63 replies to this topic

[berelinde]

IIRC, the way GPAE() works is that personal items, like weapons held in hand, armor, jewelry, etc, is retained, and only inventory items are returned. But I'll check it out.

Anyway, we'll see how it goes. This was intended to provide convenience and a salve for the consciences of chronic NPC switchers. It wasn't really intended to add to the story line. See the post to Kulyok: I was trying to keep it on par with BioWare Fate Spirit dialogue.

[jastey]

Oh, this is neat. Thank you!

[VIIIofSwords]

Sweet. Always wondered what would happen if I left NPCs behind in the pocket plane after it collapses, which made me feel a touch guilty about leaving them behind. Definitely going to be a standard component of my installs.

Edited by VIIIofSwords, 27 December 2007 - 04:16 PM.

[Bursk]

Could you offer to give him something as a reward for traveling with you? 'here Keldorn take 5000 gold for your time and go back to your wife' (by that time 5k isn't much I usually am walking around with 100+K, unless I just gave it all to Cespenar)

Yeah, that's a really nice idea. Of course, Keldorn would probably refuse, saying that it had been an honour etc. But other, more greedy or needy NPCs would take it.

[berelinde]

The fate spirit doesn't really give you the option of negotiating with NPCs you summon. It just brings the in from wherever they are. I wanted to preserve that aspect, and still want to do so. So saying "Send Keldorn to his home in the Government District of Athkatla" will not EXTERN to Keldorn's "Do you no longer need my services?"

You see, the fate spirit is a busy entity, and while it's acceptable to give it a tap on the shoulder, figuratively speaking, and say "do this," asking it to stand around waiting for you to finish arguing with Jaheira is a bit much.

As I said earlier, I plan to try to preserve the tone of the fate spirit as much as possible. This means no NPC comments at the time of dismissal/summoning.

The next version will include NPC reactions to being called back. Jaheira will grumble about being sent away in the first place, Jan will be excited about continuing his adventures, that kind of thing. The next version will also correct an oversight, that of moving the NPC to the place where the animation plays. Forgot that in the current one.

[WizWom]

The next version will also correct an oversight, that of moving the NPC to the place where the animation plays. Forgot that in the current one.

Why not just have the animation play where they are with an action override?

[berelinde]

When the animation starts, they're deactivated.

[Hoppy]

This looks really cool! You have been very busy, berelinde. I think I will have to wait to install because I already have a major biffed game. I am an NPC/do the quests/"all together now" freak, so this is very innovative to have some closure with fellow adventurers. Are you requiring other NPC mods' creators to use the code if they want compatibility? Are you trying to incorporate all yourself?

I think the "frosting on the cake" later on component would be to have small epilogues to play at the end for NPC's (or even the moment they are sent away) with some music and their portrait (textscreen?). Brief bits , but have the same feel as the end game of ToB . That would be cool if other NPC mods would work also.

Maybe that will have to be a whole seperate mod

[berelinde]

Thanks for the kinds words!

Hmmm, the epilogue idea is kinda cool, but how do you know the NPC would stay gone? Maybe there would be some way to deal with that before the regular epilogues play? I'll have to look into it. But it would be a nice touch. After all, why would Nalia *not* get the nice epilogue, especially if she spent all but the last ten minutes of the game in the party?

As for mod NPCs doing the same thing, they can use it, a variation of it, or not use it at all, modder's choice. Since it is nothing but a simple extension of existing dialogue, modders can take it and use it, or leave it, or do something else entirely. As it does use a compatibility-friendly function, there isn't much this mod can do to upset anyone else's mod, nor is there much any other mod could do to interfere with this. WeiDU is wonderful.

As for including mod NPCs in the code I wrote, no, I won't be doing that. It's easy enough for modders to write in their own EXTEND_BOTTOMs, and I'd prefer to leave it in their hands. That way, it's all done they way they want, and everybody's happy.

[Hoppy]

My thought was the small epilogues (new material) to play at the point of release from the pocket plane for NPC's that leave before the final fight. They could be written differently than their final epilogues for variety. Normal ones will play after Melissan is toast as usual. This could be a small insertion of material for those NPC's without ToB content too, if modders contribute to the idea.

