Is Balders Gate 2 better then Balders Gate 1?

I decided to finally try out the Baldurs gate games. I started with Baldurs gate 1 and so far its very....boring.The combat isn't clicking with me. It seems more like luck then actual skillful DnD combat. My experience is that some of the encounters usually end with me destroying an entire hoard without ever lifting a finger. And sometimes the opposite happens with my group wiping out on simple vermin. The story seems somewhat interesting, but it definitely doesn't have a strong opening thats for sure.

One of my biggest complaints so far is the pathfinding and boring exploration. My party of six always has trouble getting from place to place. Inside areas are a nightmare, I have to constantly micromanage my group needlessly to simply talk to someone. The AI pathfinding in this game is truly dreadful. The game so far also has a lot of boring exploration, a lot of walking around in big areas and towns that don't have much going on. This game is also very long, so having to constantly explore these massive empty areas sounds very tedious.

Is this game really worth playing? IS BGII any better? Should I just skip to that one if so?

Problem is playing those games TODAY is a lot different from when it was released....FelipeInside

I haven't tried the game but the book was pretty good, saw it in the library & picked it up for a 2 hour read.

(Referring to title) That's what everyone else says!

If you finish BG, you can import your character to BGII, which is pretty nifty. I've only played and beat BG (this year actually). The pathfinding was always a problem, but keep in mind the year it came out. It was bad then, apparently, but it definitely seems much more glaring now.

Your gripes with the battle system was not my experience at all, though. I feel I employed real skill and all of my battles worked out the way I expected them to. I certainly didn't feel "luck" was a bigger factor in BG than it is in any other DnD-based game. Are you playing using the pause of time to quickly commit acts and stuff, because there's obviously plenty of the stuff the game doesn't really tell you. I really enjoyed the game, though it was very tough. The final battle is pretty much impossible unless you have the expansion pack and you use a certain "luring out" strategy.

[QUOTE="FelipeInside"]Problem is playing those games TODAY is a lot different from when it was released....ChiliDragon

I wasn't referring to the bugs, more towards graphics, gameplay, story pacing and reading lots of text.FelipeInside

[QUOTE="FelipeInside"]I wasn't referring to the bugs, more towards graphics, gameplay, story pacing and reading lots of text.ChiliDragon

BG2 is BG on steroid, more cLass kits, high level dnd spells, abilities and creatures (=more exciting combats), and tons of quests, full of variety at that...

however, pathfinding and combat system are basically the same, they're all infinity engine Dnd games.

if you find BG "boring," I'm not sure BG2 will be any better for you.

btw, luck is always a huge part of dnd (or any established role-playing rule sets for this matter); skill in traditional CRPG comes in combat strategies and tactics.

also, try play the game at hardcore difficulty (dnd core); if you still feel luck is more important than skill, then you're not a skillful dnd CRPG gamer.

two games, with various official and unofficial patches and mods, are basically bug free. if people still encounter bugs, they're sorta too lazy to play PC games. back then, when we played those games at release...there were quite a few bugs, especially BG2 (though understandbale since it's a much much more complex and sophisticated game).

BG2 is one of my fav games ever, BG1 is just good imo.

GIve 2 a try maybe?

Well I'm surprised. I guess everyone's different, but I loved the story, pacing, setting, towns, conversations... pretty much everything about BG1. BG2 doesn't really change any of that gameplay at all. You might even find it worse because there's just more of.. everything.. in BG2.

Yea, play it on core difficulty. (d&d rules)

The sequel is better in every way pretty much. I really liked the BG1 story, but yes it is a tedious game. It's one of those games that's hard to play after you have played the sequel. Just like Diablo 1 is really hard to play through after you get used to Diablo 2. I like the BG1 story how it slowly revealed more stuff to your party about what's really going on. Your attacked early on and your father killed by a mysterious figure you don't know much about for a long time whereas in BG2 the story is much more apparent from the beginning what needs to be done and how you need to do it.

The sequel is better in every way pretty much. I really liked the BG1 story, but yes it is a tedious game. It's one of those games that's hard to play after you have played the sequel. Just like Diablo 1 is really hard to play through after you get used to Diablo 2. I like the BG1 story how it slowly revealed more stuff to your party about what's really going on. Your attacked early on and your father killed by a mysterious figure you don't know much about for a long time whereas in BG2 the story is much more apparent from the beginning what needs to be done and how you need to do it.

James00715

There's no were near that difference if you use the Tutu mod, are you joking? Hell, even without it, it still is not such a dramatic difference.

Baldur's Gate 2 is the standard I hold all RPGs to.

Baldur's Gate 2 is the standard I hold all RPGs to.

Whiteblade999

Yup. Problem these days is that kids get bored with the texts. They wan't to pressA in their controlles so that something awesome happen; or some dumb semi-erotic cinematic with crappy animations.

On topic I'm pretty damn sure you could increase the pathfinding nodes to an absurdly high number, sorting all kinds of problems. The only thing I think it's dated on these games is the fog of war, everything else is top notch, specially the combat and spells in BG2.

[QUOTE="James00715"]

The sequel is better in every way pretty much. I really liked the BG1 story, but yes it is a tedious game. It's one of those games that's hard to play after you have played the sequel. Just like Diablo 1 is really hard to play through after you get used to Diablo 2. I like the BG1 story how it slowly revealed more stuff to your party about what's really going on. Your attacked early on and your father killed by a mysterious figure you don't know much about for a long time whereas in BG2 the story is much more apparent from the beginning what needs to be done and how you need to do it.

Lucianu

There's no were near that difference if you use the Tutu mod, are you joking? Hell, even without it, it still is not such a dramatic difference.

