This is not a debug request thread. It's something of a review of sorts for the BWP Installation process itself. Specifically, I decided to try for everything I could put into the megamod, and the problems (and solutions, so called) I used to get around them. This is for those people out there who also want to get an 'All You Can Get' configuration out of this amazing utility that @Leonardo Watson has given us.
I'll preface this by saying I left out Divine Remix, because the sphere system always seems to cripple the amount of spells that priests have in my games, and one can roleplay spell selections if they really want to. Also, the mod apparently causes a CTD on clicking New Game, so there's that (thanks for the warning Leonardo, last time I tried this I didn't know why that was happening).
So, let's proceed.
Pre-Emptive Steps
First off, after running the 'Prepare Big World Installation' utility, one will still need to go through the game folder to copy some of the actual mod folders (and occasional .tp2) file into the actual game folder. This is especially the case with the -master files from GitHub. The Installpack does account for twice-packed mods, but there are some thrice-packed ones that the Installpack will miss if you don't manualy put them where they need to be. I recommend copy instead of cut just in case though.
EDIT: Leonardo has since commented on this.
There is no need to do so. The BWIP runs a file corrections.bat that arranges the files and folders the right way.
I'll still be doing the manual copy and paste, because the 'list mods not in BG directory' always fails to find them and has me paranoid, even though I can attest that the 'Preview' and install process itself detects a lot of mods that the aforementioned 'List' function misses. But if you're not paranoid like me, sit back and enjoy one fewer annoyance.
Secondly, when choosing Individual.bat option in configurations (option 3), the Installer doesn’t create the BWP Conflicts.txt file, returning errors when trying to create the preview, and making pre-emptive conflict resolution impossible. Fortunately, solving this is easy - just create a BWP Conflicts.txt yourself before running the BiG World Install.bat, or at any point before doing the settings, and this will prevent the problem.
Thirdly - for a few years now, I have, without fail, found it impossible to install component 2 of Vlad's Compilation, Core Baldurdash Fixes by Kevin Dorner, despite this being literally the second thing BWP does after installing TobEX. However, the same component in BDtob175 works fine. If you have this problem as well, and because this guide involves using individual.bat anyway, just remove VC Component 2 from the install order and change to this.
Call %EINSTI% VCv21 "0 1"
Call %EINSTI% BDToBv175 "2"
If you don't want to risk it, the Install.bat will pause when it encounters this failure, so you can start Setup-BDTob175.exe separately and install Component 2 that way (and ONLY component 2) while the BWP Installer is paused.
I also pre-emptively removed the NEJ3V71 Component 2 as well, to remove the Erevain NPC component of Vlad, which conflicts with so many other mods in the BWS, I edited the Individual.bat accordingly and chose the Individual.bat option in configurations (option 3).
Note: I very much appreciate the installer’s ability to resolve mod conflicts even for custom individual.bat files, they were a big help, especially when choosing which armor modification mod to install. I still made some additional changes to force some things, specifically Made in heaven, but that will be discussed later.
I also removed the Cat And Mouse - Bodhi hunts You in Spellhold component from Unfinished Business (UB Component 2) because the megamod enhances difficulty there by removing your equipment already, and the timer on Bodhi's appearances makes the whole thing more of a frustration than challenge in my opinion.
MAKE SURE YOU RUN CONFLICT RESOLUTION when prompted in the Big World Install.bat.
Now, for the actual installation issues.
1. Longer Road
Longer Road fails to install and gives errors on three BCS files. NearInfinity compiler identified errors in the scripts. I was able to edit the problematic lines for all three files and ran the LR setup in parallel while install.bat was paused. Fortunately, the installpack pauses for this type of error message, so I could use NearInfinity to compile and fix the three files, run the Longer Road setup in parallel and install it using its own executable, after which the installpack could proceed as if it had never had a problem.
That said, this wasn’t my first try, so I pre-emptively replaced the problematic files before a totally clean install, and the errors still happened, so it seems to be something caused part-way through by something or other.
For my case specifically, the three problematic files were AR3003.BAF, ar3012_abaia.BAF and ar4500_rielev.BAF.
2. Arcane Archer
Arcane Archer fails, but I failed to record exactly how since it only happened once before I decided to record my experiences like this, some parse error definitely. It was no great loss though, so I just removed it from the folder for my later tries. Apparently, it conflicts with some other stuff anyway, so you're probably better off not bothering with it, there's loads of other kits to be had.
3. Item Revisions and Spell Revisions Conflicting Versions
This one is not exactly a problem with BWP Installer but one of those inevitable oversights with the downloader that will linger even for incarnations of perfection like the BWP Utility has now become, so I’m including it as a cautionary tale for others: the downloader downloads both the normal and Revised versions for both mods. Unfortunately, the revised versions fail completely – don't have the Tobex Redist parts.
