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It has been over 10 years since the release of Baldur's Gate, but for old (in the quite literal sense, I should let you know ) school RPers like, the game has never really ceased to attract, ever beckoning from the dusty game-shelf to be pulled down and re-played. Today is that day. The day I revive the classic BG saga.

Before I embark upon an actual explanation of my intentions behind this thread, I take the liberty to apologise in advance if a thread treating an identical or otherwise similar topic already exists (browsing the entirety of the fine collection of posts in this forum would, I fear, be more taxing on my nerves than I care to admit ). The compulsory formalities aside, let us cut to the chase, yes?

When I wrote I meant to revive the classic BG saga, I had a thorough revival in mind; I have set before me to complete all BG games in one long run, that is, the original BG, BG: Tales of the Sword Coast, BG2: Shadows of Amn and BG2: Throne of Bhaal. What I humbly ask of this community, then, is to help me rummage through the plethora of mods, fixes and patches in order to find whatever gaming components may help enrich my gaming experience. As has been stated, I am an old-schooler, so 'cheesy' mods is a no-go here.

Slightly re-phrased, if you can recommend some nice NPC mods, quest mods or other mods (be that for BG1 or BG2), I would be truly grateful.

Thank-you for your attention,
Nark

Well, i have spent about 2 months simply gathering info and keeping up with about half a dozen forums trying to gather my ultimate list of mods i will play with. So here's my install order, it's simple to follow and i think you're looking for something similar: NB - I have the 4 dvd set.

Note, all this is almost directly from my gathered info document, so it lists components i will install, and i guess recommend as well...otherwise just ignore the detail and do your own research as to what components suit you:

Install BG1
Install TOTSC
Install BG2
Install TOB
PATCH TOTSC UK5512
PATCH TOB 26498

BG1 MODS:

1 Install Easy Tutu_TOB (Converts bg1 to the bg2 engine, a must have!!)
-available from pocket plane group

2 Install EasyTutu degreenifier (to stop water being green, which only occurs if using 3d acceleration, so if you don't use 3d, don't bother with this, it takes about 1.5 gb extra hard disc space!)
-available from pocket plane group

3 Install A6CharmPatch_v2 (This is by simding0, it allows charmed creatures to converse in tutu, and you could use it for BG2 aswell, except there's like 1 instance of anyone having a conversation upon being charmed in BG2. Basically, charming creatures in vanilla BG1 would, in quite a few cases, have dialogue...but tutu is the BG2 engine as stated above and that has no functionality for this feature. So this simply restores that - note, this is a .exe patch i believe, not a mod per se, hence why it comes directly after tutu) -Available from Spellhold studios

4 Herbs and potions add-in
-available from Black wyrm's Lair

5 BG Mini Quests and Encounter Mod
-available from The Gibberlings Three

6 Install BG1UB for Easytutu
-available from pocket plane group
-At the present time, if you are going to use both UB and BG1 NPC, install UB first and do not install
the following components:
-Angelo Notices Shar-Teel
-Finishable Kagain Caravan Quest
-Coran and the Wyverns
-Kivan and Tazok
-Branwen and Tranzig
-minor dialogue restorations? -should work

7 Install EasyTutu BG1NPC (Adds bg2 style dialogue/interjections etc for npcs...basically bg1 npcs had none in vanilla game...i'm sure already know this)
-available from pocket plane group

8 Install EasyTutu BG1NPC Music (Music for dialogue with NPCs as provided by banter pack)
-available from pocket plane group

---8.5 Any NPC mods go here!

9 SimDing0's D0Tweaks
-available from pocket plane group
-Enhanced goodberries (this is the only thing i'll choose from the components)

10 BG2 Tweak Pack components for BG1
-available from The Gibberlings Three
Choose Display cosmetic, rule changes and cam's house rules;
-Force All Dialogue to Pause
-Reveal City Maps
-Add Map Notes
-Restore SoA logo
-Neutral characters make happy comments at mid-range reputation
-Sellable items
-Breakable Nonmagical Armor, Helms, and Shield
-Shopkeepers Have Limited Identification Ability

11 Sword coast strategems
-available from The Gibberlings Three
-Some 'gameplay tweaks'
-No 'NPC Management' tweaks
-All 'Encounter and AI Modifications' except Mages pre-cast defensive spells & Priests pre-cast defensive magic
-Ease-of-use player AI from 'Ease-of-use' components

BG2 MODS:

(NB: These can be installed after finishing BG1/TOTSC, so that if latest version of the following mods/other mods interested in, become available, they can be used rather than old ones.
i.e. do all the above, then leave these down here until finished playing BG1/TOTSC).

