663 replies to this topic

[Suslik]

Oh, well. The most stupid thing i was able to do was to reintall BWP. And i chose to reinstall it. I chose absolutely the same options, absolutely the same mods and result was dramatically different. It seems that dialog.tlk is messed up. Spell animations like fireball were just like in BG1, not like in BG2. Just take a look at world map:

i think i'm going to reinstall BWP. again.

i tried to test if i am able to go to temple area of SoBH, but, unfortunately, because of messed location names i was unable even to point at lothander temple =(

[Jarno Mikkola]

Do you know what all these mean

It means that the BGT-Tweaks might have done the error, but to me it sounds like the error doesn't come from that, but is more likely to be caused by something else... or not.
What comes to the rest, the question was rhetorical one and so needs no answer, just make note of it later... to check the file size and the length of the files and act according to common idea of, if it's longer than 10-20 rows, upload it, if it's bigger than 100 kb's, put it to an archive, otherwise open and post the content if it's in plain text.

Oh, well. The most stupid thing i was able to do was to reintall BWP. And i chose to reinstall it. I chose absolutely the same options, absolutely the same mods and result was dramatically different. It seems that dialog.tlk is messed up. Spell animations like fireball were just like in BG1, not like in BG2. Just take a look at world map:

Well, one of the mods were not installed or other obvious change that was made between the two installs, so you need to start a new game, not load an old save that has offed dialog.tlk references.

Edited by Jarno Mikkola, 14 April 2010 - 03:43 AM.

[Suslik]

Oh, well. The most stupid thing i was able to do was to reintall BWP. And i chose to reinstall it. I chose absolutely the same options, absolutely the same mods and result was dramatically different. It seems that dialog.tlk is messed up. Spell animations like fireball were just like in BG1, not like in BG2. Just take a look at world map:

Well, one of the mods were not installed or other obvious change that was made between the two installs, so you need to start a new game, not load an old save that has offed dialog.tlk references.

Aaarghh! Not i am only reinstalling BWP one more time now, but i will be able to start a new game after that? I was in chapter 6 already.. At least i saved main character

[ChiXiStigma]

Try reverting to the original file from the Bonehill folder. Here is how you do that:

Find the Bonehillv275 folder in the BGII folder. Open it.
Inside is a folder called BGT. Open it.
Copy the BH0300.are file.
Go back to the main BGII folder and find the Override folder. Open it.
Paste the Copy of BH0300.are into the Override.

Then start the game, and try moving into the area again. If you crash again, then you know that isn't the file that is causing your crash (and you can safely delete it from the Override, because it isn't helping any). In which case, take the clean .bcs file I've attached, and do the same with it: drop it in the override, start the game, and try entering the area again.

Oooh my Gooooooood (Cthulhu), you're genius, it worked, I just copied the file that was in my BGT folder and pasted it to the override folder. I'm forever in your dept, I owe you, do you want me to upload a good xxx video at this forum just for you? IT WOOOOORKED

[ChiXiStigma]

Thanks everyone for being soooo helpfull. Could this copy/paste of the file to the override folder cause any problems? Can I do it for every mod that's malfunctioning? How did you find out in the first place that there was something wrong about this file (BH0300) amongst all the files associated with SoBH?

Edited by ChiXiStigma, 14 April 2010 - 03:52 AM.

[Jarno Mikkola]

Thanks everyone for being soooo helpfull. Could this copy/paste of the file to the override folder cause any problems?

Not, other than you won't be able to rest in the place as you should be able to as you have the BGT tweak mods component installed, probably.

Can I do it for every mod that's malfunctioning? How did you find out in the first place that there was something wrong about this file (BH0300) amongst all the files associated with SoBH?

Well, look at the conversation you just had, and see that it relies on the old saying that seanes has said:

as to which file is the cause, yuo can tell by how far thru the loading process you get. if immediate black screen of death: corrupted creature listed in the .are file; if it makes it approx 1/3 thru loading screen: corrupted .are file; if almost the whole way: something corrupted aded via the .bcs file; if the whole way, area brielfy shows then CTD: animation conflict.

