baldurs gate
Latest
Baldur's Gate for iPad will be under $10, include multiplayer
Good news on that new version of Baldur's Gate that was just announced. Not only is it going to be released for under $10, but it'll also include multiplayer of some kind. What kind? Details are still fuzzy, but developer Beamdog says not only would it be crazy to sell it for more than $10, but there will also be some way to play with your friends, included. Here's hoping that's some real-time co-op gameplay, and not just competitive leaderboards. Though we won't turn down competitive leaderboards either, for that matter. And there's even more than that: The game's sequel, Baldur's Gate 2, is also coming to iPad even later on in the year. It's been a long time since we've seen these games, but if you're ready for a return to the D&D setting of the Baldur's Gate series (or are just interested in visiting for the first time), you're in for a treat.
Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition ventures to iPad
One of the advertised augmentations in Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition is that it has an iPad port. Developer Overhaul Games has revealed some images of Baldur's Gate running on the iPad, but that's about it. Other than it existing, nothing else is known about the iPad version.Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition will launch this summer with the original game, Tales of the Sword Coast expansion pack, and "a new adventure and new party member." See the original announcement for more information, and see our gallery below for images of how you might lounge around and tap through the game when it launches this summer.%Gallery-151300%
Baldur's Gate coming to iPad
An enhanced edition of Baldur's Gate was announced this month by developers Overhaul Games (which includes a few devs from Bioware that worked on the title originally), and now there's even better news: That enhanced version is also making its way to the iPad. The game will be out on Apple's tablet at the same time as the PC release, and it will include all of the updates and new content as the other platform. Additionally, there will be iPad-specific controls, such as pinching to zoom in and out and dragging to choose units to control. While they're not done yet, Overhaul says there will be more touch-friendly menus and buttons in the interface as well. Which is just awesome, if you ask me or any other old-school gamer with fond memories of the Baldur's Gate series. We'll obviously keep both eyes out for this one. The game is due out sometime later on this summer.
Baldur's Gate 2: Enhanced Edition also in the works (plus bonus BG:EE details)
Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition hasn't even been an official thing for 24 hours, and yet its sequel is already in the plan, according to the above tweet from Beamdog's creative director Trent Oster. Beyond the fact that it exists, precise information regarding Baldur's Gate 2: Enhanced Edition is even slimmer than what we've got on Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition.What we do know, however, is that both games will also include their respective expansion packs: Tales of the Sword Coast for Baldur's Gate and Throne of Bhaal for Baldur's Gate 2. The team at Overhaul Games is correcting issues with Baldur's Gate's multiplayer, and there may even be a chance that your original save file could still work.
Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition arrives this summer [update: more news!]
Nope, we still don't really know what this Baldur's Gate announcement business is, but we sure do know its name now: "Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition." Huzzah! As previously reported, Beamdog is working on the Baldur's Gate project, though the developer's Overhaul Games division is taking lead. Atari is handling publishing duties, and Wizards of the Coast is licensing its (D&D-based) IP.From the few details we have, the project sounds an awful lot like an HD remake to us – especially given the fancier logo and "Enhanced Edition" subtitle. We've reached out to Beamdog for clarity on what the game actually is, and what platforms it'll end up on (among other things). For now, know that Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition will land on whatever those platforms are at some point this summer. We're gonna take a wild guess that it'll be on PC at the very least.Update: Beamdog reps tell us that the team at Overhaul is adding "new, original content" to the original game to make up the Enhanced Edition. "This is the Enhanced Edition, it's not a repackage. We have the original source code and are doing a significant update." He also confirms that no platforms have been announced just yet.Update 2: A Beamdog rep also confirms that the company is self-publishing. Though he wouldn't go into detail regarding the new content, he says that "it's being lovingly crafted in the spirit of the original with the help of some of the original developers." Additionally, Cameron Tofer and Trent Oster have been working on the project ("planning and organizing") for "over a year now." We'll also hear more soon, as the team is planning "regular announcements every week with more details."
