Beamdog's Infinity Engine and Neverwinter Nights console ports

[Pope Amole II]

They need to add turn-based mode to BGs. But make it console-only. Now that would be a definite hit.

 

[Astral Rag]

I can't wait to play Boulders Gait with an xbox controller.

 

[Sacibengala]

Making good games as always, beamdog rules

 

[aweigh]

BALDUR’S GATE, ICEWIND DALE, PLANESCAPE COMING TO CONSOLES VIA SKYBOUND, BEAMDOG
Posted on February 7, 2019, 10:08 pm By Billy D

Skybound Games and Beamdog announced that the home consoles (although they didn’t specify which ones or if it’s all of them) will be receiving some of the classic Wizards of the Coast games from back when Black Isle and BioWare used to make good games.

Niche Gamer spotted the news over on the Skybound Games website, where they announced that both Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition and Baldur’s Gate II: Enhanced Edition would be coming to consoles, along with Baldur’s Gate: Siege of Dragonspear.

There’s also going to be the release of Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition, Along with the enhanced editions of Planescape: Torment and Neverwinter Nights.

In the press release, Beamdog CEO Trent Oster stated…

“We are ecstatic to partner with Skybound Games to bring these great classics to new platforms. Skybound’s accomplishments are amazing and they have a demonstrated love and respect for creators. We’re thrilled to find ourselves working with such a talented group.”

Now as you may or may not know, the enhanced editions of these games mean that these are not the original titles, but rather the versions of the games that were remade by Beamdog.

The significance of this information is that Beamdog is a Left-wing developer, and there was some controversy over Beamdog’s original release of Baldur’s Gate: Siege of Dragonspear back in early 2016, where the developers attempted to change some of the characters and implement more “diversity” into the game. After complaints from the community Beamdog finally announced that they would address the SJW elements in Baldur’s Gate.

Now this doesn’t mean that the upcoming enhanced editions of the games based on the classic BioWare and Black Isle titles will be rife with Social Justice politics or devoid of them. It’s simply a warning that Beamdog is not above rewriting classic game lore to include their own sociopolitical spin on an iconic franchise. So keep that in mind when the games release on the home consoles later this year.

You’ll also be able to an opportunity to demo the games ahead of release between March 28th and March 31st at PAX East in Boston, Massachusetts.

 

[Cael]

I have heard of milking a cow but this is on another level...

 

[CyberWhale]

According to Divinity and Wasteland 2, some people out there.

Anyone sane really. The main difference is that those games are turn-based and therefore playable with a controller.
One of the reasons why Obsidian released a turn-based mode in the first place.

 

[TheImplodingVoice]

How the hell do you even play these games on console. I see DOS 1,2 POE, TToN and Wasteland 2 are on console. How do you just use a controller. Seems almost impossible

 

[Astral Rag]

Seems like torture to me and the weirdest thing is that some pc gamers actually choose to play these games with a joypad:

https://steamcommunity.com/app/4047...gidforum=481115363876019203&include_deleted=1

 

[TheImplodingVoice]

Seems like torture to me and the weirdest thing is that some pc gamers actually choose to play these games with a joypad:

https://steamcommunity.com/app/4047...gidforum=481115363876019203&include_deleted=1

Some games I can understand why you use a controller. But games like Wasteland etc. Just don't seem possible to me. I mean it is possible given that they are on console. I just can't imagine playing with a controller on games like this.

 

[GrainWetski]

Lots of people are retarded. It's the reason why all FPS are fucking awful trash these days. Even on PC you have morons forcing themselves to play them with gamepads. Never did understand how people can enjoy playing singleplayer games with aimbots.

Anyone sane really. The main difference is that those games are turn-based and therefore playable with a controller.
One of the reasons why Obsidian released a turn-based mode in the first place.

I wouldn't really call them playable. The games become about twice as long compared with playing with a mouse and keyboard.

