Hi guys,

Since the rpgdungeon site seems to be down, I cannot find a place harboring it. Every other site only has links directing back to the dead site

I don't want to spam on the forum, so I'm reusing this thread for the error continuation. Renamed it appropriately. Please check post #5 if you can help me. Thank you.

~EDIT~ I guess I'm going to try going with BWS completely and see what happens with the components... Hmmm. MAJESTIC fixes haha. Looking through those I wonder if they'd apply to some of the bugs I had in my last playthrough. They sound like they might squash a few, by name at least :3

Still, I'm curious why the below happens...

<<the below starts here>>

Hello, I'm back to Baldur's Gate, I think it's been 2 or 3 years since I last played, I see some things have changed, but I've just encountered the strangest thing yet, and I haven't a clue how to even look for solution. I've been using BiG world for like, I don't know, 4 years now? 5? 6? Many times, but it never did this.

I ran the BWS first, with the selection of Big World Installer (I want to pick components of my mods by hand, I heard it's possible now. Did I misread?). So I made the selection, downloaded all the mods (aside of the Improved Asylum 101, I can't find it aaanywhere, Stratagems Fix, also cannot find it, and supposedly Unfinished Business [even though I actually downloaded it manually, BWS still didn't see it]).

So then, after everything was set, I clicked "exit", and it took me to cmd of the Installer. I picked options, install this, install that (only skipped the beta, kits and unstable, selected Y for everything else since it's just the mods I want anyway in my folder), and then it ran some patcher, patched the files, did some creature offset thingie, popped a black-and-green window that said it was installing components and...

...finished. "Installation complete"

"Do you want to list all not installed mods?"

[Y]

<list of all of my mods>

All the stickies here are rather old, so I don't know what gives. In the times that those stickies were made, I never has this issue. Yes, there were dozens of problems in-game, but not with the install. Guess I got onto a new level of borkage. I probably did some stupid thing wrong, but even though I'm familiar with what BWP is, I'm still a n00b and could've easily missed something amongst all the other things. Please be gentle

Yes, yes, that's exactly what I did, thank you. I found whatever I needed in the BWS, and set the auto pausing on anything fishy, so when it had issues with a file, I just installed it on my own in the place in the install where BWS said it should go. I don't know if it's needed/relevant, but here are two major things (and easily fixable by user even) that didn't work for me, maybe it'll help someone:

- BWS doesn't see BG1 unfinished business, due to zip file size being different. I forced it to use it and it seems to have gone fine.

- It also really wants Stratagems v28 fix file, which, from what I've seen (and I searched everywhere again) doesn't exist. I removed that entry from BWS files in the BWS folder (just the 2 or 3 lines pertaining to the fix, and Stratagems actually installed this time. Hopefully installed properly). It completely skipped the install 1st time around

- there's 1 option missing in BG1 Romantic Encounters that makes it impossible for BWS to install it. Something with -ahem-, there's no check option in customization, so it borks there.

That being said, I was horrified at first to see that BWS was discontinued, but then I found someone was working on it, and, after I stopped trusting the "use Installed, most checked and tested" version of installation there (I call it trolling me! ), and having used it like in good old times, I want to give the folks continuing it a batter of cookies. Like, best thing ever. Love you. And everyone who made BWP happen. And WeiDU. And modders. You know. Cheers.

BG1 RE is easily installed manually, I only wrote about it in case someone else Googled the same problem and ended up here. It's not an issue for me.

SCS-wise - I removed those 2 lines, because BWS wouldn't install SCS at all otherwise. It had strange issues with BG1 UB and RE, so I assumed the fix could've simply been implemented into the v28 already, since I couldn't find the fix (or mention of it) anywhere near the SCS official site or forums.

Since that's not the case, could someone please send that file to me/upload it somewhere temporarily?

I've ported around some locations checking for bugs, and I've actually found one really fast. From Google search it seems possible that it comes from SCS, but I cannot open any thread on G3 (keeps redirecting me to main forum page... no clue what happened).

