I’ve never played a Baldur’s Gate game before, but I feel compelled to buy this one just to send a message to other developers that it pays to treat your fans with respect.
Man, BG games are really some of the best! Give it a play!
I kinda missed the isometric, point and click era of RPG’s because I grew up in an Apple household. So I played a lot of Warcraft 2 during that time period. Is Baldur’s Gate 3 going to be that same style of game kinda in the vein of Divinty Original Sin?
Yep, it feels very much like a dndified version of divinity original sin 2
I will have to go watch more of the gameplay on YouTube. I’m not entirely sure what the addition of DND mechanics do to change the gameplay loop.
I’ve played both casually (BG3) in early access. The ruleset is quite different IMO
Dice rolls and punishes out of character choices, seems like
It is VERY similar to the Divinity games. It uses somewhat modified DnD 5e rules, as opposed to Divinitys’ own system (though that system took a lot of inspiration from DnD.) The RPG and world building elements will feel very familiar.
It’s basically Divinity: DnD Edition.
Yes! It’s the same developer as Divinity.
The games don’t play exactly the same, but they are the same style.
Yeah I’ve never been a fan of the point-and-click isometric mechanics, but I’ve been playing some BG3 and it’s pretty well done, I’m enjoying it. Definitely feels exactly like Divinity OS 2 but with DnD lore. Granted, I wasn’t a big DOS2 fan but that was mostly because the story tried so hard to be miserable all the time and make the player feel like shit for any decision they made. I’m not super far into BG3 but I don’t quite get that same vibe from it.
My only concern is I purchased the collectors edition and it hasnt arrived yet. Havent heard anything about delays, I thought it was supposed to be here on launch day
Not sure if Larian managed to reach out to collector’s edition owners but they said they would ship at the original August 31st release due to supply chain reasons. However the digital code to the game should have been emailed already ahead of launch.
I thought it was supposed to be here on launch day
Dont forget that launch day was moved forward a month. And unfortunately I dont think that affected the physical things.
Indeed. Minsc and Boo stand ready!
Pretty sure I played it on PC in like 1994
BG3 is really good, it’s probably the closest to a tabletop experience as you can get with a cRPG. All they need to do is add in 20 minute side-conversations and Monty Python references and it’s golden.
I’ve never played BG, DnD, and don’t really like turn based combat. This game has been incredible so far. It’s the first game in a long time where I’m thinking about it at work and excited to come home and play.
I’m generally not into turn based combat either. I think that’s why it didn’t immediately pique my interest even though I’m a die hard RPG nerd. Going to download once I have a free moment today, and I will report back!
The RPG aspect of it is exactly what brought it home for me as well! It is an insane RPG so far. The world feels so alive given how much you can fuck it up if you really wanted to.
The turn-based combat also isn’t as bad as I conjured up in my mind. I was kinda imaging the really old FF-style where enemies appear out of nowhere and you basically start a pokemon-style battle. It’s much different than that, and gets really intense when there’s a ton of enemies and you’re trying to make sure your group of 4 doesn’t get destroyed. Good luck!!
The turn based combat system that I really fell in love with, but that is now quite antiquated was the Knights of the Old Republic series. I would put these in the list of my top 5 favorite games of all time. I have played them both through many times, and they remain at the top of my list for favorite world building / lore additions from any IP. If there is any similarity between BG3 systems, and KOTOR then I imagine I will feel right at home!
It’s a shame that most game companies can’t manage to treat both their fans and staff well. It’s rare to treat even one of those well, let alone both. I wonder what the developer of BG3 is like for employees? Crunch time is usually so ubiquitous in game dev that I assume everyone does it until proven otherwise.
This is the first BG game I’ve ever played, and I’m having a blast with it. So far, I can’t recommend it enough for people who like tabletops and RPGs, in general.
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Buy the game. That’s it. You bought everything you need.
That is what I miss seeing in games.
I would like games to arrive as a single complete package, but I was relatively fond of expansion packs from games like RollerCoaster Tycoon.
