Author Topic: A few questions regarding some BG2 rules-changing mods applied to EasyTutu  (Read 4639 times)

Offline Ieldra

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I'm currently setting up a new game of BG1 (somehow, it never gets old) using EasyTutu. There are some rules-changing mods I'd like to apply, but I'm not sure about compatibility with EasyTutu and with each other. In particular:

(1) Shapeshifting Fix (TOB Refinements) vs. Shapeshifter Rebalancing (BG2 Tweak Pack)
Which one should I use? It seems the Shapeshifting Fix does the innate weapons such as claws better, but from the description it is not clear if it includes all the changes from Shapeshifter Rebalancing.

(2) Revised Armor and Shields (TOB Refinements) vs. Thieving Abilities/Arcane Spellcasting in Heavy Armor (BG2 Tweaks)
Again it seems that both address the same "problems". From the description I'd use the former mod, but I'm not so sure about compatibility. Does anyone know details?

(3) General Quesion: which BG2 rule-changing mods, installed pre-conversion, will EasyTutu inherit from BG2? So far, for instance, I've tried to install TOB Refinements on BG2, in the hope those components which apply will be inherited by EasyTutu. The same with Phaere's Portraits: if I install them on BG2, then install EasyTutu plus the mod that will give a few BG1 characters their BG2 portraits (I think it was in the BG1 NPC project mod), will they have the portraits changed by the mod or the original ones?

(4) I don't know if it will be possible in EasyTutu games, but I'm thinking of using either Zyraen's XP Evener Script or TOB Style NPCs (BG2 Tweak Pack) to make sure my party members don't differ too much in XP. Again, it seems both try to address the problem, but if there aren't any different CRE files TOB Style NPCs seems to do nothing (is that correct?), and Zyraen's mod has random XP differenences of up to 300K, which isn't suitable for lower-level characters. So, will any of these mods do anything for me, or am I better off using Shadowkeeper?

Thanks for any answers or suggestions... 
« Last Edit: July 30, 2007, 07:05:35 AM by Ieldra »

Offline Kulyok

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I'd recommend using Nythrun's lvl1npcs for XP adjustment. It worked wonders for my EasyTUTU game.

(Oh, and BG1 NPC Project rocks, too.)

Offline Ieldra

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I'd recommend using Nythrun's lvl1npcs for XP adjustment. It worked wonders for my EasyTUTU game.

(Oh, and BG1 NPC Project rocks, too.)
Nythrun's mod is unavailable for download, it seems. Well, as opposed to the other problems, I can always use Shadowkeeper to cheat my way around this one if necessary. I  also have the BG1 NPC project downloaded, but as with the other mods, I'll only proceed with the installation after the remaining potential problems have been addressed...

BTW, that was a fast reply ;) Not bad for a 9-year-old game. You don't happen to know anything about my other problems? 

Offline Kulyok

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MacReady should be around, so. I'd say that you should choose only one of the Shapeshifting/Revised Armor tweaks, and - you don't install ANY Bg2 mods before EasyTUTU conversion. Never, ever, ever - you should have a clean SoA/ToB installation. If you don't have it, and wish to restore it quickly, look at this topic.

However, you could install some mods _after_ EasyTUTU conversion - see this list. Note, you should install these in your EasyTUTU game directory, not BG2  game directory - these are going to be two different games on your computer.

Offline Ieldra

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MacReady should be around, so. I'd say that you should choose only one of the Shapeshifting/Revised Armor tweaks, and - you don't install ANY Bg2 mods before EasyTUTU conversion. Never, ever, ever - you should have a clean SoA/ToB installation. If you don't have it, and wish to restore it quickly, look at this topic.
All right. I always keep a clean install of both BG1 and BG2 somewhere with only the official patch and the Fixpack(s). But I'd like to know what would go wrong if I had any BG2 mods installed pre-conversion...

Quote
However, you could install some mods _after_ EasyTUTU conversion - see this list. Note, you should install these in your EasyTUTU game directory, not BG2  game directory - these are going to be two different games on your computer.
Thanks for the list...very useful. It's nice to see so many compatible mods. I also see that Refinements' Shapeshifting Fix is compatible. Unfortunately, nothing about the armor&shield revisions.

Offline cmorgan

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Well, for one thing, Easytutu's distributuion clones all the resources it needs from both BG1 and BG2 into a separate, stand-alone BaldursGateTutu. Then it extracts a proven, tested, fixed override folder.

So basically, any changes you make to BG1 or BG2 are likely to be blown away right away by the fixed override -

Think of it kind of like this:  you can prime your house green, red, or orange for all you want. The housepaint that goes over the top will fix it all to a nice, bug freee white - but Macready cannot guarantee that your house will not be kinda lime green with spots of mouldy grey; and chances are if you don't use the recommended primer you may get very unexpected results :)

Best bet: paint it with the recommended primer, then apply EasyTutu coat, then accessorize windows, trim, shutters, et al as you see fit from the list of "this works" mods.

