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Acceptable mods list and few problems with BPW

Started by szalap, Mar 25 2012 05:05 AM

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2 replies to this topic

#1 szalap

szalap
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Posted 25 March 2012 - 05:05 AM

Hi,
as it was my first attempt to install mods on this scale, I've used ShadowTek's guide to do it easiest and problem-free way, but as always, it didn't go that way :/.
I've followed guide precisely and put all files where they did belong, installed BG1+ToTSC and BG2+TOB together with 5512 and 26498 patches for each (all that in separate folder H:\BPW\). In the end I've created save files for all of the games and copied basic mod content (Weidu, Installpacks, fixes, etc.) and downloaded all of "R", "S" mods from BWP-links site. And then I've started installation... so the problems came.

The latest one I get is about BGT (so crucial one) and says I don't have ToB installed:
SKIPPING: [Baldur's Gate Trilogy - Core]
Throne of Bhaal is required to install this modification.
Yet, I've installed it, maybe not directly, because I have BG SAGA, but when I turn BG2 on, then I can choose between SoA and ToB, and play any of them. So I assume I have ToB installed.
Do you know why is it happening? Is there any solution to it?

Second thing I've wanted to ask is the mod's set. I'm not so familiar with their dependencies and conflict they may have or even instability (which shouldn't been installed). So I'm attaching list of them below and ask you to point what shouldn't be there:
Spoiler


Thank you for all the help and hints I can get.

#2 smartgenes

smartgenes
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Posted 30 March 2012 - 09:46 AM

I just installed BWP v9, I think maybe you may not have pointed BWP to the right folders path during install...It took me several days but I can confirm for you that it installs.
I played up to Nashkel Mine, and Xan's voice is not good, sounds awful, you will want to avoid that one.
So bad that I want to get rid of immediately

Edited by smartgenes, 30 March 2012 - 10:14 AM.

#3 smartgenes

smartgenes
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Posted 30 March 2012 - 09:48 AM

This might help you: Vista instructions:

1. Installing Baldur's Gate 1 + Tales of the Sword Coast Expansion Pack

Turn on User Account Control.

Run in compatibility XP (right-click properties on autolaunch.exe file) and run the file as administrator.
Choose Custom so that you can install the whole thing. Don't install the game to C:/Programs, install it to another folder in your C:/ drive.

If you get a runtime error - abnormal program termination, it is because the disk is scratched or didn't copy correctly. Burn again, or mount the .iso with Daemon Tools. You'll probably need a physical copy of the disk though - in my case it needs disk 3 during the character creation process.

2. After the install, go to c:/games/black isle/baldur's gate
run the game in XP compatibility mode and run as administrator. If the game closes after hitting the play button (perhaps on second, not first run) add the Baldur's Gate file to exceptions in your Firewall if necessary (it is necessary in Kaspersky).

3. You may well have screen problems within the menus. This is due apparently to the 3D acceleration of modern video cards, such as Nvidia.

Install the Microsoft Application Compatibility Toolkit
http://www.microsoft...lang=en&id=7352
Run compatadmin.exe as Administrator.
Click New, right-click database, select "create new application fix".
Fill in the details and navigate to bgmain2.exe. Don't select anything for compatibility mode,
or additional compatibility modes. Tick 'Force DirectDrawEmulation' compatibility fix. Next & Finish.
Save the database. Right-click the database from within Compatibility Administrator, and Install.

Or...

Use the Nvidia patch -
https://github.com/j...w_fix/downloads
put it in the folder with the bgmain2.exe, run it, then point it to bgmain2.exe
(Someone has reported problems with Planescape Torment - which also uses the Infinity Engine - with the Nvidia patch method, so the compatibility toolkit method may be better.

3b. Download & Run the Microsoft Direct X SDK (Developer's Kit). Mine was the March 2008 version.

Once unzipped it auto-installs.

From Start Menu - Run Direct Utilities - Direct X Control Panel. In the Direct Draw tab, untick "Use Hardware Acceleration".

Apply, and off you go!

This part cured my cursor lagging and leaving behind a huge on-screen mess.

4. Do NOT install the official sword coast patch (for npc spawning etc) if you are using the 3-disk version. Only install the patch if you have the 5-disk/6-disk version.

