144 replies to this topic

[Sergio]

Questpack component - Nezariel the lich --> not worth it, sadly. Could be a must have with a little more work, sadly. 
 

I've played the mod component Nezariel the Lich from the Questpack (by Simding0) and I doubt very much I will be installing it again.

In this mod, you face a lich that is hiding... Why? Maybe you want to play the mod and I will hide everything behind a spoiler.

Spoiler

He fears to be captured by the drows. But he is also sick to be in the underdark and your arrival proves he may have a chance to reach the surface. To see if you are his path to freedom, he tests your mettle. And as soon as you defeat him, you get his phylactery in your inventory.

The dialogue with the lich is well done. His reasoning for hiding is well done. Even his melancholy is evident from his words. 

So why I won’t be installing it for my next playthroughs? Because the mod lacks choices. You got only one path to do stuff (it seems). Even having a cleric in the party seems to make no difference

 

Spoiler

The path the mod has for you is the following: you bring him to surface and you free him. But...

1) There should be an evil path where you bring him to the drows and get an award for doing that.

2) I think that it would also be cool to actually give him to the demon lord after having offered him the eggs.

3) I doubt very much a good <charname> would offer him the freedom he is asking for. Why would I free a lich in the surface? That’s a reciper for disaster.

4) Why can’t I just crush his phylactery?

 

Revised hell trials --> worth it. Must for my game.  Try it and see if you enjoy it.

 

So the good of this mod:

- This mod makes it possible to roleplay.

> the possibility to become chaotic good if you always took the good path

> some leniency for ranger classes.

 

The bad:  the reward you get in a specific challenge is really underwhelming.

 

Spoiler

GREED (Blackrazor):

Following the good path first you can tell the genie that you don't want to kill him, but simply can't give him the sword either. He will leave you the sword for as long as you need to beat Irenicus and gives you the tear, but places a geas upon you to ensure the return of the blade. Later, during the ToB section, he will reappear, demanding the sword. Refusing this simply results in death. Reward: +2 THAC0

 

 

I think the reward here should be changed. +2 Thac0 is really irrelevant going into ToB. A hp bonus of 25-50 points would be enough (maybe not...) to make it worth it. 

In the grand scheme of things both rewards matter little, especially compared to +2 for saving throws.

 

Note: review edited the first time on 03/10/2019: In hindsight, the flaw I've talked before is not a huge flaw, considering that sometimes even Bioware "bonus" for Good and Evil choices do not match in power. 

 

 

Note 2: second edit on 20/11/2019. 
I've thought about this component for a really long bit and I'm afraid I'm not going to install it anymore. The truth is that I think it definitely steps away from vanilla content. Why do I say that? I'll give you an example: I can't see my charname actually going neutral path. It would either full go good, or go full evil.
And the truth is that not even my evil charnames would go evil paths on the tears because it would mean to them that they are slaves of their own essence. After meeting Bhaal in the dream, where he says you that you are the fuel of his return, do you think a witty evil charname would enjoy being manipulated by the essence to do its bidding? I very much doubt so.

And the fact that Charname doesn't actually embrace the evil choices doesn't mean he turned good.

For classical Bg users, the mod seems also to arbitrarily touch the Wrath bonus: http://forums.pocket...ic,24548.0.html but I didn't test it myself so I can be wrong. If the change is true, it would just mean another blow to evil <charnames>.
 

Edited by Sergio, 20 November 2019 - 12:46 AM.

[Sergio]

Tower of Deception [BG2] --->  I do not recommend it

At first impact, the mod seems ok.

You are tasked to get a book from a tower; you accept the mission and you see <charname> in a cutscene embarking to reach the tower (well done). You also get a 3d video that shows the appearance of the tower, including skulls on spikes, without nothing that makes you think “well, that’s mod added” (like signatures, etc). In fact, even the video is well done.

Sadly, the good things end here.

The mod is an excuse to go through a pointless dungeon getting a book, but lacks details and refinerement.

1) There are graphical glitches (lines) – sadly even in the cutscene where you embark.

2) Everything that moves has to be killed apart from a cleric and a driad. And also prisoners...

3) You find prisoners inside the tower,  but it seems that even when you finish the quest no one cares about them. In fact, you will seal off the entrance in the end. Who cares about prisoners, you are the spawn of murder after all.

4) Betraying the mage that asked you to get the book will make you retain the book, but sadly the book is useless.

5) Mod seems to be incomplete, as shown by the original author idea: [URL="https://sorcerers.ne...e-5#post-735193"]Tower of Deception for BG2[/URL]

I will copy paste, though: Ok, guys, about the book. It was left unfinished for the future purpose, as I wanted to use it in the second part of TOD, which would include one new city area (borrowed from random Athkatla area arts). I still working on that in my free time together with Razfallow. But I do not have free time very often, so you´ll have to wait. Second TOD part will be the last and you will finally have an option to unseal the book. But who knows, maybe it won´t be so easy as it will look like for the first time...
Glad you all liked it and thanks for that... Just be patient and wait for its final part.

