[Akalabeth Angel]

I don't mind the combat, my only beef is the progression thus far. I'll keep at it and see how it goes.

I mean it's not super engaging, it's just pausing and tell people what to do, but it's alright for what it does. No worse than fallout or other isometrics from what I can tell.

I kind of prefer turn-based combat but I also realize that turn based can take longer.

Because at level 1 in BG1 you don't have too much options yet. So the combat may seem rather simple.
Also, BG is like semi turn based, the mechanics are done in turn base (which is why it may seem like your characters are some times not very responsive, because they are waiting for the next round to start so they can do their action).

Well as I say I've watched an LP of Eye of the Beholder, so I know the characters will get a bunch more spells and such. Not sure about other combat options. I kinda prefer the first person dungeon crawler to be honest, maybe I should go and finish Lands of Lore before I tackle BG Or the Wizardry series I got off GOG as well

[Scotty]

The combat is great if you know what you are doing. Which I guess might be considered a fault of the game, requiring you to know some things which if played for the first time, you can't reasonably expect to know. But come on, I completed this game when I was 14 years old, had only a basic grasp of the english language and wasn't using half the great spells because 'why use this when you can fireball instead?' mentality of a dumb teenager.
I expect adults to be able to get through this game with some degree of elegance. I does however require you to think, plan, plot and go about encounters in a smart way from time to time.

I'm certainly not going to tell you that you're wrong for liking the game.  Hell, I love the game, I just don't particularly like it for the combat.  Any game in which you're practically required to save scum in order to progress or even discover winning strategies gets a strike against it in the "user friendly" category, as well as the "intuitive balance" category, both of which I consider very important both for grabbing a new player's attention and for keeping it through to the end.

[AdmiralRalwood]

Any game in which you're practically required to save scum in order to progress or even discover winning strategies gets a strike against it in the "user friendly" category, as well as the "intuitive balance" category, both of which I consider very important both for grabbing a new player's attention and for keeping it through to the end.

Uh, if you have to save-scum every fight, something is wrong.

[Phantom Hoover]

I do completely disagree. I find the combat super interesting with a lot of spells and counter spells and such. Its deep and challenging combat.

Complexity and depth are totally different thing, and in fact are often in direct opposition.

[Akalabeth Angel]

Well needless to say the game appeals to different individuals for different reasons. That's not necessarily a bad thing.

Some things in the game are a bit finnicky though, for example I think my second biggest complaint is that sometimes these assholes don't go through doors right away. And it's not because I haven't "gathered my party before venturing forth". The UI is pretty intuitive though or at least I don't have to fight against it.

[Fury]

There is no freaking way one can reach Nashkel mines while still being lvl 1. I'm fairly sure it was possible to reach lvl 2 in the starting town if you played right.

[Akalabeth Angel]

There is no freaking way one can reach Nashkel mines while still being lvl 1. I'm fairly sure it was possible to reach lvl 2 in the starting town if you played right.

Uh, well I did it. I even killed a bunch of random monsters in a few of the areas when I was trying to find the Naskel mines which were not immediately visible on the map.
Maybe I was supposed to fart around the inn and try to find some quests, or find some quests in Naskel or something, but I didn't bother. My character is Chaotic Neutral anyhow so don't see why I would go and help a bunch of random nobodies.

Naskel on the other hand is a slightly different story as there's a guy in my party who wants to head down.

Maybe I'm just skilled at making games harder than they need to be. For example in Skyrim when you defeat the first dragon and the guy makes you thane and gives you a personal bodyguard, the first thing I did I was tell the bodyguard to sitdown and then headed out on my own. Got the crap kicked out of me a few times heading up the mountain to those monks.

[TrashMan]

Maybe your game is b0rked.

LVL1 on Nashkel mines?


EDIT:
I like fights you have to run from or avoid.
Some would say it's bad balance, but I don't consider "everything scales to you" to be balance.


Tough, I'd recommend BG1 campaign played trough BG2. Niftier engine and some fixes.

[Grizzly]

Tough, I'd recommend BG1 campaign played trough BG2. Niftier engine and some fixes.

Nah. The BG1-to-BG2 conversions invariably get stuff wrong, changing the overall balance, gameplay and feel in several ways. This is not a bad thing persé, but for a first playtrough, stick to BG1.

