461 replies to this topic

[melkor_morgoth75]

BGSpawn

 

Tired of encountering always the same creatures in Baldur's Gate wilderness areas? Bored with facing a single kobold with your party of high-level characters? Do you love randomness? If the answers are "yes", this mod could be for you.

 

BGSpawn is a mod which handles spawned creatures appearing in Baldur's Gate wilderness areas. The mod changes the random spawns you may find around the Sword Coast with a completely new and challenging system. In addition, you can choose the time between re-spawning of creatures. As a recent feature, you may also install the component to change the random encounters when moving between areas. Another component allows you to add a new creature: a vampiric wolf lord (based on DavidW's Ulcaster wolf).
 
BGSpawn is compatible with BGT and EET.
 
Download | Readme | GitHub

Edited by skellytz, 19 December 2022 - 02:21 PM.

[kthxbye]

Hi! I tried your BGSpawn mod (awesome idea, I really like the way you decided to place the creatures) but I had a really hard time with it.
It is most likely because of my party: I used a blade bhaalspawn, Imoen changed to mage/thief with SK, Viconia changed to mage/cleric with SK and my own Rose NPC, a bard. As you can see this party is really weak at low levels. Anyway, I think because of the fact that both the Bhaalspawn and Rose leveled up pretty fast (being them bards), I got really hard spawns to the extent I wasn't able to explore the areas anymore.
South of Beregost (and in all the other wilderness areas) I always had pack of five or six wolves (with dire ones and/or worgs), six huge spiders and/or groups of warrior/shaman/fighter hobgoblins, all of these spawns were too powerful for my party to handle.
In the Bassilus (was trying to get Melicamp and his easy 2000px) area I got shadows, which are immune to normal weapons (so I couldn't possibly defeat them) - I tried to travel away and go back by the day, but the shadows seems to be persistent and always found them where I left them.

I repeat, it's most likely my own fault for the party composition, but - would it be possible to see a "toned down" version of the mod, or is it too much work?

Now a more interesting thing: I wasn't able to find Zurghlong's boots in the area south of Beregost (but I did find Perdue's short sword). Is the hobgoblin carrying them a random spawn?

EDIT: now that I notice it - I'm not sure if I used v1.00 or the previous version. I downloaded it from the SHS download centre three or four days ago.

Edited by kthxbye, 06 April 2009 - 02:10 AM.

[melkor_morgoth75]

Hi! I tried your BGSpawn mod (awesome idea, I really like the way you decided to place the creatures) but I had a really hard time with it.
It is most likely because of my party: I used a blade bhaalspawn, Imoen changed to mage/thief with SK, Viconia changed to mage/cleric with SK and my own Rose NPC, a bard. As you can see this party is really weak at low levels. Anyway, I think because of the fact that both the Bhaalspawn and Rose leveled up pretty fast (being them bards), I got really hard spawns to the extent I wasn't able to explore the areas anymore.
South of Beregost (and in all the other wilderness areas) I always had pack of five or six wolves (with dire ones and/or worgs), six huge spiders and/or groups of warrior/shaman/fighter hobgoblins, all of these spawns were too powerful for my party to handle.
In the Bassilus (was trying to get Melicamp and his easy 2000px) area I got shadows, which are immune to normal weapons (so I couldn't possibly defeat them) - I tried to travel away and go back by the day, but the shadows seems to be persistent and always found them where I left them.

I repeat, it's most likely my own fault for the party composition, but - would it be possible to see a "toned down" version of the mod, or is it too much work?

Now a more interesting thing: I wasn't able to find Zurghlong's boots in the area south of Beregost (but I did find Perdue's short sword). Is the hobgoblin carrying them a random spawn?

EDIT: now that I notice it - I'm not sure if I used v1.00 or the previous version. I downloaded it from the SHS download centre three or four days ago.

Well,

the mod checks for your highest levelled character. So a bard levels up pretty quickly and if u don't have a fighter or someone able to fight, it would be quite challenging (well the whole game is gonna be honestly).
The idea behind the mod is also to have some areas quite challenging and one of those is the area u mentioned before (Bassilus' area). Without spoiling too much, i think it's quite fair that (ONLY during the night) u can face "quite hard" undead creatures in that very area (according to your level of course). It won't be the same south of Beregost for example. (tip for spiders and wolves ... having some bards u can use sleep to handle those quite easily).

