Edward_R_Murrow
Arcane
Between a suggestion made in the Baldur's Gate Let's Play over yonder and the old Fallout Ironman Challenge over here I decided to start up an Infinity Engine Ironman shebang. At the very least, it might let people get some more mileage out of older games, or give these games a try perhaps.
What are the Infinity Engine games?
These would be Baldur's Gate, Baldur's Gate 2, Icewind Dale, and Icewind Dale 2.
What about Torment?
Immortality and ironman don't play nice with each other.
What do I do in an ironman playthrough?
Simple. Don't use save/reload. You can save as much as you like. Saving often is a good thing, especially when playing computer games. The catch is, no reloading besides when you start the game. If you lose a party member, eat the loss. If your character or character's die, then it's game over.
How do I participate in this thread?
All you have to do is play the game ironman, and post screenshots of your progress by use of the default screenshot button, which in most (if not all) of the Infinity Engine games is the Print Screen button and provide a little bit of a description every once in a while in this thread. Confused about how often is enough or too much? Check the Fallout ironman challenge thread linked up at the top of this post for a reference. Also, come up with a unique name for all your characters or teams for being recorded in the results boards.
Also, JPEGS are always nice, as are 800X600 or less resolutions if at all possible with the screenshots.
Anything else?
Indeed. For starters, update whenever an NPC companion (where applicable) is killed for good and isn't able to come back. This means that either you removed them from the party upon death as opposed to resurrecting them, are unable to resurrect them for some reason, or they got gibbed beyond saving. That way I can track the NPC deaths. If you decide to raise them, if you are able to, you don't need to update. Also update whoever you pick up, ditch, or swap out. That way I can keep track of survivors. They'll be put on the board of asinine cliches....I mean heroic companions with their status.
What about mods and the like?
Mods are fine as long as they don't imbalance the game towards the player. So no uber weapon mods, no added NPC companions, and the like. Basically, interface updates are great, ease of use is a wonderful thing, and if you want to up the difficulty, be my guest.
Any additional rules?
Yep.
General
-Don't abuse glitches. I know I can't tell and neither can anyone else, but use the honor system.
Baldur's Gate
-Only create one character. No multiplayer import/export shenanigans.
-If there's a Candlekeep skipping mod, go for it.
Baldur's Gate 2
-Same as with number 1, don't make more than one character.
-Importing your old character from the first is alright, just don't pull the equipment keeping glitch.
-Dungeon-Be-Gone mod is okay. Because nobody is actually going to die in there and it's a waste of time. If you want to go through it, it's okay, but you don't have to. Just to get things going.
Throne of Bhaal
-Same as the main game.
Icewind Dale 1 and 2
-You can create your party members only at startup. Nobody joins midway through. Pick the number you bring wisely. Taking less than six to capitalize on additional experience is a decent idea, but don't regret it.
-Give your party a name, as that' how they'll be tracked on the board.
Any decent mods to make things better?
Sure are.
Baldur's Gate 1
-Baldurdash: This is a fixpack that corrects a lot of bugs and screwups in some of the items and abilities that aren't corrected by the patch.
-Unfinished Business: A mod that restores or attempts to restore a bunch of cut content and fill in a lot of illogical plot holes, like Kivan having no reaction to Tazok and such.
-Sword Coast Strategems: An AI update making the game more challenging through tactics and "smarter enemies" as opposed to sillyness like tripling damage rolls or souped up HP.
-BG1 Tutu: Baldur's Gate 1 in the Baldur's Gate 2 engine.
-Easy Tutu: For when you want a simple install process of the Tutu mod.
Baldur's Gate 2
-BG2 Fixpack: Nice and simple fixpack in the vein of Baldurdash.
-Unfinished Business: More cut content restoration to make playing the game again a little more interesting, hopefully.
-Tactics: For when you need to knock a munchkinized party down a few pegs.
-Sword Coast Stratagems 2: Pure AI upgrade that makes the enemies do the most with their given abilities as opposed to Tactics style cheese.
