Baldur's Gate & Baldur's Gate II Mod Thread

[uaciaut]

NPC mods? Grunker are you trolling me?

 

[Grunker]

No? Ninde is better than most of the BioWare NPCs. Party banter is good for pacing, and with the amount I've played BG2, I know the dialogue of the decent BioWare NPCs too well, and there's no chance in hell I'm taking Aerie or similar NPCs along.

 

[uaciaut]

No? Ninde is better than most of the BioWare NPCs. Party banter is good for pacing, and with the amount I've played BG2, I know the dialogue of the decent BioWare NPCs too well, and there's no chance in hell I'm taking Aerie or similar NPCs along.

K i'll give it a shot, thanks.

 

[Tigranes]

Grunker's list is a pretty good one for what a 'Standard Install' would be these days: all the common sense, no brainer, discreet improvements. Except NPCs.

Maybe because I've played BG2/SCS a dozen+ times, but I don't care about NPCs, all I need are their delightful combat barks. I don't think I've ever taken Aerie.

 

[Zeronet]

I'm sure is covered somewhere in the 30 pages, but do these all work with the EE editions? I bought them on sale because having Baldurs Gate on steam was easier than installing it from my ancient boxed copies.

 

[Grunker]

Tigranes: Well as you can see, I do use Level1NPC to tune them so I don't have to play their boring standard classes. The game demands some pacing, and these NPC mods are the best I've found and haven't gotten bored with yet.

Though I could always follow my 13-year-old self's recommendation and use Saerileth

I'm sure is covered somewhere in the 30 pages, but do these all work with the EE editions? I bought them on sale because having Baldurs Gate on steam was easier than installing it from my ancient boxed copies.

Check their forums, CamDawg made a thread where he posted every single mod that was compatible. It's even got links.

Level1NPC, one of the best mods, is not compatabile.

 

[Clockwork Knight]

No? Ninde is better than most of the BioWare NPCs.

According to that other thread, that's exactly what you said about Saerileth years ago.

 

[Grunker]

Dude I just made that joke

 

[Clockwork Knight]

I...was that there before? Maybe I should just concentrate on work, then.

 

[Tigranes]

I'm sure is covered somewhere in the 30 pages, but do these all work with the EE editions? I bought them on sale because having Baldurs Gate on steam was easier than installing it from my ancient boxed copies.

If you paid double the price just so you don't have to do the work of putting in a CD (or, uh, buying the originals on GOG), wouldn't installing mods be too much work for you?

Grunker L1NPC is awesome, yes. I actually don't like the idea of changing NPCs' classes too much, though, probably only because I'm so used to them now.

One of these days I should do a 4-monk party.

 

[uaciaut]

Grunker so starting off from your install order i adjusted it to the shit i wanted to install as goes: (feel free to correct any errors, you or anyone else)

1. BGW fixpack
2. G3 fixpack (incompatible with oversight - "alignment corrections" component)
3. 1pp 4.1
4. Ascension
5. Unfinished Business
6. Quest pack
7. Wheels of prophecies
8. Ninde
9. Tower of deception
10. Back to Brynnlaw
11. Assassinations
12. The sellswords
13. item upgrades (and maybe ruad)
14. underrepresented items
15. tactics (new encounters components only)
16. Wizard Slayer Rebalancing (install without HLA, install refinments, install wizard slayer hla after)
17. Rogue Rebalancing (install without thief/bard hla, install refinments, install thief/bard hla after, see http://www.shsforums.net/topic/55941-bard-hla-problem/#entry555045)
18. Oversight
19. Refinments
20. SCS
21. G3 tweakpack
22. atweaks
23. level 1 npc's (after atweaks because recommended, after G3 tweakpack because i may screw arround with weapon proficiency rules and if i do it says i should install it after)
24. Almateria's Restoration Project (without component g)
25. Banter pack.

