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Why Are There So Many Updates And When Are They Going To Stop?


So a bit of background first off. I didn't have a working PC when Beamdog released the EE and finally bought the 1.3 versions and still play them.

So it's a simple question, why when those versions were stable (as far as I can tell, they work well and I have managed to install mods), are there so many updates.
What's the point?
There have been so many threads/questions about bugs and always the answer is "write a bug report and post it here". But it's like they are neverending, more and more issues being raised everytime there's an update.

Also, why so many changes?
Who asked for the games to be made uniform with exploits and quirkyness eliminated.

If it doesn't crash, is it so important that everything works exactly the way it's described. So you end up with people trying to answer a question posted here and the constant refrain is "what version are you using" and "oh that was changed in version 3.14159" and "will this or that mod work with this or that version".

Seriously what's the point?
Wouldn't it be better if everybody was on the same page and enjoying the games rather than wondering if the next version was going to be bigger and better or smaller and worse?

Comments

  • Abi_DalzimAbi_Dalzim Member Posts: 1,428
    I haven't noticed crashes or any weird bugs, but every time they update, it screws with all of my mods, and I'm forced to reinstall them. And from what I can tell, Steam won't let me not update the game. So really, I'm more than ready to have them stop so I can just play my game in peace.
    BelgarathMTH
  • RaduzielRaduziel Member Posts: 4,714

    I haven't noticed crashes or any weird bugs, but every time they update, it screws with all of my mods, and I'm forced to reinstall them. And from what I can tell, Steam won't let me not update the game. So really, I'm more than ready to have them stop so I can just play my game in peace.

    With Beamdog's absurdly long patching cycle that really shouldn't be a problem.
    FlashburnBalrog99ThacoBellDrakeICN
  • UnderstandMouseMagicUnderstandMouseMagic Member Posts: 2,147
    lefreut said:

    Seriously what's the point?
    Wouldn't it be better if everybody was on the same page and enjoying the games rather than wondering if the next version was going to be bigger and better or smaller and worse?

    I see the Enhanced Edition as a way to finally get a bug free Baldurs gate. So for me it's the opposite, I hope that they release more patches more often :)

    I haven't noticed crashes or any weird bugs, but every time they update, it screws with all of my mods, and I'm forced to reinstall them. And from what I can tell, Steam won't let me not update the game. So really, I'm more than ready to have them stop so I can just play my game in peace.

    Copy the folder and install the mod in the copy so Steam updates won't screw up everything.

    When you say a "bug free Baldur's Gate" what exactly do you mean?
    What are these bugs that are causing so many problems?

    I don't disbelieve you, but where are they?
    The only issue I have had is with Rasaad, Hexaat and Neera quests, which is new content. Which begs the question as to why old content is being parcelled as being problamatic and in need of fixing when it was new content that was bad.

    As I said in the OP, my 1.3 versions don't seem to give me any problems.
    My BG game is the one I downloaded from GOG years ago.

    My BG2 1.3 was messed up with mods, but I don't think it was the game. And now I've rebought and downloaded the 1.3 from Steam and it's working fine, (Beamdog have had double money from me for them as well).

    And I will admit, part of my irritation with the updates is not being able to reobtain a copy of the game I bought from GOG.
    That's not right is it?
    You buy something and are not allowed to have it replaced as you bought it.
  • ChroniclerChronicler Member Posts: 1,391
    http://baldursgate.wikia.com/wiki/Release_Notes

    It's literally been two years between this patch and the last. There's no way you're being as inconvenienced as all that.
    ThacoBellredline
  • Ludwig_IILudwig_II Member Posts: 369
    edited August 2018
    I'm happy with the new patches, I think each one brings the game closer to perfection. And I appreciate all the bug fixes and improvements.

    When I played v1.3, I thought it was in a near-perfect state too. I was hesitant to even try v2.3. Then I played v2.3 and I realized that v2.3 is actually so much better that I'll never even think about going back to v1.3. Now I'm confident that v2.5 will be in an even better state.

    The only downside is for the modders, as mentioned. It makes the modders' life harder. And I appreciate all their effort to keep the mods up to date too. It's a big effort from the community
    Post edited by Ludwig_II on
    StummvonBordwehrGusindaThacoBell
  • Grond0Grond0 Member Posts: 7,305
    I think it largely depends on what you view as a bug. Beamdog have fixed many things where it was questionable whether they needed fixing - if a spell operated differently from its description for instance was it right to change the spell or the spell description?

