When Baldur's Gate came out in '98, I was one of the eager throngs waiting in line for a copy. Yes children, games use to come out on CD's, just like music and you had to go to the store to get them! Installing the game reminded me of the C64 days of yore, as it came on 5 CDs. I vaguely remember enjoying myself, but was overwhelmed with the size of the actual city of Baldur's Gate.
Flash forward 15 years and a week ago, and I installed the game anew for another trip to the Forgotten Realms. I'm only in the 2nd chapter, but there are several nice touches in this great oldie and also several things that make you glad that technology has advanced.
"They don't build them like they used to"
1. One of the most wonderful things about Baldur's Gate is that, compared to today's games, magical loot is rare. You won't find bandits wearing Daedric in BG, they're lucky to have leather. Weapons are almost always cheap short swords with nary a +1 in sight.
2. Hand holding is for normal people, not geeks. If you're not very careful in BG, you will die. I'm not super careful and I die, alot! If you're facing against people instead of creatures, you better take care or your hand will be reaching for the sky for the final time; until reload.
3. Dungeons are rare. You'll spend much more time outdoors than creeping around dungeons. This is only logical. How many ruined places are actually safe enough to handle habitation? Most of the early game will have you traveling outdoors seeking bandits, marauding creatures, missing husbands, etc. Dungeons are saved for the major questlines, making them special.
"Thank Mystra for technology"
1. Walking speed and emptiness are major stumbling blocks to enjoying this game fully. BG is full of maps that have 1-5 encounters with the rest of the map being totally empty of anything to do. Uncovering the fog of war is a necessary evil if you want to maximize xp, but it is a chore, not a joy.
2. Boy have UI's come a long way. The main viewing area of BG is about 1/2 of your screen real estate. The rest of the game is this huge clunky UI that always gets in the way and serves very little purpose. I have not played BG EE or even the Tutu versions of BG, but the vanilla game offered on Gog. Not sure if the other versions addressed the UI.
3. "Go for my eyes, Boo, go for my eyes". BG has aged very well graphically, but I still squint at my characters trying to see what they have equipped. Your party's avatars are very small, as is all the creatures you face. Technology has greatly improved even tile graphics, and it is the most sorely missed piece in the game. I have high hopes that the enhanced edition has improvements in this area.
Conclusion
I'm in chapter two, having finished as many sidequests as I could before tackling my first dungeon, the Nashkel mines. I have 3 rolled characters (paladin, mage, thief), Kivan, Imoen, and Branwen in my party. I hate party members that require other party members, so I left Minsc and Dynaheir in Nashkel and Jaheira and Khalid in Beregost. Imoen will go by the wayside when I find another fighter.
Flash forward 15 years and a week ago, and I installed the game anew for another trip to the Forgotten Realms. I'm only in the 2nd chapter, but there are several nice touches in this great oldie and also several things that make you glad that technology has advanced.
"They don't build them like they used to"
1. One of the most wonderful things about Baldur's Gate is that, compared to today's games, magical loot is rare. You won't find bandits wearing Daedric in BG, they're lucky to have leather. Weapons are almost always cheap short swords with nary a +1 in sight.
2. Hand holding is for normal people, not geeks. If you're not very careful in BG, you will die. I'm not super careful and I die, alot! If you're facing against people instead of creatures, you better take care or your hand will be reaching for the sky for the final time; until reload.
3. Dungeons are rare. You'll spend much more time outdoors than creeping around dungeons. This is only logical. How many ruined places are actually safe enough to handle habitation? Most of the early game will have you traveling outdoors seeking bandits, marauding creatures, missing husbands, etc. Dungeons are saved for the major questlines, making them special.
"Thank Mystra for technology"
1. Walking speed and emptiness are major stumbling blocks to enjoying this game fully. BG is full of maps that have 1-5 encounters with the rest of the map being totally empty of anything to do. Uncovering the fog of war is a necessary evil if you want to maximize xp, but it is a chore, not a joy.
2. Boy have UI's come a long way. The main viewing area of BG is about 1/2 of your screen real estate. The rest of the game is this huge clunky UI that always gets in the way and serves very little purpose. I have not played BG EE or even the Tutu versions of BG, but the vanilla game offered on Gog. Not sure if the other versions addressed the UI.
3. "Go for my eyes, Boo, go for my eyes". BG has aged very well graphically, but I still squint at my characters trying to see what they have equipped. Your party's avatars are very small, as is all the creatures you face. Technology has greatly improved even tile graphics, and it is the most sorely missed piece in the game. I have high hopes that the enhanced edition has improvements in this area.
Conclusion
I'm in chapter two, having finished as many sidequests as I could before tackling my first dungeon, the Nashkel mines. I have 3 rolled characters (paladin, mage, thief), Kivan, Imoen, and Branwen in my party. I hate party members that require other party members, so I left Minsc and Dynaheir in Nashkel and Jaheira and Khalid in Beregost. Imoen will go by the wayside when I find another fighter.
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