The item_rev-v4b10 and SpellRevisions-master versions are fine though. To avoid conflicts at unpacking, just remove the Revised versions from the Big World Downloads folder before running the 'Prepare Installation' utility.
4. Made in Heaven Item Pack
This is not on Leonardo or the BWP Itself, the man explicitly warns that the mod components are numbered inconsistently between versions, so this will need a little bit of work to get right in any case.
The item pack proves that, if anything, the reality is even worse. The mod components are every bit as inconsistently numbered as Leonardo warns in the PDF, and this goes for the item pack despite this ostensibly being the same version 7 he worked with - every component is numbered from 101 onwards now. The mod doesn't seem to bring anything particularly new or ground-breaking that isn't done by other mods in the list, so I didn't much care when Install.bat skipped it, but I checked anyway for the next install, so the codes for the supported components are these:
Call %EINSTI% mih_ip "101 102 109 110 11 112 114 115 117 118 119 120 121 122 123"
Note that you have to choose between either 117 (Turn Holy Sumbols into Amulets) OR 118 (Turn holy Symbols into Belts). Or neither, like me. I also chose not to use components 109 (Turn Fullplate into Field Plate) or 110 (Turn all Dragon Scale Armor into Scale Mail), and I certainly didn't install 114 (the 'easter' egg items in BG1 don't need to be nerfed in my opinion, and I expecially don't want the BG1 Ring of Wizardry affected). Strongly advise to read the MIH Item readme before choosing to use it.
5. Made in Heaven Encounters and Quest
The same as above. The version of the mod that the auto-downloader gets at the time of this post is version 5, which has the components numbered from 101 to 156.
For a viable Big World Setup, we have to exclude Vampire Revisions (Polytweak is better) and the Siege of Dragonspear Components (unless you have Enhanced Edition).
For those with an x64 system that are interested in playing this, below is the list you can add to Individual.bat with all the supported components in the current Github –master version downloaded by the Installpack (version 5).
Call %EINST% mih_eq "101 102 103 104 105 106 107 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156"
6. Cliffette
Cliffette’s History gives a parse warning that paused the installation, but I wasn’t able to figure this one out. That said, I doubtlessly won’t notice the effect in game.
7. Divine Remix
I deliberately left out Divine Remix because it always made priest spell lists anemic at the best of times in my past Big Worlds, even when it didn’t cause game-crashing errors when combined with the rest of the bunch.
8: Garrick doesn't know how to simp, send help!
Brave Sir Garrck component from BG1NPCSOA fails to install, which is just as well, there are a bunch of other mods about him, he’s really popular for some reason. I chose not to mess with files here because .cre modifications tend to harm a lot more than other things.
9. Heroes, Thieves and Moneylenders
HerThiMoney component 3 Shadow-Covered Love and Death gives a parsing parse error on AR4500_3.baf. Compiling with NearInfinity says these lines are faulty.
CreateCreature("ANFATESP",[1986.1040],S) (line 11)
CreateCreature("Aran",[1999.1218],S) (line 23)
I replaced the S with 0 and installed it separately while installer was paused, and it worked. Presumably this will mess with where the NPCs appear when I eventually get at that point in the game, but that's what CTRL+J is for.
10. SpellPackB6
On my first try, the installer froze when it got to SpellPackB6 Insect Plague, got to the part where it said “Copying and Patching 18791 files …” and stayed that way for the rest of time. I checked the size of override and the game folder itself repeatedly over the course of an hour and there were no changes, and the PC didn’t make any of the prior hard-at-work noises anymore either. I assume this was an invisible out of memory issue, or the installer otherwise hiccupped and broke off for whatever reason due to local issues on my computer's end.
It’s possible to get around this by ending the SpellPackB6 process in Task manager WITHOUT stopping the CMD one, but the installpack forgets the parts it DID install successfully and skips to the next mod on the list, which I doubt is healthy since it also doesn’t remove the files from the failed install, and anyway the process is interrupted mid-appending almost 19K files, so I didn’t bother trying to push on.
For my most recent attempt, I removed the tp2 file from the game folder AFTER starting the installation, in the hopes the Big World Install.bat would pause when it couldn’t find it and give the requisite warning about not forgetting to add the tp2 in. I know it does this for Baldurdash (which I discovered purely by accident). But this, sadly, never happened so the installer skipped it completely. Alas. I wanted to run the SpellPackB6 setup exe in parallel for each component individually, quitting after each one.
I assumed it skipped it because of the conflict selection I made at the start, but I could have sworn it was going to include SpellPack at least in bits and pieces, and checking the conflicts txt file appears to confirm this. Oh well, I was more interested in wild mage additions anyway this once, and there’s always next time.
