Salk

I am being pretty indecisive about something.

Should the Familiar level up exclusively with caster levels in case of dual and multi class mages?

Wizard spells do that so it doesn't make sense to have the Familiar level up when there is an improvement in a class different than mage.

On the other hand, for balancing reason it'd be better that way.

Any ideas?

Thank you very much, Rabain!

With this settled, it's only a matter of seeing if anyone here is going to beta test the version I have uploaded. I maintained the original WTP Familiars name in honor of your original mod.

Salk, for me the deal is sealed. I apologize if you thought that I was attacking you personally. In the second part of post I taunted you a bit, but nothing too extreme and I wasn't serious.

No need for apologies but thanks for the offer. Case closed.

At work you're getting paid to do your job, so of course there are expectations. Your boss/employer is expecting a return on the money they pay you.

 

 

Unless I'm much mistaken, Demi is doing those mods in his free time for no pay. I dont think it's fair to hold him to any higher expectations than what he sets for himself.

 

I know people like to make the distinction but I don't really buy it. I find it to be a very materialistic view.

It's a matter of respect in the end, really. And respect has nothing to do with money, in my world. The fact that you are doing something for free doesn't earn you the right to carelessly break deadlines that you publicly and voluntarily announced - if you do, you cannot really expect people to disregard them else what's the point of making them known?

The Black Mesa team announced once their mod would be out by the end of a certain year. They failed the deadline. And they took the right decision of never again announce any release until they were 100% sure to meet their deadline. There is a reason why they did that.

I'm not making a case against Demi here but talking in general.

I believe I am to him and other modders at least as grateful as you or Scrounge are, not to mention I contributed ideas and have actively participated to the ongoing discussions. I don't really need any kind of flattery towards a person that already knows I personally regard in high esteem. But maybe others do.

I <3 Demi. Also, ETA:s are for suckers

But I guess not many would call their boss sucker when they ask why you missed deadlines.

Scourge, I am sure that in your head you think you are making sense.

Salk, it will be out when it's out. Insisting won't do much.

I am not insisting on anything. I just wish to understand. Or do you mean to say you know what's happening?

In that case, please explain what this means (quoting Demivrgvs in chronological order):

Those links are still valid, but a new build of both IR and SR will be available before 2015.

My girlfriend "convinced" me to celebrate this new year's eve out (I never cared about this festivity) but if I don't drink too much you will indeed start the new year with those links.

There's no "modding work" left but there was a lot of packaging stuff to do (the most annoying and time consuming thing) which I planned to finish yesterday. Instead I left home before lunch and I returned this morning at 4 a.m.

I just woke up but I should be able to package IR during the day and SR during the night. I owe it to all of you.

@beta testers, it's taking a bit longer than I thought but the time I'm taking is worth it imo, you'll see.

I didn't even think we were speaking of Beta releases here. I was under the impression it was going to be official ones.

I don't need to be lectured so I'd rather you don't talk to me with that tone.

 

I'm a bit surprised here Demi. The links are not yet up because there's still some work left?

There's no "modding work" left but there was a lot of packaging stuff to do (the most annoying and time consuming thing) which I planned to finish yesterday. Instead I left home before lunch and I returned this morning at 4 a.m.

 

I just woke up but I should be able to package IR during the day and SR during the night. I owe it to all of you.

 

I am actually not sure what's happening.

Is the packaging stuff left to do halting the releases or is it that after all there is modding work left?

Thank you, Thimblerig.

I will check it right away.

UPDATE: Sent PM - Rabain has not logged in since Feb 2014 though...

kreso,

the poison resistance of the spider is going to increase with the spider's level until it becomes immunity. I was unsure myself about granting this kind of resistance to it because it indeed does not have any real or PnP reference. On the other hand, the spider familiar's attack doesn't deliver poison damage (it's type of huge spider known as "Watch Spider" from the Monstrous Manual) and I found cute to think it might have developed a resistance to poison by not being poisonous itself.

