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Will you buy IWD 2 if it uses the latest BG EE engine instead of the 3rd edition rules it came with?

Seeing that the source code for IWD 2 is also "lost". It should not be that difficult for Beamdog to extract the assets like they did for the other IE games, and make IWD 2 run with the latest BG EE engine?
  1. Will you buy IWD 2 if it uses the latest BG EE engine instead of the 3rd edition rules it came with?57 votes
    1. Definetly yes, more IWD areas to explore.
      66.67%
    2. Maybe, I will have to see how the move to 2'nd edition rules changes the game play first.
      26.32%
    3. Absolutely not, IWD 2 is a 3rd edition rules game and must stay 3'rd edition, even though this means that there never will be an EE version of IWD 2 then.
        7.02%

Comments

  • VitorVitor Member Posts: 288
    edited December 2018
    Sure. Also, 2nd Edition is much better than 3rd Edition.
    And Infinity Engine with 2nd Edition rules, in my opinion, is still the best system to play Computer RPGs.
    georgelappiesBaptor
  • georgelappiesgeorgelappies Member Posts: 179
    Vitor said:

    Sure. Also, 2nd Edition is much better than 3rd Edition.
    And Infinity Engine with 2nd Edition rules, in my opinion, is still the best system to play Computer RPGs.

    Yeah, I agree 100% with you. Even the newer isometric RPGs like PoE's combat system does not *feel* as awesome as the BG combat and rule system for me.
  • DhariusDharius Member Posts: 654
    edited December 2018
    I’d play it in whatever form they can produce, although I’dprefer it to stay as close the original v3.0 format it originally came with, out of principle.
    georgelappies
  • MeandreMeandre Member Posts: 38
    Maybe?
    For me, that decision wouldn't depend on the ruleset used (I like both), but rather on how much they'd improve the actual game - encounters, experience gain, areas, quests and so on.
    georgelappiesMateoFrozen
  • AaezilAaezil Member Posts: 178
    Why are you assuming you can easily port all assets from a heavily modified infinity engine to the ee infinity engine?
  • SirBatinceSirBatince Member Posts: 882
    edited December 2018
    I will buy it and play it whatever it's running on, I don't care.

    All I need for it is to run extremely smooth and loads ultra fast, unlike stock iwd2.

    on a side note, your idea is very likely not how this works at all.
  • georgelappiesgeorgelappies Member Posts: 179
    Aaezil said:

    Why are you assuming you can easily port all assets from a heavily modified infinity engine to the ee infinity engine?

    With assets I am referring to only the areas, sprites and sound + music files. This can easily be extracted using the BIF stripper tool.

    I am not referring to the game logic, hence the proposal to use the current BG EE 2.5.x engine.

    So it will be like playing IWD 2 inside of the IWD EE current engine. Only classes currently available for instance in BG EE / BG 2 EE / IWD will be available and items would have to be changed to make sense in the 2.5 rule set.
  • DaevelonDaevelon Member Posts: 605
    IWD 2 should stay AS-IS, if we talk about ruleset.
    It needs many improvements, bug fixes and expansions while not changing its core. A complete and enhanced version of IWD2 has the potential for being one of the best RPG ever.
    Aedangeorgelappies
  • Balrog99Balrog99 Member Posts: 7,367
    Yes but that would be a major overhaul...
    georgelappies
  • AaezilAaezil Member Posts: 178
    With that amount of work they should just make a whole new game in ee engine
    sarevok57
  • jsavingjsaving Member Posts: 1,083
    I thought Beamdog said it would be too difficult for them to produce IWD2 without the source code. Would be great if they were somehow wrong about that, though.

    As to the question, my guess is 95%+ of the people who liked IWD would buy IWD2EE no matter which edition it used. I'd prefer 3e but would definitely get IWD2EE either way.
    georgelappies
  • DJKajuruDJKajuru Member Posts: 3,300
    I would play it as a total conversion mod.
    georgelappies
  • O_BruceO_Bruce Member Posts: 2,790
    "Maybe" is the only valid option here for me. I would wait for the game being released and for reviews to come out before deciding. Like I believe every consument should.
    Daevelon
  • The user and all related content has been deleted.
    georgelappies
  • JhaerikJhaerik Member Posts: 21
    Ironically I just checked this section of the forum after seeing Icewind Dale EE listed as a steam recommendation upon purchasinf NWN EE. Personally I was never a fan of 2nd Edition as it offers zilch for customization outside of RP. I was actually checking to see if there were plans to release an EE for IWD 2 because it was the BI game I enjoyed the most due to the 3rd edition rule set.

    So no I would not buy a 2nd edition version.
    DaevelonAedan
  • IamdorfIamdorf Member Posts: 60
    Yes. Mostly because the EE has spoiled me. I tried to replay IWD 2 but had trouble adjusting to the changes now that I'm used to the first game.
    Baptor
  • HafirHafir Member Posts: 97
    Yes.
    Baptor
  • OldSkullOldSkull Member Posts: 6
    For me it would need to be balanced first. Many additions in IWD EE were overpowered or at least game was not adjusted for them. Only good is lack of HLAs. IWD2 was designed for its ruleset, so it better stay this way, but if I were to never see "proper" refresh, then I would probably buy even such imperfect 2ed EE version.
  • wavingbugwavingbug Member Posts: 59
    edited May 2021
    Yeah, I agree 100% with you. Even the newer isometric RPGs like PoE's combat system does not *feel* as awesome as the BG combat and rule system for me.

