Overall completion status:
Update: 24/01/2006
Scripts : 80%
NPC : 0%
Joinable NPC : 0%
Monsters : 0%
Items, spells and stores : 0%

Estimated release date: April-May

Monsters (Status, New features)

Overall, a monster is based on 2nd Ed., but is completed with 3rd Ed. for missing stats. Special abilities specific to 3rd Ed. are not implemented but new immunities are. For example, all elementals are now immune to certain spells.

Most important changes are:

- Strength : previously, most monsters had often incorrect/inconsistent Strenght (polar bear with 16 Str). This has been corrected.

- Constitution : monsters didn't benefit from Con bonus in 2nd Ed.
That's why there are some tough monsters with low HP (battle horror with 58 hp for example). I have added HP bonus considering monsters as fighters.

- Dexterity : only minor changes in AC for most monsters

- Special Attacks : some were missing or wrong (ankheg for example had only one range attack every 8 hours). I have added and corrected special attacks according to the 2nd Edition Monster Manual.

- Spell abilities closer to P&P

- Attacks per round : often too high, sometimes too low.

- Movement speed : as close as in P&P (most monsters were too slow in BG)

Monster's abilities:

- Aerial servant : strangle
- Air aspect : fall unsconscious, poison
- Ashikuru : backstab
- Ankheg : entangle (because ankheg try to burrow with his target)
- Basilisk : petrification
- Greater Basilisk : done (fatal poison gaze, and many tweaks that make this monster worth its 7000xp)

- Bears : done (hug attack, can fight beyond death (simulating with higher hp & script))

- Battle Horror : done

- Doomsayer : done

- Carrion Crawler : done

- Crypt Crawler : done

- Demon Knight : done

- Cornugon : done

- Tanari : done (new death gaze, paralyze, energy drain, many tweaks)

- Doppelganger : done

- Dryad : done

- Ettercap : done

- Hamadryad : done

- Fire elemental : done

- Flesh golem : done

- Flind : done

- Ghoul : done

- Ghast : done (carrion stench)

- Ghoul lord : done (carrion stench, rotting disease)

- Ghost : done

- Invisible stalker : done (vortex)

- Loup garou : done

- Revenant : done

- Sirine : done (polymorph self, mass charm, major invisibility)

- Skeleton warrior : done (fear aura)

- Spiders (all type) : done

- Werewolf : done

- Wolfwere : done

- Wolf : done

- Wolf, dire : done

- Wolf, dread : done (disease)

- Wolf, vampiric : done (fall)

- Wolf, winter : done (10 feet frost)

- Worg : done

- Wyvern : done

- Greater wolfwere : done

Most other monsters are nearly done, I will edit this post as often as possible.

I'm actually working on a patching installation (instead of overwritting). So there will be no progress and no alpha-beta release this year.

I plan to release an alpha version in february, and the final version should be ready in march. It's not accurate, and it's possible to see a final version in january.
Patching is really fast compare to my old overwritting method. But there are many things to do (not to mention old done things).

There are many news today:

The mod is now 90% patching.
Overwritted files are:
- npc specific scripts (like _semaj.bcs, _belt.bcs, _andris.bcs) : they are the main fighting scripts of those npc and have been completely rewritten.
- spells : nearly all bg1 spells

basically, I have looked into all bg1 spells.
then, I have extracted bg2 spells used in bg1 (~114 spells) on a fresh bg2/tob install with only official patches. those spells will overwrite bg1's ones.

then, they will be patched to correct most of the known bugs and to add detectable spells.

news about npc: (optional component)
most of them will have a kit, based on what they should be if possible. otherwise, according to their many factors.
note that all mages will be mod by a kit (or not), but it won't be optional. it is needed for a variety of spellbooks (since everything is patched)

because bg1 is very limited in class, I will maybe make some changes. some clerics will become druids, fighters -> barbarian, thief -> fightning bards ...
the purpose is to encounter a large variety of class & kits.

remember than besides mages, it will be optional.
although this component will make the game a lot harder, because kits are powerful, generally.

