*Cracks whip*

Oh no?

The occasional and so-called rise and fall of Ego...

10-?-04

Done Power Word Kill and Death Spell. Death Spell kills creatures within a 30-foot radius that each have less than 8HD, and the total Hit Dice killed in this manner is 8D6. I might change it if it's not really balancing.

Power Word Kill causes death among creatures with less than 60 current hit points within a 15-foot radius; the total amount of hit points affected is 120. So for example, 4 creatures with less than 31 hit points each can be killed this way.

-Galactygon

I suggest assigning a smaller area of effect for PwK. 15' can be quite large, 8-10' would be more than enough.

10-foot radius and 15-foot radius don't make much of a difference. However, the 10-foot radius one causes a few coding issues, so 15-foot radius is the most ideal solution, in this case.

-Galactygon

Actually, it does when it comes to instant death effects.

I suggest keeping the 15-feet radius it is meant to have.

-Echon

I realized 8D6 Hit Dice is a bit too little against the 9th level Amnish guards (do they go adventuring?), and the 5th-level commoners.

-Galactygon

11-6(or 7)-04

For the past 2 weeks, I had tough weeks, so I didn't mod as much as usual. And I had to take a modding break anyways.

However, I have done something in the meanwhile; I have reworked some of the icons that show up in the spellbook/priest scroll to fit nicely, and not look like a couple of icons were just "thrown on there". Expect a screenshot within the next few days of what might look like in a spellbook/priest scroll.

I have also worked a bit on improving various parts of the PnP celestials mod; which I will do for the next few weeks (or until I am satisfied with the outcome).

-Galactygon

11-7-04

Done a large spell revamp for the PnP celestials mod; the results are quite staggering.

-Galactygon

12-5-04

I have thought it might be a good idea to post what the main menu theme will most likely be (it is used by the Wake of Gods mod for Heroes 3).

http://galactygon.blackwyrmlair.net/MainMenu.mp3 (I might advise you to save the file and play it off-line than on-line)

It will be a replacement to the existing one (yet another one of those I-don't-like features of BG2).

And yeah, despite little posts, there are updates going on reagarding the mod.

-Galactygon

Please, no. This song does not fit into BG2.

-Echon

I agree with Echon, the music doesnt seem to fit BG2.
Though, I am all for changing the menu music - I start BG2 with the sound muted, as it is so annoying.

I quite like the ToB menu music.

Go ahead, Galactygon.

The music of ToB and SoA (and of every IE game) is beautiful but this one wasn't bad either and some new, some refreshing is always good. Since I don't know its original location, I'm not influenced so perhaps this is the reason why I have nothing against the music suggested by Gal.

I had thoughts on making this part an optional and seperate download, and the differing opinions reinforce those thoughts.

I also planned on making another (optional) download that replaces the combat music to BG1 and perhaps a theme or two with its IWD1 counterpart.

Baronius: I never knew you played WoG!

-Galactygon

Lower Dorn's Deep music > BG2 music.

I am not a big fan of this music selection. Doesn't seem to fit the BG2 mood, as stated already. I'd still use the mod if it was a necessary component, though. It's not THAT big of a deal...

Galactygon: I didn't... I found the music good because I had downloaded it and had listened to the mp3 file.

Baronius: I misread your post



I read it as do rather than don't. So, apologies.

I also forgot to mention that they might not fit the current theme, it might fit better with the new interface (don't forget that I am applying modifications to the theme I already gave BG2). All we have to do is wait and see which musical theme fits better once we get to the actual implementation.

-Galactygon

12-13-04

For those who are curious, here is an entire .rtf file containing all the new and modified priest spells (without the quest level). A few things within are bound to change as I work my way through them, but this is pretty much final.

In case you see any spelling errors, I wouldn't mind any reports. In fact, I encourage them.

http://galactygon.blackwyrmlair.net/lostcr...riestspells.rtf

I will later on change the website to reflect the current changes as well as make an array of new updates (including the notorious news section). The past server issues with TeamBG and BW has frustrated me into constantly delaying it (I might have mentioned this somewhere, sometime).

-Galactygon

Hi, I've send you a couple messages. If you're interested, just answer me

I noticed, I just don't have as much time these days to answer a lot of PMs and e-mails.

-Galactygon

Oki doki

1-11-05

I have done some more GuI work ~ all of the GuI that isn't in-game, except the multiplayer and character generation are fully complete.

I am starting to work on integrating EGM's work with mine.

In case anybody has noticed, I have been unable to re-upload V2 of SpellPack. I will not bother with that anymore; I will upload V3, when I get to it.

-Galactygon

Wow!

