BG NWN
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Baldur's Gate / Neverwinter Nights / IWD / PS:T / ToEE and other D&D vidya thread.
Dust off your backlog, time to play some classic RPGs.
ADWR is the best module ever made
Are the gold box games legitimately good or is it a meme? Do they offer anything over the newer games?
>>335510862
They didn't age too well, but may be worth a play.
>>335511245
What aged poorly about them? Graphics aren't a big deal to me.
>>335510478
Pillars of Eternity is shit btw
Do not play
and this is coming from someone that recently played through and enjoyed IWD having never played these group based strategy RPGs before
>>335511609
The only modern RPG I'm looking forward to is Divinity OS2and Bannerlord but that barely counts. I'm worried they're focusing and relying too much on MP interaction and not enough on the content itself. I still haven't seen any info on premade party members with predefined personalities.
>>335512038
Are they still doing mod support for D:OS2?
I doubt it will ever become the next NWN, but it would be nice to have a modding community for something other than skyrim.
>>335512738
Yes they will with a DM mode but no info yet. They said it was going to be easier to mod than the first game.
>NWN: Higher Ground server was the best MMO nobody heard of
The raiding in that server made EQ1 look like childs play. I'll never really be able to accept that NWN2 failed as hard as it did and we won't be getting NWN3.
>tfw never conquer Elysium, the 9 circles of hell, the Aboleths, or the Abyss again at 4am in the morning
>>335513182
I want to join an MP server but it's just weird when everyone has been playing for over a decade.
>>335510560
>there will never be a part 3
I'm a exp capped fighter/cleric in bg1, dunno what chapter but I'm already at baldur's gate.
are there any nice rewards on those sidequests or should I skip straight to sarevok?
>>335513562
You just described High Ground. A lot of people kind of hated me for how powerful I got just for playing for 3 months. I literally ascended to super powerful groups and soloed low end raids by myself. It's filled with old timers who don't like to go fast.
I really wouldn't recommend it these days, HG is not for the weak of heart or the short term warriors. There aren't any other good MMO servers tho that are still alive, everything else is just roleplaying servers where you'll get killed and throne in jail for summoning a skeleton because Necromancy is bad by the horned Succubus pregnant paladin who used to be bad, but is now good because her profile says so and she has direct lines to every DM.
If you do mess around with the multiplayer you'll quickly learn how wasted it was for being released so long ago. I'd kill for a new updated NWN1 engine.
>>335513975
Just how does an NWN raid work?
Can you logically and rationally defend the Good alignments? You really can't.......
>>335513975
>I'd kill for a new updated NWN1 engine.
Me too. Hopefully one that's a bit more moddable so someone could make a new magic system. I wonder if that'll be possible with that open-source NWN someone is working on, assuming it ever gets released.
It really sucks that the Elder Scrolls games are pretty much the only other place to find a highly moddable fantasy RPG with a large and active community.
>>335510478
Did the anon with the huge NWN folder full of mods & modules ever come through and upload it all?
>>335515091
I wish TES games had quality story/quest/new area/content mods.
It's all just scripts and model replacements, but actual new content is fairly hard to make, and they are generally bad quality.
>>335515191
No he never did
>>335515706
Oh
I didn't expect him to do it, and i'm still dissapointed.
>>335515191
Why would you need it?
http://neverwintervault.org/
>>335511609
> this is coming from someone that never played these group based strategy RPGs before
Then why should anyone listen to you?
Maybe IWD is shit and PoE is good, and you don´t know anything about what makes these games good...
>>335516125
He claimed he had edited .hak packs that never got reuploaded to the vault
>>335515440
I feel exactly the same way. Perk overhauls and new equipment/spells lose their appeal when you're still playing through the same quests and dungeons, and while there are a few sizeable quest mods, almost none of them try to do any kind of character-driven story. I find that TES modding is kind of the reverse of NWN modding. NWN modding is mostly focused on new adventures and stories, with relatively few mods that add new assets. Meanwhile, TES games are mostly about adding new assets, with relatively few quest mods.
blade best kit
>>335515091
It's looking very promising, but it's so far out from a real release that it's not worth getting excited over. It's still very much in the "probably won't ever be finished" area imo.
Impressive as hell that he's got Dragon Age content working though, that's cool https://xoreos.org/
>>335515440
TES has a terrible system for new quest content while NWN1's is perfect. Try making an unvoiced, dialogue heavy mod for Oblivion and Skyrim or something that isn't a fetch quest in Morrowind.
>>335515067
I'm not an edgemaster
>>335515067
>>335513671
part 2 was so abysmal i didnt even finish it
what happens in the end anyway?
>>335517715
I like part 2. I'm pretty sure large portions of it were redone.
Insane is bullshit desu
>tfw Sarevok hit for 40 hp
>>335517715
Part 2 is more linear, but it's still got some highlights.Eventually you save your friends, end up in hell, and have to steal something for a demon. You infiltrate a castle under siege by orcs, steal the thing, then the demon gives you to the Dhorn. Your friends bust you out and you can either go back and save the castle or end the game in various ways.
