I don't want to get deep into economics on here, but this point isn't really true, especially when comparing the Euro and the dollar. The Eurozone and the US have both been growing and relatively stable economies over the past several decades -- meaning small levels of annual inflation have occurred in both places. Meaning decades of games costing relatively the same means games are not at "an all time high" in a realistic sense of that phrase.
A nice start, but still no dice yet. The situation back twenty-ish years ago was a little bit more complicated in the pre-Eurozone than that. You know, this switching of old and new currencies officially started happening in 2002 for us Germans. Meaning the regional release of BG2 was coincidently pretty close to that. It was such a chaotic time that the situation even warranted the creation of a new portmanteau: Teuro (teurer Euro = expensive Euro). Just to shed some light on my initial post's purchase a bit.
As of today's exchange rates:
$60 ≠ €60
€60 = $71
And for academic purposes only: €60 = 117.35 DM
Alas, far too many times publishers have no idea of currencies and thus would make for terrible, terrible moneychangers indeed.
Ah well. At least the Britains receive their correct regional prices. Lucky them.
This might belong in the "Unpopular opinions" thread, but personally I think the price of certain RPGs is very low. If someone makes an epic RPG with over 100 hours of gameplay, that's less than £1 per hour of entertainment.... That's the cheapest entertainment I can think of, other than TV which I worked out costs me 50p an hour. Yes, the game needs to be fully complete, bug free.
The main reason why it should be £100 minimum....imo... Is just think about the alternative... The UK has a huge games industry, but nearly all resources are going into apps, multiplayer, free to play (aka pay £200 in game) etc. When the profit gets low, people don't make the great games we love. Would I pay £100 for a bug free, complete Bg3.... Yes. Bg2 - yes, pathfinder kingmaker-yes. I bought the original IE games, plus the gog version then the Beamdog pc, then android....buying bg2 4 times and it's still dirt cheap after the 2000+ hours I've put into playing and modding over the last 20 years. If £100 means more resources, more games, then it's a good thing.
Early Access is another issue, more about trust and whether you're happy with other games while you wait, but ultimately $60 for 25 hours + and eventually much more, I think it's cheap. I'd work 5 hours to pay for it.
Edit: Also that link shows that the pre-order for BG2 was $45 which is like $67 today.
I still vividly remember picking up the Baldur's Gate 2: SoA Collector's Edition (you know, the one with that fancy t-shirt ) at a local retail store in Germany for 20 Deutsche Mark. That's about €13.58 with adjusted inflation nowadays. How nostalgic... Bioware even published free demos for both Baldur's Gate and Baldur's Gate 2: SoA back in the days. A nice gesture not many follow in this time and age anymore.
But yeah. The harsh reality is that prices for video games are at an all-time high. During its fig.co campaign it was said that the retail price of Wasteland 3 will be €40. That then changed to €60 when Microsoft acquiring the studio. The Microsoft Flight Simulator even goes by an ludicrous €70! *shakes head*
Game prices are not at an all time high when you factor in inflation.
Computer consumers have benefited from the market transition to digital products, and I think that helps explain why game prices have stayed fixed. As Elminster says above, games used to cost the same price one and even two decades ago.
Yep. It gets even more expensive when you look at what new console games sold for in the 1990s/early 2000s. Especially the N64 .
There was a reason that video game rentals used to be a much bigger thing then they are now. For people who wanted to play through a game in a week (or two) it was a much cheaper option than buying the game.
Also, I stuck to the USD amount because (even though I'm Canadian) I think its probably the easiest way to compare prices over time. The Canadian price for a game is never perfectly in line with what the CDN dollar is at but its generally close. I can't speak for the Euro though. I've also heard Australians still get it pretty bad even when it is a digital download.
I plan to get Early Access at some point, though I am sad there is no gnome race. Maybe in the future!
The interview above mentions there will be playable gnomes (as if it was a doubt, considering this is an adaptation of D&D).
