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

[hell bovine]

item and spell revisions (I play without it, but I think it adds replay value; also makes druids more viable as offensive spellcasters)

Item revisions turns cool stuff like gauntlets of ogre strength into 3.5 munchkin items that give +1 strength. It nerfs some items (Crom Faeyr) and buffs some items (no idea) to make the game more "balanced". Imagine if Josh Sawyer made a BG2 mod. It might be the mod that irritates me the most.

Spell revisions isn't as bad but I don't like many of the changes. And Druids don't need anything beyond insect plague anyway.

I disagree; it's insects plus the "I'm so pretty that you'll die" spell.

id still like to see that spell in action

Spoiler

Well, you either die or go blind, so it would be literally the last thing you'll ever see. But it isn't sexist: male druids can use it too.

 

[Gregz]

I ended up going with the latest GoG version of BGEE, enjoying it, seems most issues have been ironed out pretty well.

No major difficulties, bugs, or annoyances so far.

Duo party:
Berzerker/Mage DC @ lvl 7? (haven't decided when to DC this yet)
Ranger/Cleric MC

 

[oldmanpaco]

Lvl 7 would not be the best time to DC. Right after you get a proficiency at 6, 9, or 12 would be better. Lvl 6 if you want to get your fighting class back in BG1. I usually go for lvl 9 in BG2. Waited to lvl 12 once but then you spend most of BG2 getting your mage class up to lvl 13 so it wasn't much fun.

Ranger/Clerics are pretty sweet.

 

[Cynicus]

Roqua's meltdown has inspired me, so I'm gearing up for a BG (EasyTutu) run for the first time in ages.

What's the opinion on these optional components of Level 1 NPCs? Worth installing or problematic?

Balanced BG1 NPC attributes
Dudleyfix for BG1 NPCs
Fix BG1 NPC spells and innate abilities.

 

[hell bovine]

Roqua's meltdown has inspired me, so I'm gearing up for a BG (EasyTutu) run for the first time in ages.

What's the opinion on these optional components of Level 1 NPCs? Worth installing or problematic?

Balanced BG1 NPC attributes
Dudleyfix for BG1 NPCs
Fix BG1 NPC spells and innate abilities.

I'd say anything fixing the original NPCs (who have skills and attributes all over the place, as well as wrong hit points, saves etc.) is worth it.

 

[Cynicus]

Thanks for the input, hell bovine. That was my feeling as well, I just wasn't sure if there were any problems between those bits and ET or other mods, or if all three are needed, etc. I think I have it all sorted now.

 

[octavius]

Roqua's meltdown has inspired me, so I'm gearing up for a BG (EasyTutu) run for the first time in ages.

What's the opinion on these optional components of Level 1 NPCs? Worth installing or problematic?

Balanced BG1 NPC attributes
Dudleyfix for BG1 NPCs
Fix BG1 NPC spells and innate abilities.

I'd say anything fixing the original NPCs (who have skills and attributes all over the place, as well as wrong hit points, saves etc.) is worth it.

I think it was Tutu that made every companion with a Fighter type class a dual wielder, which I found rather annoying. I recall fixing the companions manually.

 

[Cynicus]

I think it was Tutu that made every companion with a Fighter type class a dual wielder, which I found rather annoying. I recall fixing the companions manually.

It probably was Tutu. It doesn't seem to do a very good job of translating BG1 proficiencies to BG2 ones. I did a quick test run, and after picking up Montaron and Xzar, I noticed Montaron has shortsword and sword/shield style vs. small swords and missile weapons in vanilla. That's a strange choice if it was intentional IMO.

 

[agris]

I think it was Tutu that made every companion with a Fighter type class a dual wielder, which I found rather annoying. I recall fixing the companions manually.

It probably was Tutu. It doesn't seem to do a very good job of translating BG1 proficiencies to BG2 ones. I did a quick test run, and after picking up Montaron and Xzar, I noticed Montaron has shortsword and sword/shield style vs. small swords and missile weapons in vanilla. That's a strange choice if it was intentional IMO.