1 Install BG2 G3 Fixpack
-available from The Gibberlings Three
-don't install 'super happpy fun lucky modder pack'

2 Ascension (from the lead write of BG2 i think? i won't install on my first play through ToB)

3 NPC mods: Keto/Kelsey/Kitanya/Valen (keto after kelsey, to allow dialogues between the two)
-available from pocket plane group

4 Install UB v14 (but don't include the 'Minor Dialogue Restorations' component since causes problem with fixpack?
Might be fixed by now? check, also check for v16?)
-available from pocket plane group
-Note, v15 is out, but i won't install the bugged minsc quest, so i use v14, until v16 comes out and hopefully rectifies! your call though

5 Install BG2 BANTER PACK (more dialogue, always good!)
-available from pocket plane group

6 Interaction expansion project (IEP) (even more dialogue)
-Spellhold studios

7 Quest Pack
-available from pocket plane group
-don't install 'General AI Improvements'; SCS II provides same/better
-don't install Revised Hell Trials component of Quest Pack,

8 Dungeon Be Gone
-available from pocket plane group
-"skip" irenicus' dungeon, but keep items/gold you would obtain

9 Dungeon Crawl -extra quest
-available from pocket plane group

10 Assassinations -extra quests
-available from pocket plane group

11 Tower of Deception -extra quest
-available from...er.. google ToD, it has its own website

12 SimDing0's D0Tweaks
-available from pocket plane group
-Enhanced goodberries
-Corrected Summoned Demon Behaviour
-Corrected Demon Animations

13 BG2 Tweak Pack components for BG2:
-available from pocket plane group
Choose Display cosmetic, Rule changes and cam's house rules;
-Force All Dialogue to Pause
-More Interjections
-Bonus Merchants
-Restore SoA logo
-Female Edwina
-Neutral characters make happy comments at mid-range reputation
-Sellable items
-unlimited stacking of ammo/potions/jewllery/scrolls
-Shopkeepers Have Limited Identification Ability

14 Sword coast strategems II
-available from The Gibberlings Three


Phew! almost a cut and paste job, but a lot there didn't make sense as it was so i edited a fair bit...hopefully it's ok now.

Remember, above is just my opinion.

Welcome to Gamebanshee.

There's nothing wrong with posting your questions here. We enjoy answering questions like yours. But ultimately, you will have to do your own research and make your own decisions. You will get a lot of conflicting advice. My own recommendations will probably not be popular. But as prune1 said, they're just my opinions.

I think that mods are great, but I still think that you should keep them to a minimum, especially since you are an old school RPGer. I like to use the patches that fix bugs and correct broken dialogues. I also like "convenience tweaks" such as extra Bags of Holding, infinite stacking, 100% spell scribing (which I can accomplish by doing it the hard way, so I might as well do it the easy way), and so forth.

I like many of the NPC mods. But if you are playing the game for the first time in ten years (did I understand you correctly?), then I think you should play with the original NPCs. There are already too many NPCs to choose from, and you won't be able to play with all of them, so there's no need to add more to the list.

For my most unpopular recommendation, I don't think you should install BG1Tutu. BG1 is a well-balanced game, and Tutu unbalances it. I also think that the BG2 interface spoils the original atmosphere of BG1. While I like the idea of "continuity", I don't think it's possible to make BG1 and BG2 more continuous without unbalancing BG1 or spoiling the BG1 atmosphere or forcing Bg1 into a mold that simply doesn't fit. To me, it's more fun to play BG1 and BG2 separately than it would be to play BG1Tutu, because it feels the way it's supposed to feel--you're playing two great games, and they're great the way they are. I also think Tutu causes a lot of complications. For example, a character that is optimal in BG1 is less than optimal in BG2, so you're forced to think about character development issues in BG1 that were never part of the original game. I'd rather start a new character in BG2 and PRETEND they're the same. In a nutshell, if you want continuity, it's just as effective to play them separately and PRETEND you're playing the same character.