Here is additional info from their Larian Gazette #6:
Today’s Community Update video begins with a memory of Divinity: Original Sin quite deliberately. Interactions in DOS1 were merely relegated to rock-paper-scissors (literally!), and dialogue moments between players were a wall of text that scrolled down the screen. We took this a little further in Divinity: Original Sin 2, as characters and players reacted to who you are, and what you’ve done, with many permutations spanning multiple races and tags. Still, dialogues between characters, and interactions in multiplayer were rudimentary though much evolved over DOS1.
Baldur’s Gate 3 is the next great leap and once you’ll start playing, you’ll find that the distance between DOS2 and Baldur’s Gate 3 is tremendously large, as we begin to push the boat out on not only cinematic dialogues, but also the ways in which you can interact with them.
In Baldur’s Gate 3 dialogues have more permutations, more depth, and a cinematic layer that reacts seamlessly to any situation using custom adaptive camera technology (see: elves and dwarves are nay the same height) as well as performance capture. Now, not only do we retain the narration our games are so well known for, but you’ll often see the action on screen - whether it’s a vampiric bite in the night, or a slip of the tongue on a goblin’s foot. Long gone is rock-paper-scissors, as we’ve built tools for debate not only within the multiplayer party, but also as an extension to the thousands of people who watch at home, all in the spirit of the D&D spirit of bringing people together. And we still have some surprises up our sleeve when it comes to multiplayer, but we’ll leave those for another time. There have never been a greater number of ways to gather your party in a single game. Now’s the time!
Q&A
Will difficulty choices affect more than just enemy health and damage? e.g. increasing the DC on some rolls while exploring the world?
Yes there are many features planned for different difficulty levels, which we’ll go over in a future update - but EA isn’t launching with difficulty choices, as we prioritize everything you need to have an enjoyable experience.
How much of an impact will alignment have?
None, similar to D&D 5e we don’t have a strict alignment system. But your actions and decisions will have a major impact on how the world and people react around you. So you can be evil, or good, or something in between - but there’s no strict system. As we’ve mentioned, EA is about 25 hours of content “in a straight line” so to speak, but we’ve built everything you need to try many different types of characters, interactions, and combinations. The world in Early Access will react. Tell us what happens.
Will early access get modding support, like the steam workshop and its various modding tools?
We loved what our modding community did with DOS2, and we’re excited to see what they’ll do with BG3. Modding will be supported, but not before 1.0, not during EA. Again, we really need to focus on working with feedback and creating the game.
Is there a Lone Wolf mode planned?
This is actually a question already being asked by a number of our playtesters who are currently playing the game. A Lone Wolf mode is planned, but won’t be in the game at the beginning of Early Access. One of the many great discussions that come from people playing, and talking with us.
About how fast can you make an entire campaign now that you have the game engine made? I’m thinking it’d be absolutely amazing if you could make a few popular 5E DnD campaigns using the BG3 engine now that you have everything working.
This is a very interesting question. Indeed since launch a lot of our time has been put into creating the tools and pipelines (including entire new departments) needed to create a game much more ambitious than our previous games. All we can say at this point is that our pipelines are very much up and running, and we’re seeing the fruits of all that labour. Now that everything is plugged together, we’re able to work quite quickly when it comes to content - though many departments are involved, and many things are plugged into each other. However, it takes a long time to make a very big game with so many permutations.
Will there be ultrawide support?
Our previous games work well on UW so it’s something we’ll put effort in, we’re already taking it into account in cinematic dialogs so it's something we plan for the future. (Director of Publishing interjection here: I’ve been playing BG3 on UW at home and at the office since day 1. Ultrawide for the win! Let us know how you get on.)
Date + Time of release globally?
10am PST - assuming everything works out exactly as it should.
As soon as we hit the button you’ll be able purchase and install the game, or launch it right from Stadia without the need to install it.
What languages are coming for Early Access? And which will be included later?
We’ve confirmed English, Simplified Chinese, French, German, Polish, Russian, Spanish will be available in Early Access.
We have decided to include Brazlian Portuguese and Italian in 1.0, but not during EA. This is because it would be too cumbersome to add additional languages as we write the game during Early Access, but we want you to know that we will support you.
