My latest super-modded EET game - with more IWD

[mickabouille]

Well, maybe scimitars and katanas ought to be the same weapon category anyway?

Single edged curved blade (like sabres in fact).

Or maybe katanas can be straight bladed? I actually don't know.

[Morgoth]

Had to re-read some things again because I was truly behind for a lot of things.

1) I'm not sure how you solved with Breagar. Did you release an add-on, in the end? The kit is surely disappointing. Can I use NPC_EE on him and change his kit?

Also, what about the custom npc mod? Will npc_ee automatically add the tome to these?

2) I truly dislike PiD too. I never install them either. It's more of a mechanic added by modders that for me is not that enticing. I had hoped Brandock didn't have these. I wonder about Soulafein now.

3) Did you try NWN by Paladin84?

 

Edited February 17 by Morgoth

[Zoltanavr]

@subtledoctor Thanks for sharing this mega mod install. I found out in your mod list - Made in Heaven QE v6, while there is only v5.2 on @Angel GitHub release section. How did you get it? Via downloading the master? I’m curious as really want to play updated version of that great mod. 

[jmerry]

On 2/13/2024 at 12:11 PM, subtledoctor said:

Then we tried to infiltrate the Bandit Camp but failed? Which is weird because earlier in this same game, with the other set of saves, I did so successfully. Maybe the presence of a paladin makes them attack me?

While I can't speak to what mods might do with things, there are ability checks in the (unmodded) dialogues for the initial infiltration. You need sufficient strength to get the option that actually works in the initial dialogue. There's another dialogue option that gets you to the camp, but if you take it they're too suspicious of you once you arrive.

No class checks, though. The only character that causes trouble in the vanilla version is Kivan, who understandably blows your cover as soon as you meet Tazok.

[subtledoctor]

When I first did it, I chose a dialogue line for infiltration, the bandits got made at Teven for bringing me, Tazok challenged me to combat and when I got him to ‘near death’ he was satisfied and I was treated like a fellow bandit. I snuck into Tazok’s tent, maybe fought the bosses there? And then fought everyone else outside the tent. 

The second time, I chose a different dialogue line for infiltration, Teven took me to the camp, Tazok got angry and set out to kill me, when I got him to ‘near death’ he left and the whole camp came at me. Nothing in particular gave away that the dialogue choice would lead to a different outcome. I also had Ajantis the second time, with the BG1NPCProject - I wouldn’t put it past that mod to do something like that. At any rate it is of little consequence, it was fun either way, I just thought the difference was interesting. 

14 hours ago, Zoltanavr said:

Made in Heaven QE v6, while there is only v5.2 on @Angel GitHub release section. How did you get it? Via downloading the master?

I guess? Note, Angel specifically says not to do that. IIRC there was one particular component I wanted that wasn’t in v5… maybe the winter wolf armor? I forget.

22 hours ago, Morgoth said:

I'm not sure how you solved with Breagar. Did you release an add-on, in the end? The kit is surely disappointing. Can I use NPC_EE on him and change his kit?

I manually added a few things to his kit in this game. But I also created a replacement kit for him in the latest version of Might & Guile, so you can use that mod if you are interested in giving Breagar a few more bonuses. 

22 hours ago, Morgoth said:

Did you try NWN by Paladin84?

No, it seems like it was still too alpha-quality when I made this install. Looks very interesting though! I don’t love that it uses an entire game’s campaign as a quest mod in the middle of BG2, though. Seems a lot like what tipun did with IWD2 - so, eventually I might give it similar treatment, make a mod that makes NWN a distinct campaign playable from level 1. Once it is in stable condition, I’ll inspect it and see how much work it would be. 

Alternatively… if it is too much work to downconvert for low-level play, given it is currently designed for a PC with 1.5 million XP… it might be interesting to set it up as a continuation of the IWD1 campaign. Maybe I could stitch together tipun’s IWD1 and paladin84’s NWN, to make a single campaign that’s longer and meatier than either one on its own. And TBH it kind of makes sense - what else would the protagonist of IWD1 do after freeing Easthaven, but travel south and look for more adventures? And since in this universe Waterdeep basically doesn’t exist, Neverwinter would be an obvious place to arrive at. 

