Beamdog working on a new D&D CRPG (cancelled)

[vonAchdorf]

Because clients not games mods are their original business model.

 

[ArchAngel]

Their last client died for a day when SoD released. One can imagine they need something better.

Why do you need a client at all?

Because I bought BG1EE soon after release and there was no GoG or Steam version then.

 

[Tom Selleck]

Apothic Red

yo i drink this shit too but i don't know the first shit about wine i just used it to sex two girls at once, once, so i keep the fire burning

 

[Projas]

i just used it to sex two girls at once

Oh boy, do you two know each other?

 

[Tom Selleck]

they were gross as shit, bros

 

[Sherry]

Apothic Red

yo i drink this shit too but i don't know the first shit about wine i just used it to sex two girls at once, once, so i keep the fire burning

Hi.

Nice to meet you Tom Selleck you have a Hawaii aura about you but Apothic Red is not too sweet of a wine like some other red wines right and being from California it is a red wine of choice for some Obsidians so I feel like part of the team sometimes when I drink a glass myself.

Although I am truly sorry to read you had to drink Apothic Red to bed two girls at once. They must have been really ugly looking for you to hit the bottle like that. gosh.

p.s. I just wanted to add to this that I really like the new Beamdog launcher and that indeed there is room for another Enhanced Edition logo right? pretty exciting!

Thanks,
Sherry

 

[Klarion]

Hi.

I did not get much of a chance to play NWN on the weekend as it is the game I am playing right now but when I finish it I will be looking for a new game to play and it will be interesting to see what comes of this next week right? Since joining I have read a lot of threads of what to play from older games released that I missed or was too busy playing Ultima games. Before the final countdown stream for Deadfire in another post I asked for a reef with shipwrecks we could explore and find while sailing on our boat and my friends at Obsidian made it happen for me so I am going to do that again for everyone here okay? Okay!

What I would like to see is a modern update to Planescape Torment because I never played it and lots of members here say it is a really good game to play so that is my suggestion of what is going to happen and it will sell even more than Numenera because everyone who is playing that game but never played Torment will get that too because it will work really nice on modern systems just like Baldur's Gate updated adventure we all got from Beamdog right?

Thanks,
Sherry

Well, damn... Looks like you did it again... You have some superpowers.

 

[AwesomeButton]

When you no longer have clients, code one yourself.

 

[santino27]

Apothic Red

yo i drink this shit too but i don't know the first shit about wine i just used it to sex two girls at once, once, so i keep the fire burning

Hi.

Nice to meet you Tom Selleck you have a Hawaii aura about you but Apothic Red is not too sweet of a wine like some other red wines right and being from California it is a red wine of choice for some Obsidians so I feel like part of the team sometimes when I drink a glass myself.

Although I am truly sorry to read you had to drink Apothic Red to bed two girls at once. They must have been really ugly looking for you to hit the bottle like that. gosh.

p.s. I just wanted to add to this that I really like the new Beamdog launcher and that indeed there is room for another Enhanced Edition logo right? pretty exciting!

Thanks,
Sherry

Sometimes, the facade wears a bit thin when you can't help but take a poke at someone. Funny though!

 

[pippin]

do not bully sherry please.

Apothic Red

yo i drink this shit too but i don't know the first shit about wine i just used it to sex two girls at once, once, so i keep the fire burning

were those girls aware of said sexing?

 

[Tom Selleck]

They sure as hell regretted it afterward. (I am also hella gross, too.)

 

[LESS T_T]

New job postings, not particularly interesting...

Producer: https://www.beamdog.com/jobs/9
DevOps Engineer: https://www.beamdog.com/jobs/11
Web Developer: https://www.beamdog.com/jobs/10

But about the web developer:

- Ownership of an upcoming HTML5 based game (React, typescript, javascript, Node.js)

Maybe not related to Gaider's D&D game but could be a companion/marketing minigame of sort?

 

[Lacrymas]

What they have to do is not suck at writing anymore and learn to develop ideas. SoD is not that bad and if they fire, or not listen to, whoever approved SoD's writing it has potential.

 

[Delterius]

They did. Even then, I don't think anyone expects the writing to be any more than serviceable. SoD was an expansion to Baldur's Gate, not PS:T.

 

[Lacrymas]

I doubt Amber Scott was the person who had to approve the writing. Or was she? DUN DUN DUUUUUUUN. Seriously, though, are you talking about her or someone else?

 

[Delterius]

No, that was actually Avellone. Thankfully they fired Ms. Scott and hired Gaider so all is good.

 

[Lacrymas]

Wasn't MCA just brought in as a "consultant"? I know that he technically "approved" it by saying it's fine, but he lied about it being fine, so whatevs. We'll see how Gaider will orchestrate the project, he's definitely going to be better than Amber, but wasn't she just a scapegoat? "Representing the SJW agenda within Beamdog", which is now gone and they are free of the taint, so no more 1/10 reviews, please?

BG1 had better writing than SoD.

 

[Mustawd]

New job postings, not particularly interesting...

Ping me when you see a posting for Senior Accountant/Community manager. - Salary $150K. Must like BG1 and BG2

 

[Delterius]

I may or may not have forgotten to add an to that post so don't take it too seriously.

but wasn't she just a scapegoat?

