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

[Cat Headed Eagle]

With time I've ended up hating most characters in crpgs that include premade party members. Which is, all of them. That's how you end up appreciating games like Icewind Dale so much more.

 

[mediocrepoet]

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."

There's a reason why throwing Lae'zel off the side of the airship is so enjoyable. It actually made me laugh.

 

[MajorMace]

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

Spoiler

any Codexer with a modicum of taste

Spoiler

modicum

Spoiler

cum

lmao

 

[Non-Edgy Gamer]

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

Did you ever play the first DOS? Especially before they rewrote the whole game to make it more palatable? This is miles better.

But everything about this game screams DOS3.

Only the beach area after the tutorial does, but I suspect that was something done on purpose, sort of like Bethesda's prisoner trope for ES games.

I don't know why Larian is intent on making unlikable characters.

I wasn't aware that Larian consistently made unlikeable characters though. I never finished DOS 1 or 2 though.

Companions that kiss your ass are boring. And the characters are more likeable once you get into their backstories. Shadowheart, imo, is going to have some backstory reveals that could make her more likeable in the future.

Lae'zel is probably the only universally unlikeable character. And I never even bother to take the black guy hero wannabe.

Evoking an emotional reaction from players - even anger, distrust or disgust - beyond the frustration of being bored to tears by their cookie-cutter backstory is a win in my book.

I'm clearly in the minority on this though, since the devs partially rewrote the NPCs to be more likeable, or have easier routes to make them likeable.

With time I've ended up hating most characters in crpgs that include premade party members. Which is, all of them. That's how you end up appreciating games like Icewind Dale so much more.

Well, yeah, eventually. I liked the companions in BG2 until the 10th or so time I read their dialogs. Then I just started soloing the game. But it's nice to have something interesting the first time through, unlike NWN2's OC, for example.

 

[Tyranicon]

...

I would say if DOS1 is a 3 on a 10 scale, then DOS2 is a 6, and what I've seen of BG3 is a 6.5. Writing quality is highly subjective, so it's hard to debate.

But man, it's not just Larian. Modern companion writing has standardized. You could take the companions from DA:I, Wrathfinder, DOS2 and BG3, throw them all together and ask a random bystander to guess which character came from which franchise. Without prior knowledge of the settings, all these characters could belong to any game. The same colorful aesthetic, "sassy" personalities, and other appeals to a modern audience, age 12-40, attractive to both men and women...

-realizing slowly that it's another symptom of corporate studios homogenizing games for broader audiences-

 

[Cat Headed Eagle]

...

I would say if DOS1 is a 3 on a 10 scale, then DOS2 is a 6, and what I've seen of BG3 is a 6.5. Writing quality is highly subjective, so it's hard to debate.

But man, it's not just Larian. Modern companion writing has standardized. You could take the companions from DA:I, Wrathfinder, DOS2 and BG3, throw them all together and ask a random bystander to guess which character came from which franchise. Without prior knowledge of the settings, all these characters could belong to any game. The same colorful aesthetic, "sassy" personalities, and other appeals to a modern audience, age 12-40, attractive to both men and women...

-realizing slowly that it's another symptom of corporate studios homogenizing games for broader audiences-

View attachment 33985

... what do you mean, you don't like Marvel movies?

 

[Non-Edgy Gamer]

The same colorful aesthetic

This was something they basically patched in, sadly.

"sassy" personalities

I would say that only Gale truly suffers from this.

Shadowheart is being defensive. Every jab she makes at you is designed to get you to stop asking questions or otherwise threatening her objectives.

Astarion is trying to manipulate you and everything around him. He's also being defensive in his own way, and is constantly in fear of a situation that's already spun out of his control.

Lae'zel also has her own objectives, and she's a bitch on top of that.

Gale otoh is a typical Marvel movie character. He's Doctor Strange, right down to the portal he walks out of when you first meet him.

The other three aren't "sassy" any more than Viconia was. And even if they were, I will remind you that while BG2 had a serious tone, BG1's companions were full of sass, jokes and 4th wall breaking comments. Thankfully, Larian didn't choose to go there, but they could have taken that as an excuse to do so.

attractive to both men and women...

Not sure how Gale's beard is supposed to attract men, but you'll get your muscly barbarian soon enough, unfortunately. I realize that bringing back Misnc was probably a requirement of WotC, but I still doubt he's going to be tolerable as a companion.

 

[Larianshill]

I also don't like that they rewrote Shadowheart to have a more agreeable personality, but then I realized that they did it to have at least one woman in the party who is not a bitch. Lae'zel is Lae'zel, and if what we've seen from Karlach in act 1 is representative of her character, she's going to be a strong independent woman with a foul mouth (her datamined voicelines are completely opposite, so we'll see what happens). You have to have at least one normal person.