>>335518314
I married some kind of demon in part 1, there was a ring that he used to watch me and stuff
Does his story continue in 2nd?
>>335518504
You meet him again, but it doesn't really go anywhere.
>>335516569
>It's looking very promising, but it's so far out from a real release that it's not worth getting excited over. It's still very much in the "probably won't ever be finished" area imo.
That's what I figured. Maybe I should try to learn RPG Maker or something, although I've heard it's not very good for making a western-style RPG.
>>335519235
Just use NWN.
>>335510478
I'd play them but I don't understand the D&D system at all
>>335519376
It's not as hard as it looks.
>>335519543
Yeah, but how can I learn it?
I know how to play 5th edition, roughly, but these games are almost 2 decades old, and use rules I do not understand
>>335519758
Read the manual.
>>335519365
My big problem with NWN is that I'm a big fan of magic, but I really, really don't like D&D's magic system, so that sort of gets generalized to not wanting to try to write my kind of story within that system. I'd want to include at least one companion who's a pure spellcaster, but spellcaster companions are pretty bad in NWN1 due to the lack of party control. NWN2 fixed that, but it broke a lot of other stuff, and I just don't like playing it, let alone trying to mod it.
You're probably right, though. NWN is still probably the best way to go.
Just got KOTOR 2.
>>335519758
They come with manuals that explain all the rules. Just start with BG1 so you can learn all the spells.
>>335519758
>I know how to play 5th edition, roughly, but these games are almost 2 decades old, and use rules I do not understand
That's kind of surprising. My understanding is that 5e is basically just a slightly-altered version of 3e, which is what NWN uses.
>>335519825
Wasn't the manual full of mistake?
>Wisdom increase saving throws
Fuck you
>>335520769
Is BG1 the best? I tried playing Icewind Dale 1 once
>>335521160
BG2 is the best but why in the world would you skip the first game.
>>335521160
Baldur's Gate is more about the story and roleplaying, you play a single PC and have AI companions. IWD is more of a dungeon crawler, it focuses a lot more on the combat.
>>335521219
Firsts aren't necessarily the best.
Just look at Street Fighter.
>>335521313
I never said it was the best though. I'm saying you shouldn't skip the first game.
>>335511327
the classics are still pretty much perfect games and they (just like other games) don't age.
>>335521160
>>335521219
both are great games and comes down to which you prefer more. bg1 is all about that whole adventuring thing while bg2 is more about doing specific quests imo
>>335516389
Tempted to go blade on my next playthrough. Do you roll around in light armor or no armor?
>>335521160
No, but BG1 is definitely worth a play. Just use something that upgrades the engine, like BGTutu or BGEE.
The first game feels like a true adventure in a large unknown world. You are weak and hopelessly lost in the world.
In the second game, you play ball with the big boys. It's no longer an just an adventure, but a mission, and you're now quite strong yourself.
The two games have to be played in sequence not just for the story and characters, but also to appreciate the increase in power.
>>335511327
well, for one, you have to look in a book for the text. they are definitely a product of their time. I wouldn't bother, really. d&d is basically a dead franchise anyway.
>>335521714
to be completely honest, the engine works just fine in the original game, but you really should patch it. way back when it came out it had a bug that deleted your save game when shutting the game down or something like that.
i do agree with the rest of the post though, they are quite different games even though they are pretty much the same
>>335521652
No armor until you find an elven mail
>>335521880
BG2 has more spells and added kits.
Especially with the BG1 expansion, you start to appreciate the new medium level toys.
>>335521827
is this really what /v/ has become? complaining that a game aged because you have to do 1 extra click to read a book?
>>335522026
yep, your time is over granpa
>>335521998
maybe so, but are the kits and spells balanced for bg1 or not?
also at least some of the kits are either redundant or overpowered in bg1. like monk, that class is such a waste in bg1.
the bg2 engine has the rest button in the "main screen" which is nice though
>>335522203
Archer kit will completely ruin the game, but others are somewhat okay.
>>335522203
There are some overpowered kits but you could also just beat BG1 with wands of monster summoning and cloudkill. Refusing to take engine improvements because of "muh balance" is retarded.
>>335522026
No, he means you have to literally look in a physical book to read the story, because the disks the games came on didn't have enough storage space to contain a story. The game tells you what pages to read.
>>335522305
perhaps, but what are the improvements exactly?
i seriously don't remember there being any improvements except the rest button placement.
sure kits gives you more options and you have to specialize in more specific weapons but is there anything else? the pathfinding was just as shitty and graphics/audio didn't really improve imo. not that i care about the graphics anyways
>>335510478
never played any of these games. where's the best place to start?
>>335522661
BG1 or NWN1.
BG1 is more of a party based game, in NWN1 you only control 1 character.
>>335511327
Are there any mods that improve NWN1's models besides the usual 'it's the same model, but slightly less polygonal and also nude'? Like, could the engine handle Morrowind/Oblivion body and face mods?
