63 replies to this topic

[Ascension64]

I'm interested your preferences about the spawn system you use when you play BGT-WeiDU. I am also interested in your ideas about modifying any current spawn systems or introducing new spawn systems for use in BGT-WeiDU.

The preface to this poll is my belief that the spawn system that comes with BGT-WeiDU isn't all that popular, and many people prefer to use one of the spawn systems provided in BGT Tweak. Evidence for this has included complaints about the BGT-WeiDU-resident spawns being too hard. I have been thinking of shifting the harder spawns to BGT Tweak and adding exact BG1 spawns to BGT-WeiDU to (1) give people more choice, and (2) make the stock BGT-WeiDU spawns more bearable.

Any thoughts (for and against) regarding this idea, and any other ideas are greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

[Taimon]

I have just finished my first BGT playthrough with stock spawns and felt that the spawn system was exactly like BG1. Can you detail where they differ?

[Jarno Mikkola]

Well, I use the BGTs original spawning system, and I have noticed that they are hard, especially in some places and depending on the luck. This is hard especially because of low levels and the amount a spawn monsters a spawning point can have, as it can range from 2 goblins to 1-2 Ogre, 3 wolves, few gibberlings AND an army of goblins.

Now, I don't know what mechanics the game uses to fire those spawns, but I do know it has something to do with saving a lot, as I always do. Now, what could be done to this is to give each spawning points a limit of occupied spawning licenses, and making more spawning points to the maps.

Now, how to code those 'spawning licenses', I do not honestly know.

Or other approach(I think that this was the original approach) could be to use is a zonetrap spawner, the idea is that you when the player moves on the area to a zone, the trap fires the spawner script that gives us the monsters. Of course when the trap is sprung it stays closed as long as the zone is occupied, so it cant fire multiple times unless you really want it to...

Now why I don't like the TuTu spawns, it sounds too much Oblivion style level scaling, I hate that! Of course you can scale to a different areas, but not so that it is only depending on the level of the character.

[Ascension64]

I have just finished my first BGT playthrough with stock spawns and felt that the spawn system was exactly like BG1. Can you detail where they differ?

I believe the stock spawns are just a lot harder in BGT than they are in BG1 (roughly the same creature types, but more dudes).

[Ascension64]

Stock: difficulty not adjusted to your level
Tutu: difficulty adjusted to your level

[rlilewis]

The problem: with spawns (even TUTU-style) my mage runs out of spells fast.

Voted for stock spawn

I like this system, plenty of spawns without level adjustment suits me fine.

In reply to the above, I can very well imagine that this would become annoying, though I myself cheat quite badly because I have edited all the spellbook progression for classes so they have many more low level spells. I just can't stand the oringal ruleset which only gave like 2 spells before having to rest. If I remember correctly in the original a first level (non-specialized) mage has just one spell.... LOL. With my system they have like 4-6, cant remember..

[aVENGER]

How about something akin to the EasyTutu Spawn Randomizer?

The default behavior of the new EasyTutu spawn system is to populate every spawn point on your initial visit to an area, and then repopulate each spawn point one game day after it has been cleared. This add-on will allow you to introduce an element of randomness to monster spawning: you may select a base spawn chance (the choices are: 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, or 90%), and the selected percentage is used as the chance of any individual spawn point becoming populated when it is time for a spawn there. Spawn points will still be limited to a maximum of one spawn per game day with this add-on installed.

UPDATE: A new component has been added to the Spawn Randomizer, one which allows you to configure the time interval used between spawn decisions. The default interval is one game day, but can now be set anywhere between one day and a week (in one-day increments). You can also effectively disable respawning entirely by setting the interval to 1000 days. So, for example, if you'd like to see a spawn at every possible spawn point the game has to offer without any respawns, set the spawn percentage to 100% and then disable respawning via this new component.

I usually choose 100% base spawn chance and no respawns.

[Azazello]

I voted for de-activation, but re-decided that a default spawning is better for BGT, and other systems could go into the tweak pack.

[Ascension64]

How about something akin to the EasyTutu Spawn Randomizer?