They took the game you already had, and pretty much doubled it, they were fantastic!
Far better than any modern DLC for sure.
Expansion packs are the grandparents of DLC. They took something great and corrupted it to try and wring us for all we’re worth.
Actually, DLC is the grandparents of DLC.
Earliest examples I am personally aware of are the shareware and “mission pack” model of the 1990s. DOOM basically was given away for free with the idea that you play Episode 1 and then send iD money to get the disks of Episodes 2 and 3 in the mail. Not sure if they did a BBS/FTP server for that (or Episode 4), but Star Crusader is very much a game that even did the in game advertisement of their DLC. I have fond memories of working my ass off one summer so I had enough money to mail a check to some random dude so he would mail me back login information so I could download the mission pack and see what happened to Roman Alexandria when he was abducted by that ship.
The “expansion pack” model that people praise was the exact same thing, just using store shelves to distribute. Because games were big enough that it was viable to expect players to drive down to Radio Shack and pick up a copy. And the main issue with that is that it meant we needed MUCH coarser grain content because it needed to justify a physical disc printing and distribution. Everyone rightfully shits on Oblivion’s horse armor. But the actual DLC burst that Oblivion had was… not horrible. Whereas the Fallout 3 DLC model was downright amazing for giving us 3 (5?) different mini areas and quest chains. No one DLC was a full expansion (well, people say The Pitt was but they are idiots) but it meant that we got the kind of variety that we had all been wanting ever since we got tired of spending two hours in a single biome in Diablo 2.
Which gets us to where we are now. Some studios do dogshit DLC. Others do good. The Larian model has generally been to NOT do DLC but to instead release an Enhanced Edition one or two years later. I assume with the licensing and the added funding for BG3 they don’t think they will need to but, time will tell.
But, personally? I would LOVE BG3: Throne of Bhaal. Not so much whatever the shitty BG1 expansion nobody played was.
*: and… there are a lot of arguments that stuff like basically every ARPG and RTS expansion pack were overpriced as hell by modern standards. Which is funny since those are the ones that are most praised.
That was Shareware, not DLC.
Edit: The difference being with shareware you didn’t have to pay any money to try the game. Basically the game was the demo as well as a full game, and once you played the first part of it for free, and you decided you liked it, then you paid and the rest of the game you already had was unlocked.
As opposed to an f2p game with DLC? Or buying a full game and, once you played the first part of it, you decided you liked it, then you paid and the rest of the game you already had was unlocked.
I LOVE ARPGs but I am well aware that the Blizzard/Diablo model is almost exactly what people rage against. Diablo 2, Diablo 3, Dungeon Siege 1, Dungeon Siege 2, and plenty of others all followed the model of releasing the first 3-4 acts and then releasing the 4th/5th act for 30 bucks a year later.
You’re being purposely confusing and intellectually dishonest, in an attempt to control the narrative.
Then please, stop me from being “intellectually dishonest”
What is the distinction between a Free to play game with paid expansion packs and DLC and a copy of a game that came on a CD that tells me where I can send a money order to to buy extra content?
Oh, am I being “intellectually dishonest” because I am not respecting the branding? Is that the distinction?
I think wizards of the coast will demand more products that are part of baldur’s gate 3. Tbf, baldur’s gate 1 and 2 are known for their expansions. I wouldn’t be opposed to an expansion or two.
Game is an absolute masterpiece on top of it all. This kind of game needs unequal levels of support. They knocked it out of the park AND they did it all in the right way. I’m encouraging people to buy it and play if they like RPG, tabletop or even just interested in forgotten realms. One of a few games I’ve purchased for full price on Steam.
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It’s just called “Game”? It kinda reminds me of this game store in the UK also called “GAME”, all caps this time.
Yep, I bought the Original Sin 2 for full price and planning to get this for full price too.
Between this, Armored Core 6, and Starfield it looks like my gaming backlog is filled until end of year.
