7 replies to this topic

[Canned Chaos]

I have pointed out in another thread that BP-BGT needs an FAQ or preferably a website badly. Right now, it takes a casual viewer literally hours to get an idea of what the mod is about and what id does. That does not help attract a bigger audience.

Thus, I am willing to take on the task of piecing together a BP-BGT FAQ, which can hopefully explain the basics of the mod. You might question the idea of a newbie writing the FAQ (although judging by the fact that Yacomo wanted to hug me when I first offered to write an FAQ, that might not be an issue) , but I still remember the questions I had about the mod when I first found it; ones which to you might seem obvious. Perhaps only a noob can explain stuf adequately to other noobs

Now, as I am new to the mod myself, I will be needing some of your help.
There are some questions I already know the answers to, some that need answering, and of course more questions which you would like to see answered in an FAQ are welcome.

***************
So far I can answer (and have started writing) the following:
*these are sort-of in order. Some of the unanswered questions below go between them

What is BGT?
What is BP?
What is Bp-BGT?
What do all these other acronyms stand for?
How do I install the mods?
Where can I download all the files needed?
Are all the Baldur's Gate games required?
Should I install anything else (fixpacks etc...)?
What mods are compatible with BP-BGT?
Isn't there another mod which does the same thing as BGT?
Where can I get help? Where do I report bugs?
What should a bug report look like?
What's so good about Weidu?
Doesn't BP become obsolete with weidu versions of the mods which make it up?
I want to help with this mod, what do I do?

******************
Now, I'll need some help with the following:


What does BP-BGT change in BG1, specifically?
I know BP-BGT has a transition between the two games, the NPCs are now as you had them in BG1, you need to finish BG1 to go into TotSC, there is a better map, improved AI... What else? I want this to be as comprehensive as possible.

So, I get to start Baldur's Gate 1 with BG2 classes and kits, right?
Can I still change my weapon proficiencies at the beginning of BG2?
Well, do I?

What are the changes and additions to BG2? What is included in BP?
Same as above. I want all the changes to rules, gameplay etc.. to be listed.
What mods are actually included in the BP-BGT package itself, rather than being separate?

How does BGT convert BG1 to BG2?
A short explanation of the algorithm used by BGT wouldbe helpful, I think...
Also explain why the area files are included in the download (tutu can convert them, why not BGT...)

How does BGT rename the BG1 area files? I don?t know how to access them from the CLUA console ?I don't really know the area renaming convention BGT uses. A guide so that people could use the console to access them (incase of bugs, etc...) would be nice.

I don't like one of the mods from BP. Can I not install it?
I think Horred said this might be an option in the future... Considering the amount of people who dislike TDD, it would be a cool option.

What is BGT-WeiDU, BP-WeiDU etc??? Which version should I get?
Now this is a big one. As of now, BP-BGT is in a huge disarray as the weidu version is being developed. I don't even know if people as of now should download the old or the weidu versions... This needs to be explained clearly.


***********

If you have any more questions which you think should be included, post them.
If you think I'm doing something wrong, have any corrections, would like to help, think I should not be doing this at all, etc... PM me or post here.

I will edit this post as questions get added and answered. I will post rough copies of the FAQ as we go along. Hopefully it will only take a couple of days to get something comprehensive and easy to understand.
I'm thinking to split the FAQ into 3 parts: the basics, more specific issues and technical questions.

Edited by Canned Chaos, 30 March 2005 - 04:04 AM.

[cujo]

--------What does BP-BGT change in BG1, specifically?
I know BP-BGT has a transition between the two games, the NPCs are now as you had them in BG1, you need to finish BG1 to go into TotSC, there is a better map, improved AI... What else? I want this to be as comprehensive as possible.
In BP-BGT-NeJ the BG1 NPC's were given classes.

-------So, I get to start Baldur's Gate 1 with BG2 classes and kits, right?
Yes and also the darkest day kits.

-------Can I still change my weapon proficiencies at the beginning of BG2?
Well, do I?
If you start a game in BG1 you go through the transition and there is no real point in changing your weapon proficiency because it's all one HUGE game.

------How does BGT convert BG1 to BG2?
A short explanation of the algorithm used by BGT wouldbe helpful, I think...
Also explain why the area files are included in the download (tutu can convert them, why not BGT...)
The new version of BGT-WeiDU that Ascension64 and King Diamond are working on will convert the areas too.

