Baldur's Gate Baldur's Gate 3 Early Access Thread [GAME RELEASED, GO TO NEW THREAD]

[Shadenuat]

how excited he is to be able to role-play as a hot fox/human hybrid girl with 3 tails in an upcoming D&D computer game......

It's Pathfinder, not D&D.

Also, you need to turn this into your strength. Women, frankly, don't care what you do, only how you feel about it and your determination. (and looks, although depends on age)

 

[Sailor Woedica]

The most helpful review on steam like right now is from someone that said they worked on Baldur's Gate 40 years ago and isn't totally happy that they called it Baldur's Gate 3 (tho it could also just be by someone from here lol):

Full disclosure, I worked on the original Baldur's Gate series as a designer with a focus on scripting. I also was hands on with a bunch of areas (putting quests into play, setting up 'cinematics', creating items and monsters and so on). I'm honestly not sure how to approach reviewing Baldur's Gate 3 in early access. I've worked on many games over the years and been in many early access and beta tests. So I'll do my best to approach it with this mindset, but I feel like I've been in enough early access or betas to realize how some things probably won't change too much from how they are now. But as someone who worked on the originals, I felt the need to comment I suppose.

Who Am I: A scriptor and designer that worked on Baldur's Gate: Tales of the Sword Coast through Baldur's Gate: Throne of Bhaal, also spending some time with Neverwinter Nights.
(Designer Mindset): I'm going to list my opinion from a designer standpoint instead of a gamer afterwards essentially. If you announce something as Baldur's Gate 3, I have certain expectations, I'm sorry. Otherwise, Baldur's Gate: Illithid Invasions or Whatever Name would have been preferred, or even their own Forgotten Realms IP. But the choice to include 3 means something to me so I'll be treating it as such.

Initial Impressions: It feels like an updated new Divinity Game, but using the ruleset of D&D 5E. It's not a BAD thing, but it doesn't feel very 'Baldur's Gate' like to me. Pathfinder: Kingmaker and Pillars of Eternity feel more similar to what I'd expect from gameplay, or at least more of a mix somewhere in between would have been welcome.
(Designer Mindset): I feel like some of the big keys to Baldur's Gate were unspoken but always there, including trying to include a great story, memorable characters and quests, many choices in how you portray your character and approach things, and a mix of real-time D&D combat. So far the lack of a real-time combat component personally has me thrown off the most from feeling like this is supposed to be a sequel of any kind.

Character Creation: Early access allows 6 classes so far, out of potentially 12? With the lower levels of D&D it feels like many skills aren't available yet, and most of the lower level skills are a bit more simple. So it has me wondering if the hold up on including more classes is on purpose, or is something else going on? I love the options from backgrounds to classes and races, as it's clear at the end of it all they're trying to include as much as they can. Face and Hair options currently have me wanting more though. Faces feel very similar to each other with some of the races, and the hair options while quite a few, I found it difficult to find one I liked. Almost as if there was TOO much flair and curls added, when all I wanted to find was a simple hair cut.
(Designer Mindset): As a designer, I remember making many battles focusing on different classes and subclasses within the enemy encounters when I was able. We'd use their abilities to script fights and let the rolls and tactics figure it out for the most part. So I feel like if only 6 classes are included so far, then the same is said of all npc's and encounters in the game. Which in turn, then has me wondering how this will change along the way, if at all? Not saying it won't, but it feels strange to me personally that more focus wasn't put in completing more classes to some degree first.

Gameplay: It feels like Divinity, but switching in D&D 5E Stats, Abilities, Skills and monsters and so on. Again, it's not a BAD thing at all, and it's enjoyable, but it feels like I'm playing a new Divinity Game set in Forgotten Realms more than anything.
(Designer Mindset): This one is still difficult for me as I feel more like I'm playing a new Divinity game more than anything.
Which again I DO enjoy, but it's not what I'd expected from a game labeled as a sequel. It feels too different, and while I expect changes over the MANY years and editions of D&D since then, it doesn't feel quite right regardless.

