Lightbringer

On previous EET installs, mods like BG1NPC Project and BG Mini Quests and Encounters installed on BG1, then got imported into EET. I am using PI, as I have successfully before. This time, however, I get an error: BGQE BG:EE mod is not recognized by EET, so it can't be imported to BG2:EE with EET Should BG Mini Quests and Encounters (BGQE) no longer be imported with BG1, but installed into the main EET/BG2 section of PI? I checked the ini for both BGQE and BG1NPC (which must install after BGQE), and both of them suggest placement in main EET/BG2 section of PI -- Quests and NPCs, respectively.

Hey, @subtledoctor! Been a while. I'm getting a new run going and planning to give tipun's IWD mods a try. That error you found with missiles -- is it only caused by IWD2_EET? If I do not plan to install tipun's IWD2_EET, what alterations to your fix do I need to make -- if I need to make any changes at all? EDIT: Never mind, I realized step 1 was about IWD2_EET. It looks like I avoid the entire issue if I do not install tipun's IWD2_EET.

In Skyrim, I zealously kill bunny rabbits and pluck the wings off butterflies by the hundreds, purely because there are achievements for doing so. Do you realize what you have done?!?! Also, THANK YOU!

Wow, this was a heckuva read. I feel pretty good about my own mega-mod attempt. I don't have IWD-in-EET, I skipped several of the megamods, and I only have a few NPCs that I plan to keep throughout most of the saga. Otherwise, there are a lot of similarities in our mod list and goals. Your live-blogging this run was great for the community, thanks! I'd love to hear how your new run goes when you do it.

EDIT: Solved, forehead-slap worthy user error. I recently copied my personal EET install onto a laptop for travel. It was a scant 215mb to large for the USB drive I had available, so I removed the Override folder, transferred that, then transferred the rest and rebuilt it on the laptop. I had forgotten to return the Override folder to its rightful place in my PC personal install. "Well, there's yer problem right there, sport." Original post preserved below for posterity, and to aid in very well deserved mockery I'm sure to follow. Carry on! ----------------------- I'm currently preparing an EET package for several of my friends who all want to play through BG-EET together. I ran a successful install with Project Infinity, created a test character, played through to FAI, and was satisfied that everything installed correctly. My plan is to distribute the standalone folder to my friends (who all already own the base games, but are not experienced with modding BG). To prep for the Co-Op install, I renamed my existing BG1 and BG2 folders -- the products of my personal EET install -- by adding "backup" to the end of the folder names. After the Co-Op install, I renamed the new BG1 and BG2 folders by appending "Co-Op" to them. I then restored the original names of my personal EET install folders. So far so good. When I launched baldur.exe from my personal install, I am no longer taken to the normal Baldur's Gate load screen, but instead to a Campaign Select screen for BG2, ToB, or Black Pits -- as though this folder is now seen as only a BG2:EE install and not EET. What did I screw up and how do I fix it? It sounds like there's an .ini setting or something that got configured somewhere that's interfering with things. I can't find anything, though. I made no changes to the "Baldur's Gate Enhanced Edition Trilogy" folder in Documents, as I saw nothing that looked like it needed changing. Everything worked correctly with my personal install before I prepped the Co-Op one for my friends. Tellingly, the Co-Op install correctly launches an EET version of the game. Also, the personal install doesn't show any modded game options. SCS's difficulty slider doesn't appear in the game options, and neither do any of the other menu and UI options I modded in. It's like it's a vanilla install.

Most assuredly! That's what I chalked it up to. I just didn't know if I missed some lore or clue of some sort.

Oh! Okay. Interesting. I thought that point was covered by reporting that there was an exit to I'm certainly interested to see what's Coming Soon regarding

Ah, I was respectful to the King. I of course opened the graves, though. I'd have to turn in my Adventurer's Badge to the authorities if I didn't. I was quite confused as to why my character would think to call the Restless Dead "your Majesty", though. Where did we get the idea it was a king of any kind?

I'm really curious now what the exit to the docks was supposed to be. Did I not see it, or mistake it? Perhaps it was the underground stream where the Orc Laborers were working the boxes? By the dialogue, I was expecting a tunnel exit to the Docks map with the Low Lantern.

