Agreed, not easy, but what did it really accomplish by moving to 64 bit? Honest question since I'm guessing this eliminated some of their playerbase who are still running 32 bit systems.
Agreed, not easy, but what did it really accomplish by moving to 64 bit? Honest question since I'm guessing this eliminated some of their playerbase who are still running 32 bit systems.
Thank Google. "Starting from August 2021, Google Play will not allow applications without the 64-bit versions to serve on 64-bit capable devices. This simply means they will not be available for the 64-bit capable devices on the Play Store. This will also include all the games that are built with the help of Unity 5.6.x or older versions."
I lean more toward v2.6 was a mess at worst and meh at best. For as long as it took them to release it, the patch really didn't deliver a whole lot and it ended up causing many issues across mods for what looks like pedantic reasons. Only thing really noticeable that was fixed was Foebane which they broke in a previous patch. For having Baeloth front and center on their patch 2.6 release art, one would think there may be a chance he is recruitable in bg2, but that isn't the case.
With mods, there were a number of issues identified at launch of v2.6, some game breaking, and time will tell how many more are going to be discovered. Sadly, many mods authors may no longer be supporting their mods, so who knows if it will ever get fixed.
It has been pointed out repeatedly that Beamdog isn't allowed by Wizards of the Coast, the owners of D&D, (owned by Hasbro) to add new content. So, expecting a new recruitable NPC, or rather make a recruitable one available in one of the other games as well, was wishful thinking and not going to happen no matter what your expectations were.
As @Tresset has pointed out in another context, patch 2.6 is a patch, not an expansion pack, and besides a patch for a game released in 2012, which was 9 years ago.
It's important to keep one's expectations realistic. The adaptation to 64bit was an important part, a lot of bug fixes were made, and a company can hardly be expected *not* to fix bugs or make the game compatible for modern systems, because it might cause some compatibility issues with mods.
Mods are made by the community, and very much appreciated, but of course they can't be the main concern when an update is necessary. Also, modders themselves can probably testify how difficult the Infinity Engine is, especially concerning unexpected problems popping up in completely different places when you change something seemingly unrelated.
Besides, the patch hardly came suddenly and unexpectedly, so people with heavily modded setups had ample time to copy their game folders as backup, and even if you missed that occasion, the pre-2.6 versions are permanently available on Steam as Beta.
It gives some info on bioware history and the development of the current beamdog portfolio, and it is great to hear they plan to support it for years to come.
However, it does leave us quite in the dark for the new franchise outside that the full team is 80ish people strong now.
Not sure how marketable a tax collection simulator game could be. Although a tax collector (or at least a tax auditor) could be an interesting start to a game.
Like at the start of the game you are a tax auditor with a boring desk job. The game starts with you sending off a notice that you are doing an audit of some rich persons taxes. They aren't happy with what you are up to so they send goons to rough you up.
Unfortunately, your years of working at a desk job have not left you in very good shape. But they have left you with a firm understanding of different kinds of paper, and, most importantly, an excellent ability at making various things out of paper (including paper airplanes).
So as you make your way through the story you fend off goons with these quickly cobbled together paper weapons. Everything from paper airplanes to shuriken (the more ridiculous and outlandish the better). Until eventually it gets to the end of the adventure and you are crafting armor out of scotch tape and tons of of sheets of paper (we're not going for realism here). Ultimately leading to the final battle between you and this rich person.
Then the game ends with a scene of you just going back to your desk job.
I was thinking of this either as a classic side-scroller. But it could work for a 1st or 3rd person "shooter" game too.
Edit: To be clear, to the best of my knowledge, Beamdog is not making a game featuring a paper shuriken throwing tax collector/auditor.
I'd love if they just used the neverwinter nights engine to keep producing quality adventures to fund improving the engine. They could make a spiritual successor to icewind dale and I enjoyed what they've produced so far. Although they need to make sure the tone remains medieval/fantasy and any semblance to modernity is well veiled.
Comments
Thank Google.
"Starting from August 2021, Google Play will not allow applications without the 64-bit versions to serve on 64-bit capable devices. This simply means they will not be available for the 64-bit capable devices on the Play Store. This will also include all the games that are built with the help of Unity 5.6.x or older versions."
https://www.developers.dev/tech-talk/mobile-app/the-64-bit-requirement-one-year-left-alert-also-a-high-demand-for-android-app-developers.html#:~:text=The 64-Bit Requirement: One Year Left Alert Also,processors perform better and have a future scope.
I assume it would be a real pain for the devs to support both 64 and 32 bit versions. And 32 bit systems will go away sooner or later anyway.
It has been pointed out repeatedly that Beamdog isn't allowed by Wizards of the Coast, the owners of D&D, (owned by Hasbro) to add new content. So, expecting a new recruitable NPC, or rather make a recruitable one available in one of the other games as well, was wishful thinking and not going to happen no matter what your expectations were.
As @Tresset has pointed out in another context, patch 2.6 is a patch, not an expansion pack, and besides a patch for a game released in 2012, which was 9 years ago.
It's important to keep one's expectations realistic. The adaptation to 64bit was an important part, a lot of bug fixes were made, and a company can hardly be expected *not* to fix bugs or make the game compatible for modern systems, because it might cause some compatibility issues with mods.
Mods are made by the community, and very much appreciated, but of course they can't be the main concern when an update is necessary. Also, modders themselves can probably testify how difficult the Infinity Engine is, especially concerning unexpected problems popping up in completely different places when you change something seemingly unrelated.
Besides, the patch hardly came suddenly and unexpectedly, so people with heavily modded setups had ample time to copy their game folders as backup, and even if you missed that occasion, the pre-2.6 versions are permanently available on Steam as Beta.
Trent comes in around 44 minutes into the video
However, it does leave us quite in the dark for the new franchise outside that the full team is 80ish people strong now.
EDIT: Might call it 2022 at this point.
Not sure how marketable a tax collection simulator game could be. Although a tax collector (or at least a tax auditor) could be an interesting start to a game.
Like at the start of the game you are a tax auditor with a boring desk job. The game starts with you sending off a notice that you are doing an audit of some rich persons taxes. They aren't happy with what you are up to so they send goons to rough you up.
Unfortunately, your years of working at a desk job have not left you in very good shape. But they have left you with a firm understanding of different kinds of paper, and, most importantly, an excellent ability at making various things out of paper (including paper airplanes).
So as you make your way through the story you fend off goons with these quickly cobbled together paper weapons. Everything from paper airplanes to shuriken (the more ridiculous and outlandish the better). Until eventually it gets to the end of the adventure and you are crafting armor out of scotch tape and tons of of sheets of paper (we're not going for realism here). Ultimately leading to the final battle between you and this rich person.
Then the game ends with a scene of you just going back to your desk job.
I was thinking of this either as a classic side-scroller. But it could work for a 1st or 3rd person "shooter" game too.
Edit: To be clear, to the best of my knowledge, Beamdog is not making a game featuring a paper shuriken throwing tax collector/auditor.