Sorcerer's Place is proud to announce the first preview of Icewind Dale II posted on the Internet. The article also comes with 80 screenshots, so it is definitely worth checking out:
http://www.sorcerers.net/Articles/iwd2_preview.htm

Congratulations

That's really good :shake:

Very interesting report about my most highly anticipated game of the year :)

One day, one day...
...Briareus will register here.

Eye candy has never been a problem with IwD. The interface looks a little improved. The only thing I could have possibly asked for different would have been a independent status log that you could alter the transparent level of, and make fill the entire game screen. Similiar to Diablo1 when you talk to someone. Sometimes, I'd like to be able to review dialogue one entire screen at a time, rather than just being able to see 10 at a time.

But I'm just nitpicking here. IwD2 really looks awesome. I hope the atmosphere really pulls you into the world. Again.

But the whole "Q3/2002" really has me chapped. When I preordered in late april, I didn't realize it was going to be after august before it comes out.

Great to see more of IWD2. I'm looking forward to playing it more than NWN, which is sitting right next to me awaiting a new soundcard.

Anyway, I was initially wary about the "new and improved" interface, but after looking at the screens it really does look improved. Another plus is more inventory. If the word about game length is true than its going to be awesome.

IWD captured more of the feel from the PnP days than the other IE games, but its close with BG1. I just hope the music is on the level of IWD1. I'm sure this will be worth the wait.

Good preview Tal. Getting pretty excited here now :). 2002 will be a gaming year to remember.

Tal, thanks a TON for wetting my appetite. Very cruel of you since there is no solid release date. Its kind of like showing a starving man a picture of a juicy steak, and then telling him to pre-order it! ARGH! :good: ;) :spin: :good:

I'm really anxious to check out the 'feats' deal. It's like Fallout meets IwD. Since FO1 and IwD1 both kicked serious ***, it looks like a MAJOR step up from 2nd edition. The snow just makes it all that much better.

What I want now is to hear about the developers. I want to hear these guys griping about the 110 hours they are working per week to get this hammered out. Nun of this pansy 40 hours stuff; I want sacrifice.

NoW!

NoW?

Now what's that? IWD2 expansion perhaps?
If HoW was Heart of Winter, then I guess NoW could be:
- Nose of Winter
- Navel of Winter (thanks to Tal for a clue)
- Node of Winter (thanks to Mat for a clue)
:p :p

It looks like the portraits and such were pulled right out of the original. Needless to say, the game looks great.

I've been eagerly anticipating the sequal to IWD ever since Black Isle announced it earlier in the year. The preview here at SP has given me even more to look foreword too. The only thing that kind of has me worried is that games like NWN and Warcraft III will overshadow a potentially great game

Rastor, as I said in my preview, all original portraits will be included with IWD2, but also many new ones.

WOW!

Great going Tal.

Now I really gotta get a bigger hard drive. All these Bioware games are just killing me.:money:

:grin:

Very cool. I never played the 1st one, but I am certainly going to play the 2nd one!

[This message has been edited by Abyssal Knight (edited July 17, 2002).]

Taluntain, in the interview there is mention of a Preview Copy of IWD2, is this a demo that can be downloaded or tested?

Khazraj, judging by that review that T$ put up here at S.P. it's most likely a 'beta test' that Taluntain had the opertunity to mess around with. So I'm guessing it's not avaliable to the masses.
BTW Taluntain, thanks for that phatty review. I'm deffintly looking forward to this game!

Tal, two technical questions:
1. Is the console present?
2. Does Inf. Explorer work with it?

If both answers are "yes", what's stopping you to publish some Spells/Items/Pics/Creatures unavailable in the "lobotomized" game? ;) :evil:

The preview copy is only available to the press, there is no demo.

Extremist, there's an option to toggle "Cheats" on in the config, so I'm pretty sure the console will be available in the final version. It didn't work now though.

And no, Infinity Explorer doesn't work on it. It only spews out an "unrecognized game" or something like that. So I'd have to extract pretty much everything manually at this point.

I love this review thingy!

IS IT OUT YET?

Sheesh...I'm going to be starting a new job (probably)in a month, and I can't think of a better way to end my career with my present employer than by sitting alone in a conf. room playing IWD2! :good: :holy:

Yeah really is there even one hint on when it is coming out?

[This message has been edited by Abyssal Knight (edited July 24, 2002).]

No other hints than Black Isle stating that is sooooo almost finished. They're just removing bugs from the game. Shouldn't take forever.

My guess is early August.

Yeah, July 1st is Q3. I bet right now all the QA geeks aren't getting any sleep.

Which is the way it *shooooould* be...

/me cracks whip.