I am thinking of using other mods kits to have a wide variety of kits but it can do it alone (except if I say "xxx mods are require to play this one")
So I will start with bg2's kits.

then, some features weren't implemented but I have found some things.
one thing actually : 3 spells for Dradeel, not really spells, but powerful innates.
he can use only once in game (I have lost all my evil party because I didn't want to help him lol).
He will recover all them and use them if you dare to fight him (Dradeel is a level 20 mage, with no spellbook, but still a level 20!)

There will be future thing like that : Drizzt using gwenvywar and drow powers (I will see the Ryu Drow innate powers), ....

News on scripts:
I have made many small files, as a programming projects.
Each files (or segment) do something precise (combat, offensive spells, buff, ...).
I have made some batchs that will rebuild the segments into one "normal" script.
This thing is made for future scripts improvements. Easier to debug, improve, and more readable by other people.

With all the new features, I have to work again on scripts to add kits abilities and on spells (all the patching/fixing stuff)
After, I will resume npc & monsters patching, as well as other components.

As you see, I'm going to make far more changes than a classic enhanced creature. This will delay a bit the release date, but the changes definitly worth it.

After that, I will be able to freely use tutu kit for joinable npc without having overpowered npc. (previously, my berserker shar-teel was a super-killing machine. now, some enemies will be berserker too, not to mention kensai, wizard slayer, barbarian ......)

Great news then, airgleborgne!

Adding kits to NPCs is a very welcome addition and will give a little extra touch although now I wonder what kind of champion is needed to make it through without ever dying (dreams sweet dreams )...

Hello,

I have some news. I will make a post with all details as soon as possible.

Cheers,

Arnaud

Hello,

I have been completely wrong about release date. It will probably be out in april-may.

Today, I have finished my first kit : invoker.
He has a spellbook with mainly invocation/evocation spells, same thing for contingency/sequencer.
I have tested it at many levels and I was very satisfied with results.

I have done spellbooks for other mages kits (except sorcerer), but I didn't build their contingency/sequencer, nor I tested them.

I know that most of the BG1 mages are under level 11, and thus, won't use my cont/seq. I just want to do complete scripts.

By doing all this, I have found and corrected many bugs or problems in mage script

Kits are now a full part of the mod and won't be optional. Divine remix will also be a required mod.

Anyway, with my installation system, it's easy to get rid of kits.
I use excel sheets for many things:
- detectable spells
- npc modification
- spellbook creation
- experience value for npc
- monster modification
Those sheets are just copy and paste in a 2da file.
This way, it is easy to delete the kit column or whatever thing you don't like.

I strongly advice to let kits in game, they add many great things and variety.
For example, mage's spellbook are created according to kit and level. So, if all mages are kitless, they will all have same spells. Kinda boring, no?

The only drawback of kits is an increase difficulty (which can be quite visible in some cases). But for me, it's better

This month, I will try to finish to code the kits. It's a lot of work, especially for divine remix kits.

About new mages scrolls (BG2 spells for level 1 to 5), it won't be optional anymore. But I won't simply add them to stores. I think it's a cheap way...
Instead, I will add them to many mages. So you will have to go nearly everywhere to get all the spells you want.
Of course, the highest level spells will be put on tough mages
I will even put level 6+ spells on some mages you are not supposed to kill (and against whom you are supposed to die anyway).

To be continued later...

Here the news:
Kits are nearly completed. Although innates are coded in scripts, it's not that great, since it's very difficult to code a proper use of some innates.
This could be improve later through

Despite this drawback, it adds a lot of power to npc (even for a badly timed innate).
For example, a blade will use his defensive spin if he is attacked in melee, but sometimes it's better to use offensive spin instead.

Unfortunaly, due to the limitations of IE scripting, I can't do what I want. I would need functions and many others things. Actually, it is possible to do a lot of things but it requires a lot of lines to do a simple thing.

Now that all preparations are done, I can build my npc and monsters tables.
I know that I didn't make any progress in the mod itself for a long time. But now, things will get easier and quicker to do (due to patching instead of overwritting)

I can already say that many things are far better than before:
- a small separate mod that restore bg2 spells including, in option, many fixes apply by a patch system
- more consistent detectable spells, fixes to many files (items, spells, creatures)
- file format, with my own prefix (ja#)
- vastly improved scripts (improvements and many fixes)
- user friendly, now easy to remove some of mod you don't like using excel sheets
- portability, compatibility: full patching mod
- many new features or now final ones.

