Baldur's Gate 3 II: The Urge for a Second Playthrough

[Anonymouswizard]

Getting back into it and I'm having a big where levelling up causes Durge's portrait to decenter. Having to do the old 'remove mods verify integrity' danced in the hope that solves it.

[LibraryOgre]

Since we're on page 48, new thread titles time:

Baldur's Gate 3^2: Rivington Hardly Counts

[Cikomyr2]

Baldur's Gate 3 III: Problems in the third act are problems in the first act.

[Errorname]

So, Sven Vincke has seemingly confirmed that they have no plan for expansions or sequels, or any future D&D branded games. Not completely surprising, although it does mean it's probably going to be a few years before there's a proper successor.

[Zevox]

So, Sven Vincke has seemingly confirmed that they have no plan for expansions or sequels, or any future D&D branded games. Not completely surprising, although it does mean it's probably going to be a few years before there's a proper successor.

That's baffling. You'd think that after a massive success like Baldur's Gate 3 the first thing on any company's mind would be telling the devs "make more like this, please." Whether that be a direct sequel or other D&D titles.

[LibraryOgre]

That's baffling. You'd think that after a massive success like Baldur's Gate 3 the first thing on any company's mind would be telling the devs "make more like this, please." Whether that be a direct sequel or other D&D titles.

They might have said it, then included "Make it by Christmas", and Larian replied "lol nope"

[Errorname]

That's baffling. You'd think that after a massive success like Baldur's Gate 3 the first thing on any company's mind would be telling the devs "make more like this, please." Whether that be a direct sequel or other D&D titles.

Eh. Larian are an independent private studio, they have more leeway to chart their own course and they've got enough cred from this that they can probably translate it it into big hype for whatever they do next. They don't have to make a D&D game if they don't want to, and considering all that's going on at Wizards of the Coast, they might not want to.

[Anonymouswizard]

Baldur's Gate 3 III: No Plans for DLC Or A Fourth Thread


Sorted my portrait problem, apparently levelling up in the wrong areas messes with it retaking the portrait (I don't know why the game does that, but apparently it does).

[Rodin]

Eh. Larian are an independent private studio, they have more leeway to chart their own course and they've got enough cred from this that they can probably translate it it into big hype for whatever they do next. They don't have to make a D&D game if they don't want to, and considering all that's going on at Wizards of the Coast, they might not want to.

*nods*

This mostly sounds like an announcement that there isn't going to be DLC, so don't wait for any. Given the amount of post-release content we got (and Larian's history of not doing big DLC drops) this is hardly surprising.

Beyond that, a "we're keeping our options open" announcement makes a lot of sense. They're going to need time to consolidate after such a big release, and announcing Baldur's Gate 4 now would be foolish.

Divinity: Original Sin 2 released in 2017. Baldur's Gate 3 wasn't announced until June 2019. Even if a deal was settled the day BG3's sales numbers became apparent, I wouldn't expect to see an announcement until sometime next year.

[Cikomyr2]

That's baffling. You'd think that after a massive success like Baldur's Gate 3 the first thing on any company's mind would be telling the devs "make more like this, please." Whether that be a direct sequel or other D&D titles.

They had a LOT of time to work on the game. Lot. LOT of time.

I am sure whatever deal they got for BG4 was demanding much lesser turnaround time.

Either that or they want a palate rinser to not always do the same games.

[Zevox]

Beyond that, a "we're keeping our options open" announcement makes a lot of sense.

Looking at the news articles about this, it doesn't sound like a "we're keeping our options open" announcement. It sounds like they're straight-up saying their next game will not be D&D-related, full stop, no ambiguity about it. Which, I mean, their choice and all, and they should do what they think they'll do best, but it's quite disappointing to me at least.

[Rynjin]

That's baffling. You'd think that after a massive success like Baldur's Gate 3 the first thing on any company's mind would be telling the devs "make more like this, please." Whether that be a direct sequel or other D&D titles.

