I also want to receive the full package before playing the expansion. At this point in time, I am just polishing off BG:EE so not having received the collectors edition hasn't been an issue for me yet. However, I was expecting delays, from my experience buying from other smaller companies there seems to be a lot that can not go according to plan which holds up the process. As long as I get it before the year is up I will be happy. If you want to experience delays, you should have backed Heroquest 25th Anniversary boardgame from Kickstarter lol.
I haven't even started the game and growing impatient. I wanted to have the whole package, game and collectors swag to experience it the way I want to. This was promised to me in June.
Just be aware that is not sure if the DVD version will be upgradable in the future. In the italian forums has been pointed out that people who bought physical versions of BG games can not have upgrades and the localization, as they are not downloadable from anywhere. Games that was not directly sold by Beamdog, but with the Beamdog logo on. They have to stick to version 1 and English language or buy a digital version. In this case is not a problem as keys for a digital version are provided, you will not have to spend other money to have upgrades. And maybe Beamdog's policy will be different in this case, as they sell directly the game, the Italian ones I am referring was sold by an other distributor. But is possible that you will have to play anyway the digital version in the future, if you want to keep the game upgraded.
I tell this only to point out that a CE is more a collector thing, and in that is the value. Physical dices are not used in a CRPG, and you can not spend the physical coins in them, the in game map is more than enough. Having a CE can make your life better, if you are a collector and give to a CE a value, but not your gaming experience better.
Speaking as The Destroyer of Computers (I'm using a friend's computer to type this because mine has just developed a very retarded mind of it's own - and that's my third computer in three years) I find it very convenient to have disc copies of BG. For example, when I've finished here I can simply load a disc into this computer and start a new game of BG.
True, and I am very happy to have the CDs of the original games, that have survived many computers and even survived the original developers, that are still alive, but don't support them anymore, or digital distributions of them, as you can no more buy the gog version without buying also something other. And you can find the patches and some modder produced fixes online. With Beamdog versions the things can be different, as afaik there is no legal way to upgrade products that Beamdog is still upgrading and fixing, as afaik no patches, bug fixes and upgrades are made available for those that own a physical support version. And there is no warranty that will be possible to play the last version of them in a future when Beamdog can possibly discontinue them. Right now is not possible to play the Italian DVD version of BG2 with the last upgrades and a localization that, at the moment that that version was sold, was not existing. Computer crash proof, but before version 2 and with no bug fixing.
I am really suspicious about digital distributions, because as long as is discontinued the first computer crash is a game over. And games that have been played for more than 15 years I suppose that are "beyond age", are old right now, but still actual and good to play. I probably will play them in 2030, if I last that long. My computer, and possibly the digital distribution that I own, will not last that long. I am really suspicious, but unless Beamdog make available upgrades and fixes for the owners of physical distributions, I think that is the better way.
I am really suspicious about digital distributions, because as long as is discontinued the first computer crash is a game over. And games that have been played for more than 15 years I suppose that are "beyond age", are old right now, but still actual and good to play. I probably will play them in 2030, if I last that long. My computer, and possibly the digital distribution that I own, will not last that long. I am really suspicious, but unless Beamdog make available upgrades and fixes for the owners of physical distributions, I think that is the better way.
The digital distributions are all DRM free and aren't licensed to a particular computer. You can copy them to a thumb drive or cloud storage and still have them no matter what happens to your current computer.
With no problem of registry keys or different configuration of the computer? I mean, now I am using a win7, can I copy form it the folders in programs and documents and then paste in a win 10 next year or in an hypothetical win14 that can be the os in 2025? I have doubts about it as I did not receive a proper installer, digitally downloaded, and activation keys, but Steam managed to install the game on my pc. If copy and paste is enough my fear has no reason, but I don't know if the thing is so easy. My originals was first installed on a win98, worked fine on XP and if needed can still work on 7, probably also on 10. I know that they are drm free, and that copy and paste works to save a clean copy of the program if I want to mod it, but I am not sure if that will work also to move to a different os (not going from Microsoft to Linux or Mac, different but from the same company), or even a different computer with the same os. can you tell me more about, please?
The GOG installers are completely DRM free, if you copy them to a DVD or flash drive, you can install the game from them at any time to any computer that has the appropriate OS. No registration or login required.
