If Beamdog made Baldur's Gate III, we'd be waiting 5 years for the first patch (sorry to say it, but where is 2.6?), so Larian was definitely the right choice.
Also you can create your own modules and play them like in NWN (Some modders even ported their own modules of nwn to the DOSII engine ) The company provided with the game its own set of modding tools for the community, it is fairly easy to use.
Larian was a very niche studio until the two Original Sin games. I PERSONALLY think Divine Divinity is great. Beyond Divinity is known only for being a buggy mess with some of the most hilariously bad voice acting of all-time. Divinity II is the open-world game everyone seemed obligated to make after Oblivion. Two of these games could be called cult classics at best, one of them is barely functional at times.
However, the Original Sin series is legitimately great. There was a HUGE increase in quality when that first game came out, and the second took another leap. The decision to go with them rests almost EXCLUSIVELY on the cache they have built up with the Original Sin games. When this isometric revival started, all the focus was on Pillars of Eternity and Torment: Tides of Numenara. And Larian came in under the radar and completely stole the show from both of them. I see that MANY people have serious problems with these games, and I must say I'm puzzled as to why this is. I think the Pillars series is better than most, and that Torment was at least passable for what it was trying to do, but the Original Sin games are in another league entirely.
They got the nod because 1.) Obsidian basically already did their modern Baldur's Gate. 2.) inXile has been wholly underwhelming in the totality of their Kickstarter titles 3.) Beamdog is probably viewed as a combination of simply being a company that updates games for modern systems and would be the victim of an instantaneous internet lynch mob if they got the nod based on the nonsense surrounding SoD. So Larian is the ONLY choice out there.
If you view the Kickstarter-era CRPGs as a competition, then Larian simply beat Obsidian and inXile, thus they won the rights to make Baldur's Gate 3. Is there anyone else even worth mentioning besides these 3 and Beamdog?? It certainly wasn't going to be given to Bethesda (and that was before the debacle that was Fallout 76). Bioware is now on life-support and hasn't made a game since Dragon Age: Origins that I would remotely consider worthy of doing Baldur's Gate. Larian more and more looks like the ONLY choice. I think there is a very low-chance it's not a great game. I just don't know how much it will feel like a Baldur's Gate game.
Again, the announcement of this game is the cap on the Kickstarter-era. Obisidian went the route of hooking up with Microsoft. inXile is floundering at best, left with nothing but Wasteland 3 and alot of people utterly disappointed with their last two offerings. Wizards of the Coast just welcomed Larian to the big leagues. It's impossible to say they didn't earn it, because they did. Now let's see what they do.
However, the Original Sin series is legitimately great. There was a HUGE increase in quality when that first game came out, and the second took another leap.
I played those games and found nothing of the greatness they supposedly have, but then subpar things doing the best business in this world is pretty much always the case.
I'd just be really surprised based on those games that Larian could make a game I would want to play and enjoy.
I have never heard of Larian before today, nor have I played the Divinity games which are apparently their big claim to fame, but based on what I've heard about them so far, I'm perfectly happy to give them the benefit of the doubt.
My own concerns lie more along story (I personally don't think illithids are a good choice for the primary villain-face of a game, as I've always seen them more as the "puppetmaster behind the scenes" type of foes, and for them to make such an overt attack on a surface city like this is HIGHLY unusual) and on technical issues. I read the Gamespot interview about the BG3 announcement, and I'm quite worried about the statement that BG3 will be designed with heavy Stadia-integration. Although Stadia games have their advantages, a big downside would be that BG3 would not be moddable in the slightest, and I think we can all agree that mods are a huge part of what made RPGs like BG, BG2 and NWN such beloved classics.
I have never heard of Larian before today, nor have I played the Divinity games which are apparently their big claim to fame, but based on what I've heard about them so far, I'm perfectly happy to give them the benefit of the doubt.
I'm absolutely flummoxed how anyone can pay even cursory attention to this genre and not know who Larian is.
The real time with pause genre? Easily.
I guess I was just unaware that there was this large of contingent of people who ONLY played Infinity Engine games and no other RPGs, which may be a blindspot of mine. I like real-time with pause too, I probably prefer it, but I wasn't aware a sizable portion of the player-based steadfastly REFUSED to play other types of RPG systems.
