IWD & IWD2 Comparison Questions

[CerebroDragon]

Ave, fanatics of Dales icy,

Since I completed the original Icewind Dale with Heart of Winter earlier this year, I must confess to being verily tempted to be drawn back into the world by playing the sequel. My questions are thus directed to esteemed experienced veteran travellers of both of the aforementioned epics:

1) How do they generally compare to each other? (I.E what is your preference?)
2) Does the sequel contain much more social interaction and thus provide more potential than the original for roleplaying? Or is it essentially as combat focused/heavy as the original was?
3) Will this be the last Bio-Infinity AD&D based game for PC I wonder?
What further changes do you envisage possible?

Regardless of the nature of responses, I'll no doubt succumb to the desire to return to the Dale!

Cheers,
Cerebrodragon

[pritchke]

CerebroDragon I think comparing IWD2 with the original is a matter of opinion. Personally I prefer the original with HoW out of the two. I like my second edition rules just fine as it is just far easier to create parties without doing much thinking. Developing characters is far more important in IWD2 with 3rd edition rules, as compared to IWD. Some people like that however I just prefer to start as quickly as possible and play the game. When I first started IWD2 creating my first party took a longer time as there is a lot more you need to know and think about, and I had to start over because I found my party a little week. There is slightly more social interaction, and developing characters is more important do to 3rd edition rules so I would say with IWD2 has more potential for Roleplaying. This is IWD2 biggest strength. On the downside there are areas of the game that become impossible or very difficult if you didn't plan ahead and if a character doesn't have enough points in a certain skills, but how are you going to know this without playing to that point. It is possible to get almost to the end and realize you need a certain amount of skill in something to get anywhere else, then you are hooped and have to start from scratch. This happened to me and I was a little annoyed. I used a game editor to make the potion required to move on. These areas would be better if there were more options avaliable to bypass these areas, making the game less linear in the process. After having been through the game you become a little more knowledgeable and know were the pitfalls are. Having said that IWD2 is a good game and I do recommend it. Lets just say I will install and play it again at some point.

[ 10-01-2003, 12:24 PM: Message edited by: pritchke ]

[Nightowl2]

Of the two, IWD2 is perhaps a bit more polished, has a little more roleplay, but essentially it's still the linear, hack'n'slash type of game the original was. Which means if you liked IWD, you will probably like this one.

You do have to keep in mind the switch to 3rd ed rules, so there will be a learning curve in that respect. But there's plenty of "party building" info on this board if you should need it.

I don't know what potion Pritchke was talking about; usually, for anything important, there are two ways of doing things. But you can get into trouble if you're not careful. Of course, that's true of most games anyway

Nightowl2

[Magness]

Originally posted by CerebroDragon: Ave, fanatics of Dales icy, Since I completed the original Icewind Dale with Heart of Winter earlier this year, I must confess to being verily tempted to be drawn back into the world by playing the sequel. My questions are thus directed to esteemed experienced veteran travellers of both of the aforementioned epics: 1) How do they generally compare to each other? (I.E what is your preference?) 2) Does the sequel contain much more social interaction and thus provide more potential than the original for roleplaying? Or is it essentially as combat focused/heavy as the original was? 3) Will this be the last Bio-Infinity AD&D based game for PC I wonder? What further changes do you envisage possible? Regardless of the nature of responses, I'll no doubt succumb to the desire to return to the Dale! Cheers, Cerebrodragon

1. I liked both. A lot of people's opinions of the 2 will depend greatly on their perception of the 2nd ed rules (used in IWD1) vs the 3rd ed rules (used in IWD2).

2. Definitely combat heavy. A tiny bit more interaction, but not much. It's definitely still a hack&slash.

3. This is almost v=certainly the last DnD Infinity Engine game.


I'd also ask if you'd played the IWD1/HOW free add-on named Tales of the Luremaster (TotL). It is a great add-on to IWD1/HOW and can still be downloaded free from the Interplay website.

TotL really makes IWD1/HOW that much better and in many ways is better than HOW.

[Sagramore]

1 I like IWD2 because there is no real limits to what you can do with your characters...like BAM a Half-Orc mage...haha! It takes a bit to think about if you want a balanced party (pshht! [img]tongue.gif[/img] )...I like IWD2 better, but i do think IWD1 had the better storyline, full of deciet and trickery. The fights in this one are harder too...

2There are some character oriented quests like having certain characters in your party at certain levels will get you experience if you talk to the right people...

3Idk...good question, sorry i'm not more computer/Bio-Infinity savvy...i've heard that it is though...sorry, mate

[Dar'tanian]

For question three...


TOEE would not fall into this category because it is Grey Hawk right????