I must confess that I did like my previous version, because it was on an advanced state and many things were working.
I make a big step back, but the bases are now very good and the mod will make great progress in short time.

Soon, an alpha version will be out for testing purposes.

Cheers, aigleborgne!

Excellent stuff, aigleborne. Glad to see its moving along nicely!

I have been thinking that this Mod would adapt itself marvellously to BGT-WeiDu. Much more so than TuTu, in my opinon. It would also give a nice continuity in the AI overhaul direction that aigleborgne has undertaken.

I don't even believe it would be a "double" work because the "body" of the program is being written. It would just be a matter of tweaking NPCs and Monsters that are present in BG2 and ToB.

I know I make it sound easy here ( ) but really I can't imagine how great it would be to play the whole saga with the benefit of aigleborgne's new mod!

Instead now, once a player finishes the TuTu part and wants to move on to SoA/ToB, the quality of the challenges and encounters will not live up to the (already better, as game) first part...

One step at a time, I know...But it's my proposal...

What do you think Ascension64 ?

unfortunately, there already is a mod that does this for BGT: Big Picture (and soon for BGt-weifu. no, really!). of course, there's no harm in having a different option.

seanas,

does BP do exactly the same thing though ?

Can't hurt I suppose...let's see aigleborgnes excellence first, because he looks to be working very hard indeed.

Such a compliment coming from you is worth even more...

After several testing, I decided that matching P&P monsters was a bad thing.

On a general way, P&P monsters are weaker than in bg.
So yes, you could say "'monsters of this mod are exactly as in P&P!", but where's the fun if you can kill them easier than before?

Ok, let me explain what I will do:

Level of the monster will be review to match their toughness.
In that regard, many monsters will gain several levels. But sometimes, you won't see any differences since actually, those monsters are far more powerful than their level.
For example, greater wyvern are level 7, doppelganger are level 4, ...

Then, thac0 and saving throws will be adjusted.
thac0 will remain the same if old value is lower (this is to keep the current challenge).

About AC and resistances, same thing apply : if better value are set in P&P, I put them.

Special abilities are given.

In conclusion, most monsters will become tougher in several ways. Or at least, they will get better scripts, which means smarter movements and attacks.

I must admit that some monsters will be insanely powerful (doom slayer, kahrk, ...), but it would make no sense to make all monsters beatable because baldur's gate is a low-level campaign game!

I mean, in BG, I fear no monsters.
In general, monsters are free xp (as most npc are), but at least, I need some preparations to kill some npc groups.

For example, a level 1 fighter can kill most monsters with a composite bow because those monsters are stupid, slow, and low hp.
Now, you will think twice before engaging some zerk ogre, ogre-mage, most bears, with your solo level 5 fighter (yes I did it many times in the past)

Of course, the game need to be playable and enjoyable. But it will surely be close to impossible to beat the game with a solo character. (even if I like to do it

aigleborgne,

in order to make the level of challenge uniformly good between NPCs and Monsters, I do believe that your idea of raising the monsters' level to keep the original Baldur's Gate numbers might be a good approach.

The good thing is that you still keep the monsters P&P!! Yes, the level will be raised but the monsters will still be P&P for that NEW level! That's something good...So yes, if the new level you decide gives a better Thac0 or AC or anything else then change the old BG's original value with a better one BUT - note here - if the new level you decide is going to make some values (AC, Thac0, ecc.) *worse* then I think you should change the ingame parameter accordingly. This is to rebalance the new monster created.

Aso I think you should avoid as much as possible too tough fights because the game might become frustrating and would counter balance negativly the benefit of the Mod...

This is my advice to you...By the way, today if we meet online, I am giving you the list you requested...

Hello,

Some news:
- 716 creatures : this is the number of modified creatures (monsters and npc)
- 213 of them are done, but these are monsters (npc will require more work)

Many tweaks have been done to tp2 code, it's now better and more convenient. Tables used by tp2 have been improved.

About the mod itself, monsters are nearly finished (there are about 280 cre for monsters)
I will release a beta version soon, which will include all monsters.

