The Agony of BGII

Pipster · Post by **Pipster** » Wed Jun 19, 2002 9:52 pm

Anybody else share this problem with me?

It seems as though, no matter how hard I try, I can never get much farther in BGII than a few of the Chapter 2 side quests since beating the game a few months ago. It's as though it becomes mere tedium each time I restart - and the problem is, in my opinion, the lack of surprise.

I mean, I know I missed some things my first time through, but nevertheless, the storyline itself is the same.

So, anyone else have the BGII blues?

Don't get me wrong, it's a fantastic game, the best RPG of all time. On a sidenote, people who are into great RPG's and enjoy them for the roleplaying aspect ought to look into a MUD(multi-user dungeon) called Threshold. It's a text based online game with around 80 to 100 users online at all times. For more info, go to http://www.threshold-rpg.com

VonDondu · Post by **VonDondu** » Wed Jun 19, 2002 10:49 pm

Have you played Throne of Bhaal? If you haven't, it's the next logical step if you like BG2 but would enjoy seeing new and surprising things.

Personally, I've never had a problem replaying BG2. The characters I play from one game to the next are sufficiently different from each other to keep me interested in role-playing. There aren't a lot of surprises left for me, but to me, playing the game is kind of like acting out a play that I've been rehearsing for a long time. If I bring a new interpretation to the "lead role", the story seems fresh. My own imagination helps keep the game interesting. I also enjoy trying to "do everything right" and trying to make the encounters go "perfectly". That by itself leads to a lot of repetition. But it doesn't seem dreary, because I have a goal--"putting on a perfect play".

You might also consider pursuing new options when you play. For example, if you're used to doing every side-quest in Chapter Two before you rescue Imoen, you could try rescuing Imoen as soon as possible in your next game. If the encounters in Spellhold and the Underdark seem more challenging, then be more resourceful. ANY party can survive the journey. It will pay off in the end.

If you've never sided with Bodhi in the guild war, try it and see what it's like to be on her side of the war. Or you could try giving the NPCs the spotlight instead of making your main character the focus of everything. Let Mazzy lead the Temple Ruins quest. Let Nalia lead the quest at De'Arnise Keep and the Copper Coronet quest. Let Valygar lead the Planar Sphere quest. Let Keldorn lead the Windspear Hills quest. Let Cernd lead the Druid Grove quest. If you approach the story with a different point of view, it might be more appealing to you. Just use your imagination.

Astafas · Post by **Astafas** » Thu Jun 20, 2002 12:43 am

If you take no pleasure in developing a completely different PC and in using other NPCs the first time, I guess the game is over for you. Still, as VonDondu said, get ToB if you haven't.

Littiz · Post by **Littiz** » Thu Jun 20, 2002 3:56 am

Definetively not a problem for me.
Ok, some of the dialogs are to be skipped, and some areas are boring the n-th time.
But the fun you gain is more.
I have yet to try many NPCs, I've to do another ride with a Kensai/Mage...
Not even interested in NWN at the moment, as I fear it will be a completely different game.
Of course, you should buy ToB.
And the mods are a must, at this point...
With smarter, credible enemies the game is another thing.
Also the ToB final, with Ascension installed, is so difficult that you'll try for the entire campaign to gain as much power as possible!!

kopywrite · Post by **kopywrite** » Thu Jun 20, 2002 4:07 am

@ Littiz:

Nice to see you've reverted back to your true self

Not even interested in NWN at the moment

The fevered excitement hasn't gripped me yet either. Maybe it'll be different when I see it on a shelf next friday.

@ Pipster:

IMO BG2 has to be the most replayable game ever, especially with the available mods -- have you tried any?

serjeLeBlade · Post by **serjeLeBlade** » Thu Jun 20, 2002 5:23 am

Hello everyone, you may not know me but I know you very well and...
(oops, should that not be my signature.... ?)

Pipster... I do share your problem indeed. Getting Throne of Bhaal and installing ascension are very good suggestions. Try a different romance too, if you are interestesd in the role-playing aspect of the game.
I've gone through BG2 and TOB romancing Viconia and that's a thing definintely worth trying.
Now I'm trying romancing Jaheira and believe me... it looks like a different game....

If you are not interested in romances, maybe you're interested in fighting... if so, try the patches that make enemies more difficult, ignore boring side-quests, go straight for the big powerful nasty bosses and try beating them while you're low- level.
That may make the game different from another point of view.

Hello Littiz.... i share all your feelings... that match looked like a movie to me, only that in the ending the heroes didn't get a chance to win.

I DO HATE bad endings !!!!!!!

(...should that not be my signature?)

Rattman · Post by **Rattman** » Thu Jun 20, 2002 5:41 am

one of the best things to keep the game going is the mulit player and the ablity to make your own people

try useing a gang of paladines or thiefters only

my fave was a gang of paladines which i am going to do again

also i enjoyed playing with just mages (sorcs included)

i am getting NWN's on thursday (or friday) and i am not finnished thrashing the twisted runes with just monks yet

you could also try pulling teams out of a hat and getting a really wierd team

there is lots to do

keep trying

Mr Sleep · Post by **Mr Sleep** » Thu Jun 20, 2002 5:41 am

Actually i do share the feelings somewhat, i think i just over-played the game. I was never that interested in pursuing romances (sorry just not my bag with a digitally created game *shrug* ) i enjoyed the character creation process more than anything and just loved seeing my fevered heros come to life...but somewhere along the line it just started becoming tedious, i think there is only so much that can be plugged from any game even with mods and alike.