6) So in the end the tower gets sealed to prevent the ancient evil that resides there to flee. Which ancient evil? 

Added some images as bonus, this time:

https://ibb.co/yBwm3jT

https://ibb.co/TRnsFvZ

https://ibb.co/mh2mDKv

https://ibb.co/bN8KtBf

Don't get too accustomed to images

Edited by Sergio, 11 July 2019 - 09:27 AM.

[Sergio]

Test your Mettle [bg2] --> Not for me. Try it and see if it suits you, though!

With this mod I've got a strange relationship. You see, I've finished Planescape Torment a lot of times, but no matter how much I tried, I seem to remember I was able to reach the end of the mordron maze only one time.

So, you got it, 

> I do not like mazes and even this time I couldn't reach the end of it even if I spent a lot of time trying to.
> The fact that you farm stuff for items, even if it makes sense in the game context, does not appeal me.
> if you don't like Area-reusing, know that the mod uses the mordron maze from Planescape Torment.

Your choice, really.

 

Edited by Sergio, 13 July 2019 - 10:04 AM.

[Shuv-Oohl]

w.r.t. Tower of Deception, 6):

Did You fight the final battle with Ustraint?

Edited by Shuv-Oohl, 11 July 2019 - 11:40 AM.

[Sergio]

w.r.t. Tower of Deception, 6):

Did You fight the final battle with Ustraint?

Nope. After getting the book and reading its description (that was claiming you were not strong enough to open the wards of the book itself) I:

> brought the book to Ribald;

> brought the book to the girl that sells scrolls;

> actually levelled with a <charname> mage to level 40, hoping that the book could be unlocked.

Given that I had no result, I first asked Roxanne about it:

http://baldursextend...7/#Comment_4587

Then started scouting the files of TOD and read va#USTRN.tra. You’re supposed to meet the tower owner and the dialogues with him will escalate in a fight, it seems no matter what you choose:

 

Spoiler

@46   = ~This is entirely irritating. Not only are you clearly dull in every possible sense, but you are also gifted with an irretentive memory. But it cannot be helped. I shall trace my possessions after my present engagement is concluded.~ --> he is referring to his spellbook, after charname told him he forgot where he put his spellbook

@47   = ~You have wronged me, so I am going to take my spellbook, and everything else of value, from your corpse. I think this will be only fair.~

@48   = ~You have wronged me, and to add insult to injury, you have lost something I used to treasure. In return, I am going to destroy you, and to take everything of value from your corpse. I think this will be only fair.~

So, were you looking for something in particular? To be honest I didn't care about the same nth fight.


Edit: I finally faced ustraint. So... all of the above applies anyway. For anyone wondering how to face him, just rest outside with the sword in your possession (The one you took from the dungeon). 

Edited by Sergio, 12 July 2019 - 01:00 AM.

[Sergio]

Reunion ---> try it and see if you enjoy it.

The story start right after Amkethran (TOB), where Nalia asks for your help because her fortress is under attack. The mod adds a new layer of characterization for <charname>  story, the chance talk with Alianna, your old mother, and an adversary that has something in common with <charname> .
There is not much else to say, more than the mod left me “neutral”.  I think it can be installed to spice a bit ToB, but I doubt it will be a must in my playthroughs. 

A note: the mod requires Nalia to be played. 

 

Edited by Sergio, 13 July 2019 - 10:02 AM.

[Sergio]

Fade – npc mod [bg2] -->  try it. Doubt I'll be reinstalling it again

I’ve played and finished Fade. I’m not totally sure I was left satisfied totally by the mod. The issue I’ve found is that Fade has potential, but it is hindered by a lack of “ambition” on the way things are done first, and second a lack of expansion on threads that are faced while you discuss with her.

Good things:

> The introduction of Fade to the party is well done. When you meet her, you don’t think “hey, this is mod added”. So, definitely a plus.

> The first quest you do for her is well done too.

> You romance her (taste is definitely subjective) until the end.


So... why am I not totally satisfied by her? This has spoiler, so read at your own risk:

Spoiler

> The mod has three personal quests for Fade, but I cared only about the first. In the first quest you are tasked to meet Aran Linvail’s mother and the encounter with her is well done and funny.I would also add witty.
But the second and third quest did not satisfy me at all:

- in the second quest, Fade is kidnapped and you have to get her back. Now, you go to the compound in the temple district (the one where you get Celestial Fury) and in a room in the second floor you find her. Not before having dealt with a Slaver that you can either kill or buy her from.
Now, this is a good “development”, but it is sandly hindered by a lack of expansion. What I mean is that after having dealt with these slavers, you do not hear from slavers anymore. But they were surely hired by someone, you know? You see, Fade was first a slave for “someone”, and this “someone” seems to be hunting her (hence the kidnapping). But after you kill these hired slavers, you get no real closure. I had hoped ToB would have brought what I was looking for, but it didn’t.

