SHS is proud to welcome the Hidden Kits mod by Zyraen!

This mod introduces a variety of Hidden Kits that are made available under certain conditions. They are obtainable by dual-classing from either a Fighter, Mage or Cleric. Apart from a few standard advantages and disadvantages within the new kit itself, largest gain with Hidden Kits is the ability to increase your inactive class by one level every time you level up. This advantage grants players the enjoyment of being able to level up what is effectively a multi-class character at about the rate of a single-class character.

Some kits will also work for certain NPCs, after completing specific in-game quests.

This mod has already been released as a public beta, and is available for download from the SHS Download Center.

Related links:

• Download link
• Mod website
• Mod forum

Some interesting updates this fortnight suitable for the weary, the wannabes, the chromophiles, and the linguistic.

Ariena does away with grammatical error
Ariena, an evil celestial female half-orc NPC from the Mod for the Wicked, has received an update to version 2.1 with the fixing of some typos and the addition of a portrait for her epilogue. Check out this mean green killing machine here.

Hidden Kits reveals itself
If you followed the announcement of Hidden Kits by Zyraen two fortnights ago, you can now experience the ideas put into action with the seeking of beta testers for version 0.95 beta of Hidden Kits for BG2. Essentially, this modification allows you to access new kits upon dual-classing to certain classes at level 12. The features of the kits are wide-ranging, and come with interesting advantages and disadvantages. If you would like to test this juicy modification out, check here.

Spice up your life with colourable quarterstaves
Erephine has continued assiduously with her delectable animation work and has delivered us colourable quarterstaves, a component of version 3 of One Pixel Productions. If you are the one who fancies variegation in your wooden weapon, or feel the urge to mount an ostentatious display to whom you wish to raise an eyebrow, then grab these wonders here.

Ich spiele Deutsche Modifikation
I am no German expert nor a player of German mods, but if you are, some recently updated modifications with German translations may interest you. vilkacis has released version 3 of The Slithering Menace, a Throne of Bhaal modification bound to make you hiss (link), and Badgert has notified us of updates to four modifications: Blood of the Martyr v3 (a spell for Paladins and Priests), Fairy Dragon v4 (an upgraded familiar), Familiar Pack v5 (modifies and upgrades familiars), and Heart of the Wood v4 (a ‘magical stick’) The latter group of modifications can found here.

Nathaniel Aplin-Fletcher is a former officer of the Flaming Fist in Baldur’s Gate, and was a witness to the devastation that the PC’s half-brother Sarevok wrought in the city. As a result of those events, he left the guards’ employment with several friends and has been travelling since. Though he is a skilled fighter, Nathaniel suffers from bouts of self-doubt, perhaps partially due to his lack of robustness.

For some players he can become a loyal companion, relying on him or her in times of crisis and in turn offering his support. For the right male character, a friendship can develop into something more.

Version 4.2 contains several major bugfixes from previous versions.

Related links:

• Download link
• Readme
• Mod website
• Mod forum

Hailing from the Ten Towns region, Tashia is a young, female, elven sorceress. After some dark moments in her past, Tashia is currently taking a break from adventuring. Once you convince her to join, you will find her a loyal, steadfast traveling companion.

Tashia is romanceable, and the module spans both Shadows of Amn and Throne of Bhaal. She has dialogue with every NPC, plenty of non-party interactions, and three different epilogues.

Version 1.1 includes a number of fixes for various bugs and typos.

Related links:

• Download link
• Readme
• Mod website
• Mod forum

"Alarm goes off at seven, and we wake up town. We put in our eight hours, for the powers that have always been.” Sing it child. “Till it’s five PM.” Cookies if you can work out where the quote comes from. It’s another way to say ”We have motion!” because this fortnight ”We’ve got mail!”, and it is time to ”Engage!”.

Disentangling mega-modification installations
Michael has spent huge chunks of time programming the Infinity Engine Modlist Installer (IEMI), a web-based application that currently acts as a mod list, but will eventually allow you to customise your installation by selecting what modifications and components to install. The utility promises to give feedback on conflicts, advice on fixes, and a nice little XML to help you tame the beast. Check out the site here. A condensed announcement can be found here. Participate in the disscusion of the project here.

A legacy of small shields
A legacy of small shields have been passed down the generations to oust the old traditional ones. With the bucklers already propagating like a pandemic, there will be much blocking of stinking evil! Making space hamsters redundant. Check out Erephine’s One Pixel Productions component release here.

Duality’s duality
Forget about Rene Descartes, forget about ‘cogito ergo sum’, and forget about mind and body. This fortnight, bring in the Enemy Upgrade and the Odd Quest Mod. This duality by Duality will surely blow your mind, as you face buffed up opponents and thrash your way through an interesting fight in the Umar hills. Check them out here and here, respectively.

A girl named Vildra
FuzzT has done an all-nighter and has contrived a one-day NPC for Shadows of Amn. Her name is Vildra and she is a chaotic good fighter. Give FuzzT some support for the dedication to modding and see what this mysterious fighter is all about here.

Tutorials for the dainty
If Infinity Engine modding is something that makes you prone to swooning, there are two tutorials this fortnight that may restore the oxygen flow to the brain and put colour back on those cheeks. Michael has posted a tutorial on making new areas from old ones, and Kulyok has chipped in on an elegant method of writing dialogue code for talks with NPCs. Check them out here and here, respectively.

Hidden kits unveiled!
Sounds like an expedient headline for a tabloid. Zyraen has chalked up some kit ideas that are automatically applied when characters dual-class to certain class combinations. The kits themselves are shaping up to be quite the something to pine. Check out the current state of the idea here.

Planar Sphere revolves for the 2.6c-th time
The Planar Sphere modification, a derelict modification that has seen further development at the Mod Resurrections forum, has again been flushed of invasive bugs attracted to some key, and has been streamlined by the streamiest of liners - no boats involved. Get the updated mod here, check out what the modification is all about here, and give comments on the discussion thread here.

Be sure to schedule some time in your busy timetables to try these delicacies out. Till next time.