Is a blind run of Baldurs gate enhanced edition for a stream, wise?

[ArkhamJester]

I have never playe AD&D before but I've heard great things about the game, maybe not the enhanced port but the core game nonetheless and I've recently took up streaming PC games, so i'm curious if playing Baldurs Gate with no fore knowledge of the systems is a good idea or should I switch to something else, I was thinking LIMBO or Thief Gold.

 

[The Madman]

As a massive fan of Baldur's Gate, considering BG2 to be one of my favourite games and easily the best rpg ever made...

Nah, not really.

2nd Edition DnD isn't exactly intuitive and the first Baldur's Gate game doesn't make things any easier by being an unforgiving and sometimes difficult experience. The way to get into a game like BG is to take your time, read everything you can and maybe even get some tips from others either online or off, something you cant really do when you're trying to keep things moving for a steam audience.

Both Thief or LIMBO would be better options. Thief is intuitive enough and has simple controls, though it's another game that pulls no punches. Still it would be better than BG.

 

[Raddra]

No way, this really is one of those games you really need to have played before.

I would suggest Neverwinter Nights Shadows of Uldrentide for a blind stream if you really want a D&D game. Its got excellent characters (Deekin!) and is linear enough to guide you without holding your hand.

 

[ArkhamJester]

Huh, Thief Gold it is, I'll play Baldur's gate on my own time then. Oh and if you care to watch here at 9:30
http://www.twitch.tv/arkhamjester

Shameless plug aside, thanks for the feedback everyone.

 

[TrevHead]

Imo the combat system isn't that difficult to understand since all the calculations (what would be dice rolls in a real D&D game) are displayed if you select the right menu options.

As long as you know what a D6 (a random number 1-6) or D20+3 (4 to 23) is you'll be fine.

 

[GoaThief]

Imo the combat system isn't that difficult to understand since all the calculations (what would be dice rolls in a real D&D game) are displayed if you select the right menu options.

As long as you know what a D6 (a random number 1-6) or D20+3 (4 to 23) is you'll be fine.

Pretty much this. Never played DnD in my life, and certainly not when I was younger around the first time I played it during release period. I did play Games Workshop tabletop games however, so the concepts weren't completely alien.

I think you will be fine, whether your audience will be as interested is a different question.

 

[spartandude]

I really would advise you read up on the rules for AD&D Second Edition. The rules for it a very different then what most games these days have and going in blind WILL get you killed alot.

Heck i have alot of experience with 4E D&D now (shut up i like it) and i thought it would be only a little different.... oh god was i wrong. I even quite for a while and only got into it again recently now that i read up on the rules.

If you are going to play Baldurs gate (and PlaceScape and Ice Wind Dale) you really need to know how those games work
http://www.gamefaqs.com/pc/75251-baldurs-gate/faqs/8566



Edit. If you really are interested in it you should get Baludrs Gate 1 and 2 from GoG pretty cheap, this was you can update the game to make it look like less of an eye sore and also if you like it you can carry your save over from the first game to the second. You cant do that with the Enhanced Edition (unless they do an Enhanced BG II).

 

[Krantos]

you can carry your save over from the first game to the second. You cant do that with the Enhanced Edition (unless they do an Enhanced BG II).

*Cough*[a href="http://store.steampowered.com/app/257350/?snr=1_7_15__13"]Cough[/a]*Cough*

But, yeah, these games are definitely a break from modern gaming conventions, in both good and bad ways. You don't really need to read up on it that much, as long as you don't mind the old trial and error approach to learning the rules.

However, if you take that route, definitely save a lot. Game doesn't autosave very often, so...

 

[spartandude]

you can carry your save over from the first game to the second. You cant do that with the Enhanced Edition (unless they do an Enhanced BG II).

*Cough*[a href="http://store.steampowered.com/app/257350/?snr=1_7_15__13"]Cough[/a]*Cough*

.....Would you believe that it was just last month i brought the GoG games for the reasons i mentioned above.

 

[Clowndoe]

The other problem with Baldur's Gate, the way I see it, is that it's the type of game that loses all value when you're just watching it without having played it yourself. It's just too personal. The game's about going where you want and talking to people. Watching other people scroll through text they don't care about would get boring.

Before you play Thief, remember to press Alt+Shift+W. They don't teach you that in the tutorials, but it is essential.

Spoiler

It's a forward lean, for knocking out guards walking right at you.

The trick to making a good stream of it is to not just quickload when you get caught, since it's very much possible to run away and essentially reset the guard, or even circle around the guard and knock him out.

 

[More Fun To Compute]

The original baldur's gate was created for power gamers who were familiar with the d&d rules. It was specifically made at some points to have some pretty sadistic encounters that will make you reload a lot. If you don't follow guides you will find it too frustrating although you will still find d&d "experts" who say that it is far too easy and disgrace to gaming unless you install mods to make it harder.

 

[Eclectic Dreck]

For a stream absolutely not. The game includes lots of sections that would be fantastically tedious for a viewer if the player wasn't not well familiar with the game. Lots of backtracking with nothing going on and plenty of pixel hunting looking for plot essential items.

 

[briankoontz]

The most important thing with streaming any game is to enjoy the game you're streaming. So just play the game you want to play and the audience will enjoy it. For older, less graphically-astounding games you can help viewers by providing more commentary during play. The Baldur's Gate series is all about player choice so talk about why you're making the choices you do in the game.

Both Baldur's Gate games are excellent and there's an audience for them on stream.