Hello everyone,

just a pointer to a wonderful link I found on modding the complete Baldur's Gate saga into an improved and enhanced experience...

I tinkered around a bit with the Big World Project (links can be found at http://www.shsforums.net/files/file/534-big-world-english/ and http://kerzenburg.baldurs-gate.eu/bwpmods.php), but lack of internal customization of each individual mod and all the variable quality issues when blending these mods into one tasteless stew, even when being very selective, just did not seem appealing to me (rather appalling).

Hence I sought out other means of ameliorating and reviving the fond memories this game gave me, without staining them. Most stuff I found on the net was either incomplete, too vague or utterly not stroking with the expectations I had from returning to a refurbished Baldur's Gate. That is, until I stumbled on this site:

http://tamrielfoundry.com/topic/the-ultimate-baldurs-gate-experience/

All credit goes to the original author Atropos, who did a great job of clarifying instructions in detail on how to make the most out this pinnacle of gaming, to such extent that it even made sense to a simpleton like me.

I hope others might benefit from his wisdom too;).

Ilias

Handy link, though it's worth mentioning that the GOG installers cover steps 1 and 2 automatically, with the possible exception of the "start a new character" step at the end.

Such is mentioned in the link already:)

I believe one can make the most out of this game by sticking to suggestions made by Atropos, but one might extend the experience by adding some of the tiny mods provided by the aforementioned link http://kerzenburg.baldurs-gate.eu/bwpmods.php. I would suggest to be very picky and selective, taking only some of the R (for Recommended) for the relative newbies and some of the T (for Tactical) for the more experienced players among us. I believe most of these additions should be put at the beginning of step 5, depending on what type of mod it is, but I am not a 100 % sure about this. Any practical counsel is welcome anyway. I will post about my additional add-ons, once I am done. I would strongly advise to stay clear from the BIG mods in any case and go for a few mini-quests, items, NPC's, kits and tweaks...

When in doubt, you may always contact me about the quality of a mod of blending into the core of the game. Of course this will always remain an expression of a personal opinion, no matter how much I try to justify my reasons.

Ilias

I think this guide needs to be updated, since BGT is still in some aspects better than the EE editions.

So the points "IX [Recommended] Install the BGT Tweak Pack" and "X [Recommended] Install the BG2 Tweaks" are superseded by the Tweaks Anthology, so both steps are replaced by installing this.

My recommended options:

~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #40 // Change Viconia's Skin Color to Dark Blue: Beta 4
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #60 // Weapon Animation Tweaks: Beta 4
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #110 // Icon Improvements: Beta 4
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #130 // Force All Dialogue to Pause Game: Beta 4
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #140 // Fix Boo's Squeak: Beta 4
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #170 // Unique Icons: Beta 4
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #190 // Use Character Colors Instead of Item Colors -> For all shields and helmets: Beta 4
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #1010 // More Interjections: Beta 4
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #1020 // Alter HP Triggers for NPC Wounded Dialogues: Beta 4
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #1040 // Improved Athkatlan City Guard: Beta 4
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #1080 // Add Bags of Holding: Beta 4
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #1161 // Multiple Strongholds (Baldurdash) -> Keep Class Restrictions: Beta 4
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #1170 // Bonus Merchants (Baldurdash): Beta 4
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #2090 // Change Experience Point Cap -> Remove Experience Cap: Beta 4
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #2192 // Limit Ability of Storekeepers to Identify Items -> Hybrid of Both Methods: Beta 4
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #2210 // Change Grandmastery Bonuses -> True Grandmastery (Baldurdash): Beta 4

Also after SCS and Tweaks, I would recommend installing aTweaks with the following PnP tweaks component:

~ATWEAKS/SETUP-ATWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #101 // Prevent skeletal and incorporeal undead from being affected by Illithids' Devour Brain attack: v4.42
~ATWEAKS/SETUP-ATWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #102 // Change Spiritual Hammer into a ranged force weapon: v4.42
~ATWEAKS/SETUP-ATWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #104 // PnP Color Spray: v4.42
~ATWEAKS/SETUP-ATWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #120 // Restore innate disease immunity to Paladins: v4.42
~ATWEAKS/SETUP-ATWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #152 // PnP Fiends -> Mod-added fiends are also affected: v4.42
~ATWEAKS/SETUP-ATWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #155 // Further Revised Fiend Summoning: v4.42
~ATWEAKS/SETUP-ATWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #156 // Fiendish gating: v4.42
~ATWEAKS/SETUP-ATWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #160 // PnP Undead: v4.42
~ATWEAKS/SETUP-ATWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #180 // PnP Mephits: v4.42
~ATWEAKS/SETUP-ATWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #185 // PnP Fey creatures: v4.42
~ATWEAKS/SETUP-ATWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #186 // Revised Call Woodland Beings spell: v4.42
~ATWEAKS/SETUP-ATWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #190 // PnP Elementals: v4.42
~ATWEAKS/SETUP-ATWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #191 // Increase the Hit Dice of Elemental Princes: v4.42

Also, if playing a mage, I would recommend to install WTP Familiars, because BG2 familiars in BG1 part are too powerful.

I'd say the guide is unnecessary at this point. People wishing to play with a ton of mods should be using the Big World Setup, a glue mod that adds most every mod to the game, in proper install order.

https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/44476/tool-big-world-setup-bws-mod-manager-for-baldurs-gate-enhanced-edition-trilogy-for-windows/p1

If you can select all of the options from the guide in the Big World Setup, then this is fine.

Also I forgot to mention that some of the random drops are unbalanced in BGT, such as hobgoblins or gnolls dropping level 6 mage scrolls, so I would also recommend install only the option "Realistic random treasures" from Aurora's Shoes and Boots to fix this issue

When I click the link, first it opened and then it started to give "Disallowed Key Characters" wherever I click. It does not even let me open the link now. Can you imagine why?

It happened to me too. My solution was to copy-paste the URL in a different browser and it worked (default Chrome, opened with Internet Explorer)