Continuation:
-side note- at the time of playing, the latest patch was not installed)
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Tarnesh exploded, and Immy sets on to collect the collectibles of the late Tarnesh. Rest in pieces...literary.
Again no Immy banter or mention of Tarnesh spell-book. Which is lame among other things. To me, it feels like an old friend has stopped talking to me....for whatever reasons.
As we make our way around the inner Yard of the FAI exploring (to shoo away the FoW) I notice some Eye-candy improvement. The is a soft glow surrounding the entrance of the Inn, windows and the Temple entrance beside the stairs. Things seem more vibrant and some parts even softer; detailed. It's nice and it is a big bonus to the overall feel. Makes me wondering how much of the world-space was improved this way. The dawn/dusk lighting seems a bit enhanced too. But may also be the imagination my inner romantic....
Immy heads for the Temple of Wisdom, wanting to identify a ring she found earlier and the belt that was in Gorion's possession.
We hook up with 'Uncle Khalid and Auntie Jaheira' (as mod-Immy used to call them) a somber affair this time round. But still we invite them in.
We also spot the new dark-looking guy instantly and I have to admit, he sticks out like as sore thumb. Kinda funny in a way, you know, putting such a gloomy persona in a Inn, cheery like the FA.
Anyway, we chose to ignore the dude for now and Immy goes upstairs to collect some famous and nice quests. Spider Infestation and Lost Belt.
We rest the party.
The lack of Sleeping-Vid is kinda jarring.
The first time I had the party resting again, thinking something went wrong. But i realized later, that we did rest. The Day/Night o'meter clearly showed the progress of the day.
A 'huh' moment, if there ever was one
It still is jarring as hell every time we sleep and I have trouble getting used to it.
It totally robs the player of a well deserved mental break. I was thinking for reasons the Devs might have had, for removing it...but no matter what, I end up not getting it.
Anyway of we go.
After Joia gets her Flame-dance Ring back and we some exp. points, we march on to meet the Belt stealing Ogre of the Coastway.
Once again the party is out of their usual (BG style) game.
The well etablished everyday approach to the Ogre for a meek party like that, was to have Jaheira cast entangle and Immy and Khalid do the pin-cushion with the Ogre.
But it turns out ( after 5 reloads worth of testing ) that the bugger is either immune or not impressed with the entangling vines. Dude! WTH!?
Even worse, after another botched attempt of Entangling and ordering Immy off into a distance while Khalid and Rickard (my toon; Undead Hunter) hold of the Ogre for a bit- she still runs back to face him point-blank and gets made into smashed Rouge.
Not for the last time it turned out later. This is buggering me for now.
Anyway Ogre disposed belt gained, we explore the rest of the map and are not wondering anymore that we only encounter a few animals. No bandits around the looted caravan. Not even a lowly thug. A few wolves and ....well that's about it.
Beregost:
After a few minutes on foot we encounter the new Girl. Neera. Following a nice scene, that had some nice dialog, and flashy spells, we invite her in.
Lacking a Mage and being generally curious about her we promise adventure and protection.
The initial banter with her had me intrigued and made appetite for more. She is well voiced and her character shines tru. I had my doubts about her, fearing her persona will turn out to be another Neeshka; Immy clone. But none of that so far.
I use the talk button to talk to her and I am pleased that she comes with more banter and interesting stuff to tell.
Then again, after trying to do the very same to Immy, Khalid and Jaheira, it made me wince; seeing the 'red text', telling me -there is nothing to talk about -popping up in the console window.
In a modded BG with any of the banter-packs this would not have been the chase.
But in BG:EE it's kind jarring too. Especially since it makes the new NPC's ( that comes with 'talk to them' banters ) feel and look like mods. In this otherwise non modded game.
Meaning again, that if one likes the experience that the Banter-packs offered, he/she better stick to the new NPC's only. Otherwise the rest of the NPC's will be mute-er, than some.
We enter the Red Sheaf and battle ensues in which Immy, once more ordered back, charges dead ahead...ending up dead. IMMY, YU NO BOW N ARROW?!?!?
I haven't lost Immy in my BW setup in ages. Was not amused. Dunno what causes this.
After a reload and some change of tactics, we beat Karlat into a moral failure and finish off his fleeing hide with a magic-missile he cannot outrun.
The usual:
Loot, hoot, eat sleep.
Wanting to explore Beregost more we leave the Sheaf and encounter...nothing. Total freeze of my game. Nothing moved and worked, till I called upon the divine power of Task-Manager.
At this point, I annoyed realized, that my latest save was some time back and I have to do some of the stuff again. A bit angry and frustrated i call it a night.
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I dunno what to think right now of BG:EE. But my feelings toward it tend to the 'Nay' end of the spectrum.
The crashes and strange bugs aside, I still have those weird sound problems. Sometimes a spell will be deafening loud while everything else remains almost a whisper.
The choppy sound of the Vids is also a mystery.
What kind of enhancing makes the non-enhanced game run better than the new one??
