11 replies to this topic

[dreamer2007]

In my next install I would like to do a proper mod selection, and not end up like last time, with the game too buggy to finish. So, in your experience, which mods are simply too buggy from the BWP Standard and should be left out? Or mods that offer too little, for the risk of breaking too much, like the one day npc's?

[Roxanne]

In my next install I would like to do a proper mod selection, and not end up like last time, with the game too buggy to finish. So, in your experience, which mods are simply too buggy from the BWP Standard and should be left out? Or mods that offer too little, for the risk of breaking too much, like the one day npc's?

The answer would be: None (That is what makes them standard), except for the Jondalar fix, which overwrites a dialogue and only works if the strings in your dialogue.tlk match that of the mod (chances are few that they do).

My experience with the game has proven that to be mostly correct, including the one-day NPCs, even though I cannot recommend any of them - they are just ideas or experiments but rarely an addition to the game unless someone would pick them up again and give them more content.

 

The problem for mods to appear buggy lies more in the nearly infinite number of constellations of mods you can assemble. You can create bugs by installing the wrong mods together or just by the order in which you install them. The BWP (and also BWS) helps you to avoid such situations to a large degree >> you should follow the order they propose and look at the problems they point out in your selection (The BWP manual is helpful to get an idea which dependencies exist and whether they are an issue for you or not).

 

I have played uncountable installations and combinations of the game and I found that those standard mods that are adding contents (NPCs, quests, banters...) have no real big isues with bugs - and if they have, BWP tells you.

Things get more difficult when you install a lot of those *rules, tweaks, items and spell* mods, they often mod the same thing twice or null each other if you are not careful. Again BWP is helpful to some degree, but not perfect (the variations are just too much to catch them all, I guess). I would also be cautious to use too many mods adding kits , although Tobex claims to allow this now. Most of the standard mods allow you to select the kits they want to add separately or leave them out

[Lollorian]

The BWPfixpack makes JondalarFix actually patch instead of overwrite

[Roxanne]

The BWPfixpack makes JondalarFix actually patch instead of overwrite

I cannot verify with my current (non-standard) installation because another mod has tweaked Candlekeep in a way that Jondalar is not even there (strategems?, BGTweaks?) and I have also installed SandrahNPC which repairs the dialogue as well.

[dreamer2007]

Okay, thank you for the reply, Roxanne . Its good to know that the Standard mods are safe to use. I got worried mostly because I saw that Nej was in Standard, and it wasn't in the past, so I started thinking about this buggy mods stuff.

[Roxanne]

Okay, thank you for the reply, Roxanne . Its good to know that the Standard mods are safe to use. I got worried mostly because I saw that Nej was in Standard, and it wasn't in the past, so I started thinking about this buggy mods stuff.

NEJ itself is in the standard now?

There always were some NEJ tweaks in the standard that were okay, but not the mod itself. In this case I have to revise my statement since I cannot comment on NEJ. Personally I never included it in any installation nor do I plan to do it. If I understand correctly, it will just take you out of the game, lets you play through the Icewind Dale game and then brings you back. For me, this is in no way related to BGT but more a technical demonstration that another game can run on the Baldur's Gate platform. I played Icewind Dale a long time back on its own and there is no other connection to BGT other than the scene for both games are the Forgotten Realms.

Edited by Roxanne, 04 July 2015 - 03:48 AM.

[Bill Bisco]

NeJ has you complete IWD as well as journey to Harluaa, back to Candlekeep, back to Ulcaster school I think, and Vlad knows where else in the newest version. It adds a bunch of fully fleshed out NPCs along the way. Quite fun honestly. One of the best BG2 and BGT mods out there in my opinion. Despitr whatever potential coding issues in a mega install, I'd say it's an essential install.

[The Imp]

NeJ has you complete IWD ...

NO. NOPE, NO&T IN THIS...
The NEJ mod is based on the IWD's maps yes, a few of its creatures and so forth, but it's not IWD in BG2, it's a story mod with converted maps from another game that was a Total Conversion originally. It takes your from the Irenicus dungeon's portal to Easthaven, it gives you Hrothgar as a joining NPC and it gives you the option to get a few other NPCs, it then follows with a few maps and then teleports you back to the Irenicus dungeon, you can then exit that dungeon, and if you keep Hrothgar, you get to return for more adventures, but you need to keep him in your party for that.
Also the creatures you'll meet are much tougher that your party can take if you play with the SCS rules from the BG2 start. They are clearly no as tough if you play from the BG1 start with no XP restrictions, and all quests done.

Edited by The Imp, 04 July 2015 - 04:19 AM.

[Chevalier]

Having played many hours of NEJ I can clearly say it is much better than IWD!

[dreamer2007]

Having played many hours of NEJ I can clearly say it is much better than IWD!

I always wanted to play it, but since it was included only in the Expert BWP installs in the past, I didn't risk it. So, is it truly safe to use now in Standard?

[Bill Bisco]

I think so dreamer!

[dreamer2007]

I think so dreamer!

Great news! Thanks, Bill Bisco