The World Gameplay Reveal of Baldur’s Gate 3 will be happening LIVE at PAX East

[moustascheman]

I was thinking that a Neverwinter Nights style camera would be good for BG3. Not exactly Isometric but also not full third person like most AAA WRPGs today.

Speaking of NWN though, I do hope that despite whatever we get there's a lot of mod tools that'll let users create custom content like there was in that game. The modding and user-made content was one of the best things about NWN and it's something that I feel like every DnD game needs.

TBH, I'd prefer a wild card option. Let's try something new, whether it's great or horrible, at least it'll be exciting.

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You say that now, but how will you feel when they go with Witcher 1's rhythm based combat.

 

[justjim89]

Is there any cross-save option for BG1&2 on Switch? I really need to actually get deep into the first two games at some point, and being able to take them from PC to Switch would be really handy.

 

[Harpoon]

From the Larian newsletter that arrived today:

I'm assuming that is a mind flayer larvae... Eww

Edit: I'm always too slow!

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Interesting passage there. Protagonist's been infected with a Mind Flayer?

 

[Anno]

I'd probably still prefer RTwP but I trust Larian to do turn-based correctly if they would rather go that way, which I think is incredibly likely to happen.

The only thing that'd legit disappoint me is if it's in some third-person camera, even if it's on the level of something like DA:I.

 

[Anoregon]

I could see them borrowing from the BG2 slayer mechanic to let you like temporarily turn into a mindflayer for big stat boosts but some negative side effects. I know temporary ceremorphosis isnt a thing but its D&D so anything can be explained some way.

 

[Meta]

I'm hoping for RTwP as it does a much better job with scaling effects with durations (especially damage over time), but I'm expecting turn based.

Something along the lines of Dragon Age: Origins with co-op would be interesting if they can figure out pausing with multiple players.

 

[Shodan14]

Nice to see someone actually have the balls to bring back Spelljammer.

 

[Dandy]

Nice to see someone actually have the balls to bring back Spelljammer.

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Spelljammer was such a good setting.

 

[Shodan14]

Spelljammer was such a good setting.

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Yes! The worst part is that there's official DnD 5e materials with some sneaky Spelljammer references, but it all turned out to be a big nothing with no new 5e Spelljammer content.

 

[V has come to]

fucking HYPE

 

[Miggytronz]

Ill be there at PAX just for this!

 

[johancruijff]

 

[Dennis8K]

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That is a lot of Real Time with Pause goodness!

 

[Shodan14]

That is a lot of Real Time with Pause goodness!

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Nah, it's so long because it's turn-based, obviously.

 

[Pat002]

Do we know if it's coming to consoles? I want it on PS4 so badly.

 

[Anno]

Get everyone angry and arguably put the game in a better genre by making it a blobber.

Do we know if it's coming to consoles? I want it on PS4 so badly.

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I think there's a 100% chance it comes to consoles.

 

[ak1287]

RTWP is, however, the better way to play.

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If you like garbage sure.

 

[Spinluck]

Divinity OS2 is one of the finest RPGs I've ever played.

You have my sword Larian.

 

[Yiepekaiyei]

If you like garbage sure.

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I don't see what you're doing here then if you find past BG games garbage.

On the topic, I trust Larian to do a awesome job with turn based, so it could be either really, for me. But it would be funny if this game turns out to be the Dragon Age Origins successor Bioware never managed to deliver.

 

[KushalaDaora]

Controversial hot take time :

I hope the Mokap means we get a more cinematic approach to story telling. A close up camera for conversation would be a good start. Also hoping for camera system like DAO or NWN, withoption for "over-the-shoulder" perspective and top down perspective, I love using the former for exploration and the latter for combat.

I have trouble getting invested to DOS and Pillars world/characters when I never saw them up close. The finale to both games is like a fart in the wind compared to Dragon Age Origins's.

*RUN

As for combat system, I'm fine either way. Combat is not necessarily what I love about the genre.

 

[Mazzo]

I hope it is turn based and that I can play the whole thing in local coop mode with my partner just like I did with Divinity OS2.

 

[Strings]

I wonder if they'll do some weird Valkyria Chronicles-ish thing. I'd be into that.

 

[DeepChord]

Do we know if it's coming to consoles? I want it on PS4 so badly.

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Coming to consoles most likely. PS4 though...

 

[Hella]

Looking forward to it. Larian never disappoints.

 

[CurseVox]

Super hype for this. I'm hoping they stick with an isometric view with the graphics and effects turned up to 11. Ideally I'd also like realtime combat with the option to pause battles for the more strategic and complicated encounters or higher difficulty levels.

 

[Hu3]

man f*ck RTwP I hope it's actually full real time or full turn base.

