I don't have time to do this, but sometimes I just insist. I have wanted to play Baldur's Gate, reputed to be the best RPG ever made, for close to 15 years. I got a copy of the original Mac game and tried to play it years ago, but didn't get very far, because I just could NOT learn how do to spells.
I've been waiting for the game to be ported to Mac on GOG.com, even though I could have played their PC version it in my virtual XP machine. But I wanted a Mac version, drat it.
So I learned that there is this brand new version of the game, the Enhanced Edition. I looked it up on YouTube and found some really interesting playthroughs and decided I wanted this game. According to the YouTube player I was watching, many great new features have been added that streamline the game quite a bit, yet it's still Baldur's Gate! They have added a few characters and some new encounters.
And it turns out that the Mac App store has it! For Mac! Although one of the commenters said the right-click didn't work, I've kinda learned that some people post stupid stuff in those comment areas. I decided to take a chance. (The right-click works just fine.)
So. I was only going to play the new tutorial section, before the Candlekeep section at the beginning of the actual game. That, turned out to be really necessary for me. I learned all kinds of new stuff, not only how to do spells (finally!) but also how to set and disarm traps. So that was more than worth it.
But I clicked on the actual game and created a character. Lo and behold, I hit maximum luck. I immediately got a score of 92 for the abilities! I was able to max out strength, dexterity and constitution, with plenty left over for decent charisma. The only category I had to skimp on was intelligence, because I wanted to play a ranger, and they don't need intelligence. So, just by chance, I wound up with a really strong character right out of the box! W00T! I didn't even have to roll the dice.
At first I picked a character portrait dressed all in red, but then realized that I wouldn't be able to see the red coloring when my character got wounded. Fortunately, you can change that in the customize menu, although I believe you can never change the ability levels. I switched her portrait, so that was solved.
I wasn't going to play, but I thought I'd just do that area in Candlekeep. Got caught stealing a potion. Reloaded. Was smarter about it and got not only my stolen potion, but the one given to me too.
However, the final quest in that area doesn't work. The character who has a scroll you're supposed to find never gives it to you.
I am thrilled that the music has been left intact. I love the music in the inns. It's the same music in every inn, but I like it and I want it. Wouldn't be Baldur's Gate without the music, and I know some versions have left that out. I don't want to play this game without the music in the inns! (We've all got our little peculiarities.)
The Candlekeep Inn, with great music
But, did I quit after Candlekeep? Oh no. I kept playing and wasted the entire day. I've been to the Friendly Arms, I've got Khalid and Jaheira and the evil mage Xzar and his nasty friend. I'm about to dump the latter two to pick up a new character, a "wild mage" called Neera. Isn't easy, actually. She keeps getting killed because I'm not doing the fight properly. I did find out that she has the Identify spell, which will save gobs of cash, so I want her, even if I dump her later on. Also, I found an Identity scroll, so I can give that to a new mage, should I decide to go that route.
Ha. Turned out that all the characters have different colored little circles that they live in. Normally, enemies are red. Neera's circle is red. I was killing her thinking she was an enemy. Anyway, she's got the identify spell, but only two spell slots per day, so far.
Montdrain got killed in the fight for Neera, and I recruited Kagain the dwarf, reputed to be the best fighter in the game, and got rid of Xzar (he complained). Then I bipped over to High Hedge and deliberately got Khalid killed off (Jaheira only complained once) and recruited Kivin, another ranger, like me. I may stick with this party to the end. I'm not going to get Minsk and his hamster this time, even if he is a sequel character and entertaining because he's completely nuts.
(I know about all these characters due to a wealth of information about this game on the web. It's far too complicated to go in there blind. You need advice if you're going to be able to enjoy the game fully. I can play again later with different characters--perhaps an evil group!)
Anyway, I have completed the nasty spider quest and am back at the Friendly Arms. Jaheira is complaining that we need to go to Naskell now, so that's where we'll go next time I fire up the game.
And I am having way too much fun to wait too long!
Montdrain got killed in the fight for Neera, and I recruited Kagain the dwarf, reputed to be the best fighter in the game, and got rid of Xzar (he complained). Then I bipped over to High Hedge and deliberately got Khalid killed off (Jaheira only complained once) and recruited Kivin, another ranger, like me. I may stick with this party to the end. I'm not going to get Minsk and his hamster this time, even if he is a sequel character and entertaining because he's completely nuts.
(I know about all these characters due to a wealth of information about this game on the web. It's far too complicated to go in there blind. You need advice if you're going to be able to enjoy the game fully. I can play again later with different characters--perhaps an evil group!)
Anyway, I have completed the nasty spider quest and am back at the Friendly Arms. Jaheira is complaining that we need to go to Naskell now, so that's where we'll go next time I fire up the game.
And I am having way too much fun to wait too long!
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