Baldurs Gate 3

[shevek]

Hiiii,

so - Baldurs Gate 3 has been in Early Access for quite a while now and has released today. I've only ever heard good stuff of it before and now the release reviews I see are the bomb. Seems to be a genuinely fun and well-done game. No microtransactions, no battle pass, which is sweet.
I originally planned to wait until the first few patches and maybe DLC (if any are planned) but the enthusiasm made me cave. I have missed a game like that so badly, since it's been ages since the Dragon Age games and Dreadwolf will still take a while.
So right now I am waiting for the 120GB to download (4h left!).

I wonder if anyone else here is playing this now (or planning to), and what your character is? Would love to see screenshots, stats, and all that.

I am planning to play a Tiefling, probably Asmodeous. Will share more when I am finally in the character creator
Would've loved if Satyrs and Kenkus would have been available.

[starbreaker]

I'm waiting for the PS5 port to get a price drop or become a PlayStation Plus freebie. I've never been too fussed about D&D; it's not like I had any friends with which to play it as a kid.

[Melooon]

Ah I should play this one; the Boulder's Gate games have always stuck in my mind just from the clips Iv seen of them!

I do have a story though! I interviewed for a scripting job at Larian Studios back in late 2019; they didn't say what game Id be working on but it was a fun few interviews (I didn't get it obvs but that was largely by choice, I was committed to go to study by then). A few months ago I was at a D&D night hosted by a friend of my cousin; and it turned out the host was the person who got that job (and it was for BG3) 

It was a funny crossover of lives; she said it was great at the start, but once the creative stage was over it was a bit of a drag to work on. It was surprising to see how much money she had, but I was so happy not to be living her life all the same - sometimes you realise it might be better to enjoy something from the outside than to make it.

I dug up one of my interview answers though, in another world this might have been in the game! They liked it but said I had a tendency to be a bit absurd

Spoiler

The goal was to write the outcomes and interactions based on a scene where you have to get a dwarf out of a prison.

Interactions Flowchart 1 - Outside
Interactions Flowchart 2 - Inside

Extended Scenario:
Upon speaking to a lizard standing outside a guardhouse on a small road near town, you learn that his bride to be is being held within for an unknown crime. He offers to make it worth your while if you can help get her out in time for their wedding.

You enter a small one room guardhouse, it contains one cell operated by 3 levers, a small fire, the guard and a cow. Littered around the cow are guard related items like clothes and papers.

The guard:
The guard is a frizzy ginger haired human with paint splatters on her face. She is asleep when you enter the room and will only wake up when spoken too or when certain actions are triggered.
    When spoken to she seems disinterested in guard duties and confesses that she says up all night fulfilling her dream of being an abstract landscape painter.
   
The lizard:
Dressed in gaudy but cheap clothes, and carrying a book called "finances at their finest". You gather he's an upper middle class businessman with aspirations.
    If you question him too much he will go on a 10 minute monologue of all the "famous" people he knows.

The Prisoner:
The prisoner is a gruff looking dwarf lady.
    When asked why she's in prison:
    "Well! I walked one way and he walked the same way and somehow he ended up in a horse trough.. How was I supposed to know he was high judge!"
    When you say you've been sent by the lizard to get her out:
    "Oh.. I see... he's not a bad guy.. But here was I hoping I had a chance to start again.. sigh.. I suppose the guard would never like me anyway.. I mean.. ugh. what, did I say something!"
    Upon further questioning you can determine that her marriage is primarily a trade arrangement between her clan and the business interests his family represent.
   
The cow:
The cow appears to be a cow, possibly for providing milk?
    When you speak to it:
    "Moooooooooooooooooooo"
    When you speak to it with pet pal:
    "They don't damn pay me enough for this job I tell you, the union! The unions where its at!"

The levers:
On the wall by the cell door are three levers with crudely carved faces. Upon approaching them they start talking to you, daring you to use them, saying you can't handle them, calling you a "molly golly floggy pop".

