Dragon Age - Preview @ Eurogamer

Originally Posted by kalniel
I thought I explained - Baldurs gate is a computer game using the AD&D rules and fully round-based system, but it's not trying to emulate the table top experience in the way that something like D&D Insider is now for.

It's not real time with pause because the entire mechanics are still based around a round and what you can do within that. Even NWN 1& 2 still have an internal (though asynchronous, unlike BG) round mechanic which you have to use custom heartbeats to get around. RTwP would be something like Dungeon Siege.

I understand exactly how it works, thank you.

In the post I originally quoted, you imply a turn-based implementation of BG would be pointless, because it brings nothing the current system doesn't achieve in either authenticity or tactics. In this post, you acknowledge BG doesn't try to fully emulate the table top experience.

Some of us would enjoy it if BG (etc) did emulate the table top experience closer, and therefore, a sequential turn-based system does have something to offer in authenticity and tactics.

My name's Yeesh and I chime in.

I found the real-time but 'round-based' mechanism of BG to be particularly lame on my most recent attempt at a play through. I got to a part where I had to walk into a room with 4 or 5 hostile mages, and I just gave up. Too annoying. But let me focus on what I thought was lame.

In pure real time, a spell that takes 2 seconds to cast could be cast 10 times in 20 seconds (hope I got the math right). In BGII, my casters could fire off one spell per round; whether the spell takes 2 seconds or 10 seconds, that caster is done until the next round. Except this is a real-time game, so I can't see when the frigging rounds are. So time and time again, I'd select a caster who was just standing there, and I'd tell him to cast so and so spell, and he'd just keep standing there. And I'd go ARRRRGHHH and somebody would get their brain eaten by a mindflayer. RELOAD.

Anywho, I found that to be lame, in a game where magic plays such a critical role. In a true TB system, of course, this is not an issue. One spell per turn? Fine with me. And in a pure real-time system, this is not an issue. Some spells take long and some don't? Fine with me (I can cast more of the ones that take less times, and less of the long ones). But in this mixed mode, this round-based but real-time system, I can't tell what's going on.

Well, they could pop a yellow light above each char's head once that char has done some once-a-round action, and when the new round starts the lights could all turn green. But which actions trigger and which don't?

At some point, you just have to make the call, real-time or TB. And you have to accept (and we have to accept) that if the devs take real-time, there will be less control, no matter how pausible the game is. Unless you simplify gameplay down to Syndicate-like levels… (Move the group, click on the enemy. Rat-tat-tat-tat. Move the group…)

Well, BG is RTwP you and your enemies act in real-time there's no taking turns. Turns are 'simulated' in time but they are real-time. Fallout is turn-based with AP deciding the amount of actions you do per turn. All I said is that Bioware have never released a turn-based game, and they haven't. Maybe the Sonic game they are releasing is turn-based? I just don't think any of their 3G/PC releases will be turn-based because they would probably believe that to be a step back.

I love how Heroes of Might and Magic 3 implemented TB. Fallout was too slow, as killing rodents in slow motion just doesn't do it for me - in HoMM3, you could select "automatic combat" if your army was a lot stronger than the enemy army. Such an automatic fight was over instantly, but often lead to a bit more casualties than if the player manually controlled the fight (a price I'm more than willing to pay).

If I have to choose between BG and Fallout in terms of combat, I prefer BG by far, since all the mindless fights are over instantly.

One of the reasons why baldur's gate is such a wonderfull rpg game is that those battles don't have to last forver everytime.. Its just tons of fun seeing my heroes marching through horders of low level enemies in few seconds without sweat.. However I love the paused turn-based combat when I'm facing bunch of enemy mages.. So having the option to pause and give commands is imo the best system. Not fully turn-based but not entirely real-time. Call me weirdo if you like

Originally Posted by Dez
One of the reasons why baldur's gate is such a wonderfull rpg game is that those battles don't have to last forver everytime.. Its just tons of fun seeing my heroes marching through horders of low level enemies in few seconds without sweat..

You can have that with any Action-RPG nowadays. You don't need BG for that.

Doesn't make you *feel* as powerful though. There's somethig special about a mage (or sorcerer) with the Robe of Vecna shooting out instant chain lightnings, wiping out entire rooms in one bang.

That's why I still play NWN every week!!