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Baldur's Gate I was better than Baldur's Gate II

Lyric Suite

Converting to Islam
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Original Minsc, Kivan and Coran > everything from BG2. Original Edwin too.

Seriously, i barely even remember any of the NPCs from BG2, except for the Paladin, which for some reason stood out for me.
 
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Micormic

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True, BG2's evil companions had the benefit of being total Terminators but it's fun to have more options and seeing different perspectives. BG2 leaves little breathing room opposed to BG1 which had a better rounded roster. I guess it always annoyed me that BG2 assumes you're playing the shining beacon of hope from the get-go and forces you to team with good aligned characters regardless of what you did in BG1..

BG1 had more evil NPCs, but most of them didnt have any banters and had 0 personality in general. Most of them didnt have any real quest associated with them either. So you might as well make better party members yourself and give them the same character portraits - serves the same function. Basically the only thing you'd be sacrificing is their unique voice sets.

In BG2 all companions are so well fleshed out and unique that you cannot just replace them with random goons you make yourself and still expect to have the same gameplay experience.

People often grossly downplay the importance of NPC interactions in CRPGs. To me theres a huge difference between having a self-generated character and a well-written NPC who reacts to your and other NPCs actions in a believable way. While playing BG1 I always miss the how companions would react to quests and story events in BG2. I actually cannot think of any game where NPC reactivity would have been done better than in BG2. (if you disagree, please give examples of CRPGs with better party member NPC reactivity).



Who cares if they had no banter? They shut their mouths and did as they were told and for the most part weren't annoying.




I bet you're one of those cringe biotards who cried in real life with Aerie was whining about her wings lmao, or when Viconia(sp?) could be converted to good(never did this myself). Most of the companions in BG2 were annoying as fuck, which is probably why you liked them so much. You're on Minsc's IQ range.
 
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Lilura

RPG Codex Dragon Lady
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I actually cannot think of any game where NPC reactivity would have been done better than in BG2. (if you disagree, please give examples of CRPGs with better party member NPC reactivity).

Arcanum, Mask of the Betrayer and Planescape: Torment.
 

Generic-Giant-Spider

Guest
Yeah, the whole banter shit can go either way. If it's them talking among themselves while walking around is one thing, pausing me when I'm in the middle of trying to stake a fucking vampire in the heart so I can hear about some crippled elf's wing stumps is another matter entirely.
 
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Micormic

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Yeah, the whole banter shit can go either way. If it's them talking among themselves while walking around is one thing, pausing me when I'm in the middle of trying to stake a fucking vampire in the heart so I can hear about some crippled elf's wing stumps is another matter entirely.


LMAO.....That brings back a memory of Jaheira opening up a romance dialogue moment after I became the slayer in spellhold while I was standing next to edwin, which ended up nearly getting edwin killed....
 

Shaewaroz

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I actually cannot think of any game where NPC reactivity would have been done better than in BG2. (if you disagree, please give examples of CRPGs with better party member NPC reactivity).

Arcanum, Mask of the Betrayer and Planescape: Torment.

In PST NPC interactions and story is basically the entire game, so yea, it has pretty good NPC interactions. Although your companions actually react to quest events only very rarely in PST if I recall correctly, whereas in BG2 they do it all the time. Arcanum? Really? Aside from the constant annoyance thats Virgil I cant think of a memorable companion interaction. Havent played Mask.
 
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Lyric Suite

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Yeah, the whole banter shit can go either way. If it's them talking among themselves while walking around is one thing, pausing me when I'm in the middle of trying to stake a fucking vampire in the heart so I can hear about some crippled elf's wing stumps is another matter entirely.


LMAO.....That brings back a memory of Jaheira opening up a romance dialogue moment after I became the slayer in spellhold while I was standing next to edwin, which ended up nearly getting edwin killed....

Well, she was married to some beta faggot. It's normal that she would instantly latch on to the Charname chad.
 