That identifies the file, then you have the change log, which says that the single possible corrupter can be the BG2 Tweaks component. Easy.

Edited by Jarno Mikkola, 14 April 2010 - 05:03 AM.

[ChiXiStigma]

Not, other than you won't be able to rest in the place as you should be able to as you have the BGT tweak mods component installed, probably.

Not being able to rest in the temple area or all of SoBH areas? Should I reinstall BWP choosing not to install BGT tweak mods? It's the first mod/mod compilation I installed by myself (in other words I'm a noob). Also 3 times I played BG 1 until the point you clear Nashkel Mines I found that battles are being won pretty easily, should I consider installing tactical edition or will they get more difficult later in the game? I read somewhere that it's more like the AI cheating, enemies being very resistant to magic and stuff. Should I install only a couple of the mods tactical edition includes? I still do not understand how did he find out that file BH0300.ARE was probably the cause of the problem and not BH0400.ARE for example (before sending the results of change log)

Edited by ChiXiStigma, 14 April 2010 - 05:46 AM.

[AndrewB]

I don't think it would cause anything serious. Minor annoyances maybe, like Haiass the dog not following you into the area or not being able to 'Rest Anywhere'. That's not always the case though, it's just fortunate that there isn't a lot going on in the area that a mod might change and the list of changes is rather short. It's better to find the break and prevent it from ever happening, because it allows other mods later down the line to apply their changes to the area. Failing that, you can always restore a backup.

I don't think it is the BG2 Tweaks component that is doing it. I have both on my megamod install and they both work fine together. I think it could be happening at a bwp fixpack patch or the trimpack.

[Jarno Mikkola]

Not being able to rest in the temple area or all of SoBH areas?

In the bh0300(area).

Should I reinstall BWP choosing not to install BGT tweak mods?

No. Not for that reason alone.

I read somewhere that it's more like the AI cheating, enemies being very resistant to magic and stuff.

Well, the Tactical installs AI makes the mages for example be able to cast preemptively _{-so it simulates the effect that the player can do the same by casting spells just before the dialog starts that start the combat-} so the spells come to effect the moment the combat starts, so the caster doesn't need to get the 7 free turns to cast all the spells that it wishes to protect itself with... so the AI cheats a bit, in that perspective. There are also several mods that adds more encounters with factions that the original game doesn't even have, or make the creatures tougher with stats, give 'better' spells etc, but most of them do only effect a few creatures. And should you know, when you use the BWS to install the mods, the installer itself will install pre-selected selections of the mods, for example the SCSII has the above mentioned AI preemptive casting component, but only the Tactical and eXpert install use the harder options of those components when there is subcomponents to choose from, so the game can change a lot even with zero additional mods.

The game also doesn't have the 'rubber band' effect that the todays Role Playing games have that levels the enemies according to your level, the creatures are preset with certain stats that are not altered by many things, this makes the game to have it's character that you'll have to level up certain amount before you'll be able to realistically defeat certain monsters, like the Basilisks for a bad example.

[AndrewB]

You just wouldn't be able to rest out in the open of the Temple area. I don't think you can anyway, because the Guards interupt outdoor resting there.

I knew which area it was because there is a collected list of all the areas of BGT and all the mods that add areas. From there, I used an editor tool (DLTCEP/Near Infinity) to go through all the areas present in my game until I found the Temple area.

As for getting more of a challenge out of your game: it depends on what you consider cheesy/cheatery. Some mods make things more difficult in the way you describe: by lavishing creatures with more hitpoints, armor, magic resistance, spells than their level allows, etc. Consider this the "brute force" approach. Some people don't mind the brute force approach, some people enjoy it. Here is a good summation of the differences these kinds of mods employ.

Edited by AndrewB, 14 April 2010 - 07:32 AM.

[ChiXiStigma]

Not being able to rest in the temple area or all of SoBH areas?

In the bh0300(area).

Should I reinstall BWP choosing not to install BGT tweak mods?

No. Not for that reason alone.

