Jump to content

Keys being Used up by Doors


Recommended Posts

Subjectivity is a fun thing. I observed once before that you can make all sorts of absurd arguments to "prove" things subjective--perhaps Bioware intended mages to cast lightning bolt on themselves as some sort of slip-up in their routine. More likely, they simply messed the scripting up. But that's just my subjective opinion, right?

 

If we went on like this, nothing would ever get fixed. Common sense and varied input are bound to be vastly more useful than a strict regime which prevents us from fixing anything we haven't phoned up Gaider about.

Link to comment

This thread is an example of why I keep all my work, including bugfixes, offline. Everyone and their brother expects things to be done differently.

 

Anyway, since you're fixing keys, you should know that a bug prevents the keys from being used up, even if everything else is working right, if the key is inside a carryable container, such as a bag of holding.

 

There are at least two ways to overcome this issue:

 

1. (Messy) Change all use-up keys and/or bags so that the keys can't be placed into the bags.

2. (Better) Add script blocks to pertinant areas to remove the key from the player's inventory if they still possess the key and the relevant door has been opened. (I did this for my install a few years ago and suggested it to Kevin Dorner; he was going to implement this idea before he disappeared from the scene.)

 

For those who don't like key removal, just put the key you want to keep into your bag before you open the door.

 

In a related note, I posted some time ago that TakePartyItemAll() won't remove items that are in carryable containers, but from what I recall, the Fixpack uses it in a few places. TakePartyItemNum() works better if you set it to a high enough value to ensure you take all instances of an item. Though it leaves a zero-quantity copy of the item inside a carryable container (another bug), the item doesn't detract from the container's capacity and, perhaps more importantly, isn't visible to the player.

Link to comment

Mae'var's safe is the only container in the game that requires a key, but that key won't be used up even if you avoided putting it into a bag of holding. So if you want the key to disappear you'll have to script it.

 

For that matter, I can't remember if the key flag is set or if the key item is specified in the default ARE file; I remember changing something awhile ago thinking it would work just like locked doors. But on my latest play-through (the first one in at least a year), the key didn't disappear but it did unlock the safe. (Lock Diff. set to 100%)

 

There's no sound effect either. Odd that it behaves differently even though it shares the bit position (10) with the door key flag.

 

Edit: I didn't think about it until now, but perhaps the key ITM has to have a certain setup? I doubt it, but I'll check when I get home. The key is EDWINKEY.ITM.

 

Edit2: There's also an identified magic spear in Valygar's cabin.

 

Edit3: EDWINKEY.ITM is set to type MISC instead of KEY, but this doesn't affect how it is used by a container that requires a key. The container will still only open if the key is in inventory, but there is no sound effect and the key is not used up, even if it's outside of a bag.

Link to comment

I'm not sure if I'm willing to spend the time to script key destruction to work around Bioware's hardcoded flakiness quite yet. :mad: This could also cause compatibility issues if modders wanted to use these keys, as they would have to disable a flag (expected) and a script (unexpected).

 

In a related note, I posted some time ago that TakePartyItemAll() won't remove items that are in carryable containers, but from what I recall, the Fixpack uses it in a few places. TakePartyItemNum() works better if you set it to a high enough value to ensure you take all instances of an item. Though it leaves a zero-quantity copy of the item inside a carryable container (another bug), the item doesn't detract from the container's capacity and, perhaps more importantly, isn't visible to the player.

Will review. In particular, the drow item removal script uses these heavily, but I've always wanted to re-do that in light of a suggestion from Horred--rather than a huge number of always-present-item-checking blocks in baldur.bcs, use a single block for all items to create an invisible creature and let it handle the scripting load.

 

Edit2: There's also an identified magic spear in Valygar's cabin.

Already fixed.

Link to comment

Hmmm, just had an idea; I wonder if using DestroyItem() after TakePartyItemNum() would get rid of the zero-quantity item "ghost".

 

This late in the game I can see your point on keys and scripts. Had this fixpack come along before all these mods were written, it would have been a moot point.

 

Invisible creatures can be used for many things. While I like your idea of gradual drow item disintegration, I would never notice it in my game; I sell all the drow equipment to the drow merchant before going to the ritual so I never have any on me when I leave the Underdark. Besides, there is better equipment elsewhere. So I use a one-shot script to catch any items I might have overlooked. It's less realistic perhaps, but efficient. (Thanks to BG, I avoid using items that might break so even if I kept the equipment, I wouldn't use it outside the Underdark.)

 

Oh, about key scripts. They could be in the tweaks section. A script is only needed for one-shot keys that open a single door. The trigger block checks to see if the party has the key and if the door is open. If so, the action block takes the key from the party and optionally destroys it. (Areas don't have personal inventories AFAIK so DestroyItem is redundant here.) Anyway, there is no need for variables and the block can easily be modified to check various keys and doors.

Link to comment

I am not sure what is planed, but here is some info.

 

Ruad needs these to fully work.

Abazigal's Wardstone

Shadow Dragon Wardstone

Asylum Wardstone

Kurtulmak's Crystal Shard

Holy Symbol of Amaunator

Beatmaster Key

Firkraag Prison Key

Gaal's Key

Haegan's Key

Jon's Key

Keep Key

Shadow Prison Key

Shadow Thief Cellar Key

Sekolah's Tooth

 

Item Upgrade needs

Symbol of Amaunator

 

Rolles needs

The Hand of Dace

 

You may think these mods are badly made and they maybe, but they might not work fully work with the FixPack.

Link to comment

Yeh, but, like...what, you glue a key to the end of your sword and do unlocking damage?

 

 

(This is something I consider to be a wider problem with item upgrade mods, actually: nobody seems to put any thought into whether they actually make sense. Original Bioware upgrades are all of the nature of adding a pommel jewel or similar component, fixing the end onto a spear, and such. Item Upgrade, Improved Anvil, and so on seem to allow you to combine items willy-nilly. How do you combine two pairs of boots? Wear one of each? Change the shoelaces? This might even be a good idea until you wear one boot of speed and end up walking in circles.)

Link to comment
Yeh, but, like...what, you glue a key to the end of your sword and do unlocking damage?

 

Heh, I wouldn't look too closely into the "logic" of item upgrades - as an example, IIRC Sekolah's tooth is used to make a cloak that gives permanent minor globe of invulnerability. :)

 

But 'unlocking damage' is an interesting concept, maybe you could dismantle golems with it or something. :)

 

edit: ah, didn't see your edit before I posted.

 

Bastard Sword +1/+3 vs. Doormen

 

There's a joke mod waiting to happen. :D

Link to comment

Yeah, lack of logic behind the items used in the upgrades, as well as a tendency for overpoweredness, is what turns me off all the current item upgrade mods. Also, is it really so hard to add at least a few *new* components for the upgrades, rather than rely entirely on existing ones?

Link to comment

For some of the off-beat requirements, I always imagined that Cromwell had some kind of a weird juice extractor that he would use to get the Essence of Ogreness out of the Gauntlets of Ogre Power needed for Crom Fayr (not even going to try to spell it). Either that or to wield it, you had to stick your hands in the gloves that were already attached.

 

All I'm saying is that BioWare had some improbable combinations as well as the Dragon Scale and the Wave Halberd.

Link to comment

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...