The error:

But if it's not SCS, then my guess is something went wrong with the Infinity Animations. In the previous install (the one with ninja-absent SCS), the commoners in BG1 had different models. Now they're back to the regular ones, which is suspicious, as I didn't change anything around those mods in selection.

 WeiDU.log   78.05K   192 downloads

Like I said, for whatever reason I cannot open any G3 links. It's always the main page. I found like 5 results in Google leading there, but no browser I have opens anything there.

I would gladly skip any unnecessary animations, but I have no idea which are optional, and which are required by others mods. I remember vaguely having an instal once upon a time that lacked some IA content and it also resulted in crashes.

EDIT: I found the Area CRE Checker utility. It's onto something. Looks like the fishy creature is Kurtz something (didn't gleam full name), and that Google-points me to a vendor from Team BG Armor pack. And yes, I didn't have it installed in the install that didn't crash. But why would a vendor cause a crash? Does he have some special look or whatnot?

~~~

I reinstalled the game without those Armor and Weapon packs, checked Promenade, no crashes, still don't have those new models around, I don't know if it's an issue or not (crashy-issue, I don't care that much how they look like).

I've ran the areacheck, but this time it didn't want to spawn anything, it just said Done and Done (maybe probably because I picked all areas, and not just the Promenade). But I got a log, I'm just going to leave it here for when/if someone in the know strolls by. My WeiDU log is in post #5 too.

The most entries here come from ar1200, which turned out to be Firkraag Hills (Windspear? Can't remember). I ported there, then ported around, visited the knight-monsters, trolls, dryads, ogrillions, some party in front of the cave, and even a pheasant. No crashes, so, basically, I'm 101% clueless what those entries mean, or generally what I'm doing. As long as it works I'm happy, I don't need to know, but the log probably DOES mean something, so yep, leaving it here. It's like 7-8 locations total listed.

Thank you for the file, though with my lack of patience I installed without it 2 days ago. I'll add it if something gets broken, so far the game works far better than the last time I played, AI-wise (people do what they should be doing instead of standing around looking confused).

Alas, I was too late to repay with the advice :<

I have always done a topic like this whenever I played a major BG install, because I've been told it's actually helpful for the modders. So I will do it this time as well.

I don't expect anyone's help with issues that aren't gamebreaking, I'm not complaining, I know it can't work flawlessly. I'm just letting you guys know what sort of issues still appear.

~ My WeiDU log is attached at the bottom of the post.

~ Alongside it a note from AreaTest file. I don't know if it matters at all, but since it spewed something out, I'll let it be.

My installation does not contain Stratagems v28 Fix, because it was unavailable (still no clue where to download it, but I have a copy now). I removed it manually from the BWS mods file, because otherwise it wouldn't install. Just saying, in case it was a root of some problem I might list.

~*~

BIG WORLD SETUP:

1. Gibberlings3 was up at the time of my install, and it still couldn't find the Stratagems v28 Fix. I don't know where it's placed at, but if it's G3 maybe the link needs updating.

2. BG1 Unfinished Business won't install due to wrong file size. Forcing BWS to accept provided file results in successful installation (and it all works in game so far).

3. BG1 Romantic Encounters lack 1 option to choose in customization, and so gives and error and requires manual install.

BALDUR'S GATE 1:

I've only just begun the game, so this is where I'm at. As time allows, I'll progress to BG2.

1. [crash] Can't use TeamBG's weapon/armor mods. Crash in Waukeen's Promenade when Kurtz tries to spawn. Found and confirmed through the AreaTest utility.

2. [NPC/AI] Elka and Natalka follow the team after leaving Nashkel mine, but don't attack. Both are visible, both fight (including invisiblity potions) after being attacked.

3. [balance] Creatures drop too many (20-40 range) enchanted arrows, on rare occasion also strong (buyable for 3k in store) potions, 3 on one kobold 3 kobolds in a row or something like that. Gnoll Slashers, for example, seem to always drop 3 potions of Vocalize.

