Decided to Play this again

dmc · Sat, 25th Feb '12, 11:15pm

I haven't played this game in more years than I can remember. I have the original 2 disk box plus the Heart of Winter CD.

What are the recommended mods for this these days?

I have downloaded Trials of the Luremaster, which I believe contains the last patch, so once I install the ID1 disks, the HoW disk and TotLM off the download, what's next?

I imagine the widescreen mod is necessary and I am partial to ease of use type mods, but is there anything else that the community would seriously recommend?

Vladimirof · Sat, 25th Feb '12, 11:43pm

As an avid fan of the game, I really have to reccomend the Icewind dale NPCs project. I guess it's not a good choice if you want to create the entire party, but the banter is excellently written. Overall, it makes the game much more interesting. Link: http://www.pocketplane.net/mambo/ind...174&Itemid=122

damedog · Sat, 25th Feb '12, 11:44pm

Ninja'd by Vladimirof.

Dr_Asik · Sun, 26th Feb '12, 3:40am

Gibberling3 has a FixPack, it's not maintained but you might want to check it out.

I find the Widescreen mod to not do a particularly good job with IWD, the UI looks a bit goofy with it. Whether that outweighs playing in 4:3 aspect ratio on a widescreen monitor is your call though.

Overall IWD with Trials of the Luremaster is already a highly polished game, so modding it isn't as essential as, say, BG1.

T2Bruno · Mon, 27th Feb '12, 3:51pm

I'd say the NPC project. I've been using it and it's not bad. Some of the interactions are annoying (an npc will just jump to an answer or state the obvious) but all in all it's not bad. The npc's are a bit underpowered although not too much so and you do have some flexibility in what classes to choose. There are even romance options.

I didn't have any problems with the widescreen mod and IWD.

Edit: Only rolling one instead of six characters was a bonus with the NPC project.

Blades of Vanatar · Mon, 27th Feb '12, 6:00pm

I believe there is a Fix or Tweak pack, maybe both, for IWD nowadays. SP and The Pocket Plane site has a breakdown of the mods with download links. I would try there first. IWD NPC project is pretty good. If you want pre-made NPCs with voicing that is.

dmc · Mon, 27th Feb '12, 10:24pm

I went with just the G3 Fixpack, Tweakpack and Widescreen mod. Part of what I liked about the game (as far as I remember) is drawing up my own characters.

I decided to go with a Paladin, a gnomish F/T, half elf R/C, straight druid, Bard and dual class F/M. I dualled after F-3, so that he would have 42 HP and 3 *s in bows. Almost done with the vale of the undead area (just have to kill off what's-her-name priestess of Auril).

My mage is activated as a full dual class, pretty much everyone has a ranged weapon and a melee weapon fall back (almost all magical except the pallie). Got a little hairy when I ran out of ammo in Kresselack's tomb and insisted on finishing it rather than going back for supplies.

Having fun, that's for sure.

T2Bruno · Tue, 28th Feb '12, 1:48am

In the IWD NPC mod I got a paladin, a half-elf fighter/thief, a half-elf ranger/cleric, a a dual class fighter-druid, and a bard ... I made a dual classed fighter mage to start with.

I get conversation and romance

SlickRCBD · Tue, 28th Feb '12, 2:20am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blades of Vanatar

I believe there is a Fix or Tweak pack, maybe both, for IWD nowadays. SP and The Pocket Plane site has a breakdown of the mods with download links. I would try there first. IWD NPC project is pretty good. If you want pre-made NPCs with voicing that is.

I recall that in the fully patched original IWD game, without HoW there were a few annoying bugs, but nothing game-breaking. For the life of me I can't recall what they were.
I also recall getting a fixpack that preceded the G3 one. I just checked my game and it seems I still have ease-of-use instead of tweaks pack, but I can't find what the name of the other fixpack was. Not that it matters.

