14 replies to this topic

[Lord Hugo]

All right. I love the Baldur's Gate Series. With a passion. I've played 2nd Edition AD&D since I was 9. So I'd like to say I know something about what should and shouldn't be happening. First off, I'd like to point out that I'm not even to Nashkel yet and everyone is already 3rd Level. That's ridiculous in and of itself. Too much XP is being pumped out. It's easy to see where it is coming from too...The ridiculous spawns. Too many creatures are spawning too often, and in groups that make absolutely no sense. Dread Wolves shouldn't spawn with Xvarts. Ghasts shouldn't be with Hobgoblins. Let's not overlook the fact that I'm encountering Vampiric Wolves with absolutely no magical items in my inventory that are offensive. This is the most broken spawn system I've ever seen, and if I hadn't already put in some good hours, I'd yank BGT off my PC and go Vanilla (I certainly will next time, as this is NOT worth the effort). However, since I don't want to do that, what can I do to change the spawn system? If I can, I'd like to go back to regular BG1 creatures...No BGT spawns at all. Can that be done? Thanks for any help.

[Jarno Mikkola]

Well, there are several ways of going around this problem, 1 is to reduce the experience gain from the monsters with Ding0 Experience Fixer, another is to enable other spawning system from the BGT Tweaks mod, and yet another is to use the BGSpawns mod. You have several options...

[Lord Hugo]

Well, there are several ways of going around this problem, 1 is to reduce the experience gain from the monsters with Ding0 Experience Fixer, another is to enable other spawning system from the BGT Tweaks mod, and yet another is to use the BGSpawns mod. You have several options...

So there's no way to just turn off the spawning system of BGT? What are the pluses and minuses of the second two mods? I really don't want to tamper with the experience, I just want the spawns to either be gone or dumbed down severely.

[zhek]

The same option in BGTweaks that lets you set spawn method allows you to disable the spawns entirely, or set it to spawn only once.

It's an equivalent to BG2Tweaks, which I consider to be a near essential when setting up a new install as is. Not quite as broad, but mostly minor convenience tweaks for some things in the BG portion of the game. You can just install that component if you wanted to anyway.

Edited by zhek, 31 March 2009 - 07:52 PM.

[Lord Hugo]

The same option in BGTweaks that lets you set spawn method allows you to disable the spawns entirely, or set it to spawn only once.

It's an equivalent to BG2Tweaks, which I consider to be a near essential when setting up a new install as is. Not quite as broad, but mostly minor convenience tweaks for some things in the BG portion of the game. You can just install that component if you wanted to anyway.

I heard that BGTweaks, however, restores the BG2 XP values for Scrolls, Locks, and Traps...I don't want that amount of XP until either very near the end of BG1...Or the beginning of BG2...Can you turn that off and on too?

[Chevalier]

Only install which parts you want.

[Lord Hugo]

Only install which parts you want.

How does one do that? From what I've seen, BGT Tweak Pack is one whole mod. Does it ask when you are setting things up or what? I looked through the info, and it didn't say anything.

[Chevalier]

From the BGTTweak Readme:

The components of this modification are:

1. Eldoth reminds of Skie?s ransom: Eldoth periodically reminds the player when to collect the ransom money for Skie, to save you forgetting to collect your money.
2. DEPRECATED ? Angelo notices Shar-teel: Father and daughter relationship saves the day when the party is captured by the Flaming Fist.
3. DEPRECATED ? Finishable Kagain caravan quest: Finding the son of Duke Entar Silvershield is not a futile wander unless the player waits too long...
4. Add Semaj's Cloak and Upgraded Koveras' Ring of Protection: This component introduces Semaj?s Cloak, an item that used to be part of the classic Baldur?s Gate Trilogy modification. The cloak is imported into Shadows of Amn if the party has it upon transition. Also, Koveras? Ring of Protection gets an upgrade when it is imported into Shadows of Amn.
5. Major locations explored upon visit: Baldur?s Gate, Beregost, Candlekeep, Nashkel, and Ulgoth?s Beard begin fully explored.
6. Druid/Ranger-responsive bears in BG1: Just like in Shadows of Amn, bears encountered in the Sword Coast will do no more than growl if a Druid and/or Ranger is nearby.
7. Happy patch: Help NPCs find their inner happiness and party harmony... by making sure they never get annoyed by the party?s reputation! Two options are possible with this component:

