If I remember correctly, Trent once said (can't find it right away with the search function), before the NWN:EE release, that the company was getting spread a bit thin because of all the different games on all the different platforms and OSs. With the release of NWN:EE (new game over multiple platforms/OSs), A&AO (new game over multiple platforms/OSs) and the console ports (old games to completely new platforms/OSs(?)/machinery) this spreading seems to increase. Before mobile got involved, it wasn't easy to get everything in parity with just 3 platforms (Beamdog/GoG/Steam) and three OSs (Windows/Mac/Linux). Android and iOS introductions did not made that easier. Consoles increases complexity once more.
Although I understand from a business perspective that these developments are all necessary to keep the company afloat, it surely lessens the work being done on the IE-games I presume.
Which is why they were forced to outsource another company (Skybound Games). Otherwise they simply cannot tackle the console market on their own. What with their seemingly ever decreasing team size.
Which is why they were forced to outsource another company (Skybound Games). Otherwise they simply cannot tackle the console market on their own. What with their seemingly ever decreasing team size.
Speaking of which, originally I was under the impression that said partner was supposed to handle the development of the console ports. But now we've received word that Beamdog's own team will be concentrating on the development of the ports (possibly in addition to Skybound Games), which is part of the stated reason why they won't fix UI issues in the PC version "for a while".
I cannot begin to imagine what the phrase "for a while" actually means when uttered by Beamdog, but it can't be good.
Which is why they were forced to outsource another company (Skybound Games). Otherwise they simply cannot tackle the console market on their own. What with their seemingly ever decreasing team size.
I'm not sure if that (decreasing team size) is the case. If I recall correctly the last couple of streams there has been talk of new hirings all the time (job applications are also still up on the website). It is just that those won't be likely to be solely focusing on the IE-games apart from getting them up to the consoles.
Possibly, though Beamdog hasn't exactly been trasparent of their actual in-house work force since the very start. What people usually get to hear are infos of who left the company. Not those who freshly joined the various studio departments. Which is why the team seemingly decreases in size.
The 2.6 patch for Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition, Baldur’s Gate II: Enhanced Edition, Baldur’s Gate: Siege of Dragonspear, and Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition is still in development.
The neverending patch quest.
I remember Trent said something about the DLC not being ready and that's why 2.6 was delayed. What does a portrait and voice pack have to do with the 2.6 patch? It seemed like you were gonna release the 2.6 patch, but held back because something happened with the voice/portrait pack?
It comes off as a purely marketing decision. You want them to be released together, not for the fans, but so you can get some hype and press about the patch, and then maybe more people will pick up the pack, then if you just release them separately.
It s not like the PC UI is inherently broken right now...
you can play the game just fine.
"It doesn't bother me, so it shouldn't bother you" doesn't cut it. It's a subjective matter, and it does bother me, so I, the subject, took a personal stance against it. You don't need to agree with me.
Another issue with this, is that we had a dedicated thread to discuss UI issues and changes, and we were explicitly told that the developers were watching the thread so that the UI could be improved with input from the community. Now we are being told that apparently, this was not the case.
The 2.6 patch for Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition, Baldur’s Gate II: Enhanced Edition, Baldur’s Gate: Siege of Dragonspear, and Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition is still in development.
The neverending patch quest.
I remember Trent said something about the DLC not being ready and that's why 2.6 was delayed. What does a portrait and voice pack have to do with the 2.6 patch? It seemed like you were gonna release the 2.6 patch, but held back because something happened with the voice/portrait pack?
It comes off as a purely marketing decision. You want them to be released together, not for the fans, but so you can get some hype and press about the patch, and then maybe more people will pick up the pack, then if you just release them separately.
Tell me I'm wrong.
Well, this is normal. For the DLC to work properly, the base game must be able to support the DLC. The DLC could patch in a lot of data, but this could lead to problems, and would effectively result in yet another version of the game. For example, having SoD installed already leads to bugs in chapter 7 of the regular game, bugs that don't show up if SoD is not installed.
Likely, 2.6 will have the contents of this small DLC, and activating the DLC will do little more than allow this content to appear in game.