4. [dialogue] In Feldepost Inn, there's a dude who attacks the party (name starts with M, sorry can't remember). If he's not killed, afterwards he says some weird, long thing about evil, that seems to belong to another NPC. I'm not sure though. It just seemed too poetic and out of place for him.

5. [event] Same guy as above - I fought him by fist (after reload and being taken to the judge in Beregost... wow this game is different with mods), and even though he lived, the fight was broken by his buddy, and everyone ended up fine, the guardsman still arrested me. ALTHOUGH, I used a heal. If healing is also considered as evil action there, ignore this point.

6. [language] I'm not sure which mod it is, but one that adds a werewolf and his wife in the High Hedge has weird English translation. I got what it was about, but more from the context than text itself. It's not game-breaking, but it's immersion-breaking. From what I found, the mod is originally in German. I would've actually installed it in original language had I known and pretended they were from faraway lands If nobody feels like fixing it (understandable), maybe marking the translation as beta would help some people.

I'll edit this post later if I come across anything, but so far, I have to say, the game is working great. Best, most bug-free playthrough I've ever had. Huge respect to everyone who worked on it.

 WeiDU.log   77.88K   289 downloads

 arealog.txt   1.03K   557 downloads

So far everything's working wonderfully. The only things I've got to list are minor details here and there. Nothing game breaking, no crashes, no stuttering of characters or camera. Amaze. I know that BG1 is the safer and less script-heavy part, but so far I hadn't had ONE serious issue after getting rid of Kurtz.

7. [NPC/AI] I don't know if it's intended or not, but many of the dogs tend to be friendly. That includes wolves in ambushes, dogs in the Nashkel Mines shack (though these guys were hostile once, and the next time I went there they weren't). Sometimes I get "ambushed" by a bunch of friendly war dogs that the scatter around happily I don't really mind this bug. I like dogs, don't need to slaughter them.

8. [item name] I recall vividly last time I played through BWP BG1, there were daggers dropped by kobolds that had a chance to deal damage to the user as well. They were called "Nome Stikka" or something very, very similar. This time the daggers are there with the same properties, but they're just called "dagger". I mention this in case it pertained to more items introduced by whatever mod is responsible for Nome Stikkas - I can't judge, because I didn't finish BG1 part, so I don't really remember anything else that could've lost its name.

9. [item] Stone to Flesh arrows are unusable. They deal d6 damage, and hence destroy the stoned character before they can cure them.

10. [event/NPC] Before the Bandit Camp plotline, I bumped into Chill goblins in the Temple area, told them to go suck it, then killed them all, as I want to storm the camp this time around. I then found a group of bandits in Peldvale, I think they used to also be there for the purpose of joining them, but this time they had no leader. They were friendly, I could talk to them and they shared a gossip about Tazok that upgraded my journal "Bandits!" entry. I'm not sure that should've happened if I didn't ally with the bandits.

@ The Imp

I'm not sure if I understood what you said about 8, but I didn't mean balance at all. It's exactly the same item, it just lost its unique name somewhere in this install/in its mod update

10. I did. I've met the Hobgoblins in Temple (with leader) and Bandits in Peldvale (without) around the same time. I was just wandering around maps looking for random stuff before continuing onto the Bandit Camp.

6. I do have a druid. If there's a mod that does it, it's entirely possible that it's the case. I don't meet any suspiciously friendly gnolls or gibberlings.

11. [item] Arrows of Fire. There seem to exist two instances of those. They are exactly the same, but they don't stack. Both are dropped by Kobold Commandos - 2 of the normal ones as always, and 18 something of the other kind. Pretty sure they come from the same mod that adds arrows everywhere.

12. [crash-like-something] Yea, it's not exactly a crash, and it might not even be caused by one thing, but it happened several times when I was fighting skeleton mage in Ulcaster ruins (where wolves of Ulcaster are). Since I don't crash anywhere else at all, it's likely something goes bad here. But it was more like game-freeze, no errors, not a crash on spell/item/creature spawn. Two times it even unfroze, others it wouldn't, but I actually got through this fight after managing to save in the middle of it and start from there. No idea.