 

[Spectacle]

Consoletards are going to be angry that BG1 and 2 aren't the same style of game as Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance.

There's a reason why the Infinity Engine games were not released on contemporary consoles, and it's not lack of computing power.

 

[Astral Rag]

Seems like torture to me and the weirdest thing is that some pc gamers actually choose to play these games with a joypad:

https://steamcommunity.com/app/4047...gidforum=481115363876019203&include_deleted=1

Some games I can understand why you use a controller. But games like Wasteland etc. Just don't seem possible to me. I mean it is possible given that they are on console. I just can't imagine playing with a controller on games like this.

 

[HoboForEternity]

i dunno why codex is salty with beamdog bringing ports to consoles.
"muh decline!!"

the reason of console decline is because they never have these kind of games before, now that someone is bringing it over there maybe some converts whose eyes are opened. like i would rather beamdog do this than making their own shit like shit of dragonspear.

 

[GrainWetski]

i dunno why codex is salty with beamdog bringing ports to consoles.
"muh decline!!"

the reason of console decline is because they never have these kind of games before, now that someone is bringing it over there maybe some converts whose eyes are opened. like i would rather beamdog do this than making their own shit like shit of dragonspear.

Yeah, it could do for RPGs what it did for FPS!

 

[Infinitron]

I don't understand why anybody should feel anything about this in a world where Divinity: Original Sin and Pillars of Eternity are already on consoles.

The main funny thing here is how long it takes Beamdog to do anything because they're probably four dudes in a room at this point

 

[HoboForEternity]

i dunno why codex is salty with beamdog bringing ports to consoles.
"muh decline!!"

the reason of console decline is because they never have these kind of games before, now that someone is bringing it over there maybe some converts whose eyes are opened. like i would rather beamdog do this than making their own shit like shit of dragonspear.

Yeah, it could do for RPGs what it did for FPS!

mainstream rpg are already declined. No chips left to lose. The incline games are now made by people who are driven more than passion than money like vince said.
Money is the vehicle, not the goal.

You can't lose anymore because we lost already

 

[TheImplodingVoice]

i dunno why codex is salty with beamdog bringing ports to consoles.
"muh decline!!"

the reason of console decline is because they never have these kind of games before, now that someone is bringing it over there maybe some converts whose eyes are opened. like i would rather beamdog do this than making their own shit like shit of dragonspear.

Yeah, it could do for RPGs what it did for FPS!

mainstream rpg are already declined. No chips left to lose. The incline games are now made by people who are driven more than passion than money like vince said.
Money is the vehicle, not the goal.

You can't lose anymore because we lost already

Cleve is driven by passion. That's why Grimoire is so much incline.

 

[Clockwork Knight]

Chris Avellone - I assume that in order to fit Planescape: Torment for consoles, its combat will be switched to a TBS. 20 years after release.

Were/Are you aware of this? Care to comment at all?

I imagine his answer will be like Harrison Ford's.

 

[Chippy]

^It's like casting Harrison Ford in the Han Solo movie and aiming it at millenials.

Edit: I mean Harrison Ford at his current age.

 

[Fedora Master]

I just don't see there being a large market for these games on consoles.
The entire point of a consoles is convenience and games like PoE are anything but.

 

[mfkndggrfll]

What must it feel like to enter the industry with hopes and dreams of creative self-expression and ending up at Beamdog where the flogging of very dead horses and the following desecration of their carcasses is the whole business model. I imagine their employees as empty husks, afraid to look into the mirror in the morning, for fear of their own cold dead eyes staring right back at them, into the empty voids where their souls might once have been.

Sad truth

 

[RapineDel]

If you look at achievement lists for Divinity OS you'll see that very few people actually make it very far in the game. The same goes for Baldurs Gate EE on Steam, barely anyone has actually played the game through.

