Iocuonu

Cheers. I've signed up to MediaFire and will now try to link the debug archive...

http://www.mediafire..._World_Debug.7z

...hopefully that worked!

Does the BWS program have to be run from the BG2-SOA install directory?

I have always done the running outside the game folder. So I suggest that you do the same.

Thanks for the suggestion, but I've finished the installation now and have started a new game - it's all looking good so far, but I have a way to go before being able to go back to Bonehill, so I'll wait until I reach that chapter before confirming the issue I had is resolved (although I'm confident it is!)

BTW, I have the debug 7z from the install, but I'm unsure how I attach it to a post here so you can peruse it. Can you or anyone else provide pointers as to how to attach a file - I did a quick search in the forums for attachments, but only found 3 topics of which none were "help" topics.

There were a few issues in the install, but they were unrelated to the topic of SoBH so I won't post them in this thread. Thanks for all your assistance, however.

Iocuonu, you can take look at this new guide and provide feedback: https://forums.beamd...y-for-windows 

 

 

0. Download Big World Setup zip archive and extract it anywhere but not inside game directory:

Cheers for the link. I was unaware the guide existed and mention of it wasn't apparent from the install - but I'll save it for future reference. Apart from the backup conflict I mentioned above, however, no other issues seem to have arisen from running the install from within the BG2-SoA directory (note: I actually extracted the BWS files into a sub-directory within BG2-SoA, if that makes any difference.)

You can choose your game type on the first screen of BWS. When you start BWS after the first time, it starts from the second screen, so click the Back button at the bottom to go back, then select "BGT customization" from the drop-down, followed by Next button.

Thanks. I've started a BWS install in debug mode and so far have encountered the following warnings/issues:

During the backup process the backup attempted to save the setup master (I ran this from the BG2-SOA install directory) and so the log file reported the backup failed.

Please wait a few minutes.

Autorun.ini was successfully created.
Baldur's Gate 2 manual.pdf was successfully created.
BALDUR.ERR was successfully created.
baldur.exe was successfully created.
baldur.ico was successfully created.
baldur.ini was successfully created.
BALDUR.LOG was successfully created.
BG2-ToBPatchReadMe.txt was successfully created.
bgate2.mpi was successfully created.
BGConfig.exe was successfully created.
bgdxtest.exe was successfully created.
bggltest.exe was successfully created.
BGMain.exe was successfully created.
BigWorldSetup-bigworldsetup-79f127609226 could not be copied.
characters was successfully created.
CharView.exe was successfully created.
CHITIN.KEY was successfully created.
dialog.tlk was successfully created.
Keymap.ini was successfully created.
keymap1.ini.ToBpatch.backup was successfully created.
Language.txt was successfully created.
license.txt was successfully created.
mpsave was successfully created.
music was successfully created.
override was successfully created.
portraits was successfully created.
Power Users.txt was successfully created.
readme.txt was successfully created.
scripts was successfully created.
sounds was successfully created.
temp was successfully created.
tempsave was successfully created.
Update.url was successfully created.
The backup could not be created.
Please have a look at the log-file to resolve the problem.

As you can see, the backup worked, but because it tried to backup an open file (itself) it reported a failure. Does the BWS program have to be run from the BG2-SOA install directory?

Progressing on, I selected the "tactics" level installation so as to provide a reasonable test. I customised that installation with a few additions and removals to the various check boxes and resolved any conflicts and dependencies when choosing to continue. This process worked fine, so I proceeded to the download stage.

I had already downloaded many of the files I required and had them already extracted into the directory I had specified, but the program will only accept the packaged form of each mod - this isn't really a problem, but it might be nice to have this information stated in the initial screen so the user can be prepared. Anyway, most of the other files required for the install were successfully downloaded with these exceptions:

Animus: Sentient Weapon
Kari the Half-Kobold NPC (Beta)
Kiara-Zaiya NPCs
Wikaede One-Day NPC
Refinements
Baldur's Gate 2 Shadows of Amn Item Import
Houyi
Konalan's Tweaks
Lyric Bard

I managed to find working links to the Animus: Sentient Weapon mod and the Konalan's Tweaks mod. The other mods could not be found as all the links I was able to find were dead.

I proceeded onwards by removing those missing mods from the install as suggested, and the extraction phase started. The main part of that completed seamlessly, but I encountered a problem when the "further extractions" phase started because the setup had apparently not downloaded the "BiG World Fixpack". the "Big World Fixpack-Master" was downloaded, but perhaps you missed the "Big World Fixpack" from the list of included files?

Anyway I downloaded the missing file as suggested, and am proceeding with the install. I will let you know if any other issues arise.

The stable master is now very out of date.. Please try the test version of BWS in my signature here.

Thanks for the link, agb1 - I have decided to reinstall from scratch and will try your new setup master.

One question before I progress further, however. Having created a new, clean install of BG and BG2/ToB in a non-Admin protected directory I ran your master from that directory. It started fine, but in the opening screen I noticed it referred to BG:EE exclusively as the basis for future modding. I have the original game(s) on their original discs and have installed those - not BG:EE - so will your setup master still operate successfully with that release of the game installed?

Okay, I could remove my BG and BG2 installs then reinstall them to another directory, but that's as much work as what I propose. Plus, if I used the BWP I wouldn't actually learn anything about each mod's compatibility and requirements - and I want to learn a bit about how each mod improves the overall BG experience. I'm not knocking the BWP, I do appreciate it for what it is.

I said BWS, use the stable master, not BWP, the difference is that you have a Graphical User Interface that will tell you a lot more about the stuff, and it will download the files, extract them and install them on the settings you make up during the setup process. That should sound better than manual setup and install of the whole freaking thing.
 

Okay, I could remove my BG and BG2 installs then reinstall them to another directory, but that's as much work as what I propose. 

If it is too much work to reinstall game to user directory, then I suggest you to skip the using mod/BWP/BWS completely. It require much more work and free time 

Are all the "experts" who post here so aggressive and dismissive in their comments?

Imp, I appreciate now the difference between BiG World Project and BiG World Setup, but being unfamiliar with all the latest developments - mainly because of the lack of cohesion between the various modding sites (not blaming those sites, it's just how it is) and the inadequate documentation for anyone other than "experts" that is (generally) a feature of unofficial mods - I was not previously. Thank you for pointing out the difference, but the way you pointed it out seemed a little condescending "I said BWS, use the stable master, not BWP...". Being polite doesn't cost anyone anything.

Alien, I never said it was "too much work", I said it was almost the same amount of work to reinstall completely as opposed to uninstall back to the point I needed to. Similarly to Imp, you come across as condescending/patronising. Not all who frequent this site may be "experts" but even if they were it would still be better to have some politeness and a quality of consideration in how you post, yes?

I know the modding community isn't a "company" and so lacks a bit of cohesion in that respect, and I don't have unrealistic expectations that modding the official game will be easy and obvious to a "non-expert" like me, but I don't think it's too much to expect a bit of friendliness and politeness in replying to "non-expert" inquiries is it?