Maybe I never reinstalled it when I finally got HoW.

dmc · Fri, 9th Mar '12, 6:25pm

So I finished it last night. I had forgotten how overpowered bows were. I wound up with my pallie using a throwing axe and the +2 defender axe (with a +4 axe in case something couldn't be hit with only +2) and everyone else had bows or other ranged weapons.

I reimported into a new HOF game, but it was way too boring. Thus, I scaled it back to insane and am running them to Kuldahar as fast as possible because, as I realized last night, I once again went too far before triggering the expansion forgot that once I beat Poquelin in Dorn's, I get Tported to Easthaven and can't leave. Blah.

I just figured I'd finish the game and restart. I would have restarted in just HOW but I wanted to see HOF. That lasted 10 minutes, but whatever.

It's pretty much exactly as I remembered - a fun dungeon crawl.

Blackthorne TA · Fri, 9th Mar '12, 6:56pm

Bows are much less useful against the Drowned Dead in HoW

Acrux · Mon, 19th Mar '12, 10:32pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmc

I decided to go with a Paladin, a gnomish F/T, half elf R/C, straight druid, Bard and dual class F/M.

That sounds nearly identical to the party I'm using! Except my F/T is halfling, and my Druid is a F/D.

Solaufein · Tue, 20th Mar '12, 12:23pm

Aurils Bane. Items, quest and tweaks!

Ruben · Sun, 25th Nov '12, 2:04pm

Look here for an oversight of mod installation order for the biggest mods.

Nizidramanii'yt · Fri, 4th Jan '13, 10:28pm

Finally had another run with the game to complete it after quitting years and years ago, and really enjoying it so far. As I write this the end battle is about to start and I failed miserably after the first try (it couldn't get hit?).

Went with the same mods as TS did, tweak and fix, but after learning the existence of a NPC mod, I probably should've installed that one as well. Oh well, next time I guess?

Too bad Gibberlings3 was down (and still is), or I would've learned of the mod sooner.

But creating a party from the ground is fun on its own. Too bad my knowledge of the realms has decreased over time, as I found out my party configuration is a little suboptimal:

fighter, paladin, fgt/thief, fgt/cleric, elf druid, gnome illusionist

Made some stupid mistakes when creating the druid (longswords proficiency) and the paladin wasn't really necessary. Plus, I had bad luck with the rolls and he started of with 8 hp at level 3. Oops, not quite the tank I was hoping for, and it resulted in MANY reloads and the need to powerplay (rest-buff-repeat) where I wanted to roleplay the whole thing, but the game is ridiculously hard at times (compared with the BG's and IWD2). Or maybe it's just me sucking more nowadays. Oh well...

pplr · Sat, 5th Jan '13, 5:24am

Noooo

Gibberlings 3 is down (again?)

I thought they were back up but you're right.

I guess we can ask if anyone has a saved copy of the mod you want.

Bladezuez · Sat, 16th Mar '13, 8:30pm

Gibberlings 3 is up. I was just there and they have quite the list for the game. just thought that you all might want to know that it is back up.

Sat, 25th Feb '12, 11:15pm	#1
dmc SPS Account Holder Distinguished Member Moderator Speak softly and carry a big briefcase 3 Card Poker Champion! Balloon Shoot Champion! Bumper Golf Champion! Falldown Champion! Plumber 2 Champion! Rotations Champion! Towerball Champion! Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Los Angeles, California, USA Posts: 6,504 Like: 19 Liked 55 Times in 44 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 15,918 Level: 36 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 23.62% Daily Activity 3.53% Weekly Activity 42.86% Monthly Activity 71.05% Achievements Awards	Decided to Play this again I haven't played this game in more years than I can remember. I have the original 2 disk box plus the Heart of Winter CD. What are the recommended mods for this these days? I have downloaded Trials of the Luremaster, which I believe contains the last patch, so once I install the ID1 disks, the HoW disk and TotLM off the download, what's next? I imagine the widescreen mod is necessary and I am partial to ease of use type mods, but is there anything else that the community would seriously recommend?