 

[CurseVox]

why not just have the option for both? I mean there's nothing wrong with either one. It's more preference.

 

[Tovarisc]

why not just have the option for both? I mean there's nothing wrong with either one. It's more preference.

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Because you need to water down encounter design so encounters work at somewhat acceptable level for both combat systems.

Sticking to one actually lets them to push limits of said system as they don't need consider how it could negatively affect another experience.

 

[ArbitraryWater]

Y'all fighting between RTwP and TB over here and I'm honestly fine with either. After how much I enjoyed Original Sin 2, I trust Larian enough to make something interesting.

That said, I'd be willing to bet that Baldur's Gate 3 is going to be turn-based. Beyond the part where Larian's most recent (critically acclaimed, commercially successful) RPGs are both turn-based, if you're a suit at Hasbro or WotC and you see how Pillars of Eternity II and Tyranny (two games designed as a throwback to the Infinity Engine) under-performed, I wonder how much you'd want to invest in something using that system. Then again, it seems like Pathfinder Kingmaker did pretty well for itself (and that Wrath of the Righteous Kickstarter seems to be doing very well.) so who knows?

Either way, they're going to have to make some changes and additions to make D&D 5th Edition interesting in a CRPG format. It's a ruleset that works great in tabletop because it leaves a lot of wiggle room for the GM, but that doesn't exactly work in a computer game where everything should work the same all the time.

 

[DorkLord54]

I've had the first two in my backlog forever, might finally playthru them.

And I'm guessing this'll be is with the option for both turn-based and RTwP so thatold heads and people brought in via DOS are satisfied.

I'm gonna disagree. I feel like it's always either too easy and plays itself or is too hard and stresses me the fuck out.

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There really is no in-between wrt RTwP. Even when simplified like in Kotor it still oscillates between piss-easy and "Jesus Christ, please stop missing rolls, this is urgent!"

 

[Wedginald]

Oh man, very exciting news.

 

[Dandy]

I've watched the video a few times now, and every time Swen says "return to Baldur's Gate for the first time in 20 years" I get such a surge of emotion.

Part of me really wishes they hadn't made this BG3... Make it Waterdeep, or Shadowdale, or something else. By calling it BG3, they've set the expectations for many aspects of the game in a very specific place(iso, rtwp, etc). I just want them to make the best D&D/Forgotten Realms game they can, whatever it looks like. If that means deviating from the original games drastically, they should do that. I just know that come the 27th there is going to be a very loud segment of fans of the originals who are going to be disappointed no matter what.

 

[Spiderman]

Ooh boy I'm excited for this one.

 

[IvorB]

One of the product guys at work has been running D&D sessions and I've played some with him. D&D is totally turn-based. Larian is a maestro at turn-based combat. So, that seems the safe option to me but who knows?

TBH, I'd prefer a wild card option. Let's try something new, whether it's great or horrible, at least it'll be exciting.

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That's crazy talk.

 

[Deleted member 46948]

Hyped af. Spelljammer was a phenomenally fun setting.

 

[Uzzy]

I've watched the video a few times now, and every time Swen says "return to Baldur's Gate for the first time in 20 years" I get such a surge of emotion.

Part of me really wishes they hadn't made this BG3... Make it Waterdeep, or Shadowdale, or something else. By calling it BG3, they've set the expectations for many aspects of the game in a very specific place(iso, rtwp, etc). I just want them to make the best D&D/Forgotten Realms game they can, whatever it looks like. If that means deviating from the original games drastically, they should do that. I just know that come the 27th there is going to be a very loud segment of fans of the originals who are going to be disappointed no matter what.

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Basically where I'm at. Baldur's Gate was a big part of my childhood, and having its name used, with all that cache attached, for something that isn't Baldur's Gate is going to sting.

 

[lvl 99 Pixel]

Real Time with pause is Baldur's Gate so hoping for something that at least resembles the older games. Otherwise why even call it Baldur's Gate 3 considering its not a continuation to the Bhaalspawn story? Just for marketing?

 

[Dandy]

Real Time with pause is Baldur's Gate so hoping for something that at least resembles the older games. Otherwise why even call it Baldur's Gate 3 considering its not a continuation to the Bhaalspawn story? Just for marketing?

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I mean, yeah. I'm pretty sure marketing/brand recognition is a huge part of why they went with BG3 over something else.

My enjoyment of BG/BG2 had less to do with gameplay mechanics, and more to do with story/characters/world, so the specifics of the former isn't all that important to me.

 

[dude]

One of the product guys at work has been running D&D sessions and I've played some with him. D&D is totally turn-based. Larian is a maestro at turn-based combat. So, that seems the safe option to me but who knows?

That's crazy talk.