All right! I finished up the mod, or at least what is currently available. Very fun. I love the banter from allies (I had Minsc, Dynaheir, and Imoen, of the vanilla squad). Great humor with several of the quests -- particularly the rats and bunnies. I still have Lars' scribbled drawing. Can't ever throw that away, now can I? I like kittens... I love how the "main quest" of sorts for the mod -- the Sea Caves and the Doppelgangers -- ties in to the larger issues in BG City. Very good integration. The secret area past the otyugh room was VERY cool. I love finding old forgotten places of mystery like that. Releasing what was bound was very satisfying. I hope the ritual room, its purpose, and the ID of the mage on the shelf be embellished upon in the full mod release. I did find a few issues to report. A few seemed to be genuine bugs, and a few were just curiosities that may be working as intended. (Edit: I didn't review other folks' feedback before leaving mine. It looks like a few issues have already been raised. I apologize for the duplicates.) (Edit: I am apparently using EAOB v.2 Gee, I didn't think I was that far behind. ) Curiosities/Anomalies/Feedback: -- Several quests did not award XP on completion, a few of which definitely felt like they should. Since BG1 gives xp for just about any old task you complete, it felt like an oversight to not get a least a few hundred xp here or there. In particular, I was surprised by the lack of XP reward for completing the Confront the Slavers quest. -- The mage "Bouncer" in the slaver fight was apparently high enough level that SCS had him cast Prismatic Mantle! That's an 8th level spell. I didn't expect to be dealing with Maze quite this early in the Saga. It all worked out (for me, not for the Bouncer Mage), and I mostly chalk this up to SCS shenanigans, but I wanted to let you know it happened. Do with that what you will. -- The Mimic's Blood and the Fledgling Mimic felt like there was something else or more important I was supposed to do. Just selling it for some cash to the tower mage felt like I was taking a shortcut. I'm guessing there will be more involved in the full mod release. If not, a simple journal entry saying I should find a buyer would ease my mind that it's just some bonus gold in waiting. -- Given all the things about the sea cave to report to the commander, I kind of expected a sealed ritual room with a bound major demon would have made the list. -- I did not find the adjudant's grave until I hunted around with ctrl-4 as below. This one's probably just on me, as it's right there when you enter the sea cave. Maybe something to make the area stick out a little more? Shovels sticking up out of a mound? It just looks like cave floor for the most part. -- The cleansing of the catacombs felt a little underwhelming. I understand the desire for a peaceful solution, I suppose, but when I hear "cleanse the catacombs of a dark power" I expect some burly fightin'! That design aside, I definitely would not have thought simply talking to the Restless Dead figure counted as competing the quest. If not for seeing the solution in the txt file, I would stay and look for secret doors or triggers that I presumably missed, thinking that I haven't cleansed anything or even found a "dark power" at all. Legit Bugs -- The doppelganger on the tower balcony transformed while I was still on ground level, with no way for me to reach him without going all the way back up through the tower. Wasn't sure if this was intended, or a limitation of the engine. Putting it here, as it seemed quite awkward. I solved it via ctrl-j. -- I had a hard freeze when first attempting to exit the sea caves into the smugglers den with the orc laborers. On reload, the area transition occurred without error. <shrug> Might not be anything to worry about. -- I never found the sea cave exit to the docks. I still got credit for finding it from the Tower Commander. I hunted all over all the sea cave connected maps with ctrl-4 highlighting all interactable objects, and I still never found anything like an exit to the docks. Thus, I never found the beach, the shipwreck area, or the sea troll. The sea troll quest sits unfinished. (Edit: NEVER occurred to me until reading other folks' feedback that the beach, shipwreck, and troll referred to the coastal area south of Candlekeep. I just went back and talked to the wincher a 2nd time, and completed the quest -- because OF COURSE I squirreled away the important looking mystery item on the mystery sea troll when I fought him ages ago on the coast by the shipwreck. ) -- The door to the kitchen cellar never unlocked, even after the chef said she would unlock it. Both chef and assistant have nothing more to say. Both the Halfslinger's Ale and Fire Elemental quest lines remain unfinished. -- Finally, very minor portrait issue. Portraits, Portraits, Everywhere assigns portraits to most NPCs that don't already have one, I assume through some kind of algorithm. The Chef, Chef's Assistant, and the Seatower Farmer's Wife received male portraits, for some reason. I don't know in which mod the error lies, but it's the only time I've seen a gender mismatch through PPE. Maybe something in those NPC's data is confusing PPE? Overall this was a very well done and nice looking mod that integrates very well with the surrounding game. I hope my feedback can be helpful to you as you move toward the full release.

Hey Doc! Been a little while. I'm checking out your Tome and Blood mod for a an online co-op playthrough with some buddies. I'm impressed! Likely going to go for the Cantrips and Dragon Disciple components, in particular.

Finally giving your mod a try. Great so far! I love how well it blends into the rest of BG city. I'll report any issues I find following. I found one minor thing, but I figured I'd post after I have a complete run through.

Ah, thanks Jastey. I corrected my post.

