SCS is a *must* mod if you are familar with the game.
http://www.gibberlings3.net/scs/
SCS is an increased AI mod that achieves an alternate difficulty setting without cheating on players like by boosting enemy stats and giving them artificial scripts.
In vanilla BG1, it is possible to lure 1 enemy at a time even if enemies are standing right next to each other. BG:EE must do better than this since it uses BG2 engine, but the outdated AI are still exploitable and they behave really, really dumb if you know how to abuse their weaknesses.
a few examples of how SCS makes the game so much more exciting:
In vanilla game, Basilisks/Liches only target the closest enemy to petrify/imprison. You only need 1 immunity protection instead of 6. In SCS they don't *automatically* recognize an unprotected party member. They try attacking the closest first, and then move on to the next target when they realizes your party member is protected from their special attacks.
Immunity:Divination and Improved Invisibility used together was nigh-invincible against any AI. No spell casters without invisibility detection innate ability was ever able to do anything about this, and they just stood there while your character danced, wriggled his hips left and right, song a couple songs, and finally stabbed them in the back.
and there are many more exploits you could abuse with vanilla AI. So far, I haven't found any major exploits possible with SCS mod.
IMHO this is one of those mods that will help the game experience regardless what kind of a player you are, as long as you are familiar with BG battle mechanics. I hoped at least the 'better call for help' component was included in EE, but since it's not been included you might want to check it out when EE compatible version of SCS comes out.
This mod increases difficulty, that's true. But it does it in a way you don't feel cheated. In vanilla BG, your level 3 parties could kill level 16 mage Talantyre with ease - spell interruption. This mod only makes it so that enemies with high levels do have a fair power that they deserve. With a little exaggeration, it almost feels as though AI are being controlled by a human DM.
And if you find this mod difficult, you could always play SCS with normal or easy difficulty. The difficulty will be roughly same as vanilla, only with a smarter, cunning AI that will maintain the same HP, stats and Levels.
SCS is an increased AI mod that achieves an alternate difficulty setting without cheating on players like by boosting enemy stats and giving them artificial scripts.
In vanilla BG1, it is possible to lure 1 enemy at a time even if enemies are standing right next to each other. BG:EE must do better than this since it uses BG2 engine, but the outdated AI are still exploitable and they behave really, really dumb if you know how to abuse their weaknesses.
a few examples of how SCS makes the game so much more exciting:
In vanilla game, Basilisks/Liches only target the closest enemy to petrify/imprison. You only need 1 immunity protection instead of 6. In SCS they don't *automatically* recognize an unprotected party member. They try attacking the closest first, and then move on to the next target when they realizes your party member is protected from their special attacks.
Immunity:Divination and Improved Invisibility used together was nigh-invincible against any AI. No spell casters without invisibility detection innate ability was ever able to do anything about this, and they just stood there while your character danced, wriggled his hips left and right, song a couple songs, and finally stabbed them in the back.
and there are many more exploits you could abuse with vanilla AI. So far, I haven't found any major exploits possible with SCS mod.
IMHO this is one of those mods that will help the game experience regardless what kind of a player you are, as long as you are familiar with BG battle mechanics. I hoped at least the 'better call for help' component was included in EE, but since it's not been included you might want to check it out when EE compatible version of SCS comes out.
This mod increases difficulty, that's true. But it does it in a way you don't feel cheated. In vanilla BG, your level 3 parties could kill level 16 mage Talantyre with ease - spell interruption. This mod only makes it so that enemies with high levels do have a fair power that they deserve. With a little exaggeration, it almost feels as though AI are being controlled by a human DM.
And if you find this mod difficult, you could always play SCS with normal or easy difficulty. The difficulty will be roughly same as vanilla, only with a smarter, cunning AI that will maintain the same HP, stats and Levels.
Post edited by IntoTheDarkness on
7
Comments
EDIT: Must of posted at teh same time O.o :P
Either way would be nice for someone who knows SCS to let us know how BG:EE stacks up on the AI front.
The Black Pits will have better AI than the main campaign, but SCS' AI should be better than regular BGEE AI.
Not sure how SCS compares to the Black Pits.
Has the AI in the campaign been improved at all?
If of course you can disclose such info ^^
An example: in my most recent game of BG, I went back to Nashkel after having finished the mines and fought the assassin Nimbul. He had stoneskin, an anti-magic shield, mirror image, the works. He would cast Melf's Minute Meteors and make a point of attacking my lowest AC character's first, meaning the mages would go down real fast in his sight. It was a very tough and annoying fight that required me, at my low level, to run all over Nashkel until some of his magic defenses wore off...but it was fun.
The last time I played vanilla BG, my Paladin chunked him on the first hit with a lucky natural 20 the moment he ended his speech about 'Why NIMBUL was sent to fight the likes of you, I have no idea!', which was kinda anti-climactic. Funny, though. Not something I would have ever seen with SCS.
If you have played for so long that you are finding the game ridiculously easy, try playing with a party which *doesnt* consist of 6 dual kensai mages with 18 18 18 18 10 10 for all their stats
There are definitely ways to increase the difficulty via less than uber PCs and/or combinations of weaker characters. That is a great point.
You can also do both, which is what I tend to do, lol.
Or, if you are a masochist, and you love to reload over and over before you can beat the game, then SCS is definitely for you.
"Must-have"? Absolutely not. It does nothing for roleplaying or immersion. It just tries, with pretty good success, to duplicate the experience of playing an MMO on a PVP server, by giving the AI and the enemies pretty much the same strategic abilities that you have, as well as the ability to take you by surprise. Prepare to be ganked, a lot, if that's your thing.
There will be an intensified feeling of accomplishment if you learn how to beat it. But, it will only be a passing thing, because, you will eventually memorize all the souped-up encounter algorithms, just like you did with the vanilla ones. As with all things, knowledge is the ultimate power.
I am reminded of Piers Anthony's "Xanth" series, and the Magician Humphrey. His one and only power was absolute omniscience of the past, present, and future. And by that, he was the most powerful, godlike character in the books.
So, drawing a parallel to BG, why would you do otherwise in that realm? Because once you've decided the vanilla game is too easy, you want a greater challenge, but you also want to take things seriously, not make a mockery out of it by creating a party of Tiax, Quayle, a couple of bards etc... well, unless you're really bored and got nothing better to do with your life. But that's not the way i roll.
So yeah, must have... no thanks!
It really isn't that hard to beat the vanilla game--or even a game with SCS installed, for that matter--with the weakest characters or classes and kits. After 14 years, for me it's about about variety and creativity in the game's replayability.
***
Also a more general observation re: language like "must-have" or "essential": I think it should be understood that what is implied there is "for me" or "according to my personal taste." I think we all know by now that there's a great diversity to playstyles and preference for this game. I'll never presume to tell another what he or she ought to enjoy. I can only say what I like and why.