@Jaheiras_Witness: Many such items no longer have those abilities; IWD2EE makes a lot of changes to items. Of the items that do cast existing spells, they're set to higher levels to better match the game balance.
IWD2EE does make consumables and other items with magical abilities much better. Abilities that cast a spell usually cast it at a reasonably high level.
I have to say, I absolutely loved IWD2 up to the Shaengard Bridge but thought it really lost it's way after the Lonely Woods. If any game is overdue for a facelift, it's this one. I'll definitely buy the Gog version once this is done with beta...
This is incredible news! I don't really have the time to help with beta testing, but I definitely look forward to seeing IWD2:EE when it's ready for final release! Thanks to the team for all their hard work and enthusiasm!
A question about one of the recruitable npcs:
Emma Moonblade is recruitable now, but she also can give a player paladin her moonblade as a reward for her quest. Are the two options mutually exclusive?
@ThacoBell If she joins the party after you give her the moonblade, she'll have the moonblade, so it could potentially be given to another party member.
This is pretty cool, great work to all involved. I’m kind of curious if it would be possible for the team to partner with Beamdog to get an official version going, possibly by implementing Beamdog’s modified version of the Infinity Engine.
This is great news, I made a thread way back when suggesting Beamdog do this (to no avail) and I hope this under-appreciated game gets a second lease on life because of your efforts. Do I understand correctly that those wishing to play IWD2EE will need to have previously purchased vanilla IWD2?
Do I understand correctly that those wishing to play IWD2EE will need to have previously purchased vanilla IWD2?
It's $9.99 USD on GoG though, DRM free, and includes the soundtrack and other goodies.
Yes but my problem is that I currently have all my games on Steam, and I really like having all my games in one place. So I'm leery about doing GOG just for this one game, even though this EE project looks fantastic.
Do I understand correctly that those wishing to play IWD2EE will need to have previously purchased vanilla IWD2?
It's $9.99 USD on GoG though, DRM free, and includes the soundtrack and other goodies.
Yes but my problem is that I currently have all my games on Steam, and I really like having all my games in one place. So I'm leery about doing GOG just for this one game, even though this EE project looks fantastic.
you can add non steam games to the client. and gog is the only way you can play iwd 2 and nwn 2 currently.
Do I understand correctly that those wishing to play IWD2EE will need to have previously purchased vanilla IWD2?
It's $9.99 USD on GoG though, DRM free, and includes the soundtrack and other goodies.
Yes but my problem is that I currently have all my games on Steam, and I really like having all my games in one place. So I'm leery about doing GOG just for this one game, even though this EE project looks fantastic.
you can add non steam games to the client. and gog is the only way you can play iwd 2 and nwn 2 currently.
Yes, and that's what even has me thinking about it.
With IwD, love 2, 1 not so much. With NwN, love 2, 1 not at all. So IwD2 and NwN2 are precisely the two games I want to be able to play but cannot right now. So maybe getting them on GOG is something to consider.
Everything I am hearing makes me really excited for the release. Great stuff all, massive kudos.
If I may make a couple of gameplay balance suggestions (this is all from memory from years ago, haven't played recently):
1. There's way too much loot in the game (common trait among most RPGs); so perhaps a component similar to SCS which reduces loot might be in order? For example, reduce the value of loot (either the absolute value or the selling value), or even reduce the loot awards that are given in the first place?
2. Greater penalty for multiclassing. I don't know how much of this is within your capability but the reward vs cost for multiclassing is so unbalanced. You can create monster builds by dipping Monk 1, Rogue 2, Paladin 1 or 2 (whichever gives the save boost); and since all these are within the 1 level of each other, there isn't even an XP penalty. I would suggest something like (on top of any other XP penalty) that if you have more than 2 classes total, you suffer an extra 20% XP penalty which cannot be avoided for every additional class?
3. I don't know the answer to this one, this is more of a problem for solo no-reload. Because of the critical fail possibility in saving throws (5% chance), successful solo no-reload is extremely hard. Any priest you come across is a deathtrap, because a Hold Person can be coming your way any second. It doesn't matter how much you focus on your saves, eventually the 5% is going to catch you.
So the next level of defence is either Spell Resistance; well that's drow and svirfs only; or you cast an immunity spell like Free Action. But you can't do that either (even from a scroll) if you don't have levels in a class that can cast the spell in the first place. And potions are very limited.
Like I say, not sure exactly what the solution is. Perhaps an option to make certain immunity-type potions more plentiful from vendors?
Do I understand correctly that those wishing to play IWD2EE will need to have previously purchased vanilla IWD2?
It's $9.99 USD on GoG though, DRM free, and includes the soundtrack and other goodies.
Yes but my problem is that I currently have all my games on Steam, and I really like having all my games in one place. So I'm leery about doing GOG just for this one game, even though this EE project looks fantastic.
you can add non steam games to the client. and gog is the only way you can play iwd 2 and nwn 2 currently.
Yes, and that's what even has me thinking about it.
With IwD, love 2, 1 not so much. With NwN, love 2, 1 not at all. So IwD2 and NwN2 are precisely the two games I want to be able to play but cannot right now. So maybe getting them on GOG is something to consider.
