Atari Reveals Baldur's Gate Enhanced Edition

[80Maxwell08]

I don't see much need for better graphics. When using high resolution, these games look more visually appealing than many modern games.
What I would like to see is a support for high definition graphics and full voice acting.

I doubt they'll do what CD Projekt did with The Witcher and release an upgrade for those who already have the original games. I don't like the idea paying for games I already bought about 4 years ago.

I might get it if it's on Steam (definitely not from Beamdog) and will cost $5 or less.

I can guarantee it won't be either of those. For one Beamdog is both the people who own the distribution service and the people making the enhanced edition. Just like Valve only having their games on Steam. Also it's $10 on GOG why would they charge less for an enhanced edition with more work put into it than the standard edition you would have to mod to get it to be equal to the new edition. Out of curiousity why do you not want to use Beamdog? Just don't want to have to register for another service?

 

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

If they're remaking the entire game with the entire engine I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. But I'm really not all that excited for an enhanced version of the game I played more than a dozen times.

 

[80Maxwell08]

If they're remaking the entire game with the entire engine I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. But I'm really not all that excited for an enhanced version of the game I played more than a dozen times.

Well they have the source code for the games and the engine so they are totally reworking the engine for newer resolutions and the UI. Also going to be some new content and they will fully support modding. One of the guys in charge of this goes to one of the modding sites himself to look at the work people are doing and is working on implementing some of the changes. Also they are keeping the code as close to the original as possible to saves and mods will be able to be carried over. If you want info on what he's planning go check his twitter or read my posts on this topic since I say a lot of what they are doing here. Also they aren't changing what works so all the old voices and songs will be there.

 

[Moralio]

Damn, I still have both games + expansions but I know that I will buy that edition. One of my favourite cRPG of all time.

 

[Artemis923]

"I can take Drizzt with one arm tied behind my back!"

If that's not in the game, it's wrong.

 

[kouriichi]

I hope its got crysis level graphics.
Then id never have to buy another game again!

 

[Rack]

If they ported it to 4th ed I'd be all over it, otherwise I really don't see the point. BG Trilogy/Tutu add more than this ever could.

 

[blackdwarf]

I've played Baldur's gate 2 once, and although i liked it, it was really hard to understand because all the stats we shown in a way that only D&D players (if i'm correct) could understand. i hope that they change that. so the the same stats of the game are there but they are shown in a way normal for video games these days. not because i have any problem with D&D but it is really not logical for someone who never played that game, and i saw the Manuel of Baldur's gate. i like my game deep, but i don't want to read a book just to play it.

I could not disagree more. My only worry is that they will do exactly that, dumb it right down. I've never played table top but at twelve I still taught myself how to play D&D games. It's not that hard and I'm sick of games holding your hand.

Essentially the complexity is a huge part of why people still play these old games.

I love Baldur's Gate and have played through both, but I agree about the stats. It's not dumbing down the experience, it's just like dubbing an anime, recreating that portion to be more easily understood by those who don't speak the tabletop language. I don't see how that takes anything away from the experience. it's like watching a non-subbed Japanese movie and you don't know a lick of Japanese.

precisely, i don't want to see the game dumbed down, but it is a unnecessary barrier for new players who never played something like D&D. of course the best solution would be something like giving the option. so you can decide how the stats are shown, because to my knowledge that doesn't make a difference for gameplay at all.

 

[blackrave]

I liked TuTu, but if they could update and unite both games and expansion packs into one game it would be awesome.
Also update real time combat similar to NWN (with action ques)
It would be awesome if they could redone everything in 3D (at least at NWN2 graphical level), but it is not mandatory

 

[endtherapture]

Although I love BG, I don't see the point in this if it's not in 3D since we've already got the games.

If they got all the old voice actors in to voice ALL THE DIALOGUE, and made it pretty much Dragon Age with Baldur's Gate's 2 combat system, it would've been awesome.

Also they need to fix the difficulty curve of BG1, because it is INSANE and puts me off playing the game.

 

[Vault101]

havign never played baulders gate this looks interesting..

 

[demalo]

Now we need a Master of Orion I/II Enhanced Edition. (we'll just forget III ever existed)

 

[Baby Tea]

What's the point of this ??????????
Baldur's gate looks very good even by today's standards.


If, hovewer, they are adding turn-based combat, the I'll be all over it

The combat is already turn based.

The combat isn't turn-based it's real-time with pause. Two diffrent things.

No, it IS turn based. It's based off of D&D rules, which is turn based.
It just doesn't stop between rounds by default, unless you set the auto-pause to stop between rounds.
It roll initiative, it rolls attacks, it rolls everything, and then the round starts over.

