16 replies to this topic

[dr_asik]

Hello good folks of SHS,

I want to mod my Baldur's Gate 2 : ToB install with the following:

- BG2 Fixpack
- BG2 Tweakpack
- Ascension and possibly other David Gaider mods

Now after installing the first 2, I read that Ascension should be installed first. And then I read that the Fixpack would override the Slayer changes if installed after. And then I read about a dozen other things and I'm lost. Is there a standard, working, safe way of installing both? Can I use, say, this version of Ascension or is there a better one?

Another question I have is: what about the other David Gaider mods? There are several listed on the gamebanshee page I just linked to. Are they all included in or superceded by Ascension?

Thanks a lot for the help and have a nice day.

[Jarno Mikkola]

Ascension

Use the BP's Ascension component.

Edited by Jarno Mikkola, 13 November 2011 - 11:21 PM.

[dr_asik]

So I should install Fixpack, Tweaks and then only the Ascension component of BP? Sorry I've just learned about BP's existence today and it's still not entirely clear to me what it does or how to go about installing it. Also what about the other mods by Gaider?

[Jarno Mikkola]

i.
So I should install Fixpack, Tweaks and then only the Ascension component of BP?

ii.
Also what about the other mods by Gaider?

i. Yes... kinda.

ii. Well, there's updated versions of the 4 of the 5 mods in BP, but they should require the first component of the BP, the improved AI:
David Gaider's Improved Abazigal
(David Gaider's Improved Balthazar, not in BP)
David Gaider's Improved Gromnir
David Gaider's Improved Illasera
David Gaider's Improved Yaga Shura ...
So what you really want is the entire BP. After the Fixpack and the Tweaks.

Edited by Jarno Mikkola, 14 November 2011 - 01:18 AM.

[dr_asik]

Ok it seems to work. Apparently Improved Illasera isn't meant to be fought with a brand new single character in ToB. She handed my arse to me in about 1 round.

Edited by dr_asik, 14 November 2011 - 08:04 PM.

[Eric P.]

Ok it seems to work. Apparently Improved Illasera isn't meant to be fought with a brand new single character in ToB. She handed my arse to me in about 1 round.

You can take her down with a party of three or more. It's a good fight, and easily won if you play your cards right

[dr_asik]

So I started playing with BP, on my usual difficulty setting of insane, and I don't like it very much. It adds a bunch of weird creatures that look like slightly altered versions of existing ones (troglodytes = green gnolls, bugbears = hobgoblins), it takes a bunch of monsters from IWD2 and sticks them in the most random locations. Just in the slavers quarters I've seen Yuan-Ti, Orcs, Orogs, an Ettin... If I want to play IWD2 I'll play IWD2!

I like that enemy AI is generally better (targeting weaker party members, better use of spells), but the use of monsters is out of place and breaks the immersion. Is there a way I can get only the better AI without actually importing all these extra monsters in the game?

If not I'd just like to keep at least the Ascension and David Gaider's Improved X components. Is it possible to keep them without the core component of BP?

Edited by dr_asik, 22 November 2011 - 01:33 AM.

[GeN1e]

Is there a way I can get only the better AI without actually importing all these extra monsters in the game?

Afaik in BP these two are inseparable.
If you're interested in AI only, you may want to try Sword Coast Stratagems 2. It's not exactly "pure" AI mod, but nevertheless it adds times less new creatures compared to BP. Also it's more modular.

Don't know if Ascension can be installed separately from core BP, though. I suppose you could try and see.

Edited by GeN1e, 22 November 2011 - 04:18 AM.

[Jarno Mikkola]

Don't know if Ascension can be installed separately from core BP, though. I suppose you could try and see.

It can be.

[dr_asik]

Thanks for your patience. Yeah SCS2 looks good, I'm just worried it might not play well with any of the BP components. Does this install order look good?

1. G3's BG2 Fixpack
2. G3's BG2 Tweaks
3. SCS2
4. BP - only the David Gaider components, Ascension etc.

Edited by dr_asik, 22 November 2011 - 11:47 AM.

[Jarno Mikkola]

...

The SCSII and BP has multiple components and they use AI customization during the install, which isn't intended to be used together.
So my suggestions is to go with one or the other...

[dr_asik]

I see. So there's no way of having both Ascension and SCS2?

[Choo Choo]

There is. You could leave BP completely out of it, since for you it only seems to confuse things, adding stuff you don't want.

It's difficult to give you specifics what with G3 being down, and not using Fixpack myself - the Tweak pack fixes some of the same things and there are no core components besides, which I prefer. There is a thread HERE at PPG which shows a way to work around the problem. Hopefully, it'll work for you. At worst, you have to wait until G3 gets back up, which hopefully won't be too long.

Oh, and as for gamebanshee, always download mods from the original sites or verified mirror sites. The latest version of Ascension can be found HERE.

Good luck! I hope I was of some help.

[Jarno Mikkola]

I see. So there's no way of having both Ascension and SCS2?

Well, I meant the primary component of the BP(the AI) and SCSII's enhancement components to the AI's.

You can use the last BP component(Ascension) and all the SCSII components, the once the installed gives you a choice to use...

Oh, and as for gamebanshee, always download mods from the original sites or verified mirror sites. The latest version of Ascension can be found HERE.

Well, there's very little change between the Ascension v1.4 and v1.4.23, as it's just the .tra files, and the codes revolving around that.

Edited by Jarno Mikkola, 22 November 2011 - 10:43 PM.

[GeN1e]

Don't know if Ascension can be installed separately from core BP, though. I suppose you could try and see.

It can be.

Thanks for your patience. Yeah SCS2 looks good, I'm just worried it might not play well with any of the BP components. Does this install order look good?

1. G3's BG2 Fixpack
2. G3's BG2 Tweaks
3. SCS2
4. BP - only the David Gaider components, Ascension etc.

1) BG2Fixpack
2) Ascension BP
3) SCS2
4) BG2Tweaks

[dr_asik]

Thanks for all the help guys. I love my SCSII + Ascension install, I think that's what I'll stick with. By the way, to install both I ended up following this guide which seemed both up-to-date and complete: http://social.biowar...index/8707977/1 (post by The Cow King on that page)

Edited by dr_asik, 28 November 2011 - 01:57 AM.

[Jarno Mikkola]

both up-to-date and complete: http://social.biowar...index/8707977/1 (post by The Cow King on that page)

That's just the mini version of the BWP... just so you know.