What drove BG3's success, game mechanics or emotional engagement?

[Poseidon00]

I should probably throw it out there that they made a custom character origin that, seemingly, likes to murder random people and things for unspecified storyline reasons. I haven't gotten far with it but there are definitely some unique chances to commit malicious murder via cutscene

 

[Laz Sundays]

WeheheHEEEHELL then, there seems to be nothing to worry about here.

10/10 game. I'm gonna do to them what trannies did to women sports.

 

[JB_0x0003]

I should probably throw it out there that they made a custom character origin that, seemingly, likes to murder random people and things for unspecified storyline reasons. I haven't gotten far with it but there are definitely some unique chances to commit malicious murder via cutscene

That one is extremely silly. I like it a lot because it has unique dick dastardly esque evil people who will think you're epic and fucked up for wanting to kill people. You also get unique dialogue choices to smirk when someone dies. (Awesome)

 

[Nikanuur]

Probably more than one thing, but I believe that one of the key ones was the near-sandbox feature. Many bad things can be said about gaming communities, but for the good ones, people surprisingly often like to experiment in games and do tomfoolery—and if the experimentation is not mandatory, all the better. Not only is all of this the case with BG3, but the game also reacts to much of the player's tomfoolery.

 

[S.H.O.D.A.N.]

I think Gale is objectively pretty well written

I'm not saying The Chosen One can't ever be written well, but Gale is what happens when someone reads Wheel of Time and thinks they can pull that stunt off just as well, except they didn't do two tours in Vietnam, nor date two chicks at the same time, so it just wheels back to being juvenile snowflake territory.

I wouldn't look for good writing in BG3. Instead, look for good performances. Astarion, Frog, the snorefest warlock's devil and a couple others are hammed up enough to get past the mediocre at best material into being actually entertaining.

 

[luj1]

I wouldn't look for good writing in BG3. Instead, look for good performances. Astarion, Frog, the snorefest warlock's devil and a couple others are hammed up enough to get past the mediocre at best material into being actually entertaining.

Flamboyant gay vampire is 'entertaining'? Boring af mate, even a little annoying

 

[S.H.O.D.A.N.]

Flamboyant gay vampire is 'entertaining'? Boring af mate, even a little annoying

As written, it's boring. As performed, I found it hammy enough. The sappy, woe is me parts were a low point, admittedly.

 

[Lemming42]

The only real problem with most of them is the over-the-top destinies and backstories. Astarion's fun when he's just a conniving, amoral, self-serving dandy, less fun when he's talking your ear off about his 200 years of hurt and his role as The Most Special Vampire Of All or whatever. The writing is mostly very good otherwise, all the characters (maybe except Wyll) have strong and distinct voices with clear personalities and worldviews, it only falls apart when they start spouting off their anime-tier backstories.

That's the only big issue I had with the writing in general, the stakes are just raised to absurd degrees for almost everything. Gale can't just be some guy you met on the road, he has to be a walking WMD with the most elaborate-ass backstory ever. Karlach can't just be your funny dimwitted mate, she has to be former supreme commander of hell or w/e. The plot can't just be "how do we get these tadpoles out", it has to be "everyone in a 500-mile radius is mincemeat unless we can stop an Elder Brain and thwart a plot to take over all of Baldur's Gate in the process".

I guess the writers think it's epic or whatever but it's funny because I think most people prefer the idea of a group of nobodies setting off on an adventure rather than a group of super-special chosen ones. Almost all the fanmade stuff I see for BG3 tends to just ignore the ludicrous shit going on with the character's backstories and just writes them as if they were normal, low-key adventurers.

 

[luj1]

All of this companion shit is cringe

 

[Old Hans]

The only real problem with most of them is the over-the-top destinies and backstories.

I think the the Origin system is to blame. when you play a single origin character it's fine, but when you have all the characters in your group it becomes ridiculous. all of a sudden everyone is the main character

 

[Tyranicon]

My main problem with Larian writing, even though in BG3 it's significantly better compared to DOS2, is that it's still so fucking camp. Nothing matters, everything's a joke, the game is so pseudo British in a way that makes no fucking sense.

So when you mash that with super dramatic characters with tragic yet utterly formulaic back stories and a main plot that's Save The World Again 4234#, it suuuuuuuucks.

 

[Justicar]

SHILLS

 

[Beans00]

Meh, I'll probably never play bg3. I have 2 reasons for this.

1. I didn't particularly like the D:OS games.
2. It didn't win the rpgcodex game of the year.

 

[Baron Tahn]

Yeah its defs not something you are 'missing out on'. Its just average but it IS an RPG and has a party, Turn based...fairly decently produced but a bit misguided...You know. If you dont love Larian it aint setting the world on fire or nothing.

 

[Zed Duke of Banville]

Meh, I'll probably never play bg3. I have 2 reasons for this.