Also please take into consideration that travelling during night-time could be MUCH harder (fair again) than travelling under the daylight.

As for now i don't have a plan to "tone down" the mod, but i appreciated a lot your feedback anyway and i'm eager to have more and more to see what could be improved. Again, please take into consideration that i wanted to have some wild areas more dangerous than usual, which should be fair and "real" indeed.

I will check the "boots" thing ... thanks for pointing that.

Thanks,

mm75

PS: the current version is the VERY same as the one of 1 month ago when i uploaded the mod at SHS, so don't worry.

Edited by melkor_morgoth75, 15 April 2009 - 07:42 AM.

[kthxbye]

I understand the idea behind the difficult night-time encounters and difficult areas in general and I like it - I did something similar on my old NWN shard as well.
I think anyway that my difficulties came only from my party, and now that you mention the Sleep spell it also came to my mind another thing that could have made it more difficult, as I was using the Spell Revisions mod as well which changes sleep (it affects creatures with up the caster's number of HD, and the sleeping creatures wake up as soon as they're wounded).
I will definitely try BGSpawns again, either with a full party (but I'd really like to see how that 4 party works at higher levels) or with vanilla spells.

EDIT: I've read I don't remember where that your creatures use (all or in part) SCS scripts. If I use SCSI/SCSII as well, is it better to install BGSpawn before or after SCS, or it doesn't matter? Thanks!

Edited by kthxbye, 06 April 2009 - 07:13 AM.

[melkor_morgoth75]

EDIT: I've read I don't remember where that your creatures use (all or in part) SCS scripts. If I use SCSI/SCSII as well, is it better to install BGSpawn before or after SCS, or it doesn't matter? Thanks!

Teorically it doesn't matter, but I suggest to install BGSpawn first and SCS mod later

mm75

Edited by melkor_morgoth75, 28 April 2009 - 10:04 AM.

[Leomar]

EDIT: I've read I don't remember where that your creatures use (all or in part) SCS scripts. If I use SCSI/SCSII as well, is it better to install BGSpawn before or after SCS, or it doesn't matter? Thanks!

Teorically it doesn't matter, but I suggest to install SCS first and BGSpawn mod later

mm75

From the BGSpawns readme:

Let?s also install a tactic-mod as SCS in your game and definitely spawns now could be a problem for your party (you have to think twice about leaving safe cities and go crossing wild lands).

BGSpawns alters BG1 content and normally one should install BGSpawns before SCS, so that SCS can alter BGSpawns, too. Otherwise if you install BGSpawns after SCS, there could be parts of BGSpawns which are not altered from SCS. I'm here right?

Greetings Leomar

[melkor_morgoth75]

From the BGSpawns readme:

Let?s also install a tactic-mod as SCS in your game and definitely spawns now could be a problem for your party (you have to think twice about leaving safe cities and go crossing wild lands).

BGSpawns alters BG1 content and normally one should install BGSpawns before SCS, so that SCS can alter BGSpawns, too. Otherwise if you install BGSpawns after SCS, there could be parts of BGSpawns which are not altered from SCS. I'm here right?

Greetings Leomar

You're right Leomar, i wrote the opposite of what i meant ... i guess i was drunk. Anyway, really BGspawn mod uses Bg&Bg2 creatures, which are modified by SCS anyway. It doesn't have its own creatures (just very very few) so at the end really it doesn't matter.

Conceptually you're right, i'm editing my post above, thanks,

mm75

[Leomar]

It doesn't have its own creatures (just very very few) so at the end really it doesn't matter.

All right then, thanks. In our next BWP release we move BGSpawn after BGT Tweaks like you recommended, but that means we install it after SCS. So there are only very very few own creatures in BGSpawn it really doesn't matter. If BGT Tweaks checks for BGSpawns in the future, then we will put BGSpawns before SCS again.

Greetings Leomar

[melkor_morgoth75]

It doesn't have its own creatures (just very very few) so at the end really it doesn't matter.

All right then, thanks. In our next BWP release we move BGSpawn after BGT Tweaks like you recommended, but that means we install it after SCS. So there are only very very few own creatures in BGSpawn it really doesn't matter. If BGT Tweaks checks for BGSpawns in the future, then we will put BGSpawns before SCS again.

Greetings Leomar

That's absolutaly fine to install it after SCS anyway, don't worry ... and in future BGT Tweaks will check for BGSpawn, but ascension64 needs time eventually to release a future version of the tweaks, so it could take some time

mm75

[Chevalier]

I just had my first fight with 2 Giant Snakes!!!!

