37 replies to this topic

[persocom01]

It's not Aurora: even your own changelog says it was only the fixpack that modifies the trolls. What's the second WeiDU log from? It looks like you originally installed Aurora before SCSII. So - when you uninstalled Aurora, and the issue went away - the backup was from the middle of your install (before you installed SCSII and whatever else after Aurora). So, it could be ANYTHING after Aurora in your original install order that is causing your bug.

I know what the components do. That's why I was suggesting that you try installing them.

If your problem is that trolls are never falling over, then try installing the mod that makes them killable without falling over - see?

The original bug with spirit trolls occured after I installed aurora, with aurora being last on the list, and it was rectified when I uninstalled it. That should be as good as proof as any. Of course subsequent expeiments were made with scs 2 installed, (and in the interest of transparency I posted my second weidu log) but none of the troll affecting components of scs 2 were installed, so it should still apply. I also pointed out the possiblity that the problem may be caused even without changing the troll file. According to tactics, trolls behave that way when the script fails to account of the fact that they are near death and replace them with the alternate creature.

As I said before it isn't a very big problem, in the sense they can still be killed. I'm just pointing out that aurora may cause that problem.

Edited by persocom01, 11 February 2010 - 09:34 PM.

[Miloch]

The original bug with spirit trolls occured after I installed aurora, with aurora being last on the list, and it was rectified when I uninstalled it.

It is possible but if the behaviour doesn't change at all with or without the file I gave you in your override, I don't know what else could possibly cause it. I can guarantee though it's not animation-related. Aurora does nothing with troll animations. Infinity Animations does (one of the optional components) but I don't think you've got that installed. Anyway, the only possible thing Aurora could be doing is hanging up the scripting (which appears is what's happening) but again, that file or the complete absence of it should change that, if that's what *is* happening. Asdf has a point too in that your change-log doesn't indicate Aurora affected the spirit troll, though it really *should* if it was actually installed correctly. As for the ice troll, do a change-log on that if you suspect a mod has messed with it too (trolic01.cre I believe).

Regarding shadow thieves dropping composite longbows, this is also unmodded game behaviour, like the goblins. It is stupid for 2 reasons:
1) Thieves can't use longbows
2) None of the thieves have the 18 STR required for the composite longbow anyway

Personally I think this is a bug - the game's designers seem to have assumed bow01 was a short bow for a lot of creatures. So I changed this too in the next version but as compensation, I changed some of the dungeon shortbows to longbows.

[persocom01]

I tried change log on trolic01 too, it said:

0000: /* from game biffs */ ~bg2fixpack/setup-bg2fixpack.tp2~ 0 0 // bg2fixpack - core fixes

And again that's it. No record of aurora. Maybe my changelog isn't working, is there another file I can test the command on? Something that other mods would have touched besides aurora? I didn't see any problems with installing aurora, I've done it a few times since v4 broke my game, even when I start a new game. (v5 not crashing my bg2 was a huge improvement)

I think it's actually ok for thieves to have longbow... rogue reblancing makes shadow thieves low level fighter/thief dual classed since the unmodded game thieves were so pathetic fighters your level 12 fighter could probably wipe the floor with them in a 1v5. (scs 2 also gives them a huge boost by providing invis potions though and I no longer laughed when they began to backstab)

Also how are rubies dropped? Because I killed that guy who mocks you in the copper coronet in a duel and he dropped it in the arena where it can't be picked up, so I reloaded and hoped I could pick it up in the split second he died but it didn't drop on the reloaded game. Is it some kind of random drop script?

Edited by persocom01, 12 February 2010 - 01:28 PM.

[Setharnas]

Miloch, while I fully agree that those issues warrant fixes, I'm wondering if Aurora is the right mod for them? I mean, it started as a shop mod, became a shop + quest mod, now it's a shop + quest + fix mod... Will you make sure to notify us when it becomes a total conversion?

Seriously though, I wouldn't mind seeing stuff like the goblin bows or the demon genders getting their very own "Miloch's Fixpack". Let be together what belongs together, or somesuchthing.