1. I didn't particularly like the D:OS games.
2. It didn't win the rpgcodex game of the year.

Yes, you should be playing the Codex's GotY 2023 instead.

 

[Haplo]

relatively light on CRPG mechanics

I'm still not sure where this idea comes from; I think it beats a great many other games when it comes to cRPG systems, especially more recent ones. I wouldn't say that BG3 comes up lacking when compared to, for example, Wasteland 2/3 or the new Shadowrun games or D:OS, let alone action-oriented stuff like TES games or Fo3/NV/Fo4 or The Outer Worlds.

Part of what made the game's success so exciting for me is that it's demonstrated that the wider public are capable of grasping and really enjoying turn-based cRPGs as long as the mechanics are presented in an intuitive way. It's not even a case of people putting up with gameplay they find unappealing for the sake of the story (eg Dragon Age), I've seen people at work who normally don't play games enthusiastically talking about their ideas for builds and shit.

The star of BG3 and a big reason for its success is 5E. People love to shit 5E and say that there are tons of better TTRPG systems out there, which to me might be true but misses the reasons as to why 5E is so successful. While 4E was an utter failure. Yeah, there exists systems which are crunchier and deeper, also systems which are more rules light and accessible, but how many systems out there are able to hit that balance between accessible and deep as 5E did?

If BG3 was instead a 3.5E game it probably would have done way worse, cause non TTRPG people would have a harder time getting into the game.

You may be onto something.
After the 3.5 / Pathfinder / Deadfire treats, I hate DnD 5th ed. style multiclassing though

 

[Haplo]

Meh, I'll probably never play bg3. I have 2 reasons for this.

1. I didn't particularly like the D:OS games.
2. It didn't win the rpgcodex game of the year.

Its miles better then the DoS games, though.

 

[HeatEXTEND]

No beardy dwarf companion in sight

You're kidding right?

 

[Haplo]

My main problem with Larian writing, even though in BG3 it's significantly better compared to DOS2, is that it's still so fucking camp. Nothing matters, everything's a joke, the game is so pseudo British in a way that makes no fucking sense.

So when you mash that with super dramatic characters with tragic yet utterly formulaic back stories and a main plot that's Save The World Again 4234#, it suuuuuuuucks.

You fags take your game stories way too serious and personal


I mean I love PST, was my favorite crpg ever. But I can have good fun with less involved stories as well.
Come to think of it, Planescape is quite a kitchen sink setting as well

 

[Baron Tahn]

Yeah Sigil is such a cool setting for a game with the whole doorways to everywhere thing. Shame about Numenara. I was hoping for heaps of secrets - so many that players might still be finding them years later on certain calendar days or at night carrying certain random items in a random alley...its got so much potential and just ended up so boilerplate. You could nearly make a game that was barebones writing and 'normal' city life and half the gameplay was discovering crazy portals everywhere, with secret party npcs and sub stories...Much better than Neverwinter Nights for modules I reckon.

 

[mondblut]

If BG3 was instead a 3.5E game it probably would have done way worse, cause non TTRPG people would have a harder time getting into the game.

Well, we'd certainly have to deal with far fewer retarded zoomer fanboys.

 

[Haplo]

Meh, I'll probably never play bg3. I have 2 reasons for this.

1. I didn't particularly like the D:OS games.
2. It didn't win the rpgcodex game of the year.

Its miles better then the DoS games, though.

Citation?
For one, it doesn't have retardred mechanics, like the DOS 2 Armor or round robin initiative. Or level scaling power/equipment.
Character development actually has some depth (unlike DOS 1 where your build could be mostly feature complete by level 5, before leaving the town hub).
Its DnD, the class, ability and spell systems are generally neat.
Surfaces have been toned down a lot (though the Wet elemental Vulnerabilities are still pretty broken).
Quests have multiple possible approaches and resolutions.
Feels a lot less like a theme park.
Less Larian humour.

 

[ZACKIE]

Voice acted
Good graphics
Varied combat encounters
Dungeons with puzzles, platforming elements, tons of secrets
Great side quests, boss and monster design
Interesting main premise
Good villains
Memorable companions
Good music
Long and well paced most of the time

It's almost a perfect RPG, it's really well made, i don't think we will be getting such a good RPG for a long time.

 

[NecroLord]

Voice acted
Good graphics
Varied combat encounters
Dungeons with puzzles, platforming elements, tons of secrets
Great side quests, boss and monster design
Interesting main premise
Good villains
Memorable companions
Good music
Long and well paced most of the time

It's almost a perfect RPG, it's really well made, i don't think we will be getting such a good RPG for a long time.

Wow...
That's quite the achievement alright.

 

[ZACKIE]

, i don't think we will be getting such a good RPG for a long time.

Wow...
Such an achievement.

F&H profile pic, that game is ass bro lmao