Baldur's Gate is 100% turn based. Maybe not in the traditional sense, but it is.

 

[Athinira]

The problem i see here is that the updated code might very well mean that the game will not accept mods anymore (or at least not the mods in existence).

If that is the case, which it likely is, then while I'll definitely get this, I'll likely still be playing the original version afterwards. The BG2 mods are so amazing and adds so much content (including some incredible Romances. Anyone who hasn't should try out the Chloe and Tashia mods should go do it. Both are incredibly deep and voice acted even, including with custom romance music just like the canon-romances).

As for the graphics on the old version: They look good by 2D standards. The problem is that the original Baldur's Gate has terrible UI textures and was restricted to a 640 x 480 resolution.

Since you can import the first Baldur's Gate to the Baldur's Gate 2 version of the Infinity Engine (as well as get a Widescreen Resolution mod for the BG2 engine since it's from a time where 4:3 monitors were the norm) using mods like BGTutu, BGT (Baldur's Gate Trilogy) and one more i can't remember the name of, that's not a problem.

Edit: One thing i really hope they will implement is an OPie (or Crysis) action style ring system for selecting spells, because the original system of selecting spells once you made it past a certain level and had a huge arsenal was a pain in the ass (especially if you played a Sorcerer).

 

[Goenitz]

So stoked for this. Will likely purchase if they do anything beyond a simply graphic update.

 

[Imbechile]

It's actually secretly turn based. Everything in the combat engine works around the concept of a "round", you have a set number of attacks per round*, and you can cast one spell or use one item per round. A round is six seconds long (which is, in certainly older D&D books, the amount of time a combat round is supposed to represent).

* Because 2e was counterintuitive at every possible opportunity, you could have half numbers of attacks per round.

No, it IS turn based. It's based off of D&D rules, which is turn based.
It just doesn't stop between rounds by default, unless you set the auto-pause to stop between rounds.
It roll initiative, it rolls attacks, it rolls everything, and then the round starts over.

Baldur's Gate is 100% turn based. Maybe not in the traditional sense, but it is.

Why is turn based combat such a hard thing to grasp? Why is it hard to see the diffrence between Baldur's gate(real time with pause) and Fallout(turn based).

In turn based combat when it's the enemy's turn you can't do anything, and when it's your turn the enemy can't do anything. ONLY ONE CHARACTER AT A TIME can act. That is the main thing that separates turn based games like Fallout, ToEE, XCOM and real time with pause games like Baldur's gate, Planescape torment, KOTOR.

 

[EclipseoftheDarkSun]

Hope that sells, so maybe we get Planescape Torment, the only thing that game needs is better visuals.

And combat..

 

[Deadyawn]

Oh, bloody hell. I just got the original off GOG a little while back. Granted it was only 10 bucks but...whatever. It could definetly use a better interface though. Could be interesting even if its just them botching it really badly

 

[Baby Tea]

It's actually secretly turn based. Everything in the combat engine works around the concept of a "round", you have a set number of attacks per round*, and you can cast one spell or use one item per round. A round is six seconds long (which is, in certainly older D&D books, the amount of time a combat round is supposed to represent).

* Because 2e was counterintuitive at every possible opportunity, you could have half numbers of attacks per round.

No, it IS turn based. It's based off of D&D rules, which is turn based.
It just doesn't stop between rounds by default, unless you set the auto-pause to stop between rounds.
It roll initiative, it rolls attacks, it rolls everything, and then the round starts over.

Baldur's Gate is 100% turn based. Maybe not in the traditional sense, but it is.

Why is turn based combat such a hard thing to grasp? Why is it hard to see the diffrence between Baldur's gate(real time with pause) and Fallout(turn based).

In turn based combat when it's the enemy's turn you can't do anything, and when it's your turn the enemy can't do anything. ONLY ONE CHARACTER AT A TIME can act. That is the main thing that separates turn based games like Fallout, ToEE, XCOM and real time with pause games like Baldur's gate, Planescape torment, KOTOR.

...Because Baldur's Gate is NOT real time.
Turn on 'Attack rolls' under feedback.
Turn on 'At end of round' under auto pause.

Boom. You can suddenly see that it's turn-based. It's not TRADITIONAL turn based, like X-Com, but it absolutely IS turn-based. Nobody attacks at the same time, everyone rolls initiative, and acts in that order, taking turns.

It's turn based. Not traditional turn based, and it does a great job of making it SEEM real-time but it's not real time. It's turn-based.