I literally bought OS 1 & 2 because of how much I enjoyed the EA of BG3 and how much I like the studio’s style. They deserve every penny.
Is OS1 as good as 2 though? I don’t know much about it.
I’ll be honest, I haven’t played yet. It’s on the list though!.. cries in Steam backlog
I’m curious what bs Bethesda is going to have for Starfield. From horse armor to weak mods you pay for they keep trying something with every game.
Good luck playing them all.
When buying the game actually meant something.
I love the modern XCOM games, I love card games, I love games where the story follows a new superhero in an established superhero universe, I love XMen.
Yet.
Whilst I obviously was so excited for Marvel’s Midnight Son’s I was planning ahead to ask for cash to buy it full price for a birthday or something rather (to both play right away and support games that heavily target my tastes) rather than just wait for a deep sale a few years later like I normally would, all the buy this version and add on bits ala carte or buy this version that has some things but not all things but who know which is which or buy this super version that has the entire game or buy this hyper-mega version that has all of that and also stuff that’s not actually part of the game or buy a version that has the stuff that isn’t part of the game and most of the game… bullshit, just completely killed any interest I had in it.
I might pick it up and play it one day when it’s literally a few quid but quite possibly not at this point.
Just sell me the thing. Don’t complicate it. If I need to spend ages figuring out exactly which parts of a game I haven’t even played yet I do and don’t care about so I can try to see how close to a normal price I can pay and still get all the actual game, I’d rather just use that time to go play a game that wasn’t designed by MBE’s.
If you’re a fan of xcom, midnight sons will disappoint you. The tactical depth is reduced, and it’s all around less replayable than any xcom.
I don’t need it to be XCOM.
Whereas I love playing AAA games for free because other people spend money on cosmetic items I just don’t care about.
Apex Legends? Yes please, keep charging for skins and not the game.
Tbh I don’t get the hate for this model. I’d much rather be able to play these games for free and get to try them. Skin funded games mean I’ve played a lot of games for free, and I don’t care at all about the skins (and I don’t even get why people would) so I view the skins like a donation. If I really like the game I can spend a bit of money to get a skin to support them.
I’ve played league of legends for literally thousands of hours and never spent a cent on it. I have hundreds of hours on apex and also never spent anythings. It’s way better than games where you spend like 20 dollars and then also need to spend either hundreds of hours or dollars to unlock 2/3 of the playable characters.
I mean yeah but gamers keep supporting shitty companies that provide the exact opposite in record numbers so we don’t get stuff like this much anymore.
This isn’t “gamers”. It affects pretty much everything for everyone. People these days have no backbone anymore. Everything just has to be easy and convenient and going against greedy practices is not convenient so companies can push the limits.
It’s true, you get microtransactions for everything these days. I pay a fee (technically I don’t get a discount) because I told my cell phone provider to stop sending me spam multiple times a week. I’d rather pay the couple bucks per month extra then have to deal with that bullshit.
It is fucking bullshit. Look at some vehicle manufacturers limiting their cars unless a subscription is paid. Printers. If I buy the god damned thing I should be able to use it at its full potential until I no longer want to.
Oh God printers, there was a post that made it to the frontage I think yesterday that showed a email or something from HP that stated they disabled their printer, well the ink cartridge they paid for at least, because they didn’t renew their ink subscription.
Bread and circuses. Rulers had it figured out millennia ago.
Because psychological manipulation is more effective than competence and honesty.
Absolutely, there’s a reason that ABK hired psychologist to work for them and you damn well know it wasn’t for them to have in house mental health services for their developers.
I will never understand the drones of humanity buying the same CoD game over and over. They literally remade older ones because they have no other ideas to milk their fan base. It’s horrible.
BattleBit scratched my Battlefield itch after all these years of shitty games from DICE.
We REWARD incompetence and liars by doing pre-orders and still buying games that have been reported to be buggy or full of in-app purchases, etc.
So why is anyone surprised that this shit happens?
You’re absolutely right, complacency on behalf of the consumers is what has given rise to the trend of spending real physical money on in-game currency.
