Ease-Of-Use Mod Collection

Latest Ease-Of-Use release : v33 Mon Aug 4 11:40:18 CDT 2008 (changes since last version are at the end of the README)

The Mod

The Ease-Of-Use mod is collection of useful modlets and minor changes that make playing BGII more bearable. Many of them were not written by me: I am merely packaging them up here.

This mod pack works for BG2 (SoA and or ToB) only. If you are looking for something for BG1, try here instead.

Note: Some people regard many of these changes (especially those that change game rules like grand-mastery or level tables) as cheats. All of the components are optional and may be installed separately. Use your own discretion. When you run the install utility you will be prompted to confirm the installation of each feature individually.

• Infinite Weapon and Potion Stacking
• Infinite Weapon and Potion Stacking (ToB)
• Multi-Class Grand Mastery
  • (This one component is not compatible with the Rogue Rebalancing Mod)
• True Grand Mastery (Baldurdash)
• Shut Up "You Must Gather Your Party ..." (Baldurdash)
• Faster Chapter 1&2 Cut-Scenes & Dreams (Blucher, Karzak)
  • (This one component is not compatible with the Nalia *or* Tashia Romances!)
• Wear Magical Armor AND Magic Rings
• Un-Nerfed THAC0 Table, Saving Throws, Grand-Mastery, and Arcane, Divine Spell Progression. (Blucher)
  • (This one component is not compatible with The Darkest Day!)
• XP Cap Remover (Baldurdash)
• All Multi-Player NPCs to be Kicked Out (and then wait here)
• Turn off the Hideous Cloak-of-Mirroring and Spell-Trap Animation
  • (that's that big white whiffle ball thing)
• Bottomless Bag of Holding (Blucher)
• Multiple Strongholds (Sabre, Baldurdash)
• Bonus Merchants (Baldurdash, Bioware)
• Keep Drizzt's Loot, Disable Malchor Harpell
• No Drow Avatars on Party In Underdark
• Imoen ToB Banter Fix (Compton)
• Shapeshifter Rebalancing
• Female Edwina Portrait (Davide Carta)
• Romance Bug Fixes (Sabre, Richardson)
• Multi-Romance Patch (Sabre, Richardson)
  • Romance: Any NPC Regardless of Race/Gender
  • Romance: Multiple NPCs Concurrently
  • Romance: Multiple NPCs Concurrently, Say Anything
• NPCs Wont Fight Each Other or Leave (Sabre, Richardson)
• Low Reputation Store Discount (Sabre)
• No Traps or Locks
• Italian Translation by Gandalf il Grigio. Example:
  • Questo incantesimo consente al lanciatore di evocare e controllare due Orsi Mannari da 20 dadi-vita. Gli orsi obbediranno a ogni comando del sacerdote per la durata dell'incantesimo. Gli Orsi Mannari sono piů lenti dei Lupi Mannari Maggiori ma sono anche piů forti. Gli Orsi Mannari sono resistenti agli attacchi elementali e magici e rigenerano rapidamente.
• French Translation by Thot. Example:
  • Ce sort permet au lanceur de convoquer et de contrôler 20 Dés de Vie d'Ours-Garous. Les ours répondront aux souhaits du lanceur pendant la durée du sort. Les Ours-Garous sont plus lents que les Muloups Majeurs, mais ils sont également plus puissants. Les Ours-Garous sont résistants aux attaques magiques et élémentaires et se régénčrent rapidement.
• Spanish Translation by Bhasbuto, Clan DLAN. Example:
  • Este conjuro permite al lanzador convocar y controlar dos Hombres-oso de 20 dados de vida. Los osos responderán a todo capricho del lanzador durante toda la duración del conjuro. Los Hombres-oso son más lentos que los Hombres-lobo Mayor, pero también son más duros. Los Hombres-oso son resistentes a los ataques elementales y mágicos y se regeneran rápidamente.
• German Translation by Marco Ivezic. Example:
  • Dieser Spruch erlaubt es dem Anwender, zwei Bärwere mit jeweils 20 Trefferwürfeln herbeizubeschwören. Die Bären folgen für die Dauer des Spruchs allen Befehlen des Zaubernden. Bärwere sind zwar langsamer als Größere Wolfwere, sind jedoch stärker. Bärwere widerstehen elementaren und magischen Angriffen und regenerieren schnell.
• Czech Translation by Senyiad. Example:
  • Toto kouzlo umožňuje sesilateli povolat a ovládat dva medvědodlaky s životaschopností 20. Po dobu trvání kouzla plní medvědodlaci každé sesilatelovo přání. Medvědodlaci jsou pomalejší než větší vlkodlaci ale jsou o něco těžší. Medvědodlaci jsou odolní proti elementům, magickým útokům a rychle regenerují.