I guess I am in the minority with this viewpoint, but am extremely thrilled to have confirmation from @TrentOster himself that Beamdog is done with EEs, and also even done with DLCs (other than possibly for NwN). I want a brand new IP game from Beamdog, preferably a D&D 5e crpg, and have said repeatedly that in my view working on additional EEs or DLCs is a waste of their time and resources that only serves to sidetrack them from what they ought to be focused on like a laser: creating a new game. So I am very happy and satisfied with the latest news and now have some renewed hope for Beamdog.
I guess I am in the minority with this viewpoint, but am extremely thrilled to have confirmation from @TrentOster himself that Beamdog is done with EEs, and also even done with DLCs (other than possibly for NwN). I want a brand new IP game from Beamdog, preferably a D&D 5e crpg, and have said repeatedly that in my view working on additional EEs or DLCs is a waste of their time and resources that only serves to sidetrack them from what they ought to be focused on like a laser: creating a new game. So I am very happy and satisfied with the latest news and now have some renewed hope for Beamdog.
I pretty much disagree entirely with every word of that, but that's ok, each to their own. I'd love to see EE's of the Gold Box games from the late 80s-early 90s, or a remaster of Eye of the Beholder, but it's unlikely to happen so I just have to shrug and move on.
I also would like to see a new (RPG) Beamdog title, but there's some revenue to be made with EEs yet (Temple of Elemental Evil, to be precise - as IWD2 is unfortunately off the table).
The aforementioned titles are way too old for an EE to save - remastering them, I think, would be pretty much the same than building a new title from the ground.
I guess, from where I'm standing, my point of view is ambivalent. On one hand, I would like to see Beamdog continue their support for the EEs in the form of fixing bugs and resolving unfinished plot devices. (*cough* Soultaker *cough* @ThacoBell Thanks, now you got me doing it.) On the other hand, I feel that @kanisatha's comment deserves merit. I wouldn't mind seeing Beamdog take on a 5E CRPG title, myself. From what I've seen and read about it, I think it's safe to say that D&D 5th Edition is the closest thing to D&D 3rd Edition:EE.
The aforementioned titles are way too old for an EE to save - remastering them, I think, would be pretty much the same than building a new title from the ground.
Yes and no. Sure, they're old games, and maybe 'EE' is asking too much, but a 'working edition' would be welcomed. These are games which came on a couple of 1.44 Mb floppies. The Gold Box series would be a good fit for mobile. EoB, especially, was an outstanding game back in the day, and deserves a fresh lick of paint.
I wouldn't mind seeing Beamdog take on a 5E CRPG title, myself.
yeah, but honestly what are the chances for that by now? there have been writers hired and left again, there was an announcement announced and cancelled, there were rumours someone is doing BG3 but not beamdog.
I'd honestly love to see that, I just don't have the impression it is going to happen any time soon, if at all. proof me wrong and I'll love you ...
so it would be exchanging the hope for a long life and a hope for an as good as possible state when IE will finally have to retire, so modders have a chance to do good stuff instead of fixing things ... for the hope for a game that might never come.
I really wish we'd see a renaissance of 5E D&D games. I don't think it has to be Beamdog that does it, but if somebody started making them, it needs to be handled better than Storm Coast Legends. Maybe when Beamdog is done with the next phase they can find some way to get into modern D&D games.
I especially would love to see tablet games. I'm not really interested in the IE or NWN games on tablet. I'd like to see something designed from the ground up for mobile devices. Then again, that may be hard to do since that market is mostly f2p mechanics that would ruin a D&D game. Maybe after IE games are done for consoles, if something could be designed for PC/Mobile/Console that could do well in all markets, that'd be awesome.
I wonder if RPGs are high-risk low-reward games? So few do well? RPGs require a lot more content and dialogue and writing than other genres.
I've recently started playing pnp 5e. It seems a fun system.
I could see that. That could be the reason why you see companies that make RPG after RPG because they figure out the formula but you rarely see the genre successfully done otherwise. It also probably doesn't help that every person I know that loves RPGs is playing a single MMO and that's it.
