Icewind Dale Icewind Dale is a very boring, bad game

[FeelTheRads]

One could say that you heard it from somewhere and are regurgitating it without critical analysis.

Whenever you hear something like "D&D is a bad system anyway" you can be 90% sure it comes from some newfag moron who read it somewhere and thinks it makes him cool and edgy to repeat it.

That it is convenient for me to kill a dragon in BG2 through a single Finger of Death or some combo doesn't mean it's a good or fun fight. It's cheesing even if it's legal and endorsed by the system.

It's cheesing even if it's part of the system.

Why exactly it is a bad thing to kill a dragon in a single hit? And why in the fuck is it a bad thing to kill it with a "combo"?
What do you need to have a good fight? An engagement system, perhaps?

 

[Theldaran]

Why exactly it is a bad thing to kill a dragon in a single hit? And why in the fuck is it a bad thing to kill it with a "combo"?
What do you need to have a good fight? An engagement system, perhaps?

If you kill a dragon in one hit, it's not even a fight. How can it be a fun one too?

I was only talking about fun and tediousness there. I didn't even say it was a negative thing. Sometimes you'll cheese it out, sometimes you'll use more standard tactics, I said it before. Depends on what you want to do, and the game allows that freedom which is a good thing.

In classic D&D, killing a dragon in one go isn't really how it's supposed to be. Your DM shouldn't allow that, unless he wants to speed up the plot and shower you with XP and treasure, which is a thing most DMs don't do liberally.

Probably you don't agree with load scumming and rest spamming, though those are classic techniques fully integrated in the game.

 

[Cael]

One could say that you heard it from somewhere and are regurgitating it without critical analysis.

Whenever you hear something like "D&D is a bad system anyway" you can be 90% sure it comes from some newfag moron who read it somewhere and thinks it makes him cool and edgy to repeat it.

That it is convenient for me to kill a dragon in BG2 through a single Finger of Death or some combo doesn't mean it's a good or fun fight. It's cheesing even if it's legal and endorsed by the system.

It's cheesing even if it's part of the system.

Why exactly it is a bad thing to kill a dragon in a single hit? And why in the fuck is it a bad thing to kill it with a "combo"?
What do you need to have a good fight? An engagement system, perhaps?

To him, a good fight is one where you have to spend all your spell slots going back and forth with Breach, Counterspell, protection spells and all the sparkling whirly bits flying around and rule of kewls. Mundane, easy to end fights if you know what you are doing? Trash.

 

[Cael]

In classic D&D, killing a dragon in one go isn't really how it's supposed to be. Your DM shouldn't allow that, unless he wants to speed up the plot and shower you with XP and treasure, which is a thing most DMs don't do liberally.

I pity the poor bastards who are in any RPG game this fuckwit is in.

"You can't do that! That is no fun!" x ad naseum.

 

[Theldaran]

I just think generic combat with low-level mobs is just filler, an appetizer for the dungeon's boss. It has always been that way.

In a well-done adventure, the otherwise tedious low-level combat is presented in a way it doesn't get boring, by providing an interesting environment, or some other way.

DMs are in charge of making the game smooth and fun for everyone. This is not always possible since there are different playing styles. However, the DM should have fun too. Letting the players downright exploit the rules and be almighty powerful ruins the game quickly, for the DM if not for everyone. That's not what D&D is supposed to be. If the DM wants to throw you an easy encounter, he doesn't pull off a DRAGON. That's easily understood even by toddlers.

If you wanna reduce it to the absurd, then yes, the boss fight is always more interesting, gripping and epic than the combat that leads to it.

 

[Cael]

I just think generic combat with low-level mobs is just filler, an appetizer for the dungeon's boss. It has always been that way.

In a well-done adventure, the otherwise tedious low-level combat is presented in a way it doesn't get boring, by providing an interesting environment, or some other way.

DMs are in charge of making the game smooth and fun for everyone. This is not always possible since there are different playing styles. However, the DM should have fun too. Letting the players downright exploit the rules and be almighty powerful ruins the game quickly, for the DM if not for everyone. That's not what D&D is supposed to be. If the DM wants to throw you an easy encounter, he doesn't pull off a DRAGON. That's easily understood even by toddlers.

If you wanna reduce it to the absurd, then yes, the boss fight is always more interesting, gripping and epic than the combat that leads to it.

