Progress report Options

[aigleborgne]

Overall completion status:
Update: 24/01/2006
Scripts : 80%
NPC : 0%
Joinable NPC : 0%
Monsters : 0%
Items, spells and stores : 0%

Estimated release date: April-May

Monsters (Status, New features)

Overall, a monster is based on 2nd Ed., but is completed with 3rd Ed. for missing stats. Special abilities specific to 3rd Ed. are not implemented but new immunities are. For example, all elementals are now immune to certain spells.

Most important changes are:

- Strength : previously, most monsters had often incorrect/inconsistent Strenght (polar bear with 16 Str). This has been corrected.

- Constitution : monsters didn't benefit from Con bonus in 2nd Ed.
That's why there are some tough monsters with low HP (battle horror with 58 hp for example). I have added HP bonus considering monsters as fighters.

- Dexterity : only minor changes in AC for most monsters

- Special Attacks : some were missing or wrong (ankheg for example had only one range attack every 8 hours). I have added and corrected special attacks according to the 2nd Edition Monster Manual.

- Spell abilities closer to P&P

- Attacks per round : often too high, sometimes too low.

- Movement speed : as close as in P&P (most monsters were too slow in BG)

Monster's abilities:

- Aerial servant : strangle
- Air aspect : fall unsconscious, poison
- Ashikuru : backstab
- Ankheg : entangle (because ankheg try to burrow with his target)
- Basilisk : petrification
- Greater Basilisk : done (fatal poison gaze, and many tweaks that make this monster worth its 7000xp)

- Bears : done (hug attack, can fight beyond death (simulating with higher hp & script))

- Battle Horror : done

- Doomsayer : done

- Carrion Crawler : done

- Crypt Crawler : done

- Demon Knight : done

- Cornugon : done

- Tanari : done (new death gaze, paralyze, energy drain, many tweaks)

- Doppelganger : done

- Dryad : done

- Ettercap : done

- Hamadryad : done

- Fire elemental : done

- Flesh golem : done

- Flind : done

- Ghoul : done

- Ghast : done (carrion stench)

- Ghoul lord : done (carrion stench, rotting disease)

- Ghost : done

- Invisible stalker : done (vortex)

- Loup garou : done

- Revenant : done

- Sirine : done (polymorph self, mass charm, major invisibility)

- Skeleton warrior : done (fear aura)

- Spiders (all type) : done

- Werewolf : done

- Wolfwere : done

- Wolf : done

- Wolf, dire : done

- Wolf, dread : done (disease)

- Wolf, vampiric : done (fall)

- Wolf, winter : done (10 feet frost)

- Worg : done

- Wyvern : done

- Greater wolfwere : done

Most other monsters are nearly done, I will edit this post as often as possible.

This post has been edited by aigleborgne: Jan 25 2006, 01:07 PM

[aigleborgne]

I'm actually working on a patching installation (instead of overwritting). So there will be no progress and no alpha-beta release this year.

I plan to release an alpha version in february, and the final version should be ready in march. It's not accurate, and it's possible to see a final version in january.
Patching is really fast compare to my old overwritting method. But there are many things to do (not to mention old done things).

[aigleborgne]

There are many news today:

The mod is now 90% patching.
Overwritted files are:
- npc specific scripts (like _semaj.bcs, _belt.bcs, _andris.bcs) : they are the main fighting scripts of those npc and have been completely rewritten.
- spells : nearly all bg1 spells

basically, I have looked into all bg1 spells.
then, I have extracted bg2 spells used in bg1 (~114 spells) on a fresh bg2/tob install with only official patches. those spells will overwrite bg1's ones.

then, they will be patched to correct most of the known bugs and to add detectable spells.

news about npc: (optional component)
most of them will have a kit, based on what they should be if possible. otherwise, according to their many factors.
note that all mages will be mod by a kit (or not), but it won't be optional. it is needed for a variety of spellbooks (since everything is patched)

because bg1 is very limited in class, I will maybe make some changes. some clerics will become druids, fighters -> barbarian, thief -> fightning bards ...
the purpose is to encounter a large variety of class & kits.

remember than besides mages, it will be optional.
although this component will make the game a lot harder, because kits are powerful, generally.

I am thinking of using other mods kits to have a wide variety of kits but it can do it alone (except if I say "xxx mods are require to play this one")
So I will start with bg2's kits.

then, some features weren't implemented but I have found some things.
one thing actually : 3 spells for Dradeel, not really spells, but powerful innates.
he can use only once in game (I have lost all my evil party because I didn't want to help him lol).
He will recover all them and use them if you dare to fight him (Dradeel is a level 20 mage, with no spellbook, but still a level 20!)

There will be future thing like that : Drizzt using gwenvywar and drow powers (I will see the Ryu Drow innate powers), ....