Installation take a lot of time, this is due to many tables beeing read during the process. For example, it takes about 5mn to patch 213 monsters.
Spellbooks take the most time, I can improve this thing a bit, but not much.

Are you using READ_2DA_ENTRY_FORMER and READ_2DA_ENTRIES_NOW to speed up the table reading process?

I have some difficulties with Kirinhale the succubus. Her script is difficult to code, but I managed to do it.
I discover that my invisible detection by script wasn't working. I need to find something to debug it.

Beside that, all others monsters are done, except wolfwere, werewolf, and loup-garou.
These last ones will take some times, because 2 of them will have advanced script:

one of them is a priest that can morph into a werewolf
one of them is a wizard that can morph into a werewolf

I will make a proper use of their primary classes before morphing into a beast.
The difficult point is to correctly set the morphing trigger. Because in both cases, it would be too bad if the creature is killed in human form.
(actually, the primary classes are not used. the mage only cast one spell)

After that, I will start working on NPC!
But an alpha version will be release for public testing purpose.

The Monsters completition will be a solid step forward and dedicating your new efforts to NPCs will renew mental energies spent on it. Thanks for sharing more bits about your current progress!

Hello people!

Some small news about the Mod progress then...

In this period real life is keeping our hero aigleborgne away from developing his Mod. On top of that, comes the recent change of computers which caused some distress in his home ...

The project is then at the moment on halt but will be resumed hopefully very soon. Since the latest Alpha release many big steps ahead have been made but not enough to justify a present Beta release.

Thanks!

I contend the opposite. To produce an improved creatures mod for BGT, you are also forced to go through all the BG2 creatures to prevent the scenario where, say, BG1 ghouls behave completely differently to those in the BG2 section. Meanwhile, with Tutu you only have the BG1 creatures to contend with.
(This is, incidentally, another reason why merging BG1 and BG2 is a bad idea. Virtue is an excellent example of the "continuity" actually limiting the mods you can use.)

SimDing0,

you're right about what you say under that point of view. But I meant to say that BGT will offer a better environment because of the potential collaboration with other Mods that will take care of improving the AI of creatures that belong to the BG2/ToB part of the game plus with partial benefit for the same Enhanced Creatures mod.

Personally I would aim to ensure compatibility with Big Picture so that the challenge level and AI refinement might engage a player from beginning to end although it's true that it's not easy to keep a balanced game whatsoever...

I think our opinion here differs meaning I wish to experience BG1 and BG2 as a single adventure and I'd work in order to make it as good as possible.

Many creatures that are present in BG2 are the same that we can find in BG1 with some small variations anyway. It's true that will not be easy to uniform the challenge all throughout the game but that's not impossible. Just a lot of work...

We will soon convert this Mod to BGT thanks to Ascension64's help and continue development as soon as aigleborgne will be available again.

P.S. Virtue is a great Mod and I am sure it could work marvellously on BGT-WeiDu covering the BG1 part of the game too...

I will not be developing Virtue for BGT-WeiDU. I have made some small progress on Virtue for Tutu recently.

In the long run, it is better to develop the mods for Tutu because
1) the merger project will use mostly the Tutu naming conventions
2) it is really difficult to convert BGT-WeiDU naming conventions to Tutu ones in an automated fashion

Ascension64,

I see your point here...It might be a good idea to work parallely on the two different port then: TuTu and BGT.

It all depends on aigleborgne's will of working on both of them. I believe that it'd be good to share a little more details about how techincally the TuTu2BGT software works. Is there anything that a modder must be aware of when developing a TuTu mod that later should be converted to BGT ?

The difficulty is only in the way that resource references are converted from Tutu to BGT-WeiDU. Most of the time, the '_' prefix is simply removed, but there are catches with 8-character filenames as well as super-confusing ones like _13_MTOB.CRE. It is possible to go BGT-WeiDU->Tutu, but that would require creating a dictionary of every single filename conversion...not to mention the actual process would be as slow as a snail as well, since dictionary checking is sequential.

There is no need to 'work on both of them' per se. In other words, the ease of conversion to BGT-WeiDU does not depend on how the original Tutu version is written. Rather, it depends on how well the Tutu2BGT program is written, as well as how far one is willing to go to test every piece of content. Hence, no special considerations are required if someone wants to make a mod for Tutu, which will later be converted to BGT-WeiDU.