While I wholeheartedly agree with cautioning against Dark Horizons (ToB level weapons on the road to Beregost, really?), I have found Dark Side of the Sword Coast to be a welcome addition to my mega-modded setup. Make sure you use the version that was updated for EET. I don't think EET is required, but it was rebalanced and made more appropriate for late BG1 (no vorpal swords hidden in chimneys). It's now more of a Durlag's level of difficulty and power curve. It is a dungeon crawl. Expect to see familiar maps stocked with new foes, like every cave system in the base game stacked on top of each other for the final dungeon quest. It's not brilliant, but I found it to be a fun enough diversion for late BG2. Your mileage may vary. The finale ties in with the main trilogy's story, which is a nice bonus. Word of advice if you use SCS -- when you find a map that looks like the Flaming Fist prison cells, reload your autosave before entering and for the love of all that is holy, turn off the smart fighters and thieves component.

I must be in the minority, but I love CGI. It can allow you to do things that you can't otherwise. I say use CGI or traditional techniques in whatever fashion best accomplishes what you're trying to do. Reality is unrealistic, oftentimes. There's a saying among writers: "Truth is stranger than fiction, because fiction has to make sense." I've seen movies that pride themselves on "no CGI" that seemed far less realistic than movies that were heavy on the CGI. It's a tool and can be used well or poorly, just like an actor in a costume.

As an author, all I can say is to go write what you want to read. You're not alone, whatever your tastes. The other folks who agree with your sentiments will beat a path to your door (or Amazon author page) to buy them.

For me, it's EET all the way, because I'm big into story continuity and chronology. Starting in front of Winthrop's Inn and knowing that this character's journey will take them all the way to level 30+ and godhood just gives me chills. One epic journey feels different to me than multiple stages of import. I will always remember when, after sneaking out of Baldur's Gate city and Imoen met up with me at the base of the outer wall of Baldur's Gate city along with Minsc, Dynaheir, Jaheira, and Khalid, the game continued directly into the cinematic "they came as you rested", and I woke up in Chateau Irenicus. There was a magic there that is irreplaceable, essential, and worth every bit of time I spend tweaking my EET install. I can't wait to get there again. Also, that map. Seeing all those icons in one place? Getting to see everywhere you've been, and everywhere you're going to go, in at once? It's breathtaking, especially in a mega-modded install.

Exactly my thoughts.

I'm with Ser Elryk and a few others. I'm much more interested in locations, quests, etc, than the rulesets. As I said before, I really just want to go stomp around in the Vale of Shadows, Dragon's Eye, and the Shattered Hand with my Bhaalspawn. Also.... WELCOME BACK K4THOS!!! We missed you, bud.

Good deal! Hopefully between the two of us, we made it clear exactly where the issues lie and where they don't. There is definitely a need for head-canon in some places, and in other places, the mods actually enhance each other. I hope you enjoy it!

Huh! I had no idea. Kudos to Beamdog, for restoring our game

Something to keep in mind, that tweak only applies to the Bioware/Beamdog romances. Any mod NPC romances will have to be dealt with on their own. You will have to reinstall the mod -- or dig into the scripts to make changes manually (I've done that to remove romance conflicts in mod romances). You might be able to get away without restarting the game, as long as dialogue.tlk isn't messed with for that tweak. If you start seeing weird text (like the description of a weapon being character dialogue, or some such), then you know you need to restart. One of the modders might have more insight (I'm just a heavy user )

@subtledoctor I second, third, and fourth this. It does seem like the project got lost in feature creep. I just want to go explore the North -- I don't need feats, skill checks, or any of the other stuff. Just let me tromp around Dragon's Eye and the Hand of the Seldarine.

Ha! You too? I beat Daggerfall from start to finish, and I am dang proud of my liberal use of exploits. What a beautiful pile of terrible bugs that formed itself into a game through sheer moxie

I think some of it comes down to play style and mindset. As I read the list of design goals, I had a reaction similar -- I'm guessing -- to Bartimaeus. Almost all of those are things I either already choose not to do, or wouldn't hesitate to cease doing as soon as I found it cheesy. As an example, I find resting after every battle to be boring and annoying, and I just generally try to rest a little as possible. There's nothing stopping me from constantly resting -- except me, and my preferred method of play. There are plenty of us that voluntarily avoid taking advantage of every little angle or advantage available. To Subledoctor's point, however, there are also plenty of folks who desire an ironclad rules set that they can then push to the limit. I have a friend who is like this. He doesn't want to limit himself -- he wants the game to limit him. That said, Doc, I remember a conversation recently about curbstomping Firkraag where you (very correctly!) recommended I don't buff before big fights. That's a self limitation -- and a very good one -- for the game I had built for myself. There's validity to both styles. Clearly, this proposed mod is for the latter style of play. Go for it! I won't have much to add, as I'm the former type.