Recent Playthrough--Back After Several Years
Mathsorcerer
Member Posts: 3,055
It has actually been a couple of years since the last time I played through SoD, so I just finished it and was able to see it with a fresh perspective.
Positive
I do not recall the last time I had Corwin in the party--or, indeed, if I ever had her before--but she was positively *deadly* with that bow, especially after downing a Potion of Speed. Many times I would take a look at her hit rolls and see <roll> + 13 = result: Hit. +13 to hit? really? yeesh
The ready availability of containers (key ring, potion case, etc). I had actually forgotten about the keyring--I will probably put it in Winthrop's inventory at the start of BGEE--I already have his store scripted to add a potion case if the player is cleric_all or druid_all, a gem bag if thief_all, and a scroll case if mage_all.
The "player chest" that follows you around from chapter to chapter--what a handy way to store things, especially one-use plot items or things which cannot be sold.
The "new" wizard spell Darkness 15' Radius. Yes, the effect is only "blindness" like you get with Blindness or Glitterdust, but that actual dark cloud that you, the player, cannot see through--very nice. It's a shame that literally the only copy of a scroll from which you could learn that spell is in the possession of a Drow War Mage. I will probably put one in Thalantyr's store and another in Sorcerous Sundries. I may even put one in Candlekeep--yes, of course I scripted it so that in the prologue you can enter the keep itself, because why can't you? I scripted it so that important characters/events cannot trigger unless chapter >= 5, so no harm done.
Arrows of Detonation--what is there not to love about them? I will sell every item I don't absolutely need then spend all the money to buy as many as I can, as well as Arrows of Dispelling. Detonation arrows turn an encounter that could have been tricky into "now let's mop up the survivors" and Dispelling turns every buffed mage into a soft target.
Level drain effects wear off after a while--this should have been implemented from the start, but I don't think that was possible 20 years ago.
The amount of depth they were able to pack into such a relatively short game, from a "side quest" perspective. You can really stretch out the play time by talking to every person who has an actual name (as opposed to "nobleman", "crusader warrior", "merchant", or "refugee").
Negative
Enemy spellcasters have a script of RemoveSpell followed by ReallyForceSpell? Seriously? The party has to spend time casting spells and they get to instant-speed all of theirs? No. No, I don't think so--that is "developer cheating". It will take me a while, but I can fix that, depending upon how much effort I want to put into it.
After the climactic battle under Dragonspear Castle, the scripted events take place are there is nothing you can do about it, and you can't leave the area? Says who? I reactivated the exit via the stairs leading back up the ground floor of Dragonspear and didn't talk to the sergeant on those stairs--his dialog is what triggers the afterparty. I also had to set the flag for the exterior of Dragonspear to allow world travel, so now I can go back and revisit previously-visited areas. Oh, and the events of the afterparty....really? The item in question is a dagger which, in literally every playthrough of TotSC I have ever done in the last 25 years, I have always turned over to its rightful owner--even when I do evil playthroughs--because it is a plot item and not even usable as an actual dagger (unless I make it one, which I have before). Not only that--with a reputation of 20, an alignment of "good", and a demonstrated track record of "doing the right thing", does anyone seriously think events would unfold as they unfold? No. No, I don't think so. If the Hooded Man wants the player to come to him, then a simple cutscene of something like "I have answers to the questions you still have, as well as answers to the questions you do not know to ask yet. Meet me in Athkatla." The player will make that trip.
In a more general sense, the leader of the Crusade lost any and all pretense of being "lawful good" after the first few innocent people were driven out of their homes and/or off their land, were pressed into service of the Crusade, or were hurt/injured/killed because they would neither join nor support the Crusade. Then again, history is littered with stories of people who thought they were doing the right thing but who actually weren't. On a side note....no one in the Crusade had access to, or thought to use, a simple Detect Evil spell? Not even once? Really?
Neera. There is only one person whom I would wish would shut up, and that person is you, Neera. You were not this annoying in BGEE.
Positive
I do not recall the last time I had Corwin in the party--or, indeed, if I ever had her before--but she was positively *deadly* with that bow, especially after downing a Potion of Speed. Many times I would take a look at her hit rolls and see <roll> + 13 = result: Hit. +13 to hit? really? yeesh
The ready availability of containers (key ring, potion case, etc). I had actually forgotten about the keyring--I will probably put it in Winthrop's inventory at the start of BGEE--I already have his store scripted to add a potion case if the player is cleric_all or druid_all, a gem bag if thief_all, and a scroll case if mage_all.
The "player chest" that follows you around from chapter to chapter--what a handy way to store things, especially one-use plot items or things which cannot be sold.
