951 replies to this topic

[CrowLord]

@ Jack Nader
You are right, both components change the same encounter and only one may be installed. But I cannot say, which one is the better one.

SETUP-BPV177.TP2~ #0 #7 // Kensai Ryu's Gnome Fighter/Illusionist in the Docks seems to be much more improved, but with ~SETUP-BPV177.TP2~ #0 #6 // Kensai Ryu's Improved Crypt King code from the ~SETUP-DSOA.TP2~ #0 #3 // Improved Crypt King was deleted.
Maybe someone can giive advice.


@ Altomar
I had planned to update the guide this month. However, i have focused to optimize the installation procedure. You will discern with the next update, that it is now much more easier and safer:

Now only 4 steps are to do:
1. Download the mods. They are bundled in several big packages, that contain all the needed files according to the guide.
2. Start the Unpacker. This .bat file will unpack all files and copy the into a backup folder. So you can copy all files ready prepared into the main directory, if you want to install your megamod again.
3. Start the fixpack. All known fixes get copied automatically into the scheduled folder. This step lasts a few seconds and will save you hours of time and a lot of headache.
4. Start the installer. After checking the installed mods it will do the whole installation for you. I try to make only one installer instead of a few. It will give some advices during installation, however, it is not ready yet.

I am sure, the next update comes this year, even though there is a lot to do.

Leonardo, when you talk about the update and the installer, will it just be a working install or are you trying to create one for a working game?

[Altomar]

Is there any difference between Sarevok's Diary Correction component from BG1 Unfinished Business and The BG1 NPC Project v14 Sarevok's Diary Adjustments -> SixofSpades Extended Sarevok's Diary component?? Is there any conflict between them?? In guide they are both installed.

Also in Grimular Mod there are two components, [Grimuars for BG2 NO TACTICS] and [Grimuars for BG2WITH TACTICS]. At Weidu.log in the end of the guide they are both installed

~GRIMUARS.TP2~ #1 #0 // Grimuars for BG2 NO TACTICS
~GRIMUARS.TP2~ #1 #1 // Grimuars for BG2 WITH TACTICS
~GRIMUARS.TP2~ #1 #2 // Additional Grimuars Store
~GRIMUARS.TP2~ #1 #4 // Tougher Gaal
~GRIMUARS.TP2~ #1 #5 // Tougher Ardhata

most components from tactics are skipped because i have installed Tactics together with Big Picture. So which component from Grimular should install?

Edited by Altomar, 01 December 2007 - 01:58 PM.

[Jack Nader]

Ok I've played a fair way through so far and haven't seen any monsters standing around doing SFA. The Haerdalis bug where he attacks the party is still present. Found a couple of candlekeep bugs too which forced me to skip the chores section at the start of the game. I guess my main concern is that the overall battle difficulty is pretty low. The lich's are a pushover and the government compound/behloder's lair under the temple district was rather easy. I actually prefer to play using a lot of the tactics difficulty upgrades eg. Lich's that cast all their defensive spells instantly + have that demon as a bodygaurd. I came across a dragon which I killed without any hastles too (timestop + hacknslash always kills dragons in seconds).

I am under the assumption that BP handles all the battle difficulties and is incompatible with most of the tactics upgrades. Is it possible for me to "not" install BP and still be able to play using all present mods ie. TTD, SOS, CTB, Item upgrades, tactics and tweaks or is BP a required to install and play all the large mods together? I would really love to play all those mods but use tactics battle difficulties!

Edited by Jack Nader, 01 December 2007 - 05:56 PM.

[Chevalier]

Ok I've played a fair way through so far and haven't seen any monsters standing around doing SFA. The Haerdalis bug where he attacks the party is still present. Found a couple of candlekeep bugs too which forced me to skip the chores section at the start of the game. I guess my main concern is that the overall battle difficulty is pretty low. The lich's are a pushover and the government compound/behloder's lair under the temple district was rather easy. I actually prefer to play using a lot of the tactics difficulty upgrades eg. Lich's that cast all their defensive spells instantly + have that demon as a bodygaurd. I came across a dragon which I killed without any hastles too (timestop + hacknslash always kills dragons in seconds).

I am under the assumption that BP handles all the battle difficulties and is incompatible with most of the tactics upgrades. Is it possible for me to "not" install BP and still be able to play using all present mods ie. TTD, SOS, CTB, Item upgrades, tactics and tweaks or is BP a required to install and play all the large mods together? I would really love to play all those mods but use tactics battle difficulties!

What difficulty level are you playing at? Are you very high level (I killed without any hastles too (timestop + hacknslash always kills dragons in seconds))? No you don't need BP to play TDD, SoS, TS-BP, & CtB. BP was made so that monsters played fair, but smarter. Did you install the approved Tactics mod components with the BiG WP? Did you install SCS (SCSII I don't think is ready yet for a Mega install)?

