23 replies to this topic

[Mbolism]

I want to go through the entire saga with BGT with a transition between 1&2, and want to get some other mods installed that add to the game (quests, NPC's, items(not insanely overpowered), etc.). A friend and I want to run through the entire saga but we don't want to do a ton of stuff to radically change the game itself. An example of what we want: The assension mod is probably one we will use, but the exception for game altering mods, as it's very well done and doesn't so much change the game story as make the ending far more fun. I like some of the things for Cespenar, like the purple elemental rings and staffs that combine powers, and while a bit overpowered, acceptable because of the simplification. We would like to have map mods and others like that which help the flow and feel of the game as well. I'm on irc if anyone st[ll uses that.

[Ipsissimus]

What are you looking for in your playthrough? You mentioned Ascension, which is mostly a tactical mod; in that case, Sword Coast Strategems II can be fun, as it improves enemy AI without making enemies cheesy, cheating, and overpowered. If you're looking to make ToB more interesting, I'd recommend Wheels of Prophecy, which makes ToB less linear, Longer Road, a very well-written mod which adds Irenicus as a joinable NPC, and Iylos, a ToB-only monk NPC sent by Balthazar to observe the PC.

There's a number of quest mods that are small in scope but fairly entertaining. On this site, there's berelinde's Fading Promises and Lava Del'Vortel's Tales of the Deep Gardens. Sim's Questpack on Pocket Plane is a compilation of short quest mods, some of which are fun and/or interesting.

What do you look for in an NPC? Based just on how well they fit the game's storyline, I'd recommend theacefes' Auren and Sarah (BG2) , jastey's Ajantis for BG2 (no ToB yet), PPG's Keto, and berelinde's Gavin (BG1/2, no ToB yet). Based on writing alone, I'd recommend sistervigilante's Angelo, kulyok's Xan, Feuille and Miss Sakaki's The Luxley Family, and K'aeloree's Xulaye (she also fits in quite well, but is Underdark-only).

The Baldur's Gate 1 NPC Project is a must-have--it adds three romances each for male and female PCs, as well as quests, banters, and interjections for all the BG1 characters, and it's BGT-compatible. For BG2, there's the original Pocket Plane Banter Pack and the newer Interaction Expansion Project, the latter of which includes conflict resolution for characters that otherwise attack one another (Keldorn and Viconia) and several friendships--at last count, Viconia, Mazzy, Yoshimo, and Imoen.

Item-wise, you may want to check this site's Miscellaneous Mods section for more. I believe Lollorian recently re-vamped the old Item Upgrade mod. Daulmakan's Item Pack has a number of interesting but not overpowered items. I vaguely recall Underrepresented Items having some good but overpowered items.

Keep in mind that I haven't tried the majority of BG mods, and because I didn't mention something doesn't mean it's bad. Sorry I was too lazy to go link-hunting, but I hope this helped

[mp84]

You could also look into the Big World Project.

http://www.shsforums...roject-bwp-v90/

Just go with a Custom Installation and choose what you want, to install.

Edited by mp84, 06 May 2010 - 02:20 PM.

[Mbolism]

Ok, I've got the latest BWP and am looking through it. My only question (at the moment) is the TOB hacks v0.5.1 at the bottom of the list. I'm using the 'Recommended' version of the BWP install for mods, as I want to be careful to not unbalance the game. I'll be spending a couple of days sifting through the other mods available, and probably adding a few after pumping you guys for info on them. But anyway, the above mentioned 'mod'. Do I really need it? and will it give me problems? It's a green, already checked mod for the 'recommended' install, so that leads me to assume it's pretty stable and safe, but I simply don't understand what exactly it does.

[Mbolism]

Ok, another question:
BPSeries v4.00a
Macholy's Teamates fight scripts (NMRF-PC) v2.5
Bard Song Switching mode (IW mode)

Do these significantly change the game? Seems like the first two just give more scripts options so you don't have to micromanage as much, right?

I plan to use Rouge rebalancing, so Bard song switching mod a good one?

[Jarno Mikkola]

My only question (at the moment) is the TOB hacks v0.5.1 at the bottom of the list...
Do I really need it? and will it give me problems?

