Improved Anvil -- the new item upgrade

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Author: Sikret
Forum, download links: Improved Anvil Forum

From the readme:

Improved Anvil is a mod for BG2 and TOB. Even the SOA component of the mod requires TOB.

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What does this mod do?
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1) Cromwell and Cespenar make numerous new items for you.
2) The mod also contains a new fixpack which improves and/or fixes encounters and battles of the
original game.

A distinct .txt file is included in this package which will let you know which of the game's
items can be upgraded. Do not sell those items hastily if you want to see how they change. Nonetheless, I may even recommend that you do not read that file if you want everything to remain a surprise for you.

Quoting the author:

 

Is it intended to replace Item Upgrade?

 

yes

 

As far as I know it is not affiliated with Item Upgrade in any way. I think it is because Sikret has chosen not to make it compatible with IU, hence 'replacement' would be because you can only have one installed at once.

 

The link takes me to some generic Black Wyrm page that doen't seem to have anything to do with the mod.

 

The link goes to the mod's discussion forum. The pinned thread at the top has a title indicating download information for it, too.

 

Do I need to register to get to that forum? Because all the link does for me is to take me to a Black Wyrm page that is basically blank. It has what looks like a path to the forum about a quarter of the way down, but no actual forum, or anything else useful.

 

I would like to apologise to everyone who tried the forum link so far. It was a bad setting on BWL forum, I am responsible for it. I have just fixed it. Unfortunately the mod has no website yet, that is why we link to the forum.

Certain people have doubts about the mod's compatibility. I would like to assure everyone that this mod is compatible with your WeiDU mods except ItemUpgrade which you cant install if you install Improved Anvil. There is one issue only, which is currently being solved by the author (and the next release will include the fixes I think). This issue is just that you should install Improved Anvil before the following mods are installed: Amber, Beyond the Law, Delainey, Kelsey ToB, Kivan, and Deheriana, Neh'taniel, Sheena, The Longer Road. As I said, it is not incompatibility, it is a question of installation order. (And even this problem is being sorted out, as far as it is possible). And since Improved Anvil contains fixes and tactical changes as well and it should be installed after a new game is started, the requirement to install it before these mods, and to install it according to how the readme says (i.e. AFTER Tactics, Deeper shadows of Amn, Exnem, Freedom's Reign of Virtue, Munchmod), is not so horrible. Just consider that it allows you to upgrade LOTS of items (there is a spoiler file in its package where you can see the complete list).

Quoting Andyr:

'Replacement' means that it substitutes the feature of offering many upgrades, a feature of Weimer's IU.
You say that Sikret has chosen not to make it compatible with IU... You imply as if it had been possible.
Improved Anvil and Item Upgrade upgrade many same items -- so it's logical that they are not compatible, isn't it? Why is it bad that players can choose if they want IU or IA? One game with IU, another with IA...

 

I was just trying to make sure people realise it is not a new version of IU under a new name, but a different mod by a different person.

 

Anyway I look foreward to try it out on my next runthrough

 

Thank you for your trust. As always, BWL will offer you quality and fun, I assure you.

By the way, I saw good news on compatibility on the hidden workroom of this mod; it seems that even the currently released v1.00 is "more" compatible with the problematic mods I mentioned in my first post -- which means that the conditions I have written might be too strict. In case my point still isn't clear: if those conditions are obeyed, you'll 100% get full compatibility, but it is very likely that even without these conditions, there won't be compatibility problems.

 

It is worth noting that the mod makes a number of undocumented changes to the game, such as arbitrarily assigning HLAs to SoA enemies. (For whatever reason, the mod author has consistently tried to conceal these additions.) If you elect to install this, be prepared for the changes to extend beyond the advertised item upgrades and bugfixes.

 

Using "arbitrarily" in the context of mods is quite funny. Mods change the game, so every change made by a mod is arbitrary... The game has original features, and mods extend/change them...

The mod readme clearly says that it adds new tactical challenges, so I don't see a problem with changed HLAs.

SimDing0 had personal affairs with this mod's author, so I don't think he is unbiased in these matters.
In advance, I would like to ask SimDing0 (and every modder) not to bring any modding 'politics' to SP forum -- this is about gaming and fun.

By the way, at the moment I'm writing this post, the mod seems to have more than 160 downloads, and we received much positive feedback from players via email & PM, so I encourage everyone to try it out! (Unfortunately I don't have time.)

 

Well, there you go. Personally, I don't expect to download an item upgrade mod and find all sorts of random things changed, but so long as people are actually aware of what the mod does, I'm quite content.

I don't know why you want to defame me by accusing me of bias.

 

Sim: I'm not trying to defame you, I just said the truth.

For those who don't want to browse the forum I linked for download location and information, here is a direct link to the mod's package:
http://dragonshoard.blackwyrmlair.net/bwl_mods_download.php?mod=26
The package includes a readme (and a spoilers.txt as well but I don't advise to open that! ), so you can read it before you decide whether you want to install it.

 

After reading the readme a few times, can someone tell me what encounters this mod changes?

 

I don't think the author wants that information made public.

 

Then I guess it's time to ask him himself.

 

The author, Sikret, wants it to be a surprise for players.(I agree with that! No spoilers! Yes a small risk that e.g. the player won't like the changes, but it has very little chance, and the surprise will compensate this IMO. ) But I understand that many players want to know what the install will do, so everyone, feel free to email him about it. However, I ask modders not to post random stuff (it changes this and that) here about Improved Anvil, because it's (1) spoilers and (2) the author's wish.
I am sure Sikret will give satisfying reply to every email.

[ April 14, 2006, 00:58: Message edited by: Baronius ]