Icewind Dale Beamdog's Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition

[kwanzabot]

That description doesn't make much sense, though, and the d5 and d7 shit makes it look like an amateur hack.
I have doubts that's how it worked except it wasn't documented.

do you ever stop bitching ?

 

[FeelTheRads]

I would advise you to check your post history and see in how many of your posts you're crying about what others have said.

Then you can address me, peon.

 

[kwanzabot]

I would advise you to check your post history and see in how many of your posts you're crying about what others have said.

Then you can address me, peon.

my posts are mostly me talking shit to retards from third world countries cos its funny

your posts are you either bitching about nearly every fame cept underrail or crying about me cyber bullying you

 

[Shadenuat]

I finished IWD+HOW with EE but without Luremaster (I remember it being kinda lame aside from final boss fight).

What I didn't like:

- Crashed once when I pressed generate new character in main menu, and at least once during the game; at least a few times some graphical artifacts; once I had a slide show until reloaded game
- Hate party gen screen with pre-set characters, have to undo them every time; they also there in character Wizardries-like list, urrrrrh.
- Game skipped HoW movie for some reason (my Friend can't play EE stuff at all, BG at least - EE's cannot into intel videya cards; movies don't play with them, etc.)
- No old options, can't change game speed or anything else through menus, have to edit baldur.ini for that (Documents > Icewind Dale EE); use wordepad or notepad ++ since it's not coded for basic notepad (recommended frame rate - 34)
- I don't know what's up with character models but they look ugly and have blurry or sharp edges unless you fully zoom out
- Description: Item NOT USABLE BY: FIGHTER, MAGE, CLERIC, RANGER, UNDEAD HUNTER, WIZARD SLAYER--.....
- Still no ability to chose all colors for clothes which are present in actual engine
- I am not surprised that idiotic doomed paladin in Dorn's Deep was cut from game

Mixed opinions:

- Kits and overall "baldurization" of the game. On one hand, lots of new options, fun to play. On other hand, kits a) make game easier (A LOT, think Undead Hunter in IWD - rape half of monster population), b) They are not that balanced around IWD game, for example Wizard Hunter - shitty kit, but in BG2 could work alright since you fight wizards all the time - not so much in IWD; Bounty Hunter - good in BG2, but IWD has scripted fights (enter Icasaracht level, script runs - ta-da, your BH is just a worthless regular thief now) c) You can now have juicy spell sequincers and other neato stuff, but enemy wizards are a joke compared to BG2.

So my recommendation for playing IWD EE with strong baldurized teams: set difficulty - at least High, extra monsters > on, extra damage > on, extra XP > off, or you'll just breeze through the game (which I still did with my larping "4 feet or under!" party of 4 dwarves, 1 gnome and 1 halfling (Defender, Barbarian, Priest of Tempos, Illusionist, Shadow Dancer, Bounty Hunter)).

- No HLA's. But they would probably break game difficulty. Still they added a lot to BGs classes and kits...

- Some spells especially summoning spells are surprisingly useless compared to how I remember them, but maybe that's me just being all fanboying & paranoid (WAKE UP NEO, COLOR SPRAY STUNS ENEMIES, CHANT MAKES FIREBALLS 6D5).

- New content including new items (which I believe are of modders doing) for the most part, suck, especially "find 10 yeti skins" or "find 5 winter wolves pelts", not intuitive where to upgrade items; but some upgrades are nice easter eggs (hint - check on item descriptions a bit more often). Just don't expect these items be better than +4 +1 attack per round +def +resists random sawyer-sword of awesome still.

I liked:

- UI, although it could use some work still (didn't like new spellbook much, inventory UI could have been better, "it's combat oriented game so we want to make it as clear as possibru" - my ass, during chargen you still don't even see what stats do - how much AC you get for your dex, or extra hp class gets per CON).
- VERY quick save/load (S - save, L - load, works instantly).
- New colors for portraits, new character dolls (I think)
- Character portraits now have big icons saying what actions are they performing this round (very handy).
- Big fonts, ability to change fonts, good readability
- Small extra options: no "fake" attack animations, difficulty options: set difficulty, damage scaling, monster encounters and xp scaling.
- Some new flavor dialogue, seems like kits are also included
- I'd vote Shadowdancer becoming default Thief class, sure it requires more micro, but that ability to hide in plain sight is godly (well, a bit op combined with his shadow-walk ability since it's like 5 time stops > 5 free backstabs).

Overall: Not Bad, if you don't want to mod or play 800x600, picking this at GoG is not a bad idea, but I still recommend playing IWD vanilla first without new classes, items and spells, it makes you use some of standard classes and dual and multi class options you won't use in other EE games, and it's spell selection is also a bit more unique compared to baldur's gate or baldurized games.

I think I enjoyed this more than I thought I would after playing PoE. Trashmobs that end quickly but nice followup special encounters (really like this sort of dungeon design), key-use special abilities instead of +10 accuracy/per encounter, feel of precision and control - missed all that in PoE. Just not the same experience for me compared to IE.

 

[Infinitron]

What sort of flavor dialogue?

 

[Shadenuat]

What sort of flavor dialogue?

Well my main was priestess of Tempos, when she talked with Tempos-guys (Everard or barb king from HoW) she had unique lines about her being one, although they didn't seem to do anything special (not like in original IWD if you're paladin you can sense evil and so on). Although I managed to persuade one priest at endgame to end that extra content undead-paladin but probably every priest or high WIS char could do that.

 

[pippin]

- Hate party gen screen with pre-set characters, have to undo them every time; they also there in character Wizardries-like list, urrrrrh.

Most IE games have premade characters and IE is no exception though. Can you save the characters you create? I don't think you could during char creation in the first game...

