Mod Update

Discussion in 'The Temple of Elemental Evil' started by Livonya, Mar 15, 2005.

Remove all ads!
  1. Livonya

    Livonya Established Member

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2003
    Messages:
    773
    Likes Received:
    0
    I'm at work and so I figured I would post an update on where my mod is at...

    Once I am finished I am going to submit my mod to the Co8 people so they can add what they want from it to their next fan fix version.

    I will also submit my mod as a seperate Mod as well since there may be features that they decide to pass on for their fan fix.

    Here are the features my mod will have:

    Random Encounter fix (100% done) - monsters will no longer spawn on party leader every single time. They will spawn at random locations and attack random party members. Also, if one member of your party has a high Survival skill then the distance from the attack will be farther (except in cases of sleep encounters). The Survival skill will now make a big difference.

    Kids back in game with dialog (100% done) - puts the kids back in and gives them dialog.

    Fixes and bug smashes (??% done) - I will probably never finish this task, but I have found and fixed at least 20+ bugs. A few of these fixes are quite good as they put features in the game that were missing due to bugs (such as missing reputations, items, and dialogs).

    New reputation and sub-plot (85% done) - I only have a bit more work to do on this... when it is done there will be a new sub-plot and reputation that will lead to new dialogs, new events, and new encounters... I think people will really like this as it not only adds new content but also fixes a combat situation that was less than challenging.

    NPC control (75% done) - You can now talk to the NPCs that join your party and ask them to do certain things for you... for instance they will sell you their starting equipment and you can tell them to NOT sell whatever they are carrying. This helps with equipment control. The code is 100% done but I only have it placed on about 65% of the NPCs that can join your party at this point. Also, if asked an NPC might have advice for you.

    New quests (100% done) - I have added a few new quests. I have more in mind but the ones I have started are now complete.

    New traps and trap sub-plot (75% done) - there are more trapped objects in the world now. I have also created some new kinds of traps that didn't exist, and in one case there is new dialog, and situations to overcome. The main new sub-plot will force you to think of creative ways to deal with it via spell, skill, dialog solutions.

    AI upgrade (90% done) - this vastly improves the NPC behavior. Spell casters should finally be a threat and a challenge. The range of spells used by NPCs is now almost as large as the range of spells that your party will use. Also, NPCs pre-buff themselves with defensive spells, and will use their potions and abilities in their attempt to kill you.

    NPC situation changes (??% done) - this is hard to describe... for the most part this means that NPCs will behave in new ways... for instance they may call for help, re-appear at later points in the game, etc, etc... This is an on-going fix that should make for more realistic situations.

    I am very close to completion now.

    I will absolutely be posting a beta version this month.

    Once I am done with this then I intend to finish the un-finished areas at the end of the game. It seems that Troika didn't have time to finish some areas that appear at the very end of the game. I am going to populate these areas with creatures, traps, treasure, and situations.

    I also plan to add new unique random encounters and some more quests.

    And I want to try to create a call system so that monsters will help their allies rather than just standing around waiting for you to come attack them.

    Anyway, I am getting closer... I am really excited to see what folks think, so I will absolutely have a beta version posted by month's end or sooner if possible.

    - Livonya
     
  2. wizgeorge

    wizgeorge Prophet of Wizardy

    Joined:
    Feb 19, 2005
    Messages:
    1,715
    Likes Received:
    2
    Mods/fixes.

    Great news! A whole bunch of people are eagerlly waiting for this and I'm one of them! I have Roadrunner cable internet and I'm ready to download.
     
  3. stormbard

    stormbard Member

    Joined:
    Jan 5, 2005
    Messages:
    55
    Likes Received:
    0
    Wow!!

    Livonya, you're a legend, I can't wait to play the game through again with your beta. This game is worth all the trouble you and others have and are putting into it, and it's becoming more enjoyable all the time. Thanks
     
  4. Martinius

    Martinius Member

    Joined:
    Oct 22, 2004
    Messages:
    51
    Likes Received:
    0
    Hey-o! Great news, Liv. Keep it up and we'll keep on supporting you with praise. :D
     
  5. Livonya

    Livonya Established Member

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2003
    Messages:
    773
    Likes Received:
    0
    Here is a short update on some new things I now have in the game... I did all of this over the weekend...

