Road to 2.6 | Is the Baldur's Gate II 2.6.4.0 Patch Ready to Release?

JuliusBorisov

We're almost there with Patch 2.6!

Steam Beta 2.6.4.0 for Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition is available now for public testing!

"There is strength in numbers, and I am two or three, at least." ~ Minsc.

Based on your feedback on the 2.6.3.0 build, we've decided to include a few more fixes into 2.6— and this is why we need one additional round of beta testing. HUGE thanks to everyone testing these games and helping us make this patch a success.

IMPORTANT:
Patch 2.6 will NOT be the last patch for Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition

• Patch 2.6 will not fix every issue— but we hope to make further improvements in future
• Here's what in the patch: 2.6 Patch Items

System Requirements have changed:
Minimum: Windows 7, 8.1, 10 64-bit, OS X 10.9, Ubuntu 18.04 or equivalent

• Please check your device meets the updated System Requirements before testing
• Make sure your device supports 64-bit games

TEST OBJECTIVE: Start questing! Is the patch good enough to release?
How to Participate

- Playthrough some quests & VOTE on the release
- Tell us about *new bugs (the beta shouldn't add any issues) - comment below!
- Tell us about major issues affecting saves, visuals, sound & quality - comment below!

How to opt-in & verify you're using the correct version

• Please make sure you're using a clean (unmodded) install. Clear your override folder before testing the beta build
• In your Steam Library, Right-Click Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition and choose “Properties”
• Click on the Beta Tab
• Choose the road_to_2.6 in the drop down menu
• If you don't see the road_to_2.6 in the drop down menu, please restart Steam
• In-game, on the main menu, you will see that the build is 2.6.4.0

WHAT CHANGED SINCE THE LAST BETA

All Games | Fireshields no longer generate spurious text when caster is hit from a distance
All Games | Gliterdust no longer bypasses magic resistance
All Games | Shapechange Natural Form now works as expected
All Games | Fixed some issues with character soundsets (Action & Selection Sound)
All Games | True Sight/Seeing spell names and descriptions are now consistent
All Games | "Area Map" now translated into additional languages
All Games | Potion buffs should be noncumulative with themselves
BGIIEE | Fixed crash that happened in Waukeens Promenade when checking area background
BGIIEE | French option in language selection menu is now in correct alphabetical order
BGIIEE | Fixed issues in Adventurers of Neverwinter Soundset

We won't move forward with a 2.6 Patch release until we hear feedback from enough Windows, Linux & macOS players for each Infinity Engine Title:

- Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition
- Baldur's Gate: Siege of Dragonspear
- Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition
- Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition

*Note: We're focusing on Windows macOS & Linux now, but stay tuned for details on the 2.6 Patch for Android & iOS!

Join the Beta & Vote Below!

Testing Status:
0/10 Windows Players
0/3 Linux Players
0/3 macOS Players

Mera

Gave it a super quick go and noticed that the 2 spelling mistakes (the ones in the character sheet) in french that I reported in my other post were fixed, which is cool. You also mentioned that you were looking at the tone too, any news on that front?

Mothor

Just to avoid musunderstandings...the patches won't go till 2.6.9.0 then, right?

Also a few other questions if possible.

1) I heard that there will be no new content but does that also include items, spells and character classes? I ask just in case since in the previous version (2.5) there was a new class if I recall (Priest of Tempus I think) so I wonder if there is no chance of any new official classes.

2) Any chance for some extra enhancements of existing items? Like new options for Cromwell or Cespenar to empower some new weapons introduced by EE? Or make some weapons get "more love" like the unique sword for Blackguards that does not come nowhere close to the Paladin equivalent.

3) I noticed that it is stated under the "Important" section that it is not the last patch for EE. Does it mean that 2.7 is definitively planned or is that just some hopeful plans/still an open option but not guaranteed? Or does it simply refer on how 2.6.4.0 is not yet the last patch before 2.6 is officially released?

ATigersClaw

The patching shouldn't go all the way until 2.6.9.0 before release.
As far as I can tell bug reports have decreased quite a bit since the last beta releases, so hopefully 2.6.4.0 will be the last beta release before going public.
This is of course only if there aren't any major hickups to be found within 2.6.4.0.

Regarding to 2.6 not being the last patch, it does not refer to the 2.6.X releases but to a 2.7 patch being planned.

P24601

Just updated to 2.6.4.0 on Windows (Steam) and the save game load screen seem broken. Was working fine on previous 2.6 betas.

