Game News Baldur's Gate 3 Community Update #18: Baldur's Date - August 31st

[Zed Duke of Banville]

So I'm assuming this won't be codex's GOTY 2023?

Baldur's Gate 3 will be the Codex's #2 game of 2023, finishing behind Starfield.

 

[ropetight]

I saw Early Access download sizes and game is huge for iso RPG - it was over 80 gigs, and it will probably be over 100 gigs on release.
It must be all that voice acting and hires textures, so BG3 must be visual and audio spectacle.
But why then the game looks so ugly?

 

[Kem0sabe]

I saw Early Access download sizes and game is huge for iso RPG - it was over 80 gigs, and it will probably be over 100 gigs on release.
It must be all that voice acting and hires textures, so BG3 must be visual and audio spectacle.
But why then the game looks so ugly?

I agree, the visuals are not interesting at all and pale in comparison to the art and design of a lot of isometric RPGs.

Also, not sure if it's a graphical setting, but the AA looks very weird, the hair is especially bad.

 

[Zeriel]

To this day, i find DD their best game.
You could see the potential behind the implementation, see what was holding it back.
You'd have thought that given money and experience, they'd end up making an Ultima 7 squared.
Maybe that isn't to everyone's taste, but.. it would be something nonetheless. And awesome for me.

And now they're on their way to become the new Bioware.
Well done Swen! Guess you had it in you after all, lol
Female red elves with dicks, non binary dialogue, romances, shallow music and PG-friendly content. What more can a man ask for.

I have a soft spot in my heart for Dragon Knight Saga.

I think the issue isn't even necessarily Larian itself, it's just that this is what the culture of younger video game devs is now. So any up and coming studio hiring new talent is going to turn into the wokeathon crew with zero understanding of good game design. I don't consider it an accident that all of the people who pushed for the grognard elements in old Larian games were older employees, and that since they've been shoved aside the games keep getting worse and worse.

It's the Ship of Theseus applied to the modern game industry; after a few years of replacing parts Bioware is no longer Bioware of 1990s and now Larian is no longer Larian.

 

[Cat Headed Eagle]

I saw Early Access download sizes and game is huge for iso RPG - it was over 80 gigs, and it will probably be over 100 gigs on release.
It must be all that voice acting and hires textures, so BG3 must be visual and audio spectacle.
But why then the game looks so ugly?

That's the difference between graphics fidelity and art direction. The game is too detailed for elements to "pop" and yes, it's also a zeitgeist thing. Game development is just one more branch of software development, and a lesser one at that.

 

[Roguey]

I saw Early Access download sizes and game is huge for iso RPG - it was over 80 gigs, and it will probably be over 100 gigs on release.
It must be all that voice acting and hires textures, so BG3 must be visual and audio spectacle.
But why then the game looks so ugly?

All the cinematics are blowing up the file size.

 

[Cat Headed Eagle]

Have they said anything about the level cap? Because we're getting up to level 5 and the cap was going to be 10. And recent updates practically give levels away... This game is going to be top heavy, huh?

 

[Delterius]

Most codexers here don't really care about writing quality since RPGs have defaulted back to shit as a standard.

and yet people seem to think the bg series was the greatest story ever written. yeah because the belgians sure can't tackle the thespian nature of minsc

 

[mediocrepoet]

So I'm assuming this won't be codex's GOTY 2023?

D:OS 2 had a ton of forum haters, it still won goty. BG3's only competition is Colony Ship.

Depends if Rogue Trader releases this year. But decent point anyway.

I just can't believe that they took what appeared to be a reasonably promising start and just hammered it directly into the ground (based on the trailer and some of the comments in here on recent changes to encounters, etc.).

 

[mediocrepoet]

Have they said anything about the level cap? Because we're getting up to level 5 and the cap was going to be 10. And recent updates practically give levels away... This game is going to be top heavy, huh?

I don't believe they've confirmed it other than to say it was going to be higher than 10 but probably not much higher.

 

[mediocrepoet]

Re: Fake news

Have you played it recently Infinitron? Or is it just part of I <3 Larian THIS much?

I'll have to go back to it on release, but that trailer was truly dog shit and hasn't inspired me with hope.

 

[LostHisMarbles]

Zeriel agreed, 100%
Can't even fault them on that to be honest. Spin it as you will, it will always, without fail, come down to money. You want more money, you need address a larger segment. Ergo all this.

My criticism is public (aka valid in my mind) because once upon a time they'd spin you quite the fucking tale about "mainstream" (Google how many times Swen's used that word with negative connotations), "not interested", "not for us", etc. etc. This was done consistently, throughout a number of venues including his own blog and over a very long period of time.
Either you go for the money and as mentioned, i respect that 100%, or you play the high and mighty and eat the dust that comes with it.
Can't do both and expect me to cheer you for it.

* And even then, fair's fair. I've nothing negative to say about the technical aspect of BG3/the engine behind it. It's just overshadowed due to conscious design shift(s).
** Swen had an account here once, i remember PMing him. Has he been quietly 'Guest'-ed? Can't find him now.

 

[KeighnMcDeath]

Someone commented on some old art that looks familiar for BG3
https://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=90503

Dungeon 167

Vs

 

[Cat Headed Eagle]

The red jewels on that armor make it look like a chinese action figure you'd get at a dollar store.

 

[Larianshill]

Someone commented on some old art that looks familiar for BG3

Oh yeah, that was never a secret.

 

[The_Mask]

The red jewels on that armor make it look like a chinese action figure you'd get at a dollar store.

