78 réponses à ce sujet

[Squidmaster]

I have been having a lot of chronic health issues and have thus gravitated back to some classic games of my past in order to kill time and reduce learning curve.  BG was always one of my absolute favorites.  As a player getting back into it after many years, what are your recommendations for basic needed mods and the like?  What about character choices?  I also have a few specific questions.

I am tinkering with playing a gnome who is either a fighter/illusionist or cleric/illusionist.  Any advice?  I'm also considering ranger/druid with another race.

Are there level caps for demihumans as in the original 2nd edition rules?

Are there any character choices that would work out poorly?  What about good ones?  For instance, if I pick one of the classes above, should I pick particular weapon or spell combos or avoid others?

Is there a manual I can view somewhere?  I am not sure I still have my old one.

I have the expansion to BG1 but not for BG2.  I figure I will buy the $10 complete version of the second game and then install the Baldur's Gate Trilogy mod to get it all working together.  Is that a good idea?  If so, is version 1.11 the newest, and should I download any extras such as the tweak pack?

To conclude, I am looking to play the game in a balanced fashion, so I won't gravitate toward mod suggestions that unbalance the game in an unfair way.

Thanks a bunch!

[FrostyThundertrod]

Claric/mages mage great support charater but you will want a more focused claric.

You can't multi class range/druid but you can ranger/claric and fighter driud. The ranger claric get all the driud spells pluse tha claric spells so it can raise dead. the figher/drid can't raise dead but has better wepon selection and get grand matrys wepon skill if its human.

[Bhryaen]

Many of your questions have actually already been asked in this very forum section and even quite recently, so do scroll down the thread list for answers, particularly to character creation and class choices. Other answers are easy to come by through a simple Google search. Probably experience playing will help you answer many of these questions (and in a more fun way of experimentation and trial and error) and will ultimately refine the questions you ask.

[EDIT: Added mod links... or rather re-added because the first time my browser crashed on me... Note that all the mods I mention are fairly well-established and stable, many very well-tested, and all compatible in the right order.]

Squidmaster wrote...
What are your recommendations for basic needed mods and the like? To conclude, I am looking to play the game in a balanced fashion, so
I won't gravitate toward mod suggestions that unbalance the game in an
unfair way.

The mods you choose should depend on how well you know and play BG. If you're returning to BG after some time and don't really remember the game particularly well, keep your mod choices to a minumum. I'm going to be replaying BG2 after a decade and can't recall much at all, so for BG2 I'm planning on using only a few mods: the cosmetic changes of One Pixel Productions avatar and paperdoll changes, Widescreen, and TutuGUI (which also works for BGT- keeps the look of the console like BG1 rather than BG2), the enemy AI enhancements of Sword Coast Strategems II (so monsters don't stand around stupidly while you kill their cohorts next to them), and specific components in a handful of tweak mods.

On the other hand I've played most of BG1 so many times that I can't really learn anything new other than content related to NPCs, so I'll use more extensive Sword Coast Strategems I components, Item Randomizer or Hard Times (BGT), Rogue Rebalancing, BG1 NPC Project, extra BG1 NPC content like Gavin (which seems fairly well-thought-out) and the Xan (scroll down a bit) and Coran friendship extensions. All of those either make things more challenging, restore specific PnP rules, or enhance the NPC interactions, so no imbalancing of the game. However, I'll also use mods that have a number of different components to choose from, some of which make aspects of the  the game much easier and some which add further challenge. BG2 Tweaks and aTweaks, BGT Tweaks, and the BG2 Fixpack all more or less have both types of optional components while also offering game fixes for common bugs. (Note that there is a bug that ruins your saved games if you travel from Beregost, but that there is a component in Sword Coast Strategems I (mentioned above) that fixes that.) Mods like Ashes of Embers I'll use for opening all weapon proficiencies to all classes because then when my mage's dagger breaks, it isn't magically impossible to pick up the short sword lying nearby in order to keep enemies at bay. (I'm intentionally not mentioning numerous quest mods which I'm not sure yet will entirely
be worth the effort of install, not the least of which reason being
that some add new items which may indeed imbalance the game.)

But you need to make your own decisions about what is balance for you according to your own in-game survival skill level and subjective predisposition. I've only just started to mod recently though, and there are other considerations like mod compatibility and order to keep in mind, particularly the more mods you put in...

Is there a manual I can view somewhere?  I am not sure I still have my old one.

The manual may be an option in .pdf on installing the game, but if not, a simple Google search yielded the first entry on this page.

Modifié par Bhryaen, 17 février 2011 - 11:28 .

[Morbidest]

If you are planing to play semi-vanilla BG1, then I would go with some sort of fighter type as your PC, since you don't  really get a balance between muscle and magic until BG2. However, if you install either BGT or TuTu, then you could use some of the more specialized classes from the start, such as Swashbuckler or a Ranger/Cleric, and play a game fine tuned to what you enjoy. What did you like the most as a PC: tank, backstabber, or magic user?

[Humanoid_Taifun]

XP caps (and therefore level caps) are the same for humans and demi humans (89K BG1, 161K BG1 ToTSC, 2,95M BG2,8M BG2 ToB).

First timers have an easy time starting with a dwarven fighter (berserker if you are using the BG2 engine) because it's such a simple build for a good measure of protection. If you feel like doing some extra work (like learning the spell system in a hurry), other builds are good as well, though. In a well-balanced party (complete with mage, cleric, thief and tank(s)) any PC choice is okay.

