Baldur's Gate 3 is the "Long Term Goal"

[Andy Chalk]

Baldur's Gate 3 is the "Long Term Goal"

Beamdog is hard at work enhancing the original Baldur's Gate games but co-founder and former BioWare man Cameron Tofer says Baldur's Gate 3 is the "long term goal."

Last week's BaldursGate.com [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/116352-Atari-Reveals-Baldurs-Gate-Enhanced-Edition] was a lot of fun. We got to daydream for awhile about Baldur's Gate 3, and then we got to make jokes as the site predictably exploded when the countdown hit zero and we all floundered around for awhile with no idea of what was actually going on.

It turned out to be the Baldur's Gate Enhanced Edition [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/116361-Beamdog-Boss-Reveals-More-About-Baldurs-Gate-Enhanced-Edition] [and BG2EE], which is very cool but still, deep down, just a little bit disappointing, too. We all knew a Baldur's Gate 3 announcement was never actually going to happen, but... what if it did?

It might yet. "Baldur's Gate 3 has been our long term goal," Tofer told GameSpy. "We have a lot of things to put in place before such a project can be launched. So currently there is no such project but that's the one we want to do. Our thoughts have been that Enhanced Edition for BG 1 and 2 just make sense before there's any Baldur's Gate 3."

It's no surprise that if and when the time comes, the team is looking at a Kickstarter project for funding. "It just makes so much sense and solves so many problems," Oster said. "I think what Brian [Fargo] is doing with Wasteland [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/116339-Wasteland-2-Kickstarter-Breaks-1-Million] is very interesting."

Given the inevitably sky-high expectations for Baldur's Gate 3, not to mention the rather final ending of Baldur's Gate 2: Throne of Bhaal [http://www.amazon.com/Baldurs-Gate-Expansion-Throne-Bhaal-Pc/dp/B000059L4Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1332175643&sr=8-1], it's hard to imagine how any new addition to the series could possibly satisfy. On the other hand, I'm pretty sure there aren't too many fans who wouldn't leap at the chance to play a new Baldur's Gate game. It's a bit of a "damned if they do, damned if they don't" situation, although personally I'm very much hoping that someday, they do; and if they do, you better believe that I will too.


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[Soviet Heavy]

There's always the interquel option. Set the game during the events of BG1 or 2, and focus on other characters.

Either way, more Baldur's Gate is a good thing.

 

[Ramith]

Plenty of ways to do it without being directly linked to BGII.

Most would agree that BGII ended well, and ended for good.

Either way this is very good news.

 

[ResonanceGames]

Please, sir, I want some more.

I would definitely be willing to donate some funds to a BG3 Kickstarter. Those games have a huge following (much bigger than Wasteland), so if Fargo can do it, they can do it. No question about it.

 

[Azuaron]

Woooh!

(Yes, I just cheered like a little girl.)

I expect BGIII will be something of a disconnected sequel: you are not the child of Bhaal, you are someone else (tangentially?) related to/aware of the events of the first two games. Or even just something like Icewind Dale (totally different story, same setting/rules) set in the Baldur's Gate area.

 

[Pipotchi]

And it's people like you who give Nintendo an easy time making Legend of Zelda 20.209: Revenge of the Ocarina Strikes Again Redux.

Baldur's Gate is a FINISHED series. There is no reason why we need another Baldur's Gate. Another game in the same universe detailing other things that happened before/after? Maybe. A direct sequel? OH SURE, let's reopen the story only to bog it down with things that no matter how much you try will never live up to the old game's standards.

No, even though BG2 was one of my favourite games, I'm sorely against this kind of blatant milking. A story-based game ends when the story ends, not when the fans are sick and tired of beating the same old used, exploited, harvested dead horse.

Much as I love BG I'm with this guy, set in the same Universe sure but the story is done, it was an epic spanning two games and two add ons, it was perfect, complete and well done. Just let it be.

Although I would mind a spin off where Minsc and Boo run a detective agency based out out of Athkatla.

 

[Eleima]

...not to mention the rather final ending of Baldur's Gate 2: Throne of Bhaal [http://www.amazon.com/Baldurs-Gate-Expansion-Throne-Bhaal-Pc/dp/B000059L4Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1332175643&sr=8-1]...

There, right there, is the reason why I don't want a BG3. I loved the BG series, I have played it to death time and time again, I've played it modded, I still work closely with the modding community to keep the BG love alive and kicking.
So yes, remake it to your heart's content, but please, please, please don't make a BG3. The Bhaalspawn's path has come and gone, let sleeping dogs lie.

 

[endtherapture]

When I think of a BG3 I think of some tale around the legacy of the Bhaalspawn, about items they've left around containing untapped power or something.

 

[robinkom]

And it's people like you who give Nintendo an easy time making Legend of Zelda 20.209: Revenge of the Ocarina Strikes Again Redux.

Baldur's Gate is a FINISHED series. There is no reason why we need another Baldur's Gate. Another game in the same universe detailing other things that happened before/after? Maybe. A direct sequel? OH SURE, let's reopen the story only to bog it down with things that no matter how much you try will never live up to the old game's standards.

No, even though BG2 was one of my favourite games, I'm sorely against this kind of blatant milking. A story-based game ends when the story ends, not when the fans are sick and tired of beating the same old used, exploited, harvested dead horse.

Much as I love BG I'm with this guy, set in the same Universe sure but the story is done, it was an epic spanning two games and two add ons, it was perfect, complete and well done. Just let it be.

Although I would mind a spin off where Minsc and Boo run a detective agency based out out of Athkatla.

