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Baldur's Gate and Baldur's Gate II remain cult classics not only among D&D fans, but cRPG gamers in general. With countless hours of gameplay, captivating stories, colorful characters, and many memorable locations they're one of the most intense and extensive role-playing experiences you can get while sitting in front of your PC. But to say that they didn't age at all might be a bit of a stretch. That's why some people would go a great distance modding and upgrading both those titles to combine them into one, seamless, visually updated game--an enhanced edition, if you will.

We're well aware of a commercial project aiming to achieve that goal. Originally, actually, that was scheduled to release today. That didn't happen, unfortunately, but that does give us a great reason to tell you how to make your own enhanced edition of Baldur's Gate. It's very nearly hassle-free and (especially with the sale going on) it won't cost you much at all. There's one catch, though: you need copies of both Baldur's Gate and Baldur's Gate 2 in order to enhance your game. Let's see how! One of our users, GoJays2025, committed his time to write a comprehensive guide on the topic. We know not all of you dare to venture into our forums, so we thought that sharing this guide here, might be a good idea!

So, are you ready to enhance your GOG.com edition of Baldur's Gate saga and play both games as one, seamless adventure with the visually superior BG2 version of the engine and its updated mechanics, and with high-res graphics better suited for your modern wide-screen display? Here's how you do it, according to GoJays2025!

1. Fully install Baldur's Gate: The Original Saga
2. Fully install Baldur's Gate II Complete.
3. Download Baldur's Gate II Fixpack (Download links are on the left side) and extract it to your Baldur's Gate II directory.
4. Run the newly extracted setup-bg2fixpack.exe (if not automatically started).
5. It is safe to select yes for all the optional fixes, but if you want to learn about each in detail, consult the readme file that comes with the fixpack.
6. Download BGT-WeiDU and extract it in your Baldur's Gate II directory.
7. Run the newly extracted Setup-BGT.exe and follow the instructions. You may need to run it in administrative mode in Windows Vista/7.
8. Enter Baldur's Gate I's directory when asked (if not already provided)
9. Wait for BGT-WeiDU to finish installing.
10. OPTIONAL: Download and install Baldur's Gate 1 Unfinished Business as well as BG 2 Unfinished Business. These mods restore things that were previously cut from the released product, so while you don't need them, and they do add new content, they're pretty nice to have, especially if this is not your first time.
11. OPTIONAL: Download and install any user-created material (banter packs, expansion mods, new NPCs, etc.)
12. Go to your Baldur's Gate II directory, then find and run the file Setup-BGTMusic.exe and select 'Hybrid Baldur’s Gate/Shadows of Amn/Throne of Bhaal music'. This makes it possible to hear the original Baldur's Gate music when playing Baldur's Gate I.
13. OPTIONAL: (for more experienced users) Download Baldur's Gate II Tweak Pack (if this link doesn't work, please try the emergency mirror site) and apply it in the same way as the fixpack. Consult the readme file for details of each tweak - too many to list here. If you don't know what a tweak does even after consulting the readme, just skip it.
14. OPTIONAL: Download and install the Bigger Fonts for BGII mod if you plan to play in really high-res and don't want to strain your eyes reading tiny text.
15. Download the widescreen mod and apply it in the same manner as the fixpack. This makes it possible to play the game in high resolutions and in widescreen format.
16. Remove the Baldur's Gate I installation if you wish - it's done its job!

Now you should be able to play the game all the way from Baldur's Gate I to the end of Throne of Bhaal in one continuous game! Enjoy!

Note: If you're on Windows 7 you might want to install the games in a directory other than C:Program Files or C:Program Files (x86) to avoid potential problems. C:Games should work.

The original forum thread, that also includes some other installation options, can be found here:
Baldur's Gate saga essential mods by GoJays2025
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anjohl: No fan hack is going to fit the style of the original game in the same way that a professional art designers work would.
Again, JA2 1.13, which you keep ignoring. Do you want me to post a collection of portraits and ask you which ones are professional art and which ones are fan made hacks?

Feel free to only go for paid-for content, but don't diminish all fan made one. You should be smarter than that.
The website for the Macready version of EasyTuTu is down.
Does anyone know if this is a temporary situation?
Hi guys.

