Should I play BG???

Remove all ads!

No, I mean BG 2. It's ugly, everything's too small, and most of the maps are too dark. The original is much better aesthetically.

 

I have to agree with Fellinoid - I much prefer the look of BG1 to 2; my reaction to the new GUI & inventory was much the same. And it isn't how the interface works (because it's exactly the same!) it's just the look. I've never really liked the BG2 interface. And the music is much better in the original, too.

In addition, the original BG is a stone-cold classic, and manages to capture much more of the atmosphere of its world than BGII. You should definitely play it. Probably because you can walk for 30 seconds in a given direction without inadvertently picking up yet another quest!

Of course, the flip-side is that the pace is much slower, and it can't match BG2 for the majesty of some of the battles (in BG1, wizards are mostly hopeless, having virtually no HPs). But in some areas, it walks all over its offspring ... albeit at 2/3 the speed...

 

No, the look of BG is much cheesier than BGII and you have wander around aimlessy for hours trying to work out what the heck to do next. Play BG because it is a cool game, but BGII is nicer.

 

That's funny, I thought BG 2 had the interface that was the color of stale cheese.

 

The BG II interface is much more aesthetically pleasing to me. It's brighter and more highly defined. The BG interface looks as if it might have been carved out of stone by one of the programmers who'd lost his glasses.

 

Yes, and BG 2 looks like random growths of some sort of opaque organic crystal that somehow managed to form into what Picasso's puke green period might have looked like.

But that's just my opinion, and I doubt we'll all agree on this subject anytime soon. And anyone who really likes the BG 2 interface can always install BG1Tutu. For those of us who prefer BG 1, we still have to suffer through the BG 2 interface just to play the game.

However, that is not what this thread was originally about. To answer Donkey's questions, one of the best things you're missing having not played BG 1 is the rich storyline, though I think it would probably have been better to play BG 1 first for continuity. It's a bit looser, with the side-quests and side-areas taking up most of the game. Soloing through just the main storyline took me only four hours (give or take), although Sarevok obliterated me in the final fight.

As for the challenge, it's harder in that you can seem to spontaneously die when the enemy gets lucky, but it's also easier in that you don't have to deal with all the various special attacks or spells that nearly every minor monster in BG 2 seems to have.

Enemy wizards are much easier, because, with two exceptions (Davaeorn & Semaj), as long as you manage to disrupt their first spell, they're pretty much helpless and useless. You're also not subject to any really high-level spells because they don't even exist in the game!

So, IMHO, it's not easier or harder, but in fact a completely different kind of challenge and a very worthwhile experience. One that you would be a darned fool to pass up.

 

I agree with Felinoid, The challenge is different, in BG1 warrior are tougher than wizards. In BG2 it's the contrary. Anyway I also prefered the BG 1 rock style. You should realy try it. Don't worry I've finish bg2 before the first, and the storylines still surprised me.

 

Huh? It took me about 9 months and I played almost every day! I'd be sending the game back for a refund if it only took 4 hours.

 

I played BG for the first time when I was 12... I barely knew English, I had to look for "thee" in the dictionary So anyway, I finished the game (after cheating, since I was a complete noob) and I said "yes, it was a nice game, but why were all these people trying to kill me?!" Thanks god I know english now...

 

@Harbourboy:

The time it only took me four hours, I skipped everything that wasn't absolutely necessary to advance to the next chapter. I headed immediately to Nashkel, and went straight to the bottom of the mines to kill Mulahey. Then I went directly to the bandit camp and Cloakwood. After that I skipped the entire city of Baldur's Gate (save traversing the maps to get to FF headquarters), and the rest of the game is kind of linear. My worldmap at the end was mostly blank. It was just one of those things you try just to see if you can pull it off.

 

BG1 is, of course, the superior game (and I'm amazed that so many people agree these days...) - freedom to explore interesting wilderness wilderness, natural-feeling quests rather than BG2's walk-two-steps-and-get-another thing, more intense, less pointless magic and having to earn it, low level goodness, story.

Without this game, the sequel is kinda pointless to play story-wise.

 

@Felinoid

Did you start with a level 1 character?

 

Yeah, I spent a lot of time running away. Most of my money went to buying potions of invisibility for when stealth couldn't do it. Davaeorn was a challenge. Did you know that stealth can disrupt spells?

P.S. You don't have to kill anyone in the bandit camp. Just talk your way out of the fight with Tazok, then rush in, grab the scrolls out of the chest, and rush out. End Chapter 3.

 

"No, the look of BG is much cheesier than BGII and you have wander around aimlessy for hours trying to work out what the heck to do next. Play BG because it is a cool game, but BGII is nicer." -Harbourboy

Some of us like to wander around aimlessy for hours, thats one of the things i liked the most about the game, you can just walk around and explore teh world. And not just a rather linear path, or unlock areas as in BG2 (you cant leave the town without having a quest unlock teh areas, and even then you cant explore anything inbetween teh areas).

And, "what to do next" is never a problem if you READ those scrolls you get at each new chapter Trust me, every person that has ever asked me what to do next becosey are lost, i have told them to read the scrolls, and they have figured it out by themselves.

and aye, the Bg1 interface was much prettier.

 

I've always maintained there's something to be said for a game where finding 5 +1 arrows is a BIG DEAL. It may not have the banter level of BG2, or some of the neat enemies, but I love classic BG. Answer: OF COURSE you should play it.

 

Both BG1 and BG2 bring something to the table.
Let's look at what are the positives and negatives for each game..

BG1 Positives
1) Brought us the BG series
2) The infinity engine
3) The ability to explore and not be bothered with quest, expect the mines when you first start off.
4) How you can survive a battle due to a lack of skill of your oppent, this of course is due to level restriction
5) Story Line
6) Interface for paperdoll and creating character, this is very important for those of us who wear glass and don't want to squint.
7) Weapons are not over powered

BG1 Negatives
1) Certain classes were limited to the number of quick weapons
2) It would take to long to open areas because you had to explore them to have them open
3) How long it took to go up one level
4) Quest you had to go out and find them. If you didn't you would only have the main quest to complete and it would take a while to achieve level ups.
5) No kits
6) Limited list of magic items

BG2 Postives
1) Kits
2) Quest are brought to your attention (probably due to your level) and levels are achieve at a quicker rate
3) A sortment of magical items
4) Cities are open and no exploration is needed to know where things are.
5) At least 2 quick slot items for all character classes.
6) Added larger resolutions

BG2 Negatives
1) Graphic interface for rolling character/paper doll.
2) To many magic items early on in the game and over powered.
3) You can easily over power your oppent with the correct spell casting. Luck is not needed.

Please add to my list if you would like.

 

The answer to the original question (by Donkey)is contained within the fact that so many posters here do re-play all of the BG stuff.

If they re-play BG1 after having gone all the way through to the end of Throne of Bhaal (and for a great many posters here they have done that many times over), then there must be more than enough in BG1 to still keep them entertained.

If it's good enough for so many others, it's probably good enough for you. Use your donkey to open the donlock on the door that leads to the BG1 world.

 

I can't find this tutu mod...

Can anyone give any link (and I'm looking for that one which improves grpahics in BG).

I'm a noob, so...

 

Ah, thanks. This should be a new experience, I guess.

Edit: Ok, here's the list of problems (for now ):

-journal isn't getting updated
-there are a lot more monsters now
-when it comes to changing disc, the game just crashes to the desktop, followed by that usual error sound.

Is anyone having this problem?

[ September 01, 2005, 10:52: Message edited by: I AM the law ]