Baldur's Gate Baldur's Gate 3 RELEASE THREAD

[Robber Baron]

Dark Urge has no right to be this good

 

[AwesomeButton]

https://www.gamesradar.com/baldurs-...o-exist-because-otherwise-it-gets-exhausting/

Baldur's Gate 3's darker second act had to exist because otherwise "it gets exhausting"​

The stuff you learned in Act 1? "You need it to survive" in Act 2

Baldur's Gate 3's second act is very different to its first. Fairytale-style exploration quickly gives way to something far darker and less welcoming, but according to lead writer Adam Smith, there's a very good reason for that.

Speaking with Smith at Gamescom, GamesRadar+ asks about the somewhat jarring difference in tone between the first and second acts. Act Two is harder, darker, and not as sprawling as its predecessor, and personally, I found it a bit of a slog. But as Smith explains, that shift was crucial to the narrative structure of the entire game.

"One of the reasons Act One is so open is so that you've got space to experiment, and then as you get deeper into it, Act Two is much more 'Did you bring some skills with you? Have you learned how to navigate this much more dangerous area?' The systemic and emergent stuff that you've learned at that point, you need it to stay alive where Act One is much more playful," Smith says.

"It's adventure, right? The beginning of an adventure is much more free - you're discovering what your role is, you're discovering what you can do. And then, in Act Two, the intensity of the drama heightens. The interesting thing about Act One is that the villains are in your head or nebulously chasing you. But the central antagonist: Is it the parasite? What is it? And you're looking for that - 'what is the biggest threat to me here?'

"That gives a lot of direction, plot-wise. And by [Act Two], I think the hope is - and it seems to be working well - is that you have a better sense of your identity in the game, and what you would like, what you're capable of, and how you want to deal with things. So you have a lot of choice space in Act Two, but it's much more about 'how do we handle these very specific things?' rather than 'what are we exploring, what are we learning?'"

"I think some people have found it quite jarring because it's like, 'this is very different'. But that's kind of the richness of it. In terms of the pacing, I think if we'd done three big slices of space like we did in Act One, I think it would get exhausting. There's a storytelling incentive there; there are gameplay differences, but we didn't want people to think 'ok, I think I've done every piece of content in this map', and then you move on, and you're like 'and now there's another one'. That can be great, but it can also be like, 'ok, now I'm gonna do the same process again'. So Act Two has a lot of exploration, a lot of discovery, but pretty much everything you're discovering in Act Two is pointing towards a strong direction, which is Baldur's Gate."

It's a compelling argument, and I have to say that it's made me think differently about Act Two. I wasn't relishing returning to Moonrise Tower on my inevitable second playthrough, but I know the world has more to see there. Smith's definitely right that the game can't all be a big, fantasy playthrough - but perhaps I'll try to make the most of my time in the first act this time.

But as Smith explains, that shift was crucial to the narrative structure of the entire game.

Well, Smith is an ass!

The game is good despite his presence. At least now I know who was the idiot behind the decision for a linear Act 2.

It's a compelling argument, and I have to say that it's made me think differently about Act Two.

The journo is an ass too. Or who knows, might be trying to get inside Smith's pants.

 

[markec]

 

[Herumor]

Dark Urge has no right to be this good

Is that Thulsa Doom?

 

[AwesomeButton]

"We saw the game was good and well structured in Act 1. So, I had to step in and make it linear and overbearing in Act 2."

"...It was still good towards the end of Act 2, so in Act 3 we also made it woke."

 

[AwesomeButton]

Literally the first person you might speak with in the city:

Of course they do this to troll normal people, and for no other reason. My guess is they held on until Act 3 to go into full force because they knew by then it would far too late for negative feedback to reach the surface in forums.

 

[fantadomat]

Literally the first person you might speak with in the city:

Of course they do this to troll normal people, and for no other reason. My guess is they held on until Act 3 to go into full force because they knew by then it would far too late for negative feedback to reach the surface in forums.

Nigga i had found like 20 such discussion with randos on the streets,and i am halfway trough the lower city....

 

[volklore]

Literally the first person you might speak with in the city:

Of course they do this to troll normal people, and for no other reason. My guess is they held on until Act 3 to go into full force because they knew by then it would far too late for negative feedback to reach the surface in forums.

