Yay! So I finally picked up NWN2 + MotB

[Arkan]

 

So...patching...

 

If it's like it's always been, I don't need to patch NWN2 since MotB will have the latest patch, right? And the MotB patch? Call me old fashioned, but I prefer to download my patches and install them manually. So, best place to pick it up? I guess google will help with that. Is there even a patch for MtoB yet?

 

Yeah, I could ask this on Bio's NWN2 forums, but I'd rather avoid those boards (haven't been there in at least a year, I think).

[Arkan]

Well, I checked the Bio forums anyway, and there apparently seems to be some sort of patching issue and such with MotB?

[Dark_Raven]

You still need to install the patches. MotB doesn't have the NWN2 fixes.

 

What I did was install NWN2. Install of NWN2 patches, installed MotB and than installed all of the MotB patches.

 

NWVault is your patching friend.

[Tigranes]

I haven't played MoTB for a while so I don't know if a patch is available. I think it is, though, Arkan. You can check nwvault.ign.com for manual version fo patches, but they may or may not be available.

[Arkan]

You still need to install the patches. MotB doesn't have the NWN2 fixes.

 

What I did was install NWN2. Install of NWN2 patches, installed MotB and than installed all of the MotB patches.

 

NWVault is your patching friend.

 

Geeze. This is the first time I've heard of it being done like this. The expansion usually contains all the patching necessary for the core game. Ok, of to IGN to get the patches...

[Dark_Raven]

I was told MotB didn't have the fixes. A question I asked here and read a thread at the Bioware forums as well. Kinda lame on their part for not including the fixes.

[Starwars]

Manually installing the patches is a pain, and as far as I know rather unnecessary.

According to Rob McGinnis the fastest way to do it is installing the main game -> install MotB -> run autopatcher.

[Tigranes]

Yep, I didn't do that double-patchy-thing DR talks about and the game was fine for me. I think that is something to try if your computer just doesn't like the game though, you know how that can be.

[CoM_Solaufein]

From Rob McGinnis on Bioware's forum.

 

Hello everyone,

 

These are the updated instructions for installing MoTB. Hopefully this will clear up any confusion you might have.

 

Fresh Install

(no previous installation of NWN2)

1. Install NWN2 (do not patch yet)

2. Install MoTB

3. Run the Autoupdater to patch

 

Installing MoTB with a previous install of NWN2

(regardless of NWN2 version)

1. Install MoTB

2. Run the Autoupdater to patch

 

If you are having problems using the autoupdater, such as receiving corrupt file messages, you may need to turn off your Antivrus programs and/or firewall temporarily.

 

Antivirus and software-based firewalls are known to cause some problems with the autoupdater and with game saves from time to time, as they interfere with writing to the hard drive once in a while.

 

Further, if you already have NWN2 installed and patched up to the latest version, simply install

 

Please feel free to post any questions you have here.

[Arkan]

From Rob McGinnis on Bioware's forum.

 

Hello everyone,

 

These are the updated instructions for installing MoTB. Hopefully this will clear up any confusion you might have.

 

Fresh Install

(no previous installation of NWN2)

1. Install NWN2 (do not patch yet)

2. Install MoTB

3. Run the Autoupdater to patch

 

Installing MoTB with a previous install of NWN2

(regardless of NWN2 version)

1. Install MoTB

2. Run the Autoupdater to patch

 

If you are having problems using the autoupdater, such as receiving corrupt file messages, you may need to turn off your Antivrus programs and/or firewall temporarily.

 

Antivirus and software-based firewalls are known to cause some problems with the autoupdater and with game saves from time to time, as they interfere with writing to the hard drive once in a while.

 

Further, if you already have NWN2 installed and patched up to the latest version, simply install

 

Please feel free to post any questions you have here.

 

Yeah, I saw that thread and posted a response. It's just that I've never had luck with autopatchers...especially with NWN. I guess I'll try my luck again.

[CoM_Solaufein]

All of my patches are manual. I prefer to keep copies of patches on my computer. When I bought MotB my NWN2 was already patched so I just manually patch MotB whenever they bring up a new patch. If you do it manually make sure you get the NWN2Patcher tool.

[Guest Major Dillz]

Installing MotB indeed does patch the game up to the version that was current as of when MotB shipped. Like Rob McG said, just install NWN2, then install MotB and then install the patches using the auto-patching tool. That's your best bet.

[Dark_Raven]

Well thats nice to know a little too late. People told me to install the patches because MotB didn't have any of the NWN2 fixes. Where are the damn devs at on here when these questions are asked?

[Arkan]

Yep, it actually worked! Woo hoo!

 

After about an hour of getting a handle on the camera controls, I'm well into the first chapter. The only thing that really bugs, me, though is the fact that it still has that same 'clunk' feel that NWN has. An Aurora engine trait, I guess. No getting away from it. So far it seems like such solid title compared to its predecessor. I never knew there were this many classes! I mean, hell, they had a sorcerer for mages, then they add a similar class for both druids and clerics. I may have to give those a try. I just picked a ranger to really play test it though. We'll see tomorrow...

[Starwars]

Major, I believe MotB does patch everything up to 1.10 (the patch that was released with MotB), except bug fixes that are specific to the NWN2 campaign. So if one installs NWN2, MotB and then manually install the patches after 1.10 then I think you miss out on NWN2 campaign fixes.

I think Obsidian updated the autopatcher sometime ago so that it checks if you're missing any files, so it may be worth running at least to make sure you're not missing anything.

