"Good Old Games"

infornography · 2010-10-11T13:07:59.000Z

razarok:

Thanks for the link to the arcanum mods. I bought the game last week but only put around 30 minutes into it since I have no idea what kind of character “works”.

I read up on gamefaqs a bit and a melee/dodge/stun/backstab character seems to work well for a first playthrough?

Honestly, overthinking it is not needed. There are a ton of good builds to go with. The only bad build I can think of is trying to divide yourself between tech and magic.

My first character was super charismatic and had a huge party to do his bidding. That worked well and was a lot of fun.

Disconnected · 2010-10-11T13:16:49.000Z

tylertoo:

Tom, I too kept dying early on in BG, so I never tried IWD having heard combat was tougher. Did you find IWD combat more forgiving?

You’ll always die lots in AD&D/D&D3.x based games when your characters are below level 3. The reason is that most damage variables are greater than the HD variables, so until characters have at least a couple of HD, most attacks can insta-kill them. Thus, the problem isn’t so much lack of forgiving combat, as it is the fact that very low level combat is broken in those systems.

Once past the brokenness, neither game is terribly forgiving. Almost every fight will be as hard or harder than a boss fight in a modern game. BGs are not terribly well designed, they’re just plain difficult. IWDs generally are terribly well designed, and can be won fairly easily if approached right. Both games have some party build exploits that can make then very, very easy.

Royal_Fool · 2010-10-11T13:44:59.000Z

My fondest memory in IWD was starting a party, walking around the starting village for a bit and then getting slaughtered by a group of goblins.

Eric_P · 2010-10-11T13:51:04.000Z

So if you have no IWD loyalties, is the first one an absolute must, or should I wait for the second game?

Pogo · 2010-10-11T14:32:41.000Z

Reviews for IWD2 seem to be pretty good, I’m wondering why everyone is suggesting getting the first game.

BrianRubin · 2010-10-11T14:34:03.000Z

I think because the first game is good too?

razarok · 2010-10-11T14:36:01.000Z

Brian Rubin:

I think because the first game is good too?

And the second one isn’t out yet. And there is no ETA yet, is there?

Otagan · 2010-10-11T14:36:27.000Z

razarok:

And the second one isn’t out yet. And there is no ETA yet, is there?

Nope. I wouldn’t count on them giving one, either.

Disconnected · 2010-10-11T14:45:55.000Z

Pogo:

Reviews for IWD2 seem to be pretty good, I’m wondering why everyone is suggesting getting the first game.

Cool combat encounters are the core of both games, and IWD1 has better encounter design (IWD2 is very good, though). Also, everyone I know (myself included) thinks IWD1 has the more compelling story.

Pogo · 2010-10-11T14:53:04.000Z

razarok:

And the second one isn’t out yet. And there is no ETA yet, is there?

Otagan:

Nope. I wouldn’t count on them giving one, either.

Errr, what am I missing here? Because this game was released in 2002:

Disconnected:

Cool combat encounters are the core of both games, and IWD1 has better encounter design (IWD2 is very good, though). Also, everyone I know (myself included) thinks IWD1 has the more compelling story.

Eh, story shmory. I have The Witcher for a compelling story. No RPG game between the time of Dragon Warrior IV and The Witcher actually had a story that I wanted to pay attention to (I have not played BG2).

BrianRubin · 2010-10-11T14:56:38.000Z

Pogo, we’re talking about an ETA for its release on GoG, not in general.

Otagan · 2010-10-11T14:59:09.000Z

Pogo:

Errr, what am I missing here? Because this game was released in 2002:

GOG tends not to announce games prior to their release. Their “coming soon” list currently includes the two unreleased Age of Wonders games. That’s it.

I’m not saying they won’t have IWD2. They just won’t make a big deal about it until the day of its release.

Pogo · 2010-10-11T15:00:24.000Z

I had to duck for that to go over my head. Thanks.

peterb · 2010-10-12T05:23:20.000Z

Is it legit to give a site called GOOD Old Games grief for selling MOO3?

newbrof · 2010-10-12T05:24:55.000Z

waiting for The Last Express…

Catshade · 2010-10-12T06:05:26.000Z

New release: Betrayal in Antara, now packed together with Betrayal at Krondor.

Dan_Theman · 2010-10-12T06:10:19.000Z

Antara never really clicked for me the same way Krondor did. Still, it’s a nice addition to the catalogue.

anonymgeist · 2010-10-12T06:14:32.000Z

newbrof:

waiting for The Last Express…

Yes. Oh god yes.

peacedog · 2010-10-12T06:29:06.000Z

peterb:

Is it legit to give a site called GOOD Old Games grief for selling MOO3?

That joke was played out before Moo3 got released.

BrianRubin · 2010-10-12T08:26:51.000Z

peterb:

Is it legit to give a site called GOOD Old Games grief for selling MOO3?

Nah, it’s been played out, 'sides it was likely part of a deal to get other games like MOO and MOO2. I’d say since the majority of their games are actually good, than the moniker still applies.