Well, look at the readme... or read the closure of the BWv9.0 pdf:

Install Component 80 [Non-cumulative blindness effect (THAC0 malus)]? [I]nstall
Install Component 100 [Enlarge tooltip scroll]? [I]nstall
Install Component 110 [Apply profsmax.2da restrictions on char creation (BGT)]? [I]nstall
Install Component 120 ["Scrollable" mage spellbook]? [I]nstall
Install Component 121 ["Scrollable" priest spellbook]? [I]nstall
Install Component 130 [Fix cure drunkeness effect (#164)]? [I]nstall

Those can be described as usability fixes.
Problems, well it does give you problems in BGT start when you wish to put all your proficiencies to two handed sword and you can put only 2...

Do these significantly change the game? Seems like the first two just give more scripts options so you don't have to micromanage as much, right?

They actually give you more options(premade AI's) to choose from in the characters Customization screen... nothing more.

Edited by Jarno Mikkola, 14 May 2010 - 03:07 PM.

[Mbolism]

Well, I guess I could live with only 2 pts max in each at char generation.

As long as there isn't anything serious I have to worry about, i'll go ahead and use it, along with the AI mods too. They seem very nice.

[Lollorian]

You might wanna know that if you're using the W_GUI interface (installed right before the Widescreen mod) the "Scrollable Spellbooks" components won't work (cause they were designed for the vanilla interface

You might also wanna know that all the stuff in Taimon's hacks are now integrated into the ToBEx Loader ... although you'll have to manually activate some components (drunkenness, scrollable books, tooltip) by editing the ToBEx,ini after eveything's installed (they're set to =0, you set them to =1 )

Also, the ToBEx scrollable books work with W_GUI but they're not installed by default by the BWP ... If you want, you can search for this line in the BiG World Install.bat:

%IFS%tob_hacks%IFNIF%BGTMusic%S%tob_hacks%L%0%SK% 0 | %M%
%IFS%tob_hacks%S%tob_hacks%L%0%SK% 80 100 110 120 121 130 140 --logapp | %M%

%IFS%tobex%S%tobex%L%0%SK% 100 200 1000 1200 | %M%

and change it to ... (IF you're not installing ToB_hacks)

%IFS%tob_hacks%IFNIF%BGTMusic%S%tob_hacks%L%0%SK% 0 | %M%
%IFS%tob_hacks%S%tob_hacks%L%0%SK% 140 --logapp | %M%

%IFS%tobex%S%tobex%L%0%SK% 100 200 1000 1200 1400 1500 1600 | %M%

You'll also need to enable the components in the ToBEx.ini by setting them to =1

[Mbolism]

Hmmm. Thanks for the help. I was looking at the info for the widescreen mod, and am a bit confused. So, without that mod, I can't run the game in higher resolution? I've always been able to run the vanilla game at 10x7, so the WS mod will let me crank that up higher? That would be great if it did....

if not, I might not use that mod so that there won't be the conflict with the scrolling spellbooks.

[Lollorian]

So, without that mod, I can't run the game in higher resolution? I've always been able to run the vanilla game at 10x7, so the WS mod will let me crank that up higher? That would be great if it did....

Yup

Widescreen enables any resolution above 800x600! (and yea, vanilla BGII-ToB can be played at 1024x768 ... but not in 1440x900 )

PS: The mod that conflicts with the scrolling spellbooks is W_GUI )above widescreen) Not widescreen itself (and W_GUI also scales to your widescreen resolution btw)

PS2: Is it just my browser, or did your baby pic just get squashed??

Edited by Lollorian, 14 May 2010 - 06:46 PM.

[Mbolism]

And yet another question:

BP or SCS?

Reading the info on them, it seems I should only use one or the other. However, SCS are green in my 'recommended' settings, and the BP mod is red, which leads me to believe SCS is the safer and more practical mod to install. What are the key differences between the two?

[Mbolism]

Ok, last one for now at least.

Shadows over Soulbar and Check the bodies

Not green for the 'recommended' mods, but standard ones. Based on what I've read, they seem very interesting. Questions is, with all the stuff SoS adds, does it unbalance the game?

[Lollorian]

BP or SCS?

(what follows is a hypothetical example of how the SCS/BP AI's work ... kinda exaggerated )

Suppose you have a mage from TDD in hell, and another mage from NeJ in some icy region ...

