Beamdog has given my absolute favourite RPG’s new life, and has made them accessible on new platforms. I will always be thankful for that.
This. Very much this. I’ve always followed Beamdog’s work and likely always will for this reason. The writing in SoD is vastly, vastly better than the original game and I love the inventiveness of some of the combat encounters in here.
Would it be a stretch to say that BG3 would never have been a thing at all had it not been for Beamdog laying the groundwork to put Baldurs Gate back in the public eye with the EE’s?
I've finally played SoD from start to finish. I put it off for a long time, due to the immediate “This isn't Baldur's Gate” feeling that I had when I first tried to give it a go. To be honest, that feeling has not changed, and I still have -many- criticisms of SoD. (I must just be a huge toxic homophobe.)
However! This is the say something nice thread! And despite the plethora of issues I have with it, I do feel there are some good things to say about SoD.
So, in order of how much I liked them:
1. Areas and Music
I enjoyed many of the new areas you can visit in SoD. Whilst I might say some seemed a bit too dense (too many things crammed into too small a space), overall I thought they had good design and were fun to explore. I also appreciated the pushing of the game engine to do some cool things visually, like the crowds in Baldur's Gate.
Music wise, I enjoyed most of what I heard! Michael Hoenig still reigns supreme, but the new music was certainly fun to listen to. Although, at times it seemed a little overused or intrusive, but that's more an implementation issue. Music gets a thumbs up!
2. Items
If there's one complaint I have of the original Baldur's Gate in terms of loot (with years of repeated replaying), it's that there isn't enough variety. I think so much could be added to the experience with the introduction of more “mundane” but useful items. For example, some gloves that give a minor ability or bonus.
SoD adds many fun and interesting items! Quite a few of them give some very specific bonuses, sometimes with better results for certain races, classes and so on. I like this!
3. Irenicus
Was the “mysterious” Hooded Man needed? No. Was I somewhat appeased by the fan service? Yes.
Whilst I think Irenicus was perhaps shoehorned in a little too much, it was certainly nice to hear the wonderful David Warner again! And unlike some others, I don't have a huge issue with Irenicus being physically introduced prior to SoA. But I do think it could have been done with a little more subtlety.
4. Beamdog EE NPC's
I certainly felt the Beamdog NPC's introduced in BG:EE were integrated much better this time. Obviously, hands were tied with legal issues on how they could be integrated in EE. But this time, they felt more fleshed out, as if they were part of the story that was going on, and seemed to be better written for the most part as well. Good job!
5. Bridging the Gap
The jump from BG to SoA was certainly a big one in many ways. I remember My childhood mind being unable to grasp the transition. Having a bridge between the games, whilst not necessary, does offer some opportunities to fill in some story gaps. Why did I leave Baldur's Gate? What were the dark circumstances?
I feel that the main story of SoD, what happened in the time gap between BG and SoA, lacked any real “personal” driving force behind it. For me it didn't really feel like part of the Bhaalspawn's story. But, an attempt was made! And I've got to give some credit for that.
I think there's loads of good things to say, but where I feel it most is modding. Maybe it was just me, but modding the classics was a slow painful process, where you code, check, test, repeat..everything looks right, it just doesn't work... now it just works. Its a modders dream now
Reminds me of the time I went to the pyramids and the guide told us they were 4,513.5 years old. I asked how he knew the date so precisely. He said well I've worked here 13.5 years and when I started they were 4,500 years old.
Say something nice about Beamdog: I think the music when you are wandering around Adoy's enclave is rather lovely and it reminds me of the music that plays when you are wandering around Easthaven at the start of IWD. Is it the same composer?
Say something nice about Beamdog: I think the music when you are wandering around Adoy's enclave is rather lovely and it reminds me of the music that plays when you are wandering around Easthaven at the start of IWD. Is it the same composer?
To answer my own question the music for Adoy's Enclave is by Sam Hulick:
I've done two playthroughs of it now, and one thing that's really impressive is how epic the adventure feels despite the stinginess of the experience gained. The team really showed some cleverness in making this happen, and it doesn't merely happen because of the storyline elements.
Starting the game with your BG1 party and knocking out a dungeon, then having to slowly build back up a party of six from scratch, and finally an Ascension-style finale where your choices matter. All that adds up to an epic feel. Some well done mid-adventure choice-and-consequence too.
It's a flawed game for me for sure, I have some serious issues with some of the Chapter 10 content in particular.
