How is the Equilibrium Balance Patch?

Ok, I have 2 questions about this mod. Note that I have not yet installed it.


First, is it compatible with A:WIP? I really enjoy that mod and would prefer to keep using it. (Not that I'd stop using A:WIP, btw.) Offhand, I can't find anything in the documentation that indicates it is incompatible, but I'd like to be sure.

Second, how does this mod compare to vanilla? I realize that it rebalances several things and makes sure to compensate so things are more balanced all around. The most significant thing it seems to do is balancing magic with tech (which, from what I can tell can both be unbalanced [read: more powerful] in vanilla depending on which you play and how you play).
However, I'm wondering about the new spells...how do the new or reworked spells compare? Obviously several of them are better. (Identify is a good example. Why this wasn't in the game as a spell, instead of a ridiculously expensive scroll, I've no idea!) But do the spells in general feel more balanced with the tech things like grenades or tech weapons? Or does it feel more they're just tweaked to favor one side or the other?

 

It's a spell in vanilla as well, but it's lvl 5. Also, for identifying items there are always wise women who are way cheaper than divine magic scrolls.

 

Yes, all of that is true. But why exactly shouldn't it be a lvl 1 spell? Or at least lvl 2? It makes very little sense. Anyway...

 

You know a lot of people from gog.com gave some good feedback but strangely no one from terra arcanum. I think the players here aren't really bothered by the garbage combat in the game, and that's why this crowd is the premiere fanbase in the firstplace: they could look past the flaws as it was and appreciate all the wonderful things Arcanum already offers.

 

I doubt many people here care about combat in any RPG. I think for most combat is about wielding that cool sword/gun and wearing sexy armors. Oh and ofcourse the phat lewt (autistic obsessive compulsive loot collecting and selling is truly one of finest things in RPGs!) associated with combat. Everything else is dumb filler chore that only exist as pacing between awesome dialogues and character developement aka leveling which have been the core of good RPG experience since Fallout. It's necessary for pacing though and removing it would totally ruin the experience. I'm also firm believer it is impossible to make RPG with good combat unless you turn it into more of strategy game disguised as RPG. Enjoyable maybe, but not good and enjoyable doesn't happen that often either. I would say it's tolerable in most cases. It's kind like work IRL, you get money, but it usually sucks. Things were bit different in old school times and RPGs were actually all about combat, but modern players would probably consider most of those games (with maybe exception of some Wizardry games, since they're quite good) totally atrocious and unplayable. Thing is that in those times we didn't any other choices.

Atleast that's how I roll, unless I play stuff like JA2, but that game is firm example of strategy game disguised as RPG.

Have to add though that I did indeed play and enjoy your mod way up to Qintarra and I think it was generally finely made. Really liked the spell system. I hated how it makes every weapon feel same though. While balance is important there can be too much of it and I think your mod went into that territory. It also made real time play really silly and some dungeons in Arcanum are really bad on TB, but have to admit that they're pretty bad on RT too, it's just that you can complete them much faster. I also agree with the Codex that it got bit too extreme with high level gameplay. Many people hate heavy level scaling (I know technically wrong word for this, but couldn't think any better way to say it) and I'm one of them. Also some changes to schematics were really unnecessary in my opinion.