من از زمانی که بازی شروع کردم 2 تا هدف داشتم و تا آخر بهش پایبند بودم یکی استفاده نکردن از Tadpole و قدرت illithid power و از بین بردن هر چی mind flayer در مسیر که البته با رسوا شدن پلات داستانی حول محور هویت کاراکتر guardian مجبور شدم با emperor به قول معروف play along کنم تا هدف اصلیش برام مشخص بشه، درکل به نظرم همونطور که خود emperor بارها تو کات سینها هم گفت از خیلی قبل تر شخصیت مارو زیر نظر و مطالعه کرده تا با بهترین شگرد و وقت شناسی واقعیت رو مطرح کنه تا پلیر با شوک و قضاوت عجولانه مواجه نشه و به خاطر ظاهر و ماهیت مایند فلیری که امپرور داشت به صورت پله ای در طول داستان اتفاق افتاد و حتی امپرور از اشتراک گذاری سرگذشته خودش قبل از پروسه ceremorphosis دریغ نکرد که متوجه شدیم کسی نبود جز خود balduran و حتی بلاهایی که بعدا بر سر ansur و duke stelmane آورد رو به صورت خالصانه مطرح کرد و تا جایی که تونست از خودش انعطاف پذیری برای جلب اعتماد پلیر نشون داد. به نظرم شخصیت امپرور بر 3 پایه استوار هست بقا، آزادی و حفظ میراث بالدوران که همه اینا وابسته به از بین بردن absolute یا elder brain بود که با سرنوشت ما گره خورده. اما به نظرم تریکی بودن این کاراکتر ازونجایی نشات میگیره که به طور کلی مایند فلیر ها پوسته ای بی روح و کاملا موجودات حساب کتاب شده ای هستن که خودشون رو در مرکزیت همه چی قرار میدن و کوچکترین مخالفتی باعث میشه 180 درجه روی دیگه خودشون نشون بدن به عنوان مثال تو طول زمانی که شما با یکی از کامپنین های خودتون وارد رابطه رمانتیک میشید مییبنید طولی نمیکشه امپرور هم سعی میکنه همون رابطه رو با شما داشته باشه ولی به محض اینکه تو همون سکانسی که به شما پشنهاد رومنس میده اگه زیر سوال ببریدش به صورت خیلی صریح و واضح میگه شما چیزی به غیر از عروسک خیمه شب بازی و ابزار برای من نیستید و چیزی که من میگم رو باید انجام بدید و راه غیر از این ندارید. از طرف دیگه تا زمانی که خودش رو با شخصیت گاردین به ما نشون میداد پشت سر هم توصیه میکرد که از mind flayer استفاده کنید تا اینکه داستان جلوتر رفت و مشخص شد علتش چیزی جز کنترل و تحت سلطه قرار دادن شما نیست حتی با گفتن حقیقت که این نشون از manipulative این کاراکتر هست برای رسیدن به هدفش.
نکته عجیب تر زمانی هست که شما در انتهای بازی تصمیم میگیرید orpheus رو آزاد کنید و سریع میبینید امپرور بدون کوچکترین دریغی سریع ملحق میشه به الدر برینی که تمام مدت برده گرفته بودش!. مشکل اساسی امپرور از اونجایی بود که از orpheus غول بی شاخ دمی ساخته بود که اصلا با واقعیت و از منطق به دور بود چون زمانی که من ارفیوس رو آزاد کردم سریع از خودگذشتگی کرد و برای از بین بردن netherbrain خودش رو تبدیل به مایند فلیر کرد که بعد از پیروزی اورفیوس شمشیرشو داد به شخصیت اصلی و گفت زودتر من رو از این جسم مایند فلیر خلاص کن چون کمرنگ شدن وجود روح در بدنم رو حس میکنم.
به طور خلاصه من به githiankiها و اروفیوس حق دادم به دلیل اینکه برای مدت زمان زیادی این نژاد تحت برده مایند فلیر ها بودن و گذشته امپرور یا همون بالدوران هم همچنان درخشان نبود و اون حرص و طمعی منجر به مایند فلیر شدنش شد، در ثانی کاراکتر رومنسی که من انتخاب کردم la'zael بود و ترجیح دادن یک مایند فلیر بی هویت و فاقد احساس به یک نژاد سرکوب شده کار درستی نبود، در نتیجه بعد از قربانی شدن اورفیوس تمامی رهبری و کنترل اژدها ها افتاد بر روی دوش la'zael که با یک دیالوگ مثبت توضیح میده که مجبور کاراکتر مارو ول کنه و بره برای رهبری githianki ها و کشتن دشمن اصلی یعنی vlakith.
در مورد افرادی هم که در طول 3 اکت نجات دادیم مثل isobel، nightsong,duke ravengard و و.... ذره ای تاثیر در داستان نداشتن و به نظرم مرده و زندشون تغییری در پایان داستان به وجود نمیاورد به غیر از اینکه در آخرین نبرد میتونستید ازشون برای جنگیدن کمک بخواید که من خودم به دلیل اینکه 12 13 تا کریچر سامون کرده بودم اصلا تا دقیقه آخر نیاز نشدن.