I'm absolutely flummoxed how anyone can pay even cursory attention to this genre and not know who Larian is.
It seems that their game library mainly consists of Divinity games and their spin-offs, which would be why I've never heard of them. XD I was aware of the existence of the Divinity games, but they just didn't grab my attention when they hit the market, so I never bothered to find out more about their developer.
Larian has the name and the resources to pull off a big hit.
Will it *feel* like the BG3 we want, that is my worry. If it's going to be a "Baldur's Divinity: Original Gate" type of deal, count me out. Original Sin might be a great game (haven't touched my copy yet, should really check it out now) but it isn't BG.
I'm absolutely flummoxed how anyone can pay even cursory attention to this genre and not know who Larian is.
i did not know who larian was until the original sin games were coming out. they were niche and not well known to alot of people. they were not a bioware or obsidian to most rpg fans. they were just a small studio in europe that made diablo clones.
I honestly have no idea of how people possibly could mod the game on Stadia in any form or play custom modules. On PC, sure! But Google's streaming service? No chance in Baator. Folks don't have access to their purchased "copy" as there are no downloads. Meaning all things run from Google servers. Meaning modders cannot tinker with the gaming files. Meaning no mod or fan-made content can take place for BGIII over at Stadia.
Honestly... the more informations about Stadia are revealed, the more it seems to be a very bad deal on the customer's side. Which leaves the PC version to be the sole ray of light for any kind of modding community to form. And people will rage if it turns out that BGIII will be yet another Epic Games exclusive... of that I'm 120% convinced.
I'm absolutely flummoxed how anyone can pay even cursory attention to this genre and not know who Larian is.
The real time with pause genre? Easily.
I guess I was just unaware that there was this large of contingent of people who ONLY played Infinity Engine games and no other RPGs, which may be a blindspot of mine. I like real-time with pause too, I probably prefer it, but I wasn't aware a sizable portion of the player-based steadfastly REFUSED to play other types of RPG systems.
*shrug* I usually take a hard pass on Turn Based RPGs to the point where I had DOS2 on ignore on Steam and DOS had been sitting on my xbox drive since I had the machine.
If I am going to play Turn Based, it’s going to be 4X or a board/card style game.
I honestly have no idea of how people possibly could mod the game on Stadia in any form or play custom modules. On PC, sure! But Google's streaming service? No chance in Baator. Folks don't have access to their purchased "copy" as there are no downloads. Meaning all things run from Google servers. Meaning modders cannot tinker with the gaming files. Meaning no mod or fan-made content can take place for BGIII over at Stadia.
Modders themselves might need a downloaded copy, or at the very least a devkit of sorts, but after that it might be as simple as uploading a mod to the Stadia servers and activate it on there.
Modders themselves might need a copy, or at the very least a devkit of sorts, but after that it might be as simple as uploading a mod to the Stadia servers and activate it on there.
Stadia sadly doesn't work like that. Customers can neither download nor upload things: it is purely a streaming service. It's main feature (and major flaw, imho) is that gamers don't install their purchased games like before and always have the newest patch ready to go. This makes any tinkering sheerly impossible. And rollbacks to previous game versions will probably be another thing that's not doable.
@JuliusBorisov Yes I am. I have NEVER heard of seen the name Larian until the BG3 teaser. What about Divinity makes them remotely a good choice for a BG game?
I'm absolutely flummoxed how anyone can pay even cursory attention to this genre and not know who Larian is.
The real time with pause genre? Easily.
I guess I was just unaware that there was this large of contingent of people who ONLY played Infinity Engine games and no other RPGs, which may be a blindspot of mine. I like real-time with pause too, I probably prefer it, but I wasn't aware a sizable portion of the player-based steadfastly REFUSED to play other types of RPG systems.
My Rpgs have been the Baldur's Gate series, whatever Bioware did before Inquisition, Obsidain's stuff, small indie rpgs (like teams of 1-5 people small), and a smattering of JRPGS. Larian is nowhere on that list. I don't do turn based with grid movement unless its something like X-Com.
@Kamigoroshi ah, thanks for the clarification. Could still be that the actual downloaded versions are moddable, and that with Stadia you're just "stuck" with vanilla... Here's hoping...