 

[luj1]

I don't know why Larian is intent on making unlikable characters.

Dumb observation. They aren't unlikeable on purpose. Larian devs simply lack writing talent.

 

[luj1]

I also don't like that they rewrote Shadowheart to have a more agreeable personality, but then I realized that they did it to have at least one woman in the party who is not a bitch. Lae'zel is Lae'zel, and if what we've seen from Karlach in act 1 is representative of her character, she's going to be a strong independent woman with a foul mouth (her datamined voicelines are completely opposite, so we'll see what happens). You have to have at least one normal person.

And who gives a shit? Never understood the obsession with companion demographics. Companions should be optional. Or they should not exist at all.

 

[Non-Edgy Gamer]

I also don't like that they rewrote Shadowheart to have a more agreeable personality, but then I realized that they did it to have at least one woman in the party who is not a bitch.

It's funny how normies are all about muh feminism, but when at least one woman at the start of a video game doesn't worship you, suddenly it's a problem. (Not speaking about you here, just in general from what I've seen online.)

As I said, Shadowheart isn't really a bitch. She just acts like one. And I think more gets revealed on that later in the story, to a point beyond what she even realizes.

Companions should be optional.

They are in BG3. Every companion is optional. Every companion can be killed, or simply told to leave.

This alone is incline compared to many RPGs.

 

[Larianshill]

It's funny how normies are all about muh feminism, but when at least one woman at the start of a video game doesn't worship you, suddenly it's a problem. (Not speaking about you here, just in general from what I've seen online.)

Feminism is a plague, and should be purged away with scouring fire.

And who gives a shit?

Most people do. I don't think you represent the majority even on Codex, the boomer central.

 

[lukaszek]

who gives a shit?

clear pattern in here

 

[whydoibother]

I also don't like that they rewrote Shadowheart to have a more agreeable personality, but then I realized that they did it to have at least one woman in the party who is not a bitch. Lae'zel is Lae'zel, and if what we've seen from Karlach in act 1 is representative of her character, she's going to be a strong independent woman with a foul mouth (her datamined voicelines are completely opposite, so we'll see what happens). You have to have at least one normal person.

And who gives a shit? Never understood the obsession with companion demographics. Companions should be optional. Or they should not exist at all.

How can I be a voyvoda of a war party, if I don't have my trusty lieutenants?
How can I have the fantasy of tents, a camp, and a fire, one guy cooking and another keeping watch as we venture into the wild, if its just me alone?
Adventuring is a team effort, and its more fun with teammates. And the story is more fun if said teammates have conflicting views and goals, therefore its good to have ~~~diversity~~~ of companions. I do want the roughneck barbarian out of his element, and the clueless naive halfling bard and the utilitarian psychopath end-justify-the-means wizard and the overly wise to the point of uselessness druid. I love that gay shit. Give me more of it.

 

[kinzadza]

I think the main issue with codexers and BG3 is that it's meant to be played with actual friends, in multiplayer and not solo from your mom's basement.

 

[whydoibother]

I think the main issue with codexers and BG3 is that it's meant to be played with actual friends, in multiplayer and not solo from your mom's basement.

The main issue is NEW THING BAD OLD THING GOOD mentality that some communities fall for. Same for film and music.
And then several years later, a revision is made, and now that the game is old is good, actually. A hidden gem. A misunderstood masterpiece. Much better than that newer game.

 

[luj1]

The main issue is NEW THING BAD OLD THING GOOD mentality that some communities fall for. Same for film and music.

It is not a "mentality". It is simply the reality in the vast majority of cases. Very easily explained because education, culture and society are rapidly declining.

 

[whydoibother]

In my opinion, my opinion is true and a fact.

Okay, retard.

 

[Maxie]

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."

it's to ease you playing solo like a normal person

 

[luj1]

I have poor taste, let me use nostalgia to cope better

Heard that one before

 

[whydoibother]

Ugh, when I was younger and still had hair and could get erections, everything was better! When I still had potential, before I realized I am a loser, everything felt nicer!

Okay, retard.

 

[luj1]

That's funny because I am probably younger than you and better looking. You are literally a homeless Bulgarian alcoholic.

 

[whydoibother]

That's funny because I am probably younger than you and better looking. You are literally a homeless Bulgarian alcoholic.

I am literally still able to enjoy things and pursue happiness. Can you say the same, imperial?

 

[luj1]

If happiness for you is enjoying BG3, that is sad. I cannot enjoy BG3. As a kid I grew up during the RPG renaissance. My standards were set high from the beginning.

 

[whydoibother]

I cannot enjoy

cuck lol