Assuming your computer still has a DVD drive Apple took mine away 4 years ago, and I'm still bitter - despite buying an external DVD to keep playing my movies!
I haven't even started the game and growing impatient. I wanted to have the whole package, game and collectors swag to experience it the way I want to. This was promised to me in June.
Just be aware that is not sure if the DVD version will be upgradable in the future. In the italian forums has been pointed out that people who bought physical versions of BG games can not have upgrades and the localization, as they are not downloadable from anywhere. Games that was not directly sold by Beamdog, but with the Beamdog logo on. They have to stick to version 1 and English language or buy a digital version. In this case is not a problem as keys for a digital version are provided, you will not have to spend other money to have upgrades. And maybe Beamdog's policy will be different in this case, as they sell directly the game, the Italian ones I am referring was sold by an other distributor. But is possible that you will have to play anyway the digital version in the future, if you want to keep the game upgraded.
I tell this only to point out that a CE is more a collector thing, and in that is the value. Physical dices are not used in a CRPG, and you can not spend the physical coins in them, the in game map is more than enough. Having a CE can make your life better, if you are a collector and give to a CE a value, but not your gaming experience better.
It is not just a THING to me. I paid a premium for the WHOLE experience offered. The map and field report will be props in the RP of my character. Also if I wish for my character to sell the game coin or play dice with a bunch of thieves in a back alley in game that is my choice.
Right now I don't have that choice cause I'm still waiting...
"You will also receive a digital copy of Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition and Baldur's Gate: Siege of Dragonspear to play immediately upon ordering." I don't know if is a Steam key or other, but you should get it at the moment you order.
@Kasmo According to the product description, you receive a digital copy of Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition and Baldur's Gate: Siege of Dragonspear to play immediately upon ordering. It's a version you can download from the Beamdog servers.
As for the Steam key, the process is the following: if you purchased the Collector's Edition, send an email to support@beamdog.com with a subject line of "Collector's Edition: Steam Key". You can read about it here.
The process of giving a Steam key involves some cooperation with Steam, this is why the key is not put into the Box.
You may want to make mention of this in the box. There will likely be some people who ordered the box that are not on the forums regularly and would not be aware of this added bonus. Even just a little slip of paper with instructions for redeeming the key would probably take care of this.
I won't play until I have my CE box in my hands. Plus, the games seem like a living game (since there are still updates ("enhances") being done. Will it/they ever stop? I don't want to cast a negative light here. I appreciate continual enhancements done on these games! Makes them much more worth the hard earned pebbles and stones I have earned and spent on them! Thanks, Beamdog... keep up the great work!
I appreciate continual enhancements done on these games! Makes them much more worth the hard earned pebbles and stones I have earned and spent on them! Thanks, Beamdog... keep up the great work!
Also I appreciate, what I don't appreciate is delivering updates bugged and using the players, and not only the players that chose to do so, as beta testers. But I hope, if the promises are not empty words, that the things will change, Trent has promised this to us, and I have no reason to doubt. But only time will tell. So I would rather say, related to this problem, and not at what Beamdog has done as a whole, begin to do a great work. Bugged updates, players that have to wait half year to get them only because they use a "wrong" platform, players that had bought physical editions with Beamdog's logo on that will never be able to access updates, localizations and bug fixes are not clues of a great work.
Everything should be evaluated carefully. While indeed there're obvious flaws in certain directions, any person who is looking at what Beamdog have done should also take into account:
- several years of continued patch support (for BGEE since Autumn, 2012, for BG2EE since Autumn, 2013) - constant dialogue with players - bringing new features into the games, including new items (weapon imprort from BG1 to BG2, for example), classes and kits - improving modding possibilities - widening ways to enjoy the game (for example, adding achievements and a new difficulty level) - generally moving the Infinity Engine forward
I told explicitly " related to this problem, and not at what Beamdog has done as a whole" for that very reason. I am perfectly aware of the good things that Beamdog has done in the past and my intention was not to denigrate it pointing only on the errors and ignoring the good things. About that error, releasing things when are not ready for a problem free release, Trent himself has admitted it, and promised here and in other treads, that it will not happen no more, that there will be focus on less projects but more attention to avoid the problem. That is why I also told "But I hope, if the promises are not empty words, that the things will change".
What you tell now is all true, but don't change anything in the post I did before.
