc.
- The graphical artwork in general forms a more cohesive whole and is of a higher quality
- The writing is just better, it's always a pleasure to read what characters have to say, books, item descriptions, etc.
- Kuldahar
As far as I'm concerned, the only things I really miss from BG2 are some of the high-level spells and sorcerers.
D&D is never about one dude. It's always about the group.