This is not critical. That's a more or less (un)verified attempt, not a requirement. However if you want to use the weidu-ascension by W.Weimer, a SCS override is recommended because it will fix several AI scripts (something that BP-ascension already does in a different way). On the one hand BP-ascension is not supported on EE (see the readme) and there is a couple of issues. On the other hand the original weidu-ascension package does not install on EE. However @WhiteAgnus released an adaptation for EE he wrote for himself, something between BP and W.Weimer's versions. I haven't been able to play it yet but it seems a much better approach, better than tentatively stacking the existing mods.
@Musigny - what testing have you done? BP has caused problems with disappearing monsters for both me and brunardo. I'm not just referring to the Ascension demons. I've tried using other BP AI components before. The Beholders component made it impossible to save in The Rift Area, the Ghoul Village and the Unseeing Eye Lair. The improved Knights component prevented saving in the Bridge District after killing the renegade paladins. It's not surprising that their should be problems with the BP AI given that the author has not tried to make it compatible with EE.
So I was running this guide.. Basically, core BP + ascension, Unfinished business, bg2tweaks, relatively minor SCS and thats it.
I did run into a few issues here and there. Im having an issue with Dragons and Liches being very easy, they just sit around and cast stupid spells that are trivial to beat. I had an issue with one or two fights in the Planar sphere. But many fights are ok.
I was wondering whether this is big picture script issues (I've seen similar reports elsewhere) or whether this was a bad install, and whether it was possible to save my play through by reinstalling SCS with a few more options midway through so that it might perhaps overwrite some of the bad BP stuff?
You can install other SCS components mid-game. Most of the SCS AI changes aren't too drastic. The one big exception is Smarter Mages, which can hugely increase the difficulty of the game. But it's still not too bad if you choose Option 3.
Yeah I think overwriting BP AI with SCS @Hael works from previous discussion and will be trying that once my IWD EE playthrough is done...though SOD might get in the way
It can be brutal. Bioware made enemy mages higher levels than the party as a way of compensating for weak AI. But with the SCS AI, those mages become nasty. So you may wish to consider reducing their levels to 80% of the normal by editing the stragems.ini, at least until you get more comfortable with the more difficult fights.
So I just played through Bgee all the way through to the final battle with Melissan using this setup (with unfinished business and bg2tweaks) It worked for the most part, but there were definitely a number of bugs. Probably about 10-15 in total.
From what I can see unfinished business content works flawlessly, ditto with the bg2tweaks.
The big issue was with liches and dragons. Basically I had to delete most of those files from override manually and just went with the EE versions to get challenging fights.
Lavok couldnt die, so I had to find a fix for him somewhere. There were a few bugs with the TOB EE quests (Hexxat, Rassaad especially) but I don't think thats particular to this setup.
Umm... Most of the issue was in the final battles in the Abyss. First, Imoen dies from slayer form so I had to ctrl y her beforehand.
Sendai wouldn't fight in the final battle. Yaga Shura also was buggy and didn't die for awhile but eventually was killed somehow.
This definitely needs to be made into a straight port into SCS. There are times where the bp scripts make what should be challenging fights really stupid, which I don't like. But still, this is about as fun as you can have in gaming.
@Hael - were you playing with the SCS smarter mages and "Give Ascension versions of Irenicus and Sendai SCS scripts and abilities"? I also had problems with Sendai not doing anything when just using the BP scripts but those SCS components should override BP.
I haven't tried it yet but you're probably better off using the Ascension mod that's been specifically designed for BG2EE instead of this Big Picture version.
I used the BP ascension with two PC's for the last few fights, one was ok but the other got too glitchy as couldnt save with "monsters" and other issues...been holding off on doing a full playthrough with customized mods including SCS and ascension (missed alot in TOB when I did it) but now may hold off with DGaider with Beamdog. At least SOD will keep my busy and I can decide after.
I locally fixed a few bugs of BP ascension, Sendai won't fight because her script is faulty, so I used good old DLTCEP and gave her original sendai script in addition to her bp ascension script:it sorta works. She fights at least, buffs well and teleports around with her onyx ring, and her bp script kicks in when she is supposed to die and weaken M. Ofcourse, she is not as powerful as what ascension/scs would make her but it is something!
