D&D General Baldur's Gate 3 Early Access

Baldur's Gate III is now available for early access on Steam and on Stadia.

I couldn't get the Steam version working on my Mac, but the Stadia version works just fine. The opening tutorial level is pretty gruesome (at one point I had to squish somebody's brain) and the mind flayer airship you're trying to escape from beings to mind the movie Aliens a lot.

Character creation is quick and easy, although options in the early access are limited. The gameplay is like Divinity Original Sin 2 with the 5E rules layered over it. I've only played an hour or so of the game, and as an early access game, it is occasionally a bit buggy, but nothing showstopping (yet).

This isn't a review (I haven't played enough of it to do that, and I don't think it's fair to review an early access version anyway); it's mainly just an alert to the few people who don't already know it's available. If any such person exists!

 

[CapnZapp]

This is a D&D site.

Expect comments from people who "particularly care" about D&D.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

It's a false distinction. Plenty of people like D&D and like computer games, plenty of people like D&D and like tactical combat.

 

[Aldarc]

This is a D&D site.

Expect comments from people who "particularly care" about D&D.

No need to remind me. I'm quite aware, but plenty of the comments in this thread have clearly been based on it being a computer game (as part of a computer game franchise). People advocating for Real Time With Pause, for example, are advocating for what they regard as (1) a better video game experience for them and (2) as being in continuity with its predecessor games that were RTWP. The medium matters for people here and elsewhere and not just the fact that it is D&D.

 

[CapnZapp]

Sure, only that I think Larian would do well to cater to the larger crowd of D&D players curious about a computer implementation, and not only to the usual trigger happy crowd. Remember, my initial post was:

I wish they wouldn't implement difficulty levels with simple "you deal double damage" or "enemies have half hit points" adjustments, and instead implement an easier level by a more generous AI that acts more like a tabletop DM

To get to the point: I wish there was a way to play BG2 the way you can play the tabletop game, as an awesome mighty Barbarian that strides boldly towards the enemy.

Specifically:

When I play fantasy games I specifically do not want the faux-modern experience of stealth, cover and tactics.

This applies both to tabletop and computers.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Sure, only that I think Larian would do well to cater to the larger crowd of D&D players

The computer game market is many, many, many times the size of the tabletop RPG market.

curious about a computer implementation, and not only to the usual trigger happy crowd.

A tactical, turn based game is not for the "trigger happy crowd".

Remember, my initial post was:



Specifically:

This applies both to tabletop and computers.

If you want a game without stealth and cover, 5e is not the game for you. As for a game with no tactics, can I point you towards Snakes and Ladders.

 

[Azzy]

It's a false distinction. Plenty of people like D&D and like computer games, plenty of people like D&D and like tactical combat.

Agreed. Considering D&D grew out of Chainmail, 2e's Player's Option: Combat & Tactics, 3e's default combat rules, and 4e's default combat rules, D&D has a tradition of tactical combat.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I suppose you could make a party of entirely of tough heavily armoured tanks and Leeroy Jenkins every fight (I believe it's possible to spoof the multiplayer to make a custom party until it's added officially).

 

[MarkB]

Sure, only that I think Larian would do well to cater to the larger crowd of D&D players curious about a computer implementation, and not only to the usual trigger happy crowd.

How do you manage to get from "prefers tactical depth, stealth, terrain factors and a variety of options" to "trigger happy"? If anything, "trigger happy" would better suit your own stated preferred style of just charging in and swinging your sword.

 

[Nymrod]

How do you manage to get from "prefers tactical depth, stealth, terrain factors and a variety of options" to "trigger happy"? If anything, "trigger happy" would better suit your own stated preferred style of just charging in and swinging your sword.

I think what has triggered this reaction is the idea that it should be "ok" for melee to be completely useless and be better off shoving people or using bows. The game should be balanced in such a way that melee does make sense.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I think what has triggered this reaction is the idea that it should be "ok" for melee to be completely useless and be better off shoving people or using bows. The game should be balanced in such a way that melee does make sense.

But how, without deviating significantly from 5e rules? Once shove is nerfed (I have little doubt it will be) there will be even less reason to go into melee range.