Baldur's Gate teaser site gets a countdown and a soundtrack
BaldursGate.com just appeared back at the end of February with naught more than a poem and a rumor, and it's lain dormant since then -- until now. Just this evening, a countdown has appeared on the site, along with a tune (more on that in a second), both that seem to be hinting at a big reveal coming up in just about twelve hours from now, at 11am Pacific on Thursday morning. The music, which is reminiscent of the theme from the legendary singleplayer RPG (and sounds great) is indeed linked to a file on Beamdog.com, which is former BioWare designer Trent Oster's website, and has previously published an enhanced remake of BioWare's MDK2. Considering that the sound file is actually located at "files/overhaul/theme.mp3," it's probably a good bet that the announcement is some sort of Baldur's Gate remake from Oster's studio, Overhaul Games. For exactly what platforms however (PC, iOS, or even consoles), we'll have to wait until the official word arrives. The good news is that there's not too long to wait. If you hurry, you can listen to the minute-long theme music about 720 more times before the big reveal arrives.
Report: Baldur's Gate site teases Beamdog-developed franchise project [Update]
What's going on at BaldursGate.com? We're not 100 percent sure, honestly, but it sure looks like a teaser site for some form of new entry in the BioWare franchise. And Game Banshee seems to know more, claiming to have solidified news that the site was put together by former BioWare designer Trent Oster and his cohorts at Beamdog. "We're not related to the Steam Complete Edition," Oster said, referring to a recently discovered Baldur's Gate Complete Edition. "I can tell you that much. Other than that, we're hoping to announce something soon."What that "something" is remains to be seen, but from the various Baldur's Gate accoutrement on the teaser site, it sure looks like a Baldur's Gate something is in the works over at Beamdog. Considering that Beamdog handled the HD port of BioWare's MDK 2, it stands to reason that an HD port of Baldur's Gate could be in the works. Regardless, we've yet to find out for sure.An adorable little poem was also found in the site's source code, which we've dropped after the break. And hey, do us a quick solid -- if you're way into the Baldur's Gate franchise and spot something especially notable on that site, don't hesitate to shoot us a note.
DDO's Menace of the Underdark releasing June 25th, opens up pre-orders
Speaking of Guinness World Records for video games, I wonder whether Dungeons and Dragons Online would be eligible for "Longest time between game release and launch of its first expansion?" Six years may just be the longest we've ever witnessed, as DDO released in 2006, and it wasn't until 2012 that Menace of the Underdark was revealed. The good news is that come June 25th, the drought will be over. We asked Turbine why now seemed like a good time for an expansion. The devs said that Atari had made some noise back in the day about one, but it never came to fruition. With the success of free-to-play, Turbine wanted to see whether the expansion model was still viable, so Lord of the Rings Online was chosen as a test subject. When Rise of Isengard became the best-selling expansion for the company, the company felt secure letting DDO have a chance, although there was quite a lot of wrangling with Wizards of the Coast about the details and permissions. Record or no, it's an exciting event for DDO players, and the today, Turbine has announced the two biggest details for the expansion's schedule. The first is that Menace of the Underdark has a release date, and the second is the opening of pre-orders. Read on to get all of the juicy infos.
The Game Archaeologist plays with MUDs: A talk with Richard Bartle
From talking with Richard Bartle, reading his blog, and looking over several interviews that he's done, I've concluded that the co-creator of the first multi-user dungeon is, in many ways, a card. A smart one, a perceptive one, and an outspoken one, but a card nonetheless. I say this in a good way, of course, because for all of the verbal pussyfooting that often goes on in this industry, it's refreshing to hear the voice of someone who knows what he thinks and isn't afraid to say it, even if it goes against the grain. Dr. Bartle's name often comes up in discussions of both MUDs and MMORPGs. His designs, work and scholarship have influenced MMOs in substantial ways, and it's possible that if our children end up learning about massively multiplayer RPGs in school some day, Bartle's name will be mentioned once or twice. While he's sometimes polarizing, it's hard to deny the incredible work he's done, which is why I was excited to get to talk to him about this month's subject on the Game Archaeologist. So hit that pesky jump and let's pick the mind of a guy who really earned the right to post "FIRST!!1!"
AIAS Hall of Fame 'Game Changers' confess pro mistakes
Kicking off DICE 2011, the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences invited Hall of Fame "game changers" to speak on a variety of topics, moderated by New York Times writer Seth Schiesel. Things got introspective when the panel discussed design decisions they wish they could take back, or a plan that didn't work out as well as they thought it would. BioWare's Dr. Greg Zeschuk, who will be inducted into the AIAS Hall of Fame this year with business partner Dr. Ray Muzyka, said that about 10 or 12 years ago he made a pitch video for Five Fingers of Death. It was going to be a kung-fu game set in the Baldur's Gate universe. Cutscenes would have have been too expensive to produce, so Zeschuk spent several weeks re-dubbing old kung-fu movies using his own voice. When the tape went out he recalls several companies laughed them off. If anyone happens to have a copy of that tape, there are several video upload sites we'd be more than happy to recommend.
