Great IceWind Dale Deals at Amazon

[txa1265]

Don't know if this works internationally, but if you are in the US and don't have IWD yet, now is the time to act ...

Icewind Dale II for $4.99 (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000065DGH/ref=nosim/cheapassgam08-20)

Icewind Dale Ultimate Collection for $19.99 (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00009ECGH/ref=nosim/cheapassgam08-20)
From the Manufacturer
Journey deep into the Spine of the World, a harsh and unforgiving environment teaming with merciless beasts and terrible dangers. In this exclusive adventure pack developed by award-winning Black Isle Studios, are the full versions of Icewind Dale, Icewind Dale: Heart of Winter, Icewind Dale II, the critically acclaimed soundtrack for Icewind Dale, bonus CDs, including Icewind Dale and Icewind Dale: Heart of Winter strategy guides, an additional level, and a set of 4 character portraits from Icewind Dale II.

[KazikluBey]

For Europeans, I suggest this (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Icewind-Dale-Compilation-PC-DVD/dp/B000FGBVAC/sr=8-1/qid=1165326417/ref=pd_ka_1/202-0977553-0575809?ie=UTF8&s=videogames).

Each game on a single DVD. Get the corresponding Baldur's Gate DVD compilation while you're at it (nice bundle price for both, btw), consisting of BG1 + TotSC + BG2 + ToB on a total of 4 DVDs.

Apparently, those DVD compilations have/won't be released in North America.

[txa1265]

Apparently, those DVD compilations have/won't be released in North America.

No ... there is profound publisher idiocy regarding the US and DVD versions ... although with older games like this, doing CD makes some sense (as opposed to the *6* CD's I had to shuffle for Mage Knight Apocalypse ... )

[xSamhainx]

Don't know if this works internationally, but if you are in the US and don't have IWD yet, now is the time to act ...

Icewind Dale II for $4.99 (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000065DGH/ref=nosim/cheapassgam08-20)

Icewind Dale Ultimate Collection for $19.99 (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00009ECGH/ref=nosim/cheapassgam08-20)

Nice!
thanks for the heads-up, HomeSkillet!

Never got around to the IWD games. Strange that for once Amazon itself has the lowest price, usually it's.. well, not them but one of the other vendors there.

"Ultimate Collection" according to a poster there:
1.Icewind Dale (2 CD's)
2.Icewind Dale Expansion Heart of Winter (1CD)
3.Icewind Dale II (2 CD's)
4.Icewind Dale soundtrack
5.Icewind Dale II bonus disk
6.Icewind dale strategy guides, trailer of IWD II

[txa1265]

HomeSkillet!
:S
Never got around to the IWD games
I've never finished them, either ... chances are there will be plenty of time in the next year or so ...

[JDR13]

The Baldurs Gate compilation is on 1 DVD, not 4.

Great post by the way, txa1265, I remember paying $59.99 for IWD2 alone,(collectors edition of course) and it was worth every penny.

[KasperFauerby]

Well, *my* Baldurs Gate compilation is on 2 DVDs (the two main games) and 2 CDs (the add-ons)

:)

[xSamhainx]

HomeSkillet is California lingo.

Dont worry, it's a term of endearment. Sort of ='.'=

[Kawika]

Oh, very nice! I lost my ID disk some time ago. Now I can pick up a new one and play expansion and sequel for super cheap. Thanks Mike. Now I'm a happy camper (pun intended?). :D

[Alrik Fassbauer]

No ... there is profound publisher idiocy regarding the US and DVD versions ...
Yes. Indeed.

I once asked at Interplay about the Icewind Dale Soundtrack CD, whether it would be sold here in Europe, too.

No, was the answer. I was not really surprised.

Over the time I have grown kind of a prejudice that publishers are biased towards the US. I put it into this sentence : "Bigger, better, first". The Collector's Edition of Icewind Dale was originally not planned for Europe, if I remember correctly. And it didn't even contain a Soundtrack CD.

The Icewind Dale Soundtrack CD was released here in Germany much later in an Icewind Dale compilation.

[KazikluBey]

The Baldurs Gate compilation is on 1 DVD, not 4.

Good luck fitting 11 crammed CDs on a single DVD. ;)

It's probably as Kasper said though, 2 DVDs (one for each game) and 2 CDs (one for each expansion) - I didn't check the format of the discs after I bought it.

