Need help with installing EET with Project Infinity

[killjoyparris]

I'm really sorry if this makes me sound stupid, but I'm trying to understand how to use the Project Infinity mod manager program... And, I just don't get it. Can someone please explain to me in baby steps how I'm supposed to get the EET installed and working? 

I have the Enhanced Edition Versions of all of the games. 

Some background, I've watched this video: 

 

 

And, it sorta explained a little bit, but I'm still feeling extremely overwhelmed. 

I don't really understand the whole WeiDU file thing...

I started by trying to follow the video, and I download a "Pre-EET" WeiDU file. But, as soon as I load it, I get the following error: "Error: WeiDU-BGEE-2023-03-02.log contains BG1AERIE but the mod list doesn't contain such mod ID."

I'm sorry. I'm really dumb. I don't really understand what it means.

Lotta basic questions here... What is the "Mod List". How do I add BG1AERIE to the "Mod List", so I can install it? I manually downloaded BG1AERIE, just like the video said to, and I put it in my mod folder... What is the difference between the "Mod List" and the "WeiDu file"? 

The is is the "Pre-EET" WeiDU file that I imported: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/morpheus562/Baldurs-Gate-Install-Order-List-Repository/main/user-submitted-weidu-logs/morpheus562/WeiDU-BGEE-2023-03-02.log

 

 I don't really understand how many WeiDU files I should be loading. For example, I read this reddit page: 

 

And, I'd really like to play through some SOD mods. I think Boareskyr bridge scene, Another fine hell, Road to discovery, and the SoD tweak pack all sound really cool. What would be the best way to install them? Should I just download a bunch WeiDU files and CNTRL+F through them until I find one using the mods I want to play with? Are there any guides out there on how I can make my own WeiDU files?

 

Lastly, on this github: https://github.com/morpheus562/Baldurs-Gate-Install-Order-List-Repository

There are a bunch of different kinda WeiDU files like, Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition ONLY WeiDU Logs, Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition ONLY WeiDU Logs, and  Enhanced Edition Trilogy (EET) WeiDU Logs... 

Out of all of those places, where would I be most like to find SOD mods? Do I need to install the WeiDU files separately for everygame? Do I need to do one for BGI, BGII, SOD, Pre-EET, and EET? If need to do multiple WeiDU files, does the order matter?

Please help! Any Guidance would be appreciated. I just don't understand. 

Edited May 5, 2023 by killjoyparris

[jastey]

@killjoyparris moved into an own thread.

[killjoyparris]

Hey everyone! Never heard back from y'all. It's been about a week, so I thought I'd bump my topic. Honestly any kinda advice would be great. Thank you.

 

Some small updates... I was able to solve the main show-stopping error that I was receiving with Project Infinity. And, I was able to get the program to work by taking a closer look at the WeiDU file. It turns out that even though I unzipped the mod an placed it into the correct folder, the file path didn't match how it was written in the WeiDU file, so the Mod just wasn't being recognized by PI. Ugh! I feel super dumb for not catching that much earlier on.

So, I am able to use the tool to install mods now. Yay!

I would like to do an EET megamod install. I'll attach a list of all of the mods that sound interesting to me, and I've started trying to download. I'm still a little bit confused, about the best way to approach this. There are a lot of super complicated posts about install orders and which components to use. I feel like a lot of people have probably done this before, and I'm not trying to reinvent to wheel. What is the best way to do this?

Spoiler

---Tweaks and UI---
-Almateria's Restoration Project
-Argent77's Banter Acceleration
-aTweaks
-Baldur's Gate II Fixpack
-BP-BGT-Worldmap
-BG_Travel-MOD-for-BG1-BGEE-BGT-Tutu-EET
-BG2RadarOverlay
-Bubbs-Spell-Menu-Extended
-BuTcHeRy
-d5_Random_Tweaks
-DLCMerger
-Dragonspear UI++
-DruidGroveMakeover
-EE UI Tweaks
-EE Tweaks
-EEex
-EET
-Enhanced Powergaming Scripts
-Epic-Thieving
-Golem Construction for Spellcasters
-IWDification
-HQ-SoundClips-BG2EE
-Jastey's SOD Tweaks
Klatu Tweaks and Fixes
-lefreut's Enhanced UI for BG1EE, SoD, BG2EE and EET
-Lore From Learning
-P&P Celestials
-Portraits Portraits Everywhere
Rogue Rebalancing
-Refinements
-semiticgoddess' Slayers Revision
-Shader Pack: Lighting adjustments
-Shadow Magic
-Spell Revisions
-Sword Coast Stratagems
-The Picture Standard
-Tweaks Anthology