But it also deserves praise for showcasing some difficult combat, clearly smartly geared towards veterans of the series who crave a challenge. I have yet to play it on a difficulty above core rules, but definitely looking forward to a run to test the added difficulty elements that were included, also a very smart touch.
if anything sod can be seen as beamdog fixing the pacing issues from tob. it does not go to fast and ends when it should.
Which is interesting, because it is essentially BG1's equivalent of ToB. I do agree, though. If you can get past a few of the annoying issues, there is some epic stuff in SoD. That siege, for example. That was very impressive. All thing considered, that is probably one of the best battles in the whole series.
Well their effort to bring back and make these classic playable on modern platforms is commendable in itself. While I wasn't enthusiastic about some additions there were a few good surprised too. Some of SoD quest and dungeon design was top notch too.
How about thank you, Trent and the Team you guys are responsible for me continuing to play the game 22 years on. Ive lost count of the amount of lives ive lived through, both the original and EE versions of the game, usually the hero but sometimes the villain. You have given me a place to retire to when i need to unwind, when injured or when i feel the need to escape. Thank you team! thank you for not only those lives but also for the memories.
I just finished SoD for the first time and I really enjoyed myself. I especially like how the game was a bit more streamlined in its design - less pointless running around on empty maps (hello, BG1). This gave the game much more of an epic feel and the story felt more "imminent". The world also seemed much more alive thanks to all of the random npc comments and speeches appearing throughout the game.
I enjoyed the dialogue options, especially the ones that didn't take themselves too seriously (mocking a demon is always a great option!). It was great to be able to rp a frivolous CG moon elf to his fullest - even if Jaheira once interjected that my boisterous behaviour would get them all killed (basically) ...
Also: Glint.
It's just a bit sad that you can't take your romances with you as you progress in the series:
I mean I have made out twice now with Neera (bg/sod), but somehow she doesn't seem to remember this in SoD/BG2!
I bought this a long time ago and never got to it. But after watching some bg3 playthrough and not getting any bg vibe, I turned to this and have been surprisingly thrilled by the great content and production. Got pretty addicted! Really makes me want to play more bg1 also.
(Sadly, there's a game breaking bug with stealth on android that I posted about, so now I'm stuck)
I like these old threads on the forum. Check out the opening line in the first post from 2016:
“Since there has been a lot of election year noise...”. Phew - glad that’s over
I have really come to like how the SoD fits into the trilogy. It doesn’t ruin neither BG1 nor BG2 which is no small feat in it self (not talking about ToB here...)
I enjoyed SOD on my subsequent playthroughs way more than my first one. The 1st playthrough, I suffered the feeling that many have already posted about, just a weird, non-BG, trying-too-hard vibe. It did feel linear, and any kind of bugs or awkward quest mechanics really jumped out at me. Beyond that, I had dusted off BG after a few years of not playing, and really just wanted to get to get to BG2 content and had heard reviews that SOD was "bleh" and linear, so felt more like a burden to rush through than an actual game.
That being said, during the 2nd playthrough, I kind of slowed down and enjoyed the content for what it was, and was pleasantly surprised it was pretty different from my 1st playthough. I've said it before, I really don't think SOD is as linear as people say, and definitely not as linear as TOB. I'm a roleplayer too, as much as possible, so I enjoyed the different choices your characters could make, especially to resolve the sieges. The zone progression is very linear, yes, but much of the content is optional, there are mutliple ways to complete quests, and the timing of the quests in each zone are mostly up to you.
I also think in terms of its place in the saga, it's a fantastic link between BG1 and BG2. It sets up a reason for Jaheira/Minsc/Khalid/Imoen to be with you in Athkatla, even if your character ditched them completely in BG1, or all of SOD too for that matter. I also appreciate having an interim Coalition party for SOD...some interesting combo of NPCs I may not use for various reasons in BG1 or BG2. And if you're dual-classing your character between levels ~8 to 11, it's a nice little transition time to do it, from an RP standpoint and a logistical standpoint. (Last time I played through, I dualed my Wizard Slayer at 9 as soon as we hit Troll Claw Woods...regained the Fighter skills right before the Crusaders attacked the Coalition Camp. I hit the streets of Athkatla already an extremely viable mutliclass.)
It's 2021, and it took me a bit more than an hour to install both BG games also with a lot of mods. I nearly took as much time deciding what mods I was going to use. Thanks to Beamdog and modders alike. I wish I had that smooth an experience modding Fallout New Vegas.