Here's the link:

REMOVED - See OP.

Let me know how it plays out for you.

A public release is very imminent, provided there is a minimum of interest in the project.

If anyone is interested in playing this modification, a link for beta testing it will be provided.

Despite my very limited (almost non existent) modding knowledge, I feel proud of what has been accomplished and the result, while being far from ideal, feels a definite improvement over the existing spell, especially for Baldur's Gate Trilogy players.

PS EasyTuTu or BG:EE support is not offered at present time

Hey you must tell us if it's been fun out celebrating.

PS I won't ask you how much you drank...

 

I'm a bit surprised here Demi. The links are not yet up because there's still some work left?

Nope, the dinner is still being cooked ...

Jokes aside, you should take a bit of my (im)patience and run with it -ouh sorry, that was a joke too. It slipped.

 

I swear I didn't mean to put any pressure.

I was just only wondering... Whether or not it's just a matter of putting up links or not.

I'm a bit surprised here Demi. The links are not yet up because there's still some work left?

Both IR and SR out before 2015 would be a great end of 2014.

Hello!

A small update: things are proceeding quite nicely although there is much work left to be done (for which I am going to need help). I am in fact checking whether or not someone might be willing to write some lines of dialogue to be included in the modification.

Namely, the familiars' replies to the "You wouldn't happen to have any advice, would you?" question to cover the missing BG/TotSC chapters.

Thanks!

Hello!

I resurrect this own thread of mine to announce to the very few interested that I am trying to put things together myself (once this is out, calling it Alpha is probably going to be an overstatement).

There are several amendments to the original plan above and I will list them once they are finalized.

As base for this mod I have been using Rabain's WTP Familiar 0.5 Beta. The mod itself has several issues (bugs) that I have uncovered testing it on a BGT installation. I tried contacting the original author several times to get permission to release a new version of this mod with my own changes. But Rabain and the website hosting the original mod disappeared a few years ago leaving no trace.

In the Credits & Copyright information of the mod it's possible to read the following:

This mod may not be sold, published, compiled or redistributed in any form without the consent of its author. WTPFamiliars is ©2007 Rabain.

I must therefore assume that it won't be possible for me to make this new version public unless by some miracle I can find a way to contact Rabain.

Okay then let's say that disabling those ToBEx fixes to saving throws is pretty much the way to go with SR.

On the other hand, I find fix number 3 to be pretty important for non SR games and fix number 2 would be pretty neat to have.

I was exactly thinking the same as DrAzTiK.

It's true that potions will often be used instead of corresponding spells. I guess that's the minor evil though.

I agree with Jarno and kreso here. No change.

Instead I am personally a big fan of the items increasing the attributes instead of setting it to a specific value. It's one of the IR changes I value the most. Same thing for the potions whose effects are no longer possible to dispel.

I am sympathetic about the Arrow of Dispelling though...

One typo in the Find Familiar description:

back at 12 -> back at 15

I simply meant to say we could be inspired by the PnP description's style more than the actual content. I have myself changed the description as follow:

When this spell is cast, the wizard gains full knowledge of the name and the enchantments (including curses) of a subsequently touched item.

I am not sure I remember but in Baldur's Gate unidentified magical items can be used and/or are fully effective regardless their identification?

@Salk, you're probably right. On a side note I do not like the 4th wall breaking "go to the history page of an unidentified item and press the Identify button" too.

100% with you about the 4th wall breaking.

I think we can find inspiration in the AD&D 2nd Ed PnP description of the spell to make it better (I'd remove the game reference completely).

@Salk, what's the problem there? The look isn't great but it's the expected one.

Perhaps this close up will help understand the issue:

http://picpaste.com/Helmet2-Wa5KaacQ.jpg

The helmet overlaps the hood. But perhaps there is nothing that can be done about it. Not without Erephine.