Well, since there are a number of us who are opting to download the Early Access version of Baldur's Gate III, I thought it would be advantageous to open up a thread specific to the fun and potential trials and tribulations that will invariably be had by all.

We can also work through bugs or issues together, so if we find something that seems reportable, we'll have a few experiences to relate to Larian

Plus, relate all the cool stuff we come across while playing through it. Just remember to use the Spoiler tags when discussing any potential plot twists and, well spoilers.

This is going to be FUN!

Adding the link Larian Baldur's Gate 3 forum for Technical Issues: http://forums.larian.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=postlist&Board=89&page=1

OK. I'm in.

Downloading........

EDIT: The game won't launch for me.

Also, I created a Larian account just now, but I can't sign in because it doesn't recognize EITHER my username OR password.

This is way too much for first thing in the morning!

I just tried to create a new account and it just tells me that my email is already in use. Every time I try to log in it throws another curve ball at me. Now it wants me to verify my password, but when I do it turns me down because my email is already in use. Without being able to log in, I can't even tell them I can't log in.

I think their server is getting bombed with requests. I tried to establish an account direct through Larian, rather than doing it in game and received a "Server Error" message.

OK, from what I can tell it looks like the issue is when Larian tries to send an email for you to verify your account. I tried logging in, and it did register my user name and password, but indicated that I needed to verify my email. When I requested another email, it erred out.

Did you get a verification email Hagatha? That might be the problem. You probably do have an account, but haven't verified it due to the email snafu. Maybe?

I'm going to check their forums to see what's up. Publishing the BG3 Tech forum link in the main posting of this thread.

I can't search through the threads effectively due to the lack of the account, so sent a ticket directly to Larian indicating that their server is erring out when attempting to send the verification email. I'll let you know if they respond, otherwise will keep checking on the tech forum.


Even though I couldn't verify my email, I was able to sign in and get a game started. I stopped at character creation because I should, technically be working.

I agree that it could be server difficulties. Hopefully it will get sorted soon.

My son played the game for approximately six hours yesterday and only had one crash to the desktop during character creation. No other problems so far.

I'm playing right along. I've died once. The battles are slow and not very easy. It will be good to be apart of your crew.
Hagatha, I hate to say this cause it sounds so stupid, but I couldn't get the game to launch either. Then, I put it on Direct X and held the shift key down while I hit the play button and it launched. Before I was just getting a black screen. I know it sounds more like a cheat than a fix but it worked for me.

I'm ignoring the account issue for now, but I did manage to get the game going. It seems that this is one of those games where you have to run Steam as administrator, so at least that was easy and I should have thought of it right away. Not enough coffee, I guess.

So far, so good. I'm learning the controls. I've died once, too, but I've learned to leap away after my attack. Very helpful.

There was one oddity/glitch at Character Creation. Once I created my High Elf Rogue and hit "Venture Forth", I was shunted into a second character creation page, but one that had no creation menu running along the top. I was able to select gender and appearance but not race or class or anything else. After futzing around with it for a bit, I just hit "Venture Forth" for the mystery character and the game just started with my Rogue.

The one real issue I'm noticing is that the movement controls aren't as smooth as they could be. Turning the camera to a different direction is really sluggish.

I'm impressed with the graphics and I love the fact that I have a Gith character. It'll be interesting to see how the levelling functions once I get to that point.

I do wish that the menus were larger. The tiny script is very hard on my eyes.


EDIT: There is already an update downloading. I wonder it will bring?

That sounds like Larian. I'm guessing we'll be seeing updates everyday with this release. They are usually quite proactive at addressing issues. I'm done with work in any hour, so then I'll dive back into it. So....much....anticipations....argh!

That second screen is a character creation of who you dream about. I guess for the romance thing.
I agree with you about the camera being sluggish. I hate using the middle mouse button. In combat that's difficult or maybe I'm just a slow learner.
I've made a vanilla elf character for now. I wanted to see how things worked before I invested much into it and so far it's a nice game.

Has anyone worked out how to manage the Forced turn-based mode you enter when you get into the temple on the ground after you've landed?

It makes no sense to me. It's supposed to be the mode you use for stealth and avoiding traps, but it seems to me that it makes things much, much more difficult.

How does it work? Any time I try to do anything, I just get killed by fire bombs. It's annoying, because I already know the fire traps are there, but you don't get to move properly to avoid them It limits you to only a meter or two of movement.


EDIT: I wish I hadn't exited the game. Now I can't get it to launch by any means.

I haven't gotten that far yet, still working out what I like for key bindings. It's been a long time since I've played a game with the camera positioning options. Trying to strike a balance between the camera and character movement. The only time I encountered the turn-based mode was when I tried to jump a gap using the space key out of reflex. This is going to take some time to set up the way I like it.

I've been playing today. I didn't make a Larian account and didn't have any trouble getting the game to run.

I can't figure out how to move the camera around

I've had lots of fun playing, and I am the queen of saves, except apparently after I win a big battle and fall to the ground. I must have hit my head cos when I ran into a ship full of evil and died, oh well!

Had to load back from before the big fight, but at least this time I knew what to do, so the fight took much less time

Hagatha, I had to completely reboot my computer once to get it to launch again. After it rebooted, I used the Direct X, hold down shift and hit play method and it worked. I have been using it ever since.
I have not used the Forced turn-based mode and to admit it, I didn't know it existed. I hope you find out how it works and let us know.
Now back to me Does anyone know the secret of the locked door room listed as the "Dank Corridor"? It has several coffins and shoots fireballs across the room. I've tried lots of things, but I've finally given up. It's probably easy as pie, but not for me.

