The prison level in Act 2 is irritating as hell. Honestly Act 2 in general kinda sucks so far. Like they just stacked annoying things on top of each other.
― circa1916, Saturday, 16 September 2023 03:26 (nine months ago) link
update on my precious baby owlbear it finally found my camp after several long rests, then I tried to feed it and astarion scared it off ugh now I am definitely not going to have sex with that guy
also regarding romances in generalafter suffering through a really awkward make out sesh with shadowheart and an excruciating "love scene" with laezel I think videogame romance is not for me, is this stuff pretty common in gaming these days?
this is the first new game I've played in 20 odd years, back in my day yadda yadda anyways I get that there are lots of horndogs in the world but yikes, yikes everybody, was hoping at least for like a special "power of love" cantrip where we can heal/revive each other or something
― Florin Cuchares, Saturday, 16 September 2023 05:25 (nine months ago) link
also yeah that first real dungeon fight kicked my ass so hard, and indeed most battles even at lvl 5 now I seem to be clearing just by the skin of my worgs teeth, what has helped enormously is summoning the invisible flying imp to scope out the scene in advance, invisible imp MVP
― Florin Cuchares, Saturday, 16 September 2023 05:37 (nine months ago) link
Well I have definitely brown a few quests and killed potential party members I know that. It's all a part of it I guess
― Stomp Jomperson (dog latin), Saturday, 16 September 2023 14:45 (nine months ago) link
*broken
― Stomp Jomperson (dog latin), Saturday, 16 September 2023 14:52 (nine months ago) link
One of the reasons that multiple runthroughs is the norm
― what you say is true but by no means (lukas), Saturday, 16 September 2023 18:54 (nine months ago) link
Yup. I need to get used to the idea that you don't (and can't) do everything in the first run. I'm so Souls-pilled though that I insist on thoroughly exploring all areas before leaving them. No stone unturned
― Stomp Jomperson (dog latin), Saturday, 16 September 2023 20:58 (nine months ago) link
Found Karlach and she is already great, except for the part where she goes HAM after the fight with the fake paladins; I barely made it out alive after my third try against them, and of course she proceeds to wreck the place and set everything on fire, which kills Astarion outright and nearly my character and Shadowheart. Eventually she calms down by accidentally killing herself.
― The Banshees of Ed Sheeran (Leee), Saturday, 16 September 2023 23:13 (nine months ago) link
Who decided the Gauntlet of Shar dungeon in Act 2 was a good idea? Like cool, let’s have a labyrinthine, 4 layer dungeon with a map that will show you exactly one layer.
― circa1916, Sunday, 17 September 2023 01:34 (nine months ago) link
I honestly can’t tell if my game is broken or what. I’m watching walkthroughs and none of them are matching up with what I’m seeing. Good job, Larian. Glad I put like 50 hours into this.Also it’s cool how your PS5 directional pad randomly stops working in conversations. I’ve accidentally started fights like a dozen fights because of it.Why is nobody mentioning how borked this game is on PS5 in reviews?
― circa1916, Sunday, 17 September 2023 02:55 (nine months ago) link
Yeah all that stuff happens to me too. The dialogue thing is super annoying - I think it happens when you enter dialogue in turn-based mode, so try fiddling with that and seeing if it works.
I'm still having the thing where poison mist isn't visible.
And I'm worried that some sussur bark I spent ages looking for might have magically disappeared from my inventory. I sincerely hope not
I'm assuming this will all get patched but in the meantime it's very frustrating
― Stomp Jomperson (dog latin), Sunday, 17 September 2023 04:35 (nine months ago) link
I’m at a point where the game is just straight broken. The only save I have is rolling a 30. But I can only roll 29 with everything maxed out. I’ve never been so furious at a video game in my life.
― circa1916, Sunday, 17 September 2023 04:42 (nine months ago) link
have not encountered any bugs yet on PC, one time I "perceived" a giant clump of dirt but it wouldn't let me dig the chest up, but whatever those all seem to be little fun treats that don't matter like an extra mushroom in mario bros
― Florin Cuchares, Sunday, 17 September 2023 08:49 (nine months ago) link
mostly just agree with the polygon video Leee posted above, the options and branches and completely unnecessary detours in only the first map is tremendous
― Florin Cuchares, Sunday, 17 September 2023 08:55 (nine months ago) link
Yeah no bugs to report playing on PC. Careful with your inventory re: dog Latin. It might be a bug for you, but I’m kicking myself at accidentally selling a quest item amulet (I knew it was a quest item, just bulk sold some necklaces for cash). Have a stupid quest marker that is going to be there forever unless I can track the exact merchant I sold too but that’s long gone
― H.P, Sunday, 17 September 2023 11:24 (nine months ago) link
Woke up in the middle of the night stressing about party composition. Can't imagine not having a tank, a healer, a rogue and a wizard, but I don't want to be any of those, I want to be a secret fifth guy doing random fun bullshit.