Fucktard's logic: A part of the game system makes it too easy for players. Therefore, it must be an exploit.

I think we have found ourselves the opposite of a munchkin. What shall we call this definitive proof of humanity's slide into the lowest common denominator? A kinmunch? A dramawhore? Or just the old standby of a fucktard?

 

[Theldaran]

Cael, your trolling is pathetic. Go take a course at 4chan or something.

 

[Trashos]

I pity the poor bastards who are in any RPG game this fuckwit is in.

"You can't do that! That is no fun!" x ad naseum.

What's your backup plan if Finger of Death doesn't hit?

 

[Theldaran]

I pity the poor bastards who are in any RPG game this fuckwit is in.

"You can't do that! That is no fun!" x ad naseum.

What's your backup plan if Finger of Death doesn't hit?

That's easy, to reload until it gets home.

 

[Cael]

I pity the poor bastards who are in any RPG game this fuckwit is in.

"You can't do that! That is no fun!" x ad naseum.

What's your backup plan if Finger of Death doesn't hit?

I don't know. Ask the fuckwit who is crying about it. Personally, I won't be using the Finger on a Dragon as their Fort save is pretty high. There are other means of one shotting Dragons.

 

[Ninjerk]

RPG game

 

[Abhay Saini]

I loved Icewind Dale because ;-
1. Beautiful Landscapes
2. Deep, interesting and distinct dungeons with its own buildup, backstory
3. Good buildup before introducing Lizardmen, Drow and evenutally Liches. Dragon's Eye was referenced iin Kuldahar's peasants losing people (that story about one man just losing it one day and goes off to find his wife).
4. Mystery element of Brother Poquelin.

I feel Icewind Dale is only appreciate by people with high imaginative power, who love the subtle, rich fantasy over politics, massive loot/levelling/spell thingy or more "things to do" kind of games.

 

[NJClaw]

I loved Icewind Dale because ;-
1. Beautiful Landscapes
[...]

Not only that, but an amazing soundtrack that, together with the unique art style, established a very distinctive and immersive atmosphere.



What a fucking masterpiece, unrightfully forgotten

 

[Murk]

I replayed IWD 1 a week ago and it's aged incredibly well, especially the masterfully touched up environment maps and ambiance (sounds, too).

Also one of the few games were playing a Bard is very fun.

On a gameplay level, there is one thing IWD 1 does very well -- assuming you don't metagame the fuck out of it, of course -- is that if you just play a normal party you're always sort of on "edge". You never feel like you are all that prepared for what's coming next, especially when you get to Dragon's Eye.

I feel like they balanced the availability of loot and general "power level" pretty well.

Again, assuming you don't go in with a host of haste + web + archer spam tactics.

 

[ItsChon]

IWD is an amazing game that does everything it sets out to do very well. The art, music, and sound in the game blend together to create an immersive atmosphere that really enhances everything about the game. In regards to this, I'd say IWD is only rivaled by FO.

 

[octavius]

I've played Icewind Dale five times:
Standard party with a Bard.
Standard party without Bard since War Chant of the Sith is way OP.
Lord of the Rings party, with one Halfing Fighter/Thief representing the four Hobbits.
Solo with a F/M/T. Didn't make it through Trials of the Luremaster, though.
Sword&Sorcery (almost wrote Dorkery) Power trio of Fafhrd, Gray Mouser and Cappen Varra.

This makes IWD the CRPG I've played most times, except Diablo 2 (completed Hell difficulty 7 or 8 characters) and possibly Diablo 1.

 

[Shadenuat]

I just roll randomly on races classes and 3d6 on stats as well.

 

[Murk]

It's kind of interesting to note the differences in the same spells between say BG 1/2 and IWD 1. Often in IWD, the spells are... weaker? Overall you have less fire power and you're less likely to just bombard everything in sight.

I also found that due to most of the enemies being evil in IWD, you can actually afford to use spells like Holy Smite which are pretty damn good. Not to mention getting full mileage out of protection from evil, or a Paladin's Smite ability.

 

[Lilura]

It's kind of interesting to note the differences in the same spells between say BG 1/2 and IWD 1. Often in IWD, the spells are... weaker? Overall you have less fire power and you're less likely to just bombard everything in sight.

Spells aren't weaker it's just that scroll itemization is stingier and the mobs are much stronger/bigger.

