I'm looking forward to Adventure Y, but I'd very much love a brand new series of games, starting out at level one again. Maybe set in the Dalelands? (Though my preference would be Greyhawk, Wild Coast/City of Greyhawk area, but the Realms is probably more marketable.)
D&D by it's nature is modular. I'd be pleased as punch with a series of "modules": an awesome dungeon, a town, and some wilderness areas in each.
There's a new D&D game coming out fairly soonish but I'm not too excited about it. BG was great in part because it tried to be faithful to the PnP rules (at least it made a valiant effort).
I'd pay more than I will admit on a public forum for a ToB-sized expansion (even stand-alone), with the same ruleset & engine. (And the EE Infinity Engine is looking pretty snazzy these days IMO.)
Agreed with @Paladin and @Blucher while I am having fantastic time with Pillars of Eternity -- because of the brainy plot and attention to detail -- the new engine just isn't as much fun as the BG engine. PoE has stunning art, fantastic music and voice acting, engaging story and . . . so-so battles.
Trail finding in the utility engine is like IE 1.0, commands given to characters are forgotten and the sometimes my crappy laptop decides that it's had enough everything goes slowww. IE is better. For reals.
And the PoE rule set is too 'video gamey'. For some reason everyone has a ring of regeneration that puts their health back to normal. Classes are pretty much equal -- I miss my 2nd ed power-game wizard. I mean, really, I want to stop time and alter the nature of reality not blast people with a book. Most battles are over before they start. The big bad adra dragon boss is challenging but once you figure out the right strategy the battle takes 30 seconds. Not nearly as fun as Firkragg (sp?)
Don't get me wrong, PoE is a fantastic game -- buy PoE! Buy it for the engaging story, J.E. Sawyer's brains and the fantastic art. Still, it would have been better on the IE engine. Long live 2nd ed and the infinity engine!
It would be difficult these are niche games now. Personally I would love it but gotta remember baldurs gate were triple a games. Tinkering with a classic and making something without relying on nostalgia and that legacy and goodwill is totally different. It would need a fairly large budget for a start. The funding could be achieved via Kickstarter.
A sure sign of your good taste and discerning eye I happy to find a kindred spirit. More IE games please. As the Blucher says -- D&D is modular. You have the platform, now make modules.
It's criminal how little the infinity engine was used.
I personaly really wanted to see a planet hopping Sci Fi RPG with IE. Something akin to Farscape or similar to Knights of the Old Republic but alas I think it is not to be.
I would love to see a few more games use the engine before it is let go but if the team think they have something that will do the buisness then I will trust them.
I would be pretty happy with a transitionary side story between SoA and ToB thst involved plane hopping like the Planar Sphere and a big Watchers Keepesque dungeon set there. Cant imagine much else that would challenge the bhaalspawn.
I would be pretty happy with a transitionary side story between SoA and ToB thst involved plane hopping like the Planar Sphere and a big Watchers Keepesque dungeon set there. Cant imagine much else that would challenge the bhaalspawn.
I'd like a TOB interquel and/or TOB expansion. [*] And there have been some good ideas put forward for a "demigod takes on the gods" adventure -- but we don't need to go down that road to talk about a new IE game.
Why not a new adventure that takes place a few months after the Bhallspawn saga? A level one protagonist traveling form Amn, up the sword coast to Icewind Dale? New maps, old maps and a new story. On IE, not some five-years-down-the-road, expensive-machine-required engine?
There are some good things about the PoE engine -- I love sneaking / searching mode -- but the combat isn't very compelling. I kept wanting the battle get over and done with so I could read more of the story. That, and PoE it makes my computer run so hot that my coffee never gets cold. And I want cold coffee! That's how I know it is time to turn off the computer.
We know where the "time for a new engine" discussion lead us to: Dragon Age and NWN. And I could have done without those . . . PoE has done a fantastic job -- but the *engine* is kinda of a dog. Don't attack, run in a circle! Great, now run right into that spell someone just cast!
More IE please.
[*] whether or not I want beamdog to do it depends of the quality of Dragonspear / Adv Y.