One mod that should be recommended to a player of Tutu or BGT is the BG1 NPC Project.

Humans and non-humans can put the same amount of points into any weapon type. Grandmastery is restricted to fighters and archers (ranger kit) but not to races. If you install the Multiclass grandmastery tweak, that will allow all multiclass fighters (not only single- or dualclass ones) to reach grandmastery as well. But again, there are no racial limitations (except that only humans can dualclass while multiclasses can only be non-humans - without cheats - ).

The manual should be in your game folder as a pdf, yes. But I believe the link Bhryaen found for you offers a better resolution one.

[Squidmaster]

I'm sure there are some answers on the forum here. I've looked at what I can, but health limits my reading so I have to rely on the kindness of the forum goers here for the most part. It's much easier to read through one thread than 20, after all.



To answer a few of these questions, I like playing all of the class roles. I DMed 2nd edition D&D for years, so I remember the basics of how the system works. The things I would be most confused about would be the changes made specifically to the game version.



I also enjoy playing powerful characters. I love the story of these games but also enjoy some good old fashioned butt kicking. I seem to remember doing a few things to increase that quotient, like dual classing Imoen into a mage once her lockpicking and find traps were at 100 or something. One thing I can't recall is whether or not all of the party transfers to the second game or just the main character, which would affect this sort of thing significantly.



My first time through these games I recall playing a paladin, but these days I find myself gravitating toward gnomes as my heroes. I figure a gnome could make a solid X/illusionist. I didn't initially think "thief" simply because the Imoen connection with the main character seems strong, and that overlap might not really accomplish much. I would assume backstabbing as a thief/illusionist would be pretty lackluster as well.



I will investigates these mods. I'm definitely interested in graphical and basic gameplay improvements.



Thanks so much for your thoughtful responses. Good communities make these games so much more fun.

[aries1001]

If you get bith BG1 and BG2 from good old games, you will get the manual as well. And maybe you can get them from a place called replacementdocs (google it). As for Imoen, you can alwaus dual class her to a mage...It is only the main character you can import from BG1 into BG2. However, you'll meet some old friends in BG2 like Minsc, Jaheira and Imoen.



Sorry to hear about your health troubles, I hope that playing these now old classics will help you a bit - or a lot

[Humanoid_Taifun]

Squidmaster wrote...
I also enjoy playing powerful characters. I love the story of these games but also enjoy some good old fashioned butt kicking. I seem to remember doing a few things to increase that quotient, like dual classing Imoen into a mage once her lockpicking and find traps were at 100 or something. One thing I can't recall is whether or not all of the party transfers to the second game or just the main character, which would affect this sort of thing significantly.

The game assumes that you traveled with Jaheira, Imoen, Minsc, Khalid and Dynaheir (the latter two being dead in BG2) and these are the characters that you will meet immediately at the beginning of BG2 (except for the dead ones).
Other characters you can recruit again are Edwin and Viconia.
If you install BGT, you can meet them as they were in BG1, otherwise they'll be a bit generic.
Oh and Imoen is canonally dualclassed to mage (unless you use BGT).

I will investigates these mods. I'm definitely interested in graphical and basic gameplay improvements.

Most importantly:
Widescreen mod. Everything else is preference.

[Bhryaen]

Squidmaster wrote...
I'm sure there are some answers on the forum here. I've looked at what I can, but health limits my reading so I have to rely on the kindness of the forum goers here for the most part. It's much easier to read through one thread than 20, after all.

I didn't recognize this when I offered the advice, alas. By way of apology I added links to the post above for all the mods I mentioned, added a few for good measure, and edited a bit...

To answer a few of these questions, I like playing all of the class roles. I DMed 2nd edition D&D for years, so I remember the basics of how the system works. The things I would be most confused about would be the changes made specifically to the game version.

One suggestion I might offer would be to try either a thief or mage or both just because you can never count on the high stats of the given NPCs, while you can make your own char quite strong in the needed attributes. The same argument could lead to building a cleric or fighter though, of course, and if you're not going to max out your attributes, it doesn't matter anyway.

...[Th]ese days I find myself gravitating toward gnomes as my heroes. I figure a gnome could make a solid X/illusionist.

I'd add the suggestion to use 1PP's dwarf (and gnome) mod (in the list at the link mentioned above) if you're going to make a female gnome since otherwise you'll have a bearded girl. Also the 1PP paperdoll becomes a unique gnome image for either sex rather than relying on the native BG gnome = dwarf appearance.

I'm definitely interested in graphical and basic gameplay improvements.

Again 1PP is a fairly established avatar and paperdoll changer, and Humanoid_Taifun is right that- if you have a widescreen monitor- the Widescreen mod is essential.

[Squidmaster]

I have a quick follow-up question. For thief skills, what are the maximums that you want to concern yourself with? Should a thief character go over 100 in any of them? Is the dual classed Imoen in BG2 good enough in open lock and find trap to be the only rogue that handles those roles?

Do I install widescreen to both game folders or just BG 1 or 2?  My monitor is 1920x1200.  I can't imagine this game looking any good with that.  Is the key to use a setting that just takes an existing option and adds the wide component?

I am having trouble reading through all of the One Pixel stuff.  Is v2.7 what I want?  I see lots of v3s but not the entire package.  I'm getting worn out dealing with it at the moment.

Thanks!

Shoot, I just installed the Sword Coast Strategems 2 mod you recommended and after partially installing the readme is telling me it isn't compatible with Tutu.  I don't know how to uninstall this now, nor whether or not I am ok with the rest of my install having done this.

