Your reactions to SpellPack Options

[Maanape]

I forgot to say it, but I also noticed Hammer of Retribution lacks description, and also does nothing. That's because the files sppr616.spl, sppr616a.spl and sppr616d.spl are overwrited by duplicates when you install the wizard spell Disintegrate, which is actually spwi616. Then you must delete them before, otherwise they will mess the priest spell formerly installed.

I'm playing BGT from the beggining and testing the spells as they become available, and only noticed this problem because I was trying the Tempus Kit from Divine Remix together with CLUAConsole to advance in levels and see if the spells would be granted correctly. This means I may be posting further information if spells don't function as intended (hope this doesn't happen anymore).

I read you would give the password for the workroom to those willing to get the patches and later releases. Please, I would like to have it too, can you send it to me?

[Galactygon]

Reproduced and fixed on my local version, will post more instructions in the B5 thread.

PM sent.

-Galactygon

[Belegur]

I've run into a problem during the install, using the updated .tp2 and macro files. The install generates an error when trying to patch ABZAWAY.spl. I've included the Spellpack debug file and my WeiDU log, but the error was Patching failed - unknown macro (add_bytes_spl_itm). Looking around, it seems that the only mod which touches this file was G3 fixpack. Any clue as to what might be causing this?

Edit: Just tried it on a clean BG2 install without any other mods, and got the same error.

This post has been edited by Belegur: Feb 10 2010, 06:40 AM

Attached File(s)

 Spellpack_debug.7z ( 57.56k ) Number of downloads: 0
 WeiDu_Log.7z ( 5.84k ) Number of downloads: 0

 

[Galactygon]

Yup, there is a line I forgot to delete in "SpellPackB5/Macros/graphics_changes.tph" that was looking for an outdated macro. Hotfix thread updated.

-Galactygon

[Maanape]

Hi again! I was intrigued why so few hobgoblins were been killed by dynaheir's level 7 fireball, and why so many gnolls was being able to take no damage at all when I fireballed them in the cave at bandit's camp. Then I took a look at the spell with NI, and figured the way it was made only half damage can be caused, and even none of it. The spell has an effect that causes half-damage (as intended by the description), but it offers a save vs. spell, meaning it can be skipped. The next effect grants immunity to damage if the foe fails the save, and then comes the effect that causes the other half of the total damage, this time without save. But it could have been granted from the immunity effect, which means some foes can actually take no damage at all if they fail the save two times in a row! Although it can be less seen when the game advances thru Shadows of Amn, since gnolls and hobgoblins have high savings (more chances to fail), this leads to a paradox with low level creatures being able to take none damage, while high levels take it only when they manage to successfully save, thus failing to get the immunity effect. In any case, you can never get the spell to do total damage, because when someone fail the savings, this actually means they become immune to the other half of the damage. I only checked the Fireball spell, but this mechanism may be present in many other spells, including the ones that create items or weapons.

[Galactygon]

I handle half damage saving throws in 3 effects, that happen in this order:

1.) Full damage is applied, with a saving throw that negates the damage.
2.) Another effect is applied that protects against the 3rd effect. I do it with protection from opcode (opcode 12)
3.) Half damage is then applied with no saving throw.

If a creature fails its saving throw, effects 1 and 2 would be fired: the creature takes full damage, and effect 3 does not happen.
If a creature succeeds its saving throw, effects 1 and 2 are skipped, with only effect 3 being triggered.

The reason I do this is purely cosmetic: I like damage being displayed with a single text, and the text window isn't spammed by "x did # to y" twice for each saving throw.

I've used this for years, and haven't had issues. The only way this can happen is if the .exe handles effect order differently in a way that #2 is fired before #1 and #3. Do the other save-or-half damage spells do the same thing? Did anyone else experience this?

-Galactygon

[Maanape]

Well, I did some changes in the effects, halving the damage of effect 1 and deactivating the effect 2 by turning its probability to 0. Indeed, it made the spell to show 2 lines of damage for each target. Then I reverted the changes back and now it seems to work fine. Weird! I faced something as strange as this before, when Xan's moonblade was showing green instead as whitening blue. Once I solved the problem with the droppable flame arrow, it turned blue as intended by the 1PP flame sword mod. Maybe it's due to some mods that change the .exe, as RR and SaS, while I don't know what relation it may have with the spells... Sorry about that.

[Galactygon]

Sounds like a local issue, I doubt any mod that touches the .exe would cause this. Rebooting the system sometimes helps, it did for me every once in awhile.

Maybe it's due to some mods that change the .exe, as RR and SaS, while I don't know what relation it may have with the spells... Sorry about that.

There is no need for any apologies. Bug reports are for our benefit, and I could easily have made an oversight.

-Galactygon

[Marvin]

Great to see you are still working on this great mod. I can't stop repeating how much it adds to the atmosphere of the game.
Maybe it's just me, but I think, apart from being kust a really good spell mod, it really improves the game through its graphics.
To me the game almost seems like an early BG3 would have looked like.