Main differences:
-Read that Unfinished goes better before Quest pack, not sure if relevant, you put it after.
-Read that level 1 npc's should go after atweaks/g3 tweakpack if you change proficiency shit, you did it before, not sure if relevant.
-Random quest mods/content (8. to 15.) should technically be able to go anywhere before scs/tweakpack/atweaks in whatever order, right?

-if Nande turns out to be another Sarileth i will find out where you live gronker

 

[Somberlain]

I'm sure is covered somewhere in the 30 pages, but do these all work with the EE editions? I bought them on sale because having Baldurs Gate on steam was easier than installing it from my ancient boxed copies.

Most of them do work. Fixpack and Widescreen mod aren't needed since BG2EE already has those included and Ascension must be installed from the Big World mod, the regular version from WeiDU doesn't work.

You should check every mod's page to see if it is compatible, but almost all the popular ones are.

 

[Somberlain]

Grunker so starting off from your install order i adjusted it to the shit i wanted to install as goes: (feel free to correct any errors, you or anyone else)

1. BGW fixpack
2. G3 fixpack (incompatible with oversight - "alignment corrections" component)
3. 1pp 4.1
4. Ascension
5. Unfinished Business
6. Quest pack
7. Wheels of prophecies
8. Ninde
9. Tower of deception
10. Back to Brynnlaw
11. Assassinations
12. The sellswords
13. item upgrades (and maybe ruad)
14. underrepresented items
15. tactics (new encounters components only)
16. Wizard Slayer Rebalancing (install without HLA, install refinments, install wizard slayer hla after)
17. Rogue Rebalancing (install without thief/bard hla, install refinments, install thief/bard hla after, see http://www.shsforums.net/topic/55941-bard-hla-problem/#entry555045)
18. Oversight
19. Refinments
20. SCS
21. G3 tweakpack
22. atweaks
23. level 1 npc's (after atweaks because recommended, after G3 tweakpack because i may screw arround with weapon proficiency rules and if i do it says i should install it after)
24. Almateria's Restoration Project (without component g)
25. Banter pack.

Main differences:
-Read that Unfinished goes better before Quest pack, not sure if relevant, you put it after.
-Read that level 1 npc's should go after atweaks/g3 tweakpack if you change proficiency shit, you did it before, not sure if relevant.
-Random quest mods/content (8. to 15.) should technically be able to go anywhere before scs/tweakpack/atweaks in whatever order, right?

-if Nande turns out to be another Sarileth i will find out where you live gronker

Quest/content mods should be installed before tweak mods like SCS and atweaks, yes. I don't see anything wrong with your order, but I'd probably install Almateria's Restoration Project earlier. Or is there a specific reason it's so late in your list?

 

[Grunker]

uaciaut: All tweak mods last, basically. I also recommend Generalized Biffing to kill lagzorz (it goes at the very end of everything else). I think Ascension has to be installed in a specific slot and is incompatible with a ton of shit, but I never use it so I don't know 100%. Rest looks fine.

 

[Grunker]

Where is it recommended to install L1NPC after aTweaks? I never did that and never had no problemz

Grunker L1NPC is awesome, yes. I actually don't like the idea of changing NPCs' classes too much, though, probably only because I'm so used to them now.

Nigga I made Ninde (a noblewoman necromancer) a Cleric/Archer 'cuz I don't give a fuck. There's only the computer and me, and neither of us care :sunglasses: :fuckyeah:

 

[agris]

uaciaut: All tweak mods last, basically. I also recommend Generalized Biffing to kill lagzorz (it goes at the very end of everything else). I think Ascension has to be installed in a specific slot and is incompatible with a ton of shit, but I never use it so I don't know 100%. Rest looks fine.

From what I remember, Ascension should be installed as early as possible, post ToBex and pre-fixpack. Granted, I haven't done a big BGT install since 2011. The reasoning behind installing Ascension before the fixpack is that the fixpack patches anything fucked up, including what ascension touches, so at worst you'll get some vanilla stats for creatures but nothing will break due to Ascension's bugs. Also, this is assuming you're using the vanilla ascension mod and not the BP series one. If you aren't using the BP series AI, you also don't want to use that version of Ascension as it's buggy and installs more AI scripts for other monsters than it should (circa 2011, v180 something).