Haste in 1.06 IWD doubles party-wide attack rate. In BG, only adds 1 attack. In BG2, Improved Haste doubles attack rate but targets only one combat unit per casting.

 

[Ontopoly]

Ice wind Dale really did have some amazing locations. I went in thinking it would be just a lot of snow but was pleasantly surprised by it.

 

[Murk]

It's kind of interesting to note the differences in the same spells between say BG 1/2 and IWD 1. Often in IWD, the spells are... weaker? Overall you have less fire power and you're less likely to just bombard everything in sight.

Spells aren't weaker it's just that scroll itemization is stingier and the mobs are much stronger/bigger.

Haste in 1.06 IWD doubles party-wide attack rate. In BG, only adds 1 attack. In BG2, Improved Haste doubles attack rate but targets only one combat unit per casting.

Some are different, some are weaker -- Ice Storm in BG 2 is listed as doing 2d8 Damage per round for 4 rounds. In IWD it's listed as doing 3d10 damage once (duration is written as 'instant').

Other spells like cloudkill are weaker in their AOE -- in BG 2 it's listed as 30 foot radius, in IWD it's an 8 foot radius. Having just booted up IWD and cast it, it really is way smaller.

Haste is a weird one since in IWD it reduces the "ticks" from 6 to 3, making everything (including recovery time) go 2x as fast. It's basically a mass improved haste, really, which is crazy. I guess it does mean that buffs run out 2x as fast, too, but easily worth it.

 

[Tom Baker's Arse]

Just hit Chapter 5, going only on inertia, because this game is boring me to death.

It's like a duller version of Diablo, with more numbers and less fun. A constant progression of corridors with waves of trash mobs to kill. The combat is actually far worse than in BG saga, as even BG1 had its share of memorable fights. Here, I can't remember any.

The story is sleep inducing. It gives you no motivation at all to play. You are some random pos who came out of nowhere, and now are suddenly supposed to be invested in some bs that's going on in the north, which is essentially just a sequence of meaningless mini-villains, one after another, not one with any backstory that makes you actually want to find them and take them down. Sorceress so and so, followed by necromancer billy bob, who was actually innocent because it was really lizard king larry, and so on.

The loot tables are atrocious. I spent most of the game armed with a weapon I bought from the store keeper in Kuldahar. Half the things I find have restrictions on them (alignment, class, race, etc), and the other half plain suck.

No exploration obviously, given that you are traveling between PoIs along tight corridors. One puzzle in the entire game so far, and it was horrible. How is this game #22 on the top 70 list?

What in the fuck is wrong with you ? I assume you profess to like cRPGs, yet you cannot wrap your fucking brain around the brilliance that was IWD. OP, your behaviour is pure faggotry and I am afraid you know it.

 

[CappenVarra]

IWD1 is the best infinity engine game, period.

welcome to AD&D, create your party (no shitty chatty romanceable needy writer-fapped NPCs here), venture forth and prevail

it could be improved by:
- BG1 locations explorable in the order the player chooses, and
- Proper AD&D phase-based combat (round segments, motherfucker, do you speak it? declare your action AND ONLY THEN roll for initiative)

the 7 second rounds in the game files are... interesting?

one of a kind of RPGs we could use more of, either way

P.S. @octavius setting Cappen's charisma to 16 was nothing short of criminal, mark my words

 

[Butter]

IWD was the first IE game I played, and I didn't realize you could have multiple instances of a given spell. Needless to say, I became pretty well acquainted with the spell book by the end of the game. Combine that with creating a full party from the beginning, and it was the perfect way to learn the IE gameplay.

 

[holla_cabezas_de_mierda]

Icewind dale must be played with a underpowered party/characters, without savescumming and cheesy tactics/strategy (rest everytime, i.e). It will be boring otherwise.

Yeah, I remember once I made a party where I basically accepted average rolls. I actually had to think about combat, not simply buff up, go in, and fuck everything up. I would however add that you still should reroll your Mage to have the highest possible Con and Dex. Your Mage getting one hit killed by goblins and skeletons is just not fun.

that is always how I play IWD and I only use 1 mage. I hate casting a bunch of spells anyway, and I won't rest until everyone has used all their spells. But usually I only have 1 mage and 1 cleric and sometimes a bard.