Sounds like it could be BG2Tweaks option of "make BG1 character's stats consistent with BG2" convoluted with the other options of how to back-port the BG2 proficiency system to BG1 content. Yes yes, Monatron isn't really in BG2.

 

[moraes]

Wait* for EET and play BG1 + SoD + BG2.

*

Spoiler

At least 1y+ till they finish the code, patch all the bugs and SCS & Ascension compatibility.

 

[Krivol]

Ok, I left BG EE for good I think, and started playing Polish megamod World of BG (adding most of megamods to BG1 and BG2 and adding ID1 and ID2 to the game, also a lot of graphics mods and SCS 1 and 2)

Game is 100% better than BGEE. One thing better in EE? Looting - it was much easier with that small feature with showing all loot on the ground near you. What was worse in EE? Everything else. Also, big mods have mostly better writing than Neera and Dorn "I want to fuck you in the ass" Il Kahn.

 

[OracleX]

Ok, I left BG EE for good I think, and started playing Polish megamod World of BG (adding most of megamods to BG1 and BG2 and adding ID1 and ID2 to the game, also a lot of graphics mods and SCS 1 and 2)

Is there also an English release?

 

[Krivol]

Is there also an English release?

I'm affraid not. You can check polish forum children of bhaal for that but i wasn't even able to find english subforum there. Will link as soon as i could - it's not easy on taptalk.

I think it would be hard to just translate it as it uses PL wersions of huge mods (Ntosc, tdd, soubar etc).

EDIT:
Ok, here are few links:

http://baldur.cob-bg.pl/The_World_of_Baldurs_Gate?pg=2 - list of components, mostly it's so called Big Picture megamod

http://baldur.cob-bg.pl/The_World_of_Baldurs_Gate?pg=3 - how to install, also with WoBG dowload - almost 10 GB to get

http://athkatla.cob-bg.pl/viewforum.php?f=180&sid=52541c68510bcccba89bcc962b6cb7a3 - subforum about modification, you may create thread there

Actually I have no idea if there is any "international" mod merging BG1, BG2, ID1 and ID2 (well, but there are mods like Id in BG2, Icewind Gate etc)

 

[OracleX]

Guess have to wait for IWD-in-EET for a more understandable release then.
For now my modded pack will do. Tnx for the links though

 

[SwiftCrack]

Is there also an English release?

I'm affraid not. You can check polish forum children of bhaal for that but i wasn't even able to find english subforum there. Will link as soon as i could - it's not easy on taptalk.

I think it would be hard to just translate it as it uses PL wersions of huge mods (Ntosc, tdd, soubar etc).

EDIT:
Ok, here are few links:

http://baldur.cob-bg.pl/The_World_of_Baldurs_Gate?pg=2 - list of components, mostly it's so called Big Picture megamod

http://baldur.cob-bg.pl/The_World_of_Baldurs_Gate?pg=3 - how to install, also with WoBG dowload - almost 10 GB to get

http://athkatla.cob-bg.pl/viewforum.php?f=180&sid=52541c68510bcccba89bcc962b6cb7a3 - subforum about modification, you may create thread there

Actually I have no idea if there is any "international" mod merging BG1, BG2, ID1 and ID2 (well, but there are mods like Id in BG2, Icewind Gate etc)

Damn the Polish love themselves some IE games.

Doesn't the game become kind of a disjointed mess like this?

 

[Krivol]

Well, yes and no - it really gives shitload of new loot, often quite powerful, and a lot of quests with not very good quality (and more xp to get) but...

