Recommend a D&D cRPG to someone who's never played any of them

[BlueWeasel]

I was cleaning out the closet the other day and found the discs for the Baldur's Gate collection (BG1+BG2 and all expansions). I'm embarrassed to say I didn't play BG1 for more than a few hours -- that was back when all I played was twitch FPS gaming and the slow pace, D&D rules, and lots of reading quickly became boring.

Now, several years later, I want to try it again. Since Planescape:Torment and Icewind Dale are now available at GOG.com for cheap, here's my choices:

1) Baldur's Gate (Would prefer to start with BG1 with the EasyTUTU mod)
2) PS: Torment
3) Icewind Dale 1

Which of those games would you suggest for someone completely new to the genre? Will be using widescreen and other recommended mods for whatever game I start with.

I also feel like I need to do some reading on D&D RPG basics. Do the game manuals have a section for this (I've lost the BG manuals) or should I look somewhere else?

 

[crownjules]

If you want a game that's plot and character driven with combat in the back seat, play Planescape: Torment.

If you want a dungeon hack n' slash, play Icewind Dale.

If you want a good combo of the two, play Baldur's Gate.

Knowing the D&D ruleset will help you a little but it's definitely not required to play. I believe all these games use the 2nd edition rules.

 

[BlueWeasel]

I'm thinking of starting Icewind Dale, as it's more combat based. Is it harder than BG1?

 

[Specop 007]

I'll vote for Neverwinter Nights.

Dragons Age: Origins is far too linear in my opinion but still an excellent, excellent game.

ETA:

Graphics aside, Pool of Radiance for the NES is one of the more true adaptions of the D&D ruleset that I've found but I certainly havent played them all.

 

[Malladine]

Out of those choices definitely Icewind Dale.

 

[exar333]

If you are new to D&D rules, I would pick Baldur's Gate. Icewind Dale is VERY good, but you will likely really struggle because you need to create a balanced team to get through many tough battles. Knowing some D&D basics or playing BG1 should give you the information to be successful.

Seriously, with the wrong party created, Icewind Dale (1 or 2) will be pretty much impossible. You need a lot of different skills to make it through.

BG1 does a good job of allowing you to make your own character (mage/theif is a good combo; or cleric) and then build your knowledge as you pick-up others.

For the most part, D&D 2.5 is fairly straight-forward, but getting to know some good spells will make a huge difference. Stuff like Magic missiles, Melf's Acid Arrows, knock, prismatic spray, color spray, FIREBALL, cone of cold. These are all bread-n-butter spells in D&D.

 

[darkewaffle]

Neverwinter Nights

 

[PhatoseAlpha]

I'd probably start with Torment, simply because you're immortal in that game. BG1 will kill you repeatedly, unfairly, and in as frustrating a manner as possible.

 

[s44]

BG1/BG2. Torment has very little to do with D&D (for one thing, you don't wear armor).

 

[phantom404]

I'll vote for Neverwinter Nights.

Dragons Age: Origins is far too linear in my opinion but still an excellent, excellent game.

ETA:

Graphics aside, Pool of Radiance for the NES is one of the more true adaptions of the D&D ruleset that I've found but I certainly havent played them all.

I picked that up as soon as it came out. I was a big fan of Pool of Radiance for the commodore 64!

 

[bryanW1995]

bg1 is fantastic, and once you get into it you can jump up to bg2 right away. I played a LOT on both of those games, they were a blast. I still pull them out every once in a while, nwn just didn't do it for me. nwn2 was better than nwn1, but neither of them compared to the bg series imho.

icewind dale was ok, but was a letdown for me after seeing the great quality of bg1/bg2. maybe you're better off playing iwd first then switching to the bg series.

 

[s44]

NWN1 is sort of worthless on its own, but some of the big modder campaigns are mind-bogglingly awesome. Definitely worth it after you've gone through the Infinity Engine classics (BGs, Torment). But don't bother with the OC.

Too bad Bioware shat on the modding community for DAO in favor of ripoff DLC. (Not all DLC is a ripoff, but everything for Dragon Age certainly was.)

 

[Qbah]

Go BG1 then Tales of the Sword Coast then immediately BG2 and finally Throne of Bhaal. That's a few weeks of gameplay with an AMAZING and EPIC story. The only mods I would advise for a first playthrough are widescreen and party banters for BG1.

 

[BlueWeasel]

Thanks all for the suggestions

Go BG1 then Tales of the Sword Coast then immediately BG2 and finally Throne of Bhaal. That's a few weeks of gameplay with an AMAZING and EPIC story. The only mods I would advise for a first playthrough are widescreen and party banters for BG1.

That's pretty much what I picked.

BG1-->Expansion-->BG2-->Expansion.

Using EasyTUTU (for the graphics improvements of the BG2 engine) plus widescreen and party banter mods.

 

[shortylickens]

As far as similarity to playing tabletop D&D, nothing comes close to BG1 and 2. And I highly encourage the above suggestion of installing both games with expansions, and then using TUTU to play Bg1 in the BG2 engine. Then use a mod that lets you play at the resolution you want, and also use the Gibberlings Tweak Pack on both of them.

 

[s44]

IMO Trilogy is a better experience than Tutu.

 

[gorcorps]

I'll vote for Neverwinter Nights.

Dragons Age: Origins is far too linear in my opinion but still an excellent, excellent game.

ETA:

Graphics aside, Pool of Radiance for the NES is one of the more true adaptions of the D&D ruleset that I've found but I certainly havent played them all.

They made their own ruleset for DA:O. It's not connected to D&D rules in any way at all.

 

[MJinZ]

Start with Dragon Age as it is the shittiest game mentioned so far and also is not a D&D RPG.

Then work your way up to Baldurs Gate 1 and 2.

 

[lupi]

gold box series

 

[shortylickens]

I thought Dragon Age used D&D 4th edition.

 

[gorcorps]

I thought Dragon Age used D&D 4th edition.

Nope. I read in a review that they used their own rules, and I just googled it to make sure and found this interview: http://www.pcworld.com/article/173331/dragon_age_origins_vs_dungeons_and_dragons_fight.html

Says there that they made their own ruleset too. I'm sure it's not much different from D&D, but TECHNICALLY it's different.

 

[MJinZ]

Nope. I read in a review that they used their own rules, and I just googled it to make sure and found this interview: http://www.pcworld.com/article/173331/dragon_age_origins_vs_dungeons_and_dragons_fight.html

Says there that they made their own ruleset too. I'm sure it's not much different from D&D, but TECHNICALLY it's different.

It actually has almost nothing to do with D&D rules. Like... almost nothing.

 

[gorcorps]

It actually has almost nothing to do with D&D rules. Like... almost nothing.

Got it. Makes sense why I like it so much better than D&D games then.

 

[shortylickens]

Got it. Makes sense why I like it so much better than D&D games then.

Probably. Thats the only issue with Baldurs Gate and Neverwinter Nights. If you really dont like Dungeons & Dragons they sure as shit wont change your mind.
BUT, I have found that a lot more people like D&D than they realize, and the way they discovered it was with Baldurs Gate and Neverwinter Nights.

 

[Bateluer]

Realistically, you should play all the Infinity Engine games. cRPGs seemed to have peaked with them.

FYI, the reason Bioware went with their own rules for DAO was to get away from WotC interfering with development.