Hyperspace Beacon: The BioWare schtick
I'm going to dote a little on BioWare for a bit. Specifically, I would like to dote on Knights of the Old Republic, the precursor to Star Wars: The Old Republic. I want to accentuate the positive up front here, because in a moment I will say things that may be construed as negative. However, they're not. I have complete respect for what BioWare has done and is doing. KOTOR was built on an original gaming engine (the Odyssey Engine). This gaming engine was designed as a 3-D version of the Infinity Engine, which is video game engine specifically designed to emulate mechanics found in the Dungeons and Dragons pen and paper game. In 1998, Baldur's Gate (Infinity Engine) -- which was said, at the time, to be like Diablo but more story-driven -- won the Origins Award for Best Roleplaying Computer Game. KOTOR, using a 3-D version of the same engine, is not lacking in its awards. It won game of the year from the Game Developers Choice Awards, Computer Gaming World, IGN, GMR Magazine, PC Gamer, Xbox Magazine, and G4, among other awards too long to list here. The point of this is to show BioWare's track record and to show that BioWare went so far as to build a story-making game from the ground up. Now, based on reports from Gamasutra, BioWare is using the HeroEngine for SWTOR, but that, obviously, does not mean there will be less focus on storytelling in the game. But has BioWare's storytelling energy finally run out? Have the original ideas presented in KOTOR and Baldur's Gate diminished to monotony? Has BioWare become -- dare I say it -- predictable? If it has, is that a bad thing? Continue reading to explore these ideas.
GoG not dead, relaunching with new site
So Good Old Games finally put an end to its wretched "we're pretending to close" stunt today. In a bizarre announcement, for which the company's leaders appeared in monk's robes, it was announced that the service will relaunch with a revamped website. There were also plenty of (much-needed) apologies from the company for its hoax, which turned mourning for the site's demise into waves of vitriol from a jilted fan base. Update: So, here are the broad strokes of the new GoG.com: Facebook integration that allows you to "Like" games A new recommendation system based on games you've bought and rated A download calculator GoGmixes: user-created lists of titles grouped around a single theme Baldur's Gate will be added to the service when it relaunches tomorrow at 9AM ET
Baldur's Gate was almost an MMO
reddit_url='http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/16/baldurs-gate-was-almost-an-mmo/' Tweet var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/pc_games/Baldur_s_Gate_was_almost_an_MMO_Massively'; For those of you who remember Baldur's Gate, we want you to close your eyes and imagine it as an MMO. For the time it released (the mid-90s), it quite possibly could have been the first MMO, at that. At a recent GDC Europe panel for BioWare, studio founders Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk had some fun with the audience, reminiscing on what might have been. The original game's title was Battleground Infinity and was pitched to five publishers as a massively multiplayer online game that revolved around mythological gods. Interplay are the ones who pushed the doctors toward the Dungeons & Dragons RPG route, which I'm pretty sure worked out for them in the end.
Exploring (the rest of) Eberron
By the time you read this, I'll be scampering about GenCon in Indianapolis, thick in the middle of four days of gaming and geekery. Don't weep for me, for I am already gone! One of my hopes for this weekend is to reconnect with pen-and-paper RPGs, a part of my gaming life that has almost withered into nothingness. That got me thinking about Eberron -- the D&D campaign in which DDO is set. You don't hear DDO players fussing about it so much any more (people either made their peace with it or moved on), but way back when, the Eberron setting was a fairly controversial choice for Turbine to make. After all, there are dozens upon dozens of campaign settings, including some (like Forgotten Realms or Dragonlance) that most people associate with the franchise. Eberron, on the other hand, was a relatively wet-behind-the-ears upstart with a quirky setting that can best be described as "Indiana Jones meets steampunk meets flashy, practical magic." Personally, I've grown to like the campaign, and I want to take a look at how the pen-and-paper version was constructed, how the Eberron setting shines in DDO, and how Turbine could be using it more.
