Suggestions for next Tutu Tweak Pack

[Salk]

Hello!

 

First: thanks to Idobek and Cam for the TuTu Tweak Pack. I was just wondering if I might give a couple of suggestions to further enhance the gaming experience. I am no modder but I have a couple of ideas to share. If you are interested, I can write them here. Thanks for your time!

[CamDawg]

Yes, of course. We're always looking for suggestions for new tweaks, or improvements to existing ones.

[Salk]

Okay...I was thinking of the Bard Song Icon. Would it it possible to associate a tune to it that lasts as long as the Bard Song is on ? I think that would be very nice and would give an elegant touch to the game.

 

Also I was pondering about the Summoned Creatures AI. I didn't play TuTu yet but if, for instance, the skeletons are like in Baldur's Gate 1, well...I am not that happy of them going out formation to attack without waiting for my explicit command. Also, according to P&P, undead creatures like skeletons or zombies never take any initiative. They always wait for a specific and express command of the summoner.

[Salk]

Okay...One more suggestion. ToB introduces the TAB key function to highlight objects making their search totally unrealistic and easily unsatisfactory. So I thought we should introduce a tweak for it. We will keep the TAB key function but it won't work automatically like it does in ToB. A character in the party with Detect Traps ability will roll dice check at regular interval not only for Traps but for Objects too. The Traps, like it is now, will automatically be highlighted. The detected objects instead will be highlighted by pressing TAB. We might discuss about the exact paramters of the function but I do think this idea is really worthy and shouldn't be too difficult to implement (sorry I can't do that myself as I know nothing of programming/modding/computers ). Of course if in the party no character has detecting abilities it's not possible to perform such search. This tweak would make objects that should be hidden or hard to find according to the Bioware programmers or Modders keep their original challenge. Let me know what you guys think about it.

[NiGHTMARE]

Not only would your TAB idea in fact be difficult to do, I'm pretty sure it would actually be impossible.

[Salk]

That's pretty sad to read... I was hoping it was not a very complicated routine to implement but oh well...Don't you think that my argumentations were however fair and such a modification would have been a welcome tweak,NiGHTMARE ?

 

What about the other post though ?

[Domi]

Okay...I was thinking of the Bard Song Icon. Would it it possible to associate a tune to it that lasts as long as the Bard Song is on ? I think that would be very nice and would give an elegant touch to the game.

 

IIRC, bard's song already have a sound at initiation. If you make it continous, it will overlay or cancel all other music in the game plus you will potentially play the game listening to the same continous melody all the time (which is quite irksome).

[Salk]

Okay...I was thinking of the Bard Song Icon. Would it it possible to associate a tune to it that lasts as long as the Bard Song is on ? I think that would be very nice and would give an elegant touch to the game.

 

IIRC, bard's song already have a sound at initiation. If you make it continous, it will overlay or cancel all other music in the game plus you will potentially play the game listening to the same continous melody all the time (which is quite irksome).

Hello,Domi!

 

Well...I know that the bard's song icon has already a sound at initiation but it just doesn't give much satisfaction,does it ? I didn't mean to suggest to make it loop but just to change the trigger so that it will actually play a .wav file of a melody/tune instead of that initiation sound (I'd love to have this, I must say...).

 

The volume of it doesn't have to be so loud to go over special effects/voices/ambient sounds though. I think it could be tweaked in such way to make it "accompany" the battle without being too introusive. It would be enough to make its volume being controlled by the "Music" volume of the game.

[Domi]

We have done musical themes (30 sec musical snippets) for NPC banters. When they overlaid over game's music, it created a clush, that was not welcomed by players. Current Musical Pack attempts to shut off music when an NPC music plays. I would like to see a quick melody instead of generic one, if possible even differnt for different bard's kits, but it would be a bit too much for me if it loops for the whole duration of the bardsong. I er... have them singing continously. Same as my thieves detect traps and clerics turn undead unless they are doing something else.

[igi]

As for the TAB reqeust - it's probably impossible to duplicate identically, but work-around may be usable. I'm in two minds though, on one hand, pressing TAB ruins game immersion, and promotes lazy playing. But having to check every single object.. gah.

A Thief detect ability though.. thats quite a nice compromise

[Salk]

Thanks igi for appreciating my idea. What you say is very true. The TAB key incorages lazy playing and spoil game immersion. If a work around for thieves detecting abilities could be implemented in some way, that would be great!

 

Domi...I am really happy there is something we do agree about! I think you are very right thinking of specific tunes for each Bard kit! I am currently developing a chorister and I'd love to have a gregorian song associated to his bard's icon!! I was just wondering though why you have limited your music to just 30 seconds ? Is it for limiting their size ?

I think today everybody can have fast enough connection to download even several megabytes of mods and I believe having bards playing real music and singing is really worth it! Let me know if there is something you can do about it!

 

I am still waiting for some feedback about the undead proposal. IE not let skeletons do anything at all unless a specific command of attacking/defending an area is given by the summoner!

 

Cheers!

[Domi]

Domi...I am really happy there is sometihng we do agree about!  I think you are very right thinking of specific tunes for each Bard kit! I am currently developing a chorister and I'd love to have a gregorian song associated to his bard's icon!! I was just wondering though why you have limited your music to just 30 seconds ? Is it for limiting their size ?

 

They are actually 30 seconds to a minute. Yes, dl size was a limitation (25 pieces ~300 kb each even at the most bastardized mono ogg, plus some extras for romanceable NPCs). BUT the main reason is that we had originally (and I think even now) did it as a WAV initiated by script once dialogue started. When the music piece is too big (and WAVs *will* end up big), it would 'hick up' the game - it will freeze for a few seconds. Ask around kit guru's on how to replace the bard's song sound file. I have a feeling it might be doable, maybe (not sure though) just a matter of dumping a soundfile in the override.

[Salk]

I presented my ideas in the Song&Silence section too in case the kit modders there might consider them worthy. I cross my fingers.

[Salk]

. I er... have them singing continously. Same as my thieves detect traps and clerics turn undead unless they are doing something else.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Well Domi, I do think that having thieves detect traps all the time is coherent and consistent way of playing but having the turn undead and bard song on all the time...well...How to say it ? I'd feel like there is no role playing game there as such specific actions should be activated when really needed. I know that the game lets you sing with tha bard all the way long but I would find it unrealistic and would spoil my game experience. So my proposal for the bardic melody actually took it for granted that nobody would ever let a poor bard sing all the time (think of his poor voice and fingers! He would eventually get tired, don't you think ? )

[Domi]

Or consider pressing 'singing icon' as a command "Lo, Garrick, raise our spirits with that inspiring battle lay of thine every time thou see a foe, dost not waste thy time and vocal cords on asking every single time. We will shout for fire support if the going becomes tough, I assure thee."