MUCH praise and minor feedback

[Qwinn]

Hmmm... well, I can think of some ways that might make it easier. I mean, it'd probably be a bad thing to try to modify her in such a way while she's in the party or even in the same map area as your party at any given moment. I could make part of the quests to dual class her be that her trainer insists that they set up in the Friendly Amn Inn and leave the party for some intensive training for a while, and oh, while we do that, <Charname> might as well go pick up a spell component from Nashkel or Thalantyr while they're at it... then I can run whatever script to modify her that I need while she's out of the party and in a different area. If that would help, anyway. Not sure at this point if it would, heh.

 

I'll try digging in to the mechanics of how Level 1 NPC's works, and see if I can figure out what it is that would make it more difficult/impossible for an existing character.

 

Qwinn

 

EDIT: I put a post on Nythrun's Level 1 NPC board kindly asking her what she thinks of the idea. Let's see if my idea can get past the smell test of someone who knows what's involved, hehe.

[Qwinn]

Actually, I should probably have placed that thread in Modding Q&A rather than her mod's page. If someone with admin abilities would be willing to move it there, I'd be highly appreciative.

 

Incidentally, after a ton of research tonight I did come up with an alternative idea on how to handle what I'm planning if it is in fact deemed impossible/impractical to change her classes mid-game. Basically, I could create a thief kit for her that represents her thief-in-training-to-be-a-mage status, and then use ActionOverride(AddKit) to give it and take it away at the right moments. I'd still prefer to handle it the original way I planned, but I do see that I should be able to handle 90% of what I want in this fashion. In fact, I'd be all for it if it didn't potentially create compatibility problems with other mods that add kits, since I know there's a limited number of kits that -can- be added in game.

 

Qwinn

 

EDIT: Found some more info, but I'll move all my talk about the mod idea to that thread I created, currently in the Level 1 NPC Project forum, and hopefully to be moved to Modding Q&A at some point

 

The thread is here:

 

http://forums.gibberlings3.net/index.php?showtopic=13380

[berelinde]

OK, if I understand you properly, your main goal is to allow Imoen to start training as a mage in BG1.

 

You can do this by leaving her initial creature intact, and just patching in a kit that allows her to start her training as a mage, a multi-class kit. You can write script that will switch her to this new kit at a specific level and never have to worry about being incompatible with other people's mods, except, possibly L1NPC.

 

I'm no expert on kits. Quite the furthest thing from it, really. So there's little I can do apart from refer you to CamDawg's kit creation tutorial series, and SixOfSpade's kit mod as a reference.

 

Here are a few little quotes from the IESDP that you may find useful when you do get around to the scripting.

 

This one is a trigger:

0x4094 Level(O:Object*,I:Level*)

Returns true only if the experience level of the specified object equals the 2nd parameter.

So, if you wanted her to start out as a thief and switch to your custom kit at a predefined level, you could use this as a trigger. It comes in three flavors:

Level("DV",#)

LevelGT("DV",#)

LevelLT("DV",#)

 

The first will be true only if the object is exactly the level you specify. The second will be true only if the object is higher level than you specify (*not* equal, actually greater). The third is true only if the object is lower level than you specify (*not* equal, actually lower).

 

Here's a set of triggers you might prefer:

0x40C3 XP(O:Object*,I:XP)

Returns true if the specified object has experience points equal to the number specified.

 

0x40C4 XPGT(O:Object*,I:XP)

Returns true if the specified object has experience points greater than the number specified.

 

0x40C5 XPLT(O:Object*,I:XP)

Returns true if the specified object has experience points less than the number specified.

Same deal, but it's based on experience points, rather than level.

 

And here's the action that makes the whole thing happen:

274 AddKit(I:Kit*KIT)

This removes the creatures current kit, and then add the specified kit. Abilities from any previous kit are removed.

AddKit(0) will remove a creatures current kit.

Class restrictions apply for kits. When attempting adding an invalid kit, the existing kit (if any) will be replied.

 

I realize that it will be a while before you need this. I'm just putting it out there to show you that it's doable.

 

You might actually prefer to make this BGT compatible from the outset. The gods know that I would prefer to have Imoen advance as both a mage and a thief in BG2.