News on scripts:
I have made many small files, as a programming projects.
Each files (or segment) do something precise (combat, offensive spells, buff, ...).
I have made some batchs that will rebuild the segments into one "normal" script.
This thing is made for future scripts improvements. Easier to debug, improve, and more readable by other people.

With all the new features, I have to work again on scripts to add kits abilities and on spells (all the patching/fixing stuff)
After, I will resume npc & monsters patching, as well as other components.

As you see, I'm going to make far more changes than a classic enhanced creature. This will delay a bit the release date, but the changes definitly worth it.

After that, I will be able to freely use tutu kit for joinable npc without having overpowered npc. (previously, my berserker shar-teel was a super-killing machine. now, some enemies will be berserker too, not to mention kensai, wizard slayer, barbarian ......)

[Salk]

Great news then, airgleborgne!

Adding kits to NPCs is a very welcome addition and will give a little extra touch although now I wonder what kind of champion is needed to make it through without ever dying (dreams sweet dreams )...

[aigleborgne]

Hello,

I have some news. I will make a post with all details as soon as possible.

Cheers,

Arnaud

[aigleborgne]

Hello,

I have been completely wrong about release date. It will probably be out in april-may.

Today, I have finished my first kit : invoker.
He has a spellbook with mainly invocation/evocation spells, same thing for contingency/sequencer.
I have tested it at many levels and I was very satisfied with results.

I have done spellbooks for other mages kits (except sorcerer), but I didn't build their contingency/sequencer, nor I tested them.

I know that most of the BG1 mages are under level 11, and thus, won't use my cont/seq. I just want to do complete scripts.

By doing all this, I have found and corrected many bugs or problems in mage script

Kits are now a full part of the mod and won't be optional. Divine remix will also be a required mod.

Anyway, with my installation system, it's easy to get rid of kits.
I use excel sheets for many things:
- detectable spells
- npc modification
- spellbook creation
- experience value for npc
- monster modification
Those sheets are just copy and paste in a 2da file.
This way, it is easy to delete the kit column or whatever thing you don't like.

I strongly advice to let kits in game, they add many great things and variety.
For example, mage's spellbook are created according to kit and level. So, if all mages are kitless, they will all have same spells. Kinda boring, no?

The only drawback of kits is an increase difficulty (which can be quite visible in some cases). But for me, it's better

This month, I will try to finish to code the kits. It's a lot of work, especially for divine remix kits.

About new mages scrolls (BG2 spells for level 1 to 5), it won't be optional anymore. But I won't simply add them to stores. I think it's a cheap way...
Instead, I will add them to many mages. So you will have to go nearly everywhere to get all the spells you want.
Of course, the highest level spells will be put on tough mages
I will even put level 6+ spells on some mages you are not supposed to kill (and against whom you are supposed to die anyway).

To be continued later...

[aigleborgne]

Here the news:
Kits are nearly completed. Although innates are coded in scripts, it's not that great, since it's very difficult to code a proper use of some innates.
This could be improve later through

Despite this drawback, it adds a lot of power to npc (even for a badly timed innate).
For example, a blade will use his defensive spin if he is attacked in melee, but sometimes it's better to use offensive spin instead.

Unfortunaly, due to the limitations of IE scripting, I can't do what I want. I would need functions and many others things. Actually, it is possible to do a lot of things but it requires a lot of lines to do a simple thing.

Now that all preparations are done, I can build my npc and monsters tables.
I know that I didn't make any progress in the mod itself for a long time. But now, things will get easier and quicker to do (due to patching instead of overwritting)

I can already say that many things are far better than before:
- a small separate mod that restore bg2 spells including, in option, many fixes apply by a patch system
- more consistent detectable spells, fixes to many files (items, spells, creatures)
- file format, with my own prefix (ja#)
- vastly improved scripts (improvements and many fixes)
- user friendly, now easy to remove some of mod you don't like using excel sheets
- portability, compatibility: full patching mod
- many new features or now final ones.

I must confess that I did like my previous version, because it was on an advanced state and many things were working.
I make a big step back, but the bases are now very good and the mod will make great progress in short time.

Soon, an alpha version will be out for testing purposes.

[Salk]

Cheers, aigleborgne!

[Ascension64]

Excellent stuff, aigleborne. Glad to see its moving along nicely!

[Salk]

I have been thinking that this Mod would adapt itself marvellously to BGT-WeiDu. Much more so than TuTu, in my opinon. It would also give a nice continuity in the AI overhaul direction that aigleborgne has undertaken.

I don't even believe it would be a "double" work because the "body" of the program is being written. It would just be a matter of tweaking NPCs and Monsters that are present in BG2 and ToB.

I know I make it sound easy here ( ) but really I can't imagine how great it would be to play the whole saga with the benefit of aigleborgne's new mod!

Instead now, once a player finishes the TuTu part and wants to move on to SoA/ToB, the quality of the challenges and encounters will not live up to the (already better, as game) first part...