The problem with DLC, is that content is undifferentiated. Meaning things like skins, music, artwork, etc. Are in the same boat as new zones/maps, characters, equipment, etc. Publishers use FOMO by bundling cosmetics with actual ‘new’ experienceable content.
“IT MUST BE THE NEW WAY” They thought.
And so they continued going that way.
I mean yeah but gamers keep supporting shitty companies…
Yeah, shitty companies like Valve with their lootbox nonsense and other gambling mechanics are really bringing the industry down.
They’re entirely cosmetic in Valve games as far as I’m aware
The argument of cosmetic only microtransactions is also a bit of a weak one because it’s the sort of content that would usually just be in the base game, unlockable via gameplay or tied to cheat codes. At least this used to be the case.
Cosmetic only is still better than other types but it’s still a case of the lesser of two evils.
Yeah, the only reason anybody says that is because we’re so desensitized by pay-to-win mechanics and games being released half finished with day 1 dlc to fill the gaps, so we say “at least it’s better than that”
Remember horse armor? I bet there’s plenty of video games out now with cosmetic horse armor for sale.
What’s wrong with it? Literally every single gameplay-related item in both Dota and CSGO are free. 100%, no strings attached. You can experience the entire game and what it has to offer without spending a dime. At some point you have to charge for something. These companies aren’t making these game out of charity, they are in fact businesses. You can criticize the methods they use to push them (lootboxes, BP, etc) but I don’t see a problem with the concept.
We game for what we game for. Some people game for the cosmetics. They are selling what consumers buy. I’m not saying it’s right. But if they keep buying why wouldn’t they sell it?
Cosmetic-only microtransactions in Free to Play games are absolutely fine, and should be encouraged. Those games wouldn’t exist without them.
In paid games it’s a different matter though, sure.
I like the way Grinding Gear does it with POE, a FTP game supported by cosmetic-only micro transactions. The stash tabs are the closest thing to “pay to win”.
Yeah, I like Valve but fuck those loot boxes, their tolerance of gambling, and screw that bs excuse of “it’s only cosmetic” because we know it’s not and it preys on the same insecurities and uses the same psychological tools to maximize profits using addiction.
Yes, Valve’s CS loot boxes and ignoring of the gambling sites that profit off of gamers addiction is absolutely bullshit but you’re a disingenuous troll if you think Valve is the leading offender of shitty monetization rampant in the industry.
The fact that the best marketing for games these days is just: “Don’t be a greedy bastard” really says something about the industry
This used to be the way with all games. You had one version. It was one game and everyone got the same thing. All the additional stuff is just a normalized scam.
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Most Sony exclusives are exactly this way as well.
It’s typically when multiplayer gets involved that the investors start rubbing their hands together.
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There are more armor sets in Assassin’s Creed Valhallas premium store than are in the base game
Thing is I played some of the recent Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry games, and I noticed them holding the begging bowl out, but much like with Mass Effect 3 (which was the first place I saw this), I can’t work out who it’s targeting.
Just basic playing of the game and the actual main and side story content (and I’m not grinding repeatable quests or doing randomly generated content dotted all over AC Odyssey’s map) will get you everything you need to finish it, and leave you with giant piles of resources left over. Just who is buying this?
I think there’s an absurdly rich demographic out there that just wants the “skip” items for a strange sense of prestige. They’re not very logical people, and some would argue they probably didn’t earn their millions.
Same with GTA, people moan about shark cards but if you actually play the game then it’s impossible not to make huge sums of money - sometimes I go.on to do some races, shoot up some gangsters or run some missions because that’s why I got the game then I see I’ve got a couple of million so I buy a new jet or something.
There are people who only seem to play to tick off all the boxes and get the highest numbers, I even had someone tell me it’s not worth doing certain races because they don’t pay well - it’s a game not a job!
