I didn’t warm to BG3 when it first came out but after a few false starts with different classes, I finally settled on a warlock and found myself enjoying the game. Played through the early access with the most recent patch and I am more hopeful now that it will turn into something great.
There is a big stream today in about an hour to show off Patch 4 and various changes and additions to the Early Access experience. I’m not sure what to expect, I haven’t played since launch, but I did download the game again and will try to put up a new look at the game later if it seems this new update (which they are saying is the largest yet) makes the game worth a second video look (vs waiting for the full launch).
The early access bullshit will probably backfire for this game, I’ve lost most of my interest already. Why does a reputed developer (2 consecutive successful games) need it, particularly when working on one of the biggest rpg IPs? Let’s not even consider they are using lots of assets from the original sin series…
Backfire for you, certainly - sounds like it already has. But for Larian? No, not likely. They successfully had Early Access for their previous two RPG titles and that was a wild success for them.
First up, they went over all the changes they’ve made to date - over 15,000 changes across 3 patches and 6 hot fixes. This patch 4 itself contains 15,000 changes. They talked about previous changes and they all sounded great, I missed a lot of them - for example, they already fixed having to manually jump all 4 party members one at a time.
Changes for this new patch while I am able to keep up (developing…):
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Loaded Dice: An option to set up since rolling as many dice as you do (unlike a regular table top game) it “feels” bad that you roll so many 1’s and low numbers (it’s just math, but it feels bad). So this is an option you can set to make it “feel” more fair.
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Changes and updates to Speak With Dead - they are getting (most?) of the cinematics added in now.
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More improved cinematics, including lighting changes and other tweaks to make cinematics look a lot better. More animations as well.
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They made torches easier to use (QoL updates). Having a torch gives an icon, clicking said icons equips torch and puts your weapon away until you click the torch icon again. Seems simple.
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Portrait targeting - finally, good grief. I honestly assumed that was already fixed by now.
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Multipalyer improvements (ongoing).
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Added a “flee” button to allow for escape from combat. Used by individuals, so you can retreat one character that’s in trouble, sends that character to camp.
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This is the last really big update/patch (in terms of file size) - they’ve made some improvements (yet again) to the file structure so future updates will be smaller in download size.
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Lots and Lots of UI improvements - reskinned and visually improved, that is. Containers, Menus, more options for sorting and more QoL options in menus and UI elements as well.
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Improved (again) Pathfinding, more updates to make it easier to send characters where you want to.
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Gyth have proper Gyth weapons (which can be taken and used now)
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Flaming Fist have a shield with their Coat of Arms
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Several other Cosmetic Updates like this.
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Updates to Combat Log: You can mouse over more things, like Conditions, to get more details now.
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They are doing a bit here with a line printer running and I can’t hear him very well. It sounds like a ton of tweaks, fixes, QoL updates, but some of this means nothing to me as I’ve barely played this so far.
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Some of this sounds like known-bug fixes as well. I believe the purpose of this is just to show off how many things have been fixed/addressed. Quite a lot.
Scene Change, I think we are about to get whatever the big reveal is…
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Nope, not yet. First Sven is talking about how long this patch has taken and the challenges they have to face. They are expanding the development team and another studio was opened to allow for 24/7 development (the other studio is very far away).
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Another studio head is on the stream to talk about development, so it’s time for me to step away and get back to work. I’ll try to keep up from there, but I may not be able to.
Seems like the big news update was they have implemented Druids now with Patch 4. Pretty awesome, but I missed the reveal and am only going by what chat showed. They had the cow turn into a druid looking dude, then I went to get some water and got stopped in the hall to chat with someone, and when I got back they were having technical difficulties, but that seems to be what they were going for.
Yep, we are back and live again, and they are using Wild Shape to turn into giant badgers! Very cool looking.
Are they going to sacrifice a cow during the stream?
I can only assume!
Well at least we know where some of the early access money went. ;)
There a timeframe for this patch? I played a few hours when it first came out but I put it on the shelf since then because I don’t want to burn out. But I would definitely want to fiddle around a little bit when this new patch drops.
Honestly I was confused when they clarified it wasn’t dropping the day of the big panel - makes me think they ran into some issues and are smoothing things out, especially now four days from the event.
Steam just started downloading a 38gb update so I’m assuming the patch dropped today.
Really happy to see the patch note about weighting dice rolls to avoid streaks. Really wish more games would do that.
The idea of a 20 sided dice that is weighted in a bell shape so that 10 and 11 are rolled more often than 1’s and 20’s really appeals to me. But the amount of weighting would need a lot of iteration. Should 20’s and 1’s be 2x as rare? 1.5x? More? Less? Fun idea.
I actually think die rolls in CRPGs is stupid as fuck. Thresholds are infinitely superior. For skill checks.
There is no reason why my character should fail a skill check with a skill I have heavily invested in because I rolled a 1 when all I needed was to roll a 3 or better. Reload.
How about die rolls in digital converted board games? Its the same principle - you are taking something from the original concept, and moving it into a computer game.
Now, I don’t know whether you are a tabletop roleplayer, but one thing many players really enjoy , is the die rolling, so I am sure that is why its included here.
For those who AREN’t interested in rol(l)eplaying, this is a great way to give options!
I’m pro dice rolling for tabletop games. Of course. It’s part of the platform.
I go back and forth on this. In principle I like the idea of some randomization in skill checks if there is a time pressure, stress, or outside issues. In TTRPGs it makes sense when it is spun as defining how the world works. Your ranger doesn’t fail at hunting dinner she simply succeeds in proving there is no game nearby. Or she finds tracks but has to make a decision about taking the extra time needed. But that is really hard to do in a CRPG.
Why is a set of loaded dice a good thing? I don’t understand. Unless I’m misunderstanding what you’re talking about.
I think it’s to help with making things a bit more fun.
Wouldn’t using d10 x 2 give the (pretty much) same results without using loaded dice?
Anyway, I’m cool with whatever anyone wants to do to their game to make it more enjoyable. Loaded dice just seems a little too far off the path. But hell, maybe lots of games use loaded RNGS and I just don’t know it.
Sure, but then you would make new rules instead of using the existing ones, just favoring you.
The reason these are there now, is that like in games like Xcom, a lot of people don’t understand that chance is just that- chance, and not a guaranteed success, no matter your skill level.
Whether that is fun or not, I leave up to others to decide, but its how the game is played, and its how dice work. People just don’t like it, and more options are great!