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...How is it crazy talk? BG1 RTwP was a revelation to me and many others I think, I don't know if it was the first game to use the system, but it was my first encounter with it, and I'd it's the same for many others. I think doing something new would be a cool way to re-introduce the series to new and old fans. If they can figure out a good alternative, at least.

Regarding remaining faithful to D&D - Most TTRPGs are turn based because of the table dynamics, but translating the combat to video game form usually doesn't work that well. D&D combat is OK for TTRPGs (though I'm not a huge fan of it personally, it can slow a session to a complete halt) - but there's a big difference in how combat feels between the table and video games, and most games that go super accurate in terms of D&D rules tend to feel very slow and boring IMO (like ToEE, which resonated well with D&D superfans, but I found it super boring.) You must make changes no matter what you're going for.
TTRPG game design revolves around role playing and creativity, something the player is much more limited in when it comes to video games. Once you remove the actual role playing from the combat, it usually leaves quite a bit to be desired.
So, I wouldn't say TB is necessarily safer because it's closer to D&D, you'd have to make a shit-load of adaptations no matter which way you go.

 

[Garbrenn]

I would prefer TB combat, as I trust Larian implicitly with that style of combat. But if it's real time I'm sure they'll manage to win me over.

I might try real time with a new RPG, is Pathfinder or Pillars better for someone who only really plays Turn Based by wants to try real time?

 

[johancruijff]

Get everyone angry and arguably put the game in a better genre by making it a blobber.

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yes!
but a real time blobber or turn based? 🤔

 

[Wotkar]

this is going to be turn based and it's going to be shit. baldur's fucking dead.

 

[PunishedPrince]

I'm a zoomer with no appreciation for the classics and I hope this is a third person Action RPG.

 

[Anno]

I might try real time with a new RPG, is Pathfinder or Pillars better for someone who only really plays Turn Based by wants to try real time?

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Deadfire, imo. It's built to be a real-time videogame combat system rather than a real-time adaptation of a PnP system that's still fundamentally turn based under the hood, and to me it really shows. The AI combat-scripting and variable combat speeds also really help in getting comfortable with the system.

 

[Uzzy]

I would prefer TB combat, as I trust Larian implicitly with that style of combat. But if it's real time I'm sure they'll manage to win me over.

I might try real time with a new RPG, is Pathfinder or Pillars better for someone who only really plays Turn Based by wants to try real time?

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I agree with Anno, the Pillars series has an excellent RTWP system, with plenty of QOL improvements such as the variable combat speeds that help.

 

[IvorB]

...How is it crazy talk? BG1 RTwP was a revelation to me and many others I think, I don't know if it was the first game to use the system, but it was my first encounter with it, and I'd it's the same for many others. I think doing something new would be a cool way to re-introduce the series to new and old fans. If they can figure out a good alternative, at least.

Regarding remaining faithful to D&D - Most TTRPGs are turn based because of the table dynamics, but translating the combat to video game form usually doesn't work that well. D&D combat is OK for TTRPGs (though I'm not a huge fan of it personally, it can slow a session to a complete halt) - but there's a big difference in how combat feels between the table and video games, and most games that go super accurate in terms of D&D rules tend to feel very slow and boring IMO (like ToEE, which resonated well with D&D superfans, but I found it super boring.) You must make changes no matter what you're going for.
TTRPG game design revolves around role playing and creativity, something the player is much more limited in when it comes to video games. Once you remove the actual role playing from the combat, it usually leaves quite a bit to be desired.
So, I wouldn't say TB is necessarily safer because it's closer to D&D, you'd have to make a shit-load of adaptations no matter which way you go.

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The first Baldur's Gate did not have the massive weight of decades of expectation and legacy on its shoulders. I believe there is a time and a place to play that wild card but I honestly don't think now is a good time.

You literally said if it turned out terrible as a result that would be fine. I really don't think a lot of fans feel that way.

 

[ResistCritical]

Committed whichever way it goes; please give us the transitional option to load our BGII endgame Save for narrative & character bonuses

 

[johancruijff]

Committed whichever way it goes; please give us the transitional option to load our BGII endgame Save for narrative & character bonuses

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not happening

Larian representative on reddit

It will not be necessary to have played BG 1&2. Like the Divinity series, any story or lore necessary for the game will be included; hypothetically there could be some minor references or easter eggs that people who have played the earlier games could notice, which a new player would miss.

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Link

 

[Spehornoob]

I'm hoping it's on console and gets a switch port with cross save functionality like D:OS2 got! Being able to go from your PC to the Switch was actually really cool for such a big game.

 

[N.47H.4N]

Will release first on PC and later on consoles?I am playing DOS 2 it is incredible.