So having said this., I'd really love to see a "graphics and sounds only" component of this mod. I know I keep saying this over and over, but this just shows how much I want this thing =)!
Don't get me wrong, the spell alterations are awesome, but for a guy like me who likes playing BWP, there are still too many incompatibilities. Often I ended up with serious issues where spells, especially the ones from enemies, would crash my game. During really hard fights, when I was about to win, the enemy casted something and BAM, CTD!

I would really recommend you to make this component. Gamers, who like to play BG2 only would install the whole mod because it's less possible that the game crashes without all the dozen of other mods. Gamers who,like me, play BWP and want a stable game would install graphics and sounds only.
I don't want to miss your mod anymore, but if I install it, I'm sure to get CTDs in the most inconveniant moments.

I really hope you'll consider this!


Thanks for this great mod,

Marvin

This post has been edited by Marvin: Mar 20 2010, 11:07 AM

[Galactygon]

Great to see you are still working on this great mod. I can't stop repeating how much it adds to the atmosphere of the game.

Maybe it's just me, but I think, apart from being kust a really good spell mod, it really improves the game through its graphics.
To me the game almost seems like an early BG3 would have looked like.

Thanks for the comments.

So having said this., I'd really love to see a "graphics and sounds only" component of this mod. I know I keep saying this over and over, but this just shows how much I want this thing =)!

The core component installs graphics/sound changes, installs some files used by some of my spells, and overrides Raise Dead and Resurrection. In B6 I will split and narrow the components down, so that only the parts you really need are installed.

Don't get me wrong, the spell alterations are awesome, but for a guy like me who likes playing BWP, there are still too many incompatibilities. Often I ended up with serious issues where spells, especially the ones from enemies, would crash my game. During really hard fights, when I was about to win, the enemy casted something and BAM, CTD!

I'm interested to hear what those spells cause CTDs. Are they systematic or are they random?

-Galactygon

[Marvin]

Hi Galactygon,

Good to see u around.


OK, since i've recently installed another BWP version I give u a little feedback. I always install Spellpack as my last mod, so I can uninstall it when I encounter CTDs. In this install, the following things occured:

1. Abi-Dalzim's Horrid Wilting has no projectile explosion animation.
2. Web does last forever, even with your hotfix. I think it's SPWI215.spl.


Then I wanted to adress something about the core component. When u install only the corecomponent, then some graphics are not installed, like entangle, web and ice storm, to name a few. I would appreciate if the core component actually installed all the great new graphics and sounds and the subcomponents alter the spells.


I cannot give you any names of spells that crashed my game in the past. It's too long ago, I don't remember. I know that the wildmage-additions enemy crashes the game.

Marvin

[Galactygon]

Good to see u around.

Will be around more this summer to do work for B6.

1. Abi-Dalzim's Horrid Wilting has no projectile explosion animation.
2. Web does last forever, even with your hotfix. I think it's SPWI215.spl.

I am unable to reproduce these with the hotfixes installed.

Then I wanted to adress something about the core component. When u install only the corecomponent, then some graphics are not installed, like entangle, web and ice storm, to name a few. I would appreciate if the core component actually installed all the great new graphics and sounds and the subcomponents alter the spells.

Until someone comes up with a hack, it's impossible to add new explosion graphics in the game. I solve this by summoning invisible creatures that launch multiple small projectiles in random places. This is not a low key solution, I don't think it's worth the time and effort to do this as a patch. But if someone comes up with a hack for FIREBALL.ids, I am all for it.

-Galactygon

[Hellcommander]

Great mod keep up the good work

[Galactygon]

Thanks!

-Galactygon

[Galactygon]

Hi Galactygon,

Good to see u around.


OK, since i've recently installed another BWP version I give u a little feedback. I always install Spellpack as my last mod, so I can uninstall it when I encounter CTDs. In this install, the following things occured:

1. Abi-Dalzim's Horrid Wilting has no projectile explosion animation.
2. Web does last forever, even with your hotfix. I think it's SPWI215.spl.

I'll give you a reply, even if it's late and B6 is on the horizon. Everyone deserves this explanation.

1. ADHW didn't have a projectile explosion animation because I assumed in the .pro file, that the component was installed. It's an oversight from my part, and B6 does not have this issue.

2. That's true, I've done a thorough bug fix, and tracked it down. The error was in SPWI215B.spl, it was not supposed to have a projectile. There are actually 2 ways web works: one is the web spell that is dispellable and not permanent. The other is the natural web ability used by creatures (such as spiders and kuo to bolts). This form is non-dispellable, permanent, and pierces (Minor) Globes of Invulnerability. Both forms of web are equally vulnerable to fire damage, and (starting in B6) area effect slashing damage.

When you cast the web spell, invisible creatures are summoned with the natural and magical web applied to them. The magical web is applied first (through SPWI215B.spl) and prevents the natural web from being applied. But since SPWI215B.spl used an invisible projectile, the magical web was applied too late for the natural web to be blocked. So you created natural webs instead of magical webs.

In B6, you will actually see a permanent form of web.

-Galactygon