No need to worry about that, there's always CLUAConsole and Shadow keeper

edit: posted in the wrong thread

Do you need the golden pantaloons in order to trigger a quest or forge an item? I don't see anything about it in the items text file?

The Golden Pantaloons can be combined with 2 other pantaloons available in SoA and ToB to create the Big Metal Unit - it's one of Cespenar's default upgrades, not something added by IA

ah, ok. For a second there, I thought smr49 was talking about the pantaloons involving an item recipe in this mod (in addition to the BMU).


btw, I don't think its Cespanar that upgrades it. I beleive its that dude in Amkethran

Absolutely correct, Panama! And he's not out in plain sight - you have to explore the city to find him...


Personally, I think it's over-powered to a point where it isn't even fun. Made it once, never bothered again.

I prefer to just wear the pantaloons myself.

Comfort and style > being a golem.

Sikret,

just stopping by to say that I am really looking forward to v4. I know it will be worth the wait! All the improvements sound spectacular.

I look forward to playing! You have breathed new life into BG2 for me!

What about an improved chateau Irenicus? I don't know if you tried Slightly Improved Ilyich but i think it was great...it was because the new version 1.4 seems bugged and causes permant slowdown performance unfortunately...if only i had made a back up of the older version...

I think I'd be quite sad if I actually had to do Chateau Irenicus instead of skipping it with Dungeon-Be-Gone...

Initial post updated. Improved random (city and wilderness) encounters implemented.

The improved battle with Suna Seni and her party will be a true challenge for low level parties at that early stage of the game, but the Arbane's sword should not be an easy treasure. (And of course, if you find the encounter too difficult for your party, you may be able to avoid the battle and escape from the area if you wish and if you can run quickly enough.) However, defeating them is doable and most satisfying .

I apologize for bugs and slowdown because of my mod. I wish someone send me notification about this, as I don't have much time to play the game.
I'm going to realese new version of SII within three weeks.

Sorry for OT.

Does Suna Seni encounter has anything to do with Suna Seni-Valygar Relationship of UB? I mean are they going to conflict? I don't want to bother you but i think maybe i can help checking compatibilities!

Razfallow...i didn't expected a so quick reply by you, i'm impressed! Anyway...have you a backup of SII v1.3?

And by the way...i think this mod proves that skipping Chateau with dungeon be gone (that i consider cheating) isn't the best solution...it can be made fun so that doing it is challenging and not boring to death..

I'm sorry, but no.

Certainly incompatible, yes.



It's very kind of you. I welcome and appreciate help offers of all sorts (ex: checking compatibilites, writing walkthroughs in a story style [see the sample story Silverstar has written], ideas for new quests, suggestions for more tactial challenges, finding and reporting flaws and glitches in the original game to be fixed, ... etc).

Awww, come on! I love Jasper St. Baird!! Great voice acting, fun dialog, and I know 3 people that finally got into the game and realized how good it is (once they installed Dungeon-Be-Gone) after being bored to quitting in the dungeon months or years before.

While I'll agree it's a cheat, it's the most harmless one I know of that serves a valuable (yet not balance-destroying) purpose on a vanilla install of the game. Only the installation of "Chateau Irenicus improving" mods would ever prevent me from taking advantage of Jasper's kind offer.

By the way, I forgot to ask this. How does the Firkraag in your mod compare to the one in Super Firkraag? I know you said somewhere that he is tougher than the versions in Tactics and Improved Battles, but what about Super Firkie?

Also, did I read somewhere that Twisted Rune is nerfed from version 2? Or am i just imagining things?

Just do not start writing any new story before the release of IA v4.

Tougher, more intelligent, but without cheats.



Are you comparing the Twisted Rune of V3 compared to V2? Or are you asking about V4?

In V4, the Twisted Rune battle is more difficult than all previous versions. Layene's level is increased to 31 (hence, she has more spells to cast) and she casts much better than both V2 and V3. She also uses the new polygonal scripting system. She will have some surprises for you as well, but I will not say more to avoid publishing spoilers. A very challenging fight indeed.

as Ribald would say, "Music to me ears!"

Yes, I was comparing the Twisted Rune of V3 to V2.

[Only the installation of "Chateau Irenicus improving" mods would ever prevent me from taking advantage of Jasper's kind offer.]

That's exactly why i suggests you to give a try to Slightly Improved Ilych...you won't regret it if you like improved mods like IA.

Initial post updated (improved City Gates' lich).

This is distinct from the general improvements applied to all liches, Elemental liches and Shade liches. A new type of lich (= Grave Lich) is designed and replaced the lich in the Crooked Crane.

I'm dying...


... TO GET MY HANDS ON IA v4!!!!


