9 replies to this topic

[billy3]

Hi all,

 

It's been ages since I've been on this board or have played any Baldur's Gate games.  With BG3 actually in the works, I've gotten excited about revisiting the older games.  However, there have been so many changes and new iterations of the original games made available that I'm at a loss at where to start.

 

My understanding is

First, that there are 3 iterations of BG and BG2 now:

- The original releases (CDs)

- The GoG editions

- The new EE (by BeamDog) editions

 

Second, that there are 2 MegaMods that combine BG and BG2:

- The old BGT mod

- Some new EET mod

 

Lastly, that there are now multiple set up tools:

- The good old Big World Setup and Big World Project

- Some tools that I don't know of but seem to exist

 

So my questions for mega modding are:

1) Is my understanding as indicated above correct?

2) Which editions of the games would you recommend using (I'm running Windows 10 and am ok with purchasing the newer editions)?

3) Which "combine BG and BG2" mod would you recommend using?

4) What mod set up tools (i.e. BWP/BWS) are there and which would you recommend as more stable?

5) Are there any compatibility issues between the editions, MegaMods and tools I should be aware of?

 

I also have tangential questions:

- I'm interested in playing the Vecna mode (http://www.shsforums...ic/43975-vecna/) which looks very interesting.  Any idea if it's compatible with the MegaMods above?

- Is there a place where comprehensive list of MegaMod compatible and stable mods is maintained?

 

Thanks!

Edited by billy3, 03 March 2020 - 09:11 AM.

[jastey]

- Some new EET mod

EET is Enhanced Edition Trilogy. It combines the EE games: BG:EE+SoD and BGII:EE.

 

- The good old Big World Setup and Big World Project

- Some tools that I don't know of but seem to exist

The Big World Project is alive an' kicking, but several mods were updated since Leonardo released the 18.2 guide.

-BWS (the automated installer) is out of date and no longer recommendable.

-There is a new automated updater: Project Infinity by ALIEN. It is in beta and you need some input for install order, but it's the way to go if you want an automated installer.

You might also hear about an installer called EE Setup Tool. I cannot recommend this, as this installer is known to download changed mod versions uploaded by the maintainer, wrong versions from the GitHub repos (master instead of releases), and also the maintainer does not communicate with other modders with regard to the correct install order which already lead to bugs.

 

Whether you want to play the EEs is up to your taste. They come with some new features which are nifty and some new bugs which still need to be ironed out, and the new DLC between BG1 and BGII called "Siege of Dragonspeare". Your question concerning which "combine BG and BG2" we would recommend is probably already answered because BGT is for the original engine and EET for the EEs.

 

The questions with regard incompatibilities between mods is one that is never answered fully. All you can do is read the readmes and ask in forums if you have a list of mods that interest you. As a rule of thumb: most up to all mods at GibberlingsThree, SpellholdStudios, and PocketPlane Group that are updated recently and "EE compatible" are stable. There is lists for the EE mods at BeamDog's (List for BG:EE here, slightly outdated list for BGII:EE here), and there is a list for EET. All mods from the EET list can be assumed to be recently updated and maintained.

I don't know the Vecna mod.

[The Imp]

- The good old Big World Setup and Big World Project

- Some tools that I don't know of but seem to exist

The Big World Project is alive an' kicking, bu...

No buts, it's dead. You are too naive.

Yeah, the same makers do stuff still, but the BWP+BWS as a project is dead. PI or no pee. It's more than 90% water, but the urea still stinks.

Turns out everyone in the old BW team is evil, or worse... and the schism split them out to different things.

And nope... even when the EET is called trilogy, it's not actually named from the BG1+SoD+BG2 ... it actually comes from the BGT, which was the trilogy of BG1+SoA+ToB ... so it would be better to call the EET a EEQ, quadrology... but we escaped so long from reason for it to not make a sense anymore that we might as well go with it. Just like we had gone with the original trilogy of Starwars.

[billy3]

Thanks!

 

So going with EET, is SoD required or optional?

 

I'll likely go with Project Infinity and try to fit as many stable seeming mods as I can.

 

 

- Some new EET mod

EET is Enhanced Edition Trilogy. It combines the EE games: BG:EE+SoD and BGII:EE.

 

- The good old Big World Setup and Big World Project

- Some tools that I don't know of but seem to exist

The Big World Project is alive an' kicking, but several mods were updated since Leonardo released the 18.2 guide.

-BWS (the automated installer) is out of date and no longer recommendable.

-There is a new automated updater: Project Infinity by ALIEN. It is in beta and you need some input for install order, but it's the way to go if you want an automated installer.

You might also hear about an installer called EE Setup Tool. I cannot recommend this, as this installer is known to download changed mod versions uploaded by the maintainer, wrong versions from the GitHub repos (master instead of releases), and also the maintainer does not communicate with other modders with regard to the correct install order which already lead to bugs.

 

Whether you want to play the EEs is up to your taste. They come with some new features which are nifty and some new bugs which still need to be ironed out, and the new DLC between BG1 and BGII called "Siege of Dragonspeare". Your question concerning which "combine BG and BG2" we would recommend is probably already answered because BGT is for the original engine and EET for the EEs.

 

The questions with regard incompatibilities between mods is one that is never answered fully. All you can do is read the readmes and ask in forums if you have a list of mods that interest you. As a rule of thumb: most up to all mods at GibberlingsThree, SpellholdStudios, and PocketPlane Group that are updated recently and "EE compatible" are stable. There is lists for the EE mods at BeamDog's (List for BG:EE here, slightly outdated list for BGII:EE here), and there is a list for EET. All mods from the EET list can be assumed to be recently updated and maintained.

I don't know the Vecna mod.

 

[jastey]

SoD is required for EET, as is the latest patched game versions 2.5xx.

[billy3]

Thanks!

 

That kinda ups the cost of buying new media...

 

SoD is required for EET, as is the latest patched game versions 2.5xx.

[Azazello]

.....my questions for mega modding are:

5) Are there any compatibility issues between the editions, MegaMods and tools I should be aware of?

 
I also have tangential questions:

- I'm interested in playing the Vecna mode (http://www.shsforums...ic/43975-vecna/) which looks very interesting.  Any idea if it's compatible with the MegaMods above?

- Is there a place where comprehensive list of MegaMod compatible and stable mods is maintained?

Leonardo still maintains the BiG World Project {side plug, not the tool's main link}, which is essentially the de facto guide for mod compatibility for megainstalls. He's up to version 18.2: http://www.shsforums...pv182-released/

 

BWP's current focus is on non-EE installs, but that may change in the future.

Edited by Azazello, 05 March 2020 - 07:53 PM.

[The Imp]

BWP's current focus is on non-EE installs, but that may change in the future.

Has Leonardo said anything towards to this fact ? Yeah, I am expecting a quote here. Especially as the BGT-weidu and EET are very different animals, especially when considered coding different things. PS, you might want to fix your signature.

[Azazello]

BWP's current focus is on non-EE installs, but that may change in the future.

 

Has Leonardo said anything towards to this fact ? Yeah, I am expecting a quote here.

I'm waiting for the same.

[Niewiem]

From what I remember he said something different - that he will not be doing BG:EE but I cannot find the quote.