Want to talk about this mod with others, report a bug or offer a suggestion? Check out our Weimer Mods Message Board.

Installing The Mod

1. The Ease-of-Use Mod works with (or without) The Darkest Day - ToB Compat Version. Install TDD-ToB first if you want to use it.
2. The Ease-of-Use Mod works with (or without) all other WeiDU mods. See the Solaufein installation instructions for details (and Mac installation instructions). Install Ease-of-Use first.
3. The Ease-Of-Use Mod does not require IEEP or any other TeamBG utilities and it will not replace your existing DIALOG.TLK.
4. If you already have some of these installed from other sources (e.g., Baldurdash) you may overwrite them with the Ease-Of-Use components without any harm.
5. Click here to view the Mod README file.
6. Download the Ease-of-Use Mod Collection (version v33, size is 567K)
7. Extracting the EXE file into your BGII directory. That is normally:
   C:\Program Files\Black Isle\BGII - SoA
   If you do not like self-extracting EXEs, you can get a normal RAR version.
8. Run the included Setup-Ease.EXE program. Choose your language and then choose which components to install. You may uninstall any or all of them later.
9. You may run Setup-Ease.EXE again to uninstall any component that you have already installed. For example, you might try out the harder battles and then uninstall them later if you do not like them.

Comments on the Ease-Of-Use Mod Collection:

• I'm a novice player, and no great shakes when it comes to computer stuff, but I've found the mods very easy to install. The documentation is very clear and very complete (and actually kinda fun to read). And the mods themselves are fantastic! I think playing without the Ease of Use Mod would be very frustrating.
• First off, thank you for the time and effort that went into making not only the NPC, but the wonderful endless stacking of arrows and bolts, the lifting of the experience cap, and, especially, the ability to SHUT UP the announcer when exiting! I often felt, through the original Baldur's Gate and my first run-through of SOA, that all I did was inventory management. This makes it sooooo much easier!
• I've used your ease of use and item upgrade utilities for BG2 and enjoyed them quite a bit.
• I stand in awe!
• I just want to say how much I appreciate Westley Weimer's Ease of Use mod pack. I was reluctant to mod my game at first - nasty experience with DSoTSC some time ago - but I'm so impressed. So many niggling things fixed...wish I'd done it ages ago.
• ... especially the ease of use one. It did what it said on the packet: thanks!
• I`ve been using your mods for Baldurs Gate 2 for some time, and I`m really impressed. These really bring some new experience to the game.
• I would like to thank you for the fine work you did with the Ease-Of-Use Mod. It is simply brilliant.
• I'm incredibly impressed, sir. Thanks ever so much for taking the time to make the "Ease of Use" utilities.
• I have just installed and I am playing the easy mod. The changes are fantastique. The game is more playable and increases the fun factor in it.
• I downloaded your Ease of use mod collection- it's very good! Plus I appreciate the small download size.
• Thanks for producing the mods, they really help take the boring micro-management out of the game.
• For Ease of Use, it only installed the components I asked to be installed! How amazingly thoughtful of the setup.
• A most heartfelt thanks for the Ease of Use and Item Upgrade Mods. They were VERY useful, easy to install, and really helped make the game more fun.

Westley Weimer < Email : weimer@cs.berkeley.edu >