 

[uaciaut]

Quest/content mods should be installed before tweak mods like SCS and atweaks, yes. I don't see anything wrong with your order, but I'd probably install Almateria's Restoration Project earlier. Or is there a specific reason it's so late in your list?

Because it's late in Gr0nker's list as well, idk, i may put it before tweak mods then.

Where is it recommended to install L1NPC after aTweaks? I never did that and never had no problemz

Forgot where i saw it and can't find it now, but installing l1npc's after the tweak packs should also generate no problems, right?

I'll get Generalized biffing as well then.

From what I remember, Ascension should be installed as early as possible, post ToBex and pre-fixpack. Granted, I haven't done a big BGT install since 2011. The reasoning behind installing Ascension before the fixpack is that the fixpack patches anything fucked up, including what ascension touches, so at worst you'll get some vanilla stats for creatures but nothing will break due to Ascension's bugs. Also, this is assuming you're using the vanilla ascension mod and not the BP series one. If you aren't using the BP series AI, you also don't want to use that version of Ascension as it's buggy and installs more AI scripts for other monsters than it should (circa 2011, v180 something).

Ye i've read somewhere that ascension should be installed before fixpack as well, will look that shit up more. I doubt it's incompatible with other stuff though since it affects a few segments of the ToB story basically and that's it.

 

[Grunker]

Just remember that if you choose the supar c00l ultra-zero lag version of Generalized Biffing (chosen when you install), you can't go fuck about with most of the resources in the BG directory while playing.

 

[Brzęczyszczykiewicz]

Only one of those I've tried is Tower of Deception, which is pretty decent. Just a short dungeon crawl. Don't install the optional fight though, it's stupid and basically impossible

It is pretty hard(as in I'm fairly sure dude is stronger than Demogorgon or Amelyssan and you are facing it before Irenicus) but I've seen worse.

 

[agris]

Just remember that if you choose the supar c00l ultra-zero lag version of Generalized Biffing (chosen when you install), you can't go fuck about with most of the resources in the BG directory while playing.

I would recommend playing a bit first to make sure that everything is smooth. I've found that mod-added items tend to have fucked up restrictions (or other problems) that you'll want to fix with NearInfinity and drop in the override folder. Once you've played it a bit and are content, then run the biffing routing.

Also, and this might interest uaciaut as well as anyone else installing a lot of mods, you can write a general .bat file to automate the installation of every single one of your mods.

For example, this is the start of my old one, circa 2011

Spoiler

@echo off
mode con:cols=80 lines=25000
rem col is char number of columns, lines is buffer
del *.debug
rem deletes old debug info
del WeiDU.log
rem deletes old WeiDU log

Setup-TobEx.exe --language 0 --force-install-list 100 102 103 106 107 108 109 111 114 115 116 117 118 120 121 122 --skip-at-view
rem 101, concentration check on dmg, is bugged as of v20, 105 disable 0 dmg interrupts buggy
SETUP-BG2FIXPACK.exe --language 0 --force-install-list 0 1000 1 3 100 101 102 103 104 106 107 108 110 111 112 113 114 --skip-at-view
rem component 2 removed
Setup-BDToBv168.exe --language 0 --force-install-list 0 2 3 6 7 --skip-at-view
rem setup-1pp_hq_music_II.exe --language 0 --force-install-list 0 --skip-at-view

echo prints to the screen, rem comments out things but is useful for tuning an install / making notes to yourself, and the mode at the top of the screen increases the default dos window width and log size, so you can scroll back up and check something if you think it fucked up during install. language 0 is english, force install list installs the component number you want (get this out of your weidu log from your last install by hand), and skip at view suppresses all the annoying html / txt file popups after installation.