I also tended to re-import a little too much, i would have an uber-being's equipment on a whimpish whelp

It was fun for a while but the fun wore off, i would alter my player in SK for a laugh but again the fun would wear off, I realised something a while back; having a free form world in games is all well and good but a story and plot is important, without having something to direct oneself towards it is just a mish mash of pointless battles, you have to be striving towards something...it's all about the goal and the quest. I think this is why i am not interested in games like Everquest...

I think a lot of the longevity depends on how you play the game, i was a Powergamer when i first started playing and i think that ruined the experience for me, RPing BG2 is the only way to make it last, hence people like Astafas' and VonDondu experiences

The Z · Post by **The Z** » Sat Jun 22, 2002 6:23 pm

Well, if you're interested in the sort of thing, there's many custom NPC's out, including a sorcerer and a drow who you'd recognize (no not Drizzt). There's plenty of mods which add new stuff (weapons and armor, spells, NPC's, storyline). But in the end, it's up to what you want to do.

CM · Post by CM » Sun Jun 23, 2002 4:15 am

Well then i suggest you try some of these mods out there.
TDD is great.
Adds new NPC's.
New Quests.
Some damn cool new Items.

Then there is Freedoms Reign and Munchmod - they add all sorts of weapons through out the game.

Then there is SOD which is an add on to TDD - adds new NPC's around 8.
New weapons.
1 new quest.

There are NPC mods, and just released Reign of virtue for TOB.

Then there is the Solufien (sp??) mod which makes teh game much of difficult.

Ease of Use mod - which allows you to skip a some stuff and get the full experience.
This is nice for say the Dungeon crawl ie chapter 1.

The Item upgrade mod - this allows you to upgrade like 20 to 30 items in TOB and SOA, so you have new more powerful items.
Some are nice, 1 or 2 can be cheesy.
But it is nicely balanced if you want to use them in TOB as well.

There is a whole lot of stuff to add to make it even better.

Then there is/are EE, SOS and Iron Tower mods which are either total or partial conversions. EE is great. You can get it at the TDD site.

So there is a lot of stuff to add to make the experience even better.

jerubal · Post by **jerubal** » Sun Jun 23, 2002 6:36 am

Not a problem, except the Irenicus dungeon.. I do tend to space out on that part.

kopywrite · Post by **kopywrite** » Mon Jun 24, 2002 1:28 am

Originally posted by jerubal
Not a problem, except the Irenicus dungeon.. I do tend to space out on that part.

I believe a mod for this is being worked on too.

JackOfClubs · Post by **JackOfClubs** » Mon Jun 24, 2002 7:53 pm

I never really liked the main story line (see my extensive alternative view in the "Will I Ever Get Time To Do Side Quests" thread), so I don't have the exact problem you do. However, I do occasionally get impatient with individual quests that I've done before. If the above suggestions for variety do not help, you might want to play another game for a few months then come back to BG. I gave it up for Lent last year and found it was all fresh again when I came back.

Bad Karma · Post by **Bad Karma** » Tue Jun 25, 2002 9:57 am

What I've done to alleviate the problem of Jon's Dungeon is create a multiplayer save game right before you exit it. Then I can create characters and start 'em there. The only things you really miss out on are the Pommel Jewel of the Equalizer (if you like that sword) and the Sword of Chaos (pretty good early on). If you want the XP for monsters, quests and such from the dungeon, you could always CLUA yourself to the approximate XP you would have.

Astafas · Post by **Astafas** » Tue Jun 25, 2002 12:23 pm

Originally posted by Bad Karma
What I've done to alleviate the problem of Jon's Dungeon is create a multiplayer save game right before you exit it. Then I can create characters and start 'em there. The only things you really miss out on are the Pommel Jewel of the Equalizer (if you like that sword) and the Sword of Chaos (pretty good early on). If you want the XP for monsters, quests and such from the dungeon, you could always CLUA yourself to the approximate XP you would have.

Even better is to remove all items from your PC and lay them either on the ground or give them to the NPCs before deleting him. That way you'll miss out on nothing except the XPs, which can be set either by ShadowKeeper or CLUA.

Bad Karma · Post by **Bad Karma** » Tue Jun 25, 2002 12:28 pm

Originally posted by Astafas

Even better is to remove all items from your PC and lay them either on the ground or give them to the NPCs before deleting him. That way you'll miss out on nothing except the XPs, which can be set either by ShadowKeeper or CLUA.

Good point

Malakian · Post by **Malakian** » Wed Jun 26, 2002 11:10 pm

I have replayed it twice. Just start as a different class to get those couple new quests specific to them, also with the guild war just go on Bodhi's side for a change or the Shadow Thieves side if you've been with Bodhi. Also, look for every possible thing. My level 18 Barbarian has become a collector is special items and I'm scouring all of Amn looking for new items.