Best mods? BG / BG2 ---> BG:EE / BG2:EE
Raistlin82
Member Posts: 256
Hi, everyone.
Ok, first of all I noticed there's another similar thread, but that one is only about BG2, plus it looks to be an old one, since the links provided in some of the answers are broken.
I've played BG1 briefly, without finishing it, and I've played BG2 extensively and repeatedly. But always without any mods. I figured this time around I should give it a try.
I'd like to know which mods you guys consider the best around (and why), for both BG and BG2 (including those that work on both games, of course) and their expansions.
I'm led to believe that none of the mods will be compatible with BG:EE at launch, so please, when giving your answer, consider which ones you know or you have reasonable motive to believe will be implemented soon: if they have an active community behind, for example, as opposed to dead, abandoned projects; or if they're technically easy to implement, to your knowledge.
Also, I'd like to know whether any fanmade mods have been already implemented in BG:EE (other than bug-fixing mods).
What I'm looking for:
1 - More NPCs (party members), more romance options, more dialogue options;
2 - As an extension of that, mods that allow you to bring back "permanently dead" characters or absent prequel characters;
3 - More quests, fights, bosses, encounters, gear, strongholds... more content in general;
4 - More player races and classes (3rd edition? 4th edition?), more kits;
5 - A mod that allows you to have a party of 7 or 8 people (and maybe party formations fitting to the situation): does something like this exist?
What I don't want:
1 - Overpowered NPCs, Mary Sue / Gary Stu characters, unsufferable romances, over-talkative characters (that speak much more than the regular ones), out of character or inappropriate dialogues;
2 - Overpowered gear, races, classes, kits and abilities;
3 - As a general rule, anything that makes the game harder or easier (save for point 5, above);
4 - Customized NPC portraits or other changes whose only purpose is to satisfy the modder's arbitrary aesthetic sense;
5 - "Broken" or incomplete mods, that lead to bugs or inconsistencies (of course).
Thank you for your attention.
Ok, first of all I noticed there's another similar thread, but that one is only about BG2, plus it looks to be an old one, since the links provided in some of the answers are broken.
I've played BG1 briefly, without finishing it, and I've played BG2 extensively and repeatedly. But always without any mods. I figured this time around I should give it a try.
I'd like to know which mods you guys consider the best around (and why), for both BG and BG2 (including those that work on both games, of course) and their expansions.
I'm led to believe that none of the mods will be compatible with BG:EE at launch, so please, when giving your answer, consider which ones you know or you have reasonable motive to believe will be implemented soon: if they have an active community behind, for example, as opposed to dead, abandoned projects; or if they're technically easy to implement, to your knowledge.
Also, I'd like to know whether any fanmade mods have been already implemented in BG:EE (other than bug-fixing mods).
What I'm looking for:
1 - More NPCs (party members), more romance options, more dialogue options;
2 - As an extension of that, mods that allow you to bring back "permanently dead" characters or absent prequel characters;
3 - More quests, fights, bosses, encounters, gear, strongholds... more content in general;
4 - More player races and classes (3rd edition? 4th edition?), more kits;
5 - A mod that allows you to have a party of 7 or 8 people (and maybe party formations fitting to the situation): does something like this exist?
What I don't want:
1 - Overpowered NPCs, Mary Sue / Gary Stu characters, unsufferable romances, over-talkative characters (that speak much more than the regular ones), out of character or inappropriate dialogues;
2 - Overpowered gear, races, classes, kits and abilities;
3 - As a general rule, anything that makes the game harder or easier (save for point 5, above);
4 - Customized NPC portraits or other changes whose only purpose is to satisfy the modder's arbitrary aesthetic sense;
5 - "Broken" or incomplete mods, that lead to bugs or inconsistencies (of course).
Thank you for your attention.
Post edited by Raistlin82 on
0
Comments
1. NPCs + NPC content - (see 2 for BG1 NPCs) Faren (SHS), Darian (SHS), Nephele (SHS), VIconia Friendship (SHS), BG1NPC Project (G3), Crossmod Banter Pack (G3), Banter Packs (PPG), BG1 NPCs for SoA (Smiling Imp on SHS)
2. BG1 NPCs - Xan (PPG), Yeslick (SHS), Kivan (G3), Xan Friendship path (PPG)
3. Content - BG Unfinished Business (PPG), BG2 Unfinished Business (PPG), Wheels of Prophecy (G3), One Pixel Productions (SHS - mostly included in BG:EE as standard due to Erephine agreeing), Quest Pack (PPG)
4. Races, Classes + Kits - Spell Revisions (G3), Rogue Rebalancing (SHS), Druid Kit Enhancements (phordicus), Wizard Slayer Rebalancing (aVENGER on SHS),
5. Game doesn't allow more than 6 party members including your own character. Can't be changed.
The mods which are still supported or still have active authors are likely to get updated but we'll see. Not everyone is interesting in BG:EE/BG2:ee. As for BG:EE, there aren't that many mods for BG1 (especially NPCs) but there are some for BG2 that should work with BG:EE with the new WeiDU version. Tweak mods like Rogue Rebalancing and Spell Revisions are more likely I would guess.
The Lure of the Sirine's Call is a short quest that takes place in the coastal area south of Candlekeep involving the lighthouse, the treasure cavern, the sirines dwelling along the beach, and worgs. Also pirates. Everyone loves pirates.
At the end of it all you should have either a warm fuzzy feeling in your heart, or a bunch of loot. This quest will especially appeal to druids, though any class can play it without missing any content, dialogue, or equipment.
Ones that I seem to recall exceptionally fondly are
BG1 NPC Project
Xan Friendship
These are found under Tutu enhancements in Pocket Plane page.
Does anyone know how much work it will take to turn existing mods into BGEE compatible versions? I'm pretty sure I don't want to play BG without NPC project ever again.