Installing Tortured Souls in a BGT game with BWS Options

[tomkaz]

Hi All:

Previously, with BWS, I could install Tortured Souls into a BGT game when I used TSv705.exe and BPTOB174.exe. BWS now has defaulted to TSv706.exe and BPTOB175.exe. I can no longer install either of the latest versions.

I would like to play Tortured Souls again in my BGT game.

My questions:

Is Tortured Souls no longer compatible with a BGT game made with BWS?

Is Tortured Souls no longer compatible with a BGT game made with BWP?

If Tortured Souls is compatible with a BGT game, what are the minimum TSv706.exe and BPTOB175.exe components that must be used?


I tried to get help from SHS and BWS, but no one has responded to my posts. So I guess no one is playing this mod anymore. It is a great mod so I cannot believe this is the case.

I would appreciate any suggestions or help to incorporate Tortured Souls into my BGT game.

Thanks for any help,

Tom

This post has been edited by tomkaz: Oct 9 2016, 08:35 PM

[Senka]

Hi Tom!
Just wait for new public installation from Vlad. We already tested it but there are some glitches that need be fixed.

[The Imp]

I tried to get help from SHS and BWS, but no one has responded to my posts. So I guess no one is playing this mod anymore. It is a great mod so I cannot believe this is the case.

Well should you know, the TS was NEVER a truly integrated completely into the BWS installs.
There was a variant of it in the past, it was the TS-BP v6.10 which is a totally unofficial offshoot of the actual mod. This was recently then switched to the actual TS mod.

Over the years Vlad has made multiple Baldurdash Fixpack-weidu, NeJ and TS releases. One problem being that there was not really good communication between "us" and Vlad. And that's not really anyone fault... or if it is, well, it's in the past and NO one should harbor those things that long. As well, we are all complicit within it.

This made the BWS need to implement custom modification to the official releases and thus every version update there was, dropped the BWS's compatibility with it, until the BWS made an update. This resulted into making of a custom tool* that fix some of the compatibility wrecks that are the result. It needs to be ran to each update that then are pushed as the BWP Fixpack's mod updates. That would then fix the compatibility for a short period of time. Periodically. That and the link update and other factors.

The Vlad said recently, that Baldurdash Fixpack-weidu, NeJ and TS and Keldorn romance mod should be getting a release that combines them together, in the hopes to make them easily more compatible with things(AMONG other things). And he also took a look into few of the suggested edits to the files that the BWS has in it. And he has obviously been keeping his eye out on the recent moding routines...

*this tool also covers a lot more extended family of mods than just the few here.

This post has been edited by The Imp: Oct 10 2016, 08:45 AM

[tomkaz]

Thanks for the replies.

I have noticed that mod authors are not consistent in the way mods are written. That makes it difficult for installation programs like BWP and BWS to accommodate every mod. What would be useful is for the installation programs to state which mods are not compatible with the installation program. That would give the mod writers an incentive to make their mods compatible. At the same time, installation programs need to update to the newer styles of mod versions as they become accepted.

BWS uses the latest versions of mods. This is a two edge sword. In one way it uses mods with the least errors, but does not allow you to go back when new problems or conflicts occur. For example, I know BWS was compatible with BDTOB174.exe and TSv705.exe because I installed them with BWS-3ae9aa4a29c6. But with newer versions of BWS it would not install BDTOB174.exe and TSv705.exe. Now, newer versions of Baldurdash and Tortured Souls, will not install with BWS even though BWS tells you which components of Baldurdash are required for Tortured Souls. (Last night, BWS said BDTOB175.exe (0000, 0015, and 0019) were required for TSv706.exe (0000 and 0003). BWS did not install either due to "missing dependence".

So until the differences with the mod authors and installation program authors can be resolved, it would be appreciated if the last working installation was retained. I would be satisfied if there was a way to use BWS-3ae9aa4a29c6, BDTOB174.exe and TSv705.exe in making my game, even though it meant missing the improvements made in BWS since BWS-3ae9aa4a29c6 was issued. Like all things in life, you always make choices. Right now I prefer to play Tortured Souls and put up with the other limitations. But due to BWS only recognizes the latest versions, BWS only will use BDTOB175.exe and TSv706.exe. These are improved versions but have other changes which do not allow BWS to install them with the current version of BWS.

The unfortunate situation is that there is no fixed rules to write mods and no group to enforce those rules. However, when you look at the improvements in computers since Baldur's Gate was issued, it is understandable that software writers want to use the new computer innovations in their programs. What is needed is a "program" to convert the older programs to be used with the latest technologies. This a quite a challenge. I am sure it will be worked out, but it takes time. Then installation programs would be designed to work with one format and this would fix many problems. Look at Windows versions. In 1998, Windows 98 was common. Today you have either Windows 7 or Windows 10 (even though I still rely on Windows XP). With the next version of Windows, I would not be surprised if all the original Baldur's Gate programs and many of the mods were no longer compatible. The way to solve many problems is to "INFORM" users of the limitations. e.g., BWS does not work with current versions of ...... Then list the mods and post this on the mod selection page.

Sorry for the preaching. Personally, I think The Imp, Vlad, and many others give terrific help, write fantastic mods and convey insights that allow us players to make great fun games and give us hours of enjoyment.

Thanks to all,

Tom

[The Imp]

BWS uses the latest versions of mods.

That's not true... it tries to use the files it has access to. Which in this case ... there's no TSv704 or BDTOB174 online.

With the next version of Windows, I would not be surprised if all the original Baldur's Gate programs and many of the mods were no longer compatible.

Well the official patches are not "fully"compatible with any of the todays Windows versions.. or past, including the Win XP. You have to arrange a special care in the install to overcome the problems that arise from this fact, aka you can't use the default install folder or it could be that the patches and mod you apply will never get used cause the Windows protects you from changing the game folders content. Brilliant.

[tomkaz]

Hi The Imp:

Thanks for the comments.

I may be weird, but I have over 500 older mods in my BWS folder. I saved most of the older versions of mods as newer versions were released. So for me, all I need is a version of BWS which would not check for the latest BWP files. But that is probably asking a lot.

I tried to use an older BWS file once, but it did not work as BWS used a later BWP Fixpack, BWP Trimpack and BWP Installpack which really caused a lot of errors. I guess you would need to specify the BWS, BWP Fixpack, BWP Trimpack and BWP Installpack versions (and maybe others) which would cause more problems and make it difficult for many other users of BWS. Yes, it would defeat the purpose of BWS.

So I will be patient and wait for those much wiser than I to fix it so BWS can install BPTOB and TS in a BGT game.

Tom

[ALIEN]

I wanted to make an update for BWS to use Baldurdash-WeiDU v1.75 but Vlad made some drastic changes to the components. Now it's already outdated because of upcoming BD + TS + Keldorn + NeJ3 compilation so it's best to wait for the official release.