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Classic to EE comparison questions

KnellerKneller Member Posts: 438
I was fooling around with BGEE at a friend's and like a lot of the aesthetic changes. Even after 20 years, I'm still doing runs with this game. As is, I run it with Tutu, the fixpacks and a couple other minor mods. However, I'm debating throwing down when the whole set goes on sale to have it for my next runs. Some of the things working in its favor are:

1) Siege of Dragonspear. If only for MOAR CONTENT. I hear it also links the story between BG1 to BG2 which would make a saga run nice for the sake of continuity.

2) The look. It just looks a lot cleaner to me.

3) Being able to just play through the series. Even with Tutu, I find I'm tweaking little things here and there every run. I feel like with EE, I could create a BGEE character and just keep running it through a consistent game.

Points against:

1) Siege of Dragonspear. I've read a bit about it and have read some mixed reviews. A significant number of players were a little lukewarm on the content. I'm not sure what to make of it. If it's rubbish, I'd rather save the $20 and fill in the gaps with my imagination.

2) A softer version? I've read that it was confirmed that Sarevok's HP was halved for the original. To the point. It's possible to build a character than can just 1HK him. I like the challenge level where it's at and am wary of the changes that might have happened in this regard. Has anything else mechanical been nerfed or changed?

3) Gay pride, or possibly a lack thereof. Let me start by saying that I'm all for evolving past the heteronormativity of the fantasy genre, as long as it's done well. I know the the EE editions do this, and I don't have a problem with that, but I've also read a lot that has said that it just wasn't organic to the game and not done terribly well. BG Classic, even with it's debatably anachronistic perspective on human relationships, still retains a certain verisimilitude. I'm cool with adding new content, but if it doesn't work, I'd rather stick with what works. I'd appreciate some input from the actual LGBT community here. It's EE still Ghostbusters (1984) or is it more like Ghostbusters (2016)?

4) EEKeeper. Not necessarily a point against, but I want to be able to edit a character to be a Cleric/Wild mage. I can do it with SK and classic, but it's a bit of a process. Can this be done with EEkeeper?
Post edited by Kneller on

Comments

  • deltagodeltago Member Posts: 7,811
    edited September 2018
    Kneller said:
    1) Siege of Dragonspear. I've read a bit about it and have read some mixed reviews. A significant number of players were a little lukewarm on the content. I'm not sure what to make of it. If it's rubbish, I'd rather save the $20 and fill in the gaps with my imagination.


    Honest reviews, IMO give it a 7/10

    The encounters, dungeons, different minor quest paths, and character banter (Original(!!) Voice Actors) were above par, close to superb. The loot was unique and not overpowering.

    It's weaknesses are linear story (think ToB), character dialog choices, and a subpar main story (which maybe unfair as we're comparing it to BG1 & BG2) hold it back. This recent review is a good read, however, it mat contain spoilers. https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/71541/my-sod-review#latest

    I am also go add in here another overlooked gem with the EEs - The Black Pits, a completely different adventure more in line with IWD that highlights the engines combat mechanics. Basically you are a group of people kidnapped to fight in a gladiator pit. Mark Meer (Captain Shepard) provides the voice acting to a lovable villain. Its another 3-5 hours of gameplay and allows a player to try out new characters prior to committing them to a full run of the original trilogy.

    2) A softer version? I've read that it was confirmed that Sarevok's HP was halved for the original. To the point. It's possible to build a character than can just 1HK him. I like the challenge level where it's at and am wary of the changes that might have happened in this regard. Has anything else mechanical been nerfed or changed?

    I am not sure about Sarevok's HP, but the game is made easier with kits. Which there are new ones - Shaman, Shadowdancer, Dragon Disciple, Dwarven Defender, Sun Soul & Dark Moon Monk, Blackguard, and Priests of Tyr and Tempus.

    Not to mention new spells that were present in BG2 but not in BG1 make some fights easier.

    There are increased difficulty ranges including Legacy of Bhaal that takes the old Insane difficulty and adds more HP, Improved Thaco & saving throws and more attacks per round. The SCS mod also works with EE increasing its difficulty there.

    A lot of loop holes and exploits have been covered up as well. I think a lot of people find it easier though because they've played it so many times before that they know the ins and outs of combat better.

