Why is BG3 called BG at all?

[Ares2382]

Well I actually know the answer but I think it kinda sucks.

Let's face it:
First 2 games with expansions were all about the Bhaal Spawn. And we know that story is over(it is over right?). So it is not a sequel based on the story.

We don't know(but you can bet on it) that this game will not be using the infinity engine, so it's no a sequel based on that.

Heck this game won't even be using the same version of AD&D rule set. 3.5 instead of 2.

The only reason I see this being a BG game is because of this supposed appearance of ancestors of some of the characters from BG.

But mostly I think they are keeping the name to make a load of money, because, as I am sure many will agree, most gamers are more likely to buy a sequel to one of the best RPGs ever rather then a brand RPG.

Thoughts, comments, spelling corrections ?

[Xandax]

Well - why shouldn't it be called BG?
We don't even know if the city Baldurs Gate will be present in the game or not.

But of course - capitalizing on the name is proberly also a large factor, but untill we hear some hard cold facts I can't really be all that upset or annoyed.

Instead of worrying to much about that this and that will be bad, then wait until information is released.

[koz-ivan]

Originally Posted by Ares2382

I think they are keeping the name to make a load of money, because, as I am sure many will agree, most gamers are more likely to buy a sequel to one of the best RPGs ever rather then a brand RPG.

Thoughts, comments, spelling corrections ?

game companies are in the buisness of making loads of money, so they would be idiots if they didn't try to use the bg name to their advantage, like they did with the playstation verisons.

that being said, i don't mind the ploy being used, and if bg3 can stack up w/ 1 & 2, i'll be very happy.

and if the sales can match 1 & 2, they'll be happy.

[Gwalchmai]

Well, for that matter, why was Shadows of Amn called Baldur's Gate II when the city of Baldur's Gate didn't show up at all?

[fable]

Originally Posted by Gwalchmai

Well, for that matter, why was Shadows of Amn called Baldur's Gate II when the city of Baldur's Gate didn't show up at all?

Because it represented a continuation of your character and the gameplay from BG1? That makes a kinda sense.

[Gwalchmai]

Originally Posted by fable

Because it represented a continuation of your character and the gameplay from BG1? That makes a kinda sense.

Heh. Well, exactly my (unsaid) point! If Shadows of Amn can be called ‘Baldur’s Gate’ without the city of Baldur’s Gate showing up in the story, then the future Baldur’s Gate III can deserve the name even without the Bhaal-spawn story line by virtue of it’s setting in the early days of Baldurs Gate (according to PC Gamer magazine).

[me0w]

However, BG3 will not be a continuation of the plot, unless it shows the begginings of the Bhaal spawn saga, where you, Elminister and Gorion kill the priest of Bhaal who was your mother in 1/2. - Hmm, thinking about it, this is quite plausable.

However, if that isn't the case, BG3 will have no association to #1 or 2, other that it being based in Faerun, which shouldn't make it another BG game. Its like all books based in Faerun sharing the same key name. All it is, is another forgotten realms game. Icewind Dale had its own name, but shared same engine and location (.. ish)...

[koz-ivan]

Originally Posted by me0w

However, BG3 will not be a continuation of the plot, unless it shows the begginings of the Bhaal spawn saga, where you, Elminister and Gorion kill the priest of Bhaal who was your mother in 1/2. - Hmm, thinking about it, this is quite plausable.

However, if that isn't the case, BG3 will have no association to #1 or 2, other that it being based in Faerun, which shouldn't make it another BG game. Its like all books based in Faerun sharing the same key name. All it is, is another forgotten realms game. Icewind Dale had its own name, but shared same engine and location (.. ish)...

which brings us back to sales, iwd & iwd2 did poorly compared to bg2, both in sales and w/ the community at large (take mods for example, the icewind games spawned a fraction of the mods compared to the bg series.)

so it's a bit of a devil's bargin, the name "bg3" carries market clout, but high expectations. if they turn out a very good game, i suspect the community will forgive them for using the name.

[Ares2382]

Don't get me wrong I am not complaining, just wanted to start a discussion while we all wait for more information to come out. I'll be the first to defend this game if it's as good as the first two games.