    Overall I think it is right to have a continuing process whereby users can flag up issues and have a chance for those to be amended, but I can understand why some people would prefer stability.
  • lefreutlefreut Member Posts: 1,462

    When you say a "bug free Baldur's Gate" what exactly do you mean?
    What are these bugs that are causing so many problems?

    I don't disbelieve you, but where are they?
    The only issue I have had is with Rasaad, Hexaat and Neera quests, which is new content. Which begs the question as to why old content is being parcelled as being problamatic and in need of fixing when it was new content that was bad.

    As I said in the OP, my 1.3 versions don't seem to give me any problems.

    Baldurs gate is a huge game with a lot of possible interaction. The fact that you don't have any problems does not mean that the game is bug free. Other players can hit bugs or crashes (because they use different classes, races, items or even hardware).

    If you look at the V2.0 release notes, you'll see a lot of crash fixes. Here are a few examples:

    * Dual-Classing a Berserker into a Mage no longer crashes the game or produces a blank spellbook
    * Logging out at Character Arbitration will no longer crash the game
    * The game will no longer crash when creating a full party in ToB
    * BG:EE Tutorial will no longer crash just before Belt Teleports you to your final test/battle
    * The game will no longer crash when traveling to Adoy’s enclave
    * Game will no longer crash when loading a save where an injured enemy is leaving the area

    And I will admit, part of my irritation with the updates is not being able to reobtain a copy of the game I bought from GOG.
    That's not right is it?
    You buy something and are not allowed to have it replaced as you bought it.

    You bought BG:EE not BG:EE 1.3. It's normal that if you download the game today, you get the latest version. Most (all?) the games I have on GoG or Steam only let you download the current version and not any version you want.
    ThacoBell
  • Balrog99Balrog99 Member Posts: 7,367
    edited August 2018
    I know this isn't the correct place to report a bug but I don't want to report it if its already known. Has the bug with creating a specialist mage in TOB causing a crash if there isn't a spell of the specialist's school to be selected been reported? For example, you can't create an enchanter because of the limited number of high-level enchantment spells...
  • lefreutlefreut Member Posts: 1,462
    @Balrog99 it was reported here and it's fixed in 2.5 :)
    ChroniclerBalrog99
  • RadonGOGRadonGOG Member Posts: 17
    GOG lets you backup the installers. You should do that if you want to keep a special build forever.
    On top of that, it sounds like you use GOGGalaxy, the autoupdate-allInOneStoreApp GOG offers. It got an easy way to disable the autoupdates at all in general. On top of that, GOGGalaxy got rollback to earlier patch states. But as BGEE 1.3 is older then Galaxy, the oldest one you can rollback to is Patch 2.1.63.2, which is already years old.

    Concerning your general question, well, they receive patches because there was and is still much work to do. Crashes and making modding easier was already mentioned. But it looks like 2.5 will be one of that last patches that focuses on such stuff. Personally I do think the interface is one of the biggest problems right now and the thing that should be addressed in upcoming patches- You can read the stuff I´ve written on that topic over here:
    https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/71864/roadmap-for-userinterface-enhancements-for-bg-and-iwd

    Fake Signature
    Also known as CD Labs: Radon Project on other forums

    lefreutGrond0ThacoBell
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    Some spells were broken in 1.3 as well. One of which I am very fond of using. The spell "Luck" in 1.3 has the wonderful side effect of erasing all of the wepon proficiencies of the target. Permantely.
    RaduzielStummvonBordwehr
  • JoenSoJoenSo Member Posts: 910
    ThacoBell said:

    Some spells were broken in 1.3 as well. One of which I am very fond of using. The spell "Luck" in 1.3 has the wonderful side effect of erasing all of the wepon proficiencies of the target. Permantely.



    JuliusBorisovRaduzielThacoBellsarevok57
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    JoenSo said:

    ThacoBell said:

    Some spells were broken in 1.3 as well. One of which I am very fond of using. The spell "Luck" in 1.3 has the wonderful side effect of erasing all of the wepon proficiencies of the target. Permantely.



    Even better, "Brian" is reamrkably close to my real name.
    JoenSo
  • JoenSoJoenSo Member Posts: 910
    Are you telling me that Thac0 isn't your real name, mr. Bell?
    theonlypeejRaduzielThacoBell
  • semiticgoddesssemiticgoddess Member Posts: 14,903
    Is it Byron?
    JoenSoThacoBell
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    @sarevok57 This is my favorite comment today.
    sarevok57
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