It's not as much if you understand Larian's mindset. They don't really do sequels. Oh sure, they do games that are CALLED sequels, but other than vague lore and worldbuilding (and even that can change on a whim) they have never created a game that is a direct follow-on form another one. Each of their games is completely standalone.

Combined with their reticence to even touch anything past 12th level because it would be supposedly impossible (which I always found silly, but they were consistent on saying it), there is absolutely nowhere for the series to go. They wouldn't do a direct sequel because A.) they won't and B.) they can't figure out how D&D is supposed to work post-7th level spells.

Wizards likely wanted a BG 4 that carries on from the end of 3 and goes to 20, same as BG 2 did with the original. Larian likely declined stating those reasons and probably a general interest in taking a break from mucking around in someone else's sandbox.

[Anonymouswizard]

Looking at the news articles about this, it doesn't sound like a "we're keeping our options open" announcement. It sounds like they're straight-up saying their next game will not be D&D-related, full stop, no ambiguity about it. Which, I mean, their choice and all, and they should do what they think they'll do best, but it's quite disappointing to me at least.

I suspect they've had plans for their next game, likely Divinity 7, for a few years and don't want to drop them or make a direct sequel. It's possible they might return to D&D at some point, but not now.

Although I wouldn't be shocked if they licence the engine to another studio, or if another company has been working on a soon to be announced Neverwinter Nights 3.

[Errorname]

I do wonder what the plan is, are they going to return to Divinity, come up with a new original setting or maybe license another IP

Wizards likely wanted a BG 4 that carries on from the end of 3 and goes to 20, same as BG 2 did with the original. Larian likely declined stating those reasons and probably a general interest in taking a break from mucking around in someone else's sandbox.

I'm honestly inclined to say this happened as a result of Wizards laying off all of Larian's original contacts who worked with them on getting this deal made. Vincke did not seem happy about that, and from what he said they were initially open to doing DLC and sequels.

[Zevox]

Although I wouldn't be shocked if they licence the engine to another studio, or if another company has been working on a soon to be announced Neverwinter Nights 3.

I would be surprised. But I'd also not necessarily be nearly as interested - another company wouldn't have the trust that Larian earned with BG3. They'd either be a company I've never heard of, in which case my reaction would be cautious interest with a healthy amount of skepticism on top; or one I have heard of, which would likely be worse since the only western RPG devs I've ever been much of a fan of are Bioware, and they're currently a shadow of their former selves.

I'm honestly inclined to say this happened as a result of Wizards laying off all of Larian's original contacts who worked with them on getting this deal made. Vincke did not seem happy about that, and from what he said they were initially open to doing DLC and sequels.

Sounds plausible.

[Psyren]

Baldur's Gate 3 III: No Plans for DLC Or A Fourth Thread

+1

I do wonder what the plan is, are they going to return to Divinity, come up with a new original setting or maybe license another IP

My guess is return to Divinity or new IP. Now that they have the name recognition of being AAA quality RPG developers, whatever they do next won't involve a $90 million haircut to Wizbro.

[Rynjin]

I'd be interested in seeing a new IP from them. The gameplay of the latest Divinity games has been great but kinda hampered by the setting itself being pretty bland besides its more notably quirky races (undead and elves).

[Errorname]

I would be surprised. But I'd also not necessarily be nearly as interested - another company wouldn't have the trust that Larian earned with BG3. They'd either be a company I've never heard of, in which case my reaction would be cautious interest with a healthy amount of skepticism on top; or one I have heard of, which would likely be worse since the only western RPG devs I've ever been much of a fan of are Bioware, and they're currently a shadow of their former selves.

None of the established studios who I'd trust to do it well are studios that I'd want spending their time working on licensed DLC expansions to someone else's story.

In theory giving the tech over to a fledgling studio could be a good way to build up some new CRPG studios, but it'd hardly be a guaranteed success.

