Resurrecting "deleted" Spells in BG1

[Smoketest]

I've noticed one unfinished and two 'deleted' spells in BG1. Namely, Wraithform (unfinished), Ice Storm (partially deleted), and Wall of Fire (gone). Of these, only the first two can be restored to full access and use. I couldn't find anything for Wall of Fire except a SPL file and a name strref. BG2 was no help in this regard.

 

To finish Wraithform, you'll need to copy the description string from BG2, as BG1 doesn't have it. You also need to assign a name string and a description string (just use the ones for the spell) to the scroll, SCRL1R.ITM. Then assign the scroll to a few likely shops so that it can be purchased. Two that come to mind are the High Hedge and Sorcerous Sundries. You may also have to increment the count for level 3 spells in SPELLS.2DA to get the spell to show up in your known spells list after learning it.

 

 

Ice Storm requires a little more work, and here are the things that need done:

 

- BG1 doesn't have the BAMs for this spell so you'll need to extract them from BG2. Make sure you decompress them or they'll crash BG1 when it tries to display them. The BAMs I exported were the SPWI404x.BAM series (A, B and C.) I used NI to export them, decompressed, into BG1's Override folder.

 

- The SPL file exists (SPWI404.SPL) and even has the proper strings attached. All I did was add the BAMs and set the casting sound to CAS_M06 (same as BG2 but sounds different). The projectile value of 98 is valid and is the same value used in BG2, though the graphics are different. I removed the saving throw since it's not in Bioware's description, nor the PHB's.

 

- The scroll is missing so I copied SCRL1V.ITM (Dimension Door) to SCRL1X.ITM, what Ice Storm's scroll item would have been, and set the strings to match those in the SPL file. For the Cast Spell effect, I changed the range to 120 feet and told it to cast SPWI404.SPL at caster level 5. Make sure to set the Learn Spell effect to refer to SPWI404.SPL.

 

- You could use SCRL1V.ITM's ISCRL1V.BAM file, but it contains an unfolded graphic showing the Dimension Door icon. What Bioware did in BG2, rather than make a proper inventory BAM, was to assign SPWI404A.BAM to the ITM's inventory graphic resref. So you can do that in BG1 too, after you've exported the BAMs from BG2 as outlined above. Note that if you know how to use a BAM editor, you could take ISCRL1V.BAM, copy it to ISCRL1X.BAM, and then copy the graphic from SPWI404A.BAM into a second frame for ISCRL1X.BAM. Then you'd have a proper inventory graphic. By 'proper' I mean when you pick up the scroll it turns into a rolled up scroll, and when you place it in inventory it unrolls to reveal the spell icon. SPWI404A.BAM has the proper icon, but lacks the rolled-up scroll graphic.

 

- Next I added the scroll to Sorcerous Sundries. I didn't adjust the scroll's cost, though given it's power it could probably be more valuable than Dimension Door.

 

- Double-check the spell count, for level 4 spells this time, in SPELLS.2DA.

 

 

I don't have a screenshot to show you so I'll just describe it.

 

Basically, Ice Storm functions like continuous Fireball. You cast it and an icy projectile heads for the target, then explodes out to about a 30- or 40-foot diameter and fills the area with floating pillar-shaped clouds of ice. Anyone caught in the area takes 3d6 cold damage per round with no saving throw allowed. The duration is hardcoded and appears to be about 4 rounds. That's up to 12d6 cold damage with no saving throw, an improvement over Fireball (10d6 max, with saving throw for 1/2). Creatures can move freely within the area of effect, so it's possible for them to excape full damage.

 

Caster level does not affect duration or damage. The range of 40 feet is too short; by PHB standards you'd be able to cast the spell 150 feet away by the time your mage is level 5.

 

I prefer the graphics over those in BG2 because it's easier to see where the dangerzone is.

 

(Edited after Andyr's heads-up. Just goes to show it's not always a good idea to rely on memory for stuff that was done several months ago. In short, I need to keep better notes. )

 

(Another edit: this time to update information on how to get the Ice Storm scroll inventory graphic working.)

[Andyr]

I think Xan already has Wraithform.

[Smoketest]

Ah, he does, but only on his level 6 incarnation, which I've never seen because I always do Nashkel long before I reach level 3 so I always get his level 1 or level 4 CRE, neither of which has it.

 

I consider it to at least be an unfinished implementation, or unfinished business if you will, for these reasons (in an unmodded game):

 

1. The SPL file lacks a description string and a casting sound. (It's also not in line with the PHB, but neither are a lot of Bioware's spells.)

 

2. The spell is only known by Xan (level 6), and E36.CRE. (Has the name Edwin and a bunch of spells that the real level 6 Edwin doesn't come with.) It can't be learned by anyone else for the reasons listed in 4.

 

3. The spell scroll is lacking a name string and a description string, though it correctly refers to the spell in both casting and learning effects, and does have the proper icon.

 

4. Only three files refer to the scroll: Highhed3.sto, Sakul.cre, and Test.sto. Highhed3.sto: since it lacks a name string, only the icon would appear in the shopping list, but if that particular store does ever appear (a search with NI revealed nobody uses it), it's late in the game when I'm finished visiting all those areas. Sakul.cre: has it in his item list but it's not assigned to any inventory slots, so he can't use it or drop it. Test.sto: the name says it all; this store isn't used anywhere in the game.