This is an overview of override mods for BioWare's cRPG of 2002, Neverwinter Nights 1.
The following overrides are listed in what I consider to be their general order of importance and usefulness. Note that I don't personally use or endorse most of these overrides. If the entry has [*] appended, then I recommend the override even on a maiden run.
Tony K's AI
Henchman Inventory & Battle AI Mod (source code): Gives you more control over your companions and buffs the AI. Everyone knows this one. See CPP section above for more info. There is also a version of TK's for PRC, which is also covered above.
Remove Annoying Effects
Remove Annoying Effects: A character buffed with Barkskin or Stoneskin looks like a turd. This override fixes that. Incompatible with Project Q patch hak. Note that CPP includes higher resolution textures for these effects.
To remove the transparent effect of Ghostly Visage, Ethereal Visage, Invisibility and Improved Invisibility (these last two share the same entry), just load the 2DA into NWN 2daEditor (text editor is a lil' messy) and change the Prog_FXDuration values in rows 6 and 9 to "no data" (****); then overwrite. Yay, I modded something myself! Whee!
Customize Character Override
Customize Character Override HAK (CCOH 4.2) [*]: Lets you change your character's appearance in-game, from the crafting menu. It's one of the all-time popular mods.
Alternate Combat Animations Pack
Alternate Combat Animations Pack (ACAP v4.0) / ACAP v4.1 (aka ACP) [*]: This override-friendly hak lets you change your character's fighting style animation in-game, also from the crafting menu.
Very, very cool; but you'll need to use NWN Explorer Reborn to extract the contents of the two haks (ACPv40.hak & ACPv4_convo.hak) and then place the 1000+ files into your override folder. Don't worry, it's worth it! If you use ACAP in conjunction with CCOH (see above) then you'll also need to copy this file over the ACAP equivalent in your override.
I don't know why ACAP is referred to commonly as ACP because it is NOT a combat pack, but rather a combat ANIMATION pack. It doesn't change the combat, it changes the combat ANIMATIONS (and at least one run-cycle). Henchman Inventory & Battle AI Mod is a combat mod, not ACAP.
- NWN Alignment Manager: Throw the files in the 1.69 folder into your override folder and spawn the item with dm_spawnitem gnam_1. Activate the special ability of the item and change your alignment any time you like. This can be helpful in some modules that shift your alignment when they shouldn't (HotU has a few alignment bugs, f.e).
The following popular mods are not needed if you are using the Project Q patch hak:
• Complete GUI Alterations Package (Transparent and Colorized): I think this is confusing because I'm used to recognizing the original symbols, but new players won't care and it's colorful! CPP version is less colorful.
Below left: The one everyone has. Below right: Restored to the original.
- Gunner's Body Rebuild/Retexture [*]: It's like Better Bodies for that other RPG you might have heard of.
- Creature Override Compilation: Changes the models and textures of creatures.
Reforged Weapons
Chain, Chopping, Smashing, Reach, Unusual, Ranged, Light & Heavy Blades: Don't ask me why they're not combined into one file called "Reforged Weapons" - I guess that would be too convenient..?
Quick note on the Reforged weapons: There have been projects over the years that have been started by people, but never completed/released to the community. I didn't want that to happen with Project Reforged. They were released in sections as they were completed, since I didn't want the community to miss out on what I'd done if I couldn't complete the project for some reason. The entire project ended up being 8 releases over the year and a half it took to complete. - The Amethyst Dragon [site]
• Complete GUI Alterations Package (Transparent and Colorized): I think this is confusing because I'm used to recognizing the original symbols, but new players won't care and it's colorful! CPP version is less colorful.
- Immunity Icons: Gives you portrait icons for immunities. This is not needed if you use CPP.
- OHS Henchman System: Create your own characters and use them as companions. Incompatible with Henchman Inventory & Battle AI Mod.
- All Henchmen for Original Campaign: This mod has just come out and hasn't been thoroughly tested. It allows you to adventure with all of the companions in the Original Campaign. I would like to think NWN native spawn-scaling kicks in while playing this.
- Grand Override Compilation of the Ages: Someone's idea of how your override should look. I prefer to tailor it myself, but you might like to try it out.
- No Restriction 2DAs: This removes all the requirements of Prestige Classes.
- Valen Romance Bugfix, Valen Flirtpack, Aribeth Romance Bugfix: Romance mods.
- My henchman stops fighting bugfix: You won't need this if you use the CPP.
- Shifter Limits Removed
- 3.5 D&D Rules (HotU Version): An attempt to replace the D&D 3.0 ruleset with the 3.5 one. Use the toolset to add the hak, tlk and erf to each and every module in which you wish it to be active. Another mod.
- Rod of Fast Buffing (Revised): Removes the real-life tedium involved in buffing characters.
- NWN Restoration: Restores the original title screen, load screen, portraits, music etc.
Below left: The one everyone has. Below right: Restored to the original.
You can extract the scripts from the hak with NWN Explorer Reborn, which I assume could then be thrown into your Override folder, for use in other adventure modules. Haven't tried it myself, though.
- Issig - Hands for Phenos: Changes your character's hands from the "fists of doom" to the "claws of doom". Still, it's an improvement! This is not needed if you use CPP, Gunner's, or the Project Q patch hak.
- Ravenloft POTM Blood override & Hyper-Gore (Revised Edition): For the bloody-thirsty types.
- Familiars & Animal Companions Pack: Adds five pets to choose from. The pets are Skeletal Devourer (familiar), Blink Dog (familiar or AC), Dire Tiger (AC), Shadow Mastiff (AC) and Malar Panther (familiar). Back up your dialog.tlk before overwriting it!
- Animal Companion/Familiar Rebalance: Thugs out the default pets in order to make them more useful. Compatible with CPP.
- Goon's Insanely Mind-Boggling Darkness Hak: Makes the border of the Darkness AoE clearer.
- Savant's Real Skies: A generous collection of high-definition skyboxes, from the Aielund Saga: Enhanced Edition, which can be thrown into your override folder for use in other adventures and campaigns. See also: Artful Skies.
- Social Skills are Class Skills for All Classes: Simple override that modifies Bluff, Intimidate and Persuade to be class skills for all classes (instead of cross-class skills for some).
- Legacy Run Animation: I have not compared pre-HotU anims with HotU ones. Try this mod and see if you think the original anims are better!
- Stonehammer's Miscellaneous Medium. Override-friendly hak that replaces the generic sack with identifiable models when you drop items.
- Enhanced Magic System (EMS): This hak was famously employed by The Aielund Saga. Quote from Arqon: Let's keep this simple. EMS is a massive collection of bugfixes for NWN, focused on spells and spell-like abilities.
Thank you for the guide!
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