Modifié par Squidmaster, 18 février 2011 - 01:31 .

[The Cow King]

For thief skills, what are the maximums that you want to concern yourself with?

Pick Pockets = doesn't always work at 100, but you can always gulp potions of thievery to raise it if you're not succeeding at 100. Doesn't hurt to raise it somewhere ~150-180 if you want to always succeed.

Find Traps = max at 100

Open Locks = max at 100

Hide in Shadows/Move Silently = these two are the one and the same. Your chance of going into shadows/remaining in shadows is (HiS+MS)/2. It's possible there is a daylight penalty (you will notice a lot more fails during daytime), but I have no data on that.

Detect Illusion = max at 100

Set traps = max at 100

Also note that when your dexterity increases by one point , all your thieving skills go up by 5 points.

Also note that if you cast a simulacrum (in bg2/tob) with a thief, it's thieving skills are lower because the simulacrum is 50% of your level.

If you are a L40 pure thief and get 25 skills points to spend per level, your simulacrum will be L20, and it's thieving skills will be calculated like this.

(Your level difference to simulacrum x number of skill points you get per level)/7

That's the sum that will be reduced from every thief skill on your simulacrum.

Eg. in the above example, every thieving skill on your simulacrum will be reduced by 71. If you're an assassin, the amount will be less because you only get 15 points per level to spend.

Simulacrum will retain all traps/HLAs of your thief. So if you want to hide/set traps/detect illusions with your clone, you will need to raise them above 100.

If one of your thieving skills go above 256 (I can't remember the exact number), they will loop back and start from zero+ again because the engine cannot handle it.

Is
the dual classed Imoen in BG2 good enough in open lock and find trap to
be the only rogue that handles those roles?

Yes (there are items that enhance open locks etc.. in bg2). If you do run into some odd chest that doesn't open, you can always use knock.

Do I install
widescreen to both game folders or just BG 1 or 2?  My monitor is
1920x1200.  I can't imagine this game looking any good with that.  Is
the key to use a setting that just takes an existing option and adds the
wide component?

If you are using easytutu, you will need to install widescreen in both (install it to bg2 after you've setup easytutu, as bg2 should be unmodded when you do the conversion).

And even if you're running vanilla BG1, you need it for both.

If you experience bad slowdowns in tutu with 1920x1200, try biffing your files. It should help with performance. Don't use it unless you start getting bad performance (very long load times, bad stuttering) in tutu.

Shoot, I just installed the Sword
Coast Strategems 2 mod you recommended and after partially installing
the readme is telling me it isn't compatible with Tutu.  I don't know
how to uninstall this now, nor whether or not I am ok with the rest of
my install having done this.

Go to your easytutu folder, run the installer for SCS2 again, select [u] for uninstall during the setup.

Modifié par The Cow King, 18 février 2011 - 01:57 .

[Squidmaster]

Awesome, thanks a ton. I set up widescreen with BG1 only at this point to test it out. What I find is that the text becomes very hard to read shortly into increasing the resolutions. Is there a way to get the best of both worlds, with easy to read text plus better resolution? I tried 960x600 (which would be the equivalent of 800x600 in widescreen), and that one is apparently not supported, so I'm at a bit of a loss as to where to head with it next.



I am gravitating toward a gnome illusionist/thief at the moment. I got some great rolls for one, and I feel weird about having to make someone other than my guy the party leader, so that let me bump charisma up to good levels. Am I correct in assuming that having Imoen with me and just focusing them in different directions can work out fine? If that is the case I would just make Imoen my lock/trap girl and focus on all the rest with my gnome champion "Pickles" McGee.

[Bhryaen]

Squidmaster wrote...
Shoot, I just installed the Sword Coast Strategems 2 mod you recommended and after partially installing the readme is telling me it isn't compatible with Tutu.  I don't know how to uninstall this now, nor whether or not I am ok with the rest of my install having done this.

Yes, this is what I was getting at regarding mod install order and compatibility. I thought you mentioned that you were going to do a BGT install actually. I think the modder who designed SCSII (and SCSI) was savvy enough that the components that have nowhere to install (since Tutu has no BG2 areas or NPCs) will simply do nothing or be automatically skipped. I'm not sure if there is any content in SCSII that would affect Tutu areas actually.

If you want the best, most comprehensive guide to a (primarily BGT) install order that I know you can find it at this German site, but keep in mind that you'll have to scroll through selectively to see where the mods mentioned above lie in the huge list. I just completed a build with over 80 mods in BGT almost entirely by that list and I was incredulous at how well it worked- at least for BG1 areas (haven't tested the BG2 areas yet). Otherwise I'll just recommend a BGT mod order like below in keeping with that site (to save you some time searching). Keep in mind you don't really need all these mods, but they should probably go in about this order for BGT. Unfortunately the webpage that had a comprehensive Tutu Install Order list seems to have removed the section including the list, but I do remember the install order for Tutu being somewhat different that below, though I'm not sure how significant that is.

