Solasta: Crown of the Magister or Baldur's Gate 3

[agris]

I've explained this many times in various posts, but being old, I don't mind repeating myself. If you're playing BG1 or IWD 1, you're experiencing real-time with pause games with a bastardized AD&D system. These games lack features like attacks of opportunity, grappling, and throwing enemies, i could keep going on and on. Their stats are modified to suit an arcade-like system, and they don't utilize the Z-axis. They're quite linear, especially IWD 1, which is essentially a combat gauntlet with little reactivity. While enjoyable in their time, they're overshadowed nowadays by games faithful to the 5E ruleset. Just because a game is popular and mainstream doesn't mean it's bad; after all, works like Lord of the Rings and Star Wars enjoy similar popularity.

I too am old, but age appears to have conferred different qualities to you than to me.

For example, you just replied to a post asking why you think BG3 knocks every cRPG of the past 20 years out of the water with... a superficial analysis of the Infinity Engine's implementation of AD&D 2e?

 

[Mortmal]

I've explained this many times in various posts, but being old, I don't mind repeating myself. If you're playing BG1 or IWD 1, you're experiencing real-time with pause games with a bastardized AD&D system. These games lack features like attacks of opportunity, grappling, and throwing enemies, i could keep going on and on. Their stats are modified to suit an arcade-like system, and they don't utilize the Z-axis. They're quite linear, especially IWD 1, which is essentially a combat gauntlet with little reactivity. While enjoyable in their time, they're overshadowed nowadays by games faithful to the 5E ruleset. Just because a game is popular and mainstream doesn't mean it's bad; after all, works like Lord of the Rings and Star Wars enjoy similar popularity.

I too am old, but age appears to have conferred different qualities to you than to me.

For example, you just replied to a post asking why you think BG3 knocks every cRPG of the past 20 years out of the water with... a superficial analysis of the Infinity Engine's implementation of AD&D 2e?

There's no need to be pedantic about the implementation of AD&D in the Infinity Engine. The fact is, it happened simply because... Warcraft was mainstream and popular. They attempted to create a D&D version of Warcraft, and that's all there is to it.

 

[Blutwurstritter]

I liked Solasta back then and would recommend it for a single playthrough, but it pales in comparison to BG3. If you have to pick one, go for BG3. Simply avoid the romances and shoot down any npc advances and you are fine. The interactivity, exploration and the combat are some of the best in a long time, especially in a single package.

 

[agris]

The interactivity, exploration and the combat are some of the best in a long time, especially in a single package.

can you elaborate on that?

 

[Blutwurstritter]

The interactivity, exploration and the combat are some of the best in a long time, especially in a single package.

can you elaborate on that?

I have, either in the BG3 main thread or the rate BG3 thread, I think.

 

[Ladonna]

For people that liked BG3, did you enjoy DOS2?

If no, what is different with BG3?

 

[Sacibengala]

I played both, solasta has a good engine, terrible story and some of the worst character models ever. The dialogues are trash as well. BUT, you have a lot of campaign mods. they need to up their game on graphics and monster variety (it'll never happen with solasta I, though).

BG3 has infinite tencent budget, the DnD AND BG brands and in the end came out with a terrible story, absolute trash rolldice mechanics in dialogues (which are nothing to write home about, thanks as always, Larian), nice graphics and fucking trash romances.

I'll go with solasta anytime. But I need to remember that looks like both studios are in the same tune politics wise, though. Solasta would probably be much more like BG3 if it got the money chance to do so.

 

[processdaemon]

For people that liked BG3, did you enjoy DOS2?

If no, what is different with BG3?

I liked D:OS2 enough to finish it but preferred BG3. I don't like the armour system in D:OS2, the only companion I really liked was Fane and I hated the ending so much that it retroactively poisoned things I did like about the game. In BG3 5e is bland but serviceable (although I get why more combat oriented players find it boring), there's a full party's worth of companions I like (Astarion, Lae'zel, Minthara and Minsc later in the game), and while the ending is bonkers and stupid in a lot of ways it didn't actively make me angry the way the D:OS2 one did.

