Yet Another Thread About A Big BG2EE Install

[subtledoctor]

On 4/30/2020 at 6:02 AM, Luke said:

You forgot to transfer the worldmap folder over to the iPad. Follow standard procedure:

worldmap => worldmap.zip => worldmap.bg2data

The same holds for the music folder in case some of those mods add new soundtracks...

No, I did move both of those folders over.  Still get black squares instead of area-link graphics in the worldmap.  I can think of two possibilities:

1) I am modding the base BG2EE desktop game, and then transferring the override/lang/worldmap/music/portraits folders over to the iPad.  Maybe the modded desktop worldmap files bring over the area-link graphics from the desktop game, which don't display properly on the iPad?  (I have the iPad .ipa file, I just didn't feel like going through the extra 5 minutes' procedure to back it up before modding.  Also, when I mod the desktop game, I can fire up the game in the desktop to troubleshoot, check hotfixes are working, etc.  That capability is very valuable.)

2) My folder is called "Worldmap" while you wrote "worldmap."  I know the iOS filesystem is case-sensitive (it makes exporting files from NI and importing them to the iPad really annoying)... do you think the worldmap folder should be all-lower-case?  Did you type it that way on  purpose?  Or do you think it doesn't matter?

Btw I've seen you on many occasions telling people to make sue they zip folder using the "store/no compression" setting, and mention it when troubleshooting... you should know, I actually use compression every time I zip my override folder, and it works just fine.  (For reference I use the Keka app, with the "exclude Mac resource forks" option.) 

Edited September 17, 2021 by subtledoctor

[AL|EN]

45 minutes ago, subtledoctor said:

For reference I use the Keka app, with the "exclude Mac resource forks" option

THIS OVER 9000!

[subtledoctor]

 

Edited May 11, 2020 by subtledoctor

[Luke]

@subtledoctor

OK, sorry, it's Worldmap (capital W) for me too (from the .ipa file...) Generally speaking:

• Mod the .ipa file. If you need to troubleshoot things and the like, mod also your desktop copy (yes, that's extra work, but I think it's better to mod the .ipa file if you want to play the iOS version of the game... You never know...)
• Make sure you select option #7 (PVRTC 4bpp: Override files only (iOS recommended)) when running 'a7-TextureConverter'.

After that, everything should be fine... Last time I checked I didn't have those black boxes... Try using the "store/no compression" setting for this particular folder...

2 hours ago, subtledoctor said:

I know the iOS filesystem is case-sensitive (it makes exporting files from NI and importing them to the iPad really annoying)...

Try putting exported files into a new "override" folder and transfer it to your iPad (it should merge with the existing one...)

Last but not least: I'm fiddling around with the DLC Builder (it got an update and now works on the desktop version of BG:EE) but it's not working for me (once again, it could be related to the compression method...). As soon as you find a chunk of spare time, please give it a try...

Edited May 11, 2020 by Luke

[subtledoctor]

3 hours ago, Luke said:

Generally speaking:

• Mod the .ipa file. If you need to troubleshoot things and the like, mod also your desktop copy (yes, that's extra work, but I think it's better to mod the .ipa file if you want to play the iOS version of the game... You never know...)
• Make sure you select option #7 (PVRTC 4bpp: Override files only (iOS recommended)) when running 'a7-TextureConverter'.

After that, everything should be fine... Last time I checked I didn't have those black boxes... Try using the "store/no compression" setting for this particular folder...

Funny thing is, the Southern Edge area-link looks fine, a little blue-ringed glob of graphics.  It is only the vanilla game's areas that look like black boxes.  That's why I suspect it is not to do with the compression, but with the fact that I modded the desktop game.  I'm guessing the answer is to 1) mod the iOS .ipa file instead; or 2) use A7-TextureConvert with option 5 (all game files) instead of option 7 (override folder only).  But that might create a much longer install, not to mention it might put too many converted files into the override folder, and slow down my iPad even more. I guess I could 3) find a way to export the worldmap from the biffed data folder into the override folder, and then use option 7 for override files only.  But I'm not sure where those graphics are in NI.

EDIT - maybe it's the .WMP files?  Maybe if I simply export the vanilla ones into /override, it will work.

Edited May 11, 2020 by subtledoctor

[Endarire]

@subtledoctor
What was your motivation to play a modded BG on an iPad?

[Luke]

12 hours ago, subtledoctor said:

or 2) use A7-TextureConvert with option 5 (all game files) instead of option 7 (override folder only).  But that might create a much longer install, not to mention it might put too many converted files into the override folder, and slow down my iPad even more

Yes, correct, that's why it's not working for you. If you mod the desktop game, then you need to convert all PVRZ files with option #5... But as you said, that'll take ages to install, so your best bet is to mod the .ipa file...