-------How does BGT rename the BG1 area files? I don?t know how to access them from the CLUA console ?
I don't really know the area renaming convention BGT uses. A guide so that people could use the console to access them (incase of bugs, etc...) would be nice.

BG1: BG2:

0000-A000
0100-7200
0200-7300
0300-7400
0400-7500
0500-D000 - Durlag
0600-7600
0700-7700
0800-7800
0900-7900
1000-U000 - Ulgoth's Beard
  U008
1100-8000
1200-8100
1300-8200
1400-8300
1500-W500 - Werewolf Island
1600-8400
1700-8500
1800-8600
1900-8700
2000-W000 - Werewolf Town
2100-8800
2200-7000
2300-6800
2400-8900
2600-6500
2700-6600
2800-6900
2900-9000
3000-9100
3100-9200
3200-7100
3300-6700
3400-9300
3500-9400
3600-9500
3700-9600
3800-9700
3900-9800
4000-9900
4100-A100
4200-3100
4300-3200
4400-3300
4500-3400
  4501 - Wyvern Cavern is (8500?)
4600-3500
4700-3600
4800-3700
4900-3800
5000-3900
5100-4100
5200-4200
  5201-firewine is (3400)
5300-4300
5400-4400
5500-4600
  5506=6560
5600-4700
5700-4800
5800-4900
5900-5100
6000-5300

-------What is BGT-WeiDU, BP-WeiDU etc??? Which version should I get?
Now this is a big one. As of now, BP-BGT is in a huge disarray as the weidu version is being developed. I don't even know if people as of now should download the old or the weidu versions... This needs to be explained clearly.
For now they will have to download the OLD versions of all the mods. As you said people are working on the WeiDU versions but they need a bit of time to get it all to work.

[Yacomo]

Cool, your hug count has just been raised to two for actually starting this

Since I am now at the level of semi-noob I will try to fill you in with as much info as I can gather out of my head.

Now, I'll need some help with the following:


What does BP-BGT change in BG1, specifically?
I know BP-BGT has a transition between the two games, the NPCs are now as you had them in BG1, you need to finish BG1 to go into TotSC, there is a better map, improved AI... What else? I want this to be as comprehensive as possible.

Hope Ascension64 stops by to add more details, but I will try:
- NPCs will keep their stats in BG2
- you get to keep some (but very few) of your items
- much better AI (by Horred the Plague)
- adjusted (reduced) XP for most of the creatures to compensate for the larger game (by Horred)
- you can start all three games (BG1, BG2 and ToB) from within one installation
- all BG2 features (spells, kits, items) available for BG1 part of game
- several TDD features (kits, spells etc) available in BG1
- many area entry points added by hand to make them more appropriate than the generic (N, S, E, W) entry points used by BG1
- very cool optional kit (charming rouge) available for Imoen in case of BP-BGT-NEJ
- some mods are BGT only: DSotSC, NTotSC, BoneHill was BGT only but was ported to TuTu
- much more basic stuff available for modders to tinker with (areas, items, spells, creatures...)

So, I get to start Baldur's Gate 1 with BG2 classes and kits, right?
Can I still change my weapon proficiencies at the beginning of BG2?
Well, do I?

No, this is one game now, so your decisions will carry through.

What are the changes and additions to BG2? What is included in BP?
Same as above. I want all the changes to rules, gameplay etc.. to be listed.
What mods are actually included in the BP-BGT package itself, rather than being separate?

This is something only Horred really knows... But anyway:
- TDD, SoS and TS
- far better AI
- tougher challenges, more encounters / several parts of Tactics included
- Ascension
- NEJ 1.4 in case of BP-BGT-NEJ
- no XP cap
- much more, but really only Horred knows em all

How does BGT convert BG1 to BG2?
A short explanation of the algorithm used by BGT wouldbe helpful, I think...
Also explain why the area files are included in the download (tutu can convert them, why not BGT...)