 

[Mortmal]

For people that liked BG3, did you enjoy DOS2?

If no, what is different with BG3?

Same engine but with more detailed graphics, better animations, and even orchestral music. Combat is improved, utilizing a better system than Larian's custom one. Of course, one can argue that they don't like 5E, and there are other better systems, but it gets the job done. BG3 is essentially Divinity: Original Sin 2 with a much bigger budget and faithfull to an official license with a setting boasting 49 years of lore, which certainly helps.

 

[Incognito]

You might find these mods helpful to avoid brain rot:

https://modhq.org/Baldur's Gate 3

 

[Strange Fellow]

For people that liked BG3, did you enjoy DOS2?

If no, what is different with BG3?

The RPG systems of D:OS 2 are absolutely terrible. The armour system is a tedious slog and the character building is some of the dullest and least imaginative I've ever seen, and that's not even mentioning the ridiculous initiative system or the garbage level-scaled loot. 5E is quite bland, but it's still infinitely more interesting than the crap D:OS 2 had.

 

[warcrimes666]

Make no mistake, baldurs gate 3 is a game for naive and gullible faggots. Even still, it's worth a play to see the state of tech and poke around a bit but it is insufferable and likely you will quit somewhere in act 3. It has a very few high points but it is something that in its entirety is far lesser than the sum of its parts and thus can never be great. It has the absolute worst story of anything released in the last 20 years perhaps in history as far as dnd is concerned, simple but playable combat, good graphics to excellent enemy art, and great music and environmental sound. It simply exists, I've already forgotten 98% of it. Play, but don't buy.

Solasta was an earnest attempt but lackluster in several areas. Combat is great, story and graphics are middling but also not homoerotic in any way and thus superior at first glance and in totality. Even still, it is greater than the sum of its parts and reaches about a 7. Lots of mods and modules which I've yet to get around to try but like Artyoans, comes with good recommendations. Worth to play, i think i supported it or bought it on release although I probably wouldnt buy it now as i dont believe theyve announced a sequel or any further expansions but you won't feel dirty playing it either.

 

[Ladonna]

OP, I suggest checking out Jagged Alliance 3, the 2023 RPG Codex game of the year.

 

[Serus]

If you have already chosen Bear Sex 3 - you made a good call. This the best game ever with bear sex! Also one of the best when it comes to romances of all kind! Romances are important. And, as i heard, not bad at being progressive at all. Oh, I almost forgot - ability to chose the shape of the dick for your character of any sex!

As to actual classic D&D experience, if you want a newer game - I would suggest the same as JarlFrank:
Knights of the Chalice 2 - either the official campaign Augury of Chaos or Dorateen's Hearkenwold campaign. I didn't play the latter yet but i heard very good things about it.

 

[Mebrilia the Viera Queen]

Baldur's gate 3 solasta is inferior in every way. The only strenght of Solasta is in its verticality mechanics but that's about it. Plot,World,Encounters,Dialogues,Graphic design is just plain bad.
And for the nutjobs that mock bg3 for the bear sex i have a meme:

And for who say bg3 is cringe i have this:

 

[Nifft Batuff]

Are there mods to remove romances in BG3?

 

[Serus]

Baldur's gate 3 solasta is inferior in every way. The only strenght of Solasta is in its verticality mechanics but that's about it. Plot,World,Encounters,Dialogues,Graphic design is just plain bad.
And for the nutjobs that mock bg3 for the bear sex i have a meme:

You honestly think the sheep thing in Arcanum (which, btw, was a joke of a very disputable quality) is in any way comparable with what BG3 does? Have perhaps you heard of the word "context"? In more news, it isn't about bear sex, the latter is just an exemple, a symbol if you wish. Used because it IS in fact funny in a way, Unfortunately in a tragicomedy like way. If it was made in early 2000s, as with the sheep, no one would care. The whole game however is very different, the world is different, the whole social and cultural context has changed.
You really shouldn't buy memes as some kind of wisdom - although they sometimes are smart. Not this one, the author is either too stupid to understand the whole issue - or he does understand it but hopes his targets don't. I hope you are not the author.

