Baldur's Gate II Questions

I believe they only followed you out if they were "attack mode", i.e. trying to melêe or shoot you. Casting a spell didn't count as an "attack" in that sense, which is why spell-casters often didn't follow you around even if you simply went out of sight while they were casting.


I definitely recall Yuan-Ti mages following me outside at the de'Arnise Hold. Perhaps it's random to a degree.
 
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Maybe they can follow just through transitions that don´t require "gathered party before you venture forth"?
 
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No wonder:).
Certainly one of the major contributors to the research of how to win the game solo.
 
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I definitely recall Yuan-Ti mages following me outside at the de'Arnise Hold. Perhaps it's random to a degree.

Yes, I've had mages follow me as well, but not if they were in the middle of casting a spell when going out of sight, IIRC. Or maybe they do when it's a spell target at you, but not, say, a defensive spell. It's something like that, but it's been quite some time since I played any IE games.
 
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From what I know, it works as described above: Monsters can follow you as long as you're simply entering a new "room" instead of a new "area" (you must gather your party before venturing forth). They don't always do, but if they're trying to attack you, they'll often follow.

At least that is how I've always seen it work.
 
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By the way this is a good example how a measure to prevent "cheating" (better: an exploit) allowed a new different kind of exploit:

In BG 1 you could enter a room, kill one or two enemies and leave the room for healing etc. before returning and continuing the fight.

This was changed in BG 2, so monsters would follow you if in aggressive mode.

However the new exploit is as follows:

You enter a room and leave it immediately, as fast as you can. If there was a bunch of monsters in the room, only one or two would follow you (those, you "woke up").

Again you could kill them in small portions…
 
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I didn't know Tutu changed anything other than the interface. That's another reason for me not to use it, I don't like mods that change the gameplay in any way, unless it's something that really needs to be changed.
It's not that simple, BG2 engine is a new engine version and does things differently so it was certainly difficult to make everything back like BG1. For example a walk speed like BG1 cause difficult problems with some effects. But I think that also Tutu endorse many changes done for BG2 thinking all was design improvement.

For example a huge rule change is that classes are BG2 like and not anymore BG1 like. Alas it's not only a positive point with more choices, for example BG2 too many weapons specialization is a weak design in BG2 with characters level 7 and more but a very poor design in BG1 with characters level 1 and less weapons choices.
 
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Well, it's not a huge change. Some encounters either have a few more critters, or might be a stronger variety of critter. Early on, it's a bit more difficult to run, but once you get a level or two it's not bad.

Another thing is that monsters follow you from buildings and such, IIRC in BG1 they didn't. So you can't just duck into a building and get away. Not particularly noticeable until later in the game.

Well myself I didn't notice more critters but just that totally similar beginning generate rather different effects in same fights, I'm almost sure that some fight computing are changed.

The changes are far to be as limited than those you quote, you probably never played the original BG1 or forget it. Here few examples :
  • Classes are BG2 classes and not BG1 classes, not necessary a good point for BG1 low level characters and BG1 items available.
  • For example, a weak design point of BG2 is that there's too many weapons specializations but this weak design becomes a very poor design with BG1 low level characters and BG1 more limited choices of special weapons.
  • NPC are changed a little, even when you request their base class design. For example with Tutu Kagain is specialized in 2 weapons and is trained only in Axes.
  • The walk speed is faster, that's a clear rule change in fights.
  • Walk speed can vary for some characters, they can be faster (and perhaps slower). For example my character was a lot faster than all companions. When in BG1 they all have the same walk speed and I never enjoyed the effect in BG2 of having one character rushing far ahead and a bit isolated if a fight starts.
  • Default stack arrows are bigger in fact only some BG1 stacks are as big but not all, for example stack arrows are 40 when in BG1 it's 20 and only some are 40.
  • Also Tutu includes the whole pack of DudleyFix. But this pack isn't only pure fixes but also changes that fans whose made the pack think as inconsistent. Well that's the point of view of hardcore fans not of game designers, and even if most changes seems quite logical you could still wonder if they was really required. Let get an example, Lay on Hand should now bypass resistance because it's the standard rule... but well I consider this rule as a weak design.
 
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Well myself I didn't notice more critters but just that totally similar beginning generate rather different effects in same fights, I'm almost sure that some fight computing are changed.