1. BG2 Fixpack
2. 1PP (everything except Avatars, Dwarf Avatars, and Thieves Galore)
3 BGT
4. BG1NPC Project (then music)
5. BG1 NPC mods
6. BGT Tweaks
7. Hard Times (truly optional- makes the initial period harder by nerfing magic items, randomizing a select number of other items, raising prices, and ensuring that the "tainted iron" affects all nonmagical weapons, armor, and shields, that sort of thing)
8. BG2 NPC mods- like Banter Packs (another thing I didn't mention though irrelevant with Tutu... adds more NPC dialogue in BG2. I don't know what it is really since I haven't played BG2 in so long, but I'm going to try it)
9. Spell Revisions (for all spell tweaks, if you want that. Some vanilla spells and effects are... iffy. I forgot to mention this one. You'll need to get the "hotfix" for it though and apply it by dragging it into the BG2 or Tutu folder to overwrite the existing Spell Rev folder, or else the mod becomes incompatible with SCS2.)
10. SCS1 (for BG1) (primarily the AI enhancements, but if you feel up to it, there are plenty of other options)
11. Rogue Rebalancing
12. Ashes of Embers (just the first component- considered by many a cheat- just to warn you again)
13. SCS2 (for BG2) (primarily the AI enhancements, but if you feel up to it, there are plenty of other options)
14. BG2 Tweakpack
15. aTweaks
16. 1PP remaining mods
17. Level1NPCs (another I didn't mention- allows you to change the NPCs' stats, class, etc., before starting a game- i.e., making Imoen a swashbuckler or bard instead on meeting her. You might like that but actually I've had issues installing it. Others have had success though and like it a lot.)
18. Item Randomizer (use this only if you already know where pretty much all the goodies are. It takes everything from Boots of Speed to Greyhawk's sword and mixes them up so you don't know where to find them. Also you probably shouldn't use it in conjunction with Hard Times to avoid thematic and other incongruities, but it does work.)
19. Worldmap (another I didn't mention- creates a different map for the areas of both BG1 & 2, though it does work with Tutu apparently. It's unnecessary except for some quest mods, but it gives a different flavor and has an option to make a different travel time between areas.)
20. TutuGUI
21. Widescreen

Again: the fewer mods, the more chance of a smooth install. You can always start small and add more or new on the next time around. (I haven't learned this lesson myself, but I still see the wisdom in it...)

Modifié par Bhryaen, 18 février 2011 - 03:03 .

[The Cow King]

I tried 960x600 (which would be the equivalent of 800x600 in widescreen), and that one is apparently not supported, so I'm at a bit of a loss as to where to head with it next.

You can try out various 16:10 resolutions, they're all listed in wikipedia if you scroll down, you will find a chart. 1680x1050 is very nice and the text is still well readable (at least for my eyes).

http://en.wikipedia....play_resolution

After you've uninstalled SCS2, you can also delete it's setup and debug file (if you have one), as well as the folder containing the SCS2 files.

Refer to this post to see the correct order in which to install tutu mods (scroll down to see the list).

Am I correct in assuming that having Imoen with me and
just focusing them in different directions can work out fine? If that
is the case I would just make Imoen my lock/trap girl and focus on all
the rest with my gnome champion "Pickles" McGee.

Yes it can, in bg1 it's actually a good idea because it's very hard to get the best of everything (traps, locks, hide, pick pockets) with just one thief.

Thief/Illusionist will be extremely powerful in BG2/ToB (if used properly) so that is also not an issue.

Also easytutu comes pre-bg2 fixpacked, so don't install that one if you're using tutu. Rely on the list posted for a smooth install (for tutu), I don't have knowledge of BGT.

I REALLY recommend installing the avatar morphing script from BG2 tweak pack, you can make your gnome thief/illusionist look like a mage when you're wearing robes.

Modifié par The Cow King, 18 février 2011 - 02:43 .

[Bhryaen]

The Cow King wrote...
After you've uninstalled SCS2, you can also delete it's setup and debug file (if you have one), as well as the folder containing the SCS2 files.

I'd caution against simply uninstalling mods one at a time. Instead I'd reinstall everything from a clean start if you're going to use mods. It may be that the modder simply didn't remember to return everything they touched back to the state prior to install, or it may be that the uninstalled mod had affected other files which other mods before it had also affected, so that "restoring" it to pre-install state ends up being a restore to original state. In any case it often results in errors that  can break further installs or crash the game. That's been my experience (shared by others), so the caution comes not idly...

That all said, I forgot to mention yet another thing essential to the modding. You should extract (not an install, just a drag-drop) WeiDU (scroll down toward the end) into your Tutu or BG2 folder before modding... Maybe you know about that already, but since it's the engine behind most BG mods nowadays, it's worth mentioning...

[Squidmaster]

You are correct. I had mentioned BGT, but changed my mind after reading about a couple of problems it created. As I recall I would have to install or uninstall a trap XP component between games. The way it sounded, any new character would have to be level 1 as well, which would preclude me from playing through just BG2 if I wanted to do that.

I followed your link and the Tutu install list is present and accounted for, so no problems there.  I only did 2 things differently from this.  Firstly, I did not preinstall Weidu, and secondly, I accidentally installed that one fix that I have since been instructed about how to remove.  What does the Weidu preinstallation actually do?  It seems like the mods that use it come with it and are installing fine without my having done this part first, and in any case, how would the mod know where the Weidu folder is located since the instructions say to "put it anywhere"?

SCII didn't have an uninstall option.  If I go through the list and hit no to everything is that just as good?

Since my last post I also ran widescreen for BG2.  What this did was throw it into a window that still thought it was full screen.  Clearly something is wrong here.  So far I am having major problems getting this to work properly with anything, let alone Tutu.

One more thing.  Is there a way to edit a character saved out that has been created with Tutu?  I made the (almost) perfect guy, but assigned his thief skills differently than I wanted to in retrospect.  It would be nice to be able to move those points fairly to something else.