Let me add that there are some choices that Beamdog had made that I don't like, but this is a very different thing, is my personal tastes against legittimate developer's decisions. If I don't like to have new and long quests available only RP evil, thing that for me is impossible to do, is only a taste related problem of mine, no a developer's error. I don't blame Beamdog for it, The way I, sometimes, criticize Beamdog is on a completely different level from how it has being criticized here and on the net by others, as I have no personal anti Beamdog agenda, I believe in developer's freedom of taking the narrative choices that he likes and don't over empathize the bed over the good, even if sometimes point out what imho are errors.
I really want this CE but I honestly didn't think it would take this long for it to get to me. I have physical copies of all the original BG games and this will be amazing to sit beside it. But man is this annoying. I can't be the only one annoyed with this...
I know that I, for one, have grown increasingly frustrated with the whole thing. The price for the collector's edition of a glorified expansion pack was absurdly high, but I did it in order to support the effort of expanding the Baldur's Gate franchise. I was absolutely astounded to learn that it wasn't only not going to be shipped out on time, but was going to be several months after the game was released, even as late as June or even July! I have never in my life heard of a collector's edition that wasn't released on released date if not a couple days earlier.
This is compounded by the fact that SoD, while not bad, is not very memorable. It's absurdly linear, with most of the BG1/BG2 regulars left out in favor of new characters that have yet to (and very likely will never at this point) have any presence in BG2. Well written characters, in fact, which only drives home the feeling of pointlessness given their one-and-done nature. The game is riddled with frustrating design choices such as leaving the most important character in the franchise out of the party (she has decent reason, perhaps, but her absence is jarring), using an out-of-context cameo as a final boss, and a main antagonist whose initially fascinating role as a mirror to the protagonist is completely and irrevocably shattered as they are revealed to be even more petty, destructive, and self-centered than our protagonist, who the game absolutely renders you incapable of bringing to judgment. I've played through BG2 dozens of times over, but I have trouble getting excited for a second run of SoD. The story's been told. There are no new angles to look at it from.
A collector's edition is meant to build on the immense fervor being built up by fans, to fan the flames until they are white hot. Instead. This one feels like it will fall on ashes long since burnt out.
tldr version: This is, by far, the most expensive set of dice I have ever bought.
Comments
In the italian forums has been pointed out that people who bought physical versions of BG games can not have upgrades and the localization, as they are not downloadable from anywhere. Games that was not directly sold by Beamdog, but with the Beamdog logo on. They have to stick to version 1 and English language or buy a digital version.
In this case is not a problem as keys for a digital version are provided, you will not have to spend other money to have upgrades.
And maybe Beamdog's policy will be different in this case, as they sell directly the game, the Italian ones I am referring was sold by an other distributor. But is possible that you will have to play anyway the digital version in the future, if you want to keep the game upgraded.
I tell this only to point out that a CE is more a collector thing, and in that is the value.
Physical dices are not used in a CRPG, and you can not spend the physical coins in them, the in game map is more than enough. Having a CE can make your life better, if you are a collector and give to a CE a value, but not your gaming experience better.
And you can find the patches and some modder produced fixes online.
With Beamdog versions the things can be different, as afaik there is no legal way to upgrade products that Beamdog is still upgrading and fixing, as afaik no patches, bug fixes and upgrades are made available for those that own a physical support version. And there is no warranty that will be possible to play the last version of them in a future when Beamdog can possibly discontinue them. Right now is not possible to play the Italian DVD version of BG2 with the last upgrades and a localization that, at the moment that that version was sold, was not existing. Computer crash proof, but before version 2 and with no bug fixing.
I am really suspicious about digital distributions, because as long as is discontinued the first computer crash is a game over. And games that have been played for more than 15 years I suppose that are "beyond age", are old right now, but still actual and good to play. I probably will play them in 2030, if I last that long. My computer, and possibly the digital distribution that I own, will not last that long.
I am really suspicious, but unless Beamdog make available upgrades and fixes for the owners of physical distributions, I think that is the better way.
I have doubts about it as I did not receive a proper installer, digitally downloaded, and activation keys, but Steam managed to install the game on my pc.
If copy and paste is enough my fear has no reason, but I don't know if the thing is so easy.
