The Fields of the Dead

[Echon]

A Baldur's Gate - Tales of the Sword Coast mod in progress. Feel free to post any comments. Here is a description:


The first aim will be to change the existing game, making it match the official AD&D 2E rules as much as possible but without ruining the game balance. Due to this, but also due to the fact that some rules cannot be properly implemented, I will have to make various compromises. Overall, these changes will affect the NPCs, creatures, items, spells and rules of the game. Some rules cannot be changed, however, as they are hardcoded, and some rules cannot be added to the game due to the limits of the Infinity Engine.

There are a couple of rules which I have decided to ignore. So far these include movement rates and drow elves. All PC races will continue to have the same movement rates. Drow elves will keep their magic resistance while above ground but they will not be given any of their innate abilities.

Another goal of mine is to make the game more difficult overall. This will not be accomplished by giving enemies a better AC or more hit points but rather by improving the AI. However, a few fights *will* be made more difficult to take into consideration the improved abilities of the PCs, most of all the final fight with Sarevok.

In an attempt to make the game more like P&P a lot of generic magical items will be removed so that magic will hopefully feel less common - I would like it to be a little more rare and unique. You can also expect to see new magical items of all kinds, both unique and generic.

A major reason why I am tired of playing BG is because I can remember so many things off the top of my head and metagaming is nearly impossible to avoid. In an attempt to provide a fresh experience where the player will need to start thinking again about the things he or she does, I am going to relocate and create new traps, creatures, random encounters and magical items.

The second part of this mod deals with new quests. Most of these will be found in three or four new areas on the world map but other, mostly smaller quests, will also be added to the existing areas. The new areas will be free for exploration whenever the player wants, much like the areas added by the Tales of the Sword Coast expansion.

The Fields of the Dead


-Echon

[Jerr Conner]

Sounds good, though I already consider Sarevok's fight hard (Unless you cheese it with the Wand of Infinite Cheese).

Also, compared to BGII, magic items are rare...

My only advice is make the harder Sarevok Battle an option, so the player can choose to turn it off if it's too hard.

Also, BGTutu already added the 2E rules, I think, but I could be wrong. It might only be for the PC and joinable NPCs.

[RoSs_bg2_rox]

sounds interesting. One thing, I dont think the experienced BG1 user will find items more rare, as they have used all the items before, however I like the idea, but i think you would have to add in a lot of new items to really get the "unique" and "rare" feel.

Other than that it sounds pretty good. Im checking out the site now, is the mod actually finished?

Oh and btw

Welcome to IW!

[Lord]

Sounds good. Can you make each option as a separate choice for installment? And please don't make it require ToTSC, or else I can't use it [img]graemlins/hehe.gif[/img]

[teardropmina]

Want to make Sarevok's fight harder? BGT type of hard (rid of the unlimited summons cheese)? or even more difficult? imo, as it's to change AI, the battle will be much harder if you simply make Sarevok and all his goons charge in once one of them detect PC/NPC's presence, which means that *divide and conquer* is impossible as well. THAT will be mega hard...without resorting to unlimited summons, I've never managed to pass the battle fighting all of them at the same time.

[Echon]

Originally posted by Jerr Conner: Sounds good, though I already consider Sarevok's fight hard (Unless you cheese it with the Wand of Infinite Cheese).

I am not sure what the Wand of Infinte Cheese is. Monster Summoning?

Also, compared to BGII, magic items are rare...

That is true although I think it would be more precise to say that in BG2 (at least in ToB), magical items are as common as dirt. I am not going to decrease the amount of magical items that much, it is more related to controlling when the party gains any. Do not expect any permanent magical items at the first few levels.

My only advice is make the harder Sarevok Battle an option, so the player can choose to turn it off if it's too hard.

Sarevok and his allies will have the same levels and statistics. The difference will likely lie in their useage of potions, scrolls of protection and stuff like that.

Also, BGTutu already added the 2E rules, I think, but I could be wrong. It might only be for the PC and joinable NPCs.

It did? Not as far as I know. Probably only to a small extent.

Originally posted by RoSs_bg2_rox: sounds interesting. One thing, I dont think the experienced BG1 user will find items more rare, as they have used all the items before, however I like the idea, but i think you would have to add in a lot of new items to really get the "unique" and "rare" feel.