Modifié par Squidmaster, 18 février 2011 - 05:08 .

[Humanoid_Taifun]

Squidmaster wrote...

You are correct. I had mentioned BGT, but changed my mind after reading about a couple of problems it created. As I recall I would have to install or uninstall a trap XP component between games. The way it sounded, any new character would have to be level 1 as well, which would preclude me from playing through just BG2 if I wanted to do that.

No, it wouldn't. You can elect to start a standard BG2 game even with BGT installed. There is a button for it.

What does the Weidu preinstallation actually do?

Weidu is not something you install.
Weidu is something you install with.
What Bhryaen wanted you to do was copy the content of the mods into your game folder prior to installation. Some mods can be fine-adjusted by editing their files before installing them (Spell Revisions for example), others want you to install patches to them (Spell Revisions for example), both is a lot easier if they are already in your BG2 folder, but I suspect that Bhryaen was actually thinking of his .bat when saying that...

SCII didn't have an uninstall option.  If I go through the list and hit no to everything is that just as good?

Check the Weidu.log in your game folder. If it still lists SCS2 components as installed, then you didn't uninstall them. If during the setup the question is like this "Install X? [Y]es, [N]o, [Q]uit installation", then they are likely not installed though.

Since my last post I also ran widescreen for BG2.  What this did was throw it into a window that still thought it was full screen.  Clearly something is wrong here.  So far I am having major problems getting this to work properly with anything, let alone Tutu.

The menu is smaller than the actual game screen (which is the only thing that actually makes use of the improved resolution). Did you try out what that looks like?

One more thing.  Is there a way to edit a character saved out that has been created with Tutu?  I made the (almost) perfect guy, but assigned his thief skills differently than I wanted to in retrospect.  It would be nice to be able to move those points fairly to something else.

Shadowkeeper is probably what you are looking for. It's a savegame editor, so you'd have to start a game with the guy first.

[Squidmaster]

Shadowkeeper was perfect. I had tried it before but thought it wasn't working. I think I had just not saved the game yet. It allowed me to move my 40 points from traps into stealth no problem. My rolls were so high on this guy that I wanted to cry having to replace him.



Weidu shows no SCS2 so I will not stress out over that. Here is what I did and what happens with Widescreen:



I installed it to both BG1 and now BG2 at 1280x800, I tried 1920x1200 but it was almost impossible to read anything or see the portraits in a meaningful way. BG1 (loaded with the default loader) executes this change I assume as expected.



BG2 run in fullscreen mode runs it in 1280x800 but puts the game in the top-left corner of my screen, where I can see my desktop in the bottom and right areas normally but not use them. I can tell the game to run in a window, which then centers the game at 1280x800. What did I do wrong here, or how can I revert this change at the very least? If I rerun the program and set it at my monitor's native resolution it works fine with BG2, but the text is hard to read. Unlike BG1, widescreen modified BG2 seems to put the menus in the center of the screen and the like, which is nice. If there is a way I can make text larger I could be happy with this for BG2.



I guess I would have to install widescreen to the Tutu install folder to get it to work with Tutu, because running BG1 with Tutu gives me unedited results even though the BG1 folders have been modified already.



At this point I think the best result might simply to be to remove widescreen from everything and go with it, because the results are so finicky and problematic. Running widescreen doesn't actually allow for this though, so I am not sure how to proceed.



Again, thanks so much for all the assistance. I've played a number of old games of late (M&M7, Morrowind) and good communities make them soooo much fun.

[Bhryaen]

Back... had to do the whole sleep'n'work routine...

Squidmaster wrote...
You are correct. I had mentioned BGT, but changed my mind after reading about a couple of problems it created. As I recall I would have to  install or uninstall a trap XP component between games. The way it  sounded, any new character would have to be level 1 as well, which would preclude me from playing through just BG2 if I wanted to do that.

BGT doesn't have trap XP, I don't believe. In any case for me I've seen the opposite: mods with components to restore the XP awards... which I don't use. Also as said above, on game start you get a very clear set of options- even using TutuGUI- to start a new game in BG, SoA, or ToB (if you have all three).

Funny too that when I posted that link to the Tutu Install Order page, it was still not working after weeks of being that way, but now it's suddenly restored! It's a miracle!

Squidmaster wrote...
I installed it to both BG1 and now BG2 at 1280x800, I tried 1920x1200 but it was almost impossible to read anything or see the portraits in a meaningful way. BG1 (loaded with the default loader) executes this change I assume as expected...

I had the exact same issues with Widescreen when I first tried it. I ultimately settled for only a small step up in resolution- 1024X768 which- in my opinion- is still a major qualitative difference. I had to reinstall Widescreen at 1360X768 and then set BG's Config setting to 1024X768, thus maximizing the y-coordinate and compromising on the x-coordinate only as much as necessary. I think I still had issues, but when I changed my actual monitor resolution to 1360X768 and tried it, everything came out fine. Then I changed my monitor setting back to my usual 1920X1080 through serendipity and recognized that the game was retaining the return to 1360X768 every time. Hope that helps!

... [T]he text is hard to read... If there is a way I can make text larger I could be happy with this for BG2.