    1) I now have a working solution for web that follows the rules. Creatures/NPCs will now attempt to Break Free when it is appropriate.

    2) Enemy NPCs now use scrolls and wands.

    3) I added another sub-plot to the game involving Lareth.

    4) I have fixed some scripting errors with NPCs that have two-weapon fighting not actually using 2 weapons in combat. For some reason most NPCs that should normally weild two weapons in combat were only doing so 40% of the time. I fixed it so they will use two weapons every time. And also Troika used the wrong feat name so some NPCs that should have had Improved Two-Weapon fighting did not... now they do have the feat.

    5) I wrote default code so that NPCs can use spells that require Radial Menu Choices. Also, wands that require Radial Menu Choices will now use a default choice.

    6) I made a small advance in enemy AI.

    - Livonya
     
  6. Morpheus

    Morpheus Mindflayer Veteran

    Joined:
    Nov 11, 2003
    Messages:
    539
    Likes Received:
    1
    Cool! Way to go.

    I'm gonna need, like, 2 months to integrate all that into the Co8 patch ... ;)

    Speaking about Lareth: There is a bug concerning Lareth that annoys the hell out of me. Sometimes, when you have him in your party and he leads you to the temple ambush fight, he goes "Ha ha ha! I fooled you!" and then fights alongside the party. Aaargh! While it is handy to have his support, it's completely ridiculous since, after all, he has just set you up and led you to his trap. It's probably a scripting issue, but I didn't get around to look at his .py file yet.
     
  7. Livonya

    Livonya Established Member

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2003
    Messages:
    773
    Likes Received:
    0
    Morpheus -

    I fixed that. There were a lot of problems with that entrance.. sometimes the battle would be going on and Lareth would be talking, sometimes he wouldn't talk at all, sometimes he wouldn't quit the party, etc... (this problem wasn't really with Lareth's scripting, but with the lack of proper scripting for the 6 different types of enemy NPCs in the room. I had to write new scripts for all 6 different types, and new dialog for one of them as well.)

    I believe I have a 100% fix for that room.

    In the process of fixing that problem, I added a bunch of new dialog.

    Basically, there are now three possible events that can occur in that room depending on the following:

    1) Lareth is in party
    2) Larreth is dead
    3) Lareth was allowed to escape

    Each of these choices will lead to different outcomes and dialog options depending on your social skills (diplomacy, bluff, intimidation)... some of which can lead to a new sub-plot that some parties may or may not want to look into.

    - Livonya
     
  8. Gaear

    Gaear Bastard Maestro Administrator

    Joined:
    Apr 27, 2004
    Messages:
    11,029
    Likes Received:
    42
    Speaking of which . . .

    Just thinking out loud here, ;) but is it possible that in your exhaustive modding efforts you've also corrected another common battle oddity?: a lot of the time, when the party encounters some significant character, ie., one that actually has a name and presumably some unique identity in the game, you just go straight to battle without any dialogue. That always bugged me, because I figured I was missing out on some further intigue or other.

    "Yep, we just defeated the temple troop commander (or whoever), who would have told us who he was and what he was doing here, not to mention what he thought of us, if he'd spoken up before we killed him."

    Maybe it's just me . . . although I've usually got someone with good dialogue skills in the party.
     
  9. Livonya

    Livonya Established Member

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2003
    Messages:
    773
    Likes Received:
    0
    Gaear -

    I can't speak for every instance, but from what I can tell from the code a lot of NPCs (such as the Temple Commander) do have dialog, but depending on actions that you have caused in the past they will kill on sight without saying a word.

    In Troika's defence, TOEE is really well set up for lots of replay value.

    I am often amazed at all the different things that might happen, but simply won't happen unless events unfold in a certain way... some things are so cryptic that 99% of the time they will never happen.

    Then again there could be bugs preventing dialogs from happening. I have literally fixed dozens and dozens of small bugs while tinkering with the scripts. There are tons of bugs, mostly just typos or miss-used code phrases... simple things like using [] when () was necessary or just the opposite.