Define 'a lot'. I think I have around 20 unique magical items at the moment in addition to new types of generic magical items. These will replace some of the other non-unique items of the game.

Other than that it sounds pretty good. Im checking out the site now, is the mod actually finished?

If you look at the top of my initial post, you should notice it says 'in progress'.

Oh and btw Welcome to IW!

Thanks.

-Echon

[ 03-07-2004, 11:15 AM: Message edited by: Echon ]

[Echon]

Originally posted by Lord: Sounds good. Can you make each option as a separate choice for installment? And please don't make it require ToTSC, or else I can't use it [img]graemlins/hehe.gif[/img]

I do not have any optional components planned at the moment. The whole AD&D thing and the improved AI go together and form the basis of mod, I think. Installing only some of these changes does not make that much sense to me, really. What I think can be made optional are the new quests but seeing as none of these will be forced onto the player, I do not see why.

Sorry, TotSC or nothing.

Originally posted by teardropmina: Want to make Sarevok's fight harder? BGT type of hard (rid of the unlimited summons cheese)? or even more difficult? imo, as it's to change AI, the battle will be much harder if you simply make Sarevok and all his goons charge in once one of them detect PC/NPC's presence, which means that *divide and conquer* is impossible as well. THAT will be mega hard...without resorting to unlimited summons, I've never managed to pass the battle fighting all of them at the same time.

Assuming the party has reached the new XP cap, they will have gained 1 or 2 levels depending on their class. I want to take this into account.

-Echon

[Jerr Conner]

I am not sure what the Wand of Infinte Cheese is. Monster Summoning?

Yea, monster summoning. Vastly makes the Sarevok battle easier because he's too busy slaying monsters while you arrow him to death.

I do not have any optional components planned at the moment. The whole AD&D thing and the improved AI go together and form the basis of mod, I think. Installing only some of these changes does not make that much sense to me, really. What I think can be made optional are the new quests but seeing as none of these will be forced onto the player, I do not see why.

I, myself, only suggested the Improved Sarevok fight be optional because maybe someone wants the spare quests but not an improved Sarevok fight.

For instance, when I downloaded the Solaufein MOD for BGII, I only picked the Solaufein Romance because I wasn't good enough to fight Improved Torgal and Mae'Var.

Though, I guess it depends on how much harder the AI makes the fight, since you're only increasing AI and not other abilities. Definitely put a warning, though, so you won't get complaints, lol!

[teardropmina]

Originally posted by Echon: quote: Originally posted by teardropmina: Want to make Sarevok's fight harder? BGT type of hard (rid of the unlimited summons cheese)? or even more difficult? imo, as it's to change AI, the battle will be much harder if you simply make Sarevok and all his goons charge in once one of them detect PC/NPC's presence, which means that *divide and conquer* is impossible as well. THAT will be mega hard...without resorting to unlimited summons, I've never managed to pass the battle fighting all of them at the same time.

Assuming the party has reached the new XP cap, they will have gained 1 or 2 levels depending on their class. I want to take this into account.

-Echon [/QUOTE]well, my latest try of this battle with SoA rules (BGT) with this party:
PC - Sorcerer lvl 10
Jaheira Fighter lvl 8/Druid lvl 10
Khalid - Fighter lvl 9
Yeslick - Fighter lvl 7/ Cleric lvl 7
Coran - Fighter lvl 7/ Thief lvl 9
Imone - Thief --> Mage lvl 9

This kind of party is impossible in default BG1/ToSC, but I still wasn't able to handle all four of them at the same time. Two at a time is managable, but not four. I will have to beat all four of them (the original ones) straight before I'll try out your modded version then [img]tongue.gif[/img]

[Lord]

Just finished killing Sarevok and Company going solo with out using any cheese, and I wish you could make it harder. Sarevok doesn't have enough HP for someone who wishes to take up the role of a god as a fighter. Everyone should be 'upped' except for Angelo. He's bad enough already with his arrows of detonation, and even with an AC of -11, he damn near hit me every single time.
BTW, maybe Sarevok could be given a ranged weapon as well? It would make him more potent, plus he's proficient for crossbows, so he should be armed with a crossbow as well.