I see more than a few comments amount remastering/enhancing old games such as the Gold Box games, which for me begs the question: Why would you want to remaster games from the 1980s in place of having a modern series of new "Gold Box" games made today? I just don't get it.
My personal recommendation to Beamdog for years now has been to take to WotC the idea of creating a new SERIES of Gold Box-like games using D&D 5e. This would also then have the benefit of setting diversity in that while some of those games would surely use the Forgotten Realms, others could be set in Grayhawk or Ravenloft or whatever, with each game being a relatively small, compact, no-frills game (meaning no expectations of expanions or DLCs for each game). You make a game, release it, then move on to the next game in the series (while still providing patching support for the previous games).
I see more than a few comments amount remastering/enhancing old games such as the Gold Box games, which for me begs the question: Why would you want to remaster games from the 1980s in place of having a modern series of new "Gold Box" games made today? I just don't get it.
My personal recommendation to Beamdog for years now has been to take to WotC the idea of creating a new SERIES of Gold Box-like games using D&D 5e. This would also then have the benefit of setting diversity in that while some of those games would surely use the Forgotten Realms, others could be set in Grayhawk or Ravenloft or whatever, with each game being a relatively small, compact, no-frills game (meaning no expectations of expanions or DLCs for each game). You make a game, release it, then move on to the next game in the series (while still providing patching support for the previous games).
I would love to see this.
It seems to me, the Gold Box games (original or new) would port very well to both mobile and console. They have simple controls and wouldn't have to take up the gigabytes of space required for the IE and NWN ports. Even with modern graphics, I imagine an environment like the Gold Box games would be less needy of system resources than the 3D isometric environments of the IE games and NWN.
Well I wouldn't want the new games to be exactly like the old games from the 1980s. I mean it is 2019, after all. So at least 2D iso.
Plus, ever since 5e came out, WotC has actually been doing a decent job of cranking out pnp game boxes on a very regular schedule. And, these games are actually quite good! So you already have a good supply of basic game material available to work with. You use them as a base, a starting point, then write a great core story for the game, and you're good to go.
Well I wouldn't want the new games to be exactly like the old games from the 1980s. I mean it is 2019, after all. So at least 2D iso.
Plus, ever since 5e came out, WotC has actually been doing a decent job of cranking out pnp game boxes on a very regular schedule. And, these games are actually quite good! So you already have a good supply of basic game material available to work with. You use them as a base, a starting point, then write a great core story for the game, and you're good to go.
A 5e Unlimited Adventures so you could adapt 5e pnp games to a cRPG would be awesome.
I think 2D isometric for the battles would look great. I personally would like the environment for exploring cities and wilderness to work very similar to the old Gold Box games, just with modern graphics, just nothing too fancy so it could reach a wider mobile audience.
Someone else had mentioned the possibility of creating a service, similar to a Patreon, that end users could subscribe to for the sole purpose of resolving bugs and other gameplay issues. If that will generate more revenue besides the profit you could turn from your recent partnership with Skybound Games and the sales from Axis and Allies Online, then consider me part of the crew aboard that ship. Any contributions toward resources necessary for investigating, reproducing, and resolving bugs, I'm willing to make. Thank you for reading and happy gaming to all.
If I may ask a silly question: My Beamdog Client for NWN-EE has had a yellow "Update" box for months now, I've been assuming that this is for Dev updates. Is this right?? My game now sits at v78.8186, I think that was the last Production update?? With all blog announcements stopped I've not found a place to find out when a new update is out, so was hoping I'd find out here.
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Although I understand from a business perspective that these developments are all necessary to keep the company afloat, it surely lessens the work being done on the IE-games I presume.
Speaking of which, originally I was under the impression that said partner was supposed to handle the development of the console ports. But now we've received word that Beamdog's own team will be concentrating on the development of the ports (possibly in addition to Skybound Games), which is part of the stated reason why they won't fix UI issues in the PC version "for a while".
I cannot begin to imagine what the phrase "for a while" actually means when uttered by Beamdog, but it can't be good.
https://investalbertamag.ca/level-up/
The neverending patch quest.
I remember Trent said something about the DLC not being ready and that's why 2.6 was delayed. What does a portrait and voice pack have to do with the 2.6 patch? It seemed like you were gonna release the 2.6 patch, but held back because something happened with the voice/portrait pack?