That sounds great, Ascension64! I have already informed aigleborgne...We might be releasing a Beta version of the Mod within a month...

New update: after speaking with the author, I have confirmation that he will resume his work on the Mod in a matter of few days.

Just to make it clear, the development platform will be Easy TuTu. A BGT version might see the day of the light at a later stage.

I hope I will have aigleborgne come here sometime and bring his own news. Thanks!

Hi,

I was confident to resume my work this month, but it hasn't been possible.
I am seriously looking for a job and this is my top priority.

Anyway, I hope to resume my modding activity in june. Maybe, a final version will be available in september so.

I still have to play through all the trilogy, and I won't do it without my mod. So, don't worry, I will finish it.

Keep faith

EHEHEH, i know that feeling Nice to know, i look forward to test your "full work"

mm75

Hello,

I took time to work on it, but I finally put my hands into the code and I resume coding today.

Now invisible detection by script is working. It is a great step! Because I was blocked on this for a long time. Now Kirin (the succubus) fights well and is a tough opponent (previously, she wasn't more difficult that a dryad, a shame for a succubus!)

Monsters will be finished soon, and I will upload an alpha version for those who want to try out all those monsters.
Some like ogre-mage share the same script than mage. So it's a good way to try out my enhanced AI.

I have finished the monsters module.
Now I will work on NPC. It shouldn't be that long because I have gathered all necessary informations previously.

I guess I will need 1 month to finish it, then maybe 1 month of testing.

We look forward to test it for you

Thanks for your work Respect,

mm75

Hi,

I have worked all day on tp2 and did many things

Starting with code optimization for better view and faster installation. it was important because even if it was working, it wasn't really good in term of programming and thus, I wasn't proud of it.

Doing that, I found some bugs that were corrected.

Then, I have worked on thac0 and saving throws code. 2 parts made by Ascension64 when I was learning the weidu langage. There were some bugs into his code. Well, that wasn't really bugs but engine misconceptions.

It was in fact the problem of dual classes, to understand how the engine attribute first and second level to which classes. Well, it wasn't working and I have made extensive tests to understand exactly how the engine works.
I managed to do it, of course

The only flaw in the code is that it doesn't support inactive dual classes. But... it shouldn't happen. What's the point to put a dual classed enemy with an inactive class?

I will work on maximum hit point code (made by another person), because it has the same bugs with dual classed char.

After this, I think everything will be ready and I'll continue to work on npc (enemies).

Very nice report here, aigleborgne! We're all looking forward to having more news coming from you! Thanks!

So it's time for some updating:

- I was given the honour (thanks Aigleborgne) to give NPCs (non joinable) a Kit and this is going to take quite some time as it is a long job (there are more or less 400 .CRE to take care of)

- At my specific request Aigleborgne, once back from the summer holyday, will work on coding the Monk "kit" as well (which is the only one missing at the moment together with the Diviner)

- My intention is to make NPCs as legit as possible and tone down the amount of the most common magical items (weapons and armours) that they use (and that the party would obtain upon defeating them) in order to avoid the overrepresentation of magical items in the game and give a meaning to spells/immunities to normal weapons

- I will be using a proprietary system ™ in order to create a partially constant and partially randomized NPC environment

Thanks for your interest!

This is really good news, Salk!

Hi,

I will be back next week, and I will find some time to work again on the mod. Salk is now in the staff team. We will be able to produce a beta version very soon, probably in end september.

The diviner kit won't be coded because it is not a fighting kit and I won't waste my time in it. Maybe for the few diviner in the game... maybe.

Hi everybody!

Just wanted to inform that the author, thanks to a very positive real life change (new job - congratulations,) will not be coding for some time.

The progress made has taken EC closer to a Beta release but there is still quite much to do. To give a new ETA is difficult. When I know something more about it, I will post a new message!

Thanks!

Hello,

As Salk said, I found a new job and thus, I am quite busy now (my old job gave me so much free time).
Anyway, I will find time to finish what I was working on (multiple spellbooks on a same creature & monk kit). I will validate the kit list so Salk will be able to produce a first version.

