How can they possibly have gotten permission from Wizards of the Coast to use 2nd edition?
WotC owns forgotten realms, so even if they scrapped the ruleset entirely they depend on WotC for the world setting (which they can't change easily without turning it into another game entirely).
I can't imagine that WotC would allow them to make a game based on an old ruleset when they'd rather promote a newer one like 4e. Though maybe they've realized that there's no point in promoting 4e now and 5e isn't out yet either...
If you are referring to a future third Baldur's Gate game, then yeah, whatever will be the current D&D rules set is what the company will have to build with.
But if you are talking about these updates to the first two games, I would guess that the rights to the rules set used in them was part of the deal when the new company acquired them. Something like that WotC could not do anything about because it is not a totally new game being produced with the old rules.
How can they possibly have gotten permission from Wizards of the Coast to use 2nd edition?
I'm not sure that's how it went down. Baldur's Gate is a 2nd Edition-esque game. It's not really feasible to remake it in a newer edition without a much larger budget. WotC clearly thought that providing license to Overhaul Games to update the Baldur's Gate series was a good move.
WotC owns forgotten realms, so even if they scrapped the ruleset entirely they depend on WotC for the world setting (which they can't change easily without turning it into another game entirely).
Which is why they went to WotC to get license to update the game.
I can't imagine that WotC would allow them to make a game based on an old ruleset when they'd rather promote a newer one like 4e. Though maybe they've realized that there's no point in promoting 4e now and 5e isn't out yet either...
Or maybe they think that providing support for well-loved games is something worth doing, especially when it doesn't require a significant investiture of resources on their part.
If you are referring to a future third Baldur's Gate game, then yeah, whatever will be the current D&D rules set is what the company will have to build with.
But if you are talking about these updates to the first two games, I would guess that the rights to the rules set used in them was part of the deal when the new company acquired them. Something like that WotC could not do anything about because it is not a totally new game being produced with the old rules.
WotC could have denied Beamdog/Overhaul license to update and rerelease the game, but they didn't.
How can they possibly have gotten permission from Wizards of the Coast to use 2nd edition?
WotC owns forgotten realms, so even if they scrapped the ruleset entirely they depend on WotC for the world setting (which they can't change easily without turning it into another game entirely).
Because, again, WotC is on a nostalgia kick and releasing reprints of AD&D. Yes, the reprint is of 1st ed and BG uses 2nd ed, but I reckon it's all part of the same situation/marketing hoopla.
I can't imagine that WotC would allow them to make a game based on an old ruleset when they'd rather promote a newer one like 4e. Though maybe they've realized that there's no point in promoting 4e now and 5e isn't out yet either...
And, AGAIN (understanding this part is entirely speculation), probably part of the idea is if the "Extreme Editions" of Baldur's Gate I and II do well, they can then put out a Baldur's Gate III that would in fact probably come out... oh, probably right around the time or not long after 5th ed comes out. And they'll probably plan to put out BG3 in 5th Ed.
Even if I'm off base, that's WotC's logo clearly there on the Website, so obviously they DID give permission, even if the reasons are not immediately clear.
The rights situation sounds complex. Atari have the rights to the BALDUR'S GATE series (as it was published by Interplay, who sold the D&D licence to Atari, although Interplay retained some reprint rights) but Wizards have gotten the D&D game licence itself back. So Atari and WotC had to agree to do this upgrade. Interplay, meanwhile, can continue to repackage the original games in budget packs and they're doing this deal to release them on Steam, I believe. BioWare are now completely out of the loop on it.
Some of the staff of Bonedog used to be on the Bioware staff and were part of the Baldur's Gate dev team, so even though Bioware isn't involved, we're still getting some of the folks who worked on the original.
(And thank GOD Bioware the company isn't involved. If Electronic Arts laid a finger on Baldur's Gate, I might have to get violent.)
You can already get the original games on Good Old Games (gog.com) for $10 each (with all kinds of goodies included).
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I'm okay with digital distribution as long as it's the kind that puts the game on my system, where if I don't have internet I can still play, I hate the cloud versions that you can't have it on your system and if your internet is gone you've got squat.
I expect it will be largely DRM-free, and certainly local. It's ironic, though, that people are talking about draconian DRM for the re-release of the game. At the time of Baldur's Gate's original release, it was considered awful that the game required the disc in the drive in order to play, even when fully installed!
I'm okay with digital distribution as long as it's the kind that puts the game on my system, where if I don't have internet I can still play, I hate the cloud versions that you can't have it on your system and if your internet is gone you've got squat.
