Random encounter areas

[Valiant]

Hello folks,

 

I wonder which mods are modifying the random encounters during your travels in Athkatla? Because I want to remove one area from the list of random encounter areas, and, if some mod out there is using exactly that one particular area, it would be broken... I know all random areas are using the same script (perhaps with a few minor changes like actor positions, but that´s all), so I guess it won´t affect encounters at all, if I cut out one area and substitute it with another...

 

Anybody knows about some??

 

So far I know about Swordcoast Stratagems and Tactics... Anything else??

[berelinde]

None of mine do, nor does Kivan.

[erik]

Quest Pack and Big Picture does, at least.

[Valiant]

Thanks, erik, but both of then modify all random encounter areas. That is logical. Usually city random areas are modified in one way all together, while outside random areas in other way, all together as well. Like Quest pack or Tactics do. I was thinking about modifying only one unique random area, e.g. AR0041, in a way that will prevent its substitution by other random area...

 

I think this kind of mod does not exist, but I need to be sure, that´s why I´m asking. After all, it´s good to know which mods modifying random areas in general...

[erik]

Well, removing stuff is generally frowned upon. Why not add an extra area?

[devSin]

There's tons of space in the worldmap (doesn't each node get 5?) to add your own custom area, so I'd have to agree with erik. One or two of the random maps are even unused, if you want something a little fresh at basically no cost.

 

Although, you can introduce the possibility of unreachable encounter areas, I guess, so I doubt anybody truly cares if you just take over an existing area.

 

If you're requiring ToB, you might want to look into the possibility of scripting in your changes (wasn't there a probability mod action in ToB to alter the wmp random encounters?) so that you can ensure your encounter always fires and not really change the behavior of any of the others.

[Valiant]

I don´t know, but I feel nobody truly understand why I´m asking this... Or maybe I don´t understand the answers

 

Because I want to use one of the random encounter area as the next part of city and I do not want some area art to be shown several times over (in normal area and in random area, too)... That´s why I asked if it´s possible to substitute it with another, as they all share basically the same script.

[Kulyok]

Because I want to use one of the random encounter area as the next part of city and I do not want some area art to be shown several times over (in normal area and in random area, too)... That´s why I asked if it´s possible to substitute it with another, as they all share basically the same script.

 

It might be just me, but I feel it's okay if the same area shows twice. I understand it doesn't sound very "neat" or perfectly pretty, but, honestly, as long as we get a new adventure and an interesting part of the city, I would close my eyes to the fact that there's a random encounter in this area, too.

 

This way you'll kill two birds in one shot: your mod will introduce a new city area and remain compatible with the rest of the quest and encounter mods out there, including yet unreleased ones.

[Kulyok]

Besides, and it's important: if it's an existing game area, it's very likely that some romance/NPC/quest mod or other is already using it, or will be using it in near future, so your random encounter removal won't help. (Then again, you make great areas from scratch, too).

[jastey]

Do you mean you want to use an existing area of the game, used as a random encounter area, for your mod and because you don't want the player to see this area twice want to remove that area as a random encounter area by replacing it with another, thus risking screwing other mods? I am sorry but I see no sense in doing that.

 

Just use the .tis and make your own .are file with new people, doors to buildings etc., problem solved. I mean, it's not like players haven't seen this area before.

[Valiant]

It might be just me, but I feel it's okay if the same area shows twice.

But I do not... And I wonder why you feel ok - you, Kulyok, a synonimum for perfectionism

 

This way you'll kill two birds in one shot: your mod will introduce a new city area and remain compatible with the rest of the quest and encounter mods out there, including yet unreleased ones.

But it will stay compatible even I cut that one area from random area list and replace it with another one. As I wrote before, all random areas are using THE SAME SCRIPT CONCEPT...

 

Do you mean you want to use an existing area of the game, used as a random encounter area, for your mod and because you don't want the player to see this area twice want to remove that area as a random encounter area by replacing it with another, thus risking screwing other mods? I am sorry but I see no sense in doing that.

Why not? It´s not like you see the random area many times over during the game. And if you especially lucky, you won´t see some of them at all during the whole game I guess.

 

Just use the .tis and make your own .are file with new people, doors to buildings etc., problem solved.

If it would be just so easy as you think. Have you ever made an area from scratch, from nothing? It´s very time consuming to create all objects in 3ds max, for example, and I haven´t even mentioned the correct texturing, to fit the new art seamlessly into the original game... So why not to use the original art, especially is it´s rarely used by the game engine itself...

 

Besides, and it's important: if it's an existing game area, it's very likely that some romance/NPC/quest mod or other is already using it, or will be using it in near future, so your random encounter removal won't help.

Maybe I haven´t searched properly, but I still haven´t found an NPC mod using random areas for banters or romance stuff so far... Maybe because is a random area, which means player may visit it, OR NOT. And I doubt NPC mod creators would be risking a broken romance, or banter, whatever, because player haven´t faced one particular random area...

 

The result is the same: still two same areas in the game.

That´s why I´m trying to be first in using the area art... So others may use it for their own purposes, and not to create another area, basically with the same art... And, I have changed the .tis file slightly (also all corresponding files like .wed and aux maps)...

 

Maybe I´m just defending myself here, but all I want is reuse the potential the game has, and that is not used properly (rarely, maybe even not at all)...

[Kulyok]

I think I understand what you mean. But imagine this: okay, you have done your job well, and everything is fine, the random encounter is removed. But the area is still in the game's area base. So, someone creates another popular mod with the same tis and are files, as jastey mentioned. The result is the same: still two same areas in the game. I'm afraid it is unavoidable, this way or another.

[jastey]

I assumed you wanted to replace the original area, not only change the random encounters to another, but really replace the original area so the graphics are only used in your mod. That is a big no to me, as it might screw other mods that want to use these tis graphics for a custom area.

If the original area remains and also keeps the same name but you take it out of the random encounter areas that wouldn't be as critical imho but then you have the problem Kulyok mentioned.

[Valiant]

But I want to replace it only as a random area in .wmp file. It won´t be deleted from the game itself at all... But of course, if I use the modified .tis to create a new area, there´s no point for somebody else to reuse it again. Mod creator can simply use mine area, and even get the benefit - it won´t be a random one...

[jastey]

If it would be just so easy as you think. Have you ever made an area from scratch, from nothing? It´s very time consuming to create all objects in 3ds max, for example, and I haven´t even mentioned the correct texturing, to fit the new art seamlessly into the original game... So why not to use the original art, especially is it´s rarely used by the game engine itself...

That's what I said - use the existing .tis (the graphics), but with your own doors, containrs, etc. which are defined by the are.

 

Maybe I´m just defending myself here, but all I want is reuse the potential the game has, and that is not used properly (rarely, maybe even not at all)...

That's totally OK, but what we are trying to say is that others have this idea, too.

 

And, I have changed the .tis file slightly (also all corresponding files like .wed and aux maps)...

Now I don't know what we are arguing about at all. If you changed the graphics, you have to install them anyway. So why not just leave the original area untouched?