most bug-free version of SoA/ToB?

[Lemernis]

Apologies in advance if this isn't the right place to be asking this...

 

I recently experienced a number of bugs with a BG2/ToB game I started after uninstalling Tutu. I had imported a Tutu character from a game I had just finished, and had added SHS's BG1 item BAMs.

 

The game crashed when I tried to enter the Five Flagons Inn, and Renal Bloodscalp's quest to investigate a rival guild seemed broken.

 

So I decided to backup my saved games and do a full uninstall/reinstall of BG2/ToB.

 

Now, my question is: what's the most bug-free form of BG2/ToB? I have heard that the latest ToB patch misses quite a few bugs. I was advised that avoiding that patch entirely and using the baldurdash fix pack instead is a better way to go. Your thoughts?

 

tnx in advance

[Grim Squeaker]

No, no, no. At the moment install the latest BioWare patch and then install Baldurdash. There is a comprehensive fixpack in development here but it's not finished yet. For now, like I said, go with BioWare patch then Baldurdash.

[Lemernis]

Thanks! Prior to your response I went ahead and patched with the ToB patch and then used the Baldurdash Fix Pack. I had added the One Pixel Productions' BGII Item and Paperdoll Fix just after completing the reinstallation. I really like the BG1 item graphics much better.

 

Unfortunately, even after a full reinstall and running the Baldurdash Fix Pack, the game keeps crashing when I try to enter the Five Flagons Inn. Very frustrating, as I want to add Haer'Dalis to the party.

 

Based on the assertion error I'm thinking paperdoll and item pack thing from 1PP must be the problem:

 

ASSERTION FAILED!

File: CItem.cpp

Line: 1573

 

Exp: pRes->Demand()

 

Msg: no msg.

Run Debugger?

 

Unless the imported Tutu character is the problem.

 

Any thoughts about what the problem might be?

[Grim Squeaker]

That's a pretty weird error. So, what order to you install things in? Be specific.

[Lemernis]

FYI the exact same error came up before the uninstall/reinstall. Here's what I just did:

 

1) Backed up my saved games by copying them to a separate, differently named folder.

 

2) Uninstalled BG2/ToB via Start menu

 

3) Installed BG2 - SoA

 

4) Installed ToB

 

5) Installed BGII-ThroneofBhaal_Patch_26498_ENGLISH

 

6) Installed Baldurdash Throne Of Bhaal Post-Patch FixPack v1.12

 

7) Installed BG2ThroneOfBhaalGameTextUpdate12

 

8) Installed One Pixel Productions' paperdoll fix for BG II

[icelus]

At what point, exactly, did you install One Pixel Productions?

[Lemernis]

Lol, sorry for missing that, I am almost positive I did it last. (see above edit)

 

***

 

Oh! I almost forget this, but I suppose it could conceivably be creating a problem...

 

In BG1 before entering Bhaal's temple in the Undercity I realized I had forgotten to get the golden pantaloons. It's something I had planned to do for this excursion through the BG saga. I've never done the golden pantaloons quest. So I cheated the golden pantaloons in via the CLUA Console outside the temple, prior to the final battle.

 

I'm not sure if any of golden pantaloons quest takes place in the Five Flagons, but I never initiated a conversation with any NPC in BG1 regarding them, and the PC had them in his inventory when I imported him into BG2.

 

Just a thought that occured to me just now. And again I know nothing about how the golden pantaloons quest works.

[Lemernis]

Just to rule things out, I did some methodical testing on another older computer which did not have SoA/ToB installed.

 

I tried a newly created dummy character and the imported Tutu character, both, each with a brand new game where I CLUAed the PC and Imoen directly to the Five Flagons. For the Tutu character, I tested both with and without the pantaloons. First with unpatched SoA; then with unpatched ToB; then patched ToB; and finally with patched ToB and 1PP, which is what the saved game was using. Then finally the saved game that was originally crashing.

 

All tests worked upon entering the Five Flagons. Then I tried the saved game, and it worked too. Thankfully, I was able to continue with the game. That's a relief, as I spent weeks building this character in BG1 and had done a fair bit of BG2. I'm very pleased that I'll be able to continue with the game.

 

I did experience one crash, the first time when testing with the imported character w/ golden panatloons in his inventory in a new game just after patching ToB, and before adding 1PP. But in several subsequent tests of the same kind I experienced no problem. Not sure what to make of that.

 

Anyway, the problem is not with my game disks, thank goodness.

 

I think I'll just remove all traces of BG on the first compuer and reinstall, hopefully that will do it. I have so much Tutu mod stuff in the BG2 folder perhaps maybe something in there is messing things up when I install?

 

The one difference between the two computers was that on the older one where I did the testing, I did a 'recommended' install for SoA, and a 'minimum' install for ToB. I really don't want to have to change disks and I hope that when I reinstall this time I can do a 'full' install for both SoA and ToB.

 

Question: can I install the Baldurdash Fix Pack and it's Text Update for a game that is already in progress?

[Avenger]

When you talk about crashes, always check the baldur.err file.

Sometimes crashes are completely unrelated.

 

It is also important to know if a crash happens during the loading of the area, or you can enter it and it crashes shortly after enter. Or it crashes when you move to a certain place in the area, etc.

[Lemernis]

Sorry to have two posts going discussing the same problem (i.e., the crashes I was having at the Five Flagons). The crashing problem is fixed.

 

Now in this thread my focus is on whether it is advisable to add the ToB Baldurdash Fix Pack/Text Fix for a game already in progress.