The "new" wizard spell Darkness 15' Radius. Yes, the effect is only "blindness" like you get with Blindness or Glitterdust, but that actual dark cloud that you, the player, cannot see through--very nice. It's a shame that literally the only copy of a scroll from which you could learn that spell is in the possession of a Drow War Mage. I will probably put one in Thalantyr's store and another in Sorcerous Sundries. I may even put one in Candlekeep--yes, of course I scripted it so that in the prologue you can enter the keep itself, because why can't you? I scripted it so that important characters/events cannot trigger unless chapter >= 5, so no harm done.
Arrows of Detonation--what is there not to love about them? I will sell every item I don't absolutely need then spend all the money to buy as many as I can, as well as Arrows of Dispelling. Detonation arrows turn an encounter that could have been tricky into "now let's mop up the survivors" and Dispelling turns every buffed mage into a soft target.
Level drain effects wear off after a while--this should have been implemented from the start, but I don't think that was possible 20 years ago.
The amount of depth they were able to pack into such a relatively short game, from a "side quest" perspective. You can really stretch out the play time by talking to every person who has an actual name (as opposed to "nobleman", "crusader warrior", "merchant", or "refugee").
Negative
Enemy spellcasters have a script of RemoveSpell followed by ReallyForceSpell? Seriously? The party has to spend time casting spells and they get to instant-speed all of theirs? No. No, I don't think so--that is "developer cheating". It will take me a while, but I can fix that, depending upon how much effort I want to put into it.
After the climactic battle under Dragonspear Castle, the scripted events take place are there is nothing you can do about it, and you can't leave the area? Says who? I reactivated the exit via the stairs leading back up the ground floor of Dragonspear and didn't talk to the sergeant on those stairs--his dialog is what triggers the afterparty. I also had to set the flag for the exterior of Dragonspear to allow world travel, so now I can go back and revisit previously-visited areas. Oh, and the events of the afterparty....really? The item in question is a dagger which, in literally every playthrough of TotSC I have ever done in the last 25 years, I have always turned over to its rightful owner--even when I do evil playthroughs--because it is a plot item and not even usable as an actual dagger (unless I make it one, which I have before). Not only that--with a reputation of 20, an alignment of "good", and a demonstrated track record of "doing the right thing", does anyone seriously think events would unfold as they unfold? No. No, I don't think so. If the Hooded Man wants the player to come to him, then a simple cutscene of something like "I have answers to the questions you still have, as well as answers to the questions you do not know to ask yet. Meet me in Athkatla." The player will make that trip.
In a more general sense, the leader of the Crusade lost any and all pretense of being "lawful good" after the first few innocent people were driven out of their homes and/or off their land, were pressed into service of the Crusade, or were hurt/injured/killed because they would neither join nor support the Crusade. Then again, history is littered with stories of people who thought they were doing the right thing but who actually weren't. On a side note....no one in the Crusade had access to, or thought to use, a simple Detect Evil spell? Not even once? Really?
Neera. There is only one person whom I would wish would shut up, and that person is you, Neera. You were not this annoying in BGEE.
0
Comments
To me, there is a strong dichotomy about this part of the saga. I *love* the look and gameplay (combat, encounters), I even love having to put together an ad hoc party for an emergency.
But I strongly dislike a lot of the story and side quests. After several plays, I really think this was poorly written. Some mods available improve the flow of events. But so much involving Caelar, the railroading at the end, the utter stupidity of the “generals” at the siege camp… Is just flat idiotic.
My only major disagreement with you would seem to be, I think Neera is funny! Although I never recruit her for this, I already have a mage (either a PC or Dynaheir) by the time you meet her.
Some of the side quests are pointless, from one point of view, but do allow for flavor--no, it isn't important to figure out who is extorting money from refugees in the city, but that would be a priority for any lawful- or good-aligned character. Or for an evil character looking to become the one doing the extortion.
One side quest which, again, isn't important but one of which Jaheria would disapprove--getting the bear skin for that dwarf's lucky boots. There is no way she would stand there and let you do that, especially when he can just use any other set of boots.
I need to double-check the completion portion of some quests--I returned the drow runaways but it was still listed as active in the journal.
I concur with your assessment--the look and gameplay for SoD still hold value and replayability.
On a more general, meta-gameplay question, would an evil Bhaalspawn actually care about the Crusade at all? Defeat the bad guy from BGEE, "save" the Sword Coast, get invited to the Silvershield estate, then when presented with the threat of the Crusade an evil player could say "not my problem" and leave town.
And yeah, not just evil. I think it would be maybe to imagine a neutral or even some goods saying “not my problem”!
At many places, the game allows you to choose why you are on this quest.
That's a good point.