I confess... I have never played Icewind Dale... However, I have played Never Ending Journey that used the maps. Continually use the portraits, so it will seem like meeting an old friend by the time they bring it out...
I would love this idea but the Enhanced Edition would need companions. I know there is a mod out there that already does that but I would love to see the Beamdog's take on Icewind Dale companions after enjoying Neera, Dorn, Rasaad and Hexxat in Baldur's Gate and Baldur's Gate 2.
Personally I don't think Icewind Dale requires any new folks. It was never about NPCs or their issues - or much of plot in general - like Baldur's Gate.
Don't know if it was mentioned yet, but it kinda depends on what the new additions would be if any. The only relevant things you could ad/ change would be better graphics, more quests and have IWD1 run on the IWD2 engine. Since there are no partymembers with banters (hallejuah for mods) you can't ad anything on that end.
UNLESS they would shift it to be like Baldur's Gate on that end which I would love but I know of many players who prefer IWD over BG exactly because there are no NPC partymembers with banters so I doubt that would be a wise thing to ad. It probably would also result in balancing problems since (at least IWD1) is really really difficult at parts and having a well balanced party is crucial.
What Icewind Dale would be great for, would be multiplayer sessions, at least more than BG.
But yeah, I think IWD aged well enough (especially IWD2) if one can stand the outdated graphics. I'd rather have an entirely new adventure (looking forward to Pillars of Eternity ).
I certainly didn't know how popular was BG's NPC feature.. a remake of IWD that makes it more bg-ish is not what I'd like to see.
I prefer IWDII over both bg. And I'D LOVE IWD2: EE ! I think of these reasons:
= ZOOM IN AND ZOOM OUT ! = I've grown old and busy. I play a lot, but I won't be able to put 500 of replay in a game. I didn't even finish BG:EE! replayability lost a bit of value to me = Steam+IWD = multiplayer. If the engine is tweaked to have a bit more depth (feats, initiative, etc) each player can focus on his character, so long for "oh I forgot I had that item/spell/ability" or "i hate to micro my monk". Even some arena-like PvP could spice things up = Balance/fix issues like druid's shapeshifts, improved initiative, monk robes, ranger lack of ranged att feat, monsters stats, etc. There is so much to fix that this with a couple of graphical tweaks is enough reason for me to buy
The selling point to me is 'replay 2002's epic battles with an improved engine, and multiplayer experience'
I know when I played Icewind Dale, I had glitches all over the place that would crash my game. I would love an opportunity to play it again without those problems.
I wasn't really the biggest fan of Icewind Dale myself, It's pretty just a Hack 'N Slash. It has a nice plotline though, but no character interaction between party members, that made the Baldur's Gate Series such a great game.
Of course i have played it. Of course i LOVE it. Not so much as baldur's gate, but right after it it comes right next. 1, though, and NOT 2. 3d edition rules are utter garbage for me the old timer. I would like an enhanced edition, provided that NO cheese or exploits are removed/corrected. I really DESPISE what they 've done with BGEEs, cheesewise...
Sure IWD:EE would be sweet. But I think that a new game, something like "Knights of Cormyr", in the Infinity Engine would be awesome.
Just make it old style. The same graphics of BG, same type of game. If it is placed in a new region of the Realms, like Cormyr, the story could go for the Dalelands or Cormanthor Forest.
Cormyr? Pff, if a Forgotten Realms game isn't set somewhere in Sword Coast, it's Cormyr. Why not some completely new place for a change?
Like Shining South. What's wrong with friendly halflings, even friendlier Indian merchants, and evil feminists? Also wizards to the west and barbarian raiders to the east, and then there's Zakhara to the south and... my point is, it'd be infinitely more cool than a yet another generic medieval Cormyr.
I confess... I have never played Icewind Dale... However, I have played Never Ending Journey that used the maps. Continually use the portraits, so it will seem like meeting an old friend by the time they bring it out...
Personally I wouldn't mind to see its system updated to that of IWD2, just like BG1 was upgraded to BG2 practically immediately once the second game came out - but it does appear a great deal of people would disagree with me.
Bringing in both the options would probably be far too much effort, too.
I'd like to see IWD's gameplay mechanics updated, too. IWD2-style would be great, as I love Feats, but a modder tried it and apparently it's a lot of work, with like 90% of the existing creatures being incompatible between the two. It'd probably be easier to use the EE systems, with kits and no Feats and such. After all, Overhaul put so much work into the BG:EEs, so why not cut a really big corner and use the same framework?
Changing IWD2 to EE's system wouldn't work, though, due to skill points affecting dialogue, so there'd be this weird disconnect between the mechanics of IWD:EE and IWD2:EE.
It's a sticky situation, which is probably why Overhaul isn't eager to tackle it.