What do you mean there is gay deep gnomes, dyke ketheric daughter and apparently ketheric only cares because her love is an angel, ho and the dyke angel speaks like truckdriver crossed with a paladin.
Not to mention ''Baldur's gate is the most diverse city 1!11!'' and the whole refugee theme that's so hamfisted. Like the squatters squat the home of some ridiculous posch dude who hire criminals to get them out... hmm what did they mean by this I wonder. In those interractions you have to click like three different dialog options to finally get to the mildly anti refugee answers.

 

[Rhobar121]

Literally the first person you might speak with in the city:

Of course they do this to troll normal people, and for no other reason. My guess is they held on until Act 3 to go into full force because they knew by then it would far too late for negative feedback to reach the surface in forums.

You overestimate the importance of 4chan's moral defenders. They have the same influence as the bunch of dorks who tried to sabotage Hogwarts Legacy.
The vast majority of people don't give a shit about this stuff.
Otherwise, we would see a massive downvote of the game.

 

[VerSacrum]

Literally the first person you might speak with in the city:

Of course they do this to troll normal people, and for no other reason. My guess is they held on until Act 3 to go into full force because they knew by then it would far too late for negative feedback to reach the surface in forums.

What do you mean there is gay deep gnomes, dyke ketheric daughter and apparently ketheric only cares because her love is an angel, ho and the dyke angel speaks like truckdriver crossed with a paladin.
Not to mention ''Baldur's gate is the most diverse city 1!11!'' and the whole refugee theme that's so hamfisted. Like the squatters squat the home of some ridiculous posch dude who hire criminals to get them out... hmm what did they mean by this I wonder. In those interractions you have to click like three different dialog options to finally get to the mildly anti refugee answers.

The tieflings refugees sort of grew on me
Shame you can't sex their womens, at least not until I dropped the game (Karlach doesn't count, cringe character)

 

[N'wah]

This game makes Dragon Age Inqusition look positively hetero.

 

[fantadomat]

Literally the first person you might speak with in the city:

Of course they do this to troll normal people, and for no other reason. My guess is they held on until Act 3 to go into full force because they knew by then it would far too late for negative feedback to reach the surface in forums.

What do you mean there is gay deep gnomes, dyke ketheric daughter and apparently ketheric only cares because her love is an angel, ho and the dyke angel speaks like truckdriver crossed with a paladin.
Not to mention ''Baldur's gate is the most diverse city 1!11!'' and the whole refugee theme that's so hamfisted. Like the squatters squat the home of some ridiculous posch dude who hire criminals to get them out... hmm what did they mean by this I wonder. In those interractions you have to click like three different dialog options to finally get to the mildly anti refugee answers.

I see that you missed the couple infront of the bar in the lower city,the wifu just told her hubie that she is cucking him with some dyke and is leaving him lol .

 

[Tuco Benedicto Pacifico]

You must be the target audience for these warning videos they show in schools, about strangers that want to bait you into the basement to show you "kittens". Talk about keeping autism in check.

No, just because I'm not a rabid mongoloid with a persecution complex like you and fantadomat it doesn't mean I don't understand subtlety.

 

[AwesomeButton]

Nigga i had found like 20 such discussion with randos on the streets,and i am halfway trough the lower city....

I'm only finding these now because I restarted from an earlier save and entered the city "for the first time" again. Now I'm more thorough about talking to random people.

BTW, earlier I said there isn't a single generic temple where you would go for RP reasons. Turns out there actually is one, just next to your entry point into the city. It's called "Stormshore Tabernacle", and there is even some interactivity to it.

 

[Tuco Benedicto Pacifico]

The vast majority of people don't give a shit about this stuff.
Otherwise, we would see a massive downvote of the game.

Eh, it can get irritating when the intention to push a certain worldview is so blatant.
But more specifically the vast majority tends to find this stuff mildly annoying... And then choose to roll their eyes and move on, rather than having a rage fit over it.

In those interractions you have to click like three different dialog options to finally get to the mildly anti refugee answers.

For the sake of accuracy: the mildly anti-refugee answer that paints you as the mustache-twirling villain for siding against them.

 

[AwesomeButton]

For the sake of accuracy: the mildly anti-refugee answer that paints you as the mustache-twirling villain for siding against them.

I just ignored the whole scene. The DM throws stupid shit at me, I ignore it. I'm also directing my adventure.