Will we be able to carry our characters over from early access into the full game?
Unfortunately, as with most Early Access games, there are changes, bug fixes and patches that dictate the fact that wipes will happen to saves. This is because certain fundamental changes to engine, story, etc create incompatibility issues. We will try and tell you when this will happen, in advance.
We didn´t know much about Wyll, but I like what they added to the image. It seems our warlock made a pact with a Succubus... kinky. A deadly mistake, but still kinky.
There was a thread some time ago asking for Succubus. Now you got it haha.
The exact meaning of the term "cambion" has differed over the years. Some sources stated a "true" cambion" was the union of a planetouched woman (usually a tiefling) and a tanar'ri. They also further delineated this terminology to create "noble cambions": marquis and baron cambions were similarly sired by a demon lord father and a female humanoid half-fiend. After the Spellplague of 1385 DR, the terminology and usage of this term shifted to mean the union of a mortal female and a devil. The offspring of a mortal male and a succubus was a different creature known as an alu-fiend.
IIRC, in the early editions of D&D (like, 1st Ed and early 2nd Ed), most tanar'ri were actually sexless and incapable of actually "mating". This usually applied to the "lower demons" like Manes, Dretch, Babau etc., while the "True Tanar'ri", starting from Vrocks upwards could possess a sex if it so chose. Even so, cambions were still extremely rare and usually the offspring of unique demons or demon lords.
The exact meaning of the term "cambion" has differed over the years. Some sources stated a "true" cambion" was the union of a planetouched woman (usually a tiefling) and a tanar'ri. They also further delineated this terminology to create "noble cambions": marquis and baron cambions were similarly sired by a demon lord father and a female humanoid half-fiend. After the Spellplague of 1385 DR, the terminology and usage of this term shifted to mean the union of a mortal female and a devil. The offspring of a mortal male and a succubus was a different creature known as an alu-fiend.
That´s interesting. IIRC Raphael was a cambion too, I wonder if their plot is related.
Larian Studios announced the delay on Twitter today citing some issues with stability and hold-ups around the game translation into various languages. “We’re nearly there but we had a few unexpected delays, and we still have some stability issues we’re sifting through,” the studio wrote in a statement. “Because of the delays, our translations are also later than expected and we want to ensure localization for the announced Early Access languages is strong enough for our international fans to have a good time.”
I'm a bit bummed out that there will be an approval system. I don't like seeing text that a character disapproves of something my character has done. It makes me just want to play with a guide to make sure I'm picking the "right" options and it makes me more hesitant to really roleplay because I want to get as much content as possible, and a lot of the content requires an NPC to like the PC. And just generally, I like being liked, even by characters that don't exist. Maybe I have some sort of psychological problem? Or the dopamine I get when I see the approval message is too strong... That said, this system is pretty much a staple at this point, so I can live with it.
I wonder how well the romances will work if you play with an origin character. Will some of them be limited because their core personalities don't align? I would imagine so.
I'm also curious to see how they'll handle the ever-controversial sexuality debate. Will all the romance options be PC-sexual?
For me as a strong critic thus far, this was a good update, maybe even an awesome update. Just to get the sex issue out of the way, my attitude on romances in cRPGs is very absolute: either go all the way and include everything (so NO CHEESY fade to black) or else leave romances out altogether. I greatly value roleplay realism even though these are games.
But this update had so much more. It was a great update about decisions, choices, and consequences. And that stuff is the heart and soul of the RPG experience for me. I LOVE that they phrased this entire discussion as being about RELATIONSHIPS, with romances being just one part of it all. Relationships is what it ought to be all about, including a great variety of different types of relationships, both between your PC and NPCs as well as among NPCs with each other. And, there was a lot in there about how your custom character will not be shortchanged relative to the Origin characters in this department. This means a lot to me as someone who will not ever play an Origin character. Heck they even revealed that at some point one of your companions may not survive because of reactions between you and that companion, as in you kill them. Awesome! The evil companions must DIE!! For someone like me who very strongly favors the outside-of-combat roleplaying parts of a cRPG, this was a hugely meaningful update.