[Qwinn]

That's some -very- good stuff, thanks Berelinde Yeah, the XPGT triggers is something I definitely will have use for.

 

I was actually thinking of forcing the dual class after a certain point, but I suppose if there's a demand for it I could leave in the option to just stay as a mage/thief as well.

 

And yep, I've already read through Camdawg's kit tutorial. Haven't checked out Six's actual mod for a reference yet though.

 

And I am right with you on your suggestion - if you see the thread I linked to, I'd already discovered that I would -have- to change her to a multi-class mage thief - which I should be able to do midgame with the ChangeClass action - in order to get a proper GUI. And the rest of what I want to do suggests I should then apply a kit to it, although my understanding is there are some real limits to what you can do with a kit for a multiclass (I don't really know the details there though, the only definitive thing I've read so far is that you can't change the description, heh, but I'm sure there's more to it)

 

I'm actually thinking that I want to place limits on her magery. Her thief class would be "pure", I wouldn't tweak it at all, so I'd basically be kitting her mage side, and the main thing I'd be doing is limiting the spells she'd have access to to the spells she gets at the beginning of BG2. Even there, if it's possible, what I'd like to do is make it so she can only acquire those spells through quests, which I would include as part of the mod. Thankfully, the spells she gets at the start of BG2 -are- among the most useful ones.

 

Now, I realize what I'm doing is making her -weaker- than a normal mage/thief multiclass, and many people might not like that. I'd say the reason is because it's more realistic and you get the fun of the story of how she becomes a mage, but I doubt that'd be enough to make people want to try it, heh. So I am trying to think of ways where she actually gets some sort of benefits to compensate for her restricted mageness early on. Something like her master thievery artifact is a perfect example, but she already gets that free with the mod as it stands, hehe. Maybe toss in glasses of identification when she learns (via a quest) the identify spell, things like that.

 

The quests to gain her spells would be initiated via her chosen trainer, which would be Dynaheir, Xan or Edwin at first, and then Thalantyr eventually.

 

Anyways, eventually... *cough* XPGT(Imoen,130000) *cough* and she's acquired her spells via questing, she'd get the opportunity to change back from her mage/thief multiclass to a dual level 7 thief level 8 mage, like she starts in BG2, with no restrictions on being able to cast spells.

 

Does this sound like it'd be fun? I'm open to any suggestions at this point... still playing through the games, but I'm gonna let the ideas bake in the brainpan while I play, and any advice or suggestions on how to make it fun (including benefits to counteract the negatives I'm planning on implementing) would be greatly appreciated

 

Thanks for the triggers and actions! I will definitely be using them

 

Oh, btw, I'm from New Jersey too Lawrenceville, to be precise (Mercer County)

 

Qwinn

[Qwinn]

Hmmm... this is another one of those "no idea if it has anything to do with BG1NPC, but posting it here anyway..."

 

In Cloakwood section 3, there's a shadow druid named Laskal who tells you he has a message for the Iron Throne, and asks you if you're with them. If you say yes (which even a very good party might lie about just to find out what the message is), he attacks you, and upon killing him you take a 10 point reputation hit. It seems odd that the shadow druids could have such a tremendous sway over popular opinion, especially when the shadow druid attacked the party first. *shrug* Just thought I'd mention it, as I didn't find any reference to Laskal in a search of the whole forum, so.

 

NOTE: I am doing the Jaheira subquest atm, if that makes any difference.

 

Qwinn

[berelinde]

Heh. Yeah, I can just imagine the Shadow Druids sneaking into towns, spreading word of <CHARNAME>'s misdeeds. Maybe the immense reputation hit is because the SD's felt compelled to wipe out half the town while they were there?

 

Anyway, this isn't necessarily BG1 NPC, but more a game thing. Make a creature flagged as an innocent go hostile, for any reason, and your reputation drops.

 

Though perhaps Laskal shouldn't be flagged as an innocent, any more than, say Ajantis. After all, when you meet Ajantis, there's the possibility you can end up fighting him, and killing him doesn't result in a loss of rep.

