Running into troubles in BG2

[Daemon]

Having moved from home with my girlfriend, I left my old copy of BG2 to my brother, and bought myself a new one, which came with the expansion pack, Throne of Bhaal.

I installed the two, started playing, but I am stuck in Irenicus' dungeon : for some reason, the Sewage Golem who is suposed to open the doors will not engage dialog with me. It's got nothing to do with the activation stone, I have that, when I click on the golem it simply says : Sewage Golem apears busy, cannot initiate dialog.

That is pretty frustrating as I have never ran into this problem before and can't seem to work it out....

Any help with this will be greatly appreciated.

Cheers!

-D

[Dozer]

I would try re-loading your last save, or making one and loading it up.

Barring that, you can always just start over :P that's only about 10 minutes into the game :D

[Count Duckula]

This is a well-known bug. Install the patch and it should go away.

While you're at it, you might want to install Kevin Dorner's BG2 Fixpack and Game Text Updater from Baldurdash.org. These will correct minor inconsistencies and correct all the grammar and spelling errors in the game.

[Daemon]

I would try re-loading your last save, or making one and loading it up.

Nope. Tried that. Didn't work.

But I will patch as Count Duckula suggested and see it this works - I never think about patching games I don't play online!

Thanks for the help! :lol:

-D

[Daemon]

Thanks a bunch Duckula, your suggestion of patching was indeed the solving needed for my problem!

Cheers!

-D

[TaiDaishar]

And on a little off topic note, I liked the first Baldur's Gate a whole lot more than the second, the second's storyline was too... moronic? I do not know how to call that storyline, but it did NOT do the job for me...

[Daemon]

And on a little off topic note, I liked the first Baldur's Gate a whole lot more than the second, the second's storyline was too... moronic? I do not know how to call that storyline, but it did NOT do the job for me...

I could not comment on that, never having played the original BG.

But I guess I should try and give it a spin. If it's anything like D1 and D2, then the original is definitly worth checking out!

Cheers!

-D

[TaiDaishar]

I could not comment on that, never having played the original BG.

That's... that's... god I give up... this is just too much

[Little Faith]

But I guess I should try and give it a spin.  If it's anything like D1 and D2, then the original is definitly worth checking out!

Cheers!

-D

If you mean Diablo 1 and Diablo 2 this will definately be different.


Here there are no random areas, only little randomization in monsters and items. A very strong storyline. Much interaction with people and the environment, in case of BG2 even between the party members.

Items still rule though and can be very powerful (occasionally even overpowered) and there are much room for character customisation and development.

[Dozer]

If you want a second opinion, I didn't like BG1 - while the story was excellent, an exp cap at 100,000 (or whatever it was) is just unacceptablr for me as a DnD player :D Also, the graphics, size, and scope of BG2 blow BG1 out of the water.


TaiDaishar, what did you find bad about the story of BG2? It's certainly better than 95% of all other video games around B)

[TaiDaishar]

TaiDaishar, what did you find bad about the story of BG2? It's certainly better than 95% of all other video games around B)

And that's part of the reason I hate roughly around 95% of all other video games...

If a storyline goes downhill then it's bad omens, they're running out of ideas and I expect an RPG sequel with such an emphasis on the storyline to have AT LEAST as good a story as the first one.

[Mithrandir]

BG2 was a good game (in fact, it was a great game) but BG1 was better. BG2 just went way, way too over the top. D&D is a much more challenging and fun game at low levels... at "epic" levels is just turns into way too many Demi-Gods, +6 Weapons, Destroyers of Worlds, and 20d6's. It's a big turn off for me.

I enjoyed playing BG2, but there was a certain point where I just thought, "I just defeated the Prince of Demons and now I'm a god... umm, yay?" Honestly, I think that I got more satisfaction from beating my first Ogre in BG1 than a lot of the stuff in BG2.

[Daemon]

But I guess I should try and give it a spin.  If it's anything like D1 and D2, then the original is definitly worth checking out!

Cheers!

-D

If you mean Diablo 1 and Diablo 2 this will definately be different.


Here there are no random areas, only little randomization in monsters and items. A very strong storyline. Much interaction with people and the environment, in case of BG2 even between the party members.

Items still rule though and can be very powerful (occasionally even overpowered) and there are much room for character customisation and development.

