EasyTutu and/or BGT. Do they affect BG2/ToB?

[Guest Guest_BuddyRich_*]

In the spirit of BG1's 10th anniversary I want to give BG1 and 2 a play over the holidays as I have some time off. I figure a go through BG1 in the BG2 engine wouldn't be as painful as using the original engine and with the mods now, its a simple process to install them.

 

Now I know the purpose of either of these mods is to allow you to play BG1 with the BG2 engine. Which seems to me they would leave BG2/ToB alone, however I have to ask, do either of these mods also modify BG2/ToB content? Specifically some NPCs from BG1 are not imported into BG2. Can you carry over these NPCs or are they still gone in BG2 (as joinable NPCs, I know a couple make cameos in BG2, for ex. Coran, Dynaheir, etc.)?

 

Do the NPCs that do come over (Imoen, Minsc, etc.) from BG1 keep their BG1 stats or is it the same import process like a normal run through (the Final Save import from BG1)?

 

and a separate question more for BG2, but when I initially played I used the console to change variables to allow me to do all the stronghold quests in Ch. 2... is there a mod that does this now? Is it Tutu/BGT comptible?

 

Also are there any problems with running an online/multiplayer game to have 3 or 4 "main" characters and leave 2 or 3 spots for joinable NPCs vs. a single player game for either mod?

 

When I stopped playing BG2, ToB was just out, and I think Dave Gaider had put out a bunch of tougher boss battles/fixes for it. Are these still kicking around or incorporated into a fix pack of some sort? I remember the couple I tried were great improvements to ToB...

 

Oh and is the level capped removed from BG1 with these installed. Short of respawn killing, you could still get to 10th or 11th (maybe even 12th with a good run through TotSC) but BG1 capped you at Level 9 iirc?

[frabjous]

Now I know the purpose of either of these mods is to allow you to play BG1 with the BG2 engine. Which seems to me they would leave BG2/ToB alone, however I have to ask, do either of these mods also modify BG2/ToB content?

 

Tutu makes no changes at all to BG2 or ToB. It creates a completely separate game installation for playing BG1 with the BG2 engine.

 

BGT combines BG1 and BG2(SoA) into one game. It does this basically by adding BG1 to the beginning of BG2, so yes, it changes BG2. But it doesn't really change the BG2 part of BG2, with the exceptions noted below.

 

Neither touches ToB.

 

Specifically some NPCs from BG1 are not imported into BG2. Can you carry over these NPCs or are they still gone in BG2 (as joinable NPCs, I know a couple make cameos in BG2, for ex. Coran, Dynaheir, etc.)?

 

No, you can't carry them over, even in BGT, though there are other mods that add many of them as party-joinable in BG2.

 

Do the NPCs that do come over (Imoen, Minsc, etc.) from BG1 keep their BG1 stats or is it the same import process like a normal run through (the Final Save import from BG1)?

 

With Tutu, the import process is more or less the same as with normal BG1.

 

With BGT, if any of those NPCs (Imoen, Minsc, Viconia, Jaheira, Edwin) are in the party at the end of the BG1 part, they'll start BG2 with the same stats they had at the end of the BG1 part.

 

and a separate question more for BG2, but when I initially played I used the console to change variables to allow me to do all the stronghold quests in Ch. 2... is there a mod that does this now? Is it Tutu/BGT comptible?

 

The BG2 Tweak Pack, hosted here at G3, has such an option. I believe it's BGT compatible. With Tutu, since it's a completely different game installation, you'd just install it on BG2, and it would have no effect on Tutu and Tutu would have no effect on it.

 

Also are there any problems with running an online/multiplayer game to have 3 or 4 "main" characters and leave 2 or 3 spots for joinable NPCs vs. a single player game for either mod?

 

No problems -- though personally, if you just want to choose the class/kit, etc., of more than one party member, I'd prefer to use the Level 1 NPCs mod (also here at G3) to change existing NPCs rather than making multiple characters myself.

 

By the way, in case you don't know, if you do this, you can copy the saved game from the \mpsave to the \save subfolder to load one of these games in multiplayer mode, so you don't have to go through the hassle of clicking everyone in every time you load a game.

 

When I stopped playing BG2, ToB was just out, and I think Dave Gaider had put out a bunch of tougher boss battles/fixes for it. Are these still kicking around or incorporated into a fix pack of some sort? I remember the couple I tried were great improvements to ToB...