This differs greatly for BGT and BGT-WeiDU. BGT was a complete manual port from BG1 to BG2 including areas. Only music, movies and some sound files were copied over.
BGT-WeiDU will take most resources from BG1 and apply the modifcations via WeiDU-scripting, hence will be much smaller. Btw: The algorithm that fixes the 'green water problem' for TuTu was developed by King Diamond for BGT-WeiDU B)

How does BGT rename the BG1 area files? I don?t know how to access them from the CLUA console ?I don't really know the area renaming convention BGT uses. A guide so that people could use the console to access them (incase of bugs, etc...) would be nice.

My worldmap mod contains all the mappings for visible areas in the tp2 file. You can either look there yourself or wait for me to do this this evening.

I don't like one of the mods from BP. Can I not install it?
I think Horred said this might be an option in the future... Considering the amount of people who dislike TDD, it would be a cool option.

Not with 'old' BP-BGT, very likely with new WeiDU versions.

What is BGT-WeiDU, BP-WeiDU etc??? Which version should I get?
Now this is a big one. As of now, BP-BGT is in a huge disarray as the weidu version is being developed. I don't even know if people as of now should download the old or the weidu versions... This needs to be explained clearly.

For now, the casual player should stick to the 'old' versions of all the mods. It will still take quite some time until all the WeiDU-versions become available. After they are available I would still wait a bit as a casual player, since there ought to be bugs. But if you want to help testing which may be the largest project in BG-modding history ever, you are more than welcome

[Yacomo]

Thanks for the list cujo!

Small addition: If you have DSotSC installed, the following area codes change:

3500 -> 3499
3600 -> 3498

this was done to fix compatibility issues with CtB.

(hope the numbers are correct )

[Ascension64]

Hope Ascension64 stops by to add more details, but I will try:

...eventually... *looks at the real world and sighs*

[Canned Chaos]

Great, thanks for these replies. Keep them coming.
I'll take these questions off of the title post later, and write them up later (I've got places to be in the real world). I'll probably post a rough draft sometime tomorrow.

My worldmap mod contains all the mappings for visible areas in the tp2 file. You can either look there yourself or wait for me to do this this evening

That's fine, I can do that myself, Yacomo.

You said there is now no Xp cap... Do you mean capped at level 40?
Or were the XP-tables actually extended ? (An old XP-cap remover had a problem where going over lvl 40 would cause your abilities to wrap around to lvl 1. Kinda funny if you think of it)

Also, it would be great to know what components of Tactics are included, and whether the missing ones are compatible. Also, the compatibilty list mentions something about "a verison of Spell 50" being included... That mod changes the game quite drastically, so it might be worth mentioning if it's included.

For someone who has played BG a couple of times, but has no interest in coding, these small details, such as the precise changes to rules, enemies etc... are of importance. I, for one, want to know exactly how much my game is getting changed because of a mod.

[Yacomo]

You said there is now no Xp cap... Do you mean capped at level 40?
Or were the XP-tables actually extended ? (An old XP-cap remover had a problem where going over lvl 40 would cause your abilities to wrap around to lvl 1. Kinda funny if you think of it)

Never actually played that long, but as far as I know you can get up to level 50 in any given class (engine limitation). That would mean, if you want to become really powerful you can play a triple-class character up to 50/50/50. Would require Horred to verify this however.

Also, it would be great to know what components of Tactics are included, and whether the missing ones are compatible. Also, the compatibilty list mentions something about "a verison of Spell 50" being included... That mod changes the game quite drastically, so it might be worth mentioning if it's included.

Again only Horred really knows. Due to the enhanced AI, components from the original tactics will definitely not work and break your install. Concerning Spell50, I remember Horred saying that this is in fact not (or only partially) true, which is a good thing imho.

For someone who has played BG a couple of times, but has no interest in coding, these small details, such as the precise changes to rules, enemies etc... are of importance. I, for one, want to know exactly how much my game is getting changed because of a mod.

I understand your desire for knowledge, but I really cannot give you those details. We'll have to hope Horred drops by - or you could send him a short invitation PM

They say, that all this info was on the original BP website that was lost with the demise of TeamBG. Maybe someone still has a copy around?

[Canned Chaos]

I understand your desire for knowledge, but I really cannot give you those details. We'll have to hope Horred drops by - or you could send him a short invitation PM 

That's precisely why you need an FAQ If no one but the maker of the mod knows what the mod does, that's not a good sign.
Yeah, I might just PM him.