I use the GoG client. You can connect it to Steam, Epic, Ubi, etc. and add games manually to it. Any game you install from another source will be in your game list (however, the current client is in beta, and I've had several cases where Epic games have trouble). I love that it adds the games from other platforms into the list without any effort (except Amazon Games/Twitch sadly, but I hope that will come at some point).
Or you could just simply get NWN 2 and IWD2 and put it in Steam like was said above. I prefer GoG when I can because it is DRM free, no client required in most cases (nice if the client gets buggy), and many games come with goodies like soundtracks and such whereas on Steam that usually costs extra (however, Beamdog sells their soundtracks separately on GoG).
1. There's way too much loot in the game (common trait among most RPGs); so perhaps a component similar to SCS which reduces loot might be in order? For example, reduce the value of loot (either the absolute value or the selling value), or even reduce the loot awards that are given in the first place?
IWD2EE does decrease the amount of loot in the game a bit, mainly by moving a lot of items to stores. It also decreases the value of magical ammunition, which was previously overpriced.
2. Greater penalty for multiclassing. I don't know how much of this is within your capability but the reward vs cost for multiclassing is so unbalanced. You can create monster builds by dipping Monk 1, Rogue 2, Paladin 1 or 2 (whichever gives the save boost); and since all these are within the 1 level of each other, there isn't even an XP penalty. I would suggest something like (on top of any other XP penalty) that if you have more than 2 classes total, you suffer an extra 20% XP penalty which cannot be avoided for every additional class?
I wouldn't call multiclassing this way overpowered. Sure, giving your Sorcerer one level of Paladin will increase their saves quite a bit, but it means they will getting spells and new spell levels slower. I'd much rather have a level 6 Sorcerer who can cast Fireball than a level 5 Sorcerer/1 Paladin who can't. Similarly, giving your Cleric or Druid one level of Monk might increase their AC quite a bit, but only if they aren't wearing armor or a shield, plus they'll get spells slower.
3. I don't know the answer to this one, this is more of a problem for solo no-reload. Because of the critical fail possibility in saving throws (5% chance), successful solo no-reload is extremely hard. Any priest you come across is a deathtrap, because a Hold Person can be coming your way any second. It doesn't matter how much you focus on your saves, eventually the 5% is going to catch you.
So the next level of defence is either Spell Resistance; well that's drow and svirfs only; or you cast an immunity spell like Free Action. But you can't do that either (even from a scroll) if you don't have levels in a class that can cast the spell in the first place. And potions are very limited.
IWD2EE does add a cloak to a store in Targos that grants immunity to Hold Person.
@DavidW Yes, it's just the original IWD2 engine, with some hex editing that makes new features possible.
@Jaheiras_Witness: Multiclassing is more balanced in EE, but we do it by empowering higher-level non-caster classes and slightly weakening casters, rather than penalizing builds that take 1 or 2 levels in another class. For example, a Fighter(5)/Mage(5) is now roughly on par with a Fighter(1)/Mage(9): while the former lacks level 4 and 5 mage spells, it also has a total of +4 to hit and +5 to damage with its chosen weapon, because:
1. Fighters now get +1 damage per 5 levels
2. Taking three pips in a weapon style gives +5 to hit and damage, instead of +1 to hit and +2 to damage
3. Warriors get attack bonuses faster in EE, while spellcasters get them slower
In fact, there are viable builds with mostly non-caster levels. A fighter with the Kensei feat can take just 3 or 4 mage levels for Mirror Image and True Strike and invest the rest in fighter levels for extra damage bonuses.
Take ranger levels instead of fighter levels and you've still got a solid character, because rangers get more spells than in vanilla, and can also use Set Special Snare, an entangle trap that scales with the character's Wilderness Lore skill. Paladins also benefit more from higher levels (they also get better spellcasting), as do rogues (who can make sneak attacks more often) and monks (whose unarmed attack rate scales better with levels). Spellcasters aren't the only ones who grow dramatically beyond their 1st level.
No-reload gameplay is more viable in EE, including solo play. In vanilla, for example, the only way to get immunity to stun was via Seven Eyes, and that only applied to a single stun effect, even one that the character saved against anyway, and Seven Eyes could not be re-cast until its 20-round duration was over. Now, clerics can use Spell Shield to grant temporary immunity to stun and charm, and Barbarians are immune to stun and many other disablers while raging. There are more items with immunities, as well, and solo characters can reach higher levels with the right XP component tweaks.
Darn. I love making munchkin prestige class builds that focus on a single aspect, like undead turning (Cleric/Master of Shrouds/Hierophant), doing huge damage (Fighter/Fist of Hextor/Frenzied Berserker), or doing something weird with spellcasting (Warmage/Frost Mage/Archmage to turn all damage spells into cold damage, which bypasses cold resistance and immunity, and gains INT modifier to damage).
Does IEex allow for new races or subraces to be added? One of IWD2's greatest blunders was that inugaakalikurit/arctic dwarves were utterly forgotten. Same also goes for genasi.
Comments
IWD2EE does make consumables and other items with magical abilities much better. Abilities that cast a spell usually cast it at a reasonably high level.