>>335522661
Bg1
>>335522756
EE or not?
>>335522661
depends on what you are into but i'd say bg1.
>>335516301
Which would be easier, making NWN assets or TES adventures? Why can't we have both?
>>335522735
http://lilura1.blogspot.com/p/nwn-utility-visual-mods.html
Project Q is a big graphical overhaul as far as I know. I haven't installed it yet but I plan on it.
>>335511245
Video games don't age you chump.
>>335522815
EE without dragonspear or original with mods
>>335523050
Only problem is when they don't even run on your operating system and DOSbox doesn't work with it well.
>>335522719
>in NWN1 you only control 1 character
As much as I like NWN1, I have no idea what they were thinking when they made that decision.
>>335521652
Also put some points into ninja-to/wakizashi/Scimtar
>>335523465
They were obviously thinking with multiplayer in mind. I don't mind henchmen as long as they're not weak bitches. The AI mod helps too.
>>335523465
it was designed for multiplayer
>>335523769
Yeah, but don't the DM tools let you take complete control over anyone? Why not just take that same functionality and add it to single player companions?
Is it possible to mod NWN to use something other than 3E, or maybe edit some files for some homebrew rules?
>>335524107
I don't think so. From my understanding some feats are hardcoded.
>>335522601
Not that anon, but characters move faster, you can play in a higher resolution, which not only makes the game look very pretty for its age but also let's you see a bigger area, making it much better to play, pathfinding is slightly improved, UI is vastly improved.
You get loads of options for character building: the kits make a whole world of difference, new toys for most classes (BG thief is boring as hell, BG2 thief is godlike and my favorite class, for one), can choose weapon styles and dual wield, can stack more arrows together, can finally scribe 5th level spells on your book I believe.
There is no reason to not upgrade your engine unless you really want to play it like in the "old days".
>>335524172
What about making new feats instead, and just ignoring the hardcoded ones? Or is there no way to make new feats and skills?
>>335524637
>BG thief is boring as hell, BG2 thief is godlike and my favorite class, for one
What's the difference?
I always just used them as a backstab/pick lock/disarm machine.
>>335524697
Check the PRC pack and see how they do it.
>>335524697
It's possible.
Eavesdropping skill from adws, or craftsman feats from tortured hearts for example.
>>335524697
You can add new feats, spells, PrCs, even new skills.
The thing is that you usually have to edit the dialog.tlk file, which makes your mod incompatible with everything else that also edits it. This is the worst modding bottleneck ever created.
The only workaround is merging the changes with other mods by hand.
If anyone here is thinking of getting into NWN1, you might want to use this tool to install your mods instead of doing everything manually:
http://www.nexusmods.com/neverwinter/mods/824/?
>>335524727
T R A P S
R
A
P
S
also, detect illusions and fun kits that change how the class plays completely by focusing and empowering certain aspects. The swashbuckler plays much more like a fighter with cool thieving things mixed in; bounty hunter has all sorts of cool (and honestly kinda overpowered) traps to use; assassin focuses much more on being stealthy and getting massive criticals and murdering mages with their poison.
Its just more fun to use and actually makes you want to have a thief in your party for reasons other than "I guess I'm forced to bring one just so I can disarm traps in dungeons"
>>335524975
Would it be okay then if I don't focus on combining mods but building my own from the ground up? Do the big resources like PrC and CEP have a dialog.tlk file that could get in the way, or am I better off manually adding bits and pieces by hand?
>>335525595
I meant that you will have problems combining YOUR mod with anything else.
I think CEP doesn't have a dialog.tlk, but anything that adds PrCs or new spells or feats does.
Is fighting big groups of mobs all there is to D&D? I've been told the system isn't that great for anything else. Are these big story modules just driven by dialogue trees and clever quests, or do they have interesting mechanics beyond a binary failure/success skill check?
>>335526235
>Is fighting big groups of mobs all there is to D&D?
Have you played Planescape: Torment yet?
>>335526037
Alright, so if I build something self-contained like an adventure module that doesn't rely on or need to mesh with other drastic mods, it should be fine, right?
Or does the system not have any ability to differentiate what mod to load and what to not load, thus forcing anyone who wants to play any mod I make to have a clean install?
>>335510560
That's not Prophet.
>>335526554
Have you played custom modules for nwn?
>>335526529
Yeah, but that's all dialogue trees, right?
>>335526554
What do you even want to do? A adventure or add new classes?
>>335526698
I'm downloading a GOG installer at the moment, I played the game years ago but never got into the modding side of things back then.
>>335526740
Hopefully create an adventure with custom skills, feats, and mechanics. Just looking to get a feeling for what kinds of headaches are out there while I finish downloading and setting up all the necessary files.
>>335526554
You can add a custom tlk file to your mod.
>>335522875
>Which would be easier, making NWN assets or TES adventures?
Probably NWN assets, if only because the level of detail required is far lower. My understanding is that making quests in a TES game is a major pain in the ass.