Companions: So far there are 5 companions available, most likely one of which you will NEVER use, as party size is limited and you won't want to double up with your own protagonist's choice in class. I haven't played far enough to be fair, but initial impressions are there is a lot of anger and bossy people in this world, and not enough fun and adventure seeker's.
(Designer Mindset): Pathfinder: Kingmaker I feel did this wonderfully, as you had someone cheerful available near the start, along with someone barbaric, some morally questionable choices, some valorous choices and so on. So far it feels as though everyone is out for themselves, and it's a bit hard to like them a whole lot as a result.
I know this CAN change, but going off what I feel so far is that they aren't memorable due to their personalities, but to something afflicting them if anything or a personal goal. That is more memorable than any type of personality so far. I don't know that this number of companions will change a whole lot either, which is unfortunate as I feel like a big part of what made things memorable for BG before was the choices between many companions and party make ups.

Why Baldur's Gate(?): I feel like this is the big question so far, and while I'm sure they want to maintain some mystery, but I guess I don't understand the choice yet. The game play while enjoyable feels too different from what I'd expect given the BG3 title. The change in party size, the way the turn based combat works, it feels too different. I'm enjoying myself, but it does leave me questioning why go the route of a sequel title then?

Larian has already made some amazing popular games, and if they wanted to go down their own Forgotten Realms story I think it's great, and I look forward to it. But why not a new title? The old designer in me is frustrated that it's named as a sequel, without any real continuation showing so far. Whether it's in story, gameplay, characters or anything. It might be there at some point, I don't know, but at this time, I haven't seen it.

When we went from Baldur's Gate to Baldur's Gate 2, there was an emphasis on growing and expanding on what we could to give the player more choices and freedom. Adding subclasses, focusing on player choices in quests and the story, their companions and so on. There's not near enough choice in companions so far for me to be able to tell them to go to hell if I don't like them.

Verdict: From a game standpoint or a Baldur's Gate sequel stand point? While the story is interesting to me and I'm excited to see where it goes, it doesn't feel like it needed to be listed as a sequel. I feel I'd have enjoyed it more as a surprise down the road if it was tied in without announcing it as a sequel and putting certain expectations in place. The game play is great given Divinity's history, and while I expected the similarities, I think I was also expecting more changes rather than mostly the Stats and Naming conventions it feels like.

There are some bugs, and the game does need polish but its still very playable and enjoyable in Early Access. If you want a full feature and enjoyable game, and you're unable to look past the fact that its Early Access, I'd say try to wait though. I know when its finished it will be an enjoyable and well received game. Even in early access I feel I can recommend it. However, I struggle to feel as though it's any type of sequel to Baldur's Gate so far other than in name and knowing the city itself will make an appearance down the road. One day it might, but not today....

 

[Robber Baron]

Baldur's Gate 3 by Larian Studios - now available on Early Access - also find out how to score with women

 

[aweigh]

anyone bothered checking out the DX 11 render launcher for the game? does it alleviate the stutters when panning the camera?

 

[Delterius]

The most helpful review on steam like right now is from someone that said they worked on Baldur's Gate 40 years ago and isn't totally happy that they called it Baldur's Gate 3 (tho it could also just be by someone from here lol):

It is clearly David Gaider.

 

[BarbequeMasta]

Maybe larian studios should step out of their comfort zone and start making bread. Surely they're not incompetent enough to try to make bread, end up with porridge, but stay adamant that their porridge is actually bread while all their larian cultists agree with them and then tell you that they actually like porridge more than bread anyways, but it's still totally bread.

When you put it like that, they feel even more pathetic than I thought.

 

[Delterius]

Waffles are the best Bread.

 

[BarbequeMasta]

Waffles are the best Bread.

Meat is the best bread, especially when you make a meat sandwich with it.

