[MOD] Grand Balance Repair

[Murzinio]

[MOD] Grand Balance Repair

Grand Balance Repair
Nexus page - download and more info there

This is an open mod that anyone is invited to contribute according to the assumptions. More info in a sticky thread in comments on nexus page. Github repository: https://github.com/Fnts7/W3GrandBalanceRepair


Continously developed overhaul of Witcher 3 balance. It is about balance fixes and small improvements at most - for people who don't want to install any overhaul mod, that makes major changes in gameplay, but want to enjoy good game without terrible and basic balance failures. Anyone can contribute. This mod mostly does what CD Projekt RED should fix in patches, so the category is on the border of overhaul/balancing/bug fixing.


Mod is divided into modules:

Main file modules:
- Alchemy (Fnts)
- Combat (Fnts)
- Equipment (Fnts)
- Petards (Murzinio, Fnts)

- Integrates Crossbow Damage Boost And Balance
- Integrates Signs Overhaul

Optional modules:
- Tweaks (Fnts)
- Enemy Scaling (hidden inf, Fnts)
- Combat Speeds (Murzinio, Fnts)

See mod page on nexus for detailed description.

Installation (manual):

Unzip the archive into: <game_installation_folder>/Mods/
If you update, delete the previous mod folder first: <game_installation_folder>/Mods/modGrandBalanceRepair
After installation (manual or NMM) or update, remember to use script/file merger to check for conflicts (unless you don't have other mods): Script merger

After update, make sure you delete all merges of files modified by this mod and make them again.
This way you can make the mods that modify the same file work. Also you can more-less see whether those mods are compatible - if there are heavy conflicts, there is high chance they aren't.

Installation of Enemy Scaling, Combat Speeds and Tweaks modules additional instructions:

For each of the two:
1. Unzip the archive into: <game_installation_folder>/Mods/ (Nexus Manager does it for you)
2. Copy <game_installation_folder>/Mods/[modFolder]/bin folder to <game_installation_folder> (configuration definitions XML).
[modFolder] - modGBREnemyScaling or modGBRCombatSpeeds or modGBRTweaks

Credits and Contributors:

Grand Balance Repair dev team:

Fnts
hidden inf
Murzinio

People who contributed by significant amount of testing, suggestions and bug reporting:

Marth77
marchiali
guynice

People whose work is used in the mod:

uacvax

 

[Fnts]

Just some small addition from me, the main author. I started W3 modding with my most popular and downloaded mod:

Crossbow Damage Boost and Balance

I did it mostly because I don't like making useless features in RPG games. I believe that a good RPG requires that every skill, stat, poition, item etc. is generally usefull. And also that the skill and character development system combat system, leveling and scaling is clear and logical. So that it is intuitive and one doesn't really have to go deep into the values and calculations. And for power gamers it should be possible to go into that stuff deeper to discover the game to its extents. Unfotunatelly CDProjekt has generally failed in that field. There are lots of games dated earlier which had much less balance nonsense.

Consider crossbows: totally useless without few exceptions and without Cat Eyes mutation. Cat Eyes mutation even doesn't have proper scaling, but fixed base bolt damage bonus. Here is how it should be done, considering some players consider crossbows for Witcher lore unfriendly. Make well balanced crossbow and put it under a setting, like "disable player crossbows". Or don't do crossbows, do some other stuff properly instead.

If some feature cannot be done properly it is better not to include it in vanilla version of the game and let the modders take the field. It is great that W3 is moddable by design, but it would be actually better if vanilla code was cleaner at the cost of less complexity. The modding would be then much more pleasant. Now one has to fix countless absurds and bad coding and watch for regressions when doing any mods.

So starting with crossbows, then playing more and more, having high level Geralt, playing NG+ and noticed that most of the leveling system, skill system, signs, petards scaling is so bugged or absurd that I got angry, that CDProjekt doesn't treat it as real bugs and fix it. So that is how the need for Grand Balance Repair emerged.

There are several overhaul mods available. This one is done with minimalistic approach - balance bugfixing and small improvements. One of the goals is to show CDProjekt how more-less they should have done the highest gameplay logic layer more properly. According to common sense and the desired characteristics of Witcher 3 skill and leveling system. Naturally there is some subjectivity, but really by fixing most stupid stuff I reduce it to minimum. Even with my own bugs I simply own vanilla . So Grand Balance Repair can be considered as extended vanilla or unofficial patch.

It is really sad that nowadays game developers (and probably majority of gamers, because someone creates the demand) focus mostly on exaggerated and stupid visual stuff rather than the most important stuff - the playability. The mod shows how one can improve W3 playability greatly, by really basic programming.

P.S.
I'm a professional software developer in real life, so one can expect highest quality from my mods, because I fix my bugs if I release bugged features.

 

[ayyudee]

So this is an attempt to kind-of standarize new gameplay balance related mods by giving them a solid base to start of?

 

[Fnts]

Yeah, that is good summary. It would be nice if other modders actually build up their mods on top of Grand Balance Repair.

In particular the famous Enhancement System would be a great addition with its big weapons and armors overhaul.