5 replies to this topic

[maximus2001]

Just some questions about gameplay in the new BWP install.

The mod that adds a Gauth to the Otyughs in Chateau Irenicus (actually they summon the Gauth)is really something else. The damn thing spams you with 5 plus cause moderate wounds per round (17x5=85 per round, no save). Everyone including the tanks dead in 5 rounds. Hopefully they are not all like this. Not sure how to check the Gauth files or scripts for that with near infinity. Tell me SCS2 didn't turn them into something like a green blob of swift death.

I've installed Worgas the wildmage npc. Not sure if all wildmages are like him or if he is just cursed. He gets wild effects almost all of the time, probably 9 out of 10 times casting a spell. I thought there was only a 5% chance of wild surge, this is the other way around, seriously. He's turned into a girl, fireballed the party several times, polymorphed into a goblin, greater malisoned or slowed the party, etc. etc.

[Lameth]

I didnt reach the BG2 part yet, but i had some similar experiences in BG1 with a tactics install regarding difficulty. A couple of the first fight were ridicoulus hard, first Mage Assasin casting Magic Missles with 5 Bolts on my Level 1 party, the Bard Silke in Beregost using Stoneskin, Mirror Images and several Magic Missles *5 against my Level 1 party, etc. But it got a lot better when i hit Level 2 and actually had a chance to survive a hit. Overall, i really like the new fights, most arent too deadly, although i had to cheat me a load of regeneration potions, else i need to rest every 10 minutes of game time. But the fights are fun, especially when the enemies just swarm you, it adds a really different feeling for me; i am now feeling as if i am fighting hordes of enemies, as it should be.
All in all, its pretty good, although i guess some Mage encounters are just plain overpowered. Bassilius, too. Spamming Unholy Blight, Hold, and even some Flame Strikes on you, together with ten or so Skeleton Archers. Not a nice place to visit on Level 1. Same with the three named Hobgoblins in the area. Khazak or something? I mean wtf.. using a hastepot, resulting in 3 or 4 attacks or round a something, with a good Thac0 and even better AC.. ouch. But doable.
And Khark.. the Ogre Mage around Firewine Bridge. I dont remember exactly anymore, i believe he was quite hard in the normal version too, but in my install he borders ludicrous. Or are you just supposed to wait with downing him till you reach level 10, or 12? Same about the bridge ruines. 4 Vampires swarming you at once? Well, ok, i guess you should really go there later, i tried with level 5 and was not a happy Bhaalspawn.

Anyways, sorry for my ramblings, i like Tactics a lot, and overall the whole BiG Project even more, it adds pure Awesome™ to Baldur's Gate, so a big thumps up.
And to the original poster: just keep going, i guess after the first few hard fights difficulty will become more in line. If nothing seems to work, try using my method and cheat you a couple of potions to make it through and get to the fun; just dont overdo it with them ;p

[Jarno Mikkola]

Just some questions about gameplay in the new BWP install.

The mod that adds a Gauth to the Otyughs in Chateau Irenicus (actually they summon the Gauth)is really something else. The damn thing spams you with 5 plus cause moderate wounds per round (17x5=85 per round, no save). Everyone including the tanks dead in 5 rounds. Hopefully they are not all like this. Not sure how to check the Gauth files or scripts for that with near infinity. Tell me SCS2 didn't turn them into something like a green blob of swift death.

The cause of that is the altered summons mod, see the original mod(improved starting dungeon or something alike) just made the Otyughs able to summon the Carrion Crawlers, but the altered summmons make the CC into being Gauths, and then add the SCSII's script change and you'll have a nice mess.

Edited by Jarno Mikkola, 06 April 2010 - 11:51 PM.

[AndrewB]

Jarno said it. Revised Battles adds a greater Otyugh to that group in the drainage area and gives them the ability to summon a Carrion Crawler, which isn't so bad, but then another mod comes along and replaces the Summon Carrion Crawler spell and they end up summoning something they aren't supposed to (Spell Revisions turns it into a Ghast or a Mummy, Improved Summons turns it into a Gauth), and if you have the SCSII improvements to beholders, it gets ugly, fast.

I've attached the script that controls them. Drop it in your override, and give the Otyugh's another go. Ideally, it would probably be better to give them their Carrion Crawler buddies back (without having to revert the wizard spell back to it's pre-SR/pre-Imp Summons state), but I have a pretty limited knowledge of scripting, so the best that I can do is to just cut out the scripting blocks that allow it to Summon. Although, maybe it can be done by reinstating the Carrion Crawler spell under another name or giving the creature a non-droppable item that uses a direct summon effect.

SCSII does indeed make Gauths something a beginning party will want to think twice about, or at least approach with much more caution than you would in a regular playthrough. But like most of the improvements SCSII makes, it is pretty fair about it. Creatures have weaknesses as well as strengths, and these are usually maintained or exacerbated by SCSII to balance things out and prevent the creatures from becoming just plain and simple suped-up killing machines. So if you know the creatures, then you will generally know how to affect a strategy that will allow you to deal with them. Beholders for example, being basically just floating eyeballs, are vulnerable to blind. If you can manage to blind a Beholder, you render it pretty much harmless because it can't use its rays.


@Lameth. Starting out is pretty tough, that's for sure. But it definately does smooth out as you get some levels under your belt. The first time going through with all the difficulty enhancements is always the roughest, because you're going in blind. I probably wouldn't attempt to take on Silke or Bassilius at level 1. They're probably do-able, but it would require potions/scrolls that you may not have and might cost as much (or more) than you would get as a reward for those Quests, so I don't know if it would be profitable. I always have to remind myself that there are always potions and scrolls for when things get really difficult.

Attached Files

•  IOTYUGH.BCS   3K   178 downloads

Edited by AndrewB, 07 April 2010 - 03:32 AM.

[AndrewB]

Alright, I was able to give them back their little crawler buddies without relying on the spell. Use the one above if you'd rather they not summon at all, use this one if you want to restore the Revised Battles version that spit out Carrion Crawlers.

Attached Files

•  IOTYUGH.BCS   4.66K   183 downloads

[maximus2001]

Thanks for the replies. I found out if you melee the otyughs they don't do the summons. Also it does get easier when you get decent gear. Well so far at least...

After a while away just finished d'arnise keep, sort of. Everything was ok until Torgal. All his buddies were there except him (trolls and umber hulks). In the room where he usually is there was nothing but trolls.

Checked the files and there are three Torgals - Torgal, Torgal2 and Torgal3. When I clua the 1st guy he immediately dissappears but he can still take damage from spells and wands with area of effect. The second is the near death Torgal. The third is the SCS2 Torgal who has 2 yuan ti and an umber hulk elder. None of them have the speech he usually gives. Only the first has the blue circle for a second before he dissapears, the others are hostile right away.

I would just go with Torgal 3, but don't know if globals are set ok because there is no "the stronger" speech. After I killed him Nalia gave her speech about leaving the keep but thats it.

Besides that its pretty stable so far.