[Sarkoth]

I would have said that the BG1 conversion for the big picture mod of BG2 is the best way to go. You don't even have to import your character, the game goes on almost seemlessly from the ending of bg1 to bg2. How awesome is that? I always loved the Baldur's Gate series. Almost as much as the Fallout series. But not as much as Planescape Torment. But everything else concerning old school RPGs pales in comparison to Planescape Torment.

For BG1 the first few levels are a really intense grind, to get your characters able enough not to get instagibbed by the random appearance of a single bear or two to three wolves. But there's actually so many quests out there and so much to do that I never managed finishing the game without capping my level. (I also prefer playing BG1 with the BG2 conversion, because there is so much fun playing BG1 with a monk of most deadly fisticuffs.)

Oh the memories. I should install the big picture mod again soon. As soon as I'm done with my current playthrough of Planescape Torment. Which will take a while, got lost in the modron maze the last time I was at it.

[karajorma]

I would have said that the BG1 conversion for the big picture mod of BG2 is the best way to go. You don't even have to import your character, the game goes on almost seemlessly from the ending of bg1 to bg2. How awesome is that?

Except for the ****ty railroad plot.

"You are suddenly captured by bandits who appeared out of nowhere and somehow surprised you all! You wake up in a dungeon with all of your stuff gone." ****! Why not just say "Rocks fall, everyone dies is knocked unconscious" and be done with it!  

I loved BG1 but whoever wrote the plotline for BG2 needs ****ing shooting. While there are some great ideas in there did they have to tramp them through every ****ty D&D cliche? Thank **** they didn't do that for BG1 or it would have been "**** Candlekeep, let's have them all meet in a tavern where a shady guy gives them a quest!"

[Akalabeth Angel]

Yes unfortunately I started playing BG2 before 1 so I sorta know how it ends roughly. I didn't expect such a direct sequel. Just heard it's the better game.

From a new player's perspective BG2 is even worse quite frankly. Thrown in a dungeon with a bunch of random nobodies that I'm supposed to care about/find funny/endearing whatever and to me it's just a huge wall of dialogue and chat I don't give a damn about. I was tempted to play Neverwinter nights or somesuch instead because I think in that you build your whole party from scratch and just go fight a bunch of dudes. GOG had all the DND games for 20 bucks a while back so I got pretty much all their old RPGs.

[Fury]

Thrown in a dungeon with a bunch of random nobodies that I'm supposed to care about/find funny/endearing whatever

Yes well, BG2 happens to be the sequel to BG1. Those aren't random nobodies to people who have played BG1.

[Akalabeth Angel]

Thrown in a dungeon with a bunch of random nobodies that I'm supposed to care about/find funny/endearing whatever

Yes well, BG2 happens to be the sequel to BG1. Those aren't random nobodies to people who have played BG1.

Yes I expect not, but to a new player they are. And few sequels in my experience have that level of expectation that the player has played the previous game. Tends to limit the audience I would suspect.

[Fury]

Right, go play different games then. BG obviously isn't working for you.

[Akalabeth Angel]

Right, go play different games then. BG obviously isn't working for you.

Wow aren't people uptight and defensive about their nostalgic favourites.

I'm playing BG1 because BG2 requires it. That's all. Karajoma was complaining the start of BG2 was contrived. I was giving the alternate perspective of a new player. Nothing more than that. A lot of people out there say that BG2 is the best RPG ever but the problem is that many of those people also neglect to mention that they should probably start with BG1 because the characters and stories carry over.

And, I'll play what I like. 

[Grizzly]

BG2 is not the best RPG ever made persé (Black Isle has made some that vie for that crown), but the Baldur's Gate series is perhaps the most important RPG milestone, having a role that is similar to Half Life in the FPS case.

But yeah, it does have it's ... little things, but that all adds to the charm .

[MP-Ryan]

So, if one is just getting into this.... Baldur's Gate original, or the Enhanced Edition?

[Scotty]

Depends.  If you're playing it for the gameplay, get Icewind Dale.  If you're playing it for the story, read a strategy guide.

[General Battuta]

No, the absolute worst advice. BG1's opening is quicksave/quickload hell, but once you get through BG2's dismal start dungeon it has excellent gameplay with a huge range of options and a bunch of fascinating and game-breakingly excellent character builds. I go back to BG2 just to fight **** because it's such a pleasure - nobody makes games remotely like that any more.

If you're getting your ass kicked (you will be) turn the difficulty down. It's a lot like FS2 in that respect.