461 replies to this topic

[melkor_morgoth75]

I think my Reaver uber kit will be up to the task posed by BGSpawn. I will give it try but I'm still concerned about overlap with other mods. When I played Tales these spawns usually overruled vanilla spawns. The way I see it currently: default BGT spawns complemented and overided by big BG1 tactical and quest mods which is in turn canceled by BGSpawn. I'm talking about regular areas, of course. Nevertheless, I'm keen to try it. Oh, just one more thing: vampiric wolf Lord. What is it, what powers does it had, does it replaces all vampiric wolfs encountered in wilderness or just some ?

Regarding Spawns ... the mod overrides vanilla Spawns in any BG1 area. I'm not aware (but BGT tweaks - Tutu levelled spawn) of any other mod that handles spawns creatures honestly. So, sorry, but i don't understand what BGSpawn could have cancelled in your game ...

Vampiric Wolf Lord: if u install it, ALL the Vampiric Wolf that u may face during the Spawns are going to be "Vampiric Wolf Lord". Just those and eventually others u face in BG2. The "standard" encounter in Lathander area with Vampiric Wolves is untouched, so u face there "normal" Vampiric Lord there.

I let u to discover by yourself the component and what the wolf does, u will enjoy it if u're unluck to face such a powerful creature

Thanks for trying the mod, I hope u enjoy it.

mm75

Edited by melkor_morgoth75, 26 June 2009 - 11:55 AM.

[melkor_morgoth75]

Well, I know for sure that DSotSC add it own spawns and maybe Vault too, but no matter. Wish me luck with your mod beacuse with my no reloading style of play ( when you bite the dust start new game) I will certainly needed it.

You will certainly need it mate. My guess it's that with a modded game is quite pretty much impossible to avoid reloads, really ... anyway , good luck with your playing style, interesting indeed,

mm75

Edited by melkor_morgoth75, 28 June 2009 - 12:16 AM.

[kthxbye]

@my very bad english: why don't you join the no-reload challenge on the BioWare boards? Here's the link: http://forums.biowar...c...rum=20&sp=0
I'm doing my own no-reload (no-metagame, roleplaying) challenge with a bunch of mods installed, too (and, among them, BGSpawn of course).

@mm75: I'm really sorry about using this topic for a "personal" message, but since my very bad english isn't registered, I couldn't PM him. Delete this post if you don't want spam on your topic.

[Leomar]

Some feedback from the German community:

At all they like your mod, because of the different spawns and the new encounters. Most German gamers install your mod and have much fun with it. We have two groups of gamers. The normal gamers and the gamers who love the BWP Tactic-version.

The gamers who install a BWP Tactic-version like your mod very well.

Here are some reports from the normal gamers which I heard often:

- Gnoll Fortress is to hard: to much spawns with to much Gnolls: 6-9 Gnolls with dogs per encounter
- At the beginning, to much robbers/brigands, it is to hard to reach the FAI if you want to explore a little bit the roads of the crossroad. The first fight was not easy, but it was a good feeling to win against four of them. But after that I met them three times again, before I could reach the FAI and each fight I thought oh no, not more of them and why so fast again.

At all:
- To much spawns: In vanilla BG1 you get no so much spawns
- To much enemies per encounter, if you must fight three or four times against a group of 6-8 enemies it is to hard

Ideas:
- If it is possible, change the spawn time from 8 to 12 or more hours, so you have additional the possibility to take a rest if it is needed
- Lesser spawns, put the percentage higher, that no spawn happens
- Sometimes it is good to fight against much enemies, but not if you must do it fight after fight. Decrease the number of the enemies from 6-9 to 3-4 and let them a little bit harder (e.g., instead of 6-8 gnolls, 3 Gnolls and a veteran)

What the gamers like:
- Your day and night encounters
- If you go more into the wilderness and away from town, the difficulty of the enemies
- The good placed enemies in each territory

Suma Summarum:
- It is a great mod, but at the moment it looks like it is a tactic mod instead of a mod which everyone could be install to have a new and nice spawn system

- If you want that your mod is a tactic-mod, then all is fine, but there are whishes for an easier solution, so normal gamers can install your mod, too, to make the spawns more interesting and not challeging.

