Black Isle Update
 

Here's the latest news for any D&D fans out there.


A couple of months ago Black Isle Studios (BIS) were starting production on a new game, and that it was codenamed Jefferson. After much conversation and solicitation with the development team, we surmised that Jefferson was in fact probably Baldurs Gate 3. Some fans were hoping for NWN2, but that seemed unlikely.

You can look up the official Jefferson website if you so wish. BIS said that Jefferson would be an evolutionary game for the company and a first step towards creatnig a new gaming identity for themselves.

Well, it seems it was perhaps too evolutionary. Wizards of the Coast, who hold the rights to Forgotten Realms (the setting of most BIS games, with the notable exception of Fallout) have rejected Jefferson and all production has ceased. Presumably, WotC wasn't happy with certain aspects of the game.

So, the gist of the matter is that even if Jefferson wasn't BG3, this means that BIS won't make a BG3, or an IWD3, because they said that they dont want to become repetitive in what they do. They want to be progressive, and clearly WotC are too stingy or unimaginative to allow for that. They want to keep FR and D&D rules like it is.

BIS has instead initiated a new project, called Van Buren, which in all probability is going to be Fallout 3, given that its not based on FR material.

*In case you didn't know, BIS codename all their development games with the names of US presidents. I'm still waiting to see what type of game Clinton will be.

:thumbsup:

Edit: Oops, I seem to have posted this in the wrong forum. If a mod would kindly this to GAMING, I'd be much obliged.

Crap. BG3 would have rocked. I am a big fan of 1 & 2, and NWN hasn't really done much for me.....

I liked the NWN engine and my friends have really enjoyed the ability to create your own games but the original story was kinda lame.

I like everything Black Isle has done and I hope they bring us something soon.

Dosnt matter if WotC likes the idea or not. Infogames purchased the rights from hasbro. To produce DND games (Vid games not pnp). Wotc was very pissed about that. Rumor was that they had a MMORPG planned. Interplay (who owns Black Isle) with the deal from NWN/Infogames (they were supposed to publish NWN) was allowed the right to publish a few games with the DND llicense for a few years after that or something.

But WotC still own FR, which is the sore point here. If you guys want the full lowdown, Jefferson has a few dedicated fanpages, and BIS has its own forum on the Interplay forum http://forums.interplay.com . BIS are great in that they actually listen to their fans and try to give us what we want, so this story might not be concluded yet.

I'm playing icewind dale 2 right now, boring the hell out of me. When are they going to get a new graphics engine!?

IWD2 is an inferior product to IWD1, in all respects. Its basically just a hack&slash type D&D game, designed to increase your battle proficiency.

Phaenx, Jefferson would have incorporated a new engine. Perhaps Van Buren will get it instead, i don't know. But yeah, its because of things like IWD2 that BIS want to move into more exiting territory.

yeah i really would have liked a BG3, the first two i thought were awesome

Hmmm....looks like you might still get a BG3, only it won't be produced by BIS (which means it will probably suck). Neither BIS nor Interplay want to confirm anything, but it seems as if Interplay lost the rights for BG (for PC) and Vivendi will be producing it now. Fuelling the fire, apprently there was a sign of Baldur's Gate 3 on E3, and EB is also taking pre-orders for BG3:

http://www.ebgames.com/ebx/categorie...p?pf_id=236461

If this is true, then Interplay will be going down the crapper. BIS is the only thing that kept them alive over the last couple of years. Interplay will go the way of Sierra, unless Jefferson gets unshelved (this is probably not BG3 then, or if so Jefferson got sold as well) and Van Buren gets finished.

Yeah, from what I understood, BG2 was the last one...

It's probably all for the best. Though I do like the whole Faerun world, it'd be neat to see some others.

Actually, I thought I read a few weeks back that this was actually being done? Has that changed since then? Personally, I was REALLY looking forward to it. Just really never could get into NeverQuest....

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edit: Just did a quick search... found this press release from last month:
Dungeons & Dragons Online Revealed

Umm.....technically, Faerun is FR, so its not the end of Faerun, since Salvatore is still writing about Drizzt andsoforth.

we all knew the Bhaalspawn BG series would end, because well, [SPOILER]........
when you become a god, wheat else is there to do? Black&White?

So yeah, while it is the end of that storyline, the setting and history could remain for further Baldur's Gate adventures. and dont forget: BALDURS GATE IS A PLACE. In all probability, BG3 would have been named BG3: blahblahblah or something.