Need help setting up mods for BG:EE and BG:EE2

Kingxex

For years now I have heard tales of the fabled SCS and Tactics mods, watched countless videos of the improved enemies ripping parties apart, but have never been able to play them due to versions changing, differences between the originals and the new ones, and my own incompetence. Please don't just link me to another thread unless it details in autism steps how to do everything. I am PC literate but "just install tactics through weimer on weidu yadda yadda" means absolutely nothing to me. I google these words and it brings up forum posts from 2001.

I have tried searching these forums for years, but end up with old links to SCS for the original BG. And most of the "compatible with EE" mods on here are broken and don't work - unless I'm doing something completely wrong. For example I recently tried to install the Chaos Sorcerer mod, and it fucked the game up to the point where my Alignment explanation had a phrase from a random quest in it.

Some people have suggested I use mod merge, but again those words mean nothing to me and the thread that explains it needs a potion of genius for me to understand.

Please can someone try and break down exactly what I need to do to install Tactics and SCS on BG:EE and BG:EE2? I'm on Windows 7, on version 2.5, with Dragonspear installed, on Steam, using a XL2411T monitor, cup of tea in my hand... Oh, and I managed to install one mod for BG2 that skips the dungeon, and that's it.

If I need to downgrade to 2.4, please explain how I do that like you would to a child.
If I need a mod merger, please explain how I do that.
If I need weimer or weidu or whatever, please link me to the latest up to date link.

Thank you all.

ThacoBell

" And most of the "compatible with EE" mods on here are broken and don't work - unless I'm doing something completely wrong."

Yeah, you are doing something wrong if these are all failing. We'll take it slow.

You're game version shouldn't be an issue. But because you are on Steam, there is an extra step to mod your BG1+SoD.

You can dowloan Modmerge here.

The one you want is marked "latest release" in green on the left side. There are multiple versions, since your on windows, download "modmerge-win32.zip".

You will want to put these files in your game data folder. There will be a file called "chitin.key" in the same folder. That's how you know its the right one. I don't have the Steam version, so I don't know the file path to find it. Sorry.

Once all the modmerge files are in the right place, run the "Setup Modmerge" file. It should install for you.

ThacoBell

Note that when someone mentions, "WeiDu", thats the program used to make/run most mods. You shouldn't have to download anything extra for it, most mods will come prepackaged. When you run a mod, it usually doesn't have a standard installer. Instead it will open a command window. It will if you want to install. Should be pretty simple.

ThacoBell

Oh I forgot something REALLY IMPORTANT. It sounds like you have tried to install mods before and had things go wrong. Make sure you revert back to a clean installation before trying again. Telling Steam to verify your game files and it will automatically repair your instalation.

lefreut

Kingxex said:

I'm on Windows 7, on version 2.5, with Dragonspear installed, on Steam

The 2.5 beta is only for BGEE and will not properly work on Dragonspear. You have to use 2.3 or disable Dragonspear (or if you can, wait a little as 2.5 final should be release soon).

Also, make a copy of the BG folder and install mods in it so that Steam won't wipe everything when it autoupdate the game.