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Collection of user-friendly Walkthroughs and FAQs

So...

Some time ago, I took an interest in learning how to properly play this game, rather than just cheating my way through it; all joking aside, pressing ctrl-y to kill all your enemies gets old really quickly after the 100th time doing it. To begin my education, I figured I'd drop by GameFAQs and see if anyone had made a Walkthrough for either game's Enhanced Edition. Until a while ago there was only one for each - both written by a user called "Haeravon". You can find them at these addresses:
BGEE: http://www.gamefaqs.com/pc/663933-baldurs-gate-enhanced-edition/faqs/66126
BGIIEE: http://www.gamefaqs.com/pc/663934-baldurs-gate-ii-enhanced-edition/faqs/68513

After much reading and ctrl + f searching, I think my reaction can safely be surmised in the picture below.

image

While this was originally going to be a rant-thread, I have decided to do otherwise. Since the guides linked are so user-unfriendly, how about we instead track down guides, walkthroughs and FAQs for the series, EE and otherwise, and link to them in this thread? I know people could just search for decent walkthroughs if they really wanted to find them, but Google searching is a double-edged sword and I think a list of references makes a good place to start.
jackjack
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Comments

  • BillyYankBillyYank Member Posts: 2,768
    I like Dudleyville, but it doesn't have any EE content.
    http://www.forgottenwars.com/bg1/

    I used Haeravon's IWDEE walkthrough as a checklist and one of the things I liked about it was that it was written for his bizarre playing style. That way, even if I accidentally read ahead, his advice was mostly useless and I still had to figure it out for myself. Though I have to admit, I did enjoy "invisosmite" once I was high enough level.
    MacHurtojackjack
  • DragonspearDragonspear Member Posts: 1,838
    I remember loving DSimpsons guides for numerous games when I was younger.
    ArdulJuliusBorisov
  • dunbardunbar Member Posts: 1,603
    In extremis I use Montresor's walkthrough at Sorcerers Place (sorcerers.net).
    jackjack
  • The user and all related content has been deleted.
    semiticgoddess
  • shawneshawne Member Posts: 3,239
    Gamebanshee has a thorough and pleasantly-written walkthrough for BG:EE, but nothing for BG2:EE.
    MacHurto
  • Jaheiras_WitnessJaheiras_Witness Member Posts: 614
    Always wanted to write one or do a Let's Play but it's the time commitment.

    If I do write one it will be from a solo perspective and probably only tactics for some of the tougher fights. Even then classes play so differently that it's tough to cover the bases. And then do I cover vanilla fights or SCS versions? So many considerations...

    A Let's Play guide would be more fun to do cos there are still so few good ones. Tord's (mynameisnotlilly) by far the best out there from a roleplaying perspective. Think I would do it from a gameplay perspective rather than roleplay.
    JustLeft
  • elminsterelminster Member, Developer Posts: 16,315
    edited October 2015
    I actually started writing a walkthrough as a Steam guide about a year and a half ago but I think I only got to around 4-5 maps. Its more work than you think (especially in this case since I was covering pretty much everything on a map and relooking over everything again myself to correct other walkthroughs mistakes/BGEE changes).
    JuliusBorisovjackjack
  • semiticgoddesssemiticgoddess Member Posts: 14,903
    I think it was 5 FMCs and 1 FMT, not 5 FMTs and 1 FMC. Either way, it's a very narrow way of playing the game.

    I was amused to hear that his strategy for Heart of Fury mode was to play through the entire game 6 times until your entire party is maxed out at level 30/30/30 and everyone has all the best gear. Apparently all you have to do to beat HoF mode is to make yourself vastly more powerful than everything else in the game. He actually claimed that to be a necessity for beating HoF.

    Sort of defeats the purpose of increasing the difficulty. And it's a ridiculous amount of work to put into a single run of the game.
    KilivitzHalfOrcBeastmasterjackjack
  • BillyYankBillyYank Member Posts: 2,768
    That's why I called his style bizarre. The funniest thing about his walkthrough was when I'd go through a fight fairly easily and then I'd read his account, and he's all "Better buff up for this one, it's really tough!" Well, maybe if he hadn't crippled his level progression by triple classing everyone, the fight might have been easier.
    semiticgoddessKilivitzHalfOrcBeastmaster
  • KilivitzKilivitz Member Posts: 1,459

    I think it was 5 FMCs and 1 FMT, not 5 FMTs and 1 FMC. Either way, it's a very narrow way of playing the game.

    You're right - it's just one Thief to handle traps and locks. My bad.
    semiticgoddessHalfOrcBeastmaster
  • KilivitzKilivitz Member Posts: 1,459

    Unfunny: That would be the religion jokes. The ones to the tune of, "You can raise your reputation by giving money to the temples of imaginary deities? And people will overlook it if you do bad things if you do? Hey, it's just like in real life!" Ha, ha, ha, wise guy.

    IRL I'm pretty anti-religion myself, but yeah, that's kinda stupid, specially considering the FR gods are actually real. I mean, the very plot of BG is based on that fact.
    semiticgoddessHalfOrcBeastmastersarevok57jackjack
  • FrdNwsmFrdNwsm Member Posts: 1,069
    edited October 2015
    Kilivitz said:

    Unfunny: That would be the religion jokes. The ones to the tune of, "You can raise your reputation by giving money to the temples of imaginary deities? And people will overlook it if you do bad things if you do? Hey, it's just like in real life!" Ha, ha, ha, wise guy.