The GOG version is DRM free -- once it's on your PC, it's there, and if you save the installer, you can reinstall without having to go back online.
For the new version, we'll see. Given a big publisher like Atari's involved, it's hard to say, but I imagine they know they are selling to a single player audience, who tend not to like to be hooked online when they play games.
GOG is Good old Games. They sell, good old games via download.
Google them if you want to see what they sell.
I haven't used them, myself.
I have no idea what you to are talking about, I'm just saying I hate versions that don't actually put the game on your system, I'm not complaining about DRM I just want to be able to play my game when I don't have internet, which happens sometimes. And I don't know what GOG means.
I referred to it upthread, including the website url, gog.com . Since my post was a mere two posts above yours, I assumed you were responding to me, since I was noting you could buy a digital version there.
And generally speaking, for the record, requiring an Internet connection to play IS a form of DRM(the Internet connection is required to verify that you have a legal copy and/or stores it in a Cloud so you can only access it via your own log in). Thus DRM-free equals, amongst other things, no Internet connection required.
I'm alllllllllllllllllllmost done with BG1TUTU. Can't wait to see what my character looks like in 2.
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I have no idea what you to are talking about, I'm just saying I hate versions that don't actually put the game on your system, I'm not complaining about DRM I just want to be able to play my game when I don't have internet, which happens sometimes. And I don't know what GOG means.I referred to it upthread, including the website url, gog.com . Since my post was a mere two posts above yours, I assumed you were responding to me, since I was noting you could buy a digital version there.
And generally speaking, for the record, requiring an Internet connection to play IS a form of DRM(the Internet connection is required to verify that you have a legal copy and/or stores it in a Cloud so you can only access it via your own log in). Thus DRM-free equals, amongst other things, no Internet connection required.
Gotcha, no I hadn't been refering to your post specifically when I replied, I was just mentioning my dislike of cloud type systems, thats a way to make sure you keep paying for things and never actually own them or end your "service". Online verification I could also see as annoying, but I haven't dealt with that yet, so I didn't mean that when I posted.
For the new version, we'll see. Given a big publisher like Atari's involved, it's hard to say, but I imagine they know they are selling to a single player audience, who tend not to like to be hooked online when they play games.
I know that the multiplayer aspect of BG (which was in the original, but not a big selling point) is being pushed hard in the remake. That may tempt Beamdog and Atari to include some form of DRM. However, the game's iPad version is also being emphasised for portability, and given that it's not always possible to keep an iPad online (on a plane or train, for example, or indeed Trent Ostler's own example of playing it on a beach), that may make it less likely that always-on DRM will be used.
Cloud systems overall took a pretty sharp hit in credibility with the raid on megaupload. Just sayin'.
Megaupload wasn't really a cloud, though. Certainly not in the way Steam, GoG, Origin or indeed Beamdog work. Megaupload basically allowed piracy on their site and did not adequately protect themselves against it legally. Megaupload's fate will simply cause other file-sharing sites to better protect themselves, not get them to shut down altogether.
Anyway, good news is that Trent Oster (the head of Beamdog and former BioWare employee who worked on BG1-2) has said on Twitter that they are now strongly considering releasing the BG Enhanced Editions on other platforms. GoG and Steam were suggested to him and they seem to be the platforms they are looking at, and they may even drop their own Beamdog system altogether.
This is encouraging, as some fans were thinking that Beamdog were doing this whole project just to boost the profile of their own DL platform. This news seems to confirm they are looking at the game first and foremost and will take steps to get it out there in as big a way as possible, even if it means dropping their own propriety DL system.
I can't wait??
Dave Gross has just signed on as lead writer.
http://www.baldursgate.com/news/2012/04/26/announcing-dave-gross-as-lead-wr iter-for-baldurs-gate-enhanced-edition/
OH F YES
A wise decision no doubt. Where I was already 'interested' in this before, I am now 'very interested'.
I just hope they don't change the game too much. Looking forward to this release. I finished the Original Bgate and Tales of the Sword Coast. Bg2 and it's expansion are still on my desk after all these years, just never got around to it. :)
I hope they do an update to Planescape: Torment as well, I would replay it in a heartbeat.
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I just hope they don't change the game too much. Looking forward to this release. I finished the Original Bgate and Tales of the Sword Coast. Bg2 and it's expansion are still on my desk after all these years, just never got around to it. :)
I hope they do an update to Planescape: Torment as well, I would replay it in a heartbeat.
We won't change the original game much except to improve the graphics and game play. The "expanded" content will come in the form of new NPCs and additional areas.
BG2 is in the plan, and Planescape: Torment is on the wish list (and especially close to my heart as well as the boss's). That's about as much as I can say without causing trouble, but as we get closer to launch, we'll all be able to post more detail.
