Just my humble opinion

[DrAzTiK]

Hi,

 

First, i would like to say thank you for this mod and i hope you will inderstand my english who is not very perfect lol

 

The last night in my bed , i was thinking about some items of BG 2 who are so overpowed (cheated could i say) and i hate items who are overpowed !!

BG2 is too easy, there is too much magical items and too much magical items overpowed.

 

I was thinking especialy about the gautlets of dexterity/strength, all the Girdle of Strength and Boots of Speed.

 

How happy i was when i discovered your mod . I enjoy all modifications you have done for this items and i was thinking exactly at same modifications the last night !

 

However i have some regrets in general :

- It seems there is more items boosted than nerfed items. I think that BG2 will be more easy with your mod.

-You want to apply modifications for ALL items. Why ? 85% of items are ok imo. It's impossible to please all players whith tons and tons of modifications.

- Best weapons are not nerfed too much and some of the best weapons seems to be bosted (Soul Reaver +4 O_o Carsomyr, Flail of Ages +3)

- Please, take care of elemental dommages.

 

 

Can you read my opinion for some items and say me what you are thinking about ?

 

1 - Flail of Ages +3 (the first weapon of the game could we say) seems to be boosted for me O_o Why ? And why are you going to find modifications so far.... For me Flail of Ages +3 should be :

 

STATISTICS:

5% chance for target to be slowed on hit (no saving throw)

THAC0: +3 bonus

Damage: 1D6 + 4, +1 acid damage, +1 fire damage, +1 cold damage

 

==> that's all, nothing more. Why want to be so imaginative lol

 

Flails: Base damage changed from 1d6+1 to 1d10. Base speed changed from 7 to 9.

1D10 for a flail ?

 

 

2-Carsomyr +4: I like the 25% RM but this sword is always too powerfull.

Special Abilities (3 times per day):

Dispel Magic: dispels all magical effects upon any creature in a 30' radius (25th level of the caster)

==> The inquisitor kit is too overpowed (cheated) coz of this sort of spell !!! I think Carsomyr Don't need at all this enchantement and surely not a boost !!

 

 

3- Gauntlets of Ogre Power : don't be shy, +1 to force is enought. There is too much items who increase strength.

Girdle of Stone Giant Strength : + 2 strenght is good too. Your nerf could be ok if there was not so items who increase strenght but there is so much items for that....

 

 

4 -I like the Two-Handed Swords: Base damage changed from 1d10 to 2d6.

What do you think about make Katanas and Bastard Swords two handed weapons with 2D6 ? (like BG2 tweaks)

 

thanks and see you later ^^

[Jarno Mikkola]

1 - Flail of Ages +3 (the first weapon of the game could we say) seems to be boosted for me O_o Why ? And why are you going to find modifications so far.... For me Flail of Ages +3 should be :

STATISTICS:

5% chance for target to be slowed on hit (no saving throw)

THAC0: +3 bonus

Damage: 1D6 + 4, +1 acid damage, +1 fire damage, +1 cold damage

==> that's all, nothing more. Why want to be so imaginative lol.

Let's see how that compares to the IR's Flail of Ages...

Your suggestion; Damage: 1D6 + 4, +1 acid damage, +1 fire damage, +1 cold damage=> 5-10 damage + 3 elemental damages=> 10.5 average damage per hit.

IR's; Damage: 1d10+3, +1D6 additional cold damage on 20% chance, +1D6 additional fire damage on 20% chance, +1D6 additional acid damage on 20% chance=> 4- 13+3*(1- 6)*0.2=>17/2+3*7/2*0.2=>10.6 average damage per hit.

Let's also remember that if we don't give a saving throw to the slowed on hit effect, it will have the same effect to dragons as it has to goblins, that's unbalanced... especially if you put the item to a warrior that does 10 hit's per round, as you can use it with the greater whirlwind attack, almost making sure the target is always slowed.

[DrAzTiK]

Pb of Flail of Ages is not damage of course but the 33% slowed on hit effect (no saving throw)

 

Flail of Ages +3

Combat Abilities (20% chance each):

Cold Head: +1D6 additional cold damage, slow target for 2 rounds

Fire Head: +1D6 additional fire damage, -2 penalty to THAC0 for 2 rounds

Acid Head: +1D6 additional acid damage, -2 penalty to AC for 2 rounds

THAC0: +3 bonus

Damage: 1D10 + 3

 

This description is not clear imo. It's doesn't speak about saving trhrow.

