Clarification as to HOW effects on IWD

NobleNick · 02-06-2002, 02:12 PM

O.K., first off, I have read every thread I can find on this; but still am unsure of the answers to these questions. Here are the questions:

1.) What effect does installing HOW expansion have on IWD if you just want to play IWD straight through (no side trip into HOW)?

2.) I think I saw someone write that the graphics are better (600x800). Is this true for the IWD portion of the adventure, or just the HOW and TOTL expansions?

3.) Are there any other benefits to pure IWD play that the HOW expansion gives you?

4.) Do you have to monkey around with the IWD *AND* the HOW CDs to play IWD if you have HOW installed?

5.) Does my party lose the ability to do anything; or do I lose some "enjoyment factor" if I export my party members at the end of IWD and then use them again to go through IWD from the beginning with HOW and TOTL installed?

The reason I ask is that I play so slowly and have so little play time (6-10 hours per week) that it could be months before I finish IWD. (It's been almost 3 weeks and I am still not done with the Vale!) At that rate, HOW will probably be much cheaper by the time I get around to needing it and TOTL. However, if HOW expansion makes the IWD experience significantly better (e.g., better graphics, better IWD (not HOW/TOTL) game play, etc.), then I'll probably pay the few extra dollars and get it now.

I know virtually everyone thinks HOW/TOTL is the best thing since sliced goblin on wheat toast; and I am sure that I will enjoy it immensely, too, and intend to get it. That is NOT what my questions are about. What I am really trying to find out is: Given that I am going to get it, is it worth the extra money to get it NOW, just to improve the IWD (sans expansion adventures) experience?

Thanks to anyone willing to clue me in on this!

Regards,

NobleNick · 02-06-2002, 02:18 PM

Oh, and one other question: Do you need the HOW expansion to get Heart of Fury mode?

Micah Foehammer · 02-06-2002, 02:43 PM

1) HOW will correct some bugs that the IWD patch doesn't. And the game plays a LOT slower in MPLAYER with HOW installed. But other than that there are no effects, although some areas of HOW have a large number of ambient (background) sounds and some systems may experience slowdowns if these are left on. FOr what its worth, Trials of the Luremaster corrects some of the residual item bugs that remained in HOW and ALSO seems to have at least partly solved some of the slowdown issues.

2) Its true for all the areas. The enhanced resolution is just awesome and the graphics in IWD etc. are simply spectacular, IMO.

3) Aside from new monsters, new areas, new items, and some new spells? No. [img]smile.gif[/img] Again, if you are contemplating Mplayer, note that IWD played flawlessly in that mode, while HOW was very troublesome. If you are going single player, that's not an issue, but mplayer is a different story.

4) Not sure what you mean by "monkey around" ..... but installation is straightforward. You can install HOW over either a patched or non-patched version of IWD. And then either patch HOW or install Trials of the Luremaster. I installed IWd, patched it, installed HOw, patched that, and then installed ToL. Haven't had any problems single player, and only the above mentioned problems with HOW multiplayer.

5) The only thing that you "lose" by reimporting your characters to HOW after finishing IWD are the containers (scroll cases etc.)which are NOT exported with your characters.

I think the answer to your last question is NO. I thought HOF mode was a part of the original IWD game, but I could be wrong about that.

My recommendation is to buy HOW and download TOL and install the whole shebang at once! That way, you get all of the accumulated patches and can then decide what areas you want to play. Or at the very least, get a copy of HOW now, because some people are having rrouble locating it apparently.

SOrry this reply is so long. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Jonni Voodoo · 02-06-2002, 02:56 PM

The manual states that HoF mode is only available in HoW.

Also, I doubt HoW will be getting any cheaper. You can it for $10 at any store that sells games.

NobleNick · 02-06-2002, 04:35 PM

Micah Foehammer, Jonni Voodoo,

Thank you both!

Micah Foehammer, no need to apologize: Your lengthy and detailed reply was exactly what I had hoped for!

So, the graphics in *ALL* the areas are enhanced: My mind is made up: I will get HOW, download TOTL, and install them both ASAP. (You're right Jonni Voodoo, it can't get much better than $10. Even if they started handing HOW out for free in three months, the $10 isn't worth the loss of graphics for that amount of time.)

I'm in single player mode, exclusively; so multiplayer detractors don't worry me.

If I install newly bought HOW over my current installation of (a VERY recently bought) IWD, and then install TOTL over top, do I need any of the patches?

Thanks for all your help!

Micah Foehammer · 02-06-2002, 07:51 PM

If you install IWD then HOW and then TOL, NO patches are needed. Each successuve installation already provides the patches for the previous expansion. TOL contains the latest patch for HOW plus some additional tweaks that weren't implemented in the last HOW patch.

mewp · 02-08-2002, 02:38 PM

HOW is heart of winter, what is TOL?

Micah Foehammer · 02-08-2002, 03:50 PM

TOL is Trials of the Luremaster. It's a free official add-on (add-in?) for Heart of Winter released by Black Isle. Its about 72 megs large and requires a fast download (or you have to be VERY lucky and very patient to get it downloaded on a 56k). Its an EXCELLENT addition! Well worth having!

it can be downloaded from gamebanshee or fileplanet.