It's 2021, and it took me a bit more than an hour to install both BG games also with a lot of mods. I nearly took as much time deciding what mods I was going to use. Thanks to Beamdog and modders alike. I wish I had that smooth an experience modding Fallout New Vegas.
atlest for me new vegas modding is alot more automated as vortex does everything for me install wise. all i really gotta do is mess with the load order witch is only like 2 things
1. have all the esms before the final yup esp
2. the lighting overhaul needs to be last.
Just finished my first playthrough of SoD a few days ago and there was really a lot of things I liked very much about it:
- The map design was just great, some areas really look awesome (that Underground Tunnel area was BEAUTIFUL!)
- These grand battles at Boareskyr and Dragonspear sure were something the likes of which you haven't seen in 1 or 2. Requires some new tactics, I wasn't too good there on my first try (had the feeling the armies did most of the work while my party was pretty ineffective), but I'll try to make it better when I go through it a second time soon...
- a lot of the new items had very cool unique effects and were fun to use. A hammer that causes earthquakes? Nice^^
- but for me the best of it were really the new companions, loved (almost) all of them. Corwin just felt so authentic that for me she might well be the most believable character of the entire series. I really fell in love with her so it didn't even bother me that her romance developed rather quickly Glint was great too, like a funny young cousin of Jan Jansen: doesn't know quite as many long-winded tales and stories yet, but sure likes to talk a lot. But my absolute favorite was M'Khiin, she was just perfect! That voice, that personality, her race with some unique background stories plus some unique equipment for her plus all those sweet little spirit encounters, just great!
So big thanks to Beamdog, you guys are awesome! Keep up the good work, love it!
Edit: almost forgot: a DRAGON fight at level 8ish?! Now that one was really scary, but lots of fun. Had to try it a few times, but felt great when it was done.
Not really, on my phone with SoD I didn't see the battery get drained noticeably faster than with BG1EE or BG2EE and they both last for quite a long time. I could easily play for half a day on end without running out which is fine by me...
Comments
This. Very much this. I’ve always followed Beamdog’s work and likely always will for this reason. The writing in SoD is vastly, vastly better than the original game and I love the inventiveness of some of the combat encounters in here.
Would it be a stretch to say that BG3 would never have been a thing at all had it not been for Beamdog laying the groundwork to put Baldurs Gate back in the public eye with the EE’s?
However! This is the say something nice thread! And despite the plethora of issues I have with it, I do feel there are some good things to say about SoD.
So, in order of how much I liked them:
I enjoyed many of the new areas you can visit in SoD. Whilst I might say some seemed a bit too dense (too many things crammed into too small a space), overall I thought they had good design and were fun to explore. I also appreciated the pushing of the game engine to do some cool things visually, like the crowds in Baldur's Gate.
Music wise, I enjoyed most of what I heard! Michael Hoenig still reigns supreme, but the new music was certainly fun to listen to. Although, at times it seemed a little overused or intrusive, but that's more an implementation issue. Music gets a thumbs up!
2. Items
If there's one complaint I have of the original Baldur's Gate in terms of loot (with years of repeated replaying), it's that there isn't enough variety. I think so much could be added to the experience with the introduction of more “mundane” but useful items. For example, some gloves that give a minor ability or bonus.
SoD adds many fun and interesting items! Quite a few of them give some very specific bonuses, sometimes with better results for certain races, classes and so on. I like this!
3. Irenicus
Was the “mysterious” Hooded Man needed? No. Was I somewhat appeased by the fan service? Yes.
Whilst I think Irenicus was perhaps shoehorned in a little too much, it was certainly nice to hear the wonderful David Warner again! And unlike some others, I don't have a huge issue with Irenicus being physically introduced prior to SoA. But I do think it could have been done with a little more subtlety.
4. Beamdog EE NPC's
I certainly felt the Beamdog NPC's introduced in BG:EE were integrated much better this time. Obviously, hands were tied with legal issues on how they could be integrated in EE. But this time, they felt more fleshed out, as if they were part of the story that was going on, and seemed to be better written for the most part as well. Good job!
5. Bridging the Gap
The jump from BG to SoA was certainly a big one in many ways. I remember My childhood mind being unable to grasp the transition. Having a bridge between the games, whilst not necessary, does offer some opportunities to fill in some story gaps. Why did I leave Baldur's Gate? What were the dark circumstances?
I feel that the main story of SoD, what happened in the time gap between BG and SoA, lacked any real “personal” driving force behind it. For me it didn't really feel like part of the Bhaalspawn's story. But, an attempt was made! And I've got to give some credit for that.