The one thing that left me a bit confused/concerned was this from the Q&A:
Will companions be interchangeable during long rest?
Yes, at the start of your adventure your recruited companions will be at camp when not in the adventuring party, and can be swapped in and out at camp. Just like friends in real life! After the first act however you are going to have to commit, also just like in real life.
The one thing that left me a bit confused/concerned was this from the Q&A:
Will companions be interchangeable during long rest?
Yes, at the start of your adventure your recruited companions will be at camp when not in the adventuring party, and can be swapped in and out at camp. Just like friends in real life! After the first act however you are going to have to commit, also just like in real life.
That very last sentence is what has me concerned.
I second that. I know they did something similar with DOS2, but i have not gotten too far yet in that game to have first-hand experience.
It would have to make sense story-wise. Or that first act has to be at least two-thirds of the full game. An actual campsite where the companions also gather would lose the main reason to exist (imo) if we'd only be able to take 3 people along, because they'd already be in the party, always.
An actual campsite where the companions also gather would lose the main reason to exist (imo) if we'd only be able to take 3 people along, because they'd already be in the party, always.
We might be able to enlist new companions past the first act. Some not concerned by the Ceremorphosis...
I hope so !
We might be able to enlist new companions past the first act. Some not concerned by the Ceremorphosis...
I hope so !
I'm hoping for this too. While it makes sense for the "initial group" to be thrown together by their shared plight, I'm REALLY hoping for some variety in the companions other than all of us being illithid test subjects.
We might be able to enlist new companions past the first act. Some not concerned by the Ceremorphosis...
I hope so !
I'm hoping for this too. While it makes sense for the "initial group" to be thrown together by their shared plight, I'm REALLY hoping for some variety in the companions other than all of us being illithid test subjects.
It's a really good point. While in general, I dislike the removal of choice of companions after a certain amount of time, I have to admit I already kind of play this way. I usually find my set party, and play almost exclusively with those characters until the end of the game. The game forcing that choice upon me wont change my approach - although I do sort of wish they'd leave in the option for changing characters out.
It also doesnt fully square with the reported news that they've left in the option for modders to expand the party to 6 characters. If we were to assume that the protagonist and 3 characters are the only options at the end of act 1, then you'd never have a 6 man party after that point.
While that may be a possibility, I rather think they might add additional NPCs down the line to recruit.
I also play this way. Once my group is set, I won't change it. I make an exception in games like Pathfinder where your companion's quests will start even if they are not in your active group and they come to you with the news.
It's a really good point. While in general, I dislike the removal of choice of companions after a certain amount of time, I have to admit I already kind of play this way. I usually find my set party, and play almost exclusively with those characters until the end of the game. The game forcing that choice upon me wont change my approach - although I do sort of wish they'd leave in the option for changing characters out.
It also doesnt fully square with the reported news that they've left in the option for modders to expand the party to 6 characters. If we were to assume that the protagonist and 3 characters are the only options at the end of act 1, then you'd never have a 6 man party after that point.
While that may be a possibility, I rather think they might add additional NPCs down the line to recruit.
On the whole - loved the update. Looks very good.
On the modding point, I would hope that if we are able to increase party size with a mod, then the mechanic would be that everyone in your active party ends up saved, so you would still have your party of six. In fact, if this limitation ends up being a feature in the final game, I would hope a party size mod will allow us to increase party size even more, up to perhaps eight, so we can "save" at least seven companions.
As for how people play their game, I very much like being able to change my party composition and mix and match my team each time I set out from "base camp" on a quest. I do this because I love the varying interactions with and among my companions, as well as for trying out different ways to handle combat encounters. I didn't do this much when I played the original BG games back in the day, but began to do this with DA:O and have continued that practice ever since, to include now doing it when I replay the original BG games.
One additional argument for the party: they said that the companions will react not only to what you say to them, but to what you do in the world. With this concept, it would be impossible, say, to keep Neera and Edwin in the same camp, or Edwin and Dynaheir. In other words, you can't have bloodthirsty killers and saint clerics in one camp and hope to deal with everything using your diplomacy.