No BP/SCS -> Both mages cast spells that they have ... like regular vanilla mages.

BP -> TDD Hell mage specializes in Gating and Fire type stuff ... NeJ Ice guy specializes in ice magic. They may also pre-buff. In short, fights get interesting, than challenging.

SCS -> Both mages get spells according to their levels, WILL pre-buff, WILL have uber-spells, WILL omgwtfpwn you if not careful In short, makes fights challenging!

Other notes:
1) BPSeries (an awesome awesome AI package for your characters) and Ascension is only installable through the BWP IF you choose BP instead of SCS.
2) BP doesn't affect the BGT part of the game (so you'll only notice the improved AI in BGII) ... SCS affects BGT, while SCSII does BGII-ToB.

Shadows over Soulbar and Check the bodies

Green stuff is recommended because they don't have any (known) bugs OR have people actiely supporting them (so if you do have bugs, it'll be fixed immediately )

CtB and SoS being HUGE things may/may not have bugs ... But BP (and other stuff) make them play nice with each other Won't comment about balance ...

[Mbolism]

Excellent. Well, I am definitely going to use the ws mod then, and I think I'll leave out SoS and CtB, at least for now. Still not sure on BP vs SCS though. BP definitely sounds like more of what I would like, as it doesn't overpower anything, and just does a good job at improving AI, BUT, only in BG2, which is the only turn-off at this point for me. If the SCS series affect's both, then that is what I want, but not at the cost of overpowering encounters. Such tough decisions!

[Mbolism]

Also, my BWP quit working on me. I can get it up and running, but it won't let me go past the screen that I select which version to install. Didn't know where to put this so I'll at least post it here for now.

14: 58 - While _IsPressed('20', $g_dll)
14: 59 - Sleep(10)
14: 58 - While _IsPressed('20', $g_dll)
14: 59 - Sleep(10)
14: 58 - While _IsPressed('20', $g_dll)
14: 59 - Sleep(10)
14: 58 - While _IsPressed('20', $g_dll)
14: 59 - Sleep(10)
14: 58 - While _IsPressed('20', $g_dll)
14: 59 - Sleep(10)
14: 58 - While _IsPressed('20', $g_dll)
14: 59 - Sleep(10)
14: 58 - While _IsPressed('20', $g_dll)
14: 59 - Sleep(10)
14: 58 - While _IsPressed('20', $g_dll)
14: 59 - Sleep(10)
14: 60 - WEnd
14: 61 - $SpaceClicked = 1
14: 62 - $MouseClicked = 1
14: 63 - EndIf
14: 64 - If $MouseClicked = 1 Then
C:\GAMES\BGII - SoA\BiG World Setup\Includes_Traced\14_Select-GUILoop.au3 (106) : ==> Variable used without being declared.:
If $sMsg <> 0 Then _MultiTree_SetClicked($sMsg, 0, $SpaceClicked)
If ^ ERROR
- 35

[Jarno Mikkola]

Also, my BWP quit working on me.

Which? The BWS(BiG World Setup.vbs) or the BiG World Install.bat ... just so you know, there is no BWP, as that's the name of the _roject.

I can get it up and running, but it won't let me go past the screen that I select which version to install.

If it quit on you, it usually means that you cannot continue to install... it's because the program is a .bat!

Edited by Jarno Mikkola, 15 May 2010 - 08:14 AM.

[Mbolism]

Hmmm. Well, it's working now. And yeah, it was the BW setup. Sorry. So many acronymns out there I lose track, and write down one thing while thinking of another one.

[Mbolism]

Also, it would be great if anyone went onto IRC.

[Mbolism]

Ok, I've got my vanilla installs of both games, with updates and saves done. I've also got pretty much everything figured out for what I'm installing.

Question: The ascention mod isn't in the list for ones to choose, that I see. Should I install this BEFORE i run the BWS to install all the mods?

also:
the BP balancer. Needed? I'm not going to be using BP, so not sure why this is necessary.

and one more:
the BP-BGT worldmap - do I need BP installed for this to work?

[Lollorian]

Take my advice, skip the BP-Balancer ... it deletes quest items and stuff

BP-BGT-Worldmap is ESSENTIAL for any combination of BGT and any megamod (TDD/SoS/CtB/RoT/TS-BP/SoBH/NeJ/BP)