- in the third quest, you discover that the brothers and sisters of Fade are now in Athkatla and you have to take care of them. Fade is a fey’ri (a mix of Tanari blood and sun elves) and she is tasked to deal with them.
Now the first thing I would like to complain with is the letter she will find in the corpse of the first brother you kill – you read that they are currently residing in the “bowels” of the city. The issue is thus: unless you read it on the .net, or have a sudden enlightnement you won’t find them fast.
When I read bowels, I immediately thought about the sewers of the city. But they are not in the sewers under the temple district: they are in Amauntor’s temple (the one where you are supposed to find the rod for Gaal). So you kill them all and you are done. Ok.
Now, I’m not exactly keen into what I’m going to say, but a pedant person could go further and tell: given the background of Fade and what she tells you (e.g @2290 = ~Yes. The Fey'ri see everything as a matter of gain. If you stand in the way of what they want, you are a rival who must therefore be eliminated. Whether you are family or not does not come into it. The only time we stand as one is when the whole house is threatened... and even then, it is a tenuous thing.~) I’m not exactly sure one has to be “satisfied” with what is provided here. I mean, you killed all her brothers, but it doesn’t seem to have any influence on her background, given the family she has. You butchered with her her brothers, some kind of “annoyance” or why not “acknowledgement” should come from her own family, no?

> And what I’ve just said actually relates with another thing. Fade is part Tana’ri but... you only see such influence in one spot (right after you free her from the slavers IF you take the “I kill everyone” scenario) but you don’t hear anymore about it unless you do her vampirism quest.
What I mean is that her blood should actually tempt her as the Bhaalspawn is tempted by her essence. But... I don’t think this “part” is there, sadly. I would like to know how she faced her temptations and didn’t give in...

or why not, but this is fantasy, see a double dialogue paths according to how Charname behaves with her. One <Charname> could say that she has to embrace what she is and revel into it, while another would surely tell her not to be a slave of her own destiny. Sadly, none of these themes are “faced” at all.

> There are also dialogues that are unconsequential. For example, in ToB, she may get pregnant according to how you answer her. The fact is... that <charname> suggests to bring her to a temple, but bringing her to a temple has no effect at all. It was just said to be said, without any ground to the “game’s reality”.

> Also, right after the making of the ring to marry her, she acknowledges it, but doesn't acknowledge it right after you "completed" it with a gem you find in Watcher's keep: http://www.shsforums...hread/?p=607085

So... all in all what does Fade lack for me? A closure to the various things you are thrown into, making the mod itself suffer for what is going on. Also, sometimes, I thought that some dialogues option were not the one I would be answering if I was <charname> (but this is definitely subjective and as such I won’t expand further).

Still I want to thank Mystress Elisia (should be the one that made the Soa part), Kai of Candlekeep (that made the Tob part) and Jastey (for all the help and manteinance on the mod) and Lava (for the ToB part).




 

Edited by Sergio, 27 July 2019 - 07:23 AM.

[jastey]

Thanks for the review on Fade. Don't forget to credit Lava for the ToB part.

[Sergio]

Will O wisp --> played only the stronghold part. Can be confused for original content.

I’ve played the Stronghold part of Will’o’wisp (didn’t let the npc in the area join me, for now).

I will say that the place of the stronghold is really well done (even if it a Sod-edited-area). Having played SoD only once 1-(2?) years ago I couldn’t remember such an area so for me it was totally new.
This mod can be confused for a stronghold bundled within the game (I guess this is the best achievement one can have, no?).

Said this, I would have loved a path for the last quest, an evil path, available.

 

Edited by Sergio, 17 July 2019 - 05:54 AM.

[Sergio]

Check the bodies --> Won't reinstall again


Played for a little, but didn't like what I saw

Basically, there is:
> the academy of Kuldin (I don't care for the same go in - fight everyone - get your loot)
> the addition of a ranch where you are supposed to meet a master vampire , that is added from the beginning when you start a new game, making the player lose time scouting it, but you are to "enjoy" the "new" content only after beating Bodhi
> scouting around I saw it adds a venereal disease that it seems you can't remove (was it removed in the latest version?). See: https://baldursgate....weaks_and_Fixes


It also has a neat idea:

> the addition of a dragon fight where, if you best him, you can actually summon him to help you .... I remember that his loot was also weird.


Didn't play further, because I was annoyed. It would be preferable if it was splitted in components one could choose to install or not. 

Edited by Sergio, 19 July 2019 - 10:27 AM.

[Sergio]

Adalon’s blood [BG2] -> go for it

I’ve played Adalon’s blood and I liked it. I liked the mod, but I’m not totally keen for the way it is executed.

When you ask adalon for blood, you are tasked to face the

Spoiler

aboleth
When meeting him, you are going to face first two different encounters (where two groups of people teleport in the middle of the platform just to face you) and after you beat the second encounter the “target” will reveal your identity to the whole city and die.

To me the ambushes felt “cliche”.