My main concern with an entirely new infinity engine game is I think theyd be forced to adopt the latest DnD ruleset and setting. Im not sure what 5ed is like but it wouldn't feel like BG I suspect unless they fixed everything I heard went wrong in 4ed where they also tore apart Forgotten Realms. If they abandon DnD then its basically a new engine at that point. However i would likely buy it if they made something.
Personally I think resources need to be poured into the PoE combat system and engine to make it play more like an Infinity Engine 2.0. Im sure it could be done.
I need some official material to show first... like a trailer, and some art work. Plus im not sure the exact title i don't want to call it Dragonspear just yet.
In my opinion they should add 2 more paths to TOB that each have a unique ending. They keep TOB the way it is for contractual purposes and to keep the original intent of the original dev team. Then make up a second path that incorporates the ascension mod ending and a third path that is completely original. You could choose where you want to go at the glade with the stones and move on from there. Enough content could be added to make the game as large as or bigger than SOA and do it without inbalancing the game progression or altering the original design. It would make TOB=to BG3 without having to actually make a BG3 or try and continue the story after the original ending. I think this would allow the team to say that they made BG3 and fans would appreciate it without any problems regarding the original game being changed. It would also allow the trilogy to have a larger number of endings and endings that represent character decisions which is always a good thing.
In making it like a "choose your own adventure" The new paths might be longer than TOB and allow you to actually max out your characters to level 40 and they could be balanced appropriately with that in mind. That is what I have been hoping for since beamdog showed up on the scene and it seems like it's actually a possibility now. I hope that Adventure Y does well.
Uh, this is news to me, didn't know that IE+ is gonna get scrapped... kinda hoped for support of EE's (dlc, kits, patches) for all eternity;) I'd love to see IWD2:EE, but now it is just a dream again
Move away from the gummed-up coding mess that is the Infinity Engine, but for the love of Sune, keep making 3rd-person isometric RPGs with hand painted backgrounds! I'm hoping for a 5E game
Or instead of following the same trend, let them experiment. It is always intriguing how people dislike change. I remember how people complained about Dragon Commander and how it wasn't just another rpg like the divinity games that came before it
The problem with the "follow the trend" argument is that 2d isometric is bucking the trend. The trend is 3D shooter view. And if you like that then Skyrim is your game.
The problems with the "dislike of change" argument are
1. 'change' can sometimes be an argument for monoculture. Starbucks replacing your local coffee shop is 'change' but it is move towards trendiness, not away from it.
2. It would make a lot more sense if this were 1998. This a restoration of something wiped away by monoculture -- for a long time all games looked like NWN / World of Warcraft. Multiplayer, multiple camera games that all looked and played the same. I don't see innovation on offer -- I see a possibility of moving towards another type of same ol'
3. 'Change' can mean big machine required games. My next computer will be just like this one. A cheap, used, piece of perfection that loads webpages and word processing programs. And if it also plays games, that's just great. If I can get all of that for 200 dollars why would I want to shell out an extra 1,000 dollars for a gaming machine?
4. Origin. The Ultima series was great but the devs decided to innovate -- to make a joystick required Ultima, to make one of the first shooter-view RPGs. Truly innovative but not much fun. And then they stuck the Ultima label on games that had absolutely nothing to do the with the Avatar story. I give Lord British (whatever his real name is) loads of credit for innovating -- that guy really did embrace change -- but his innovations destroyed the Ultima name and I would have preferred another strategic-view Ultima game to those innovations.
I'd be happiest if the devs channeled their creative energies into NPCs, stories and the like. I don't want see an innovative way to bind a book together, I want to see this a new book. Moar words please.
The problem with the first argument you gave is, trends aren't just what's is popular to the masses, but popular to a series as well.
For example, BG 1-2 are 2d isometric, and if a BG 3 was made following the same formula, they are still following the trend expected of the series.
Another example is Divine divinity by larian studios. They dropped divine divinity which was a rpg, soon after came the following up, beyond divinity still a rpg. Then they dropped divinity 3 which was more hack and slash action rpg. Then they went and broke the trend of their title and released Divinity Dragon Commander.
This game was a hybrid rts, TBS, political sim at best. The closest this game came to rpg is actually making decisions that affect your empire. Some people, including myself, loved it. Some people hated it and moaned that they didn't just make it another rpg.
Then original sins drop, they pulled it back to a rpg but now it was isometric. They let the series evovle and change.
