Animation slot questions Options

[Tervadh]

Hi Galactygon,

As I've mentioned, I'm interested in using some of the LC-BA animations in mods. Maybe you could answer a few questions on how the "slot cramming" works.

- What if a creature has a weapon like darts equipped, which slot does that get?
- If a CRE has a two-handed sword equipped, is that considered a sword?
- I don't suppose it's possible to switch between melee and ranged weapons with this scheme?
- Does the weapon have to be undroppable?

As discussed here and in other posts, Cuv started grouping similar animations and using a common death sequence for them all. One of the animations I want to use is the svirfneblin, many of which in the vanilla game are equipped with axes and darts. So they'll use up their darts first, then switch to the axe. But I don't know if this is possible with "grouped" animations, at least, not without totally switching animations when they switch weapons.

I notice that you have them in the MBFI (0xe210) slot with a couple goblins and the fire beetle. Have you done any rearranging of your slots for LC? I would suggest moving the fire beetle to MBBM or MBET and grouping all the beetles under one of those slots. Weapons probably aren't much of a problem for beetles, though they might be for gnomes, goblins and other humanoids.

I'm also keeping a list of all mod- and game-used slots here, in the hope of reducing conflicts and freeing/standardising slots going forward.

[Galactygon]

- What if a creature has a weapon like darts equipped, which slot does that get?
- If a CRE has a two-handed sword equipped, is that considered a sword?

I have thought little about these, so I would by lying if I do not say "I don't know".

But what I do know is you could make ranged weapons appear as a different weapon (like a sword for instance), use the dart projectile, have it inflict missile damage, etc. I know this is possible, because I have done similar things in my mods.

But the paperdoll animation ID has to be the one that corresponds to the animation. So it might act like a dart in all respects, but it would look like a sword.

About two-handed swords, I do not know.

But I will give you a guess: it will probabbly be the same as the sword animation. The prefix only has one extra character ("S" for sword), so I think all swords use the same animation, whether one-handed or two-handed. Will need further testing.

- I don't suppose it's possible to switch between melee and ranged weapons with this scheme?
- Does the weapon have to be undroppable?

1.) If they use the same paperdoll animation, it should be possible. If they don't, those creatures have their own slot for that exact reason.

2.) No. But recommended against pickpocketing and spells that make creatures drop undroppable items. And if the creature dies and is then raised/resurrected, dropped weapons remain on the ground - not a phenomenon encountered in BGII, but something I intend for my mod.

As discussed here and in other posts, Cuv started grouping similar animations and using a common death sequence for them all. One of the animations I want to use is the svirfneblin, many of which in the vanilla game are equipped with axes and darts. So they'll use up their darts first, then switch to the axe. But I don't know if this is possible with "grouped" animations, at least, not without totally switching animations when they switch weapons.

I do not agree with grouping death animations - I have other ideas (that are likely to work) in my mind. But I am guilty of not sharing them, so it really is my fault.

I notice that you have them in the MBFI (0xe210) slot with a couple goblins and the fire beetle. Have you done any rearranging of your slots for LC? I would suggest moving the fire beetle to MBBM or MBET and grouping all the beetles under one of those slots. Weapons probably aren't much of a problem for beetles, though they might be for gnomes, goblins and other humanoids.

I rearranged the slots based on the following (ranked from most important to least important) :

1.) Large creatures (Giants, Dragons, Large Beetles, etc) get slots that have larger feet circles. There are a limited number of slots with large feet circles, and there are more animations than empty slots. I have played TDD awhile back, and I have seen some strange things - Frost Giants assigned to one of the Goblin animations. Fire Giants get their own slot, because they have several weapon animations

2.) Creatures that have multiple weapon animations (like Driders and Lizardmen) get their own slots. And they have their own working death animations.

3.) Similar creatures were grouped into a single slot. But this is just convention.

I have nothing against rearranging the rest of the slots if it is about compatibility. In fact, I encourage them since one of the aims of this mod is to create a universal list for other mods to follow. But #1 and #2 have to stay. And not because of my ego.

Notice I have made alternate GENERAL, RACE, SPECIFIC, and GENDER ids files with entries to include all creatures in the IE games (except a few from PS:T). They will not be compatible with any other mod out there, but patching scripts cre, and eff files with WeiDU is not as hard as dealing with different animations. I saw Sim do it.

I'm also keeping a list of all mod- and game-used slots here, in the hope of reducing conflicts and freeing/standardising slots going forward.

I like that list - a much better way to organize stuff than what I did in the readme.

-Galactygon

[Tervadh]

But I will give you a guess: it will probabbly be the same as the sword animation.

Ok, well I'll do some testing I guess.

I do not agree with grouping death animations - I have other ideas (that are likely to work) in my mind. But I am guilty of not sharing them, so it really is my fault.

Heh... so you don't care to share? I suppose you could use some sort of spell or script to change animations, but doesn't it still make sense to have a shared death animation (rather than a blank one) just in case the other method doesn't work?

2.) No. But recommended against pickpocketing and spells that make creatures drop undroppable items.

Pickpocketing shouldn't be that big of an issue, since devSin says the equipped weapon generally can't be stolen, unless it's a bow. But spells might be, hmm... Do you know of which spells offhand have the drop weapons effect?

1.) Large creatures (Giants, Dragons, Large Beetles, etc) get slots that have larger feet circles.

Makes sense. But why have gnomes and goblins in the beetle slot then, if that's considered a "large circle" slot? It'd make more sense to move them to one of the goblin slots (MGO1-4) in that case.

2.) Creatures that have multiple weapon animations (like Driders and Lizardmen) get their own slots. And they have their own working death animations.

Also makes sense, but I think there is *some* chance for optimising the existing slots though. I could be wrong though - haven't really tested that at all.

[Galactygon]

Heh... so you don't care to share? I suppose you could use some sort of spell or script to change animations, ...

It is really, really hard for me to explain in English what I mean; I would rather make an example on how its done.

It would involve several spells being casted at a certain condition, but the tricky part is the timing and the protection and the fact that the LastHitter() should be the one killing the creature so the party would recieve XP (without resorting to scripting) and the killed creature would show up in the character records. And IIRC it would be triggered even if the creature were not in a state to run scripts (stunned, etc).

...but doesn't it still make sense to have a shared death animation (rather than a blank one) just in case the other method doesn't work?

Definately. Which is why it is all my fault for being lazy.

But spells might be, hmm... Do you know of which spells offhand have the drop weapons effect?

Cloak of Fear drops items.

Makes sense. But why have gnomes and goblins in the beetle slot then, if that's considered a "large circle" slot? It'd make more sense to move them to one of the goblin slots (MGO1-4) in that case.

IIRC only one of the beetles (of the four) have a large foot circle. But if I made a mistake and that's not true (meaning Goblins are ), then you have all the power to make corrections. But we need a centralized place of information.

-Galactygon