If someone understand German, then he can read some of the full reports about BGSpawn here:
http://kerzenburg.ni...ead.php?t=38773



I hope this list is fine for you and you get an idea, what the others think. Hold in mind, that this is your mod and you alone decide in which way you will put your mod. So please see this all as opinions and suggestions.

Perhaps you could do two components, one for the normal gamers, who like to explore the areas RPG like and one for the other gamers, who like a very difficult journey through BG. The other option would be, turn the difficulty a little bit down and if gamer want harder spawns, then they should install BGSpawns with SCSI.

Greetings Leomar

Edited by Leomar, 29 June 2009 - 11:31 AM.

[amazinggameguru]

They might be tough but I like the spawn system. If you revamp it leave an option to have it like it is now

[melkor_morgoth75]

Leomar,

MANY thanks for your feedbacks. I'm eager to listen from the users what they think about the mod and what could be improved So, really thanks.

I'm taking into consiration some changes for the future, possibly u can choose some features during the installation (example=n° of hours before respawning).

Regarding the number of Spawn Points per area: they are the very same as per vanilla BG1, so here, really, i cannot do anything.

Regarding number of spawns ... I'd like to have feedbacks about what levels they have when they think that they're facing too many creatures. Usually at low levels for example u face just 1 or 2 wolves (may be 3 or 4 durign the night) and u face up to 8 of them (a large group) at high levels.

I've had lot of feedbacks to increase the chance of no-spawning. I can change it at least for some areas ... but it will take a while because i have to recreate from scratch the table percentage i'm using. Anyway, i'm going to change a bit that chance ... during the day I'd say anyway, which should makes sense. That would help people who find the mod too hard, u will face "same encounters" but in fewer spawn points.

Generally, the mod could be seen as a tactic mod but also as a better monster-type of spawning than the orignal game.

@amazinggameguru: I won't change the mod, I'm just going to adjust something and improving it when i can I'm happy u enjoy it.

Thanks mates again for your feedbacks!

mm75

[Leomar]

I'm taking into consiration some changes for the future, possibly u can choose some features during the installation (example=n° of hours before respawning).

That is a good idea.

Regarding the number of Spawn Points per area: they are the very same as per vanilla BG1, so here, really, i cannot do anything.
...
I've had lot of feedbacks to increase the chance of no-spawning. I can change it at least for some areas ... but it will take a while because i have to recreate from scratch the table percentage i'm using. Anyway, i'm going to change a bit that chance ... during the day I'd say anyway, which should makes sense. That would help people who find the mod too hard, u will face "same encounters" but in fewer spawn points.

I think both things together could handle that. I don't know, but someone said (I think I readed it elsewhere) that vanilla BG1 has the same spawn points as BGSpawn, but with BGSpawns, the vanilla BG1 spawn points gets more attention, because there is a higher chance for a spawn now, as before... I don't know how BG1 handle that, but it could be, that it activates not all spawns in a map if you enter it... So with an increase of no-spawning this could be balanced.

Regarding number of spawns ... I'd like to have feedbacks about what levels they have when they think that they're facing too many creatures. Usually at low levels for example u face just 1 or 2 wolves (may be 3 or 4 durign the night) and u face up to 8 of them (a large group) at high levels.

I think that is the important one:

- At the beginning, to much robbers/brigands, it is to hard to reach the FAI if you want to explore a little bit the roads of the crossroad. (from above)
Two characters (HC and Imoen) are at Level 2 and Level 1 = four times 4 robbers/brigands

Greetings Leomar

Edited by Leomar, 30 June 2009 - 09:24 PM.

[melkor_morgoth75]

- At the beginning, to much robbers/brigands, it is to hard to reach the FAI if you want to explore a little bit the roads of the crossroad. (from above)
Two characters (HC and Imoen) are at Level 2 and Level 1 = four times 4 robbers/brigands

There should be something wrong within his/her install ... at that level in that area u may face no more than 2 bandits and 1 bandit followed by a couple of war dogs (apart other possible encounters). (do u have a weidu log for that install Leomar, just to catch if something could have screwed up the install or similar).

mm75

[10th]

@melkor_morgoth75
I assume you mean per spawn point? Because if this player was fighting against two brigands and then triggered another spawn point during that fight, he could get that many brigands.
Moreover, as enemies don't despawn, a cautious player may get so many brigands from one spawn point, simply due to the fact, that he flew from the area and returned more than eight hours in-game time later.