13. [item] The book that the Ulcaster's Spirit wants is duplicated. I'm really sorry, I have no clue where I found the second one (possibly the wraith walking on the surface of the ruins, but I'm not sure, I didn't pay attention to it at first). I could turn both of them in, get the reward twice.

14. [stores/items] Can't sell the following things anywhere (greyed out): potions, armors, wolf pelts, ankheg shells (I could sell one of those to Taerom, but he ignored any new one). The Nashkel vendor also doesn't buy my wolf pelts, and I recall he used to.

~~

@MicBaldur

I think I only did the dog-soup way once. But I was a much less roleplayee kid than I am an adult I would go around killing everything, rats, bats, squirrels, so that my main character had more kills than other party n00bs Good times. I also had to do EVERY quest, and discover every discoverable pixel on every map. Without ctrl+j, that took some patience in BG1. But one does not argue with one's OCD xD So yea, there was a quest for dog soup, so dog soup had to be made. Now I just make Umber Hulk soup.

~~

On a side note, what's better/safer - continue with BG1 to BG2 transition, or just export the characters and make a new game? I honestly have no idea how the transition works, never made it to that very end of BG1 before something lured me into BG2 too strongly. But this time I will. And so I wonder. No clue if there's some scripts that could go wrong, or if maybe I should do an install with that SCS fix (so far nothing went wrong with AI anywhere). Or if it actually transfers useful stuff and is more fun to use it. I don't have Minsc or Jaheira in my party, I guess 50 times of taking them along was enough haha. I'm almost inclined to ditch Imoen as well and take someone fresh. But I don't know if my roleplaying inclinations would stomach that.

I know they normally are, I'd actually rather they weren't, so it felt like an actual transition And that they may live happily ever after with Khalid and Dynaheir. Alas, I guess that'd be too much fishy work, and so nobody took that task on :<

I don't know, maybe I CLUAd the wrong one, I took the code from Baldur's Gate wiki, it's very possible it was the other one then. Still - the main issue here, is the Ulcaster Spirit not giving the weapon at all.

As for arrows, books, and most of the things so far really - those things don't matter to me, I'm not a modder, and I've no skill to fix them or do anything about them. I pretty much just report whatever I find odd, out of place, or possibly unintended. Not for my sake, but rather in case someone wanted to make a fix/patch/see what others stumble upon

Nothing so far crapped on my experience in BG1 in the least, so I'm perfectly content with those small things, and won't near NI or any other editor to try and "fix" them That rarely ends well when done by someone with no experience, and I'd only try that if I had some actual bug that actually bothered me But thank you. I'm sure if anyone ever thought of looking at those issues, your clarifying posts will come in handy

Forsooth, I am not there yet I see. I'll go ahead and scratch that point then!

It's such a shame that those Ascalon mods got weird translation I actually couldn't understand, for the life of me, what was I supposed to count when speaking to those 3 guys in Beregost. I'm at the Balor-vs-Gnome quest and it such a cute flavor. I hope one day someone will be able to straighten the language up a little, because other than that, they seem to be very nicely done, and add a bit of surprise for veteran player like myself, which is always oh-so-welcome

15. [quest] Maybe I did something wrong, but I never got the quest to kill Basillus from Kelddath Ormlyr. I got the symbol now with me, but he ignores it. Beregost town crier says I'm a hero and Basillus is dead.

15. [quest] Maybe I did something wrong, but I never got the quest to kill Basillus from Kelddath Ormlyr. I got the symbol now with me, but he ignores it. Beregost town crier says I'm a hero and Basillus is dead.

If I remember correctly, you need to be rude to him, aka say he can't serve you in anyways which leads to exiting from talking to him. As the other option was to see what he has to sell. It was odd...

I tried the whole 2 options before, one is the shop, the other just closes the conversation entirely. I tried talking with Charname, with character carrying the Basillus symbol, and with Charname carrying it. It shouldn't make any difference, but just in case. The last thing left to try is to load an old save and see if the option was there at the game's start, but by the way all other quests are built in BG1, this shouldn't be happening. I haven't a clue, I'll report back after the load and check.