I read somewhere that it's more like the AI cheating, enemies being very resistant to magic and stuff.

Well, the Tactical installs AI makes the mages for example be able to cast preemptively _{-so it simulates the effect that the player can do the same by casting spells just before the dialog starts that start the combat-} so the spells come to effect the moment the combat starts, so the caster doesn't need to get the 7 free turns to cast all the spells that it wishes to protect itself with... so the AI cheats a bit, in that perspective. There are also several mods that adds more encounters with factions that the original game doesn't even have, or make the creatures tougher with stats, give 'better' spells etc, but most of them do only effect a few creatures. And should you know, when you use the BWS to install the mods, the installer itself will install pre-selected selections of the mods, for example the SCSII has the above mentioned AI preemptive casting component, but only the Tactical and eXpert install use the harder options of those components when there is subcomponents to choose from, so the game can change a lot even with zero additional mods.

The game also doesn't have the 'rubber band' effect that the todays Role Playing games have that levels the enemies according to your level, the creatures are preset with certain stats that are not altered by many things, this makes the game to have it's character that you'll have to level up certain amount before you'll be able to realistically defeat certain monsters, like the Basilisks for a bad example.

Does this mean Standard version has enhanced difficulty (compared to BG with no mods)? Which version do you recommend? How did you know BH0300.ARE is the file assosiated with temple area? I don't know why, maybe it's a miracle but I was able to rest at the temple area, no crash.

[ChiXiStigma]

You just wouldn't be able to rest out in the open of the Temple area. I don't think you can anyway, because the Guards interupt outdoor resting there.

I knew which area it was because there is a collected list of all the areas of BGT and all the mods that add areas. From there, I used an editor tool (DLTCEP/Near Infinity) to go through the areas until I found the Temple area.

Hm, this is how you both knew it was file BH0300.ARE. Why did you use the editor? Do you know any mod compilation tested to work, no bugs/crashes etc, should I stick with BWP standard/tactics version?

[Jarno Mikkola]

Does this mean Standard version has enhanced difficulty (compared to BG with no mods)?

Yeah. Even the basic BGT(the last time I played it from the beginning-to-the-end at least) is far harder than the BG1 because some of the spawning points spawn monsters hordes that were not possible in the original game...

Which version do you recommend?

The 'Advanced eXpert', hih, no there is no such a thing, so you should take what comes and define it yourself.

How did you know BH0300.ARE is the file assosiated with temple area? I don't know why, maybe it's a miracle but I was able to rest at the temple area, no crash.

Well, it was never said that it would cause crash if it was not possible, see the area that was corrected by the BG2Tweaks was originally not sleep-able because a guard would come and interrupt the sleeping, not because the game would crash.

[Suslik]

Yet another reinstallation failed. This time it freezed in the middle of execution of .bat script. The script tried to execute a file called something like kitanya-setup.exe(or something, don't know for sure), but it freezed. I tried a "restart process" option in process explorer on process "kitanya-setup.exe" and it seemed to resume installation. I wonder if it is fatal?

Every time i reinstall BWP i simply delete all files in BGII - SoA directory except for BiG World Project folders. Then i reinstall SoA, then ToB, then apply patch, then i run BWP itself. The problem is sometimes BWP fails to unpack some(always different) mods or freezes during execution of .bat script. Is it ok if i reinstall SoA, ToB without removing all unpacked files in its directory and then run the BWP again from the start? I think it will prevent further errors connected with mods extraction at least. Is it ok or i am going to mess the whole installation process?

Edited by Suslik, 14 April 2010 - 08:10 AM.

[AndrewB]

The list didn't say which area-code was for which area, for Bonehill. So I used an editor to flip through all the Bonehill areas (areas with a naming convention of BHxxxx.are) until I found the Temple area. That's all I used the editor for.

I absolutely would stick with the BWP. It is the largest, most comprehensive, and thoroughly bug-tested megamod platform out there. I use it myself, and aside from a few minor bugs here and there, it works exceptionally well.