 

[Mebrilia the Viera Queen]

Baldur's gate 3 solasta is inferior in every way. The only strenght of Solasta is in its verticality mechanics but that's about it. Plot,World,Encounters,Dialogues,Graphic design is just plain bad.
And for the nutjobs that mock bg3 for the bear sex i have a meme:

You honestly think the sheep thing in Arcanum (which, btw, was a joke of a very disputable quality) is in any way comparable with what BG3 does? Have perhaps you heard of the word "context"? In more news, it isn't about bear sex, the latter is just an exemple, a symbol if you wish. Used because it IS in fact funny in a way, Unfortunately in a tragicomedy like way. If it was made in early 2000s, as with the sheep, no one would care. The whole game however is very different, the world is different, the whole social and cultural context has changed.
You really shouldn't buy memes as some kind of wisdom - although they sometimes are smart. Not this one, the author is either too stupid to understand the whole issue - or he does understand it but hopes his targets don't. I hope you are not the author.

Dude is the same thing. Both are in the game for humor that's it.

 

[Beans00]

wasteland 3


I have sex in real life so I don't need to have sex in video games. IE I will probably never play baldurs gate 3


never heard of solaris pretty sure it's a soviet movie kind of like 2001 space odyssey but better

 

[Lagole Gon]

Solasta is a white bread toast with some butter and just a bit of salt. It's plain but good.

BG3 is an a large and incredibly complex multi-layered cake with rainbow glazing. Some layers are amazing. Some layers are undercooked. And there is also some rat turds in it.

I'm not going to argue that the toast with butter is objectively better food than this cake.
But goddamn, it's hard to look past the rat turds.

 

[Serus]

Solasta is a white bread toast with some butter and just a bit of salt. It's plain but good.

BG3 is an a large and incredibly complex multi-layered cake with rainbow glazing. Some layers are amazing. Some layers are undercooked. And there is also some rat turds in it.

I'm not going to argue that the toast with butter is objectively better food than this cake.
But goddamn, it's hard to look past the rat turds.

This is almost poetic. This post deserves:

all at the same time.

 

[Vulpes]

Solasta is a white bread toast with some butter and just a bit of salt. It's plain but good.

BG3 is an a large and incredibly complex multi-layered cake with rainbow glazing. Some layers are amazing. Some layers are undercooked. And there is also some rat turds in it.

I'm not going to argue that the toast with butter is objectively better food than this cake.
But goddamn, it's hard to look past the rat turds.

Solasta is covered in rat turds. Minus the turn-based combat, it's basically Neverwinter Nights 3 if Bioware's B-team behind Andromeda were to make it on a shoestring budget.

 

[Lagole Gon]

Solasta is a white bread toast with some butter and just a bit of salt. It's plain but good.

BG3 is an a large and incredibly complex multi-layered cake with rainbow glazing. Some layers are amazing. Some layers are undercooked. And there is also some rat turds in it.

I'm not going to argue that the toast with butter is objectively better food than this cake.
But goddamn, it's hard to look past the rat turds.

Solasta is covered in rat turds. Minus the turn-based combat, it's basically Neverwinter Nights 3 if Bioware's B-team behind Andromeda were to make it on a shoestring budget.

Solasta has a neat engine and is comfortable to navigate, so any comparsion to NWN is fake and gay.

It also has no romances of any kind, so any comparsion to Bioware is gay and fake.

You make zero sense here, chum.

 

[Vulpes]

Solasta has a neat engine and is comfortable to navigate, so any comparsion to NWN is fake and gay.

Unity? A neat engine?

It also has no romances of any kind, so any comparsion to Bioware is gay and fake.

Neither did the original campaign for NWN...

 

[Lagole Gon]

Solasta has a neat engine and is comfortable to navigate, so any comparsion to NWN is fake and gay.

Unity? A neat engine?

Yes.

Compared to Aurora and the whatever Aurora 2.0 was called. NWN2 is a pain to interact with.