11. D0Tweak Pack
Component 6 Summonning Cap Removal failed because it ran into a patching problem with BELT05.itm for some reason. I temporarily removed the file from override and was able to install it in parallel while the installer was paused, then moved the file back in. Not sure what consequences this will have, but I’m hopeful that the Girdle of Sex Change couldn’t be THAT critical to whatever scripts this involved.
12. Scales of Balance
Scales of Balance component Combined Weapon Categories failed because Racethac.2da couldn’t be found. But apparently SCS has something similar anyway, so it’s probably just an obsolete leftover. I won’t weep after it anyway, Shadowkeeper cures proficiency ills easily, and for weapons there’s always NearInfinity.
13. Sword Coast Stratagems
SCS component Improved Sendai enclave fails because mage16c.cre isn’t in override when it looks for it, even though the associated .bcs and other files definitely are there. I made a copy of mage16b.cre and renamed it, and installed in parallel while installpack was paused. Hopefully this means that a different type of mage will spawn in that fight but nothing actually game-breaking will happen. In any case, the installation worked after that.
14. 1pp
1PP_HQ_MUSIC_BGT High quality music for BGT didn’t install because apparently it couldn’t find the BGT entries in songlist.2da. Never happened to me before, strange. Probably a mod or other replaced the file at some point throughout the installation and those entries didn’t exist in whatever file was dumped in override. Though I did search for all the songlist.2da files in the game folder and checked the biggest, and it was indeed the most recent one and located in Override. Don’t know what happened there. Probably wouldn’t even know if I hadn’t happened to look at the installer during that specific moment when this happened, the Setup didn't consider it pause-worthy, and I probably won’t notice the loss in game.
Final Outcome
Basically an All You Can Get configuration that works. I was able to start the game, make a new character (all the kits showed up and the scroll bar worked) and play around in the prologue with no problems. Subrace mod triggered correctly, prologue speedrun elements triggered, no dialoue glitches or problems.
I chose a cleric and used CLUA to give myself 2 million XP to try out the spellcasting, and they all seemed to work, save for a few missing graphics (that might have been owed to me lacking a party for the effects to play on) and a little spell from a mod that crashed the game (an inevitability that can be solved with nearInfinity if I care enough to, which I don't, I don't recall what spell it was, which pretty much speaks to its necessity in gameplay).
The IWD-style graphics on some of the mod spells worked fine too, so I can probably bear with this configuration even if my plans for a SpellPackB6 install fall through.
General Thoughts
All in all, a shockingly smooth experience, I think BWP v20 is what perfection looks like.
Apropos of nothing, I strongly endorse Scales of Balance armor redesign over the Tweaks Anthology and Item Revision versions.
I was going to attach the Weidu.log, but the automatic cleanup deleted it, alas.
Future Plans
I intend to make a second install with SpellPackB6 included, because one non-essential quest set in NEJ isn't worth not having the better spell graphics the rest of the game. Also, I distinctly recall a past install where I had all the big spell modification mods – Spell Rev, SpellpackB6 and Wild mage Additions and didn’t notice any problems.
For my alternate Big World attempt, I will be meticulous and edit the Individual.bat to call for each SpellPackB6 component individually on different lines, with their respective findstr commands. It will be a bit of a chore, the mod has a LOT of components, but this way even if the mod freezes again half-way through, I’d not lose the progress and Weidu.log for the components successfully installed beforehand.
For the NEJ2 Halruua mage subquests, I’m hoping I can work around it. I’ll export the vanilla spells that need to be used during that section with NearInfinity from my copy of the base game. Theoretically, if I move them to the Override folder once I get there, I should be able to complete the quests and then remove them again, allowing me to enjoy the SpellpackB6 content for the rest of the megamod before and after. I guess I’ll find out if this works when and if I play far enough to access that content.
P.S. Reality is Unrealistic?
My character is now casting certain spells by screaming "HADOUKEN!" at the top of his lungs. Weird, but funny enough even if it'll jar my immersion for the first half hour. Which is funny, because apparently that sound actually IS part of Baldur's Gate 1 vanilla casting sounds? I never knew that. I played Baldur's Gate 2 first, but I DID also play BG1 before I got into modding, and I swear I can't remember hearing Hadouken even once. Or maybe I did, but I don't remember it because I never played Street Fighter and was only exposed to the Ryu memes way after?
The old guard knew their easter eggs, that's for sure.
EDIT
Apparently I wasn't forgetting, OG BG1 has the same casting sounds for Evocation and Conjuration. I assume Hadouken was cut content for BG1 Evocation. I have to say this puts a smile on my face.
EDIT 2
I've since been told Hadouken was a real thing in BG1 (though apparently it was patched out by the time of TotSC). Now my only gripe is that I can't install unique spellcasting incantations for the Player. It would be great if you could use one set and for everyone else to use the BG2 ones, but I'm pretty sure that's impossible. Alas.
Edited by Sebastian, 12 April 2023 - 04:17 AM.
