7 replies to this topic

[Mbolism]

So, I used BWS to do the 'Recommended' install, plus I added a couple of small things like widescreen mod and Weidu item upgrades for Cespenar. My question is about BP-Balancer. I didn't install BP, I installed SCS. I was told the BP-Balancer removes some quest items. Question is which ones? Are they quest specific, or just loot?

[Lollorian]

I do know that the BP-Balancer removes items from SoBH that are related to one of the many sidequests in it. It isn't loot - the item is needed to compplete the quest (some dagger methinks ) In my last playthrough with a "Standard" install, I did have to CLUA in some items for the DS/NTotSC quests. Dunno what the balancer does to the BGII megamods though ...

That said, the XP-related components of the balancer are still useful (if you manage to install just that and not the item balancing stuff)

Also, there was talk of a revision of the BP-Balancer by OneEyedPhoenix and mm75 ... I'll be optimistic and think they're still working on it behind the scenes

PS: I saw your WeiDU.log and that you did a "Recommended" install through the BWS and not the "Standard" one ... in which case the BP-Balancer won't affect you much (cause the only megamods you have are TDD and DS/NTotSC)

[Mbolism]

Ah, excellent. Yeah, I don't mind having to use the CLUA to get the needed items if it's an isolated item or 2. Thanks for the confirmation!

[prowler]

(cause the only megamods you have are TDD and DS/NTotSC)

TDD, SoBH, DS/NTotSC - what else?

[Lollorian]

Mbolism's WeiDU.log here

He has just TDD and DSotSC (not even NTotSC ) ... As for what mods get affected by the BP-Balancer - TDD/SoS/RoT/CtB/TS-BP/NeJ/DSotSC/NtotSC/SoBH/DrizztSaga/BP

[Manduran]

Hi,

 

I do know that the BP-Balancer removes items from SoBH that are related to one of the many sidequests in it. It isn't loot - the item is needed to compplete the quest (some dagger methinks ) 

 

Can you tell me which version of the Balancer this was and which item exactly? This should not have happend, as the balancing of SoBH was successfully tested. This might have been an issue with a newer version of SoBH or just a simple bug.

 

As for what mods get affected by the BP-Balancer - TDD/SoS/RoT/CtB/TS-BP/NeJ/DSotSC/NtotSC/SoBH/DrizztSaga/BP 

 

This strongly depends on the order of the installation ot the components. The balancer currently only balances DSotSC, NTotSC and SoBH. The mod balancing parts should be installed directly after these mods. Whenever another mod adds items and you run the balancer after it, it might happen it removes something it shouldn't remove. However this can only happen at BG1 Vanilla creatures or Creatures of the mentioned mods. The balancer cannot balance any other mods than mentioned at the current state, as the balancing of the individual mods is the main work, and trust me, it's a lot of work.

 

I might add support for other mods in future.

 

The global part (as xp for spells, traps, etc.) should be installed after all othe mods, somewhere at the end of the Mega Mod intallation, as it handles _global_ aspects.

[Lollorian]

The Balancer has gone through a lot of iterations ever since Leonardo started updating it so any problems it had and were reported are now hopefully fixed

 

Nonetheless, seeing that you're updating it, a special area to check for would be the removal of items from creatures' inventories without actually checking what item is being removed (this affected the Duchal palace invite found in one of the assassins you kill in Baldur's Gate) This is the sole reason I wouldn't recommend installing the BP-Balancer's item balancing components any more (not the Duchal thing, but the removal of items without checking in general).

 

As for the BoneHill item, it's a Blue Dragon Staff that is used by the mod in a follow up to the BoneHill main quest (after you return to the mainland) so that's why you probably missed it in your tests

[Manduran]

Nonetheless, seeing that you're updating it, a special area to check for would be the removal of items from creatures' inventories without actually checking what item is being removed   (this affected the Duchal palace invite found in one of the assassins you kill in Baldur's Gate) This is the sole reason I wouldn't recommend installing the BP-Balancer's item balancing components any more (not the Duchal thing, but the removal of items without checking in general).

 

 

As I mentioned in this thread I consider doing more checks at compile time. You can still use the balancer until a new version is released (which will take time, as a lot of overhauls are to do), when you just install the mod balancing components right after the supported mods. NOT after unsupported mods, while the supported mods (SoBH, DSotSC, NTotSC) should be the first quest mods you install. This attempt was tested successfully and no vanilla or supported mod questitems were removed. Not even the blue dragon staff.

 

Still, there is always a possibility of having bugs (as always when it comes to modding, well even when it comes to vanilla games :-p), but it will dramatically minimize the chance for bug occurrence.

 

Having to take care of that might be not neccessary with the upcoming release.

 

Regards

Edited by Manduran, 22 January 2013 - 12:41 AM.