[Jack Nader]

Yeh I play using the insane difficulty level and my character is only lvl 13 Kensai (I was lvl 10 when I stomped the dragon and lvl 11 for the 3 Lich's.) I found a timestop device in the harper hold which is handy but way overpowered especially in the hands of a decent hacknslash warrior.

It is great to know that I don't need BP installed. I will do a fresh reinstall without it on monday and use tactics to control the difficulty of lich's, dragons and other high level monsters/battles. I just pray that doing so doesn't create more bugs!

[Shard]

Now I've read the Mega-Mod installation description and I wasn't sure on one point. The BGT mod is basically the entire BG1 game? I ask this because I don't know if I can make a clean install of BG1 or if I need to buy a new cd to do so now.

[Altomar]

Now I've read the Mega-Mod installation description and I wasn't sure on one point. The BGT mod is basically the entire BG1 game? I ask this because I don't know if I can make a clean install of BG1 or if I need to buy a new cd to do so now.

If you have the original cd's from bg1 with the help of BGT you can convert it to baldur gate 2 engine.

[cmorgan]

Is there any difference between Sarevok's Diary Correction component from BG1 Unfinished Business and The BG1 NPC Project v14 Sarevok's Diary Adjustments -> SixofSpades Extended Sarevok's Diary component?? Is there any conflict between them?? In guide they are both installed.

Sorry I didn't see this - as far as I know, the original diary is rather incomplete and does not match the dates ingame. The BG1NPC vanilla fix changes the string to have the same diary but with corretected dates, the UB one by SixofSpades has corrected dates and limited expansion, and The BG1 NPC Project v14 SixofSpades Extended Sarevok's Diary component expands the diary to include what his research and imagination dictate would actually be there (he used all canon literature and created what he felt matched what all ungame references and lore would produce). All versions change the Diary to a book with book weiht instead of a scroll with no weight.

None of the versions conflict with eachotehr, as they are all just rewriting the same string entry - whatever you install last will be what you see in-game. Personally, I install The BG1 NPC Project v14 SixofSpades Extended Sarevok's Diary component, because I think that SixofSpades takes cxanon lore and research extremely seriously - I like his version best. But none of this has any effect on the game, just the backrgound reading if what is in the Diary.

[Altomar]

Thanks cmorgan

[quinlan]

Greetings,

I have encountered a few bugs so far in my installation, but none is "life-threatening". As i said earlier, i aim to finish Reign of Terror before i continue with the "official" line of events/quests. I experience strange dialogues when fighting, from the monster's side only, not from my players. For example, once i got a response from the

Spoiler

black dragon outside the lair of the Great One

in which he was Anomen and was asking Jaheira to marry him!!! I hope this problem won't continue even after i finish with ROT.

Another one is that many of the new spells like the smart fireball, golden cloud and others don't work at all. I can learn them from scrolls, memorize them, cast them with the PC performing the motions of spell-casting, but nothing happens.

Another one i can't figure if it is a bug - but i think so - is that my main character who is a F/M/T cannot use ANY scroll for casting, just for learning them. With or without armor.

[quinlan]

Greetings,

I didn't expect to contradict myself so soon. I just returned from the quest of the dragons (ie: about the Great One i am speaking) to Bremen and thought to complete the quest of the cult in Matthiew's house. I waited as supposed to until midnight to open the door. First time i entered i was able to proceed through the cloud to the cult location, but with one strange occurence. The 2 columns with the icons to the left and right of the screen had dissapeared, like i was in a video. I found Mathiew waiting where i had teleported and spoke to him. He allowed me to explore. The problem was that even after our dialogue ended and i could move my characters around, i couldn't bring up the columns. After pressing Alt+F4 to get out i got e message about an illigal operation. From then on every time i enter Mathiew's house the game gets into video mode, but the screen freezes immediately and i cannot do anything than close it. I slept and tried again after 24 hours had passed (game time ), but the problem persists. Can something be done, or should i leave the quest and Icewind Dale, since i have nothing else to do there?

[quinlan]

As a famous Greek historical figure said to another;"Hit me, but listen to me first."
I just run to another problem. I met it before, but i didn't pay attention because i thought i didn't have the right stones. When i speak to the halfling in the smith in Arlax, i get the same responses with every kind of special gem i have on me. In both responses i say that it doesn't look good, in one i prompt him to look in some other stone and in the other i say that i will leave. What is wrong? I have on me 5-6 special crystals that he can put on armor and/or weapons, but always my PC finds his suggestions; "Doesn't sound good."

Edited by quinlan, 05 December 2007 - 10:40 AM.

