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Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition 1.3 Beta Now Open

DeeDee Member Posts: 10,447
edited December 2014 in Archived News
The Beta for Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition has been updated for both Windows and Mac, and is available for those who have access to it. Steam users can access the beta for Windows and Mac too, as well as Linux for the first time ever. If you would like access to the beta, read and follow the instructions below.

The release notes are forthcoming, but we want you to be able to see what we've been working on.

Note: You can load your 1.2 saved games into the 1.3 beta and continue your game. However, you will not be able to load saved games from 1.3 back into 1.2. Back up your saves before you load them into the beta!

If You Bought Your Game Through Beamdog (Windows and Mac)

Sign Up Here!

Note: In order to qualify for Beta Access in this way, you MUST have purchased your copy of the game directly through Beamdog.com.

Once the BGII:EE Beta has been added to your Beamdog account, use the stand-alone installer linked below (Mac only), or the Beamdog client (Windows only) to install and launch the beta:
Beamdog Client (Windows): Direct Link
BGII:EE Installer (Mac): Direct Link
If you haven't bought your copy yet, here are some helpful store links to get you on your way to adventure:
Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition (Windows)
http://www.beamdog.com/products/baldurs-gate-ii-enhanced-edition-for-windows

Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition (Mac)
http://www.beamdog.com/products/baldurs-gate-II-enhanced-edition-for-mac-OS-X

If You Bought Your Game Through Steam (Windows, Mac, and Linux)

You can access the latest Beta build using the following code: IWantToTestBGII

1. In the Steam client, open the Library tab
2. Right-click on "Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition"
3. Select "Properties"
4. Select the "Beta" tab
5. Enter "IWantToTestBGII" in the field provided, then click Check Code
6. Select "updatetesting" from the drop-down
7. Close the Properties window, wait for the game to download the update, and enjoy the beta!
Post edited by Dee on
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Comments

  • dockaboomskidockaboomski Member Posts: 440
    Great. I'm assuming this will affect mods; should I uninstall them before doing the beta through Steam?
  • elminsterelminster Member, Developer Posts: 16,317
    edited December 2014
    BG2EE isn't appearing in my Steam library for macs. I did go through the process you listed while under the "Games" tab (rather than the "Mac" tab), which presumably would unlock it for Windows for me. But even after restarting steam and logging on and off again its still not showing up for me.
    Post edited by elminster on
  • AnduinAnduin Member Posts: 5,745
    Christmas has come early...

    Can I open my other presents as well now?
  • RecilRecil Member Posts: 46
    About how long should it take to find out I'd i have beta access?
  • DeeDee Member Posts: 10,447
    When you are provisioned, the game will show up in your games list on Beamdog.com, as well as in the Beamdog client if you're on Windows. We'll provision people every day; if it takes more than 24 hours for the game to show up in your account, one of three things may be the case:

    1. You didn't enter your email address correctly or you entered the wrong email address for your Beamdog account
    2. You don't own the game
    3. You own the game, but not through Beamdog.com
  • MrSextonMrSexton Member Posts: 396
    @Dee - when can we expect to see a list of all the amazing improvements? /J
  • AhmborAhmbor Member Posts: 21
    Can i use the 1.3 beta savegames in the 1.3 final version?
  • orphangearsorphangears Member Posts: 2
    edited December 2014
    Baulder's Gate 2 EE hasn't been available on Mac for some time now. I made an impulse buy 2 months ago after finishing BG1, only to find it wasn't supported.
    I entered in the beta code, nothing happened.
    Any help?
    edit: I'm on steam
  • orphangearsorphangears Member Posts: 2

    Baulder's Gate 2 EE hasn't been available on Mac for some time now. I made an impulse buy 2 months ago after finishing BG1, only to find it wasn't supported.
    I entered in the beta code, nothing happened.
    Any help?
    edit: I'm on steam

    I've pressed buttons. please try again
    Works now. Thanks for your help, sorry for my impatience.
  • DeeDee Member Posts: 10,447
    @elminster‌ it should be working for you now as well.
  • ifupaulineifupauline Member Posts: 405
    okok cool cool, time to go to sleep now -_-
  • elminsterelminster Member, Developer Posts: 16,317
    Dee said:

    @elminster‌ it should be working for you now as well.

    Yep :)
  • HenlikuothHenlikuoth Member Posts: 25
    I am in the beta now for around a half hour. I recognized some few first things:

    I started playing a Dark Moon Monk, and in his character screen the bonuses for
    his AC as a monk are not displayed. In BGEE there was the addition "Bonus: +x",
    according to his level as a monk. This needs to be aligned.

    The font size describing the race, alignment and gender is too small. It is also different
    in BGEE.

    When I start a fight, pause the game, and start giving orders to my characters, like attacking,
    the little weapon icon at the character image at the side bar is not being displayed as long
    as I am in the pausing mode. This is confusing, because I want to know what orders I gave
    my characters WHILE the pause is still active. Yet again, this is different in BGEE and needs
    to be aligned as well.

