Baldur's Gate Baldur's Gate 3 Early Access Thread [GAME RELEASED, GO TO NEW THREAD]

[J1M]

They will release those mini origin campaigns for the companions that give them a tragic backstory or whatever. It's basically what you want, but just not for the main character.

Is that a confirmed thing?

Makes it even more like DOS, your custom main character being a side-kick in the story.

I recall it discussed in previews. Additionally, when you create a character you choose between 'custom' and 5 named characters. (Those options are disabled in early access right now.)

 

[Hace El Oso]

They will release those mini origin campaigns for the companions that give them a tragic backstory or whatever. It's basically what you want, but just not for the main character.

Additionally, when you create a character you choose between 'custom' and 5 named characters. (Those options are disabled in early access right now.)

That’s so bizarre. Why would they do that?

 

[aweigh]

Just wanted to chime in to say that I too find the DirectX 11 shortcut launcher to be much better performing, and I mean... a lot better.

The default launcher shortcut is the Vulkan one so I recommend anyone dissatisfied with how it's running to use the DX11 shortcut.

 

[a cut of domestic sheep prime]

Somehow I just lost hours of save games.

*sigh*

Will investigate.

edit: somehow the game created a debug profile and stored my saves in it.

I couldn't switch to the profile either, so I just copy/pasted the save files from %USERPROFILE% \ Documents \Larian Studios\Baldur's Gate 3\PlayerProfiles\ into my profile that I can access.

 

[J1M]

They will release those mini origin campaigns for the companions that give them a tragic backstory or whatever. It's basically what you want, but just not for the main character.

Additionally, when you create a character you choose between 'custom' and 5 named characters. (Those options are disabled in early access right now.)

That’s so bizarre. Why would they do that?

Valid game design reasons:
-If you can control the player's class, you can create a short campaign that highlights the interesting things that class can do.
-A chance to try the classes before you lock in a 60-hour decision.
-It allows them to show a backstory instead of tell it in dialog trees.
-Content creation can be split into distinct chunks that don't depend on each other and these shorter modules can be delegated to junior staff.
-Players can skip the origins of characters that don't interest them.

Marketing gimmick:
-The number of 'campaigns' can be padded and these origin stories can be made to sound more significant than they are, similar to Dragon Age: Origins.
-DLC will sound more enticing if they sell you a companion and a campaign for $10.

 

[Palomides]

The music is awful and utterly uninspired, as is the writing and dialogue in general. Avoid. Even NWN 2 and its expansions, especially MOTB, were superior.

We'll see what the future holds with regard to the full release, but we all know what it's going to be like, unfortunately. Complete and utter despair.

 

[rusty_shackleford]

It's really good, expect lots of butthurt from the usual suspects.

 

[rusty_shackleford]

Interestingly enough, going by the Steam forum people are getting a bit fed up with the companions. Many think they are just way too aggressive and hostile. Not getting that adventure feeling I'm guessing. I think the start and the companion problem could have been fixed if the game actually started with a low level adventure with some like minded adventurers. Just so people get into that mindset, then maybe deep down in the starter dungeon you and your party could get ambushed by the illithid and kidnapped. They still would have to make the current companions more approachable, but maybe you would find them more sympathetic if you are shown them getting ambushed, seeing their friends torn a part by mind flayers (just like your party) - something to explain their paranoia and hostile nature.

I miss this too. With Baldur's Gate 1 Bioware knew how to start the game - Candlekeep. And they stick with relatively low stakes the whole game. And low companion drama. That's how you start a fucking RPG. The start of BG3 is too epic right away, and I'm sad that making everything as epic as possible is Larian's first instinct nowadays.

Anyone who would post this or agree with it is completely ignorant of what candlekeep is.
You start BG1 off by being mentored by one of the most powerful mages in faerun(strong enough to have tangled with a red dragon and didn't die) in a guarded library-castle that has some of the greatest knowledge in the realms stored there.There is an attempt to assassinate your character because they're the spawn of a god.
Where the shit does this 'akshually, bg1 was super low stakes!!' come from? Who created this lie?

 

[Hace El Oso]

Anyone who would post this or agree with it is completely ignorant of what candlekeep is.
You start BG1 off by being mentored by one of the most powerful mages in faerun(strong enough to have tangled with a red dragon and didn't die) in a guarded library-castle that has some of the greatest knowledge in the realms stored there.There is an attempt to assassinate your character because they're the spawn of a god.
Where the shit does this 'akshually, bg1 was super low stakes!!' come from? Who created this lie?

You have no conception of this when you’re there at start the game. You’re a child, totally sheltered. The two petty criminals that try to kill you are like hobos that you pass too closely to while in the city with your parent. Waking up the morning after Gorion is murdered is like waking up alone, stranded in a bad neighborhood of that city.

Going back towards the end of the game with your newfound worldliness is when you realize what Candlekeep and the people in it are. And seeing that they too are contaminated by the forces of conspiracy is what makes it discordant, creepy.

At least that was my first experience and impression of it.

 

[Spectacle]

So what's up with weapons giving you skills like topple, rush, and cleave? I'm not completely up to snuff with 5e but surely our "most faithful game to dnd since toee" wouldn't deviate at all from 5e. I'm just glad Solasta is coming so people can have a turn based game that isn't this piece of shit

Weapon speacial abilities were tried out during the D&D NEXT playtest but didn't make it to the final 5E game in the name of "simplicity". I guess Larian decided to bring the idea to BG3 because even idiots can handle options when they're presented as a big clickable button.

 

[Perkel]

So is it good ? Totally in dark about it.

 

[AwesomeButton]

1. Socialist nonsense
2. Existentialist chadness
3. Jeff Bezos
4. PETA
5. God-Emperor Trump according to the left
6. Based. Also, same as 2, really.

