Tutu Tweak Pack Suggestions

[icelus]

While we're discussing map markers, any chance of removing the more "meta-gaming" ones in BG2 (such as Cernd's former home, Fennecia's home, Borinall's home, and the Guarded Compound)? I'd also like to see the "Western Tunnels" marker in the Underdark moved a bit, so exploring the area will actually reveal the marker.

Um... what does that have to do with Tutu?

[CamDawg]

My litmus test for adding a map marker was whether or not it would provide info that the player would not know otherwise. This basically came down to if it's visible from the map (i.e. caves and some other wilderness features) or if it had an "info spot," such as various shops or buildings in the towns. Kagain's shop fails on both of these criteria and I have to label it as a meta-gaming marker.

 

Making presumptions about what townspeople may or may not say to the party, or what a party can figure out on their own is not a reliable standard.

[icelus]

My litmus test for adding a map marker was whether or not it would provide info that the player would not know otherwise. This basically came down to if it's visible from the map (i.e. caves and some other wilderness features) or if it had an "info spot," such as various shops or buildings in the towns. Kagain's shop fails on both of these criteria and I have to label it as a meta-gaming marker.

 

Making presumptions about what townspeople may or may not say to the party, or what a party can figure out on their own is not a reliable standard.

I see your point, and I agree. The only thing is that the entrance to Kagain's shop is situated in a way that it isn't possible for Bioware to have effectively placed a sign out front.

 

I guess the question is if Kagain's shop is ordinarily a retail shop, or if it's a more reclusive establishment. I always saw it as a commercial venture with a mercenary side-business. Kagain just doesn't offer to sell the party anything in his initial conversation.

[NiGHTMARE]

How about adding levels 1-5 mage scrolls that are in BG2 but not BG1?

 

Level 1: Find Familiar, Reflected Image, Spook

Level 2: Deafness, Glitterdust, Power Word Sleep, Ray of Enfeeblement

Level 3: Detect Illusion, Hold Undead, Invisibility 10’ radius, Melf’s Minute Meteors, Minor Spell Deflection, Protection From Cold, Protection From Fire, Remove Magic, Spell Thrust

Level 4: Contagion, Enchanted Weapon, Farsight, Fireshield (Blue), Fireshield (Red), Minor Sequencer, Secret Word, Spider Spawn, Stoneskin, Teleport Field, Wizard Eye

Level 5: Breach, Conjure Lesser Air Elemental, Conjure Lesser Earth Elemental, Conjure Lesser Fire Elemental, Lower Resistance, Minor Spell Turning, Oracle, Phantom Blade, Protection From Acid, Protection From Electricity, Protection from Normal Weapons, Spell Immunity, Spell Shield, Sunfire

 

Of course if you were to add an XP cap increaser/remover, you could have higher level scrolls too.

[CamDawg]

I've been considering adding some items. In terms of spells, though, we need to be careful as some are potentially game breaking, if they add tactics that are not covered by basic enemy AI scripts. (Spell Immunity in particular would be out IMO.) There's also the question of where to add them: random drops, stores, enemies, etc.

 

Another item idea is a katana or two. I already have an idea where a non-magical and magical one could be placed. Any other ideas for a "restored/lost" items component?

[icelus]

There was a mod that purported to do this, though I've not checked into it to see exactly how it was done. Discussion was here: http://forums.spellholdstudios.net/index.php?showtopic=6449

 

Download is here: http://www.angelfire.com/dragon/zvijer/temp/LostItemsV1.zip

[Idobek]

Angelfire doesn't allow remote linking.

[icelus]

Damn Angelfire.

[Gorilym]

Adding an ioun stone or two would be very nice, allowing characters like monks and kensais who are very vulnerable at bg1 levels (particularly monks) some very welcome protection. Nothing too fancy, maybe Dusty Rose? (+1 AC) Adding it to the Sorcerous Sundries store would be good as it has always annoyed me that that store has such a lousy magical items selection (compared to say High Hedge).

 

Oh, something else I'd like to see in the tweak pack is an always-toughest-random-spawns component, such as is part of Weimer et al's Tactics Mod for SoA and ToB; I don't know if this is plausible for TUTU, but it sure would be neat.

[Mongoose87]

Katanas would whomp the llama's butt in BGI for low level parties laing in magical items. How about a marker on what'shisname house in Beregos, the guy who gets you to retieve the scroll of identify? I just found out that it existed liek last month

[Caedwyr]

Katanas should probably be extremely rare in BGII. After all, the proficiency and item description says they are extremely rare outside of Kara-tur, and as such should not be easily obtainable.

[Idobek]

Adding an ioun stone or two would be very nice, allowing characters like monks and kensais who are very vulnerable at bg1 levels (particularly monks) some very welcome protection. Nothing too fancy, maybe Dusty Rose? (+1 AC) Adding it to the Sorcerous Sundries store would be good as it has always annoyed me that that store has such a lousy magical items selection (compared to say High Hedge).

I wouldn't object to placing one or two ioun stones that just protect against critical hits into the game. I'm not sure about anything with extra bonuses.

 

Oh, something else I'd like to see in the tweak pack is an always-toughest-random-spawns component, such as is part of Weimer et al's Tactics Mod for SoA and ToB; I don't know if this is plausible for TUTU, but it sure would be neat.

The current Tutu spawn point problem is that it does always give that hardest spawn points.

 

Katanas would whomp the llama's butt in BGI for low level parties laing in magical items.

Yes, I'm sure they would.

 

How about a marker on what'shisname house in Beregos, the guy who gets you to retieve the scroll of identify? I just found out that it existed liek last month

See Cam's earlier comments about meta-gaming.

 

Katanas should probably be extremely rare in BGII. After all, the proficiency and item description says they are extremely rare outside of Kara-tur, and as such should not be easily obtainable.

Agreed. They will be few in number and placed in locations that will make sense from an exotic weapon perspective.

[CamDawg]

At most, we will place one or two katanas in the game. My original idea was that Tamoko would have one, being from Kara-Tur and Yoshimo's sister. A good idea, until I discovered she was a cleric.

[Gorilym]

Purely protection-from-critical ioun stones would be good, though I hardly think adding a single +1 AC stone would unbalance the game, especially if you add it to a store inaccessible until Ch. 5, and give it a suitably high price (there aren't enough things to spend money on in BGI as is anyways)

 

 

If you do add katanas, don't go overboard on enchantment; no more than +1, and probably only one of those, placed late in the game. Mundane katanas do enough damage as it is. Oh, and speaking of mundanes, how about making those indestructible? Since they aren't made on the Sword Coast, they wouldn't likely be exposed to the iron "taint". Few situations would be more annoying than having your non-replaceable katana break mid-game. Furthermore, the fine craftmanship of katanas could explain their extra "sturdiness" .

 

By the way, where/when did this Tamoko-Yoshimo thing surface? I didn't even hear about it until recently.

[CamDawg]

Heh. Rest assured that I will not be adding anything above +1 to the game. And your thoughts on the unbreakable katana are spot on with mine.

 

The Yoshimo-Tamoko connection was one of the items the Unfinished Business researchers uncovered.