Prrsha

Ah, thanks, that’s what I thought.  I guess I could later use GemRB on the EE edition as I can’t get GemRB to work on Windows 7 + PSTc (even with the suggested work around hack. I think something is wrong with Python on my end).

Maybe once I get around to getting the EE edition (and use Win8 or 11), I can experiment.  The only problem with the EE edition of PST is that the graphics seem different and not as sharp as the classic (which zooms in more by default). The pros to me are all the new .2da tables however and other possible tweaks that are not hardcoded.  :3

1 hour ago, jmerry said:

The way those probability fields work: roll 0-99 randomly to get a result X. If Probability 2 ≤ X ≤ Probability 1, the effect happens. Otherwise, it doesn't. So if you want an effect that happens 75% of the time, you could have P1 = 74 and P2 = 0, or P1 = 84 and P2 = 10, or P1 = 100 and P2 = 25, etc. Setting P1 = 7 and P2 = 5 would result in an effect that happened 3% of the time. Note also that the same roll is used for all effects that happen at the exact same time as part of a spell or ability; that lets "one of these things at random" effects like the Sphere of Chaos spell work.

Most effects in the games don't have any randomness to them, and use values of 0 and 100 for the two probability fields. And then, for quite a few of the effects that do have randomness, the designers apparently thought it was rolling 1-100 and got things off by one. Oops.

The BG1 (EE) breakable weapons system, in more detail:

- Each breakable weapon has an associated spell. That spell removes the weapon and creates the "broken weapon" item.

- Each breakable weapon has, as part of its attack ability, an effect that casts that spell. Probability 1 = 1, Probability 2 = 0: a 2% chance.

This is absolutely something that could be made to work in any game.

That note about the BG1 engine ... original BG1 did things differently, ignoring the "Probability 2" field and treating it as always being zero. You're not playing that game or using that engine, so you can ignore that note and just look at the standard version of how the probabilities work.

Wow!  That opens up tons of possibilities to so many things I’ve never considered with items and spells!  This could be used to make some very interesting chaos mage items in BG2.  At the very least it could add some spice to overpowered artifacts that could have some very nasty random consequences when using them.  >:3

Thanks so much… now to see if there is a spell effect like in PST that will replace an item like in BG1.  If not I guess a custom effect could be made in theory that just makes the item disappear.  I’ll have to browse IDESP more and look maybe some similar mods for ideas.

I was wondering if a mod exists (or it is possible to create one) that would allow NPCs (like Dak’kon to use earrings) as their item slots for those items are greyed out.

What resource file in PST controls that?

Thanks once again!  I can’t find anything on it in IDESP or maybe I’m just looking in the wrong area…

15 hours ago, jmerry said:

Not just PST; item charges are visible to the player somewhere in the interface in all IE games. If you want unpredictability, you need a different system - most likely, one with true randomness such as the BG1 "iron crisis" system. At least in BGEE, the way that one works is that the weapon has an on-hit effect; 1% of the time (actually, 2% due to an off-by-one bug) the weapon breaks, and the rest of the time nothing happens.

Yeah I was thinking about that initially but the hex values in IESDP’s description was a bit confusing about the 2 values it uses.  It mentions that there are two hex values, but which one is the valid entry seems vague to me (Plus raising it to a figure to around 25%-75% might not even work on PST), but I have no clue really.

My only work with that effect was trying to use it on armor in a mod for BG where metal armor lesser than full plate could crumble and “change” into an unused broken armor .itm in the game, but all I did was just copy the same values.  It turns out that only weapons had the special spell effect header that achieved that.. apparently there was much more going on with it then I initially understood.

The following is from IDESP under Feature Block:

https://gibberlings3.github.io/iesdp/file_formats/ie_formats/itm_v1.1.htm

I’m not sure if it means that Probability 1 and 2 are linked (or probably 1 is the first part of the % number and 2 is the second part?).  So to get 75%, Probability 1 would be 7 and Probably 2 would be 5?  Each value only allows one character.

Or is probably 1 and 2 the range like it mentions in other engines, with <= x <= (where probably 1 could be 25 and probably 2 be 75 in the above example?)

Or does probably 1 do nothing and 2 is the % value?  Gah…

Maybe I’m just really obtuse and not understanding the description properly.

I was hoping that this probably value could make items break in a random manner but I also could be looking way too far into something I don’t fully understand yet.

I also wonder if this only works in BG1.

On 11/21/2023 at 5:31 PM, jmerry said:

The charge number in the item file isn't the only number that matters. When an item is placed in the world - in a container, in a store, on a creature created by script action - that comes with a charge number too. The number in the item file is the maximum (relevant for recharge purposes), while the number in that specific instance is what it has when you find it. You need to check that too.

Ah!  That was the solution.  The quantity/charges value of the item in the container was set to 0.  I set it to 10 and now it breaks after 10 uses.  The only minor messy thing is that the item’s number of uses appear on the item combat wheel in PST (but not in the paper doll equipment screen).  I’d like the player to not quite know when the blade will break, but I guess this might be one of the limitations of PST’s unique item wheel UI.

The important part is that it works now and for that I am quite grateful!

Also Lurker’s advice into looking at the staff of striking in BG was quite insightful and it gives me some new ideas for some other item balance issues for combat in PST.

I’ve been trying to mod some weapons that get destroyed upon a single successful hit (in Planescape Torment Classic).