BWP Standard is the defacto installation for a reason. It provides a good compilation of mods and changes that appeal to just about everyone, and it doesn't require a great deal of tinkering and tuning to give you an enjoyable play experience. Tactical installations typically require a lot of feeling out, because chances are good that you'll find some mods that you think are too hard, or don't fit well during your typical playthrough, and will want to fine-tune it (there is a section on .bat editing in the BiG World .PFD). It's very easy to find yourself at a loss when deciding what Quests to do to get some experience in SoA Chapter 2 when you feel overmatched by everything. But if you still want to try a Tactical playthrough, here are the mods that are on the "insane" end of the difficulty scale you may wish to avoid:

Super Firkraag
Tactics


Azengaard Tactical Encounter is kind of up in the air, I don't know if I'd call it "insane" and group it with those above, but it's still pretty hard: decide that one for yourself. Revised Battles has some components that are very hard, and some that are well-balanced and very enjoyable, I'd suggest that you try it and decide which you like and which you don't like.

Edited by AndrewB, 14 April 2010 - 09:05 AM.

[Suslik]

My result of latest installation:
Map seems to be ok but for example fireball animation seems to remain just as in original BG1. what do you advice me to do?

[ChiXiStigma]

My result of latest installation:
Map seems to be ok but for example fireball animation seems to remain just as in original BG1. what do you advice me to do?

A friend of mine would suggest, to kick your PC (really hard), maybe you sould try it, if you break anything and it doesn't boot then you won't have to worry about BWP any more, you may call it a solution to your problem

[ChiXiStigma]

The list didn't say which area-code was for which area, for Bonehill. So I used an editor to flip through all the Bonehill areas (areas with a naming convention of BHxxxx.are) until I found the Temple area. That's all I used the editor for.

I absolutely would stick with the BWP. It is the largest, most comprehensive, and thoroughly bug-tested megamod platform out there. I use it myself, and aside from a few minor bugs here and there, it works exceptionally well.

BWP Standard is the defacto installation for a reason. It provides a good compilation of mods and changes that appeal to just about everyone, and it doesn't require a great deal of tinkering and tuning to give you an enjoyable play experience. Tactical installations typically require a lot of feeling out, because chances are good that you'll find some mods that you think are too hard, or don't fit well during your typical playthrough, and will want to fine-tune it (there is a section on .bat editing in the BiG World .PFD). It's very easy to find yourself at a loss when deciding what Quests to do to get some experience in SoA Chapter 2 when you feel overmatched by everything. But if you still want to try a Tactical playthrough, here are the mods that are on the "insane" end of the difficulty scale you may wish to avoid:

Super Firkraag
Tactics


Azengaard Tactical Encounter is kind of up in the air, I don't know if I'd call it "insane" and group it with those above, but it's still pretty hard: decide that one for yourself. Revised Battles has some components that are very hard, and some that are well-balanced and very enjoyable, I'd suggest that you try it and decide which you like and which you don't like.

I'm starting to like you a lot. Here, this is for you:  xxx Pics for AndrewB.rar   179.37K   395 downloads (as promised)

[Suslik]

My result of latest installation:
Map seems to be ok but for example fireball animation seems to remain just as in original BG1. what do you advice me to do?

A friend of mine would suggest, to kick your PC (really hard), maybe you sould try it, if you break anything and it doesn't boot then you won't have to worry about BWP any more, you may call it a solution to your problem

A really appreciate yours and your friend's great sense of humour but the problem remains the same:

I am becoming really a guru of reinstalling BWP, my computer is busy with this task for more than a week already But with latest fixes in BWP, in standart installation, fireball animation(don't know about other spells, only fireball and delayed fireball) seems to be oldschool like in BG1. Here is my BiG World debug.txt:
 BiG World Debug.rar   423.68K   275 downloads

I am really a really a fan of BG1, so it's ok if only fireball will be with old-style visualization, but maybe it's a sign of a more serious problems?

[AndrewB]

my guess is, it's a hardware acceleration/graphics issue. There are only one or two mods that might touch the graphics of the spell in the BWP (and one of those is marked Expert).