new mods to check out for entire saga?

[Lemernis]

I'm about to begin a run through the entire BG saga, beginning with a Tutu game. I just found with my last run that this takes me about three months, so I want to choose wisely.

 

I'm mulling over which class to use for my PC. There's a lot of kits I haven't tried... I'm considering a human Berskerer, that;s at the top of the list right now. Maybe a half-orc Cleric-Thief. Perhaps a monk. I'd appreciate any suggestions on what class would be fun.

 

I'm not sure yet what party I'll assemble for BG1. More than likely, an ecletic mix of some kind.

 

For BG2, with the "Happy Patch" installed I'll try out Nalia, Edwin, and Korgan... not sure who else yet... Maybe Viconia and Valagyr.

 

Anyway, I'd appreciate suggestions on what mods for both BG1 and BG2 would be fun. FYI, here are the mods I already intend to use, plus whatever else I might add:

 

BG1 NPC Banter Pack

Tutu Tweak Pack

LadeJarl's Tutu GUI

One Pixel Production's 'BG1 paperdoll/item graphics/left-hand weapon fix for BG II'

 

From what I understand there's little choice of mods for BG1, so perhaps I will install the newly released Unfinished Business.

 

For SoA/ToB, I think I would be interested in the BG2 Banter Pack. But what else might be fun? I'm not interested in any blatantly overpowered NPCs. But an interesting and well written character is always welcome (along those lines, I've heard Kelsey is very good.)

 

Thanking you in advance for the feedback.

[NiGHTMARE]

BG1 Unfinished Business doesn't yet work with Tutu, so that's out (unless you use the original engine, in which case you can't use any of the other mods you just listed).

 

For BG2, I recommend BG2 Unfinished Business, Ding0's Quest Pack, Divine Remix, Song and Silence, and selected components of the G3 Tweak Pack. To continue the "BG1 flavour" in the sequel, you might want to give the Kivan and Xan mods a try.

[Lemernis]

Thanks. Perhaps continuing with Kivan or Xan, or both, in BG2 does sound like it would be fun.

 

A follow up question: are all these mods compatible with Easy Tutu? And as long as I point these mods' installation paths to C:/Programs/BaldursGate Tutu everything will work fine?

 

I'm extremely wary about using Easy Tutu after the experience I just had. I failed to understand that Easy Tutu creates a separate folder for itself outside of the Black Isle folder. After installing Easy Tutu, unfortunately I then installed Tutu Tweaks to the default SoA folder. Then after being cued in to the mistake, I then tried installing Tutu Tweaks again to C:/Programs/BaldursGate Tutu. This created a mess of installation errors. I'm still trying to figure out how to uninstall BG from my other computer so that I can try installing with a clean slate. When I put in the disk in the drive, it offers me the "uninstall" option only, and there is nothing left on the computer to uninstall.

 

As I mentioned, it takes me at least 3 months to complete the BG saga. And should I just use regular Tutu, I don't mind performing complete uninstalls and reinstalls as long as I don't have to worry about anything getting buggered up on my computer.

[cmorgan]

Well, two things on the Tutu front...

 

#1 I suggest using EasyTutu. Tons of bugfixes, stable install, tremendously easy to install and uninstall (and it leaves your regular BG1 and BG2 intact, so you can just bring your character over by importing from a Tutu save and keep going, while starting a new tutu game -- heck, you can have a BG1, BG1Tutu, and BG2 game all going at once, if you want). All of the WeiDU mods that are installed after Tutu conversion and are compatible with Tutu v4 are compatible with EasyTutu -- as with any program, if you install it in the wrong directory, it is modifying the wrong thing. BG1 mods (even WeiDU ones) like Fields of the Dead, BG1 Unfinished Business, etc. will NOT work with any type of Tutu. The Vault, some new mods at SHS/BWL, etc. that need to be installed BEFORE converting to Tutu will not work, either; but then again, they often have difficulties on regular Tutu v4, anyways. Everything marked "Tutu" works extremely well. I will edit this post in a minute for a list of currently installed and working mods on EasyTutu; it isn't comprehensive, but I know they all work since I use them!

 

cmorgan's list of confirmed working Tutu mods and additions as of April, 2006

 

Changes: Use the latest version of EasyTutu, and latest TutuFix and TutuTweaks. Some older components are no longer needed, because Macready already fixed 'em.

 

#2 The addition of NPC mods is fine, too, as long as they are rated for Tutu. (Not BG1, Not BG2, Tutu). Make sure that path is correct: C:/Programs/BaldursGateTutu (oneword, not two words for default installation). Most importantly, before you install any of the mods, read the ReadMe file for information on what it does and where it goes. Most of these mods ReadMe files assume that the user understands "install directory", "Tutu install directory", "BG II - SoA directory" "BG2 Installation", etc. are just placeholders for "The Place On My Computer Where I Converted That Tutu Program And Will Install All The Modifications". You will need to check that each mod you want to put onto Tutu goes in whatever you have named as the Tutu folder; whatever you want on BG2 goes to BG2's folder.