The problem that many of the items like The Rusty Dagger have a charge value of 20 in their .itm file but break on a single use every time.  With a charge value of 20, I’d logically think it would then be able to be used as a weapon for 20 times but this is not the case… it breaks when used once.

I can’t figure out if this is hardcoded into the game or not, or could be changed.

The only thing I’ve found is some values in the EFF effects area: https://gibberlings3.github.io/iesdp/file_formats/ie_formats/eff_v1.htm#effv1_Header_0x2

There is a mention of using 0x0012 and 0x0013 effect values to activate Probability1 and Probability2 values but I am not sure if this hex value only relates to BG1 and the Iron Crisis break %.  I have doubts it will have any use in PST.

I was curious to know if it is even possible to make an item that would only work 10-20 times or so (or have a random possibility of breaking?) in classic PST.

Am I waisting my time with this?

Thank you!

On 11/16/2023 at 7:00 AM, lynx said:

Creatures have several script slots that are executed in a defined order. Override takes maximum precedence, so I'd use that only if necessary — eg. other slots do not fit.

In bgs areas can override script assignment, so you can have one generic CRE file and then the area embeds let's say 5 copies. But you can then specify different names and scripts for them. However, I think in pst that isn't available, but you have the simpler option of editing area INI files (eg. ar0208.ini), where the spawn points are defined. Look up the format on IESDP, there's a lot of useful info there.

That’s a great tip!  I’ll have to pour through them and experiment and see what I can come up with.  I was wondering where all the spawn information was hiding in the Area files…. It just kept showing the Area files as blank under the spawn tab under DTLCEP.  I’m guessing NI will give me better results and I’m currently figuring out the ins and outs of that program.

Edit:  Slowly but surely i’ve been getting the Black Abishai to react and cast.  The tough part is writing scripts for them to take advantage of their spells in the best possible order using global or area values.  Once I get one area down comfortably I’ll work on each area of the hive next with their local scripts.

One thing I found underwhelming with PST’s combat was the lack of spell casters and need for saving throws (or resistances).

Maybe I’ll add some spell casting hedge wizards thugs at night in the hive.  >:3

 Thanks again for everyone’s help!

54 minutes ago, argent77 said:

NI works fine even on older operating systems if you download and run NearInfinity.jar directly. You just can't use the convenience installer for that since it is made for 64-bit systems.

If you encounter memory issues then you could apply the advice from this post: https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/478798/#Comment_478798

There is also a small helper tool by @Sam. which does basically the same thing. But since SHS Forum is currently down you have to download the files directly from GitHub: https://github.com/Sampsca/Hide-NI-DOS

Thank you for those links!  I’ll definitely try them tomorrow and see if I can get NI working!

A personal thank you for all the modders who fixed so many quests in PST and to you Argent77 to keep those mods compatible with the EE edition!

2 hours ago, lynx said:

Nice idea! For monsters to use spells, you have to teach it to them, it's not enough that they know them. This means that you have enhance their AI script with decision-making for when to cast what spell, instead of attacking, moving, etc. Cranium rats are one example that already does that, though it's more complicated, since they count.

Ah that’s what i’m missing, scripts then.  I assume I can use ones similar to the ones linked to the encounter with Strahn Runeshadow or the Starving Dogs Mage in the Tenement of Thugs.

Should I add my spellcasting script to the .cre file over the field marked “override” or should I add it to the Abishai dialog script that exists already?  (The one that reacts to Annah, or Grace in the party, had has the creature’s spoken dialog?)

This part has me baffled are the NPC actors (and their scripts) in an ARarea is apparent but random walkers that respawn like Black Abishai don’t seem to appear anywhere in the Hive areas Area file.  I have no clue where the code chooses them to appear there as aren’t any values for random respawn walkers that at least DTCLEP program.

I’ve been looking over several cast and attack scripts and hope I can write something generic for them just to test a few spells.

I was hoping in the end to add:

1) “Pacify” in place of the PnP “Command” ability.

2) “Tongues of Flame” in place of PnP “Produce Flame” ability.

3) “Seeking Flames” replacing PnP “Pyrotechnics”

4) Lastly “Horror” in replacing PnP “Scare”

Black Abishai have a form of poison as well in PnP but that may be overkill for PST difficulty levels.

Thank you so much for the advice however, I have a lot to learn with AI scripting!  Any help is leaps and bounds for me!

Hi!  I’m new to the modding scene and have been using some tools like DTCLEP to work on the classic version of Planescape Torment.

My long term goal is to hopefully add some spice to the rather bland, generic monsters in PST by giving them abilities found in 2nd ed PnP rules (or as close as I can).

I’ve been successful making silver items harm Abishai (and other monsters).  I’ve also been revising AC values to thugs (depending on what form of armor they wear, leather, studded leather, chain etc., and making adjustments to the damage type they are resistant to).

Little things like that… but the next thing I’d like to tackle is the spell like abilities that Baatezu have in PnP D&D.

I was trying to add some wizard spells to .cre files of Black Abishai using DTLCEP and I successfully add the spells using DTLCEP to the .cre but it only uses standard melee attacks but not any spells. (yeah, I know NI is probably a better tool for that but I can’t get it to run on Windows 7 or XP [I use that OS to run PST classic] so that has been the next best tool I’ve been using).

My main question would is it even possible (without a major mod to the game) to make random Black Abishai you encounter in the Hive make use of Wizard spells?

I apologize in advance for my naïveté.  I’ve never really coded anything myself, I’ve just dabbled in values with existing scripts, learning as I go.