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

[Mebrilia the Viera Queen]

Every time I open this thread I feel like I need to set my expectations lower for this game. Meanwhile, non-larian developers are talking about how everyone needs to not judge their own games by this obvious world champion crpg about to be released.

It's because the two things aren't mutually exclusive.
There are a lot of aspects of BG3 that are genuinely impressive, regardless of one's opinion of the game and where it focuses its attention.
For instance in terms of sheer reactivity to your choices and actions I can hardly think of any other big CRPG that comes even close. You should probably move back to Arcanum to get something even close to what Larian is doing in that sense... And we are talking about a game that is fully voice and where every fucking dialogue is framed with a cinematic camera.
Too bad that all this "awesomeness" is tied to a bunch of puzzling design choices., sometimes even far more resource-intensive than the better solutions they choose to ignore.

Not to mention that you could take Larian's gameplay designers, put them in prison and tell them that their freedom and lives depend on making some balanced system and you would find every single one of them stabbed in the shower in a matter of days.

To be honest the gameplay even in the latest ea is pretty good as a whole i also found bizarre the not inclusion of dodge and ready but the way Sven put it looks like it will be patched in later.

 

[Fedora Master]

I feel like posting some excerpts from various DnD novels that show off just how horny the writers over there are. Salvatore is downright prude compared to the rest.

 

[Mebrilia the Viera Queen]

I feel like posting some excerpts from various DnD novels that show off just how horny the writers over there are. Salvatore is downright prude compared to the rest.

In the first book drow sorceress had a naked sex ritual with demons so...

 

[Fedora Master]

Oh right. I already posted some in the Gazebo

Return of the Archwizards seems alright so far but damn it, why are all these Fearun books so goddamn horny?

She unbuckled her sword belt, then sat down and began to unlace her high boots. Her men reluctantly followed her example, and ten minutes later they were splashing in the water like pup otters. The men all looked like rothé, with thick tangles of dark hair across their massive backs and huge barrel chests. Vala was stout but much smaller, with rounder curves than an elf woman and—thankfully—only small tufts of hair growing in the appropriate places, but her idea of sport was as rough as that of her men. When they began to play keep-away with one of her boots, she did not hesitate to yank things most elves would have considered it impolite for even good friends to touch. The men responded in kind, grabbing whatever they could in order to keep her at bay. They even tried to include Galaeron in their games, tossing her boot—and Vala herself—at him. So surprised was he to see her eyeing him with the same hungry look he had noticed in the men that he forgot to defend himself and let her hand dart past his guard —and he was even more surprised by what she grabbed.

 

[blessed king of longing]

so swen was supposed to do an interview in this vod, but i skipped t hrough the entire thing using the preview, and it's just some fatass playing video games:



did it just never happen?

 

[processdaemon]

so swen was supposed to do an interview in this vod, but i skipped t hrough the entire thing using the preview, and it's just some fatass playing video games:



did it just never happen?

https://rpgcodex.net/forums/threads...oming-august-3rd.135311/page-970#post-8580635 this post summarised the first part of the interview, not sure if anyone else caught the rest

 

[Ryzer]

Dear god, I miss Lilura, the potential for drama and massive butthurt would have been epic.

 

[Tuco Benedicto Pacifico]

so swen was supposed to do an interview in this vod, but i skipped t hrough the entire thing using the preview, and it's just some fatass playing video games:



did it just never happen?

You are just looking at the wrong video and the interview is what we've been commenting on for the last few pages.

EDIT

 

[Fedora Master]

Snake sex is the new bear sex

 

[jackofshadows]

Every time I open this thread I feel like I need to set my expectations lower for this game. Meanwhile, non-larian developers are talking about how everyone needs to not judge their own games by this obvious world champion crpg about to be released.

Do not be deceived by all the shitposting itt - the game is fucking amazing despite all the erratic design decisions especially since some of them potentially may be modded out in the future. It's an epic project however you look at it. The only big thing which might kill most of the enjoyment (at least initially before later patches etc) is the out of whack balance like if they won't do anything with the engage mechanic and or poorly implemented tactician difficulty so we'll see about that. But even if the combat will be more or less the same as it is now in the EA we're still getting a game of Arcanum's calibre if not greater.

 

[Fedora Master]

Every time I open this thread I feel like I need to set my expectations lower for this game. Meanwhile, non-larian developers are talking about how everyone needs to not judge their own games by this obvious world champion crpg about to be released.

