Kepster

She hasn't posted it here, but if you click on PAGE 083 and hit next in the description section of the Deviantart page, you can see the new ones.

I'm a big fan

For some (I'm sure) heavily-rationalized reason, they've disabled the ability to disable DDraw acceleration with certain video cards in Vista. Or something. Anyway, the nVidia fix also did not work for me but I managed to unearth a workaround somewhere. Some time ago. It's rather complicated, but here 'tis:

Download the Microsoft Application Compatibility Toolkit.
Install, etc.
Run the Compatibility Administrator.
Then you can manually set up a "database" that will run baldur.exe with the compatibility fix "ForceDirectDrawEmulation."
It took me a while to figure out how to set that up, so for simplicity's sake I've uploaded the .sdb file (http://www.mediafire.com/?nyfodjmn5yt)
Copy that file to your BGII SoA folder.
In the Compatibility Administrator, select "Open" and then navigate to baldur.sdb within your installation folder.
Expand Applications on the left and click baldur's gate.
Click "Run." It may ask you to locate the baldur.exe file. If so, just browse to find it.
Then hit OK, and...it should all be okay. You will have to run Baldur's Gate through the Compatibility program every time. Like I said, complicated.

Hope it helps you. If all of this still does not work, you could also try setting the graphics options to 16-bit color and enable Software Transparent BLT (Bacon Lettuce Tomato?), but that really decreased my framerate when I tried it.

Edit: ERK! I just realized that the original post was asking for help with BG I. The same process is applicable, only use the Baldur's Gate I main .exe file. You won't be able to use the .sdb file I posted, you'll have to create your own database. For that, click "New," then click "Fix." For name of program, pick something descriptive. Vendor is unimportant. Browse to BG I's main .exe file (don't know the particular name, I don't have BG I installed at the moment) and select that. Hit Next and select no operating system modes or compatibility modes. Hit Next, and under compatibility fixes check "ForceDirectDrawEmulation." Hit Finish and save your database. Then you can finally "Run" it. *wipes sweat off forehead*

I've noticed that if you change your system localization settings, the ALT codes used to form European symbols under US localization have strange results when used with, for example, Japanese localization. This is likely a simliar issue. So, as a stop-gap measure, you may try this (for Vista and Win7 I think, not sure exactly how to do it in XP):

Control Panel
Regional and Language Settings in Classic View (or Clock, Language and Region then Regional and Language Options in fancy view)
Click the Administrative tab
Then where it talks about non-Unicode programs, "Change System Locale" to English

You'll need to restart. Anyway, no promises, but it's something to try.

I really like the first version of that high elf, it's very clean and the coloring is neat.  Plus, his face and hair are detailed and quite pretty~

The second one certainly has a more interesting and compelling background, but I feel like the vague-ish coloring job sort of took away some of the fancier details.  Of course, you were aiming for a more dramatic look, soo...  That said, the lighting & texture on the staff in the second version are really professional-looking and gorgeous.  

I'm terribly excited about this. All the hints towards a more sinister intelligence behind the darkspawn are going to be realized...yay! The concept of the Darkspawn "Emissary" really intrigued me--the codex mentioned it was capable of human speech and had me wondering: do the darkspawn have their own society farther in the Deep Roads? Do they have an agenda beyond destruction? And--oh God!--the Broodmothers just show how pervasive these darkspawn are. Who knows the extent of the Deep Roads? What if the darkspawn's only real limitation is the lack of entryways to the surface? It makes me all tingly!

I'm secretly hoping for an expansion on the idea of the dragon (Archdemon) as a corrupted god(-like being)... Certainly the dreams and the fact that some Grey Wardens were capable of understanding its communications give me cause to hope that they'll work with this.

I don't know, there's just so much they can do!

I would like the game's status to reflect our choices at the end of the game as well, but this universe is immersive enough that I just might forgive them if they don't. Anyway: excited.

Regarding the role of the Grey Wardens, I think that they serve only the function of stemming the tide of the recurrent Blights. I mean, from the context of the game we see Duncan as the quintessential Grey Warden. He does not intercede in the instance of the City Elf origin story (from which I assume you draw the rape example) because it does not have any bearing on the darkspawn threat. When, however, one of your fellow initiates (can't recall his name, the one with a wife and child) attempts to leave the Joining Ceremony, he mercilessly cuts him down for fear he might spread the secret knowledge of the ceremony: clearly not a force for generalized good.

Any who become a Grey Warden swear their life to the cause--they will die for it. In the face of that, personal ambition certainly seems inappropriate. Those who enroll in the Grey Wardens are just about forced into all the secret clauses and dangers, hence the importance of keeping details of the Joining quiet. They serve a purpose, but I don't think it can be argued that they fight for "good" or "peace," rather, just the continued existence of humanity.