    I really like the rules of BG/IWD, but Pillars of Eternity has some really nice ideas too. They make roles more distinct in some aspects.
    I especially like the engagement system. Fighters can engage only up to 2 (or 3 if trained) targets in combat. They are kind of locked on to each other now and disengaging combat (changing your position, turning, running away) means attacks of opportunity for the enemies that are engaged currently. That means that you have to use crowd control for larger groups. Furthermore you have to be careful to pick up the right targets with your fighters and have a plan for those targets that flank you or you failed to engage. It is not so easy to just pick them up if you already have mobs on your tank, because it is harder to move/disengage then. That made fights and positioning more tactical.
    That's something I miss in BG because basically mobs either attack the nearest player or just lock on to a specific target (I have the feeling thats more the case in IWD).
    Also the tactical use of elements in Divinity Original Sin (summon rain to put out fire, or use lightning to hit all targets in a wet area) is really cool.
    Combining stuff like that with the class system of BG would be perfect! I did not look at BG3 now, but I hope they keep the class system and pick up on some of those ideas.
  • wavingbugwavingbug Member Posts: 59
    Daevelon wrote: »
    IWD 2 should stay AS-IS, if we talk about ruleset.
    It needs many improvements, bug fixes and expansions while not changing its core. A complete and enhanced version of IWD2 has the potential for being one of the best RPG ever.

    Is it even good? I was always reluctant to try it, because I heard it has almost no story, tedious areas that are too long and at some point resembles hack & slay games. What are the differences, aside from the different rules, between IWD and IWD2?
  • jsavingjsaving Member Posts: 1,083
    edited May 2021
    The way you describe IWD2 is pretty much what the devs said about IWD1 in post-release interviews: weak story, tedious areas, more of a hack-and-slash game than a choices-and-consequences RPG. I would argue IWD2 is the inferior game because it recycles so much from IWD1, but if you enjoyed IWD1 then you'd likely enjoy IWD2 as well.

    The main, but not only, difference between the two is that IWD2 uses a NWN-style 3rd edition D&D ruleset instead of BG's 2e-inspired ruleset. As such, IWD2 provides an interesting glimpse at what could have been if BioWare had continued working with WotC on Forgotten Realms products after BG2/IWD2. There are pros and cons to the ruleset change but it's worth playing IWD2 for yourself to see what you think.

    Also -- if you started reading this thread because of the poll, the last option is emotionally moving but factually incorrect. IWD2's 3e ruleset is not the reason there will never be an IWD2EE.
    Post edited by jsaving on
  • ThoriumThorium Member Posts: 36
    edited May 2021
    wavingbug wrote: »
    Is it even good? I was always reluctant to try it, because I heard it has almost no story, tedious areas that are too long and at some point resembles hack & slay games. What are the differences, aside from the different rules, between IWD and IWD2?

    I think IWD2 is quite enjoyable: I like the story (even though it is linear) and its connections to IWD1, the setting is nice, there are several nice music tracks and many areas look beautiful. But for sure there are also badly designed and buggy areas/puzzles in the game, which can be very frustrating without a walkthrough. I would say it is the biggest difference between the games since in IWD1 the game feels to flow forward all the time even in large dungeon areas.

    It might be good to add here that there is an upcoming fan-made IWD2:EE mod, which I am really looking forward to. One of the main points of that mod is to fix the bad parts of original IWD2. The mod has also a thread here at Beamdog forums: https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/79872/icewind-dale-2-enhanced-edition-is-here-and-the-red-chimera-group-is-looking-for-playtesters/p1
  • wavingbugwavingbug Member Posts: 59
    edited June 2021
    I am reluctand to be honest. I know that Icewind Dale is more combat oriented by design compared to Baldur's Gate, but I sometimes get tired of the endless dungeon crawling of the first IWD. I read somewhere that IWD2 turns into a hack & slay at some point that is also way too long, with a story that practically does not exist or does not make much sense. With all I heard about it, probably only when I am really bored. I think I would turn to Neverwinter Nights instead. The rules are similar I think and I really liked it 1000 years ago.

    I actually started to play IWD2 this week and it is pretty good so far. And I have to say that I should have tried it out earlier. My impressions so far are nothing like I stated before. The story is engaging and the there is a wide variety of areas and enemies. I also have the impression that the combat is a little harder than it has been in IWD. Perhaps that has something to do with the new ruleset. It really took a while to get used to the character creation especially the approach in multiclassing which encourages careful planning but also offers really cool combinations if you do it right.

    I would definitely try IWD2 with 2nd edition rules although it probably would need some rebalancing here and there to keep its spirit. The combat feels a lot more difficult so far. You really have to lay out a plan for some encounters. Contrary to IWD where enemies were not a big thread aside from a few bosses.
    Post edited by wavingbug on
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