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Baldur's Gate Reloaded = BG1+TotSC ->NWN2 conversion

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  • TeflonTeflon Member, Translator (NDA) Posts: 515
    So playing baldur's gate 1 on 3d? That's just cool.
  • LemernisLemernis Member, Moderator Posts: 4,318
    edited June 2013
    In rummaging through my old games, I can only find one disk for NWN2. It doesn't say "Play Disc" and I don't seem to have any installation discs. Did Bioware manage to fit everything onto one DVD for that game?

    Edit: Hmm, I guess it was just one DVD:

    http://thegamingcave.ecrater.com/p/5201735/neverwinter-nights-2-dvd-disc-w-manual
    Post edited by Lemernis on
  • BelgarathMTHBelgarathMTH Member Posts: 5,653
    edited June 2013
    I'm very excited to try this. I'm working on downloading now, and it's huge. I have high speed fiber optic internet (faster than cable), and the mod comes in six parts that are taking 3-5 minutes each to download, so I hate to think what it would be like on a slower connection. Judging from the trailers, this should be totally worth it, though.

    I'm loving the thought of playing BG with 3rd edition rules, as well as with 3-D graphics.

    EDIT: each seperate part of the mod is getting bigger - part 4 says 15 minutes to download. This is going to take some time.
  • ZanathKariashiZanathKariashi Member Posts: 2,869
    Sadly it's saddled to that horribly $%#^$@ NWN2 engine/interface, so I'll have to pass....if it was for NWN 1, sure...but...nope...2 doesn't deserve space on my hard-drive, since even the best modules aren't #$%# when you have to suffer with a clunky POS interface.
    God
  • BelgarathMTHBelgarathMTH Member Posts: 5,653
    Meh, I mastered the NWN2 interface a long time ago. It's difficult to learn, and admitedly user unfriendly, but after all the updates, it's handle-able. You just have to get the right camera settings.

    Btw, what does "POS" mean?
  • FrozenCellsFrozenCells Member Posts: 385
    Just a heads up...Tarnesh is still an arse.

    image
    elminsterdiggerbFredjo
  • BelgarathMTHBelgarathMTH Member Posts: 5,653
    @FrozenCells, cool screen shot! I can't wait to play. Looks like I've got at least a half hour left on all the downloading.
  • MalicronMalicron Member Posts: 629
    @FrozenCells

    And that's why even a good-aligned CHARNAME should pick up Xzar and Monty. Meat shields, anyone?
    diggerbbadbromance
  • WanderonWanderon Member Posts: 1,418
    @Lemernis I think I read yesterday that you need the MOTB expansion to NWN2 installed also
  • MalicronMalicron Member Posts: 629
    And Storm of Zehir.
    WanderonThe_New_Romance
  • BelgarathMTHBelgarathMTH Member Posts: 5,653
    edited June 2013
    Well, I tried this, and I can't recommend it. First, it has some missing tiles that cause trees to be covered in weird blue and yellow geometric shapes.

    Second, the NWN2 camera does cause a lot of problems. You can't see your environment well, which is deadly in a game as dangerous as BG. I had two gibberlings ambush my wizard on the road near Xzar and Monty, and I couldn't see them until they were on top of me.

    They killed me in less than a round, and proceeded to attack Xzar and Monty, who were just standing there waiting to be talked to. Imoen fired her bow uselessly (ranged combat in the NWN2 engine is basically worthless - there are no bonuses to archery, and arrows that actually hit usually do about 2 points of damage.)

    Third, the terrible NWN2 AI causes problems. I had Imoen waste her oil of speed for no reason right outside Candlekeep. She just up and drank it, with no enemies in sight. I was able to make NWN2 playable by using Tony K's AI, and putting voice commands on my tool bar, but it's a pain in the butt trying to make your party members do what you want like that in the NWN2 engine. You don't have fine enough control to do important party tactics like kiting.

    Fourth, the beginning of BG is not balanced for third edition rules. Unless you are playing a fighter, and maybe even then, you will be killed by Carbos and every gibberling outside the gates of Candlekeep. Healing potions are next to useless in combat on core rules, because trying to drink one provokes an attack of opportunity.

    Remember, there are no fighters available as party members at the beginning of the game until you get to Monty, and he comes with bad equipment. My wizard got killed by two gibberlings before I could get to him.

    NWN2 was balanced for its own ruleset and engine, and I find it basically playable. In NWN2, you start the game at third level instead of first.

