News, Progress, Updates

[cmorgan]

Currently various team-members are working on fixes to several small "challenges", adding some interjections for Tiax, adding a few more Ajantis flirts and rechecking his code, cleaning up the way the tp2 compiles to use the latest and greatest code from Cam, the bigg, and company, and tying up some loose ends before Tra-i-fying (so that when v12 is released people can take a look at the thousands of lines available for translations, and misquote the Classics; "Look Ye on BG1NPC's Files, Ye Translators, And Despair!")

 

Of course, you could always volunteer to playtest...

Edited July 20, 2006 by cmorgan

[Guest Vimes]

I've seen bits of info spread out on the forums, but what exactly are those additions? I've heard of some new Dynaheir content. Is that already implemented?

[Domi]

Yes, Cmorgan coded the quest for Dynaheir that I wrote some time ago. It's one of the 5 quests that we did not have manpower to implement.

 

The other new components (appart from loads of bugfixes are):

 

-NPCs when dismissed will now have an option to wait for you in a particular "safe" location - a few inss are used for that purpose

-Tweaked a bit "happiness" file to make neutral NPC make "happy" sounds in mid-reputation range (before they always bitched, no matter what rep you had)

-Added new timers for romances - 1.5 hours

-Shar-Teel got an additional talk reacting to Ranger or Paladin "falling", that will now initiate her romance

-4 NPCs (Quayle, Tiax, Eldoth and Alora) moved to new locations accessible in Chapter 2

-To accomodate that move we are trying to add more interjections, but so far only did some progress on Tiax, but it might or might not be included

-Jastey also wants to add new flirts for Ajantis

 

The big thing that was not realized yet, but needs be done is TRA'fying the mod, that will make it possible to translate it into different languages.

Edited July 21, 2006 by Domi

[cmorgan]

As of last night, you can also folow the direct progress on the BG1NPC part of the Development Wiki, found on the blue bar at the top of the page.

[Guest Vimes]

It's one of the 5 quests that we did not have manpower to implement.

 

But it's implemented now, right? You guys are awesome, not just for creating this spectacular mod but for the amazing level of support and updates. I'm wondering - is TRAifing a long process? I'd love to start a new game of Baldur's Gate in early August, but from what I'm reading it's a big possibility it'll take a while after.

 

I'm not looking for translations, obviously, as I'm playing an English version of Baldur's Gate. Is there any chance a relatively stable, non-tra version is available by then?

 

Your sincerely,

 

Vimes

[Domi]

Yes, Dyna's quest is the lucky one that got into the game.

 

No, TRA'fying itself won't take long; it's fixing and testing that is the time-consuming thing.

 

There is a lot to test because apart from the old trustworthy bugs Cmorgan is squashing, codes were updated by Cmorgan to a newer stuff, and he did some shuffling that in the long run will improve the performance, but in the short run can cause new bugs to crop up. Seeing how it is testing for a jolly bunch of 25 NPCs and since the aim is to release z "final-final" version, there is no real way to guesstimate when that release is going to be.

Edited July 22, 2006 by Domi

[cmorgan]

Of course, we can again invite folks to help playtest -- if things don't go as planned, you could always uninstall the alpha version and reinstall the v11 release (you would need a new game), but we think most of the stuff works. We can use lots of folks checking that out! PM me if you are interested.

 

Not-So-Subtle-Hint: if I finally decide to go and playtest myself, it will be January or February of 2007 before we will have a new version out; when I play I PLAY !

Want to do some great testing?

 

Take an evil party with Dynaheir and Edwin through the whole alpha game and make sure the added stuff works right; do the same with a good party!

 

Take a female romance with various combinations of Coran, Xan, and Ajantis through a set of quests.

 

Try picking up Alora, et al in their new starting places, and visiting their old starting places to make sure they don't crash things.

 

Test out the ultimate "chaotic neutral" dgame: ick up different NPCs, and try droping them off in every area, and letting them rejoin, sending them on to an inn for pickup later, or just plain ticking them off so that they leave you high and dry!

Edited July 22, 2006 by cmorgan

[Guest Vimes]

Alas, to my shame, I haven't played Baldur's Gate 1 since its release and would enjoy a relatively bug-free environment on my second playthrough. However, I already know how I'm going to play it through: my party will consist of Imoen, Minsc, Dynaheir, Khalid and Jaheira. Will that be specific enough to avoid many bugs?

[Domi]

I'd think so. Dyna's quest will be the the big unknown, but you don'rt have to initiate it if you are worried, or just save before initiating it and reload if it starts breaking down on you.

[berelinde]

You're going to miss a lot that way. That is the party you were intended to have when you started BG2. That much is clear. But there is so much more to experience.

 

But, if you want to do it that way, I would play a paladin with a decent intelligence and romance Dynaheir with the BG1 NPC project Phase 3.

 

It will be so different from your first time through. You'll wonder how you could have left the game sit on the shelf all this time.

[Guest Vimes]

You're going to miss a lot that way. That is the party you were intended to have when you started BG2. That much is clear. But there is so much more to experience.

 

This is true. I like to play my game as if it's a movie, however, and the canonical aspect of it is nice. Plus, of course it's great playing with my sister, my best friend (Minsc), my love interest, and my guardians, one of which is going to be my future love interest much later on.

 

Anyhow, thanks a bunch for the replies - when I'll start playing again I'll definitely try the new version!

[berelinde]

If I may make a suggestion, play it twice! Or more. There's time.

 

I'm having a lot of fun mixing it up, playing with characters I'd never tried before, mostly because they didn't make the cut for BG2.

 

And yet, the fact is that one of my favorite NPCs (Xan) is already integrated seamlessly into BG2. Kivan is, too, from my understanding (although I have yet to try it).

 

So I would not be afraid to try something new just because your favorite NPC never makes it to BG2 (Tiax doesn't count).

[Guest yuj]

Since I'm starting a Tutu run I wouldn't mind playtesting the alpha build especially since it means I can play with some NPC's earlier and have them placed more sensibly. Eldoth's placement was always odd. I could never understand what the hell he was doing in the Cloakwood forest. Just one question: have you implemented the means to tell the guards at the Silvershield estate why your there? I would like my paladin to complete the quest in a lawful good manner.

[cmorgan]

Register and PM me for the link... and I will try to get a version together during the day (August 8) and have it up since I am going back to pick up some stuff I missed on the buglist. With any luck, you could be trying it out by about 7pm August 8 CST/USA!

Edited August 8, 2006 by cmorgan

[Katerina]

I've been able to sign up but my validation e-mail hasn't been. I tried to have it resent but still nothing so I can't PM you.