When you meet the aboleth the first time, it seems like he can read easily your surface thoughts. And you just came there from Adalon after having killed the matron mother. And honestly I doubt very much that you pass through the platform again and he doesn’t read what you’ve just done, when you are escaping the city. So...

> he could try to play on your piety;
> he could tell you not to touch him because if you did, he will reveal that you are actually a surfacer conspiring with Adalon
> he could try to (roleplay) tell you that if you are going to kill him, he will let everyone know in the city who you are and what you have done, no matter the cost, with consequences that could be felt later (imagine a whole Drow city knowing about who you are and what you have done – that is bound to have consequences, at least for someone roleplaying).
> He could even tell you that he wishes to exchange his life with knowledge (for example, a memory of someone he read that could provide you with some insight – be it of your nature, of Bhaal, or anything else) 
> promise some sort of reward ... cliche as well

I’ve got other two ideas, that warrants their own “section”:

> Another thing that could be done is the following: as soon as you get Adalon’s mission, after leaving the cave you meet a powerful elemental where the aboleth would try the possibilities above; killing it more than once will drain and kill the aboleth.

> Or why not... making <charname> face a party of 6 illusions, as with Firkraag? As soon as you get out you meet a party made of a demon, mind flayer, etc wanting to talk with you. They are here to stop you from reaching the city ... and charname could actually fall for these.

 

You got it.

Thanks for the mod, I will install it again 

Edited by Sergio, 25 July 2019 - 05:56 AM.

[Sergio]

Hidden adventures

First component: Anomen’s extended plot -> I won’t install it anymore

You are informed that someone knows more about Moira’s murder. You meet this someone (named Rebecca) and discover she was a witness of Moira’s killing. You are revealed two grunts killed Moira and Rebecca (the witness) tells you their names (pretty convenient, honestly).
You go to the magistrate and he tells you to go the captain garrison in the docks. After talking with him you are

- first, tasked first to get two soldiers that are getting drunk,
- second, tasked to kill the two grunts that murdered your sister. (!)
- third, go inside the house of Saerk to help Anomen saving his father that is trying to kill Saerk alone

Then after killing them you are alerted that Anomen’s father is going to do himself the justice he lounges for.

I found the quest to be ok, but I didn’t like at all that I was tasked to kill two bandits instead of resorting to the city guards. The issue is strengthened by the fact that my anomen was legal good. https://ibb.co/fM9wcv9 -> is this a legal approach?

To me the issue should be solved in another way: you are told that they work with the shadow thieves. What about asking Aran to actually make the bandits deliver themselves to the law? I doubt very much Aran would refuse, especially after everything you’ve done (killing Bodhi a second time) and Aran could be pretty convincing, I’m sure.
You know, getting stabbed in the back or giving themselves to the authority. Aran could also give you the letter. That’s the thing I would do differently...

Spoiler

I know the letter you find in the bodies of the grunts tell you they are conspiring with Renal, but:

1) I find it unlikely that Renal would talk with these two people given that they are trash;
2) He seems to be a fool by signing the letter you find in their body, with the proofs you were looking for;
2.1) the fact that he signed the letter opens also a can of worms when it comes to the fact that you bring the letter to the authority. So... no consequences for Renal?

Found also some text errors:
 

https://ibb.co/0cyCBdC -> entertain

 https://ibb.co/GkkbCbw -> T should not be capitalized

https://ibb.co/6y8YPzh -> G should not be capitalized

https://ibb.co/M1YswYL -> jstutice should be justice

https://ibb.co/RQ5Kfbc -> asmit should be admit

https://ibb.co/gRPjk5j -> gold coins 



Second component: Temple of Mask in docks district -> won't install it anymore. I take that it makes sense, but there are so many temples already.

Third component: A tunnel for Saradush. --> won't install it anymore. 
@Jastey, where are you supposed to get informations of the barrier?
I didn't enjoy this component. This is totally subjective:
- saving these people is pointless
- having saved these people is not acknowledged by the oasis encounter

- the oasis encounter itself is diminished by the fact that you saved these people. Instead, before, you could have been the culprit of what happened in Saradush.

 

Forth component: Elven holy water -> won't install it anymore. You can't use it for anything but the objectives you are given. But when you are given these objectives, you get enough holy water to do these objectives. 


Fifth component --> A bard for the Bard Stronghold

So.. I've played this component but it didn't live up to my expectations.
First of all, you are not asked by anyone to bring a bard to the seven dales, and as such, unless you click on every npc, this is a piece of content you have to randomly stumble into.
Second: it is just 2 lines of dialogues (truly, including yours) with no pay off; unless you consider 100 xp a pay off. 

That's the tra content 

Spoiler

@0    = ~The theatre under the Five Flagons Inn urgently needs a bard. Apply for a fulfilling experience.~

@1    = ~Indeed, a unique chance, my friend. May Tymora forever smile down on you. Time to take my fate into my own hands!~

I don't care about the other components.


Edit: I won't install this mod anymore.

Edited by Sergio, 29 July 2019 - 11:02 AM.

