Gold Box Forgotten Realms GOG Transfer Guide

Introduction[]

This guide concerns the DOS versions of these games, more specifically the versions buyable from GoG. This includes all games in Forgotten Realms: The Archives - Collection Two except Unlimited Adventures. Transfer utilities are included with the Steam versions. The information is not guaranteed to be true for other versions, especially the ability to transfer between the Pools and Savage Frontier series. Such transfers are not possible on Amiga, the only other platform to have all these games. To avoid typing out full titles every time, each game is given a 3-letter abbreviation.

Abbreviations Used[]

General Instructions[]

Before moving on to the next game, load the desired save from the earlier one and remove characters from the party. This will create up to 3 files for each character:

Character File: All basic information about the character.
Effects File: Current magic effects on the character. This includes the bonuses of paladins, rangers, and non-human characters, and is sometimes needed for those to be kept after transfer.
Inventory File: The character's items. Two transfers will remove all items, making this irrelevant in those cases.

With a couple of exceptions, these files will be found in the cloud_saves\SAVE subfolder, and must be copied into that same subfolder for the next game. Note that there will be another SAVE folder outside of cloud_saves. The GOG versions essentially treat that one as read-only, and its contents will be overridden by the one in cloud_saves if the same files are in both. While it can be kept empty, it must still exist for saving and loading to work. If a needed subfolder is not there, it can be manually (re-)created. It is not actually necessary to finish any game before exporting.

About Filenames[]

The filenames associated with a particular character will be the first 8 letters/numbers/other symbols in their name, ignoring any spaces. For example, the filenames for a character named Sir Barnaby would be SIRBARNA. That filename would also apply to characters named Sir Barnard or Sir Barnacle, which would make them unable to coexist without great effort to avoid overwriting each other.

Pool of Radiance[]

Character File: .CHA
Effects File: .SPC
Inventory File: .ITM (irrelevant for transfer)
Export: HIL, CAB

Notes[]

Characters can only be removed from the party at a training room.
This game has no SAVE folder. The needed files will be found in cloud_saves\POOLRAD instead.

Hillsfar[]

Character File: .HIL
Import: POR, CAB, GSF
Export: CAB

Notes[]

This game does not have a SAVE subfolder. Importable files can be placed in GOG's cloud_saves folder or directly in the Hillsfar folder.
Only character files are needed.
Paladins and rangers cannot be imported, not even a multiclass cleric/ranger. Humans who have changed class will only be considered their second class by this game.
Altered stats on POR characters will be made permanent, including CON from the Manual of Bodily Health and giant strength. However, the latter will eventually be reduced to 18 (without exceptional percentage) when brought to POD.
GSF characters will be recognized as CAB characters.
CAB/GSF characters will have altered stats reverted to normal, but keep extra HP that resulted from wearing the Girdle of the Dwarves.
After exporting to CAB, bringing back an updated .GUY file allows guild quests to be repeated. There is no limit to how many times this can be done.

Curse of the Azure Bonds[]

Character File: .GUY
Effects File: .FX
Inventory File: .SWG
Import: POR, HIL, GSF
Export: HIL, SSB, GSF, TSF

POR Notes[]

No items will be transferred. Characters will start with 300 platinum each, like characters created in CAB.
Stats outside of racial minimums and maximums are reverted to those values.
- 18(00) strength on characters who can't normally have that will be retained.
- If a character has 19+ strength (Potion of Giant Strength being the only legitimate way to get that) it will be brought down to 18 with no exceptional percentage, even if the character originally had one.

POR Strength Bug[]

There is a bug in how the strength attribute is transferred that causes unexpected behavior from any strength-altering items or spells in CAB. When casting a spell that improves strength (or equipping an item that does so), strength is not improved as expected. If the character has an exceptional strength percentage, that value will replace their main strength score. The maximum strength is 25, and anything above that will act as the minimum strength of 3.