Throne of Bhaal
-Ascension: Kick the difficulty up a notch, or just make the rather poor ending sequence into something a bit better.
Icewind Dale
-Trials of the Luremaster: An add-on with more content for Heart of Winter.
Icewind Dale 2
-Slowdown Fixer: Absolutely crucial because some areas are loaded with so many animated monsters that they crash often. This helps alleviate this problem quite well from my experience.
-Targos-Be-Gone: Self explanatory. Just like Dungeon-Be-Gone for BG2, removing a pain in the ass.
Oh, and thanks Bradylama for the templates I'm stealing here....
The results
Go wild, and if by chance anybody actually manages to have someone go through the entire Bhaalspawn saga, I would be very impressed. Hell, I might even have to give them a prize.
What are the Infinity Engine games?
These would be Baldur's Gate, Baldur's Gate 2, Icewind Dale, and Icewind Dale 2.
What about Torment?
Immortality and ironman don't play nice with each other.
What do I do in an ironman playthrough?
Simple. Don't use save/reload. You can save as much as you like. Saving often is a good thing, especially when playing computer games. The catch is, no reloading besides when you start the game. If you lose a party member, eat the loss. If your character or character's die, then it's game over.
How do I participate in this thread?
All you have to do is play the game ironman, and post screenshots of your progress by use of the default screenshot button, which in most (if not all) of the Infinity Engine games is the Print Screen button and provide a little bit of a description every once in a while in this thread. Confused about how often is enough or too much? Check the Fallout ironman challenge thread linked up at the top of this post for a reference. Also, come up with a unique name for all your characters or teams for being recorded in the results boards.
Also, JPEGS are always nice, as are 800X600 or less resolutions if at all possible with the screenshots.
Anything else?
Indeed. For starters, update whenever an NPC companion (where applicable) is killed for good and isn't able to come back. This means that either you removed them from the party upon death as opposed to resurrecting them, are unable to resurrect them for some reason, or they got gibbed beyond saving. That way I can track the NPC deaths. If you decide to raise them, if you are able to, you don't need to update. Also update whoever you pick up, ditch, or swap out. That way I can keep track of survivors. They'll be put on the board of asinine cliches....I mean heroic companions with their status.
What about mods and the like?
Mods are fine as long as they don't imbalance the game towards the player. So no uber weapon mods, no added NPC companions, and the like. Basically, interface updates are great, ease of use is a wonderful thing, and if you want to up the difficulty, be my guest.
Any additional rules?
Yep.
General
-Don't abuse glitches. I know I can't tell and neither can anyone else, but use the honor system.
Baldur's Gate
-Only create one character. No multiplayer import/export shenanigans.
-If there's a Candlekeep skipping mod, go for it.
Baldur's Gate 2
-Same as with number 1, don't make more than one character.
-Importing your old character from the first is alright, just don't pull the equipment keeping glitch.
-Dungeon-Be-Gone mod is okay. Because nobody is actually going to die in there and it's a waste of time. If you want to go through it, it's okay, but you don't have to. Just to get things going.
Throne of Bhaal
-Same as the main game.
Icewind Dale 1 and 2
-You can create your party members only at startup. Nobody joins midway through. Pick the number you bring wisely. Taking less than six to capitalize on additional experience is a decent idea, but don't regret it.
-Give your party a name, as that' how they'll be tracked on the board.
Any decent mods to make things better?
Sure are.
Baldur's Gate 1
-Baldurdash: This is a fixpack that corrects a lot of bugs and screwups in some of the items and abilities that aren't corrected by the patch.
-Unfinished Business: A mod that restores or attempts to restore a bunch of cut content and fill in a lot of illogical plot holes, like Kivan having no reaction to Tazok and such.
-Sword Coast Strategems: An AI update making the game more challenging through tactics and "smarter enemies" as opposed to sillyness like tripling damage rolls or souped up HP.