    IRL I'm pretty anti-religion myself, but yeah, that's kinda stupid, specially considering the FR gods are actually real. I mean, the very plot of BG is based on that fact.
    On the other hand, I actually agree that this system is highly unrealistic. If the gods of Faerun are real, why can we buy them off with mere gold? That's the sort of contrition that the priests who run the Temples would be interested in when they want to get new marble statues for the vestibule. Really, deities should require specific acts of penance ... acts promulgating their particular viewpoint. The way it is now, it's like an illustration of how the "Golden Rule" really works. Those who have the gold, make the rules.

    You can slaughter 100 innocent peasants, and everything will be OK if you donate enough gold to a Temple.
  • FrdNwsmFrdNwsm Member Posts: 1,069
    And I also agree that the Bounty Hunter isn't that great a thief kit, but that's due to only one drawback with the snares they can set. Also, you get shafted by Yoshimo, who is a bounty hunter; makes me prejudiced :wink:
  • semiticgoddesssemiticgoddess Member Posts: 14,903
    edited October 2015
    @FrdNwsm: For what it's worth, it takes 800 gold to raise somebody from the dead in BG2. A point of reputation costs more than 1000 gold, and a single dead innocent costs more than one reputation point.

    If those temples are just using it to build illithium statues (which does sometimes happen, sometimes), then it's certainly a corruption. But if even a fraction of the money goes to the victims, then murder and high-priced penance could actually be a net lifesaver in the Forgotten Realms.
  • FrdNwsmFrdNwsm Member Posts: 1,069
    edited October 2015
    @semiticgod

    Actually, raising your reputation seems to have a scaling cost, at least when I do it. The initial cost seems to depend on how low your initial starting rep is. I can get from 5 to 6 for around 700 gold.

    Do they use the cash to provide raise dead services for those who could not ordinarily afford it? I suppose it's a possibility, but we have no evidence for that. Cynical me thinks that most of it goes to offset operating costs ... or pay for the high priest's concubines. I'd be happier with a system where the Temple's specific deity had a set of tasks which someone looking to atone for bad deeds had to accomplish.
    semiticgoddessHalfOrcBeastmaster
  • HalfOrcBeastmasterHalfOrcBeastmaster Member Posts: 301
    I agree the Reputation system is stupid. No question. Especially since it makes anyone who is Good/Evil approve of things that get you boosts in rep or losses regardless of context. Obviously Korgan and Dorn would appreciate a leader who murders everyone in sight and takes their stuff or just goes burninating the countryside, but I'm pretty sure Edwin and Viconia would prefer to spend time with someone who has a modicum of subtlety and intelligence. Plus, bare in mind that this can happen if you get caught pickpocketing, when I'm fairly sure most would be happier about you a) succeeding at thievery and b) getting away with it. I believe that's why someone created a mod with separate bars for "Reputation" and "Virtue".

    But there were better ways to make fun of the system than drag religion into it. That's the part I don't like.
    semiticgoddess
  • GKL206GKL206 Member Posts: 75
    Even though they're slightly outdated by the EE content I still love Dan Simpson's guides - they're what I want from a walkthrough, telling you how to get past tricky bits without saying "you must play the game this way". Nearest thing I've found in style for EE is the excellent character creation guide: http://www.gamefaqs.com/pc/663933-baldurs-gate-enhanced-edition/faqs/65403 which I've recommended to a few new players
    JuliusBorisov
  • jackjackjackjack Member Posts: 3,251
    "Vita, Mortis, Careo!"
    elminsterVallmyrsarevok57
  • HaeravonHaeravon Member Posts: 17
    "Facio, Voco, Ferre."
    jackjack
  • JumboWheat01JumboWheat01 Member Posts: 1,028
    I'll admit to being quite curious about your thoughts on the Shaman class and its style. Sure, you're more a power-gamer rather than a story-gamer, like I am, but I have returned to your guides several times when needed.
  • HaeravonHaeravon Member Posts: 17

    I'll admit to being quite curious about your thoughts on the Shaman class and its style. Sure, you're more a power-gamer rather than a story-gamer, like I am, but I have returned to your guides several times when needed.

    Sadly, I haven't really had time to play Dragonspear or the newer patches, so I really haven't formed an opinion on much of the new content.
  • HudzyHudzy Member Posts: 300
    I always enjoyed the humor in your writing, but people often call me obnoxious so what do I know.
  • Clumsy_DwarfClumsy_Dwarf Member Posts: 112
    Ammar said:

    The ones by DSimpson are excellent. They are written for the original games though. You can find them on gamefaqs.

    The new content is a small fraction and mostly not that difficult.

    I still use them as my primary FAQ and will only seek out others for the EE content. What I like about his main FAQ (https://www.gamefaqs.com/pc/258273-baldurs-gate-ii-shadows-of-amn/faqs/34147) is that when he does give an opinion, he will put in counter-opinion people sent in. I e-mailed him back in the day thanking him for all his work. He sent back a very personable response.

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