>>335526554
If you make a new adventure module, the game will only load .hak packs that you defined in the nwn toolset. For example if someone has the PRC installed but you didnt enable it in the toolset, the game won't load it.
Of course people can edit your module and force it to load whatever mods they want to use.
>>335526968
Here's more info
http://ccg.animecafe.net/index.php?title=Dialog.tlk
>>335527018
Why doesn't everyone use it then? Would it make all those different custom PrC packs compatible?
>>335526968
You can definitely do custom feats and classes.
>>335526554
>Or does the system not have any ability to differentiate what mod to load and what to not load, thus forcing anyone who wants to play any mod I make to have a clean install?
No, it's not like that. When you make a module in the toolset, you have to specify what custom content it uses. A module will only load what the creator tells it to load. It doesn't matter what other stuff the player has in their NWN folder - other modules won't load your stuff by accident.
>>335527285
Mostly it depends on what people want in their module. Not everyone cares about the CEP or PrC or whatever. Some people just want to add their own custom stuff.
>>335527483
>>335527253
>>335527092
>>335527342
Cool, thanks. Now I just need to see how much I can fuck with the combat mechanics itself, maybe even apply it to normally non-combat scenarios.
>>335526529
Everything good about Planescape: Torment has nothing to do with D&D though. It just uses the engine's conversation and quest mechanics.
>>335527743
If you do make something, be sure to make a thread or post in the BG/NWN/IWD thread if there is one.
Are you interested in doing anything with magic? One small thing I'd like to see is a potion that restores some or all your spell slots, like a mana potion would in a game with a sane magic system. The Tales of Arterra modules had a potion that did that, but it also gave you all the other effects of a full rest (i.e. full healing, your buffs get canceled), and I'd like it to just restore spells.
>>335527743
Here's a bunch of guides and shit
http://www.neverwinternights.info/cc.htm
>>335528384
That's not a bad idea really, I remember rest being such a drag. Mostly I was going to mess with things like wounds and debilities. I wonder if negative HP is possible, but I think that might be hardcoded to always result in death the moment someone reaches 0 HP.
>>335528606
Sweet, thanks again!
>>335528384
You can use rod of fast buffing to get back all your buffs in a single action.
>>335528750
I wasn't really concerned about the buffs. I was more interested in having the closest thing possible to a mana potion. Resting all the time feels like cheating because it fully heals you, but I still want to be able to use my spells frequently, so I thought a makeshift mana potion could solve that problem.
>>335526235
Most D&D games and modules are just like that, hack 'n slash with skill checks outside of combat. The gameplay comes from choosing what skills to use, when, and spec'ing your character towards taking advantage of its feats and skills in various situations.
I'm not sure if it's possible to do anything new with the gameplay beyond that.
>>335529071
In The Wizard's Apprentice chapter 2 and 3 there is a potion that rests you and it memorizes how much HP you were missing and damages you for that much. It does dispel buffs, though. You might be able to extract the script and edit it to not damage you, as it seems its not a real rest as day/use items are not restored.
>>335515067
Chaotic good not so much but lawful and neutral work pretty well.
>>335529407
Sorry, I meant edit it to not dispel you.
Also it's an NWN2 mod, but it's not too hard to convert scripts between the two games, it's almost the same.
>>335526235
What do you even want to do that's not combat or dialog/skill checks?
Jump puzzles?
There are plenty of creative puzzles in the games that have to be solved with unique item use, stepping on a trigger (like a pattern on the ground) or damaging a specific statue with a specific spell, and so on.
>>335529407
>You might be able to extract the script and edit it to not damage you
Actually, I would want it to damage me. That potion sounds like just what I was looking for.
>>335529753
And now you've clarified it, so this post makes no sense.
>>335529735
I've even seen a few modules that make you use the chat function to have your character say a specific phrase, which would be good for something like a riddle or an incantation.
>>335528749
>Mostly I was going to mess with things like wounds and debilities.
That might be applicable to the potion suggestion as well. Maybe to keep it balanced, you add a debuff to the mana potion's effect that makes it so the player needs to wait a certain number of real-time minutes before they drink another one, to prevent them from just spamming potions (and therefore spells) over and over.
>>335529753
If you want to port the item, this explains it quite well what you need to change.
http://www.noobscorner.jassper.com/frm_tag_basics.htm
Basically if you have an item called manapotion.uti and you use it, then in NWN2 the i_manapotion_ac.ncs script will automatically run, while in NWN1 the manapotion.ncs script will run, so you need to rename the script to that. However, in NWN1 the same script will also run when you equip or acquire the item, so you need to add an if line that only lets the script run when it was an activate event. That should be all.
>>335529456
Neutral Good is probably the most purely good alignment, because all that matters to a Neutral Good person is what does the most good. They won't have the same problems going against the law that a LG person would, and they won't have the same problems working within the law that a CG person would.
I've read that Pathfinder makes angels Neutral Good instead of Lawful Good like most people would probably expect, and I think that makes sense.