@Bloodtitan

Good luck, bro! Thumbs crossed

16. [NPC] Centeol drops items on her death. Exact duplicate of what's in the "container" beside her. Theoretically you can't walk on top of her corpse, but telling character to pick up her junk and giving them a moment to try to budge through yields the drop.

So I've downed Davaeorn after a toughish battle (yay! challenge! even had to use a potion other than healing one) and made my way to Friendly Arm Inn to deal with the copious amount of collected junk (I'm so rich with these mods, sitting at 260k gold after already spending close to 200k, but with the amount of assassins and other noobs coming after me I guess it's no surprise. They drop what they use). But if someone wanted to use the mods I did and not swim in gold they might need to go harder on balancer. Though I wonder if that wouldn't remove items from enemies making them easier to fight. I didn't want that, I guess that's why I am where I am

17. [audio] And so in front of the Inn's walls stands a new chick, I talk to her, accept the quest, kick her out of the party, and soon enough a... something triggers. It belongs to Dark Side of the Sword Coast, and is made like the BG1 dreams, but the audio is completely distorted, sounding like someone lowered it's pitch and pace considerably. And by considerably I mean a submerged demon trying to speak kind of voice.

18. [AI Script] Ease of Use character AI. They don't pre-cast Stone Skin (used to, I remember in BG2 for sure), but they try to precast mage armor all the time after rest. Which is fine seeing how it lasts 8 hours, but isn't, seeing how it's cast over 5 or so rounds. If the precast was to be accelerated for that too (like healing), it doesn't work for me. And makes little sense this way.

19. [oddity] Randomly my characters have strange values of Armor Class (like, -22 instead of -12 for example). No clue whatsoever, it goes away randomly too, I catch it every now and then, but it's gone moments after/after rest. But I might not catch other instances of it. No idea if it's visual bug or something.

This, I believe, won't be a bug, but I still haven't stumbled upon Viconia. I use those mods that move NPCs to more convenient locations (unless trapped), but I've traversed through all of the basic locations aside of the Lighthouse and I've yet to bump into her. There's 1 place mid-Peldvale swarming with ogre magi that I had to leave for later, but it's not near her usual spot, and I doubt someone'd call that a more convenient location I'll investigate later on. Cheers.

20. [model] In NtotSC, there are "Orc Victim" models (people on spikes). They are unusually large, and also pixelated. So I guess they were meant to be smaller, which would fix both issues.

biggie 21. [AI]  Orc Mages and Clerics in NtotSC suddenly stopped casting any spells. They did cast in this very installation before, then I go back (it was too difficult before) and they don't. They stand around twitching (EDIT: it's shooting sling, I realized), or attack by staff. It's so weird, and actually defeats the purpose of the mod (too easy). No clue what could've caused it, I've reloaded and older save and they still don't cast anything, so it's game-wise, not save-wise. I checked other mages in the game - both BG1 and BG2, and they're all working fine.

I did a fresh install (beside the other one of course), this time with Stratagems Fix, just to see if the issue persists. It does. In this install I also removed spellcasting in armor (seen somewhere it caused a bug with priests for someone... though in my case it's just those orcs). No change. Old savegame, as well as brand new, both had orc mages and priests shooting me with slings.

EIDT: Bah, this one really ruffles my jiffles, it sounds like a challenging quest and this way it's WAY too easy. I've actually gone and opened Near Infinity. I found my orc victim ORC03.CRE, exported it (so I had backup in case the original exploded), then started messing with it. But since I've no idea what I'm doing, nothing happened. Though I expected at least something weird xD Nothing changed at all. I took that default script and copied it to override, general, and class (one by one when nothing happened). But, well, nothing happened ;< I'd put something else there, but I've no clue what. Or if that even matters. Am I even modifying the orc or did generalized biffing or whatever else block it?

PFF. Going to sleep. I suck. Merry Christmas guys, in case I didn't get a chance to drop by tomorrow. Hugs.