I get the feeling that they will ultimately set BGIII in the same time in the Forgotten Realms but with a different main character. And if they decide they want to continue the Bhaalspawn thing, it will only take massive outcry from the long-time fans to put a stop to it.

 

[robinkom]

Here's hoping WotC doesn't try to make some terrible product tie-ins with 4th Edition D&D.

Baldur's Gate was a product of mid-90s Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition rules from TSR prior to their bankruptcy. Game mechanics are part of the overall presentation and feel and that's what Baldur's Gate is; An AD&D game with a distinct style of gameplay. This is how I will always think of it.

It's like when I got the chance to play the new Syndicate... it completely betrays the source material. It's not really Syndicate to me, it's a generic sci-fi FPS with the Syndicate brand name slapped on the box. If they do something like this for Baldur's Gate III, I will be displeased.

BUT, totally psyched about the enhanced versions of the first two games. I hope they include support for widescreen ratios. Whatever it takes to have a version of the first game that will work on Windows 7 without any hiccups or extra steps for running it needing to be taken... and also not having to reinstall through 6 freakin' CD's!!

 

[Fasckira]

A long term goal isn't exactly a set-in-stone plan, lets not forget. Im sure sitting in that studio upon succesful titles like the BG line that I too would be staring wistfully at my bank balance thinking, "Yep, we need to release BG3 someday"

 

[80Maxwell08]

I know there's no way to not be insulting about this but god you are slow. That news is days old and I personally told you and started my own topic about this. It wasn't even hard just read his twitter that's where I got all my info from.

 

[croc3629]

I've only played a very tiny bit of Baldur's gate 2, and while fun I really don't think I like the 2e rules compared to 3.5e.

Also, would a Baldur's Gate 3 HAVE to be a direct sequel to Baldurs Gate 2? Couldn't it just be set around the same area as the original games but follow a different story line entirely? Or maybe they could even take their engine and instead of a new Baldur's Gate, try their hands at another D&D adventure set in the Forgotten Realms? Something akin to Neverwinter Nights even, but allowing us to explore parts of the Realms never explored in a gaming medium? Could be nice.

 

[80Maxwell08]

I've only played a very tiny bit of Baldur's gate 2, and while fun I really don't think I like the 2e rules compared to 3.5e.

Also, would a Baldur's Gate 3 HAVE to be a direct sequel to Baldurs Gate 2? Couldn't it just be set around the same area as the original games but follow a different story line entirely? Or maybe they could even take their engine and instead of a new Baldur's Gate, try their hands at another D&D adventure set in the Forgotten Realms? Something akin to Neverwinter Nights even, but allowing us to explore parts of the Realms never explored in a gaming medium? Could be nice.

Well nothing is planned out for it other than they are going to make it after these 2 rereleases. It could be anything from continuing the story (I know it ended well I'm just saying people have continued ended stories before) to just keeping the name and making something entirely new. Still it's very far in the future so who knows what will happen with any of these.

 

[lumenadducere]

As unlikely as it is, I'd totally be all over the game if it was the Bhaalspawn again, romping through the planes and working with/against the other gods. I'm 99.99% certain that the game won't be about that, but it certainly would make for a nice change from the usual "low adventurer to zomg most powerful person in Faerun" that we seem to get with D&D titles.

I mean, the planes have so much potential for a game setting, and yet we always get the typical cities with the typical NPCs. That's actually one of the (many) reasons I enjoyed Mask of the Betrayer so much - the whole thematic exploration of the Wall of the Faithless and whether it was just or not was really interesting and far from the normal areas that Forgotten Realms games explore.

 

[Tethalaki]

I hope they include support for widescreen ratios. Whatever it takes to have a version of the first game that will work on Windows 7 without any hiccups or extra steps for running it needing to be taken... and also not having to reinstall through 6 freakin' CD's!!

BG1 including Tales of the Sword Coast [http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/baldurs_gate_the_original_saga] and BG2 including Throne of Bhaal [http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/baldurs_gate_2_complete]: both work perfectly on Windows 7 without any shitting around. A useful forum post about mods [http://www.gog.com/en/forum/baldurs_gate_series/baldurs_gate_2_essential_mods/page1], and: widescreen [http://www.gibberlings3.net/widescreen/] if you don't want to install any other fixes.

As far as the OP goes, anything based after Throne of Bhaal wouldn't be very welcome, though I could also see something being based in between BG1 and BG2.

 

[Ramith]

I'm confused.

http://kotaku.com/5895620/youll-be-able-to-play-baldurs-gate-on-your-ipad-this-summer/gallery/1

 

[Ramith]

Ok I guess these are the screenshots...

http://www.baldursgate.com/news/2012/03/21/baldurs-gate-enhanced-edition-for-ipad-3/

It just looks like the tutu mod though...

 

[A-D.]

If they make BG3 i doubt we'd play the bhaalspawn, or any bhaalspawn, or even any characters from the first two games. It would either be a prequel, maybe dealing directly with Bhaal and his death, or a sequel set years after your character from the first two games became God.

You dont even need to tie it to anything specific there, just throw in a line, maybe even allow a simple selection at the beginning for the old fans whether the bhaalspawn became God or rejected it and simply use that as Intro after, detailing a little bit of "how the world changed due to that decision" and then simply start from scratch, new story, new characters, no relation to Bhaal or his offspring at all, hell they could even set it again on the Swordcoast/Baldur's Gate, show us how the area has changed visually after the events before.

The only thing i want is that if BG3 is made, they dont touch the original Story thats already been told and given a definite ending AND that they use the 2nd Edition AD&D Rules, to me those rules are what made Baldur's Gate, dont want 4th Edition or 3.5

Captcha: willy nilly

That's odd..