I know someone would mention this.
I currently have locally a working EasyTutu spawn system. Unfortunately, I have been denied permission to release such a thing until the EasyTutu spawn system appears on Tutu v4/6. Odd, but ah well.

[aVENGER]

I currently have locally a working EasyTutu spawn system. Unfortunately, I have been denied permission to release such a thing until the EasyTutu spawn system appears on Tutu v4/6.

In that case, could you just include the option to disable respawning into BGT Tweaks, or would that be problematic too?

[Salk]

I usually choose 100% base spawn chance and no respawns.

sound great to me. This system should be also in bgt or BGTTweaks

This would be my first choice if I had the chance so I'd say this is the best. aVenger's proposal sounds very good. No need to have Macready's permission. Just disable respawns from BGT Tweaks.

Since there is no such option I think the second best is to disable everything.

Edited by Salk, 22 February 2008 - 11:32 PM.

[Ascension64]

Bump! Keep the votes coming in if you have not yet voted. Do remember that even if the stock spawns that come with BGT-WeiDU changes, all its alternatives will be moved to BGTTweak, so no spawn systems are 'lost'.

Yep, I can include a non-respawn spawn system in BGTTweak.

Edited by Ascension64, 15 March 2008 - 09:21 PM.

[melkor_morgoth75]

I add my 2 cents here ... but it's something i really liked to see in the game. Mainly in BG1 part of the game where spawn monsters are very probable, more common and "nice" to fight at low levels.

I dont' know if it's something possible but i'd like to have a full "random" Spawn systems based on PC Level and Areas.

Example:
1-2 Lev. -> Y types of Monsters possible. Any type of Y monster can spawn in X number. (es Xvart - 2 to 4 / Wolf - 1 to 2)
3-4 Lev- -> The same adding some monsters, increasing X number.
5-6 Lev. -> Same as above.
7-8 Lev. -> The same as above, EVENTUALLY remove the chance to spawn some minor monsters (es. Gibbering or Xvart).
Etc..

Some areas should have "animals" spawns, some other "umanoid" spawns, etc .. based on the plot/area settlement of course.
Moreover it would be really COOL to have 2 different spawn systems = day and night. For example by night, Undead monsters in some Areas COULD spawn, by day it is NOT possible. Eventually the X number of monsters can increase by "z" (z=a random number to determine, example 1 to 3) during the night.

Hope it makes sense/could be challenging, if u want/need a list of monsters/spawn etc ... or any help, just drop me a line

mm75

Edited by melkor_morgoth75, 17 March 2008 - 12:51 AM.

[Ascension64]

Yep, detail what you'd like in each area and it should be possible. With the Tutu-style spawn system, implementing something like this should be fairly trivial, albeit mundane. But isn't the current spawn system somewhat sensitive to areas already, or did you want something with a little less variety?

Anyway, I found out that the Tutu-style spawn system does try and mimic the BG1 spawn system, in that difficulty is adjusted to the player's level, but the formula differs slightly, since the latter takes into account "creature power" (quoting IESDP with no true idea what that really means) and a "frequency" multiplier using a hard-coded mechanism. Tutu uses a manual approach to "creature power" and "frequency".

So, it seems that:

• Stock spawns won't change;
  
• I'll try and add a tweak option to have no base respawn; and
  
• Later on, mm75's idea will probably be made available
  
• If I eventually get permission to use the EasyTutu spawn system, you'll see that

Edited by Ascension64, 21 March 2008 - 08:07 PM.

[melkor_morgoth75]

I hope today i can do some work, ascension do u have a name list of "your" areas? (i mean BGT areas) so that i can give full details for each area.

Anyway i remember i posted a reply here but it seems ... it didn't show up. I just added this: is it possible to add within the random encounters some "fixed" encounters also? This fixed ones should have let's say 5% chance of spawning (just an example: a group of bandits looking for you with a leader). From here another question: in the case i face 1 of those fixed encounter, is there any chance to force them spawning again? (let's say they killed me, i'd like to face them again).

Just another thought :-)

mm75

[Taimon]

About that area codes:
Not sure if it is up-to-date but you can take a look at the IESDP BG1 area section.