 

[Shadenuat]

Most IE games have premade characters and IE is no exception though. Can you save the characters you create? I don't think you could during char creation in the first game...

It's not so obnoxious, here every time you begin new game, you have 6 pre set characters in party slots instead of empty slots

Yes of course you can do it in 2 different ways, either delete these guys in main party menu, or there is another button before you choose party, "generate character" (which was one that crashed my game at first for some reason, but only once); you generate them and they are saved in folder (press Export), and you can pick them from a list in game into party slots - like Wizardry games do. This is a good change but I dislike pre-gen characters already being there picked for me.

Who would ever play game like IWD with pre gen party without even changing party portraits or names? Not even storyfags unfamiliar with D&D would do that.

 

[Wayward Son]

So, uhh, how terrible is this version for a person who never played the original? Like, is it the BGEE level of that you could get the same thing with some mods on original edition?

 

[Melcar]

So, uhh, how terrible is this version for a person who never played the original? Like, is it the BGEE level of that you could get the same thing with some mods on original edition?

It's actually very good. Most of the added stuff are convenience and graphic mods. I guess the only thing you could complain about is in-game balance since some of the stuff that was added can break the game (BG2 kits and spells, and shit like that), but it's not that bad. If you were to buy an EE game, this is the one to get.

ESTOY USANDO MI TELEFONO MEXICANO!

 

[Transfiguring Roar]

So, uhh, how terrible is this version for a person who never played the original? Like, is it the BGEE level of that you could get the same thing with some mods on original edition?

This is, imo, the best EE. It adds kit classes, and zoom in/out feature, making it a little more interesting and enjoyable than the original (again, imo). As far as I know, there are no mods that add these things.

Beamdog has thus far refrained from adding too many 'enhancements' (no companions fortunately...), though that will undoubtedly change when they get around to updating it and changing the user interface. If you're itching to have a go, get it before they update it.

 

[Wayward Son]

Ok so now another question, for someone who enjoys Baldur's Gate, would you recommend this or Jagged Aliiance 2: Gold?

 

[Comte]

Ok so now another question, for someone who enjoys Baldur's Gate, would you recommend this or Jagged Aliiance 2: Gold?

Why not both? They are both solid games.

 

[hell bovine]

So, uhh, how terrible is this version for a person who never played the original? Like, is it the BGEE level of that you could get the same thing with some mods on original edition?

From what I've played (not very far) it doesn't change the original content much, so you won't miss out on anything. Unfortunately this means the monster AI is as weak as I remember from the original. However, EE content I really like:
a) "no additional xp" on higher difficulties (by default you get double xp on insane), because slowing down level progression combined with increased monster numbers raises the difficulty;
b) "no damage increase" on higher difficulties (in case I just want more monsters);
b) sorcerers, since I can finally solo a mage without having to worry about hunting down scrolls.

and if you buy it from gog, it includes the classic as well.

 

[Coma White]

Ok so now another question, for someone who enjoys Baldur's Gate, would you recommend this or Jagged Aliiance 2: Gold?

Both, though having played (and liked) Baldur's Gate, you will be very much at home in Icewind Dale. Though IWD is significantly more challenging than BG. Jagged Alliance 2 is also a fantastic game though.

Maybe relevant: I have never played IWD: EE, so all my comments are based on the original Black Isle release.

 

[Antigoon]

Ok so now another question, for someone who enjoys Baldur's Gate, would you recommend this or Jagged Aliiance 2: Gold?

I enjoyed both, but JA is certainly the much better game. JA I am still playing from time to time, but BG gets harder and harder to like with each passing year. So try JA2 first

 

[Wayward Son]

Ok so now another question, for someone who enjoys Baldur's Gate, would you recommend this or Jagged Aliiance 2: Gold?

Why not both? They are both solid games.

I only have enough for one. If I had $0.08 more on my account, I would happily get both.

 

[Wayward Son]

Never mind, Dark Messiah of Might and Magic simply can't run fast enough on my computer, so I have just barely enough for both.

 

[Musaab]

Any idea when they are gonna drop the update for this game? Getting info out of Beamdog is a torturous task.

 

[roshan]

So, uhh, how terrible is this version for a person who never played the original? Like, is it the BGEE level of that you could get the same thing with some mods on original edition?

There's no point in playing the original now that the EE is out. Lots of convenience tweaks, interface improvements, new kits and classes, improved difficulty options, etc. Just buy it when it's on a good discount and you will be very pleased.

 

[Coma White]

There's no point in playing the original now that the EE is out. Lots of convenience tweaks, interface improvements, new kits and classes, improved difficulty options, etc. Just buy it when it's on a good discount and you will be very pleased.

You shouldn't mislead the public like this.

 

[Musaab]

Beamdog didn't really do any harm to IWD. IWD is probably the best of the bunch.

 

[Theldaran]

I have it and got to Dorn without the game breaking or having the slightest issue.

Kits and spells left out from original spice it up. To be fair, I had to activate God mode during Yxunomei's battle, but that was because I built a goofy party. I promise not to do it again.

It's not a really great game but if you're an IE dork like me you've got to have it available when nostalgia stings and you wanna crack some heads open.

 

[Zboj Lamignat]

Any idea when they are gonna drop the update for this game? Getting info out of Beamdog is a torturous task.

Did they even confirm working on it at any point? IWD EE didn't sell too well and they are concentrating on getting their shitty BG expansion on other platforms so I wouldn't be expecting anything in the nearest future.

 

[Musaab]

They said numerous times that they will bring over the updates made to the engine...but waiting and waiting is all we do. While they try to get permission to add more homosexuals to more games.