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{{SeriesInfobox | developer = BioWare Corporation | publisher = SEGA,Interplay Entertainment,Virgin Interactive | genre = RPG | platforms = Microsoft Windows,macOS, Xbox, PlayStation 2 }} '''{{PAGENAME|Baldur's Gate}}''' is a popular series of [[computer role-playing game]]s that take place on [[Faer没n]], the main continent from ''[[Dungeons & Dragons]]' [[Forgotten Realms]]'' campaign setting, set in the years following the [[Cataclysm (Dragonlance)|cataclysmic]] [[Time of Troubles (Forgotten Realms)|Time of Troubles]] (1358 [[Dalereckoning|DR]]). The original series, developed for [[Microsoft Windows]] and [[Mac OS]] by [[BioWare]], includes '''''[[Baldur's Gate]]''''' (1998), '''''[[Baldur's Gate: Tales of the Sword Coast]]''''' ([[expansion pack]], 1999), '''''[[Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn]]''''' (2000) and '''''[[Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal]]''''' (expansion pack, 2001). ==Overview== The ''Baldur's Gate'' series brought many technical advancements over computer-based role-playing games of the past. BioWare's [[Infinity Engine]] offers a pre-rendered [[Isometric projection|isometric worldview]], with [[Sprite (computer graphics)|sprite]]-based characters. ''Baldur's Gate'' was also the third computer game ever to make use of the [[Lua programming language|Lua]] scripting language. The engine was also used for ''[[Planescape: Torment]]'' and the ''[[Icewind Dale (series)|Icewind Dale series]]''. The games are based on a real-time modification of the second edition ''AD&D'' (''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'') ruleset. The player's party can have up to six members, either created by the player according to the ''AD&D'' rules or [[Non-Player Character|NPCs]] recruited by the protagonist from the game world. Numerous side quests and plot twists are associated with particular NPCs and can be activated if they are found in the player's party. Through extensive, context-dependent dialogue, many characters inside and outside the player's party are fleshed out and given an added level of complexity. In [[1999 in video gaming|1999]], ''Baldur's Gate'' won the [[Origins Award]] for ''Best Roleplaying Computer Game of 1998'', and in [[2000 in video gaming|2000]], ''Baldur's Gate: Tales of the Sword Coast'' won ''Best Roleplaying Computer Game of 1999''. ''Baldur's Gate'' has also been often compared to ''[[Diablo (video game)|Diablo]]'' (an [[Action role-playing game|action RPG]]), perhaps for similarities in dungeon-crawling and the isometric view, but is much more story driven with less [[hack and slash]]. ==Games== [[File:Baldur's Gate box.png|thumb|right|200px|Cover art of original ''Baldur's Gate'' game]] ===''Baldur's Gate''=== {{Main|Baldur's Gate}} The first game in the series introduces the player character as a powerless orphan raised in the monastery of [[Candlekeep]], south of [[Baldur's Gate (city)|Baldur's Gate]] and north of the kingdom of [[Amn (Forgotten Realms)|Amn]]. The main character searches for the killer of his or her foster father, Gorion, and becomes involved with the region's iron crisis which causes metal to crumble, all while battling to stay alive. ===''Baldur's Gate: Tales of the Sword Coast''=== {{Main|Baldur's Gate: Tales of the Sword Coast}} An expansion pack for Baldur's Gate, ''Tales of the Sword Coast'' did not add anything to the primary storyline, but presented the protagonist with more areas to explore along the [[Sword Coast]], more powerful enemies, more spells, better equipment, and allows the player character to reach higher levels of experience. It also made some general changes to gameplay and altered the original game's final battle. ===''Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn''=== {{Main|Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn}} The main character is captured by [[Jon Irenicus]] and must escape into the city of [[Athkatla]], the capital of Amn. Here the protagonist faces several different ways to figure out the reason behind the capture as he or she journeys through the region of Amn and the [[Underdark]]. The game presents a number of innovations over the first Baldur's Gate game, including further specialization of character classes, better graphics and higher power levels. It also allowed for more interaction with the game's joinable NPCs, including friendships, romances, and your own party members' interactions with one another. ===''Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal''=== {{Main|Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal}} Throne of Bhaal is an expansion pack for ''Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn'', and includes both an expansion of the original game -such as new areas to explore- as well as a conclusion to the [[Bhaalspawn]] story arc started in the first Baldur's Gate game. ===Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance & Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance II=== The ''[[Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance (series)|Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance series]]'' was produced by BioWare's publisher Black Isle Studios, a division of Interplay Entertainment. Although they take place in the ''Baldur's Gate'' rendition of the ''Forgotten Realms'' setting, they are not often regarded as a part of the ''Baldur's Gate'' series, as the plot is unrelated to previous games, and they were console-exclusive titles. These were not released for Windows and Macintosh platforms and were not created using BioWare's Infinity Engine. Interplay has announced intentions of releasing a third Dark Alliance game as well.