Controller support

majinsnake

Will the game have some type of Controller support, say for like an xbox controller?

I did a search before I decided to post incase someone else had already. The only controller support I saw was for iPads/phones threads.

I use to play the playstation 2 versions of Baldurs Gate: Dark Alliance series. Great games. It is why I am asking if their was going to be any type of controller support.

I was considering on buying the PC version of the game. I'd like to know if their will be controller support or not.

Cloutier

Why would you want controller support?

majinsnake

I find it easier to play. I hate having to click constantly with the mouse. It is is tedious. I wasn't fond of that in the Diablo series.

I know that their (Baldurs gate team/Beamdog) are making new changes to the game as well as keeping some things the same. I didn't know if this would be a new change.

Washcloth_Repairman

I don't really see how a game like Baldur's Gate would work with a controller. They've tried making RTSs in consoles and it didn't work for the same reasons.

I don't want this to devolve into a KBM vs Controller fight, but controllers are just not suited to some game types. Baldur's Gate is one of them.

Seldar

WTF am I reading.... A controller to play BG1 on PC ... -_-

Washcloth_Repairman

majinsnake said:

I use to play the playstation 2 versions of Baldurs Gate: Dark Alliance series. Great games. It is why I am asking if their was going to be any type of controller support.

Dark Alliance is not in any way similar to the PC Baldur's Gate games. They are very, VERY different games.

IchigoRXC

Controlling a mouse pointer with a controller is a lot harder (as shown with RTS's on consoles, which has been mentioned) and there won't be any changes regarding the mouse pointer and moving your team in that way. From this we can assume one of two things, there will be no controller support, or they will be no point in controller support.

evil_ape

majinsnake said:

Will the game have some type of Controller support, say for like an xbox controller?

No. But you could map it yourself depending on your controller software, although why you would want to play BG with a controller is beyond my understanding.

mlnevese

I believe the OP thinks BG EE is a versionf of Dark Alliance.

raywind

did someone really play through that piece of (insert word).

IchigoRXC

I did. I just didn't see it as a baldurs gate game, and just a generic ARPG which was fun co-op.

fighter_mage_thief

I think it's possible. You have a command tied to the move buttons, like "click move 1 mm or 1 cm N of selected character's position, or of the party leader's position of the selected group" for the up button, and so on for the others, so that if you hold the up button, it would be like clicking the move cursor every second or half second. I have no idea how this could be done of course lol. A controller could incorporate a lot of commands too. A playstation controller, for example, can easily provide 40+ alternate commands if the programming is there to allow it.

For example, holding L1 to make square, circle, triangle, x, and all four directions all perform different functions, rinse and repeat with L2, R1, R2, then you have the standard commands. Start and Select can also become additional modes to make the whole sequence issue alternate commands. With that alone, you'd have 120 commands, and you haven't even utilized the analogue sticks.

And I've seen all of this done to some extent. The playstation version of Diablo was like this, converting movement to the directional pad, and utilizing a similar system to what I described above, where if you held down one of the L or R buttons, your buttons performed alternate actions. And I had a lot of fun playing Diablo on console and PC. The major drawback of the ps version of Diablo was immense loading times, and poorer quality graphics, but still no bad.

majinsnake

Sorry if any of this is confusing.

Washcloth_Repairman said:

majinsnake said:

I use to play the playstation 2 versions of Baldurs Gate: Dark Alliance series. Great games. It is why I am asking if their was going to be any type of controller support.

Dark Alliance is not in any way similar to the PC Baldur's Gate games. They are very, VERY different games.

If the Dark Alliance series is not similar to the PC versions of Baldur's Gate games (Besides RPG elements/level design. Then is it similar to the Diablo series?? I was hoping it would be completely different than Diablo series. When I had learned of this Baldur's Gate Enhanced Edition, I was looking forward to it. I hadn't played a Baldur's Gate in years (Dark alliance series). This Enhanced Edition would provide the opportunity to see the game that started the series (Baldur's Gate series) with extra add-ons.

mlnevese said:

I believe the OP thinks BG EE is a versionf of Dark Alliance.