Everyone has their own opinion. :) I was talking about both games unmodded though, which is how I played them originally. And I do find Diablo 1 hard to play through now. There's so many things I like more in Diablo 2. After a few days of Diablo 1, I just quit and play Diablo 2.

If you buy both in a bundle, you can do the mod trick where you run BG1 with the BG2 engine and it's a bit better. That being said, I would suggest you skip to number 2 unless you're really set on going through the whole story. It's a better experience overall.

They're good games but a bit over-hyped. The story was a bit boring and slow for me too at some points.F1_2004

I also would like to add that real time party mechanics + DnD system = a mess..

[QUOTE="F1_2004"]They're good games but a bit over-hyped. The story was a bit boring and slow for me too at some points.sSubZerOo

I also would like to add that real time party mechanics + DnD system = a mess..

Everyone has their own opinion. :) I was talking about both games unmodded though, which is how I played them originally. And I do find Diablo 1 hard to play through now. There's so many things I like more in Diablo 2. After a few days of Diablo 1, I just quit and play Diablo 2.

James00715

I was talking about the comparison between the progression of Diablo 1 to 2 and Baldur's Gate 1 to 2. The progression from Diablo 1 to Diablo 2 is far, far more dramatic than the progression from Baldur's Gate 1 to Baldur's Gate 2. Hell, both BG1 & 2 use the same engine, wile Diablo 2 is a complete evolution from the first one, new engine, new mechanics, new everything. I'm not going to argue anything els you wrote, i also think Baldur's Gate 2 is a superior game compared to with the first one, and Diablo 2 makes the first Diablo completely absolete (though i enjoyed playing the first one, i didn't mind).

Baldur's Gate 2 has the most interesting and intricate world to explore in any game I've ever played. That being said you really have to like rpg's to play it nowadays, the battles are so painfully tedious by today's standards, if they could remake the game in full 3d with a new engine that isn't turnbased it would undoubtedly be one of the best rpg's ever (again). The story and setting are sooooooooooo engrossing and it draws you in.robokill

Baldur's Gate 2 has the most interesting and intricate world to explore in any game I've ever played. That being said you really have to like rpg's to play it nowadays, the battles are so painfully tedious by today's standards, if they could remake the game in full 3d with a new engine that isn't turnbased it would undoubtedly be one of the best rpg's ever (again). The story and setting are sooooooooooo engrossing and it draws you in.robokill

[QUOTE="robokill"]Baldur's Gate 2 has the most interesting and intricate world to explore in any game I've ever played. That being said you really have to like rpg's to play it nowadays, the battles are so painfully tedious by today's standards, if they could remake the game in full 3d with a new engine that isn't turnbased it would undoubtedly be one of the best rpg's ever (again). The story and setting are sooooooooooo engrossing and it draws you in.IZoMBiEI

indeed, people who think BG games are real time + pause have no idea how the combat really works. if they are, they cannot be dnd CRPGs, since there are turn and round; if they are, ApR won't be such a big deal for fighters...

Dragon Age games are real-time + pause.

Baldur's Gate 2 has the most interesting and intricate world to explore in any game I've ever played. That being said you really have to like rpg's to play it nowadays, the battles are so painfully tedious by today's standards, if they could remake the game in full 3d with a new engine that isn't turnbased it would undoubtedly be one of the best rpg's ever (again). The story and setting are sooooooooooo engrossing and it draws you in.robokill

totally disagree...I prefer the so-called outdated combat...the way dnd CRPG should be played (all infinity engine games and Temple of Elemental Evil, which is fully turn base).

[QUOTE="IZoMBiEI"][QUOTE="robokill"]Baldur's Gate 2 has the most interesting and intricate world to explore in any game I've ever played. That being said you really have to like rpg's to play it nowadays, the battles are so painfully tedious by today's standards, if they could remake the game in full 3d with a new engine that isn't turnbased it would undoubtedly be one of the best rpg's ever (again). The story and setting are sooooooooooo engrossing and it draws you in.teardropmina

indeed, people who think BG games are real time + pause have no idea how the combat really works. if they are, they cannot be dnd CRPGs, since there are turn and round; if they are, ApR won't be such a big deal for fighters...

Dragon Age games are real-time + pause.

Regardless, it would of been even better if the combat was fully turn based, like Temple of Elemental Evil.

[QUOTE="teardropmina"]

[QUOTE="IZoMBiEI"] it is kind of turn based, combat consists of turns between your party and the enemy, clicking on attack faster doesnt make you attack quicker etc.. you can also control the turns by pausing as needed.bussinrounds

indeed, people who think BG games are real time + pause have no idea how the combat really works. if they are, they cannot be dnd CRPGs, since there are turn and round; if they are, ApR won't be such a big deal for fighters...

Dragon Age games are real-time + pause.

Regardless, it would of been even better if the combat was fully turn based, like Temple of Elemental Evil.

[QUOTE="teardropmina"]

[QUOTE="IZoMBiEI"] it is kind of turn based, combat consists of turns between your party and the enemy, clicking on attack faster doesnt make you attack quicker etc.. you can also control the turns by pausing as needed.bussinrounds

indeed, people who think BG games are real time + pause have no idea how the combat really works. if they are, they cannot be dnd CRPGs, since there are turn and round; if they are, ApR won't be such a big deal for fighters...

Dragon Age games are real-time + pause.

Regardless, it would of been even better if the combat was fully turn based, like Temple of Elemental Evil.

that's fine; it's about personal preference. for me, I like BGs and ToEE all the same, since they both implement dnd core rules well.

as for the wiki bit, well, I will say they're wrong instead of quoting them as some sort of evidence of facts. many people speak as if they know something they don't, on or off line.

btw, I will simply call both BGs and ToEE dnd CRPGs, just like NWNs. they don't need to be branded into combat styIes by conventions.