Beyond a bug fix patch, and a bunch of really neat new content, I think this project might be more "change everything we are allowed to just cause we can, though we can't fix or improve what actually needs it" than "let's make the best product for the fans as possible with one hand tied". The new engine hopefully won't use all the BG2 rules, or there would be no real reason to play just a vanilla fighter even. When a vanilla fighter becomes near lowest dps even in melee and is not even near the top of most survivable, something is kinda upside down.
@Figrut, "linear fighters, quadratic wizards" is a characteristic trope of D&D in general, and not just in BG.
You choose to be a fighter in a low level D&D game because you will own the game, at least until 10th level or even higher. You can bully everybody else in the game, and no one will be able to challenge your physical prowess. It's just like jocks vis a vis geeks in real life.
You make this choice, to be a melee fighter or one of its variants, knowing full well, unless you don't really "get" the D&D world, that your eventual fate is going to be to be a "bodyguard", (police officer, soldier, fireman, what have you) to all the wizards and clerics. Rogues get around the whole issue by surviving on their wits, manipulativeness, and sneakiness. (Once again, about like real life.)
@Figrut, and so he is. It's just that, sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth level spells are so much stronger than all that primitive physical stuff in D&D.
@belgarathmth I am just talking toe-to-toe face stabbin' here for BG1. Using BGII rules scaled to lower level makes the plain fighter pitiful with no times of being premier at anything and no delayed gratification. Specifically, the change in weapon proficiencies. The trade off for other classes only hitting rank 2 or 3 is near moot. What about BG1 made anyone feel that it would be better if fighters were worse at being fighters with less combat capability and equipment options (narrower specialties with best return for investment at lower ranks).
@Figrut, well, I think maybe what you're saying, in part, is that you would prefer something like the 3rd edition/Neverwinter Nights rules, where straight fighters are compensated for their deficiencies with extra bonus feats, and being the only class to get weapon specialization.
Second edition BG rules try to do something similar by only allowing straight fighters to get five pips in any weapon.
Regardless, the BG:EE devlopers are not allowed to make any rule changes. If you want to play a kitless straight fighter in BG, the main special thing about you is going to be the five pips in one weapon. Nobody else can do that, unmodded.
EDIT: My, my, I think we've just derailed/hijacked the thread. This is supposed to be about changing the intro movies, I think. If we want to discuss the benefits and drawbacks of the straight fighter class, perhaps we need a separate thread for that.
People keep asking for more consistency between BG1 and BG2, but when it comes to "beautifully hand painted animated cinematics" (which BG2 had, by the way - the intro to SoA was way better than any other cutscene) for some reason it's not okay.
This is one of the things I'm most excited about in the EE. For the first time in many years I'm gonna load the game up for the first time not knowing what I'm about to see. It's gonna be fun.
How about put the original videos in a sub-menu and call it "bonus content" or some other nonsense and allow us to watch it ANY TIME WE DAMN WELL WANT!
@Bhallspawn We vehemently disagree here - the atmosphere created is still great, but the animation doesn't hold up and detracts from it at this point. It's 14 years old, remember. Look at the youtube! Sarevok prowls forward after kicking down the door like he's wearing lead oven mitts and has a pole jammed up his butt. Nostalgia is great but... people who see that video now won't be affected by it the same way you were when you first saw it if we left it as-is. We want to try and bring that to the new audience.
If it bugs you that much, though, the original videos aren't going anywhere and you can convert the old videos to WEBM using something free and open source like Miro Converter, and place the videos in BG:EE's override directory to restore the old ones. I'm sure someone will invariably make a mod for BG:EE to do this, 'cause you're probably not the only one who feels this way.
At any rate, in light of the continuing discussion in this thread here, though, we'll be re-working the intro video using @Moomintroll's excellent storyboard art posted above.
@Dino Yeah, the storyboarding style is pretty timeless and probably has the best quality/price ratio of any style. Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions was another remake that replaced late 90's 3d rendering with storyboard style animation and I thought it was a good choice.
I wouldn't mind if they redo/update the original opening movie. If that's what they do, I hope they remove the cross from the victim's surcoat. I never understood why a knight in the Forgotten Realms would have a cross as a symbol...
I wouldn't mind if they redo/update the original opening movie. If that's what they do, I hope they remove the cross from the victim's surcoat. I never understood why a knight in the Forgotten Realms would have a cross as a symbol...
Why not? A cross is a very fundamental symbol. Two lines overlapping. Easy to carve in rock. Id say its probably a common symbol in most worlds.
I wouldn't mind if they redo/update the original opening movie. If that's what they do, I hope they remove the cross from the victim's surcoat. I never understood why a knight in the Forgotten Realms would have a cross as a symbol...
rofl wow this guy is just asking to spark controversy.
Judging something you haven't seen yet is makes for today's most common foolishness. Prejudices will only spoil your wish to play BG:EE, so shove them aside until you've played the game yourself.
I wouldn't mind if they redo/update the original opening movie. If that's what they do, I hope they remove the cross from the victim's surcoat. I never understood why a knight in the Forgotten Realms would have a cross as a symbol...