[Sergio]

Afaaq the Djinni companion [BG2] --> won’t install it again. I’ll wait for Argent77 to come back to reconsider.
 

I've played Afaaq the Djinni companion and I won't be reinstalling it again. I've had a few plethora of different issues:

 

1) You are tasked to trap the djinni in Trademeet via the use of a magical device. I decided to trick the genie because I wanted their best reward; so I would give them the head of the rakhasa they were looking for, while using the device on the chief himself as soon as he left.

Unluckily, it seems that the mod doesn't acknowledge this path, and you are treated as you "betrayed" your word with the Rakhasa - they tell you captured the wrong genie.

 

2) At a certain point you are ambushed by some Rakhasa. Afaaq gets kidnapped and you find in one of their bodies a gem. To be honest I checked the gem, but I didn't think about moving it in my inventory, because the spot was ok. The lack of a "use" button in the gem made me unable to complete the second quest (that has a timer). Unless you complete the second quest fast, you lose Afaaq for good.

 

3) Or at least you’re supposed to lose him. It seems that the path where you lose Afaaq was not tested, or at least something weird happened in my game. That’s because when I entered Adalon’s lair, Afaaq joined me once again.

Not only that, but he was always there to disturb me in some way, last but not least, fighting me because I didn’t free him when talking to the tears of Bhaal genie:

https://imgur.com/a/5yvt1ME

 

4) got also an unmoveable belt inside my inventory. It has no description.
Checked, and it comes from Afaaq:

[WeiDU.exe] WeiDU version 24600

 

Mods affecting A7QMENU.ITM:

00000: /* created or unbiffed */ ~DJINNICOMPANION/SETUP-DJINNICOMPANION.TP2~ 0 0 // Afaaq, the Djinni CompanionFull Version (includes quests, banters and more)v2.6

 

That's the belt: https://ibb.co/fM2hvM5
 

 

Last note: I reloaded an earlier savegame and actually tried to go in the realm Afaaq is imprisoned to try to save him. I’ll be honest, I tried to finish the “level” but I was annoyed by the fact that 

1) you’re supposed to search around for wardstones to free Afaaq, but I’m not yet sure how you’re supposed to know that as Charname; and where do you put them?

2) [that’s what irritated me the most] you have to go pixel hunting by moving the cursor over stuff to check if you’re supposed to interact with the stuff itself. -> that is fixable, I would move the few containers in the level near the places you’re supposed to interact with. So you make the level intuitive to the players, rather than having to resort to walkthroughs.

 

All in all, I bundled the savegames with the issues, so if Argent77 comes back, he can take a look at them.

I played Afaaq in the first iterations (Actually, I remember to have even asked Argent77 to include evil content) and I was satisfied by it.

 

But the mod changed really a lot and for now and in the current status, I’m not going to play it anymore. 

Savegame here: https://gofile.io/?c=teRnto -> hopefully it won't get deleted.



Walkthrough:

Spoiler

Afaaq the Djinni companion.

[Spoilers] Quest: vengeance.

Afaaq gets kidnapped. You get a gem. Place it in the quick slot and use it. Now you are in a new realm.

Go left and kill the juan ti. One of them drops a key. Use it in the container right next to Yuan-ti.

Now go bottom and try to enter the building. You have to absolutely receive the quest notification of a forcefield blocking the temple, otherwise you can’t go further.

Place the yuan ti wardstone 1 on the left container of them temple.

On the right there is a bulding guarded by yuan ti. Interact with it and get the wardstone.

Some answers: fourscore, root, glacier, battlefield. Now you got yuan-ti wardstone 3 but you can’t still use it.

Now go top left, near the building there is a statue, interact with it. Then go south statue.  Then go east statue. Then go south statue. Then go west statue.

You got the wardstone, now put it in the temple and finish the quest!

 

 

Edited by Sergio, 29 July 2019 - 11:32 AM.

[Sergio]

Isra [BG2] -> ok mod. I would rate it a “must”  with some refinements. Warning: Romance mods are subjective reviews, so I encourage everyone to play them.

I’ve romanced Isra.

I would like to split my opinions between SoA part and ToB part. Note: I didn’t play BG1.

[SoA] I’ve enjoyed the SoA romance very much. It is tastefully executed and the voice of Isra is on point with the portrait she has.

The only “flaw” I’ve found (that’s a personal idea, rather than an objective “opinion”) is that I found myself a bit lost during her family quests. Why? Because as a player I didn’t know what was going on and what was the relationship between Isra and all these people you were meeting.
It seems that you are intended to know who these people are if you are playing BG1; but I didn’t, and as such I was not too fond of these quests.

So I guess the weak part of SoA for me were the personal quests.

Note about the Bodhi abduction

Spoiler

I liked very much the touch of a Fallen Isra being added. It is an unexplored ground that I saw being used only in your mod. The way you get back the paladin status for Isra is creative and on point. Bravo

 

[ToB] ToB is the weak part of Isra. If Soa was a 8, ToB would be a very weak 6.

