821 replies to this topic

[Ascension64]

I'd like to see NPCs make reputation-based comments appropriate to whether Rep is going up or down. IE a group with low rep does a good deed, and the good aligned chatracters respond positively.

You could achieve this with a massive dialogue mod. The script triggers exist as Reputation[GT/LT](), and you can save changes in global variables with a global script like baldur.bcs.

Anyway, there are some in-game responses where the characters comment on how reputation is going.

Is there a separate list of the fixes that were already included in the ToBEx - Core component of the mod ? See I got a PM asking what I meant in my mod description ... and there was no mention of the Kit limit and selectability 'fix' you have in the main component in the ToB Ex readme.

As I mentioned somewhere else, TobEx is woefully lacking in documentation at the moment. That's what I'm working on.

[Chevalier]

I mean the touches, fireplaces, and other fires in a game during combat.

that's a graphic setting. run BGConfig.exe in your root and make adjustments, unless your computer is a relic in which case those animations are shut off for lag reasons.

Yes, I knew it was about graphics and computer speed. I think for me it is more to do with stutter with a mega mod ( I dropped many things and tried a battle and the torches stayed lit).

[Ascension64]

Is there a separate list of the fixes that were already included in the ToBEx - Core component of the mod ? See I got a PM asking what I meant in my mod description ... and there was no mention of the Kit limit and selectability 'fix' you have in the main component in the ToB Ex readme.

Here is a short list of what the core component means to a player who doesn't use any TobEx-requiring mods. I make no mention of issues like SONGLIST.2DA extension and such, because players only care if the game crashes.

* Installs all the files required to use TobEx and modifies the game executable BGMain.exe to load TobEx.dll when starting the game
* Enables the Arenas game type in multiplayer
* Logs hard-coded game crashes into TobEx.log and always displays a dialog box when such a crash occurs
* Makes corrections the behaviour of many game effects, such as blindness, disease, dispel, regeneration, and poison
* Corrects reporting of experience gained
* Fixes an engine issue with targetting dead animations
* Fixes an exploit with a launcher item that does not use ammo causing extra damage when ammo is used
* Corrects engine bugs with soundsets
* Optimises bag searching code to reduce game slowdown with too many items in bags
* Increases the amount of text stored in the dialogue bar
* Enlarges the tooltip scroll
* Enables scrolling of mage and priest spells and kit selection

[EarthquakeDamage]

I haven't played BG2 in a year or three now, but I've played and tinkered (assorted SK and DLTCEP shenanigans) quite a bit over the years.  So here's a list of quirks, bugs, and sundry tweaks for the wish list.  Be warned:  My memory is poor.  

Also, please pardon the wall of text.  Apparently this forum lacks collapsible spoiler boxes.

Also also, there's a bit of tl;dr in here.  Some of this may have been requested/discussed already.

• Some command bar tweaks would be useful.  Of note, IIRC the poor Cleric/Thief has to enter the Special Ability (F12) menu to use Thieving Ability (or whatever it's called).  Also, at least one class has nonstandard button placement (Stealth or Thieving IIRC);  the usual setup is something like F4 Find Traps/Turn Undead/Bard Song, F5 Thieving, F6 Stealth, F7 Spellcasting, but there's at least one class (Monk?) that uses a different setup.
  
  
• Also, IIRC some or all Thief skills can overflow if you stack bonuses (including race, I assume).  I certainly recall reading something to that effect, but it's been several years.  I'm pretty sure there's a penalty related to the target's Pick Pockets skill, too, so that information may have been wrong.  Still, it might be worth looking into.
  
  
• IIRC opcode #120 has some flaws.  Perhaps the Non-Silver and Non-Cold Iron immunities could be changed to Non-"Silver or Magical" and Non-"Cold Iron or Magical".  There's also room for a playstyle and/or annoyance-reduction tweak for the lich-with-PfMW tactic:  change "Non-Magical" to mean "not flagged Magical AND zero Enchantment level" so e.g. wizard-slayer themed might still work.
  
  
• Decoupling icons from some effects could be useful.  Several can be duplicated with Portrait Icon effects anyway.  IIRC Offensive Spin has its own icon but also adds a hard-coded Haste icon that comes with the various haste effects.
  
  
• Has anyone made an EXE tweak to handle effect timer quirks yet?  Most notably, regeneration effects only stack if they use the same interval, but I think some others (Creeping Doom?  Also opcode #272) have the same problem.
  