Sat, 25th Feb '12, 11:44pm	#3
damedog Gems: 12/31 Latest gem: Moonstone Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 453 Like: 6 Liked 16 Times in 16 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 1,179 Level: 11 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 76.91% Daily Activity 3.53% Weekly Activity 52.95% Monthly Activity 18.67% Achievements	Ninja'd by Vladimirof.
	__________________ "Government by organized money is just as dangerous as Government by organized mob" -FDR Last edited by damedog; Sun, 26th Feb '12 at 1:58am.

Sun, 26th Feb '12, 3:40am	#4
Dr_Asik Gems: 6/31 Latest gem: Jasper Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 176 Like: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 664 Level: 9 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 12.76% Daily Activity 3.53% Weekly Activity 2.52% Monthly Activity 2.73% Achievements	Gibberling3 has a FixPack, it's not maintained but you might want to check it out. I find the Widescreen mod to not do a particularly good job with IWD, the UI looks a bit goofy with it. Whether that outweighs playing in 4:3 aspect ratio on a widescreen monitor is your call though. Overall IWD with Trials of the Luremaster is already a highly polished game, so modding it isn't as essential as, say, BG1.
	__________________ Let's Play Baldur's Gate, NWN2:MotB, Icewind Dale 2 @my Youtube channel

Mon, 27th Feb '12, 3:51pm	#5
T2Bruno SPS Account Holder The only source of knowledge is experience Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Chicago -- far west suburbs. Posts: 9,318 Like: 20 Liked 82 Times in 62 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 22,274 Level: 41 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 58.58% Daily Activity 3.53% Weekly Activity 98.34% Monthly Activity 59.95% Achievements Awards	I'd say the NPC project. I've been using it and it's not bad. Some of the interactions are annoying (an npc will just jump to an answer or state the obvious) but all in all it's not bad. The npc's are a bit underpowered although not too much so and you do have some flexibility in what classes to choose. There are even romance options. I didn't have any problems with the widescreen mod and IWD. Edit: Only rolling one instead of six characters was a bonus with the NPC project.
	__________________ “I have little patience with scientists who take a board of wood, look for its thinnest part, and drill a great number of holes where drilling is easy.” Last edited by T2Bruno; Mon, 27th Feb '12 at 7:29pm.

Mon, 27th Feb '12, 6:00pm	#6
Blades of Vanatar Vanatar will rise again Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Illinois Posts: 3,560 Like: 38 Liked 42 Times in 30 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 9,794 Level: 29 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 55.93% Daily Activity 3.53% Weekly Activity 103.38% Monthly Activity 107.78% Achievements Awards	I believe there is a Fix or Tweak pack, maybe both, for IWD nowadays. SP and The Pocket Plane site has a breakdown of the mods with download links. I would try there first. IWD NPC project is pretty good. If you want pre-made NPCs with voicing that is.
	__________________ "Still round the corner there may wait, a new road, or a secret gate." - J.R.R. Tolkien

		Sorcerer's Place Home \| Chatrooms \| BoM Rules & FAQ Sorcerer's Place Stores: Games, Books, DVDs, Merchandise (buying via these links & our affiliated stores below helps support the site - thanks!)
Have you liked us yet?

Sat, 25th Feb '12, 11:43pm	#2
Vladimirof Gems: 1/31 Latest gem: Turquoise Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 2 Like: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 50 Level: 2 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 49.17% Daily Activity 3.53% Weekly Activity 2.52% Monthly Activity 5.01% Achievements	As an avid fan of the game, I really have to reccomend the Icewind dale NPCs project. I guess it's not a good choice if you want to create the entire party, but the banter is excellently written. Overall, it makes the game much more interesting. Link: http://www.pocketplane.net/mambo/ind...174&Itemid=122

