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

[Grunker]

Now why so much secrecy about gameplay , what was so wrong in telling us its pretty much like DOS 2 and turn based ?

Because they thought it would alienate the fans of BG

I complained about the insane announcement delays on this game to my (succesful) friend in video game development, and he told me it's easily the most effective way to advertise. Announce something waaaaay ahead of time, let slip tiny details with vast amounts of time in between the small details, then go 600% complete megaham on the advertisement the last 3-4 months before release. I thought the opposite was the case, but there you go. Also explains Bloodlines' marketing I suppose

 

[FeelTheRads]

I'm trying very hard to contain my excitement, but I find it a bit difficult because this is the first AAA turn-based D&D RPG ever. Ever. I didn't think I'd live to see the day. Unless you count the Goldbox games, but I wouldn't, are they considered AAA? I doubt it.

And what's so exciting about something being a AAA game?

 

[Tuco Benedicto Pacifico]

People wanted PoE-esque art with good D&D-based combat (whether turn-based or rtwp) and normal-looking dialogue. As it is now, when it comes to successors, PoE wins art, Kingmaker wins combat and writing (low bar), BG3 wins, uh... maybe the combat will hold up?

Frankly all my major complaints about D: OS 1 and 2 were related to the shitty custom ruleset Larian used and the HIDEOUS randomized itemization.
By the virtue of being based on D&D alone BG3 is already addressing both from the start up.

Also, the art style/production value seems to be improved here, and it's weird to read all these autistic people whining about it non-stop, when most of the same people could never shut up for a second about how amazing Pathfinder: Kingmaker was, and that game looked straight garbage-tier when it comes to character models and animation.

 

[Allyriadil]

As someone that hated Divinity Original Sin this looks like the same fucking shit. They also adjusted the D&D 5E rule set so this is going to be fun.
I am also disappointed with no RtwP. Divinity OS had such boring slow tedious combat encounters, it looks like they haven't learned at all.
It's cringe to see the mainstream crowd getting all excited while they have never experienced the classics.

RIP another franchise ruined.

 

[mibbles]

He's lighted because of LIGHT coming from a WINDOW, you basement dwellers.

 

[Van-d-all]

I thought the opposite was the case, but there you go

Seems obvious, like the rule of good horror. Once you've seen the monster, it slowly becomes less scary. It also mostly seals the deal on visual direction, since it's too late to change it under audience pressure.

 

[Lacrymas]

And what's so exciting about something being a AAA game?

Because it might pave the way for an actual RPG Renaissance! It's also an exciting historical fact.

He's lighted because of LIGHT coming from a WINDOW, you basement dwellers.

What's a window?

 

[Grunker]

Kingmaker wins combat

You on this train as well? That surprises me. Kingmaker's combat past level 8 is a degenerate mess. Before that I really enjoyed it but after, the creases in Pathfinder and the sheer lack of balance that resultats from the complexity start to break the game down

 

[rusty_shackleford]

As someone that hated Divinity Original Sin this looks like the same fucking shit. They also adjusted the D&D 5E rule set so this is going to be fun.
I am also disappointed with no RtwP. Divinity OS had such boring slow tedious combat encounters, it looks like they haven't learned at all.
It's cringe to see the mainstream crowd getting all excited while they have never experienced the classics.

RIP another franchise ruined.

People who like rtwp should be put in prison.

 

[Nano]

And what's so exciting about something being a AAA game?

Good production values > bad production values. Duh.

 

[Heroic Liberator]

As someone that hated Divinity Original Sin this looks like the same fucking shit. They also adjusted the D&D 5E rule set so this is going to be fun.
I am also disappointed with no RtwP. Divinity OS had such boring slow tedious combat encounters, it looks like they haven't learned at all.
It's cringe to see the mainstream crowd getting all excited while they have never experienced the classics.

RIP another franchise ruined.

People who like rtwp should be put in prison.

Dunno about that, but combatfags have no place in the future Arpigian ethnostate.

 

[Lacrymas]

Combatfags are the only true citizens of Arpigian.

And what's so exciting about something being a AAA game?

Good production values > bad production values. Duh.

I don't have anything against AAA games as a concept (well, the exploitation of their workers, but I'm not communist enough for that) when they cater to me.

 

[Roguey]

You on this train as well? That surprises me. Kingmaker's combat past level 8 is a degenerate mess. Before that I really enjoyed it but after, the creases in Pathfinder and the sheer lack of balance that resultats from the complexity start to break the game down

I'm just going by Codex consensus. I haven't started it, though I will try soon.

