Ok… I just re-installed Icewind Dale, as stated in my earlier post. The only other time I had played Icewind Dale was back when I first got it. I had installed it, created a party of 6, and ran around the starting town, before I uninstalled it saying “I will definitely play this ‘when I have time'”.
Now that I do, I did reinstall it.
First thing that hit me – damn, what primitive graphics! But, graphics isn’t really a problem, although by modern standards, 640×480 (it seemed like, I had no way of knowing since there isn’t a way to set resolution in-game) or even 800×600 seem coarse. Also, since it uses the old Bioware Infinity engine, it’s 2D-only, not 3D. Characters on the screen look hardly more than just some stick figures.
Yet, we remember fondly about days past, where we played Baldurs Gate, Planescape etc.
The next “problem” – the old AD&D 2nd Ed rules.. can’t get used to it, not after you have played Neverwinter Nights, and Neverwinter Nights 2. Where’s the Ranger 2-Weapon Fighting skills? Where’s the Sorcerer class? Damn, I miss those.
I don’t know if I would persevere and try to complete the game, or give up halfway through frustration. As I said, graphics aren’t the major problem – it’s the gameplay. Right now I just can’t seem to get used to the old 2nd edition rules of D&D. If I really do give up on Icewind Dale, I don’t know if I should try Baldurs Gate 2, since that one’s using the same set of rules and the same Inifinity Engine too….