But like you said, there are a lot of very rich people with this mentality and they’ll use real money to buy a gold plated luxury jet which isn’t even especially fun to fly and has no in game purpose simply because it’s there - not to knock my friends who’ve brought it because it’s fine to RP in and they like everyone else have stacks of cash because it’s fun speedrunning cayo.
You’d like to think that, but there’s a lot of people who got into gaming for the wrong reasons (making a lot of money. Fame) and not the right reason (I want to make something awesome that people enjoy).
There are definitely good people in the industry, but there are a number of devs (designers and managers) who only care about the bottom line or money. They’ll think huge profits mean they’ll get massive bonuses, and ignore how the product will be received. It’s not the investors, but involving the wrong people in the process.
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I’m looking forward to people supporting open source game development, like actually paying the wages of Dev teams to produce content for the community - we’d have some amazing games come from that
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I’m sorry but this is just not true. There are a lot of “the best games” that were made by a small team down to one person. Having a lot of money to use for budget helps, but it in no way means a game will be the best.
They don’t get that money from Jesus, that’s a portion of the money people have given them to play games - people currently prefer to give money to companies who are in it for profit but if they decided instead that to give it to their favourite open source development teams to continue work on their current projects or start new ones then it would be possible.
I bet rockstar would have been making much more interesting games for example if instead of being brought by a money hungry corporation they’d ended up as a community funded project.
And yeah I know it’s not likely today but nothing we accept as normal now seemed possible fifty years ago so we’ll see.
Yup. Which is why I look at things like these and the words that comes to mind is - “for now”.
Fortunately the majority shareholder said he has no intention of selling for this exact reason.
This statement alone works better than any advertisement they could have made
People would stop putting micro transactions in games if users stopped paying for them.
I’m really glad a developer that actually cares about BG made this game. I’m not sure how much more I can take of ruined classics.
I’ve actually been kinda sacred to look at it because bg1 was probably the happiest memory of my childhood, really glad to see people loving it and I’ll probably give it a go
(And yes I’m exaggerating a bit but I used to play with my grandma on her computer, she’d sit and watch and we’d chat about things and she’d take notes and stuff or suggest strategy - it was such a great game in every regard, the story and the combat were fantastic with such beautiful areas to explore… Then when 2 came out and you could load your old save and import the party you finished with as the characters you start with! It was the best thing ever
Of course now I have grown as a man, times have changed and I have changed - I feared that there would be an empty shell under such a cherished memories name but tentatively I have started to allow myself to become excited to play it, sadly my grandmother has passed but what she taught me is you can’t live in the past, she loved new things and new ideas so I’m not wanting it to be exactly the same I’m just hoping it has that same feeling of fascination and depth of its forbearers as I hope I’ve gained from mine… Certainly im very excited to try out the new mechanics and gameplay elements that have gone into it, like having sex with a man that’s transformed into a bear.
This is the right way, but also it’s entirely ridiculous that it has to be said.
If I owned a small grocery store chain, and I had a website FAQ, it would be weird if it said, “Will my kids be taken by strangers and trafficked out of the country while I shop?” And even if the answer was, “No. We firmly believe you should remain in possession of your children at all times and no one else, so that you can enjoy your family.” it would still be weird that we were talking about it in the first place - because yes, that’s nice and all, but it shouldn’t even be an issue worth discussing.
It shouldn’t have to be said, true, but if other grocery shops let this happen, and in fact designed the grocery store to make kidnapping easier, I would love to see it called out on your website.
Obviously you haven’t been to Gibbons Markets.
It’s the Fairsley Difference
Glad someone picked up what I was putting down :)
Funny enough (and sad to say), he commented on it in this context actually in a VICE article,
A lot of the sketches in Mr. Show seem to carry added relevance today. The “Worthington’s Law” skit is basically Donald Trump. Is the show’s prescience eerie to you? Yes! I don’t like when reality is a joke—when it plays out like a by-the-numbers satirical comedy scene written by a bunch of goofballs. Reality should be more complex than that—it shouldn’t be so obvious. It should be more textured. But it isn’t! The “Fairsley’s Foods” skit was what happened in the last election. FOX News was Fairsley’s Foods, just throwing up these accusations that you have to respond to, and by responding them you make them legitimate. But you have to respond to them, so you’re just screwed.
