I agree it is more consistent with BG1, but personally I preferred the BG2 model. To me it was more impressive and imposing. Makes him stand out more imo.
Sick screenshots and music samples, I can't wait for the release!
I too prefer Tazok's original BG2 look. I don't think it was inconsistent with the BG1 look, either. I always figured with the resources at Firkraag's fingertips, his master has made him bigger and more badass.
His placement in Firkraag's dungeon is random enough, also altering his appearance to something else even further makes it stand out as something misplaced. Changing it to the original looks good to me (especially since he's the only one with that model in BG2, iirc)
I prefer the old BG2 model, NPCs are supposed to change armor too and that model looks more imposing. Which makes me wonder what happened to Sarevok's armor and helmet? It would be nice if he could acquire them in TOB even if that meant that he could only use his sword due to animation restrictions
I can see an improvement since promoting BG:EE, Overhaul. And as result, I was pleasantly surprised at this news. Generally, I like what I saw and heard there.
Some specifics I am concerned about: - Tazok. I think he should have his BG2 model, since giving him plain half-ogre animation takes away from his characterization. For me, he seems to be less recognizeable of a character. - Second. That one strange area (screen32.jpg). Strange colours, mushrooms, some strange graphical effects + wild surge... I feel high watching this. I know this is probably intentional, though.
Overall, I am pleased.
"Excellent!" - Charles Montgomery Burns/Lee Chaolan
it can be uncomfortable to read if it was just an aesthetic choice it would be fine. but in a game with so much text I don't want to be reading in such a situation I don't think its to much to ask for an option to have a black background to the box.
if this half/transparent text box (that i really like aesthetic-wise) becomes an issue i would be grateful if transparency becomes one of the options in graphic options screen.
on the other note i think it bears considering making all the changes in UI optional, since the graphic options screen has enough space as it is, and we are really talking a lot about preferences here.
Giving Tazok (and other NPCs) portraits would be very nice, as well as helping with recognization issues
If you have NearInfinity (and maybe 'Keeper, unsure), you can mod portraits in for any NPC. I usually give them to Sarevok, Tamoko, Angelo and a few other major villains in BG1.
@Basillicum: I use the PaintBG portrait mod, so I tend to use the various non-NPC portraits done by the same artist (artastrophe.deviantart.com) to represent whichever characters I think they fit (because maintaining some kind of stylistic unity is important to me). But she has a very distinctive style that certainly isn't for everyone. A lot of the characters might end up looking too young or attractive for some.
My advice would just be to look in the various portrait/picture threads around the forum, or scour the internet, and then just crop and re-size them. You'll only really need the smallest size, since the only place you'll see the portraits is during dialogue.
I wouldn't mind if they could commission official portraits for a handful of the more notable NPC's in Baldur's Gate like Sarevok and his henchmen or people like Drizzt etc.
I'd like to know; giving non-joinable NPC portraits by default, it is off-contract for EE game? I love mods but maybe this featured dialogue portraits could be official.
BG2 (SoA and ToB) gives portraits to the prominent villains as well as joinable NPCs. But that is about it.
On that note, is it possible to easily replace those official portraits of non-joinable NPCs, similarly like we can do with NPC ones, by dropping appropriately named pics on the 'override' folder? I never liked Bohdi's portrait, and actively disliked all the ones from ToB, and would like to be able to switch them for different ones without installing mods.
I think what SHOULD have happened was that Tazok should have been given his BG2 sprite in BGEE, to differentiate him from the much weaker unnamed half-ogres. The bandits talk about him like he's the Slayer incarnate, and he certainly can take and dish out a beating if he tries to kill you at the bandit camp. He deserves a unique appearance.
On that note, is it possible to easily replace those official portraits of non-joinable NPCs, similarly like we can do with NPC ones, by dropping appropriately named pics on the 'override' folder? I never liked Bohdi's portrait, and actively disliked all the ones from ToB, and would like to be able to switch them for different ones without installing mods.
Comments
I too prefer Tazok's original BG2 look. I don't think it was inconsistent with the BG1 look, either. I always figured with the resources at Firkraag's fingertips, his master has made him bigger and more badass.
Some specifics I am concerned about:
- Tazok. I think he should have his BG2 model, since giving him plain half-ogre animation takes away from his characterization. For me, he seems to be less recognizeable of a character.
- Second. That one strange area (screen32.jpg). Strange colours, mushrooms, some strange graphical effects + wild surge... I feel high watching this. I know this is probably intentional, though.
Overall, I am pleased.
"Excellent!"
- Charles Montgomery Burns/Lee Chaolan
I like the new area art and the new music is really good
is the text box always translucent or will we be able to make it opaque I'm not fond of reading on translucent panels like that
I must say im looking forward to getting my hands on this now
it can be uncomfortable to read if it was just an aesthetic choice it would be fine. but in a game with so much text I don't want to be reading in such a situation I don't think its to much to ask for an option to have a black background to the box.
on the other note i think it bears considering making all the changes in UI optional, since the graphic options screen has enough space as it is, and we are really talking a lot about preferences here.
I think I might do the same.
My advice would just be to look in the various portrait/picture threads around the forum, or scour the internet, and then just crop and re-size them. You'll only really need the smallest size, since the only place you'll see the portraits is during dialogue.