<ref name="Kotaku">{{cite web | url=http://kotaku.com/377733/interplay-sequelizing-earthworm-jim-dark-alliance-descent-mdk | title=Interplay Sequelizing Earthworm Jim, Dark Alliance, Descent, MDK| accessdate=April 9, 2008 }}</ref> ===''Baldur's Gate Compilation''=== In [[2006 in video gaming|2006]], Atari re-released the entire series on DVD-ROM in Europe.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.amazon.com/Baldurs-Gate-Box-Set-Compilation-PC/dp/B000FGA1US/| title=Baldur's Gate Compilation (PC DVD) | publisher=Amazon | work=amazon.com | accessdate=2007-04-02}}</ref> ===''Baldur's Gate III''=== ''Baldur's Gate III: The Black Hound'' (code named ''Jefferson'' and ''FR6'') was mentioned in early [[2001 in video gaming|2001]] as a new game in the Baldur's Gate series to be made by [[Black Isle Studios]] using a completely new 3D engine.<ref name="banshee">{{cite web | url=http://www.gamebanshee.com/interviews/theblackhound1.php | title=The Black Hound Interview | author=Jon "Buck" Birnbaum | publisher=Gamebanshee.com | date=2007-02-13| accessdate=2009-09-15}}</ref> ''The Black Hound'' was originally going to be a departure from the high-powered epic of the Bhaalspawn saga to a low-key, roleplaying plot. With protagonists progressing to around level four at the end of [[Black Isle Studios|BIS']] typically enormous campaign and a hard cap at level eight, gameplay was refocussed to a flat and wide adventure emphasizing quests over combat. In fact, the game was only titled ''"Baldur's Gate"'' due to [[Interplay Entertainment|Interplay]] having lost the general ''D&D'' license to [[Atari]], but still retaining the right to make ''"Baldur's Gate"'' and ''"Icewind Dale"'' branded ''D&D'' games (the same reason as for [[Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance (series)|BGDA]]'s title.)<ref name="banshee" /> The game appeared to be canceled in [[2003 in video gaming|2003]], just before its engine was re-purposed for Black Isle's ill-fated ''[[Van Buren (Fallout)|Van Buren]]'' ''[[Fallout 3]]'' project. Subsequently, [[Josh Sawyer]], one of the designers of the canceled game, resumed development of ''The Black Hound'' as a module for ''[[Neverwinter Nights 2]]''.<ref name="banshee" /> As of 2009, this remains a side project for Sawyer, who works at [[Obsidian Entertainment]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://the-black-hound.com/blog/?p=36 | title=regular work interferes | author=Josh Sawyer | publisher=The Herald of Archenbridge: The Black Hound Blog | date=2009-01-25| accessdate=2009-09-15}}</ref> However, in April of [[2004 in video gaming|2004]] [[IGN]] released information that a ''Baldur's Gate III'' is in the works. Any other information has, for now, not been released. There is no solid evidence as to whether or not the game is actually in development, although it will likely go ahead due to its commercial potential.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://pc.ign.com/articles/504/504160p1.html | title=Baldur's Gate III, Neverwinter Nights II in Development? | publisher=IGN | accessdate=2007-04-02}}</ref> In the January 2008 issue of ''[[PC Gamer UK]]'', the editor claims that he knows that Baldur's Gate III is indeed being worked on - this has further been reiterated in the January 2009 edition, though, again, any more information is unlikely to surface until later this year, possibly even 2010. {{Citation needed|date=January 2009}} On December 2, 2008, Atari stated in a press conference that the Baldur's Gate series (among others) would be revisited after 2009.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=323024 | title=Atari to revisit Baldur's, Test Drive | author=Tom Bramwell | date=2008-12-02 | accessdate=2009-01-05 | publisher=EuroGamer}}</ref> On February 7, 2010, in an interview about ''[[Mass Effect 2]]'', IGN asked Ray Muzyka of BioWare about the future of Baldur's Gate, noting the sighting of [[Minsc|Boo]] in the Citadel souvenir shop. He replied, 'Hey, that's just a space hamster. Boo's brother. And again, you'll have to talk to Atari about that, they've got the license.'<ref>{{cite web|url=http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/106/1066954p1.html|title=Mass Effect 3 & Beyond|first=Andrew|last=Smee|publisher=IGN UK|date=2010-02-07|accessdate=2010-03-09}}</ref> ==Related media== ===Official novels=== [[Philip Athans]], editor of the ''Forgotten Realms'' novel line, wrote the first two novels in the ''Baldur's Gate'' trilogy of novels: ''Baldur's Gate'' and ''Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn'', both based on the storylines of the computer game series. The novels follow the bare basics of the original stories, but eschew several of the games' numerous subplots and include only a few of the NPCs. The Bhaalspawn main character is named Abdel Adrian in the novels. The third, and final, novel - ''Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal'' - was authored by [[Drew Karpyshyn]]. ====''Baldur's Gate''==== *{{cite book | title=Baldur's Gate : A Novelization | publisher=[[Wizards of the Coast]] | isbn=978-0786915255 | last=Athans | first=Philip | year=1999 | month=June | authorlink=Philip Athans}} ====''Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn''==== *{{cite book | title=Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn | publisher=[[Wizards of the Coast]] | isbn=978-0786915699 | last=Athans | first=Philip | year=2000 | month=September | authorlink=Philip Athans}} ====''Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal''==== *{{cite book | title=Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal | publisher=[[Wizards of the Coast]] | isbn=978-0786919857 | last=Karpyshyn | first=Drew | year=2001 | month=September | authorlink=Drew Karpyshyn}} ==References== {{reflist|2}} ==External links== *[http://www.bioware.com/ BioWare website] {{Baldur's Gate}}
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