Lyric Suite

Converting to Islam
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Yeah, the whole banter shit can go either way. If it's them talking among themselves while walking around is one thing, pausing me when I'm in the middle of trying to stake a fucking vampire in the heart so I can hear about some crippled elf's wing stumps is another matter entirely.

The bitch did that while i was in the middle of a battle with a fucking Lich. I ended up killing her and dumping her body in the underdark. I forgot whether i boned Viconia before or after that.
 

Generic-Giant-Spider

Guest
Here's my overview of every BG2 companion.

Aerie - Doesn't shut the fuck up, talks about not being able to fly. Well neither can I, bitch. Don't see me opening dialogue boxes with slow music to it.

Anomen - Kind of cool, I like that he can become a jaded asshole by failing his training which gives him a nice touch of humanity.

Cernd - Sucks dick as a character and as a companion.

Edwin - Fun, but seems much more a caricature compared to his BG1 self. Still, he's a big dick wizard in a game that embraces big dick wizardry. Also became a tranny before it was cool with the kids.

Haer'dalis - He's as much of an annoying fucker as Aerie. I think I once let him die to a Mindflayer because I had enough of his shit.

Imoen - I abandoned her way back in BG1 after Daddio got crunched by Sarevok. She isn't supposed to exist.

Jaheira - Wants to rub fur a day after Khalid is discovered to be tomato paste. Fighter on the streets, animal in the sheets.

Jan - I kinda liked him.

Keldorn - Alpha male that could fuck all your romance options but respects the Bro Code.

Korgan - I always wondered how he could walk without being encumbered from carrying around those massive steel balls of his. Talks a ton of shit to people, he's a real one.

Mazzy - Sucks kobold cock.

Minsc - Never liked him and his little gay hamster.

Nalia - I've had more stimulating bowel movements.

The black guy - You know the guy that nobody ever chooses. Yeah, that one.

Viconia - Isn't down with spiders or child sacrifice which means she sucks at being a Drow. Dead to me and I expect anybody playing BG2 right now with her in their party to send her marching off to her inevitable doom and replaced at once.

Yoshimo - He was decent.
 
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Trashos

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I love Korgan and BG2's Edwin, but of course a big factor in this is their awesome voice acting. In the case of Korgan I can't understand a thing he says, but still the musicality (is that a word?) of his voice is so good to hear.

I respect BG1 for laying the foundations, but I am not a big fan of it. I have played it twice maybe and abandoned it forever. Mainly because I found the respawning trash mobs tiresome. The only thing I prefer in BG1 over BG2 is Minsc. "Camaraderie..." is my favorite banter in the series.
 

Shaewaroz

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I just noticed something. Is it just me or does Alora look exactly like Jennifer Tilly?


1079420-alora.jpg



latest



I bet an artist at Bioware was pausing his VHS tape while watching Tilly's "assets" in Liar Liar.
 
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Micormic

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My overview of BG2 companions, inspired by a generic giant spider.



Aerie - The worst

Anomen - Wasn't a fan but not the worst

Cernd - No idea, hardly used him because he was trash

Edwin - Good in BG1, fine in BG2 although his portrait is substantially worse, even more so then Jaheira and Imoen.

Haer'dalis - Isn't this that shitty bard? One of the worst

Imoen - I actually didn't mind her in BG1, not my favorite but not bad either. Then they made her more annoying.

Jaheira - Didn't mind her at all in BG1 although I usually didn't use her because I didn't like Khalid. Then they made her a fucking wack job retard

Jan - Really annoying

Keldorn - Liked him

Korgan - No problem with him

Mazzy - Hardly used her, I assume she's annoying too

Minsc - Hated him in BG1, more annoying in BG2

Nalia - 2nd worst behind Aerie, difference is Aerie was actually a useful multiclass which made her more painful. Nalia was junk.

The black guy - Isn't this that shitty ranger ? Only remember using him for that sphere, thought he was annoying and trash

Viconia - Didn't mind her in BG1, sort of annoying in BG2 but not the worst.

Yoshimo - No opinion on the zipperhead one way or the other, pretty neutral and didn't say much. Didn't last long but thanks to him being a turncloak I had to use imoen, thanks for that bioware...
 