And there we go! Hopefully that wasn't too toxic.
When people say Bioware = good, Beamdog = bad, I remember my feelings on Jan vs Glint
To answer my own question the music for Adoy's Enclave is by Sam Hulick:
For me it creates a similar kind of feeling as the music in Easthaven at the start of Icewind Dale, which was composed by Jeremy Soule:
Starting the game with your BG1 party and knocking out a dungeon, then having to slowly build back up a party of six from scratch, and finally an Ascension-style finale where your choices matter. All that adds up to an epic feel. Some well done mid-adventure choice-and-consequence too.
It's a flawed game for me for sure, I have some serious issues with some of the Chapter 10 content in particular.
But it also deserves praise for showcasing some difficult combat, clearly smartly geared towards veterans of the series who crave a challenge. I have yet to play it on a difficulty above core rules, but definitely looking forward to a run to test the added difficulty elements that were included, also a very smart touch.
Which is interesting, because it is essentially BG1's equivalent of ToB. I do agree, though. If you can get past a few of the annoying issues, there is some epic stuff in SoD. That siege, for example. That was very impressive. All thing considered, that is probably one of the best battles in the whole series.
I enjoyed the dialogue options, especially the ones that didn't take themselves too seriously (mocking a demon is always a great option!). It was great to be able to rp a frivolous CG moon elf to his fullest - even if Jaheira once interjected that my boisterous behaviour would get them all killed (basically) ...
Also: Glint.
It's just a bit sad that you can't take your romances with you as you progress in the series:
(Sadly, there's a game breaking bug with stealth on android that I posted about, so now I'm stuck)
“Since there has been a lot of election year noise...”. Phew - glad that’s over
I have really come to like how the SoD fits into the trilogy. It doesn’t ruin neither BG1 nor BG2 which is no small feat in it self (not talking about ToB here...)
That being said, during the 2nd playthrough, I kind of slowed down and enjoyed the content for what it was, and was pleasantly surprised it was pretty different from my 1st playthough. I've said it before, I really don't think SOD is as linear as people say, and definitely not as linear as TOB. I'm a roleplayer too, as much as possible, so I enjoyed the different choices your characters could make, especially to resolve the sieges. The zone progression is very linear, yes, but much of the content is optional, there are mutliple ways to complete quests, and the timing of the quests in each zone are mostly up to you.
I also think in terms of its place in the saga, it's a fantastic link between BG1 and BG2. It sets up a reason for Jaheira/Minsc/Khalid/Imoen to be with you in Athkatla, even if your character ditched them completely in BG1, or all of SOD too for that matter. I also appreciate having an interim Coalition party for SOD...some interesting combo of NPCs I may not use for various reasons in BG1 or BG2. And if you're dual-classing your character between levels ~8 to 11, it's a nice little transition time to do it, from an RP standpoint and a logistical standpoint. (Last time I played through, I dualed my Wizard Slayer at 9 as soon as we hit Troll Claw Woods...regained the Fighter skills right before the Crusaders attacked the Coalition Camp. I hit the streets of Athkatla already an extremely viable mutliclass.)
It's 2021, and it took me a bit more than an hour to install both BG games also with a lot of mods. I nearly took as much time deciding what mods I was going to use. Thanks to Beamdog and modders alike. I wish I had that smooth an experience modding Fallout New Vegas.
atlest for me new vegas modding is alot more automated as vortex does everything for me install wise. all i really gotta do is mess with the load order witch is only like 2 things
1. have all the esms before the final yup esp
2. the lighting overhaul needs to be last.
Without Beamdogs work my life would miss something!
- The map design was just great, some areas really look awesome (that Underground Tunnel area was BEAUTIFUL!)
- These grand battles at Boareskyr and Dragonspear sure were something the likes of which you haven't seen in 1 or 2. Requires some new tactics, I wasn't too good there on my first try (had the feeling the armies did most of the work while my party was pretty ineffective), but I'll try to make it better when I go through it a second time soon...
- a lot of the new items had very cool unique effects and were fun to use. A hammer that causes earthquakes? Nice^^
- but for me the best of it were really the new companions, loved (almost) all of them. Corwin just felt so authentic that for me she might well be the most believable character of the entire series. I really fell in love with her so it didn't even bother me that her romance developed rather quickly
So big thanks to Beamdog, you guys are awesome! Keep up the good work, love it!
Edit: almost forgot: a DRAGON fight at level 8ish?! Now that one was really scary, but lots of fun. Had to try it a few times, but felt great when it was done.