Also, I disagree 2d isometric isn't bucking the trend when 2d isometric itself IS a trend. Just like there's a trend for 3d first person shooters, or or isometric games all together.
As far as the last bit, change isn't perfect, nothing is perfect. Remaining the same isn't perfect either. It's stagnate at best you mentioned TES, I like TES, but TES has been stagnant for me since I played Oblivion. Similar to BG actually, I love BG, but went months without playing it because from BG to BG2, the game remained stagnant.
A great story is great to a game, but gameplay is more important in a videogame then actual story. Most people would play a game with fun gameplay and a horrible story over a game with a amazing story and god awful gameplay.
But anyways, whatever the company does next, I wish them best of luck in their endeavours.
Well said. Not that I'm agreeing, but well said My feelings differ. I liked PoE because of the amazing story and interesting NPCs, the story allowed me to look past the the combat system -- which was rubbish. Okay, not rubbish but not half as good as IE.
That I win Euro Millions (A large lottery here in Europe) and end up with tens of millions of pounds/euros/dollars and so little ambition that I turn to my oldest, noblest loves....
So I assemble the best-est most talented, most jaw-droppingly creative team of game designers and task them to come up with a new BG/BG2 game. Not to make money, but just for my own personal enjoyment! And every little thing that makes me chuckle and smile and beam when i play BG will be in the new game, and it will be based upon 1st/2nd edition AD&D, just like BG was. And I will make sure all those things I wished were in BG are in the new game....
And I keep the team assembled after they've finished the game just to provide me with expansion packs when I want them!
And of course, being the benevolent sort, I will make the game available to others (I havn't decided yet whether to make a small charge for this).
Anyway, I will let you know when my numbers come in!
Comments
What about now?
I'm looking forward to Adventure Y, but I'd very much love a brand new series of games, starting out at level one again. Maybe set in the Dalelands? (Though my preference would be Greyhawk, Wild Coast/City of Greyhawk area, but the Realms is probably more marketable.)
D&D by it's nature is modular. I'd be pleased as punch with a series of "modules": an awesome dungeon, a town, and some wilderness areas in each.
There's a new D&D game coming out fairly soonish but I'm not too excited about it. BG was great in part because it tried to be faithful to the PnP rules (at least it made a valiant effort).
I'd pay more than I will admit on a public forum for a ToB-sized expansion (even stand-alone), with the same ruleset & engine. (And the EE Infinity Engine is looking pretty snazzy these days IMO.)
Trail finding in the utility engine is like IE 1.0, commands given to characters are forgotten and the sometimes my crappy laptop decides that it's had enough everything goes slowww. IE is better. For reals.
And the PoE rule set is too 'video gamey'. For some reason everyone has a ring of regeneration that puts their health back to normal. Classes are pretty much equal -- I miss my 2nd ed power-game wizard. I mean, really, I want to stop time and alter the nature of reality not blast people with a book. Most battles are over before they start. The big bad adra dragon boss is challenging but once you figure out the right strategy the battle takes 30 seconds. Not nearly as fun as Firkragg (sp?)
Don't get me wrong, PoE is a fantastic game -- buy PoE! Buy it for the engaging story, J.E. Sawyer's brains and the fantastic art. Still, it would have been better on the IE engine. Long live 2nd ed and the infinity engine!
I personaly really wanted to see a planet hopping Sci Fi RPG with IE. Something akin to Farscape or similar to Knights of the Old Republic but alas I think it is not to be.
I would love to see a few more games use the engine before it is let go but if the team think they have something that will do the buisness then I will trust them.
Why not a new adventure that takes place a few months after the Bhallspawn saga? A level one protagonist traveling form Amn, up the sword coast to Icewind Dale? New maps, old maps and a new story. On IE, not some five-years-down-the-road, expensive-machine-required engine?
There are some good things about the PoE engine -- I love sneaking / searching mode -- but the combat isn't very compelling. I kept wanting the battle get over and done with so I could read more of the story. That, and PoE it makes my computer run so hot that my coffee never gets cold. And I want cold coffee! That's how I know it is time to turn off the computer.
We know where the "time for a new engine" discussion lead us to: Dragon Age and NWN. And I could have done without those . . . PoE has done a fantastic job -- but the *engine* is kinda of a dog. Don't attack, run in a circle! Great, now run right into that spell someone just cast!