I've managed to get it running again by using the Larian Launcher in the game folder.

Still trying to work out how to get past that room full of traps. I suspect it's something to do with moving objects, but I haven't worked out the mechanics yet.

I guess at some point I have to look at some key bindings, too. I suppose I should also look at the Options to see if I can get the menus to be in a larger font, too. These eyes ain't what they used to be.

But so far, this looks really good. I enjoyed defeating the imps and getting the ship moving. The dialogue options are actually interesting and look as though choices really do set up companion relationships later in the game.

I also love the extra actions you can take in combat. Leaping out of danger/onto higher ground is loads of fun. Fortunately I'm still also playing Wasteland 3 (which is very good, BTW) so I'm in the turn-based headpsace already.

So far, so good, given that it's Early access.

There is a "First Look" about this game on YouTube by Upper Echelon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBdX9Xt4f8Y
Upper Echelon seems to be having the same problem you are with the so-called turn-based play limiting what he is able to do. Some of his fans tried to help him out.
I couldn't really see what was going on in the game -- too dark -- but maybe since you have the game in front of you you can tell what they're talking about.
I like how controls were easier to figure out in older games.
I'm not really impressed with modern games and their fancy lighting effects when you can't control them. That's not fun.

Unfortunately the game will not launch by any means this morning, and I am still unable to log in to my Larian account to look for help. I tried to reset my password, but the code I received by email doesn't work!

Thanks Jenny that helped me find a missing party member. I'll keep scanning and maybe I'll get lucky.

Debra, I'm not familiar with the method. How do I access Direct X this way?

I've been using the Force Turn-Based as a sort of "skip" function, if I'm out of moves and just want the scene to progress without waiting too long. I don't have too many issues with fire-based attacks and traps as I decided to go with a Tiefling as my character. They have a % of natural fire and magic resistances due to their "infernal" backgrounds. Most of my issues have been due to not getting out of the way of an attack. I'm too used to real time combat and keep falling back on those key movements. Got to get back into the swing of turn-based strategies.

I think I figured out my navigation issues. I use a Logitech G910 that has programmable macro keys, and I think the accompanying software is somehow interfering with my key reassignments. That camera is an odd one though. I haven't had a chance to search around, but would certainly like to customize it more as a follow-cam rather than having to control it separately.

This reminds me very much of the camera set up in Neverwinter Nights 2. I had the same issues with that until they tweaked the settings in an update. I'll have to check the forums to see if anyone else is complaining about it and weigh in as well.

Sorry your having so many issues with the login and game start Hagatha. For what it's worth, I haven't had a response from Larian on the ticket I sent regarding their server issue and the verification email. I'm guessing they are up to their ears in "stuff" right now. That hasn't stopped me from playing luckily, although the game save sync function seems to be painfully slow.

I have no problem using the turn-based system in combat.

The issue I have is with the Forced Turn-based system that is first introduced in the temple once you get to the ground. It is literally forced (it's actually called Forced). Apparently it's what you use to detect traps and sneak. The problem is that it severely restricts your movement capabilities to a fraction of what they are in combat. That means you can see the traps, but you don't have enough freedom of movement to avoid them.

I'm sure I'll work it out but first I have to get the game working again.

The issue I have is with the Forced Turn-based system that is first introduced in the temple once you get to the ground. It is literally forced (it's actually called Forced). [/quote]
I understand that much.
Upper Echelon was having the same issue with the "forced" aspect of it and not being able to get where he wanted to go.

Apparently it's what you use to detect traps and sneak. The problem is that it severely restricts your movement capabilities to a fraction of what they are in combat. [/quote]
Yes. Very slow.


Yes. That's the problem.


Good luck.
I'm sorry to hear the controls are so clumsy.

So, I got the game working by holding down the Shift key while pressing Play and letting the game load completely. Someone on Steam had come up with this temporary fix. No idea why it works, but it does.

The trapped section I was in is really tricky. It is possible to cover up some grease traps to stop them from burning when the fire traps trigger. However, the turn-base moves here are the same as they are in combat. The grease traps were slowing movement. My personal opinion is that this is a bit too difficult for the start of the game, before people have really mastered the controls. I think you can avoid the temple, though.

I dodged and weaved and finally got my hands on all the stuff in the various sarcophagi, but in the end just went for the door, burning grease and all.

Finally leveled up, too. Now to see how that works.

I'm glad to hear you're able to work through these controls and figure them out.
You might want to write down what you did in case you have to do it again, or explain it to someone else.
Sure sounds like it.
I would rate ease of use of controls as more important than graphics, but apparently the people who design game engines disagree.


You can also avoid the whole game if the controls are too obnoxious, but that is not the goal when you want to play something. (I've done it though, and will do again. If something is too big a PITA it's not fun, and having fun is the only reason to play a game).


Have fun.

I just found myself in a small room with five undead roaming around outside. I was no match for them, until I blocked the doorway with jars. I guess undead aren't too bright. They just stood outside the door like sitting ducks.

But then I chose Door #1 and got attacked by four guys that easily overpowered my two weak characters. So I opened Door #2, and got overpowered by four enemies, including two spell casters on the ramparts above me. It was an epic fail.

Hey, is there a difficulty slider in the Options? I thought I'd use it to get past this point but I don't see one in the Gameplay options.

Nope, not in Early Access. They have it set at "Classic", which I guess is perceived as the medium setting.

That's too bad. I have no idea how to get past those two areas, one of which is obviously the way out. Maybe I can block the doorways again.