5. Install Baldur's Gate 2 - Shadows of Amn

6. Install Baldur's Gate 2 - Throne of Bhaal.
Explore, and right-click setup.exe - run as administrator. If you get "component error" you have a dirty/bad disk.

If installing the GoG version it installs both parts together. In this case, make sure you select options at the start of install, as this is where you select your folder (and we must NOT save any of the BG games in Program Files)

7. Digital users (e.g. GoG) only, you have an additional step to do. In the BG2 - SoA folder, make the following folder CD5\movies\. Now copy the 25movies.bif file from your data\movies folder and paste it into the CD5\movies\ folder.

8. Patch the games if you are using the disk version. For the digital version, make a .txt file with the title: BG2-
ToBPatchReadMe.txt and paste it into the BGII - SoA folder. (An empty file, since it doesn't need the patch)

9. Start BG1 & save the game, start BGII - Throne of Bhaal and save the game. Import your character from Throne of Bhaal to Baldur's Gate 2 and save the game (or create a new character and save).

10. Install the Throne of Bhaal patch BGII-ThroneofBhaal_Patch_26498_ENGLISH.exe
You only need the Tales of the Sword of Coast patch if you are using the 5-disk/6-disk version.
(I'd read that the digital version had this patch, but mine didn't appear to... If you aren't sure run BWP, it should auto-detect whether you have the patch or not and give you a warning message).

11. Run BWP (Big World Setup). Do NOT click press "yes" to update. If you click "yes" the program will hang at the last stage, and no Baldur's Gate.

12. Make sure there is enough free space - simple BG2-Modding does not need much space, a recommended installation with BGT needs about 10 GB and the biggest installations around 30 GB.

13. Fill in the installation directories when asked. Baldur's Gate 1 will probably be blank -
for instance, C:\Games\Black Isle\Baldur's Gate
When you get it right, the boxes to the right will be green.

Press continue once you've selected version:

Minimal - BGI + BGII + all fixes ... NO new content (for the purist)
Recommended - A small set of mods that the BWP guys like :P (for the cautious first-timer)
Standard - A combination of ALL the stable mods without a huge difficulty increase (for the experimenting guy who's played the game through before)
Tactical - A combination of ALL the stable mods with a huge difficulty increase (for the "ima-played-BGII-gazillion-times-lololol" types)
Expert - A combination of ALL mods ... stability hits the fan (for freaks)

It takes hours.

14. You get missing files. Download them manually by google-searching, then use s (Select) in the BGW Installer. When you have (most of) the files, select r, then the extracting & installing process starts (it takes hours).

15. Extraction Process:

There are some yes-no responses to make, but some of these are done automatically. Follow any other instructions about moving files.

"Super Happy Fun Lucky Modder Pack" is only necessary if you want to do some modding yourself.
Do not install Beta Core fixes. Don't install "additional alignment fixes".

I decided "no" to "change free action to protect against stun":

"BioWare was very inconsistent about whether free action shold protect against stun or not. The spell did not protect against it, but most items that grant free action did. However, per David Gaider, free action is not supposed to protect against stun. For players who think this overpowers stun (particularly mind flayer psionics) this component will extend free action to protect against stun."

Don't install Touchstone unless you can find it.

16 Installation Process (takes hours, even days):

Turn off Internet access, then disable your Firewall. "Pay attention as to whether the hard disk is active, your CPU is claimed, or changes are made to the Debug file. If all this is not the case, something could be stuck."

Select y when asked about biffing.

15. Run the game. It should say BG or BG2. The "start BG" button replaces the vanilla BG2 tutorial button.

"In order to enjoy the first part of the Trilogy in the new garb of the BGII engine, start the BGMain.exe in the BG2 directory. Use the TobExLoader.exe instead only if you installed "Throne of Bhaal Extender" without its BGMain patch."

If you installed a "Big World Independent Install" then the BGMain.exe you want is in there.

If you wish, you can use the BiG World Clean-Up.bat to save some disk-space.

Uninstalling: To uninstall Baldur's Gate if it won't uninstall from the regular Windows menus: click the Windows button & in the search bar type regedit.exe & run it. Delete the following: HKEY LOCAL MACHINE - SOFTWARE - Microsoft - Windows - Current Version - App Paths - BGMain2.exe and BGMain.exe. (Now you're free to re-attempt your failed install!)

Edited by smartgenes, 30 March 2012 - 09:53 AM.

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