― what you say is true but by no means (lukas), Sunday, 17 September 2023 17:11 (nine months ago) link
Turns out it wasn't a bug. Sussur Tree bark wilts in daylight
― Stomp Jomperson (dog latin), Sunday, 17 September 2023 17:14 (nine months ago) link
So I'm at the stage where the game is asking me to get on with the next part of the quest, but there are still things like visiting the Githyanki creche I need to do. I'm not sure whether to do all that stuff first or if I'm really meant to just plough on and leave certain quests for another playthrough
― Stomp Jomperson (dog latin), Sunday, 17 September 2023 17:16 (nine months ago) link
You can definitely leave some quests behind. I never did the Githyanki creche stuff or the mountain pass. Shit, I never even recruited Gale (I tried, but I failed the strength check to pull him out of the portal). I could have save scummed until I succeeded, but I decided just to roll with it (no pun intended). This is absolutely a game that expects you to be comfortable with not seeing everything and not succeeding at everything. I think that is really cool and I think more game devs could stand to learn from the example.
― feed me with your chips (zchyrs), Sunday, 17 September 2023 20:17 (nine months ago) link
agreed, super cool game design it's almost not even tempting to roll back to a previous save, I only do it when I stumble into a battle I was in no way prepared for and get absolutely murdered or like when I found Jaheira(!) and then minutes later huge surprise fight and she along with all the harpers are dead, could have just moved along but that sucks, do over please
― Florin Cuchares, Sunday, 17 September 2023 23:42 (nine months ago) link
I really need to get the obsessive "have to see everything, no stone unturned" thing out my head. I did it with Elden Ring on first playthrough which meant there wasn't much else left to explore on subsequent runs
― Stomp Jomperson (dog latin), Monday, 18 September 2023 00:58 (nine months ago) link
I also need to get out the habit of save scumming quite so much. I don't do it that often, mind you, but sometimes I just want the thing to happen, you know.
Nobody is interested in me romantically right now.
― Stomp Jomperson (dog latin), Monday, 18 September 2023 01:01 (nine months ago) link
There is something about dice-rolling that "really kinda works" in the context of irl D&D but is frustrating in the context of a video game RPG; it runs counterintuitive to the pleasure centres that are triggered by completism. I save-scummed (once) last night when Gale didn't read a scary book right the first time and the internet said that was that, the book was shut. Fuck that! I re-loaded and re-rolled and read the book and now Gale is a lich or something
― my best wishes to all (flamboyant goon tie included), Monday, 18 September 2023 01:32 (nine months ago) link
There is something about dice-rolling that "really kinda works" in the context of irl D&D but is frustrating in the context of a video game RPG
This is a really interesting point and I'm not exactly sure why, I guess we want to see the real dice? but also there are rolls behind the dm screen irl, do we trust humans over computers? kind of the same question I've had playing poker online
can we trust computers to play a game of chance or is that a strictly human thing
― Florin Cuchares, Monday, 18 September 2023 04:00 (nine months ago) link
xp haha FGTI I got to that bit last night, and I used Gale! I can't read the rest of it? It's still an open quest and hints I might be able to. Maybe another character could give it a go?
― Stomp Jomperson (dog latin), Monday, 18 September 2023 08:21 (nine months ago) link
You've got that "Karmic Dice" feature that I don't completely understand
― Stomp Jomperson (dog latin), Monday, 18 September 2023 08:24 (nine months ago) link
Karmic Dice is just a setting to prevent a run of consecutive low rolls, like a DM who fudges the outcome if you keep rolling poorly.
― The Banshees of Ed Sheeran (Leee), Monday, 18 September 2023 14:02 (nine months ago) link
It's stuff like this and the gnome catapult that keep me reading this thread vicariously.
― 50 Favorite Jordans (Jordan), Monday, 18 September 2023 14:06 (nine months ago) link
@ dl apparently if you don’t pass three consecutive dice rolls then nope the benefit is closed to you
Gale’s annoying, tho. He asks to eat and I can’t see the details of what artifact he wants, so I wave him away to contemplate what to feed him, but if you wave him thrice then he leaves, so…
― my best wishes to all (flamboyant goon tie included), Monday, 18 September 2023 15:11 (nine months ago) link
I’ve spent too much of feeding him learny scrolls to dismiss him tho, I have archmage plans for him
Last night I played a couple hours and was visited by a dream visitor who I since subsequently read up on, and yes this game is insane
― my best wishes to all (flamboyant goon tie included), Monday, 18 September 2023 15:13 (nine months ago) link
I think karmic dice tries to offset runs of high and low rolls, which can mean that you pass a bunch of easy checks with 17s and 18s that were way higher than the roll you actually needed, and then arbitrarily fail another easy check because the game thinks you must be due a 2
Most people seem to turn it off
― hiroyoshi tins in (Sgt. Biscuits), Monday, 18 September 2023 15:19 (nine months ago) link
These characters all seem to have:
- An addiction which makes them rather needy and dependent on some hard-to-find substance or artefact which they invariably shove into their chests - A back story involving a cruel oppressor whom they're running away from
― Stomp Jomperson (dog latin), Monday, 18 September 2023 15:36 (nine months ago) link
I'm halfway through chapter 3 and have reached the hard-capped level, all the fight encounters have been pretty easy now that everyone in the party has a million powers but the game is still fun and interesting
― Bongo Jongus, Monday, 18 September 2023 16:20 (nine months ago) link
To satisfy your meatworld thirst: https://www.polygon.com/23879237/baldurs-gate-voice-cast-high-roller-dnd-stream
― The Banshees of Ed Sheeran (Leee), Monday, 18 September 2023 19:58 (nine months ago) link
Curious to know what Shadowheart's actress's accent is -- Northernish?