Actually, all over modules are mostly completed:
- Monsters
- Items balances
- Many fixes (items, spells...)
- New spells (level 1 to 5, from BG2) : need to be place somewhere
- Scripts : all done except thieves-mages (need some work to make good use of backstab/spell/attack)
- TP2 done (most important thing after scripts, since the mod use a set of 2da files to determine every changes to make)

You can expect a first release in end october or november.
Thanks for your patience

I am doing my best to finish this mod, but I am a player too, and I am playing many games. I will never forget BG, but I don't have enough time to do everything I want

Just a word:

thanks

mm75

One of Murphy's "unknown" laws goes something like:

"Projects proceed rapidly until they are 90% complete. Then they remain 90% complete indefinitely."

Unfortunately this is all too common (especially in anything I get involved in ). But it sounds like people've done quite a bit of good work here... would be a shame to shelve it indefinitely even if the authors have moved on to other games besides BG or real-life pursuits. Looking forward to a release of this, and if you can use any help testing etc. let me know.

Tervdah,

thanks for your interest.

The situation at the moment is fairly described by Murphy's law. Aigleborgne had several ETAs for releasing a non Alpha version for quite some time.

Unfortunately, for a reason or for one other, he could not stick to his deadlines and the release has been postponed several times.

Untill I get some material validation from Aiglerborgne I can't start my part and I will also need some time once I receive his response.

90% of the Mod is practically ready but it is unpresentable without the necessary 10% left.

Hopefully I will start working on this soon...

I am sorry to delay my mod, but I am really busy.
I can't even estimate a release date.

Just one thing you can be sure:
I will finish this mod for 3 reasons:
- I haven't worked for hundreds of hours for nothing
- I really like my mod (hehe, pretty obvioud)
- I still have to play through all trilogy (with many mods installed)

Players who still play Baldur's Gate are generally fans and so, they won't stop playing tomorrow.

I could say that this mod will be release in early 2007 (probably in january-february).

While this is quite far away, there are some advantages tied to it: many mods will be updated (and so better), better stability, ...

Enhanced Creatures was at first a "quick coded" mod that should have been released far earlier. But while I was working on, and following many discussions with Salk, it ended beeing a lot more complicated and interesting.

This is why I need to code some new features these days, while doing some other things for Salk.

Because of delays, some similars mods went out and maybe many players will forget this one and see others.
Well, I'm sorry about this, but at first, I was coding this mod for myself, to play a better game.

I'm just sharing what I can do with community, and I don't want to rush to produce a final version.

Quality is my top priority.

Cheers,

I and aigleborgne both surely share the same vision and what we just feel to say to people that are patient enough to wait is that it will be worth while.

He is very right when he says that important Mods will be more stable and enjoyable once Enhanced Cratures goes out of Alpha.

There are also others mods that are not out yet and that would make a great addition like BG1 Unfinished Business and other productions here at Black Wyrm.

It's true that aigleborne is a great fan of the series and I am one as well. But our passion is balanced by all the rest that we have to do in the everyday life.

I will try and be ready and fast as soon as aigleborne will need my help!

Thanks!

After a month of very little activity, I have finally started kitting the NPCs as aigleborgne gave me permission by validating at least partly the changes brought in by me, adding useful suggestions and comments.

The author won't be able to get back to coding (there are some kits left to code in) untill the new year but I can report his interest in the project is still very high.

The delay is not pleasant of course but you will bear perhaps with less heavy hearth realizing that in this period many important Mods are being updated and will be welcoming EC with less bugs and more features.

My activity has resumed yesterday but it takes time and is tiresome making me prone to mistakes. I am doing my best.

I will give here from time to time a percentage that should define how close my part of the work is to completion:

At today 4%

The number is small but I will try and make it raise as quickly as I can!

Thanks!

After some days of work, I'd say I am up to 25%...

A month has gone and I reached 75%. Aigleborgne is in the middle of moving to a new apartment and won't have Internet at home for few weeks but he is back to coding, trying to eliminate some bugs and introduce new features that we are not yet so sure that can be coded in (but he's trying to find out) and that would make Enhanced Creatures even more interesting and unique! Stay tuned!

Great work - keep chipping away at it. If you need any coding help, let me know. I'm not really an expert, but I've learned a thing or two and am working on some mods that sound kind of similar to this one.