[Nightmare]

The name is being used to sell the game. Apparently it will also involve the early days of the city, too. However, aren't they still doing concept work right now, let alone story or game work?

[Coot]

Even for the original game the name 'Baldur's Gate' wasn't exactly on target. Sure, a large part of the game played itself out in Baldur's Gate, but a title like 'The Bhaalspawn' or 'The Alaundo Prophecies' would've covered it better. Just my 2 euro

[Paranitis]

but a title like 'The Bhaalspawn' or 'The Alaundo Prophecies' would've covered it better.

Sure..if you are a hardcore FR fan and have read everything dealing with FR..it might have covered it better. But Baldur's Gate is a somewhat major city in the FR setting, so people that are relatively new to playing in the FR setting would have heard of Baldur's Gate, Icewind Dale, Neverwinter, Waterdeep (especially Waterdeep where it seems almost every pencil/paper game starts from), Amn, Cormyr, and so on.

Here is another example which worked..the movie trilogy entitled...

BACK TO THE FUTURE

The first BttF movie went from the 1980's back to the 1950's (didn't go into the future yet), the 2nd one made it into the future..something like in 2015 or something like that (marty mcfly looked to be about 20 or 30 years older than he was in the first movie, and he had kids that were in their late teens), then the 3rd one hit and they were sent back into I believe the mid 1800's.

Sure, it used the same characters, same concept of going through time..but in the 3 titles, they went into the future only once..now that being said..the BG game does deal directly with the city of Baldur's Gate atleast once..and it's sequel deals directly with the previous title, so there is the connection there..so if there is a prequel dealing somehow with the story, or even being where Baldur's Gate will end up being built..then it is well deserving of having the name.

See..if you truly look at it..the BG series dealt directly with Baldur's Gate once. Icewind Dale dealt with the city of Icewind Dale once, Neverwinter Nights dealt with the city of Neverwinter once. If anything we should just rename all of these games to..

"Forgotten Realms: Baldur's Gate Chronicles"
"Forgotten Realms: Icewind Dale Chronicles"
"Forgotten Realms: Neverwinter Nights Chronicles" (Even though..Shadows of Undrentide didn't relate at all directly with NWN, and Hordes of the Underdark dealt directly with Shadows of Undrentide with only a couple of the NPCs from NWN showing up..not even the supposed "Hero" you played was mentioned.)

[Xandax]

Originally Posted by Paranitis

<snip>
"Forgotten Realms: Neverwinter Nights Chronicles" (Even though..Shadows of Undrentide didn't relate at all directly with NWN, and Hordes of the Underdark dealt directly with Shadows of Undrentide with only a couple of the NPCs from NWN showing up..not even the supposed "Hero" you played was mentioned.)

Well - the NPCs from NwN OC do mention the Hero of Neverwinter at some points in their tales.

As for "Back to the Future" that referes to that Michael J. Fox a.k.a. McFly has to get *back* to the future from the past he accidently ended up in, and almost messed up, so that title fits quite right.
The second one - should maybe not really have been called "Back to the future", instead of something like "Back to now" or "into the future" - but hey ... not many would have liked that.

It seems very much that titles of these games main title are named by where they take places (thus Baldurs Gate, Neverwinter Nights, Icewind Dale) instead of what they are actually about (The Bhaalspawn, The Old Ones etc...). And that Baldurs Gate 2 was called Baldurs Gate 2 was due to it being a sequel of the first one.

I can understand the confusion of Baldurs Gate 3 being called Baldurs Gate 3 - because it isn't a sequel, but the rumors point to a prequel. Thus there may be some connection to the story which could validate it to many of the "disbelivers" ( ).
However - we don't even know if BG3 will infact be called BG3.
(It will most likely due to the following of BG1/BG2 and try to capitalize on that group as well)

[The Z]

Maybe it's about the NPC's...like Jaheira, Nalia, Imoen, Valygar...maybe even Sarevok's struggles with having only part of a soul.

[Paranitis]

I would rather not see the story focus on previous playable NPCs.

And I was trying to agree that I think the titles of those games do fit since the sequels continue on the storylines. I actually can't remember if the Icewind Dale ones do..I played IWD only about a year ago (BG about 2 years ago or more) and I can't remember anything at all about the IWD series other than in one town there were ginormous trees..heh