And, yeah, I realize you've got your plate full...

[persocom01]

Aurora didn't break your trolls. From D'Arnise Keep, to Trademeet, to Windspear - roughly 1/4 of all the enemies you fight in the vanilla game are trolls. If Aurora broke trolls, someone would have noticed by now, and Miloch would have a hotfix ready the next morning. While you were installing your mods, your HD skipped and something didn't get copied properly. In my last playthru, I had two CTDs caused by bad BAMs, and after clearing my cache and going into DLTCEP to attempt to extract them manually, I was given bad bif errors. It's not Generalized Biffing's fault - when your HD spins for 5 hours at full speed - errors happen. Even computers make mistakes. You've been given multiple solutions in this thread to your problem: Pick one and play on, brother.

Aurora doesn't break trolls.

And let's dissuade not Miloch from his awesome work. Aurora is the best thing to happen to the Megamod since DEFJAM. My last pre-Aurora game I was a millionaire in Ulgoth's Beard and I literally stopped looting corpses by the time I hit Suldanesselar unless I knew they had unique loot or superior healing potions. If he wants to take his fixpack and slap a pretty redhead on the label and wrap it in a pink bow - more power to him.

Speaking of which - can I make a flirtpack for Aurora? Can you get it voiced for me?

1. You know, by the same reasoning you face goblins in temple sewers, windspear hills and irenicus dungeon too. Someone would have noticed that they no longer had arrow shooting animations by now. (you know this kind of attitude breeds the passer-by syndrome; the mentality that 'someone' would do it / would have done it.) But they didn't. Moreover I didn't say all trolls, but merely spirit (and later, ice) trolls. These are significantly rarer than 1/4 of the enemies you face. Also aurora is part of the big world project, so a significant number of users of the mod have the whole set of other mods as well during their playthrough, and theoretically having tactics' trolls totally eliminates the possiblity of it occuring.

2. By your logic my hard drive caused the problem somehow during biffing, yes? However how do you explain the fact that the problem did not occur after aurora was uninstalled? Of course it's possible aurora itself did not install properly, I'm open to that, however I've installed aurora more than once, and uninstalled it as well, and after I first faced the problem I did an uninstall and reinstall just to test if it was the specific mod that causes these effects. (and it was) It's very unlikely that the hard disk is at fault unless it holds some kind of fault against the aurora mod alone.

3. You seem to think I think it's some fatal problem or something, when I repeatedly said it causes a minor annoyance, nothing more. Trolls can still be killed, 'brother'.

4. You also seem to try and frame me as "dissuading Miloch from his awesome work". As if I'm doing it on purpose and I'm evil for providing feedback which can help the mod improve.

Edit: To dispel any doubts you may have about other mods, I uninstalled aurora, started a new game, and spawned the offending trolls. (trolsi01, trolic01) They fell down when near death as they were supposed to. I repeated the test with another new game with aurora installed. The problems resurfaced. The spirit troll will not fall, neither did the ice troll. As described in previous posts, the ice troll stands on the spot without attacking while the spirit troll continues to attack. Here's the lower part of my latest weidu log. The changes made to the upper part are very few (mostly reinstalls and removals), and anyway, the problem did go away after aurora was uninstalled:

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #1000 // Detectable spells (required for most other components): v11
~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #1020 // Bugfix: Fix the Mirror Image spell so it doesn't block area-effect magic: v11
~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #1030 // Bugfix: Fix the Dispel Magic spell so it correctly allows for caster's level: v11
~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #2070 // Blade Barrier and Globe of Blades only affect hostile creatures: v11
~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #2080 // Cap damage done by Skull Trap at 12d6: v11
~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #3530 // Faster Bears: v11
~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #4010 // Make Freedom scrolls available earlier: v11
~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #4030 // Retrieve Dropped Items from Hell: v11
~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #4040 // Improved shapeshifting: v11
~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #4050 // Make party members less likely to die irreversibly: v11
~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #5000 // Ease-of-use party AI: v11
~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #5010 // Remove animation from the Cloak of Mirroring (leave it for other spells and effects that use the same graphic): v11
~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #6000 // Smarter general AI: v11
~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #6010 // Better calls for help: v11
~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #6020 // Potions for NPCs -> All of the potions dropped by slain enemies are recoverable: v11
~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #6061 // Smarter genies -> Genies cast spells like normal wizards: v11
~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #6081 // Smarter celestials -> Celestials cast spells like normal wizards: v11
~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #6090 // Give dragons more staying power by increasing their hit points: v11
~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #6101 // Smarter dragons -> Dragons cast spells like normal wizards: v11
~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #6108 // Enemy mages (and Elder Orbs) use Simulacrum and Project Image spells (this component will have no effect unless you install Smarter Mages or Smarter Beholders): v11
~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #6120 // Smarter mind flayers -> Illithids have only original-game resistances; Illithids cannot see invisible enemies (matches original game): v11
~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #6135 // Smarter githyanki: v11
~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #6136 // Add high-level abilities (HLAs) to ToB mages -> Only selected ToB mages get HLAs: v11
~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #6151 // Smarter Mages -> Mages only cast short-duration spells instantly at start of combat if they are created in sight of the PC: v11
~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #6180 // Add high-level abilities (HLAs) to ToB priests -> Only selected ToB priests get HLAs: v11
~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #6162 // Smarter Priests -> Priests never cast short-duration spells instantly at start of combat: v11
~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #7010 // Spellcasting Demiliches: v11
~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #7032 // Increase difficulty of level-dependent monster groupings -> Almost-maximum difficulty (maximum for everything except liches): v11
~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #7040 // Improved Random Encounters: v11
~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #7050 // Improved d'Arnise Keep ("Tactics Remix") -> Spirit trolls have the same powers as in the original game: v11
~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #7070 // Improved Bodhi (Tactics Remix) -> "Toned-down" version of the original Tactics Improved Bodhi, with SCSII scripting: v11
~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #7126 // Improved Irenicus in Hell (Tactics remix) -> Tactics-SCSII hybrid: v11
~RE/SETUP-RE.TP2~ #0 #27 // Mekrath and Nymphology, by Kulyok
~FREEACT/SETUP-FREEACT.TP2~ #0 #10 // PnP Free Action: v2
~FREEACT/SETUP-FREEACT.TP2~ #0 #50 // Update spell and item descriptions: v2
~BG2_TWEAKS/SETUP-BG2_TWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #3121 // Happy Patch (Party NPCs do not fight or complain about reputation) -> NPCs can be angry about reputation but never leave (Salk): v7
~AURORA/SETUP-AURORA.TP2~ #0 #0 // Aurora's Shoes and Boots: v5
~AURORA/SETUP-AURORA.TP2~ #0 #10 // Small portraits for NPCs -> Merchants and minor NPCs: v5
~AURORA/SETUP-AURORA.TP2~ #0 #130 // Change store buying prices -> Increase by 150%: v5
~AURORA/SETUP-AURORA.TP2~ #0 #235 // Change gem and jewelry prices -> Increase by 150%: v5
~AURORA/SETUP-AURORA.TP2~ #0 #257 // Change quest gold rewards -> Fixes only: v5
~AURORA/SETUP-AURORA.TP2~ #0 #490 // Change creature gold carried -> Increase by 200%: v5
~AURORA/SETUP-AURORA.TP2~ #0 #9000 // Fix area creature references: v5

edit 2:
I'm also aware that user account control may cause issue with mods. While I've personally never found it actually causing any issues, so be on the safe side I uninstalled aurora, turned uac off, rr the comp and did the tests again with and without aurora. The result was exactly the same. I also downloaded a new copy of aurora from the site to make the probability that it was a hd fault in the setup file itself virtually negligible. One thing that did change however, was the changelog:

Mods affecting TROLSI01.CRE:
00000: ~BG2FIXPACK/SETUP-BG2FIXPACK.TP2~ 0 0 // BG2 Fixpack - Core Fixes
00001: ~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ 0 6000 // Smarter general AI
00002: ~AURORA/SETUP-AURORA.TP2~ 0 0 // Aurora's Shoes and Boots

Mods affecting TROLSI01.BCS:
00000: /* from game biffs */ ~BG2FIXPACK/SETUP-BG2FIXPACK.TP2~ 0 0 // BG2 Fixpac
k - Core Fixes

Mods affecting TROLIC01.CRE:
00000: /* from game biffs */ ~BG2FIXPACK/SETUP-BG2FIXPACK.TP2~ 0 0 // BG2 Fixpac
k - Core Fixes
00001: ~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ 0 6000 // Smarter general AI
00002: ~AURORA/SETUP-AURORA.TP2~ 0 0 // Aurora's Shoes and Boots

Edited by persocom01, 13 February 2010 - 01:44 AM.

[persocom01]

For curiousity's sake, I reverted to my clean backup and installed only Aurora v5. I CLUA'd to the Druid Grove and had no problem killing trolls.

If you're literally talking about just killing the trolls I have no problem either.

[Setharnas]

And let's dissuade not Miloch from his awesome work. Aurora is the best thing to happen to the Megamod since DEFJAM. My last pre-Aurora game I was a millionaire in Ulgoth's Beard and I literally stopped looting corpses by the time I hit Suldanesselar unless I knew they had unique loot or superior healing potions. If he wants to take his fixpack and slap a pretty redhead on the label and wrap it in a pink bow - more power to him.

@Persocom: I believe this was aimed at me.

@asdf: how is

Seriously though, I wouldn't mind seeing stuff like the goblin bows or the demon genders getting their very own "Miloch's Fixpack".

a dissuasion to Miloch? I considered (and intended) it a reassurance that his by-the-wayside fixes are good enough to warrant their own product. Besides, while you are completely entitled to your wish for money and item balance*, there may just be those (such as myself) among the BWP users who would like to play the Aurora quests without some of its fixes... While that is possible by editing the .bat, that's not something everybody will be comfortable with. Not to mention BWP includes more than one mod that adresses those issues, allowing for even more personal choice. Quintessence: don't judge others by your own standards.

*On the danger of even less realism than vanilla, because: seriously, if - by whatever silly slip of fate - a small group were to go out and gut all the bad people in our world without any kind of jurisdictional repercussions, and had free pickings on all the valuables and antiques they happened to haul around, how long, do you think, would those guys keep sleeping in the cheapest motels? Disclaimer: no, I do not think nor hope that will ever become reality as presented.

[Miloch]

Something that other mods would have touched besides aurora?

It could well be some sort of weird conflict between SCS2 and Aurora or something like that. I'll have to do some testing to figure out what's up or if I can't, come back and ask for more info. Should be fixable though, whatever it is.

I think it's actually ok for thieves to have longbow... rogue reblancing makes shadow thieves low level fighter/thief dual classed since the unmodded game thieves were so pathetic fighters your level 12 fighter could probably wipe the floor with them in a 1v5. (scs 2 also gives them a huge boost by providing invis potions though and I no longer laughed when they began to backstab)

Making them fighter/thieves is one thing (though I'm not so sure low-level dual classes make sense) but to wield composite longbows, they'd still need at least 18 strength, which I think is unrealistic for every single one of them. Plus the damage of shortbow vs. composite longbow isn't actually that great (in fact, shortbows are faster) and there are other ways to make them harder that you've mentioned, without stretching realism (too much).

Also how are rubies dropped? Because I killed that guy who mocks you in the copper coronet in a duel and he dropped it in the arena where it can't be picked up, so I reloaded and hoped I could pick it up in the split second he died but it didn't drop on the reloaded game. Is it some kind of random drop script?

Yes, it is random. There may well be places you can't get to a particular one, but I'm sure you'll find more .