'Can't save because of monsters' is a bug in the throne pools, particularly the two pools that spawn Babaus. Babaus turn and stay invisible and don't attack, also their invisibility can not be dispelled for some reason. You can not save until they are killed. I gave them straight attack on sight scripts and this made them easy fodder but other demons are scary enough. No more bug with this.
With those bugs gone I was able to finish my bp ascension run. On Ipad no less! This is great.
Slayer form is buggy in my install I did not get the fix. I was in asylum in my new game, my pc turned slayer and hassled Viconia, but when he regained his senses he stayed in the slayer form. Weird bug. Slayer form ability was also given to my pc. IIRC it should have been given after spellhold in a dream with fake Imoen.
My pc was stuck in a 'fake' slayer form, no spell casting, but with 25 str and 4 attacks/round:however claws were gone and I could use my own weapons. I tried turning slayer manually and reverting to human, this kills my pc due to bug. However I saved in this 'fake' slayer form and loaded, my guy was human again. Weirdness all around. At least I can continue with the game, I won't use slayer form until I get the fix installed.
Comments
However if you want to use the weidu-ascension by W.Weimer, a SCS override is recommended because it will fix several AI scripts (something that BP-ascension already does in a different way).
On the one hand BP-ascension is not supported on EE (see the readme) and there is a couple of issues.
On the other hand the original weidu-ascension package does not install on EE. However @WhiteAgnus released an adaptation for EE he wrote for himself, something between BP and W.Weimer's versions. I haven't been able to play it yet but it seems a much better approach, better than tentatively stacking the existing mods.
I did run into a few issues here and there. Im having an issue with Dragons and Liches being very easy, they just sit around and cast stupid spells that are trivial to beat. I had an issue with one or two fights in the Planar sphere. But many fights are ok.
I was wondering whether this is big picture script issues (I've seen similar reports elsewhere) or whether this was a bad install, and whether it was possible to save my play through by reinstalling SCS with a few more options midway through so that it might perhaps overwrite some of the bad BP stuff?
Thoughts?
It worked for the most part, but there were definitely a number of bugs. Probably about 10-15 in total.
From what I can see unfinished business content works flawlessly, ditto with the bg2tweaks.
The big issue was with liches and dragons. Basically I had to delete most of those files from override manually and just went with the EE versions to get challenging fights.
Lavok couldnt die, so I had to find a fix for him somewhere.
There were a few bugs with the TOB EE quests (Hexxat, Rassaad especially) but I don't think thats particular to this setup.
Umm... Most of the issue was in the final battles in the Abyss. First, Imoen dies from slayer form so I had to ctrl y her beforehand.
Sendai wouldn't fight in the final battle. Yaga Shura also was buggy and didn't die for awhile but eventually was killed somehow.
This definitely needs to be made into a straight port into SCS. There are times where the bp scripts make what should be challenging fights really stupid, which I don't like. But still, this is about as fun as you can have in gaming.
'Can't save because of monsters' is a bug in the throne pools, particularly the two pools that spawn Babaus. Babaus turn and stay invisible and don't attack, also their invisibility can not be dispelled for some reason. You can not save until they are killed. I gave them straight attack on sight scripts and this made them easy fodder but other demons are scary enough. No more bug with this.
With those bugs gone I was able to finish my bp ascension run. On Ipad no less! This is great.
Slayer form is buggy in my install I did not get the fix. I was in asylum in my new game, my pc turned slayer and hassled Viconia, but when he regained his senses he stayed in the slayer form. Weird bug. Slayer form ability was also given to my pc. IIRC it should have been given after spellhold in a dream with fake Imoen.
My pc was stuck in a 'fake' slayer form, no spell casting, but with 25 str and 4 attacks/round:however claws were gone and I could use my own weapons. I tried turning slayer manually and reverting to human, this kills my pc due to bug. However I saved in this 'fake' slayer form and loaded, my guy was human again. Weirdness all around. At least I can continue with the game, I won't use slayer form until I get the fix installed.