 

Have fun playing... once the registry stuff gets straightened out. You might be able to go back to a System Restore point if you are using WinME/2000/XP.

[Lemernis]

The surprisingly easy solution when this sort of limbo thing happens (i.e., no BG files left on the computer and you're only getting the "uninstall" option when you try to run the disk) is to

 

1) place disk 1 in the drive (or in my case the BG DVD)

 

2) rightclick and Open the disk drive (i.e., the BG disk)

 

3) doubleclick Setup

 

And installation will continue. That fix has bailed me out twice now.

[Lemernis]

Thanks for the help

 

After Easy Tutu installs, will I still be able to rerun setup and customize its individual components? For example, NPC kits and BG2 walkspeed? The post you include suggests that, but I just want to be sure.

 

Are Unrestricted Items, Tactics, and Ascension all Tutu-compatible?

[Andyr]

There'd be no point using Ascension on Tutu given that Ascension only affects the end of ToB...

 

I don't know what Unrestricted Items is, but if you mean the Universal Weapons component of AoE then yes, it works. I don't think tactics will have any effect.

[Lemernis]

Apologies, I got the name of the mod wrong--it's Underrepresented Items.

 

I found it here:

 

http://weidu.org/

 

I'd like to be able to have a Berserker wield a two-handed axe, for eaxample. That's the main reason I'd be adding it.

[cmorgan]

Yes, after install of EasyTutu you can run EasyTutu Kits, etc. and change ("mod"ify) the behavior of Tutu/EasyTutu (they are the same thing at core).

 

From the readme -

 

"These items are accessible via a new merchant. Conlan (from IWD2's

Kuldahar) sells them in Ribald's Adventurer's Mart (AR0702) and outside the Watcher's Keep (AR3000)."

Both of those locations are BG2...

 

So, no - I am afraid that the Ease of Use, Valen, Solafein, Underrepresented items, etc. (basically everything found on that site except WeiDU) are all older BG2 mods, which are fine for your BG2 install but useless for Tutu.

 

The good news is that you can still have most of that mod content in Tutu, thanks to Andyr, Icelus, nIGHTMARE, et. al. Much of it is put into the mods listed on the reference install post:

 

I think that underrepresented items is part of TutuTweaks, some of the AI upgrades of tactics are added by TutuAI, etc. I think the quickest way for you to get an idea about what is possible is to download the Tutu-specific mods, and check each ReadMe to see what it can do for you. You may find out that everything you want has already been adjusted to work with Tutu.

[Lemernis]

From the readme -

 

"These items are accessible via a new merchant. Conlan (from IWD2's

Kuldahar) sells them in Ribald's Adventurer's Mart (AR0702) and outside the Watcher's Keep (AR3000)."

Both of those locations are BG2...

 

I'm not finding an Easy Tutu readme in either the "BaldursGate Tutu" folder (in Programs) or the "EasyTutuSetup" folder (in Temp). Where is it located?

[Andyr]

Cmorgan is quoting the Underrepresented Items readme.

[cmorgan]

That clip I made was from the "Underepresented items" readme -- each mod has one. If a mod's readme says it is ok with Tutu, then it is ok with EasyTutu (since they are different distributions of the same thing).

 

http://usoutpost31.com/easytutu/ is where you can find the EasyTutu version history, documentation, etc. Since it is a conversion, I believe the readme is only found online.

[Lemernis]

Thanks for your respones. The context for my questions above is that I'm planning to take a character through the entire series.

 

So Tutu's use of the BG2 engine for BG1 doesn't affect BG2 in any way? BG1Tutu and BG2 are independent? I can use any BG2 mod I want, irrespective of the Tutu mods I use?

 

Also, I think what I failed to ask clearly above was this: are there BG2 mods that folks can recommend? Given that I'm playing the entire saga.

[cmorgan]

No problem. EasyTutu sets up that separate install, so you can mod BG2 and not hurt Tutu, and vice versa.

 

The BG2 stuff I will leave to more experienced SoA/ToB people. I am looking forward to a run through the whole thing in August, but have never finished ToB before.

[Lemernis]

For BG2, I recommend BG2 Unfinished Business, Ding0's Quest Pack, Divine Remix, Song and Silence, and selected components of the G3 Tweak Pack.  To continue the "BG1 flavour" in the sequel, you might want to give the Kivan and Xan mods a try.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I see that Divine Remix and Song and Silence change both BG1 and BG2. Do I then install them to C:\Programs\BaldursGate Tutu?

 

But it looks like the Quest Pack is for BG2 alone. Do I uninstall that to the BG2 folder? Or the BaldursGate Tutu folder?

 

***

 

Edit: If it's Tutu in addition to BG2 I would think it has to be installed to the Tutu folder, so that's what I'll do. I guess somehow Easy Tutu will modify the BG2 mod as well?

 

***

 

Re-edit: Hmm, I'm getting error messages on installation of Divine Remix to C:\Programs\BaldursGate Tutu. So I guess my assumption was incorrect? I'll wait to hear what you guys advise before proceeding.