Nobody knows? I guess I'll have to skip that mod entirely then. Sadpanda though. Attaching one of the original extracted orcs (the one I was fearful of mauling, it's a priest I believe), just in case someone had a clue.

I'll paste scripts then, but what's odd is that it worked the same way after I replaced them with some other scripts just to check if anything will happen

First is: OVERRIDE SCRIPT - GENSHT01.BCS

Second is: DEFAULT SCRIPT - BPWDASGT.BCS

EDIT: I removed the scripts from here, too long and probably not even relevant. They're in the file attached to the post just in case, but I guess it's a conflict more than a script issue.

And there you have it, Linthar I replaced the Default script in my orcs with the DW#whateveryourshad, and the orcs are working nice and smooth.

I was so careful not to install any overlaying AI scripts this time (knew it was an issue), and yet I still managed to derp out. Oh well, at least in this case the cause is clear and easily fixable

Come to think of it, let's be useful for anyone with similar issues:

ORC3.CRE -> default script replaced with DW#ECL6.BWS

ORC4.CRE -> default script replaced with DW#2ENC6.BCS

I wonder if BP will give me any more issues like this :<

Generally while doing the installation I used Big World Setup. There I looked at every component's notes, if they said, for instance: component X from BP preferred to SCS. SCS preferred to Tactics. Then I installed the BP one. If it said (as it mostly did), SCS preferred to BP and Tacticts. BP preferred to Tactics component Y etc, I chose SCS one.

So, if I were to do a new install (and I'm considering that after I'm done with BG1, I want to get rid of iitem pack, stuff's OP, and change some other minor things), I assume that's not the best logic to go by? I should just skip entirely the BP part? I want a challenging game with smart (but non-cheating), more difficult opponents.

Also, could someone please tell me what's the real difference between using the BG1->BG2 transition with the BiG World as opposed to starting a new BG2 game with exported characters? I'm very curious, and with the possibility of needing a new install (really don't want some AI cabbagery), I'd like to know what I might be losing.

@Kreso

Do you recall any specific instance/fight/area where it happens? I'd port and check. My go-to check is always the sewer party in SoA sewers, as they didn't work right for me the past 2 BiG World installs, but this time they work just fine.

@The Imp

What other mods could be the problem? Any special offenders to look out for?

~~

When I look at it all, I see it'd be quite a feat to construct a stable installation with plenty new content (aside of HUGE mods, like NEJ or SOU, those kinda break my game immersion, no offense to creators, I'm sure they're awesome in their own right, but they feel too much like total conversions for me) that doesn't feel like cheating I've looked at the topic surfing around the front page here that somewhat touches on the issue, but his selection doesn't appeal to me. I've played this game so many times I want real, big changes and solid amount of new content, not just subtle refinements But while I seem to have done better this time, balance-wise, my team's still swimming in gold and OP lewts. Granted, fights were tough enough to make me feel I earned most of it, but I definitely have to install Aurora Shoes & Boots gold component next time around, and steer clear from funny vendors. Someone sold me a Mage Robe that lowered sorcerer's AC to 0 Comparing that to Archmage robes, they look just saaaaad, haha. But I just couldn't resist the shiny ._.

I couldn't download Polytweak when I did the install. Is it also in that poor rpgdungeon site? I had to search a LOT to finally stumble onto someone kindly pasting ImpAsylum somewhere. And your signature makes me sad, cause I also had a big headache finding that thing and you link it right there xD

I use BWS for the entire install, I trust it to order everything nicely. I remember installing mods in the times when it didn't exist, and I'm not too keen on that particular time travel. I LOVE this software. I'd throw kittens at it.

Hm, the review you linked says that SCS generally doesn't make everything much tougher. Maybe I'm a masochist, but I had a BLAST in original Tactics (I believe) Irenicus' Dungeon. The no-rest, no-door-closing, fuck-you-you're-doomed version. Took crazy tactics, but daaamn, when I got out! What a satisfaction

Although I think Tactics' Irenicus was overdoing it. I never got there, but I read the "walkthrough" and it seemed insane, and basically allowing to do it using 1 tactic only. That's not so fun.