No. I just became use to the play-type of the Dark Alliance saga and the fact that it utilized controller support since it was on a console.

raywind said:

did someone really play through that piece of (insert word).

Lots of people played it. That's why Dark Alliance I was successful because of sales. Then they made a Dark Alliance II.

IchigoRXC said:

I did. I just didn't see it as a baldurs gate game, and just a generic ARPG which was fun co-op.

Loved the co-op. Playing that on Extreme mode...worth it.

evil_ape

majinsnake said:

If the Dark Alliance series is not similar to the PC versions of Baldur's Gate games (Besides RPG elements/level design. Then is it similar to the Diablo series?? I was hoping it would be completely different than Diablo series. When I had learned of this Baldur's Gate Enhanced Edition, I was looking forward to it. I hadn't played a Baldur's Gate in years (Dark alliance series). This Enhanced Edition would provide the opportunity to see the game that started the series (Baldur's Gate series) with extra add-ons.

Baldur's Gate is nothing like Diablo. It is probably one of the most hardcore roleplaying games for PC, and by far my favorite RPG series. You should really try the Enhanced Edition when it comes.

GaelicVigil

Do these forums have a "weirdest request" award? Because I think @majinsnake just got it.

Here's some advice, go to YouTube and find some gameplay vids of Baldur's Gate so you have a better idea of what it's about. Baldur's Gate, other than the Forgotten Realms setting, is nothing like the Dark Alliance series.

Cheesebelly

If you really feel like requiring 10 times more time to complete every single battle, then I guess you could use "JoyToKey" which basically allows you to use Calculator with a gamepad XD

But no, it's VERY different than Diablo. Diablo is mouse mash. In BG, once you click on a target, every attack will be done automatically, you needn't worry about that (Well, you worry if you die first). I love controllers but trust me - Use Mouse and Keyboard for this one. You would probably crush your controller in anger if you didn't.

fighter_mage_thief

Cheesebelly said:

If you really feel like requiring 10 times more time to complete every single battle, then I guess you could use "JoyToKey" which basically allows you to use Calculator with a gamepad XD

I don't think this has to be the case, although it could very well be. For example, there could be a targetting system implemented for enemy targets, where by default attacks target the nearest hostile, and heals/etc. target the nearest friendly, as well as a mode that enables target selection.

I agree completely with you, Diablo was a huge button masher, and I like using controllers because I find it less hard on the fingers. I actually hurt my elbow years ago, and since then I've had trouble with my left hand index finger, and so the less I'm clicking buttons with it, or clicking the mouse button, the better. Then again, if one of my thumbs goes, I'm screwed! lol

p.s. all hail the opposable thumb!

majinsnake

GaelicVigil said:

Do these forums have a "weirdest request" award? Because I think @majinsnake just got it.

Here's some advice, go to YouTube and find some gameplay vids of Baldur's Gate so you have a better idea of what it's about. Baldur's Gate, other than the Forgotten Realms setting, is nothing like the Dark Alliance series.

I was on the virge of doing that, but I wanted opinions from those first. That includes my reason (Topic) for posting the thread as well. I been in the position of jumping all in for a game from someone I knew telling me to get it, and finding out it wasn't all that. Example - Killing Floor.

I just looked a video of gameplay on Youtube. I am rather impressed by the music and voice-overs from npc's engaging in a battle in a game from 1998. That one demon's voice that sounds like that giant demon from the movie Spawn. This had to be have been a serious competitor for GOTY (Game Of The Year) which was awarded to Half-Life. It makes me think of a few sega genesis games.


Thanks for all responses.

