So it turns out removing the XP cap really is essentially the easiest thing ever, edit XPCAP.2DA to -1 to remove it, and provided the bgee resources allow for it, simply edit XPLEVEL.2DA to set the XP required for level 41 to -1 and you shouldn't have to worry about your level rolling over to 0 or 1, not that you would reach level 40 in the first one anyway, but still.
So it turns out removing the XP cap really is essentially the easiest thing ever, edit XPCAP.2DA to -1 to remove it, and provided the bgee resources allow for it, simply edit XPLEVEL.2DA to set the XP required for level 41 to -1 and you shouldn't have to worry about your level rolling over to 0 or 1, not that you would reach level 40 in the first one anyway, but still.
Is that the one that lets you get to level 50 but doesn't allow you to go further? If not, what is the highest level you can/have ever gotten with that level cap remover version?
That method only allows up to level 40, and that's provided the boundaries of the game actually allow it, which is the case for bg2 TOB, to get to level 50 you need a more extensive mod.
I'm glad they've decided to keep the cap as it was. This way, they don't have to worry about rebalancing everything lategame in BG1 (not to mention the entire start of SoA...), and if you absolutely must have a character that is brutishly overleveled, you can just edit a single text file.
For balance reasons I'm happy with the level-cap. Beyond 161.000 xp, the end-game would lose it's challenge. What I find a pity though, is I usually reach the level-cap before doing everything. I often skip TOTSC area's, because I'm already nearly at cap without them and with more side-quests in BGEE, I'll probably reach cap even earlier.
@LadyEibhilinRhett: you're not an obsessive must-clear-every-area-and-do-every-quest player if you never reach the level-cap? Maybe you think 'what's the point?'
For balance reasons I'm happy with the level-cap. Beyond 161.000 xp, the end-game would lose it's challenge. What I find a pity though, is I usually reach the level-cap before doing everything. I often skip TOTSC area's, because I'm already nearly at cap without them and with more side-quests in BGEE, I'll probably reach cap even earlier.
@LadyEibhilinRhett: you're not an obsessive must-clear-every-area-and-do-every-quest player if you never reach the level-cap? Maybe you think 'what's the point?'
I actually find myself liking it though. You can pick and choose what stuff you want to do, knowing you don't have to get everything squared away.. I just plain dislike werewolf island for instance, and so typically don't bother with it since I can hit the cap easily regardless. More new areas is therefore fun for me, I can do the stuff I want and leave the rest for another playthrough.
@sandmanCCL Don't you think that kind of (righteous) tinkering would have gone beyond the limits of the agreement Overhaul has with the different license-owners? I'm sure there are lots of improvements to be had tweaking the system itself, but I'm guessing that's off the table for now. In BG3, however...
It's funny to see so many people wanting to be able to easily create a party that completely masters every opponents at the end of the game. The charm of BG1, to me at least, is that, as it should be, the end game actually is a challenge.
@Djonne I want the game to be fun and for me using really low level spells isn't fun it's monotonous and incredibly boring. If the difficulty level is set high enough it shouldn't matter what level you are in BG1, within reason. The game will still be fun/difficult. I imported a level 15 fighter/mage into Tutu from Throne of Bhaal for one playthrough and sure the very beginning of the game was easier than normal, but he still got killed right and left on the werewolf island, in Durlag's Tower and other difficult parts of the game. Easy is definitely not the term I would use to describe it. Fun and reasonably challenging are.
I'm another person who is a big fan of leaving at least a soft cap for rpg games. By soft cap I mean some way that you can still gain levels but won't interfere with your first play through. This can be done many ways. One way is to extend the amount of XP required to reach the next level by quite a bit so that it's unlikely you will reach it without intentionally going out of your way to do this because that is what is fun for you.
I think the best way to implement an alternate XP cap would be to allow you to unlock the XP cap after beating the game on your first play through. It should open an option in your menu that you can select to unlock the cap basically.
None of this will happen for the release of EE though. You'll be able to remove it yourself pretty easily via some method shortly after release but I would be very surprised to see any change in the XP cap.
@Mungri Druids are a challenge to play correctly, they are exceedingly powerful if you know what you're doing so stop acting like they are "teh suck." They're awesome. Okay.
Erm, I never said that druids suck, I said that their XP progression is terrible. One of the main reasons for why we can't when have the cap increased to allow level 9 clerics and fighters is because then druids will reach level 11 and unlock level 6 spells in BG1.
@Djonne I want the game to be fun and for me using really low level spells isn't fun it's monotonous and incredibly boring. If the difficulty level is set high enough it shouldn't matter what level you are in BG1, within reason. The game will still be fun/difficult. I imported a level 15 fighter/mage into Tutu from Throne of Bhaal for one playthrough and sure the very beginning of the game was easier than normal, but he still got killed right and left on the werewolf island, in Durlag's Tower and other difficult parts of the game. Easy is definitely not the term I would use to describe it. Fun and reasonably challenging are.
But it should be people like you, who are playing the game in an unintended way, that should have to mod the game.
I just want a game that is balanced with default settings. I see the xp cap as a role play thing, as other said. And since it is a role play game... You just shouldn't be able to become godlike at this part of the prophecy after just killing a few high level monsters.
