28 replies to this topic

[Daulmakan]

File Name: Drows
File Submitter: Daulmakan
File Submitted: 30 Dec 2010
File Category: Miscellaneous Released Mods

This mod changes the partys vanilla NPCs' portraits to drow variants after Adalon casts her Polymorph spell over the party. Portrait changes will last until she changes you back or you kill her instead, as well as getting discovered by either Ardulace, the Demon Lord, Phaere, or Solaufein; reaching the Underdark exit will also dispel the portrait changes. Apart from this, the quest for Adalons eggs is untouched. Both Large and Small portraits are included for each NPC, save for Viconia and Yoshimo, who are not included for obvious reasons. It should be compatible with BG2 Tweaks' No Drow Avatars on Party component if installed BEFORE it.

Click here to download this file

Edited by Daulmakan, 15 January 2013 - 03:14 PM.

[prune1]

First of all, well done; always wondered why this hadn't been done!

Secondly:

Portrait changes will last until she changes you back, or you kill her instead; the quest for her eggs is otherwise untouched.

Will they also revert if you break the drow disguise in any other way, e.g. attacking 'friendly' drow in Ust Natha?

[Daulmakan]

First of all, well done; always wondered why this hadn't been done!

Me too.

Secondly:

Portrait changes will last until she changes you back, or you kill her instead; the quest for her eggs is otherwise untouched.

Will they also revert if you break the drow disguise in any other way, e.g. attacking 'friendly' drow in Ust Natha?

Hmm. Good question. They won't, as I only had in mind the "classical" ways of dispelling it. I destroyed Ust Natha in my 3rd playthrough or so for the novelty, but never repeated it since and it slipped my mind. The "disguise" is made worthless, for sure, but do ther avatars actually get dispelled when Ust Natha gets hostile?

Taking too long to do one of the quests there might pose a similar issue I presume...

[AnnabelleRose]

This is pretty darn nifty!

If I ever play the game again, I will be using this mod. I have to agree with Prune about how this mod should have been done before.

Quick question - it is doubtful I will make the time to do this, but if I do, would you mind if I made a Baldur's Goth version of this mod (by editing your portraits)?

Edited by MajorTomSawyer, 04 January 2011 - 11:13 AM.

[Daulmakan]

Quick question - it is doubtful I will make the time to do this, but if I do, would you mind if I made a Baldur's Goth version of this mod (by editing your portraits)?

Not at all.

[Miloch]

Methinks the faces should be dark and the hair white, but the armour and clothing shouldn't change colour, no?

[Daulmakan]

Methinks the faces should be dark and the hair white, but the armour and clothing shouldn't change colour, no?

I considered that at first, since it was the "proper" characterization, but discarded it because of 3 reasons: 1) I didn't really like the contrast between much darker faces and the same (mostly) brighted colored armors/robes. 2) Likewise, I liked giving the clothings a bit of a darker touch (the background landscape for each portrait remains unchanged, though); 3) Last, but not least, it would've meant more work, and I'm still a low-leveled Photoshoppist.

[Dakk]

Secondly:

Portrait changes will last until she changes you back, or you kill her instead; the quest for her eggs is otherwise untouched.

Will they also revert if you break the drow disguise in any other way, e.g. attacking 'friendly' drow in Ust Natha?

Hmm. Good question. They won't, as I only had in mind the "classical" ways of dispelling it. I destroyed Ust Natha in my 3rd playthrough or so for the novelty, but never repeated it since and it slipped my mind. The "disguise" is made worthless, for sure, but do ther avatars actually get dispelled when Ust Natha gets hostile?

Taking too long to do one of the quests there might pose a similar issue I presume...

Have you looked into if this is actually the case?

[Daulmakan]

Have you looked into if this is actually the case?

Doing a quick glance with Infinity Explorer, the only place the drow animation change is scripted to happen is in Adalon's Lair (regardless if Ust Natha is hostile or not), so there shouldn't be a discrepancy with the avatars being dispelled but not the drow portraits.

[Wisp]

Have you looked into if this is actually the case?