One step at a time, I know...But it's my proposal...

What do you think Ascension64 ?

[seanas]

I have been thinking that this Mod would adapt itself marvellously to BGT-WeiDu. Much more so than TuTu, in my opinon. It would also give a nice continuity in the AI overhaul direction that aigleborgne has undertaken.

One step at a time, I know...But it's my proposal...

unfortunately, there already is a mod that does this for BGT: Big Picture (and soon for BGt-weifu. no, really!). of course, there's no harm in having a different option.

[Salk]

seanas,

does BP do exactly the same thing though ?

[Ascension64]

Can't hurt I suppose...let's see aigleborgnes excellence first, because he looks to be working very hard indeed.

[Salk]

(omis)...he looks to be working very hard indeed.

Such a compliment coming from you is worth even more...

[aigleborgne]

After several testing, I decided that matching P&P monsters was a bad thing.

On a general way, P&P monsters are weaker than in bg.
So yes, you could say "'monsters of this mod are exactly as in P&P!", but where's the fun if you can kill them easier than before?

Ok, let me explain what I will do:

Level of the monster will be review to match their toughness.
In that regard, many monsters will gain several levels. But sometimes, you won't see any differences since actually, those monsters are far more powerful than their level.
For example, greater wyvern are level 7, doppelganger are level 4, ...

Then, thac0 and saving throws will be adjusted.
thac0 will remain the same if old value is lower (this is to keep the current challenge).

About AC and resistances, same thing apply : if better value are set in P&P, I put them.

Special abilities are given.

In conclusion, most monsters will become tougher in several ways. Or at least, they will get better scripts, which means smarter movements and attacks.

I must admit that some monsters will be insanely powerful (doom slayer, kahrk, ...), but it would make no sense to make all monsters beatable because baldur's gate is a low-level campaign game!

I mean, in BG, I fear no monsters.
In general, monsters are free xp (as most npc are), but at least, I need some preparations to kill some npc groups.

For example, a level 1 fighter can kill most monsters with a composite bow because those monsters are stupid, slow, and low hp.
Now, you will think twice before engaging some zerk ogre, ogre-mage, most bears, with your solo level 5 fighter (yes I did it many times in the past)

Of course, the game need to be playable and enjoyable. But it will surely be close to impossible to beat the game with a solo character. (even if I like to do it

[Salk]

aigleborgne,

in order to make the level of challenge uniformly good between NPCs and Monsters, I do believe that your idea of raising the monsters' level to keep the original Baldur's Gate numbers might be a good approach.

The good thing is that you still keep the monsters P&P!! Yes, the level will be raised but the monsters will still be P&P for that NEW level! That's something good...So yes, if the new level you decide gives a better Thac0 or AC or anything else then change the old BG's original value with a better one BUT - note here - if the new level you decide is going to make some values (AC, Thac0, ecc.) *worse* then I think you should change the ingame parameter accordingly. This is to rebalance the new monster created.

Aso I think you should avoid as much as possible too tough fights because the game might become frustrating and would counter balance negativly the benefit of the Mod...

This is my advice to you...By the way, today if we meet online, I am giving you the list you requested...

This post has been edited by Salk: Jan 31 2006, 06:10 AM

[aigleborgne]

Hello,

Some news:
- 716 creatures : this is the number of modified creatures (monsters and npc)
- 213 of them are done, but these are monsters (npc will require more work)

Many tweaks have been done to tp2 code, it's now better and more convenient. Tables used by tp2 have been improved.

About the mod itself, monsters are nearly finished (there are about 280 cre for monsters)
I will release a beta version soon, which will include all monsters.

Installation take a lot of time, this is due to many tables beeing read during the process. For example, it takes about 5mn to patch 213 monsters.
Spellbooks take the most time, I can improve this thing a bit, but not much.

[Ascension64]

Are you using READ_2DA_ENTRY_FORMER and READ_2DA_ENTRIES_NOW to speed up the table reading process?

[aigleborgne]

I have some difficulties with Kirinhale the succubus. Her script is difficult to code, but I managed to do it.
I discover that my invisible detection by script wasn't working. I need to find something to debug it.

Beside that, all others monsters are done, except wolfwere, werewolf, and loup-garou.
These last ones will take some times, because 2 of them will have advanced script:

one of them is a priest that can morph into a werewolf
one of them is a wizard that can morph into a werewolf

I will make a proper use of their primary classes before morphing into a beast.
The difficult point is to correctly set the morphing trigger. Because in both cases, it would be too bad if the creature is killed in human form.
(actually, the primary classes are not used. the mage only cast one spell)

After that, I will start working on NPC!
But an alpha version will be release for public testing purpose.

[Salk]

The Monsters completition will be a solid step forward and dedicating your new efforts to NPCs will renew mental energies spent on it. Thanks for sharing more bits about your current progress!