It was a spawn in BG1 so I think it is from this mod!!!

It is really cool to find something new in the game like this!!

[melkor_morgoth75]

I just had my first fight with 2 Giant Snakes!!!!

It was a spawn in BG1 so I think it is from this mod!!!

It is really cool to find something new in the game like this!!

Thanks a lot mate, main mod's aim is really bring something new in any game

I'm eager to hear from such an experienced player as you any feedback or criticism

Happy gaming,

mm75

[kthxbye]

Hi again!
I started a new game with your mod (I think it will be a must for every install from now on) and noticed that some creatures spawn inside the visual range of my npcs sometimes. Would it be possible to activate all the spawns at once when I enter an area, if this won't break their behavior with SCS component better calls for arms (for example, they all spawn I engage one group and all the spawned creatures charge me because of the call for help) ?

Thanks!

[melkor_morgoth75]

Hi again!
I started a new game with your mod (I think it will be a must for every install from now on) and noticed that some creatures spawn inside the visual range of my npcs sometimes. Would it be possible to activate all the spawns at once when I enter an area, if this won't break their behavior with SCS component better calls for arms (for example, they all spawn I engage one group and all the spawned creatures charge me because of the call for help) ?

Thanks!

I'm not sure i've got completely the point ... let me try to catch your thought. U'd like to have ALL the possible spawns in an area as soon as u enter it, correct?

Currently the mod checks in any single spawn point some triggers (PC, DAY&NIGHT....) and eventually it spawns creatures. That's why u usually have the spawned creatures in front of your party when u walk around. It's anyway the standard behaviour u have in the standard vanilla game.

If i'm not wrong your suggestion would be to have all all the spawns just "loaded" as soon as u enter an area. It is possible, but i'm wondering if it makes sense and really u're right, with better calls component installed with SCS it's gonna be very HARD to walk thorugh areas.

I'd like to hear people's opinion about that, but my first impression is that it is something that needed to be tested because i can think of some problems in some areas where some neutral encounters coulb be attacked by the spawned hostile creatures. So ... as soon as u enter for example Nashkel Mines area, u will have displayed very soon some texts saying "Kobold attacks Amnish Guard" and/or "Kobold attacks Prism",etc, etc ...

That's just my first impression, generally i would have liked that idea anyway,

mm75

PS: thanks for considering this mod in any of your installation

Edited by melkor_morgoth75, 04 May 2009 - 12:34 AM.

[kthxbye]

Yep you got it right - and obviously I didn't take in consideration the possibility of monsters attacking neutral characters. I also don't know if the calls for help affect every creature in the area (which could be a huge problem, if spawning all the creatures at once), so I retire my suggestion: more problems than fun.
I had the "problem" with the monsters spawning in front of my characters only a few times anyway - most spawns activate offscreen.

BTW, while I'm at it - I've just found the hobgoblin with Zurghlong's (sp?) boots, south of Beregost, with a lvl 2 party (lvl 2 bard and two lvl 1/1 multiclasses), so it spawns ok for low-level characters. It was either a lot of bad luck in my previous game, or the problem is only related to high level spawns. (Referring to the post I made some time ago.)

I'm trying again with my blade - wildmage/thief - cleric/mage - bard party, this time with vanilla spells, will let you know how it's going if you want.

[maximus2001]

This mod has been a welcome change. Thanks Melkor! Just a couple of comments:

1)The vampire wolf lord and his buddy summons would wipe out my low level party. Remove/protection from fear/protection from undead is a must. Sometimes more than one would show up and the party would run for their lives...I came to dread the "awooooo".

2)The coast spawns were fun.

3)Kind of got sick fighting so many hobgobs, maybe some orcs, ogres, bugbears could be added?

4)Not sure if it is your mod but there are kobold spawns that include a kobold scribe who carries a lot of high level spells. That was funny. (They don't use them though)

5)Once my party was around level 5 to 7 and they crossed some of the areas again the spawns would show up on top of each other. The game would slow down as one group spawned, and then two more. So I would get three spawns together. It was good, but maybe a smaller group of harder enemies could spawn instead?

Regarding putting the spawns on the map on entering. I would say no, because once your party runs around in fear or confusion all over the map, they always stumble into another spawn or two or three. The Nashkel Pass area is particularly crowded. Also it would slow down loading times a lot.

