General question regarding content and quest mods

[avatar1138]

Hello Modders, testers and players! Having fixed my Sendai problem, I am on the verge of completing ToB (only the final showdown awaits), and I am already looking forward to my next run through, now that I know what I’m doing . I have both enjoyed and appreciated the comments, insight and advice this forum has provided during the past few months, and would greatly appreciate your comments & feed back on my plans for my next run through, specifically, my plans for mod additions.

 

In general, I favor story and role playing over tactics and NPC additions. So, my main goal is to add as much content and quest material as humanly possible without irrevocably breaking the game. My platform is a non-intel Mac Mini, OS 10.4x.

 

After spending countless hours searching the BG2 Mod forums, here is what I have come up with so far, in no particular order:

 

SoA + ToB + ToB Patch

G3 Fixpack

Banter pack

Flirt pack

Level 1 NPC

PnP Celestials

1PP

Oversight

Item Upgrade

The Sorcerer’s Place Collection (Item Pack Only)

Unusual Oddities Shop

G3 3rd Anniversary Mod

Shards of Ice

Wheels of Prophecy

Unfinished Business

Dungeon Crawl

Quest Pack

Com Encounters

Tower of Deception

Ascension

Turnabout

G3 Tweakpack

 

Possible additions:

Sylmar Battlefield

Fading Promises

Check the Bodies

The Longer Road *or* Redemption

 

As far as I have been able to tell from the individual FAQs, all of the above claim to be compatible with other WeiDU Mods. What I’m looking for is feed back and opinions on your actual gaming experience with any and/or all of the Mods listed above. Am I missing an essential quest addition? Will one or more of the above cause my computer to melt down, despite the friendly FAQ? All comments and opinions are welcome!

 

Thanks in advance for your input, and a tremendous THANK YOU to the Modders and testers that are keeping alive the best computer game ever created. You have our gratitude!

[Jarno Mikkola]

But you aren't starting from the beginning, WHY? Ok, so you mightn't have the BG1+TotSC, but if you do, take the BGT & all...

 

The Check the Bodies combined to G3 3rd Anniversary Mod needs the (BP-BGT-)Worldmap mod from here. Other than that don't really want to give you advice of mods I have not played. Except that you might want to check out the SCSII, at least as a concept.

[coaster]

A couple of suggested additions:

 

Rogue Rebalancing Chosen of Cyric encounter is small but perfectly formed and really enjoyable RP-wise. It can play out differently depending on your race/class/stats/alignment etc. I always have it installed even if I don't have the other RR components.

 

Assassinations is great fun (but more for evil parties).

[avatar1138]

jarno mikkola -

Good point (and conclusion). Unfortunately, I do not have BG+TotSC, and they are hard to find and rather expensive to purchase for Mac OSX. As a result, I have avoided BP and all Mods that require BGT or Tutu, but I will add the Worldmap Mod (which, according to the readme is compatible with a BG2 only install) if I decide to include Check the Bodies. Regarding SCSII, while I did not include it due to its emphasis on tactics and increased challenges, I am interested in the content additions it includes. Based on your comment I will give it another look. Thanks for the input!

 

coaster -

I over looked Rogue Rebalancing, because I'm not planning on playing a thief. However, your description of the Chosen of Cyric encounter is exactly what I'm looking for in this run through. Thanks for the suggestion, I'll be adding RR to my mod list! As for Assassinations, I'm planning on playing a good PC, so probably not so good for this run through. I do plan on installing Assassinations in a future evil run through.

 

To clarify the run through, here is the party I plan to build:

 

PC - F/T mulitclassed

Viconia - Multiclassed to C/M

Yoshimo/Imoen

Tank (Probably Minsc)

Additional NPCs as needed for quests.

[Azazello]

...I have avoided BP and all Mods that require BGT or Tutu...

BP doesn't require BGT (or Tutu). In fact, the only mod I can think of that requires BGT is BGT Tweaks (but I'm sure there are others).

[Icendoan]

BGT Music also might need it

 

Icen

[Jarno Mikkola]

the only mod I can think of that requires BGT is BGT Tweaks (but I'm sure there are others).

Perhaps, but they need the BGI part, and by them I refer to: Dark Side of the Sword Coast, Northern Tales of the Sword Coast, Secret of Bonehill, Sword Coast Strategems(as the SCSII is made for BGII), The Lure of the Sirine's Call, The Grey Clan Episode I, The Drizzt Saga, Tutu exclusive mods, few NPC and item mods, everything else should be BGII:ToB compatible, unless their readme says otherwise...

Of course the OSX might not agree with all the other mods, but I have no specifics cause I have never used one.

[avatar1138]

Azazello,

 

Thanks for all the time and effort you have put into your megainstallation guides (yes, I clicked though your signature!). I am in the process of following your minimega + g3 fixpack guide to put together my mod installation order (yes, I am completely ignoring the DO NOT USE THIS GUIDE IF YOU ARE A NOOBER warning )

 

One issue has me somewhat confused. After searching around the SHS forum, I finally found the BP manual (BigPicture161G_Manual.pdf). It states that Baldurdash is included with BP, and that the G3 tweak pack is not compatible (as would the G3 fixpack, if Baludrdash is included). I am guessing that the manual is completely out of date, but I am trying to follow the golden rule of reading all FAQs, readmes & manuals.

 

Is there a more up to date version of the BP manual? Is BP even necessary if I only include two of the BP family of Mods (say CtB & either TDD or NEJ)? Thanks again for your help!

 

Also, thanks for at least tolerating a Mac User (as the same cannot be said for some other forums.)

[Wanderer]

Also, thanks for at least tolerating a Mac User (as the same cannot be said for some other forums.)

G3 has far and away gone furthest in terms of accessibility. There are some things here and there that aren't as up-to-date as could be, e.g. weiDU versions, but people tend to be very responsive here. The install tools from Loriel's site help iron out most other cases.

[Jarno Mikkola]

Is there a more up to date version of the BP manual? Is BP even necessary if I only include two of the BP family of Mods (say CtB & either TDD or NEJ)?

The Big World Project, just read the .pdf file from here. Just remember that the guide actually says that you don't need any of the mods, as you can pass them if you know that the other mods do not reguire them -as in the G3Fixpack is needed for the worldmap mod which is needed for the Check the Bodies&G3 3rd Anniversary Mod.

 

As for the BP, currently not anymore as the BP became to be just an enemy AI mod. For more info I suggest that you read this forum, a lot and ask if you need more help.

[avatar1138]

Thanks again for the help! In case there are any Mac users out there who are interested in following my attempt at a Mac based mega-installation, I have started a progress thread in the By The Fireplace Forum at MacInfinity (http://loriel.byethost18.com/forums/index.php?board=2.0).

[Azazello]

avatar1138, good luck with your quest to have a Big World/MegaMod install!

 

Sorry, I can't help you with Mac-related, haven't used them in years (but still luv 'em). I do wish you the best of results, and very enjoyable gaming.