Please Help - How to setup a new BG1/BG2 install
nn125
Member Posts: 7
I only played BG2 (not BG1) and as I remember I loved the game (now nearly 10 years ago). Last week when I found out about BG1EE I though wow, maybe its is time to play it! So I pre ordered the game and my anticipation levels increased. The email about the delay last night was not what I wanted (or expected) - The dog got kicked and my daughter got grounded for the rest of her life. Anyway in a fit of desperation I tried to find my old BG2 disks. When that failed I went onto Amazon and ordered the 4in1 set (BG!/TOSC/BG2&TOB - Arriving Monday).
Here's the problem, from what I remember, it is an absolute paint to set-up the mods, etc. correctly, so I need help and advice on hoe to do it.
What I want is:
1: When I played the game originally I had a bunch of fixes (Baldadash, Do every stronghold, etc...), Assension, Soldar
2: These forums mention BG Trilogy - I like the idea of playing the whole game through from the beginning. Also Unfinished Business 1&2 as well as Dialog tweaks and banter seams to get great mentions.
3: I also read that there is a mod to allow widescreen and better resolutions.
4: This morning I did a google and also a mod "The Big Picture" gets a lot of mentions although unsure if I need to only download this mod or do I also need to download all the other sub mods.
5: I love the NPC interactions and I used to use the Tasha and Valeron NPC's - What NPC's mods are the best.
So the question is What do I need to download. how do I set it up (what order do I do it in)?
A huge thanks in advance!
PS: Also I read it is possible to backup a number of files and the override directory so enable you to restore the original setting if it all goes pair shaped - Is this true, and if so how?
Again a huge amount of thanks in advanced
NN
Here's the problem, from what I remember, it is an absolute paint to set-up the mods, etc. correctly, so I need help and advice on hoe to do it.
What I want is:
1: When I played the game originally I had a bunch of fixes (Baldadash, Do every stronghold, etc...), Assension, Soldar
2: These forums mention BG Trilogy - I like the idea of playing the whole game through from the beginning. Also Unfinished Business 1&2 as well as Dialog tweaks and banter seams to get great mentions.
3: I also read that there is a mod to allow widescreen and better resolutions.
4: This morning I did a google and also a mod "The Big Picture" gets a lot of mentions although unsure if I need to only download this mod or do I also need to download all the other sub mods.
5: I love the NPC interactions and I used to use the Tasha and Valeron NPC's - What NPC's mods are the best.
So the question is What do I need to download. how do I set it up (what order do I do it in)?
A huge thanks in advance!
PS: Also I read it is possible to backup a number of files and the override directory so enable you to restore the original setting if it all goes pair shaped - Is this true, and if so how?
Again a huge amount of thanks in advanced
NN
0
Comments
For the installation, the best general advice I have is to go to http://www.shsforums.net/files/file/534-big-world-v11-english/ and download that pdf manual. It contains, more or less, all the info you need, and you can follow it throughout your installation.
What you need to do:
1. Decide what kind of installation you want. Today, that usually means Tutu or BGT. As you like the idea of BGT, that might be the way to go.
2. Start following the manual. It starts out with how to install the game depending on the source (discs, GOG.com version, etc) and what game should be patched to what version.
3. With the game installed, patched and tested, start with the mods. The manual contains information about what a mod does, which mods are outdated (like baldurdash, it's been replaced by the G3 fixpack and twekpack) what it's not compatible with, and where needed, what order you need to install its components in to make it compatible with other mods. In principle you can treat it like a recipe for a fancy three-course dinner for a guy who only boiled eggs in the past. Follow it throughout the installation process.
4. Things you need to do yourself:
- For all its benefits, sometimes the manual isn't up to date with the newest mod versions. When you download mods, make sure you get the latest version. Sometimes there are unofficial fixes available too.
- If you install many mods, I'd recommend getting the Big World fixpack from http://www.shsforums.net/files/file/521-big-world-fixpack-v11/ - this patches a great number of common mods, addressing errors and making them play well with each other. To use it on a mod you need to unpack the mod first, and then use the fixpack .bat file, and then install the mod.
- The manual doesn't describe Ascension per se (it's not really regarded as a mod), so I would recommend installing that as the very first thing. It's normally followed by ToBEx and then the BG2 fixpack from G3.
- Be patient. It can take the greater part of a day to do a full trilogy install with mods, but doing what the manual says is generally the best way to avoid issues.
5. My personal recommendations for your questions:
1 - As mentioned, the fixpack and twekpack from G3 replaces baldurdash and contains a lot of fundamental fixes and various tweaks you can select from depending on what you like. In my mind they're basically mandatory, along with ascension (greatly fleshes out the ToB part, both storywise and in terms of game mechanics). As for strongholds, you have two choices. The tweakpack has an option to make every stronghold available for every class, whereas Sword Coast Stratagems 2 has the more detailed options of selecting for each stronghold whether or not you want it to be available for every class. So if you have a class in mind for the playthrough, with SCS2 you can tailor which strongholds you want available for it.
2 - BGT is a nice option imo, I also like being able to play through all games in one continuous go, and to have them as one installation. Unfinished Business 1 and 2 are good mods and very purist, adding content that was at one point meant to be in the game. Dialogue changes are part of either the fixpack or the tweakpack, and there are at least two banter packs available (regular banter pack and the IEP pack), I always use both.
3 - Yep, the widescreen mod is normally installed at the very end. You can choose more or less any resolution you want - keep in mind that if you set it to 1920x1080 or similar, sprites and UI icons etc will be very small. You have to find what you like best. For me 1280x720 is the sweet spot.
4 - Not all sure about this one as I never used a Big Picture installation. I think the main point of it is to enable BGT to work alongside several very large mods (megamods) like The Darkest Day, Shadows over Soubar, etc. Never use them much nowadays as I feel they change the game too radically in relation to the main quest. Still, I would recommend downloading and installing all the mods you want individually, so you know exactly what content you have.
5 - Matter of taste. Most of the popular NPCs featured on the main mod sites are relatively balanced and well worked out. You'll just have to read up on them and figure out if it's something for you.
That's about it, enjoy the trilogy.