All together it was well done and a big improvement. Thanks again.

Edited by maximus2001, 04 May 2009 - 09:17 AM.

[Chevalier]

3)Kind of got sick fighting so many hobgobs, maybe some orcs, ogres, bugbears could be added?

Remember the 'Chill' bandits are hobgoblins that the 'Iron Throne' is using to shut down the Sword Coast. melkor_morgoth75 maybe thinking about the role playing and story more than just cool monsters to fight.

[Jarno Mikkola]

Yep you got it right - and obviously I didn't take in consideration the possibility of monsters attacking neutral characters. I also don't know if the calls for help affect every creature in the area (which could be a huge problem, if spawning all the creatures at once)

Generally, the monsters don't attack neutral targets, but do attack the ALLY etc. identifiers... I know this cause I put my NPC(Esiriak) near a monster and he was attacked... cause I had messed up the ID(put it ALLY), and after I changed it back(to NEUTRAL) the monster didn't attack him anymore.

The calls for help should be limited to the monsters visual range(30-40), so if the spawning points are located above that range, the monsters shouldn't call help from all the monsters on the map... just remember to give a bit leeway as the monsters might take a hike around few mountains, if they want to make a big pile.

[melkor_morgoth75]

1)The vampire wolf lord and his buddy summons would wipe out my low level party. Remove/protection from fear/protection from undead is a must. Sometimes more than one would show up and the party would run for their lives...I came to dread the "awooooo".

It is indeed a difficult encounter at low levels, but, as u pointed out, not impossible. Teorically anyway, unless u go to wild areas, u are not able to face such "monsters". Protection are usually not that often used in a BG1 game and yes they are needed here.

2)The coast spawns were fun.

Thanks i also like them as the "east" ones

3)Kind of got sick fighting so many hobgobs, maybe some orcs, ogres, bugbears could be added?

Well, Chev here is quite correct. I really wanted to follow RPG in my mod and basically the storyline, anyway u will find Orcs, Ogre and such around as well. It just depends on areas ... different areas are populated differently Generally Hobgolins can be found close to the towns and villages, Orcs closer to mountains and wildest areas. This is true in my mod as well. Really different humanoids are spreads through areas, please let me know if u find this is not true or u just encounter Hobgoblins humanoids.

4)Not sure if it is your mod but there are kobold spawns that include a kobold scribe who carries a lot of high level spells. That was funny. (They don't use them though)

Yep ... it's mine. I like it honestly Did u have SCS in your install? It should be able to cast spells from scrolls ... but if u kill him too fast, well ... nice reward then Anyway, please let me know if u believe this brings too strongs items to the game, i could think of change something here...

5)Once my party was around level 5 to 7 and they crossed some of the areas again the spawns would show up on top of each other. The game would slow down as one group spawned, and then two more. So I would get three spawns together. It was good, but maybe a smaller group of harder enemies could spawn instead?

Sorry ... i didn't get your point here. U should anyway get a single spawn (i mean a single group of creatures eventually). What do u mean u got spawns on top of each other? U "see" them the first time but don't face them ... run away and ... some days later u come back again?

All together it was well done and a big improvement. Thanks again.

Thanks to you for your compliments and your feedbacks, MUCH appreciated

mm75

[kthxbye]

Since Jarno corrected us about attacking neutral targets and the possible shout issue, if you still want to try the "activate all spawns as soon as the area loads" I'll gladly test it, to see if it works how expected and if loading times would suffer for the change.
I think it could be optional, to choose during install time.
Let me know.

[melkor_morgoth75]

Since Jarno corrected us about attacking neutral targets and the possible shout issue, if you still want to try the "activate all spawns as soon as the area loads" I'll gladly test it, to see if it works how expected and if loading times would suffer for the change.
I think it could be optional, to choose during install time.
Let me know.

Still ... i think we could have issues for .cre files marked as allies (just a first example coming to my mind, i guess Gorax the Ghoul would be attacked by the spawned creatures near where it stays). It's something that needs testing of course.
Anyway the SCS "call for help" component really could lead to unwanted and unexpected behaviours. Is it really something that users like? I'm willing eventually to change/create different option but here ... i'm not completely sure we would have something good.

To the point of your experience. Please may you explain better how/when u get spawns just in front of your NPCs? Usually u should ONLY get spawns at the edge of your "visual", not in the middle of your party.

Thanks,

mm75