Githzerai

Like I've said, I like to make signatures and avatars in Photoshop, and these are two sigs related to BG2 and PS:T I've made. There are others too of course, but they aren't related to cRPGs or fantasy so posting them would be pretty much pointless. I should also mention that I've gotten a lot better since I've made these two. Hopefully, being active here will inspire me to make more signatures with such themes.

And a small question...I'd like to start learning a new form of art. I've seen people here draw fan art impressively well, but I don't have a tablet or scanner so that would have to wait for a while. In what other forms of art could I engage myself that require possibly only Photoshop or the like?

Baldur's Gate II is and always will be one of my favorite games. I have purchased Baldur's Gate I too a while ago, and started playing it, but I was a bit intimidated by the old engine that requires a lot more scrolling. So would you suggest using TuTu from the very start? Is there an engine-conversion only mod? And would playing the game with a kit for the first time be considered...well...cheating? I'm just afraid I'll end up coming back to BGII for the n-th time again, and I want to replay it and ToB once with the same character after I finish BGI, so using the same engine would set the atmosphere better.

I have always wondered about this. While Torment provides what many think is the best story and roleplaying, how great is it's literary value? Let's continue to look at it as a game, not what the story would look like if written in a book. I see none of the newer RPGs following this trend, but could this have been a new way of artistic expression?

When I think of the story and the plot itself, I can't really say I can see it measure up to...say the work of the great Russian writers. You wake up in the Mortuary as a mysterious looking, scarred man who has lost his memories and spend most of your time in the game trying to get them back. And then you choose to redeem your sins in order to escape the immortality. Honestly, as much as I love this game, I can't say it has much value in this regard. Better than all the other games, yes. But worthy enough on it's own? I don't think so.

Another point I would like to bring up is the interactive aspect of video games combined with a good storyline. We got used to reading the story in the previous centuries and that was it. But wouldn't active participation in it greatly enhance the experience? Just think about it. If only the RPGs continued to develop in this direction instead of commercializing...