New item with DLTCEP, questions

[Onox]

Hi, I am trying to create a new item with DLTCEP and need some help

First, here is the description :

Desert Rose

This robe was the property of Laodia Wrys, a Mage/Thief mercenary who offered her services as a protector to travelling merchants between Calimshan, Amn, Nathlan and Turmish. The Desert Rose was designed as a survival robe that would protect from environmental hazards such as cold and heat, but also from ambushes. While the light fabric does not contribute at all to Armor Class, it has the magical ability to repair itself, and this regenerative effect extends to the wearer. Its many other powerful enchantments make it a highly sought after item.

STATISTICS:

Equipped abilities:
– Regenerate 1 Hit Point every two rounds
– Saving Throws: +1
– Fire Resistance: +30%
– Cold Resistance: +30%
– Immunity to backstab attacks
– Immunity to poison
– Infravision up to 120 ft.
– May memorize one extra 2nd-level spell and one extra 4th-level spell
– Ennemies who damage the wearer are slowed unless they succesfully save vs. Spell

Charge abilities:
– Sanctuary once per day
– Farsight once per day
Duration: 12 rounds

Weight: 4

---------

I found most of the equipped abilities in already existing items, so that part was straightforward, except the Slow effect. It is working, but not quite, and I'm not sure what is the right way of doing this, and whether it is possible to make it work like I would...

What I did is that I duplicated the usual Slow spell (SPWI312), and named it SPIN205. Then, I changed the following things :

Spell type : 1-Wizard -> 4-Innate
In the extended effects :
Number & type : 4-Area -> 1-Creature
Speed : 3 -> 1

(I actually have 10 extended headers, because I installed the Tweak "Add Save Penalties for Spells Cast by High-Level Casters (BETA) -> Arcane & Divine Magic: Beta 4", so I think that's a problem, but let's not worry about that for now. I performed the changes to all the 10 headers.)

And then, I added to my item the effect :
Cast Spell on Condition [232]
with this SPIN205 spell as Resource

My problems are :
- I think that the effects of Slow stack, don't they ? Is there a way to make the effect happen only if the creature that hit the wearer of the robe is not already slowed ?
- And it affects all nearby ennemies, not just the creature that hit, even though I changed it from 4-Area to 1-Creature... I must be missing something. How do I make it slow only the creature that hit ?

- Is it possible to restrict it to melee hits only ? Otherwise I think it is overpowered
- How to make it right for the Saving throw ? First, I am puzzled that each effect in a Spell has a separate saving throw. I had always thought that a Spell had one global saving throw (or none), not one for each effect, because... is it possible to save vs part of the effects of a spell ? And what happens if you set different values for different effects ?
My other question about Saving throws is what should I use in the Cast Spell on Condition [232] effect ? Should I leave Saving throw: 0-None, or use 1-Spells ?

I have other questions too, but I don't want to ask too many questions at the same time, I'll ask them later I attach the files (clck33.itm and spin205.spl)

Desert Rose.zip

[lynx]

- slow doesn't stack

- look at fireshield

- same param as for fireshield

- the roll is shared and it's complicated

 

your item is cheesily overpowered.

[Onox]

Thank you for your answer. I don't think it is that overpowered for the game I am playing now, actually I created it because I was bored with the Robes of the Archmagi, that we already get in BG1. It's a pity that there are not more Robes, more diversity

 

I reduced the range of my Slow spell to the same as Fire Shield damage spell, and now it only affects enemies at close range, but still all enemies nearby I think it's not possible to trigger the spell only on melee attacks, but it would be good to affect only the enemy creature that hit the wearer... Is this not possible ?

 

I would also like to know :

- what is the difference between "Casting features" and "Extended effects" ?

- do you have a link to a detailed explanation of the complicated things about the saving throws and shared roll ?

 

Thanks

[lynx]

who it hits depends on the parameter1 you pass to Cast Spell on Condition.

 

casting features (effects) usually apply to the caster (haven't seen any other use outside of pst). Used for glow and visuals before the main payload.

 

no link, but it's different in iwd.

[Onox]

For parameter 1 (Target in this case), I used "1" (Last attacker). I had had a look at Keldorn's sword before you suggested Fire Shield, but it is actually the same. I think it must be something in the Slow spell that makes it affect all enemies nearby the target, but I have no idea what. As you can see in the image below, I changed the field circled in green from 4-Area to 1-Creature, but that changed nothing

 

 

 

And how did you figure out how the saving throws details work, then ? You really piqued my curiosity If you don't have the time to explain, please could you link to the relevant part in GemRB's code ? C++ is not at all the language I like and know the best, but I might be able to understand. Or I'll ask on the Beamdog forums

 

The next things I would like to learn are the formats of the images for item icons, images in item descriptions and for the portraits in inventory, and so on, but that will have to wait because I will be away next week

 

Thanks

[kjeron]

For parameter 1 (Target in this case), I used "1" (Last attacker). I had had a look at Keldorn's sword before you suggested Fire Shield, but it is actually the same. I think it must be something in the Slow spell that makes it affect all enemies nearby the target, but I have no idea what. As you can see in the image below, I changed the field circled in green from 4-Area to 1-Creature, but that changed nothing

Area of effect is controlled through a spells Projectile. Set it to 0 or 1.

[lynx]

Yes, slow uses an aoe projectile.

[Onox]

Ok, I did not know about projectile files. I created a new one, but I cannot find it in the "Projectile animation" drop-down list in the image above, where "159-Instant Area (Not Party)" is currently selected I created the projectile with DLTCEP too, and saved it into the override folder. If I choose Edit projectiles, I see it in the list. What am I missing ? Thank you

 

And how do you name a projectile ? Are the names hardcoded in DLTCEP for the known projectiles, or can you add a name ?

[Magus]

Ok, I did not know about projectile files. I created a new one, but I cannot find it in the "Projectile animation" drop-down list in the image above, where "159-Instant Area (Not Party)" is currently selected I created the projectile with DLTCEP too, and saved it into the override folder. If I choose Edit projectiles, I see it in the list. What am I missing ? Thank you

 

And how do you name a projectile ? Are the names hardcoded in DLTCEP for the known projectiles, or can you add a name ?

I think you need to add it to projectl.ids to DLTCEP to see it

[lynx]

but like it was said, you can use an existing one. Not all of them are aoe.

[Avenger]

 

Ok, I did not know about projectile files. I created a new one, but I cannot find it in the "Projectile animation" drop-down list in the image above, where "159-Instant Area (Not Party)" is currently selected I created the projectile with DLTCEP too, and saved it into the override folder. If I choose Edit projectiles, I see it in the list. What am I missing ? Thank you

 

And how do you name a projectile ? Are the names hardcoded in DLTCEP for the known projectiles, or can you add a name ?

I think you need to add it to projectl.ids to DLTCEP to see it

 

 

If it isn't in projectile.ids, then the engine itself wouldn't use it.

DLTCEP uses 2 tables to display the projectile names (projectl.ids and missile.ids). Of the two, projectl.ids is essential for the engine.