    While creating a character, I recognized the new character portraits, which are nice. However,
    some of the portraits being available in BGEE are not available now in BG2EE. I dont know why,
    but those should be implemented as well.

    Additionally, as I have mentioned in another recent post, I want to give a critique as well as
    suggestion regarding the general display of icons that represent innate abilities of characters.

    When a monk reaches, for example, level 5, then with that level he gets immunity to diseases and
    can not be slowed or hasted. However, I did not see any icon for that appearing on my
    character image as well as any description in the character screen.
    For me, I like to see the improvements of my character visually. I would prefer if icons that represent
    immunity to poison or disease etc. would be implemented for all classes that get those specific benefits
    when they reach higher levels.

    I checked the cavalier as an example. He has 3 icons shown on his image at the side bar as well as in the character screen with all the other information. He has them from level 1 onwards. Those 3 icons represent his permanent protection abilities as a cavalier, for example "Mind Shield", "Immunity to Poison" etc.

    For me, especially if an ability is a permanent innate ability it should be shown visually with the icons as well as some basic descriptions in the character screen.
    The example with the cavalier has shown that he has those icons and descriptions permanently, which means the design of that is inconsistent in the game, because other classes dont have that always.

    I consider that to be a design weakness, and I would like to get it improved. I don't think it is a big thing for the developers to change that.

    I want to emphasize that I think implementing those permanent icons and descriptions consistently in the game would enhance the overall atmosphere and logic. As I said, I like to see the improvements of all my characters with some love for detail.
  • DeeDee Member Posts: 10,447
    @Henlikuoth‌ I recommend posting a Feature Request for the buff icons.
  • BladesBlades Member Posts: 167
    Before signing up for the Beta, may I ask if you can give a ballpark on when 1.3 releases? I prefer not to install and reinstall mods over again in a short period of time if possible...
  • HenlikuothHenlikuoth Member Posts: 25
    Ok, Dee, I did that.
  • MusignyMusigny Member Posts: 1,027
    Is there a checklist ? Specific points you would like us to scrutinize ?
  • HenlikuothHenlikuoth Member Posts: 25
    By the way, are there any plans for some kind of balance patch? For example, the shapeshifter
    druid is totally underpowered, as is widely known. What is the sense of having a character class
    that nobody plays? I think this had been debated already, but so far there are no words on a
    balance patch.
    Would be nice if someone official could say if plans for that are still on the table.
  • killerrabbitkillerrabbit Member Posts: 402
    When will we know if we have been granted access to the beta?
  • JuliusBorisovJuliusBorisov Member, Administrator, Moderator, Developer Posts: 22,754
    Thank you for finally making it possible! It's such a good news!

    The fact there's no counter this time makes me sure it won't take *that* long and the developers will be able to enjoy the holidays not thinking about the beta stage. And we - we will be able to enjoy EE NPCs quests and other fixed things during the holidays! Fingers crossed.

    One thing is to aspire it for a long time and another thing is to finally see how it has gone live. We all should cherish the moment and try to make everything we can do to so that the final version go out before Christmas!
  • DelvonshiDelvonshi Member Posts: 2
    Maybe I am blind but can I get a changelog? I'd like to at least see if multiplayer was fixed for more than 2 people before having me and 3 friends redo all our mods again. Thank you!
  • DoubledimasDoubledimas Member, Mobile Tester Posts: 1,286
    Delvonshi said:

    Maybe I am blind but can I get a changelog? I'd like to at least see if multiplayer was fixed for more than 2 people before having me and 3 friends redo all our mods again. Thank you!

    That's still forthcoming due to the numerous amount of changes:
    Dee said:

    The release notes are currently awaiting WotC approval (the document clocked in at 37 pages), so when we start the beta we likely won't have a full list of changes available immediately, but we'll put up a summary so that people can see what sort of changes to expect.



  • Sylvus_MoonbowSylvus_Moonbow Member Posts: 1,085
    I love the beta, even though I choose not to be part of it!

    Find the bugs folks, because I'll be waiting to post what you missed!
  • DelvonshiDelvonshi Member Posts: 2
    Fair enough. Was hoping for at least general changes. Can anyone attest to the multiplayer being fixed? Thats the most important thing to me. Been itching to take 3 people who have never played the game through.
  • JuliusBorisovJuliusBorisov Member, Administrator, Moderator, Developer Posts: 22,754
    edited December 2014
    I think it can be useful to quote @Jalily‌ 's post from another post here:

    "An open beta means anyone who wants the beta and owns the game on the mentioned platforms will be given access to it."

    http://forum.baldursgate.com/discussion/comment/585775/#Comment_585775

    I haven't understood it from the first time. But as I've eventually understood, it means that literally EVERYONE who applies for the beta will sooner or later be granted an acccess to it. YAY!
This discussion has been closed.