5 replies to this topic

[josh_clue]

oohkay... here goes:

i wanted to add a new animated BAM for a new monster i created for BG:TotSC. i picked an animated BAM from IWD:HoW and used it to replace the VOLO BAMs of BG:TotSC, carefully noting and replacing the frames and sequences appropriately using the BAMworkshop of TeamBG.

well, it worked.

i CLUAconsole the new monster into the game to give it a dry run. wow. the creature has a new look. it moves around, attacks... then i try hitting it. i TOTALLY miss the d*** thing! even when i effectively "backstab" it for double damage and even when i register a "critical hit", the monster still receives no damage! i've created a monster! LITERALLY!

help! what the heck am i doing wrong? i know someone from The Darkest Day MOD team did something like this... i could really use your advice. thanks in advance

[Rassadihn]

Ummm... Being quite ignorant of BAMs, this may sound like a stupid question -- but it's not, because I don't ask stupid questions :-) -- exactly what creature are we talking about? The BAM may have an influence, but that would make the Infinity Engine even weirder than I already think it is.

Do you get status messages? Do they speak of damage (that is "0 damage") or nothing at all? Are you sure you didn't copy some monster with an immunity item in its inventory? If you replace the BAM with something standard, is it still invulnerable? Can you pick up that mountain over there and bring it to me? Errr... just kidding about that last one.

[josh_clue]

***exactly what creature are we talking about? The BAM may have an influence, but that would make the Infinity Engine even weirder than I already think it is.

i replaced the VOLO BAMs with that of a GLABREZU's. the feedback circle was still as big as the VOLO BAMs were when the creature was CLUAconsoled in.

***Do you get status messages? Do they speak of damage (that is "0 damage") or nothing at all? Are you sure you didn't copy some monster with an immunity item in its inventory?

yep, i get the "critical hit" status message but no damage is dealt. i get the "backstab for double damage" status message but no damage is dealt. the monster has no immunities whatsoever to any weapon, magical or non.

i tried hitting it with normal/magical blunt/slash/piercing weapons, magic missle and fireball spells but still no damage dealt.

then i tried changing the creatures BAM to that of a normal creature (say a gibberling... even sarevok or drizzt) and... :viola: it starts becoming vulnerable again. it is ABLE TO receive damage as was intentionally programmed... but with the freaking pathetic look i wanted to get rid off in the first place.

[Rassadihn]

Alright, we hereby have confirmation that the Infinity Engine is even weirder than I thought it was. Sheesh, a creature's animation shouldn't have anything to do with anything other than its appearance.

i replaced the VOLO BAMs with that of a GLABREZU's. the feedback circle was still as big as the VOLO BAMs were when the creature was CLUAconsoled in.

I smell the germ of a possible cause. Animation ids (and thus quite likely feedback circle sizes) are hard-coded in the engine. Perhaps this discrepancy is causing the engine to twitch -- try replacing it with other creature anims from HoW (not the effect you want, I know, but we're trying to narrow down a cause for now). Try to replace other animation ids in BG (something stupid, like, hmmm, wyverns or so :-)

The only other thing I can come up with is that the BG engine somehow doesn't like the BAM and is corrupting the in-memory image of the creature, or something equally bizarre. Stranger bugs have happened.

[josh_clue]

***I believe it is hardcoded that certain animations (Volo and Elminster) are automatically invulnerable. Strange, but true.

elminister can still be hit, though. and receives damage on critical hits
volo is completely vulnerable. you can kill him in the bar in nashkel if you wanted to. so, i guess this still doens,t explain why the new animated BAMs can't be hit.

so, does anyone else have any other suggestions? i've pretty much tried all of these out. no luck.