در مورد کامپنین ها هم ازونجایی که هیچ راه نجاتی برای karlach و عدم منفجر شدنش وجود نداشت با wyll به avernus رفتن و ویل قول داد تا از کارلک در مقابل arch devil zariel محافظت کنه.
shadowheart هم که هیچ کات سینی ازش عملا تو پایان من دیده نشد که البته خظ داستانی کوئستش به خوبی خوشی تموم شد.
gale هم که همیشه وسوسه برای reforge و کنترل کردن crown داشت با دیالوگ صرف نظر کردن از این کار بیخیال شد.
فکر میکنم بین همه اینا astorian رفت تو پاچش که با از بین رفتن mindflayer دیگه قابلیت اینو نداشت که تو آفتاب و روشنایی حضور پیدا کنه، البته من تو کوئست Cazador پایان شیطانی برای استورین دیدم که فعلا نمیدونم تو پایان اصلی چه تاثیر میزاره.
کلا هالسین بود و نبودش زیاد فرقی نداشت و کلا بنده خدا یا زندانی بود یا میدزدیدنش برای مراسم قربانی bhaal و در آخر هم هیچ دیالوگی ازش ندیدم.
jaheira هم چون در آخرین نبرد همراهم بود یه خط دیالوگ گفت رفت پی کارش.
اخرین کات سین هم نریتور گفت illithid empire به کل نابود شد و اثری هم از ستمگری death gods که شامل myrkul ، bhaal ، bane دیگه نیست و مارو به عنوان قهرمان قلمداد کرد.
در کل به نظرم پایان بندی بازی جای کار داره و امیدوارم لرین مثل همیشه در نسخه دفنیتیو ادیشن این مشکلات رو برطرف کنه ولی با تمام این تفاسیر به نظرم در کل خوب جمع جور شد.
تو طول بازی هم خیلی آیتم ها وجود داشت مثل soul coin و silver و gold ignot که تا اکت سوم تکلیفش برای من مشخص نبود که کارایی اینها چی هست و در آخر فهمیدم فقط برای فروش هستن.
در ضمن اضافه کنم بازی کات کانتنتای زیادی داشته مثل upper city تو بالدورز گیت ، یا evernus که اندازه under dark بود و از همه بدتر که البته باید خودم امتحان کنم این هست که تو طول بازی هیچ پیامد منفی در اثر استفاده از tadpole وجود نداره و من خودمو به دلیل اینکه فکر میکردم طبق گفته سازنده ها پیامد منفی داره سمتش نرفتم در صورتی که ابیلیتی های خیلی خوبی داشته.
حالا اینا چیزایی بود که تو ذهنم سریع اومدن، تا بعد دوستان وارد بحث شدن بیشتر مسائل باز میکنیم.
اینم لیست کات کانتنت ها :
- The Upper City - The most obvious one. Swen himself talked about the "Affluent Upper City" just 2 weeks before launch and described as it being fully explorable and yet it's very noticeably absent from the final game.
- Shar Worship - In EA the player was able to select Shar as a diety which game with it's own unique dialogue trees, especially when interacting with Shadowheart as a fellow Shar worshiper. Despite the fact that voice lines were datamined indicating this had functions well into Act 2, it was cut when the game launched.
- Karlach's Ending - Datamined content shows that not only did Karlach have a full ending where her infernal engine was fixed and that she survived, but that most of it was fully voiced and complete. However it required triggers from the Upper City portion of Baldur's Gate and when that was cut, so was Karlach's Act 3 storyline. What we have behind have been confirmed to be Karlach's "fail state" endings which were meant to only play if the player neglected her quest chain.
- Minthara's Story - Minthara was meant to have a much deeper story, including a pregnancy. These were likely cut due to Minthara being a late stage addition to our roster but dialogue lines remain in the games files that show that not only did Minthara have a lot more content for herself but your other companions had a lot more to say about it.
- Halsin's Story - Another late addition to the roster, Halsin was originally intended to have a great deal more endgame content involving the Druid circle, but this appears to have been cut more early on than some of the other items thus far.
- Raphael the Merchant - Originally Raphael was meant to be a fully viable option to remove your tadpole, in fact the "Soul Coin" items that you collect in game where originally meant to be a powerful alternative currency accepted only by Raphael in exchange for possibly retrieving your soul as well as a long list of incredibly powerful artifacts from the House of Hope that would be sold by Raphael himself.
- Avernus - An entire area of the game. Avernus was meant to be fully explorable and of similar size to the Underdark Area of Act 1. It would be a source not only for Soul Coins but other rare materials, highly difficult fights, and special content for Karlach.
- Tav the Dark Urge - A lot of people were both surprised and excited to see the addition of The Dark Urge origin as the Bhaalspawn/Evil option that was missing from EA. As it turns out, Tav was originally the Dark Urge and they were all one origin. Tav was meant to be Bhaalspawn and separating the two seems to be what caused the narrative divide between the Dead Three storyline and the Mindflayer plot.
