What is the "vanilla" game?

[Roxanne]

On these forum pages you often see the term "vanilla game" used. I have the feeling that rarely two people use the term with the same intention.

 

Wikipedia does not make me any wiser here:

"In PC games, the term "vanilla" is often used to describe the original version of a game, which has not been modified with third-party addons, developer updates, downloadable content (DLC) or patches. It can also refer to the original game engine when source ports or expansion packs are available."

 

Taking the example of BG1. Which one is the *vanilla* game

 

- The original first CD release of the classic game still WITHOUT TotSC and any patch?

- The classic game with TotSC included but without using mods?

- Any version of BG1 that has not been modded?

 

Even worse - many newer or younger players do not even know any of these games, and for them it may mean

 

- BGEE without SoD and without any mods added? With new NPCs included.

- BGEE/SoD but without any mods?

 

OR

The original content of the game regardless of the platform (classic or EE) in any form that has not been modded?

 

How do you use the term?

Edited April 28, 2018 by Roxanne

[argent77]

To me "vanilla game" simply means "unmodded game", regardless of the game being enhanced or not. I'm using the terms "classic" (or "legacy") and "enhanced" (or simply "EE") to distinguish between original Bioware/Black Isle products and new Beamdog releases.

[bob_veng]

original = the first, non-EE, edition

vanilla = unmodded (whether EE or original is meant is context dependent), including BGEE-SoD

 

classic = to me personally dubious; can mean:

• original (same as above)
• bg1 in the sense of how it's rules/systems differ from bg2 (proficiencies etc.)
• "old" as in a previous, older version (before a later patch that changes something noticeable, for example)
• original non-totsc bg1 (an ancient way of seeing as nobody distinguishes totsc from the main game anymore)

 

edit: so basically

original vs. EE

vanilla vs. modded

classic vs. novel/revised in a broad sense

Edited April 28, 2018 by bob_veng

[Gwendolyne]

+1 with Argent77.

 

In the French modding and gamers community, we use "classique" (classic) and EE to distinguish old and new versions of the games. vanilla is reserved to an unmodded game, regardless of the version.

Edited April 28, 2018 by Gwendolyne

[CamDawg]

I've been using vanilla to refer to the originals, but what Argent says makes sense. I've seen people use terms like BGOE (original edition) to distinguish them from the enhanced editions, and I think it's time to Make This A Thing.

[lynx]

I agree with Argent77; it's the same interpretation used in other gaming communities.

[Ardanis]

Vanilla is original aka non-EE for me.

[jastey]

Vanilla is original aka non-EE for me.

That's how I used it so far, too.

[Jarno Mikkola]

Vanilla, is the normal tasting icecream ... so vanilla BG1 is the not moded, not patched, not expanded BG1.

Vanilla TotSC is likely the patched version. But definitely not moded ...

Vanilla BG1EE, yeah, I would go with latest patched not modified game here.

Vanilla BWS'ed EET with lack of judgement, a good party.

[Roxanne]

Vanilla is original aka non-EE for me.

 

 

 

Vanilla is original aka non-EE for me.

That's how I used it so far, too.

 

This is interesting, because (rough summary) now we have quite different views

 

Non-EE = classic (aka original)

Vanilla = not modded

vs

Non-EE = vanilla = classic

 

As far as I can tell, everybody who made a statement so far knows the classic AND the EE games.

 

How would someone who is new to the game and started in the EE-world right away perceive that?

 

How are people to know what you are referring to with *vanilla* when they do not have the classic game as a reference? Will even the dinosaurs (no offense, I am one myself) know this still - e.g. I lost my original games and only have an old BGT installation by now, with hardly a way to distinguish vanilla and modded contents there.

Edited April 28, 2018 by Roxanne

[AL|EN]

Vanilla means "game without mods" for many many games out there:

 

- Classic games without mods = vanilla

- EE games without mods = also vanilla (for eg vanilla BG2EE )

- the "is modded?" covers both Classic and EE games

 

That's is how I see it.

[Mike1072]

I use the term vanilla to refer to the unmodded game or unmodded assets.

 

When talking about the older games in comparison to the enhanced editions, I refer to them as "original", "non-enhanced", or "non-EE".

[Roxanne]

In the case of

vanilla = unmodded

this should exclude unused content from being vanilla. We know of the cases where dialogue lines etc were written and left in the game package but are not used in the game. Some restoration mods make some of this accessible, but I would still call such *added* contents as being modded.

The originally intended use of those resources is not known, so it is a modder's interpretation of how to make this stuff appear in game. Just to mention the Pique/Imoen case or the whole NTotSC Northern Citadel quest that is based on unused dialogues and actors found in the game's vaults.

[lynx]

Of course.

 

Here's another distinction. Jagged Alliance 2 had its source released and the engine got a bunch of cleanup and some bugfixes from the community. Due to the latter it can't be called vanilla, so it's called stracciatella, the fixes being the small chunks of chocolate in the vanilla.

[Avenger]

To me vanilla means the last patch of any of the originals, completely unmodded.

If EE is added to the mix, then probably the first EE version released.