We’ll see. Probably a project for later this year. 

Edited February 17 by subtledoctor

[Morgoth]

My issue with Tipun in IWD is that it would be way more interesting if I could install the npc mod made by Lava and Artisan for it; but currently it's not possible.

If I had to play IWD, I would do it via Never Ending Journey by Vlad. A shame he never converted it and this way the mod is currently going to collect dust and be forgotten, when it's a good mod.

[subtledoctor]

2 hours ago, Morgoth said:

My issue with Tipun in IWD is that it would be way more interesting if I could install the npc mod made by Lava and Artisan for it; but currently it's not possible.

I agree with you there; and I put some work into making those mods compatible with tipun’s version of IWD. I got the NPC mods from Kulyok, Artemius, and Sinaherib working… but Lava won’t let me adapt his. I agree the campaign suffers for their absence. Of course, I use a modified version of tipun’s mods that begin at level 1; I suppose it would not make much sense to have these NPCs if playing the default versions where it is expected that you will take your BG1 party there…

[megrimlock]

18 hours ago, subtledoctor said:

Seems a lot like what tipun did with IWD2 - so, eventually I might give it similar treatment, make a mod that makes NWN a distinct campaign playable from level 1.

EDIT: I was hallucinating, paladin84 hasn't done this yet. But he and tipun are definitely talking about doing this with NWN (over on arcanecoast).

Edited February 18 by megrimlock

[subtledoctor]

1 hour ago, megrimlock said:

EDIT: I was hallucinating, @paladin84 hasn't done this yet. But he and tipun are definitely talking about doing this with NWN (over on arcanecoast).

I don’t know how easy it would be. With IWD2, even though it is in 3E, the file formats have been mapped out and I could access the game files in NI. Then I could get Weidu to read the relevant data and convert it to 2E stats. 

Whereas, I have zero idea if NWN stats are similarly accessible for an automatic conversion. If it had to be done manually,  it would be a lot more work. 

Edited February 18 by subtledoctor

[megrimlock]

Unless I have completely misunderstood what AGKanevchev did, it's not a port of NWN with NWN engine mechanics, it's a quest mod written from scratch in the BG2 engine but with - as I understand it - the dialog file from NWN Diamond (and screens/maps from Pillars of Eternity). So it should be less difficult than working with the 3E to 2E convert tipun did.

[paladin84]

To clarify: NWNForBG is a bg mod, with all creatures, dialogs, scripts and maps in infinity engine formats. You can modify it as you would modify any other bg mod. 

And yes, we are planning to make a possibility to install NWNForBG as a dedicated campaign in EET (and hopefully for bg2ee) for the next release. The code for EET is ready, but not in the main repo yet. However, it will start as it is now from 1.5M XP. We are not going to make it starting from level one of the main character, because it would require lots of additional work to proper balance everything. You can create a mod to do it, though.

[subtledoctor]

5 hours ago, megrimlock said:

not a port of NWN with NWN engine mechanics, it's a quest mod written from scratch in the BG2 engine but with - as I understand it - the dialog file from NWN Diamond (and screens/maps from Pillars of Eternity). So it should be less difficult than working with the 3E to 2E convert tipun did.

Yeah but I can run Weidu on IWD2, to poll creature stats and spit out a big chart. Then I can take that chart and run some math (convert positive AC to negative AC, BAB to thac0, 3E saves to 2E save, etc.) and apply those values to the creatures in the IWD2 mod. 

The question for NWN is, how can I get the original game’s creature stats? If I can find an automated way to create a chart, then it is easy. But if it means manually look up each creature in a wiki, or something… forget it. 

[subtledoctor]

Meanwhile, I had totally forgotten that I wrote a little additional scene in the Cloakwood druid grove. Amarande the Archdruid tries to intimidate you, and a druid Charname can throw it right back in his face:

Spoiler

I love it!

The idea is that when you are pushed to the edge and give in to despair and death and violently attack the Archdruid, you change kits and become a Lost Druid, which is unique among druids in having access to spells from the sphere of Death and can summon a dread wolf or vampiric wolf. That's the idea. In reality the kit-change did not take place. Note to self, look into that - something in Faiths & Powers seems bugged. Or maybe it is gated behind a druid class check, and my class is logged as fighter/druid because I am an incomplete dual-class? We'll see.