The changes are far to be as limited than those you quote, you probably never played the original BG1 or forget it. Here few examples :
  • Classes are BG2 classes and not BG1 classes, not necessary a good point for BG1 low level characters and BG1 items available.
  • For example, a weak design point of BG2 is that there's too many weapons specializations but this weak design becomes a very poor design with BG1 low level characters and BG1 more limited choices of special weapons.
  • NPC are changed a little, even when you request their base class design. For example with Tutu Kagain is specialized in 2 weapons and is trained only in Axes.
  • The walk speed is faster, that's a clear rule change in fights.
  • Walk speed can vary for some characters, they can be faster (and perhaps slower). For example my character was a lot faster than all companions. When in BG1 they all have the same walk speed and I never enjoyed the effect in BG2 of having one character rushing far ahead and a bit isolated if a fight starts.
  • Default stack arrows are bigger in fact only some BG1 stacks are as big but not all, for example stack arrows are 40 when in BG1 it's 20 and only some are 40.
  • Also Tutu includes the whole pack of DudleyFix. But this pack isn't only pure fixes but also changes that fans whose made the pack think as inconsistent. Well that's the point of view of hardcore fans not of game designers, and even if most changes seems quite logical you could still wonder if they was really required. Let get an example, Lay on Hand should now bypass resistance because it's the standard rule… but well I consider this rule as a weak design.

I meant as far as combat difficulties go, the changes were not all that much. I figured it was obvious that the rest of the changes between BG1 and 2 were in effect. IIRC you have options on what elements you install (or was that just the BG fixpacks?)

Using BG2-style classes is the main draw of Tutu, for me. I never said it was the be-all end all mod.
 
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Yes the fixpack only has optional elements and that's only a part of fixpack. Tutu is a hardcore mod made for hardcore fans replaying multiple times in a row BG1. Because of major interface improvements it probably became a standard now. In my opinion it's too bad it hasn't an option keeping as many BG1 rules and behaviors than possible.

The BG2 classes is certainly a great addition for hardcore players but I don't consider it a good change because those classes aren't adapted to low level characters (and Tutu made some changes to BG2 classes to fix the worst coming from this) and because they aren't adapted to good items available in BG1.

Obviously an impressive work, probably requiring ToB for non English versions, but myself I switch back to BG1 and I advise to do so for those playing BG1 the first time.
 
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I remember the first time I played BG1 with easytutu installed. It was hilralious because I've made lots of wrong choices. For one, I picked sorcerer as my main character and realised that I am so screwed because they don't learn spell off scrolls - this means I don't get exp by learning spells using scrolls and also I am sooo stuck with 1 spell per lv :lol:
 
Sorcerer appeared with ToB isn't it? I played ToB as a Sorcerer. What you describe seems more like a bug because Sorcerer should learn more spells than standard wizards and standard wizards learn only 1 spell at level 1. But I'm surprised Tutu didn't fix that.

But yes that's probably a good example of BG2 class no matching well BG1 low levels.
 
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Sorcerer appeared with ToB isn't it? I played ToB as a Sorcerer. What you describe seems more like a bug because Sorcerer should learn more spells than standard wizards and standard wizards learn only 1 spell at level 1. But I'm surprised Tutu didn't fix that.

But yes that's probably a good example of BG2 class no matching well BG1 low levels.

Actually, you can choose sorcerer as your PC in SoA as well :p Not just ToB.
 
If 8 is the dwarf Kagain you do his quest by:

Go from Beregost to the area north of it, and he should tell you that there is little point in a continued search (for whatever his quest is about) and that he might as well just follow your party.

After to have started the mines exploration and I hope calm down a little Xzar and Monteron, I decided to give a go to Kagain quest as he complained once. When I got what you quote. Lol, no surprise I didn't remember it.

For first time I play it I decided to took my time, so I decided to give a go to Friendly Arm Inn, and enter in the inn crash the game… Very sad, despite I didn't want took Khalid and Jaheira, and that I could survive not have access to few quests and few nice items in inn shop, it was quite unpleasant.

I installed again the game and got surprised that BG1 without ToSC was able to open the game and I could enter in the Inn. I believed Tutu didn't change BG1 installation but I'm not sure anymore now. Before install again I too care check after to have empty temp folders but it didn't change anything.

I installed ToSC again and still could enter in the Inn. One thing I quote is that some wrong text descriptions come back after ToSC installation. I wonder if I could continue the game on a BG1 base without ToSC.

EDIT: It seems fine to continue the game without ToSC. I had only to remove the file worldmap.wmp from saves folders. All area are still saved as before and I didn't explored any ToSC area yet. I only have to open again the various area access but it's not a problem. Thanks Bioware improved a lot in internationalization management, BG1 series was very badly managed for this.
 
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