Icewind Dale Beamdog's Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition

[Surf Solar]

aVENGER - while you are here - there were some really strange audio artifacts in the ambient mix in the Shadow Vale, lots of crackling and low fi audio in the mix, all other areas sound fine. Is that a known issue?

 

[aVENGER]

No audio issues are currently in our bug database.

However, people with certain Creative cards (Soundblaster X-Fi etc.) sometimes experience similar problems due to the way Creative implemented OpenAL within an older version of their drivers. This can be fixed by updating the drivers to the latest version and/or re-installing OpenAL.

 

[agris]

aVENGER - while you are here - there were some really strange audio artifacts in the ambient mix in the Shadow Vale, lots of crackling and low fi audio in the mix, all other areas sound fine. Is that a known issue?

I found the audio crackling subtlety during the intro movie also, and it ain't my klipsch speakers. sounded exactly like a track clipping above 0 dB on the audio mix.

Also, FYI, I noticed that the music files (*.acm) are MUCH smaller those included in the 1pp high quality IWD1 music, which is ripped directly from the CD and encoded in 320k / 44 kHz iirc. This works for IWD:EE but not via patching. If you want to install the HQ tracks to get non-potato quality music, do this:

Download the 1pp IWD HQ music mod (~280 mb).
Extract it where ever, and navigate to\1pp_hq_music_IWD\music
Copy all the FOLDERS in the music folder to "..\Icewind Dale Enhanced Edition\music", override when prompted
You're done. Make sure you only copy the folders, not any of the *.mus files. The MUS files control what music is played where, and have probably changed in the EE. Also, by overriding the EE's music, you ensure you're only adding HQ music, not removing any new tunes they put in.

 

[Surf Solar]

aVENGER I'm actually using an external sounddrive here at home (a Tascam US144) and when I first noticed it it was on the samsung galaxy tab 3 pad. I only noticed it because I always crank up the ambient sfx to the max and the other sfx a bit lower.
I can make a video of it together with my specs, its a very low priority nit picky thing though

 

[Xeon]

People are used to the BGs and expect combat music to play during battles in every area.

This is weird, the combat music is probably one of the few things I really hate in BG, They are so loud and because there is a lot of combat, you'll hear that music every few minutes, I wanted to mute it but there is not an option for the combat music only so that kinda sucks a little. BG1 1.3 had a looping combat music bug, that also kinda sucks.

Thank you haraw and Lonely Vazdru.

 

[aVENGER]

I can make a video of it together with my specs, its a very low priority nit picky thing though

Sure, feel free to report it here and one of our QA people will look into it.

 

[SarcasticUndertones]

I'll hate on Beamdog til they fix BG.

Their only job was to implement the fixes that the community already did for them, (actually there was 2 jobs it was supposed to be HD-ified also but we weren't informed that they didn't have the sources, and therefore couldn't do that, til most of us had pre ordered it and they'd wrung every last ounce of the good will fan advertising they got) it's not as if they were actually making a game, and it still has bugs.

Question, what brain donor thought it was a good idea to make an arena for an actual true blue RPG?

Even one bug in this particular release is unacceptable considering that was their only job.

..and they want to lay their grubby mitts on PS:T?.. Fuck the fuck off.

 

[Jaesun]

Joined: Yesterday

 

[SarcasticUndertones]

Joined: Yesterday

And banned tomorrow. :/

 

[Melcar]

Goddamn Yuan-ti's and their fucking Stoneskins.

 

[agris]

The arenas were a nod to the combatfag IE fans, and I'm happy that they did it. I just wish the actual enemy types/locations/numbers were randomized while the difficulty ramped up. As it is now, you beat it once and that's it.

Also, I really wish they supported PvP in the arena.

 

[SarcasticUndertones]

The arenas were a nod to the combatfag IE fans, and I'm happy that they did it. I just wish the actual enemy types/locations/numbers were randomized while the difficulty ramped up. As it is now, you beat it once and that's it.

Also, I really wish they supported PvP in the arena.

I certainly don't mind a nod for all the different types of fans.. but combat fans (I would fucking hope) are secondary in this particular audience. What did the 'primary' (story/interaction/depth) fans get apart from a couple of (sorry, but..) piss poor npc's or at least NPC's that were poorer, by far, than some of the good one's available from the community. TBH it just looks like they were looking for content they could coast on, but still call it an addition.