* NPCs cannot choose to leave the party: the NPCs will never leave the party no matter how much they are repulsed by your inappropriate behaviour
* Only good and evil NPCs leave the party: good and evil NPCs will leave the party, but not other alignments
8. Import more items into Shadows of Amn: This tweak allows the importation of the following items from Baldur?s Gate and Tales of the Sword Coast to Shadows of Amn - Greenstone Amulet, Wand of the Heavens, Ring of Protection +2, Cloak of Protection +2, Gauntlets of Weapon Expertise, Eagle Bow, Shadow Armor, Boots of Stealth, Bracers of Archery, Gauntlets of Dexterity, Light Crossbow of Speed, Ankheg Plate Mail, Cloak of Non-Detection, Ring of Wizardry, Full Plate Mail +1, Gauntlets of Ogre Power, Ring of Holiness, Cloak of Balduran, Ring of Fire Resistance, and Ring of Freedom. Please note that importation of these items WILL VERY LIKELY make Shadows of Amn much easier than usual, and as such installation of this component can be considered a cheat.
9. Random activated traps in the pirate cave: Ever thought that tromping around in the cave guarded by Sil?s and her sirines was too easy? This component randomly activates existing inactive traps so that you will never know what to expect each time you re-install this component, unless your stupid thief disarms them all! Note that this component will have no effect if you load a save game where you had already visited the pirate cave before. There are two options for this component:

* Install-time randomisation: Different traps are set every time you re-install this component.
* Game-time randomisation: Different traps are set every time you first enter the pirate cave in your game.
10. Bags of the Sword Coast: No, not scum, but containers. This component makes it easier for you to carry around your priceless gems, scrolls, ammo, potions, and whatever-you-wants with the space of just one inventory slot. But first, you will have to find them.
11. Altered spawns: This component is suitable for those who do not like the current BGT-WeiDU method of fixed random monsters. There are several options for this component:

* TuTu-style levelled spawns: Random monsters appear depending on the level of the player. This component is similar to the spawns used by TuTu v6 beta (permission from Ghreyfain).
* Deactivate BGT-WeiDU spawns (spawns never appear): This removes random monsters in main areas altogether. However, random encounters in discrete areas still occur when travelling.
* Deactivate BGT-WeiDU spawns (spawns appear once): This removes respawning of random monsters in main areas, making them only appear once. Random encounters in discrete areas still occur when travelling.
12. Arkion reacts to player?s reputation: This minor tweak simply prevents Arkion from asking a high reputation character to fetch a corpse for him from the sewers.
13. Coran responds to the death of a wyvern: This component restores original unused dialogue reminding the player to return the wyvern head to the Temple of Lathander for a reward.
14. More bandit scalps: Please sir, can I have some more? MORE?!?!? You know, those dirty bits of skin that form the upper part of the head? More bandits shall have them when you install this component.
15. Altered item shattering: This component modifies the kinds of items that shatter. There are two options for this component:

* Remove item shattering: For those people who just hate it when their items shatter as if they were made of talc, this component prevents shattering of all items.
* Make armor and shields shatter (for BGT-WeiDU v1.05b or above): Armor and shields also shatter, identical to the item shattering behaviour of BGT-WeiDU v1.05a or below.
16. Hooded unarmoured mages and thieves: The Salk special (a forum member) decrees the mages and thieves must not look like bare skulls, and should wear hoods to make them look like the Emperor from Star Wars. Yes, females too! Well, eureka, here it is!
17. Salk?s Pen-and-Paper ruleset corrections: Yet another Salk special; this time in the correction of thieving modifiers by race, and ranger modifier to the Move Silently skill.
18. Import more NPCs into Shadow of Amn: From your choice of Alora, Branwen, Eldoth, Kagain, Kivan, Shar-teel, Skie, Xan, Yeslick, Dark Side of the Sword Coast joinable NPCs (if installed), and Northern Tales of the Sword Coast joinable NPCs (if installed), if the NPC is in the party and is not dead, then they will be imported into Shadows of Amn. Simple as that. However, some of them you will have to find... (this component is incompatible with The Darkest Day, Tortured Souls, and Never Ending Journey).
19. Restore BG2 XP bonus for traps, locks, and scrolls (for BGT-WeiDU v1.05 and above): This component restores the original amount of experience gained from picking locks, disarming traps, and scribing scrolls, which was reduced since BGT-WeiDU v1.05. Using this component on version of BGT-WeiDU prior to v1.05 will produce no effect. It is recommended that you install this when you transition to Shadows of Amn.
20. Protagonist?s biography modifications: This component provides two options that slightly modifies the behaviour of how BGT-WeiDU sets the protagonist?s biography:

* Do not set BG1 biography for imported characters: If you import a character into a new game starting in Candlekeep, the Baldur?s Gate I biography will not be set. Use this if your imported character has a custom biography that you wish to keep and use on the character.
* Set BG2 biography upon Shadows of Amn transition: If you would like the biography of your character to change to the Shadows of Amn version upon transition into Irenicus? dungeon, this component will do this for you. However, note that custom biographies will be lost when this occurs.
21. Exotic weapons for Taerom: Taerom has imported some Katanas, Wazikashis, and Ninja-Tos for the oriental sword-wielding enthusiasts.
22. Item BG1-ification: This component converts some of the items to behave more like the Baldur?s Gate I version. Changes are separated into sub-components that include prices, stack sizes, lore requirements, scroll casting level, and item behaviours (strength requirements, damage, range, power, and various bonuses).
23. Disable hostile reaction after charm: Spells and abilities that charm creatures no longer result in the target becoming hostile after the effects wear off. Works best when installed with the ?Enable conversations with charmed/dominated creatures? patch.
24. Enemy items shatter: Give your opponents a dose of the iron shortage by giving them a chance for their iron weapons to shatter when used. If you have installed the 'Make armor and shields shatter' option of the "Altered item shattering" component, then they also have a chance for their iron shields and armor shatter upon being hit.
25. Access Ulgoth's Beard west of Wyrm's Crossing only: Ulgoth's Beard lies to the west of Baldur's Gate according to Forgotten Realms Lore, but in Baldur's Gate: Tales of the Sword Coast, Ulgoth's Beard is placed to the north-east. This component corrects this inconsistency by only allowing access to Ulgoth's Beard on the west side of Wyrm's Crossing. However, this also means that Ulgoth's Beard will not be accessible until Baldur's Gate city is also accessible.
26. Prevent access to Durlag's Tower from adjacent areas: This component stops the player from discovering Durlag's Tower just by walking to its location. If this component is installed, the only way to discover Durlag's Tower is through informants at Ulgoth's Beard.

You can install anyone or more of the components.

[melkor_morgoth75]

What are the pluses and minuses of the second two mods? I really don't want to tamper with the experience, I just want the spawns to either be gone or dumbed down severely.

I'm going to speak about my mod, hope it helps choosing what better suits u.

Mod's aim is to have Spawns according to the LEVEL of your party and Number of your party member also. Moreover, the spawns are based on the area u're travelling. So u won't face a spider for example in a deserted land. U can also face some "neutral" encounters instead of enemies (so deers, horses, etc...) and also ... in any spawn point u have a % chance of encountering "nothing".