>>335531349
Depends on what sort of angel your going for really, but yeah Neutral Good is easily the most good of the good alignments but I'd say their lack of moral conflict makes them kind of boring to play as.
>>335531693
You want moral conflict, put them into an evil party.
>>335531798
How would that even work? It's generally easier for evil characters to do good things for pragmatic reasons, but a good character won't tolerate evil for long.
>>335532263
I guess that will lead to a mortal conflict, not a moral one.
>>335529735
I played one module where you play tic-tac-toe against a troll, and the trick is to let him win, because he's actually dumb enough to lose and he'll give you an item you need as a consolation prize if he beats you.
>>335531693
A character's morality isn't their only personality trait. There's still plenty of room to make them unique and interesting. One of NWN's premium modules has a Lawful Good azer dwarf who talks a lot about his sexual adventures and openly flirts with a female dwarf merchant. That's not something you'd usually expect from a Lawful Good character.
>>335528749
>That's not a bad idea really, I remember rest being such a drag.
It really was. It's as if they understood that Vancian magic doesn't work well for a video game and so gave you the means to completely circumvent it, so it might as well not even be there. But it's a D&D game, so it has to be there.
Did anyone ever actually make any modules for NWN's D20 Modern Mod?
>>335526580
Indeed it isn't, because Prophet sucks.
>>335533904
I don't mind Vancian magic, as long as there are ways to boost spells per day via equipment or unusually high stats.
>>335515067
No need really. The alignments system itself is pretty shitty.
Okay guys I need some advice on PS:T. Spoilers galore
I'm back from Carceri and in Sigil. I've spkoen with Mebbeth and gave her the seeds, spoke with Kesai about dreams and she's offered to come into my dreams.
Now, I'm in the dream, in underSigil and I'm supposedto kill these two Greater Glabrezu (took a while as a mage) but nothing happens whatsoever afterwards.
I also cannot find anything storywise related to this online, so it will forever remain a mystery unless a kind anon helps me out.
BG2.0 portrait system is a fucking mess
>>335536921
>put 210x330 picture in folder
>done
>>335537281
sure.
>>335537358
Yes
>>335536881
pls rspnd
>>335510478
I've been enjoying the threads and want to get into this stuff, but I don't know where to start. Can anyone help me out?
>>335537557
keep trying
btw, the 210x330 limit is unnecesary since years
>>335537763
>buy the games
>play
All you need, my friend.
>>335537763
BG1
>>335537818
I'm not the one having trouble using custom portraits anon
>>335538060
Of course, thats how I know you dont know shit.
>>335513754
Dear god, that game was fucking AWFUL and the ps1 version was the fucking worst. anyone wondering the game it's called 'Blaze and Blade'.
>>335538201
It worked for me though
>>335537763
Play BG1: The Original Saga, then play BG2: Complete Edition. Don't buy them, and don't go anywhere near the "Enhanced" editions. They're fucking trash.
If you don't enjoy BG1, skip to BG2. It's what I did because I found BG1 boring. BG2 really picks up once you get to the Shadow Thieves.
>>335538343
with small portraits too?
>>335513754
You're not missing much. I actually can't think of anything worthwhile that would be in Durlag's Tower or Werewolf Island. Uhh maybe stock up on wands of summoning and potions to buff up your allies before you fight him?
>>335538359
How far did you get in BG1?
It picks up a bit once you get through Nashkel mines and start unraveling the conspiracies.
>>335536921
What's wrong with portraits? I started a new game, and my custom portrait options are fine. Does this only affect portraits that you're trying to add?
>>335515837
>NWVault closes down
>For some reason the only modules I had backed up were just some random shit I downloaded and a few I did scripting on for other people and threw together for LAN party funsies
>All the actual modules I made got lost due to hard drive failure
>Can't even go get a warm fuzzy feeling looking at the fan translation someone did
>>335536881
DON'T WORRY EVERYBODY I FIGURED IT OUT.
>>335538402
The game resize your pic automatically.
>>335538521
To the bridge at Nashkel. Sue me.
>>335538492
Tome of Wisdom
>>335538703
That's a waste, you didn't even start the main story.
>>335538703
Noober did you in?
>>335538703
LOL you haven't even played the game and you're giving advice!
>>335537763
If you find you don't like BG1 or BG2, don't let that stop you from trying NWN, because it's very different. I'd personally recommend starting with NWN, because there are a lot of good modules available. I thought BG1 was vastly overrated and never bothered with BG2 because of it.
>>335539027
BG2 is way different compared to BG1. BG1 you're left on your own to sniff out the main plot and get the game started, whereas BG2 you're constantly being reminded about quests and where you have to be right from the outset.
>>335538887
I can give advice on the EE, because they're trash. Balancing was not needed, and they introduce bugs that the original games didn't even have.
I have played BG2, however. And it's a waste of money if you buy "older" games anyways; The companies who made them are either nonexistent, like Ion Storm, or a corruption of what they once were, like Bioware.