Is there any reason to suspect that modders and stadia players will significantly overlap?
Not anymore, that's for sure.
@ThacoBell According to GOG, BGIII will actually be RT. Which I personally do feel lot more compelling than the alternative. Still, we have no idea if it will be RTwP or more action based a' la RTw(ithout)P.
Is there any reason to suspect that modders and stadia players will significantly overlap?
Not anymore, that's for sure.
@ThacoBell According to GOG, BGIII will actually be RT. Which I personally do feel lot more compelling than the alternative. Still, we have no idea if it will be RTwP or more action based a' la RTw(ithout)P.
It HAS to feel like Baldur's Gate. If its not Rtwp, then its not Baldur's Gate, not when its being marketed as a sequel. I have little interest in most action rpgs anyway.
people will rage if it turns out that BGIII will be yet another Epic Games exclusive... of that I'm 120% convinced.
Sorry to destroy your 120% conviction but it's been confirmed the game won't be an EGS exclusive. The game already has pages on GOG and Steam.
I don't think it will be an Epic store exclusive myself, but it's not like Epic hasn't literally ripped a game away from other platforms before even after they had started taking pre-orders for it.
I'd have to Google to remember what the game was, though, but I remember people being pissed off about it.
Comments
D:OS2 has like 2665 mods, and that is only in the steam workshop.
https://steamcommunity.com/workshop/about/?appid=435150
Also you can create your own modules and play them like in NWN (Some modders even ported their own modules of nwn to the DOSII engine
Larian - Divinity: Original Sin (Classic) June 2014 release, approx 1.5 mln sales 87 Metascore 90% Steam rating (7716 reviews)
Obsidian - Pillars of Eternity March 2015 release, approx 1.5 mln sales 89 Metascore 84% Steam rating (8002 reviews)
Larian - Divinity: Original Sin (Enhanced) October 2015 release, approx 1.5 mln sales, 94 Metascore 88% Steam rating (9281 reviews)
InXile - Torment: Tides of Numenera January 2017 release, approx 150k sales, 81 Metascore 70% Steam rating (1171 reviews)
Larian - Divinity: Original Sin II September 2017 release, approx 3.5 mln sales, 93 Metascore, 94% Steam rating (41062 reviews)
Obsidian - Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire May 2018 release, approx 350k sales, 88 Metascore, 81% Steam rating (3462 reviews)
Owlcat - Pathfinder: Kingmaker September 2018 release, approx 350k sales, 73 Metascore, 70% Steam rating (6587 reviews)
Are you seriously asking who the crap are they?
However, the Original Sin series is legitimately great. There was a HUGE increase in quality when that first game came out, and the second took another leap. The decision to go with them rests almost EXCLUSIVELY on the cache they have built up with the Original Sin games. When this isometric revival started, all the focus was on Pillars of Eternity and Torment: Tides of Numenara. And Larian came in under the radar and completely stole the show from both of them. I see that MANY people have serious problems with these games, and I must say I'm puzzled as to why this is. I think the Pillars series is better than most, and that Torment was at least passable for what it was trying to do, but the Original Sin games are in another league entirely.
They got the nod because 1.) Obsidian basically already did their modern Baldur's Gate. 2.) inXile has been wholly underwhelming in the totality of their Kickstarter titles 3.) Beamdog is probably viewed as a combination of simply being a company that updates games for modern systems and would be the victim of an instantaneous internet lynch mob if they got the nod based on the nonsense surrounding SoD. So Larian is the ONLY choice out there.
If you view the Kickstarter-era CRPGs as a competition, then Larian simply beat Obsidian and inXile, thus they won the rights to make Baldur's Gate 3. Is there anyone else even worth mentioning besides these 3 and Beamdog?? It certainly wasn't going to be given to Bethesda (and that was before the debacle that was Fallout 76). Bioware is now on life-support and hasn't made a game since Dragon Age: Origins that I would remotely consider worthy of doing Baldur's Gate. Larian more and more looks like the ONLY choice. I think there is a very low-chance it's not a great game. I just don't know how much it will feel like a Baldur's Gate game.