@Mungri Druids are a challenge to play correctly, they are exceedingly powerful if you know what you're doing so stop acting like they are "teh suck." They're awesome. Okay.
Erm, I never said that druids suck, I said that their XP progression is terrible. One of the main reasons for why we can't when have the cap increased to allow level 9 clerics and fighters is because then druids will reach level 11 and unlock level 6 spells in BG1.
True, but what does it change game-balance wise? I mean, Harm is insane, so is Conjure animals or dolorous decay... but in the end of the day, a 10 level druid will already be able to cast iron skins, insect plague and what not, which is already a HUGE overpowering issue.
A level 9 cleric ultimately would have a much bigger advantage than a level 11 druid, simply because of the fifth level cleric spell Righetous Magic, which in conjunction to Holy power and Draw upon holy might makes a cleric basically an armored kensai with 24 strength. Sure, without that many proficiency points, but still.
Nah, having the cap has no impact in the game whatsoever. As you hit 161k with the entire party, the entirety of Tales of the Sword Coast is a breeze. Being able to get, what, 90k more XP (keeping in mind that BG + TOTSC had around 1 million - 1.5 million XP together, divided per six it'd be around 250k maximum) would not change an already broken game balance.
Cast Glitterdust, Doom and Greater Malison on Sarevok in conjunction with a level 10 character's chromatic orb (bard or avenger) - he'll die instantly. What kind of game balance is that?
I'll simply be raising the cap myself to where I want it - 300,000 exp. Druids will end up broken beyond repair, while fighters / rangers / paladins / clerics will only get to level 9. Mages reaching level 10 won't do anything, they get one extra level 5 spell slot, whoopadeedoo.
They wont just make it a level cap DLC, it will add some content and raise the level cap. Like all the New Vegas DLC, or Broken Steel for Fallout 3. And you could mod the caps on those, too. Made it to level 109 in new Vegas that way.
As for BG1 xp... I think I got 400,000 or so with a party of six without a level cap, with TOTSC and minimal farming. Im thinking it should be raised a little, 300k will give everyone one more level (druids would get 2 levels, but make level 12 300,001 xp instead for them.
@sandmanCCL Don't you think that kind of (righteous) tinkering would have gone beyond the limits of the agreement Overhaul has with the different license-owners? I'm sure there are lots of improvements to be had tweaking the system itself, but I'm guessing that's off the table for now. In BG3, however...
Yeah it is and I understand why it won't happen officially from overhaul.
But if any zealous modders want my input in what I think would be a fair and balanced XP table, I'd be more than happy to pitch in!
I have a sinking feeling they decided to leave the level cap as is so they can raise it as a piece of dlc.
You do realize that removing the XP cap is as easy as quoting my message and changing :
161000
to -1, right?
It's true, I don't think many people realize just how easy it is, for all its worth if people wanted a higher, or lower level cap of their choosing while leaving a cap in existence it's probably just as easy by the same method.
I only just tried out 2DA file editing a week or so ago, and some things are easy to tweak, exp caps being one of them, maybe even druid level progression?
Comments
@LadyEibhilinRhett: you're not an obsessive must-clear-every-area-and-do-every-quest player if you never reach the level-cap? Maybe you think 'what's the point?'
I think the best way to implement an alternate XP cap would be to allow you to unlock the XP cap after beating the game on your first play through. It should open an option in your menu that you can select to unlock the cap basically.
None of this will happen for the release of EE though. You'll be able to remove it yourself pretty easily via some method shortly after release but I would be very surprised to see any change in the XP cap.
I just want a game that is balanced with default settings. I see the xp cap as a role play thing, as other said. And since it is a role play game... You just shouldn't be able to become godlike at this part of the prophecy after just killing a few high level monsters.
True, but what does it change game-balance wise? I mean, Harm is insane, so is Conjure animals or dolorous decay... but in the end of the day, a 10 level druid will already be able to cast iron skins, insect plague and what not, which is already a HUGE overpowering issue.
A level 9 cleric ultimately would have a much bigger advantage than a level 11 druid, simply because of the fifth level cleric spell Righetous Magic, which in conjunction to Holy power and Draw upon holy might makes a cleric basically an armored kensai with 24 strength. Sure, without that many proficiency points, but still.
Nah, having the cap has no impact in the game whatsoever. As you hit 161k with the entire party, the entirety of Tales of the Sword Coast is a breeze. Being able to get, what, 90k more XP (keeping in mind that BG + TOTSC had around 1 million - 1.5 million XP together, divided per six it'd be around 250k maximum) would not change an already broken game balance.
Cast Glitterdust, Doom and Greater Malison on Sarevok in conjunction with a level 10 character's chromatic orb (bard or avenger) - he'll die instantly. What kind of game balance is that?
And what makes you think I will be importing into BG2? Id rather make a new character designed for the increased exp for dual classing purposes.
There's no such thing as balance in single player games, least of all in BG2.
As for BG1 xp... I think I got 400,000 or so with a party of six without a level cap, with TOTSC and minimal farming. Im thinking it should be raised a little, 300k will give everyone one more level (druids would get 2 levels, but make level 12 300,001 xp instead for them.
But if any zealous modders want my input in what I think would be a fair and balanced XP table, I'd be more than happy to pitch in!
You do realize that removing the XP cap is as easy as quoting my message and changing :
161000
to -1, right?