How to make IWD 2 feel more like BG

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And no, it doesn't include Icewind Gate 2.

First, download Dalekeeper 2 or learn the experience and items cheats.

Second, begin the game with 3 or less characters, preferably one. You could also just drop one character if you need a new, just like you normally would.

Then you simply add more characters over time, giving them an appropiate level and generic + items based on where you are.

Good places to add characters into the game is:

1. After the defending of Targos, add a human fighter.
2. The Wandering Village, add a human Rouge, Fighter, Ranger, Druid or a Cleric.
3. The River Caves, add a Dwarven Fighter.
4. The Black Raven Monastery, add a Human Monk.
5. The Underdark, add a drow male Wizard or a drow female cleric.

If you can find out better places to add characters, be my guest.

I DO realize that this is cheating, but IMHO, that is min-maxing as well. No DM in his right mind would allow one to have a Half-Orc Barbarian with 20 STR, 18 DEX, 18 CON, 16 INT, 3 WIZ, 1(or 3, can't remember) CHA.

Also, this is great fun.


Disclaimer:
Remember, that makes the game feel more like BG, not BG2, as the party don't have any banters within eachothers.

 

Hmm... I think it's not that hard to implement dialogues for team members in IWD2. Scripts, variables storing the gentry's names, perhaps some custom checks. Joinable NPCs shouldn't be so hard, either, but I'm not sure on everything here. Basically, it's the same engine BG2 uses, so why not...

 

Your suggestions are praiseworthy, and probably many players will make good use of them.

IMHO it is impossible to even come near to BG feeling... I have never made an attempt to do that, and I don't have such plans in the future either.
Anyway, I know I am an (in)famous BG1 fan, so you can ignore my post if you wish

 

Aye, I agree that IWD2 is much worse than BG, but one step for NPCs, a great step for IWD2.

 

I know I told that it is far from BG feeling... and I have not changed my mind in this matter.
However, I thinked on your suggestions a bit. The idea itself, the NPCs, and their locations which you listed are good. The only problem is that the implementation is quite artificial due to the creature-adding method, thus many players among those who otherwise like the idea will not try it. The only solution to this would be mod for IWD2. But IWD2 is not a game which attracts many modders (including myself). But this is another question...

 

Impossible. The IWD2 engine has the hardcoded lack of a banter engine.

 

Btw, is there any way to change the AI scripts to the ones in BG2? I find it more than irritating that comp ALWAYS just ignores summoned creatures -especially when out of view.

 

I love the drow sprite in BG2 compared tothat in IWD2.