Quick Links
- What You Need
- Step 1: Open the Mod Manager
- Step 2: Import the Mod Fixer
- Step 3: Import the Narrator Mod
- Step 4: Export Mod Order
- Step 5: Test the Game
- Removing Mods
PC games have been the target of mods for almost as long as there have been PC games. I certainly fondly remember playing the Barney the Dinosaur mod for Wolfenstein 3D on my 386 laptop, but enough about my chronic back pain!
Thanks to AI, we're seeing some truly out-there mods for games, and one of the most impressive might be one that swaps out the Baldur's Gate 3 narrator for a voice that almost (but not quite) sounds like Sir David Attenborough. Here's how to try it for yourself.
What You Need
Apart from owning a PC copy of Baldur's Gate 3, you also need three pieces of software:
You'll also need to create a free account with Nexus Mods, if you haven't already, in order to download the last two items on the list. Before we go further, download all three of these resources. Use the "manual download" option on the Nexus pages for the mod and mod fixer. Save all three zip files to a folder. I just saved mine to the Downloads folder. Just extract the mod manager, leave the other two files as zipped files.
While it's obvious that the "Famous British Narrator" mod is meant to sound like Sir Attenborough, the actual famous British narrator isn't involved in any way, shape or form. This is an AI impersonation, and while this is still a gray area, there's one future in which these types of mods may not be allowed. Since this is a free mod, and it does not name or imply endorsem*nts from the person being impersonated, it's at worst harmless fun, but AI voice impersonation is a hot topic of debate in the entertainment industry. I've written this guide mainly to illustrate this technology and this new generation of mods, not to endorse or oppose them.
Before we start, make sure that you've run Baldur's Gate 3 at least once. This ensures that the right profiles and folders have been created, since the mod manager relies on this.
I ran virus scans on all the downloaded files and didn't detect anything, but you should also scan any files you download, especially executable programs, which in this case would be the mod manager.
Step 1: Open the Mod Manager
With the mod manager file unzipped, open the folder and run BG3ModManager.exe. You should see this program window open. It looks a little complicated, but we're going to follow a very basic process.
Step 2: Import the Mod Fixer
The mod fixer is necessary for many mods to work in the game, since it forces the game to recompile the campaign data, without which some mods would not work. To install it, Select File>Import Mod in the mod manager.
Navigate to the folder where the mod fixer's zipped file is, select it and then select "Open." You should see "ModFixer" listed under "Overrides."
Step 3: Import the Narrator Mod
Now, repeat the same process in Step 2, except this time select the zipped file for the Famous British Narrator mod instead. Since this is a much larger file, importing will take longer and could be a while depending on your computer's performance.Now both imported mods should be listed under "Overrides."
Step 4: Export Mod Order
Next, all you have to do is select File>Export Order to Game.
You should see a green message pop up at the bottom of the window in the mod manager.
This means we're ready to go!
Step 5: Test the Game
Everything on the modding side of the process should now be done, which means it's time to start up the game to see if it's working. You'll get a warning that mods have been detected, which is a good sign! You can choose to never show this message again, but I think it's worth the hassle of the extra click so that you know whether you're starting up a modded version of Baldur's Gate or not.
Once you're in the game, you can either load up your save game and wait until you get to a section of narration, or you can quickly start a new game with a preset character, run to the first nursery in front of your pod, and check for the voice this way. As you can see in this clip.
Now you can play the game like normal with your new narrator.
Removing Mods
To reverse this process and take the game back to the way it was, right-click on the mods under "Overrides" and select "Delete Mod."
You'll see two check boxes. Make sure the permanent deletion box is checked if you want to remove the mod files completely. Otherwise, simply leave the box to remove the mod from the load order checked. Then confirm your choice. Finally, export the mod order to the game again.
Now the original narrator should be back, and in my testing, this did not affect my save games. However, keep in mind that certain mods may make save games impossible to use with the vanilla game! If you want to know more about PC gaming mods in general, check out my modding primer and if you're interested in AI technology in video games, you might want to see how AI will change game development.