Moving around during daylight or nightime is DIFFERENT ... the last option brings u some more difficult encounters (i.e undead who generally are not possible to encounter during the daylight) according always to area, levels, etc...

Last ... now u have MANY MANY different possibilities, so ANY game, anytime u pass through an area be sure u can face different "mates" (this hopefully should bring some freshness to the game).

As a suggestion, please install XP fixer as pointed previously by Jarno Mikkola so that u won't have easy XP ... also SCS (by DavidW) will give a great and nice challenge to the spawns if u install it.

Cheers!

mm75

Edited by melkor_morgoth75, 01 April 2009 - 02:42 AM.

[Jarno Mikkola]

Only install which parts you want.

How does one do that? From what I've seen, BGT Tweak Pack is one whole mod. Does it ask when you are setting things up or what? I looked through the info, and it didn't say anything.

The installer has a build in construct that let's you choose what parts of the mod you wish to install. Most of the Tweak mods have them, unless there is only one tweak in the mod and you still can have multiple options...
(well, technically they might be different components, but that's besides the point)

Like the Ding0 Experience Fixer gives you the option to reduce the XP from the creatures you face to 75%, 50% ... 10% of the original games set experience point value, it also give you options to reduce the quest experience if you so wish. You do the choosing by choosing different options in the installer(after you start it from the setup-*modname*.exe). You can then uninstall the seperate components by starting the setup-*modname*.exe and choosing the [U] when it ask what to do with the component.

[Lord Hugo]

Thanks for all the help! I managed to get it installed the way I want. Thanks for the prompt and courteous responses.

[Lord Hugo]

Well. I disabled all BGT-WeiDU spawns, and it seems to have disabled all creatures period. I've gone through 1 1/2 area's and nothing has been there (The Area North of Nashkel and Nashkel Carnaval). I can't speak for the first area, but to the 2nd...In all my playthroughs (4) of Baldur's Gate I've always encountered Kobolds there. Did this mod somehow disable the regular creatures, even though the info says ONLY BGT Spawns.

[Jarno Mikkola]

Did this mod somehow disable the regular creatures, even though the info says ONLY BGT Spawns.

The regular monsters in the BGT/BG1 portion of the game are the spawns!
Yes, they are created at random... as you can see from here. (The letter-M indicate the places they can be created.)

This is part of the reason why we recommended you to use the Ding0 Experience Fixer.

[Ascension64]

There was a poll about what the BGT stock spawns should be like - in general, there is no consensus. That is why various options in BGT Tweak exists. If you would like to see a spawn system that most closely reflects BG1, try using the Tutu-style spawns. The spawns are level-based. Alternatively, try melkor morgoth 75's BGSpawn mod. Something for the future, whenever Macready finally gives me permission, the EasyTutu-style spawns will be implemented.

[tomkaz]

There was a poll about what the BGT stock spawns should be like - in general, there is no consensus. That is why various options in BGT Tweak exists. If you would like to see a spawn system that most closely reflects BG1, try using the Tutu-style spawns. The spawns are level-based. Alternatively, try melkor morgoth 75's BGSpawn mod. Something for the future, whenever Macready finally gives me permission, the EasyTutu-style spawns will be implemented.

You should know about poles. Ask the same question to 25 people and you will get at least 27 different answers.

In playing a modified BGT, I have walked through the same areas many times. Beregost Wilderness and Nashkell Pass (Map Ver. 7) are two since I never hop over areas. I have found the number of monsters, the type of monsters, and the attacks of monsters to be balance with the total number of levels of the party. The vampire wolves never seem to appear until I have at least 3 magic weapons in the group. Two in Beregost are very easy to get. The lady with Garrick has a +1 staff and the blacksmith has a +1 bastard sword you can steal. Not to mention that you also get a few in the Nashkell mines.

One thing else to remember. You can always run away. Who said you had to win each battle?

One more way to adjust the level of encounters. If you click on the save game icon, you will see GAME PLAY. You can adjust the difficulty level in this box.

Tom