I always felt myself a bit crazy when in Dragon Age games I talked in one way with Solas and then changed my opinions COMPLETELY when I approached Vivienne. Or Zevran and Wynn.
It always felt unnatural and very artificial. Now, when we know not all companions will be able to stay in your party after Act 1 in BG3, this sounds understandable to me, from this point of view: imagine a paladin. She won't be ok to stay in the same party that kills on sight.
To be fair I saw the video about party trust, and I felt some of the examples they showed felt artificial too, e.g. the way Gale told you that he had come to trust you basically screamed "Variable Trust > Threshold" to me. The conversation with Shadowheart on the ledge seemed more natural.
While I think party incompatibilities are logical and make it more realistic, they also work better if you have multiple options for each class and more NPCs than you might meet in any given play through. For example, it already was a lot more annoying in BG2 compared to BG1 just because the number of NPC companions was smaller. There's some danger of it imposing strong restriction of possible party compositions in terms of classes.
Has the number of possible long-term companions in BG3 been revealed yet?
Comments
As of today's exchange rates:
€60 = $71
And for academic purposes only: €60 = 117.35 DM
Alas, far too many times publishers have no idea of currencies and thus would make for terrible, terrible moneychangers indeed.
Ah well. At least the Britains receive their correct regional prices. Lucky them.
The main reason why it should be £100 minimum....imo... Is just think about the alternative... The UK has a huge games industry, but nearly all resources are going into apps, multiplayer, free to play (aka pay £200 in game) etc. When the profit gets low, people don't make the great games we love. Would I pay £100 for a bug free, complete Bg3.... Yes. Bg2 - yes, pathfinder kingmaker-yes. I bought the original IE games, plus the gog version then the Beamdog pc, then android....buying bg2 4 times and it's still dirt cheap after the 2000+ hours I've put into playing and modding over the last 20 years. If £100 means more resources, more games, then it's a good thing.
Early Access is another issue, more about trust and whether you're happy with other games while you wait, but ultimately $60 for 25 hours + and eventually much more, I think it's cheap. I'd work 5 hours to pay for it.
Monday morning rant over ?
Yep. It gets even more expensive when you look at what new console games sold for in the 1990s/early 2000s. Especially the N64 .
There was a reason that video game rentals used to be a much bigger thing then they are now. For people who wanted to play through a game in a week (or two) it was a much cheaper option than buying the game.
Also, I stuck to the USD amount because (even though I'm Canadian) I think its probably the easiest way to compare prices over time. The Canadian price for a game is never perfectly in line with what the CDN dollar is at but its generally close. I can't speak for the Euro though. I've also heard Australians still get it pretty bad even when it is a digital download.
https://www.reddit.com/r/BaldursGate3/comments/ils839/baldurs_gate_3_qa_your_questions_needed_adventurer/
The interview above mentions there will be playable gnomes (as if it was a doubt, considering this is an adaptation of D&D).
Here is additional info from their Larian Gazette #6:
Today’s Community Update video begins with a memory of Divinity: Original Sin quite deliberately. Interactions in DOS1 were merely relegated to rock-paper-scissors (literally!), and dialogue moments between players were a wall of text that scrolled down the screen. We took this a little further in Divinity: Original Sin 2, as characters and players reacted to who you are, and what you’ve done, with many permutations spanning multiple races and tags. Still, dialogues between characters, and interactions in multiplayer were rudimentary though much evolved over DOS1.
Baldur’s Gate 3 is the next great leap and once you’ll start playing, you’ll find that the distance between DOS2 and Baldur’s Gate 3 is tremendously large, as we begin to push the boat out on not only cinematic dialogues, but also the ways in which you can interact with them.