There's a set of bracers: Thunder Clap.
Emma Moonblade is recruitable now, but she also can give a player paladin her moonblade as a reward for her quest. Are the two options mutually exclusive?
Yes.
Just to check I'm understanding correctly: you're not using the EE engine at all? - this is built through code injections into IWD2's original engine?
Yes but my problem is that I currently have all my games on Steam, and I really like having all my games in one place. So I'm leery about doing GOG just for this one game, even though this EE project looks fantastic.
you can add non steam games to the client. and gog is the only way you can play iwd 2 and nwn 2 currently.
With IwD, love 2, 1 not so much. With NwN, love 2, 1 not at all. So IwD2 and NwN2 are precisely the two games I want to be able to play but cannot right now. So maybe getting them on GOG is something to consider.
If I may make a couple of gameplay balance suggestions (this is all from memory from years ago, haven't played recently):
1. There's way too much loot in the game (common trait among most RPGs); so perhaps a component similar to SCS which reduces loot might be in order? For example, reduce the value of loot (either the absolute value or the selling value), or even reduce the loot awards that are given in the first place?
2. Greater penalty for multiclassing. I don't know how much of this is within your capability but the reward vs cost for multiclassing is so unbalanced. You can create monster builds by dipping Monk 1, Rogue 2, Paladin 1 or 2 (whichever gives the save boost); and since all these are within the 1 level of each other, there isn't even an XP penalty. I would suggest something like (on top of any other XP penalty) that if you have more than 2 classes total, you suffer an extra 20% XP penalty which cannot be avoided for every additional class?
3. I don't know the answer to this one, this is more of a problem for solo no-reload. Because of the critical fail possibility in saving throws (5% chance), successful solo no-reload is extremely hard. Any priest you come across is a deathtrap, because a Hold Person can be coming your way any second. It doesn't matter how much you focus on your saves, eventually the 5% is going to catch you.
So the next level of defence is either Spell Resistance; well that's drow and svirfs only; or you cast an immunity spell like Free Action. But you can't do that either (even from a scroll) if you don't have levels in a class that can cast the spell in the first place. And potions are very limited.
Like I say, not sure exactly what the solution is. Perhaps an option to make certain immunity-type potions more plentiful from vendors?
I use the GoG client. You can connect it to Steam, Epic, Ubi, etc. and add games manually to it. Any game you install from another source will be in your game list (however, the current client is in beta, and I've had several cases where Epic games have trouble). I love that it adds the games from other platforms into the list without any effort (except Amazon Games/Twitch sadly, but I hope that will come at some point).
Or you could just simply get NWN 2 and IWD2 and put it in Steam like was said above. I prefer GoG when I can because it is DRM free, no client required in most cases (nice if the client gets buggy), and many games come with goodies like soundtracks and such whereas on Steam that usually costs extra (however, Beamdog sells their soundtracks separately on GoG).
If anything, get IWD2 from it. It'll be worth it.
IWD2EE does decrease the amount of loot in the game a bit, mainly by moving a lot of items to stores. It also decreases the value of magical ammunition, which was previously overpriced.
I wouldn't call multiclassing this way overpowered. Sure, giving your Sorcerer one level of Paladin will increase their saves quite a bit, but it means they will getting spells and new spell levels slower. I'd much rather have a level 6 Sorcerer who can cast Fireball than a level 5 Sorcerer/1 Paladin who can't. Similarly, giving your Cleric or Druid one level of Monk might increase their AC quite a bit, but only if they aren't wearing armor or a shield, plus they'll get spells slower.
IWD2EE does add a cloak to a store in Targos that grants immunity to Hold Person.
@DavidW Yes, it's just the original IWD2 engine, with some hex editing that makes new features possible.
1. Fighters now get +1 damage per 5 levels
2. Taking three pips in a weapon style gives +5 to hit and damage, instead of +1 to hit and +2 to damage
3. Warriors get attack bonuses faster in EE, while spellcasters get them slower
In fact, there are viable builds with mostly non-caster levels. A fighter with the Kensei feat can take just 3 or 4 mage levels for Mirror Image and True Strike and invest the rest in fighter levels for extra damage bonuses.
Take ranger levels instead of fighter levels and you've still got a solid character, because rangers get more spells than in vanilla, and can also use Set Special Snare, an entangle trap that scales with the character's Wilderness Lore skill. Paladins also benefit more from higher levels (they also get better spellcasting), as do rogues (who can make sneak attacks more often) and monks (whose unarmed attack rate scales better with levels). Spellcasters aren't the only ones who grow dramatically beyond their 1st level.
No-reload gameplay is more viable in EE, including solo play. In vanilla, for example, the only way to get immunity to stun was via Seven Eyes, and that only applied to a single stun effect, even one that the character saved against anyway, and Seven Eyes could not be re-cast until its 20-round duration was over. Now, clerics can use Spell Shield to grant temporary immunity to stun and charm, and Barbarians are immune to stun and many other disablers while raging. There are more items with immunities, as well, and solo characters can reach higher levels with the right XP component tweaks.
Probably not, unfortunately.