-Galactygon

1-26-05

I have done quite a bit of work up until now. I have resumed my work on the GuI mod. The inventory stands nice and ready, as well as the mage and priest books. The journal GuI is also at the polishing stage.

I have used various BG1 and IWD2 elements in the above mentioned. For example, the background for the mage/priest/journal screens all come from BG1, not to mention the scrollbar of the journal screen. On the other hand, the font, the title, and the stone slabs come from IWD2. They complement each other perfectly (in my view, at least).

The next screenshot update will include screenshots from each of those screens.

-Galactygon

Greetings,

Does your spellpack address the munchkiness of the mirror image spell?
For some reason, in -all- of the IE games, area effect spells are -absorbed- by the images, only causing you to lose 1 image (unless you take constant damage), unless the die roll causes the spell to hit the mage, instead of the image.
And of course this applies to traps, too. This makes mirror image so powerful, that it's on par with 7th level mage spells... A mage with mirror image, stoneskin, some magic reflecting/absorbing spells (Like globe of invulnerability) and protection from weapons is literally untouchable by anything. (will a BREACH even work on a mirror imaged mage, or will it just cancel one of the images?

MI doesn't absorb fireballs (at the mere cost of an image) in P&P


Also, does your spellpack change prayer and chant so it actually affects the to-hit rolls (shown by a - to hit, if you have roll details turned on) of the *monsters*, instead of just the party? (and the TDD Prayer is WORSE Than chant or bless, because all it does is give you +1 saves and damage, -nothing- more).

I actaully got so sick of TDD's prayer that I modded it myself, so it performs with a "chant" effect (so I get the +1 to hit), and I added a -1 to hit for Globaltargetexcludingparty, so my ugly dirty version of prayer gives party +1 to hit, +1 save bonus, and monsters -1 to hit, -1 save penalty, though no damage bonus or penalty (as i don't know how to add that without trashing the entire spell), and since it's a "chant" effect spell, its not culumative with chant

I didn't have that planned in spellpack yet, since it (obviously) requires me to modify dozens of area effect spells to dispel the images and apply the damage. Lost Crossroads will indeed have it when released; I have planned that tweak eons ago.



You couldn't have found a better place to ask that question. Yes, SpellPack addresses both prayer and chant, and recitation is added too.

At the moment, I still haven't reuploaded the mod, but I won't bother with uploading v2 anymore; v3 will come this weekend, I promise.



I already got that one fixed; it now works exactly like the prayer spell in PnP, not to mention it is cumulative with chant (but not with itself).

-Galactygon

3-27-05

I didn't mention any updates for quite a while now, but that didn't mean there wasn't work going on with the mod.

Countless spells have been done recently. This includes Chaos, Confusion, Firestaff, Decastave, and many other low-level wizard spells.

Implosion has been done also, and I will have a screenshot up by the next time I have a screenshot update. I have been able to implement the constitution check with some scripting, so it works exectly the way it does in PnP.

Dimension Door is also fully done and working (except I have to wait for Mindflayer to finish the animation). Although you can travel to places outside the line of sight, it will not work through solid objects such as walls and statues (for balancing reasons). So, in a dungeon, you have more limitations than using it outdoors. Works wonderfully and perfectly (without compiling any BAF files).

Translocation Trick also works nicely; you simply switch places with the target creature. It's an interesting spell you can use in odd situations (such as your wounded fighter being swapped by a wizard with magical protections). This one works through barriers.

If you have any balancing thoughts, don't hesitate to provide them. There is a relatively high chance of your idea influencing several aspects of the mod.

-Galactygon

yay I can't wait to see it

4-8-05

PnP Fire Aura, Otiluke's Dispelling Screen, Friends, and Enervation is done. The way the creatures are ignited by the Fire Aura with green fire looks quite nice, really.

-Galactygon

Screenshots PLZ!

4-21-05

I have worked on rewriting the IDS files (GENERAL, RACE, SPECIFIC) for Bestial Animations, as well as starting to code a "commoner sense" mod by reworking some of the guard system in Athkatla (they are level 2 rather than level 8, etc).

I have also re-worked some of the polymorph spells so you can use them via disguises (e.g. polymorph into a gnoll and walk unnoticed into a pack of them), as well as I have finished all the Monster Summoning (1-7) spells. I decided to go back to second edition rather than third edition (where you have Summon Monster 1-9) since it was so much harder to code the latter. Some of the Summoned Monsters include Chimerae, Hook Horrors, Basilisks, Wyverns, Will 'o Wisps, and even Giants.

And yes, they use animations from "Bestial Animations", so in case I release those spells, they would require the newest release of "Bestial Animations".

I will have some screenshots by this weekend, as well as the "Bestial Animation" patch released in a day or two (I have found a new way to upload my files via FTP).

