14th August 2004, 11:12 PM
Hey, I just found another thing to mention! Death. Well, first, combat difficulty. In the early parts it's really easy... I haven't even had to use many healing packs. One, I believe, before the lower city... Well, until I just died (near enterance of the lower city)... but before that, really easy. I'm sure it gets harder though. Still, you shouldn't be gaining levels and getting to level four or so with no challenge...
Anyway, death. In normal D&D rules, when you get to between 0 and -5 HP you are out. You died. Now, let's talk about how this works in the Infinity Engine (BG, IWD, etc). You aren't permanantly dead, however... if you pay enough at a priest's, or if you are higher level and have a ressurect spell (on someone still alive), you can bring them back. Now, this leads to a lot of saving before battles and then loading if you die because dying is a MAJOR hassle -- when someone dies they drop all of their equipment onto the ground. That means that when they are resurrected, they have nothing. You have to go and pick it up. And re-equip all of their items. Every time. This is annoying, yes, but it makes you cautious about death and is a more realistic system (realistic as in it follows the rules of the universe well and makes sense when you follow their laws). Below -5 is permanant death, by the way, but that's quite rare, fortunately. Once you're down you can't be hit again... in that case, you just have to load. :)
Anyway, in this game if someone dies in combat it's like a console game and they are just "unconcious" until you win the fight, when they come back. Now, this may be a lot simpler and may greatly speed up gameplay, but I don't like it as much! Yes, the death system in BG is incredibly annoying at times. Yes, it's frusterating to have to resurrect my whole party sometimes and re-equip everyone's items (my main character in BGII has a rod of resurrection and if your main character dies it's instantly game over (in the BG games that is) so as long as the main character (who is my toughest warrior) lives I can bring back the whole party...). Yes, I have actually refought fights just to avoid that. But it makes more sense. That system is annoying and tough, but logical. This one... it's simple, but illogical. I'd rather it was annoying, myself. :)
Anyway, death. In normal D&D rules, when you get to between 0 and -5 HP you are out. You died. Now, let's talk about how this works in the Infinity Engine (BG, IWD, etc). You aren't permanantly dead, however... if you pay enough at a priest's, or if you are higher level and have a ressurect spell (on someone still alive), you can bring them back. Now, this leads to a lot of saving before battles and then loading if you die because dying is a MAJOR hassle -- when someone dies they drop all of their equipment onto the ground. That means that when they are resurrected, they have nothing. You have to go and pick it up. And re-equip all of their items. Every time. This is annoying, yes, but it makes you cautious about death and is a more realistic system (realistic as in it follows the rules of the universe well and makes sense when you follow their laws). Below -5 is permanant death, by the way, but that's quite rare, fortunately. Once you're down you can't be hit again... in that case, you just have to load. :)
Anyway, in this game if someone dies in combat it's like a console game and they are just "unconcious" until you win the fight, when they come back. Now, this may be a lot simpler and may greatly speed up gameplay, but I don't like it as much! Yes, the death system in BG is incredibly annoying at times. Yes, it's frusterating to have to resurrect my whole party sometimes and re-equip everyone's items (my main character in BGII has a rod of resurrection and if your main character dies it's instantly game over (in the BG games that is) so as long as the main character (who is my toughest warrior) lives I can bring back the whole party...). Yes, I have actually refought fights just to avoid that. But it makes more sense. That system is annoying and tough, but logical. This one... it's simple, but illogical. I'd rather it was annoying, myself. :)