You guys didn't get the point of BG1.
It was meant to start slow. You just lost the only person who you could trust to protect you, you're alone in the wilds and even a wolf is a challenge. Before you can get on the epic quests, you must escape with your life.
It's a shame if you quit the game before it really got going with the main questline. The first few areas were supposed to be your journey desperate journey to the Friendly Arm Inn, with the biggest challenge is even getting there in one piece. Then the game sets you on the track to Nashkel, where the story really beings.
>>335539620
This
I loved getting into Baldur's Gate proper and seeing all these quests: From killing rival Necromancers, Assassinating a blackmailer and blackmailing your employer, to retrieving the body of a dead boy and in the processes wiping out a temple full of priestesses.
>>335539620
I was done with BG1 when I realized it's a game where a mage spends most of his time not actually being a mage and throwing rocks instead.
>>335540290
You don't understand what you're talking about. In BG1 you do spend time doing what a mage does which is learn and grow.
In D&D you're not supposed to be OP right from the get go. You need to pay your dues and earn it.
>>335540290
Get your ass to level 5 and make sure to grab the wizardry ring in the Friendly Arm Inn outskirts, that alone will help with early mage leveling.
>>335540290
A mage casts when it matters, and then it decides the battle with a single spell or two. It's not a machine gun, but a tactical nuke. This is true even on level 1, when a sleep spell can neutralize a group of kobolds instantly.
Do you guys ever use combat skills like Parry or Taunt in nwn1/nwn2?
I've been playing NWN2 lately. Trying to make a spellsword, this is my build I'm going for, I only just reached the port town on the way to Neverwinter
Soc 8 / EK 10 / Cl 2 / RDD 10
Cleric is for Divine Shield/Divine Might
Dual falchion/scimitar
>>335540647
This, sleep and hold spells trivialized most of the game, but I get the suspicion that they never experimented with magic and went straight for damage spells
>>335540775
Too many mobs for that in most campaigns
>>335540826
Or that's just not the kind of mage they want to play.
Glitterdust can be really good too, and it's just a level 2 spell.
Gives enemies -4 to THAC0, saving throws and AC. That's like FOUR bless spells and two dooms.
>>335541127
Mages can do a lot of damage in 2E too. Even Agannazar's scorcher can kill a lot of low level enemies in one hit.
Maybe not on level 1 and 2, but starting from level 3 it get solid.
How do I get into Baldur's Gate /v/?
I just don't feel it when playing it. Fartest I've gotten was the mines
>>335541482
Story gets more interesting once you kill the boss in the mines.
>>335541579
It might just not be your kind of game. You don't have to feel bad about it.
>>335529735
Something I always wanted in a module is to allow progress that isn't dependent on having the right stats at the right time. A lot of NWN campaigns require minmaxing or optimizing builds or stacking buffs to either survive against the hordes of enemies they throw at you or to pass the skill checks barring your way.
>>335541780
You can make encounters that scale with the character's level. I know NWN2 toolset supports it out of the box, not sure about NWN1.
And you can make dialogues without skill checks.
Of course, if you make encounters easy enough that they don't need minmaxing, then it will be too easy for most veteran players.
>>335541691
I like BG1, but I hate going through Nashkel mines, through the fucking venom forest and back into some other shitty AF mine. That stretch of the plot kills me, but once it's done, it's smooth sailing from there
>>335542201
After Cloakwood is when the game really picks up
>>335542069
>You can make encounters that scale with the character's level. I know NWN2 toolset supports it out of the box, not sure about NWN1.
NWN1 can do it too.
>>335542201
Funny thing is, I played BG1 a few times and went on to replay it. On my last playthrough, I quit soon after entering Baldur's Gate. I just couldn't be bothered to do all those quests.
Exploring the woods was comfy as fuck.
The weird thing is that I like BG2 exactly for the city questin' style.
>>335542069
Level scaling doesn't solve the issue, because like you said if it's not sufficiently difficult then it'll be too easy, but then for players who aren't running optimized builds it's still a roadblock.
I was thinking there could be more than just a success state or failure state. In a normal table top game, going under 0 HP isn't necessarily death, and defeat isn't automatically game over. Similarly there can be different degrees of failure or success for skill checks.
>>335541482
And mages also have access to wands of fire and frost, which do not waste spells, and they're not that hard to find either.
Anyone got the DnD Neverwinter Nights for free from gametap some years ago?
I'm still fucking mad
>>335542309
I always get bored after Cloakwood
>>335542469
BG city should have been open sooner. It sucks that you hit it close to level cap, and a lot of the rewards aren't worth doing quests even though a lot of the quests in the city are very interesting.
>>335542765
I've always wanted to play this game. How is it?
>>335542876
It was released broken and unfinished. It was a really huge letdown.
>>335542571
You could do something like a battle, where you have allies and enemies.
If you kill at least 60% of the enemies and the player gets knocked out to 0 HP, your allies will route the remaining enemies and you in the battle. Kinda.
