Baldur's Gate 3

[evernessince]

pillars of eternity was my first cRPG, but I didn't particularly like the combat mechanics in it. I don't think this is my genre honestly, I want to love it, but I just can't seem to.

What is benefit of games using Vulkan btw? Just curious why you are looking forward to that.

In general Vulkan is just a much more scalable API that's better able to utilize modern GPUs and CPUs. Ditto goes for DX12.

Larian states that their Vulkan API implementation provides better frame time consistency but is currently less stable.

Not sure the extra performance matters that much though, the game is pretty easy to run even on ultra. From what I've played so far, the graphics don't appear to have improved at all over Divinity Original Sin II.

 

[sam_86314]

Not sure the extra performance matters that much though, the game is pretty easy to run even on ultra. From what I've played so far, the graphics don't appear to have improved at all over Divinity Original Sin II.

On the contrary, I think the visuals have improved by leaps and bounds from a technical perspective.

The scenery is more detailed and the character models look great. It definitely is going for a more realistic style compared to Larian's previous games.

 

[arni-gx]

juts curious for this rpp pc ;

1. is there rotate camera on gameplay ??
2. is there firearms weapon ??
3. is there kingdom management just like in patfhinder kingmaker ??

 

[FoulOnWhite]

juts curious for this rpp pc ;

1. is there rotate camera on gameplay ??
2. is there firearms weapon ??
3. is there kingdom management just like in patfhinder kingmaker ??

1. yes i believe there is
2. doubt it, crossbow/bow yes
3. don't know

 

[neatfeatguy]

pillars of eternity was my first cRPG, but I didn't particularly like the combat mechanics in it. I don't think this is my genre honestly, I want to love it, but I just can't seem to.

What is benefit of games using Vulkan btw? Just curious why you are looking forward to that.

I really liked Pillars of Eternity - kind of like an updated (graphicly) game of Baldur's Gate 2 or Icewind Dale 2. I got a copy of Pillars of Eternity 2, but haven't given it much time, maybe something like 8 hours. It's decent, so far, but I will say for sure that these games don't live in the same realm in terms of combat when it comes to Divinity Original Sin 1 or 2. I like being able to use the environment and having different reactions with various spells/elements - you'd have so many ways to fight a battle without it feeling the same every time you play through.

Also, sometimes, it's the fact that you can play with another person that helps make these games even better. I put in time alone for DOS 1 & 2, they were entertaining, but I found them much more enjoyable when I played them coop. If you have either of these games and know someone else that does, too, it might be worth a go to play coop to see if you have a better experience.

 

[phanbuey]

DL DSR +DLSS quality looks insane in this game.

 

[FoulOnWhite]

DL DSR +DLSS quality looks insane in this game.

It's a nice looking game for sure

 

[phanbuey]

I mean I think this tuned turn based combat system is really nice. I don't like the Pillars one as much since it tries to straddle the line between strategy and ARPG -- you could see it when the Baldur's Gate: Dark alliance games got released -- switching them to full ARPG really spiked their popularity and they were some GREAT games on the console.

The DOS:2 combat really shines when you learn how to layer combat effects, statuses etc. Initially, when you're just trying to smack people repeatedly with basic abilities, it feels slow and meh, but if you take your time and look at it like the puzzle it is: "instead of slapping him with my sword, i can throw this barrel of oil at 3 of them, and then my mage can light them all up... ah but theres' one guys between me and him... WE'RE DOING IT, SEND THE BARREL"

It really feels closer to the tabletop versions and adds alot of fun and variety to the game.

 

[evernessince]

Does anyone know for sure if Wizards, Warlocks, and other casters can wear armor they have proficiency in without penalties in BG3?

I remember in BG1 and BG2 if a caster wore armor they would both get a penalty to their spellcasting and a limitation on what they could cast. Just want to double check as the game does a poor job of explaining some systems. I know the current edition of DnD got rid of those penalties and instead simply require proficiency.

 

[Space Lynx]

Does anyone know for sure if Wizards, Warlocks, and other casters can wear armor they have proficiency in without penalties in BG3?

I remember in BG1 and BG2 if a caster wore armor they would both get a penalty to their spellcasting and a limitation on what they could cast. Just want to double check as the game does a poor job of explaining some systems. I know the current edition of DnD got rid of those penalties and instead simply require proficiency.

I think you answered your own question. Everything I have read said the game follows the new dnd5 rules

 

[mama]

In general Vulkan is just a much more scalable API that's better able to utilize modern GPUs and CPUs. Ditto goes for DX12.

Larian states that their Vulkan API implementation provides better frame time consistency but is currently less stable.

