So i have set up a series of encounters with things between suzail (where they started) and baldur's gate, but i have no idea what to do when they get there. I really don't know what special thing they expect to find when they get there that i couldn't have created in suzail.
I'm afraid, since they have played all the old Baldur's Gate games, that they expect to find lots of references and places from the games, but i honestly don't know anything about the place they expect to find that is supposed to be so special that we need to trek half way around the continent to see.
What sorts of iconic people/places from the old computer games would you expect to find there now?
Baldur's gate 1: Intro: www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnC_EjbE2ks
What sorts of iconic people/places from the old computer games would you expect to find there now?
As the Silversword pointed out, the new 4E Baldur's Gate is dramatically different from the old city. It is unique in having survived the spellplague, it had an influx of refugees that added to and changed its overall culture, the nature of the city government has changed, and the original city is now surrounded by suburbs of various cultural refugees that have solidified their citizenship over the past 90+ years. Imagine an "old town" surrounded by little communities of people from all over western Faerun. With over 90 years to develop, I don't think they'd be "shanty" suburbs any more, but developed. Some richer than others.
The only "iconic" places from the original game would be in the central part of old town, if you decide that they have survived. I imagine the marketplace would have been moved out of the old city and into the outer suburbs. Who knows, each suburb may have a small marketplace of its own.
A few of the old Inns and Taverns may have survived, but then again perhaps not. It has been 100 years since the spellplague and the refugee influx, after all. The Elfsong, the Splurging Sturgeon, the Helm and Cloak, the Blushing Mermaid might all be there still, or they might be gone or dramatically transformed (better vs. worse, expanded vs. washed up, etc).
The Thieves' Guild probably would have grown and moved locations several times. Refugees in the early shanty towns would have had a high crime rate, which would have initially bred thieves like rabbits. The existing thieves' guild at the time would have pulled some of those relocated thieves into their ranks, and would have permanently "shut down" any startup guilds. Or perhaps a relocated "family" from Calimport slowly eroded and eventually supplanted the old Thieves' guild, who is to say?
The warehouses' district in the old game was pretty tiny, and didn't IMO reflect the size of the old Baldur's Gate anyway, so you could dramatically expand the docks and warehouses. Original refugee families from all over Western Faerun probably would have developed into large, competitive mercantile costers by now. The "miracle" of Baldur's Gate's survival through the massive influx of refugees 100 years ago would have required increased trade to bring in supplies and food for everyone.
I loved the original idea of the ship-based "Low Lantern Tavern" at the docks. Maybe it's now even bigger and seedier than before, on a much larger "cruise ship" that travels a circuit for wealthy nobles to sight-see, partake in less-than-legal drugs, gamble in games of chance, have masked sexual encounters below decks in opulent parlors (with high-paid "escorts" or even with each other), or engage in other dubious activities. Perhaps one of the visits the ship makes on its cruise is to a more fully developed island of Ulgoth's Beard, which is now a lush hideaway playground for the wealthy elite, both noble and merchant.
You could take a few of the minor nobles and merchants in the original game and "upgrade" them into immensely rich families that made their money on trade through the "miracle survival" period.
One or two of the churches may have been responsible for "Create Food" spells during the worst of the refugee influx period (perhaps a talented priest developed a ritual for this and it was kept secret within the church), and as a result those churches have risen to prominence over other churches. Ilmater's temple might have become a big deal, what with the original refugees needing help and healing. Gond's temple and museum may have helped during that period with the creation of devices for handling water more cleanly, dealing with waste, and making new farming tools. Helm's old temple probably would have had significant problems, and it might have re-formed itself as a temple to Torm. Or keep it interesting, make it seriously run down yet run by heretic priests who believe Helm still exists.
Magic may be viewed quite differently in the core of the old city versus the more recent new minority suburbs. While the suburbs may still show fear or distaste for open display of magic, the wealthy old families may have used magic to help the city survive after the spellplague. So an older wealthy family might train in magecraft, but on the "down low" so to speak.
The original Duke's palace could have been added to dramatically, although the current "duke" is really more of a figurehead and works with a council that holds the real governing power. Perhaps quite a lot like the Queen in London, but on a much less grand scale. Money, not titles, speak in the new Baldur's Gate.
Instead of one Flaming Fist compound, you might have constabulary offices all over the city, all ultimately reporting back to the main officers' compound.
The old sewers might still be haunted... maybe by old things, maybe by new occupants. There may also be interconnected new sewers underneath the refugee suburbs, with lots of Gond-ian artifice to help with sewage control.
Undead, Aboleths, Werecreatures and conspiracies abound
As the Silversword pointed out, the new 4E Baldur's Gate is dramatically different from the old city. It is unique in having survived the spellplague, it had an influx of refugees that added to and changed its overall culture, the nature of the city government has changed, and the original city is now surrounded by suburbs of various cultural refugees that have solidified their citizenship over the past 90+ years. Imagine an "old town" surrounded by little communities of people from all over western Faerun. With over 90 years to develop, I don't think they'd be "shanty" suburbs any more, but developed. Some richer than others.