Dragon Age: Origins coming to Mac as a digital download December 21st
Gamepro's got the news that Electronic Arts is fast-tracking Dragon Age: Origins for release on the Mac -- they're now saying that it'll be out as a download as soon as next week, on December 21st. I've been playing the game on PC (it came out for both PC and consoles in November), and it is excellent -- an instant Bioware classic, and definitely the best roleplaying game of the year, especially if you enjoy good Baldur's Gate-style epic. Of course, you can pick up the PC version right now and play it in Boot Camp, but given that we've been needling developers to hurry up with their Mac versions, we have to give EA credit for this one. A month late is much better than, say, a few years late. We'll also point out that this version will use Transgaming's Cider wrapper technology for the port, and they don't exactly have the best track record for quality Mac releases. But again, an A for effort on the release date. If you want to play it natively on the Mac, you'll be able to buy the game in either standard or deluxe versions, with the deluxe including extra bonus content and the "Warden's Keep" downloadable content pack (both versions come with the "Stone Prisoner" pack already, and the content packs open up more quests and items in the game itself). December 21st is the listed date: look for a link on their website then.
The Digital Continuum: SWTOR turns up the heat, part 2
How can I hope for a 2010 release date with BioWare promising fully voiced acting, branching story/dialogue and all other standard MMO features? Yes, it's a lot to ask of one company, but thankfully all this work isn't falling solely onto BioWare's shoulders. Lucas Arts and Electronic Arts are both heavily involved, count on it, and much of the legwork of voice sessions -- among other things -- will definitely be handled by their people.
Atari reveals plans to revisit Baldur's Gate, others
Infogrames President Phil Harrison announced today at a publisher event that the company plans to revisit Baldur's Gate, Dungeons & Dragons, Neverwinter Nights and Test Drive Unlimited -- but not until after 2009 (via Eurogamer). Three of those franchises have had recent releases (NWN2: Storm of the Zehir last month, TDU and D&D Tactics in February 2007). As for Baldur's Gate, a follow-up to BG2: Throne of Bhaal has been rumored since 2001 from now-defunct Black Isle Studios. It was reportedly mentioned again by a PC Gamer UK editor as recently as January 2008.
E308: BioWare says there is no KOTOR MMO (wink)
We just saw BioWare show off their new Dragon Age: Origins here at E3, and while that singleplayer game looks great (imagine a Mass Effect game set in the world of Baldur's Gate), we did spring the requisite massively multiplayer question on them for you. At the very end of the Q&A session with developer Dan Tudge after the demo, the PR rep told us there was just "time for one more question," and we threw it out there: "So, how's the Knights of the Old Republic MMO coming?"There was silence in the room for a moment. Tudge quietly said, "I... have no idea what you're talking about," and then everyone laughed as the PR rep nervously said, "Good answer." Tudge added, "You're asking me that in front of my boss?" And so we revised the question: Dragon Age has a very MMO-style design -- there's a minimap in the upper right, party portraits in the upper left, and a bar with icons for skills across the bottom. Does BioWare really want to make an MMO? "The interface looked like Baldur's Gate to me," said Tudge cooly. "The real question is, how much of the MMOs did Baldur's Gate influence?"Touché. But we left the press conference with a smile, a special secret that we'll share with you now. As much as Tudge was thrown off by the question, as much as the PR flack was aghast that we asked it, we did leave with this satisfactory piece of information: they didn't, in point of fact, deny. Did you enjoy this? Check out all of our E3 coverage as the week rolls forward!
Interplay resurrection report: new website
Well, calling it a "website" might be a bit of a stretch. It's more of a digital poster really. Still, it looks like the rebirth of Interplay is officially underway. Fastidious X3F readers will recall that the company submitted an SEC filing late last year that detailed plans to return to the video game development business, largely in thanks to the profits made in the sale of the Fallout IP to Bethesda. Said plans included the revival of several of Interplay's well-known franchises including Earthworm Jim, MDK, and Baldur's Gate. It seems that Interplay is moving forward with its plans, as the new website will attest. Consisting solely of the image seen above, Interplay.com clearly references all three of the franchises mentioned above as well as Fallout (most likely the MMO Interplay has been talking about since 2006). Let's hope we see some details sooner rather than later.[Thanks, Boff]
