Cursed not to finish.

the_limey · Post by **the_limey** » Tue Jul 26, 2005 1:12 pm

Once again fate blows off in my face. I have been playing BG2 on and off since it's release, so that's what? Four years or so? In all that time I've managed to finish it 3 times. Just three.

Usually I abort a playthrough because I decide I want to play a diffent class or it would have been really good to have X in my party or I just found a really good mod I want to use and so on and so on ad infinitum...

This time, I told myself, would be different. I spent days before I startwd playing choosing which mods to use and planning my party and even what tactics I could use to make the best of them. During play I even resisted several urges to play a different class- this time I was determined.

All this came to a crashing halt last Friday night- see, I was playing BG2 on my laptop, I decided to use a different chair as the one I was sitting on was a little uncomfortable and just as I was bringing the new chair i fell, right onto the laptop. For the most part I was quite lucky as it was only the screen that was damaged. However, I now have to send the machine away for repair and that means another aborted palythrough as it will be at least a couple of weeks turnaround and by then I just won't be able to pick up where I left off.

Am I the only person thusly cursed? Is there some great vengeful god somewhere with an interest not letting play BG2 all the way through? Does any one else find it so difficult to make it through this game?

Ravager · Post by **Ravager** » Tue Jul 26, 2005 1:22 pm

I know what you mean. My problem is with IWDII though.
Although I've only once managed to get through TOB despit going through several times.
Chapter 2 is probably the worst place in BGII as you have so many different options it can be overwhelming

.
Now I've played the game so many times, I find it a struggle to go through very far at all (especially Chapter 1 -and yes I know there's a mod that allows you to skip Chapter 1, I just prefer not to skip big chunks of the storyline)

.

the_limey · Post by **the_limey** » Tue Jul 26, 2005 1:25 pm

Agreed Rvager, skipping entire sections of the game does seem almost sacreligeous really. But you're right, the sheer size of the game doesn't help.

Ravager · Post by **Ravager** » Tue Jul 26, 2005 1:38 pm

It is worth the trouble though.

dj_venom · Post by **dj_venom** » Wed Jul 27, 2005 12:29 am

Oh, I can sympathise with you. I always feared Chapter 1, and never wanted to do it, and cutting it out was of course out of the question.

But I suffered strongly from this problem in BG1. I would create a class, and I HATED the Nashkal Mines. I would play this character during the first chapter, and then when I reached Nashkal, I'd encounter some problems, have a new idea, and also just not feel like playing that anymore. But one day I made a promise with myself to finish the game, I really wanted to restart in some places, but I resisted and eventually finished the game. It feels great when you actually finish... even if you know what happens.

And going further back, EoB (Eye of the Beholder). I would create a party, manage two levels, before I wanted different faces and wanted different stuff. So once more I restarted. Oh that takes me back...

Ravager · Post by **Ravager** » Wed Jul 27, 2005 1:32 am

And going further back, EoB (Eye of the Beholder). I would create a party, manage two levels, before I wanted different faces and wanted different stuff. So once more I restarted. Oh that takes me back...

I'm just struggling with the NWN module of the same name...

You just have to try to stay focused and experiment with the party in BG to try to keep up the interest.

krunchyfrogg · Post by **krunchyfrogg** » Wed Jul 27, 2005 8:49 am

Off Topic: What's a Limey?

On Topic: I'm a chronic restarter, and can't blame anything for my very few times completing this game. I'm especially bad though, because I want to play my character through BG1 before BGII, if possible.

CFM · Post by **CFM** » Wed Jul 27, 2005 10:50 am

I followed pre-production of BG1. Then I bought it the day it came out. Then TotSC, PST, IWD, HoW, BG2, ToB, IWD2... all the days they came out.

I got to the Bandit Camp when BG1 first came out, and my hard drive failed. Then real life got in the way and, knowing the time that these type of games demand, years passed before I was finally able to pick them back up last year:
Jan 2004 - June 2004: BG w/TotSC (start to finish as a Cleric)
July 2004 - Mar 2005: BG2 w/ToB (imported from BG1)
Currently: PST (halfway done I think)
Next up: IDW 1 & 2

And how I would *love* to play the entire Saga again as an evil fighter/mage... and again as an Avenger... all with a different set of NPC's... start to finish...