    Playing Baldur's Gate in that ruleset and engine strikes me as an exercise in frustration, because the material is very familiar, and it is painfully obvious that nothing is working like it is supposed to.
    TalonfireMunchkinXQhelmo1977
  • FrozenCellsFrozenCells Member Posts: 385
    @belgarathmth using exploration mode camera with the AI turned off and "hold left click -> marquee selection" makes it play basically the same as BG. That's the only way I get through NWN2s engine.

    The balance is kind of a mixed bag, but I'm a bit puzzled that you're complaining about the constant reloading, because without obscene metagaming, BG1 is exactly the same. Getting through the early stages requires metagaming and/or abusing brokenly powerful archery, the latter of which you point out isn't possible in this one. Or reloading a lot until luck comes in. It sucks in BG1 and it sucks here, but that's how it is. It does go both ways though because now Kobolds aren't as devastatingly reload-inducing.

    The only real screw up I've seen thus far were the bloody rats in Candlekeep! They do damage, and there's 5 of them! Avoid this quest at all costs if you're a mage.
    MalicronQuartzFredjo
  • SapphireIce101SapphireIce101 Member Posts: 866
    @Belgarathmth - I never really liked NWN2. Well, I take that back, there is only a couple of things I like about it. The MotB expansion, all the classes you could be, and Gann-of-Dreams. I was planning on installing this, so then I could do the whole Imoen as a Rogue/Mage/Arcane Trickster combo.

    However, if it is as bad as you're saying it is, then I think I may just stay away until some of this issues are fixed? Then again, I find BG2 in the DA:O engine to be a lot more appetizing than BG1 in the NWN2 engine.
    BelgarathMTH
  • the_spyderthe_spyder Member Posts: 5,018
    I am looking forward to playing it. Admittedly NWN is not as strategic as BG but its still fun to play.
  • LemernisLemernis Member, Moderator Posts: 4,318
    I have downloaded the six .rars for this mod, but when I extract them to Libraries/Documents/Neverwinter Nights 2 I do not get the Windows screen asking if I want to merge all the folders that are being extracted, as described in the instructions. If that screen doesn't appear are they being auto-merged? (I'm using Winrar and Windows 7.)
  • ReadingRamboReadingRambo Member Posts: 598
    Wow this sounds amazing, time to dust off NWN 2
  • LemernisLemernis Member, Moderator Posts: 4,318
    edited June 2013
    It looks fun. But my experience thus far is it is super buggy:

    Winthrop's store didn't open.

    After Karan approached my character after slaying Shank he gave the dialog for Chapter 6, as did Dreppin.

    And then when leaving Candlekeep with Gorion, Imoen again approached the character telling him to go see Gorion, apparently interrupting the script. Gorion healed the PC and they left, but once outside the walls I was unable to get my character to respond, with Gorion standing in front of him, mute.

    As for installation, both Program Files/Atari/Neverwinter Nights 2/override and Libraries/Documents/Neverwinter Nights 2/override were empty. I placed the six .rars in the Libraries/Documents/Neverwinter Nights 2 folder and extracted each one in order there, to that folder--although there was no screen from Windows asking me if I wanted to merge the files that were being extracted, as the readme states there should be. So I'm not sure if I've failed to set it up correctly, or if the mod is just buggy. (I do have MotB and SoZ installed.)
  • BelgarathMTHBelgarathMTH Member Posts: 5,653
    @SapphireIce101, don't let my experiences stop you from trying it for yourself. I haven't given up on it yet. The people who made it put in a lot of unpaid work, and they deserve a fair chance. I'm going to reroll as a cleric today and try it again.

    NWN2 is a very different game from BG, and wizards are really going to struggle, more so than in BG. Archery and low-level arcane spells are next to useless, and melee dominates for the whole game - casters don't begin to carry their weight until post level-15 and dragon battles - very, very late.

    I kept reloading my poor wizard last night until I finally started to get somewhere with the controls, and I got to Jaheira and Khalid. With a six member party including Jaheira, Khalid, and Montaron, plus Jaheira's bear animal companion, the game started to turn around and look like it was going to get very, very easy with all that melee power plus good equipment purchased from the FAI.

    @Lemeris, the installation instructions given are bogus. I had to manually extract all resources to the correct folders, for all six downloads. You will only get a dialogue screen asking if you want to replace existing files with new ones if you have duplicates in the key folders. These guys may be great modders and programmers, but tech writers they ain't.

    Having done that, I am not experiencing most of the bugs you describe. With Gorion, did the cutscene movie play? I did have one crash last night during my first attempt at Tarnesh. I already mentioned that there seem to be tiles missing off the exterior maps that are filling in with weird blue and yellow squares in my install. All in all, the whole project is not very stable yet.