Not sure the extra performance matters that much though, the game is pretty easy to run even on ultra. From what I've played so far, the graphics don't appear to have improved at all over Divinity Original Sin II.

After 10 hours I had an initial crash (after an hour) with Vulcan but after switching to DX11 no crashes or issues.

 

[sam_86314]

After 10 hours I had an initial crash (after an hour) with Vulcan but after switching to DX11 no crashes or issues.

I put the game on my Steam Deck, and still got the same crashes in Vulkan. Kinda sad that DX11 through DXVK is more reliable than native Vulkan.

I did have a crash in DX11 yesterday, though it's only happened once and it was after several hours of play.

Despite these issues, it's still a very good game. Definitely on the more difficult side, though I like that you can cheese some enemies with environmental hazards, like pushing them off cliffs. That's something I love about games like Dragon's Dogma, and I like it about this too.

 

[AsRock]

Well it's out today on steam with a whopping 55.5GB update. Wonder if they changed much between beta and release versions

maybe not ?, how ever there was a update today.

Hello everyone,

Happy post-BG3-launch day! Thank you so much for all the love and support you’ve shown Baldur’s Gate 3 – it’s been surreal to finally launch this game after six years in development, and an incredible honour to watch so many of you play and discover what the team has built. We hope you’ll enjoy BG3 for many months – even years – to come.

All that said, Hotfix #1 is coming in fresh: today’s update takes care of several crashes, bugs and much more.

We’ve been reading your reports on issues with saving your game, and have found a culprit – our cross-saves. Bearing in mind this will only be a useful feature come September 6 when the PlayStation 5 version launches (and beyond), we’ve decided to disable it for now to allow us to solve the issue in the interim. You shouldn’t notice anything in-game and Steam Cloud saves are unaffected by this change.

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to report these issues to us. As always, reach out to our support team if you run into trouble.

And please keep showing us your Tavs and their adventures in the Forgotten Realms! We’ve been waiting for so long to see what you get up to.

CRASHES AND BLOCKERS

• Fixed possibly getting stuck in a dialogue in the first confrontation with a major boss.
• Fixed a rare issue where player character states would not update properly after dying.
• Fixed a crash that could occur related to one of Astarion's cinematic dialogues in the endgame.
• Fixed a crash that could occur when loading an old savegame while at Last Light.
• Fixed a crash that could occur when using the brain reader in the Colony.
• Fixed an issue that could cause you to get stuck in a loading screen when loading a savegame after dying.
• Fixed a blocker during Character Creation preventing you from progressing if you chose a Zariel tiefling as your Guardian.
• Fixed a potential crash triggered by the light system.
• Added an error message to prevent crashes being caused by mods when starting the game.
• Disabled Larian Account cross-saves temporarily to solve an issue blocking loads and saves. Steam cross-saves are unaffected.
• Fixed a startup crash with the Steam API.
• Fixed a crash that could occur when quick-loading a game while a container or corpse was open for looting.
• Fixed a crash that could happen if an item unlocked a spell for a game entity without stats.
• Fixed a crash that could occur when switching a race or a class in Character Creation.
• Fixed potential crashes that could occur when closing screens like the options menu or when ending dialogues.
• Fixed a potential crash when an enemy tries to use the Motivator during combat in the Steel Watch Foundry.
• Fixed a blocker that could occur if you choose to attack the Emperor during a dialogue after you side with him.
• Fixed a crash in PhysX.

MULTIPLAYER

• Players will now correctly join cinematic dialogues that require all players to be present if they were listening in previously.
• Fixed an issue that allowed players to listen in on private dialogues using the context menu.
• Fixed an issue causing players to get stuck and not be able to join a dialogue if someone else is already in a dialogue.

GAMEPLAY

• Fixed hair physics on drow and elf male strong body types.
• Fixed an issue causing phase spiders to skip their turn in combat if they're standing on a web that's been destroyed.
• Fixed an issue with dice rolling, where retrying could cause the roll to fail if you were applying bonuses and clicking really fast.
• Duplicate spells no longer appear on followers' hotbars and you can no longer customise their radial menus. (Important to note: followers are not companions or full party members.)
• Fixed Dark Urge randomisation in Character Creation for non-white dragonborn characters.
• Fixed an issue preventing you from interacting with Withers in one of the camp locations.

UI

• Fixed issues in cinematic dialogues when listening in.
• Fixed an issue causing the character models for half-orcs, dragonborn, and half-elves to not update correctly when unequipping armour in the character sheet.
• Fixed some issues with prepared spells during Level Up, when multiclassing.
• Hid the version number during dialogues.
• Fixed splitscreen cinematics showing sampling garbage.