Why? Because it felt to me like the addition of a ToB part was an afterthought, rather than an exploring of the relationship between Isra and Charname.
One thing I liked about the SoA part very much is that the answers you could give Isra were all good, in the sense that you could characterize your charname according to how you played him.

But I felt no real attachment playing ToB Isra; it was like playing with a now tired romance that is bound to end because it just goes on without any meaningful purpose.

Honestly I would have loved to see more of a “we”, rather than “we will leave each other” or “melissan did good but it wasn’t enough”.

So... how would I have enjoyed it better?

> A chance to explore the relationship with her. After everything that transpired to Suldanesselar, I think even the most loving girl would have talked about what happened in Hell. I’m not referring specifically to Irenicus, but the challenges you have faced here. Did Charname best every challenge? I guess it is assumed, but a comment or rather an exploring of the feelings Isra has for what has transpired (“I’m proud of how you’ve acted ... etc) would have been cool.

> Isra falls for the “melissan” charade and to be honest I didn’t enjoy it. I’ve been playing with Wheels of prophecy for long, and I abhor with all my being the fact that you are railroaded on what Melissan does. No sane character would fall for her.

> Why doesn’t Isra ask what you’re going to do? Well, she does, but it’s more like “it will happen, etc” rather than a “I’ve quit you once, don’t dare to do the same”.

 

> Last, but not least. The magnitude of Yagashura siege camp fight requires (according to me) an exploration. I know it is silly in “normal” ToB (I mean without the ascension improved challenge component) but I guess that even the most loving person would be scared/thoughtful/anxious of what has just transpired. Both for what happened materially (you destroyed many people) and what everything that just happened transpires (You are truly the scion of murder, aren’t you? You are proud of that?) 

Well, these were my ideas. Thanks for reading.

Edit on 17/02/2024: The last two bullet points I made about Isra not acknowledging at all what you are planning to do or going to become is also summed here : https://forums.beamd...Comment_1114041)

Edited by Sergio, 17 February 2024 - 07:43 AM.

[jastey]

Paladinhood lost due to Boddhi abduction was first used in my Ajantis BGII mod. To your question regarding Hidden Adventures / Saradush Tunnel: the quest relevant item will be found in the area with Yaga Shura's temple. One of the minions has it.

[Argent77]

Regarding Afaaq the Djinni companion, it looks like you had some bad luck with the mod. But let me address each issue individually.

 

1) You are tasked to trap the djinni in Trademeet via the use of a magical device. I decided to trick the genie because I wanted their best reward; so I would give them the head of the rakhasa they were looking for, while using the device on the chief himself as soon as he left.
Unluckily, it seems that the mod doesn't acknowledge this path, and you are treated as you "betrayed" your word with the Rakhasa - they tell you captured the wrong genie.

I can't reproduce this issue. In some cases the genies left too quickly for the trap to even trigger. In other cases I was able to trap the genie and he was detected correctly by the rakshasa afterwards. It could be a timing issue in your case, since the effect is applied while the dao genies are scripted to leave the area. This is an engine limitation (or quirk). I don't think there is anything I can do to prevent this (short of setting the game into cutscene mode while the daos are leaving). You can still continue the quest (which you already did) by fighting the rakshasas instead.
 

2) At a certain point you are ambushed by some Rakhasa. Afaaq gets kidnapped and you find in one of their bodies a gem. To be honest I checked the gem, but I didn't think about moving it in my inventory, because the spot was ok. The lack of a "use" button in the gem made me unable to complete the second quest (that has a timer). Unless you complete the second quest fast, you lose Afaaq for good.

I agree that it's not very obvious to put the gem into the quick slot to use it. An explicit "Use" button on the item's description screen is a good idea. The time limit is about three days or so, which should be long enough to complete more pressing tasks before starting this quest.
 

3) Or at least you’re supposed to lose him. It seems that the path where you lose Afaaq was not tested, or at least something weird happened in my game. That’s because when I entered Adalon’s lair, Afaaq joined me once again.
Not only that, but he was always there to disturb me in some way, last but not least, fighting me because I didn’t free him when talking to the tears of Bhaal genie:
https://imgur.com/a/5yvt1ME

I was able to reproduce it (I think). The djinni will rejoin you when you enter the Spellhold maze, even if you left him to his own fate earlier. I'll try to fix it in the next release.
 

4) got also an unmoveable belt inside my inventory. It has no description.
Checked, and it comes from Afaaq:
[ WeiDU.exe ] WeiDU version 24600
 
Mods affecting A7QMENU.ITM:
00000: /* created or unbiffed */ ~DJINNICOMPANION/SETUP-DJINNICOMPANION.TP2~ 0 0 // Afaaq, the Djinni CompanionFull Version (includes quests, banters and more)v2.6
 
That's the belt: https://ibb.co/fM2hvM5

Don't use the Ctrl-Q cheat on Afaaq to force him into the party. Aside from putting unmovable items into your inventory it'll break all kinds of scripts of the djinni. 
 

