eet Lurker's EET install: eet-modpack_2023-09-17_v2

[Lurker]

List of quest mods which actually work with EET + Ascension for ToB:

• Reunion
• Turnabout

 

I was dicking around with my saves from my doomed installation, a game that I started for ToB, and where I'm in the Pocket Plane, already buffed up to begin the final confrontation.

I dumped the now really soulless husk that was Jon Irenicus - due to Longer Road not longer being part of my current installation - from my party, and replaced him with a freshly summoned (via Fate Spirit) Nalia.

Her dialog leading to her content provided by Reunion almost immediately kicked in, and I can happily report from first hand experience that I was able to finish this mod without any issues. At least as far as I can tell, having nothing to compare to.

The same applies to Turnabout.

This does not express my opinion about the actual perceived quality of the content provided by the mods listed above, but strictly from a technical point of view.

Regarding the sad state in which some of the seemingly more popular, but older mods actually dealing with ToB content currently are, I'm "whitelisting" the few mods here that won't break a full run and causing us completionists to cry Tears of Bhaal (without gaining anything from them).

[Lurker]

I'm still updating my notes quite often, and also try to update older comments of mine with links to follow-ups by others, or by cross linking my own comments.

My notes started out as more of sloppy to-do section for myself, but then I also started aggregating information which can either be helpful for dealing with issues that may come up with my current setup, or as guidance to take into consideration for when planning a new installation.

Since updates via editing a comment do not get "pushed" like compared to posting new comments, people interested in my notes might find it useful to check by from time to time.

Edited November 3, 2023 by Lurker
fixed links to notes

[Lurker]

The cutscene for Rasaad's quest when entering the Baldur's Gate docks doesn't trigger.

Local variables:

• RASAAD_CDEV: 2
• RASAAD_CDEV2_END: 1
• DARK_MOON_AMBUSH: 9737381

Setting DARK_MOON_AMBUSH to 0 while the party is at the docks, with Rasaad in the party and focused, does nothing.

I don't really care much for neither this companion nor for his quest, but for why this bugs out.

[Lurker]

Bug with Black Hearts: Chapter 5, Three Old Kegs, Nerys, 2nd conversation (after the rogues have left)

In her hideout (supposedly in NW Baldur's Gate), the present Nerys only answers generic questions, but doesn't progress the plot. This also applies to any C:CreateCreature'd Nerys, regardless if WINERY or WINERY2. If any party member leaves the area, either by going upstairs or outside, and then goes back, the respective character ends up in the regular area for that location, and  a short "empty cutscene" plays. Any other party members stay in the previous location, with the non-progressing Nerys.

WINERY is passive, while WINERY2 actively approaches any visible party member.

Any Nerys needs to be manually C:CreateCreature'd, after a party member has left the area from the first forced transition, and the "empty cutscene" has been triggered. The plot then should continue with a projection of Illaserea appearing. Illasera can appear either in the area from the first forced transition (if there are still party members present), or the regular area. Depending on where Nerys has been C:CreateCreature'd (and perhaps other factors), the game can end up in an infinite dialog loop.

Step-by-step instructions to progress the plot:

• talk to Nerys in Three Old Kegs again, after the rogues have left
• transition to new location; no need to talk with Nerys here
• exit outside
• get back inside
• wait for "empty cutscene" to finish
• C:CreateCreature("WINERY2")
• image of Illasera appears --> normal progression

Edited November 10, 2023 by Lurker

[Delior]

Is this the same bug discussed here (pages 7-8)?

[Released] Black Hearts - BG1 - Page 8 — Beamdog Forums

[Lurker]

30 minutes ago, Delior said:

Is this the same bug discussed here (pages 7-8)?

[Released] Black Hearts - BG1 - Page 8 — Beamdog Forums

That's possible. I haven't looked into the details (NI), apart from searching for CREs matching Nerys, and don't know more about area scripts other than that they exist. I can only tell that the behavior of the consoled Nerys is also affected by where she's consoled.

EDIT: @Delior Also thank you for that link. The mod seems to be in support limbo. I've added this information to my notes.

Edited November 10, 2023 by Lurker

[Lurker]

Small issue with probably either SotSC or AutoDescription: Spike of Caprice +2 (L#ULCDA)

AutoDescription doesn't pick up the "Summon Insects" on critical hits. In NI it's present on the item, but I cannot tell (due to lack of experience in game) if it's actually working like intended.

Other instances of OpCode 341 do show up on other items, so I guess (literally, since I've no real clue about what I'm talking here) that the target ("self") doesn't fit the resource (SPPR319.SPL / Summon Insects).

EDIT: Added 100% critical probability to the item and attacked a fellow party member who's not crit immune and able to survive the hit. Summon Insects triggers, but doesn't always get applied, perhaps due to saving throws.

Edited November 10, 2023 by Lurker

[Lurker]

Stuck with Black Hearts, again. Nerys doesn't show up outside of the Drakon Tavern, and consoling her in doesn't help this time. She just offers her "What can I do for you?" dialog.

EDIT: There's also a copy of Nerys present in BG0167 (Pheirkas's Home). She's supposed to be kidnapped...

C:CreateCreature("WINIKN03")

...gets the plot back on track. This can be done immediately after talking to Illasera at the Elfsong Tavern regarding the Riezen Darkeyes plot conclusion (what's the difference between either handing over the Coded Diary or lying to Illasera?); no need to even leave the tavern. (Also, this Quest Guide is helpful, combined with NI).

Illasera then points out to either

• talk to Alatos or
• talk to Scar or
• C:MoveToArea("WI0005")

Since I'm at a stage in Chapter 5 where neither Alatos nor Scar aren't (currently) available (any more), the shortcut isn't really optional. But at least the area transition from BG1200 --> WI0005 (which replaces BG1208) works, so walking would still be an option...