Again, the announcement of this game is the cap on the Kickstarter-era. Obisidian went the route of hooking up with Microsoft. inXile is floundering at best, left with nothing but Wasteland 3 and alot of people utterly disappointed with their last two offerings. Wizards of the Coast just welcomed Larian to the big leagues. It's impossible to say they didn't earn it, because they did. Now let's see what they do.
I played those games and found nothing of the greatness they supposedly have, but then subpar things doing the best business in this world is pretty much always the case.
I'd just be really surprised based on those games that Larian could make a game I would want to play and enjoy.
My own concerns lie more along story (I personally don't think illithids are a good choice for the primary villain-face of a game, as I've always seen them more as the "puppetmaster behind the scenes" type of foes, and for them to make such an overt attack on a surface city like this is HIGHLY unusual) and on technical issues. I read the Gamespot interview about the BG3 announcement, and I'm quite worried about the statement that BG3 will be designed with heavy Stadia-integration. Although Stadia games have their advantages, a big downside would be that BG3 would not be moddable in the slightest, and I think we can all agree that mods are a huge part of what made RPGs like BG, BG2 and NWN such beloved classics.
Don't, their combat system and writing is trash.
The real time with pause genre? Easily.
I guess I was just unaware that there was this large of contingent of people who ONLY played Infinity Engine games and no other RPGs, which may be a blindspot of mine. I like real-time with pause too, I probably prefer it, but I wasn't aware a sizable portion of the player-based steadfastly REFUSED to play other types of RPG systems.
It seems that their game library mainly consists of Divinity games and their spin-offs, which would be why I've never heard of them. XD I was aware of the existence of the Divinity games, but they just didn't grab my attention when they hit the market, so I never bothered to find out more about their developer.
Will it *feel* like the BG3 we want, that is my worry. If it's going to be a "Baldur's Divinity: Original Gate" type of deal, count me out. Original Sin might be a great game (haven't touched my copy yet, should really check it out now) but it isn't BG.
i did not know who larian was until the original sin games were coming out. they were niche and not well known to alot of people. they were not a bioware or obsidian to most rpg fans. they were just a small studio in europe that made diablo clones.
Honestly... the more informations about Stadia are revealed, the more it seems to be a very bad deal on the customer's side. Which leaves the PC version to be the sole ray of light for any kind of modding community to form. And people will rage if it turns out that BGIII will be yet another Epic Games exclusive... of that I'm 120% convinced.
*shrug* I usually take a hard pass on Turn Based RPGs to the point where I had DOS2 on ignore on Steam and DOS had been sitting on my xbox drive since I had the machine.
If I am going to play Turn Based, it’s going to be 4X or a board/card style game.
Sorry to destroy your 120% conviction but it's been confirmed the game won't be an EGS exclusive. The game already has pages on GOG and Steam.
Odd that people actually have to use the search function for once. I wasn't aware of it since neither storefront had them on their front page.
It was on my front page yesterday with the Larian publishing sale.
Modders themselves might need a downloaded copy, or at the very least a devkit of sorts, but after that it might be as simple as uploading a mod to the Stadia servers and activate it on there.
Stadia sadly doesn't work like that. Customers can neither download nor upload things: it is purely a streaming service. It's main feature (and major flaw, imho) is that gamers don't install their purchased games like before and always have the newest patch ready to go. This makes any tinkering sheerly impossible. And rollbacks to previous game versions will probably be another thing that's not doable.
My Rpgs have been the Baldur's Gate series, whatever Bioware did before Inquisition, Obsidain's stuff, small indie rpgs (like teams of 1-5 people small), and a smattering of JRPGS. Larian is nowhere on that list. I don't do turn based with grid movement unless its something like X-Com.
@ThacoBell According to GOG, BGIII will actually be RT. Which I personally do feel lot more compelling than the alternative. Still, we have no idea if it will be RTwP or more action based a' la RTw(ithout)P.
It HAS to feel like Baldur's Gate. If its not Rtwp, then its not Baldur's Gate, not when its being marketed as a sequel. I have little interest in most action rpgs anyway.
I don't think it will be an Epic store exclusive myself, but it's not like Epic hasn't literally ripped a game away from other platforms before even after they had started taking pre-orders for it.
I'd have to Google to remember what the game was, though, but I remember people being pissed off about it.