While some players have gotten around this by using a save editor, there is a simpler way. From the CAB main menu you can remove the character from your party and then re-add them as a CAB character instead of a POR one; after doing so the strength bug is resolved and they will be treated the same way as a character that was freshly created in CAB. Detailed steps are below.

(Optional, but recommended): In Pool of Radiance, unequip everything from your character before beginning the transfer to prevent stat-boosting items from permanently boosting the character's stats in CAB.
Export the characters from POR and import them into CAB.
Create your party using this character and any others you want. These can either be other POR characters or ones created fresh in CAB .
For safety, make a copy of your SAVE directory until you are certain that everything is working correctly (for GOG, this is in the cloud_saves directory).
Once your party is set up, highlight the character you imported and choose "Remove character from the party" from the main menu. Do not choose "Drop" or they will be gone forever!
Choose "Add character" from the main menu.
This is the important step to work around the bug: when prompted "add from where?", choose "Curse" instead of "Pool".
Select the character you just removed from the party. Because the game now recognizes that character as one from CAB instead of one from POR, the strength bug goes away.
That character now has their Strength bug resolved. Repeat the steps above for each character you imported from POR.
Check that everything is working correctly by casting a strength-altering spell on each character, ensuring that their strength is raised to the correct value and not to the racial maximum; then rest at camp for several hours until the spell wears off, and ensure that the character's strength has reverted to the correct base value. If you have any strength-altering items in your inventory you can use that for the test instead.

HIL Notes[]

HIL characters will permanently retain any and all abnormal stats.
- One exception: If the character has 19+ strength and a .CHA file present, strength alone will be reduced to 18 with no percentage. Giant strength can be kept if the .CHA file is not there, though doing so will remove any exceptional strength percentage for eventual POD Transfer.
They will automatically be brought to the highest levels their experience will allow, but without a corresponding HP increase.
Non-human characters with .HIL and no other associated files will have .FX files created for them.
- If the characters have associated POR files, that file will not be created. To retain their bonuses, either bring the .HIL file alone or recreate the character in CAB before importing.
A character with both a .HIL file and a .CHA or .GUY file will keep a non-default character icon and have their Hillsfar gold converted to platinum, rounded up to 300 if less than that.
- If the character has a .GUY file, any remaining Hillsfar items will be converted. If the character has a .SWG file, these items will replace their CAB inventory.
  - Potions of Healing will combine into a single item with the same number of uses.
  - The Rod of Blasting will become a Wand of Magic Missiles.
  - Knock Rings will become a single, non-cursed Ring of Vulnerability which seems to do nothing. This ring will sell for 100 gold per Knock Ring.
  - The Chime of Opening will become a Chime of Vulnerability. Like the ring described above, it isn't cursed and doesn't seem to do anything at all, but sells for 100 gold per remaining charge.
Certain journal entries are only referenced with one of these characters in the party.

GSF Notes[]

GSF characters will be recognized as CURSE characters.
Black and dark gray colors on character icons will be switched (though both shades of gray are the same in GSF).
GSF Items that don't exist in CAB will transfer but be renamed.
- They will retain their basic functionality, but lose special effects.

Secret of the Silver Blades[]

Character File: .WHO
Effects File: .SFX
Inventory File: .STF
Import: CAB, GSF
Export: POD

Notes[]

Change the extension of the .FX files to .SFX to keep effects, though some might change:
- Invisibility from Dust of Disappearance will become Magically Highlighted for the same duration.
- Paralysis Resistance will become Paladin Heal Cooldown.
- Having Frost Brand equipped will become disease immunity.
- Having Flame Tongue equipped will become electrical immunity, which won't be listed on the camp display.
- Having Dragon Slayer equipped will become the Long Sword Vs. Giants effect.
- Items unique to GSF don't have meaningful effect conversions.
Characters will start with no items or money.
- Stat alterations from equipped items will be retained even with the items removed.
Bestow Curse will be removed from magic-user spellbooks, but can be re-learned.
GSF characters will be recognized as CURSE characters.
Black and dark gray colors on CAB character icons will be switched.
One particular icon head is replaced with a mustached one, and the first head is not available again until POD.