Last note: I reloaded an earlier savegame and actually tried to go in the realm Afaaq is imprisoned to try to save him. I’ll be honest, I tried to finish the “level” but I was annoyed by the fact that 
1) you’re supposed to search around for wardstones to free Afaaq, but I’m not yet sure how you’re supposed to know that as Charname; and where do you put them?

That's one of the puzzles you have to find out. Just look into each nook and cranny, and click anything clickable, and read the journal entries to get clues what to do. That quest is somewhat inspired by the IWD2-kind of quests, which consist more of puzzles and riddles compared to the BG2 quests.
 

2) [ that’s what irritated me the most ] you have to go pixel hunting by moving the cursor over stuff to check if you’re supposed to interact with the stuff itself. -> that is fixable, I would move the few containers in the level near the places you’re supposed to interact with. So you make the level intuitive to the players, rather than having to resort to walkthroughs.

Can you elaborate on this? There are only three containers on the whole map and they are pretty obvious (the quest-related container even triggers a journal entry).
 

[Sergio]

Concerning Afaaq: I was going to rectify the review this afternoon, because I reloaded just to play your mod.

And the last quote you've made would have been removed. Why? Every time I entered the new area it was night and I couldn't even see the statues for how dark the place was. And I didn't think I could rest in this plane, given that I wouldn't rest in an unknown plane as charname. That's why I talked about pixel hunting.


Concerning Isra: what I meant was....

Amongst all the mods I've played, the falling for a paladin when kidnapped by Bodhi is a concept that I wouldn't have never thought to see explored in Baldur's gate and for me was a novelty. I never experienced such a scenario before.

rather than “only Isra mod does that”
 

Edited by Sergio, 29 July 2019 - 01:05 AM.

[Argent77]

And the last quote you've made would have been removed. Why? Every time I entered the new area it was night and I couldn't even see the statues for how dark the place was. And I didn't think I could rest in this plane, given that I wouldn't rest in an unknown plane as charname. That's why I talked about pixel hunting.

Yeah, too bad the game doesn't provide torches or light spells.

[subtledoctor]

Do TDD(z)!  I'm about to make an EET install, and even with the newer cleaned-up version, I'm not sure whether I would like even that one.  (I share the sensibility of most of these posts so this thread is very useful.

[Sergio]

Afaaq, the djinni companion (28/07/2019). -> try it. In my case I will not reinstall it again.

As written in the first draft, published 4 days ago, I’m replaying once again Afaaq. I said I would have waited Argent77 to come back before replaying the mod. He came back, so now it was the perfect chance to try it.

Spoiler

First of all, the mod is pretty ambitious, but I think (sadly) that it falls flat for the ambitions it has. There are many things to be said and I don’t even know where to begin:

1) Afaaq didn’t talk with anyone in my party. This issue seems to have been reported by other people too, and it happened in my game too.

2) There is no clear explanation on how Afaaq is supposed to grow respect for you. What I mean is, I understand that you are supposed to play BG and realize by playing how it happens, but there is no real indicator for what respect is used for and really, in the grand scheme of things it won’t even matter.

Afaaq may challenge you, but you will best him no matter what: in fact, to comply with the game mechanics, Afaaq is weak.
This is good for a game, but not for the concept of the story of Afaaq itself. A djinni is not supposed to be so weak and he should (could?) prove to be a pain in the ass if he wanted.
In my game, I was challenged because I didn't free him: but what’s the point of a nerfed Afaaq vs 6 party members?
He should bring you to another plane, let the other 5 people stay in stasis and fight you. Right now he has NO chance.
Or.... he should have an added AI Script where he goes full berserk on the party.

3) So, Afaaq can grow respect for you if you play good. You saved a djinni from Ust Nasta, gave him the soulstone he was looking for containing his own soul, fred him from the enslavement and then he tells you “I’m sorry but I’ve been too long in the material plane, I’ve got to go”... after everything I’ve done for you? Just because I don’t have reputation 20?

4) I didn’t feel any link between me and Afaaq. Actually he felt so entitled in the way he talked and acted, that there is no true link between Afaaq and me (I had written “between Afaaq and the player”, but let’s say this is subjective). He acts in such a prick and needy way... he should thank you for getting him his essence, but he asks you to retain it with you, for a chance that may happen later of freedom. And then he leaves you? 


5) Now the quests:

First quest: no opinion.

Second quest the drows, here, felt to me stereotyped; you get betrayed a lot.
Context: you go into a new area after you are disguised as a drow (the area is behind the duergar shops in the underdark) and when you go there you are brought immediately to the drow chief. He detects Afaaq is with you and gives you a mission to bring him to insignia of the house Arabani in exchange of the soul\essence of the djinni.