Edited May 12, 2020 by Luke

[subtledoctor]

I'm so close! I've got my install order completely worked out, as far as I can tell (and I've updated the first post of the thread); and I got everything installed, which took several sit-downs since there are a few mods that take a while, like FnP Multiclass, SCS, and A7-TextureConvert, and I don't actually have much free time for that.  But, it's all done now! 

Except...

Except, I have those graphical artifacts, probably because I am modding the desktop game but playing on an iPad.  And, my version of Fishing For Trouble is out of date and likely won't work at all.  And, some comments around here have made me want to add Wheels of Prophecy to the install list.  So my options are:

1. Forge ahead, play the game, skip FFT, and hope there are no seriouser issues that arise from using desktop resources in the mobile game.
2. Start over, reinstall everything on the iPad game, which should go smoothly since I have the order all worked out, and then I should have a really nice, pristine setup.

Sigh.  I think it will probably be option #2.  At this point, why not do it right... right?

Once that's done, I can finally convert this thread into more of a Let's Play kind of thing, and hopefully both experience and relate some good and interesting observations about all these mods.

[Caedwyr]

I have a few questions regarding your install order.

1. You have both Rogue Rebalancing and Refinements Thief and Bard HLAs.  Wouldn't you just want to choose one option or the other?
2. If Faiths and Powers borrows HLA adjustments from Refinements, wouldn't you want to install Refinements before Faiths and Powers so those changes are inherited?
3. The same would apply to Tome and Blood
4. I see you have Monastic Orders in your install order.  Have you had any issue with it, bugwise?  I see that there's an issue with using it in an EET install, but I'm wondering if you have run it in an EET game.

Thanks

 

[subtledoctor]

22 minutes ago, Caedwyr said:

You have both Rogue Rebalancing and Refinements Thief and Bard HLAs.  Wouldn't you just want to choose one option or the other?

As of v4, Refinements defers to any pre-existing RR thief and bard HLAs.  (My recollection from the Refinements Readme and poking around the forum is, Refinements borrowed a bunch of HLAs from RR; subsequently, RR updated and improved some of them.  The advice for Refinements v3 was: install Refinements first, then RR.  You'll get the Refinements-only HLAs, and then in any cases where they overlap, the new-and-improved RR version will overwrite the Refinements ones.

In Refinements v4 I did not touch any of the actual HLAs, except for the EE version of Use Scrolls; I only changed how the mod installs.  Now all HLAs are added in a non-destructive way, merging into existing HLA tables instead of replacing them; and when it sees RR HLAs in particular, it defers to the RR version already installed.  (The only sort-of exception to this non-destructive behavior is replacing Use Any Item with Use Scrolls and Wands.  But, that is replacing a vanilla HLA, not an RR one.)  So the best practice now it, install RR HLAs first, then install Refinements thief and bard HLAs.  That will get you:

• any RR-only HLAs
• the superior RR versions of any overlapping HLAs
• any Refintments-only HLAs, including Use Scrolls and Wands

If you like vanilla UAI, then you should skip Refinements thief HLAs.

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If Faiths and Powers borrows HLA adjustments from Refinements, wouldn't you want to install Refinements before Faiths and Powers so those changes are inherited?

By "borrowed" I mean the Refinements HLAs are actually in the FnP mod. (With permission.)  So nothing needs to be inherited - they are already there.  Installing Refinements cleric HLAs ahead of FnP might do one of several things:

• maybe do nothing, if FnP ignores the HLA table with Refinements abilities and creates all new ones for use with the sphere system
• maybe create doubles, if Refinements HLAs that should be ensconced in spheres end up also being in the 'general' pool

Honestly I haven't tested it too thoroughly.  But I don't really see any upside to combining the two.  I updated Refinements to v4 to allow certain classes to be omitted, and then I designed the FnP system with the assumption that players can and should omit cleric and druid HLAs from Refinements v4.

Quote

The same would apply to Tome and Blood

As I say, TnB doesn't touch HLAs AFAIK.  I think all mages and sorcerers use the normal HLA tables, so if and when Refinements comes along and changes those tables, the TnB kits should get the Refinements HLAs.  I don't think it should make a difference which you install first.  Perhaps the safewst best might be to install Refinements before TnB... (before any arcane kits? Before any kits? But all the old install order I remember have Refinements very late - like, after SCS sometimes...)

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I see you have Monastic Orders in your install order.  Have you had any issue with it, bugwise? 