My eyes aren't so great, so small text means I'd have to sit right up at the screen. I know no fix since it seems as if text size is proportional to the resolution you choose, but 1024X768 isn't that bad a text size while still enabling your widened window to encompass the entire circumference of the visual circle that surrounds your char (as seen when "carving out" black areas). So you no longer have moments where you're swinging your vision one way to see one side of the circle while a monster is located on the other, descending rapidly on your position without your knowledge. (Of course auto-pause would prevent that, but I don't use it.)

There's something else I figured I'd add. If you're going to play a number of times, you might want to do what Humanoid_Taifun was referring to when he was teasing me regarding a .bat. (He knows the long, difficulty-ridden process it has involved for me to master it...) It's actually fairly simple and saves a lot of time and effort in installing, but you have to get a lot right first and building it takes some extra time too. You should preliminarily save your complete WeiDU.log separately if you're going to do so- or even if not, simply for a reference.

Mostly everything I've told you over the posts in this thread has been in reverse order. Modding comes much later in that order. First you have to get your main folders right, meaning you have to install a clean and full (all game disc material onto the hard drive to avoid disc swapping) copy of BG1/TotSC and SoA/ToB (or just SoA if you aren't planning on having ToB), install the latest official patches for both, create your Tutu folder if you're going with Tutu, do all the necessary changes to the baldur.ini ("DebugMode = 1" type of stuff) of BG2 and Tutu, and then start a game in BG2 (if you're planning on BGT) or Tutu to set up the Config settings you want. Only now are your folders ready for modding. (Also note that you shouldn't install to the Programs folder if you have Vista. Nor should you have Vista! Gah!)

Maybe you know all this already- not sure how much you do know- but I'll add this for posterity in any case. Before starting any modding you should make a backup of your game folder. I created a folder called "BG2 Clone" and "Tutu Clone," then I copy-pasted the entire contents of those folders into the clone folders. Now if (when) my install goes poorly or I simply want a new batch of mods, I don't have to go through any of the steps in the previous paragraph or reinstall the game from discs. I just have to delete the entire contents of the BG2/Tutu game folder and copy-paste the entire contents of the specific clone folder back in. It takes a while, but it prevents all sorts of game install or play issues that using the installers to uninstall can entail. (There's another method of restoring the main folder that's a lot faster, but I keep trying it without success...)

The next step for me (definitely different for others) is to build a separate mod folder for the necessary files you'll need in the game folder to install the mods you want. (I call this folder my Mod Dump (Tutu/ BGT) folder). When you download a mod it will generally come in one of two forms:
1. as a .rar/.zip that has all the necessary files and folders in exactly the state you'll need (you'll see the "setup.exe," maybe a ".tp2", and a folder with the name of the mod on it)
2. as an extractor engine that creates and places the "setup.exe" and other necessary files and folders automatically.(There is a third possibility whereby you find the #2 variety inside a .rar/.zip.)

In the case of the former, you simply drag and drop the files from the .rar/.zip into the Mod Dump folder. With the latter it's trickier. You need to put the extractor into the Mod Dump folder and double-click it, then make sure to have it install into the Mod Dump folder itself. (Most have a default directory destination that is not the folder the extractor is in.) It should load in fine and call up a command prompt window that will ERROR out due to a missing .tlk file. That's fine. The main thing is that in the process it put all the necessary files into the Mod Dump folder. You can delete the extractor after that. (I keep the extractors in yet another folder in case I'll need them again...) You should also put a copy of WeiDU.exe in the Mod Dump folder, and if there are any hotfixes (patches) you need, you should add them in now also.

(Note that you could just combine the Mod Dump and clone folders, but I figure it's easier to control and adapt this way, reducing the possibility of accidentally installing something to your backup clone and thus ruining it.)

Next you copy-paste the entire contents of the Mod Dump folder into the game folder. It could take a while also. SCS2 can be in the Tutu folder. So long as you don't end up installing it, it's just clutter. Now you can either go step by step down the list of mod setup.exe's in the proper order, entering each component for each mod one by one, or you can build a .bat (installer engine) that enables the installing to be that much easier.

The .bat method was one of the best suggestions given to me, but it takes time initially. As I said, my eyes aren't so good, and it starts to get irritating sorting through the many component selections of each mod. The .bat enables you to simply look down a list of component numbers, enter them into the .bat list, save the .bat, and double-click it to install everything in one go (with some interruptions). With the quantity of mods you're using it isn't so bad at all, but if you're not going to be playing BG more than once or twice as you weave through your old games, it's not really worth it. If it'll be a number of times with different mods, I think it is worth it.

The way it works is essentially to convert the WeiDU.log information into a .bat format. To start one you simply create a notepad .txt file in your game folder (or wherever) and change the .txt to .bat, clicking "ok" for the  conversion. Then right click it and scroll to "Edit." This Spellhold page is where I was first introduced to the method, but I'll just add these lines as a (relatively) smaller and more specific example to make it simpler, presuming in the example that you're only trying to install the following components from 1PP, SCS1, and Widescreen:

