WotC More info on Baldur's Gate 3 coming February 27 2020

In this brief clip we see some voice acting for Volo and a quote, some motion capture, orchestra, some photography that I'm not sure how it would be used in a video game and lastly a date February 27 2020, which happens to be the date of Pax East.

Speculate away.

 

[dalisprime]

I think BG1 had a fair amount less humour than BG2 did but that's not too say it was missing. Minsc, the very meta tomb stones in Nashkel, the dude that just won't leave you alone (still in Nashkel) - just off the top of my head. BG2 ramped it up a great deal as by then BioWare had more experience and far more material to work with and the humour appeared in both character interaction and quests.
That said, I believe WotC (Mearls in particular) are involved to a degree in the game (beyond just signing it off) and the trailer didn't lend itself to a game filled with gags, so I have full confidence they'll deliver a game with the right balance of jokes and serious tones. As for the behind scenes videos: that's just them being goofy and having fun with making the game. If nothing else, it shows that Larian Studios are a pretty cool company to work for.

 

[gyor]

While I expect it to not suck from a technical perspective, I'm not so sure when it comes to the writing and actual narrative. The Divinity games are very self-aware and self-effacing and really exude a feel of not taking themselves particularly seriously. All well and good of course, but not something I expect of Baldur's Gate. Yeah, of course it's gotta have it's goofy and meta moments just like BG1 & 2....but comparing the overall feel of BG1 & 2 and Divinity....I'm not confident they can pull this off without making it one, long gag.

There's been almost no info about BG3 since the original announcement, and what precious little there was that was even tangentially related....well, their goofy vids do not do anything to allay my feeling that BG3 will be one long Larian-styled tongue-in-cheek gagfest.

Time will tell of course and I'll watch/read the info they release about the game....but at this point there is no excitement or optimism, just skeptical curiosity.

They've already said the tone and look of BG 3 is very different from the divinity series. They have made it clear that while their will be moments of humour it's not going to be a "running gag" like Divinity Original Sin 2.

Why do people like you think that whatever Larian does is constrained by what they did before? It's a whole different game with a very different set of systems.

Plus the writing staff is much larger. DOS2 had 9 writers and one consultant and BG3 has 22 writers or more (they started with 22 but they keep hiring more people to work on the game so it could be higher).

 

[ZeshinX]

They've already said the tone and look of BG 3 is very different from the divinity series. They have made it clear that while their will be moments of humour it's not going to be a "running gag" like Divinity Original Sin 2.

Why do people like you think that whatever Larian does is constrained by what they did before? It's a whole different game with a very different set of systems.

Plus the writing staff is much larger. DOS2 had 9 writers and one consultant and BG3 has 22 writers or more (they started with 22 but they keep hiring more people to work on the game so it could be higher).

I can't speak to why others may feel this way, but I can to why I do...because given their body of work, I see no compelling evidence that suggests they can achieve this. Technical design, yes. Narrative design, no.

That's not to say they won't. BG3 could very well be the first, but I will always remain skeptical when it comes to someone selling something. They need to show, not tell. So far, what they've shown does not support anything other than their usual goofy approach (a CG trailer, zero gameplay and their studio head being his lovably dork self). Confidence this will live up to the name Baldur's Gate it does not inspire in me.

 

[3catcircus]

I can't speak to why others may feel this way, but I can to why I do...because given their body of work, I see no compelling evidence that suggests they can achieve this. Technical design, yes. Narrative design, no.

That's not to say they won't. BG3 could very well be the first, but I will always remain skeptical when it comes to someone selling something. They need to show, not tell. So far, what they've shown does not support anything other than their usual goofy approach (a CG trailer, zero gameplay and their studio head being his lovably dork self). Confidence this will live up to the name Baldur's Gate it does not inspire in me.

If they can deliver a game using 5e rules, with the depth of BG2 and the environmental interaction of DOS2, I'll be happy. If I had to choose between immersive interaction with the environment or voice talent, I'll be happy with text-only, especially since I read faster than the dialogue voiced in any CRPG.

 

[gyor]

If they can deliver a game using 5e rules, with the depth of BG2 and the environmental interaction of DOS2, I'll be happy. If I had to choose between immersive interaction with the environment or voice talent, I'll be happy with text-only, especially since I read faster than the dialogue voiced in any CRPG.

We already know there is at least some voice work from the trailer and the background clip.

 

[ZeshinX]

If they can deliver a game using 5e rules, with the depth of BG2 and the environmental interaction of DOS2, I'll be happy. If I had to choose between immersive interaction with the environment or voice talent, I'll be happy with text-only, especially since I read faster than the dialogue voiced in any CRPG.

I don't doubt Larian's technical skills. I have complete confidence that they can design and build a solid adaptation of 5e rules with beautiful, interactive environments. I do hope they go for adapting 5e and not being "inspired" by 5e as with the disastrously awful Sword Coast Legends did.

