Although there haven't been many posts the past month (none would be a more precise term), the mod is still active and going. I haven't done much mod work due to a modding break I am taking, but now I plan to start modding again for a (hopefully) 2006 release.

I did a little GuI work. I only have 3 screenshots this time. The first is the (final) start menu.

-Galactygon

It might seem not a lot of progress has been done, but that is false. I have been working in a 800x600 resolution up to now, but I have switched to a larger one.

-Galactygon

There is not much interesting about this screenshot except the portrait I am using for my main character. That is how I look like in real life. I pride myself in having green eyes (physically, not metaphorically).

-Galactygon

the start screen is good. I really like the font for LC

I concur. The LC title screen is very well done.

It took me quite awhile before I found a font that suited my needs, and wasn't protected by copyright. So yes, hard work pays off.

-Galactygon

It was quite some time since the last update. Again, much of the changes I did the past few years had to do with making things work rather than spectacular effects. Nonetheless, one does not fully exclude the other.

Let's start with Howl of Pandemonium. Although I did the effects years ago (and I might even have posted it some time earlier), I still find myself impressed by the graphics.

Sphere of Sunmotes, a quest-level spell. In AD&D, it's called Circle of Sunmotes, but I decided to rename it for the sake of the graphics.

This one I created in Maya, and used Photoshop to enhance the glow.

-Galactygon

Great Shout. The cone-shaped spell is a sonic attack that destroys nonmagical items, damages, deafens, stuns, and breaks open doors. Golems may not use their magic resistance against this spell. This last part is my own interpretation of the AD&D rules.

The spacing between those "vocal circles" (which actually emit and move out from the caster) is not perfect due to engine restrictions.

-Galactygon

These two screenshots portray some of the finer details I implemented. Pebble to Boulder, a 4th level spell creates several pebbles in the caster's person, which may then be hurled, where they turn into boulders before striking a creature.

In the first screenshot, the pebble has just left the caster's hand. In the second screenshot, the pebble has grown to the size of a boulder just before striking that unfortunate ettercap. I have circled their positions in red, so you could better see them.

-Galactygon

Let's appreciate the finer things in the game: Viconia wearing the powerful helm of glory.

-Galactygon

3 "Wall of ..." spells. Due to engine restrictions, their area of effect is a circle than a skinny wall, so it does not matter which direction they face.

On the top left is the 5th level priest spell, "Wall of Fire", the top right is the 4th level wizard spell, "Wall of Fire" (different from the priest spell of the same name in several aspects!). And the bottom one is "Wall of Moonlight".

-Galactygon

Flame arrow can be cast in 2 ways: either hurl all of them randomly the moment the spell is cast (by targeting an enemy creature), or allow the caster to manually hurl them (as a weapon) to individual creatures (by targeting yourself). The latter requires the caster to make attacks (5 attacks per round that automatically hit) that would prevent the caster from other actions. The former simply hurles them to random creatures within the area of effect (although the target creature is always hit by at least one arrow).

Here is an example of what happened to 4 ogres after a high-level test character cast Flame Arrow on them.

-Galactygon

Some items, like this Carsomyr, will emit a glow. I was able to do that by tinkering with some of the .vvc unkowns.

-Galactygon

Shroud of Shadows makes the character harder to damage.

Illkur's Mantle protects the character and makes her glow in a blue aura.

-Galactygon

Tasha's Unbearable Laughter (or whatever it's called).

-Galactygon

Undead created through the animate dead spell will rise from the ground spread out around the caster rather than at the target point at which the spell is cast.

-Galactygon

Proof that Burning Hands is now an area effect spell.

-Galactygon

And now for the last image of this update:

I would like to ask which one of these two animations is more appropriate for the uber-powerful Prismatic Sphere spell. The one on the left I have assembled in Maya and Photoshop, and the one on the right is a Photoshopped ingame spell animation.

-Galactygon

Very impressive, Galc!

Impressive indeed!

Keep it up!

As the prism spell is concerned ... i'd prefer the first image :-)

mm75

Oh Boy!!! I can see why this has taken so long and the wait will be worth it! I too like the first one.

Nice images, though I've seen your excellent particle effect graphics before. Concerning Prismatic Sphere, I would personally prefer the first one, although it would be ideal if you could have the sphere graphics shrink and change color when a layer is dispelled to fit the currently active layer. Too much trouble for just one spell, perhaps.

Did you decide on a condition to prevent the wanton casting of such "uber-powerful" spells? Reagents is an idea you were throwing around if I recall correctly. If you implement a reagent requirement, I ask that you make them purchasable in a shop somewhere, lest the super-powerful spells be reduced to the status of "cheesy enemy-exclusive spel.l" A good example of the aforementioned cheese spells is Timestop before Throne of Bhaal allowed mages to meet the level requirement to cast it without scrolls.

I salute your excellent work so far.


*Edit: That pandemonium spell reminds me of Baal's death sequence from Diablo II: Lord of Destruction.

Oh dear... nice pictures looks great... and this is a little part from the iceberg... keep doing your galactic job!!!
Regards,

A year after not looking at Prismatic Sphere, I agree the first one looks better than the second one (I am still not anywhere as good in 3D modeling as some of them other members of BW).

