Forum vets: I have some useful hacks like creating 2-kit PC's, NPC scripts in my custom party, etc.
Minsc2017
Member Posts: 34
They'd require some time to write up properly, so I'm looking for indications of interest first.
I get the urge to do a full-blown SCS/BigWorld ironman run every few years, and I find myself recreating the same few gameplay and cosmetic overrides every time. My motivation for posting is both to share them and to have a place to recover them myself as I forget the details.
I'm not at all a modder. I just created some ugly hacks that get the job done if you can play around with the basics in EEKeeper and DLTCEP. I'm pretty familiar with all the 'professional' mods available through BigWorld. My hacks are things I had to create myself because I couldn't find an existing solution.
The way I like to play is to create a party of about 4 and 'import' NPC scripts into my non-protagonists. So I get a custom party and all the NPC dialogues/quests. e.g. I start the game with me, Viconia, Jaheira and Aerie.
My hacks are:
Two-kit multiclass or two-kit dual class characters
This is NOT a nice clean mod that makes every combination available, but rather a method how to accurately create at least some combinations you want. Correct HP, abilities, restrictions, thief points, etc. It requires a willingness to edit some .2da files and some minor EEKeeper edits. I've found each combination to be a little different based on what is hardcoded.
I've done a multiclass dwarven defender/shadowdancer (very fun), multi barbarian/specialist mage, and dual berserker/specialist mage. And because I'm OCD, I edit dialog.tlk in NearInfinity so I see the correct kit names in-game instead of 'Fighter/Thief', etc.
Combining NPC scripts with a custom party
Suppose you want to play with Viconia from the very beginning with the class/stats of your choice. I pre-gen a character as usual with Viconia's portrait & soundset. Until you encounter her in-game for the first time, she won't do any scripted dialogue/romance/quests. When you do encounter her in-game (tied to the stake), there's an easy way to EEKeeper edit her script & a few variables in your custom Viconia to replicate her dialogue/quests/romance from that point forward.
I know there is an NPC Level 1Mod, but it doesn't do what I want.
Spells, Items, Scripts
Transparent Stoneskin: we all know stoneskin is hardcoded. So I edit spwi408.spl to match my character's hair, skin, and clothes color. If I have 2 casters with Stoneskin, each gets her own differently colored spell. Unless my character's colors happen to match yours, you'd want to edit my version in DLTCEP.
ShadowDancer AI script: Very simple script that makes the class very fun. She's constantly hiding unless I've explicitly made her search for traps, or if she's attacking. You can go for repeated backstabs in combat with little micromanaging.
Otiluke Resilient Sphere: removed friendly character save vs spell
Silent Lilacor: I use Lilacor often enough in early-game to need this.
I'll check back in on this thread for feedback.
p.s. What inspired this is my old account with a single post, where I posted an early version of my 'transparent stoneskin' for an IWD playthrough 2 years ago:
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/39518/stoneskin-grey-color-removed
I get the urge to do a full-blown SCS/BigWorld ironman run every few years, and I find myself recreating the same few gameplay and cosmetic overrides every time. My motivation for posting is both to share them and to have a place to recover them myself as I forget the details.
I'm not at all a modder. I just created some ugly hacks that get the job done if you can play around with the basics in EEKeeper and DLTCEP. I'm pretty familiar with all the 'professional' mods available through BigWorld. My hacks are things I had to create myself because I couldn't find an existing solution.
The way I like to play is to create a party of about 4 and 'import' NPC scripts into my non-protagonists. So I get a custom party and all the NPC dialogues/quests. e.g. I start the game with me, Viconia, Jaheira and Aerie.
My hacks are:
Two-kit multiclass or two-kit dual class characters
This is NOT a nice clean mod that makes every combination available, but rather a method how to accurately create at least some combinations you want. Correct HP, abilities, restrictions, thief points, etc. It requires a willingness to edit some .2da files and some minor EEKeeper edits. I've found each combination to be a little different based on what is hardcoded.
I've done a multiclass dwarven defender/shadowdancer (very fun), multi barbarian/specialist mage, and dual berserker/specialist mage. And because I'm OCD, I edit dialog.tlk in NearInfinity so I see the correct kit names in-game instead of 'Fighter/Thief', etc.
Combining NPC scripts with a custom party
Suppose you want to play with Viconia from the very beginning with the class/stats of your choice. I pre-gen a character as usual with Viconia's portrait & soundset. Until you encounter her in-game for the first time, she won't do any scripted dialogue/romance/quests. When you do encounter her in-game (tied to the stake), there's an easy way to EEKeeper edit her script & a few variables in your custom Viconia to replicate her dialogue/quests/romance from that point forward.
I know there is an NPC Level 1Mod, but it doesn't do what I want.
Spells, Items, Scripts
Transparent Stoneskin: we all know stoneskin is hardcoded. So I edit spwi408.spl to match my character's hair, skin, and clothes color. If I have 2 casters with Stoneskin, each gets her own differently colored spell. Unless my character's colors happen to match yours, you'd want to edit my version in DLTCEP.
ShadowDancer AI script: Very simple script that makes the class very fun. She's constantly hiding unless I've explicitly made her search for traps, or if she's attacking. You can go for repeated backstabs in combat with little micromanaging.
Otiluke Resilient Sphere: removed friendly character save vs spell
Silent Lilacor: I use Lilacor often enough in early-game to need this.
I'll check back in on this thread for feedback.
p.s. What inspired this is my old account with a single post, where I posted an early version of my 'transparent stoneskin' for an IWD playthrough 2 years ago:
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/39518/stoneskin-grey-color-removed
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