Baldur's Gate #BaldurGate: Siege of Dragonspear

[Iznaliu]

People are debating the thread's topic? Madness.

The sign of a real debate is things getting off-topic.

 

[Delterius]

People are debating the thread's topic? Madness.

The sign of a real debate is things getting off-topic.

Actually its about the ethics of online debating.

 

[Serious_Business]

Looks like there are many things to talk about regarding Balders Gate the Siege of Dragonheart

Interesting...
Stimulating...
Yes very good, I enjoy this
Keep going
Do not stop
More
AHHH YEEEEEEAA
Time for the climax you know it baby
Just tossing myself off a cliff
One less mouth to feed
Everything ends well

 

[Nerevar]

It is interesting if SoD was well written in the first place there would be no conversation of "Is this story I made in my head in 10 seconds better than the actual SoD story?" as for the question "Could a random RPG consumer make a better story than SoD?" The answer is yes easily. Because the bar is so low for SoD even a typical fan fiction with loads of fan service would be better than the "product" SoD delivered.

 

[Grunker]

re: the NPC vs. custom made character discussion, dis is why I use Level 1 NPC: http://www.gibberlings3.net/level1npcs/

However unfortunately there's not a version for EET/SoD yet. If you care about such things bump CrevsDaak for it here: http://gibberlings3.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=24940&&page=7

It should be pretty simple for him to update (like a days work) but there ain't much interest in the mod currently, sadly.

 

[Lacrymas]

Don't the EEs have that functionality already built in? I.e. the companions start at level 1 and you can level them up manually when you recruit them?

 

[Riddler]

Don't the EEs have that functionality already built in? I.e. the companions start at level 1 and you can level them up manually when you recruit them?

I believe you get to control some of the levelups but not all.

 

[Morkar Left]

I'm just trying to make the EET with mods work. It seems that indeed there is no level 1 mod for EET. Instead there seems to be a new one made from ground up for eet. But I refused to install it because I'm not sure if it's working properly.

 

[Grunker]

The name of the mod is misleading, Lacrymas. Level One NPC allows you COMPLETE control: you can change class, starting weapon proficiencies, attributes, hell even starting spells. Effectively, Level One NPCs allows you to recreate NPCs from scratch exactly as if you created a completely new character.

You can make Minsc into a Sorcerer with 18 intelligence.

I just use it to tweak attributes, kits and proficiences when I do SCS playthroughs with multiple difficulty mods. So that I can both get NPC content like banters AND have full control over party customization.

So in essence:

EET/"ToB-style NPCs" = NPCs are deleveled to level 1 allowing you to customize the leveling process.

Level 1 NPCs = you have full control over EVERYTHING, except race.

 

[Infinitron]

This is the IE. Wouldn't changing Minsc's class also potentially change his avatar? Or do they keep that fixed.

 

[Grunker]

I'm just trying to make the EET with mods work. It seems that indeed there is no level 1 mod for EET. Instead there seems to be a new one made from ground up for eet. But I refused to install it because I'm not sure if it's working properly.

What's the "new mod" you're talking about?

It should be really easy to mod for EET - there's a complete list of working mods as well as procedure for installing here: http://gibberlings3.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=27741&page=1

 

[Grunker]

This is the IE. Wouldn't changing Minsc's class also potentially change his avatar? Or do they keep that fixed.

I don't believe so - though I've never made such extreme changes, I usually just optimize some things or switch companions to kits I find more interesting to play with.

Level 1 NPCs is a really old, well-coded mod. It works flawlessly and even enables you to change allowed weapons for different classes. So you can dual class an Archer to a Cleric (with the Tweak Pack option) and give him a composite longbow (courtesy of Level One NPCs).

Just remember to use the .cre fixer so you don't get crashes when you change Minsc to a Cleric and the game can't handle the fact that he has a two-handed sword equipped (.cre fixer unequips illegal weapons from creatures that shouldn't be allowed to use them so you don't get assertion errors. Hell, install it anyway, it fixes a ton of issues).