I have a feeling they just want these on the consoles, competence of the controls be damned. I'm sure they'll figure out something to make it 'playable' but they'll know making everything work perfectly from start to finish is pretty pointless as most people will purchase these on console for the names alone, once they realise they're too 'outdated' for them, they'll move on. Sales figured really aren't going to come down to how well these control as the market for anyone actually buying a CRPG on a console are not people who are going to have an understanding of D&D and what's going on with combat.

 

[Infinitron]

Looking into the past has been an interesting journey for us, but Beamdog is starting to look forward. We’re interested in working on our own original products, so it’s likely that the next things you see from Beamdog will be original products, instead of more Enhanced Editions. We can’t say for certain what the next project is. Right now we’re looking at our options.

http://blog.beamdog.com/2019/02/beamdog-update-february-20-2019.html

Beamdog Update, February 20, 2019


“Axis and Allies Online is Beamdog’s love letter to a board game that played a huge role in my youth.” ~ Trent

A month has passed since our last livestream. And what a month this has been! We feel it’s the right moment to share all the latest studio news and updates on our games!

• Our latest project is Axis & Allies Online, an official adaptation of Axis & Allies 1942, Second Edition: a tabletop classic beloved by history buffs and strategy gamers around the globe. Axis & Allies Online will be coming soon to Steam Early Access. Make sure to sign up for the Axis & Allies Online newsletter for the latest updates on community, strategy and development!
• We partnered with Skybound Games, the publisher behind Slime Rancher, The Long Dark, and other fantastically fun titles, to bring our D&D Enhanced Editions to console - for the first time ever. Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition, Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition, Baldur's Gate: Siege of Dragonspear, Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition, Planescape: Torment: Enhanced Edition and Neverwinter Nights: Enhanced Edition will all come to Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PS4 in 2019! Check out the full announcement by Skybound Games here.

Your beloved D&D classics are coming to console!

• We've been hard at work on the new shader pipeline for Neverwinter Nights: Enhanced Edition that will eventually debut in the new renderer. Check out an early technical demonstration and let us know your thoughts, custom content creator or otherwise!
• Neverwinter Nights: Enhanced Edition has been nominated for Best Digital Game and Best Narrative in the Design and Game Awards. Please vote for NWN:EE if you think it should win!
• Celebrate GOG.com’s Lantern Festival Sale! Get up to 52% of Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition, Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition, Baldur's Gate: Siege of Dragonspear, Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition, Planescape: Torment: Enhanced Edition and DLC! Save up to 33% on Neverwinter Nights: Enhanced Edition and its DLC!
• Kate Welch, game designer at Wizards of the Coast, plays Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition (and will soon play Baldur’s Gate II: Enhanced Edition) on Twitch every Thursday at 3pm PT in her new show - Welch's Game Juice. Join Kate to have fun with D&D and win prizes!

These screenshots show a glimpse of changes which will come to NWN:EE with the new renderer (everything is still in development).