Baldur

I think there's a lot of people that must've been corrupted by the current-day method of 'cRPG'. Just to establish, here, Baldur's Gate is an RPG that focuses on the DnD-esque aspects of, well, DnD RPGs. Which is a given, considering that the Forgotten Realms is a DnD setting. That being said, that means that Baldur's Gate, and really all other DnD cRPGs (at least the ones that aren't 4th Ed. WoW trash), are first and foremost STRATEGY-based RPGs. That in and of itself makes it a polar opposite of Diablo. And Dark Alliance. No, those games aren't strategy-based. They involve tactics and strategizing, but namely from a singular character front - hence the WASD/Controller compatabilities - but they are in no way games that focus mainly on strategizing, organizing a party of characters, and planning your means of attack in a step-by-step fashion. That is the gameplay of Baldur's Gate - the true Baldur's Gate, which gained such a huge following in the first place that they decided to cash in on the success of the name itself by creating Dark Alliance, and pissing the rest of us, who liked the original method, off.

So no. No WASD controls, no freaking PvP arena bollocks, and no controller support. If you are interested in what made Black Isle the unchallenged King of cRPGs (and ironically what got Bioware its big break by riding on the coat tails of genius - 'cause it's pretty clear that Bioware on its own is nothing without Black Isle/Obsidian to do things for them) and the harbinger of the Silver Age of RPGs (Golden Age goes to the Ultima of old), then please, be seated, stop thinking in terms of the conventions of inferior RPG mechanics, and try the game the way that it was meant to be played.

Charly

Are Bioware not fully responsible for BG and the Infinity Engine? Black Isle made the inferior Icewind Dale, and Planescape.

Baldur

As I recall, Bioware dev'd it and Black Isle published it, as opposed to Icewind Dale (which was not inferior, just didn't focus on having a 'set in stone' protagonist and NPC partymembers) and Torment, but at the same time I'm fairly certain that there was a good deal of involvement from Black Isle.

Not to mention that the reincarnate Black Isle, Obsidian, continues to outshine Bioware in the writing department left and right.

Charly

Its not the same Bioware now though. Back when BG was released, Bioware was awesome.

Icewind Dales were both shorter and had far less replay value, and neither story was as engaging. I know some people think of Planescape as being the best ever in terms of story, but I did not enjoy it.

Point is, I think you are being unfair on exactly who was responsible for the greatness of the BG series.

On topic though, I cant see how the game could be played without a mouse, unless the control was for the protagonist only and the rest of the party follow and fight according to scripts. Seems silly though.

Kholdstare

As above people have mentioned, it's doable, but you'll probably grind your teeth a lot unless you find a way to crank mouse sensitivity through the roof for the analog stick. It won't be as precise with the controller, but it could be done.

Baldur

@Charly Actually, it does seem like it was already a BIT that way. Have you seen the comparison images between the writing for KOTOR (which Bioware wrote), and KOTOR2 (Obsidian wrote that game)? The level of writing is surprisingly wide apart.

majinsnake

@baldur It is some imo... on the writing. I found the writing of kotor2 intriguing. However, I hated the fact that the game wasn't finished. That game could have been so much more, but Lucasarts rushed for a christmas release. One of the few games I felt where Lucasarts ignored quality.


It is the only game I had played by Obsidian Ent. Looking forward to their southpark game.


Since Black Isle studios was brought up... saw this comment from Interplay "On August 22, 2012, Interplay, after releasing MDK2 HD on Steam would revive the studio with the motto Our goal has aways been to make the world's best RPG's and the slogan Black Isle is Back"

Baldur

@majinsnake Well, only reason KOTOR2 was never finished is 'cause, y'know, they were pretty much forced to make a game in less than a year and shoved the product out the door unfinished. Ironically, this is pretty much what everyone seems to do to Obsidian - as that's what Bethesda did to them with Fallout: New Vegas.

The 'Black Isle is back' slogan is intriguing.. would that mean that Brian Fargo, Tim Cain, and the guys over at Obsidian are back in an official capacity? Because I do know that they're working together on Wasteland 2.

majinsnake

I seriously doubt they will just leave Obsidian, but maybe they will oversee projects or have input.

Quote "Only two members from the original Black Isle team are working on the new team, Mark O'Green and Chris Taylor, who is the head of the studio. Interplay is hopeful that the iconic name of the new studio will help it attract top developers to work on innovative RPG games."