Only finished 3 times, you say? You may be cursed... but I'm jealous.

Raven_Song · Post by **Raven_Song** » Wed Jul 27, 2005 11:49 am

I own all of the BG series, all of the Icewind Dale games and Morrowind but have yet to complete any of them, which sadly hasn't been helped by the various educational courses (should actually be writing my MA dissertation as we speak.

Infact the only the RPG that I've ever completed was Champions of Krynn on my old Amiga and i think I got pretty close with the follow up Death Knights. As far as PC games the only game I've come close to completing was Might and Magic: Clouds of Xeen/Dark Side of Xeen waaaaaaaaaay back.

I'm putting it down to either karmic retribution for some past sin or my indecisiveness (six character slots is just never enough!)

Ravager · Post by **Ravager** » Wed Jul 27, 2005 1:32 pm

Off Topic: What's a Limey?

It's the American cliche for someone from England. You're from America, right? Shouldn't you know that

?

I remember the first time going through that Bandit Camp and getting so stuck, I didn't know there was a peaceful route through

. I only had the chance to play BG on a computer one day a week. With the ridiculous journal sysytem it was so confusing and annoying trying to remember quest details

.

And how I would *love* to play the entire Saga again as an evil fighter/mage... and again as an Avenger... all with a different set of NPC's... start to finish...

People are going to start thinking I'm obsessed but.. play through with BGTutu so you can get Avenger from BGI start to TOB finish.

Pertan · Post by **Pertan** » Wed Jul 27, 2005 1:38 pm

I've had BG2 for 4 years maybe 5 and i havent played through it all even once, the farthest(sp?) i've got is just at the start of hell then i encountered some fight that was impossible to beat with the party i had at that moment

Ravager · Post by **Ravager** » Wed Jul 27, 2005 1:41 pm

But that's right at the end. What fight was it? The dragon, beholders, Sarevok or the final showdown with Irenicus

?

Pertan · Post by **Pertan** » Wed Jul 27, 2005 1:46 pm

[QUOTE=Ravager]But that's right at the end. What fight was it? The dragon, beholders, Sarevok or the final showdown with Irenicus

?[/QUOTE]
Can't remember exactly but IIRC its the first room you enter with some heads that shoot stuff at you.
My whole party instadied there

Edit: might i suggest a spoiler tag on the topic?

krunchyfrogg · Post by **krunchyfrogg** » Wed Jul 27, 2005 3:16 pm

[QUOTE=Ravager]It's the American cliche for someone from England. You're from America, right? Shouldn't you know that

?
[/QUOTE]Yep, but I never knew that.

the_limey · Post by **the_limey** » Sat Jul 30, 2005 4:07 pm

It's great to see I'm not the only one suffering, not that it's any comfort now I'm forced into starting over.

That said though, it's the only game I'm so troubled with. I'm not overly fond of IWD so I don't play it and every time I play NWN or PS:T I have to finish I love them soooooooo much!!! Sorry, went a bit girly there...

As an aside- spamming in mine thread shalt not be tolerated!

Thrifalas · Post by **Thrifalas** » Sun Jul 31, 2005 4:52 am

Well, the thing with BG is that there's so many different playstyles that you can use. After completing the games 2-3 times the storyline isn't so possessing (still totally awesome though. no complains here, it's just that everything tends to get dull the more you do it) anymore.

I've completed the game enough times to remember everything, but I too suffer from the symptom of "Starting-new-dude-and-get-out-of-Chateau-Irenicus-just-to-remember-that-there-was-some-else-character-I-wanted-to-play", though I've been "cured" recently.

And well, I usually want to play through BG1 as well before going into BG2. +1 to all stats and the BMI isn't bad. Not necessary, but I want my guys to be as strong as possible. I mean, s/he IS the new Lord of Murder, after all.

Nowadays I often plan more characters than I play. When I figure something out I might try it, but they mostly stay at the planning stage.