2 players for SoU + HotU + Sand of Fate ?

[Legacy_Varlak]

               Hi, sorry if my english is bad it is not my usual language.

My brother is going to buy NWN and we want to play together up to lvl 40 and we hope to still have some challenge by lvl 40.

So well I have a few question reguarding this.

1)Monster in SoU and HotU do scaler up in diffuculty when you play in multiplayer ? (So we don't just run trough the content like a breeze)

2) Can you get "hire" when you play in multiplayers ?

3) the "Sand of Fate" series seems like a good choice for a 2 player mode who want to play in the epic levels ?

4) feel free to give advice :-)
               
               

               

                     Modifié par Varlak, 25 février 2013 - 12:49 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_HipMaestro]

               

Varlak wrote...
10Monster in SoU and HotU do scaler up in diffuculty when you play in multiplayer ? (So we don't just run trough the content like a breeze)

It's supposed to.  I never checked myself but it was designed with XP scaling.

Varlak wrote...
2) Can you get "hire" when you play in multiplayers ?

Trying to translate here...

Reads like "Can each member of your party (you and your brother) hire a different henchman?"
If so, I think YES... in SoU.  Something unique in HotU happens though... with henchmen going from Ch 1 to Ch 2 module. Without posting a spoiler, I will just say that not every henchman that is hired in Ch 1 will "move" to Ch 2, so at least one of you will not be able to continue with the same henchman through all 3 HotU modules.  I do remember some sort of fix for HotU MP being available and will try to find it on the Vault. But...

What language are you using with your game?  Even if I find a Vault fix it may onbly be in English.  That OK?

edit: found it here  Hope it work for you.
               
               

               

                     Modifié par HipMaestro, 25 février 2013 - 02:43 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_MagicalMaster]

               

Varlak wrote...

10Monster in SoU and HotU do scaler up in diffuculty when you play in multiplayer ? (So we don't just run trough the content like a breeze)

Slightly, but not enough to really matter, frankly.

Varlak wrote...

2) Can you get "hire" when you play in multiplayers ?

Yes, but that'll REALLY make the content a breeze.

Varlak wrote...

3) the "Sand of Fate" series seems like a good choice for a 2 player mode who want to play in the epic levels ?

I don't know if it'll work for 2 people offhand, played through it once.  I thought it was...decent, but you'll have to reload saves a lot because things will randomly kill you.  It's designed to start after HotU and go to level 40, though, if that's what you want.

On the flip side, I'd strongly suggest the Aielund Saga.  It's designed for 3 people (but two PCs will be fine, you can also get companions) and goes from level 1 to the mid-to-upper 30s.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Varlak]

               yes english is fine I'm not perfect at speaking it but I can understand it just fine and learned it mostly playing video game so I always buythe english version of games anyway.

" Aielund Saga" I'll keep it in mind but I'm trying to get something that would allow us to play in the 40's if that is possible :-P
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_MagicalMaster]

               By "40's" you mean 40?  You won't hit 40 until the end of Sands of Fate, by the way, not until something like halfway through the third module if I recall correctly.

Generally speaking, you'll find level 40 gameplay on persistent worlds - very few mods that are designed for it.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_MrZork]

               I originally thought that

2) Can you get "hire" when you play in multiplayers ?

was asking if the quest givers who hire PCs understand that the PC is in a party and everyone in the party gets the journal entries and gets XP etc. for completing the quest. But, I guess that wasn't the question.

Anyway, I would say that the SoU - HotU - SoF path is a good one. I have played that exact sequence with two people and it fits together pretty well. I don't recall too many quirks for two players, though perhaps there was a cut-scene or something that only played for one PC. I would also highly recommend Aeilund, though. as noted, you will not quite get to level 40.

HotU becomes quite easy for a party, even of two players. The PCs level so fast and get such uber gear that too many encounters that were presumably supposed to be tough can be done without much thought or strategizing, whose loss nerfs part of the fun of party play, IMO. One suggestion that (I think) HipMaestro made when I asked about this over a year ago was to open the three HotU modules in the Toolset before starting them and go to Edit -> Module Properties -> Advanced and set the XP scale much lower. I think it starts out set to 150% or something. If you knock it down to somewhere between 50% and 100%, the toons won't zoom through the levels quite as fast and the module will be more challenging. Another suggestion is limiting the use of Rizolvir for weapon upgrades. Carrying a +10 Flaming Hasted Sword of True Sight and Regeneration really changes the game and takes some of the fun out of trying to play a certain character style. E.g. if your tank is also an uber damage machine, why bother playing a tank?

Sands of Fate is a lot of fun, and typically tougher than HotU. Even just the rest restrictions add something to the challenge for spellcasters. But, it can get pretty easy for two players. At the same time, there are some surprise encounters that may kill even tough PCs, but that's what saved games are for. '> I went through and rescripted some of the area OnEnter scripts to buff the spawns a bit so that they are tougher depending on the party and the difficulty setting.

Finally, if you don't already have it, I would consider adding Tony K's AI to your override. It makes many improvements to the henchman / companion / familiar AIs, but the biggest improvement is that it makes the opponents a little smarter, which is a good thing. '>
               
               

               

                     Modifié par MrZork, 25 février 2013 - 09:01 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_HipMaestro]

               

Varlak wrote...
yes english is fine I'm not perfect at speaking it but I can understand it just fine and learned it mostly playing video game so I always buythe english version of games anyway.
" Aielund Saga" I'll keep it in mind but I'm trying to get something that would allow us to play in the 40's if that is possible :-P

What Magical Master suggests about reaching and playing a level 40 is worth re-emphasizing.   Levels over 40 are only attainable on what is usually referred to as "Legendary" 40+ servers.  Some go to Level 60 or thereabouts IIRC.  Otherwise, a character reaching 40 is usually simply retired at that point.  I second the recommendation for Aielund though it is more challenging than average.

One tip for you to consider (should you prefer to play with just your own playmates rather than on a PW):  LAN play is best.  But it can require quite a bit of adjustments and customization to become trouble-free for purely multiplayer games, even with those that claim to be designed for both single and multiplayer.  Most community-made modules have been thoroughly tested for single player but can be full of gliches that need to be addressed when applied for multiplayer. Typically, encounters will be "re-engineered" with higher CR creatures and numbers and more bosses added.

edit: and as MrZork (ninja master '> )said, HotU is very easy for MP so our LAN guru changed most of the random encounters and added a few bosses with unusually high stats to test a party's potential... as one example of adjustment.

Also, in a LAN game, a DM can easily "fix" players' problems on the fly that may not need to be modified in the module itself.  Just a suggestion for what it's worth to you.

Unfortunately, there no longer seems to be any Bioware campaign PW servers alive today (Mad Dog Fargo's OC/SoU/HotU servers seem to have evaporated in the last few months).   That may chnage in the future, but I doubt it. '>

Honestly, the most trouble-free way to play with one or more friends (or relatives) is the PW route. The designer(s) have already debugged the content to the point where you will never get stuck, at least not permanently, with DMs available to help out if you do.  In many/most of them, small parties can adventure themselves without disturbing the progress of or competing with other players or parties.  2 main things to be concerned about when it comes to server hopping: 1) the level of PvP on it and 2) custom haks & overrides you'll need to play on them. With around 180+ servers out there, you and your brother should be able to find one that suits your gaming style.
               
               

               

                     Modifié par HipMaestro, 25 février 2013 - 09:37 .