-Galactygon

Have you considered the possibility of adding the disguise spells into the game using the same method? For instance Change self (a 1st level illusionary disquise), Alter Self (a 2nd level weak polymorph self), and Seeming (a 5th level illusionary disguise , like change self but lasts 12 hours and affects 1 person per 2 levels of caster - Adalon probably used a version with some refinements of this to disquise the party as Drow).



That's good on a somewhat related note, what is the feasability of adding the Shadow Monsters/Demi-Shadow Monsters/Shades quasi-real illusion spells? I know that these are in Icewind Dale, but IWD uses a special IWD-only (AFAIK) opcode for them.

Charles

See the Dopplegangers; they will trick you by coming up with a wide-variety of disguises rather than attack head-first. They will be a bit more common in civilized areas, where they can employ their disguise with success. This means you will not see a lone nobleman (or, even Elminster) in the middle of the dungeon as you did in BG1, since it is a huge give-away. Rather, you will see their natural forms.

I will not add them to the player as a spell, since given the limited amount of roleplayability, I will have to rewrite half of the plot to make the spell realistic and useful rather than tweaking a few AI scripts.



It's quite easily done, and is planned already (there is a giant list of spells in the workroom with what I have planned). All I have to do is adjust the hitpoints, transulency, and the colouring of the summoned creatures.

-Galactygon

Thats a shame but I see your point, I had considered doing these spells as a cosmetic avatar change combined with a normal invisibility effect without the normal armour-class bonus to represent the disquised characters being ignored by other characters until they either did something aggressive (ending the invisibility) or the spell wore off, but this runs into all kinds of problems with special cases, and the fact that disquised characters cannot speak.


Just to check, are you allowing for the fact that if the illusionart part (of shadow monsters, demi-shadow monsters & shades) is not disbelieved/dispelled (pretty much the same for Infinity Engine games), then the creatures have their full stats?

-that's the bit I'm not sure how to implement.

On a related note, any plans to do the classic low-level illusion spells (phantasmal force, improved phantasmal force & spectral force)?

Charles

In a way, yes. I plan on having those monsters ignore creatures that successfully disbelieve them (you have to make a check each round rather than once due to engine limitations), which require a saving throw. Creatures that disbelieve the shades will also ignore them.



Yes, but within engine limitations (creatures only).

-Galactygon

Ahh.. I was trying to come up with a way in that totally real seeming monsters could be polymorphed into shadowy 20%/40%/60% forms by the illusion detecting spells (and the thief ability).

You might want to consider giving them attacks where 80%/60%/40% (or approximately so, depending on the spell) has a saving throw vs. spells to negate and is of secondary type illusion, while the remainder is real - if this could be done without too much trouble.


One idea I was considering for the low level illusions (e.g.phantasmal force) was to have the spell bring up a 'spell immunity' like menu with a list of options - either common spells (that could be reasonable mimiced by the illusion - i.e. visable) or monsters.

The spells would be illusionary (do non-lethal damage, save vs. spells negates whole spell, type is illusion), likewise the creatures would be gender: illusion, and would inflict non-lethal damage (maybe with a save to ignore).

There are a couple of problems I could see:

1) I couldn't decide whether to include the PnP restriction of the spells requiring concentration to maintain (I'm not sure if there is a feasable way of doing this anyway) or simply give the spell a short duration. Related to this was how tough to make the illusionary creatures, in PnP they dissapear after a single hit unless the caster produces the illusion of them responding appropriatly - now how do we impliment that?

2) There are issues with using the spell-immunit menu opcode on combat spells - in that, if you're not careful, you can easily waste the spell.

Charles

4-30-05

Done Prismatic Eye, Trollish Fortitude, Invisible Stalker, and Dead Man's Eyes.

Trollish Fortitude is an interesting spell gives you the powers of the troll. That includes regeneration and that you fall unconscious if your hit points reach 1. And, like the troll, you can only be killed by fire, acid, death magic, disease, poison, and level drain when unconscious.

Prismatic Eye is simply a better version of wizard eye, where the eye may shoot forth a ray of colour spray once every 4 rounds, or emit a light spell.

Nerik:

1.) It's not too hard to implement a "maintain concentration" spell; I have done that with Summon Swarm and Wizard Eye already (and some others).

2.) If you mean you couldn't cast and select the spells in the menu during the game-pause, then it is already fixed. Think of combining contingency and spell immunity.

-Galactygon

5-1-05

Lich Touch, Improved Blink, and Mordenkainen's Sword has been finished.

Mordenkainen's Sword now works exactly like in IWD; you couldn't exploit enemies anymore by sending in a few swords as fodder. Rather, it acts as a normal sword the caster wields, but could hit enemies from afar.