My guess is return to Divinity or new IP. Now that they have the name recognition of being AAA quality RPG developers, whatever they do next won't involve a $90 million haircut to Wizbro.

The thing I could see about picking up a new License is that they've got the credibility that they could probably work on any project they wanted to, so if they've got another property they want to make a game out of now would be the time.

[tonberrian]

No plans for DLC means I can FINALLY do a real run of this game.

I have problems.

[LibraryOgre]

No plans for DLC means I can FINALLY do a real run of this game.

I have problems.

I've restarted an uncounted number of times in order to get it "right". I recently had a big breakthrough where I reset only to the beginning of Act III, instead of starting entirely over.

We should form a support group.

[Psyren]

The thing I could see about picking up a new License is that they've got the credibility that they could probably work on any project they wanted to, so if they've got another property they want to make a game out of now would be the time.

I mean that's true, but who could afford them now? EAware to give us a Dragon Age that doesn't suck? Microblizz to revive Warcraft Adventures or make some kind of Elder Scrolls spinoff?

I'd be interested in seeing a new IP from them. The gameplay of the latest Divinity games has been great but kinda hampered by the setting itself being pretty bland besides its more notably quirky races (undead and elves).

I have to admit that Rivellon's cannibal-memory-elves thing has been a pretty unique take. I've been thinking about stealing that quirk for Ravenloft races like Dhampir or Reborn on the D&D side, or maybe even Lizardfolk / Dragonborn.

[warty goblin]

I'm glad they aren't doing BG 4. I really like BG 3, but the pressure to make any putative sequel stick pretty close to BG 3 is going to be immense. I'd hate to see Larien's innovation and willingness to try new stuff be wasted on franchise service.

Making another Divinity game, if that's what they do, pretty much sidesteps that, because Divinity is creatively a wide open book. Once a series contains something as insane as Dragon Commander, there's effectively no limits.

[Errorname]

I mean that's true, but who could afford them now? EAware to give us a Dragon Age that doesn't suck? Microblizz to revive Warcraft Adventures or make some kind of Elder Scrolls spinoff?

I'll be honest I was thinking like Star Wars or Game of Thrones, they've got their pick of the lot. Or maybe do what CD Projekt did and adapt some novels they really like.

I was not imagining them picking up another CRPG franchise, and frankly if they did I would expect like Arcanum or Tyranny, classics that never really got their due or the sequels they deserved, rather than trying for some other established company's flagship title.

[Psyren]

I'll be honest I was thinking like Star Wars or Game of Thrones, they've got their pick of the lot. Or maybe do what CD Projekt did and adapt some novels they really like.

I was not imagining them picking up another CRPG franchise, and frankly if they did I would expect like Arcanum or Tyranny, classics that never really got their due or the sequels they deserved, rather than trying for some other established company's flagship title.

The KOTOR remake has already been licensed and I can't think what else Larian would really do there.

A Game of Thrones RPG sounds like a recipe for disaster. It's a great setting to watch or read about but the low magic means very little variety in RPG terms. I could see some kind of total war or grand strategy game working there though.

[Errorname]

The KOTOR remake has already been licensed and I can't think what else Larian would really do there.

Star Wars is just sort of the definitive big multimedia genre franchise so it's a useful example, it's not something I personally would be too excited for from them.

A Game of Thrones RPG sounds like a recipe for disaster. It's a great setting to watch or read about but the low magic means very little variety in RPG terms. I could see some kind of total war or grand strategy game working there though.

Nothing wrong with low-magic RPGs, although Westeros as a setting is definitely built for grand scale conflict and doing a Song of Ice and Fire RPG well would probably mean incorporating elements of strategy games. For what it's worth I've long been fascinated by the idea of making a game that still feels like a CRPG while operating on a scale of armies, I think that could be a really cool thing, but I do suspect Larian might want to do something more traditional.

[warty goblin]

The KOTOR remake has already been licensed and I can't think what else Larian would really do there.