• The 2.6 patch for Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition, Baldur’s Gate II: Enhanced Edition, Baldur’s Gate: Siege of Dragonspear, and Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition is still in development.
• We’ve explored the possibility of Catmull-Rom Bicubic scaling, as well as as a few other solutions for scaling (eg. ESRGAN scaling) for the Infinity Engine Enhanced Editions, but haven’t pulled the trigger yet on implementing either.
• We received a number of questions about UI for the Infinity Engine Enhanced Editions games and our plans regarding it going forward. Now that the console releases are announced, we can share that we’ve been doing extensive updates to our UI system that could very possibly end up paying dividends for the PC versions into the future. For the time being, however, all of the UI work we’re doing is centered squarely around the console versions of the games, so any changes to the PC UI won’t happen for a while.
• We can’t get into any specifics regarding new story content for Neverwinter Nights: Enhanced Edition, but there are things currently in the works. We have one full-time writer in-house, and work with external writers as opportunities arise.
• We haven’t released new enhanced models to the Steam Workshop for Neverwinter Nights: Enhanced Edition in a while because with the current rewrite of the renderer we want to ensure that what we release, by way of new assets, makes the best use of it.
• We’ve recently done some work to update the compiler for the Neverwinter Nights Toolset. We have removed the DRM that was preventing the Premium Modules from being read by the Toolset, but there are some strange issues still which make parts of the Modules behave strangely in the Toolset. There are final steps that still need to be taken before these Modules are ready to be opened up in the Toolset. There is no ETA on this, as we’re focusing on the upcoming console releases.
• To chat in Neverwinter Nights: Enhanced Edition on Android, you need to tap on the chat bar, which is positioned right above the hotbar (along the bottom of the screen). The virtual joystick is a different method of moving your character around from Neverwinter Nights classic point ‘n click interface: the left half of the screen can be used like an analog joystick, to walk your character around in 360 degrees, and the right side of the screen controls camera rotation, by swiping left and right.
• We don’t have any specific ETA for the new UI for our Translation Tool but it’s in the works.
• We’ve spent a lot of our time as a studio working on adapting legacy codebases for modern systems. In those cases, we had access to the source code of the games, and we had people (involved in the development of the Enhanced Editions) that were members of the original development team, including our founders, Trent and Cameron.
• Looking into the past has been an interesting journey for us, but Beamdog is starting to look forward. We’re interested in working on our own original products, so it’s likely that the next things you see from Beamdog will be original products, instead of more Enhanced Editions. We can’t say for certain what the next project is. Right now we’re looking at our options.
• We’d like to thank all our players and followers for their patience. We’re deep into development on console versions of all of our Enhanced Edition games. We’ve got a dedicated team working on all of Baldur’s Gate, Siege of Dragonspear, Baldur’s Gate II, Planescape: Torment, Icewind Dale, and Neverwinter Nights to get them ready for release on consoles, and that’s taking up the larger part of our company resources. Those that aren’t on those projects, are hard at work on Axis & Allies Online. There are some resources still looking at PC (for the Infinity Engine games), but in the short term, console is our main directive. The 2.6 patch has been a long road, which we still haven’t reached the end of either. We’re extremely grateful to all of our fans for their understanding, and continued love of the games.

If you have a question to Beamdog, don’t hesitate to ask on our forums. We'll try to get answers from Beamdog Producer Luke Rideout and then will directly communicate them back to you (above are Luke’s answers to the community questions asked in January, 2019).

 

[LESS T_T]

Looking into the past has been an interesting journey for us, but Beamdog is starting to look forward. We’re interested in working on our own original products, so it’s likely that the next things you see from Beamdog will be original products, instead of more Enhanced Editions. We can’t say for certain what the next project is. Right now we’re looking at our options.

Looks like they're done with enhanced editions: https://thefly.com/landingPageNews.php?id=2867102

Oster admits NWN:EE didn't fare "quite as well" as other EEs.

Game On: An exclusive talk with Beamdog CEO Trent Oster

Beamdog's Oster discusses "Neverwinter Nights: Enhanced Edition," video game remasters, and more


'NEVERWINTER NIGHTS' RECEPTION: In an exclusive interview, The Fly spoke with Trent Oster, co-founder and chief executive officer of Beamdog, a video game developer that has specialized over the past few years in remaking and remastering classic PC role-playing games from the 1990s that were based on "Dungeons & Dragons," including "Baldur's Gate" and "Planescape: Torment." When asked about how such remasters have been received, Oster said that they've "done really well," though he noted that 2018's release of "Neverwinter Nights: Enhanced Edition" didn't fare "quite as well." "Ultimately, it was just a different kind of game," the Beamdog CEO said, noting that there were certain issues with the graphic engine that his team is "taking steps to address."