You got me wrong. What I meant with "If it's anything like D1 and D2, then the original is definitly worth checking out!" was that if, as in the case of the Diablo series, the original game is superior to it's sequel, then it's worth the spin. Having played through D1, D2 and BG2 (and a little IWD), I know how the two series differ from each other. BG is more of an intelligente compared to Diablo's hack'n'slash'n'pulverise-with-earth-crushing-magic, NOT that there's anything wrong with that! :D

And I have something else to ask about BG2. The first time I played, I did with 6 characters. Then to challenge myself, beat the game with 4 characters, and surprisingly, I had an easier time than with 6. I heard it is feasable to make it with one characters, I just want to know if any of you have done it and can relate the experience, briefly or in detail, as you whish of course. I'm guessing a Mage/Thief would be the ideal candidate for such a task.

Thief- you just need all that lock-picking, hiding in shadows, trap detecting goodness, not that spells cannot do it, but it's way more convinient as a thief. (Oooh, did I mention backstab?? :ph34r: )
Mage- General use of defensive/offensive magic, and Tenser transformation to deal some physical roughness!

Since I haven't played in a while, I'm just gonna do a 4 people party, and after I might just attempt soloing.

-D

[NiteFox]

I should go and dig up Lemming's custom journal diary for his insanely sorcerer. Then you will all realise what being a (evil) god should be like.

Hmm, used to play the BG games (As well as Icewind Dale) a lot. But then my CD3 of BG2 died (Managed to get a, ahem, replacement) and so did my Heart of Winter CD (Thinkin' of buying the IWD Collection).

But really, I got tired of the whole scene the moment I picked up Fallout 2.

"And, if I do say so myself, my rippling muscles catch the eyes of all the ladies. Well, prostitutes, but they're still very much ladies; most of them."

[Shade]

And I have something else to ask about BG2.  The first time I played, I did with 6 characters.  Then to challenge myself, beat the game with 4 characters, and surprisingly, I had an easier time than with 6.  I heard it is feasable to make it with one characters, I just want to know if any of you have done it and can relate the experience, briefly or in detail, as you whish of course.  I'm guessing a Mage/Thief would be the ideal candidate for such a task.

Thief- you just need all that lock-picking, hiding in shadows, trap detecting goodness, not that spells cannot do it, but it's way more convinient as a thief. (Oooh, did I mention backstab??  :ph34r: )
Mage- General use of defensive/offensive magic, and Tenser transformation to deal some physical roughness!

Since I haven't played in a while, I'm just gonna do a 4 people party, and after I might just attempt soloing.

-D

In fact, just any class is good to play alone. Personally, I soloed BG2+Throne with Figther/Mage/Thief (that char also soloed BG1) and Figther/Mage (3 different duals - Fighter 7, Fighter 9 and Figther 13).
In original BG2, Fighter/Mages were unstoppable. In Throne, F/M/T just slaugthered anything because of his backstab. I can cleary imagine soloing game with Thief/Mage (dual or muliticlass), and I recall that someone soloed game with Sorcerer (no multiclass obviosly).
First thing to remeber playing solo is - do not leave home without potions. And second thing is just the same.
One good advantage of playing solo is that all experience from monster killing is going straight to your character. That means if you solve most subquests before going to Underdark your mage will be able to cast numerous TimeStops without resting. (read - clvl 18-22).
Bad advantage is if someone paralyzed, mind-controlled or petrified your character - you are dead meat. Load autosave.
One fact is simply annoying - your inventory is limited, your Strength isn't great, and closiest Bag of Holding is in Asylum (sp?). Variuous Gem Bags, Scroll Bags and Potions Bags (Throne only) are godsend.
Also, first time I played BG2 I soloed it with that F/M/T char. Got huge chunk of challenge, and missed 1/3 of the game simply because I didn't bother talking to NPCs (never liked Immoen anyway).


But, good thing is - mage is so flexible that with right spells you can take down any single enemy. Bad thing is - if it is high level enemy - you are forced to rest after each combat.
Some useful defencive spells for soloing are Stoneskin, Fire Shield (very useful against backstabbing enemies), Spell Immunity, Protection from Magic Weapons, Contingency, Chain Contingency and Time Stop.
Some useful offencive spells are Magic Missile, Cromatic Orb, Greater Malison, Breach, Khelben Warding Whip (my favorite), Cloudkill, Abi-Dalsim Horrid Whiting and maybe SpellStrike.
Good general purpose spells are Find Familiar (having more hps cannot hurt), Identify and Knock.
Usual tactic is the following - immediately after rest cast various buffs on char, remove protections from enemies, hit 'em hard with heavy stuff. Rinse and repeat.
Thing to remember - multi and dual - classed mages cannot cast spells while wearing armor. This restriction doesn't apply to shields, helms, elven and drow chain mail.
I hope this helps you