---Quests and Expansions---
-Adalon's Blood
-Alternatives
-Another Fine Hell
-Ascalons Questpack
-Ascension
-Assassinations
-Athkatlan Grounds: ALABASTER SANDS
-Athkatlan Grounds: BRIDGE'S BLOCK
-Athkatlan Grounds: Ooze's Lounge
-Athkatlan Grounds: Southern Edge
-Athkatlan Grounds: Tangled Oak Isle
-Back to Brynnlaw
-Balduran's Sea Tower
-BG1 Gate Mini Quests & Encounters
-BG1 Unfinished Business
-BG2 Unfinished Business
-Brage's Redemption
-Check The Bodies
-Colours of Infinity: Foundling
-Colours of Infinity: I Shall Never Forget
-Colours of Infinity: Innershade
-Colours of Infinity: Tales of the Deep Gardens
-Colours of Infinity: Yvette Romance
-Colours of Infinity: The White Queen
-Eilistraee's Song
-Endless BG1
-Every Mod and Dog
-Expanded Thief Stronghold
Expanded Mage Stronghold
-Extra Expanded Enhanced Encounters!
-Fading Promises
-FishingForTrouble
-framed
-Hidden Adventures 
-Northern Tales of the Sword Coast
-The Boareskyr Bridge Scene
-The Cowled Menace
-The Gibberlings Three Anniversary Mod
-The Gorgon's Eye
-The Jerry Zinger Show
-The Longer Road
-The Lure of the Sirine’s Call
-The Minotaur and Lilacor for BGII 
-The Sellswords
-The Stone of Askavar
-The Wheels of Prophecy
-Tower of Deception
-Reunion
-Road to Discovery
-Shades of the Sword Coast
-Shards of Ice
-SimDing0 Quest Pack
-Skie - The Cost of One Girl's Soul
-Tales of Anegh

---NPC and Romances---
-Ajantis BG1 Expansion
-Angelo NPC
-Banter Packs
-BG1Aerie
-BG1 NPCs for SoA & ToB
-BG1 NPC Project
-BG1 NPC Music Pack
-BG1 Romantic Encounters
-BG2 Romantic Encounters
-Branwen for BGII
-Cernd Friendship
-Chatty Imoen
-Coran's BG Extended Friendship Talks
-Coran for BGII
-Corthala Romantique
-Crossmod Banter Pack
-deArnise Romance
-Edwin Romance
-Finch
-Gavin BG1 NPC
-Gavin BG2 NPC
-Garrick's Infatuation
-Garrick: Tales of a Troubadour
-Haer'Dalis Friendship
-Haer'Dalis Swords
Haer'Dalis Romance
-Heroes, Thieves and Moneylenders
-IEP Extended Banter
-Imoen Friendship
-Imoen Romance
-Imoen FOREVER
-Jan's Extended Quest
-Jaheira Recast
-Keldorn Romance
-Korgan Friendship
-Korgan's Redemption
-Lucy the Wyvern
-Mazzy Friendship
-Minsc Friendship
-Neera Banters
-Neera Expansion
-NPC Flirt Packs for BGII
-Quayle BG2
-MegaMod 3.12: Mazzy Romance, Clara NPC, Darkside Anomen, Flying Aerie, For The Evil, & more!
-Monastic Orders of Faerûn
-Sarevok Friendship
Sarevok Romance
-Sir Ajantis NPC For BGII
-SoD Banter Restoration
-Solaufein's Rescue
-Solaufein Flirt
-Totemic Cernd
-Valygar Friendship
-Viconia Friendship
-Viconia Revamped
-Wilson Chronicles
-Xan Friendship
-Xan for BGII
-Yeslick NPC
-Yoshimo Friendship
-Yoshimo's Remorse
-Yoshimo Romance

---kits---
-Divine Remix
-Faiths & Powers
-Might and Guile
-Scales of Balance
-Song and Silence
-Tactics Remix
-Tome & Blood
-Will to Power
-Will of the Wisps
-semiticgoddess' Expanded Classes and Kits
-The Artisan's Kitpack

---Items---
-A Mod for the Orderly
-Forgotten Armament
-Item Revisions
-Item Upgrade
-Made in Heaven - Encounters & Quests
-SOD to BG2EE Item Upgrade
-Stuff of The Magi
-Thalantyr Item Upgrade
-The Unusual Oddities Shop
-Thrown Hammers

 

From my current understanding, it looks like there are two phases to installing EET with PI? There's Pre-EET mod install phase and EET mod install phase? Is this correct?

Does anyone know what distinguishes if a mod should be installed during the Pre-EET phase and a mod that should be installed during the EET phase? I don't really understand what determines mod order. And, the main thing that I would like to aim for is a bug-free gameplay experience, even if that mean installing less things.

Are there any modern-ish Megamod style WeiDu logs that anyone would recommend using a basis for install order and what not?

Again. Thank you for your time. Any and all advice would be appreciated.