[Demivrgvs]

- It seems there is more items boosted than nerfed items. I think that BG2 will be more easy with your mod

Well, fortunately there weren't too many overpowered items in vanilla, and though I agree there may be too many magical items in this game a good amount of them was just useless in vanilla. I've also nerfed some low-mid level weapons (e.g. Frostreaver, Sword of Roses, Blackblood Club, ...) but I can't nerf items everywhere, as I'm quite sure most players would complain about that. There still is room for improvements, if you think an item is too powerful let me know and we'll discuss it.

 

-You want to apply modifications for ALL items. Why ? 85% of items are ok imo. It's impossible to please all players whith tons and tons of modifications.

Why not? I personally don't think 85% of items were ok, but in that case you can just install the few items you think deserved to be revised. That being said, some items are unchanged, some may have been only slightly adjusted, some may have a new or extended description/background, and so on. I had plenty of reasons to try to do my best on all items instead of just nerfing a few and boosting a handful.

 

- Best weapons are not nerfed too much and some of the best weapons seems to be bosted (Soul Reaver +4 O_o Carsomyr, Flail of Ages +3)

Have you actually played with IR? You'll see items like Amulet of Power, Axe of the Unyelding, Carsomyr, Ravager, Ring of Gaxx, and Staff of Magi have been drastically nerfed. Let's talk about the ones you have mentioned.

 

Soul Reaver

It is slightly more powerful yes, but the old -2 to thac0 was actually more exploitable than its current level drain, as it didn't allowed a save, while IR's enervating allows a save, most BG2 monsters will succesfully save 25%-50% of times, the most powerful ones will be affected only 10-20% of times.

 

Carsomyr

How could you say it hasn't been nerfed a lot? I've halved magic resistance, reduced its enchantment level by one, and the 'Dispel on Hit' now allows a save which means it is a lot less effective (same considerations made for Soul Reaver's Enervating). I know it still is incredibly powerful, but we're taking about an item which has to be one of the most powerful weapons in the game anyway.

 

Flail of Ages

Jarno already compared the two versions' damage output, and I can assure you vanilla's one was a lot more effective (elemental damage on each hit, every time of three different types of energy, and 13% more chance to be slowed), I guess you have to try it in game to understand that.

As of V1 it doesn't allow a save to negate its effects, in V2 I think FoA+3 will have saves at -2 penalty, FoA+4 will allow to save at -3 penalty, and FoA+5 at -4 penalty.

 

Girdle of X Giant Strength

I was thinking lately that I may just replace one or two of them with an entirely different girdle (the Stone Giant's one being a good candidate), as I agree with you there are too many of them, and at the same time too few different and interesting belts/girdles.

 

 

What do you think about make Katanas and Bastard Swords two handed weapons with 2D6 ? (like BG2 tweaks)

Well, there already is the aforementioned tweak for that, and I personally don't like it too much because the animation still is one-handed. If Mike wants to add such a component I have nothing against it, I just don't vote for it.

[Dermit]

If I might weigh in as well.

 

Took me awhile to get used to the changes when I tried them all, but really I think the mod improves on the item philosophy of the original.

 

Especially liked that you nerfed the Blade of Roses, it always seemed weird to me that the only early game +3 sword was bought at an inn.

 

And adding extra effects to a lot of the bland high enchantment items (Armor of the Deep Night for example) actually gives a reason to buy and use some of them. Though perhaps too many items got this treatment, seems you gave a spell effect to every named item (Oh well can always comment those out).

 

My only real complaint, and one I've seen around here a lot, the elemental damage is insane. Really does Varsacona need 6 cold damage? That's a ridiculous amount of unblockable damage. Only one damage may seem too low though, why not cut the elemental damage numbers in half? Three points would be much more balanced I would think.

[Jarno Mikkola]

Really does Varsacona need 6 cold damage? That's a ridiculous amount of unblockable damage. Only one damage may seem too low though, why not cut the elemental damage numbers in half? Three points would be much more balanced I would think.

That's actually +1d6, meaning it's =(1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6), so the real damage is with an average damage +2 londsword and +3.5 cold damage.

[Dermit]

Really does Varsacona need 6 cold damage? That's a ridiculous amount of unblockable damage. Only one damage may seem too low though, why not cut the elemental damage numbers in half? Three points would be much more balanced I would think.

That's actually +1d6, meaning it's =(1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6), so the real damage is with an average damage +2 londsword and +3.5 cold damage.

 

Ah, I assumed it was handled like the old elemental damage and just skipped it. 1d6 isn't so bad, I guess. I'll just skip that for Tutu installs, Greywolf is tough enough as is.

