6 replies to this topic

[Strontium Dog]

Hello,

I'm thinking of installing the Tactics and Big Picture mods together. Normally, I've been told to add some commands from the tactics.tp2 file to make them compatible. However, I've just read an obscure webpage which stated that, as long as you installed Tactics before the Big Picture mod, and didn't install any Big Picture components which conflicted with the Tactics mod components, that everything would be fine. I'm assuming, therefore, that I can install all Tactics mod components and just install the Big Picture Core AI and the Improved Suldanessellar mod-components and everything will be fine. Is that a correct assumption? What if I installed all Tactics components and just the Improved Suldanessellar component of the BP mod, without even the BP-Core AI component?

Another question:- The only reason, really, why I didn't install the Big Picture mod was because of its incompatibility with the Improved Sendai component of the Oversight mod. Can any experienced mega-mod-gamer give me some idea as to whether the Big Picture's version of Sendai is as good as, or much worse than, the Oversight's version of Improved Sendai?

Thanks,

SD

Edited by Strontium Dog, 09 July 2007 - 04:09 AM.

[Azazello]

@ Point 1: I would like to see the link to the obscure webpage you're refer to.

[Strontium Dog]

@ Point 1: I would like to see the link to the obscure webpage you're refer to.

Here it is(funnily enough it turnes out to have been a Spellhold Studios post):-

http://www.shsforums...showtopic=27144

SD

Edited by Strontium Dog, 09 July 2007 - 10:58 AM.

[Azazello]

Well, so much for obscurity...

Zo'Garth said what you said, that she read this somewhere, but of course couldn't remember or find the source. At least you trump her by having found your link.

She also just took melkor_morgoth75's word that this is ok, to mix the two tactics mods. Okay.

I've never read this anywhere, from this board or two others so I don't know where this urban legend came from. So I'll simply say that you should give it a try, if you're willing, as it'll put credence to the idea.

Edited by Azazello, 10 July 2007 - 08:33 AM.

[Chevalier]

just the Improved Suldanessellar component of the BP mod, without even the BP-Core AI component?

Not a good idea.

Just so we have an idea of what's in BP

The (currently) 15 components of BP-weidu:

BP Core AI
Improved Spellhold
Improved Suldanessallar
Wand of Orcus
-----(all BP originals)-----
Small Teeth Pass by Kensai Ryu (KR)
Improved Kangaxx - KR
Improved Crypt King--KR
Gnome Fighter/Illusionist--KR
Improved Encounters (combo of City & Wilderness) -- KR and GB
Lich in the Docks -- Gebhard Blucher (GB)
Red Badge -- Westley Weimer (WW)
Kuroisan -- WW
The Ritual -- WW(?)
Level-50 ruleset -- void if TDD is installed
Ascension -- David Gaider and IEEAIS

Note that each of these components differs slightly from the original. All those non-weimer Tactics components were taken from original sources, not Tactics. I have author's permission to do what I please, and I have exercised it. Mostly bugfixes, but some actual improvements.

Still hardwired into BP (and there to stay):

Improved Mind Flayers -- GB
Improved Dragons -- KR
Improved Copper Coronet -- KR (goes nice with BP's Improved Slavers compound )
Improved Horns of Valhalla -- Cirerrek
Improved Tanner's -- Jacky-O (only appears in BP)
Improved Nymphs -- BP original--I never looked at Tactics version, so hard to say what differs
Improved Golems -- WW
Improved Undead -- WW (I didn't start with his work as a base, but he did it first)
Improved Drow -- KR (I believe D0Tweaks offers this component these days, so don't double up)
Horred's Lair (another BP original)
Improved Bodhi/Vampire Lair -- My own, nothing to do with Tactics
Improved Ilyich -- another BP original, entirely different from Tactics (not anywhere near as overpowered IMO, but much cooler )
Improved Beholders Lair -- My own AI for them (not Xyx'). Many recent improvements. Woe if you try this on INSANE with high-lvl party! *I'm also considering fusing SimDing0's eyestalk scripts with my own.*
(Slightly) Improved Sahuagin City -- a recent addition, not as tough as Tactics version

And probably several other things I cannot recall at the time. I have plans to improve Irenicus final battle as well, but haven't started yet. If I find the time, I'll add it before public release. If not....before the final version.

This does not include the dozens of improved creatures that BP itself has to offer (Demons, Beholders, Spiders, Vampires and "Shadows"--wraiths, mists, etc-- (all very different from Tactics!) and Hell Hounds --just to name a few I can think of offhand). Nor individual creature improvements. Nor AI improvements. Nor individual area enhancements (usually more monsters, depending on level/XP, number in party, and difficulty slider).

Note on AI/Creature improvements: It has always been BP's mission to offer more challenging, more intelligent, more realistic, more diverse opponents while resorting to as little cheese as is possible. I won't say there is "no cheese tactics" in BP, but as little as I could get away with and still keep things interesting.

As far as Enhanced Creatures goes, I have been in touch with the author, and made several important recommendations. I hope he truly considers them; without, there will be little-to-no chance of compatability.
I'd like to see it, too.

As far as any remaining Tactic components go--well, they will have to be looked at individually. Tactics is still an "old-style" weidu mod. Meaning: it doesn't do all of the fancy hex-patching we've come to expect (whether we are aware of it or not). It tends to overwrite existing game resources, which makes life hell on other people's mods. This was the original reason I petitioned Weimer and the other authors to "hardwire" their work into BP. That also includes BP's version of Ascension. Hopefully somebody (if not Weimer) brings this community classic up to date.

Edited by Chevalier, 09 July 2007 - 01:13 PM.

[Strontium Dog]

You certainly make it seem as though the BP mod is the kind of ueber-mod to go for. Trouble is I've had great (virtually bug-free) games in the past with Tactics/DoTQuestPack installed, and I've heard that there are so many BP bugs, such as dragons never attacking, unkillable enemies only defeatable with EnableCheatKeys and pressing "Y" etc, that it would really spoil my game. Then there's the issue of BP's AI likely conflicting with other improved encounters mods, and so on. With tactics, I can install lesser AI-scripted enemies/special encounters first, then install Tactics components over them , without problems, precisely because it overwrites things.

I'll definitely go in for BP when it reaches version 180, or thereabouts. I've heard that the general encounters(ie improved golems/mind-flayers/beholders) are better than the Tactics components but that the big battles (ie Bodhi/Irenicus) are not as good as Tactics - is this, largely, true?

One question re BP- you mention an "Improved Irenicus" component to your mod that's much better than the standard goblin-filled Chateau Irenicus but not asunrealsitically deadly as Tactics' "Improved Irenicus" component. Is this "Improved Irenicus" component of BP similiar or identical to the BG2improvements pack-Irenicus-component with the mad scientists and umber-hulks etc.?

[Chevalier]

so many BP bugs

I would say it is more like some/few bugs (I have found the SoA part of the game very playable), just don't install BP-Ascension, install standard Ascension.

Also read this about BP and Tactics.

"Improved Irenicus" Is hard for me, I have never played Tactics.

Edited by Chevalier, 10 July 2007 - 04:00 AM.