Since I have coded Lich Touch, I decided to alter the Liches' immunities and special attacks themselves along with it. Although they can be affected by level 1 spells as of now, they now emit an aura of fear and their cold touch permanently inflicts paralysis until dispelled or negated by appropriate magic.

-Galactygon

5-11-05

I have now made several differences between stunned and held characters.

1.) Stunned and held characters cannot be hit automatically, but their dexterity is set to 1, incurring severe armour-class penalties.
2.) Held characters are fully aware of the surrounding events, and they can use spells that are cast automatically, and don't require both verbal and somatic components. Held characters may also be talked to (although not vice versa).
3.) Stunned characters aren't held anymore; rather they act as if feebleminded (e.g. they stand there doing nothing), and since they aren't aware of the surrounding events, their line of sight is reduced to near nothingness.

Unconscious characters remain as they were (due to engine limitations).

-Galactygon

5-12-05

Vocalize may now be cast under the effects of silencing spells, but not under power word: silence. No longer will it be considered unfair to see enemies cast vocalize onto themselves if you silenced them.

Also, sleeping characters will awaken if they get slapped by melee attacks.

-Galactygon

Unconciousness is when you are affected by something like Stinking Cloud right? Are there other, new spells, that cause unconciousness?

Is there a spell (or will there be) that negates unconciousness? Maybe negates isn't the right word, is there something that aids recovery from unconciousness...like a bucket of water or whatever?

Well, I haven't been too clear on that matter yet.

There are now 2 types of unconsciousness: sleep, and unconsciousness.

I have described Sleep in the above post, but not unconsciousness. Unconsciousness remains the same, except it can only be negated by the level 3 priest spell, Exaltation.

Stinking Cloud will not cause unconsciousness anymore (there will be different effects tied to it), but a wingbuffet of a dragon might (or some other causes that don't come into my mind).

The sleep effect will be caused by sleep spells. The only exception is Phezult's Sleep of the Ages, where you cannot be awakened unless you cast Dispel magic/Exaltation (which negates the effect for 1 round, allowing the character to be safely brought out of the area of effect), or the reverse, Phezult's Awakening (which ends the spell for all of the creatures in the area of effect.

-Galactygon

5-15-05

Bone Blade, and Iron Body have been completed.

I have also finished Symbol, and I merged all of them into a single spell (like Spell Immunity). Another main difference I have made in symbol is that it doesn't last until triggered; it has a permanent duration, unless a number of total hit points are affected.

So for example, a Kobold with 5 HP left approaches a symbol of death that kills 80 total hit points. The kobold has to make a saving throw vs. spells at a -4 penalty (all symbol spells use that penalty) or die. The symbol now has 75 hit points left, and even if the Kobold makes its saving throw with success or is protected by a death ward, or has Magic Resistance (all of them very unlikely), the symbol still has 75 hit points left (so only a creature with 75 or less hit points may be affected by the effects of the symbol). If the Symbol reaches 0 hit points, the faint runes disperse.

Note that many powerful spellcasters will take measures to prevent tresspassing by casting a symbol in doorways, chests, or passages. A thief may not disarm tham, but a (successful) dispel magic will.

There are now 8 types of symbols you may cast: Death, Discord, Fear, Hopelessness, Insanity, Pain, Sleep, Stun

For Priests, I am setting the duration to 1 turn/level and only these three types of symbols may be cast: Hopelessness, Pain, Persuation.

-Galactygon

I like that you have added Iron Body, it is a great spell.

-Echon

Yes, it does make you quite invulnerable to many forms of attack.

5-16-05

Black Blade of Disaster and Power Word: Blind have both been completed. I decided to go with 3rd edition for Power Word: Blind (so it affects up to one creature with less than 150 hit points rather than 100 hit points worth many creatures).

Black Blade of Disaster could attack enemies at a range and dispel/bypass every single magical protection (including Invulnerability to Magical Weapons and Invulnerability to Weapons, but not Barrier of Toth). It could only be found in the underdark among the drow.

-Galactygon

5-19-05

Malek Keth's Flaming Fist has been completed, and Mordenkainen's Sword is now identical to the AD&D IWD1 version.

Also, I have found a nice way in scripting to prevent intelligent mages from casting area of effect spells, where only 1-2 creatures are affected, unless they are reasonably powerful.

For example, a mage will cast wail of the banshee if he is surrounded by 20 goblins (unless he has death spell memorized), or if he is surrounded by at least 4 party members or 8 chimerae. He will not cast wail of the banshee if he is sourrounded by 8 kobolds; or a single Chimera, or a single party member. Rather, he will finish them off with a Mordenkainen's Sword or a Black Blade of Disaster, or a one-target spell (depending on how powerful the creature is and how badly injured the creature is).

-Galactygon