Baldur's Gate - Enhanced Edition: Interview @ Gamebanshee

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Buck From Gamebanshee has interviewed Trent Oster from Overhaul Games, the company behind the re-make of the classic rpg. As you probably know it is called Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition.
The link: http://gamebanshee.com/interviews/108574-baldurs-gate-enhanced-edition-interview.html
It'll be out later this summer so let's start with a quote about what we should expect:
GB: So what exactly is Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition? What should we expect when it hits later this summer? Trent: Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition is the best version of Baldur's Gate we could imagine. We've added new content in the form of new adventures, new characters and new items. We've rebuilt the User Interface to make it work on all resolutions and aspect ratio screens. We've rebuilt the rendering system to utilize display hardware for better graphics, better performance and we've brought the game to new platforms. Basically it will be the Baldur's Gate you remember, but broadly improved
A quote about the platforms, then:
GB: With BG:EE hitting the iPad, PC, and Mac, are there any other platforms that you'd like to bring the title to? Have you considered consoles? Trent: We've done some hard thinking about console versions and we feel the user interface of Baldur's Gate would be a huge effort to re-target at a console control scheme. We think it is possible (we just had another request for a PS3 version today), but well outside our scope as an independent developer to deliver at the quality bar we hold ourselves to. GB: How will you be distributing the Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition at launch? Will it be exclusive to Beamdog, or might we see it on Steam and other digital download platforms on day one? Trent: Day one Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition will be exclusive to Beamdog on the PC, the Mac App Store and iTunes for the iPad. We're working out a Beamdog player-free solution for the BG fans that really don't want another client, so the user experience should be great.
A quote about the ex-Bioware members working on the Enhanced Edition:
GB: Can you give us a quick rundown of all the ex-BioWare folks who have come on board? Trent: So, Cam and I both put in some time on BG. I ran multiplayer testing for three months at the end of the project, Cam did some help with code and rendering optimizations. We also have Marcia Tofer, who did environment art on Baldur's Gate and art directed Baldur's Gate 2. Marcia is building the new area content along with another BG2 alumni, Russ Rice. Russ did area art and special effects for BG2 and he's hard at work on area art for us right now. John Gallagher who concepted all of BG1 and BG2 has provided a ton of great area concepts for our new content. Keith Soleski is hard at work on scripting. Keith made a tour through QA, then technical production at Bioware. After Dragon magazine and writing some Forgotten Realms novels, Dave Gross did his time at Bioware, going through the James Ohlen design bootcamp and digging into the Bioware method of writing games. We've had some audio assistance from Dave Chan, former audio lead at Bioware. Mike Sass was there to help us early on with the updates "Enhanced Edition" logo and ongoing work. Mike was responsible for all the BG character portraits and a lot of the original promotional artwork. Since we're a small shop, some people have already completed their work and have moved on. For example, John Gallagher is back doing movie / television concept work. We're trying to plan again to ensure we can pull him back for all out future content needs. We're also in the process of bringing another person on to help who people might recognize from another game, but we'll talk about that later.
More information.
 
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Exclusive to Beamdog? I don't want yet another client. They say they're working on a 'beamdog player-free' thing, but what!? Come the fuck on. Why not sell it everywhere? :p
 
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"GB: If Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition sells well, would you consider giving the same overhaul to Icewind Dale, Icewind Dale II, and Planescape: Torment if the powers that be would greenlight it?

Trent: Yes. Icewind Dale and Torment were on our list of games that need some loving."

Awesome!!!I hope they do PS:T EE first.
 
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Planescape: Tormemt, Icewind Dale. Awesome! Planescape: Torment is my favorite RPG in the [bioware isometic AD&D] series. It deserves a remake and a sequel. Please let it happen.
 
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ha , then I will get to play BG and PST and finish them.. I hope
Icewind Dale I don't think I would replay. I don't remember much depth from it.. I mean, having fiinished every edition and I can't remember not even one ending
 
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I need the game on steam...Beamdog? Never even heared about that.

Could also live with GoG...
 
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Aside from fixing a few technical issues mostly concerning directddraw and widescreen i can't really see how they would go about enhancing Torment. More characters? Nah. All the bugs and issues were mostly fixed by modders a long time ago anyway. Most serious balance issues probably can't be fixed without breaking the mechanics, that make this game so unique. Maybe only add some mage encounters, make enemies generally smarter and give them a few extra tricks, but that's about it.
 
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Yeah, I'd have to agree that I'd like to see the game either DRM free or on Steam. I srsly don't need to download some other framework for this to run.


-Carn
 
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Obviously they must promote their own service and BG is a great way of getting some new customers. But if you read the interview:

Day one Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition will be exclusive to Beamdog on the PC, the Mac App Store and iTunes for the iPad. We're working out a Beamdog player-free solution for the BG fans that really don't want another client
 
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Icewind Dale I don't think I would replay. I don't remember much depth from it.. I mean, having fiinished every edition and I can't remember not even one ending

..which makes an enhanced version with 'additional content' (an extra chapter or.. five?!) an appealing prospect. I hope this game sells loads so we get more spruced up infinity engine games. Then an all-new adventure using Icewind 2's 3rd edition set up!
 
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The IWDs had depth, but it was all related to party creation and combat. There wasn't really much there in regards to complex questlines or C&C.

Still, I'd purchased EE versions in a heartbeat.
 
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Aside from fixing a few technical issues mostly concerning directddraw and widescreen i can't really see how they would go about enhancing Torment. More characters? Nah. All the bugs and issues were mostly fixed by modders a long time ago anyway. Most serious balance issues probably can't be fixed without breaking the mechanics, that make this game so unique. Maybe only add some mage encounters, make enemies generally smarter and give them a few extra tricks, but that's about it.

TBH, in order to get BG+BG2 working in a solid state, with widescreen, and at a decent resolution (while still being able to see the text!), well.. it's a little complicated. It's totally doable, but it's a royal pain in the ass. I also think the interface is outdated for both games, and it seems like the bonus content is being made by legit people (let's hope!). Overall, I think they could do a lot to make the experience better, smoother, easier, more accessible, and bonus content.. well.. that will depend on its quality.
 
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Overall, I think they could do a lot to make the experience better, smoother, easier, more accessible, and bonus content..

Argh! you used the dreaded 'a' word that must never be mentioned! How do I report a post for inappropriate language?
 
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I usually a day one buyer but this time I'll hold of until it either a retail version should appear or if/when it becomes available at Steam/GOG. I have no interest in supporting yet another digital platform.
 
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We're working out a Beamdog player-free solution for the BG fans that really don't want another client, so the user experience should be great.

This, or no-buy, sorry. I will not install third-party software to run a game.
 
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It would be nice if they could find a way to let you use the same save between the iPad and the pc. I wouldn't play the iPad version at home but I would on the road. It would be nice to not have to have two separate games going. I'm not even sure if that's possible though.

I like the game so much I don't care if I have to run another client. It would be nice not to have to though. It's a day one buy for me.
 
I have shared Avernum: Escape from the Pit saves between desktop and iPad (thanks for the help, txa!), so I don't see why not. I don't think they could do it automagically (cloud saves, I guess? Using what infrastructure?) but there's a decent chance you could move saves manually.
 
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