Doing a quick glance with Infinity Explorer, the only place the drow animation change is scripted to happen is in Adalon's Lair (regardless if Ust Natha is hostile or not), so there shouldn't be a discrepancy with the avatars being dispelled but not the drow portraits.

Actually, you can also be changed back by Ardulace and the Lesser Demon Lord, if you take too long to complete any of the tasks, etc (assuming we are talking about the UNDER_NORM transformation here).

[Daulmakan]

Doing a quick glance with Infinity Explorer, the only place the drow animation change is scripted to happen is in Adalon's Lair (regardless if Ust Natha is hostile or not), so there shouldn't be a discrepancy with the avatars being dispelled but not the drow portraits.

Actually, you can also be changed back by Ardulace and the Lesser Demon Lord, if you take too long to complete any of the tasks, etc (assuming we are talking about the UNDER_NORM transformation here).

Oops, you're right, Wisp, I wrongly searched for DROW_CHANGE instead. Thanks for the heads up.

The check you mention seems to be in Baldur.bcs. And weirdly enough, I think there's some stuff with the Potion of Squirrel Change (?) to change you back too, unused apparently. Didn't know about that one.

Adding stuff to Baldur.bcs is generally frowned upon, right? I don't think this issue merits adding another block, the mod's scope is extremely low key to justify it, and I have no personal interest in doing it either. I think it'd be easier for everyone if you don't get caught by the Matron and the Demon at all.

[Wisp]

The check you mention seems to be in Baldur.bcs.

There's also udardul.dlg and uddemon.dlg.

Adding stuff to Baldur.bcs is generally frowned upon, right?

For getting caught by Solaufein or Phaere, you could probably add the actions to the appropriate transitions in their dialogues. The same should work with Ardulace & fiend.

Since you are doing the same thing to all the scripts, you can condense your code quite a bit by copying them all at once, instead of copying them one at a time.

Edited by Wisp, 31 August 2011 - 03:28 AM.

[Dakk]

Excellent suggestions for Daulmakan

[Daulmakan]

Excellent suggestions for Daulmakan

Heh, as usual, Wisp was very kind and thorough indeed, but I don't trust myself adding dialogue transitions to vanilla .DLGs, and frankly, I don't think it's worth the work anyway (plus, my modding time has been cut short due to RL).

[Dakk]

I think it'd be easier for everyone if you don't get caught by the Matron and the Demon at all.

Excellent suggestions for Daulmakan

Heh, as usual, Wisp was very kind and thorough indeed, but I don't trust myself adding dialogue transitions to vanilla .DLGs, and frankly, I don't think it's worth the work anyway (plus, my modding time has been cut short due to RL).

Aww..!
Just so I know, if I DO end up getting caught - when and how can/will I revert to normal portraits?

[Daulmakan]

Aww..!
Just so I know, if I DO end up getting caught - when and how can/will I revert to normal portraits?

You can shadowkeep the original portraits back at any time.

[Dakk]

Aww..!
Just so I know, if I DO end up getting caught - when and how can/will I revert to normal portraits?

You can shadowkeep the original portraits back at any time.

Gotcha, thnx.

[Miloch]

Excellent suggestions for Daulmakan

Heh, as usual, Wisp was very kind and thorough indeed, but I don't trust myself adding dialogue transitions to vanilla .DLGs, and frankly, I don't think it's worth the work anyway (plus, my modding time has been cut short due to RL).

Dunno if I'd trust myself either, but Wisp could probably code it in 2 minutes. In which case, it might be worth the work, just adding the same block to a handful of dialogues.

[Wisp]

Excellent suggestions for Daulmakan

Heh, as usual, Wisp was very kind and thorough indeed, but I don't trust myself adding dialogue transitions to vanilla .DLGs, and frankly, I don't think it's worth the work anyway (plus, my modding time has been cut short due to RL).

Dunno if I'd trust myself either, but Wisp could probably code it in 2 minutes. In which case, it might be worth the work, just adding the same block to a handful of dialogues.

It is not difficult.
If Daulmakan does not mind the potential for upkeep, I guess I can take a look at it. But I will have to get my BG2 stuff back up first.

[Daulmakan]

If Wisp is willing, I guess it's OK.