Miloch, while I fully agree that those issues warrant fixes, I'm wondering if Aurora is the right mod for them? I mean, it started as a shop mod, became a shop + quest mod, now it's a shop + quest + fix mod... Will you make sure to notify us when it becomes a total conversion?

Seriously though, I wouldn't mind seeing stuff like the goblin bows or the demon genders getting their very own "Miloch's Fixpack". Let be together what belongs together, or somesuchthing.

Well, it's listed as an "expansion mod" no? I think that's as good a label as any. We could probably call it a "megamod" at this point, though that has a bad connotation for some folks. And there's no way we could easily separate the alleged "fixes" - they are an inherent part of the mod. Most people would call them "tweaks" so they don't belong in a fixpack. Anyone (such as the Fixpack maintainers) is welcome to whatever "fixes" they like, though they'd have to argue each one to death and eventually end up declaring them all "non-fixes" anyway . (I sort of dropped my involvement in the BG1 Fixpack due to that sort of endless debate.) As for a tweakpack, yes, I may do one eventually but probably not for some time (which is why things like the optional components are in this mod). As stated though, this is an expansion mod, not a fixpack. If you don't want something just because you don't think it should be in the mod, you'd need a bit more argument to support that to convince me. If something in it doesn't make sense or is against the rules, that's one thing that might, not that this is a rules mod per se, but we've tried to make it sensible (sort of). And obviously, if there's bugs, we try to fix those too. But if you don't think non-tweak mods should contain tweaks or pseudo-fixes just on general principle, you'd have to drop an awful lot of mods from your install.

Speaking of which - can I make a flirtpack for Aurora? Can you get it voiced for me?

Sure, go ahead. Though you'd have to talk to berelinde about getting it voiced . (There was some talk of making Aurora reappear as a joinable NPC in ToB but I don't think it ever went anywhere.)

[Setharnas]

Miloch, while I fully agree that those issues warrant fixes, I'm wondering if Aurora is the right mod for them? I mean, it started as a shop mod, became a shop + quest mod, now it's a shop + quest + fix mod... Will you make sure to notify us when it becomes a total conversion?

Seriously though, I wouldn't mind seeing stuff like the goblin bows or the demon genders getting their very own "Miloch's Fixpack". Let be together what belongs together, or somesuchthing.

As for a tweakpack, yes, I may do one eventually but probably not for some time (which is why things like the optional components are in this mod). As stated though, this is an expansion mod, not a fixpack. If you don't want something just because you don't think it should be in the mod, you'd need a bit more argument to support that to convince me.

"Fix" vs. "tweaks" semantics aside... It seems to me that you misunderstood me as much more serious and negative here than I actually was. I never said I did not want it at all, it's just that I prefer my socks in their own drawer, not lumped together with my shirts. I thought I made that clear with my reply to asdf. Also, I'm not one to receive a handmade cake and complain loudly because the giver has dropped a little pepper on one part - I get a Kleenex and wipe it off, then enjoy the gift (analogies FTW ). Same with Aurora. The stuff about it growing to TC size was completely in jest, BTW.

And there's no way we could easily separate the alleged "fixes" - they are an inherent part of the mod.

The issues I was talking about were the ones I named, not the shop prices and such that a) are optional components already, anyway, and b) I can actually see having a good reason to be there (if only so you don't have to install other mods on top of this just so you can adjust the shop prices in this - originally at least - shop mod). OTOH though, I have a hard time seeing how modifying the gobbos in the starter dungeon specifically can be such an integral part of it. This is not a critique! It is just the basis for why I would prefer seeing this kind of stuff in its own place.

Just for the sake of argument (you asked for some in order to convince you): let's view it the other way around for a moment. Imagine I wasn't really interested in the Aurora mod at all (yeah, right), perhaps because I just want vanilla quests with all the tactical improvements available today, but have forever been put off by those stupid gobbo bows; so far even that I have stopped playing BG2 right there in CI more often than not just because of them. Enter Aurora with the holy grail fix for this. Should I be forced to install quests and shops I don't want, just to get that one little fix (well, ok, I can sort of imagine your answer, but... )? And yes,

But if you don't think non-tweak mods should contain tweaks or pseudo-fixes just on general principle, you'd have to drop an awful lot of mods from your install.

is completely true, but also an argument for my side: if noone ever starts to do something about this problem, when is it supposed to get better? When nobody but you WeiDU wizards with tons of hard work spent on the enjoyment of users worldwide even remember BG anymore?