In Baldur’s Gate 3 dialogues have more permutations, more depth, and a cinematic layer that reacts seamlessly to any situation using custom adaptive camera technology (see: elves and dwarves are nay the same height) as well as performance capture. Now, not only do we retain the narration our games are so well known for, but you’ll often see the action on screen - whether it’s a vampiric bite in the night, or a slip of the tongue on a goblin’s foot. Long gone is rock-paper-scissors, as we’ve built tools for debate not only within the multiplayer party, but also as an extension to the thousands of people who watch at home, all in the spirit of the D&D spirit of bringing people together. And we still have some surprises up our sleeve when it comes to multiplayer, but we’ll leave those for another time. There have never been a greater number of ways to gather your party in a single game. Now’s the time!
Q&A
Will difficulty choices affect more than just enemy health and damage? e.g. increasing the DC on some rolls while exploring the world?
Yes there are many features planned for different difficulty levels, which we’ll go over in a future update - but EA isn’t launching with difficulty choices, as we prioritize everything you need to have an enjoyable experience.
How much of an impact will alignment have?
None, similar to D&D 5e we don’t have a strict alignment system. But your actions and decisions will have a major impact on how the world and people react around you. So you can be evil, or good, or something in between - but there’s no strict system. As we’ve mentioned, EA is about 25 hours of content “in a straight line” so to speak, but we’ve built everything you need to try many different types of characters, interactions, and combinations. The world in Early Access will react. Tell us what happens.
Will early access get modding support, like the steam workshop and its various modding tools?
We loved what our modding community did with DOS2, and we’re excited to see what they’ll do with BG3. Modding will be supported, but not before 1.0, not during EA. Again, we really need to focus on working with feedback and creating the game.
Is there a Lone Wolf mode planned?
This is actually a question already being asked by a number of our playtesters who are currently playing the game. A Lone Wolf mode is planned, but won’t be in the game at the beginning of Early Access. One of the many great discussions that come from people playing, and talking with us.
About how fast can you make an entire campaign now that you have the game engine made? I’m thinking it’d be absolutely amazing if you could make a few popular 5E DnD campaigns using the BG3 engine now that you have everything working.
This is a very interesting question. Indeed since launch a lot of our time has been put into creating the tools and pipelines (including entire new departments) needed to create a game much more ambitious than our previous games. All we can say at this point is that our pipelines are very much up and running, and we’re seeing the fruits of all that labour. Now that everything is plugged together, we’re able to work quite quickly when it comes to content - though many departments are involved, and many things are plugged into each other. However, it takes a long time to make a very big game with so many permutations.
Will there be ultrawide support?
Our previous games work well on UW so it’s something we’ll put effort in, we’re already taking it into account in cinematic dialogs so it's something we plan for the future. (Director of Publishing interjection here: I’ve been playing BG3 on UW at home and at the office since day 1. Ultrawide for the win! Let us know how you get on.)
Date + Time of release globally?
10am PST - assuming everything works out exactly as it should.
As soon as we hit the button you’ll be able purchase and install the game, or launch it right from Stadia without the need to install it.
What languages are coming for Early Access? And which will be included later?
We’ve confirmed English, Simplified Chinese, French, German, Polish, Russian, Spanish will be available in Early Access.
We have decided to include Brazlian Portuguese and Italian in 1.0, but not during EA. This is because it would be too cumbersome to add additional languages as we write the game during Early Access, but we want you to know that we will support you.
Will we be able to carry our characters over from early access into the full game?
Unfortunately, as with most Early Access games, there are changes, bug fixes and patches that dictate the fact that wipes will happen to saves. This is because certain fundamental changes to engine, story, etc create incompatibility issues. We will try and tell you when this will happen, in advance.
Will EA be available on GOG?
Working on that.
There was a thread some time ago asking for Succubus. Now you got it haha.
They also changed the UI, it seems.
https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Cambion:
The exact meaning of the term "cambion" has differed over the years. Some sources stated a "true" cambion" was the union of a planetouched woman (usually a tiefling) and a tanar'ri. They also further delineated this terminology to create "noble cambions": marquis and baron cambions were similarly sired by a demon lord father and a female humanoid half-fiend. After the Spellplague of 1385 DR, the terminology and usage of this term shifted to mean the union of a mortal female and a devil. The offspring of a mortal male and a succubus was a different creature known as an alu-fiend.
...Did they get Tarantino involved?