Do not be deceived by all the shitposting itt - the game is fucking amazing despite all the erratic design decisions especially since some of them potentially may be modded out in the future. It's an epic project however you look at it. The only big thing which might kill most of the enjoyment (at least initially before later patches etc) is the out of whack balance like if they won't do anything with the engage mechanic and or poorly implemented tactician difficulty so we'll see about that. But even if the combat will be more or less the same as it is now in the EA we're still getting a game of Arcanum's calibre if not greater.

Assuming the game doesn't shit the bed after Act 1 like Wrath.

 

[Barbarian]

Another comparison between this and original trilogy:

There was all this gravitas in the original trilogy about being the literal spawn of the god of murder, but no real hard choices or limitations - you could easily be goody two shoes paladin or righteous cleric of helm. Aside from that one time you automatically turned into the slayer you were never limited by your very dark origin.

Isn't Dark Urge the way the original CHARNAME should have been? A natural-born murderhobo who could struggle to be good against all odds?

ITT, people playing the EA since the beginning have found clear indication that Tav should be by default the Dark Urge, but that was eventually cut. Several scenes and narrator lines which were progressively edited during EA had the tav having the "blood, blood, blood" moments. I guess they really had this in for a connection with the original game very early.

 

[Jermu]

Here is "everything" from the interview according to re*dit

• 10 AM Pacific release time
• Whole new download for release / "basically" full reinstall
• Spoiler

  [*](Shadowheart) Evil shadowheart, He mentioned he was doing a full on evil playthrough with Lae'zel, Minthara and Shart,playing as durge, so you'll probably be able to take her really dark
  [*]
• Spoiler

  (possible ending ?)Swen became new ruler of the forggoten realms ? Insane if real, might have been a joke not sure xd
• Race/class choice leading to REALLY different runs (Swen example: Gith Druid)
• No rolling for stats
• Only the character that initiates convo in MP can choose dialogue (others suggest choices only)
• Only the character that initiates convo contributes with modifiers
• Trying to get steam deck verified on release, might not be there day 1 but it's not far
• Twitch integration in the game
• All class dialogue choices for multiclass characters
• Couple of "danger zones" - no rest areas marked with red on the map, camp supply system stays
• (Random place in the game) Vampire house
• Swen is VERY excited for the game
• Boo is special, no clear answer on if you can talk to him or not
• Dodge and ready not in the game
• Swens comfort game: Into the Breach (Great game)
• (Thing you can do in the game)
  Spoiler

  Robbing a bank
• Dungeon master tool - Most likely not coming
• After release, lots of modding support coming
• They know what they're doing next, not alluding to anything yet
• Camp system upgraded significantly
• Swens old secret was the Dark Urge - always wanted to put it in a game, not recommending DU or origins for first playthrough, recommended playing orgins AFTER already seeing their story
• You can respec everything (including origins), but for the purpose of their story the original class will still matter (Wyll being a warlock for example)
• ("Returning" character acted by CohhCarnage, video reveal) Naaber, https://twitter.com/baldursgate3/status/1683179599113355264

 

[Mebrilia the Viera Queen]

This all sounds fantastic!

 

[Dodo1610]

Snake sex is the new bear sex

I read those books ages ago, I think there is even a part where the Yuan-ti woman has sex with a lion creature. Also there is a woman who gives birth to a demon.

There is a lot of fanfiction that's less horny than those official DND books.

 

[Ryzer]

Here is "everything" from the interview according to re*dit

• 10 AM Pacific release time
• Whole new download for release / "basically" full reinstall
• Spoiler

  [*](Shadowheart) Evil shadowheart, He mentioned he was doing a full on evil playthrough with Lae'zel, Minthara and Shart,playing as durge, so you'll probably be able to take her really dark
  [*]
• Spoiler

  (possible ending ?)Swen became new ruler of the forggoten realms ? Insane if real, might have been a joke not sure xd
• Race/class choice leading to REALLY different runs (Swen example: Gith Druid)
• No rolling for stats
• Only the character that initiates convo in MP can choose dialogue (others suggest choices only)
• Only the character that initiates convo contributes with modifiers
• Trying to get steam deck verified on release, might not be there day 1 but it's not far
• Twitch integration in the game
• All class dialogue choices for multiclass characters
• Couple of "danger zones" - no rest areas marked with red on the map, camp supply system stays
• (Random place in the game) Vampire house
• Swen is VERY excited for the game
• Boo is special, no clear answer on if you can talk to him or not
• Dodge and ready not in the game
• Swens comfort game: Into the Breach (Great game)
• (Thing you can do in the game)
  Spoiler

  Robbing a bank
• Dungeon master tool - Most likely not coming
• After release, lots of modding support coming
• They know what they're doing next, not alluding to anything yet
• Camp system upgraded significantly
• Swens old secret was the Dark Urge - always wanted to put it in a game, not recommending DU or origins for first playthrough, recommended playing orgins AFTER already seeing their story
• You can respec everything (including origins), but for the purpose of their story the original class will still matter (Wyll being a warlock for example)
• ("Returning" character acted by CohhCarnage, video reveal) Naaber, https://twitter.com/baldursgate3/status/1683179599113355264

The developers clearly don't seem to take Baldur's gate seriously, but more a like a playground for kids. I hope it's just me bitching.