  
• IIRC old (current?) "maximum HP on level up" mods didn't work for Barbarians since the d12 HD was hard-coded.  Could that be pushed out to 2DA or otherwise changed?
  
  
• IIRC warrior classes are the only ones that get exceptional strength.  Perhaps that could be given to other classes (e.g. Monk) as well?
  
  
• I seem to recall reading that Bag of Holding-related stuttering is due to quantity of items, so a stack of 100 arrows is checked 100 times.  Or something like that.  That might need fixing.
  
  
• Perhaps the Simulacrum/Project Image exploit (wherein one summons the other) could be fixed?
  
  
• Is there any way to prevent Level Drain from forcing you to rearrange your memorized spells once cured?  Perhaps lost spells could remain memorized but flagged as spent, so you still need to rest post-Restoration but don't need to fix your spellbook?
  
  
• Opcode #214 (Select Spell) can be abused if you open a submenu on the command bar before it kicks in.  Once a spell is selected, you return to the previous menu (Special Ability or whatever).  Press ESC to exit the menu and you return to the spell selection menu, from which you can cast another free spell.  And so forth.  Kelsey's wild magic amulet is easily abused this way.  I'm pretty sure that's how it works, anyway.  It's been a long time since I did it.
  
  
• The Maze effect could use a "fixed duration" mode so it isn't always Int-based.
  
  
• Similarly, the Power Word effects could use some HP threshold parameters so e.g. Power Word:  Sleep could be made useful at high levels.
  
  
• Opcode #193 could be made more powerful by making enemies visible (like Improved Invisibility after the first spell/attack) while in sight range.  This could be used to, say, True Sight more powerful and more reliable (against e.g. thieves that drink another potion the moment they become visible).
  
  
• Aura Cleansing could be expanded to allow a casting delay of X seconds instead of the current options of "no wait" and "wait a full round".
  
  
• I don't think Casting Level Modifier (#191) works.  I played around with it once, but it had no discernible effect.
  
  
• Can't Use Itemtype (#181) is apparently broken.  It could be a great way to restrict items for new kits, given the limited number of item usability bits.
  
  
• IIRC the only innate abilities that Imported characters keep are the SPCL____ ones.  Perhaps this restriction should be removed?
  
  
• IIRC #146 and #148 both use the default casting level (usually 1) when set to Cast Instantly.
  
  
• I'm pretty sure Silence disables Innate spells, which makes little sense for the likes of Enrage.
  
  
• Perhaps Luck/Damage Modifier effects should affect all the character's damage rolls.  I'm mostly thinking of weapons that deal e.g. fire damage, but spells could also benefit.
  
  
• Could Sorceror (spontaneous casting) and Wild Mage (variable casting level) class features be pushed out to 2DA so new kits can use them?
  
  
• Could Infravision be removed from demi-humans so the opcode/spell still functions but our elves can see normal colors in the dark?  Sure, it's a lot of work for a cosmetic tweak, but this is a wish list, right?  
  
  
• Is there any way to make petrified creatures not shatter?  So it'd be a bit like Imprisonment, only more colorful.  Also less permadeath frustration without using the mod that replaces it with perma-Stun, which has its own problems/side effects.
  
  
• Maybe make Cursed items removable?  IIRC there's a mod for that, but it removes the "oh snap, it's cursed!" chime when you carelessly equip that oh-so-pretty unidentified sword.
  
  
• I think the Priest/Wizard Spell Slot modifier opcodes are a bit buggy in Double mode.  I seem to recall getting waaay too many spell slots.  Either I unwittingly stacked the effect (so 4 times the spells or more) or they don't play well with the non-Double version (Rings of Wizardry and the like IIRC).

That's all I can think of, even with the aid of the IESDP.

P.S.  Thanks for all the work you've already done.  I'll definitely be using ToBEx whenever I get around to reinstalling BG2.

[Galactygon]

[*]IIRC opcode #120 has some flaws. Perhaps the Non-Silver and Non-Cold Iron immunities could be changed to Non-"Silver or Magical" and Non-"Cold Iron or Magical". There's also room for a playstyle and/or annoyance-reduction tweak for the lich-with-PfMW tactic: change "Non-Magical" to mean "not flagged Magical AND zero Enchantment level" so e.g. wizard-slayer themed might still work.

Yes, opcode 120 could do some improvement (ie protect against magical weapons of +6 or lower but not non-magical weapons). I've been thinking the second parameter could be expanded into bits which act as an AND.