10th

[melkor_morgoth75]

@melkor_morgoth75
I assume you mean per spawn point? Because if this player was fighting against two brigands and then triggered another spawn point during that fight, he could get that many brigands.
Moreover, as enemies don't despawn, a cautious player may get so many brigands from one spawn point, simply due to the fact, that he flew from the area and returned more than eight hours in-game time later.

10th

U're absolutely right, I'm speaking about single spawn point. Anyway, it makes sense that if u try to avoid an encounter and run away through an area u may face other wondering bandits for example.

Chances for higher "nospawn" will be implemented in the next release (it won't be users' choice anyway), user will choose the time between re-spawns.

mm75

[Fouinto]

I've had lot of feedbacks to increase the chance of no-spawning. I can change it at least for some areas ... but it will take a while because i have to recreate from scratch the table percentage i'm using. Anyway, i'm going to change a bit that chance ... during the day I'd say anyway, which should makes sense. That would help people who find the mod too hard, u will face "same encounters" but in fewer spawn points.

First, I am not a moder .
Second, I still haven't the time to try your mod (sorry). But as you can see, I am still curious of your mod

But, I think I have an idea that may interest you. This is just an idea, not a solution, fell free to just throw it away. And since, I am not a moder, I may (probably?) say something terribly stupid
From what I have read, and since it seems that you have to alter the "randomless" of spawn, it may be the time to take an opportunity to try to "satisfy" everyone (I mean hardcore tactical gamer and beginner) without altering the core of your mod (that would probably takes a lot of time) :

Few players think that time between two spawns should be longer and others like it like this. As said earlier, (maybe) you could ask the player the time before re-spawning he wants.
In the same way:
* Few players think spawns happen too often and others like it like this? You said that spawning spots are fixed. So, (maybe) you can let the player choose (when installing the mod) how often he wants the spawning to occur. This way, you could give an advice such as "20% is good for beginner, 60% of advanced tactical players, and 80% for a tasting hell",
* Few players think there are too many creatures in a single spawn and others like it like this? (maybe) you can let the player choose to alter a bit this in choosing between 20% less creatures to 20% more creatures. Once more, you could give advices such as "+20% for hardcore players, +10% for tactical players, +0% for original mod, ... down to -20% for beginner".

What I mean is that there may be alternatives way of modifying your mod without altering your "table percentage" (I thing the last would probably represents a lot of time).

Let's take a last example, maybe you can ask the player a number between -50(%) an +50(%) that modify the level of the better character before applying your tables. If I choose -25 and my best character is level 6, then you look in your table for what you would do if the best character were level 5 (6 * 0.75 = 4.5 so, approximatively 5). This would ease the game without changing the core of your mod (I guess, I may be totally wrong!).

I hope that my explanations are understandable and even if I am sure that none of the examples I gave are really good (I am not a moder, so I don't know what is possible), I hope it will give ideas to you or someone else

Edited by Fouinto, 03 July 2009 - 11:23 AM.

[Resurrection]

I want to report one thing, but I am not entirely sure it is due to this mod, but it is most likely. I really enjoyed this mod until I hit higher levels (6+) in BG1 part. By then the spawn started to consist of mostly BG2 creatures, which have insane amount of XP rewards for killing them. Again I don't have problems killing them, but the party xp is raising dramatically fast and with such pace I would arrive at BG2 on 20th level at least. In original BG1 there were like two dozen creatures in whole game worth 2000 xp and that was it. But since every priest shaman is woth 1000, hobgoblin captains each 500 and so on... And there are always A LOT of them. It totally unbalances the game. Also with higher level party harder creatures spawn (or in larger numbers), which adds to this even more. I would say there were a reason for having the spawn weak in the BG1 for this exact reason. There are too many wilderness areas to keep such hard spawn and since unlike vanilla/BGT the spawn is way more likely to happen everywhere... I don't believe anyway that even reducing number of spawn through increasing chance for no spawn would help significantly in this. Only way would be to tone down the spawn for higher levels, but that on the other hand is contrary to the aims of this mod. One other option would be altering xps for such creatures, but it would affect BG2 game and recieving not adequate amount of xp after tough battles adds rather to frustration then game balance...