The only "iconic" places from the original game would be in the central part of old town, if you decide that they have survived. I imagine the marketplace would have been moved out of the old city and into the outer suburbs. Who knows, each suburb may have a small marketplace of its own.
A few of the old Inns and Taverns may have survived, but then again perhaps not. It has been 100 years since the spellplague and the refugee influx, after all. The Elfsong, the Splurging Sturgeon, the Helm and Cloak, the Blushing Mermaid might all be there still, or they might be gone or dramatically transformed (better vs. worse, expanded vs. washed up, etc).
The Thieves' Guild probably would have grown and moved locations several times. Refugees in the early shanty towns would have had a high crime rate, which would have initially bred thieves like rabbits. The existing thieves' guild at the time would have pulled some of those relocated thieves into their ranks, and would have permanently "shut down" any startup guilds. Or perhaps a relocated "family" from Calimport slowly eroded and eventually supplanted the old Thieves' guild, who is to say?
The warehouses' district in the old game was pretty tiny, and didn't IMO reflect the size of the old Baldur's Gate anyway, so you could dramatically expand the docks and warehouses. Original refugee families from all over Western Faerun probably would have developed into large, competitive mercantile costers by now. The "miracle" of Baldur's Gate's survival through the massive influx of refugees 100 years ago would have required increased trade to bring in supplies and food for everyone.
I loved the original idea of the ship-based "Low Lantern Tavern" at the docks. Maybe it's now even bigger and seedier than before, on a much larger "cruise ship" that travels a circuit for wealthy nobles to sight-see, partake in less-than-legal drugs, gamble in games of chance, have masked sexual encounters below decks in opulent parlors (with high-paid "escorts" or even with each other), or engage in other dubious activities. Perhaps one of the visits the ship makes on its cruise is to a more fully developed island of Ulgoth's Beard, which is now a lush hideaway playground for the wealthy elite, both noble and merchant.
You could take a few of the minor nobles and merchants in the original game and "upgrade" them into immensely rich families that made their money on trade through the "miracle survival" period.
One or two of the churches may have been responsible for "Create Food" spells during the worst of the refugee influx period (perhaps a talented priest developed a ritual for this and it was kept secret within the church), and as a result those churches have risen to prominence over other churches. Ilmater's temple might have become a big deal, what with the original refugees needing help and healing. Gond's temple and museum may have helped during that period with the creation of devices for handling water more cleanly, dealing with waste, and making new farming tools. Helm's old temple probably would have had significant problems, and it might have re-formed itself as a temple to Torm. Or keep it interesting, make it seriously run down yet run by heretic priests who believe Helm still exists.
Magic may be viewed quite differently in the core of the old city versus the more recent new minority suburbs. While the suburbs may still show fear or distaste for open display of magic, the wealthy old families may have used magic to help the city survive after the spellplague. So an older wealthy family might train in magecraft, but on the "down low" so to speak.
The original Duke's palace could have been added to dramatically, although the current "duke" is really more of a figurehead and works with a council that holds the real governing power. Perhaps quite a lot like the Queen in London, but on a much less grand scale. Money, not titles, speak in the new Baldur's Gate.
Instead of one Flaming Fist compound, you might have constabulary offices all over the city, all ultimately reporting back to the main officers' compound.
The old sewers might still be haunted... maybe by old things, maybe by new occupants. There may also be interconnected new sewers underneath the refugee suburbs, with lots of Gond-ian artifice to help with sewage control.
A lot of great ideas here, Jorunhast; I'm going to bookmark this for future reference if I can ever convince my husband to run a game!
Overall, it is you running the game. If your players aren't cooperating--then don't cooperate with them. Make their lives difficult and wiggle them back on track.
If you want a light-hearted reference you could have an annoying character called "Noober" follow them around and ask annoying questions. 
[And yes, I know he's originally from Nashkel, but hey it's a laugh, and maybe Noober's great-grandson moved to the Gate.]
Also, it's not 100% clear from your post whether or not you played Baldur's Gate yourself, I would strongly suggest if you haven't that you give them a try! They are rightly regarded by most as classics of the genre, and will give you the material you seek.
Wasnt there a map in this thread? Or maybe IM thinking of another one?
This is a nice map of the pre-Spellplague Baldur's gate, although it's much larger and really different than the computer game version in Baldur's Gate I.
For example, in the computer game the docks were teeny.
For post-Spellplague, this map would be considered the "old city" and you'd have to add more all around it - and possibly even on the other side of the water (perhaps even a bridge or two). After 100 years, the early shanty towns would've developed into real housing, not just tents and such for the refugees. This, the central old city, would remain the richer part of town, except perhaps for the areas closest to the docks. The docks would also have to expand, given that such a large city would need more incoming trade ships than the pre-Spellplague city.