Ben Smedstad Interview
Ben Smedstad is the Producer of Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn from Bioware. This interview coincided with the game's announcement on November 10, 1999 in Seattle. See our new Shadows of Amn section for further information.
- Silverdawn (posted November 15, 1999)
Obviously, you have been working on Baldur's Gate 2 since before the release of Tales of the Sword Coast. How have you and the team coped with not being able to talk about the project after being so open during Baldur's Gate development? How much of the game do you estimate to be complete?
We have been working on Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn for quite some time, and because of the experience of the team, it has come a long way quite quickly. As in any game there are two levels of done; there is "done" as in all data, etc. is in, and "DONE" as in balanced, fun to play, and ready to ship. The latter "DONE" is especially hard in RPGs because of the complex nature of the game. We are about 70% "done", as in data, art, etc. complete, but as to balancing, etc. we have a lot left to do, and we will not be releasing it before it is ready.
Does the story continue from the defeat of Sarevok or is it independent of what happened in Baldur's Gate? What is the premise story?
It does continue the story from Baldur's Gate, but is a "stand alone game". This means that for those of you that played the original story there is a feeling of the continuing epic. But if you are new to the Baldur's Gate series, the story is a compelling tale all on it's own. As to story specifics I can give you the "TV guide" summation:
You are a product of the Time of Troubles, a cataclysmic period in the Forgotten Realms when the gods were made flesh and forced to walk the earth among their followers. One such deity foresaw both the event and his inevitable downfall because of it, and left a score of mortal progeny across the land, intended to fuel his rebirth. Your fate is intertwined with that of this god, this Bhaal, Lord of Murder.
In Baldur's Gate, the Sword Coast was destabilized when a strange plague caused a shortage of iron, the lifeblood of a medieval-esque society. You brought the area back from the brink of war, and thwarted the plans of a madman that sought to build a rule with paranoia and death.
In Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn, you face an uncertain future, with a lineage that tempts the unscrupulous to use you and the ignorant to fear you. You will face a foe that views you as no more than chattel, that toys with you at every turn; A villain whose goals go beyond a quest for power, and who threatens to use a lost companion as a tool for destruction unparalleled. The choices to be made will not be easy, and you may have to align with the lesser of evils, when all evils cannot help but seem equal. In the end, you will have mourned lost loves, celebrated new ones, and had adventures that profoundly shaped the Realms.
We cannot really say more about it without giving away too much (familiar sounding answer from BG1 :)
Is the story still focused around a protagonist? Will the character continue to receive special abilities because of their heritage? How many chapters will there be?
Yes, the story is still focused on the main character, as any good story should. You are a child of Bhaal, and the consequences of your heritage will unfold throughout the Baldur's Gate series. As to special abilities specifically, all I can say is, "you'll see".
One lesson learned that was incorporated in Tales of the Sword Coast was to make the areas more compact and detailed. What is the geographical scope of Baldur's Gate 2 and how intricate and atmospheric are some of the locales we will be able to visit?
Yes, that is a lesson we learned well. There are many different environments in BGII: SoA, varied environments such as the Elven forests of Tethir, the Cloudpeak Mountains, the Drow cities of the Underdark, a pirate city, the Astral plane and the Abyss, and the Capitol City of Amn, Athkatla. There are a few other locales, but they would give away plot if I discussed them.
Baldur's Gate featured stunning, lavish backgrounds, a nice user interface and exceptional portraits. How have the graphics been improved from the original? Are any segments of the art not being changed in order to save time or because they were still acceptable?
We are giving virtually everything a facelift as we update. Although BG was an attractive game, it was by no means perfect. Our artists have learned a lot over the last 3 years, and the new art reflects it. The GUIs are being redone and character models and animations are updated and improved. In general, the entire game will be much better looking than the original.
Humans in league with humanoids like goblins, hobgoblins, and gnolls were responsible for the evil plague of the Sword Coast. What types of creatures are after you in the sequel? Have these monsters become smarter than would have been possible in Tales of the Sword Coast? If so, how so?
With the higher XP cap, the party is much tougher, and so will the monsters be. With new features added to the engine we can create bigger monsters, as large as, well, as large as we want.
Will there be giant lizards to put the dragons back into Dungeons & Dragons? The size of the skeletal remains in Durlag's Tower did not bode well for them fitting into the game…
Well, you will have to wait and see >;-)
|
RSS Feeds