CONSOLE PORTS: Kotaku reported recently that Beamdog plans to port many of these enhanced editions to consoles for the first time later this year. When asked about what inspired the company to make such a move, considering these games haven't had a console port before, Trent Oster said that it was about "gaining enough confidence" to take the user interface it and rework it to consoles. "We really had to sit down and kind of rethink the control schemes and how things worked," Oster told The Fly. "And I think just getting a prototype up and running and actually being able to drive one of the characters and have the party follow them really helped us commit to the concept and say ‘yeah, this is worth doing.’ Not only will it be a game that people know and love but it will be a great way to play that game for the first time again on a new platform.” He noted, however, that there's "a fair bit of work left to do" on these ports.

DEMAND FOR CRPGS: The Fly asked Oster why Beamdog is so invested in these particular computer role-playing games, or CRPGs, and why he believes there remains such a high demand for these titles. “I think we’re committed to these games because these games resonate very strongly with the customer base," he answered. "This is not only games that people enjoy but these are a part of Dungeons & Dragons history on video game platforms. So these games have a huge legacy and a huge following and a huge, loyal base of users that love what they are." Oster added that isometric computer games "have a different way of allowing you to interact with them." "It’s a little more relaxed, a little more tactical, a little less action," he said. "It’s less panic-driven and panic-inducing. It’s more of a mental exercise. I think that appeals to some players.”

WHY THE WAIT?: In response to a question about why it has taken so long for games as old as "Baldur's Gate" to end up on consoles, the Beamdog CEO said that such games were too complicated to run on hardware that was present in the 1990s, and that only in the last couple of console generations have gaming systems been comparable to what PCs could offer technologically. “'Baldur’s Gate' especially, it’s superpower in 1995 was that when other video games were throwing around about 1,000 in-game assets, Baldur’s Gate had hundreds of thousands of in-game assets,” Oster said, noting the wealth of text, voiceovers, items, locations, and character scripts found in these games. “I think for a long time, it was just a hard thing to do to bring [these games] over to other platforms," he added. "I think in the last couple of generations you’ve really seen consoles become closer to a general computing platform standard. And at the same time, it’s us really gaining confidence in our ability to know the game, understand the game, and preserve the sacred cows, but at the same time understand what parts of it are sacrificial goats.”

ANY OTHERS?: When asked whether there are any other classic RPGs the company is looking at for enhancements, the Beamdog head said that he believes they've "done what we set out to do" and "reached the end of the line on the titles we wanted to do personally." He noted that for certain games they originally were interested in but didn't end up enhancing, the legal scenarios around them are "too onerous."

ORIGINAL GAMES: Trent Oster told The Fly that Beamdog does currently have plans to create original games after years of remastering older titles. "Yes, we have a number of separate plans to create unique and new properties," he said. "It’s one of the things that’s exciting about games: you have at least a half of dozen ideas in your head [at any time].”

END OF REMASTERS?: In response to a question about whether the market for remasters and enhanced editions of older games will eventually end, Oster said that the trend would come to a head when all the best games are finally remastered. “It would come to a head once all the great games have been remastered, and there’s only so many great games," he told The Fly. "There’s only two, maybe three great games that ship in a year, and once we run out of that backlog of titles to remake, there’s simply just not going to be the same appetite for the next tier of titles that came out in those periods. So at that point, I think all the best games will have been redone, there won’t be enough interest to justify renewing other games.”

"Game On" is The Fly's weekly recap of the stories powering up or beating down video game stocks.

 

[Infinitron]

END OF REMASTERS?: In response to a question about whether the market for remasters and enhanced editions of older games will eventually end, Oster said that the trend would come to a head when all the best games are finally remastered. “It would come to a head once all the great games have been remastered, and there’s only so many great games," he told The Fly. "There’s only two, maybe three great games that ship in a year, and once we run out of that backlog of titles to remake, there’s simply just not going to be the same appetite for the next tier of titles that came out in those periods. So at that point, I think all the best games will have been redone, there won’t be enough interest to justify renewing other games.”

MaDPuPPeT Challenge accepted?