However this is all opinion and not really worth my time ragging on BD anymore for, I've seen the quality of their so called 'improvements' and I'm not impressed with their work and because of that I have no intention of throwing any more good money after bad, but they obviously have an audience.

 

[agris]

I can't speak to BG2:EE but the writing and map textures/renders for the BG1:EE content was bad.

But PC wasn't really their target audience, tablet and mobile was. Maybe people intimidated of weidu on PC/Apple. I've played BG:EE and I will default to BGT with my own batch file to install the mods I want, every single time. I still bought BG1/2 EE because I support their cause. IWD:EE is a good example of my support being put to good use (though they murdered the UI, gimme my dark wood).

Since we are fans talking about these games on forums, we are outside their target audience (by definition). Some people will rant and rave about that, others accept it. I've chosen to accept it. You and I are not their target consumer SarcasticUndertones.

 

[SarcasticUndertones]

You and I are not their target consumer SarcasticUndertones.

But we should have been, mate. Without 'fans' like you and I the game wouldn't have sustained a reputation that could be exploited in the first place

 

[agris]

What could they have offered us though? Whatever you can think of, I don't think it would make a marketable product without tablet / mobile and apple support.

If you bought any of the EEs, you still did something. You showed the IP rights holder (Atari and now I don't know who) that there is a market for these games, enough so that the IWD:EE was made. We've contributed momentum towards BG1/2 + IWD-like games being respected and made in the 2010s, and that's something.

 

[SarcasticUndertones]

What could they have offered us though? Whatever you can think of, I don't think it would make a marketable product without tablet / mobile and apple support.

If you bought any of the EEs, you still did something. You showed the IP rights holder (Atari and now I don't know who) that there is a market for these games, enough so that the IWD:EE was made. We've contributed momentum towards BG1/2 + IWD-like games being respected and made in the 2010s, and that's something.

It might be 'something', but when it's not 'something' I want AND actively skews the opinion of others as to what I do actually want, then any further products along these lines aren't going to be what I want either.

EDIT.. just discovered the smilies. It's not relevant, but I simply HAD to use it.

 

[Shevek]

I might consider picking this up. Already finished WL2 and you can only replay the PoE beta so many times. I am gonna have to mod in some quivers of plenty though. I hate dealing with ammo in these games.

I did some google searching and you can un-nerf Cleric/Rangers by editting the ini file. Nice.

 

[nikolokolus]

Ammo is most certainly not a problem in the EE version of IWD. Stacks are double the original game's values.

 

[Lonely Vazdru]

Magic ammo scarcity is one of the only things that can make ID a bit difficult. I hear there is a story mode though.

 

[SarcasticUndertones]

I might consider picking this up. Already finished WL2 and you can only replay the PoE beta so many times. I am gonna have to mod in some quivers of plenty though. I hate dealing with ammo in these games.

I did some google searching and you can un-nerf Cleric/Rangers by editting the ini file. Nice.

If you are comfortable editing *.ini files then I'd suggest just buying the original from GOG and modding it, it's not really any more difficult and it's far cheaper, $3.99 ATM in the fall sale.. of course this is with the understanding that you're playing on PC.

 

[purpleblob]

Any reason to hate on Beamdog, right?

I hated Beamdog from the day they've showed interest in developing BG3. Bhaalspawn saga ended, let the game rest in peace. I hated Beamdog even more once I started playing BG:EE. I want them to go out of business so they can stop ruining my favourite game series ever.

 

[Xeon]

That's a little childish man. BGEE at release was yeah, kind of terrible but they kept on improving it. BG1EE 1.3 is pretty solid IMO anyway and if I understand correctly they are still intend on improving it in the future with more features and hopefully more bug fixing.

BG2EE is a kind of buggy still but they are working on the new patch at the moment I think. I haven't played IWD1EE yet but a lot of people are saying its great.

 

[purpleblob]

You do realise there's a huge difference between adding few new features into existing game and developing a new game from the scratch, right? BG2 is an absolute masterpiece - if anyone wants to develop a sequel, the expectation will be VERY high.

Plus, Bhaalspawn story ended with ToB. How are they going to continue the story without sounding forced and silly?

 

[Xeon]

Sorry, I thought you were talking about BGEE, I think they said that if they ever make BG3 it will probably be about 130 years or something in the future without having connection to the original plot so entirely different story but with the same name for the name recognition or something a few people said in the BGEE thread.

 

[purpleblob]

That's another thing as well. if the game is going to be made using 5th Edition and set ~130 years later, then why call it BG3? Just make a new IP, damnit.