 

[aweigh]

But DA:O was bland as fuck. I want BG3 to be better than that

DA: Origins has better writing than BG3.

 

[aweigh]

What, you didn't enjoy solving the riddle of the talking chicken? Or getting rid of the dude who constantly interrupted you by initiating dialogue?

In principle I agree, but at least Irenicus delivered some muahaha monologue while torturing you. This drag cthulhu just shoves his worm in your eye and flies away. Did the writers spend all their attention on copying the Arcanum intro?

BG1 and BG2 have better writing than BG3.

 

[Mikeal]

Rangers are put in because they're a girl class. Girls love to be the ranger. They're not quite confident enough for frontline assaults like a Fighter, they're not quite intelligent enough to know how Wizards work, they likely run into traps so Rogue is out of the question. What do you got? Rangers. It's a perfect balance of independent "I ain't yo healin' hoe" and friendliness as well as being able to list their favored enemy as their dad or another rapist in their family.

A Sorcerer is too much for their silly little brains to handle, a Barbarian is what they want to get fucked by not actually play and a Paladin is out of the question because most of the 5E crowd are godless sodomites.

U wat spider brain?

 

[Delterius]

Waffles are the best Bread.

Meat is the best bread, especially when you make a meat sandwich with it.

I do not subscribe to veganism.

 

[Infinitron]

https://steamcommunity.com/games/1086940/announcements/detail/2896336186730997588

Hotfix #1 - The Journey Begins!

Hello everyone,

We are so thrilled with how many of you are playing Baldur’s Gate 3, and we’re glad Steam was eventually able to accommodate you all. Our servers are keeping up, but just about! We never imagined such a huge influx of players in what we had envisioned being a relatively modest party of Early Access players. But we’re up to the challenge, and we’ve been listening!

We’re still working on the multiplayer issues that some of you are experiencing (and we’re very close to solving several of them), but Hotfix 1 already fixes a number of issues and covers other things you reported.

As a general message, if you’re having difficulty getting the game running, or are experiencing crashes, switch the game to DX11 mode (in the launcher, click the gear), and make sure you have the most up to date graphics drivers.

We also recommend in some cases disabling the Steam / Discord overlays, if you experience slowdowns while activated.


Patch Notes BG3 Hotfix #1 (version BG3 EA 4.1.83.3931)

• Fixed a crash related to using rush-type actions
  
• Fixed a crash related to the target camera
  
• Fixed a crash in character creation
  
• Fixed a crash during dialogs
  
• Fixed overlapping items inside the inventory views
  
• Fixed "Pickup" and "Pickup And Add To Wares" inside containers
  
• Fixed a player assignment issue when someone would leave from a full multiplayer party. The leftover character can now be assigned correctly.
  
• Fixed an issue with summons showing up as regular companions
  
• Fixed an issue where players could not ready up when other players joined the lobby
  
• Fixed being able to move immovable objects

 

[aweigh]

bg3 writing is like when someone makes a string story on Reddit and the rules are that each paragraph is written by the next poster down the line...

"camera sweeps in... you're in a mindflayer ship!" then the next guy goes "and you're prisoners!" then the next guy goes "AND THEN IT STARTS CRASHING!" then the next guy goes "you land in a beach..." and the next guy goes "then you meet a hot elf!"

BG1 and 2 were much more competent at setting things up and at making you care about what was happening or who the characters were; BG 3 feels impersonal and disconnected (along with the usual shitty Larian tier writing on top).

 

[Poseidon00]

You should check out bards in Everquest. They run around zones gathering dozens of monsters, charming and singing them to death.

I thought they led giant trains into evil players.

 

[KyivAfter12am]

What, you didn't enjoy solving the riddle of the talking chicken? Or getting rid of the dude who constantly interrupted you by initiating dialogue?

In principle I agree, but at least Irenicus delivered some muahaha monologue while torturing you. This drag cthulhu just shoves his worm in your eye and flies away. Did the writers spend all their attention on copying the Arcanum intro?