But anyway, time for an update. This time, I am including screenshots from SpellPack B5. I will start with 2 screenshots of something familiar from B4, and get to the good stuff in following posts.

This is disintegrate. I was lucky to catch that dragon (or not, since I CLUA-d it!). You can see how disintegrated creatures glow green and fade out. You can see that in the first screenshot, and barely in the second. As I will later explain, in B5 I have increased the useability of the disintegrate spell.

-Galactygon

This is Faerie Fire from SpellPack B5, with the graphics being set to the highest.

-Galactygon

If you have it memorized enough times, you can do this with Wall of Fire, restricted to druids.

-Galactygon

One nasty trick you can do is cast Spacewarp near the center of the firewall ring. Spacewarp changes the gravity field in its area of effect, pulling characters towards its center, with no saving throw. In addition, characters sustain 1D6 points of damage for every 10 feet of falling.

-Galactygon

From the description of Meteor Swarm: "A meteor swarm is a very powerful and spectacular spell..." "...The meteor missiles leave a fiery trail of sparks, and each bursts as a fireball..."

A Meteor Swarm either sends 4 large meteors or 8 small meteors (determined randomly) per casting, which burst in a random pattern. The center is usually exposed to 4 or more blasts. There is no saving throw against the damage, which if you are at the center could go over 100. But you have to be really lucky. I CLUAd Jon and ran a few tests with him.

This spell is truly fit for its level.

-Galactygon

Insect Plague.

The spell takes a long time to cast and conjures a cloud of insects. But that cloud doesn't just appear. The insects actually fly in (or out if they are scattered or the duration expires), sometimes taking a full round to form. Those nasties are nightmare for spellcasters and low-level creatures alike, but will not leave high level creatures untouched. Not only do they bite, but they slow, and reduce visibility.

Other than a Stoneskin, the best weapon against an Insect Plague is fire. Fire clears Insects the size of its area of effect, including Fireshields and similar spells. For example, a Fireball or Web spell thrown into the middle of the plague can clear insects the size of its area of effect. A character with an Aura of Flaming Death active or shapechanged to a fire elemental can clear insects simply by walking through the cloud. And speaking of fire elementals, you know which creatures you should not use the spell against.

Any fire except those mentioned explicitly in the description works - I have added additional effects to fire by mass patching, so fire spells from other mods should work. I write my spell descriptions literally to the game, so if you see something that is not right, don't hesitate to report!

I just thought about this, but I ought to include Invulnerability to Normal Weapons as a form of protection in B6. Consider it in!

-Galactygon

Another way you could clear a patch of insects is by casting a Web spell. This is 3 castings worth of webs. I increased the duration of Web to 2 turns/level, and radically reduced the area of effect. It is even easier to clear patches of webs than patches of insects from an Insect Plague. Unlike the insects, webs unfurl and disappear if you walk through it with a flaming sword - any flaming sword, since the effects were added via mass patching. The installer looks for the weapon animation.

Coming back to Disintegrate, the spell can be used tp clear a patch of webs and insects, although there is something wierd you will have to do in order to target Disintegrate (a single creature spell) over an area. Also, Dispel/Remove Magic works against both the insects and the webs; you will have to make a roll against the spellcaster who cast it to clear a patch (the size of your Dispel/Remove Magic).

-Galactygon

As many spells I have done, the graphics for Web never cease to amaze me. Even on lower graphics settings, it looks pretty good.

-Galactygon

This is proof that a Flamestrike can clear a patch of webs. Note: I am using the B4 version so it has an area of effect.

My guinea pigs are not very happy with me, as they have survive a barrage of Meteor Swarms and whatnot.

-Galactygon

Something you can do to clear dungeons with a Web is cast it over a hallway, clear the enemies on the other side, and blaze a path through it with a Fireshielded character.

This concludes the screenshot update. All of these screenshots come from the more tangible SpellPack B5 rather than Lost Crossroads.

-Galactygon

Wonderful ideas and graphics!

Oh.My.Gond. I do believe I have a boner from all these wonderful spell effect!

Wall of Fire - !yay!

Great looking graphics.

The ability to clear webs and insects with fire is simply amazing! The graphics look awesome too, especially for web and disintegrate.

Great work Galactygon!

U're simply GREAT man!!!!!

Look forward to play a new BG game soon ...

mm75

Is there any new updates to this mod? I've been looking feverishly for a IWDII GUI mod and I would love to download this.

The GuI part of Lost Crossroads is on hold indefinitely - mostly due to RL. SpellPack is my priority right now.

The files are with me, and I would be very happy to upload them in case someone wishes to finish them.

-Galactygon

If you would upload the shots. I will see about finishing it up. Might take a lot of time for me, though. What with the way everything is. I started working on one, but seeing as how you have the same vision for the setup as I did, it'd be easier to just pick up where you left off. With your permission, of course.

Because I'm restricted from sending PMs to new users, you will have to send an e-mail to galactygon@baraban.com or PM me at any of the other communities for the link.

-Galactygon