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EarthquakeDamage

Member Since 07 Jul 2005
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In Topic: BiG World Project (BWP) v10.2 released

01 November 2011 - 09:35 AM

So, I've come across three problems attempting a "current-gen" BWP install (10.2, I think -- installer claims 9.10 or whatever).

First, Dungeon-Be-Gone isn't in the PDF. I'm pretty sure it was there in an older version (last I used was 7- or 8-ish). If there's a way to add it manually, I'd love to know how and, more importantly, when.

Second, I must have installed BG1 in a non-standard directory (IIRC either BG1 or one of the Fallouts installs into /BlackIsle/ instead of /Black Isle/, so I probably manually installed to /Black Isle/Baldur's Gate/). When the BGT Core component tried to install, BWS offers no feedback and doesn't recognize that the user needs to input the actual install directory. So I had to install that one manually. No real problem aside from what I'd call an oversight in BWS (in particular, it should probably fill out Autopath.txt and/or Input.txt ahead of time).

The third problem has me stuck, though. I'll post the relevant piece of the Debug output, plus my WeiDU log and, if I can find it, my BWP install order.

From my saved BWS-Selection INI:
Spoiler


From WeiDU.LOG
Spoiler


From BWS Debug window:
Spoiler


Edit: Please note that interact.2DA does not currently exist in the override directory. It must only be in the BIFs at the moment.

In Topic: TobEx Wish list

20 April 2011 - 04:28 PM

I know that I've already requested a new opcode (increased % elemental damage dealt), but I would also like to suggest a true damage reduction effect. The effect would reduce all damage taken from a specified damage type by X. For example, damage reduction 5 against fire damage would reduce all fire damage directed at the target by 5. This would also make mods that rely on less AC but more resistances on heavy armor the opportunity to use damage reduction instead of a % resistance.
  There is still the question on how this would interact with the damage resistance opcodes in terms of order of application.


So, basically you want an opcode that works like IWD2 (i.e. 3rd ed) DR.  I suspect that'd be easier to do with GemRB than ToBEx.  Still, it could be a nice addition so long as modders make good use of it.

Also, suggestions:
  • IIRC there are a few damage types available to the Damage opcode (#12) that can crash the game.  For example, I'm pretty sure killing something with the Soul Eater damage type causes a crash.  I'm guessing it's due to missing animations for that type.  I don't know how those odd damage types work (esp. regarding resistances), but if they have interesting/unusual behavior they might be worth fixing.
  • Would it be possible to expand the damage types available to weapons?  A flametongue sword, for example, could deal Fire damage, complete with Melee + Strength bonuses.  As opposed to the current situation where those bonuses can only affect physical damage, since the elemental damage must be added with an on-hit Damage effect.

In Topic: TobEx Wish list

22 March 2011 - 06:13 PM

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.  :P

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.

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