Questions about custom NPCs

_Connacht_

Hi everybody, I wanted to install and play again with Baldur's Gate II+ToB after more than 10 years. Woah, that's a very long time! And I can also try some mods that came meanwhile.

But, I also wanted to try something different that is importing other custom characters from multiplayer to singleplayer (by loading the savegame) and making a mixed party or even a total custom party, which is something I never did.
I have some questions:

1) If I remember correctly, kicking out a custom character forces him to leave the game. Do I remember right? Is there a way for making them go to wait in the Copper Coronet or somewhere else just like normal characters?

2) As many of you know, the party limit is hardcoded, so you can't have more than 6 venture mates unless you deeply modify a lot of data files and script with the risk of messing everything. However, I think that once I read about a way for bypassing a little this. With a tweak, other NPCs would "join" the party not like members but just like evoked creatures or charmed critters/people (but without time limit). Am I right?
They would not be true party members, as they wouldn't interact and you wouldn't look at their profile/inventory nor level them up, maybe they could even be unable to follow you in certain areas. But with silent custom companions it wouldn't be a problem to me. I would use them like strange mercenaries, maybe by giving them bows, since I don't like them very much (plus with ShadowKeeper I might also change their clothes and colours whenever I want), and buzz around just for fun.
However, I don't remember very well and maybe I've got the thing wrong.

Thank you if you can answer me.

DJKajuru

1) I think there's such an option at the "BG2 Tweaks" mod, from gibberling 3 site.

2) I have no idea. =o

Alexisisinneed

2. Couldn't you possibly console the said character under your control?

_Connacht_

Alexisisinneed said:

2. Couldn't you possibly console the said character under your control?

IIRC with ctrl+Q and ctrl+R you can force creatures and people to join or leave the party, but they would be actual members of the party (thus within the limit of 6 members).

elminster

_Connacht_ said:

1) If I remember correctly, kicking out a custom character forces him to leave the game. Do I remember right? Is there a way for making them go to wait in the Copper Coronet or somewhere else just like normal characters?

Travel to the Copper Coronet. Go into one of the backrooms. Put the NPC in them. Close the door. Remove them from your party. Don't open that door again until you want them back into your party.

It might not be the most appropriate action for your characters alignment, and it certainly wasn't what you probably had in mind, but it will do the trick.