It's my first try playing modded Baldur's Gate. I installed these mods, not all of them, but those intended to keep a near-vanilla experience while taking advantage of the Baldur's Gate II interface (and also enabling widescreen view and some fixes).

After installation, it took me a while to advance levels, that's when I noticed my characters were rolling always maximum HP. I didn't want this, so I went to install/uninstall instructions of Tweak Pack, and saw there was one such tweak. I ran the installation program, found the "Higher HP on Level Up" mod. There, I didn't have the option to uninstall, only to "[N]ot install". Either way I typed "n", hit ENTER. It apparently did nothing, skipped to next. When I chose to install a different tweak, the program said it files were being changed.

I had a saved game with Imoen ready to level up. I open the level up dialog and she always gets maximum HP.

What went wrong?

Did I do something wrong when uninstalling?

It's my first time modding this game, perhaps there's a different mod doing this?

Can I even uninstall a tweak from an already ongoing game?

Thanks for any help.
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anjohl: I still find it funny that so many people think a bunch of fan-made hacks applied to the original game is going to come anywhere near as good in quality as a professional commercial HD remake.
I don't know about the HD remake, don't know if it plays much better. But the fact is that this modded version plays great.

Many games don't ever get their HD remake and become much improved with the community intervention.
Post edited July 24, 2013 by RafaelLopez
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RafaelLopez: After installation, it took me a while to advance levels, that's when I noticed my characters were rolling always maximum HP. I didn't want this, so I went to install/uninstall instructions of Tweak Pack, and saw there was one such tweak. I ran the installation program, found the "Higher HP on Level Up" mod. There, I didn't have the option to uninstall, only to "[N]ot install". Either way I typed "n", hit ENTER. It apparently did nothing, skipped to next. When I chose to install a different tweak, the program said it files were being changed.

I had a saved game with Imoen ready to level up. I open the level up dialog and she always gets maximum HP.
Check in your WeiDU.log for Maximum HP for NPCs
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RafaelLopez: After installation, it took me a while to advance levels, that's when I noticed my characters were rolling always maximum HP. I didn't want this, so I went to install/uninstall instructions of Tweak Pack, and saw there was one such tweak. I ran the installation program, found the "Higher HP on Level Up" mod. There, I didn't have the option to uninstall, only to "[N]ot install". Either way I typed "n", hit ENTER. It apparently did nothing, skipped to next. When I chose to install a different tweak, the program said it files were being changed.

I had a saved game with Imoen ready to level up. I open the level up dialog and she always gets maximum HP.
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olnorton: Check in your WeiDU.log for Maximum HP for NPCs
I just figured it out. Apparently the Normal difficulty works that way! The actual middle difficulty is called Core Rules. Changing the difficulty solved the "problem". Go figure...
low rated
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RafaelLopez: Thanks for any help.
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anjohl: I still find it funny that so many people think a bunch of fan-made hacks applied to the original game is going to come anywhere near as good in quality as a professional commercial HD remake.
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RafaelLopez: I don't know about the HD remake, don't know if it plays much better. But the fact is that this modded version plays great.

Many games don't ever get their HD remake and become much improved with the community intervention.
Oh for sure, I bet many people enjoy it, but the concepts that:

A) All games have "required" or "essential" mods
B) People who prefer the commercial HD version over fan hackjobs have inferior taste

..are deplorable.
Baldur's Gate is on backlog for me, so I have yet to play it, but will this allow me to play through the 1st game co-op/multiplayer?
Will I be able to play BG2 seperatly with all these mods ? Finished the enhanced edition and played ~15 hours into BG2 so far and I would hate to start all over again, so I wonder. Most of these mods seem just too good to miss :P
Post edited July 29, 2013 by punikun
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anjohl: No, the original game, as designed by the legendary Bioware is the definitive version, played as it is meant to be. The new enhanced version, as a new game for veterans of the original, is the definitive version for those who want updated graphics. No fan hack is going to fit the style of the original game in the same way that a professional art designers work would.
Have you tried any of these mods?
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punikun: [...]
Check this thread out: http://www.gog.com/forum/baldurs_gate_series/baldurs_gate_2_essential_mods/page1
Read the section beginning with "For people who only wishes to play Baldur's Gate II." and you should get what you want. :)
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anjohl: Oh for sure, I bet many people enjoy it, but the concepts that:

A) All games have "required" or "essential" mods
B) People who prefer the commercial HD version over fan hackjobs have inferior taste

..are deplorable.
I don't think there's many people that would say you'd have inferior taste if you prefer the commercial remake. It does genuinely have things to offer that you won't get in fan mods, mostly convenience and accessibility (very valuable) and some unique content in this case, and (ironically, given your apparent distaste of fan `hackjobs'), the promised possibility of more extensive modding in the future, by making less things hard-coded. For me right now, the right choice is clearly fan-modded, because it gives me more control and choice, but depending on if support of BG:EE picks up again, and the mod scene will indeed start making use of the new possibilities, that might definitely change in the future (which is why I didn't take a refund offer when the EE turned out to not run on my laptop, on release).

However, most of your posts strongly implied the reverse of your point B), namely that people who prefer the fan mods over the commercial remake have inferior taste. In this particular case, that's just as silly as the reverse, and strongly suggests a complete lack of knowledge of the quality and easy of use of many BG mods. The difference between a well modded BG and the remake aren't that large, and there's a real choice here, depending on your preferences . This is not some universal COMMERCIAL VS FAN MADE thing*, the balance between those will be different in every specific case, but it is true in this particular case, of BG:Enhanced Edition VS BG:Modded.

*(and claiming you can say something absolute about that ignores a lot of terrible commercial products and excellent fan products in favor of an idealized, simplified view of reality)
Post edited July 29, 2013 by LordCinnamon
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anjohl: Oh for sure, I bet many people enjoy it, but the concepts that:

A) All games have "required" or "essential" mods
B) People who prefer the commercial HD version over fan hackjobs have inferior taste

..are deplorable.
I agree with you in most cases because I know where you come from: some people simply can't play the original game, use the original firmware or run with the factory paint job in his car. Modding for the sake of modding, is a hobby like any other.

Many modders that prefer the vanilla experience though (like you and I) excel in modding only tried and true annoyances while keeping the taste. This is quite the case here: just by being able to play the exact same game (Baldur's Gate 1) with a smaller interface, higher resolution and more space to see the world, it can't go wrong.

In any case I think this was a poor choice of thread to make a case against modding in general.
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RafaelLopez: In any case I think this was a poor choice of thread to make a case against modding in general.
He's not making a case, he's just being obnoxiously trollish. Notice his persistent use of derogatory expressions for modders: hacks, hackjobs, made in a basement, unprofessional,... It's bad enough that JMich was led around for so long, without others coming in, trying to lead a civil discourse where none exists.

Best thing to do would be to downvote any post where anjohl plain simply insults modders, and don't bother replying. This thread's gotten bad enough.
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Spinorial: It's bad enough that JMich was led around for so long, without others coming in, trying to lead a civil discourse where none exists.
Thank you for the consideration, but it's not the first time I've "discussed" mods with anjohl. That is exactly the reason why I keep repeating the same mods, because he keeps ignoring them. Not to mention the fact that if it's something he likes, he accepts the modded version as canon, if it's not, he accepts the vanilla as canon.

The lovely part is that his quote in 220, if reversed, is exactly what I'm pointing out, no idea if he wants to accept it though.
low rated
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RafaelLopez: In any case I think this was a poor choice of thread to make a case against modding in general.
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Spinorial: He's not making a case, he's just being obnoxiously trollish. Notice his persistent use of derogatory expressions for modders: hacks, hackjobs, made in a basement, unprofessional,... It's bad enough that JMich was led around for so long, without others coming in, trying to lead a civil discourse where none exists.

Best thing to do would be to downvote any post where anjohl plain simply insults modders, and don't bother replying. This thread's gotten bad enough.
No, I most definitely AM making an argument. The market rewards fitness, and thus, if these fanhacks were so good, they would be the commercial product, not the other way around. I remember when I played TF2, how annoying it was having to download the fan hacked sounds, pictures, etc just to play a round. Buy a game based on what it IS, not what out-of-place garish textures some hacker can shove into it.

And I am not insulting modders. They know what they do is a hackjob, or they'd be submitting it in a portoflio to major studios looking for a job. I am insulting idiots like YOU who perpetuate this idea, and spread it to the new arrivals, that every game is inherently inferior until "essential" mods are applied. The term itself; "essential mods" is absolutely abhorrent.
Post edited July 29, 2013 by anjohl