15 replies to this topic

[T.G.Maestro]

I'll give you a detailed FAQ section as soon as I find the time!
Check this topic often, or ask your questions!

[T.G.Maestro]

*** BG2 ToB Refinements Mod ***


The Refinements Mod is somewhat of an arrogant project. We feel that some components of the game are somehow misplaced, not detailed enough, not balanced enough, not cool enough, or... you get the picture.
So we've tried to fix them, with the aim to provide a new standard of gameplay that fits the original game.
We don't know how many people will agree with this presumption, but still we'll act as if they were many!

This project started with one us (Littiz) offering to WeiDU-code some material the other author (T.G.Maestro) was producing for personal use, new HLAs and tables for various classes as an example.
Sometimes things don't deserve to be wasted.
We have focused on different things, but "kept an eye" on each other, shared ideas, corrected things.
Now we feel this mod is.. uh.. common property of both authors!
Lately the work has been joined by Caedwyr, who helps with proofreading, editing/balancing and with the Revised Elemental Princes component.

It's still an evolving work, you never know how many things you may want to refine, given time !

GENERAL MOD FAQ -- COMPILED BY KHAYMAN
LAST UPDATED ON 21ST MARCH 2004

Q: What exactly IS the BG2: Throne of Bhaal Refinements mod?
A: Just as its title suggests, it`s a mod focusing on refining certain components of the game which seemed to have been misplaced and not detailed, balanced or cool enough.

Q: So what does it do?
A: It has multiple components which add a revised HLA system, improves Balthazar, adds a new kit, revises shapeshifting for druids, modifies Imoen`s thief class into swashbuckler, revises the Elemental Princes, enables lesser mage robes to be used by monks as well, fixes weapon attack animations and fixes the SoA world map.

Q: Who`s working on it?
A: Littiz and T.G. Maestro started the project and they are being helped by Caedwyr (proofreading, new abilities, ideas, suggestions), CamDawg (world map fixes, weapon animation tweaks) and myself (website and FAQ).

Q: Is it going to be WeiDU? What about the components, will they be optional?
A: Aye, it`s fully WeiDU, therefore the components will be optional. It`s recommended to be installed as the last mod and BEFORE you start a new game.

Q: What`s that revised HLA system?
A: They`re entirely re-designed and re-build High Level Ability (HLA) tables for all classes and kits in the game to provide distinctive class specific HLAs. Old abilities were used and new ones were created to give each class and each kit in the game a special flavor and a truly unique role in the BG2 environment.

Q: New kit??
A: Yes, the Sword Angel. Basically a kensai who has an extremely noble soul, but it`s much more than that -- has own abilities and HLA system, more details can be found in the docs.

Q: Why revise shapeshifting?
A: In the original game shapeshifting didn`t get the intended bonuses in the target forms and also the paws were dispellable. The problem, residing in the inner code of the game, was fixed attempting a work-around. Westley Weimer originally provided a really smart and revolutionary solution which unfortunately still has some problems, especially from a roleplaying view: the player has to equip the paws himself. The fix brought by Refinements improves Weimer`s great idea and now the player can use shapeshifting as originally intended: they gain resistances and immunities while shapeshifted, but also cannot initiate dialogue and cast spells.

Q: SwashImoen?
A: The Swashbuckler Imoen component changes Imoen from a regular thief/mage into a swashbuckler mage -- this because it`s a more fitting type of thief for her: more charming, more stylish and most importantly one that doesn`t learn how to backstab, which would be really unfitting given the story of the main characters.

Q: What does the revision of the Elemental Princes consist of?
A: It aims to bring the Elemental Princes (Zaaman-Rul, Chan, Sunnis and Ben-Hadar) closer to their PnP counterparts. Their stats and special abilities have been changed in order to make them "work" as they should.

Q: Lesser mage robes can be used by monks now?
A: Precisely. If you choose to install the component, of course.

Q: How will the weapon attack animations be fixed?
A: This component adjusts the attack animation balances of three weapon classes: spears, staves and short swords. Spears now primarily use thrusting attacks, staves are more consistent as a class and use more swinging attacks, and short swords use a better balance of the three. These changes are made interactively and will affect all items in the game, whether original or added via mod, provided this component is installed after other mods.

Q: What about the SoA worldmap?
A: The component corrects miscellaneous errors found on the SoA worldmap, such as inconsistent travel times and prevented random encounters due to missing fields.

Edited by T.G.Maestro, 30 May 2005 - 05:59 AM.

[Caedwyr]

In the original Planescape source material (what is used for the Extra-Planar summoned creatures), there are 4 good elemental princes and 4 evil elemental princes. The good elemental prince of water is named Ben-Hadar.

[Lord of Darkness]

I know they did not have water elemetntals in the original game so how is this possible?

[Jolinar]

There are some water elementals in Abazigal's lair in ToB.

[T.G.Maestro]

I know they did not have water elemetntals in the original game so how is this possible?

As Jolinar said, there are a few of them in Abazigal's lair. I was thinking on importing the IWD Water Elemental animations too.

[Schatten]

do you intend to enhance the big boys or all creatures? skeleton warrior or whatever needs changes to be closer to the pnp part or needs to be tougher.

[T.G.Maestro]

That is the far future of Refinements Schatten. Yes, if there will be a possibility, I intend to revise as many creatures as possible, since even following the pnp rules, there are many oversights in the game.
Yet it would be wiser to stick with the upcoming components here in the forum. For now .

[Feanor]

How many HLA's can a class have ? 25 maximum ?

[the bigg]

Yes. Actually, I was trying to make the new HLA compatible with Druidic Sorceror (since they share the same class, kit & HLA in-game name), but, alas, you have to lose 4 HLAs between the two.

[Rathwellin the Bard]

Heh, I like the Druidic Sorcerer but in no way would I ever expect it to be compatable with a mod like this one.

[Feanor]

BTW, what happened with the kits listed in december ? I suppose they were dropped ?

[Littiz]

Who knows.
Time doesn't grow on trees, though
(which is unfortunate, since I live among trees )

[T.G.Maestro]

what happened with the kits listed in december ? I suppose they were dropped ?

No, not dropped at all. But don't expect them to be implemented in the near future.

[Feanor]

what happened with the kits listed in december ? I suppose they were dropped ?

No, not dropped at all. But don't expect them to be implemented in the near future.

Well, what intrigues me here is that, if you design those new kits, they would need also some new HLA's. And I've heard you had some problems with portrait icons due to engine limitations...

[T.G.Maestro]

Exactly. While this hasn't been discussed, this problem keeps bothering me too...