02-06-2002, 02:43 PM	#3
Micah Foehammer Ma'at - Goddess of Truth & Justice Join Date: November 15, 2001 Location: Asheville, NC Posts: 3,253	1) HOW will correct some bugs that the IWD patch doesn't. And the game plays a LOT slower in MPLAYER with HOW installed. But other than that there are no effects, although some areas of HOW have a large number of ambient (background) sounds and some systems may experience slowdowns if these are left on. FOr what its worth, Trials of the Luremaster corrects some of the residual item bugs that remained in HOW and ALSO seems to have at least partly solved some of the slowdown issues. 2) Its true for all the areas. The enhanced resolution is just awesome and the graphics in IWD etc. are simply spectacular, IMO. 3) Aside from new monsters, new areas, new items, and some new spells? No. [img]smile.gif[/img] Again, if you are contemplating Mplayer, note that IWD played flawlessly in that mode, while HOW was very troublesome. If you are going single player, that's not an issue, but mplayer is a different story. 4) Not sure what you mean by "monkey around" ..... but installation is straightforward. You can install HOW over either a patched or non-patched version of IWD. And then either patch HOW or install Trials of the Luremaster. I installed IWd, patched it, installed HOw, patched that, and then installed ToL. Haven't had any problems single player, and only the above mentioned problems with HOW multiplayer. 5) The only thing that you "lose" by reimporting your characters to HOW after finishing IWD are the containers (scroll cases etc.)which are NOT exported with your characters. I think the answer to your last question is NO. I thought HOF mode was a part of the original IWD game, but I could be wrong about that. My recommendation is to buy HOW and download TOL and install the whole shebang at once! That way, you get all of the accumulated patches and can then decide what areas you want to play. Or at the very least, get a copy of HOW now, because some people are having rrouble locating it apparently. SOrry this reply is so long. [img]smile.gif[/img] __________________ “Every tavern’s an opportunity, I say.”

02-06-2002, 07:51 PM	#6
Micah Foehammer Ma'at - Goddess of Truth & Justice Join Date: November 15, 2001 Location: Asheville, NC Posts: 3,253	If you install IWD then HOW and then TOL, NO patches are needed. Each successuve installation already provides the patches for the previous expansion. TOL contains the latest patch for HOW plus some additional tweaks that weren't implemented in the last HOW patch. __________________ “Every tavern’s an opportunity, I say.”

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02-06-2002, 02:12 PM	#1
NobleNick Quintesson Join Date: February 5, 2002 Location: Huntsville, AL, USA Age: 63 Posts: 1,045	O.K., first off, I have read every thread I can find on this; but still am unsure of the answers to these questions. Here are the questions: 1.) What effect does installing HOW expansion have on IWD if you just want to play IWD straight through (no side trip into HOW)? 2.) I think I saw someone write that the graphics are better (600x800). Is this true for the IWD portion of the adventure, or just the HOW and TOTL expansions? 3.) Are there any other benefits to pure IWD play that the HOW expansion gives you? 4.) Do you have to monkey around with the IWD AND the HOW CDs to play IWD if you have HOW installed? 5.) Does my party lose the ability to do anything; or do I lose some "enjoyment factor" if I export my party members at the end of IWD and then use them again to go through IWD from the beginning with HOW and TOTL installed? The reason I ask is that I play so slowly and have so little play time (6-10 hours per week) that it could be months before I finish IWD. (It's been almost 3 weeks and I am still not done with the Vale!) At that rate, HOW will probably be much cheaper by the time I get around to needing it and TOTL. However, if HOW expansion makes the IWD experience significantly better (e.g., better graphics, better IWD (not HOW/TOTL) game play, etc.), then I'll probably pay the few extra dollars and get it now. I know virtually everyone thinks HOW/TOTL is the best thing since sliced goblin on wheat toast; and I am sure that I will enjoy it immensely, too, and intend to get it. That is NOT what my questions are about. What I am really trying to find out is: Given that I am going to get it, is it worth the extra money to get it NOW, just to improve the IWD (sans expansion adventures) experience? Thanks to anyone willing to clue me in on this! Regards,

02-06-2002, 02:18 PM	#2
NobleNick Quintesson Join Date: February 5, 2002 Location: Huntsville, AL, USA Age: 63 Posts: 1,045	Oh, and one other question: Do you need the HOW expansion to get Heart of Fury mode?

02-06-2002, 02:56 PM	#4
Jonni Voodoo The Magister Join Date: December 16, 2001 Location: Deep 13 Age: 41 Posts: 124	The manual states that HoF mode is only available in HoW. Also, I doubt HoW will be getting any cheaper. You can it for $10 at any store that sells games.

02-06-2002, 04:35 PM	#5
NobleNick Quintesson Join Date: February 5, 2002 Location: Huntsville, AL, USA Age: 63 Posts: 1,045	Micah Foehammer, Jonni Voodoo, Thank you both! Micah Foehammer, no need to apologize: Your lengthy and detailed reply was exactly what I had hoped for! So, the graphics in ALL the areas are enhanced: My mind is made up: I will get HOW, download TOTL, and install them both ASAP. (You're right Jonni Voodoo, it can't get much better than $10. Even if they started handing HOW out for free in three months, the $10 isn't worth the loss of graphics for that amount of time.) I'm in single player mode, exclusively; so multiplayer detractors don't worry me. If I install newly bought HOW over my current installation of (a VERY recently bought) IWD, and then install TOTL over top, do I need any of the patches? Thanks for all your help!

02-08-2002, 02:38 PM	#7
mewp Elite Waterdeep Guard Join Date: October 22, 2001 Location: sugar land , texas Posts: 34	HOW is heart of winter, what is TOL?

02-08-2002, 03:50 PM	#8
Micah Foehammer Ma'at - Goddess of Truth & Justice Join Date: November 15, 2001 Location: Asheville, NC Posts: 3,253	TOL is Trials of the Luremaster. It's a free official add-on (add-in?) for Heart of Winter released by Black Isle. Its about 72 megs large and requires a fast download (or you have to be VERY lucky and very patient to get it downloaded on a 56k). Its an EXCELLENT addition! Well worth having! it can be downloaded from gamebanshee or fileplanet.

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