I would certainly love for the entirety of the game to get much more difficult. It makes me think and be glad I found that sick item X after much struggles, cause I feel I actually need it

I didn't really look at the bugs part I've been using mods for far too long to mind, and I know SCS is being updated (kudos to all) which makes it better each time I play. I'm sure whatever bugs are left they are a breeze now.

The only thing I worry about after the review, is that if I don't install BP components, and roll only SCS it will be too easy. Also, AFAIR those Tactics components mentioned here are also included in another mod, and that another mod [could it be BP here?] is marked as preferred to Tactics actually.

@The Imp

I'm pretty sure it was BP It's a guess, but the "buggy" script name was BPWDASGT.BCS. BUT! But my hope is that it was something about NtoSC being incompatible with it or something. I'll have to port around BG2 a bit more I guess, becase

@Kreso & CrevsDaak

I do want there to be more enemies or some new skills in them and to have things that SCS doesn't touch upon also improved. And - and that's probably what gets me into bugs - I want those goodies alongside SCS AI and the components it has :< I'll look for some creature that also has similarly-named script and I'll port to see if they're fine.

Although it looks like this particular issue is super easy to fix if only I know the other script that should be there. I'd just check with vanilla game, but I don't recall orc mages/shamans being there at all? Aren't they from IWD or something? Damn, shame on me. I THINK there were regular orcs in Windspear Hills, but I thought I knew this game better xD

@Kreso

Wait, is the NoReload meaning also you cannot pause? So your wife could distract you like that? Also, you cannot save and go to sleep? I thought those things ended only with character's death xD But still, it's not something I'd ever enjoy. I like to play slowly, I don't take any pleasure from rushing things or getting frustrated for dying for whatever reason. If I see a lich and my team is lvl 8 fresh out of Irenicus' prison, you bet I'm gonna try to fight that lich, die in 2s, and decide I'm not that awesome

Kit-wise, I never play with kits. I don't know, they irk me, I don't like them. I only like Wild Mage cause that kit is just fun Unless it sucks in most of my gold, I notice it the next day, and I have to go back X hours or my OCD will kill me xD That Anti-paladin sound fun. Not. I mean maybe if you play single character in a deviously modded game and normal class would just not suffice. I don't know, to each their own, I play my own way too that would make some hardcore challengers gnaw at their mouse cable. I use the dreaded Mage/Rogue/Fighter, cause I hate Jan, I like to use Katanas, and I like spells and tactics they allow for

Also, I guess I'll try using bows this time I never even knew the arrows of dispelling were strong. I don't think I ever used any after my 1st playthrough. Simple math:

1 character = 1 bow

but

1 character = 2 shiny magical weapons that I cannot just... *sell*, cause that would be BLASHPHEMY, CMON

Well, I'm sure it gives someone plenty of satisfaction It's like every challenge. That's why I install the hardest mods I can find to feel accomplished when I FINALLY get the right tactic for some encounter But gods, I cannot imagine doing no-reload as a completionist haha. I mean, you play 20 hours, do the quests, gather everything, and then you suddenly die. And what? Do you start over? Do the same quests etc all over again right after? Or do you wait for a year to get over the frustration and perhaps forget bits to make it feel less repetitive?

Aerie and Minsc examples remind me of a time-challenge my mods gave me last time I played xD It wasn't voluntary, but something bugged real bad, and my NPCs were slowly becoming unresponsive No amount of cheating or SKeepering helped. First I lost Aerie, then a bit later Minsc followed. Then the bug had taken Jaheira. It was like a race with time I tell you ;D

I had no idea that Maze/Charm were ending the game honestly (never played a solo game, kills the fun for me). That sounds really stupid for a no-reload challenge (or a normal game even). I mean, there's not even a way to save vs. Imprisonment, is there? Not sure about Maze. And doing a save vs. Charm is such a damn random thing. What do you do? Avoid every mage/sirine before you get Helm of Charm protection? What about the Imprisonment/Maze?

Yea, but I recall Abazigal's son had Imprisonment spell, didn't he? It's been a long time ago, but I'm almost sure of that. What does a solo-player do about that? You can't just skip the bastard, can you?