>>335543195
Look up Temple+
>>335542591
Just pirate the GOG version and use a keygen
>>335543257
*and you win the battle.
Anyway, I can see some fantasy in this.
Even with skill checks, you could add in some mitigation choices.
For example, DC20 intimidation check - if you succeed, you get what you want. If you don't, you have the choice for a DC15 diplomacy check. If you make the diplo check, you don't get the shit beaten out of you for the failed intimidation, and so on.
>>335542571
There are modules that do exactly that and have you in an injured state and when you tick down to -10HP you die.
>>335543257
That's possible. Or a script that runs just before 0 HP that causes the PC to become unconscious/wounded and wake up someplace else assuming they were captured by the enemy but weren't finished off.
That or not be so eager to throw battles at the PC even if they get caught trespassing or stumbled upon and give them the option of surrendering or negotiating their way out if they don't want to fight their way out from the start.
>>335543354
>sheeeeeit
If they don't add SJW bullshit to it I'm in.
>>335543654
Yeah, that's not a bad idea. Another option, if the scripting allows it, is to have switch cases or else-if statements that check for descending DC roll results. So if the PC rolls a 20, then ___, else if it's 15, then ___, and so on. Success can vary by tiers, and maybe failures, too (failing hard could then ask for a mitigating check to save yourself from the fuck up).
>>335543702
Know which ones off the top of your head? I don't think I've ran into any but it sounds interesting.
>>335543949
>muh SJWs
Don't be a spastic anon it's made by codex autists
>>335544376
I remember reading about it in the manual of The Prophet. Not sure if it's in the prologue though.
So, here's a thing that'll make everyone think I'm a baby.
>be me, grew up with consoles to play from my older brother
>never really played PC games until WoW
>now an adult, been playing games since little kid, love all games
>own BG, BG2 and Pillars of Eternity, all look amazing and I want to play them
>I can't fucking play BG1 without getting bored or lost or frustrated because it feels weird and old and I don't know how to fix it but I want to play it so goddamn bad but something about it keeps driving me away
How can I help this feeling? I've put 20 hours total into the game over multiple restarts, and every time I end up feeling the same frustrated way. It's a dumb thing, and it comes down to some weird feeling for the game I can't nail I know.
My main question though: is there any tips that may help someone who's not used to old CRPGs get past BG1 while still playing and enjoying the game?
I see the beauty in the series. I see the fun. I just can't fucking grab it.
>>335544506
>Don't be a spastic
The threat is growing. The SJW plague is upon you whether you admit it exists or not.
>>335545224
Try an easier CRPG like Fallout or a more modern one like Divinity OS which lets you play with a friend to ease yourself into the genre. Real time with pause can be really weird at first until you know how rounds work and when you should issue orders.
>>335545224
BG1 does start really slow, especially with how squishy everyone is.
Have you tried skipping straight to BG2? You won't miss much plot, especially if you've met most of the companions in your playthroughs of the first game and is a much better game.
>>335545928
He definitely shoupdn't skip to BG2 unless he wants to figure out a full spellbook with six levels of shit he'll have no idea how to use. And he'll have no idea who sarevok is.
>>335545224
For me, when I first tried it, what got to me was being directionless and not knowing the basics of the game. I couldn't get into the game, because I did not know 2e dnd.
I started to play the game with a guide and looked up the knitty gritty details about armor, spells, etc and began to enjoy the game
>>335546305
I gave up my first time too because I couldn't figure out how to cast spells and just autoattacked everything. Then I read the manual.
>>335545865
If it's any dumb pointer to this, I've played harder difficulties on Dragon Age: Origins on PC, what with the positioning and pausing and what not. It's not much and it's shit, but it's what I have(given BG is listed as the inspiration to DA:O and shit). I have been meaning to get the original Fallout, and I do have Divine Divinity of that means anything(I need to get Divinity OS but I'd need to buy it for a friend and I, but I work a whole bunch so getting time from both of us is hard.)
>>335545928
>>335546039
Yeah, I have no intention on skipping. Wouldn't feel right to me regardless. I see the merit in it as BG2 is the one that's highly praised and loved by all really, but I wanna get there naturally through 1.
>>335546305
I've looked up character creation guides(I've rolled a fighter and a berserker on multiple playthroughs) but it still feels weird. Maybe it is because I don't fully grasp everything yet, like THAC0 or the imbedded dice rolling. What parts of the systems were you unclear about/made the game better once you figured it out?
Trying to run the BG Trilogy as a Half-Orc Fighter/Cleric. I would try a Fighter/Mage but I like armor and bashing faces right from the start.
>>335546991
Divine Divinity is more of a Diablo clone with actual RPG elements. Divinity Original Sin is completely different. The main story for OS is weak but the combat and quests are great and the interactions between your co-op parter are fun. It has my favorite magic system in any game and it looks like OS2 is making it even better. BG2 is second in terms of fun mage spells though.