Let's not be over-edgy, 4. is really Christianity.

Lilura is posting HARD HITTING AUTHORATAH INSIGHTS!

Where is she btw, did she finally get herself banned from the Codex?

Interestingly enough, going by the Steam forum people are getting a bit fed up with the companions. Many think they are just way too aggressive and hostile. Not getting that adventure feeling I'm guessing. I think the start and the companion problem could have been fixed if the game actually started with a low level adventure with some like minded adventurers. Just so people get into that mindset, then maybe deep down in the starter dungeon you and your party could get ambushed by the illithid and kidnapped. They still would have to make the current companions more approachable, but maybe you would find them more sympathetic if you are shown them getting ambushed, seeing their friends torn a part by mind flayers (just like your party) - something to explain their paranoia and hostile nature.

I agree with this, having only watched 2 hours of gameplay so far, but having played enough D:OS/2. The companions are beyond help, because so are the writers.

Like in in a B/X D&D campagin and i love my plus 1 long sword or +3 vs undead. I treasure it so much I want to name the darn thing.

There has to be a golden rule - have the player go through X amount of time with a non-magical weapon, before you let him find the first +1. That's when he can actually feel it as an improvement.

 

[Robber Baron]

My main complain is how claustrophobic the game is, the level design choice it inherited directly from DoS2. I mean you have a ship wreackage, an ancient ruin and a druid grove all in the 400 meter radius. And then they are like "you brought the goblins here", well no shit they live like 300 meters along the road. To think they dropped "you must gather your party", map travel, random map encounters and map locations in favour of this is really saddening. Then there's that "one map per act" dogshit philosophy.
Still gives a lot of DAO vibes so playing is fun. Could've been A LOT better though.

 

[Doktor Best]

I'm letting it be known that I am going into this game ready to despise it and will be biased and cruelly unfair to it.

I am going to light this cocksucka' up. There is no way I will like it. Even if I like something in it, I'll twist it in a way to not like it. I can't wait. I am actually going to pay money, real world currency, just so I can tell you all how much I hate this game. "Crazy," you think. "Why would anybody do that?" Because I want to, because I need to.

Oooh, release it Swen, I'm ready for it! My legs are shaking in anticipation. GIVE IT TO ME. I wanna tear this ass UP.

Sounds like you're going to have tremendous fun not liking playing hundreds of hours of this game.

 

[AwesomeButton]

My main complain is how claustrophobic the game is, the level design choice it inherited directly from DoS2. I mean you have a ship wreackage, an ancient ruin and a druid grove all in the 400 meter radius. And then they are like "you brought the goblins here", well no shit they live like 300 meters along the road. To think they dropped "you must gather your party", map travel, random map encounters and map locations in favour of this is really saddening. Then there's that "one map per" act dogshit philosophy.

Yes, this! I can't believe how imbeciles keep falling for the "we have great big maps" manipulation. Larian's big maps are rather linear things where you proceed from one corner into the center and then branch out to various other corners until you explore all, and move on. However there is hardly ever any reason to go back to an area you've been to.

 

[Lady_Error]

So is it good ? Totally in dark about it.

Nobody is talking about it since Tuesday, so I guess nobody cares.

 

[Robber Baron]

Yes, this! I can't believe how imbeciles keep falling for the "we have great big maps" manipulation. Larian's big maps are rather linear things where you proceed from one corner into the center and then branch out to various other corners until you explore all, and move on. However there is hardly ever any reason to go back to an area you've been to.

The worst thing of all is that walking inbetween the points of interest serves absolutely no purpose since there're teleports everywhere, why the hell wouldn't they make these points of interests map locations on a world map in a classic way is beyond me.

 

[Generic-Giant-Spider]

There is an attempt to assassinate your character because they're the spawn of a god.

There's a big difference between a couple catspaw assassins hired at some random jobber tavern and facing down Illithids within an hour of the game beginning at level 1.

 

[deuxhero]

My main complain is how claustrophobic the game is, the level design choice it inherited directly from DoS2. I mean you have a ship wreackage, an ancient ruin and a druid grove all in the 400 meter radius.

I think that's just Toril being Toril more than anything. Shitty setting filled with ancient ruins nobody has touched for no discernable reason

On Eberron ruins are untouched because they're very recent (product of the war that ended just two years ago), on a cursed continent that's impossible to navigate in a traditional manner, or buried super deep. On Athas ruins are untouched because venturing into the desert is death for normal people. I'm not sure if Ravenloft has lootable ruins, but I'm sure they'd be cursed and, given most domains are tied to mortal dark lords, haven't been around much longer than a few dozen years. Toril is just a shitty setting littered with them for no reason.

 

[Phinx]

 

[Robber Baron]

Roleplaying with these companions is hard, especially if you're roleplaying a dwarf.

Spoiler

Imagine travelling together with an asshole that tried to drink your blood. I had to solo up until druid grove and only then my dwarf decided so yeah his situation requires outside help if he wants to surivive.

 

[Perkel]

ok decided to give it a go.

Fucking hell 70gb and it is not even full game. Game outright requires SSD to work, i loaded it on HDD and i waited like 3 minutes for textures to load and they still didn't load properly.

Good thing i bought 250gb NVME lately.

 

[Cyberarmy]

Baldur's Gate 3 Pre-Release Thread [EARLY ACCESS RELEASED, GO TO NEW THREAD]

 

[Lacrymas]

Has anyone played with a companion as an MC? What's that like?

 

[Swen]

This EA release has been worth it for all the crying butthurt old school BG tards.

"Bu..bu..it's not baldur's gate, you ruined mah favorite series, mah nostalgia!! REEEEEEE!!!!"