Offline DavidW

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Nythrun's project is more elegant, but if you're struggling to download it, the Sword Coast Stratagems "choose NPC skills and proficiencies" does it in a quick-and-dirty, but fairly effective, way. You don't need to install any of the AI bits of SCS to use this component.

Offline Macready

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Hello -

(1) Shapeshifting Fix (TOB Refinements) vs. Shapeshifter Rebalancing (BG2 Tweak Pack)
Which one should I use? It seems the Shapeshifting Fix does the innate weapons such as claws better, but from the description it is not clear if it includes all the changes from Shapeshifter Rebalancing.

I've never used TOB Refinements, but the tweak pack's shapeshifter mod will break the shapeshifter class horribly in Tutu.  It's absolutely asinine that it even is allowed to be installed on Tutu.  Avoid it in Tutu.  Seriously.

Quote
(2) Revised Armor and Shields (TOB Refinements) vs. Thieving Abilities/Arcane Spellcasting in Heavy Armor (BG2 Tweaks)
Again it seems that both address the same "problems". From the description I'd use the former mod, but I'm not so sure about compatibility. Does anyone know details?

I've never used either, so I have nothing helpful to say on the subject.

Quote
(3) General Quesion: which BG2 rule-changing mods, installed pre-conversion, will EasyTutu inherit from BG2? So far, for instance, I've tried to install TOB Refinements on BG2, in the hope those components which apply will be inherited by EasyTutu. The same with Phaere's Portraits: if I install them on BG2, then install EasyTutu plus the mod that will give a few BG1 characters their BG2 portraits (I think it was in the BG1 NPC project mod), will they have the portraits changed by the mod or the original ones?

Nothing will be inherited save for your INI-based game options preferences.  Theoretically you can install anything you like on BG2 prior to EasyTutu and I'll deal with it just fine, but I will also refuse to support any installation issues which occur when using an "unclean" BG2 base.

Quote
(4) I don't know if it will be possible in EasyTutu games, but I'm thinking of using either Zyraen's XP Evener Script or TOB Style NPCs (BG2 Tweak Pack) to make sure my party members don't differ too much in XP. Again, it seems both try to address the problem, but if there aren't any different CRE files TOB Style NPCs seems to do nothing (is that correct?), and Zyraen's mod has random XP differenences of up to 300K, which isn't suitable for lower-level characters. So, will any of these mods do anything for me, or am I better off using Shadowkeeper?

I recommend Sim's mod for XP tweaking.  Can someone help me out with the name?  I can't remember what he called it.
EasyTutu: Tutu installation made simple.

Offline Ieldra

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@cmorgan, Macready:
Thanks for the info. So it seems that not *any* mods installed pre-conversion will make it into EasyTutu - I'll ask this because The Vault explicitly recommends itself to be installed pre-conversion (does that apply to earlier (non-"Easy") Tutu versions?).

@DavidW:
I'd really like to get Nythrun's project, but the link is dead. Is it available anywhere else? Or else, if anyone has it, I can PM you my mail address - would you mail it to me?

@Macready:
All right, I'll try Refinements' Shapeshifter Fix and its Armor and Shield Revision. Maybe I'll have to say something about Tutu compatbility later.
About XP tweaks: Ding0 Experience Fixer does nothing about NPC experience when (re-)joining the party, it only reduces XP gained by characters while playing. And in the Ding0 Miscellaneous Tweak Pack (same page) there is nothing about XP at all.
About support: I can only say it's almost a miracle that people still work on mods for BG1/2, and can give some support, at all... and of course I'll go with the clean install. I was simply curious about how things work.

Offline Macready

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Hello -

About XP tweaks: Ding0 Experience Fixer does nothing about NPC experience when (re-)joining the party, it only reduces XP gained by characters while playing. And in the Ding0 Miscellaneous Tweak Pack (same page) there is nothing about XP at all.

Ah, my apologies.  I misinterpreted your post.
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Offline Kulyok

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Sure, PM me with your e-mail, and I'll send you the latest lvl1npc beta.

Offline cmorgan

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erebusant is steadily working on a "true" WeiDU distribution of The Vault; the current one uses WeiDU to package up the mod, but actually it is designed for Tutuv4. It must be installed on your BG1 game, then the BG1 game converted via Tutu v4.

I like the idea behind the mod, and have tried repeatedly over the years to play the conversion version - but have never been able to avoid game-stopping bugs. My suggestion is to wait on The Vault until erebusant has managed to get a version together that can bepalyed through.

 

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