Edited November 11, 2023 by Lurker

[Lurker]

The bugs with Black Hearts continue. This time when confronting Cherise Silthur.

I guess one's supposed to experience two different versions of this encounter, depending on whether if Riezen's diary was handed over to Illasera or not.

On first attempt, I got the version were Cherise leaves due to a secondary attack elsewhere. After reloading and entering the area again, I got both versions of the encounter simultaneously, but not always.

[subtledoctor]

[ … me waiting til all Black Hearts-related bugs are mentioned before I try to fix the mod and reinstall … ]

[Connelly]

*glances at fresh "stable" BG1 install with Black Hearts* Welp, I sure hope these are purely EET issues.

[Lurker]

19 hours ago, subtledoctor said:

[ … me waiting til all Black Hearts-related bugs are mentioned before I try to fix the mod and reinstall … ]

Comments like this one really help to keep this going, albeit slowly. My motivation is at a somewhat critical, negative threshold, so a comment like this brightens things up. Thank you.

Up to the first issue with Black Hearts, I can't recall any issues whatsoever - the experience was flawless. So I'm a bit surprised that technical quality took a nose dive after that.

18 hours ago, Connelly said:

*glances at fresh "stable" BG1 install with Black Hearts* Welp, I sure hope these are purely EET issues.

The first issue is EET specific, from what I can tell. For that later parts, just compare your experience with mine, and provide feedback. Then we all know for sure. 

If a bug also affects your setup, I'd enjoy feedback if my provided workarounds were useful to save your progress.

[Lurker]

Disclaimer of the day: I'm in a bad mood, I'm annoyed by my current game and setup, and by Black Hearts.

tl;dr: If you don't tolerate bugs, don't use Black Hearts for EET. The mod's content falls apart at the later stages.

I have 3(!) thieves in my party; charname has effective 105 in Find Traps, but it takes an annoying amount of time to detect some traps in this mod's content. Good saves + Evasion (not the HLA) are much more convenient, because traps in this case are just ineffective after being triggered. If they trigger, because of haste and/or Boots of Speed messing with this; else, the stragglers (without Evasion) get hit. So annoying.

The Elfsong is repeatedly called "Eversong" in various journal entries.

"Progress" report for anyone interested:

1. Went back to an older save, rescued Nerys and gave her the diary, instead of Illasera
   1. it's hard to tell after some days of not playing; the journal entries don't give a clue with regards to some (or any?) of the player's choices, so I think I've continued a game where I gave Nerys the journal
2. I was expecting to have to fight Cherise in the Red Wizard enclave, but still got the encounter where she leaves due to "someone" (=Illasera) attacking "elsewhere"
   1. after multiple reloads, I got the "double" encounter, where one of the Cherises leaves, I kill the double amount of her goons, then talk to the other Cherise, who calmly waits for me to engage in dialog. Then I kill her.
3. Back at the not Eversong, Illasera is there (Nerys is not), and gives a dialog like I'd just defeated Cherise in a later stage of the game (Astral Demesne), which ends by her teleporting us to the Undercellar, and (I guess) preventing access to the "climax" area and content, so again a progress breaking bug.

Then I reload a previous save, where

1. I gave the diary to Illasera
2. Cherise leaves the Red Wizard enclave
3. Illasera admits to attacking the extradimensional domain, and leaves with the Strange Gemstone
4. supposedly to be continued later

and I pretend everything is as it should be and nothing out of the ordinary has happened.

EDIT: For clarification, I don't really know if the choice whom to hand over the diary has any outcome on the Cherise situation. It might be just a misguided assumption on my part.

EDIT: Seems like this isn't specific to EET, @Delior

Edited November 20, 2023 by Lurker

[Delior]

I haven't played Blackhearts yet (partly because your reports are scaring me off from doing so, and because the mod author is inactive at the moment), but it sounds like you are done with most of the content.  The author planned to include content in SOD, but never finished it.  I believe there is some dialogue changes in TOB, but that's about it for further content AFAIK.  

Now, I am wondering whether there is a particular path that is relatively bug-free since at least some people have reported being able to complete it after applying the fix that @JohnBob provided on the BD forums.  

[Lurker]

Minor issue/nitpick with Ascalon's Questpack: Breeding Gibberlings in Baldur's Gate.

From the first journal entry (JE):

Quote

By now there should be around 20 of the little beasts there.

I don't remember any more if/how many of the little beasts I'd killed before taking on the quest (in game, around 55 days have passed until now) where

Quote

Geraldo asked us to find the remaining gibberlings.

I was running around with 18 furs for quite some time, and wanted to get rid of the quest. So I used the console to get 2 additional furs, because I was mentally locked on the number 20 from the first JE. Having more than 18 furs in the party's inventory causes a

Quote

NO VALID REPLIES OR LINKS

when trying to turn in the furs. At first, I thought that I'd encountered my first broken DLG due to my reinstall, but checking by running this save against my previous install ended up the same.

By turning in the 18 furs, I also got the bonus reward, so I somewhat fooled myself.

Spoiler

Twice actually. The bonus reward isn't really a reward.

Can't recommend this quest (mod component #8) for anybody who doesn't like DA:I style fetch quests.

Nonetheless, I'd find it helpful, for preventing misunderstandings like this, to

1. instead of (or additionally to) mentioning the "20" in the first JE, (also) explicitly inform the player in the 2nd JE that there aren't more than 18 gibberlings to locate altogether
2. make the evaluation/check for number of furs not fail due to invalid user data input (# of furs > 18)

(reported)

Edited November 20, 2023 by Lurker