It comes off as a purely marketing decision. You want them to be released together, not for the fans, but so you can get some hype and press about the patch, and then maybe more people will pick up the pack, then if you just release them separately.
Tell me I'm wrong.
What are the problems?
Another issue with this, is that we had a dedicated thread to discuss UI issues and changes, and we were explicitly told that the developers were watching the thread so that the UI could be improved with input from the community. Now we are being told that apparently, this was not the case.
Well, this is normal. For the DLC to work properly, the base game must be able to support the DLC. The DLC could patch in a lot of data, but this could lead to problems, and would effectively result in yet another version of the game. For example, having SoD installed already leads to bugs in chapter 7 of the regular game, bugs that don't show up if SoD is not installed.
Likely, 2.6 will have the contents of this small DLC, and activating the DLC will do little more than allow this content to appear in game.
I pretty much disagree entirely with every word of that, but that's ok, each to their own. I'd love to see EE's of the Gold Box games from the late 80s-early 90s, or a remaster of Eye of the Beholder, but it's unlikely to happen so I just have to shrug and move on.
The aforementioned titles are way too old for an EE to save - remastering them, I think, would be pretty much the same than building a new title from the ground.
But ToEE is waving and begging to receive an EE.
Yes and no. Sure, they're old games, and maybe 'EE' is asking too much, but a 'working edition' would be welcomed. These are games which came on a couple of 1.44 Mb floppies. The Gold Box series would be a good fit for mobile. EoB, especially, was an outstanding game back in the day, and deserves a fresh lick of paint.
yeah, but honestly what are the chances for that by now? there have been writers hired and left again, there was an announcement announced and cancelled, there were rumours someone is doing BG3 but not beamdog.
I'd honestly love to see that, I just don't have the impression it is going to happen any time soon, if at all. proof me wrong and I'll love you ...
so it would be exchanging the hope for a long life and a hope for an as good as possible state when IE will finally have to retire, so modders have a chance to do good stuff instead of fixing things ... for the hope for a game that might never come.
I especially would love to see tablet games. I'm not really interested in the IE or NWN games on tablet. I'd like to see something designed from the ground up for mobile devices. Then again, that may be hard to do since that market is mostly f2p mechanics that would ruin a D&D game. Maybe after IE games are done for consoles, if something could be designed for PC/Mobile/Console that could do well in all markets, that'd be awesome.
I never tried that version. Sounded like a watered down edition.
I could see that. That could be the reason why you see companies that make RPG after RPG because they figure out the formula but you rarely see the genre successfully done otherwise. It also probably doesn't help that every person I know that loves RPGs is playing a single MMO and that's it.
My personal recommendation to Beamdog for years now has been to take to WotC the idea of creating a new SERIES of Gold Box-like games using D&D 5e. This would also then have the benefit of setting diversity in that while some of those games would surely use the Forgotten Realms, others could be set in Grayhawk or Ravenloft or whatever, with each game being a relatively small, compact, no-frills game (meaning no expectations of expanions or DLCs for each game). You make a game, release it, then move on to the next game in the series (while still providing patching support for the previous games).
I would love to see this.
It seems to me, the Gold Box games (original or new) would port very well to both mobile and console. They have simple controls and wouldn't have to take up the gigabytes of space required for the IE and NWN ports. Even with modern graphics, I imagine an environment like the Gold Box games would be less needy of system resources than the 3D isometric environments of the IE games and NWN.
Plus, ever since 5e came out, WotC has actually been doing a decent job of cranking out pnp game boxes on a very regular schedule. And, these games are actually quite good! So you already have a good supply of basic game material available to work with. You use them as a base, a starting point, then write a great core story for the game, and you're good to go.
A 5e Unlimited Adventures so you could adapt 5e pnp games to a cRPG would be awesome.
I think 2D isometric for the battles would look great. I personally would like the environment for exploring cities and wilderness to work very similar to the old Gold Box games, just with modern graphics, just nothing too fancy so it could reach a wider mobile audience.
This sounds like an amazing idea.
Thanks!