[txa1265]

Over the time I have grown kind of a prejudice that publishers are biased towards the US. I put it into this sentence : "Bigger, better, first".

Sure ... unless you want to get a soundtrack for the Gothic games ;)

[Alrik Fassbauer]

Well ... yes. :D

This is one of the *really* rare occations that we get something first. :D

A friend of mine even ordered the Spellforce 2 Collector's Edition from the U.S. . ;)

But without Piranha bytes and Phenomic (Spellforce) things wouldn't look so reltively good.

[Maylander]

I've had the entire series for years, it's well worth the money. They're very similar to BG1-2 in terms of gameplay, and have solid stories, but are much more linear and have far more dungeon crawling. If you keep that in mind, and still think it sounds great, you probably won't be dissappointed. :)

[NFLed]

For me BG = very good, BG2 = very great, IWD1 = decent, IWD2 = not my cup of tea.

[magerette]

Nice!
"Ultimate Collection" according to a poster there:
1.Icewind Dale (2 CD's)
2.Icewind Dale Expansion Heart of Winter (1CD)
3.Icewind Dale II (2 CD's)
4.Icewind Dale soundtrack
5.Icewind Dale II bonus disk
6.Icewind dale strategy guides, trailer of IWD II

Wonder if the IWD II Bonus disk is that Trials of the Luremaster thing--where you get sent to the castle that's strangely reminiscent of the Severed Hand and have to unravel a bunch of puzzles while slaying yet more hordes of Undead.

Icewind Dale was a great dungeon crawler, and even Heart of Winter was enjoyable. In IWD II, the Infinity engine really started showing it's age. Also, IIRC, they rushed it out (was it during the last days of Interplay?)and had to use a lot of the same art & levels from IWD.

But for that price, man--definitely worth adding it to the collection.

[JDR13]

Good luck fitting 11 crammed CDs on a single DVD. ;)

It's probably as Kasper said though, 2 DVDs (one for each game) and 2 CDs (one for each expansion) - I didn't check the format of the discs after I bought it.

If you click on the link and look at the product description, it says ...

"Special 4-game DVD-ROM".

I was just going by what it said.

[JDR13]

Icewind Dale was a great dungeon crawler, and even Heart of Winter was enjoyable. In IWD II, the Infinity engine really started showing it's age. Also, IIRC, they rushed it out (was it during the last days of Interplay?)and had to use a lot of the same art & levels from IWD.


I thought it was neat that you revisited some of the levels from IWD 1. I'm pretty sure it was intentional.

I for one wish Bioware had made even more games using that engine. It also would have been nice to see a setting other than the Forgotten Realms or Planescape.

[Alrik Fassbauer]

Trials of the Luremaster was even translated into German (hopefully into *any* language into which the main game was also translated).

This was a thing I hadn't expected, back then.

I really liked the game, but too much fighting became too boring to me.
Considering the really great flair and athmosphere, I had the feeling as if this was - after a German saying - pearls for pigs. I mean that I had the feeling as if this great athmosphere was worth something much more better than a mere dungeon crawl.
Wasted possiblilities, I'd say.

But for those who really love such a combat-oriented game it's really fun ! (Like it was in the beginning for me as well !)


By the way, Interplay still exists - although not much is left anymore. But their web site still works - although it is much, much smaller than in the Golden Days.

[magerette]

@Alrik
Well at least somebody cared for the crazed German/Euro gamers.;) I think you guys are pretty fortunate in having some excellent developers and games of your own, tho, too. (Is Jo-Wood a german company?)

I agree about the amount of content IWD had--it would have been nice to see it fleshed out a bit more. But I don't think they ever planned it to be much but a hack n slash title. Too bad....I'm sure it was a money thing. In this country, most things are.

Interplay does still exist, but as I'm sure you know the creators of the classic Black Isle games like IWD & Planescape have all moved on--quite a few went to Obsidian(J.E. Sawyer & Fearghus Urquehart are all I can remember right now.)--and worked on NWN2.

I think Interplay at this stage is all about that Fallout Online thing.