 

Arkan, I assume you mean the Spirit Shaman and the Favoured Soul? Those were added with the expansion. They're pretty nice.

And make sure you fiddle around with the camera options (can be found in the options menu). There are lot of different settings that you can tweak for the two different camera modes (strategy and character, use the *key to switch between them). Using this, I got a camera scheme that works like a charm for me.

[Kelverin]

Where are the damn devs at on here when these questions are asked?

http://nwn2forums.bioware.com/forums/index.html

[Arkan]

Major, I believe MotB does patch everything up to 1.10 (the patch that was released with MotB), except bug fixes that are specific to the NWN2 campaign. So if one installs NWN2, MotB and then manually install the patches after 1.10 then I think you miss out on NWN2 campaign fixes.

I think Obsidian updated the autopatcher sometime ago so that it checks if you're missing any files, so it may be worth running at least to make sure you're not missing anything.

 

Arkan, I assume you mean the Spirit Shaman and the Favoured Soul? Those were added with the expansion. They're pretty nice.

And make sure you fiddle around with the camera options (can be found in the options menu). There are lot of different settings that you can tweak for the two different camera modes (strategy and character, use the *key to switch between them). Using this, I got a camera scheme that works like a charm for me.

 

I've not used the character camera mode. What's the point? I really like the top down view with the free roaming camera. I just wish I could fix the vertical position somehow.

[Gorth]

I had help (thanks Sand...) figuring out how to bring back the strategy camera mode of NWN2 pre-MotB

 

Which, if I remember correctly, is very much like the camera in NWN1. It centers on what you have currently selected and rotates around it.

[Starwars]

I like to switch to character mode every now and then, mainly to just get a closer look at things. I can't understand how people can use it exclusively to play the game though, there is just no way I could do that.

 

I use the strategy mode, with the camera following the character who is currently selected. Then I use the mousewheel to spin around and zoom in/out, works great for me. Especially since they added the marquee selection.

[Arkan]

I had help (thanks Sand...) figuring out how to bring back the strategy camera mode of NWN2 pre-MotB

 

Which, if I remember correctly, is very much like the camera in NWN1. It centers on what you have currently selected and rotates around it.

 

Yeah, I didn't like NWN1's camera in that sense. It really hampered ranged combat due to the lack of visual range. The free roam camera takes care of that.

 

Also, two quick questions:

 

1. Can you talk to your companions like in NWN1, or was it modified to work more like Kotor? If I can talk to them, how?

 

2. This may sound lame, but what are the console commands for increasing your dialog related skills? I hate that not everyone can have access to all dialog options because of some arbitrary class stereotype that says my fighter can't talk his way out of a paper bag, even with a high INT and CHA. I also don't have the time to go through the game multiple times just to unlock all the dialog options.

[Starwars]

You can talk to companions by right-clicking on them and select "Talk with" or whatever. With the default setting it might take a few secs for the menu to show up. You can decrease the "response time" for right clicking in the Options menu as well.

 

No idea about the console commands.

[samm]

2. This may sound lame, but what are the console commands for increasing your dialog related skills? I hate that not everyone can have access to all dialog options because of some arbitrary class stereotype that says my fighter can't talk his way out of a paper bag, even with a high INT and CHA. I also don't have the time to go through the game multiple times just to unlock all the dialog options.

If you have a fighter with high Int and Cha, then you should not have any problems with dialogues, even if you can't max the skills (because they're cross-class). Int gives you the skillpoints needed, Cha the bonus. You can select an appropriate background feat, bonus again. You have access to many feats thanks to being a fighter. Use the fighter bonus feats for fighter specific stuff, so you'll have feats left to spend in dialogue specific feats, especially if your character is human which grants you an additional feat, bonus again *. Then there is equipment increasing your dialogue skills (--> hats), more bonus! If companions don't go on telling you something it's not the dialogue skills that aren't high enough, but rather your influence on them that needs to be increased.

 

For comparison: My ranger/druid didn't have class access to said skills yet thanks to background feat and his marvellous hat he mastered every dialogue sequence.

 

I don't know the console commands either.

 

*: Unless you're a powergamer and want to max your fighter, then there's nothing left for dialogue pushing...

Edited May 4, 2008 by samm

[Tigranes]

Yep, you shouldn't need to cheat. I don't remember if there are actually any console commands to deal with skill points directly, but here:

 

1. Hit ~ in game.

2. Type DebugMode 1, enter.

3. rs kr_influence

 

That is the easiest way to modify companion influence, which is just as, if not more, important in opening up dialogue options and is harder to raise than just pumping points during levelup.

 

I believe you can use dm_SetCHA or whatever to set your int/cha higher, if you want.

[Matthew Rorie]

Also, when it comes to dialogues, be sure that your main character has something like Eagle's Splendor on him/her whenever you think an important dialogue is coming up. There are also some pieces of equipment that will directly modify your Intimidate/Diplomacy/etc. scores; these can be handy to have around whenever you see an NPC looming on the horizon, or if you insist on reloading quicksaves to get the best outcome from a dialogue.

 

At any rate, good luck with the game. Both NWN2 and MOTB are pretty big achievements in the CRPG genre, although I may be a bit biased in saying that.

[Humodour]

Hey, just a quick question from somebody who soon plans to buy NWN2/MotB: is dialogue scripted? If so, will it trigger on the first party member the script sees, or the party leader?

 

One thing I hated about IWD2 was having my diplomat sorc at the back to avoid death, but having my dumb barbarian activate all dialogues because he's at the front.