[Altomar]

There is a minor bug with BG2 Fixpack. My main character is an inquisitor. every time i tried to use detect evil nothing happen. while using the same spell from a wizard or cleric everything seems to work fine. paladin use spcl212.spl for detect evil. Fixpack - core fixes component replace spcl212.spl with a new at override folder. The one from unmoded BG2 is working fine.

Edited by Altomar, 05 December 2007 - 05:00 PM.

[Salk]

If you think it's a BG2 Fixpack bug then the best place to report this is at the BG2 Fixpack forum.

[Jack Nader]

I tried a reinstall recently to get the harder battles of tactics to work with BP177 but came up short I would really like to use the harder battles from tactics (improved liches, improved guarded compound, improved kangaxx and improved area where staff of magi is found as I'm finding these battles are pretty much a push over on insane difficulty. Is their a way I can install BP177 AI but have it so that it uses the improved tactics versions instead of it's BP177 counterpart and not be subjected to bugs ?

Edited by Jack Nader, 06 December 2007 - 02:33 PM.

[Azazello]

I tried a reinstall recently to get the harder battles of tactics to work with BP177 but came up short I would really like to use the harder battles from tactics (improved liches, improved guarded compound, improved kangaxx and improved area where staff of magi is found as I'm finding these battles are pretty much a push over on insane difficulty. Is their a way I can install BP177 AI but have it so that it uses the improved tactics versions instead of it's BP177 counterpart and not be subjected to bugs ?

Tactics should override most, if not all, similar BP components if installed after. This will keep the core BP AI (mostly) intact. Did it not override?

[Altomar]

Tactics should override most, if not all, similar BP components if installed after. This will keep the core BP AI (mostly) intact. Did it not override?

only these components can be installed from tactics with BP (and some kits that i do not include)

~SETUP-TACTICS.TP2~ #0 #3 // Improved Sahuagin City
~SETUP-TACTICS.TP2~ #0 #22 // Smarter Dragons in SoA
~SETUP-TACTICS.TP2~ #0 #32 // Mike Barnes' Improved North Forest
~SETUP-TACTICS.TP2~ #0 #33 // Mike Barnes' Marching Mountains
~SETUP-TACTICS.TP2~ #0 #34 // Slightly Tougher Demons
~SETUP-TACTICS.TP2~ #0 #37 // Streamlined Trolls

all the other components are skipped.

[Silinde Ar-Feiniel]

@ Jack Nader
You are right, both components change the same encounter and only one may be installed. But I cannot say, which one is the better one.

SETUP-BPV177.TP2~ #0 #7 // Kensai Ryu's Gnome Fighter/Illusionist in the Docks seems to be much more improved, but with ~SETUP-BPV177.TP2~ #0 #6 // Kensai Ryu's Improved Crypt King code from the ~SETUP-DSOA.TP2~ #0 #3 // Improved Crypt King was deleted.
Maybe someone can giive advice.


@ Altomar
I had planned to update the guide this month. However, i have focused to optimize the installation procedure. You will discern with the next update, that it is now much more easier and safer:

Now only 4 steps are to do:
1. Download the mods. They are bundled in several big packages, that contain all the needed files according to the guide.
2. Start the Unpacker. This .bat file will unpack all files and copy the into a backup folder. So you can copy all files ready prepared into the main directory, if you want to install your megamod again.
3. Start the fixpack. All known fixes get copied automatically into the scheduled folder. This step lasts a few seconds and will save you hours of time and a lot of headache.
4. Start the installer. After checking the installed mods it will do the whole installation for you. I try to make only one installer instead of a few. It will give some advices during installation, however, it is not ready yet.

I am sure, the next update comes this year, even though there is a lot to do.

Praise you Leonardo! Optimization of the installation procedure is the best think! Since i have already download almost everything that exists in the web, it seems to me that some simple clicks will do the trick. Perfect! Wow! I can wait a little longer for a "Safe and easy" guide. Thank u!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Azazello]

Tactics should override most, if not all, similar BP components if installed after. This will keep the core BP AI (mostly) intact. Did it not override?

only these components can be installed from tactics with BP (and some kits that i do not include)

~SETUP-TACTICS.TP2~ #0 #3 // Improved Sahuagin City
~SETUP-TACTICS.TP2~ #0 #22 // Smarter Dragons in SoA
~SETUP-TACTICS.TP2~ #0 #32 // Mike Barnes' Improved North Forest
~SETUP-TACTICS.TP2~ #0 #33 // Mike Barnes' Marching Mountains
~SETUP-TACTICS.TP2~ #0 #34 // Slightly Tougher Demons
~SETUP-TACTICS.TP2~ #0 #37 // Streamlined Trolls

all the other components are skipped.

Thanks. I kinda already knew that.

What I should have asked is: are you using using the modified TP2 for Tactics, or the original? Apparently you're using the modified version. The original version *might* override the BP components, so you can have your wish. No guarantee, of course.