AUDIO

• Fixed audio issues with grunts, shouts, and moans across gameplay and cinematics.
• Fixed a line being cut off when speaking to the Restless Myconid in the Underdark.
• Removed a clicking sound during the credits.
• Fixed audio levels in a dialogue with Mayrina in the Lower City.

ENGINE

• Fixed a bug causing textures to appear in bright, neon colours.
• Fixed a splitscreen issue causing characters to remain invisible after a dialogue ends.
• Fixed an aspect ratio issue when FSR is active during splitscreen.
• Fixed surface texture details not updating when changing Texture Detail in the game video options.

CINEMATICS

• Fixed characters looking in the wrong direction in a dialogue with Mizora.
• Fixed the Emperor turning backwards in an endgame cinematic.
• Fixed a camera issue with the deep rothé.
• Fixed camera and lighting issues with the strange ox at Last Light.
• Fixed a blank screen in the cinematic when you put on one of Auntie Ethel's masks.
• The nautiloid crash scene will now play even if your avatar is dead and a companion used the transponder instead.
• 
  
• Fixed an issue with clipping characters in a cinematic dialogue in the Colony.
• 
  
• Fixed the avatar's head popping into place in a dialogue in the Colony.
• 
  
• Fixed Cazador's staff disappearing in a cinematic dialogue.
• Fixed a camera that was zoomed in too far on a wolf.
• Fixed Lae'zel's head popping in a dialogue with Vlaakith.
• 
  
• Fixed Orin and her victim clipping into an altar.
• Fixed a blocked camera in the dialogue with Lunkbug and Laridda.
• Fixed companions disappearing the morning after the Dark Urge gives into a particular Urge.
• Fixed lighting issues in a scene with Z'rell at Moonrise Towers.
• Fixed Araj's hands clipping when talking to her in the Lower City.
• Fixed some companions being visible in the background of dialogues where they shouldn't be.
• 
  
• Fixed Ketheric's corpse standing back up in an idle pose.
• Fixed a blocked camera in the dialogue with the ogres at the Blighted Village.
• Fixed Raphael popping during the dialogue with the orthon.
• Fixed camera, audio, and character movement issues in the dialogue with the monk's amulet.
• Fixed a looping animation in the cinematic dialogue with the Brewer.
• Fixed half-orc hirelings clipping when speaking to the pale individuals in Fraygo's Flophouse.
• Fixed male halfling Dark Urge's hand clipping through his body when lying down.
• Fixed lighting issues in the endgame cinematic.
• Fixed Jaheira having jittering and popping hands in a dialogue in the Lower City.
• Fixed a repeating animation on the submersible.
• Fixed Wyll looking in the wrong direction when recruited.
• Added reactions to the player character's face when talking to the ox in Last Light.
• Fixed clipping between two Zealots of the Absolute in the Colony.
• 
  
• Fixed popping issues with Cazador in several dialogues with Astarion.
• Fixed some issues with where characters are facing, animations, and cameras in the final combat cinematic.

 

[sam_86314]

maybe not ?, how ever there was a update today.

Didn't even realize an update was available. One of the best features of GOG is being able to disable automatic updates, but I guess that also disables automatically checking for updates.

 

[AsRock]

Didn't even realize an update was available. One of the best features of GOG is being able to disable automatic updates, but I guess that also disables automatically checking for updates.

Yeah those forced auto updates on are terrible on steam, how ever you might be able to put steam in too offline mode and avoid it how ever some games go in to ass hole mode example 7 days too die and disables any coop. And on top of that i believe after 30 days it will sign you out too.

Seems like people are waking up how bad steam actually is.

 

[sam_86314]

Yeah those forced auto updates on are terrible on steam, how ever you might be able to put steam in too offline mode and avoid it how ever some games go in to ass hole mode example 7 days too die and disables any coop. And on top of that i believe after 30 days it will sign you out too.

Seems like people are waking up how bad steam actually is.

I've hated Steam for a long time. I actually pretty much exclusively run my Steam Deck in offline mode (as long as you stay in offline mode, you can use it indefinitely without logging in again) and either run GOG games or "patched" versions of games I own on other platforms.

Back on topic, just updated the game; need to see if the Vulkan issue is still there.

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

The game has been stable for me. Utilizing Vulkan, and Adrenalin 23.7.2 WHQL

 

[FoulOnWhite]

What's wrong with updates? they usually fix or add something.

 

[sam_86314]

Vulkan issue seems to be fixed now. I haven't tried it on the Steam Deck, but it's now rock-solid stable on my main PC.

Wow, is this game ever immersive. I completely lose track of time while playing it.

 

[Vayra86]

Does anyone know for sure if Wizards, Warlocks, and other casters can wear armor they have proficiency in without penalties in BG3?