Mon, 27th Feb '12, 10:24pm	#7
dmc SPS Account Holder Distinguished Member Moderator Speak softly and carry a big briefcase 3 Card Poker Champion! Balloon Shoot Champion! Bumper Golf Champion! Falldown Champion! Plumber 2 Champion! Rotations Champion! Towerball Champion! Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Los Angeles, California, USA Posts: 6,504 Like: 19 Liked 55 Times in 44 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 15,918 Level: 36 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 23.62% Daily Activity 3.53% Weekly Activity 42.86% Monthly Activity 71.05% Achievements Awards	I went with just the G3 Fixpack, Tweakpack and Widescreen mod. Part of what I liked about the game (as far as I remember) is drawing up my own characters. I decided to go with a Paladin, a gnomish F/T, half elf R/C, straight druid, Bard and dual class F/M. I dualled after F-3, so that he would have 42 HP and 3 *s in bows. Almost done with the vale of the undead area (just have to kill off what's-her-name priestess of Auril). My mage is activated as a full dual class, pretty much everyone has a ranged weapon and a melee weapon fall back (almost all magical except the pallie). Got a little hairy when I ran out of ammo in Kresselack's tomb and insisted on finishing it rather than going back for supplies. Having fun, that's for sure.

Tue, 28th Feb '12, 1:48am	#8
T2Bruno SPS Account Holder The only source of knowledge is experience Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Chicago -- far west suburbs. Posts: 9,318 Like: 20 Liked 82 Times in 62 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 22,274 Level: 41 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 58.58% Daily Activity 3.53% Weekly Activity 98.34% Monthly Activity 59.95% Achievements Awards	In the IWD NPC mod I got a paladin, a half-elf fighter/thief, a half-elf ranger/cleric, a a dual class fighter-druid, and a bard ... I made a dual classed fighter mage to start with. I get conversation and romance
	__________________ “I have little patience with scientists who take a board of wood, look for its thinnest part, and drill a great number of holes where drilling is easy.”

Fri, 9th Mar '12, 6:25pm	#10
dmc SPS Account Holder Distinguished Member Moderator Speak softly and carry a big briefcase 3 Card Poker Champion! Balloon Shoot Champion! Bumper Golf Champion! Falldown Champion! Plumber 2 Champion! Rotations Champion! Towerball Champion! Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Los Angeles, California, USA Posts: 6,504 Like: 19 Liked 55 Times in 44 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 15,918 Level: 36 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 23.62% Daily Activity 3.53% Weekly Activity 42.86% Monthly Activity 71.05% Achievements Awards	So I finished it last night. I had forgotten how overpowered bows were. I wound up with my pallie using a throwing axe and the +2 defender axe (with a +4 axe in case something couldn't be hit with only +2) and everyone else had bows or other ranged weapons. I reimported into a new HOF game, but it was way too boring. Thus, I scaled it back to insane and am running them to Kuldahar as fast as possible because, as I realized last night, I once again went too far before triggering the expansion forgot that once I beat Poquelin in Dorn's, I get Tported to Easthaven and can't leave. Blah. I just figured I'd finish the game and restart. I would have restarted in just HOW but I wanted to see HOF. That lasted 10 minutes, but whatever. It's pretty much exactly as I remembered - a fun dungeon crawl.

Fri, 9th Mar '12, 6:56pm	#11
Blackthorne TA SPS Account Holder Administrator Master in his Own Mind Attack of the Tweety Zombies Champion! Balloon Bomber Champion! Barrel Jumper Champion! Belter Champion! Birdy Champion! Blast the Enemy Champion! Bubbles Champion! Color Boxes Champion! Counterstrike Champion! Emergency Champion! Fishy Champion! Galagon 2004 Champion! Grand Slam Shredder Champion! Helicopter Champion! Home Run Champion! Jackhammer Rampage Champion! Micro Machines Champion! Moon Lander Champion! Odd World Champion! Pingu Sports! Champion! Sheep Dash Champion! Snake Champion! Space Rescue Champion! Ten Pin Bowling Champion! The Viking Champion! Tiny Pinball Champion! Reaction Game Champion! Wilie Coytes Rocket Factory Champion! Storm The House Champion! aim and fire Champion! Batting Champ Champion! Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: San Pedro, CA, USA Posts: 9,726 Blog Entries: 18 Like: 20 Liked 45 Times in 32 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 22,012 Level: 41 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 38.71% Daily Activity 3.53% Weekly Activity 63.04% Monthly Activity 66.5% Achievements Awards	Bows are much less useful against the Drowned Dead in HoW
	__________________ Who put the rapist in therapist?

