Beamdog's Infinity Engine and Neverwinter Nights console ports

[JarlFrank]

A sequel still isn't fully original tho.

 

[The_Mask]

I actually want to see this Planescape: Torment port to console, just out of a morbid fascination of watching the Hindenburg crash and burn, seeing Beamdog kick and scream from atop of it.

 

[santino27]

So cool! I might try playing some of these now!

:acknowledge this user's agenda:

 

[Dorateen]

Does this mean it will be turn-based?

 

[taxalot]

Only mean and bad people think this is a bad thing.

 

[Dodo1610]

Bioware's good console games Kotor, Jade Empire and ME Triology aren't available for current gen consoles but games that was never intended for gamepad will get ports? We truly live in a strange world.

 

[taomcio]

Bioware's good console games Kotor, Jade Empire and ME Triology aren't available for current gen consoles but games that was never intended for gamepad will get ports? We truly live in a strange world.

They are - but only on Xbox.

 

[GrainWetski]

They are - but only on Xbox.

And they'll re-re-re-re-release them on their next consoles so people buy them for the 5th time. Consoles are so cheap compared to PC.

 

[Ebonsword]

Does this mean it will be turn-based?

That would be nice, but would require effort, so there's no way Beamdog would actually do it.

It does make me wonder how the hell playing these games will even work with a controller, though.

 

[The_Mask]

Chris Avellone - I assume that in order to fit Planescape: Torment for consoles, its combat will be switched to a TBS. 20 years after release.

Were/Are you aware of this? Care to comment at all?

 

[Devoidless]

I really wonder what market they are aiming for. People who currently play those games, and the style of such, already have PCs. You know. PCs? The system that the game play was designed for?
Anyway! I don't know a person under the age of 25 that has even heard of these games--let alone played them. I don't foresee a 20-something seeing BG on the PS4 or Xbone store and going "Finally! I've been waiting for this cRPG to get slapped onto my console of choice! Now I can finally play this bitch on my $500 box of fuck!"
However, I'm morbidly curious to see how they made the controls work on a controller. Is everything going to be on a giant radial menu that pauses the game every time you bring it up? Are you going to need to double-fist controllers to select your party and then use quick slots? NWN would be the easiest of the bunch since you can't really control the useless meatshield that tags along. Yet BG? There is a lot of shit going on there, what with an entire party and enemy mages needing counter-spells while your tank needs healing and Imoen is being a useless little shit as always.

 

[kalganoat]

doesn't matter how bad the controls are. Zoomers will drop the game the moment they see the graphics.

what a retarded business decision.

 

[Generic-Giant-Spider]

Beamdog is probably looking for ways to ENHANCE those Dark Alliance games from the PS2 era.

I honestly love Beamdog, though. They're such an unintentionally amusing company because it's like they'll do anything in their power to avoid actually making something new and original from their own minds. Can you just imagine when they release these console ports they'll be like, "Shit... what do we do now?" "Uh... did they ever defrost that IWD2 source code that was rumoured to be kept in a glacier near Antarctica?" "We could always run streams about meaningless patches again." "Was Lionheart an Infinity Engine game? Can we enhance that?"

 

[Poseidon00]

I honestly love Beamdog, though. They're such an unintentionally amusing company because it's like they'll do anything in their power to avoid actually making something new and original from their own minds.

Exactly. They will milk other people's good games until the end of time. We will see these on the N-Gage (remember that?) before they do anything original.

It really pisses me off that all of my favorite childhood RPG's are in the hands of these thieves.

I would almost forgive them all of their nonsense if they did something new with the NWN:EE but no, it's just more "technical fixes" and "new platforms".

 

[Generic-Giant-Spider]

N-Gage (remember that?)

I credit the N-Gage for beginning the decline of mobile gaming. It may have died horribly, but it did a Predator-style self destruct sequence that it demonically laughed about as it infected the gaming world with its essence of shit forevermore.

 

[Poseidon00]

I keep thinking every time we hear one of these shameless cash grabs "this is it, they are backed in a corner now. They've done everything they can do. They HAVE to do something original now." Yet every time they pull off a new incredible stunt in high level vampirism, living off of the lifeblood of decades old corpses that were brought back to life, transformed into a mangled mockery of themselves. Have to give them points for creativity.

 

[Terra]

More importantly, will A Dance with Rogues be playable on the console version of NWN?