― The Banshees of Ed Sheeran (Leee), Monday, 18 September 2023 20:21 (nine months ago) link
Shadowheart? I'd say RP really
― Stomp Jomperson (dog latin), Tuesday, 19 September 2023 01:38 (eight months ago) link
Ah, I thought I recognised the actor Jennifer English's name - she also is the voice of Latenna in Elden Ring. I have no idea why I looked this up previously. Maybe because it's quite distinct
― Stomp Jomperson (dog latin), Tuesday, 19 September 2023 01:40 (eight months ago) link
Mm had a save game data crash or something… reinstalling? I hope I win it back. Dunno if I’ll start again otherwise
― my best wishes to all (flamboyant goon tie included), Tuesday, 19 September 2023 03:53 (eight months ago) link
The servers were down last night and it wouldn't let anyone connect. I got around it by switching off 'connect to internet' on my PS5
― Stomp Jomperson (dog latin), Tuesday, 19 September 2023 08:17 (eight months ago) link
Yeah it started working again for me. I met Karlach and decided that I’d had enough of this ineffective party and I’m gonna respec Shadowheart with that Wilson dude to make her actually useful
― my best wishes to all (flamboyant goon tie included), Tuesday, 19 September 2023 14:58 (eight months ago) link
I'm playing as a wizard, so I respecced Gale to a Bard and swapped Astarion for him. Now I've got me, Karlach, Gale and Shadowheart, but I'm worried I have too many rangey heal casters and only one tanky melee person.
― Stomp Jomperson (dog latin), Tuesday, 19 September 2023 15:05 (eight months ago) link
Shadowheart is a pretty good healer but she takes so much damage, I find myself spending enough potions and spells keeping her health up as seems worth it.
― Stomp Jomperson (dog latin), Tuesday, 19 September 2023 15:06 (eight months ago) link
Killed Minthara by Thuderwaving her into a Cloud of Daggers, now I want a four-caster team.
― what you say is true but by no means (lukas), Tuesday, 19 September 2023 15:40 (eight months ago) link
Is Shadowheart viable? I have her as a support healer in my party with Karlach and Astarion (I'm playing as a sorcerer), but in tougher fights she ends up not contributing much (maybe I'm just being tactically stupid). I think I saw somewhere that she has some decent offensive spells too and that I should grind a little to level her up first?
― The Banshees of Ed Sheeran (Leee), Tuesday, 19 September 2023 16:27 (eight months ago) link
I found that Shadowheart didn't really get good until I hit Act 2 (which felt thematically appropriate), where her Turn Undead ability and the various kinds of radiant damage spells become extremely useful (Spirit Guardians is particularly great)
― feed me with your chips (zchyrs), Tuesday, 19 September 2023 16:34 (eight months ago) link
Also, Guiding Bolt wherever possible
― feed me with your chips (zchyrs), Tuesday, 19 September 2023 16:41 (eight months ago) link
I re-statted Shadowheart to have more focus on just WIS, STR and CON so she could hold her own in physical fights a bit better but yeah by Act 2 she has a lot of spell slots and a lot of enemies that are prone to getting mulched by just standing near her.
So much of her stuff requires concentration you just have to be careful you're picking the right one for the current encounter
― hiroyoshi tins in (Sgt. Biscuits), Tuesday, 19 September 2023 16:45 (eight months ago) link
I respec’d Shadowheart away from trickery and more toward “healing” both to zup up her heals and to give her heavy armour proficiency. Slapped a scale mail on her and I think she’ll be having an easier time now
Gonna keep my party basic basic for now (paladin rogue cleric wizard)… Astarion even as a thief is just too powerful a ranger/sneak attacker to let go, even if I’m not as tanky as I’d like
Also respec’d my pally main to get him 2H proficiency (I had picked duelist). A greatsword is smitier than etc etc
― my best wishes to all (flamboyant goon tie included), Tuesday, 19 September 2023 16:54 (eight months ago) link