-BG1 Tutu: Baldur's Gate 1 in the Baldur's Gate 2 engine.
-Easy Tutu: For when you want a simple install process of the Tutu mod.
Baldur's Gate 2
-BG2 Fixpack: Nice and simple fixpack in the vein of Baldurdash.
-Unfinished Business: More cut content restoration to make playing the game again a little more interesting, hopefully.
-Tactics: For when you need to knock a munchkinized party down a few pegs.
-Sword Coast Stratagems 2: Pure AI upgrade that makes the enemies do the most with their given abilities as opposed to Tactics style cheese.
Throne of Bhaal
-Ascension: Kick the difficulty up a notch, or just make the rather poor ending sequence into something a bit better.
Icewind Dale
-Trials of the Luremaster: An add-on with more content for Heart of Winter.
Icewind Dale 2
-Slowdown Fixer: Absolutely crucial because some areas are loaded with so many animated monsters that they crash often. This helps alleviate this problem quite well from my experience.
-Targos-Be-Gone: Self explanatory. Just like Dungeon-Be-Gone for BG2, removing a pain in the ass.
Oh, and thanks Bradylama for the templates I'm stealing here....
The results
Code:
Baldur's Gate deaths
----------
Name Poster Class Cause of Death
Goldilocks Elwro Illusionist Gibbed by a gibberling pack
Kane Shannow Berserker Met a ghastly end trying to get some steroids.
Buttmunch Murrow Bard Arrow bukkaked by bandits.
Vaern Fyz Fighter/Mage Wolfed down by los lobos vampiros.
Hateguy Murrow Fighter/Conjurer Stone dead forever.
C. Munchkin Makagor Fighter/Cleric Was the darkness that was magic missile'd.
Mjorkerina mjorkerina Mage Misunderstood and killed by bounty hunters.
G. Do-Gooder Makagor Paladin Beaten to a pulp by walking flesh.
Moreseia Moradil Bard Killed by a bloated corporate whore.
Maneater WetWorks1 Berserker Subdued by the male gaze of some ghasts
Code:
Baldur's Gate 2 deaths
----------
Name Poster Class Cause of Death
Dolph Ziggler Mikayel Thief->Mage Prebek made him tap out.
Karr Mikayel Fighter/Cleric Lich slapped
Code:
Throne of Bhaal deaths
----------
Name Poster Class Cause of Death
Code:
Icewind Dale Deaths
----------
Team Poster Last Stand
Iron Lords of Blood flabbyjack Pissed off Arundel beyond belief.
Code:
Icewind Dale 2 Deaths
----------
Team Poster Last Stand
The Codexers abstract Killed by angry moon worshiping lesbians
Code:
The Meat Shields...err friends
--------------------------
Baldur's Gate
NPC # of Deaths # of Survivals
Ajantis 2
Alora
Branwen 2
Coran 2
Dynaheir 1
Edwin 1
Eldoth
Faldorn
Garrick 2
Imoen 7
Jaheira 3
Kagain 3
Khalid 2
Kivan 1
Minsc 2
Montaron 5
Quayle
Safana
Shar-Teel
Skie
Tiax
Viconia
Xan
Xzar 4
Yeslick
Baldur's Gate 2
NPC # of Deaths # of Survivals
Aerie 1
Anomen 1
Cernd
Edwin 1
Haer'Dalis
Imoen
Jaheira
Jan
Keldorn
Korgan 1
Mazzy
Minsc 1
Nalia
Valygar
Viconia
Yoshimo...
Mr. Throne of Bhaal
Code:
The Ironmen (AKA the winners)
-----------
Name Game
Snow White and the Dwarven Wrecking Crew Icewind Dale
Atheist Elf Ninjas Icewind Dale
Code:
The Tablet of Shame
-----------
Name Poster Game ShameGo wild, and if by chance anybody actually manages to have someone go through the entire Bhaalspawn saga, I would be very impressed. Hell, I might even have to give them a prize.