Edited May 14, 2023 by killjoyparris

[jastey]

2 hours ago, killjoyparris said:

Does anyone know what distinguishes if a mod should be installed during the Pre-EET phase and a mod that should be installed during the EET phase?

The question for this is: it's a BG1 mod and it either has direct EET compatibility provided (then it will be installed to the former BGII:EE folder after the EET transformation) or it isn't natively compatible with EET but is supported by EET to be transferred if it is installed to BG:SoD before the EET install. There is a mod compatibility list here that lists the BG1 mods that are supported this way:

 

[jastey]

That's a whole lotta mods on your list. It's probably a better thing to tune it down to the NPC and kit etc mods you really want to use in your game. Not only can mods contain bugs, but sometimes there is compatibility issues noone encountered yet. Be ready to handle the cheat console and Near Infininty and probably the Stutter Debug Tool to circumvent smaller issues.

The overal order of mods that is recommended is:

-GUI early, EEex early, [Fixpack early but that's not released yet] - I'm not sure whether GUI or EEex should be first

-item mods, kit mods (I think - again, I'm not firm with these)

Quest mods

NPC mods

Banter packs

Crossmod

Flirt packs

Tweak mods

Fighting scrips

BP-BGT-Worldmap - if you have mods that need it. EET's worldmap is big enough in principle

EET_End

SCS

Portrait mods

With that order in mind, cut your list by at least 30%, especially with mods that are not compatible (you are listing two GUI mods, for example). I tried sorting it but that's huge.

 

[Graion Dilach]

A lot of things depend on the components as well. A suggestion I have is to plan the install for a single run. Don't install kits or NPC mods if you don't think your next character would interact with/utilize them, for example.

For starters, trim the overlaps. Do you really need both Divine Remix and Faiths and Powers? Which one will you run from DragonspearUI and lefreutUI?

Imoen Friendship and Imoen Romance also overlaps somewhat, although IIRC they can be run together. I'm not sure about the same for Garrick  Tales of Troubadour vs Garrick's Infantuation. Also, Garrick: Tales of Troubadour is a mess from install order POV - it needs BG1NPC being installed before EET and that makes a lot of the other BG1NPC-handling mods a lot harder to order.

Some of the klatu components aren't compatibvle with SpellRev.

Monastic Orders of Faerun isn't common in the lists I've seen, I think that mod fell out of support unfortunately.

Unless your SoD is from Beamdog directly, you're missing DLCMerger.

I woulda suggest those install order lists from the repo, but tbh I haven't yet attempted to install a megamod run since jastey reorganized all her mods around Road to Discovery, so I'm not sure how much that segment needs an update in the stored install orders.

[jastey]

5 minutes ago, Graion Dilach said:

Also, Garrick: Tales of Troubadour is a mess from install order POV - it needs BG1NPC being installed before EET and that makes a lot of the other BG1NPC-handling mods a lot harder to order.

Garrick, Tales of a Troubadour has a native EET compatible version from k4thos here. (Maybe this should be added to the linklist if it isn't already.)

But I think that Garrick Infatuation and Garrick Tales of a Troubadour are not compatible with each other.

@killjoyparris you can't avoid reading the readmes of the mods carefully, especially with regard to compatibility. For install order, the modname.ini (if available) also gives information.

[jastey]

9 minutes ago, Graion Dilach said:

since jastey reorganized all her mods around Road to Discovery

It was more a reorganisation with SoD components of Imoen4Ever coming after AnotherfineHell and the SoD Tweakpack. RtD is just assumed to be installed, but it should still be installed after all mods that add SoD content.

[killjoyparris]

On 5/14/2023 at 1:58 PM, jastey said:

The question for this is: it's a BG1 mod and it either has direct EET compatibility provided (then it will be installed to the former BGII:EE folder after the EET transformation) or it isn't natively compatible with EET but is supported by EET to be transferred if it is installed to BG:SoD before the EET install. There is a mod compatibility list here that lists the BG1 mods that are supported this way:

 

Thank you so much for this explanation. You have no idea much this clarifies things for me!

[killjoyparris]

@jastey
@Graion Dilach

Thank you for taking the time to look at my post, and for the help you offered! 

I apologize for the slow reply. I've been having a hard time organizing my thoughts. I think I may have been trying to do too many things at once.

I'm not opposed to getting rid of mods that conflict with one another. It definitely goes without say, that I need to do more research and read more. No excuses.

The list I posted wasn't supposed to be a final install list. I'm sorry if that wasn't communicated. It was just a list of mods that either sounded interesting to me or I'd seen mentioned in other people's old WeiDU files. The last time I played Baldur's Gate was around 2020, and I used Roxanne's EE-Mod-Setup tool to play through all three parts of the Sandrah Saga. And, I'll just say that, overall with this current playthrough I'd like to stick with something a bit more true to the original Story.