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I just hope they don't change the game too much. Looking forward to this release. I finished the Original Bgate and Tales of the Sword Coast. Bg2 and it's expansion are still on my desk after all these years, just never got around to it. :)
I hope they do an update to Planescape: Torment as well, I would replay it in a heartbeat.
We won't change the original game much except to improve the graphics and game play. The "expanded" content will come in the form of new NPCs and additional areas.
BG2 is in the plan, and Planescape: Torment is on the wish list (and especially close to my heart as well as the boss's). That's about as much as I can say without causing trouble, but as we get closer to launch, we'll all be able to post more detail.
Please tell me that NPCs in the group will have interactions like in the TuTu and in BG2, that's what I'm waiting for, the game gave so many characters with such great personalities, but then once they joined the group that ended it, and a lot of them only made appearances in the sequel so you didn't get the whole shebang like you felt you got out of BG2, that was what made the TuTu so appealing was the NPC mod that gave you more of the characters personalities while in the group.
I just hope they don't change the game too much. Looking forward to this release. I finished the Original Bgate and Tales of the Sword Coast. Bg2 and it's expansion are still on my desk after all these years, just never got around to it. :)
I hope they do an update to Planescape: Torment as well, I would replay it in a heartbeat.
We won't change the original game much except to improve the graphics and game play. The "expanded" content will come in the form of new NPCs and additional areas.
BG2 is in the plan, and Planescape: Torment is on the wish list (and especially close to my heart as well as the boss's). That's about as much as I can say without causing trouble, but as we get closer to launch, we'll all be able to post more detail.
Thanks for letting us know! This really sounds like an exciting project.
If you ever do get the rights to Torment, I hope you can get Chris Avellone to collaborate.
Thanks for the info Dave! :)
Last time I talked to you was on AOL's old TSR site. TSR Dave was it?
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If the boss isn't looking over your shoulder, join us over at Reddit at 3:30 ET today for an AMAA (Ask Me Almost Anything) on Baldur's Gate: Expanded Edition.
Most of the Overhaul Games crew will attend, including Grand Poobah Trent Oster, who can also talk about the olden days of Bioware and the BG games.
And I don't think it'll cause much trouble if you ask Pathfinder Tales or Forgotten Realms novel questions.
Sunderstone, yes, I was TSR Dave back in the olden days.
Looks like that means I'll be picking up Borderlands 2 on Tuesday then.
Bummer
Have they fixed the issue with Windows and Intel graphics chips yet? From what I heard, it doesn't run at all on most systems.
It runs OK - eventually; it took me quite a few visits to the forum to get it running on my system, and I don't have much trouble with the vast majority of games (especially older ones)
Good points: Incorporated the character kits from BG2
Handier interface (important buildings are now marked on the map - you can add your own notes, too; journal's organised better; mages have more than one weapon slot, etc.
Still a fantastic game, bugs or no bugs
Not as good: The new adventure (Escape from the Black Pits) I could do without - just a series of pit fights without much replay
value.
It is buggy as all goodness. You can work around it,certainly, but it is pretty irritating that you have to work so hard to get it running...
Also, it doesn't look like Tales from the Sword Coast has been included - that's more of a whinge on my part than an actual fault, though.
Admittedly, I've only played it for a few hours on Sunday, too, (and haven't played the GOG version for a while) so this isn't the most in depth of reviews...
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Also, it doesn't look like Tales from the Sword Coast has been included - that's more of a whinge on my part than an actual fault, though.
According to the wiki entry (and from what I remember being posted about the game prior to release) TotSC is supposed to be in BG Enhanced.
I have only been able to play the Black Pits (prior to going on vacation) so I have been using that scenario as a sort of warm up before starting the real game so I couldn't tell you. It would make sense to incorporate TotSC since their next release is going to be BG II, not a smaller BG expansion.
I won't know if they added Ulgoths Beard (most of the TotSC areas) till I get into the campaign, but I'm assuming it's there.
You may well be right - you can access it separately in the original game, though, and you can't in the enhanced version, which is why I thought it was missing. Still, no doubt all will become clear later in the game...
Anyone have any idea when this will be ported to android tablets?
Anyone have any idea when this will be ported to android tablets?
They've hit major technical snags with the transfer to Android. Apparently far too many Android phones are insufficiently technically powerful enough to run the game, which is raising question marks about how they can market the game and make sure people don't get it who can't then run it (which would cause lots of headaches with refunds and so on). Apparently, after four months, they still haven't cracked it though they're still working on it.