So anyway I proceeded on to kick Davaeorn's butt, and flooded the mine. Breagar had a visitation. I spied Eldoth but didn't want to take him on, because I would have to drop Coran, but I didn't want to drop Coran until we complete his quest in Beregost. What the heck is Eldoth doing way out in the Cloakwood anyway?? He is supposed to be planning a kidnapping in Baldur's Gate. I ended up doing it this way: I took Coran back to Beregost and complete his wyvern head quest. I let Sirene go from the party. And I spawned Eldoth at the Friendly Arm Inn, which is a much more sensible place for someone on their way to BG City. Next time I think I will actually make a little mod that removes Eldoth and spawns him at the FAI only after the Cloakwood Mine is flooded - it makes sense that someone on their way to the city would stop at the FAI once the bridge and gates are open to travelers.

I specced Eldoth out as a fighter/mage Hexblade bard, and went into BG City. We stopped off at the Elfsong Tavern to speak with Illasera, who gave me a task out in the Wood of Sharp Teeth. I spoke to Shilo Chen who also gave me a task in the Wood of Sharp Teeth. I was asked to clear a hideout for the Cult of the Dragon west of Beregost. I visited Balduran's Sea Tower and was asked by a criminal to rescue his brother from smugglers near Nashkel. And I stopped by Ulgoth's Beard. There I went to ice Island and picked up some Everice for a fellow in Nashkel, and met a ghost yearning for perfume to remind her of her life, and obtained some octopus ink for Brandock's business in Beregost. Unrelated to city business, I was made aware of an evil giant in the Cloudpeak mountains. With a Bevy of things to do south of the city, I put put Scar's task of investigating the Seven Suns Coster on hold and headed out.

Dracolilch cultists: terminated. Brandock's book: leveled up?? Super Ice: delivered. Giant: brought low. Perfume: purchased. Smugglers: negotiated. Illasera's information: obtained. Ogre mages: dispatched. All going well, and then Baeloth appeared before me in Larswood. Hello! Time to be abducted and to have a jaunt through the Black Pits - or so I thought. But apparently when I made Baeloth's dialogue for the BP-IN-BG mod, the EET version was screwy. It looks like I had some mods installed? There are references to Aura, who is not installed in this game, and some triggers for Neera's presence that break the dialogue. Maybe I had the Neera Expansion mod installed then.

So, I need to figure out how to fix this dialogue, and then it is time for Charname's first, but sure not last, trip to the Underdark.

I have the oddest feeling that Eldoth is not going to make it out alive...

Edited February 20 by subtledoctor

[megrimlock]

34 minutes ago, subtledoctor said:

 

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What the heck is Eldoth doing way out in the Cloakwood anyway?? He is supposed to Sirene go from the party. And I spawned Eldoth at the Friendly Arm Inn, which is a much more sensible place for someone on their way to BG City. Next time I think I will actually make a little mod that removes Eldoth and spawns him at the FAI only after the Cloakwood Mine is flooded

The Vanishing of Skie Silvershield puts Eldoth outside FAI anyway (and was made EET compatible latterly).

[subtledoctor]

3 hours ago, megrimlock said:

The Vanishing of Skie Silvershield puts Eldoth outside FAI anyway (and was made EET compatible latterly).

Was not compatible when I made this install, and to be honest I don’t really like it anyway - I don’t want Eldoth that early, and the idea of nipping into BG to get Skie, and then being unable to go back until chapter 5, is just weird. If you don’t mind the fundamental timing of getting access to Eldoth & Skie, then the most minimal change with the best effect is to simply move him from the Cloakwood to the main road, while keeping it tied to having access to BG City. Heck, I could even see moving him to the NW part of the bridge area. That would be fine, and even easier. 

Meantime, slight hiccup: every time I kill Llyrk in the Black Pits, my game freezes up. I can’t tell why. There’s nothing odd about his .CRE file. No lingering effects or anything. Maybe it’s something in the arena area script? 

Also the prices of some IWD-derived gear is a bit wonky. Need to adjust those, but it might be an interaction with the IWD mods, which get installed later than BP-in-BG. So maybe not much I can do about it.