>>335546991
Thaco, attacks per round, Dice (I turned the tool tip on to see the numerical values), AC, Saving Throws and Spells: Spells that scale with level, spells that have bonuses or penalty's against saves, AI, stats
>>335547145
I've been tempted to run a half-orc cleric/thief
>>335547682
That potential starting 19 STR and CON is delicious, especially getting the books in BG1 that will bump them both up to 20.
>>335548184
Isn't it better to be a Dwarf though? You get Shorty Saving throws and there's a shit ton of equipment and spells that boost strength if you go fighter cleric
>>335547682
but muh romances
>>335544281
Most of the problem is that a lot of this is certainly possible, but it can get really complicated with all the possibilities that can arise. Most writers can only into straight prose or exposition, and making what amounts to a complicated ad lib system on top of interesting dialogue tree progression is completely outside their experience, maybe even ability.
>>335548665
I've been tempted to fight my way out of the new and improved Ust Natha in SCSII, but it looks like such a fucking pain.
>>335549198
I've never played with SCS. How much more challenging is it?
>>335549598
A lot more challenging. But it's totally customizable. Mages actually have spells, sequencers, and do pretty much everything you can do, again there are options where you can customize it to your liking.
It's not artificial difficulty where they increase HP and Damage. It's all AI.
One thing I hate about it is, Beholders and Illithids. Beholders strip any and all magic protections and buffs. You can use the shield of Balduran or the Cloak of Mirroring, because they have "Telekinesis" and take it off you. Illithids are always invisible.
>>335550152
That last part sounds like suffering
Is CoDzilla a thing in NWN 1 and 2?
>>335550381
clerics are OP yes
i took a break from playing arcanum and im too lazy to replay it now
same shit with divinity, KOTOR1 and 2, and DA:O
>>335550493
I still haven't played KOTOR1 and 2 yet even though they're in my library but they just seems like watered down NWN games to me
>>335550302
The last part is really the only thing I hate about it. And for some frustrating reason, they decided to make it the least customizable. You can't even fool them with summons smdh
>>335550573
the bigger catch about kotor is that theyre star wars games
so do you like them star wars?
>>335550781
I prefer star trek
>>335550152
Aren't there several parts where you basically can't win unless you either know exactly what's coming (because you've already died to it) and prepare very specific things way in advance, or have to exploit AI glitches? Someone in a previous thread posted something like that.
>>335551815
Are you talking about the guy that referenced a guide for dealing with 5 OP characters in the first dungeon?
>>335552685
That might have been it. I don't remember it exactly.
>>335552831
I think that was something other than SCS
>>335551815
Not in SCS. There's another mod, I think it's tactics that is like that. I think the developer of weidu developed that mod.
SCS can be tweaked around however you like. It reminds me a lot of dark souls where dying doesn't feel cheap.
>>335513671
>updated Pt 2 never ever
Why is life so cruel
>>335517715
>abysmalGood one, anon
>>335542784
imo it's great that you get there so late, so i guess the level cap should have been higher but then again they had balance issues with getting higher levels. i think they even said something like that when talking about druid lvl or something
>>335549003
What writers need but don't always have or know how to do themselves is an editor or director that can take their drafts and make it work with the pacing of a book or movie (in this case, gameplay).
>>335539027
I'd also recommend people, especially ones who aren't familiar with a d20 system, start with NWN.
Probably SoU/HotU, but personally my first ever d20 game wasNwN2and I still had fun
Oh hey cool i needed to ask a BG1 question.
Playing though it right now, at the cloakwood mines. My dwarf cleric is level 6, but only has a base THAC0 of 18, with an actual one of 16. I understand they're not really meant to be fighters, but this still seems a bit high to me.
Anything I can do to give it a boost, or what?
>>335554649
use your spells, you should have plenty of buffing spells. can't remember all of them but at least chant and draw upon holy might should lower your thac0
>>335554757
Oh hey that totally do. For some reason I was under the impression all those did was increase your stats (though I was still using them plenty). Thanks anon
>>335554649
Equip a weapon that has higher thaco and a weapon that you have a proficiency point it. Together they will lower your thaco which is good outside of spells.
>>335555003
np, i just love my bg1 and glad to talk about it in any way.
i'm pretty sure there are more spells but i can't remember them. aid or bless might do drop thac0 as well
>>335555178
he's already prolly using the best weapon for him, seeing as he gets a thac0 2 bonus from his weapon (base thac0 18, with weapon 16).
that actually begs the question, what weapon? that war hammer from mulahey?
>>335555180
Yeah I just cast all the buffs I had memorized, brought me down to 13 THAC0.
>>335555292
Yeah. Started out with Maces but since they gave me a better warhammer so quickly switched over to it.
>>335555409
You can also use mage spells that lower enemy AC like blind, glitterdust and slow, which indirectly buff your thaco
>>335555716
wait, doesn't slow only affect movespeed and attacks per round?
also using haste is a good idea
I'm thinking of running a human conjurer to cleric because I am bored and that way I'll end up with 4 level 9 spell slots