[DrAzTiK]

Varsacona is an easy obtainable weapons on BG1. + 1D6 cold is too much for BGT imo. But yes your mod is more made for BG2. ^^

 

I discover more and more than the large majority of your modifications are nice ^^

[Demivrgvs]

And adding extra effects to a lot of the bland high enchantment items (Armor of the Deep Night for example) actually gives a reason to buy and use some of them. Though perhaps too many items got this treatment, seems you gave a spell effect to every named item (Oh well can always comment those out).

Making all named items effectively "unique" exactly is one of my goals.

 

Varscona

Yeah, IR it's currently much more tailored for BG2 than BG1, though I've tried to keep BG1 items at their original power levels. With time, and playtesting I'll try to make IR as much suited to BG1 as it is for BG2.

Varscona currently have gained 2 points of cold damage, which may be too effective in BG1, but I fear the item have to be either quite powerful in BG1 or quite useless in BG2.

 

 

I discover more and more than the large majority of your modifications are nice ^^

I'm glad you're enjoying the mod, I think the good amount of changes should be quite "refreshing" even for BG veterans.

[Mike1072]

Varscona

Yeah, IR it's currently much more tailored for BG2 than BG1, though I've tried to keep BG1 items at their original power levels. With time, and playtesting I'll try to make IR as much suited to BG1 as it is for BG2.

Varscona currently have gained 2 points of cold damage, which may be too effective in BG1, but I fear the item have to be either quite powerful in BG1 or quite useless in BG2.

This is why I'd like the future changes to items existing in BG1 and BG2 to give them 2 versions with different stats depending on the game (or part of the game, for BGT). Unmodified, Varscona is on the high end of BG1 items in terms of power.

 

What do you think about make Katanas and Bastard Swords two handed weapons with 2D6 ? (like BG2 tweaks)

Well, there already is the aforementioned tweak for that, and I personally don't like it too much because the animation still is one-handed. If Mike wants to add such a component I have nothing against it, I just don't vote for it.

Mike doesn't. Aside from animations, changing this would make bastard swords pretty equivalent to 2H swords (ie. time to rename them all to 2H and delete the bastard sword proficiency) and invalidate the Katana/Wakizashi dual-wielding we've tried to improve.

[Demivrgvs]

This is why I'd like the future changes to items existing in BG1 and BG2 to give them 2 versions with different stats depending on the game (or part of the game, for BGT). Unmodified, Varscona is on the high end of BG1 items in terms of power.

Either that or I probably prefer to make BG1 items balanced for BG1 and a little underpowered for BG2. Finding the same weapon already used with increased stats seems immersive-breaking to me.

 

That being said I'd like to find the time to play BG1 and find out the power level "needed" in BG1 to better balance the items. In the meanwhile I'll do what I can listening to BGT players' advices.

 

Probably another solution would be having an "item upgrade" component, as it would allow me to assign low enchantments to BG1 early SoA items without worring of them becoming useless quickly. But a) I'm not sure it's something within IR's scope and b) Mike probably isn't into it.

[Guest Dirty Uncle Bertie]

Well, the Item Upgrade idea sounds to me like a good way of ensuring items are useful and balanced for both BG1 and 2.

[Mike1072]

This is why I'd like the future changes to items existing in BG1 and BG2 to give them 2 versions with different stats depending on the game (or part of the game, for BGT). Unmodified, Varscona is on the high end of BG1 items in terms of power.

Either that or I probably prefer to make BG1 items balanced for BG1 and a little underpowered for BG2. Finding the same weapon already used with increased stats seems immersive-breaking to me.

 

That being said I'd like to find the time to play BG1 and find out the power level "needed" in BG1 to better balance the items. In the meanwhile I'll do what I can listening to BGT players' advices.

 

Probably another solution would be having an "item upgrade" component, as it would allow me to assign low enchantments to BG1 early SoA items without worring of them becoming useless quickly. But a) I'm not sure it's something within IR's scope and b) Mike probably isn't into it.

I wouldn't be against this, but I'll leave any required dialogue writing in someone else's hands.

[Leomar]

Is it really important to upgrade BG1 weapons if they're used in BG2? I think not. If you have the same weapon found in BG1 and BG2 you think, it is the same one. Normally you don't want to read the item description again and knows what the weapon can. If you use BGT, so consistency is the word. You can find much new weapons in BG2, so I think you don't need to balance it for BG2. The important thing will be, to balance the BG1 weapons for BG1.

 

Only my opinion.

 

Greetings Leomar

[Guest Guest]

Fair point, Leomar, but what's wrong with Cromwell/the Imp offering to upgrade a handful of extra weapons? I think if you have a favourite weapon in BG1, it would be nice to be able to upgrade it and keep it useful (if only for a while, if not the whole game) in BG2.