WeiDU.log entries...
~1PP.TP2~ #0 #1 // One Pixel Productions: v2 New Potion Graphics (2): v2.7
~1PP.TP2~ #0 #3 // One Pixel Productions: v3 Flame Short Swords (4): v2.7
~1PP.TP2~ #0 #4 // One Pixel Productions: v3 Flame Short Swords item patches (5): v2.7
~1PP.TP2~ #0 #5 // One Pixel Productions: v3 Flame Short Swords mod item patches (6): v2.7
~1PP.TP2~ #0 #10 // One Pixel Productions: v3 Colourable Quarterstaves core (11): v2.7
~1PP.TP2~ #0 #11 // 1PP: Colourable Quarterstaves core item patches (12): v2.7
~1PP.TP2~ #0 #12 // One Pixel Productions: v3 Colourable Quarterstaves mod patches (13): v2.7
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #10 // Detectable Spells: v16
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #20 // Allow enemy AI to detect the party's magic items: v16
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #30 // Correct various errors on race, class etc: v16
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #60 // Prevent random crashes in Beregost (by Ascension64): v16
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #2000 // Make elemental arrows more like their BG2 counterparts: v16
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #2020 // Re-introduce potions of extra-healing: v16
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #3001 // Standardise spells: BG1 vs BG2 -> Introduce BG2 spell scrolls into BG1: v16
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #3010 // Faster Bears: v16
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #3050 // Better NPC management: v16
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #3070 // Move NPCs to more convenient locations: v16
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #3080 // Improved shapeshifting: v16
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #4010 // Remove blur effect from displacer cloak: v16
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #4020 // Stackable ankheg shells, winterwolf pelts and wyvern heads: v16
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #4030 // Move Boo out of quick access and into Minsc's pack: v16
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #5000 // Smarter general AI: v16
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #5010 // Better calls for help: v16
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #5020 // Potions for NPCs -> All of the potions dropped by slain enemies are recoverable: v16
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #5031 // Smarter mages -> Mages use spells from BG1 and BG2; mages do not pre-buff: v16
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #5041 // Smarter priests -> Priests use spells from BG1 and BG2; priests do not pre-buff: v16
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #5050 // Smarter deployment: v16
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #5070 // Smarter sirines and dryads: v16
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #5080 // Slightly harder carrion crawlers: v16
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #5090 // Smarter basilisks: v16
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6000 // Improved doppelgangers: v16
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6005 // Harder giant and phase spiders: v16
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6010 // Tougher Black Talons and Iron Throne guards: v16
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6020 // Improved deployment for parties of assassins: v16
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6030 // Dark Side-based kobold upgrade: v16
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6040 // Relocated bounty hunters: v16
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6050 // Improved Ulcaster: v16
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6060 // Improved Balduran's Isle: v16
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6070 // Improved Durlag's Tower: v16
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6080 // Improved Demon Cultists: v16
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6090 // Improved Cloakwood Druids: v16
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6100 // Improved Bassilus: v16
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6110 // Improved Drasus party: v16
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6120 // Improved Red Wizards: v16
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6130 // Improved Undercity party: v16
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6140 // Improved minor encounters: v16
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6150 // Tougher chapter-two end battle: v16
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6160 // Tougher chapter-three end battle: v16
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6170 // Tougher chapter-four end battle: v16
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6180 // Tougher chapter-five end battle: v16
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6190 // Tougher chapter-six end battle: v16
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6200 // Improved final battle: v16
~WIDESCREEN/WIDESCREEN.TP2~ #0 #0 // Widescreen Mod -> for the original Infinity Engine (CHOOSE THIS!): Widescreen Mod v2.31
The .bat file then converts that into:
rem @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
rem @@@ Mod Batcher @@@
rem @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
pause
SETUP-1PP.EXE     --language 0   --skip-at-view   --force-install-list   1 3 4 5 10 11 12
SETUP-SCS.EXE     --language 0   --skip-at-view   --force-install-list   0 10 20 30 60 2000 2020 3001 3010 3050 3070 3080 4010 4020 4030 5000 5010 5020 5031 5041 5050 5070 5080 5090 6000 6005 6010 6020 6030 6040 6050 6060 6070 6080 6090 6100 6110 6120 6130 6140 6150 6160 6170 6180 6190 6200
SETUP-WIDESCREEN.EXE     --language 0   --skip-at-view   --force-install-list   0
rem
rem @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
rem @@@ What? No more mods??? @@@
rem @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
pause
(OK, the last part isn't necessary. Nor is the start, but it's nice to have the initial "pause" in case you accidentally double-click to start the .bat rather than edit, and it's nice to have the last "pause" so you'll have a prompt to know the install finished properly rather than wondering if it crashed out.) As you can see, the .bat simply takes the component numbers (determined by the modder who created the mod) and uses them as a list. Instead of several installs for each mod you can simply look from your WeiDU.log (in the font size you prefer) and pick and choose which components you'll want in a single install.

The only tricky part is in acquiring those numbers... They don't really come listed anywhere conveniently except in a WeiDU.log, so I simply made an install that used every component I thought I'd ever want, compling a very complete WeiDU.log. Then I copied the .log and pasted elsewhere, deleted the burdensome install from the game folder, copy-pasted the clone and Dump folders again, set up the .bat like I wanted by pairing down component numbers and mods I didn't want, and... *double-click* Presto- up comes a single command prompt for the entire installation. Click any key and just wait for it to finish.

In this thread I was building an 80+ mod install that I knew was excessive going into it. You can use the information at that post of the thread to get information, but keep in mind that it was a BGT install and that I may have not selected components you want. The best way for you is probably to simply do one single complete install yourself that creates the full WeiDU.log and then keep it as your master list for building your own .bat. If you're content with the options you already chose in your last install, you can look at your old WeiDU.log (if you've still got it) to see the component numbers of each mod component installed.