When you reach house arabani, you are explained by the matriarch that the house is now weak because the men are now in war. If you tell her the truth, that you were tasked to get the insignia, you can actually betray the first questgiver, but no matter what, you’re betrayed too. To me this was pretty stereotypical, given that:

a) the house is weak and why would they challenge another person that actually helped them to not lose the insignia. And not only that, they have actually solved the problem for good, given that you bring the first questgiver to them and you actually solved the problem in a stylistic way, rather than them having them to trust your word that you’ve solved the issue.
After the matron mother betrays you, she mentions one of the reason is that you killed House Deirex.. and that's actually a reason? House Deirex was strong, you describe yourself as weak; Deirex had a lich in the house, you are X trashy drows.

b) If you bring the insignia to the first questgiver, he betrays you because you would “talk to everyone about the bussiness you have had with him”. To whom would I be supposed to talk, given that I’m a disguised human in drow appearance? And he knows that. But then, who would actually benefit from such an information in the game?
I think the betrayal in that scenario has a weak justification. Why not just say he wants afaaq back just to use him or torture him or do whatever he must.

c) There is a third path, where he doesn’t betray you: after having allied with the matron mother, you speak to the first questgiver to prepare an ambush.  If you help him in the battle that ensues, he won’t betray you...
 

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Last quest happens in Amkethran.

You enter smuggler’s cave and you meet some djinni saying they wish to investigate what’s going on underground. Their fortress defense is being probed by an unknown threat underground, a threat endangering Amkethran too, due to the earthquakes that started to happen.
You discover that the earthquakes and the probing of the djinni’s fortress is the fault of the efreeti and before leaving they want an artifact from the Djinni. You go to the djinni and they tell you they won’t give you the artifact. Wait wait wait.

So you’re telling me that there are efreeti underground probing the defense of a djinni fortress (they are not being particularly intelligent either given the choice of the city, that is going to be pretty messy in a bit due to a “possible” attack of Sendai\Abazigal) and they say they are going to leave the place if they obtain the artifact. And what happens? The djinni tasks you to go get something else: choose between giving them divine essence, the skull of a demilich, the heart of a demon lord, defeat them.

Now the quest itself to me is paradoxical for a number of different reasons:

1) Djinni and Efreet are enemies, but the Djinni are actually tasking you to get an artifact of comparable power of the one the Efreet are currently looking for. But.. if you get an artifact of comparable power for the efreeti, who knows if they are not going to use it against the Djinni themselves. And still the djinni are so kind to actually tell you the alternatives and to choose the option you like the most?

2) I would expect (following point 1) the Efreet to actually offer you alternatives.

3) There is one option that you are not offered to deal with the Efreeti unless you are “evil”. This option is actually the chance to propose the efreeti to trap the djinni. Mentioning this and doing this, the efreet will part peacefully. Why is this option barred to anyone but an “Evil” charname? This option is one of the most logical choices you could give a good charname:

a) Do you think that a good charname, or a zealot paladin, would care about djinni actually invading the plane together with the efreeti for their own stuff instead of basically killing them all? Not that the option is overlooked, but...

> killing the djinni first means that you won't be able to kill the efreeti because they instantly disappear and you cannot exact revenge on anyone. The journal updates by telling you that "the efreeti left because the djinni's fortress is now defenseless" or something of that sort. So you’re telling me that the defense of the djinni fortress was linked to a djinni that I just killed, rather than the fortress itself being protected by some djinni companions they probably left there? A stretch, but I would like to find the logic behind them disappearing instantly.

> You have to actually kill the efreeti first, then the Djinni, to have your sweet punishment inflicted on everyone.

b) There are earthquakes going on hitting Amkethran. I am investigating, but I’m not going to put Amkethran and her inhabitants in danger. I’m a good charname, that doesn’t mean that I have to be the guy that thinks to people from other planes actually bringing their problems to the material plane.
If there was an option to enslave them all or to imprison them, or to actually summon the rakhasa to take everyone involved and put them in a magic box, I would do it.
But only if the Rakhasa were to sacrifice them to their gods because I’m not going to suffer another time these creatures coming to the material plane to solve their own problems.

c) My rakhasa proposal was a taunting statement, but now that I think about it I would accept such an option if it was available. Provided that I could be the one sacrificing to an evil god the essence of these djinni\efreeti. I can sacrifice the slave to Lolth, but I can’t do to the serpent you find in the plane in the second quest?

d) As a good charname I would actually kill everyone.  Eh, and they tell me I’m not the spawn of murder..

e) What I find even more ironic is that you can offer the efreeti your divine essence? I don’t even understand how the option to offer an evil creature your essence is seen as “okay”. This option shouldn’t even appear if you are good.

f) Right now, you can offer your divine essence to an evil character, but you can’t imprison the djinni and tell them politely to fuck off go away. The problem is exactly this one: the djinni are not going to give you the artifact the efreeti are asking for, they task you to find another artifact for the efreeti. Meanwhile there are earthquakes hitting amkethran and you accept the djinni offer?  Doesn't seem logical to me. 

I use every mod by Argent77, but I didn’t enjoy this one.


 

Edited by Sergio, 30 July 2019 - 01:11 AM.