Just be grateful they're not going back and coming up with Dak'kon action figures.

 

[Black]

I'm pretty sure almost every Codexer who's played it will tell you BG3 is a better game than D:OS 2 right now.

And I'm sure any Codexer with a modicum of taste and standards will be forced to admit that's an extremely low bar.

 

[Non-Edgy Gamer]

And I'm sure any Codexer with a modicum of taste and standards will be forced to admit that's an extremely low bar.

There are things I appreciated about the DOS series. The combat gimmicks are fun enough. It's just the writing never took itself very seriously, and so I never took the games very seriously.

Not sure what hiring/firing they did to get the team they have on BG3, but it's a huge difference for the better, from what I've played of it. Not sure about the melodramatic old elf, but we'll see.

 

[Tyranicon]

And I'm sure any Codexer with a modicum of taste and standards will be forced to admit that's an extremely low bar.

There are things I appreciated about the DOS series. The combat gimmicks are fun enough. It's just the writing never took itself very seriously, and so I never took the games very seriously.

Not sure what hiring/firing they did to get the team they have on BG3, but it's a huge difference for the better, from what I've played of it. Not sure about the melodramatic old elf, but we'll see.

Goddamn it, you people made want to watch some video walkthroughs. If I throw up in my mouth, I'm blaming this thread.

 

[Cat Headed Eagle]

And I'm sure any Codexer with a modicum of taste and standards will be forced to admit that's an extremely low bar.

There are things I appreciated about the DOS series. The combat gimmicks are fun enough. It's just the writing never took itself very seriously, and so I never took the games very seriously.

Not sure what hiring/firing they did to get the team they have on BG3, but it's a huge difference for the better, from what I've played of it. Not sure about the melodramatic old elf, but we'll see.

Goddamn it, you people made want to watch some video walkthroughs. If I throw up in my mouth, I'm blaming this thread.

I find that most characters are introduced in a way that they kinda make sense in the overall context of the situation at hand. Bioware writing had this thing where you meet a character and they make a 180 personality wise, because of Bioware tropes and shit. The gay elven vampire is the only Biowarian character I can think of because he's a gay elven vampire. But I think they've softened them a bit, especially Shadowheart and the frog woman. They used to be more direct with her reactions and they would be in opposition most of the times. Now it doesn't happen as much. The wizard is suspicious, but you quickly learn he's the mage equivalent of a crackhead. Haven't done much more because saves don't carry to future patches and towards the full game, though.

 

[mediocrepoet]

you quickly learn he's the mage equivalent of a crackhead.

Hey Cryomancer, they put you in the game!

 

[Non-Edgy Gamer]

Goddamn it, you people made want to watch some video walkthroughs. If I throw up in my mouth, I'm blaming this thread.

Should be worth it. Not saying it's perfect, but it's at least at or beyond Bioware, especially if you pay attention to things like NPC stat rolls in dialog and that sort of thing.

The gay elven vampire is the only Biowarian character I can think of because he's a gay elven vampire.

Is he a 180 though? He's a vampire who plans to hang around you and drink your blood at night. He's pretty consistent personality-wise for a deceptive bloodsucker.

But I think they've softened them a bit, especially Shadowheart and the frog woman.

I hate the softening they did to Shadowheart. Normies whined and the devs toned her down by giving the player a win button at the start. I get that it may have been necessary for them as a studio, but it sucks.

I guess players want only NPCs that match their values and kiss their ass the whole time. As if one of the most fun parts of the original games wasn't meeting characters like Viconia or Korgan and seeing them interact with your goody-two-shoes party members for the first time.

 

[Cat Headed Eagle]

Oh yes, if you're a fan of checks during dialogue, BG3 has them aplenty. For race, class and skills.

With the 180 bit I meant Bioware's characters. They introduce themselves and they keep a facade for a bit but then they go out of character to inevitably become your "friends". The gay vampire is clearly a bone thrown to the Bioware fans, and it worked beautifully. A huge chunk of BG3's fanbase think the game is all about him.

I don't think that saving Shadowheart in the tentacle ship is bad, per se, but they did point at a romance route pretty damn early. I still feel like this is just a third of the game but you make half of its progress on it.

 

[Non-Edgy Gamer]

With the 180 bit I meant Bioware's characters. They introduce themselves and they keep a facade for a bit but then they go out of character to inevitably become your "friends". The gay vampire is clearly a bone thrown to the Bioware fans, and it worked beautifully. A huge chunk of BG3's fanbase think the game is all about him.

And a huge chunk of the haters seem to think the same, lol.

My perspective on him is that he's basically a word-for-word representation of the typical vampire/vampire spawn from D&D, right down to his personality and background.

I don't think that saving Shadowheart in the tentacle ship is bad, per se, but they did point at a romance route pretty damn early. I still feel like this is just a third of the game but you make half of its progress on it.

I agree. I prefer her original 'tsundere' start to this by a mile. And the same goes for all of the NPCs.

 

[Tyranicon]

Goddamn it, you people made want to watch some video walkthroughs. If I throw up in my mouth, I'm blaming this thread.

Well I didn't throw up in my mouth, but I'm not convinced either.

The writing quality seems to have improved, but only marginally.

But everything about this game screams DOS3. The aesthetic, the animations, the contrived way in how you pick up party members. Their dialogue, drama nerd looks and insufferable personalities.

I don't know why Larian is intent on making unlikable characters. I hated the entire roster in DOS2, even that pirate dwarf I thought I'd like, and I hate everyone here already.

It's like the companion writer only has one mode and it's always "smug bitch."