 

Gotta say, though, that if you were doing CW3 at a relatively moderate rep, say under 16, that rep hit had to be pretty harsh. Flaming Fist enforcers, anyone?

[Kulyok]

10 point reputation hit is the usual for BG/BG2, when your reputation is 18/19/20 - it immediately goes back to 9/10. PC used to be a hero, now PC is a common murderer.

[Qwinn]

10 point reputation hit is the usual for BG/BG2, when your reputation is 18/19/20 - it immediately goes back to 9/10. PC used to be a hero, now PC is a common murderer.

 

That's just it - I only killed him out of self-defense. He attacked me. I don't -feel- like a common murderer

 

But, heh, it's no -big- deal, reload is your friend. Was jus' sayin.

 

Qwinn

[Qwinn]

By the way...

 

I just had to say once again what a phenomenal job you guys have done with this mod. I've completely and totally cleared everything south, east and west of the Friendly Amn Inn except for Durlag's Tower (which is almost all of the world map except for the city itself) and I'm -still- getting regular non-romance banters, and that's -with- the Accelerated Banter Script installed. And from reloads I've got the feeling I'm still quite a ways from running out still. That's absolutely amazing. Tremendous job, all... I wish BG2 had anywhere near that many banters, heh, even with the Banter Pack I feel like I run out by a short ways into Chapter 3...

 

Qwinn

[cmorgan]

The advantage of a number of years and tons of project authors

[cmorgan]

Lastly, at the end of that conversation you get the message: "Journal has been updated - Dynaheir's Journal", but no journal entry appears with that title or regarding her journal, either open or closed, in any chapter. The option I picked in conversation was to split up and search for the journal and meet back there in 24 hours, which probably -should- have a good journal entry behind it. Note that I don't believe a journal entry was added at all when you first meet Dynaheir and she first mentions her missing journal either, in fact, that conversation seems to end rather abruptly. No message about your journal being updated is added at that time either, but again, the conversation seems to abort very suddenly and possibly prematurely.

 

All typos in this set of posts/thread repaired; one line adjusted so no recoding needed

 

@66 = ~Perhaps you are right. But I do not trust a gnoll, even ones pretending to come in peace.~

 

two new journal entries on first conversation (yes, it is a one line and only one respose, so it is short) places with appropriate EraseJournalEntry and JOURNAL calls (we are not going back at this point and standardizing SOLVED/UNSOLVED/etc; we may leave that to future generations )

 

@223 = ~Dynaheir's Missing Journal

 

Dynaheir has asked after a missing personal item. If we find it, she would appreciate our help returning it to her.~

@224 = ~Dynaheir's Missing Journal

 

We have retrieved Dynaheir's missing journal. She has decided to keep close watch on it in the future.~

 

For the others, they are set with JOURNAL, and should be appearing in the standard journal, not the Quests/Solved Quests one. Can someone please confirm that these do not set?

[Qwinn]

In Baldur's Gate North, the "Petrine's Cat Angel" quest... when you give her the ring, Jaheira pipes in with a comment that I'm guessing was added by this mod? Jaheira suggests checking in with her later and maybe seeing if you can get her set up at an orphanage or something. At any rate, there's an infinite exp bug - if you talk to her immediately afterwards, she'll give you 500 xp again. And again... and again...

 

EDIT: Just realized, it's not infinite, but she'll give you 500xp for every angel skin ring you have. Turned out I had like 7 of them in my gem bag, heh.

 

BTW, cmorgan, did you spot my two posts regarding lovetalk 15 in the last page of this thread? Not sure if you saw it. Just checkin'.

 

Qwinn

[berelinde]

If she's giving you an XP bonus for every angelskin ring you have, then that's original game content, not BG1 NPC. And I just checked: it's not BG1 NPC.

[Qwinn]

*nod* Okies. Funny, I rather expected something like that to get a mention in the walkthroughs, and this isn't, which is why I thought it must be a mod. Ah well, good then

 

Qwinn

[cmorgan]

@Qwinn - got 'em! I am trying to piece together a test tonight, while I recheck 15E vs the worklogs and make sure everything made it into the master copy. I hope to have soem answers for you (and me ) sometime this evening.