[close]

[shevek]

They liked it but said I had a tendency to be a bit absurd

This is rich coming from the studio who put bear sex into the game (I think I can say that without a spoiler here, since that was pretty much a meme everywhere and advertising by them)

I tell you, the union! The unions where its at!"

Heretic! Mentioning unions around US game companies, how dare you!

But amazing how your lives crossed!

[shevek]

I'm not really super far in yet because I always spend ages in any character creator ever - but so far I am extremely in love with the game. I have always longed for a Dragon Age Origins with Dragon Age Inquisition graphics, and this is it, just.. even better. I like it so much that I am not even mad when I roll like shit.

Here's my Tiefling Sorceress with Outlander background and Blue Draconic bloodline (Lightning), called Ain:

Spoiler

[close]

and her guardian (which I haven't met yet)

Spoiler

[close]

I was.. surprised by some character creation settings games rarely let you do that so freely, so I had to take advantage of that.

[Moonpearl]

This game looks like TONS of fun, I've been watching my friend stream it and I can't wait to try it myself! I gotta wait for payday, though... I could never really get into tabletop DnD but a video game version seems right up my alley. I think a paladin or wizard would be really fun to play!

[EtherealSerah]

Heretic! Mentioning unions around US game companies, how dare you!

Worth noting that Larian is actually Belgian! Though the BG3 team was assuredly international in scope, games this size are rarely developed in a single location.

I'm very excited to play BG3 when I can finally afford it. Larian have been one of the only studios carrying Ultima 7's torch in the 21st century and BG3 feels like that vision has finally been fully realised in a modern AAA-scale production. I doubt we'll see anything quite like it for a long, long time.

[Memory]

I didn't see this thread! Oops! I was probably... Too busy playing Baldur's Gate 3 LOL. In any case, I'm having a lot of fun! I'm sure that I'm in the final act of the game currently, though nowhere near finishing it. I have a fair 110 hours in the game so far (playing since release) and I'm certain that I've missed out on a looooad of content that I hope to catch on my current second playthrough!

... Yeah, I'm already starting a second playthrough before finishing my first... That's how much I love this game :D

Would've loved if Satyrs and Kenkus would have been available.

This is probably my only "upset" with the game, but it's not a serious upset. I really really wanted to play Aasimar. I was really looking forward to fulfilling my autistic need to be an angel and yet when I got to the character creator I was left with half elf or human... Not the worst but not what I wanted!

Don't get me wrong, it doesn't take away from the game at all!!! And I understand certain limitations and restrictions needing to be put in place. But every DND campaign I've played IRL has been with an Aasimar, and for the first time ever I had to be something else! I suppose it's good to be pushed out of my comfort zone once in a while though, and playing as a half elf has done nothing negative to my playing experience!

[tarraxahum]

Oh hey, the thread about the reason I've hardly been online for DAYS :D

I'm currently... mid Act 2? At the end of Act 2? No idea. You never know with this game, do you. Anyway, I haven't touched the Early Access since 2021 and missed a lot since then, so jumping into the polished release has so far been an EXPERIENCE. Especially when I ran out of stuff I knew thanks to EA and it turned into "Oh wow. Oh WHAT. Oh where the hell I am. Oh what the hell is going on. WHO the hell are you." etc etc

Haven't played the previous two installments, guilty, but the general D&D experience sure helps. Back in 2021 I was failing at EA big time, 'cause I wasn't used to the turn-based combat (usually play Bioware's RPGs without ever using the tactics mode, y'know), didn't know what actions and bonus actions are, no idea about rests (let alone short or long ones, whaaat), it's been hard x) But since then I played some actual D&D, so thankfully I came much more prepared for the full release this time. The difference is palpable.

If only boring things like work didn't get in the way of playing, am I right 

[sunosin]

I've been having a great time playing it with 3 friends! Though a full party means I think I'm missing out on all the character storylines... and It's a bit chaotic trying to follow along with dialogue since every player can be talking to different npcs at the same time!! Might do a solo run after we finish it!