[*]Decoupling icons from some effects could be useful. Several can be duplicated with Portrait Icon effects anyway. IIRC Offensive Spin has its own icon but also adds a hard-coded Haste icon that comes with the various haste effects.

You'd then have to worry about removing icons if the effects are countered.

[*]Has anyone made an EXE tweak to handle effect timer quirks yet? Most notably, regeneration effects only stack if they use the same interval, but I think some others (Creeping Doom? Also opcode #272) have the same problem.
[*]IIRC old (current?) "maximum HP on level up" mods didn't work for Barbarians since the d12 HD was hard-coded. Could that be pushed out to 2DA or otherwise changed?
[*]I don't think Casting Level Modifier (#191) works. I played around with it once, but it had no discernible effect.
[*]Can't Use Itemtype (#181) is apparently broken. It could be a great way to restrict items for new kits, given the limited number of item usability bits.
[*]I'm pretty sure Silence disables Innate spells, which makes little sense for the likes of Enrage.

All of these have been addressed in some way or another AFAIK. Check the list of features and components.

[*]Perhaps the Simulacrum/Project Image exploit (wherein one summons the other) could be fixed?

This can be fixed in vanilla by editing PROJIMAG.spl or SIMULACR.spl.

[*]Perhaps Luck/Damage Modifier effects should affect all the character's damage rolls. I'm mostly thinking of weapons that deal e.g. fire damage, but spells could also benefit.

The chant opcode modifies damage rolls AFAIK; it was a long time since I tested it. Ascension has introduced percentage damage modifier stats if you ready the Expanded Stats thread.

[*]Opcode #193 could be made more powerful by making enemies visible (like Improved Invisibility after the first spell/attack) while in sight range. This could be used to, say, True Sight more powerful and more reliable (against e.g. thieves that drink another potion the moment they become visible).

There are numerous ways to remove invisibility. If you mean toggle the visibility of invisible characters on/off when selecting the character under 193, that's a different thing. I'm not sure this is worth it, though. There are other ways I think #193 needs a change, and that is allowing non-detection to block it if the stat is set to 2.

[*]IIRC #146 and #148 both use the default casting level (usually 1) when set to Cast Instantly.

This was already discussed.

[*]Similarly, the Power Word effects could use some HP threshold parameters so e.g. Power Word: Sleep could be made useful at high levels.

I'd rather see an improvement for opcode 177 to allow for more conditions (like HPLT) than deal with power word effects individually.

-Galactygon

[GeN1e]

Is there any way to prevent Level Drain from forcing you to rearrange your memorized spells once cured? Perhaps lost spells could remain memorized but flagged as spent, so you still need to rest post-Restoration but don't need to fix your spellbook?

Yeah. When a character loses slots it's memorized spells turn spent. When a creature rests (naturally or magically), those extraneous spells are not refreshed.

There's also another similar problem - when CRE has a negative slot modifier and equips an item with positive mod, it loses memorized spells whenever the game is reloaded.

Could Infravision be removed from demi-humans so the opcode/spell still functions but our elves can see normal colors in the dark? Sure, it's a lot of work for a cosmetic tweak, but this is a wish list, right?

I'd remove the infravision completely... Does it even have any real effect?

[Galactygon]

Could Infravision be removed from demi-humans so the opcode/spell still functions but our elves can see normal colors in the dark? Sure, it's a lot of work for a cosmetic tweak, but this is a wish list, right?

I'd remove the infravision completely... Does it even have any real effect?

It overlays characters with an orangeish hue if the lighting of the lightmap is darker than a certain point. Otherwise, like lightmaps, infravision has no effect on LOS.

EDIT: What are benefits on investing time to remove some opcode?

-Galactygon

Edited by Galactygon, 23 March 2011 - 05:37 AM.

[rajman]

I wonder if anything can be done in order to let people not have to re-equip all items when a character is resurrected. Or just spare them the hassle to run grab their loot.

Maybe add an option for no inventory drop on death for PC & Friends, create a corpse on the ground that you can target with a resurrection spell.. whatever, it's a wish list thread afterall

Edited by rajman, 24 March 2011 - 02:07 AM.

[Ascension64]

EDIT: What are benefits on investing time to remove some opcode?

No idea, it depends on how difficult it is technically and how much of a difference it makes.

I wonder if anything can be done in order to let people not have to re-equip all items when a character is resurrected. Or just spare them the hassle to run grab their loot.