 

[Morkar Left]

Don't know how it's named currently. My BWS install is just running atm. Could be belong to EET but I doubt it. Not sure what it does exactly. But the author mentioned it's a replacement for level 1 npcs.

 

[Grunker]

Don't know how it's named currently. My BWS install is just running atm. Could be belong to EET but I doubt it. Not sure what it does exactly. But the author mentioned it's a replacement for level 1 npcs.

..? That sounds... weird, since L1NPCs is being updated. Could you forward me the name when you got it? If it does give Level1NPC functionality I'd be highly surprised and pleased.

 

[Morkar Left]

I just read it in the BWS list. Will have to wait till installation is finished. Which could take some hours

 

[Grunker]

Been waiting for the L1NPC update for more than six months, I can give it a couple hours

EDIT: Made a post about it on G3 as well

 

[Grunker]

Morkar so a G3 user reminded me you're probably talking about "Non-Player Characters Enhanced" which indeed does claim to be a replacement for Level 1 NPCs but it in no way is that: it has way less functionality:

t's not as complete as L1NPCs, and my techniques are not as sophisticated.

[...]

The way this works is, during installation you can change the *class* of various NPCs. Some only have one alternate class, some have more than one, and some don't have any option to change. This is based on the in-game lore

What he means by "not as sophisticated" is that you get no control over proficiencies and starting spells, no attribute control and only very limited class and kit control. As well, kit changes have to take place in game which causes all sorts of problems.

 

[Morkar Left]

Ah thanks. Then it's settled. I hadn't took it into my installation because I thought it could do more harm than good.

 

[Delterius]

This is the IE. Wouldn't changing Minsc's class also potentially change his avatar? Or do they keep that fixed.

Well, I think the EEs already come with 1PP integration. This means Avatar switching scripts.

If not someone who uses Level1NPCs is likely to have it anyway.

 

[Sacibengala]

The time will come when this thing will be the messiah aborted by the mass of heretics who chose to embrace the ultimate decline that was everything else that is being accepted today as crpg.

What the fuck did you just say? Are you proud of what you just wrote here?

Yes.

 

[Delterius]

The time will come when this thing will be the messiah aborted by the mass of heretics who chose to embrace the ultimate decline that was everything else that is being accepted today as crpg.

What the fuck did you just say? Are you proud of what you just wrote here?

Yes.

If only they could understand your forum name.

 

[Irenaeus]

What was the famous minsc quote?

Are you some kind of cocksucker? What's your angle? I don't like you.

 

[Morkar Left]

Currently I'm testing out the Baldur's Gate Enhanced Edition trilogy mod with a shitload of mods and Dragonspear to see how stable it is.

I have to say that the EEs as such are actually useful now. They made some engine improvements but made the new stuff toggable by now. But it's clear that it is still a new and unexperienced team e.g. their ui design has some improvements but it's still feels looks like on the level of some ui modding instead of some professional work. Often it's some minor polishing that seems to be missing. The finishing touches. E.g. the Dragonspear UI is not bad but way too dark.
And some modders make them look even worse in comparison: That's how a professional overhaul would have looked like.
Still, I'm happy they made the EEs and brought some improvements. There is a lot of stuff under the hood making mods like the ui above possible in the first place. Plus maintaining the engine for further hardware generations is a plus, too.
Not the best results but I prefer it over having nothing new at all.

Curious about Dragonspear. I expect it to be decent and I hope for good encounter design and decent writing except the already known clumsy/dumb stuff. I expect some kind of premium mega mod. Not some "lost part" of BGT that was missing but something that will fit into the game without looking out of place.

 

[Lacrymas]

Morkar, don't have such high expectations is all I can say. About the UI - I hate the very disgusting mobile-like solid block lines across spells in the spellbooks when you click on them. I utterly despise that aesthetic in general and it clashes even worse in the BGs, anachronistic to a cringe-inducing degree.

 

[nimateb]

So I started playing this, I'm in the final chapter playing a solo cleric and I have to say its been fun, not as good as BG2 or IWD but definetly better than PoE.