A Game of Thrones RPG sounds like a recipe for disaster. It's a great setting to watch or read about but the low magic means very little variety in RPG terms. I could see some kind of total war or grand strategy game working there though.

The Cyanide Game of Thrones RPG is pretty good if you have high tolerance for Eurojank*. There's plenty of ways to create variability in a game without magic, magic is just the easy and incoherent shortcut.

That said, I hope they don't do something licensed simply because there's too much licensed stuff already, and they're in the enviable and unusual position of being a top-tier studio beholden to nobody. No reason to waste a genuinely creative team on ideas as creatively dead as Star Wars.

*and I mean high tolerance. Makes Piranha Bytes look smooth and polished.

[Cikomyr2]

The Cyanide Game of Thrones RPG is pretty good if you have high tolerance for Eurojank*. There's plenty of ways to create variability in a game without magic, magic is just the easy and incoherent shortcut.

That said, I hope they don't do something licensed simply because there's too much licensed stuff already, and they're in the enviable and unusual position of being a top-tier studio beholden to nobody. No reason to waste a genuinely creative team on ideas as creatively dead as Star Wars.

*and I mean high tolerance. Makes Piranha Bytes look smooth and polished.

"Eurojank"?

Magic is.. difficult because it breaks rules of reality. I prefer when the magic is very focused in its presence in the world.

DnD's kitchen sink where everyone can cast pretty much everything and all magic exist never been my favourite.

[Rynjin]

"Eurojank"?

Eurojank is probably best described as a subcategory of games with high ambition, and low resources. A lot of these types of games are created in eastern Europe, hence the name.

Eurojank games tend to be feature rich, innovative, and off-the-wall, but also, well, janky. Shoddy coding, weird translations or speech patterns, and just an all around feeling of being off in a charming way.

I personally would also further sub-classify them into "high Eurojank" and "low Eurojank".

Low Eurojank games tend to have some of the same vibe, but feel overall like a higher level of production. Games like Elex, Noita, and Vampyr fall into this category; a little more polish overall, but still keeping the key aspects.

High Eurojank games are the ones almost more defined by their jank than anything else. The jank itself becomes a character in the game, and you will learn to love them like a brother. Examples include E.Y.E.: Divine Cybermancy, Pathologic, and the classic S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series, the latter of which is considered the primoridal Eurojank game which popularized the idea.

[Aragehaor]

"Eurojank"?

Magic is.. difficult because it breaks rules of reality. I prefer when the magic is very focused in its presence in the world.

DnD's kitchen sink where everyone can cast pretty much everything and all magic exist never been my favourite.

"Eurojank" refers to a somewhat broad but relatively unified style of primarily European game design which is often complicated and "janky" in similar ways to each other (and is often, but not always, caused by a low budget)

Kingdom Come Deliverance would probably be the best example of a high budget "eurojank" game, Other popular games you may have heard of (with much less budget) would be the STALKER series, the first witcher specifically, Gothic one and two, and the original x3.

(Also, ninja'd)



Personally, i like D&D very much for video games, but don't actually care much about it in other contexts, as for what IP larian could possibly go after and do well in, I do think a Star Wars game could go well.

While yes, KOTOR is already spoken for (Regrettably, it seems profoundly unlikely for the remake to end up good given all that has occured to it, but i will still hope) Star Wars is a broad enough setting, As was made apparent during the golden age of star wars games (which gave us gems like KOTOR and Jedi academy).

Larian could easily (If Disney was willing to give them any degree of freedom) make an RPG set in the old republic era distinct from the KOTOR timeline with almost any story they like. We certainly won't get such a game, but it doesn't seem hard for me at least to imagine.

[Errorname]

I don't think I want a Star Wars or Game of Thrones game from Larian, for the record. I just don't really know enough about their lead creatives to have a strong sense of what settings (if any) they might be super passionate about so I went with broadly popular examples