    3) Gay pride, or possibly a lack thereof. Let me start by saying that I'm all for evolving past the heteronormativity of the fantasy genre, as long as it's done well. I know the the EE editions do this, and I don't have a problem with that, but I've also read a lot that has said that it just wasn't organic to the game and not done terribly well. BG Classic, even with it's debatably anachronistic perspective on human relationships, still retains a certain verisimilitude. I'm cool with adding new content, but if it doesn't work, I'd rather stick with what works. I'd appreciate some input from the actual LGBT community here. It's EE still Ghostbusters (1984) or is it more like Ghostbusters (2016)?

    Not as bad as Dragon Age 2. I personally found nothing wrong with the new romances. There is one character who could have been written better to feel more organic. It wasn't the writers fault for this, but the restrictions placed upon them didn't allow them to flesh the character out properly. That character is extremely minor in the grand scheme of things.

    Each person has their own definition of organic however and only you can answer this question after playing the game and really shouldn't be debated.


    4) EEKeeper. Not necessarily a point against, but I want to be able to edit a character to be a Cleric/Wild mage. I can do it with SK and classic, but it's a bit of a process. Can this be done with EEkeeper?

    Yes you can. I don't think it is a process anymore, although it's best to ask the very active EE modding community.


    TL;DR? Wait for a sale of at least 50% of your store of choice before purchasing. IMO, all the EE games have been worth their full price but getting it at a bargain now would not give anyone buyers remorse. Hope this helps.
    Grond0StefanO
  • sarevok57sarevok57 Member Posts: 5,975
    CamDawg said:

    Kneller said:

    2) A softer version? I've read that it was confirmed that Sarevok's HP was halved for the original. To the point. It's possible to build a character than can just 1HK him. I like the challenge level where it's at and am wary of the changes that might have happened in this regard. Has anything else mechanical been nerfed or changed?

    Confirmed, but misinterpreted. Sarevok had 285 HP in the original, but once he dropped below 150 HP he was scripted to fire a dialogue and die. BGEE simply changes him to 135 HP (the same amount you have to knock off in BG) and fires the same dialogue. Some fixes may result in an more or less difficult game, but I can't think of anywhere we've made it easier by design.

    There are structural changes that make the game easier but they're not different than what you're already seeing in a Tutu game, e.g. kits.
    you can use EE keeper to give Sarevok more HP if you want :)
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    1) Personally, I find SoD to have the best story in the series. The villain is interesting and acts like a mirror to charname (Much like Sarevok in BG1, but of a different flavor). The tone and themes are rock solid in line with the rest of the series as well. I highly recommend it.

    2) Some of the kits and spells ported from BG2 can make the game a bit easier (it also helps that a lot of us have been playing for over a decade, so we know it ina nd out), but nothing was done to the game to make it easier. No enemies were nerfed or anything like that.

    3) Nothing really stood out to me. The character that was the main source of the "controversy" I hadn't even noticed on my first playthrough.

    4) I never used ShadowKeeper back in the day, but EEKeeper is super easy to use.
    Grond0
  • KnellerKneller Member Posts: 438
    Ok, I think I'm pretty much sold at this point. I'd been fiddling around a little with my friend's copy of BGEE and like what I've seen so far.

    How does porting/carrying over to each game work? Is it the same as classic where it uploads from a character file or save (and does it make any difference which?). Or do the installs recognize each other and it all happens automatically.

    Also, where can I get some help with EEKeeper? I was trying to toy with it and had a thread going on the BGEE board about an issue with it (it crashes whenever I try loading a save into EEKeeper for editing), but the solutions kinda died out there.
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    @Kneller Character transfer from game to game work the same way as vanilla BG. As for the EEKeeper error, have you tried posting your question in the EEKeeper thread?
  • KnellerKneller Member Posts: 438
    @ThacoBell ...lol "Thacobell" And where would I find the thread? Thanks.
    ThacoBell
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    Why, right here
  • deltagodeltago Member Posts: 7,811
    ThacoBell said:

    Kneller Character transfer from game to game work the same way as vanilla BG. As for the EEKeeper error, have you tried posting your question in the EEKeeper thread?

    Except from BG to SoD, that will happen right after you kill Saravok.
    ThacoBellelminster
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