--Tweak/Kit MODS--
I'm not super attached to any of this stuff. 

--Item MODS--
The only thing I absolutely want is something that places bags of holding, scroll cases, gem bags, wand cases, etc around the world and in stores... Do you guys know any particular mod that does these things? I know I've played with something before that does it, I just have no idea what it was.

--GUI MODS--
I don't know anything about DragonspearUI and lefreutUI. Is one better than the other in any respect? When it comes to GUI mods, the only thing I'm super excited to try out is Bubb's Spell Menu... which seems to be compatible with both DragonspearUI and lefreutUI.

--Quest MODS--
Taking Graion Dilach's advice, I think I'm going to try and narrow my mod selection down based on my next playthrough. And, I think the selection of mods I'm most excited to try out revolve around expanding and integrating the story of SOD. I've only ever played through vanilla SOD.

I'd really like to play through, Another Fine Hell, Shine On Caelar, The Boareskyr Bridge Scene, Skie - The Cost of One Girl's Soul, Road to Discovery, Hephernaan NPC, etc...

Another mod in this same vien that I would like to try out is "The Sword of Chaos - Tamoko." However, this mod doesn't seem very popular and I haven't seen it on anyone else's lists. After reading the readme, my main concern is the obvious incompatibilities it's going to have with the EndlessBG1 mod.  

From a modder's perspective, if I were interested in learning how two mods work and why two mods in particular are incompatible (from a technical standpoint), what would be the basic work-flow/approach and what tools would I use? (I'm a pretty decent programmer *c,assembly,python* but don't know much about the infinity engine.) I thinking of maybe starting with the .tp2 file in the mod folder, since it seems to control the install of the mod. But, I'm not sure if that's the best place to start or where to go from there.

Lastly, continuing that same line of thought, how are mods tested? I assume that when someone writes a mod for TOB, they don't play through the entire game just to test out something they added at the end... For example, the mods that I've mentioned start around the the end of BG1, continue through SOD, and end around the first part of BG2. Although I'm going to install the EET, if I were only interested in playing through that small section of game, what would be the best way to do this? 

Edited May 21, 2023 by killjoyparris

[Nox]

My soul mate. I have been trying to mod Baldur's Gate for years (a decade?) but never managed to get a satisfying install, no matter what tool i used (or if i used any), or how many hundred hours i poured in this. In all honesty, i found it easier to learn the GECK from scratch, to modify scripts, perform manual area/nodes/meshes/UVtextures patching, create my own content mods, tinker with FNVEdit, Audacity, Photoshop, GoldenWave, Nifskope, .bat files, and make 300 mods work together smoothly in New Vegas, than to mod Baldurs Gate. It is the one game i struggled the most to mod in my life.

Project Infinity feels obscure to me, too. I mean, the one complex thing with modding BG is the install order. Especially when mods have to be installed by bits depending on what other mods you have. And there is no clear rule to help you understand how you should do it because it is unclear what is contained inside standard BG2 files, and it is unclear how they are modified. You will have no idea what a mod will do exactly and hence, no idea how it will fare once you have this other mod installed. Especially considering that there may be some dirty edits somewhere that you are bound not to expect. It is a lottery. It feels like a lottery. Projet Infinity does not change this. It merely allows to use a convenient interface for doing what i did before with notepad (keeping track of things). So, basically, i you can't mod your game without PI, then using PI won't change your world. PI is good for sparing time. Not to tell you how to do it. And it is not the fault of PI, too.

One thing i have learned, though, is that conflicts with Baldur's Gate are to be feared. You know, with New vegas, if a script puts a character somewhere while another mod expects said character to be in its old coordinates, you can simply modify the script, or the quest, or the landscape or whatever and make it work. If one mod modifies an object that has been dirtily removed by another mod, you can simply re-add the object manually from the base game files, and edit it to account for the new mod. There is a learning curve, but one that is manageable. But with Baldur's Gate? It will break and you will have no idea why. I find it extremely frustrating. I tried to open NearInfinity long ago, but it didn't quite dispel the curse. I have only one advice: try to guess when 2 mods may patch the same file. As above poster said: don't install 2 Imoen mods. Even with WeiDU, it is calling for troubles. And so, choose your mods carefully. You can't have 300 of them work together. Or 100. Don't even try.

I don't know if it made things worse for me, but i was still using my original version with 5+1 CD for BG1, and 4+1CD for BG2 that i bought 25 years ago. I am attached to my originals, but even installing with the old CDs is a pain, and i ended up buying the EE i really didn't want just earlier. Just because i won't have to suffer with my install nemesis: 1PP. Or to care about language patches.

In this case, probably, simpler rhymes with better...

PS: If i remember correctly, several mods adds bags of holding. Mystigan was one, but this a feature you will find in many tweaks mods, too.

Edited December 26, 2023 by Nox