IceWind Dale series

[Schadenfroh]

Greetings,

I recall from the previous thread a while back that IceWind Dale is combat focused. I realize that Black Isle Studios made this game and I am fond of that company as well as its descendant, Obsidian Entertainment. Curious about this series.


Is this just a hack and slash action RPG series like Diablo or does it have at least the same dialog, plot, and roleplaying quality of say NeverWinter Nights 2?

I know it cant touch PlaneScape: Torment, but I hope that it is a good series (since it is made by the same people) and I am itching for some more forgotten realms roleplaying!

 

[mundane]

I can't attest to the dialog etc as compared to NWN2 (haven't opened the latter yet), but compared to Baldur's Gate I found it to be very lite on the dialog and plot.

 

[Dorkenstein]

I absolutely adore Icewind Dale 1 & 2.

 

[Bateluer]

Its lite compared to BG, but heavy compared to Diablo. IWD2 has some dialogue that varies, depending on the characters in the party. Playing a tiefling or celetial will often get different dialogue choices. Monks and Paladins will turn down quest rewards. The IWD games were much better than Diablo, in terms of strategic combat.

I'd say its worth playing.

 

[Dethfrumbelo]

It basically has the same combat setup as Baldur's Gate and PS:T, but it's much more focused on fighting. You create your entire party from scratch - there are no joinables and hence no inter-party plots or conversations. The story is pretty barebones and usually just serves to move you from one map to the next.

The combat can be quite challenging on the higher difficulty levels and requires a good use of tactics, unlike BG, PS:T, or NWN.

IWD:BG = Fallout Tactics:Fallout. Also, if you've ever played ToEE, IWD is comparable to that in terms of the combat-to-story ratio.

 

[Schadenfroh]

You create your entire party from scratch - there are no joinables and hence no inter-party plots or conversations. The story is pretty barebones and usually just serves to move you from one map to the next.

Bah, not going to bother with it then, not big on D&D combat system, mainly play them for the dialog, plot, etc.

Thanks for the info guys.

 

[Bateluer]

You can create some insanely powerful parties in the IWD games though.

 

[Fenixgoon]

Originally posted by: Bateluer
You can create some insanely powerful parties in the IWD games though.

5 monks + 1 mage = /thread

 

[imported_Imp]

It was definately more BG than Diablo. They cut out a lot of exploring/quest decisions to make a more pure action oriented BG. Still, when I played it way back when, it was incredible. I could even say the story and mood was better than BG1 and BG2 at times. Never bothered with IWD 2 though. Almost forgot, the storybook narration was also amazing.


Spoiler:

The elf and dwarf backstories involving the old alliance and betrayal were incredible. Almost came to tears going through the old fortress destroyed by a botched Mythal.

 

[Schadenfroh]

Originally posted by: Bateluer
You can create some insanely powerful parties in the IWD games though.

Going to dig around pocketplane, maybe they have an NPC pack that has inter party discussion / character development mods.

 

[Bateluer]

Originally posted by: Fenixgoon

Originally posted by: Bateluer
You can create some insanely powerful parties in the IWD games though.

5 monks + 1 mage = /thread

I like to have a healer in my party.

 

[Fenixgoon]

Originally posted by: Bateluer

Originally posted by: Fenixgoon

Originally posted by: Bateluer
You can create some insanely powerful parties in the IWD games though.

5 monks + 1 mage = /thread

I like to have a healer in my party.

and maybe 1 priest.. but if you cant get hit, who needs a healer?

i remember my monk ended BG2:TOB with -13 AC and -21 in slayer form. he OWNED.

 

[Schadenfroh]

Well, time to reveal the main reason that I asked about this. I cant seem to find (online or local) any distributer selling the US version of Tales of the Sword coast, the only thing that I can find is this, which includes all of the games (I own everything in it but TotSC and the IceWind Dale Series already) and I wanted to know if it was not just hack and slash before I payed $50 for games this old.

By the way, if any of you wish to sell your copy of Tales of the Sword Coast, see my for sale / trade thread. I would much rather just buy TotSC.

 

[TheVrolok]

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh
Well, time to reveal the main reason that I asked about this. I cant seem to find (online or local) any distributer selling the US version of Tales of the Sword coast, the only thing that I can find is this, which includes all of the games (I own everything in it but TotSC and the IceWind Dale Series already) and I wanted to know if it was not just hack and slash before I payed $50 for games this old.

By the way, if any of you wish to sell your copy of Tales of the Sword Coast, see my for sale / trade thread. I would much rather just buy TotSC.

That is a pretty sweet package deal. Too bad that, like you, I own everything but the IWD series. ALMOST tempting to sell all my current copies and just pick up the box set for style.


Side note.. I'm going to beg the powers above to inspire some company to create a deep story based RPG comparable to BG. I've been let down by every RPG since that series.

 

[Bateluer]

Thats a heck of a package.

While I own copies of BG1, TotSC, BG2, ToB, IWD1, HOW, and IWD2, I have digital copies of them all. My PST disks, in particularly, are very very scratched up. Eventually they won't function any more, need to keep those ISOs protected.

 

[Schadenfroh]

ALMOST tempting to sell all my current copies and just pick up the box set for style.

Could not part with my BG1, have the original 5cd "big box" with the map and all :heartbreak;

 

[Dethfrumbelo]

If you're looking for a good story-driven RPG, you might want to check out Arcanum if you haven't done so already. The graphics are poor, even artistically speaking, but the characters and story are well done and are more adult-oriented than BG 1/2. Made by Troika, it feels a lot like Fallout, only in a different setting.

 

[aCynic2]

I own the entire BG series w/ bioware created expansions, IWD1 w/ HOW and PS:T and played them to all to death.

They are perhaps the last great CRPGs made based on the D&D rules (including the 3.0 ruleset).

IWD plays precisely like BG, with the difference coming in the form of diff spells and weapons and interaction with NPCs. There is ZERO interaction between party members, but much more between the party and NPCs, with a lot more audio driven dialog.

I like it for the reason that it is different, though I have to say, BG and PS:T are far and away much better stories.

 

[Mem]

Originally posted by: Bateluer
Thats a heck of a package.

While I own copies of BG1, TotSC, BG2, ToB, IWD1, HOW, and IWD2, I have digital copies of them all. My PST disks, in particularly, are very very scratched up. Eventually they won't function any more, need to keep those ISOs protected.

My Planescape Torment game came with the paperback story book as well,still not finished reading it yet,I would never sell it.

Well, time to reveal the main reason that I asked about this. I cant seem to find (online or local) any distributer selling the US version of Tales of the Sword coast, the only thing that I can find is this, which includes all of the games (I own everything in it but TotSC and the IceWind Dale Series already) and I wanted to know if it was not just hack and slash before I payed $50 for games this old.

IWD series are great games ,they have a story to them and dialogue,I owned the original IWD,IWD2 ,BG1,BG2 games without exp packs,however when I saw this for £9.99 I had to buy it for Vista x64 .