If something in it doesn't make sense or is against the rules, that's one thing that might, not that this is a rules mod per se, but we've tried to make it sensible (sort of). And obviously, if there's bugs, we try to fix those too.

That is laudable to the extent so far, but I wouldn't like to see this become another Improved Anvil.

[Miloch]

It seems to me that you misunderstood me as much more serious and negative here than I actually was.

No, I didn't actually - I just took it in stride and explained where I was coming from, but after seeing your last post, it's obvious you've either given it quite a bit of thought.

The stuff about it growing to TC size was completely in jest, BTW.

Indeed. As, I'm sure, is this:

I wouldn't like to see this become another Improved Anvil.

Because otherwise, if I was the sort of orc who got easily wound up, I might have to take umbrage. But I'll let it slide (*this* time ).

Also, I'm not one to receive a handmade cake and complain loudly because the giver has dropped a little pepper on one part - I get a Kleenex and wipe it off, then enjoy the gift

Your problem though is mistaking Aurora for cake. It's a very spicy curry, so of course it has pepper and all sorts of other stuff .

Should I be forced to install quests and shops I don't want, just to get that one little fix (well, ok, I can sort of imagine your answer, but... )?

I see what you're saying here, which makes a little more sense. In the "cake analogy" you seem to be suggesting you're going to comment out or delete the so-called "fixes" (more likely tweaks) to get the quests and other content. But for me to believe that's reasonable, you're going to have to explain how a goblin can shoot a longbow, let alone a composite one. And I'm going to laugh because the only way other than quaffing some sort of potion of enlargement is by lying on the ground and bracing their feet against the riser, while drawing the bowstring back with both hands .

Also, Aurora has always given goblins the overhaul, since it adds 2 new goblin areas and 2 goblin sub-encounters. Has done since oh, alpha 2 or so. So it's not like I'm just suddenly introducing a bunch of goblin tweaks. I'm just adjusting the existing tweaks in light of the feedback that I've inadvertenly removed the possibility of getting a longbow of any sort in the starting dungeon.

Edited by Miloch, 16 February 2010 - 05:01 PM.

[Miloch]

can you see if putting this in your override folder helps. Overwrite the existing one if it asks, then try console-spawning a spirit troll.
[attachment outdated]
If it doesn't, then delete the file and try again (it's the mod's file, so you're not deleting a game-critical file or anything).

mm the spirit troll didn't lie down with or without the file.

This really should've worked, as I could reproduce the issue without the fix and could not with it.

Trolls with Aurora v5 after getting them "near death" (they're still standing):

After the script fix (the suckers are down):


I can see how due to the randomisation routine or something the original fix may not have worked properly, so try installing this instead. You need to install it after Aurora v5, but other than that it doesn't matter even if you install it after biffing. It fixes the goblin archer animations as well.
 aurpatch-v51.rar   552.61K   534 downloads

For those who care about technical stuff, this is not an animation issue per se, but a scripting issue. If you add scripts before blocks with OnCreation() triggers, you need to use Continue() or the OnCreation() blocks apparently won't fire. One of the few times Continue() is warranted - it is similar to multiple blocks with Die() triggers.

[persocom01]

Wow it really works, good job Miloch. Hmm maybe my cache wasn't cleared when I tested? I only tested the no file thing once so maybe I tested it wrongly. Thanks for the fix though. Btw I found 2 brandfire opals. I suspect I'm only supposed to get 1 naturally but I think the random item locations are screwing it up. (when I alter things before aurora it keeps rerandomising items on reinstall, and I've been through most areas of SoA already and am still missing some gems) I also hope you didn't randomise all containers in the game because I don't check those in the city, only in dungeons, but so far it seems I only get the special gems in special places. (like Lavok's room in the planar sphere) I haven't found the demonfey boots this time around and the last time I easily got it in trademeet. I also have multiple copies of those gnome boots.

