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EET mods that require you to return north?

MaurvirMaurvir Member Posts: 1,093
I have really enjoyed playing an EET build, as it really does feel like one continuous game. The idea of being able to return for lost or stored gear, or even just finish up quests the party had skipped because they didn't have the horsepower at the time, has been great.

However, are there any mods that specifically require you to return to the north once you get to SoA or ToB? I think I heard reference to The Cowled Menace, but I'm curious if there are any others that send you back up the Sword Coast.

Comments

  • GraionDilachGraionDilach Member Posts: 592
    Nothing yet. This is extremely underutilized at the moment.
  • EndarireEndarire Member Posts: 1,519
    If you play with Dark Side of the Sword Coast or Northern Tales of the Sword Coast, these are seemingly suited for level 10ish play. You can still take them on pre-SoD.
  • MaurvirMaurvir Member Posts: 1,093
    It really is a shame there isn't more content that takes you back to the Sword Coast. Other than returning to take out a certain dragon in the Wyrm Forest, and going back to Beregost with a couple bags of holding, there hasn't been much call to go back. The party did visit High Hedge to stock up on a few things, and sold some gear to Tairum, but honestly? I doubt they return at this point.

    I would love to see a mod that requires the party return to Nashkel, Beregost, and maybe even further north to SoD areas, like Bridgeport or a newly claimed (and cleaned up) Dragonspear castle.
  • EndarireEndarire Member Posts: 1,519
    @Maurvir
    According to what I've read from a Let's Play of the Sandrah Saga, there's post-Bhaal content that returns the party to Faerun and sends them to the BG1 areas among other places. This probably isn't what you meant.
  • MaurvirMaurvir Member Posts: 1,093
    jastey wrote: »
    And I know it's not what you meant, but I am updating Ascalon's Questpack at the moment, and the new version will make it possible that the cure for the werewolf can be made out of original items that are in SoD or BGII. In return, the mod added guril berries can be used for the BGII tanner quest.
    So, you could leave the werewolf until SoD, pick another belladonna in Bloodbark Grove, return to High Hedge and finish the werewolf quest from Ascalon's Questpack with it.
    The same for NTotSC: to reach the lowest level of the dungeon in the Firewine bridge, a source of great light is needed. NTotSC originally added a "Flaming Oil" for this, but the mod now also considers the light gem the party receives in the Underdark from the Snivlebi (amongst others).
    It's more like Gimmicks nobody will ever encounter, but it's still a start to make EET a closed world.

    I love it, though, and yes - that's exactly what I mean. If you are going to have a huge world, make it consistent. It makes no sense that an item that does X can't do X later because you happen to need a *specific* item that does X.

    I would also like to see Taerom and Jegg get the same abilities to craft things as Cromwell and Cespenar, and while it would obviously need to be somewhat chapter locked (or price locked), there is no reason why Thalantyr shouldn't have spells and and other magical items suitable for a ToB level party. (This is also true of Sorcerous Sundries, but it makes sense you are locked out of that shop) This is sort of already done in BG2 with Ribald, who doesn't get certain gear until chapter 6, which would solve the problem of a low-level party getting their hands on +5 weapons "early". In the case of the mages, they could simply refuse to show/offer certain scrolls or items until later 'to keep PC from blowing their fingers off', etc.

    I've already fallen in love with EET, and I don't plan to do another playthrough without it, but I do hope that it will slowly feel even more like one big game, with a truly integrated world.

    What would truly be amazing, however, is a whole new quest that *starts* in Amn and winds through the Sword Coast - essentially reversing the normal flow.
  • EndarireEndarire Member Posts: 1,519
    @Maurvir
    +1 from another EET lover! Alleluia!
  • StummvonBordwehrStummvonBordwehr Member, Mobile Tester Posts: 1,385
    edited September 2021
    Hi @jastey

    It sounds awesome - as usual. I do hope that that the quests can be finished within BG1. I used to play BGT, and would have loved to go back in my older installs - but since I am fully on iPad/ iPhone now (and BG1:ee, SoD and BG2:ee are separate apps), I hope it’s still only optional to trek back and forth.

    I guess you already have it in consideration, but I am just making sure.