Don't underestimate the power of your imagination, and USE it. I think the best enhancements to the game come from your own imagination. For example, you can create your own character background, and you can pretend that your character is talking to the NPCs even when the game does not provide pre-written dialogue. You can also deviate from the canned quests slightly and "do your own thing", and you can even pretend that you have stopped (i.e., paused) to smell the roses.

For BG1, I recommend the Dudley Fixes and a couple of components from the Ease of Use Pack such as larger stacks of ammo.

For BG2, I recommend either the Baldurdash fixes or the G3 Fixpack (you should only use one or the other), a few components from the G3 Tweak Pack, a few components from the SimDing0 Tweak Pack, Ascension, and the Pocket Plane Group Banter Pack (which adds extra dialogues for the existing NPCs). If you install more than one NPC mod, you might be interested in the Pocket Plane Group Cross Mod Banter Pack.

For a more detailed list of specific mod recommendations, you can read one of my previous posts:

http://www.gamebanshee.com/forums/speak ... post602550

That list is old, and I don't know how many of the mods have been "deprecated" by new mods (that is, made obsolete my newer mods, so you shouldn't install the older ones). The main thing is that I listed the features that I like to install from each mod. I've never had any compatibility problems with those selections.

First and foremost, I would like to thank both of you for your amazingly comprehensive replies. It is nice to see people who share the same loving devotion to the game as myself.

Personally, I think I will do exactly what you suggested, VonDondu (not to say your input are completely disregarded, Prune. I am truly grateful for the list you provided). Being a fervent PRer, it does indeed sound like me to pause the game to 'smell the roses' or converse with the occassional passer-by. All in all, I will refrain from infringing on the original atmosphere of the game(s) with potentially unbalancing mods and therefore install fixes only. On the other hand... that Keto mod sounded really intriguing, so I have to try her at least.

VonDondu wrote:I like many of the NPC mods. But if you are playing the game for the first time in ten years (did I understand you correctly?), then I think you should play with the original NPCs.

Heh, yes, you got that right! Like I keep saying to you young people, when you get old, there is limited time to indulge yourself in these sort of gaming pleasures. Revel in your youth while you can.

I usually play with very few mods installed: Banter Pack, Flirt Pack, BG2 Tweaks, an NPC or two, and some of my own mods(otherwise why would I be writing them?). I prefer mods that blend seamlessly with the original game.

Click on the first two links in my signature: Pocket Plane and Gibberlings3 have good mods, in general.

(And, yes, for BG1, I do recommend EasyTutu+BG1NPC combo.)

Most importantly, enjoy your game.

VonDondu wrote:I like many of the NPC mods. But if you are playing the game for the first time in ten years (did I understand you correctly?), then I think you should play with the original NPCs. There are already too many NPCs to choose from, and you won't be able to play with all of them, so there's no need to add more to the list.

For my most unpopular recommendation, I don't think you should install BG1Tutu. BG1 is a well-balanced game, and Tutu unbalances it. I also think that the BG2 interface spoils the original atmosphere of BG1. While I like the idea of "continuity", I don't think it's possible to make BG1 and BG2 more continuous without unbalancing BG1 or spoiling the BG1 atmosphere or forcing Bg1 into a mold that simply doesn't fit. To me, it's more fun to play BG1 and BG2 separately than it would be to play BG1Tutu, because it feels the way it's supposed to feel--you're playing two great games, and they're great the way they are.

I second this "most unpopular" recommendation. Couldn't agree more. In particular, I think BG1 has too much atmoshpere to justify mucking with it.

If and when the game becomes too familar, then refresh the game using new content via the fine mods that are available, instead of waiting years to facilitate having the game feel new again. The mods ain't goin' anywhere.

Madatory would be prune1's install order up to and including the official patches.

In terms of gameplay, in my own opinion, I find that the Ascension mod is one of the only must-have content enhancers to the game. It incorporates many changes that one of the game's makers (David Gaider) says would have been introduced had they had more time. It greatly changes the end of the expansion, for the better. Also, if you're a pro with the engine and combat system, the improved battles are a lot of fun.