Pools of Darkness[]

Character File: .PC
Effects File: .EFX
Inventory File: .THG
Import: SSB, TSF
Export: TSF

SSB Notes[]

SSB characters in POD's SAVE folders will not be found.
The Pools of Darkness folder should have a subfolder called SECRET. Copy SSB's cloud_saves\SAVE folder into that.
SSB characters can be imported individually or as an entire party from an A-J save.
The transfer is likely to alter some effects:
- Item effects are not likely to be active until the items are re-equipped.
- A character with 20+ constitution (e.g. a dwarf or halfling who started with 19, read the Manual of Bodily Health then went through Hillsfar) will have all effects, including class and racial bonuses, replaced with regeneration. This will end after one in-game hour. The bonuses can be restored by making a save with the characters who should have them, then recreating them in POD. After that, move the .EFX files of the remade characters out of the SAVE directory, load the save then remove those characters from the party while they have no active effects. Say YES when asked to overwrite, then move the .EFX files back in.
Short character icons will have their heads shifted, most likely resulting in a change at the start. All original options are still available from the camp menu.
Strength above 18 without a girdle equipped will be brought back down to that, with exceptional percentage if the character has one.
CON raised by CAB's Girdle of the Dwarves will brought down by 1. This can cause a rather buggy change to the character's HP. The lowered CHA will remain.

TSF Notes[]

TSF characters will be recognized as POOLS characters.
TSF exclusive items will have their names changed. Weapons and armor retain basic functionality.

Gateway to the Savage Frontier[]

Character File: .GUY
Effects File: .FX
Inventory File: .SWG
Import: CAB
Export: TSF, HIL, CAB, SSB

Notes[]

CAB Characters will retain levels above the GSF caps.
- 4th and 5th level spells still work.
Items from CAB not normally obtainable in GSF are fully functional, though the special effects of its unique swords might not work correctly.
- Ioun Stone Pale Blue is renamed "Ioun Stone Scrawled Note" but has the same effect.
- The Girdle of the Dwarves is renamed "Girdle of Dwarven" but has the same effects. It is safer to use (i.e. less likely to reduce HP) on multi-class characters created in GSF.
Black and dark gray colors on character icons will be switched, though both shades of gray are the same in GSF.

Treasures of the Savage Frontier[]

Character File: .PC
Effects File: .EFX
Inventory File: .THG
Import: GSF, CAB, POD
Export: POD

GSF/CAB Notes[]

GSF/CAB characters in TSF's SAVE folders will not be found.
The Treasures of the Savage Frontier folder should have a subfolder called GATEWAY.
- Copy files for individuals or A-J saves from GSF and/or CAB into the GATEWAY\SAVE folder.
  - Character and save files from either game will be recognized as GATEWAY. You can import characters separately or as a whole party from an A-J save.
All items will be unequipped after import, and certain ones will be removed.
- Removed items include Gloves of Thievery, Dust of Disappearance, Wand of Defoliation, Javelins of Piercing, CAB's special swords, and all +5 or stat-altering equipment. The one exception to the latter is CAB's Girdle of Giant Strength, which still gives 24 strength instead of 23 like those from SSB and POD.
  - The altered stats from having them equipped will remain even with the items gone.
  - CAB's Ring of Wizardry will act like the ones from SSB and POD, doubling 5th level spells instead of 1st-3rd.
Some character icons may have their heads changed, particularly likely for short ones. All original options are still available from the camp menu.

POD Notes[]

POD characters will be recognized as TREASURES characters.
- They will keep their levels up to 40, about quadruple the TSF caps.
  - All spells, up to 9th level, still work.
Items from SSB and POD not normally obtainable in TSF are fully functional.