 

[Barbarian]

Isn't fantasy/s&sorcery horny in general since the 70s or 80s?

i.e: the original conan movies and all that came afterwards. D&D was filled with semi-nudity and chainmail bikinis just as much as general fantasy tropes.

 

[Mebrilia the Viera Queen]

Isn't fantasy/s&sorcery horny in general since the 70s or 80s?

i.e: the original conan movies and all that came afterwards. D&D was filled with semi-nudity and chainmail bikinis just as much as general fantasy tropes.

Yes it was. People seem to have forgotten it.

 

[Barbarian]

ITT, it was pretty straight though.

There was the occasional ye olde foot fetishist such as William Hope Hodgson, but no faggotry.

 

[Mebrilia the Viera Queen]

ITT, it was pretty straight though.

There was the occasional ye olde foot fetishist such as William Hope Hodgson, but no faggotry.

Elminster was turned in to a woman by mystra for some times as mystra wanted to teach him things only females can understand about magic.

Sune stole Sharess by Shar graps kept her as a lover. I can do a dozen of examples.
Sune also concealed herself in a male form when Gods walked on Toril taking the mortal form of an human called Adonis.

 

[processdaemon]

That audiobook that was linked had a 14 year old boy dreaming he was in the body of a snake woman selecting men to have sex with (and possibly detailed the sex too but I stopped after the '14 year old boy' bit got mentioned). I'm not sure if that's technically gay but I wouldn't exactly call it straight either

 

[apostrophe]

How is dnd5e holding up in crpg? Seems like a bad fit, boring and limited, did they change anything?

 

[Gradenmayer]

Another comparison between this and original trilogy:

There was all this gravitas in the original trilogy about being the literal spawn of the god of murder, but no real hard choices or limitations - you could easily be goody two shoes paladin or righteous cleric of helm. Aside from that one time you automatically turned into the slayer you were never limited by your very dark origin.

Isn't Dark Urge the way the original CHARNAME should have been? A natural-born murderhobo who could struggle to be good against all odds?

ITT, people playing the EA since the beginning have found clear indication that Tav should be by default the Dark Urge, but that was eventually cut. Several scenes and narrator lines which were progressively edited during EA had the tav having the "blood, blood, blood" moments. I guess they really had this in for a connection with the original game very early.

The mechanic of Dark Urge’s origin will force you to do bad things if you try to be goody-two-shoes multiple times in a row- it forces an intimidation check and if you fail it, bad things happen without your say in it.

It’s probably would be quite unappealing and annoying for anyone who didn’t willingly decided to pick it, so making it into a separate thing was smart.

 

[Mebrilia the Viera Queen]

How is dnd5e holding up in crpg? Seems like a bad fit, boring and limited, did they change anything?

5th is vastly better than the 4th has a nice dynamism to it the gameplay is very neat. Is just that in term of rule system Pathfinder 2e is vastly better.
DnD 5th edition is not at all a bad system. Is just i miss the third edition.

 

[Maculo]

Another comparison between this and original trilogy:

There was all this gravitas in the original trilogy about being the literal spawn of the god of murder, but no real hard choices or limitations - you could easily be goody two shoes paladin or righteous cleric of helm. Aside from that one time you automatically turned into the slayer you were never limited by your very dark origin.

Isn't Dark Urge the way the original CHARNAME should have been? A natural-born murderhobo who could struggle to be good against all odds?

ITT, people playing the EA since the beginning have found clear indication that Tav should be by default the Dark Urge, but that was eventually cut. Several scenes and narrator lines which were progressively edited during EA had the tav having the "blood, blood, blood" moments. I guess they really had this in for a connection with the original game very early.

The mechanic of Dark Urge’s origin will force you to do bad things if you try to be goody-two-shoes multiple times in a row- it forces an intimidation check and if you fail it, bad things happen without your say in it.

It’s probably would be quite unappealing and annoying for anyone who didn’t willingly decided to pick it, so making it into a separate thing was smart.

It is a decent compromise between including a semi-unique campaign and not forcing a mechanic on new or more casual players. MotB was neat, but I could see the curse mechanic pissing off certain people and dissuading them from playing it further.