    Ps. Thank you for keeping the good old mods alive and updated.
  • jasteyjastey Member Posts: 2,781
    @StummvonBordwehr if you are referring to my mod-in-progress, the plan is to return to Dargonspear Castle in BGII - only in EET, obviously. There will also be the possibility to solve the quest without returning, e.g. for BGII:EE because I'm not planning on integrating original game area graphics in a mod. Because it refers to the SoD events, I am not sure I'll make this mod compatible with the old engine.
  • GraionDilachGraionDilach Member Posts: 592
    For the record, I am also toying with a story idea which would also provide a reason to revisit the BG1 areas during BG2 but I need to familiarize myself better with the latter to ensure the pacing and somehow integrate it into the game. Also, if I'd ever get there to do that, it would be definitely EET-only though (for similar reasons as Cowled Menace, it would start during BG1 basically and would only continue during BG2).

    However, I still have a lot to learn about modding and whatnot and I'm not even sure if I can pull this off in a way I would be satisfied so don't read this as a mod announcement. It probably wouldn't conflict with any plans of other people though.
  • MaurvirMaurvir Member Posts: 1,093
    edited September 2021
    As far as I'm concerned, there is no technical reason why you couldn't reveal a new area in the BG part of the map in the BG2 part of the game. I mean, what are the odds that your party walked every inch of the sword coast (even if, in terms of mileage, they practically did) In fact, I think it would be a pleasant surprise to discover *new* areas in a part of the map you thought you knew like the back of your hand.

    I also think it might be nice to have areas that you can discover in BG1, but don't have the horsepower to defeat or explore, requiring you to come back. That might be frustrating for some players, as the idea of retreating is difficult, but from an RP standpoint, why should *everything* on the sword coast be tailored for players between level 1 and 8?

    In some ways, I think this is why I liked Durlag's Tower entrance so much. Those two doom guards acted as true gatekeepers. If you couldn't defeat them to get to the tower, you likely had no business in there. Perhaps something similar could be done to gatekeep areas in the sword coast until you are at SoD or BG2 levels?
  • lollerslollers Member Posts: 190
    edited September 2021
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    Post edited by lollers on
  • lollerslollers Member Posts: 190
    I like the idea of EET more than I like actually doing it. I've done it a couple of times, but it demands a rather high level of commitment from the user that I don't usually have, and it sort of fizzles out some time between Sarevoks end and the time spent in SoD or early BG2. Maybe some day I will feel differently, but I don't think that will have much to do with anything that I've read in this discussion.
    I also think it might be nice to have areas that you can discover in BG1, but don't have the horsepower to defeat or explore, requiring you to come back. That might be frustrating for some players, as the idea of retreating is difficult, but from an RP standpoint, why should *everything* on the sword coast be tailored for players between level 1 and 8?

    This RP problem has always been one of the little problems I've had, though it never bothered me enough to stop me from walking all the way to bloody baldurs gate after killing Draconis :)

    I think that the pocket plane dimension is a perfect opportunity to let the player call a ride share, go wherever they must roam for EET quests no matter how far they may be with the assistance of the fate spirit. But I hear that the power to just go back and foreward between area maps is another kind of headache that the quest writers around here dread having to plan around so my idea might actually suck.
  • MaurvirMaurvir Member Posts: 1,093
    The more I think about this, the more I like the idea of area specific high-level enemies. That is, enemies that make sense RP-wise, but are vastly more powerful than your puny BG1 level party can tackle - but, who you remember and can go back and defeat later.

    Kind of like how most players know to avoid the Twisted Rune quest until they can successfully tackle at least the first four levels of Watcher's Keep.
  • EndarireEndarire Member Posts: 1,519
    @Maurvir
    What you mention reminds of various games that have level-appropriate (scale-to-party's-level) enemies. Thus, if you visit a level 2 area with a level 29 party, the foes there are level 29ish.

    Similarly, just having someone in your party of at least level X could spawn Y foes and Z quests in a low-level area.
  • MaurvirMaurvir Member Posts: 1,093
    edited September 2021
    I was actually talking about high-level enemies when you are a level 1. Having them scale would be fine, so long as they are a still a challenge.

    The idea here is that if your party walks into an area, and you can tell it's a dragon's lair or lich library, you can walk straight back out until you are ready. As with any good DM, there should be some telegraphing beforehand - rumors, notes, journals, etc., but if someone is dumb enough to continue...
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