BG1 and BG2 have better writing than BG3.

I wanted to say the game is not out yet, let's wait, but when your character sees the first mindflayer corpse after waking up he says "Dead. Good". He just fucking says "Dead. Good". Did a bunch of 3 year olds write this game?

 

[Delterius]

"camera sweeps in... you're in a mindflayer ship!" then the next guy goes "and you're prisoners!" then the next guy goes "AND THEN IT STARTS CRASHING!" then the next guy goes "you land in a beach..." and the next guy goes "then you meet a hot elf!"

So its true to D&D.

 

[Infinitron]

The most helpful review on steam like right now is from someone that said they worked on Baldur's Gate 40 years ago and isn't totally happy that they called it Baldur's Gate 3 (tho it could also just be by someone from here lol):

This appears to be the individual in question: https://www.mobygames.com/developer/sheet/view/developerId,46666/

 

[fantadomat]

I got a few beers with mates and got curious. Aren't brain devourers a mid level monsters,why are they the level one enemy?

 

[Delterius]

I got a few beers with mates and got curious. Aren't brain devourers a mid level monsters,why are they the level one enemy?

The crash filled them brains with ethanol so they got a bunch of negative levels.

 

[Jrpgfan]

I got a few beers with mates and got curious. Aren't brain devourers a mid level monsters,why are they the level one enemy?

Because it's easier to devour people's brains nowadays since they got smaller.

 

[Sailor Woedica]

It is clearly David Gaider.

This appears to be the individual in question: https://www.mobygames.com/developer/sheet/view/developerId,46666/

I totally don't agree with them about the hairstyles in the game.

 

[fantadomat]

The game does dominate the longest loading times discipline,it beats even wasteland 3.

The worst part is that it forces you to do it all the time,with its broken dice mechanics.

 

[Gargaune]

The most helpful review on steam like right now is from someone that said they worked on Baldur's Gate 40 years ago and isn't totally happy that they called it Baldur's Gate 3 (tho it could also just be by someone from here lol):

Full disclosure, I worked on the original Baldur's Gate series as a designer with a focus on scripting. [...]

Who Am I: A scriptor and designer that worked on Baldur's Gate: Tales of the Sword Coast through Baldur's Gate: Throne of Bhaal, also spending some time with Neverwinter Nights.
(Designer Mindset): I'm going to list my opinion from a designer standpoint instead of a gamer afterwards essentially. If you announce something as Baldur's Gate 3, I have certain expectations, I'm sorry. Otherwise, Baldur's Gate: Illithid Invasions or Whatever Name would have been preferred, or even their own Forgotten Realms IP. But the choice to include 3 means something to me so I'll be treating it as such.

Initial Impressions: It feels like an updated new Divinity Game, but using the ruleset of D&D 5E. It's not a BAD thing, but it doesn't feel very 'Baldur's Gate' like to me. Pathfinder: Kingmaker and Pillars of Eternity feel more similar to what I'd expect from gameplay, or at least more of a mix somewhere in between would have been welcome.
(Designer Mindset): I feel like some of the big keys to Baldur's Gate were unspoken but always there, including trying to include a great story, memorable characters and quests, many choices in how you portray your character and approach things, and a mix of real-time D&D combat. So far the lack of a real-time combat component personally has me thrown off the most from feeling like this is supposed to be a sequel of any kind.
[...]

Thank you, anonymous actual Baldur's Gate developer, for further reinforcing my biases. I will conveniently choose to believe that you are not "someone from here lol" so that I may further advance my butthurt agenda:

Spoiler

It's not Baldur's Gate.

 

[Tacgnol]

The game does dominate the longest loading times discipline,it beats even wasteland 3.

The worst part is that it forces you to do it all the time,with its broken dice mechanics.

That would just be the cherry on top, Larian managing to create an engine with worse loading times than Unity.