The engine had nothing to do with using bg2 spell effects and sprites in bg1. Sprites like the full plate warriors and certain helmets, spell effects, again, like fireball. Those assets exist independently of the engine and iirc there used to be mods that restored some BG appearance to BG2 or Tutu.The sprites and spell effects weren't changed in the EEs. What you're refering to only changes BG1 and that wasn't Beamdog updating the graphics, it was a result of using the ToB engine for the game.
Like I said, they can be changed back to the BG1 effects. I recall that I did it for the fireball effect in one game long ago, but I can't find the mod now. Maybe it was 1pp. Not sure.Ehm, yes, the sprites and spell effects are distinctly part of the engine, which is why those are changed in BGT as well - and incidentally part of the reason 1PP exists.
In which case I have no idea why Bioware changed them in BG2, because original BG1 paper dolls are massive superior to anything that came after.
Of course, I removed the xp cap, otherwise I'm damn sure it wouldn't be doable without endless reloads and retries, especially considering SoD afaik doesn't increase the XP cap of BG1.
So, I'm doing a solo Fighter/Druid* playthrough of the series and am now near the end of Siege Of Dragonspear**...
* Fucking hell, what was I smoking? Fighters are nice, sure. But druids? Abysmally useless lvl 1-3 spells, extremely limited selection of useful higher level spells, nothing that can open locks (some chests especially in SoD you cannot force open no matter your STR), cannot read any scrolls, cannot make themselves invulnerable at the start of combat (not all encounters can be prepared against beforehand), cannot use most wands (a few work, for whatever reason)...
By now, I'm beginning to think a Bard would have been better - at least that one could read scrolls. A solo fighter would at least have more proficiency points available (F/D can only go to 2 in weapons, 3 in styles).
A few encounters I simply had to cheat around as there was no way in hell my char could've pulled those off - like some "random" encounters in SoD which place you against half an army with so many incoming attacks that some will disturb those vital initial spells.
Mostly it works and is definitely one hell of a challenge, though.
Of course, I removed the xp cap, otherwise I'm damn sure it wouldn't be doable without endless reloads and retries, especially considering SoD afaik doesn't increase the XP cap of BG1.
** I am at the same time disgusted and positively surprised.
You remember that "discussion" about SJW lines laid into Minsc's mouth or so? I wish that agenda pushing was the only problem in the game. Some of these dialogues are simply bottom-of-the-barrel bad.
Modern speak, memes and trope-referencing, "lulzy" stuff, just plain bad in-your-face writing, ...
And the worst part? I'm almost entirely sure it was all done by the same person, because some of the writing is actually well done. And you can definitely see the difference in quality between different NPCs and sections. Weird.
Also the most annoying character in gaming history. You thought the bard in NWN 2 OC was bad? Meet Neera.
Another problem is in all the other NPCs you can add to your party - all of them (except those that were always in BG2) just disappear in BG2, which makes using them in a playthrough rather shitty IMO. And they don't have any plans of adding them to BG2.
On the plus side, the maps actually look nice, some of these encounters are surprisingly challenging and the exploration is fun - though it may just be the joy of finally seeing something new in a BGT playthrough.
There are also interesting characters and a story arc that doesn't make any less sense than what is in BG1 or 2.
So if you can ignore some of that atrocious writing - and you'd have to be damn good at ignoring - I'd actually recommend the thing. But as it is, it is kinda like a box of doughnuts, some of which are filled with mustard and you won't know which ones before you take a bite. Actually, maybe play the game in some other language, that might make it better.
The one improvement to BG2 that I expected/hoped to see would be Jaheria not insisting on reminding me about knowing me. Just write it a bit more neutral so that there's room for ambiguity.Another problem is in all the other NPCs you can add to your party - all of them (except those that were always in BG2) just disappear in BG2, which makes using them in a playthrough rather shitty IMO. And they don't have any plans of adding them to BG2.
I'd amend this to say you've never played BG1 at least. BG1 had its own unique art design and gameplay that Beamdog completely threw out the window. I personally like playing with BGT/EET, but I know it isn't the real BG1.The EEs are fine for a first playthrough, but only for frauds who want to pretend they've played the games. If you've only played the EEs, you've never played BG1 and BG2.
edit: Oh, and I completely forgot to mention all the terrible new cartoony cutscenes they made to replace the in game's original CGI cutscenes.
The cutscene at the end (comparison timestamped 10:11) was especially offensive in that it didn't fly up and show all the other Bhaalspawn before turning downward. It looks like they were going to, but then just fades to the camera panning down awkwardly. Sad.
