By moving the player a further step away from the mod readmes and communities I think it exacerbates this problem immensely, particularly for beginners.
I disagree, beginners can click at [i] icon and see mod readmes/web page/forum/community.
I've played through the trilogy once with big world installation meaning I probably had over hundred mods installed. There were some bugs, but mostly it worked okey. However item balance is was shot to hell with mods giving out way too powerful items in absurd quantities. Some of the content is also lower quality that the original which sticks out. Personally I'd recommend only installing the mods you know and really want to play through.
I installed big world once, and it really is a thing of awesomeness. That said, it did introduce more overpowered items than tough fights to use the overpowered items in. If you just want a tactical challenge fix, SCS is still the knees of the bees.
At first I was thrilled at amount of content you could install - but like Camdawg says much of it is not up to the quality one would hope for. I haven't found any of the megamods as being worthwhile and things like the Neverending Journey a nightmare, I just want to play IWD in BG not some cheese that autokills you immediately if you walk into the Five Flagons Playhouse without Hrothgar (!true story). So in general I've shied away from additional content mods but the tweaks and items mods are great and playing BGT in one game (BG1-TOB) is nothing short of great. I love the content from guys like aVENGER and CamDawg and it's great seeing them involved in the EE editions too. I'm a big fan of aVENGER's player scripts and it's great to see them actually integrated into IWDEE.
I just want to play IWD in BG not some cheese that autokills you immediately if you walk into the Five Flagons Playhouse without Hrothgar (!true story).
At first I was thrilled at amount of content you could install - but like Camdawg says much of it is not up to the quality one would hope for. I haven't found any of the megamods as being worthwhile and things like the Neverending Journey a nightmare, I just want to play IWD in BG not some cheese that autokills you immediately if you walk into the Five Flagons Playhouse without Hrothgar (!true story). So in general I've shied away from additional content mods but the tweaks and items mods are great and playing BGT in one game (BG1-TOB) is nothing short of great. I love the content from guys like aVENGER and CamDawg and it's great seeing them involved in the EE editions too. I'm a big fan of aVENGER's player scripts and it's great to see them actually integrated into IWDEE.
i disagree but kind of have to agree too
there are stupid mods like there are bad movies but some bad movies doesn't make all of the movies bad
BWS is BIG it makes baldur's gate advanture 10 times bigger
and i agree with weapons part it is so stupid why make so overpowered weapons? why? if there is weapon in bg1 at the beginning that is comparable in power to hidden celestial fury in guarded compound with demons and mages. WHY?
The last time I used a mega mod installation I had bugs and strange triggers left and right. The balance was completely broken because I was already level 14 or so in the middle of BG1 because I killed tons of dragons and Vampires already and someone decided that their quest series should end with 1mio xp as a reward and after playing the BG2 part a bit I had a Katana that did tons of Acid damage every turn and 2 to 4 Carosimyrs and Flails of Ages at +6 of course because the normal version would be way to crap.
@Jackjack Here's some of a post I made about my big world experience with NEJ:
"Also I understand the "Hrothgar must be in your party" thing because the mod maker wants someone to go with you to further the plot but it is quite annoying in practice. For example the part of the 5 flaggons tavern where you are automatically killed if you don't have him in your party. You are forced to go to Icewind Dale before leaving Irenicus' dungeon which limits your party options and one of the first areas you get you you are fighting really really tough undead. Not fun, I had to Ctrl-Y a lot of vampiric things and wandering horrors, theres no way my BG2 newb party with Hrothgar forced upon me could get through that area. " - Me, April 30, 2008 http://www.shsforums.net/topic/33358-my-big-world-experience/
Note that the undead in NEJ in the Vale of Shadows were not the same as vanilla IWD (wandering horrors and vampiric mists among other things)
I tried several of the megamods and for me none of them match the original. I may have missed some but I've definitely tried NEJ, CTB, ROT, TDD, FFT and others. The new content mods just don't match either they use a lot of recycled areas or the loot is uber or just doesn't match but that's just me or I haven't seen the right one.
I prefer the tweak mods to play the game how I want to play it.
My standard BGT install is with 90-something mods, *not* including the big megamods or any item packs, which are mostly super-cheesy junk. (I don't count FFT in that category though, I rather like that mod, and I don't recall it giving you much loot.)
Big World Set up... That takes me back to crashes in Beregost... Mad encounters and yes... A donkey you get to buy from a chappie at the friendly arm...
I installed repeatedly, trying to play through a game set to intermediate.
I only completed BGT ONCE... And it was on recommended.... I cannot advise you enough to just go with recommended...
Comments
are u proud?
I installed big world once, and it really is a thing of awesomeness. That said, it did introduce more overpowered items than tough fights to use the overpowered items in. If you just want a tactical challenge fix, SCS is still the knees of the bees.
At first I was thrilled at amount of content you could install - but like Camdawg says much of it is not up to the quality one would hope for. I haven't found any of the megamods as being worthwhile and things like the Neverending Journey a nightmare, I just want to play IWD in BG not some cheese that autokills you immediately if you walk into the Five Flagons Playhouse without Hrothgar (!true story). So in general I've shied away from additional content mods but the tweaks and items mods are great and playing BGT in one game (BG1-TOB) is nothing short of great. I love the content from guys like aVENGER and CamDawg and it's great seeing them involved in the EE editions too. I'm a big fan of aVENGER's player scripts and it's great to see them actually integrated into IWDEE.
there are stupid mods like there are bad movies but some bad movies doesn't make all of the movies bad
BWS is BIG it makes baldur's gate advanture 10 times bigger
and i agree with weapons part it is so stupid why make so overpowered weapons? why? if there is weapon in bg1 at the beginning that is comparable in power to hidden celestial fury in guarded compound with demons and mages. WHY?
"Also I understand the "Hrothgar must be in your party" thing because the mod maker wants someone to go with you to further the plot but it is quite annoying in practice. For example the part of the 5 flaggons tavern where you are automatically killed if you don't have him in your party. You are forced to go to Icewind Dale before leaving Irenicus' dungeon which limits your party options and one of the first areas you get you you are fighting really really tough undead. Not fun, I had to Ctrl-Y a lot of vampiric things and wandering horrors, theres no way my BG2 newb party with Hrothgar forced upon me could get through that area. "
- Me, April 30, 2008
http://www.shsforums.net/topic/33358-my-big-world-experience/
Note that the undead in NEJ in the Vale of Shadows were not the same as vanilla IWD (wandering horrors and vampiric mists among other things)
I tried several of the megamods and for me none of them match the original. I may have missed some but I've definitely tried NEJ, CTB, ROT, TDD, FFT and others. The new content mods just don't match either they use a lot of recycled areas or the loot is uber or just doesn't match but that's just me or I haven't seen the right one.
I prefer the tweak mods to play the game how I want to play it.
I installed repeatedly, trying to play through a game set to intermediate.
I only completed BGT ONCE... And it was on recommended.... I cannot advise you enough to just go with recommended...