- Omeluum's Ring - In the EA version of the game this ring would block your Tadpole entirely. It could not grow, it could not grow stronger, and you could not use Illithid powers. In the launch version this ring prevents you from being charmed despite Omeluum still stating that it blocked the influence of the Elder Brain/Absolute.
- Bhaal and Orin versus the Creche - An entire Act 2 battle was cut in which Bhaal's forces, led by Orin, attacked the Githyanki creche which led to a fight where you either sided with one or the other or had a massive 3-way fight on your hands.
- Orin and the Dragon - Orin was meant to corrupt a Githyank red dragon, leading to a boss fight against a Slayer-formesque Dragon.
- The Hag Coven in Act 2 and 3 - You may notice that accepting Auntie Ethels help in the first Act can lead to a negative effect when fighting Hags. You may also notice that despite Auntie Ethel having letters from other Hags in her basement, she is the only one you encounter. Originally there was meant to be a full three act story involving the Hag coven including the mysterious "M" who seems to have been their leader.
- Epilogues - Full epilogue cutscenes have been datamined that varied greatly depending on your choices. These were the "17K ending variations" that Larian told us about, yet they are completely absent in the final game leading only to a fade to black scene at the end of the game.
- Cazador's Story - Originally Cazador was meant to play a huge role in the Upper City of Baldur's Gate, including being a huge political power. Datamined content also shows that originally he was meant to be a potential ally in the final push against the Absolute.
- Banite Cultists - The game features both Bhaal and Myrkul cultists rather heavily but Bane is reduced to Gortash alone. Despite the fact that they had full and finished assets for both armor, weapons, and some events the Banites were cut from the final game.
- Act 1 Minsc - Minsc was meant to be recruited at the end of Act 1 but was cut and pushed back into the later game.
- Dialogue and Events - Even from Act 1 itself, thousands of lines of dialogue and companion events were cut from the final game. Some of them were even fully voiced and ready to be implemented in game but also referenced other content that ended up on the cutting room floor.
- Bhaal, Myrkul and Bane as Deities - Cleric's were meant to be fully able to select the Dead Three from the list of Deities. There were even special dialogues in game for player's who played as a Paladin and then multiclassed at least 1 level of Cleric on top and selected one of the Dead Three.
- Daisy - It's not a secret that Daisy was cut from the game after the last EA release and replaced with "The Guardian." Originally Daisy was representative of the tadpole in your head, not the Emperor, and would attempt to seduce your character into staying in the meadow by the river with her forever. A happy life with an imaginary dream lover while your body underwent ceramorphosis and was lost to you forever. Daisy was such an important part of the plot that both of the games theme songs "Down by The River" and "The Power" are based entirely upon Daisy. Datamined content also shows there was originally an ending where players would embrace a romance with Daisy and give themselves over to the parasite, forever leaving their individual consciousness "down by the river" with Daisy.
- Companions and the Illithid Worm - Originally companions were meant to accept or refuse Illithid gifts independently of the player choices. You could of course influence them through dialogue to decide who did and did not take the offered gifts, but ultimately it would be based on individual characters choices. This can still be seen in game as a bug when companions will awake after a long rest and claim to have received a gift from their Guardian and yet will have gained no actual power.
- Romancing Jaheira - Apparently you were originally meant to have limited options to romance and sleep with Jaheira but these were cut last minute. It's unclear why.
- Tadpole's and Consequences - There were originally meant to be severe consequences from using the Illithid powers too heavily and investing too much into the Tadpole powers. This seems obvious in game and yet ultimately in the release version goes nowhere as the ending is reduced to about 4 choices made in the last leg of the game. You can use all tadpoles or none and receive the same ending.
- Act 3 Companion Dialogue - If you've noticed that companions have much less to say at the end of their journey it's because thousands of lines of dialogue were cut from companions in the final Act and all for various reasons. This also seems to be the source of most of the companion bugs that only appear in the final act as they're still trying to trigger events that simply no longer exist.
- Multiple Cutscenes - There are multiple cutscenes that were present for Act 1 that are missing from the final game.
- The Nautolid - A large portion of the Nautolid tutorial zone was cut in the final release, including cutscenes, dialogue, areas, and an optional fight with 2 injured Imps. This was likely cut for the sake of brevity more than anything.
- Mol and Raphael - Isn't it odd how Mol will just escape from Raphael on her own and say it was "easy?" Well it turns out that's because they cut whatever the final leg of that quest was meant to be, instead they allow Mol to escape on her own which more or less skips to the end and around the cut content.
- The Raven Queen - There was an entire second part of the storyline that was cut early on.
- The Voice of Bane - It's possible to have a brief conversation with Bane, but it remains incomplete as the dialogue is unvoiced for some reason.
- The Wither's Epilogue - WIther's was meant to narrate an epilogue for the players, to what extent is unsure but instead WIther's is left with a single event in the entire game when post-credit's he can be seen revealing himself as Jergal and mocking a mural of the Dead Three.
- Crafting - An early access build contained a crafting bench and it seems originally we were meant to have full access to crafting/enchanting gear of our own through certain systems. While these were cut, the items for them were not. This is why items like ingots, gemstones, woods, and other material items appear in game with no use other than vendor trash.
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