    Hopefully they will polish and release some updates. I hear the main project leader was able to parlay his experience making this into a job with a game company, so I don't know if he'll have a lot of time. Their stated intention upon release is to keep supporting the project. Now, it looks like the project leader is going to get some valuable gaming business experience resembling what Overhaul went through when they released BG:EE.

  • SapphireIce101SapphireIce101 Member Posts: 866
    @Belgarathmth - I'll try it, and that is just because I want to see Imoen as a Rogue/Wizard/Arcane Trickster. :P
  • BelgarathMTHBelgarathMTH Member Posts: 5,653
    edited June 2013
    @Lemeris, they posted a new instruction manual today that is more accurate. You are supposed to put all six downloads into the User/MyDocuments/NeverwinterNights2 folder, then right click, and select "Extract Here."

    Now, I feel like a total idiot! I purchased Storm of Zehir years ago, and was never very interested in playing with it much. So, I totally forgot that I had never installed it on my current computer! After an install of SoZ from disc, and running the update, and then reinstalling the BG Reloaded program, all my tech problems so far went away, including the weird graphics tears I was getting.

    I only became aware of this when I tried to go to Beregost, and got a message that said "You must have expansion pack two to load this area.". It turns out, the game will run pre-Beregost without an up to date SoZ, but very strange things will happen. After Beregost, I suspect that most tech problems that people are having is because their SoZ game version is not up to date.

    The magic number is 1.23.1765. Please verify that your SoZ installation matches this version number. If not, you should run the SoZ update utility and then reinstall Baldur's Gate Reloaded.

    I hope this helps. I really think this game may be worth working out any tech bugs and playing. The trash mobs become mere annoyances in the NWN2 engine, but the devs have put some rather delicious surprises in every boss encounter. As in, you are going to die the first time you encounter them. Every boss is a new puzzle to be solved.

    EDIT: Second day of release, and there's already internet buzz that also mentions BG:EE.
    http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/124664-Baldurs-Gate-Reloaded-Goes-For-The-Eyes
    Post edited by BelgarathMTH on
    ReadingRambo
  • LemernisLemernis Member, Moderator Posts: 4,318
    @belgar Thanks. I did actually follow that protocol. I think the first rule-out is that I might have gotten corrupted downloads. So I have emptied folders that need to be empty, and I'm re-downloading the six .rars to give it another shot.
  • LemernisLemernis Member, Moderator Posts: 4,318
    edited June 2013
    Okay, I realized the problem.

    I hadn't played NWN2 in many years. I installed all three DVDs that I have for NWN2, MotB, and SoZ, respectively. I updated them all. After installing and updating I ran Storm of Zehir just to test everything and take a look at the game. However I didn't run the module 'Uninvited Guests' for... what is it? Mask of the Betrayer?... or is that for the original campaign for NWN2? Anyway, I started up Uninvited Guests under Modules and exited after speaking with one character.

    After running that Module the game must have then populated necessary files for BGR to work. I now seem to have everything working properly.

    Edit: Drat! I spoke too soon. It worked once, I saved, and left to go do something. Now upon returning when I try to load the saved game it's a buggy mess again.
    Post edited by Lemernis on
  • BelgarathMTHBelgarathMTH Member Posts: 5,653
    @Lemernis, I'm not sure why that would work, but I'm happy it did. I've played a couple of games on and off over the past few years on NWN2 OC and MotB, so I had already run the programs a good bit. I had forgotten that I didn't even have SoZ installed. Mine started working properly after installing and updating SoZ.

    Let us know how you like the game.
  • LemernisLemernis Member, Moderator Posts: 4,318
    I'm still struggling to get this to work. I refuse to give up, as it looked too cool once I briefly had it working!

    With NWN2 how do you multi-class? I'd like to create my half-elven Fighter/Mage namesake character.
  • FrozenCellsFrozenCells Member Posts: 385
    edited June 2013
    Lemernis said:

    I'm still struggling to get this to work. I refuse to give up, as it looked too cool once I briefly had it working!

    With NWN2 how do you multi-class? I'd like to create my half-elven Fighter/Mage namesake character.

    Each time you level up, you pick a class to level up. At level 4, you could be a Sorcerer1/cleric1/rogue1/bard1 if you really felt like it edit - well technically you can only have 3 base classes max in NWN2 so you couldn't...but anyway, Fighter-Mages are usually a combination of Fighter and Wizard levels combined with the Eldritch Knight prestige class (which requires access to level 3 arcane spells as well as Martial Weapon Proficiency feat to unlock).

    Two examples of how to do this, based upon finishing at character level 10:

    1) Wizard5->Eldritch Knight 5 (take Martial Weapon Proficiency as a feat at lvl1 or lvl4).

