b!tweak Author: berelinde (berelinde@gmail.com) Version 4, 4 "Lite" Languages: English Platforms: Windows, Mac OSX, Linux ================================================== CONTENTS ================================================== I. Overview II. Compatibility III. Installation IV. Contents V. Contact Information VI. Legal Stuff VII. Version History I. Overview This mod is a small collection of tweaks I have found useful. It includes an "Ashes of Embers"-based weapon proficiecy system, adjusted to allow unmodified characters to use the weapons they come with, bardic reputation adjustment for BG2, alignment tweaks for Tutu and BGT, portrait changes, and some heinous proficiency modification. New for version 3: restore Anomen's "What is it now?" selection sound. The "Lite" version contains: Moody Anomen, Bardic Reputation Adjustment, II. Compatibility This mod is designed to work with Baldur's Gate 2, Shadows of Amn, with or without the Throne of Bhaal expansion. There are no known incompatibilities with any mod, however some features are installation-order dependant. If you install other mods that alter portraits, soundset chages, or weapon proficiencies after it, those will take precedence. III. Installation Windows b!tweak is packaged and installed with WeiDU. If properly extracted, you should have a "b!tweak" folder and setup-b!tweak.exe in your game directory. To install, simply double-click setup-b!tweak.exe and follow the instructions on screen. Please run setup-b!tweak.exe in your game directory to reinstall or uninstall. Mac OSX If the mod was previously installed, uninstall it before extracting the new version. b!tweaks is packaged and installed with WeiDU. To install, simply extract the contents of the mod into your BG2 directory. If properly extracted, you should have a "b!tweak" folder, setup-b!tweak, and setup-b!tweak.command in your BG2 directory. To install, simply double-click setup-b!tweak.command and follow the instructions on screen. Linux Extract the contents of the mod to the folder of the game you wish to modify. Download the latest version of WeiDU for Linux from WeiDU.org, http://www.weidu.org/%7Ethebigg" Copy WeiDU and WeInstall to /usr/bin. Run WeInstall b!tweak in your game folder to install the mod. Then run wine BGMain.exe and start playing. IV. Contents Moody Anomen: In ToB, Anomen suddenly becomes less irritable. His "What is it now?" selection sound is replaced by a flat, metallic "Ready to act." If you have installed PPG's "NPC Flirt Pack," this happens a lot sooner. Well, that's fine if you like your NPCs to sound like robots, but maybe you liked Anomen better when he was still angsty. This component replaces the ToB "Ready to act" with his old, familiar "What is it now?". To activate this feature, select his portrait and hit the hotkey "B". Bardic Reputation Adjustment: If you played the "Baldur's Gate NPC Project," you might be familiar with bardic reputation adjustment. Temples raise your reputation, but there is nothing to lower it, apart from committing heinous acts against innocents. This component will allow you to lower your reputation, thereby keeping neutral NPCs happy and keeping evil NPCs from leaving the party when your reputation gets too high. Wallace appears outside the Five Flagons in the Bridge District, and outside the Tavern in Amkethran, for ToB players. Traveler's Stone: This stone will allow you to return to several key places you have already visited. Currently, the list includes the Adventure Mart (where you bought the stone), the Mithrest Inn, all player strongholds, the temples of Helm, Lathander, and Talos, Aran's Hideout (working for Aran), Bodhi's Lair (working for Bodhi, the Copper Coronet, and the Five Flagons 2nd floor. More areas will be added later. You can buy the stone from Ribald at the Adventure Mart, but it won't be cheap. Alignment changes: [not included in "Lite" package] These are intended mostly so the player doesn't have to install the happy patch, and doesn't have to worry about NPCs leaving or not rejoining over reputation. The alignments were chosen for no reason less arbitrary than that they conform to the usual party configuration where I use them. I generally use Faldorn with evil parties, so there's