 

[Poseidon00]

I've heard A Dance With Rogues isn't even compatible with the EE's, but don't quote me on that. I won't buy them until they offer some new content, which will never happen apparently.

 

[DalekFlay]

Oh my god the pain of just ignoring something I don't give a shit about. It hurts so bad.

 

[Steezus]

Look, the company was founded on the principles of milking, and it's going to stay true to its principles to the bitter end. It is a respectable commitment to their core values.

I think the end is pretty close, when their last resort is to port 20 year old cRPGS to 8th gen consoles.

 

[Apostle Hand]

beamdog is always breaking new grounds when it comes to cutting edge rpgs and porting them to consoles is just another example of that.

 

[deuxhero]

I actually found using the PS4's touch pad as a pseudo mouse for name entry fields (These OS level fields are the only thing I'm aware of on the entire system that actually uses it for more than gestures) was better than going through it by analog stick. I could totally see a control scheme focusing on it being roughly playable (No way I'd try it if a PC version existed, but playable). I'm pretty confident Beamdog is so incompetent it won't even be an option though.

Please think what you ask for.

Even finding other games to do could be pretty bad. Someone competent could make a genuinely enhanced edition for Arcanum easily enough: Add voice acting for all companions and major NPCs, rebalance the combat, fix the companion AI (and/or make them directly controllable) add some QoL stuff, throw some money at Drog to include his patch and find out what engine level bugs can be fixed with source. Same for ToEE: Give it actual mod tools, implement some non-core 3.5 material (Tome of Battle, Psionics and Duskblade would be what I'd start with since none of those classes would lose anything going to a cRPG like Binder would) and, if they're being really crazy (or as DLC if they want to milk it), add another campaign by porting Red Hand of Doom. Beamdog however would add some portraits, a shitty companion, bugs and sell it at 40 bucks.

Spoiler

I'd actually approve of Beamdog doing one for those games, no matter how shitty, if they broke down the legal barriers that are preventing Tim Cain from releasing the source code in the process

 

[Generic-Giant-Spider]

I could totally see a control scheme focusing on it being roughly playable

(No way I'd try it if a PC version existed, )

 

[Kruno]

The real questions are:
* Will is support micro-transactions?
* Will I be able to be any gender that I could imagine?

 

[Mikeal]

Baldur’s Gate, Baldur’s Gate ll, Baldur’s Gate: Siege of Dragonspear, Icewind Dale, Planescape: Torment, and Neverwinter Nights All Coming to Console in 2019

February 7, 2019 (Los Angeles, CA) – Skybound Games and Beamdog today announced a publishing partnership that will bring classic roleplaying videogames Baldur’s Gate, Baldur’s Gate ll, Baldur’s Gate: Siege of Dragonspear, Icewind Dale, Planescape: Torment, and Neverwinter Nights to console platforms in 2019.

Beamdog is known for bringing enhanced versions of Dungeons & Dragons videogames to fans both new and old on the PC platform, including the critically acclaimed Baldur’s Gate, Neverwinter Nights and Planescape: Torment. Six of Beamdog’s fan-favorite games will be released on console platforms for the first time ever via Skybound all as Enhanced Editions sold at retail stores and online (www.Skybound.com). These upcoming releases will allow RPG fans the opportunity to experience epic Dungeons & Dragons adventures in a whole new way.

A selection of Beamdog’s games will be on display in the Skybound Games booth at PAX East in Boston from March 28th to March 31st, all coinciding with the first anniversary of Skybound Games as the video game publishing arm of Skybound Entertainment.

“These games are iconic, including Baldur’s Gate, which has really set the standard for Dungeons & Dragons computer roleplaying games,” said Skybound Games CEO Ian Howe. “We’re excited to bring Beamdog’s incredible slate to new platforms for both the dedicated fan and those who will soon discover these adventures for the first time. As longtime fans of Baldur’s Gate and Dungeons & Dragons it’s fantastic to partner with Beamdog as the newest member of the Skybound family.”

“We are ecstatic to partner with Skybound Games to bring these great classics to new platforms,” said Trent Oster, Beamdog CEO. “Skybound’s accomplishments are amazing and they have a demonstrated love and respect for creators. We’re thrilled to find ourselves working with such a talented group.”

More details about what fans can expect with these upcoming console releases, including specific platforms and box contents, will be unveiled in the coming months. Fans interested in these details should follow Skybound Games on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

https://www.skybound.com/games/beamdog-console-baldurs-gate-neverwinter-nights-and-more/