Tue, 20th Mar '12, 12:23pm	#13
Solaufein Gems: 1/31 Latest gem: Turquoise Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: The Frozen North Posts: 21 Like: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 166 Level: 4 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 75.25% Daily Activity 3.53% Weekly Activity 2.52% Monthly Activity 2.73% Achievements	Aurils Bane. Items, quest and tweaks!
	__________________ Chosen of Mystra TeamBG

Sun, 25th Nov '12, 2:04pm	#14
Ruben Gems: 2/31 Latest gem: Fire Agate Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 26 Like: 4 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 121 Level: 4 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 2.3% Daily Activity 3.53% Weekly Activity 2.52% Monthly Activity 2.73% Achievements	Look here for an oversight of mod installation order for the biggest mods.
	Last edited by Taluntain; Sun, 25th Nov '12 at 4:41pm.

Fri, 4th Jan '13, 10:28pm	#15
Nizidramanii'yt Gems: 10/31 Latest gem: Zircon Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Brussels, the City of Colours Posts: 374 Like: 3 Liked 3 Times in 1 Post vBActivity - Stats XP: 1,224 Level: 11 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 97.39% Daily Activity 3.53% Weekly Activity 2.52% Monthly Activity 7.29% Achievements	Finally had another run with the game to complete it after quitting years and years ago, and really enjoying it so far. As I write this the end battle is about to start and I failed miserably after the first try (it couldn't get hit?). Went with the same mods as TS did, tweak and fix, but after learning the existence of a NPC mod, I probably should've installed that one as well. Oh well, next time I guess? Too bad Gibberlings3 was down (and still is), or I would've learned of the mod sooner. But creating a party from the ground is fun on its own. Too bad my knowledge of the realms has decreased over time, as I found out my party configuration is a little suboptimal: fighter, paladin, fgt/thief, fgt/cleric, elf druid, gnome illusionist Made some stupid mistakes when creating the druid (longswords proficiency) and the paladin wasn't really necessary. Plus, I had bad luck with the rolls and he started of with 8 hp at level 3. Oops, not quite the tank I was hoping for, and it resulted in MANY reloads and the need to powerplay (rest-buff-repeat) where I wanted to roleplay the whole thing, but the game is ridiculously hard at times (compared with the BG's and IWD2). Or maybe it's just me sucking more nowadays. Oh well...

Sat, 5th Jan '13, 5:24am	#16
pplr Gems: 16/31 Latest gem: Shandon Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 866 Like: 3 Liked 1 Time in 1 Post vBActivity - Stats XP: 2,452 Level: 16 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 24.02% Daily Activity 3.53% Weekly Activity 2.52% Monthly Activity 2.73% Achievements	Noooo Gibberlings 3 is down (again?) I thought they were back up but you're right. I guess we can ask if anyone has a saved copy of the mod you want.

Sat, 16th Mar '13, 8:30pm	#17
Bladezuez SPS Account Holder I am normal in my mind; it is everyone else that is crazy! Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Idaho Posts: 57 Like: 144 Liked 10 Times in 10 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 171 Level: 4 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 82.87% Daily Activity 250.88% Weekly Activity 52.95% Monthly Activity 38.6% Achievements	Gibberlings 3 is up. I was just there and they have quite the list for the game. just thought that you all might want to know that it is back up.
	__________________ My Reality Check Bounced