an option to make her NE. Simple enough. Alora CG Branwen CG Faldorn NE Garrick CG Jaheira NG Safana CG Xan LE Portrait changes: [not included in "Lite" package] You can assign Amaurea's portrait of Kivan in BG Tutu/BGT or you can use it in combination with Domi's "Kivan and Deheriana" mod. Or you can make Valygar look like Christian Bale. Sensible weapon proficiencies: The ability to use a given weapon is now stat-based rather than class-based. I don't care if a character is a fighter, if his strength is 9, he can't use a two-handed sword. Likewise, if a mage has a strength of 18/00, there's no reason he couldn't. This component is based on Ghreyfain's "Ashes of Embers," but there have been a few changes. The most notable change is that NPCs can now use their own starting weapons. Or you can just use "Level 1 NPC," which does the same thing more elegantly. Anomen's new proficiencies: This tweak was created when Anomen was still unaffected by "Level 1 NPC." The non-beta version 1 fixed that, but I'm leaving it here because I still use it. He becomes proficient in longsword, spear and crossbow, like in "Ashes of Embers," but it's CTD-proof. Flexible alignment restrictions for paladins and druids: paladins may now be of any good alignment or lawful neutral and druids may be of any alignment with the word "neutral" in it. All characters may attain Grand Mastery: [not included in "Lite" package] All characters may attain Grand Mastery in any weapon, regardless of class. You really should be ashamed of yourself if you use this component. Please note that the ability to place 5 stars in a weapon does not necessarily confer the ability to use it. If you have not installed the "sensible weapon proficiencies" component, a cleric can place 5 pips in longsword, but he still can't use one. Likewise, there is nothing to prevent a monk from placing stars in two-handed weapon proficiencies, except that the game engine will prevent the monk from actually equipping one. Sorry, folks, it's the engine. Proficiency tweaks: [not included in "Lite" package] This is a more selective way to assign proficiencies. Except for archers, who may attain grand mastery in long-bow or short-bow regardless of which proficiency level is installed, the number of points that may be assigned to any one proficiency is the same for every proficiency type. This means that if you want your cleric to be able to reach grand mastery in maces, hammers, slings, and other traditional clericy weapons, but be limited to proficiency in all others, you're either going to have to find another mod or voluntarily not assign stars to weapons that you feel should have more restrictive proficiencies. Also, as above, monks may place pips in two-handed weapons, but they can't equip them. Likewise, if the "sensible weapon proficiencies" component is not installed, a character may place points in weapons he cannot use. These proficiency tweaks are grouped as follows: Mage: unkitted mages (and sorcerers?), all mage schools, wild mages Fighter, monk and barbarian: unkitted fighters, all fighter kits, monks, and barbarians Cleric and Druid: clerics, kitted clerics, druids, and kitted druids Thieves and bards: unkitted thieves, kitted thieves, bards, kitted bards Paladins and Rangers: unkitted paladins, kitted paladins, unkitted rangers, kitted rangers Multi-Class: all multiclasses V. Contact Information Berelinde created this mod. She can be contacted at berelinde@gmail.com. VI. Tools Used in Creation WeiDU by Wes Weimer - http://www.weidu.org/ IESDP maintained by igi - http://iesdp.gibberlings3.net/ Crimson Editor by Ingyu Kang - http://www.crimsoneditor.com/ WeiDU Crimson and ConTEXT Highlighters by Idobek, updated by cmorgan - http://dev.gibberlings3.net/ VII. Legal Stuff This mod may not be sold. Since just about everything in it appeared somewhere else first, at least in concept, I'm not enough of a hypocrite to say "Hands off." VIII. Version History Version 4 - Added "Traveler's Stone," traified, reinstated Anomen's weapon proficiency change Version 3 - Added "Moody Anomen" and restored Anomen's weapon proficiency changes Version 2 - Added bardic reputation adjustment and deprecated Anomen's weapon proficiency changes. Version 1 - Initial version