The "be all, end all" could be that after Melissan is destroyed, then all of the epilogues for supporting NPC's play first, then the six heroes. The trouble there, may be fitting that many for the end game (engine limitations or hard coded?) and to change supporting NPC (minor) epilogues. if they are not in final battle to play something fifferent.

I could help look into it, but I don't no where to look into the epilogues because a lot of mods that I know of, don't alter to it. I think the easiest way is that when hero initiates Fate Spirit dialog to give the NPC a return trip, IF NPC escape area THEN play textscreen or something in the code. That way the NPC is gone, but if you add more dialog options to later versions, the epilogue will only play when NPC disappears.

Glad you like the idea! I will see to adding this to my BP only install as that is small and unbiffed, or just my plain vanilla to test some things if you want to add more treats .

[AnnabelleRose]

The epilogue bit would be awesome.

That is probably the only thing that could make this mod even better.

[Amaurea]

I ran into a bit of weirdness today. I sent Keldorn home at the beginning of TOB. After killing Abazigal, when my party went to the Pocket Plane, there stood naked (well, okay, just not in his armor, but he looks naked without it!) Keldorn. I didn't summon him back; in fact, I haven't talked to the Fate Spirit since I sent him home. Thoughts on what could have caused this?

[berelinde]

Heh. Keldorn without his armor *would* seem naked. I should probaby be frightenend that I'm not turned off by this.

In all seriousness, though, I don't know what it is, but it isn't Homeward Bound. If you don't send a character home from the Pocket Plane, according to Homeward Bound, you can't bring them back. And if you don't talk to the Fate Spirit again once you do send them home, you can't bring them back. So I'm baffled.

But I'm willing to work through this with you, because it is strange. What else have you got installed? Please post your weidu.log. Maybe we can narrow it down.

[berelinde]

On second thought, it just might be Homeward Bound. I have to look into it.

I use Deactivate(). If he's got an activation block somewhere in his script, that would cause a problem. If further testing/investigation bears this out, I really *will* send everybody to the areas where they're supposed to go, and find a way to bring them back if they're summoned.

[Jarno Mikkola]

Just a though and a question. Where are you sending Sarevok? Back to Hell, with Imoen's Soul.

[Amaurea]

Heh again. Being of a certain age, I'm not exactly disturbed by the thought of naked Keldorn either

I'm sorry I can't post my log, because I completely rebuilt my install last night. I'm doing another run through for testing Angelo, so I'll let you know if anything odd happens this go 'round. I'll surely be sending someone home to make room for Sarevok.

[Rabain]

MoveGlobal() will send an npc where you want:

MoveGlobal("Ar0607","Aerie",[318.378])

It will also bring them back.

[berelinde]

Yeah, that's what I'm doing for the next version, along with giving them separate rejoining dialogues if they've been sent away and epilogues if they were in the party, but didn't go all the way to the end.

I combed every bit of Keldorn's scripts (who knew he'd have so many?), as well as the area scripts for the Pocket Plane and even baldur25.bcs, and I didn't see anything that would reactivate him. So while I'm chalking Amaure's experience up to the contribution of another mod, I'd still like this to function as intended regardless of whatever other mods are installed.

[AnnabelleRose]

Yeah, that's what I'm doing for the next version, along with giving them separate rejoining dialogues if they've been sent away and epilogues if they were in the party, but didn't go all the way to the end.

I combed every bit of Keldorn's scripts (who knew he'd have so many?), as well as the area scripts for the Pocket Plane and even baldur25.bcs, and I didn't see anything that would reactivate him. So while I'm chalking Amaure's experience up to the contribution of another mod, I'd still like this to function as intended regardless of whatever other mods are installed.

I love modders who actually care about compatability.

[Beetle]

This is a great idea! ("wicked awesome" as we say in this part of the US) Thanks for this, berelinde. It's going to be a permanently installed feature of all my BGII games from now on.