I remember in BG1 and BG2 if a caster wore armor they would both get a penalty to their spellcasting and a limitation on what they could cast. Just want to double check as the game does a poor job of explaining some systems. I know the current edition of DnD got rid of those penalties and instead simply require proficiency.

Its 5e so lots of things dont apply anymore, its a simplified 3.5e really. I also do pen and paper 5e and its really true to that. Except for the fact the game cuts out even more specifics like racial stat bonuses ; you can be any race and choose your stats as you like. Elves are no longer low on Constitution by default etc.

 

[AsRock]

Its 5e so lots of things dont apply anymore, its a simplified 3.5e really. I also do pen and paper 5e and its really true to that. Except for the fact the game cuts out even more specifics like racial stat bonuses ; you can be any race and choose your stats as you like. Elves are no longer low on Constitution by default etc.

This include the others too ?, That's pretty lame. Like there be a reason to pick other races and now there is no reason, that's no improvement.

Same ol BS.

 

[evernessince]

I think you answered your own question. Everything I have read said the game follows the new dnd5 rules

Yep, I can confirm that 100% after my play session yesterday.

Its 5e so lots of things dont apply anymore, its a simplified 3.5e really. I also do pen and paper 5e and its really true to that. Except for the fact the game cuts out even more specifics like racial stat bonuses ; you can be any race and choose your stats as you like. Elves are no longer low on Constitution by default etc.

Appreciate the info. That's a big help knowing I can look at the 5e rules for anything not explained in the game.

 

[Vayra86]

This include the others too ?, That's pretty lame. Like there be a reason to pick other races and now there is no reason, that's no improvement.

Same ol BS.

Yeah I was so-so on that as well. There are still reasons though, Half Orcs get 3x melee critical hit damage for example instead of x2, so they still nudge towards certain classes. On the one hand its nice to be able to go Drow Barbarian with 17 starting strength but on the other... Drow don't feel special anymore. Although I think looking at the racial skillset they still are the best one Im also missing alignments, and alignments in tandem with class specializations / choices, but then 5e cut out a lot of that too. Other character creation stuff is torn apart too, like gender choice (now 'Identity'... lol) and body types and voice sets are completely free, so you can get pretty bizarre stuff going on... most of which is just straight up hilarious, or silly. I don't quite like it, but I guess the SJW squads can stay at home this way. And I don't have to go there if I don't want to, so mkay. Still, changing male to female and watching no boobs get shown on the model (it remains the exact same) was.. ehh. Awkward is probably the word, closely followed by 'omfg'
Still the overall idea seems to have been to really open up what you can build, as little restrictions as possible, both mechanically as visually.

I went for a Tiefling Monk

Flurry of Blows is OP, at least early on. I can basic attack, and Flurry of Blows as a bonus action for 2 extra hits so that is like 3x the attack power of any other melee
Combat is nice overall though, the UI works well and you can quickly find any skill you have in your arsenal, and it is pretty true to tabletop, with some tweaks here and there. Its not tedious either, this trait has been copied over successfully from DOS at least. Also surfaces are a thing, just not quite like they are in DOS, and the adventuring has pretty amazing depth, lots of things you can do and skills you can use to progress and find secrets.

But apart from that... can we appreciate the small fact this game is actually playable without any issues at release? Damn son.
Performance is good. 90-144 FPS @ ultra. Graphically... sometimes it feels like you're back in 2018, other times you're amazed at the awesome scenery. Its mostly the art/design of areas itself that makes the difference. Graphically this is DOS2 with some minor touch ups. And that's not really criticism either, it looks 'fine'.

DL DSR +DLSS quality looks insane in this game.

Can you post a screenshot?

 

[evernessince]

Flurry of Blows is OP, at least early on. I can basic attack, and Flurry of Blows as a bonus action for 2 extra hits so that is like 3x the attack power of any other melee
Combat is nice overall though, the UI works well and you can quickly find any skill you have in your arsenal, and it is pretty true to tabletop, with some tweaks here and there. Its not tedious either, this trait has been copied over successfully from DOS at least. Also surfaces are a thing, just not quite like they are in DOS, and the adventuring has pretty amazing depth, lots of things you can do and skills you can use to progress and find secrets.

The monk is the first melee class to get a double strike or bonus action ability like this AFAIK. That said other classes do get similar abilities, the fighter for example at level 2. The fighter's action surge gives them another action which is more flexible. I get the feeling it balances out pretty well. The wizard class does seem a bit weak though, at least from what I've seen up to level 5. I was told that wizards really start to shine at lvl 6 and higher though so we will see.

 

[Selaya]

[ ... ]
But apart from that... can we appreciate the small fact this game is actually playable without any issues at release? Damn son.
[ ... ]

3 years of early access public beta be doing wonders