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Codex Year of the Donut
My overview of BG2 companions, inspired by a generic giant spider.




Yoshimo - No opinion on the zipperhead one way or the other, pretty neutral and didn't say much. Didn't last long but thanks to him being a turncloak I had to use imoen, thanks for that bioware...
nice spoiler you ass
 
Self-Ejected

Lilura

RPG Codex Dragon Lady
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In PST NPC interactions and story is basically the entire game, so yea, it has pretty good NPC interactions. Although your companions actually react to quest events only very rarely in PST if I recall correctly, whereas in BG2 they do it all the time. Arcanum? Really? Aside from the constant annoyance thats Virgil I cant think of a memorable companion interaction. Havent played Mask.

Not sure how you don't have dumbfuck tag yet. You are one of the dumbest fucking 'Dexers I've seen.
 

Shaewaroz

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In PST NPC interactions and story is basically the entire game, so yea, it has pretty good NPC interactions. Although your companions actually react to quest events only very rarely in PST if I recall correctly, whereas in BG2 they do it all the time. Arcanum? Really? Aside from the constant annoyance thats Virgil I cant think of a memorable companion interaction. Havent played Mask.

Not sure how you don't have dumbfuck tag yet. You are one of the dumbest fucking 'Dexers I've seen.

I actually have read your blog before since I thought it was interesting. I guess only dumbfucks can find your blog interesting. But after finding out you're such a confrontational asshole I won't be doing it again.
 
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Bladeract

It's Neckbeard Shitlord. Again.
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Viconia - Isn't down with spiders or child sacrifice which means she sucks at being a Drow. Dead to me and I expect anybody playing BG2 right now with her in their party to send her marching off to her inevitable doom and replaced at once.

Evil races don't openly admit they eat babies and indulge in human slavery. They talk about how oppressed they are and all the unfair lies other races say to make them look bad.

A character like her would be great if it turned out at the end they are snowballing the PC the whole time, not to betray the PC but just that they were in it for their own benefit in some way that affects the endgame a bit.
 
Self-Ejected

Lilura

RPG Codex Dragon Lady
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I actually have read your blog before since I thought it was interesting. But after finding out youre such a confrontational asshole I won't be doing it again.

Damn, my readership just got halved; I'd better be nicer to people who haven't even played MotB and think BG2 companion-based reactivity is awesome (when it's about as low-brow as it gets).
 

Shaewaroz

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I actually have read your blog before since I thought it was interesting. But after finding out youre such a confrontational asshole I won't be doing it again.

Damn, my readership just got halved; I'd better be nicer to people who haven't even played MotB and think BG2 companion-based reactivity is awesome (when it's about as low-brow as it gets).

I'm sure insulting random people who share your love for old school RPGs is a good way to attract interest to your blog. So good job, asshole.
 

Jvegi

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I don't think she was acting like that before her readership "skyrocketed" thanks to her focusing on what mainstream wants, in place of her preffered NWN modules. Primadonna behaviour or just venting frustration (probably both).
 
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logan

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To me, BG 1 is infinitely superior to 2 for many reasons, not least because low level AD&D > high-level AD&D. I don't splurge over mage duels and don't care about romanceable companions, I'd rather they shut up instead of yapping all the time, especially since it can lead to anticlimactic situations just before a boss fight in a crucial dungeon.

I also like the item scarcity (and how it subtly plays into the game's storyline of iron shortage even) and how deadly everything is early on. Of course, rest spamming and savescumming defeat the purpose, but under ideal circumstances, the lethality of low-level combat is certainly an adrenaline rush.

This isn't simple nostalgia either, I was over 18 when I played the first one on release and BG2 a couple of years later didn't manage to hold my attention and I didn't complete it until much later.

Also, Durlag's Tower is the best dungeon in an isometric CRPG, bar none.


the Watcher's Keep dungeon from BG2 is better than Durlag's Tower from BG1 and it's also better than the entire Throne of Bhaal campaign.
 

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