TBH I always include it because Aquadrizzt does good work and what is described in the Readme is about how I think monks should be, versus the vanilla game.  But I also hate the monk class and never use one, even just for NPC quests. So I can't speak to in-game specifics.

Note, I am using the outdated v3 of MOoF, because I don't like monks so even though I want the mod, I still want monks ensconced in their own class.  The newer v4 moves monks into the thief class, which enables all sorts of multiclass monk combinations.  (And FnP will account for that, offering kitted multiclass cleric/monks for a bunch of deities.)  So if you are into monks and you want to try some formerly impossible combinations (though note, they are basically untested), that might be interesting.

Edited May 13, 2020 by subtledoctor

[Caedwyr]

A question!

Quote

NEPHELE/NEPHELE.TP2~ #0 #0 // Nephele NPC Mod for BGII: SoA & ToB: v2.5

Did you have a Soundset for this NPC?  If so, which one did you use?

Edited May 22, 2020 by Caedwyr

[subtledoctor]

I've started my game!  Actually played through a few hours now. Here is Mylo the Mystic Warrior:

I rolled a fighter, and resisted the urge to dual to Earth Mystic (Barkskin! Stoneskin!), instead dual-classing to Light Mystic.  I'm Neutral Good, so figure that the radiant magic is a natural emanation of my divine heritage, loosed by Irenicus'... experiments.  I get Reflected Image instead of Barkskin, and Mirror Image instead of Stoneskin.  Less good since they can be dispelled by any True Sight, which is common, instead of Breach, which would be rarer.  Interestingly, the Cloak of Nondetection might be really useful for this character, since with IR/SR it should protect me from Divination Attacks.  We'll see, if and when I find it.

Here are a few bugs and observations I noticed early on:

• I took a few feats as a fighter - luck bonus, slippery mind, toughness, a psionic wild talent (solar flash, natch).  For technical reasons, these live in the priest spellbook, so that the feat-choice mechanism knows what you have already chosen.  When I dual-classed into a Light Mystic (thanks to Kjeron's 'Dual to Kit' mod), these were there among my spells!  That's not great.  Need to update MnG to clear spellbooks when you dual-class from a class that gets feats.  In any event, there is a clear solution: use Faiths & Powers to change myself into a spontaneous sorcerer-style caster, instead of a normal priest.  That clears out your spellbook and you have to choose spells the way a sorcerer or shaman does.  This is fine, and fits with the theme of the character: if this magic is something that occurs naturally, instead of from actually being a priest who worships some deity, then it makes sense that I would be a sorcerer-style natural caster. So happily, the interaction of the two mods means this will be no problem.  It only means I could have put a point of WIS somewhere else, since it no longer gives me bonus spells.  (Oh yeah: also, I modded the dual-classing stat requirements to be 15 for both classes, instead of 15 for your 1st class and 17 for your 2nd class.  That requirement is stupid.)
• No Fire Trap!  Somehow it is no longer among FnP's spells in the sphere of Fire.  Damn, I love that spell.  (Then again, maybe I removed it on purpose.)
• Minsc has the "Aggresive Posture" feat... it keeps being renewed every day!  Not good, need to patch that in MnG.
• Priests keep getting the FnP 'Choose a Casting Style' ability, it is renewed every day instead of removing itself when used.  Need to patch that in FnP.
• Every time I visit a priest and look at the healing services (not stuff for sale, I mean the screen that lets you buy healing right there on the spot), the game crashes.  Not good!  Especially since I am currently dragging around Kivan's corpse, and the scroll of Raise Dead costs 14,000 gp.  (And Jaheira's special Harper Raise Dead spell was removed by either the sphere system or her choice to cast spells spontaneously.  (Oops!)  And Jaheira the Druid doesn't have access to Raise Dead, and Mylo the Mystic can only choose it at 11th level, which won't be for some time.)  Could this be from IR's Store Revisions?  This is annoying.

Eh, maybe I'll just let Kivan go from the party. 

EDIT - @Caedwyr I haven't installed any extra soundsets, for Charname or for NPCs, because a lot of mods ship with outdated tools for installing sounds on MacOS, and I didn't want to futz about too much fixing them.  Plus, I roughly recall that some sound files do not work on iOS - once, a while ago, I installed S9SoundSets to get some of those sweet IWD sound sets, and they crashed the app in iOS.  So now I basically just don't bother with stuff relating to sounds.  (I mostly play with the volume off anyway.)