Sikret, please release the damn mod already. This patience is driving me nuts.



please

I can't speak for Sikret, but my testing is almost done. So bear with us just a little bit longer. You will be able to get your hand on IA4 very soon, I am sure of it.

LOL. I was just joking, take as much time as you need. Odd though, I've never been hyped over a mod so much

@panama

Thanks for the interest. we (testers and I) are doing our best to prepare the mod as soon as possible.

@Mordokai

During the last few days, I added new content (between one and two additional hours of playing time) to WK (compared to the version you have tested before). I wonder when we can really declare that the tests are done. Fortunately, thetruth has not yet entered WK and can test everything there quickly, and I'm sure that you have also kept a saved game before entering WK and a few more saves at different levels inside the keep; so be prepared for all the surprises which await you.

Apart from WK, more content is also recently added to both SOA and TOB portions of the mod:

-Planar sphere is improved further.

-Post-Firkraag adventures have now more content.

- New content has been added to D'Arnise keep (now you can have a longer dialogue with glaicas and may find something mysterious in his belongings when you kill him)

- Spellhold is improved even further.

- Sendai's enclave is improved even further.

- More items are added to the randomization program.

- New types of monsters have been added that even v4-testers have not seen yet.

- Improved Illasera is in progress.

- Improved Mind Flayers' lair in underdark is waiting in queue.

Players, however, are badly waiting for the mod's release. I don't know which course of action they may prefer: Adding and completing all of these new features to IA v4 before its release, or postponing a number of them to IA v5? (players can say their opinions and votes here.) The difference may be about 3 weeks.

PS: I didn't write the names of the other testers here, because they have not revealed that they are testing the mod and I respect their decision. Needless to add that their names will be in the mod's readme with my thanks.

Well, I would rather wait until you complete adding all new features to IA 4 before its release. My last couple posts was just a bait to see how much more progress was made.

I just have one last question. When you said, "Planar sphere is improved further", will it still be compatible with the Planar Sphere mod?


Thanks, to Sikret and all testers.

I just say take all the time you need!

What the heck, we've waited so long now (that's how it feels) that three weeks isn't that long. Just do it proper

Thanks, everyone! Now I feel that I can work on the mod with less stress or worries about the mod's releasing date.

@panama

Yes, IA is still compatible with the planar sphere mod. Just two points:

1- You had better postpone that feature of the planar sphere mod which allows you to forge items using the furnaces to the time Marvella's first quest (= Furnaces may malfunction) is done.

2- Do not start the planar sphere mod's main quest until all of Marvella's quests in IA are finished.

I say (although possibly slightly too late) finish up what's already on the table, but any new suggestions that come in now, leave until IA5... else we could be waiting forever!

Initial post updated.

26- Epic divine encounter: A new encounter in TOB.
(Note: If your main PC is a mage/sorcerer and if you have made a particular decision during one of the new quests added to the mage stronghold in SOA portion of the game, this new encounter in TOB may be a bit different for you; otherwise, it's the same for all classes and alignments.)

Take all your time for IA V.4, I can wait!

You don't have much choice, now do you?

Sorry, I had to

Initial post updated (Improved Globe Machine at the 5th level of WK).

Sikret,

Is there a rough estimate available as to how long until this is released? I seem to remember in early November that 4.0 was supposed to come out within two weeks! I don't mean to harp or sound rude, I'm just very excited about playing BG2 again with this awesome-sounding mod and I'm not sure if I can wait another 3 months Perhaps I should just play vers 3.0? How much content will I be missing in 3.0 vs 4.0?

Hi, nataben!



I have explained the reason of the additional delay here. I promise that the delay will not be as long as three months. I'm planning to release it within the next two or three weeks.



You will miss lots of content. V4 and V3 are not comparable at all. Just wait for v4.

Initial post updated:

28- Encounter with Orcus (Prince of the Undead)
(If you have Daystar Sword, you can go to the old crypts beneath Graveyard district to meet Orcus in his corporeal form. The encounter is optional; however, Orcus has one of the required ingredients to upgrade Daystar.)

Initial post updated (halflings in planar sphere are improved even further).

Initial post updated:

30- Improved Mind Flayers' lair (underdark):
(1) Tougher Insane Dwarf Warrior
(2) Improved final battle vs. The Master Brain:
(2-1) Tougher Master Brain
(2-2) Improved Brain Golems
(2-3) Elemental Golem guardian of the brain (The Master Brain will not die as long as the main guardian is alive).

The final battle vs. The Master Brain is not easy. Save the game before entering their lair; otherwise, it's probable that you will never exit.