For info sake, the "rem" makes the .bat skip the line (which means you could leave mods in the .bat that you're not using and simply have them skipped), "language" is the language you end up selecting (which is easy for English speakers since it's always 0, but not so universal for non-English speakers), "skip-at-view" to skip getting the readme pop-up (though some mods still pop it up anyway, and you'll often have to close it in order for the .bat to continue the installation), and "force install-list" is just the intro to the component numbers. You should also be aware that some mods will still interrupt the install process for other reasons. BGT stops it for you to manually enter the BG1 folder directory, BG1NPC Project (and Gavin) will prompt you for the duration of wait between NPC dialogue, Level1NPCs prompts you for specific info on building the NPCs (I think), and Widescreen might need an entry too.

And now you can play... Meanwhile I'm using my own .bat to finally install the fruit of all those lessons I just compiled above: the game I'm actually going to play myself!

PS. By the way, if you're going with Tutu, you'll need the Degreenifier and Tutufix (installed first and second)...

Modifié par Bhryaen, 18 février 2011 - 10:43 .

[Squidmaster]

Wow, thanks again. I will try resetting my resolution in BG2 to something else and matching it with my monitor's default. Hopefully it will work.



I installed the 1pp stuff today (I did the conversation mod earlier and the fixes recommended) but none of it displays in Tutu. It seems that any graphical mod that doesn't say to install in your Tutu folder leaves it unaffected. Should I just ignore the instructions and install them there as well?



I will probably skip the batch file thing due to the complexity, but I seriously appreciate the time you took to help me out with it. I will keep the instructions on file just in case. I don't plan to run a host of mods honestly. I'm happy with the default game quests and all of that stuff, so my list totals about 5. Not too bad I figure.

[Bhryaen]

Squidmaster wrote...
I installed the 1pp stuff today (I did the conversation mod earlier and the fixes recommended) but none of it displays in Tutu. It seems that any graphical mod that doesn't say to install in your Tutu folder leaves it unaffected. Should I just ignore the instructions and install them there as well?

This is what I was referring to with the different types of mod downloads. The ones that have a setup.exe extractor always call up a window which displays a default destination folder that is not where you want to install. Not too much of a hassle: it simply requires you to use "browse" to make it the correct destination- i.e., your BG2 or Tutu folder. Since you're not bothering with a .bat you can just let it begin the install there.

I will probably skip the batch file thing due to the complexity, but I seriously appreciate the time you took to help me out with it. I will keep the instructions on file just in case. I don't plan to run a host of mods honestly. I'm happy with the default game quests and all of that stuff, so my list totals about 5. Not too bad I figure.

I have a habit of making things sound more complicated than they are, but... Sounds good. Have fun! I just finished my own modded (and this time hopefully stable) game after like 2 months of this modding business!

[Squidmaster]

Right right, they tell me to direct it to my BG1 or BG2 directory, but what I am finding is that the instructions with these are not really accurate for every situation. I assume I have to ignore those and try the Tutu directory for the graphical stuff. If anybody has done this specifically and knows this is right or wrong that'd be great. Specifically I plan to install widescreen and the 1PP stuff to the Tutu directly to see if it "takes", as they already exist in both BG directories.

[Grond0]

Bhryaen wrote...
BGT doesn't have trap XP, I don't believe. In any case for me I've seen the opposite: mods with components to restore the XP awards... which I don't use. Also as said above, on game start you get a very clear set of options- even using TutuGUI- to start a new game in BG, SoA, or ToB (if you have all three).

As BGT uses the BG2 game engine it would include by default the standard lock-picking, trap removal and spell learning bonuses.  However, these unbalance BG1 (I've tried it - those spells really can let you shoot up in levels).  Therefore since about version 5 (from memory) of BGT these bonuses have been nerfed - so for instance learning a 1st level spell gets you 10 xp rather than 1000.  This is fine for BG1, but does mean that if you continue playing into BG2 you will really notice the shortfall. 

Fortunately you can restore the original BG2 bonuses by using the BGTTweaks mod.  Bhryaen's already warned you in this thread of the dangers of changing mod setups rather than fully reinstalling them, but I have made this particular change without any problem in my games.

[The Cow King]

When you're using EasyTutu, everything you want to install for EasyTutu goes into the Easytutu folder.

Original BG1 and BG2 folders should be completely unmodded (save official patch), when you install EasyTutu. After that you can mod BG2, but anything installed in BG2 folder will only affect BG2. Anything you install to your original BG1 install folder, will only affect original, non-tutu BG1.



From the easytutu FAQ.

Q: All of the Tutu mods I'm installing are
either giving me errors during installation, or are installing fine but with no
visible effects in-game. What gives?

A: One feature which distinguishes EasyTutu from conventional Tutu is
that it creates a separate, playable installation for Tutu. This separate
installation is located by default at C:\\Program Files\\BaldursGateTutu, unless
you explicitly change the destination folder during the setup process.
Consequently, all Tutu mods must be extracted to this separate EasyTutu folder,
and not to your Baldur's Gate 2 folder. Please note that many mods were
created prior to the advent of EasyTutu, which is why their instructions in this
regard (e.g., "extract this to your Baldur's Gate 2 folder") seem
misleading.

Modifié par The Cow King, 19 février 2011 - 12:27 .

[Bhryaen]

Grond0 wrote...
As BGT uses the BG2 game engine it would include by default the standard lock-picking, trap removal and spell learning bonuses. 

Damn, you're right! I'm getting 10xp for stealing things from the Candlekeep guards... which kind of makes sense since it's experience from skills, but still... not really necessary. Is there a mod that removes all XP rewards for traps/spells (rather than just nerfs it)? Maybe I missed a component in BGT Tweaks or something.