A tale of Hope: Starting an EET playthrough

Permidion_Stark

I like the idea of playing Baldur's Gate from beginning to end as one continuous game so I have decided to give EET a spin. I've seen a few comments where people seem to think it is hard to install but even though I am quite clueless when it comes to anything technical I found it to be very straightforward. I'm playing on a Mac so I followed this installation guide: https://www.gibberlings3.net/forums/topic/31193-mac-install-guide-for-baldurs-gate-eet/ I also followed the instructions on this Compatibility List to make sure I installed my mods in the right order: https://rawgit.com/K4thos/EET-Compatibility-List/master/EET-Compatibility-List.html

First I downloaded a Mac Weidu Launcher: https://github.com/subtledoctor/MacOS_Weidu_Launcher

(I'm not sure this was strictly necessary because I think most mods come with a launcher attached but I found it easier to get it separately. Don't ask me what Weidu is because I have no idea)

I installed the following mods before installing EET:

BGEE Classic movies http://www.shsforums.net/topic/55573-mod-bgee-classic-movies/ (This might have been unnecessary because I have a feeling EET restores the classic movies by default)
BG1 NPC Project https://www.gibberlings3.net/mods/npcs/bg1npc/
BG1 Unfinished Business https://github.com/Pocket-Plane-Group/bg1ub/releases

I then installed EET and added the following mods:

Imoen 4 Ever
Endless BG1
Grey the Dog
Baldur's Gate Mini Quests and Encounters
Jastey's SoD Tweak Pack

( The above are all by @jastey https://www.gibberlings3.net/profile/256-jastey/content/?type=downloads_file&change_section=1 )

Chatty Imoen by @AstroBryGuy : https://github.com/AstroBryGuy/ChattyImoen
EET Tweaks https://github.com/K4thos/EET_Tweaks/releases
The Tweaks Anthology https://www.gibberlings3.net/mods/tweaks/tweaks/
Level 1 NPCs https://www.gibberlings3.net/mods/tweaks/levelonenpcs/ (this one isn't actually supported by EET but I wanted to use it to turn Imoen into a Swashbuckler and it seems to have worked okay).

So that's my set up. As I said, I found it to be very straightforward. The only really time consuming part was going through the options in the Tweaks Anthology because there are hundreds of choices to be made but that would be true whether or not you had EET installed.

So now I am ready to set forth from Candlekeep once more . . .

Permidion_Stark

This is the EET page where you can choose where in the campaign you want to start.

I'm starting here:

My character is one I used to play a lot when BG1 was first released. She is a naive young paladin named Hope who tries to see the good in everyone she meets (which allows me to have Edwin and Viconia in the party). I quite often use a mod that increases your stat rolls but this time I decided to play fair and settle for a more flawed character. I promptly rolled a 93 point character with 18/00 strength. So much for flawed!

This is Hope's first meeting with Grey the Dog who belongs to Jondalar but who will become one of her companions on her adventure. I really like the idea of having a faithful hound at my side. He is described as being a wolfhound but I'm guessing he is a mongrel because he looks a bit short in the leg for that breed.

Here is my first meeting outside Candlekeep with my irritating little sister Imoen, who has not only stolen a Wand of Magic Missiles and some potions but has also brought Jondalar's dog Grey along:

I'm only pretending to be cross with her because Grey looks like he could be a big help in the days to come:

jastey

Thanks for giving those mods a go. I hope you'll enjoy them!

Permidion_Stark

@jastey - My pleasure. I am really enjoying having Grey around. He's my ideal kind of NPC - doesn't talk too much and doesn't attempt to initiate a romance!

I decided to add a couple more mods to my game. Both by @Daeros_Trollkiller :

SoD to BG2EE Item Upgrade https://www.gibberlings3.net/files/file/1016-sod-to-bg2ee-item-upgrade/
Cosmetic Item Enhancements https://github.com/DaerosTrollkiller/EE_Cosmetic_Item_Enhancement/releases/tag/v1.0.1

As far as I understand it each time you add new mods to an existing set up you need to run a program called EET-end (it comes with EET when you download it) so that is what I have done and so far everything seem to be working okay.

Permidion_Stark

Anyway, on with the story. Hope, Imoen and Grey headed to the Friendly Arm Inn "there to meet with Khalid and Jaheira." But first they had to get past Tarnesh. He Mirror Imaged himself before Imoen could hit him with a Magic MIssile and I thought the fight might go badly. Tarnesh then cast Horror which of course had no effect on Hope the Cavalier. Grey the Dog made his save but Imoen went running around the courtyard like a headless chicken. The guards sprang to our aid and between us we hacked through the Mirror Images and then through Tarnesh himself.

Tarnesh has 16 intelligence but only 10 Wisdom which I guess explains why he chose to ambush us in a heavily populated area full of armed guards rather than somewhere quiet on the road to the inn?

Imoen, worryingly, found Tarnesh's spellbook and started wittering on about trying out some spells. Hope is actively discouraging her from doing this (As far as I can tell the BG1 NPC project assumes that Imoen will dual to become a mage but I am intending to keep her as a Swashbuckler).

In the Inn we met up with Khalid and Jaheira. To my amusement (and courtesy of the NPC Project) Imoen insists on referring to Jaheira as "Auntie".

Permidion_Stark

While at the Inn Joia asked us to find her Flamedance ring which had been stolen by Hobgoblins. Like a good paladin Hope promptly went and did this. But like a bad paladin she totally forgot to return the ring to Joia before setting off for Beregost. Oh well, I am sure she will be heading back to Candlekeep at some point.

Arriving in Beregost with the classic movies reinstalled was a real pleasure:

Permidion_Stark

Arriving in Nashkel you get my favourite movie in BG1:


It's quite chilling I think and I love the atmospheric music that goes with it. It's a shame that there isn't a plot about kobold attacks on outlying farms because after watching the movie you feel like there should be.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvC8EWTRwrU&list=PL2BFacqBImNXcfnfTo6En8HN0YGTt8w4f&index=5

Permidion_Stark

My first EET playthrough is going well though I am still in the BG1 portion of the game. One of the nice things about the EET campaign is that your world map is bigger which helps to give context to the story. I always used to be a bit fuzzy about where everything was but now I have got a better idea.

Permidion_Stark

Today I discovered that Shoal the Nereid is remarkably unpicky when it comes to deciding whom to bestow her favours upon. Grey the Wolfhound was at the front of the party when we bumped into her and she insisted on kissing him. And despite the fact that he can only say "Woof" he managed to convey the message: "Far be it from me to turn down a kiss from a comely lass." So she walked right up to him, and gave him a great big kiss "Mwah!" Moments later he was unconscious and down to one hit point.

jastey

Haha, I always knew he's charming! Maybe for a neraid, kissing a dwarf, elf, halfork, or wolfhound doesn't make such a difference?
(Yes, I'll look into this.)

Permidion_Stark

jastey wrote: »

Haha, I always knew he's charming! Maybe for a neraid, kissing a dwarf, elf, halfork, or wolfhound doesn't make such a difference?
(Yes, I'll look into this.)

I'm really enjoying having Grey in the party. In fact I am already planning a 'one man and his dog' run with just the charname (maybe a ranger?) and Grey.

Adam_en_tium

Permidion_Stark wrote: »

jastey wrote: »

Haha, I always knew he's charming! Maybe for a neraid, kissing a dwarf, elf, halfork, or wolfhound doesn't make such a difference?
(Yes, I'll look into this.)

I'm really enjoying having Grey in the party. In fact I am already planning a 'one man and his dog' run with just the charname (maybe a ranger?) and Grey.

"I am legend" run !