Mac game publisher MacPlay, a subsidiary of United Developers, today announced that its conversion of the role playing adventure game Icewind Dale has reached Gold Master status — the last milestone before the game goes to duplication and distribution. MacPlay expects Icewind Dale to begin shipping to retailers within the next three weeks.
Based on the same underpinnings as the original Baldur’s Gate but converted to the Mac by the same developer responsible for Baldur’s Gate II, Icewind Dale is another role playing game set in the land of Forgotten Realms. Icewind Dale was developed using the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons rules by Interplay’s Black Isle studios.
Icewind Dale is a traditional “dungeon crawl” in the spirit of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons adventure Tomb of Horrors. The game is set in, around, and underneath the Spine of the World, a frozen range of mountains far to the north of previous games set in the Forgotten Realms.
Compared to the original Baldur’s Gate, Icewind Dale is huge. The game features 70 types of new monsters and lots more combat. It also features interface enhancements and streamlined player control. And unlike Baldur’s Gate, you’re able to form your own party of six players right away rather than acquiring non-player characters (NPCs) along the way. Icewind Dale is built to run natively in Mac OS 9 and Mac OS X, and sports multiplayer features as well.
Icewind Dale is currently being offered for pre-order for US$49.99; customers within the U.S. get free shipping and handling. And until March 15th, MacPlay is offering anyone who has previously ordered from MacPlay’s online store an additional $10 discount, as part of the company’s Customer Loyalty Program.