My originals was first installed on a win98, worked fine on XP and if needed can still work on 7, probably also on 10.
I know that they are drm free, and that copy and paste works to save a clean copy of the program if I want to mod it, but I am not sure if that will work also to move to a different os (not going from Microsoft to Linux or Mac, different but from the same company), or even a different computer with the same os.
can you tell me more about, please?
Apple took mine away 4 years ago, and I'm still bitter - despite buying an external DVD to keep playing my movies!
It is not just a THING to me. I paid a premium for the WHOLE experience offered. The map and field report will be props in the RP of my character. Also if I wish for my character to sell the game coin or play dice with a bunch of thieves in a back alley in game that is my choice.
Right now I don't have that choice cause I'm still waiting...
Hopefully the wait is over soon. Hang in there Beamdog!
Greetings from Germany
I don't know if is a Steam key or other, but you should get it at the moment you order.
I should ask for it now?
If that is so, they should use the extra time to put the Key directly in the Box.
Dear Beamdog, could you please put a Steam Key in the box, as an extra for the long production time?
As for the Steam key, the process is the following: if you purchased the Collector's Edition, send an email to support@beamdog.com with a subject line of "Collector's Edition: Steam Key". You can read about it here.
The process of giving a Steam key involves some cooperation with Steam, this is why the key is not put into the Box.
But I hope, if the promises are not empty words, that the things will change, Trent has promised this to us, and I have no reason to doubt. But only time will tell.
So I would rather say, related to this problem, and not at what Beamdog has done as a whole, begin to do a great work. Bugged updates, players that have to wait half year to get them only because they use a "wrong" platform, players that had bought physical editions with Beamdog's logo on that will never be able to access updates, localizations and bug fixes are not clues of a great work.
Everything should be evaluated carefully. While indeed there're obvious flaws in certain directions, any person who is looking at what Beamdog have done should also take into account:
- several years of continued patch support (for BGEE since Autumn, 2012, for BG2EE since Autumn, 2013)
- constant dialogue with players
- bringing new features into the games, including new items (weapon imprort from BG1 to BG2, for example), classes and kits
- improving modding possibilities
- widening ways to enjoy the game (for example, adding achievements and a new difficulty level)
- generally moving the Infinity Engine forward
About that error, releasing things when are not ready for a problem free release, Trent himself has admitted it, and promised here and in other treads, that it will not happen no more, that there will be focus on less projects but more attention to avoid the problem.
That is why I also told "But I hope, if the promises are not empty words, that the things will change".
What you tell now is all true, but don't change anything in the post I did before.
Let me add that there are some choices that Beamdog had made that I don't like, but this is a very different thing, is my personal tastes against legittimate developer's decisions. If I don't like to have new and long quests available only RP evil, thing that for me is impossible to do, is only a taste related problem of mine, no a developer's error. I don't blame Beamdog for it,
The way I, sometimes, criticize Beamdog is on a completely different level from how it has being criticized here and on the net by others, as I have no personal anti Beamdog agenda, I believe in developer's freedom of taking the narrative choices that he likes and don't over empathize the bed over the good, even if sometimes point out what imho are errors.
This is compounded by the fact that SoD, while not bad, is not very memorable. It's absurdly linear, with most of the BG1/BG2 regulars left out in favor of new characters that have yet to (and very likely will never at this point) have any presence in BG2. Well written characters, in fact, which only drives home the feeling of pointlessness given their one-and-done nature. The game is riddled with frustrating design choices such as leaving the most important character in the franchise out of the party (she has decent reason, perhaps, but her absence is jarring), using an out-of-context cameo as a final boss, and a main antagonist whose initially fascinating role as a mirror to the protagonist is completely and irrevocably shattered as they are revealed to be even more petty, destructive, and self-centered than our protagonist, who the game absolutely renders you incapable of bringing to judgment. I've played through BG2 dozens of times over, but I have trouble getting excited for a second run of SoD. The story's been told. There are no new angles to look at it from.
A collector's edition is meant to build on the immense fervor being built up by fans, to fan the flames until they are white hot. Instead. This one feels like it will fall on ashes long since burnt out.
tldr version: This is, by far, the most expensive set of dice I have ever bought.
As of today, there's no news on this front.
But I think that got vetoed when Alan decided to use all the starmetal to gain another level in his Prestige Class...