More IE please.
[*] whether or not I want beamdog to do it depends of the quality of Dragonspear / Adv Y.
Personally I think resources need to be poured into the PoE combat system and engine to make it play more like an Infinity Engine 2.0. Im sure it could be done.
In making it like a "choose your own adventure" The new paths might be longer than TOB and allow you to actually max out your characters to level 40 and they could be balanced appropriately with that in mind. That is what I have been hoping for since beamdog showed up on the scene and it seems like it's actually a possibility now. I hope that Adventure Y does well.
Just to name a few locations: Sembia, tethyr (calimshan), thay, cormyr, waterdeep, sea of fallen stars
The problems with the "dislike of change" argument are
1. 'change' can sometimes be an argument for monoculture. Starbucks replacing your local coffee shop is 'change' but it is move towards trendiness, not away from it.
2. It would make a lot more sense if this were 1998. This a restoration of something wiped away by monoculture -- for a long time all games looked like NWN / World of Warcraft. Multiplayer, multiple camera games that all looked and played the same. I don't see innovation on offer -- I see a possibility of moving towards another type of same ol'
3. 'Change' can mean big machine required games. My next computer will be just like this one. A cheap, used, piece of perfection that loads webpages and word processing programs. And if it also plays games, that's just great. If I can get all of that for 200 dollars why would I want to shell out an extra 1,000 dollars for a gaming machine?
4. Origin. The Ultima series was great but the devs decided to innovate -- to make a joystick required Ultima, to make one of the first shooter-view RPGs. Truly innovative but not much fun. And then they stuck the Ultima label on games that had absolutely nothing to do the with the Avatar story. I give Lord British (whatever his real name is) loads of credit for innovating -- that guy really did embrace change -- but his innovations destroyed the Ultima name and I would have preferred another strategic-view Ultima game to those innovations.
I'd be happiest if the devs channeled their creative energies into NPCs, stories and the like. I don't want see an innovative way to bind a book together, I want to see this a new book. Moar words please.
For example, BG 1-2 are 2d isometric, and if a BG 3 was made following the same formula, they are still following the trend expected of the series.
Another example is Divine divinity by larian studios. They dropped divine divinity which was a rpg, soon after came the following up, beyond divinity still a rpg. Then they dropped divinity 3 which was more hack and slash action rpg. Then they went and broke the trend of their title and released Divinity Dragon Commander.
This game was a hybrid rts, TBS, political sim at best. The closest this game came to rpg is actually making decisions that affect your empire. Some people, including myself, loved it. Some people hated it and moaned that they didn't just make it another rpg.
Then original sins drop, they pulled it back to a rpg but now it was isometric. They let the series evovle and change.
Also, I disagree 2d isometric isn't bucking the trend when 2d isometric itself IS a trend. Just like there's a trend for 3d first person shooters, or or isometric games all together.
As far as the last bit, change isn't perfect, nothing is perfect. Remaining the same isn't perfect either. It's stagnate at best you mentioned TES, I like TES, but TES has been stagnant for me since I played Oblivion. Similar to BG actually, I love BG, but went months without playing it because from BG to BG2, the game remained stagnant.
A great story is great to a game, but gameplay is more important in a videogame then actual story. Most people would play a game with fun gameplay and a horrible story over a game with a amazing story and god awful gameplay.
But anyways, whatever the company does next, I wish them best of luck in their endeavours.
That I win Euro Millions (A large lottery here in Europe) and end up with tens of millions of pounds/euros/dollars and so little ambition that I turn to my oldest, noblest loves....
So I assemble the best-est most talented, most jaw-droppingly creative team of game designers and task them to come up with a new BG/BG2 game. Not to make money, but just for my own personal enjoyment! And every little thing that makes me chuckle and smile and beam when i play BG will be in the new game, and it will be based upon 1st/2nd edition AD&D, just like BG was. And I will make sure all those things I wished were in BG are in the new game....
And I keep the team assembled after they've finished the game just to provide me with expansion packs when I want them!
And of course, being the benevolent sort, I will make the game available to others (I havn't decided yet whether to make a small charge for this).
Anyway, I will let you know when my numbers come in!
If your going to dream, you might as well dream big!