Item Upgrade Mod

Latest Item Upgrade release : v40 Wed Jul 31 15:25:16 CDT 2013 (changes since last version are at the end of the README)

The Mod

• New, Well-Balanced Items!
• French Translation by Laurent Duvernet and Cocobard. Example:
  • Ahhh, Cespenar a bonne idée! Fabrique bonne dague pour les gens silencieux. Prends Lame d'Os et Aiguillon de Pixie et fabrique une dague très très bonne pour l'attaque sournois et l'ensommeillement! Il faut ajouter quatre potions de Maître voleur et payer 15.000 pièces, mais les ennemis ne sauront jamais qui les a attaqués, PAN!
• German Translation by Maus. Example:
  • Ahhhh, Cespenar hat eine tolle Idee! Ich mache einen tollen Dolch für einen hinterhältigen Typen. Mit der Knochenklinge und dem Feekoboldstich mache ich einen Dolch, mit dem sich exzellent ein Hinterhältiger Angriff durchführen lässt und der die Leute schlafen legt! Ich benötige noch vier Flaschen mit dem Trank der Meisterdiebeskunst und 15.000 Goldstücke, aber dann werden Eure Feinde nicht mehr erkennen, was sie getroffen hat, BATSCH!
• Spanish Translation by Bhasbuto (Clan DLAN) and Immortality and Neil Sharp. Example:
  • Ahhhh, ­Cespenar tiene una buena idea! Hacer una buena Daga de los Hombres Furtivos. ­Toma la Espada de Hueso y el Aguijón de Hada y podré hacer una daga muy pero muy buena para apuñalar por la espalda y adormecer a la víctima! Necesitar s cuatro Pociones de Robo Maestro y pagar 15.000 monedas de oro, pero luego los enemigos nunca sabr n qué les golpeó ­PAF!
• Polish Translation by Damian Staniszewski. Example:
  • Achhhh, Cespenar ma świetny pomysł! Zrobić dobry sztylet dla skradających się ludzi. Weź Kościaną Klingę i Kolec Chochlika i zrób sztylet, który potrafi bardzo dobrze zadawać cios w plecy! Potrzebuję jednak czterech napojów Mistrzowskiego Złodziejstwa i zapłaty 15,000 sztuk złota, ale wtedy wrogowie nie będą nawet wiedzieć co ich trafiło!
• Russian Translation by Iogan and Aerie.ru. Example:
  • Ух ты, у Цеспенара появилась прекрасная идея! Отличный кинжал для тех, кто не обременен излишней храбростью! Возьмите Костяной клинок и Иглу Фей, и получится кинжал замечательно подходящий для ударов в спину и усыпления! Только придется добавить четыре зелья воровского мастерства и заплатить 15,000 золотом, но зато ваши враги так и не узнают причины своей смерти. Просто РАЗ и все!
• English Cespenar Voicing by Jason Compton. Example:
  • Ooooh! You got shiniest of all shiny longswords! I bet you killed a vampire or two with this baby! En garde, bloodsuckers! Cespenar will smite thee!

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 Item Upgrade Mod works with (or without) The Darkest Day - ToB Compat Version. Install TDD-ToB first if you want to use it.
2. The Item Upgrade Mod works with (or without) all other WeiDU mods. See the Solaufein installation instructions for details (and Mac installation instructions).
3. The Item Upgrade Mod does not require IEEP or any other TeamBG utilities and it will not replace your existing DIALOG.TLK.
4. Click here to view the Mod README file.
5. Download the Item Upgrade Mod (version v40)
6. Download the Item Upgrade Mod prepackaged for Mac OS X (version v40)
7. Download the Item Upgrade Mod prepackaged for Linux (version v40)
8. The EXE file above is a WinRAR self-extracting archive. Run it, and in the Install to field put your BGII directory. That is normally:
   C:\Program Files\Black Isle\BGII - SoA
9. Run the newly-extracted Setup-ItemUpgrade.EXE program that you will now find in your BGII directory. Choose your language and then choose which components to install. You may uninstall any or all of them later. Unzip the ZIP file into your BGII directory. That is normally:
   C:\Program Files\Black Isle\BGII - SoA
10. Now that you have the Item Upgrade mod installed, why not download Jason Compton's lovely Cespenar Audio to go along with it? Click here to Download the Cespenar Audio (version v1, size is 3.1 megabytes).
    • The ZIP file contains a self-installing NullSoft Installer EXE file that will put the audio files in the right place.
    • You can install the audio files before or after you install the Item Upgrade mod.
11. You may run Setup-ItemUpgrade.EXE again to uninstall any component that you have already installed.

Comments on the Item Upgrades:

• Great stuff, BTW!! Helps keep the game feeling new...and what it's like to be on the receiving end of some enemies who actually prepare and react appropriately (I went for the upgrade because Bodhi and friends are slicing me up - 2 more False Dawns from the buckler are a godsend...)
• I've also enjoyed the latest releases like the Item Upgrade mod. It's a great work!
• Anyway, I really like the mod.
• First, I just wanted to thank you for your work. You and the other mod makers have done some wonderful work, and it is kind of you to make it publicly available for free.
• I really like the Acension and Item upgrade mods, I was stoked when Cromwell forged the Celestial Fury +5 for my Kensage. Bad guys, look out, I'm coming!
• GREAT mod!
• Great fun. I didn't find anything to be ridiculously overpowered. It often prevents you from having to do annoying switching between certain items (.Here comes a vampire, everyone put on their Helms of Charm Protection.). All in all, it.s kinda fun to have some incentive to collect some items that normally aren.t needed.
• First off, great work. I've enjoyed using the Mod. The bottom line is: the upgrade IS fun.
• The item upgrade mod made the game more enjoyable, as there was always a debate on my part whether to restrict myself to weapons that I knew to have higher-end magical versions, such as the bastard sword and two-handed sword, as opposed to using clubs or spears.
• I liked your upgrades to BG2 - they make the game more challenging, for the most part.
• This ROCKS! Fresh.
• By the way I love the item upgrade mod. Makes playing new and exciting. Thank you very much.
• excellent stuff - kudos to Wesley, i have never had so much fun trying to remember were i sold that last bloody bloodstone! [ ... ] All in all a great pack, i really like the upgrading of the Npc's personal gear, makes if ToB worthy.
• The Item Upgrade Mod has really simplified things without unbalancing anything.
• Just added this to the game & am enjoying it. It makes shopping fun again :) I mostly wanted to say "thanks" for the upgrades on the special items that come with the NPC's. I like to have Anomen carry the Delryn Shield for roleplaying purposes, but after a while, it really doesn't make sense when there are _much_better_ shields out there. Ditto for Mazzy's sword--of course she'd carry the sword her goddess gave her--but, why did her goddess give her such a low-powered weapon?

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