 

[Jimmious]

I'm only worried about two things at the moment:
- I'm afraid the turn system will be "us - them" and not per character. But that's just a feeling I get from the images so far
- We still didn't see any equipment and I'm worried that we'll get a diablo-loot system like in the D:OS games... Which kinda goes against D&D and its item progression etc. I still have hope but that's a major worry

 

[Grunker]

You on this train as well? That surprises me. Kingmaker's combat past level 8 is a degenerate mess. Before that I really enjoyed it but after, the creases in Pathfinder and the sheer lack of balance that resultats from the complexity start to break the game down

I'm just going by Codex consensus. I haven't started it, though I will try soon.

ah, i getchu

 

[Lacrymas]

You on this train as well? That surprises me. Kingmaker's combat past level 8 is a degenerate mess. Before that I really enjoyed it but after, the creases in Pathfinder and the sheer lack of balance that resultats from the complexity start to break the game down

I'm just going by Codex consensus. I haven't started it, though I will try soon.

This is not only the case in Kingmaker, though, it was a problem with D&D higher levels in general.

 

[Reinhardt]

 

[Heroic Liberator]

Combatfags are the only true citizens of Arpigian.

I myself prefer TB and value good gameplay, but this false dichotomy of storyfags and combatfags is shit. While some of us can tolerate bad gameplay when there is a good story to be experienced (or vice versa), a true RPG connoisseur should demand both good combat and good story from their games.

 

[Van-d-all]

We still didn't see any equipment and I'm worried that we'll get a diablo-loot system like in the D:OS games... Which kinda goes against D&D and its item progression etc. I still have hope but that's a major worry

They wouldn't dare. Right? Right?!!

his false dichotomy of storyfags and combatfags is shit. While some of us can tolerate bad gameplay when there is a good story to be experienced (or vice versa), a true RPG connoisseur should demand both good combat and good story from their games.

It's honestly incredible how many codexians fail to grasp this basic fact.

 

[Yosharian]

Fucking show us the game already

 

[FeelTheRads]

And what's so exciting about something being a AAA game?

Good production values > bad production values. Duh.

Good production values/AAA typically imply shit everything else.

So I really can't be excited about something just because it's AAA.

 

[Riddler]

He's lighted because of LIGHT coming from a WINDOW, you basement dwellers.

That only lights up him?

 

[Grunker]

You on this train as well? That surprises me. Kingmaker's combat past level 8 is a degenerate mess. Before that I really enjoyed it but after, the creases in Pathfinder and the sheer lack of balance that resultats from the complexity start to break the game down

I'm just going by Codex consensus. I haven't started it, though I will try soon.

This is not only the case in Kingmaker, though, it was a problem with D&D higher levels in general.

Untrue, at least when we're talking scale. The problem is vastly bigger in 3.5/PF than in AD&D (and I say this as someone who loves 3.5/PF and really dislikes AD&D). Reason being AD&D's layers of spell protection, which is also what ultimately leads to Baldur's Gate on SCS being so interesting.

3.5/PF breaks down firstly because of its complexity which makes AD&D-rules look like a carefully balanced game of deterministic chess, and second because the emphasis is put so squarely on attacks while defenses are mostly a waste of time. As such, just to try and balance the game just a tiny, tiny bit, even on lower difficulties than the highest, Kingmaker piles loads and loads and loads of random stats on top the enemies - they get shit like +40AC, +20 saving throws and so on. Just to have the slightest chance of beating the onslaught of rules you're throwing at them.

PF is fun because of the character customization and Kingmaker *really* shines in this department, but beyond the lower levels I didn't have a single, interesting combat encounter for the same reason.

You'll get critics saying the game is dogshit for this reason and apologetic fans denying the lack of balance by calling you a Sawyerist or whatever. The truth is pretty simple: Kingmaker pays for a *heavenly* deep character customization experience with an utter lack of balance unrivaled by most other games.

 

[Allyriadil]

People who like rtwp should be put in prison.

At least it allows me to turbo through thrash encounters. D:OS had plenty of them.
I would love to see something like the combat from the Goldbox games again, but yeah it's Larian we are talking about. Almost all their games are riddled with terrible design decisions.

 

[Lacrymas]

So I really can't be excited about something just because it's AAA.

It's not only because it's AAA, it's because it's the first ever turn-based D&D RPG. With an AAA budget. It might introduce more people to D&D and RPGs. Yeah, I guess that budget forces them into a weird modern 3D space and I hate that, but eh, we'll see how it turns out. I would have preferred a bit more style over generic 3D, but I also know you win some you lose some.

Grunker, I meant the corresponding D&D edition, i.e. 3 or 3.5. AD&D also has such a problem, though, but it's confined only to the mages really.