 

I think you're talking about Ascension. Yeah, it's still around:

http://www.weidu.org/asc.html

 

Oh and is the level capped removed from BG1 with these installed. Short of respawn killing, you could still get to 10th or 11th (maybe even 12th with a good run through TotSC) but BG1 capped you at Level 9 iirc?

 

Normal BG1 caps you at 161,000 total XP, which is different levels for different classes.

 

BGT uses the ToB XP cap from the start: 8000000.

 

Tutu uses the BG1 cap by default, but you can remove it with the BG2 Tweak Pack (which yes, works with Tutu as well as BG2... just install it separately for each game installation) among other mods.

[cmorgan]

If you are looking for a fun, simple playthrough over the holidays, I would suggest grabbing EasyTutu and following the install order instructions here.

 

Then I would play through BG using EasyTutu. Modded, that may take up most of your vacation time as it is, and give you a chance to read the various BG2 forums and see what you like. Then, since you will have a clean BG2-ToB install, you can add mods to that install and move a saved character over from the end of EasyTutu (BG).

 

I suggest this because it means you give yourself time to read up on what the various BG2 mods do, and see what you want/don't want. Plus, keeping a small separate install gives you flexibility.

[Jarno Mikkola]

No, you can't carry them over, even in BGT, though there are other mods that add many of them as party-joinable in BG2.

Well, it depends on what one means with carrying over, as the BGT Tweaks has component that moves the party members(except Dynaheir, Ajantis and few other NPCs ) as they are to the BGII's game grounds and the others like they were in the beginning of BG1 with some extra experience points, but they are not in the first dungeon and one might need to search for them.

 

Tutu uses the BG1 cap by default, but you can remove it with the BG2 Tweak Pack (which yes, works with BGTutu, EasyTutu, as well as BG2 and BGT... just install it separately for each game installation) among other mods.

And in case you didn't know, EasyTutu(English only), makes total separate game that is/can then be further modified, while BGTutu is installed on top of BGII, making the BGII part unplayable until the BGTutu is uninstalled, it has various installation languages, just like BGT, that's also installed on top of BGII:ToB, but you can start that in three different phases if you like, in BG1, in BG2:SoA or in BG2:ToB.

The only thing that prevents the BGT from being the ultimate option, is that it requires BG1, BG1:TotSC, BGII:SoA and BGII:ToB and the latest official patches... and that it has lot more content, so there is lot more mods that can be installed to it. (ok, so there are few Tutu only mods, but not many)

 

It's also good to ask somebody -when you have a list of mods you want to install on- what order they should be, as you come up to far less bugs that way.

[Guest Guest_BuddyRich_*]

Thanks everyone for the advice. I have all of the BG Discs and expansions... so I could use BGT no problem (I just hope my BG discs work, the paper sleve case sucked and they have since been through a couple of moves since last use!) though it seems Easytutu is the way to go.

 

IIRC I used a multiplayer game because I wanted to try a couple of different kits in the new BG2 when it came out, and get the most out of a single playthrough... if I can chose a kit and those choices are carried over with NPCs (via a mod/or tweak) into BG2 then that's the way I'll go... the banters will be new to me...

 

One last question, did anyone ever do a mod to put IWD (specifically HoW) spells into BG2? The druid spell selection in HoW really allowed the druid to shine as an offensive caster IMO... Would love it if static carge, spike stones, crushing wave, alicorn lance, etc. made it over to BG2...

[Icendoan]

Try Divine Remix, which has a few of IWD' spells included.

 

Icen

[Jarno Mikkola]

Try Divine Remix, which has a few of IWD' spells included.

Though a fare warning is in order...

Prepare yourself to be disappointed by the shrine system, and get yourself a savegame editor so you can edit spell into your clerical spell book... as nobody wants to have a Priest of Tempus, as she can't cast restorations spells, healing spells above the 3th level and has few levels that have only 2 spells to choose from, and that's just one Cleric kit.

[Guest Guest_BuddyRich_*]

How about the SpellPack Beta5 by Galactygon here:

 

http://forums.blackwyrmlair.net/index.php?...c=98&st=220

 

It seems to bring a bunch of IWD spells over, graphics and all. Though no idea if it works with either Easytutu or BGT.

 

It also mods other spells as well. Anyone with any experience with this, and more importantly something that will make for a tougher game for BG1 since the BG2 engine alone with kits and spells alone will make BG1 easier...