Hi Sikret,

I would like to make the request that this mod not be a Huge Tactical Puzzle-Challenge. I am a big fan of additional of content - new quests that integrate well into the existing game (with convincing explanation in that regard). New monsters and new items are fine as long as they keep to the balance of the area as originally intended. In other words, for those of us who are not tactical maestros (or just don't choose to put in the time to solve the tactical puzzle), it is very nice that encounters be challenging rather than frustrating - particularly early in the game. Please make the initial encounters one may expect before going to rescue Imoen only moderately more difficult.

For example, Improved Irenicus in hell was pretty good. If you had made it like Tactics Improved Irenicus, then I would promptly uninstall. However, the first quests must be easier (for my personal enjoyment) - even if a little more difficult than standard. (I'll be playing through v3 from the beginning soon.)

I appreciate your efforts,
Joey

@rbeverir: I must confess, I got quite frustrated with Improved Anvil when I first tried it as all of the quests that my parties had done early in their games became almost impossible, especially those with an element of combat. Look for quests which don't require that much fighting and do those first. Keep your party small, you'll level up faster and when you first introduce NPCs into your party, they'll be a higher initial level. Don't rely on AI scripts, except maybe to have a really simple script to run away if HP get too low. Enable more of the auto-pause options, and manually pause a lot. Remember line of sight - if they can't see you, they won't attack you (well, most of them won't). Set up ambushes with a load of ranged attackers - send in a solo character with loads of buffs, get them to draw out one or two enemies then get the ranged attackers to shoot them. Finally, you can always move the difficulty slider down for some of the fights if they're becoming too annoying.

It's a case of getting used to the tactics, and the increased difficulty. After my last Improved Anvil game, I reinstalled and played a solo (almost) vanilla game and couldn't believe how simple the fights were, how limited the enemies strategies were, etc.

The really difficult fights in Improved Anvil are the ones which are optional, and don't affect whether you can finish the game - Twisted Rune is a good example. The rest of them can be dealt with as long as you're patient and think about strategies and options.

Very good points, OTG! Thank you very much.



Yes, I have deliberately left untouched a number of quests so that low level parties can start the game and proceed without problem. The main Trademeet quest (except Troll Mound and the tower), Djinnis in Trademeet, Unseeing Eye (except Theshal), Thief stronghold, Circus, Tanner, Neb, Buried man in the graveyard, are examples of quests which are not touched. Some other quests have been improved slightly and can be done relatively early in the game: Copper coronet, Slavers' ship, Fallen paladins are examples of the latter sort of quests.



Thanks!


Quite true.

Initial post updated:

31- Twisted Rune is improved even further:
(1) Layene is now a 31st level mage with more spells than previous versions. She also uses her staff most efficiently and has new summons.
(2) Shangalar has changed to a Grave Lich (= a new type of lich).
(3) Shyressa has changed from a normal vampire to a Vampire Lord (= new type of vampire with additional powers and immunities). This is not new, however. It was the same in v3 as well.
(4) Revanek is also improved further (= a 25th level fighter with better equipment)

Initial post upated:

32- Slavers' ship building in the Slums is improved even further.
(Some players had reported that despite the improvements applied to the mentioned area in previous versions of the mod, the battle was still easy and not challenging enough. Now, with the new additions, I hope that it will be quite challenging (and satisfying) specially at early stages of the game. You may be a bit shocked during your first attemtps and before finding out how to win the battle. )

IA v4 will be released before Friday (March 16).

So, if you are planning to start a new game just for wait for a few more days.

Wooopadoo, finally

But, could you please release the documentation before.

It would be really handy to know the list of compatibility-tested mods/ incompatible mods and their components.

Oh and well..*hurm the item spoiler list *hurm..

Very good news, it's nice to see people are still giving BG 2 the attention it deserves.

Sikret, I'm in love with your mod and I was amazed to see you're still improving it. Playing through it a second time as we speak, I can offer my expert opinion as soon as I'm done .

Finally! This is great news indeed! I will download V.4.0 as soon as you give us a link!

Ah, and it seems the new components will overwrite some older mods so I may need to uninstall them first. If you can give a full detailed list of all incompatible components from Tactics and other mods, like in V3.0's read me, it will be superb!

Thank you so much again for all of your hard and excellent quality work and dedication!

Initial post updated:

33- Improved Illasera (Suggested by thetruth, in details.)

34- Deeper than the Underdark
In the underdark, you may be lucky (or rather unlucky ) enough to find a hidden passage which will lead you to lower catacombs below. You will find it easy to enter, but far from easy to exit. Even mighty drows and other inhabitants of underdark do not dare to enter the deep and fearsome maze. A wandering ghost (who doesn't know that he is dead) will tell you that finding "The Mighty One" (whoever he is) is your sole chance to get out of the deeper darkness (and it will be the new quest you will have to do unless you do not enter the lower areas at all).

These two new features are still passing their testing stage.