[Arma]

Actually, I saw on one local forums that Atari are prepping up an Ultimate DnD bundle or something and was available for pre-order (of a sort), including NWN with both expansions, both BGs with expansions, both IWDs with the first one's expansion, ToEE, Dragonshard and Demon Stone for about the price of 60 euros. With the obvious exclusion of PS-T in favor of the more recent and mediocre Dragonshard and Demon Stone, the only problem is it has still to see the light of day and there is absolutely no info on it by now since then. Still, it would be fine if this sees this in retail.

[Alrik Fassbauer]

(Is Jo-Wood a german company?)

Yes, they are. And rumor says they nearly went bancrupt this year. Thus the rushed game (Gothic 3).

[cutterjohn]

Yes, they are. And rumor says they nearly went bancrupt this year. Thus the rushed game (Gothic 3).IIRC they've been "nearly bankrupt" for the last several years.

Aspyr appears to have really done a budget release of G3 in the U.S., based upon their selling it at a recommended retail price of $39.99, and some other notes that I've read in various places. Might end up buying an imported U.K. copy if I can find it at a good($20-30) price, after all I picked up NWN2 for $24.99... :D (Kind of weird how MK keeps getting hawked @ $49.99, and if any recent game was a $20 budget release...)

IWD: IIRC the series was designed to be combat driven to begin with, as they meant to offset the, arguably, more story driven Baldur's Gate series.

That said, I HATED the Infinity engine(and based) games. It always felt more like work than fun playing those particular games, although, strangely I have managed to work around/with NWN1 and NWN2(Aurora engine, and even though they gave it a new name, HEAVILY Aurora engine based engine(NWN2)). Also, Obsidian re-used a TON of old Bioware content that I've noticed in NWN2 so far. Everything from sound, voice acting, background placeables, spell effects, misc. graphics, etc. Kind of sad.

[Alrik Fassbauer]

Yes, but this year it was seriously closer to bancrupcy than ever before, I heard.

[magerette]

Yes, but this year it was seriously closer to bancrupcy than ever before, I heard.

Not good. I look to the European developers for the future of PC, especially RPG titles.
I think the U.S. is way too geared up about consoles for all the wrong reasons, and also that the big dogs,as we say, have taken over the majority of companies--not to produce computer games, but to produce the most marketable, profitable entertainment experience--whatever that is.

I have nothing against the console gaming experience--or gamers who get off on consoles. It's the marketers that think it's the be-all and end-all of gaming and are only in it for the $$$ that make me tired. Of course there are plenty of those in the pc gaming world, too.

I regret to hear that Jo-Wood is in financial straits. They have produced some great games--I liked Europa 1400:The Guild, as well as the Gothis titles.

[magerette]

Actually, I saw on one local forums that Atari are prepping up an Ultimate DnD bundle or something and was available for pre-order (of a sort), including NWN with both expansions, both BGs with expansions, both IWDs with the first one's expansion, ToEE, Dragonshard and Demon Stone for about the price of 60 euros. With the obvious exclusion of PS-T in favor of the more recent and mediocre Dragonshard and Demon Stone, the only problem is it has still to see the light of day and there is absolutely no info on it by now since then. Still, it would be fine if this sees this in retail.


That would be a mind-boggling collection--and a great way to recruit new players for the old classics. And you don't have to install the new junk.
Atari is probable needing the $$$, too. They have had some dismal profits the last few years.

[txa1265]

I think the U.S. is way too geared up about consoles for all the wrong reasons, and also that the big dogs,as we say, have taken over the majority of companies--not to produce computer games, but to produce the most marketable, profitable entertainment experience--whatever that is.

Everyone pins it on the US - but Ubi is French, and there are plenty of shallow me-too console games coming from Japan as well ...

The bottom line is what you say - profitable entertainment, whatever that means. In that regard it is little different than movies and music. And in those industries, just because the overwhelming majority of sales go to shallow crap, that doesn't preclude the production of quality and deep material. Just makes it harder to get it 'out there'.

[magerette]

Everyone pins it on the US - but Ubi is French, and there are plenty of shallow me-too console games coming from Japan as well ....

Thanks txa1265--I feel much better now I realize the whole world sucks.:)

[txa1265]

Thanks txa1265--I feel much better now I realize the whole world sucks.:)

Hehe ... someone disabused me of the same notion, so I had to share the pain ;)