Much closer vote than I expected (I expected 90% PS:T). Personally not a fan of Torment, as I like a little more choice of my main character for an Infinity engine game, but I know it is a well respected game. I would love IWD first, but PS:T:EE would be awesome too..so long as EVENTUALLY IWD:EE exists too. Besides, in a few hours I'll have Nashkel to occupy me until the next game comes out
While I prefer PS:T by a million billion miles, I think addressing IWD:EE first would make a lot of sense as all the work that has been done on BG will be directly transferable.
IMO, neither of these needs a remake now. Both games look and work beautifully on modern computers. And considering there isn't much that the developers can add in terms of content (if the copyrights still stand), I'd rather say the games need a continuation, not an overhaul. New adventures in Sigil and Icewind Dale would be a thousand times more awesome.
I understand that the story of PS:T was amazing, but I couldn't get into it. I'd rather have Icewind Dale so that I could have another MP game with my friends. Since IWD isn't focused on story as much as BG, then multiplayer would be perfect. If they made PS:T:EE (?) then I wouldn't buy it.
IWD! I personally loved PST and hope it's just left alone. There's no way to sell the overhauled version without new contents like characters and side quests, and that notion makes me very uncomfortable. Purely graphic and performance improvement in work best left for modders
I don't like either of them. IWD because I find it boring due to a lack of story and PST because it has too much, coupled with mediocre gameplay. I'd rather read a book than a million lines of text with 13 different possible answers (most with no effect other than getting to read even more text) each time I talk to a random NPC.
The wife and myself have spent many a late night wishing for an updated version of PS:T. Make it an adult game, due to the content, stay true to the story, and just go with it in a new highly detailed engine. Would be another cult classic no doubt. An EE version would be welcome too. Much love for the characters and the deep role playing aspects. Planescapping is still my most favorite past time.
It'd take less time, maybe give them more budget for the latter and they'd have a series to do, not just one game, so much as I might prefer PS:T and it might do better with an EE, if they do both I think IWD coming first would be better.
IWD needs to be ported to IWD2 engine and needs a ton of work because it's a pretty flawed game. IWD2 doesn't need a rehaul at all, it's just fine as it is. Once the team is used to working with the IWD2 version of Infinity, they should port PS:T to that engine and 3rd edition rules because PS:T is dying for more tactical depth - combat-wise it's rather shallow and needs to be enriched in that respect.
Even if it's my favourite game of all time by far.
Other than that, the first change PS:T needs is getting rid of stat increases on level up and making stats increase via quest solving, and storyline advances and choices (similarly to how it already works occasionally, and how you affect the stats of your followers, just more of that for the PC).
Also, add classes and kits, and storyline choices attached to that - kits can work as further specializations that you can attain later on from a teacher. Not many have to be added, but you need to allow the PC to become at least a priest of a certain deity at a certain point.
You don't even have to add in swords, armor and new animations, but more flexibility in terms of tactical gameplay is imperative. Since the story is so great and doesn't need to be worked on.
I actually started replaying IWD2 with a buddy when we heard that BG:EE was pushed back. I forgot how long these older games are, in the time it took us to get to chapter 2 we could have easily cleared most modern RPGs. AND! The gameplay is superior to most modern RPGs to boot.
I want PST more than IWD, but doing IWD first has some benefits : 1- It gives Overhaul more time to improve on the engine before tackling PST. 2- It gives more time for Chris Avellone to work on Project Eternity and Wasteland 2. Trent did say he'd want to have him on board if possible and since MCA is currently quite busy with those two games, I figure it'd be best to work on PST a little bit later when he'll actually have some free time.
PS:T is a lot better than IWD imo, which is a mediocre fantasy adventure at best.
PS:T is a much more profound experience, a really memorable tale. Music, charcters, everything is top notch. My only gripe was the fixed character miniatures, unchanging in appearance with different equipment and such.
@Dino can't compare PS:T and IWD because the former has a focus on the story, and feels like a real roleplaying adventure, while the latter is completely centered around combat. A point of view from which PS:T might be a "better game" is that it's story is much more significant and impressive than IWD tactical gameplay, which is ok, but nothing outstanding; lots of lost motion and samey enemies. But that's not a valid comparison imo.
I don't think it's on the table, even, but Torment is the game people most need to be reminded of. I never played IWD1--is it the same as IWD2, good dialogue but mostly linear, fully-created party instead of joinable NPCs? That's a little weak; these games sell themselves on their open-worldiness, their decisionmaking and their narratives, not so much on their gameplay. Actually, though, Torment really doesn't need any enhancement; it's still beautiful to look at to this day, and there's already a widescreen patch. I'd be leery of any added content from anyone but the original visionaries. I dunno! Hard to say.