- items are revised and recreated to avoid "items to good even for ToB in BG1", so it's rather ballanced
- default installation reduce xp gain to 10% so 6 person party will get about 7th level in the end after finishing all quests - it's awesome, no more "i don't want to do this quest, cos' i'm rich and have xp limit, so why bother"
- a lot of new content means that you are checking all containers/buildings/locations just to look for something new
- stupid sub-classes from TDD are removed (well, only original classes are awailable IIRC)
- overpowered NPCs from NtotSC/DtotSC are nerfed
- exerything is worth x10 less in shops. What does that mean? Well, if you sell something you will earn almost nothing (really, 600 gold for ring of wizardry!) and new powerfull items costs about 8k - so you will try to get every sellable item and every coin you find. That's the best change ever (and old items are cheaper, but you just don't want to buy them - why should you spend 4k on cloak of neutral archmage, when you can wait and buy a bit better cloak for 7k)
- game is hard, scs + new enemies are hard, and you will get only 10% of xp so you are screwed in the beggining - first few hours of game feel almost like beginning of Gothic!

So, if you can swallow some stupid design ideas (like whole secret of bone hill or will scarlet NPC) you will get much harder game, zounds of tactical fights and new NPC's (so more choices); and instalation is as easy as BGEE .

 

[agris]

Well, yes and no - it really gives shitload of new loot, often quite powerful, and a lot of quests with not very good quality (and more xp to get) but...

- items are revised and recreated to avoid "items to good even for ToB in BG1", so it's rather ballanced
- default installation reduce xp gain to 10% so 6 person party will get about 7th level in the end after finishing all quests - it's awesome, no more "i don't want to do this quest, cos' i'm rich and have xp limit, so why bother"
- a lot of new content means that you are checking all containers/buildings/locations just to look for something new
- stupid sub-classes from TDD are removed (well, only original classes are awailable IIRC)
- overpowered NPCs from NtotSC/DtotSC are nerfed
- exerything is worth x10 less in shops. What does that mean? Well, if you sell something you will earn almost nothing (really, 600 gold for ring of wizardry!) and new powerfull items costs about 8k - so you will try to get every sellable item and every coin you find. That's the best change ever (and old items are cheaper, but you just don't want to buy them - why should you spend 4k on cloak of neutral archmage, when you can wait and buy a bit better cloak for 7k)
- game is hard, scs + new enemies are hard, and you will get only 10% of xp so you are screwed in the beggining - first few hours of game feel almost like beginning of Gothic!

So, if you can swallow some stupid design ideas (like whole secret of bone hill or will scarlet NPC) you will get much harder game, zounds of tactical fights and new NPC's (so more choices); and instalation is as easy as BGEE .

Those are a lot of big-global changes to make to accommodate some truly atrocious content. I think a less-is-more, tactics-based installation that neglected the overpowered items/spells/xp awards to begin with is a better strategy. And do not play the fan-made expansions/conversions, they're total crap.

 

[SwiftCrack]

Well, yes and no - it really gives shitload of new loot, often quite powerful, and a lot of quests with not very good quality (and more xp to get) but...

- items are revised and recreated to avoid "items to good even for ToB in BG1", so it's rather ballanced
- default installation reduce xp gain to 10% so 6 person party will get about 7th level in the end after finishing all quests - it's awesome, no more "i don't want to do this quest, cos' i'm rich and have xp limit, so why bother"
- a lot of new content means that you are checking all containers/buildings/locations just to look for something new
- stupid sub-classes from TDD are removed (well, only original classes are awailable IIRC)
- overpowered NPCs from NtotSC/DtotSC are nerfed
- exerything is worth x10 less in shops. What does that mean? Well, if you sell something you will earn almost nothing (really, 600 gold for ring of wizardry!) and new powerfull items costs about 8k - so you will try to get every sellable item and every coin you find. That's the best change ever (and old items are cheaper, but you just don't want to buy them - why should you spend 4k on cloak of neutral archmage, when you can wait and buy a bit better cloak for 7k)
- game is hard, scs + new enemies are hard, and you will get only 10% of xp so you are screwed in the beggining - first few hours of game feel almost like beginning of Gothic!