Just my 2 cents.

[Jarno Mikkola]

In original BG1 there were like two dozen creatures in whole game worth 2000 xp and that was it.

Well, the Greater Basilisks were 7000 XP each, so...

Now, it might not only be BGSpawns and so if you wish, it would be advice able to use the BP-Balancer, and/or the Ding0 Experience Fixer(XP-mod), if you have at all somewhat largely modified game.

[Resurrection]

Well, the Greater Basilisks were 7000 XP each, so...

Now, it might not only be BGSpawns and so if you wish, it would be advice able to use the BP-Balancer, and/or the Ding0 Experience Fixer(XP-mod), if you have at all somewhat largely modified game.

Yeah, but it was like 2 or three of them there. Demon Knight was worth 15k too, but it was single boss. I am talking about regular spawn, which I encountered dozens and dozens and each worth like 5k xp. I am using BP-Balancer, but it does alter only things in BG1, but BGSpawn drags in creatures from BG2 on higher levels and they are unaffected of course...

[erebusant]

Well, the Greater Basilisks were 7000 XP each, so...

Now, it might not only be BGSpawns and so if you wish, it would be advice able to use the BP-Balancer, and/or the Ding0 Experience Fixer(XP-mod), if you have at all somewhat largely modified game.

Yeah, but it was like 2 or three of them there. Demon Knight was worth 15k too, but it was single boss. I am talking about regular spawn, which I encountered dozens and dozens and each worth like 5k xp. I am using BP-Balancer, but it does alter only things in BG1, but BGSpawn drags in creatures from BG2 on higher levels and they are unaffected of course...

The XP mod fixes all creatures in your game.

[Leomar]

The BP-Balancer is not the same as the D0's Experience Fixer (XP-Mod). The XP-Mod handles BG1 and BG2 if you use BGT. But the author of the BP-Balancer handles only selected mods in BG1. That means, all mods for BG1 which were released after the last BP-Balancer release are not affected. The last BP-Balancer release was in January, so Dark Horizons, Stone of Askavar, BGSpawn, etc. are not affected. At the moment the mod-author is not active, so no new update will happen in the near future. So if you want to reduce the XP in BG1 you should use the XP-Mod with BP-Balancer together or use only the XP-Mod.

But that is not a solution for Ressurection's opinion. If you want to install BGT with only BGSpawn without other mods, then normally it should be a little bit balanced. That is only my opinion.


[EDIT]

Balancing: The XP is one of the balancing problems, the loot of the spawned creatures is the second problem (like we talked about it in older posts).


Greetings Leomar

Edited by Leomar, 04 July 2009 - 09:03 PM.

[Aranthys]

The BP-Balancer is not the same as the D0's Experience Fixer (XP-Mod). The XP-Mod handles BG1 and BG2 if you use BGT. But the author of the BP-Balancer handles only selected mods in BG1. That means, all mods for BG1 which were released after the last BP-Balancer release are not affected. The last BP-Balancer release was in January, so Dark Horizons, Stone of Askavar, BGSpawn, etc. are not affected. At the moment the mod-author is not active, so no new update will happen in the near future. So if you want to reduce the XP in BG1 you should use the XP-Mod with BP-Balancer together or use only the XP-Mod.

But that is not a solution for Ressurection's opinion. If you want to install BGT with only BGSpawn without other mods, then normally it should be a little bit balanced. That is only my opinion.


[EDIT]

Balancing: The XP is one of the balancing problems, the loot of the spawned creatures is the second problem (like we talked about it in older posts).


Greetings Leomar

Ideally, the mod should use it's own .cre files, because, due to Sword Coast Stratagems, you can encounter some very high level creatures (mostly orcs, but trolls also) that are way too difficult for your party (Orc priests are level 13 with SCSII installed, they cast blade barrier.. can make quick work of your party if there's two of them, even if you're level 7-
This way, you could make sure that :
- The creatures don't drop any weird loot.
- The creatures are balanced for BG1
- You can create additional creatures that would fit the BG1 background better