You're taking this a bit too seriously. This is political but not presidential.

I did say in the original review that for whatever it is worth, Beamdog did, in fact, recognize their mistakes.

With one exception, all the main accusations 'SJW' I could find do echo the overall poor to mediocre quality of SoD's writing. Minsc's gamergate line and the trans cleric were, respectively, a bad idea and an idea that was fated to fail because the writers don't seem understand subtlety. Minsc's reference is one of those things that turn this whole expansion business from homage to dragging the corpse of the player's old memories for profit. Myzhena, the trans cleric, is played too straight for a world where magical Sex Change is a thing.

The 'Refugees are Welcome' angle however was pretty stupid. That the northern lands are being ravaged by an invading army is one of the few aspects of SoD's story that is pretty well estabilished. And only someone exceptionally stupid or surrounded by a bubble made up of Daily Mail articles would expect that a world of Lawful Good Paladins sinks syrian boats kills refugees from their own country.

That said, what's interesting is what came afterwards. If this was EA, BioWare or even certain Kickstarter companies we'd have the 'Gamers are Dead' Response. Instead, Minsc's line was removed. They could have safeguarded it under the guise of artistic freedom It would be a catch 22 for the Gamergate people. I think it was Trent who flat out said that Myzhena's character was poorly handled. Lastly, Amber Scott would have been celebrated and not let go for antagonizing people in the forums. Like Dinah. That is, assuming that's actually what happened. Maybe her fate was written in the stars the moment Gaider was hired.

Once more the white cismale takes the woman's job. Proving once more Jasedes can't be trusted and that women are the first casualties of war.

BG1 had better writing than SoD.

BG1 created Minsc. SoD gave him a Gamergate line. One is Judas, the other is Barrabas. Jesus forgave both because he's really into D&D.

 

[Mustawd]

I think it was Trent who flat out said that Myzhena's character was poorly handled

It was, but IIRC he also said that the char would be rewritten. Did this happen?

 

[ga♥]

BG1 had better writing than SoD.

Also voice acting.

 

[Zorba the Hutt]

With one exception, all the main accusations 'SJW' I could find do echo the overall poor to mediocre quality of SoD's writing. Minsc's gamergate line and the trans cleric were, respectively, a bad idea and an idea that was fated to fail because the writers don't seem understand subtlety.

Don't forget, in the initial press blitz for SoD, Amber proclaiming that BG was 'sexist' and that she'd be changing Safana's character to be less 'problematic'. Still chuckle when I think of that perfect marketing strategy for an expansion to an 18 yr-old game :D

Anyway, will be interesting to see what Gaider comes up with. I may wait for Mustawd's review though.

 

[Lacrymas]

It was, but IIRC he also said that the char would be rewritten. Did this happen?

No. I even had the Girdle of Masculinity/Femininity in my inventory for extra cringe.

 

[ArchAngel]

I think it was Trent who flat out said that Myzhena's character was poorly handled

It was, but IIRC he also said that the char would be rewritten. Did this happen?

I think they added another line of conversation or something. But you can attack and kill her without losing reputation or making everyone else hostile. I guess nobody in the camp liked her talking about her sex change to every new face :D

 

[Delterius]

Amber proclaiming that BG was 'sexist' and that she'd be changing Safana's character to be less 'problematic'.

Oh, that's another thing I tried to address in the review.

Dragonspear's story and writing are done in the form of newer games. Meaning lots and lots of dialogue, the logical conclusion of a process BioWare went through starting with SoA. Naturally, those responsible for the screenplay wanted to do something with these characters.

The problem begins because of the way Baldur's Gate delivered characterization. Let's say you're Amber Scott and you want to expand upon Safana. To make her 'less problematic', as it were. Well, what do you have to work with, anyway? Her character portrait, her biography, the throwaway lines and, God willing, the one special interaction with the story that some characters get. This leaves us with:

She fled from a life of luxury.

She has a flirtatious and arrogant personality.

She's physically attractive and uses her looks to her advantage.

She won't join if there are no men in the group.

She has a love/hate relationship and rivalry with Coran.

That's about it. Now, who is she in Siege of Dragonspear? Well I didn't bring Safana along but she's basically the same, really. Same thing about Jaheira's 'nagging' or 'bossy' schtick. You do have some hints that someone wanted to steer them to another direction. There is Safana's 'Everyone focuses on my looks. I feel so two-dimensional at times' throwaway line. But frankly I probably only noticed that because someone mentioned their politics. Its not really like the 'Are you calling me a wench?' scene that circulated on the Net back at release.

The real irritating thing about characters in SoD is that the originals were larger than life charicatures with one or two key notes about them. Before they'd press those a few times here and there. In SoA and to a much greater extent in Dragonspear they just won't shut up. Safana will be a lecherous femme fatale in almost all of her lines. Minsc will always be an idiot. And so on. Beamdog's own characters are either straight/serious characters who don't really fit with the average insanity (Corrin who's a sergeant defend her homeland) or a tryhard attempt to one up Minsc (the fucking gnome).

The goblin shaman was cool though.