Icewind Dale is definitely not BG 1 or 2, but it is still a blast. Really great memories. Some really great characters in my opinion as well. Astrolabe whirls, twirls... I don't know. Love the actual story/quest in IWD dale more than BG. Play BG for the great joinable characters. Play IWD for some great tactical battles and yes, IMHO, the story.
This is an interesting question. I prefer PS:T due to story, but the combat is pretty poor compared to other infinity engine games. The Baldur's gate series is a middle path, a good story and solid tactical combat, but not as specialised/focused as either PS:T is on story or IWD on combat.
That said, IWD doesn't need much more than the widescreen mod to be pretty playable on modern hardware. It's resolutions scale pretty well on modern monitors and there aren't too many gamebreaking bugs. I played it a couple of months ago and didn't find myself longing for modern updates.
Planescape looks dire on modern screens. 640x480 is eye-hurting nowadays. I'm not aware of any way to make this more palatable at present. From this perspective alone a bit of love to make it playable for a new generation of gamers would be fantastic. A bit of combat streamlining and lessons learned from other infinity engine games would be the icing on the cake.
In short - IWD is still playable on modern hardware in close to it's original state. PS:T will break your eyes and give you a headache as you try to get at the gooey goodness of its story. PS:T needs an update more, and maybe deserves it due to the bloody brilliant writing, characterisation and that sort of thing.
Comments
Unfortunately a lot of people want concepts from modern RPG's put into old games, but the grass isn't always greener.
My best interest: PST and then a finished KOTOR 2.
After BG2: EE i'd like to see something new. IWD is fine the way it is. Never got into Planescape; if i wanna read a book i'll go do that
Once the team is used to working with the IWD2 version of Infinity, they should port PS:T to that engine and 3rd edition rules because PS:T is dying for more tactical depth - combat-wise it's rather shallow and needs to be enriched in that respect.
Even if it's my favourite game of all time by far.
Other than that, the first change PS:T needs is getting rid of stat increases on level up and making stats increase via quest solving, and storyline advances and choices (similarly to how it already works occasionally, and how you affect the stats of your followers, just more of that for the PC).
Also, add classes and kits, and storyline choices attached to that - kits can work as further specializations that you can attain later on from a teacher. Not many have to be added, but you need to allow the PC to become at least a priest of a certain deity at a certain point.
You don't even have to add in swords, armor and new animations, but more flexibility in terms of tactical gameplay is imperative. Since the story is so great and doesn't need to be worked on.
So IWD first, and after that PS:T.
1- It gives Overhaul more time to improve on the engine before tackling PST.
2- It gives more time for Chris Avellone to work on Project Eternity and Wasteland 2. Trent did say he'd want to have him on board if possible and since MCA is currently quite busy with those two games, I figure it'd be best to work on PST a little bit later when he'll actually have some free time.
Why ? well PS:T is the best RPG I've ever played infact.. I rate it as the best game experience so far.. thats no easy feat..
I loved the IWD series aswell.. but they are not even close to what PS:T did for me..
So well.. PS:T gets my vote without any battle.
PS:T is a much more profound experience, a really memorable tale. Music, charcters, everything is top notch. My only gripe was the fixed character miniatures, unchanging in appearance with different equipment and such.
can't compare PS:T and IWD because the former has a focus on the story, and feels like a real roleplaying adventure, while the latter is completely centered around combat. A point of view from which PS:T might be a "better game" is that it's story is much more significant and impressive than IWD tactical gameplay, which is ok, but nothing outstanding; lots of lost motion and samey enemies. But that's not a valid comparison imo.
That said, IWD doesn't need much more than the widescreen mod to be pretty playable on modern hardware. It's resolutions scale pretty well on modern monitors and there aren't too many gamebreaking bugs. I played it a couple of months ago and didn't find myself longing for modern updates.
Planescape looks dire on modern screens. 640x480 is eye-hurting nowadays. I'm not aware of any way to make this more palatable at present. From this perspective alone a bit of love to make it playable for a new generation of gamers would be fantastic. A bit of combat streamlining and lessons learned from other infinity engine games would be the icing on the cake.
In short - IWD is still playable on modern hardware in close to it's original state. PS:T will break your eyes and give you a headache as you try to get at the gooey goodness of its story. PS:T needs an update more, and maybe deserves it due to the bloody brilliant writing, characterisation and that sort of thing.