    2) Fighter2->Wizard5->EK3 (no need for extra feats, fighter gets Martial weapons free. But you will probably want to take Practiced Spellcaster feat to keep your spellcasting level at 10 instead of 8).

    double edit - also maybe consider just a Druid. At lower levels they're rather powerful and play similarly
  • aldainaldain Member Posts: 303


    Each time you level up, you pick a class to level up. At level 4, you could be a Sorcerer1/cleric1/rogue1/bard1 if you really felt like it edit - well technically you can only have 3 base classes max in NWN2 so you couldn't...but anyway, Fighter-Mages are usually a combination of Fighter and Wizard levels combined with the Eldritch Knight prestige class (which requires access to level 3 arcane spells as well as Martial Weapon Proficiency feat to unlock).

    Two examples of how to do this, based upon finishing at character level 10:

    1) Wizard5->Eldritch Knight 5 (take Martial Weapon Proficiency as a feat at lvl1 or lvl4).

    2) Fighter2->Wizard5->EK3 (no need for extra feats, fighter gets Martial weapons free. But you will probably want to take Practiced Spellcaster feat to keep your spellcasting level at 10 instead of 8).

    double edit - also maybe consider just a Druid. At lower levels they're rather powerful and play similarly

    The maximum is 4 classes, not 3.

    You gain regular feats every third level, not every fourth.

    A Fighter 2/Wizard 5/EK 3 would have a caster level of 7, not 8, as Eldritch Knight gains a caster level every level but the first.

    Didn't mean to bash your post, but figured we might as well post correct info.
    Lemernis said:

    I'm still struggling to get this to work. I refuse to give up, as it looked too cool once I briefly had it working!

    With NWN2 how do you multi-class? I'd like to create my half-elven Fighter/Mage namesake character.

    What build to go with depends on how you envision your fighter/mage.
    Are you a mage that can let lose with a two-handed sword/bow and arrows when you want to conserve spells for tougher foes, or are you a fighter that buffs up before difficult fights and can shoot off a fireball if things get hairy?

    For maximum arcane power, I'd go Wizard 5/EK 5. You lose two feats (have to take Weapon Proficiency Martial and don't get the bonus feat at Fighter 1), but you eventually get to cast L5 spells, which is a big deal, especially with the NWN2 metamagic feats.

    For a fairly potent self-buffing melee machine, Wizard 5/Fighter 2/EK 3. You get Weapon Proficiency Martial free from being a fighter, and two bonus melee feats. You'll probably want to pick up Practiced Spellcaster: Wizard to help with your caster level. You'll also be stuck with L4 spells, and they'll come rather late in the game.
  • FlashburnFlashburn Member Posts: 1,847
    edited June 2013
    Updated the OP to let everyone know there's a place to report bugs, just like there is here.
    https://www.assembla.com/spaces/bgr-bugtracker/messages
    Also updated it with the information about the unrestricted multiclassing thing.

    For multiclassing your companions without being restricted to one class (To make Ajantis a Paladin/Divine Champion/Annointed Knight, for example), do this:

    -Open the NWN2 Toolset (NWN2ToolsetLauncher.exe)
    -Click on Plugins at the top -> Campaign Editor
    -Select BGR
    -In the box at the right, Under 'Behavior', click 'AllowUnrestrictedLevelUp' and change it to 'True.'
    -Click 'Save Campaign' above the box, and you're finished.
  • LemernisLemernis Member, Moderator Posts: 4,318
    edited June 2013
    aldain said:

    What build to go with depends on how you envision your fighter/mage.
    Are you a mage that can let lose with a two-handed sword/bow and arrows when you want to conserve spells for tougher foes, or are you a fighter that buffs up before difficult fights and can shoot off a fireball if things get hairy?...

    Well here's how I play him in BG:EE, and if possible I'd like to follow along these lines:

    A meleeing dual-wielder with Long Swords who also casts debilitating spells in the heat of battle (or upon sighting enemies) like Sleep, Blindness, Ray of Enfeeblement, Horror, Glitterdust, Hold Person, Slow, and so on. Using the Armor and Shield spells to improve AC, and familiar for higher HP.

    From what I'm reading about BGR being rather deadly early on, I think I may want to start out as a Fighter.

    With the ability points available at character creation I think I would go with

    Str 14
    Dex 16
    Con 12
    Int 15
    Wis 10
    Cha 10

    (From a RP vantage I can't bring myself to have lower than 10 on an ability.)

    So he will mainly be a fighter who can cast a few choice spells, I guess.

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