So, if you can swallow some stupid design ideas (like whole secret of bone hill or will scarlet NPC) you will get much harder game, zounds of tactical fights and new NPC's (so more choices); and instalation is as easy as BGEE .

Nice post, thanks

 

[Krivol]

Well, yes and no - it really gives shitload of new loot, often quite powerful, and a lot of quests with not very good quality (and more xp to get) but...

- items are revised and recreated to avoid "items to good even for ToB in BG1", so it's rather ballanced
- default installation reduce xp gain to 10% so 6 person party will get about 7th level in the end after finishing all quests - it's awesome, no more "i don't want to do this quest, cos' i'm rich and have xp limit, so why bother"
- a lot of new content means that you are checking all containers/buildings/locations just to look for something new
- stupid sub-classes from TDD are removed (well, only original classes are awailable IIRC)
- overpowered NPCs from NtotSC/DtotSC are nerfed
- exerything is worth x10 less in shops. What does that mean? Well, if you sell something you will earn almost nothing (really, 600 gold for ring of wizardry!) and new powerfull items costs about 8k - so you will try to get every sellable item and every coin you find. That's the best change ever (and old items are cheaper, but you just don't want to buy them - why should you spend 4k on cloak of neutral archmage, when you can wait and buy a bit better cloak for 7k)
- game is hard, scs + new enemies are hard, and you will get only 10% of xp so you are screwed in the beggining - first few hours of game feel almost like beginning of Gothic!

So, if you can swallow some stupid design ideas (like whole secret of bone hill or will scarlet NPC) you will get much harder game, zounds of tactical fights and new NPC's (so more choices); and instalation is as easy as BGEE .

Those are a lot of big-global changes to make to accommodate some truly atrocious content. I think a less-is-more, tactics-based installation that neglected the overpowered items/spells/xp awards to begin with is a better strategy. And do not play the fan-made expansions/conversions, they're total crap.

True and I couldn't agree more - that's why it's my first attempt to megamoded BGT ; years ago I bounced back because everything was so overpowered and there was such extremly stupid writing (still on par with beamdog's, really), but now... I know this game a bit too much to still enjoy it unmoded. Also I was just dreaming about game so long and giving me vibe of wandering through forgotten realms. Probably I would kill for a good (or even medicore or baddish) mod taking place in Cormyr or Dales.

 

[Severian Silk]

Why are we talking about BG in this thread? Infinitron

 

[eXalted]

Soo... where can one buy Baldur's Gate II (non-enchanted) from? It's no longer on GOG and as far as I see it's better than the new version.

 

[Aeschylus]

Soo... where can one buy Baldur's Gate II (non-enchanted) from? It's no longer on GOG and as far as I see it's better than the new version.

The Enhanced Edition on gog includes the original version.

 

[oldmanpaco]

Soo... where can one buy Baldur's Gate II (non-enchanted) from? It's no longer on GOG and as far as I see it's better than the new version.

The Enhanced Edition on gog includes the original version.

I like BG2 a lot but would not pay $20 ($40 for both) for a 15-17 year old game. Investing in an eye patch and parrot companion seems a better path if beamdog/bio want to screw people over like that.

 

[Krivol]

Soo... where can one buy Baldur's Gate II (non-enchanted) from? It's no longer on GOG and as far as I see it's better than the new version.

The Enhanced Edition on gog includes the original version.

I like BG2 a lot but would not pay $20 ($40 for both) for a 15-17 year old game. Investing in an eye patch and parrot companion seems a better path if beamdog/bio want to screw people over like that.

True, but sometimes they are selling it much cheaper (I bought mine EE editions when they started selling Dragonspear and cut EE 50% IIRC).

 

[Jack]

Soo... where can one buy Baldur's Gate II (non-enchanted) from?

Unless you are going the scurvy route then getting a physical copy is probably the cheapest option.