I also noticed the addtion of several creatures. There seems to be a few new spiders in the underdark drow city where you get the drow boots, and it's kind of out of place to kill the m spider (forgot the name but it starts with m) in a city that venerates spiders. I also met a certain deep gnome being held captive in the temple ruins. It it supposed to be part of some quest? Because meeting him there with goblins (who knows why they weren't turned into shadows) was also kind of odd. Other than that I also met ogres in windspear hills that I never recalled meeting before. I guess that was ok though, somehow balislik, gorgons and ogres are 2 creatures that seem distinctively rare in bg2 that were common in bg1.

Now to figure out why my shadows can't detect invisible and my efreeti can't be killed by the wave halberd. I suspect it's scs 2 although I'm only half motivated to find out.

Edited by persocom01, 18 February 2010 - 11:22 AM.

[Miloch]

Most of this is spoilerish rather than bug-related, so I'll hide it with buttons. Don't click on them unless you want all the answers .

Btw I found 2 brandfire opals. I suspect I'm only supposed to get 1 naturally but I think the random item locations are screwing it up.

Bandfire opals aren't unique, just very rare. You *might* find two of them in a normal game.

Spoiler

Semi-randomly, you can find them in only one of these cases:
1) The orog leader in the Umar Hills and Mae'Var
2) Sphere: Navigator's Room and De'Arnise Cellar
3) Graveyard Crypts and Bodhi's Hunt level 2
There is one more in ToB in case you missed them (Chyil's House)

I haven't found the demonfey boots this time around and the last time I easily got it in trademeet.

Daemonfey boots are also semi-random.

Spoiler

Found at one of three places:
1) Khan Zahraa (Trademeet Genie Tent)
2) Karaea (Trademeet or Amkethran Inn)
3) Zakee Rafeha (Amkethran Inn)

I also have multiple copies of those gnome boots.

Gnomish Boots aren't unique or even particularly rare. There's nothing terribly powerful about them - they're just footwear you might find several gnomes wearing (they make the boots themselves).

There seems to be a few new spiders in the underdark drow city where you get the drow boots, and it's kind of out of place to kill the m spider (forgot the name but it starts with m) in a city that venerates spiders.

Myrlochar are "drow soul spiders." However, they're not actually spiders at all but demons. But there's nothing unusual at all to find them in the Underdark, given they're detailed in the "Drow of the Underdark" supplement. Indeed, you may even find them on the surface and elsewhere, since they often get summoned and once they've fulfilled their task, they're free to roam about and wreck havoc. (In the next release, I might throw a random myrlochar in with higher-level spider spawns.)

Now if you're saying it's odd that you could kill one in the Underdark and the drow would take no notice of it, maybe you have a point. Then again, they probably wouldn't take too much notice of it (especially if you summoned your own myrlochar to deal with it ). After all, they're fiends, so when you kill them on the Prime Material Plane, you're just sending them back home to the Abyss.

I also met a certain deep gnome being held captive in the temple ruins. It it supposed to be part of some quest? Because meeting him there with goblins (who knows why they weren't turned into shadows) was also kind of odd.

The gnome slave held by goblins is a very small mini-quest.

Spoiler

He'll tell you where to find something, if you release all the goblins without killing or abusing him.

As for the location, I asked a long-time player where a good spot for it would be (Chevalier if I recall rightly) and he suggested there. I suppose I could move it elsewhere if there's somewhere more appropriate, though it'd be a big task to pick up and move that huge group, heh. But they are probably just passing through, perhaps looking for something en route to their lair (which is elsewhere, as you may have found).

Other than that I also met ogres in windspear hills that I never recalled meeting before. I guess that was ok though, somehow balislik, gorgons and ogres are 2 creatures that seem distinctively rare in bg2 that were common in bg1.