So yeah, I can't recommend it for a first run at all. You're just not really playing BG.
I remember years ago conveying my thoughts on a forum other than this about the decline of cinematic storytelling in the Heroes of Might and Magic series, contrasting the opening of the third installment, in which the princess of Erathia walks about a desolated city of sorcerers and experiences visions of the battle that had once raged there, with some cutscene someone posted of a newer installment, in which some guy with a greatsword sperges out and obliterates five hundred skeleton warriors by twirling around his greatsword, nonstop for several minutes, like a baton. The first cutscene had information to convey. The second, only images to bombard the viewer with. Storytelling vs. pornography.
Druid have two advantages over Clerics in BG: the abiity to use Drzzt's scimitars, and faster leveling :D* Fucking hell, what was I smoking? Fighters are nice, sure. But druids? Abysmally useless lvl 1-3 spells, extremely limited selection of useful higher level spells, nothing that can open locks (some chests especially in SoD you cannot force open no matter your STR), cannot read any scrolls, cannot make themselves invulnerable at the start of combat (not all encounters can be prepared against beforehand), cannot use most wands (a few work, for whatever reason)...
I think the first and foremost reason was that the cutscenes needed to be in higher resolution, as the originals were simply too small.You just wonder what possessed them to redo the cutscenes. First, cutscenes are typically so expensive, tricky to do, and often end up half of what you intended, even at the best of times. Second, the original cutscenes weren't particularly lacking in any way, so you weren't giving yourself an easy task of improving it. Third, it seems like they didn't have any ideas for improving it, so the end result isn't even substantially different, except for seemingly random changes like removing the statues that detract from the theme?
I'd at least understand if they wanted to do a total technical upgrade with higher-definition models and whatnot, or extend the cutscenes, add narration, whatever - even if the results are catastrophic, at least there was a clear intention.
Faster leveling is only up to a certain level, after that there is an extreme curve and it becomes slower than fighters. Maybe it catches up again later on, not sure. I'm 11/13 now and I doubt the rest of the expansion will give me 1 million XP. I'm in for a slower ride now.Druid have two advantages over Clerics in BG: the abiity to use Drzzt's scimitars, and faster leveling :D* Fucking hell, what was I smoking? Fighters are nice, sure. But druids? Abysmally useless lvl 1-3 spells, extremely limited selection of useful higher level spells, nothing that can open locks (some chests especially in SoD you cannot force open no matter your STR), cannot read any scrolls, cannot make themselves invulnerable at the start of combat (not all encounters can be prepared against beforehand), cannot use most wands (a few work, for whatever reason)...
Like I said, they can be changed back to the BG1 effectsEhm, yes, the sprites and spell effects are distinctly part of the engine, which is why those are changed in BGT as well - and incidentally part of the reason 1PP exists.
That's true. I think they said they didn't even have access to the original developer tools, let alone all the original assets. They used a lot of modder tools.I think the first and foremost reason was that the cutscenes needed to be in higher resolution, as the originals were simply too small.
And most likely, the raw 3D scenes used to render those videos were lost - at least that would be my assumption.
Otherwise, it would indeed be weird as hell why they didn't just re-render the cutscenes in a higher resolution.
After playing through the EE's, it's almost actually believable.And this is the story of how Beamdog redid all the cutscenes.
The faster levellng only goes up to level 10 or 12, after that, at level 15 or so, the druid's XP/level goes crazy and you fall way, WAY behind. That is why it is an advantage only in BG and not BG2.Faster leveling is only up to a certain level, after that there is an extreme curve and it becomes slower than fighters. Maybe it catches up again later on, not sure. I'm 13/13 now and I doubt the rest of the expansion will give me 1 million XP. I'm in for a slower ride now.Druid have two advantages over Clerics in BG: the abiity to use Drzzt's scimitars, and faster leveling :D
And scimitars... yeah.
But to gimp myself additionally, I went for dual wield clubs & daggers
Well then kudos to them for trying then. IMO, they still shouldn't have upgraded the engine though. Different ruleset, different sprites and effects. It's not an enhanced BG1. It's just a port like Tutu, which already existed. Logistically there may have been reasons, but I still don't approve of it.That's because a lot of 1PP has been implemented into the EEs. Erephine was, like a couple of other modders, hired for a very short period of time, to make it happen. That's also why there are proper flaming swords in the EEs and so on.
I get not wanting to give Beamdog money, but raving that the EEs are a garbage inferior version is really tryhard.