The RPG Files: Prepping For My First D&D Game In 20 Years Has Me Longing For Baldur's Gate Again | M

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The RPG Files: Prepping For My First D&D Game In 20 Years Has Me Longing For Baldur's Gate Again | MMORPG.com

Growing up, Baldur's Gate was one of the formative RPGs for Bradford. A birthday present from his parents in high school, BioWare's epic RPG set the stage for the PC RPG nerd he'd become. However, it's not a desire to clear out backlog that has him yearning to jump back into the world, but rather prepping for his first Dungeons & Dragons game in 20 years.

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Javiso

What a great article! The screenshot of the Drow Rogue Noble, is that from BG3?

olepi

You could play DDO, right?

Scot

I think I should point out to non-tabletop players that table top rpg's have moved on from fantasy, before the Clerics start chanting heresy, any form of entertainment has cycles.

In the 90's a move to horror and science fiction occurred as well as a move to setting the game in modern times, also there were many games which allowed you to use some form of SF tech in a modern setting even if that was not the thrust of the game.

I think this added greatly to rpgs's just like the previous renaissance which was the move of fantasy rpg's away from dungeons to fantasy kingdoms. But fantasy never went away it just took a backseat and came back in many settings including some based on TV and film.

I cut my teeth on DnD so that nostalgia never goes away, funnily MMOs have a different story. MMOs and to a much lesser extent solo rpg's have never lost that foundation of fantasy, no other genre does so well, horror and science fiction barely get a look in.

lotrlore

olepi said:

You could play DDO, right?

I could, but honestly could never personally get into it myself. Neverwinter got me for a while, but Baldur's Gate holds such a place in my heart that instinctually that's where my mind wandered when starting to create characters again for this world.

And yes, @Javiso - that image is of the Drow Noble I'm creating. BG3's creator really helped me decide on the Drow's look.

Champie

Scot said:

I think I should point out to non-tabletop players that table top rpg's have moved on from fantasy, before the Clerics start chanting heresy, any form of entertainment has cycles.



In the 90's a move to horror and science fiction occurred as well as a move to setting the game in modern times, also there were many games which allowed you to use some form of SF tech in a modern setting even if that was not the thrust of the game.



I think this added greatly to rpgs's just like the previous renaissance which was the move of fantasy rpg's away from dungeons to fantasy kingdoms. But fantasy never went away it just took a backseat and came back in many settings including some based on TV and film.



I cut my teeth on DnD so that nostalgia never goes away, funnily MMOs have a different story. MMOs and to a much lesser extent solo rpg's have never lost that foundation of fantasy, no other genre does so well, horror and science fiction barely get a look in.

And here I am playing a single server, full-loot permadeath open world pvp MMO set in Colonial America and inspired by HP Lovecraft.

RandomCasualty

Javiso said:

What a great article! The screenshot of the Drow Rogue Noble, is that from BG3?

Yup it is. I was delighted to actually be able to create a Drow the way my minds eye has always envisioned them.

Talin

I found this a good article/editorial on the connection between tabletop RPGs and some of the great CRPGs. It has been more than two decades since I played a real session of tabletop D&D but have enjoyed many of the greats over the years - Baldur's Gate 1/2, Neverwinter Nights (1/2 + expansions), and more. I'm a sucker for fantasy settings; while I have nothing against horror or sci-fi I've always loved the mix between medieval and magical themes.

I've been watching BG3 for some time now and I know I will love it; the only reason I have stayed out of early access is that I know I will be massively frustrated when I get to the current "end" of available content. Really looking forward to the final release!

WhiteLantern

Since we're talking tabletop here, I'm gonna shamelessly plug Privateer Press's Iron Kingdoms RPG. They're about to finish their second KS campaign for their revamped 5e update. Requiem is the main book, Borderlands and Beyond is currently on Kickstarter. 
It's a great setting and has been for 20ish(?) years.

Phaedruslives

I hope that one day we'll get another golden age. With Developers making games out of the fantastic OSR systems and settings currently in circulation. Imagine a DCC Might and Magic-esque game. Or a full on immersive sim set in the Mork-Borg doom scape.

Arglebargle

Nostalgia is a terrible drug.  

Sovrath

Scot said:

I think I should point out to non-tabletop players that table top rpg's have moved on from fantasy, before the Clerics start chanting heresy, any form of entertainment has cycles.

In the 90's a move to horror and science fiction occurred as well as a move to setting the game in modern times, also there were many games which allowed you to use some form of SF tech in a modern setting even if that was not the thrust of the game.

I think this added greatly to rpgs's just like the previous renaissance which was the move of fantasy rpg's away from dungeons to fantasy kingdoms. But fantasy never went away it just took a backseat and came back in many settings including some based on TV and film.

I cut my teeth on DnD so that nostalgia never goes away, funnily MMOs have a different story. MMOs and to a much lesser extent solo rpg's have never lost that foundation of fantasy, no other genre does so well, horror and science fiction barely get a look in.

I have no interest in table top rpg's other than fantasy. I enjoy watching Sci-Fi movies or reading sci-fi books but I always lose interest with games.

Possibly horror but I doubt real horror can be sustained around a table with people joking around and taking the game as seriously as they want to.

The only sci-fi video games I enjoy are 4x games. I did enjoy the remake of X-Com. Other than that, not much.

TwistedSister77

FYI - The full Baldurs Gate 1 & 2 is available on mobile.  Great reviews.  

So you can just chip away at it on the go, or in bed.

Adamantine

I'm not sure why I would want to play BG1+2 on a smartphone if I can play it properly on PC, with keyboard and mouse.

Kyleran

Champie said:

Scot said:

I think I should point out to non-tabletop players that table top rpg's have moved on from fantasy, before the Clerics start chanting heresy, any form of entertainment has cycles.



In the 90's a move to horror and science fiction occurred as well as a move to setting the game in modern times, also there were many games which allowed you to use some form of SF tech in a modern setting even if that was not the thrust of the game.



I think this added greatly to rpgs's just like the previous renaissance which was the move of fantasy rpg's away from dungeons to fantasy kingdoms. But fantasy never went away it just took a backseat and came back in many settings including some based on TV and film.



I cut my teeth on DnD so that nostalgia never goes away, funnily MMOs have a different story. MMOs and to a much lesser extent solo rpg's have never lost that foundation of fantasy, no other genre does so well, horror and science fiction barely get a look in.

And here I am playing a single server, full-loot permadeath open world pvp MMO set in Colonial America and inspired by HP Lovecraft.

Like he said, barely a look, meanwhile 1.3M piled in last weekend to play the latest fantasy based, cash shop gear  grinder.....