I'd love to see a IWD:EE and an IWD2:EE. Of course both should include the respective expansions, just like BG:EE and BG2:EE. I do think we should have some optional NPC companions to walk with us along the way, to provide personal quests, banter, romance and such. Neera, Rasaad, Dorn, Hexxat and (the way less talkative) Baeloth and Wilson were added to a plethora of many, many, already existing NPC companions in BG:EE and BG2:EE. Instead, I think we'd need a few more (6-12) to fill that spot in IWD, which has had no NPC companions so far. This way, someone who wants to make only one protagonist character, could still obtain a full party. And without being forced to select a particular class, to boot. However, not all IWD:EE companions could be reused for IWD2:EE, since it'd be set 30 years later. Some could, though. Some could be elves or dwarves (or vampires, or something else) and thus remain pretty much the same, others could be much older in the sequel. I see that as a wonderful storyline opportunity.
I'd also love to see a PST:EE, of course. There is a lot to improve and enhance, there, in technical terms. While the story is great as it is. Although one or two more crazy, Torment style, NPC companions would be the cherry on the top.
Since we're talking dreams, if you manage to enhance these 3 games, after you've done the impossible (and that makes you mighty)... all that would be left would be to make a BALDUR'S GATE 3 set 100 years later, after the Spellplague. Say hi to Drizzt for me, kaythxbye. :P
Comments
UNLESS they would shift it to be like Baldur's Gate on that end which I would love but I know of many players who prefer IWD over BG exactly because there are no NPC partymembers with banters so I doubt that would be a wise thing to ad. It probably would also result in balancing problems since (at least IWD1) is really really difficult at parts and having a well balanced party is crucial.
What Icewind Dale would be great for, would be multiplayer sessions, at least more than BG.
But yeah, I think IWD aged well enough (especially IWD2) if one can stand the outdated graphics. I'd rather have an entirely new adventure (looking forward to Pillars of Eternity
I prefer IWDII over both bg. And I'D LOVE IWD2: EE ! I think of these reasons:
= ZOOM IN AND ZOOM OUT !
= I've grown old and busy. I play a lot, but I won't be able to put 500 of replay in a game. I didn't even finish BG:EE! replayability lost a bit of value to me
= Steam+IWD = multiplayer. If the engine is tweaked to have a bit more depth (feats, initiative, etc) each player can focus on his character, so long for "oh I forgot I had that item/spell/ability" or "i hate to micro my monk". Even some arena-like PvP could spice things up
= Balance/fix issues like druid's shapeshifts, improved initiative, monk robes, ranger lack of ranged att feat, monsters stats, etc. There is so much to fix that this with a couple of graphical tweaks is enough reason for me to buy
The selling point to me is 'replay 2002's epic battles with an improved engine, and multiplayer experience'
IWD3!
It has a nice plotline though, but no character interaction between party members, that made the Baldur's Gate Series such a great game.
Just make it old style. The same graphics of BG, same type of game. If it is placed in a new region of the Realms, like Cormyr, the story could go for the Dalelands or Cormanthor Forest.
Like Shining South. What's wrong with friendly halflings, even friendlier Indian merchants, and evil feminists? Also wizards to the west and barbarian raiders to the east, and then there's Zakhara to the south and... my point is, it'd be infinitely more cool than a yet another generic medieval Cormyr.
Also, no companions please. The whole point of Icewind Dale series is to RP you're own characters.
Bringing in both the options would probably be far too much effort, too.
Changing IWD2 to EE's system wouldn't work, though, due to skill points affecting dialogue, so there'd be this weird disconnect between the mechanics of IWD:EE and IWD2:EE.
It's a sticky situation, which is probably why Overhaul isn't eager to tackle it.
I do think we should have some optional NPC companions to walk with us along the way, to provide personal quests, banter, romance and such.
Neera, Rasaad, Dorn, Hexxat and (the way less talkative) Baeloth and Wilson were added to a plethora of many, many, already existing NPC companions in BG:EE and BG2:EE.
Instead, I think we'd need a few more (6-12) to fill that spot in IWD, which has had no NPC companions so far. This way, someone who wants to make only one protagonist character, could still obtain a full party. And without being forced to select a particular class, to boot.
However, not all IWD:EE companions could be reused for IWD2:EE, since it'd be set 30 years later. Some could, though. Some could be elves or dwarves (or vampires, or something else) and thus remain pretty much the same, others could be much older in the sequel. I see that as a wonderful storyline opportunity.
I'd also love to see a PST:EE, of course.
There is a lot to improve and enhance, there, in technical terms.
While the story is great as it is.
Although one or two more crazy, Torment style, NPC companions would be the cherry on the top.
Since we're talking dreams, if you manage to enhance these 3 games, after you've done the impossible (and that makes you mighty)... all that would be left would be to make a BALDUR'S GATE 3 set 100 years later, after the Spellplague.
Say hi to Drizzt for me, kaythxbye. :P
http://www.beamdog.com/products/icewind-dale-enhanced-edition
And really, don't I kind of have a point? Who can resist IWD3?
Sorry I was just joking about your comment, I don't remember you even posting in the poll thread earlier
Custom NPCs only or joinable ones are going to be added?
2° question:
What about the so expected Planescape: Torment Enhanced Edition?