I never understood why people in Baldur's Gate speak english. I want gibberish
For the cross, it was an execution symbol, it could have been used in the FR as well, as it was a really tormenting way to die.
So theoritically, knights of certain orders could either have it for "wanting to execute in the most painful way the infidels", for fanatical orders.
Other than that, it is easy to make you believe a knight order is holy or righteous by the use of the cross, because you can easily recognise it in your mind.
Saves them from having to tell a story for each symbol they use
And a big NYA for Moomintroll, hahaha that pic was epic
@Nathan Sarevok has a hoo hah? Whoa, Nathan, now you've just completely changed my image of him... (where I lurk on the internet, a hoo hah is only possessed by a woman, shall we say. They talk about the "Healing Hoo Hah" and "Magic Hoo Hah" all the time... The term for a man with the same Power is the Healing Male Rooster (male rooster being replaced with the first word in "___ of the Walk".) Thanks! Now I am imagining Male Sarevok with female parts below the waist!
I never understood why people in Baldur's Gate speak english. I want gibberish
So full of win. I don't think people realize all the things in the Forgotten Realms that accompany our real-world culture, and if they didn't, we would all be really confused.
@Bhallspawn We vehemently disagree here - the atmosphere created is still great, but the animation doesn't hold up and detracts from it at this point. It's 14 years old, remember. Look at the youtube! Sarevok prowls forward after kicking down the door like he's wearing lead oven mitts and has a pole jammed up his hoo-hah. Nostalgia is great but... people who see that video now won't be affected by it the same way you were when you first saw it if we left it as-is. We want to try and bring that to the new audience.
If it bugs you that much, though, the original videos aren't going anywhere and you can convert the old videos to WEBM using something free and open source like Miro Converter, and place the videos in BG:EE's override directory to restore the old ones. I'm sure someone will invariably make a mod for BG:EE to do this, 'cause you're probably not the only one who feels this way.
At any rate, in light of the continuing discussion in this thread here, though, we'll be re-working the intro video using @Moomintroll's excellent storyboard art posted above.
I still think the original videos would make a cool. "Bonus content" download package, or free download Easter egg. Hopefully SOMEONE OUT THERE will do this .
It doesn't have to be downloadable. A video like that should be tiny by today's standards. They can just include with the game under some extra section where they can have the old video, along with the old loading screen pictures and concept art (if they have any.)
@LadyRhian Bahahah.. well. I suppose that'd just make that encounter for the guy trapped on the roof with Sarevok all the more horrifying for him, wouldn't it? I mean, unless he's into that kinda thing.
Comments
You choose to be a fighter in a low level D&D game because you will own the game, at least until 10th level or even higher. You can bully everybody else in the game, and no one will be able to challenge your physical prowess. It's just like jocks vis a vis geeks in real life.
You make this choice, to be a melee fighter or one of its variants, knowing full well, unless you don't really "get" the D&D world, that your eventual fate is going to be to be a "bodyguard", (police officer, soldier, fireman, what have you) to all the wizards and clerics. Rogues get around the whole issue by surviving on their wits, manipulativeness, and sneakiness. (Once again, about like real life.)
Second edition BG rules try to do something similar by only allowing straight fighters to get five pips in any weapon.
Regardless, the BG:EE devlopers are not allowed to make any rule changes. If you want to play a kitless straight fighter in BG, the main special thing about you is going to be the five pips in one weapon. Nobody else can do that, unmodded.
EDIT: My, my, I think we've just derailed/hijacked the thread. This is supposed to be about changing the intro movies, I think. If we want to discuss the benefits and drawbacks of the straight fighter class, perhaps we need a separate thread for that.
This is one of the things I'm most excited about in the EE. For the first time in many years I'm gonna load the game up for the first time not knowing what I'm about to see. It's gonna be fun.
TWOFOURTY PEEH?!?!
NUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUHHH!!! *head asplodes*
Edit : whoops, seems like I quote-mentioned Space_hamster this way - sorry lad XD
If it bugs you that much, though, the original videos aren't going anywhere and you can convert the old videos to WEBM using something free and open source like Miro Converter, and place the videos in BG:EE's override directory to restore the old ones. I'm sure someone will invariably make a mod for BG:EE to do this, 'cause you're probably not the only one who feels this way.
At any rate, in light of the continuing discussion in this thread here, though, we'll be re-working the intro video using @Moomintroll's excellent storyboard art posted above.
Slideshows can be awesome, just check out the intro from IWD2.
;-)
For the cross, it was an execution symbol, it could have been used in the FR as well, as it was a really tormenting way to die.
So theoritically, knights of certain orders could either have it for "wanting to execute in the most painful way the infidels", for fanatical orders.
Other than that, it is easy to make you believe a knight order is holy or righteous by the use of the cross, because you can easily recognise it in your mind.
Saves them from having to tell a story for each symbol they use
And a big NYA for Moomintroll, hahaha that pic was epic
I'll edit it to say butt.