 

[La vie sexuelle]

Literally the first person you might speak with in the city:

Of course they do this to troll normal people, and for no other reason. My guess is they held on until Act 3 to go into full force because they knew by then it would far too late for negative feedback to reach the surface in forums.

In Act 2 they were two gay gnomes.

 

[AwesomeButton]

In Act 2 they were two gay gnomes.

I know, but while these things were the exception in Act 2, in Baldur's Gate it seems like refugees have to be obligatory homos.

 

[Mebrilia the Viera Queen]

Meanwhile:

Seethers gonna seethe.

 

[processdaemon]

Literally the first person you might speak with in the city:

Of course they do this to troll normal people, and for no other reason. My guess is they held on until Act 3 to go into full force because they knew by then it would far too late for negative feedback to reach the surface in forums.

In Act 2 they were two gay gnomes.

In Acts 1 and 2 there were 6 gay deep gnomes (the married couple near the cave in, the lesbian deep gnomes and Wulbren and Barcas). I didn't do the deep gnome quest in Act 3 but judging from the lack of deep gnome heterosexuality in the first 2 acts I can only assume deep gnomes have discovered a way to reproduce asexually or their population would be in total collapse.

 

[Lagole Gon]

Literally the first person you might speak with in the city:

Of course they do this to troll normal people, and for no other reason. My guess is they held on until Act 3 to go into full force because they knew by then it would far too late for negative feedback to reach the surface in forums.

In Act 2 they were two gay gnomes.

In Acts 1 and 2 there were 6 gay deep gnomes (the married couple near the cave in, the lesbian deep gnomes and Wulbren and Barcas). I didn't do the deep gnome quest in Act 3 but judging from the lack of deep gnome heterosexuality in the first 2 acts I can only assume deep gnomes have discovered a way to reproduce asexually or their population would be in total collapse.

I was assuming Wulbren and Barcas don't have a sexual thing going on. But I never finished the quest, so maybe Wulbren shits in Barcas mouth at the end of it, it's plausible.

But in the gondian factory there are TWO homosexual gnome couples. Or rather were, the cleric of Bane chick killed one of the dykes.

 

[processdaemon]

Literally the first person you might speak with in the city:

Of course they do this to troll normal people, and for no other reason. My guess is they held on until Act 3 to go into full force because they knew by then it would far too late for negative feedback to reach the surface in forums.

In Act 2 they were two gay gnomes.

In Acts 1 and 2 there were 6 gay deep gnomes (the married couple near the cave in, the lesbian deep gnomes and Wulbren and Barcas). I didn't do the deep gnome quest in Act 3 but judging from the lack of deep gnome heterosexuality in the first 2 acts I can only assume deep gnomes have discovered a way to reproduce asexually or their population would be in total collapse.

I was assuming Wulbren and Barcas don't have a sexual thing going on. But I never finished the quest, so maybe Wulbren shits in Barcas mouth at the end of it, it's plausible.

But in the gondian factory there are TWO homosexual gnome couples. Or rather were, the cleric of Bane chick killed one of the dykes.

I assumed from the 'your relationship seems rather one sided' option you get while talking to Barcas that it was romantic, but I could just be overthinking it because of all the other gay deep gnomes. Even so, if we're not sure about Wulbren and Barcas that's still between 8-10 gay deep gnomes counting the ones you mentioned, which must be most (maybe even all?) of the deep gnome couples in the game.

 

[AwesomeButton]

I see that you missed the couple infront of the bar in the lower city,the wifu just told her hubie that she is cucking him with some dyke and is leaving him lol .

I found that. But the wife is absolutely the negative example in that exchange. She is spoiled, has bad judgement, cheater, and has spoiled their son to the best of her ability. She is also wrinkled and old. The man is better off frankly.

 

[Tyranicon]

Act 2 is great, loved the mood and atmosphere, with a banger ending ontop of it.


View attachment 40683

The Act 2 boss was kinda lame mechanically, but 500% better than whatever the fuck the actual final encounters were.

 

[MerchantKing]

Literally the first person you might speak with in the city:

Of course they do this to troll normal people, and for no other reason. My guess is they held on until Act 3 to go into full force because they knew by then it would far too late for negative feedback to reach the surface in forums.

In Act 2 they were two gay gnomes.

Act 1, Halsin has a note saying that he's a faggot.