By slapping the "3" on the title, I have enormous expectations from this game. Fairly or unfairly, they've decided to imply a direct connection to what came before with that numeral...and I expect it to sit well with its elder peers.

Now had they simply dropped the "3" or given it its own title, something like "Clever Title: A Baldur's Gate Story"....I wouldn't be writing any of this lol.

 

[3catcircus]

We already know there is at least some voice work from the trailer and the background clip.

I'm aware. It's just one of those things where having fancy voice acting is at the very bottom of my list of must-haves.

Ability to create characters you want to create? If it limits traditional classes and race or add ones not part of Forgotten Realms, that's a problem. I should be able to create a PC who hails from anywhere in Faerun.

Ability to create a custom party or modify any party NPCs? While not perfect, PF Kingmakers ability to retrain the NPCs was a good decision - I turned Octavia into a pure wizard because I already had myself as the rogue.

Depth and richness to the game? At least as long as BG2, please.

Interactive with the world? I want to be able to have uses for spells and abilities. I want to be able to use telekinesis to drop a barrel of oil on the enemy and have someone be able to ignite it by shooting an arrow into a lantern and knock it off the table into the puddle of oil. I should be able to get through puzzles or obstacles in multiple ways rather than trudging around to find the one key or talk to the one NPC to do so. But, if for example I smash open a door, there ought to be a chance that enemies come a-running rather than stay where they are at waiting to be slaughtered.

Ease of control and ability to change keybindings.

A crafting system that doesn't result in me having a bunch of unused reagents before I decide what to create - a prompt telling me "you have enough of x, y, and z to craft A or upgrade B" rather than going in my inventory and seeing what I can make while I have 37 x, 52 y, and 12 z sitting in my inventory. Implementing the rules from Xanathar's would be a bonus.

Variety in the various magic goodies. If the main good magic item to be pilfered in a particular dungeon is a flaming longsword but I prefer an axe, there should be some way to allow selection of the base item as an axe and overlay the goodness into it.

 

[Quickleaf]

I don't doubt Larian's technical skills. I have complete confidence that they can design and build a solid adaptation of 5e rules with beautiful, interactive environments. I do hope they go for adapting 5e and not being "inspired" by 5e as with the disastrously awful Sword Coast Legends did.

Yes, Mike Mearls and Sven Vincke had an interview – I think it was E3 – where they discussed staying as close to the 5e rules as possible but needing to adapt certain rules. Sounds like they specifically had ideas for the ranger class.

Also, Sven Vincke, founder/head at Larian Studios, is going to receive the first Belgian Lifetime Achievement Award!

 

[ZeshinX]

Yes, Mike Mearls and Sven Vincke had an interview – I think it was E3 – where they discussed staying as close to the 5e rules as possible but needing to adapt certain rules. Sounds like they specifically had ideas for the ranger class.

Also, Sven Vincke, founder/head at Larian Studios, is going to receive the first Belgian Lifetime Achievement Award!

Again I need show from them, not tell. Mearls said the same of Sword Coast Legends.

 

[gyor]

I'm aware. It's just one of those things where having fancy voice acting is at the very bottom of my list of must-haves.

Ability to create characters you want to create? If it limits traditional classes and race or add ones not part of Forgotten Realms, that's a problem. I should be able to create a PC who hails from anywhere in Faerun.

Ability to create a custom party or modify any party NPCs? While not perfect, PF Kingmakers ability to retrain the NPCs was a good decision - I turned Octavia into a pure wizard because I already had myself as the rogue.

Depth and richness to the game? At least as long as BG2, please.

Interactive with the world? I want to be able to have uses for spells and abilities. I want to be able to use telekinesis to drop a barrel of oil on the enemy and have someone be able to ignite it by shooting an arrow into a lantern and knock it off the table into the puddle of oil. I should be able to get through puzzles or obstacles in multiple ways rather than trudging around to find the one key or talk to the one NPC to do so. But, if for example I smash open a door, there ought to be a chance that enemies come a-running rather than stay where they are at waiting to be slaughtered.

Ease of control and ability to change keybindings.

A crafting system that doesn't result in me having a bunch of unused reagents before I decide what to create - a prompt telling me "you have enough of x, y, and z to craft A or upgrade B" rather than going in my inventory and seeing what I can make while I have 37 x, 52 y, and 12 z sitting in my inventory. Implementing the rules from Xanathar's would be a bonus.

Variety in the various magic goodies. If the main good magic item to be pilfered in a particular dungeon is a flaming longsword but I prefer an axe, there should be some way to allow selection of the base item as an axe and overlay the goodness into it.

Voice acting isn't a priority for me either, but it doesn't come at the expense of other aspects of the game, so I would enjoy it.