The weirdest thing isn’t that Trump follows Worthington’s Law—it’s that so much of America would completely agree and live by the logic of “if you make more money, then you’re smarter.” They believe that’s true. I don’t know if they know that Jesus didn’t make a lot of money in his life, but supposedly they think he’s pretty smart. It doesn’t make any sense."
Ahh yes. And the pan sexual mascot not offending everyone, even though it’s ironically stupid and offensive
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Doubt.
Are you just Diablo bashing because it’s in vogue? Because this is just bashing any game that does micro transactions. I don’t see how it’s specifically calling out Diablo.
they have day 1 dlc guys
I think you’re being deliberately misleading. It’s an upgrade to deluxe edition, which is a much better option than having to buy the entire game again just to get the stuff in the deluxe edition. And as far as deluxe editions go this is pretty mild considering the only in game stuff you seem to get are a unique dice skin, camp supplies and some potions, extra bard songs, extra collectible? and items referencing D:OS2.
It’s not like it’s the “From Ashes” DLC for Mass Effect 3. For those who don’t know “From ashes” was a day 1 DLC for ME3 containing missions about the last surviving Prothean. Protheans being the most important race in the story and possibly even in the ME lore. And after the missions that last protean becomes one of your companions. For many it was a very important part of the lore being separated and sold as an extra purchase. I even remember the late great Totalbiscuit boycotting the entire game because of that DLC.
They do, but barely. It’s just a couple of minor in game items/skins and some out of game music/art. Still leaps and bounds better than locking entire missions or characters behind deluxe edition nonsense.
And it’s mostly stuff for the beta testers to receive for free
Technically that’s an out-game purchase.
What DLC?
The “DLC” is the digital deluxe version which you can purchase later. If you pre-ordered you got it for free. It’s stuff like a digital art book, and weapon skins.
The weapon skins are debatable but since there are no other skins really in the game as far as I can tell I don’t really see it as an issue in the slightest. And the art book and soundtrack are the perfect pre order bonus imo. Especially for a game where they actually used the early access properly, it’s a nice thank you I feel like.
Ah yes, but you see that is a macrotransaction.
Fair play to them, but it’s kind of crazy that just delivering an enjoyable experience for your customer is something to be lauded in the gaming industry…
Just make out of game purchases like Paradox.
Paradox? The company that makes like 626264727 DLCs that make a playable game experience like worth 300$
I get the impression Paradox players are either dedicating their whole gaming lifestyle to one simulator, or are only intended to buy a few of those DLCs. The picture of what it costs to buy every DLC at once is probably a bit disingenuous, just like the total cost of buying every Magic: The Gathering card ever produced.
It does sound like keeping the DLC out of in-game menus would at least avoid distraction until you’re out of game browsing the Steam store, which seems like a plus.
I’ve bought every Stellaris DLC over the years, and I’m not even a particularly avid Stellaris player (347 hours played (which while notable is peanuts compared to the superfans’ hours) and haven’t played recently). Here’s my thoughts on it:
I buy DLCs day 1 that I am supremely interested in, and everything else I pick up on discount either during a sale or from another site (not sketchy key resellers - I use https://isthereanydeal.com/, which lists more legitimate sites). In multiplayer, all players can use the DLC the host has, so I’ve been the dedicated host for my friend group there. I don’t think the massive amount of DLCs is good, but it is at least tolerable (I liken it to a subscription model) and I enjoy how the devs share some of their insights during the development process. Despite all the flaws it has, Stellaris is a really cool sci-fi 4x game that probably has the least ridiculous learning curve compared to other Paradox strategy games.
I just buy the game and pirate the DLCs, but don’t tell Paradox about it
starts game
sees thing
rolls perception
touches thing
party had died
“Just like I remember!”
