[BUG] Excessive xp awarded for scribing scrolls, picking locks & disarming traps

mister_ennui

I have not seen confirmation that this particular issue has been addressed in BG:EE. It was originally a problem when using the BG2 engine via TuTu or BGT, but it was eventually addressed in both.

Current Behaviour:

Using the BG2 engine (in an unfixed state) to run BG1 means that large amounts of xp will be awarded for scribing scrolls into spellbooks, picking locks & disarming traps, when this was not the case in vanilla BG1. For example scribing a level one spell in BG2 awards 1000xp (the formula being spell level x 1000xp), while in vanilla BG1 you appear to get no xp for scribing a scroll (I did a quick check by scribing the scroll that firebeard has you collect in the prologue and got no xp). These large xp awards (while fine in BG2 itself and should remain in BG2:EE) have the potential to allow too rapid progression in BG1.

Expected Behaviour:

Xp awards for scribing scrolls, picking locks & disarming traps should more accurately reflect those in the original BG1. Taking the example of scribing scrolls, EasyTuTu deals with the problem of the excessive xp award by reducing it to level of spell x 10xp. I have little experience of BGT, so do not know the exact approach it took to deal with it (although I understand it did).

Apologies for raising this if this has already been sorted.

Awong124

Personally, I think the BG1 system should be kept for BG2. I don't think you should get XP for scribing scrolls at all. It makes it so that you'll spend money to buy useless scrolls just to get XP. Although I do think you should get XP for unlocking and disarming traps, that makes more sense.

bigdogchris

This is one of the reasons why I feel that BG1 content in the BG2 engine is much too easy. There is another post about this (BG difficulty in BG2 engine) in another thread.

I absolutely agree that it needs to be addressed.

francfort40

I am for it no exp from scribing scroll

Tanthalas

The developers have already addressed this issue. You'll get more reasonable levels of exp (close to none) performing these actions in BGEE.

mister_ennui

That's good to hear Tanthalas.

Bhryaen

Like @Tanthalas said, it's now close to nothing comparatively. Not sure if the same amount will carry to BG2EE. I voted for no XP, but addressing BG means addressing 2 games in 1, so continuity was sought and an XP amount awarded. You simply won't be getting from Level 1 to 2 by simply robbing Candlekeep, Beregost, and Nashkel. ;-)

DiscoCat

I always mod the appropriate .2da file in my BG Trilogy install so that scribing scrolls gives the following amounts of xp:

[spell level]-[xp amount]
1-10
2-30
3-60
4-100
5-150
6-210
7-280
8-360
9-450

I also install Ding0's XP mod so that killing things gives half the normal xp (to lower the temptation of exploiting rest fights). By the end of BG1 I barely hit the XP limit.

GypsySocks

I find all this amazing. I found this genre when Baldurs Gate 2 was released, when my father bought the game on a whimsy based on a review in the news paper. He never got out of Irenicus's dungeon. I did my best to teach myself about this game, but I didn't know anyone who played this. And now...I hear people addressing issues which I didn't even think were issues. The more I learn about this game, the more I realize I don't know about it.

knowwheretorun

I agree with the notion that adding the BG2 XP awards to scribing scrolls changes the dynamic of level progression. And while I enjoy any XP boost I can get, these values should be balanced if they are to be kept in the Enhanced Edition. However, further consideration should be made in determining whether this type of experience should be kept at all. One such consideration is that if one class get bonus XP from performing a class skill then all classes should have some way of earning bonus XP. Further the amounts of these XP awards need to be balanced, not only to maintain seemless level progression appropriate to the game challenge but also so that they complement the XP system of each class. It would make no sense to have a wizard not gain any additional XP having the highest point gap while a rogue is wizzing through levels. Finally, I find that sharing such XP with the group is not realistic. I say crank the XP way down, find a way for all classes to gain a bonus award, each award goes only to the character that earned it, and scale the award to the point gap that character has to fill in order to level. The alternative, in my opinion is to onlly award XP from kills and quest completion. But, I definately like rewards. They motivate me greatly.

Oh and for continuity said system of bonus XP awards should be carried over exactly the same way into Baldur's Gate 2 Enhanced Editon if it is implemented at all.

DJKajuru

In a PNP game, thieves are supposed to gain xp at the end of the quest for the simple fact that they were competent and useful to the party. So are mages who have increased their lore and used their powers in a intelligent manner. I believe that's how they tried to translate that.

Balquo

@Tanthalas Suppose this is another we can move.

Sese79

Thankfully with your progress on eliminating xp exploits from the game, the wizard will need that little bit more XP from scribing scrolls. Wizard needs the most xp for leveling up anyway