That´s interesting. IIRC Raphael was a cambion too, I wonder if their plot is related.
This is great news, indeed! I won't need to rely on Steam, if I ever decide to participate in EA. And I'm really tempted at the moment.
I think you mean September 30th.
Larian Studios announced the delay on Twitter today citing some issues with stability and hold-ups around the game translation into various languages. “We’re nearly there but we had a few unexpected delays, and we still have some stability issues we’re sifting through,” the studio wrote in a statement. “Because of the delays, our translations are also later than expected and we want to ensure localization for the announced Early Access languages is strong enough for our international fans to have a good time.”
Romance and Companionship. https://store.steampowered.com/newshub/app/1086940/view/2781493125012891159
I wonder how well the romances will work if you play with an origin character. Will some of them be limited because their core personalities don't align? I would imagine so.
I'm also curious to see how they'll handle the ever-controversial sexuality debate. Will all the romance options be PC-sexual?
But this update had so much more. It was a great update about decisions, choices, and consequences. And that stuff is the heart and soul of the RPG experience for me. I LOVE that they phrased this entire discussion as being about RELATIONSHIPS, with romances being just one part of it all. Relationships is what it ought to be all about, including a great variety of different types of relationships, both between your PC and NPCs as well as among NPCs with each other. And, there was a lot in there about how your custom character will not be shortchanged relative to the Origin characters in this department. This means a lot to me as someone who will not ever play an Origin character. Heck they even revealed that at some point one of your companions may not survive because of reactions between you and that companion, as in you kill them. Awesome! The evil companions must DIE!! For someone like me who very strongly favors the outside-of-combat roleplaying parts of a cRPG, this was a hugely meaningful update.
The one thing that left me a bit confused/concerned was this from the Q&A:
Will companions be interchangeable during long rest?
Yes, at the start of your adventure your recruited companions will be at camp when not in the adventuring party, and can be swapped in and out at camp. Just like friends in real life! After the first act however you are going to have to commit, also just like in real life.
That very last sentence is what has me concerned.
I second that. I know they did something similar with DOS2, but i have not gotten too far yet in that game to have first-hand experience.
It would have to make sense story-wise. Or that first act has to be at least two-thirds of the full game. An actual campsite where the companions also gather would lose the main reason to exist (imo) if we'd only be able to take 3 people along, because they'd already be in the party, always.
We might be able to enlist new companions past the first act. Some not concerned by the Ceremorphosis...
I hope so !
I'm hoping for this too. While it makes sense for the "initial group" to be thrown together by their shared plight, I'm REALLY hoping for some variety in the companions other than all of us being illithid test subjects.
I would approve.
It also doesnt fully square with the reported news that they've left in the option for modders to expand the party to 6 characters. If we were to assume that the protagonist and 3 characters are the only options at the end of act 1, then you'd never have a 6 man party after that point.
While that may be a possibility, I rather think they might add additional NPCs down the line to recruit.
On the whole - loved the update. Looks very good.
As for how people play their game, I very much like being able to change my party composition and mix and match my team each time I set out from "base camp" on a quest. I do this because I love the varying interactions with and among my companions, as well as for trying out different ways to handle combat encounters. I didn't do this much when I played the original BG games back in the day, but began to do this with DA:O and have continued that practice ever since, to include now doing it when I replay the original BG games.
I always felt myself a bit crazy when in Dragon Age games I talked in one way with Solas and then changed my opinions COMPLETELY when I approached Vivienne. Or Zevran and Wynn.
It always felt unnatural and very artificial. Now, when we know not all companions will be able to stay in your party after Act 1 in BG3, this sounds understandable to me, from this point of view: imagine a paladin. She won't be ok to stay in the same party that kills on sight.
While I think party incompatibilities are logical and make it more realistic, they also work better if you have multiple options for each class and more NPCs than you might meet in any given play through. For example, it already was a lot more annoying in BG2 compared to BG1 just because the number of NPC companions was smaller. There's some danger of it imposing strong restriction of possible party compositions in terms of classes.
Has the number of possible long-term companions in BG3 been revealed yet?