    And I am sure there are still more bugs that I have missed.

    When I finally sit down and play through the whole game I will look for errors... if you can think of NPCs that you fought that were silent the whole time then just post them and I will take a look.

    I will look at the temple commander tonight. I know in my test environment he talks to me.

    - Livonya

    PS: Once I am done with my current project then I will post the beta. And then I will wait for people to report bugs and I will just work on smashing all the bugs that I can.
     
  10. lord_graywolfe

    lord_graywolfe Wolfman

    Joined:
    Apr 30, 2004
    Messages:
    739
    Likes Received:
    0
    sounds great Liv im looking foward to trying it, will this include your changes to include the kids?. your probally already said but i forget lol. if it does maybe we will finally be able to do something about the woodcutters daughter who he says if very ill but you cant do much for her since she isnt around anywhere. a couple of things i noticed last night bugged me. mickey the brewer apprentice after i warned him away from Nulb and had finished that mini quest i find him in Nulb again and he stands there telling me he hasnt been back and wont go Nulb agian, just thought that was wierd, and Otis wouldnt unburden himself this time. he carried around 2 sets of chain mail. before he just switch like Elmo. just things i didnt notice before but they arent important. im sure the game will be 3 times as good when you and Morph get everything together
     
  11. blackfly

    blackfly Established Member

    Joined:
    Dec 14, 2004
    Messages:
    346
    Likes Received:
    2
    Livonya.

    I, among many others that may not post this, cannot thank you enough for your tireless, selfless effort to make the game better only because you care.

    If, only in so many things in life, there were more like you I cannot imagine where we would be. If I had the skill to mod I would certainly do it, but I am an analog man in a digital age. What more can I say.

    All I ask is that the treasures be new, useful and exciting, worth the wait. Not some rehashed derivative but something new. I cannot wait.

    What more could I say but thank you.
     
  12. Gaear

    Gaear Bastard Maestro Administrator

    Joined:
    Apr 27, 2004
    Messages:
    11,029
    Likes Received:
    42
    I do recall that happening with the troop commander guy, but It could well have been as a result of meeting the conditions you describe.

    On a similar note . . .

    I don't want to overburden you, but what are the chances of adding dialogue - even very simple, one-size-fits-all dialogue - to other more mundane encounters, such as walking into a room full of bugbears in the temple and what not? Again, I guess its just a pet peeve, but it bugs me when you run into some crew and it's just 'drop-the-gloves-let's-go.' I could understand that happening in surprise/flat-footed situations, but in cases where both groups are on equal ground, it seems more likely that someone would at least say, "Kick their asses!" before attacking.

    I suppose an effort to correct this deficiency would be time-consuming in a major way, just like with repopulating the temple. Is it something that could be outsourced to a willing underling?

    Gaear
     
  13. Livonya

    Livonya Established Member

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2003
    Messages:
    773
    Likes Received:
    0
    Gaear -

    Would floating a dialog sentence over the monster's head be effective? Or would you prefer an actual dialog box?

    Either would be simple to do, though a dialog float is by far the easiest way.

    I need to test something about the mute flag, and if that test works fine then this could be added this with only a few hours of work.

    I'll get back to you once I do the test...

    - Livonya
     
  14. dulcaoin

    dulcaoin Established Member Veteran

    Joined:
    Mar 10, 2005
    Messages:
    213
    Likes Received:
    0
    That was my first thought when I read this suggestion: a floattext would be best. a) easier, and b) less instrusive to the player (no stop-everything for dialog).

    It could be really cool, too: a pack of bugbears rushes you, and you see them shouting random things at you as they go. "Get him!" "Death to the infidel!" "Thanks for all the cheese!"

    Simple to implement, and effective in its impact.

    -- d
     
  15. wizgeorge

    wizgeorge Prophet of Wizardy

    Joined:
    Feb 19, 2005
    Messages:
    1,715
    Likes Received:
    2
    No talk!

    I have no desire to talk or hear from the bugbears. Fireball and let'em burn!
     
Our Host!