When making a new save via either Quick save or Save both say "Save successful", but new saves are not correctly showing up in the load list, the information shown is the original list state (old save info, date, thumbnail, etc).

Note that the save games are being saved, so loading the quicksave does seem to load the right thing, but the entry for that save in the save menu list is desynced (it shows old save details, and thumbnail screenshot, but when you click on it it actually works).

*Update* More digging, and looks to be the known issue with anti-virus stopping some parts of save working. Disabling AVG monitoring of the BG2EE save folders and the problem has gone. Odd that this has never been an issue before, I guess 2.6.4.0 is new enough that it's not been blessed somewhere ...

JuliusBorisov

P24601 wrote:

looks to be the known issue with anti-virus stopping some parts of save working. Disabling AVG monitoring of the BG2EE save folders and the problem has gone.

Yep, this is indeed the case (the Antivirus being the clue) as we hear. It's odd the problem hasn't happened before 2.6.4.0 for you - as there had been a few similar posts since the start of the 2.6 beta.

Mera wrote: »

Gave it a super quick go and noticed that the 2 spelling mistakes (the ones in the character sheet) in french that I reported in my other post were fixed, which is cool. You also mentioned that you were looking at the tone too, any news on that front?

We're still looking at possible solutions regarding the tone issue.

Mothor wrote: »

Just to avoid musunderstandings...the patches won't go till 2.6.9.0 then, right?

Also a few other questions if possible.

1) I heard that there will be no new content but does that also include items, spells and character classes? I ask just in case since in the previous version (2.5) there was a new class if I recall (Priest of Tempus I think) so I wonder if there is no chance of any new official classes.

2) Any chance for some extra enhancements of existing items? Like new options for Cromwell or Cespenar to empower some new weapons introduced by EE? Or make some weapons get "more love" like the unique sword for Blackguards that does not come nowhere close to the Paladin equivalent.

3) I noticed that it is stated under the "Important" section that it is not the last patch for EE. Does it mean that 2.7 is definitively planned or is that just some hopeful plans/still an open option but not guaranteed? Or does it simply refer on how 2.6.4.0 is not yet the last patch before 2.6 is officially released?

Our hope is that 2.6.4.0 will be the last beta patch before the full 2.6 release on PC.

It's unlikely there will be new items, classes, etc. I would recommend this mod by @Daeros_Trollkiller - https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/76631/mod-siege-of-dragonspear-2-baldurs-gate2-ee-item-upgrade-v1-2-0-released/p1

2.7 is definitely planned at this stage. See also here.

ATigersClaw

I want to bring up the matter of the mistakenly assigned 15 % spell scribing penalty to all kits and the recharge wand exploit (both see this discussion).

Mokona

Leave wand recharging alone. The shops that do it charge you a significant amount for doing it. It's not broken. Do not fix what is not broke.
Also remove the potion "fix"

Mothor

JuliusBorisov wrote: »

P24601 wrote:

looks to be the known issue with anti-virus stopping some parts of save working. Disabling AVG monitoring of the BG2EE save folders and the problem has gone.

Yep, this is indeed the case (the Antivirus being the clue) as we hear. It's odd the problem hasn't happened before 2.6.4.0 for you - as there had been a few similar posts since the start of the 2.6 beta.

Mera wrote: »

Gave it a super quick go and noticed that the 2 spelling mistakes (the ones in the character sheet) in french that I reported in my other post were fixed, which is cool. You also mentioned that you were looking at the tone too, any news on that front?

We're still looking at possible solutions regarding the tone issue.


Our hope is that 2.6.4.0 will be the last beta patch before the full 2.6 release on PC.

It's unlikely there will be new items, classes, etc. I would recommend this mod by @Daeros_Trollkiller - https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/76631/mod-siege-of-dragonspear-2-baldurs-gate2-ee-item-upgrade-v1-2-0-released/p1

2.7 is definitely planned at this stage. See also here.

1) What about enhancing existing items or at least make those that are underwhelming a bit more "epic" by default?

2) Also no chance of adding extra new items in the Black Pits adventures? Maybe also offering other options like making Winged's sword and gauntlet available to wear after winning?

Or some extra challenges? That stuff wasn't made by the original BG staff so I see no reason why it wouldn't be possible to enhance it a bit perhaps.

Would be nice to see something other than pure fixes. Its really ALL up to modders now?