Is the heart of winter expansion meant to be played after you've comleted the game, or is it an add on that puts a few more quests into the main theme, or even independent of the main theme entirely?

It adds into the middle of the game (although it can be played afterward, you just have to replay the final battle when your done) and takes you to another region of the Spine of the World - to Lonelywood, a small village. Needless to say, Loneleywood has even more trouble than Kuldahar has. And guess who has to make it right?

You can also download the Trials of the Luremaster expansion for HoW. Now thats getting somewhat rediculous - and expansion that takes you out of the plot of an expansion thats already taken you out of the main games plot.

Definatley a good addon though.

You do actually not have to reply the final battle - if you complete it without going to HoW, you will automaticly be moved to Lonelywood after you have won - ready for new adventures [img]smile.gif[/img]

Yes, if you complete the game and then start icewind dale your party will be imported into Lonelywood with the experiance gained from completing ice wind dale. On the downside if any of your characters died in the final battle they will still get the experiance but be running around in their birthday suits if you know what I mean.

[ 09-24-2002, 06:54 PM: Message edited by: pritchke ]

<font color = mediumspringgreen>ryaldin,

HoW does so-o-O-O-O much more than give you an extra adventure in the middle of the game. For starters, the screen resolution can be bumped up quite a bit, in convenient increments; and this REALLY can affect gameplay and lower your frustration level. (It is so-o-o nice to be able to see the entire battle!) The display fix alone is, IMHO, worth the price of the product (I paid $5, and burnt $5 in gas and 20 hours of my time trying to find it.) If I recall correctly, HoW is what gives you the "highlight all objects in the room" key. Let's see, there is HoF mode: a good replay value feature. HoW enables install of TotLM. Ummm.. I know there are more, but it's been a while since I played. Search throgh old HoW posts and see... </font>

What is this heart of fury mode that people keep talking about? Like an ironman mode where death is permanent? I have to save and reload alot on normal so I probably should stay away if so [img]tongue.gif[/img]

Bianca

The heart of fury mode is kind of like an iron man mode. Cretures end up with twice as many HP but give twice as much exp. A sword spider would give 10000 exp in Fury mode. If you are starting with a new party than fury mode is really difficult however if you are using seasoned troops than it keeps any otherwise very easy game interesting. As well if there is an area that you are having difficulty with you can set the game to a lower setting and load were you left off, get through the area, save, and then reset to fury mode.

The biggest and single most important factor of HoW is that it's more IWD! If you've liked it so far, you'll easily carry on and play the additional areas. As to the other benefits, the <font color="white">Alt</font> feature is fantastic on its own (I wish BG had it). The new items are nice, and in some areas, absolutely fantastic - I'm thinking Three White Doves. :D

Well worth it.

Another thing that I am positive about Heart of Fury mode is that it also adds more characters in certain areas.

Damn Trolls!!