The last bit of weidu-fu I can impart on you guys is how to handle situations when weidu wants you to manually input something, like a yes / no or Level1NPCs being an extreme with skills, proficiencies and abilities needing input. Re-installing L1NPC can be a HUGE pain in ass if you're customizing most of the game's NPCs. Well, you can pipe this info to weidu automatically, letting you completely automate your install. Using code like this:

type _custom-game\l1npc1218-ajantis.txt | setup-level1npcs.exe --language 0 --force-install-list 1218 --skip-at-view
type _custom-game\l1npc1219-alora.txt | setup-level1npcs.exe --language 0 --force-install-list 1219 --skip-at-view

In my BG2 folder where all the mods' setup-XXX.exe, CHITIN.key, and DIALOGUE.tlk are, I have a folder called "_custom-game" containing a series of text files. Each text file contains the contents to be piped (that's the type command in addition to "|") to a waiting weidu prompt that wants input that isn't capable with force install. It takes going through the mod's prompt once to write the file, but it'll look something like

1
y
18
17
n

You get the idea. This works for BGT which wants the BG1 install path, and anything else that wants you to select A - Z but doesn't have a discrete component number.

If anyone is interested, this is the link to my entire .bat file.

 

[NotAGolfer]

Damn, modding the BGs can be a bit tricky as I had to find out the hard way yesterday.
Somehow after installing BGT plus Ascension, some quest and banter mods, SCS light and some tweaks when Imoen joined me outside of Candlekeep she had mage level 24 or something ... well it showed level 24 but 0 XP. Weird stuff.
Didn't know what to do (I suppose it had to do with replacing the BG versions with their BG2 counterparts so I skipped that part on the second try) so today I reinstalled everything, lol... Which took about 4 hours or so including reading instructions more carefully this time.
Tuned down SCS even more after reading that stuff, now the only things that cheese mod adds is better enemy AI and some minor tweaks.
Looking forward to lots of lulz thanks to the romance banter mods.
Dis gonna be gud.

edit:
Say, can you just uninstall mods after you installed them or are the game files often still screwed up afterwards?

 

[Gragt]

Say, can you just uninstall mods after you installed them or are the game files often still screwed up afterwards?

If the mod uses Weidu, you should be able to remove a mod or part of a mod without much trouble. Just start the mod installer again and choose what you want removed and what you want left alone. Modifying installation after you started a game can be tricky though: some links to the dialog file may have been altered by the change so you might see the dialogs and text description being changed to something unrelated when you load your save from the previous state; some mods have a tendency to do while others will cause little to no problem.

 

[mastroego]

I'm sure is covered somewhere in the 30 pages, but do these all work with the EE editions? I bought them on sale because having Baldurs Gate on steam was easier than installing it from my ancient boxed copies.

I know Refinements, for one, hasn't been ported to BGEE, unfortunately.
Then again, I don't need the EE edition.

 

[xrm1]

Also, and this might interest uaciaut as well as anyone else installing a lot of mods, you can write a general .bat file to automate the installation of every single one of your mods.

BigWorldSetup does all that and more. You select what to install in its GUI, configure mod settings, let it check for incompatibilities and dependencies and once you're happy with your config just hit go and come back to a finished modded BGT (or just BG1 or BG2) install.
There's really no reason to manually download and install a gazillion mods or to read through ancient forum threads to figure out install orders.

 

[agris]

Also, and this might interest uaciaut as well as anyone else installing a lot of mods, you can write a general .bat file to automate the installation of every single one of your mods.

BigWorldSetup does all that and more. You select what to install in its GUI, configure mod settings, let it check for incompatibilities and dependencies and once you're happy with your config just hit go and come back to a finished modded BGT (or just BG1 or BG2) install.
There's really no reason to manually download and install a gazillion mods or to read through ancient forum threads to figure out install orders.

The only difference being, you can be sure it's exactly what you want.