Aurora doesn't add any ogres. I suppose we *could* but then folks like Setharnas would say, "hey what's a store mod doing adding ogres?" . (Nevermind I've added some hobgoblins for the next release already, as I mentioned above .) There are ogres in the Windspear Hills in an unmodded BG2 - maybe you just didn't come across them before. Unless you mean *more* ogres, then I suppose some other mod may have added them.

Now to figure out why my shadows can't detect invisible and my efreeti can't be killed by the wave halberd. I suspect it's scs 2 although I'm only half motivated to find out.

You could do change-logs on those if you wanted. But there's several of these, so it really depends on where you found them as to which .cre files they'd be (weidu --change-log shadow01.cre and genefr01.cre for starters, I guess). If you're talking about ones you've summoned, that narrows it down to efreetsu.cre and shadowsu.cre.

[persocom01]

Aurora doesn't add any ogres. I suppose we *could* but then folks like Setharnas would say, "hey what's a store mod doing adding ogres?" . (Nevermind I've added some hobgoblins for the next release already, as I mentioned above .) There are ogres in the Windspear Hills in an unmodded BG2 - maybe you just didn't come across them before. Unless you mean *more* ogres, then I suppose some other mod may have added them.

Oh yes, I just remembered I found a belldona flower on one, which was later sold to a npc introduced by chosen of mystra's food and herbal mod. Yes good question, never thought a food and herbal mod would introduce a bunch of ogres...

Edit: And yes I found that efreeti not dying to wave halberd was caused by smarter genies part of scs 2. Time to go report it on their forum.

Edited by persocom01, 19 February 2010 - 10:59 PM.

[Setharnas]

but after seeing your last post, it's obvious you've either given it quite a bit of thought.

Heh, I wouldn't have posted if I didn't care about the mod.

Because otherwise, if I was the sort of orc who got easily wound up, I might have to take umbrage. But I'll let it slide (*this* time ).

Err... Jest, yes. Besides, I have to thank you for adding to my vocabulary so efficiently. Being of the rather elvish stature that I am, I'm sure I won't forget the term 'to take umbrage' now.

Your problem though is mistaking Aurora for cake. It's a very spicy curry, so of course it has pepper and all sorts of other stuff .

Point taken. Even better then, as I love a good curry.

In the "cake analogy" you seem to be suggesting you're going to comment out or delete the so-called "fixes" (more likely tweaks) to get the quests and other content.

Generally, I might at least attempt to do that, yes. Of course, in this particular case, I've been saying all along I was completely with you on the validity of the tweaks in question. So, no butchering Aurora(.tp2) here.

But for me to believe that's reasonable, you're going to have to explain how a goblin can shoot a longbow,

Possibly like a Yumi? Unlikely as that seems.

let alone a composite one.

That one I was happy to see fixed(! ) all along. (OTOH, noone ever said you had to draw the bow all the way in order to let the arrow fly... a few feet. Or inches. )

And I'm going to laugh because the only way other than quaffing some sort of potion of enlargement is by lying on the ground and bracing their feet against the riser, while drawing the bowstring back with both hands .

"And thus, younglings of the great Thundercloud Clan, did our elders invent the Goblin Crossbow. A nice little first-strike weapon, though you have to take care to always keep proper bindings on it. Oh, and remember to feed and gag it, or its constant yammering will annoy you to no end."

Also, Aurora has always given goblins the overhaul, since it adds 2 new goblin areas and 2 goblin sub-encounters. Has done since oh, alpha 2 or so. So it's not like I'm just suddenly introducing a bunch of goblin tweaks.

Uh, yes, which is the point where I have to admit I didn't look at the changelog before. Humble apologies.

Aurora doesn't add any ogres. I suppose we *could* but then folks like Setharnas would say, "hey what's a store mod doing adding ogres?" public/style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif.

Heh, yeah, I deserved that. I'd probably go look for the associated quest though.