Edited May 28, 2020 by subtledoctor

[subtledoctor]

So, here's something about having a heavily modded game: the NPCs come at you fast!  My initial party was:

• Mylo, a Fighter -> Light Mystic
• Minsc, a Barbarian
• Jaheira, a single-class Druid
• Yoshimo, a fighter/thief Tomb Runner
• Imoen, a mage/thief Spellfilcher

Toward the end of Chateau Irenicus, I met Adrian, a sorcerer.  Upon reaching daylight, Imoen was taken.  (Spoiler alert?)  Within a few seconds, Kivan walked up to me (a Stalker).  Mylo was a 6th-level Mystic at the time, I needed another warrior.  So Kivan stayed on.  That's six party members already!  Normally I might dive right into the cursed circus tent at this time, but I have no room for Aerie!  I walked over to the Adventurers' Mart, and Dace came oevr and initiated conversation.  Sorry Dace, no room!

I met Gaelan Bayle in the Slums and then went into the Cooper Coronet, where I was approached by Auren, Nalia, Anomen, and Arath.  Cripes, I'm popular!  I have to put off most of them ("it will be as if we never met").  Adrian though the slave fights were kind of cool (that guy is aggressively neutral), and Arath was appropriately outraged, so I switched them.  After liberating the slaves in the Copper Coronet and letting Hendak take over, I went over to the Southern Edge district for some combat-light questing to move toward getting Mylo's fighter skills back.  That went fine, and at some point I sent Arath back to the CC since I really don't need two druids in the party.  The Southern Edge is a very well-done area, with some fine quests - very fetch.  (Stop trying to make "fetch" a thing!  I know.  I actually mean fetch quests.)  Until the end - that end-boss-ish thing is tough!  It killed Kivan.  Now, I was kind of moving towards getting rid of Kivan anyway... but removing someone from the party when they are a corpse just seems wrong.  (Unless it's Khalid, apparently.  Damn, Jaheira...)  But I cannot raise him, either, because of the aforementioned temple bug.

I think I've probably fixed the bug - we'll see - but in the meantime I've just been carrying Kivan's corpse around.  I followed Yoshimo to report in to Renal Bloodscalp, and he's got me infiltrating Mae'Var's subguild.  No problem, these quests are also pretty combat-light until the very end.  (I opted not to fight Rayic Gethras... hmm, I wonder if I'll miss anything this way (research... an enchanted quarterstaff +2!  Poop, I actually need one of those!))  Jaheira got poisoned, and I have to save her because after the thief questline I'm going to the Harper Hold.  So I took care of Baron Ployer... that guy was fighting with the Backbiter spear!  Crap does it hit hard.  Triple the usual chance for crits, and an extra 2d6 damage on every hit?  Wowzers.  Even without his wizard backup crew, he was pretty dangerous.  Maybe I should have killed him by dialogue instead.  (I think that's an option, if you do it right.)

I solved a murder and a kidnapping in the Bridge District, and picked up Keto - finally, an arcane caster!  Now we are going back to the Docks to finish Edwin's quests (and then betray him to Rayic Gethras).  Then Yoshimo will go an do his own thing, and I'll replace him with Nalia.  Nalia is going to be a psionicist in this game, it should be interesting. 

The plan for the near future is something like:

• Finish thieves' Guild quests, let Yoshimo go.
• Get Nalia, head toward her keep.
• Get distracted on the way, go to the Harper Hold.
• Do the Harper quests, then let Jaheria go.  Replace her with Arath, or maybe Aerie.  Maybe get Aerie first?  An actual wizard could be useful in the Harper battle.
• Actually go and clear the D'Arnise Keep.  Probably let Nalia go after that, then I'll need another thief.  Thankfully there are 43 party-joinable thieves in this game...

[Caedwyr]

@subtledoctor do you have aTweaks "expanded temple services" installed?  I am wondering if it is interacting with one of the other components.

[Caedwyr]

On 5/12/2020 at 8:38 PM, subtledoctor said:

TBH I always include it because Aquadrizzt does good work and what is described in the Readme is about how I think monks should be, versus the vanilla game.  But I also hate the monk class and never use one, even just for NPC quests. So I can't speak to in-game specifics.

Note, I am using the outdated v3 of MOoF, because I don't like monks so even though I want the mod, I still want monks ensconced in their own class.  The newer v4 moves monks into the thief class, which enables all sorts of multiclass monk combinations.  (And FnP will account for that, offering kitted multiclass cleric/monks for a bunch of deities.)  So if you are into monks and you want to try some formerly impossible combinations (though note, they are basically untested), that might be interesting.

Is there a version 3 of MOoF available anywhere?  I'd like to take a look at some of the changes and possibly include it in my install, but I don't want to shift monks out of the monk class this time through.  Also, I noticed that the version 4 listed a bunch of bug fixes.  Are these something you've replicated in your install, or is it just the basic version 3 of MOoF?