I've played BG2 through a couple of times and am eagerly awaiting ToB, however I've never played BG1 so I thought it would be fun to try and play all three through with the same character, and I wondered if anyone had any advice?
by the way my prefered character is a mage.

I am a BG2 fan and I just got ToB. It's amazing how many little things and effects they added to make the game even more addictive. I never played BG1, but I think it's not as good as BG2 in the graphics and sound field. But it's up to you.

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You cannot escape the inevitable.

Yeah I fully intend buying ToB just as soon as I've got some money. I was really more interested in any technical difficulties there may be in transfering a BG1 character to BG2, and whether there were any broad hints on which type of party/characters to play since I imagine BG1 differs tactically from BG2.

There are no difficulties in transferring characters. The main difference in strategy is that your party is much weaker and can be easily killed by a bear.

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You cannot escape the inevitable.

Not playing BG1 would be a sin. Are you not keen to find out the history of the characters you have in BG2. The game itself is just as good even if the graphics and sound are slightly not as good, my only problem after playing BG2 was that the play area in BG1 is smaller. And hey, if I can get both BG1 and BG1-TOTSC thogether for NZ$30(About US$20) there is not excuse!

A bear?! Not a fire-breathing demon bear? Just a bear, like winnie the pooh?
OK in that case is it possible to play BG1 with a character from BG2? (I know the perfectionists might view that as cheating, and so do I, but I don't care http://www.tgeweb.com/cgi-bin/ubb/no...iles/smile.gif )

*sigh*

i used to go wild and crazy screaming like hell in my chair, "That's an Ogre Mage?!?!?! Oh My Gawd!!!!" Ogre Mages were like hell in BG1... and yes, a bear is very deadly, so watch out!!! Also, in BG1, exp points of 800 or 1000 will make your Jaw drop big time http://www.tgeweb.com/cgi-bin/ubb/no...es/biggrin.gif

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http://members.aol.com/lasttrueprinc...hirotomoe1.gif
Yukishiro Tomoe

To Altranan:

You are right about the tactics being different between BG1 and BG2. In BG2 missile attacks are not that important, (unless you're an Archer http://www.tgeweb.com/cgi-bin/ubb/no...miles/wink.gif) but in BG1 missile attacks were definately the way to go. Melee in BG1 is much more difficult, due to the fact that your character/party start at level 1 and advancement is rather slow.

So, I would definitely go missile based on most of the party. My party consisted of Khalid, Jaheira, Kivan, Minsc, Dynaheir and myslef. I played through BG1 with several different classes and races, but the best (for BG1) were humans. I would either play a Human Mage or a Human Fighter. It all depends on whether you want to be in the front or in the back.

To Seid:

BG1 may not be up to par with BG2 as far as the graphics and sound, you are right about that. But, if you've never played through BG1 even once, I don't think you really get the feel for the life you are supposed to have led up to the point of waking up in Irenicus' dungeon. Which is a shame, because you really had a lot of good times. On top of that, how can you feel on way or the other about Sarevok in TOB, if you didn't face him in BG1?

Not to mention, the great joy (roleplaying wise) of raising a character from level 1 to ........ well, I don't want to spoil TOB for ya', so I'll stop there. http://www.tgeweb.com/cgi-bin/ubb/no...miles/wink.gif

Damn! All this talk about BG1 has made me miss it. Now I'm gonna have to go start a new character and take him through all three games.

-Immoral

Sounds..uh..interesting. I guess after the quick-fix, glitzy MTV BG2, then BG1 will appear more of a chore. Still maybe I'll feel more fulfilled having earned my levels the hard way. http://www.tgeweb.com/cgi-bin/ubb/no...miles/wink.gif

To Immoral: You have inspired me to play BG1, I feel like I'm about to embark on a pilgrimage to find my roots. Ordering BG1 as we speak. Also means I have the excitement of playing ToB extended until I've finished BG1 and BG2. ohmygod, I don't think I can stand it. http://www.tgeweb.com/cgi-bin/ubb/no...es/biggrin.gif

[This message has been edited by Altranan (edited 07-18-2001).]

Could be a SPOILER about how to play BG1, but you might want to know....
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The plot in BG1 is very much laid out for good or neutral aligned characters. Meaning that there are very few Evil options, except dialogue-wise, as opposed to, say, joining Bodhi instead of the Shadow Thieves in BG2. You can mostly only manifest your evil intentions by killing beggars, Flaming Fist Soldiers, Neeber etc.

Could be a SPOILER about how to play BG1, but you might want to know....
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The plot in BG1 is very much laid out for good or neutral aligned characters. Meaning that there are very few Evil options, except dialogue-wise, as opposed to, say, joining Bodhi instead of the Shadow Thieves in BG2. You can mostly only manifest your evil intentions by killing beggars, Flaming Fist Soldiers, Neeber etc.

There are alot of great things about playing BG 1 even after playing BG II. So much is different as far as strategy goes. Charm and summoned creatures are totaly killer. Without killer AC and a bad THAC0 you don't really wanna stand toe to toe with the bad guys for long. Charming an enemy to do it for you or summoning creatures to do it and using missile weapons was alot of fun http://www.tgeweb.com/cgi-bin/ubb/no...miles/wink.gif
Plus I had great fun playing a fighter thief in BG 1. It was soo much easier to stay hidden in shadows before the BG 1 expansion.

BG1 and TotSC have both now been purchased and play will commence this weekend. An empty house, beer and 48hours of baldur's gate, does life get better?

If you asj me, BG1 is a better game than its sequel. Perhaps its the fact that it was the first RPG I ever played but it really made an impression on me. Playing it again now, I still believe find it immensely enjoyable. Baldur's Gate is just more atmospheric. You feel like your in a real world, visiting the villages and Beregost, finding abandoned caves and old dungeons in the wilderness, going intop inns, and spending countless hours in the wilderness. You could just spend days in towns, going from inn to inn, hearing rumors, breaking into houses etc. And even though many will disagree with me, I loved the wilderness areas. Who doesn't remember the attack on the xvart village? Or the gnoll stronghold? Or that mage's apprentie who got turned into a chicken? Or that dead cat in the waterfall? Or Rufie the "dog" and his master? Or the bandit encounters? The destroyed caravans? Bassilus the necromancer? Or the days spend strolling into the beatiful wilderness areas under the heavy rain, so beautifully and atmospherically implemented. So what if the most powerfull enemy you face is an Ogre-Magi (actually it isn't), it only makes the game more realistic.
Play it and then come back and tell us what you think. I'm really interested to know what somebody who's played BG2 first thinks of the original.

BTW there's an unoficial expansion to Baldur's Gate 1 that you can download, although I'm not so sure where to get it.

"my only problem after playing BG2 was that the play area in BG1 is smaller."

What? BG1 area smaller? Are you mad? Perhaps you haven't gone through all of the map. Baldur's Gate is huge. Or do you mean the range of areas?

...BG1 will seem rather simple as far as weapons and spells, character abillities go etc...but it does have an excellent story line and there are some nasty enemies to contend with, it would certainly enhance your bg2 playing experience and give you valuable insight into who you are, where you came from and who Gorien and Searvok are, how u met ,Minsc, Kalid, Jaheira and much, much more. I would highly recommend that you play it.

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Hesperex Freth: 1st son of Matron Mother Shi'nayne Freth, 1st house of Ched'Nesad. Weapon master and patron of house Freth.