When I used to play, when a character died, I got another character to run over and grab the useful stuff the dead character dropped (like potions and the like).

Maybe add an option for no inventory drop on death for PC & Friends, create a corpse on the ground that you can target with a resurrection spell.. whatever, it's a wish list thread afterall

That sounds like the behaviour that the arenas game type uses, so the code is there.

[rajman]

When I used to play, when a character died, I got another character to run over and grab the useful stuff the dead character dropped (like potions and the like).

The idea is to make resurrection worth casting middle fight, without the not so much roleplay ''wtf?'' reaction of having a naked toon appearing near the protagonist that has to run to the loot on the ground and then re-equip everything during a pause.


Another idea, about customize the behaviour for inventory transfer: you could opt for a convenience tweak, making so that you can xfer items between two characters very far away, or restrict it so that you can move items among toons only when outside the combat

Edited by rajman, 24 March 2011 - 06:15 AM.

[Galactygon]

Maybe add an option for no inventory drop on death for PC & Friends, create a corpse on the ground that you can target with a resurrection spell.. whatever, it's a wish list thread afterall

That sounds like the behaviour that the arenas game type uses, so the code is there.

I like this idea. But what happens if you have switched areas? Or if you kicked a party member out?

-Galactygon

[smeagolheart]

Maybe add an option for no inventory drop on death for PC & Friends, create a corpse on the ground that you can target with a resurrection spell.. whatever, it's a wish list thread afterall

That sounds like the behaviour that the arenas game type uses, so the code is there.

I like this idea. But what happens if you have switched areas? Or if you kicked a party member out?

-Galactygon

Couldn't it work with a "corpse-bag" thing? Imagine this, when death happens, a "body bag" with all the toons loot is made and dropped at the place of expiration. You can pick up the corpse and carry it around as a bag of holding. At least it is more orderly than picking up items one by one.

If you want to leave it and all your stuff, feel free. You can kick out the guy and still carry around the dead bodybag if you want. Rezzing the npc will create a new naked guy as per normal who could just go pick up his/her former "body bag" with all the old loot.

It pretty much fits the game where there other dead bodies you can pick up even though when you kill things no bodies drop. Everybodies happy?

[GeN1e]

1) Unlimited Portrait Icons for these opcodes:

- Graphics: Display Special Effect Icon [142]
- Graphics: Immunity Special Effect Icon [169]
- Graphics: Remove Special Effect Icon [240]

If the BAM specified in resource field exists, then it is used instead of STATES.BAM, otherwise vanilla file is loaded.

Descriptions are externalized into master table:
STATES STATES2 STATDESC
AG#ICON AG#ICON2 AG#IDESC


2) Disable death state preventing party members from gaining XP.

3) Disable hardcoded AC bonuses for monks. Modder-only tweak, I guess.

[phordicus]

3) Disable hardcoded AC bonuses for monks. Modder-only tweak, I guess.

i hope this would fall under the auspices of a request made to externalize all hardcoded kit effects.

[phordicus]

add a "minimum level" to item abilities and equipped effects.

edit: can someone look at bonedag.itm and morsword.itm and tell me why 0x83 is used. that offset would be a nice place to sub in a min level check but for those two items.

Edited by phordicus, 29 March 2011 - 08:04 PM.

[pacek]

An extension of PROFSMAX.2da to allow non-warriors specialisation at high levels.

[phordicus]

An extension of PROFSMAX.2da to allow non-warriors specialisation at high levels.

you're asking for non-warriors to be able to put more than one * in a weapon proficiency? that's been possible since the game was released.
that file isn't used in bg2 because no one (in vanilla) starts at 1st level. even if not, 2da's can already be modified.

[GeN1e]

PROFSMAX is indeed ignored in BG2 due high starting level. ToBEx nonetheless allows to enforce reading the file (relevant for BGT). And the request, as I understand it, is to allow further customization, so that there're columns not for the 1st level only, but higher ones as well.

Edited by GeN1e, 30 March 2011 - 01:21 PM.

[pacek]

PROFSMAX is indeed ignored in BG2 due high starting level. ToBEx nonetheless allows to enforce reading the file (relevant for BGT). And the request, as I understand it, is to allow further customization, so that there're columns not for the 1st level only, but higher ones as well.

Exactly. If Tobex can ensure the first column is read at level 1, is it then possible to have a column which only comes into effect from, say level 20?