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Hi, One of the most missed features for all past years was the ability to click one button in order to update my all local mods. Lucky, with the Github API, Project infinity can offer a possibility to update mods, which is very easy to add via one single line inside mod metadata file. Because it's github-based, it offers stability and consistency. It is impossible to download mod with malformed files, you either download it correctly or don't download it all (git feature). And for the first time, there is a possibility for so called "delta updates"! As a sidenote: Github.com now offers private repositories for free! Right now, this system is opt-in and it's based on the mod metadata "Download" keyword: Download=https://github.com/Gibberlings3/SwordCoastStratagems Wanted features: easy to integrate simple and understandable rules for modders about when mod will be updated and how Assumptions: Mod use Github hosting (or the site which provide API) Mod has metadata file and filled 'Download=' keyword the update process don't touch mods inside game directory, only the mods from the directory where user has placed all mods General Flow: Phase 1: Read Mod Metadata "Download" keyword > Check if update exist > Present 'Update Available' for specific mod > do nothing until player hit "Update Mod" button Phase 2: the "Update Mod" button was clicked > Download update > extract and overwrite all mod folders and files / preform delta update and also overwrite all mod folders and files How it would work: Checking if there is a updated version of the mod is done automatically (but not the update itself) Notification about the update will be presented to the player ('Update Available' next to the mod name, "Update mod" button enabled") The update itself can be only accepted/started by player himself (in order to not break existing mod/components setup) Leave user-created files inside mod data folder intact for eg: mymod\mymod-config-user.ini Which update channels would be offered for players: if mod has releases, offer to update only if there is a new release if mod has only prereleases, offer the update for prereleases if mod has both releases and prereleases, offer the update for releases only, do not offer the update for prereleases unless there is a global option "Allow for prereleases" enabled if mod doesn't have any releases or prereleses, the assumption is made (mentioned at 'Download=' keyword documentation ) that the modder use master branch. For many modders, simply committing to master branch seems to be enough and I don't want' to force them to make releases. Modders can simply create Release in order to switch update chanel. When player decides to update the mod, there are two ways of updating locally extracted mod files: downloading release/prerelease, extract and overwrite all mod folders and files preform delta update, also overwrite all mod folders and files My main concerns are: Should I offer "Prereleses" for normal users, who aren't interested testing BETA versions and reporting bugs? (opt-in option?) Should I offer "download last commit" aka "experimental" for mods which do have releases/prereleases? (undocumented option?) Should I offer "download last commit" from specified branch like "devel" (undocumented option?) @argent77 AFAIK, you alone use different branches. What to do with files which were available in older version (let's say MYMod\Items\SWORD.itm) but the new one doesn't have them anymore? Removing old mod version directory entirely could potentially remove also user-generated config (only two mods have them but it's still important). If such problem occur, any kind of solution for is doable at this stage. No worries, files non-present inside new mod version are removed. That's everything for now, any feedback will be appreciated. @K4thos Enabling this for EET will allow for EET delta update without re-downloading 250+ MB, what do you think?

Learning from Players Still working on the release of Beta 1, but some intrepid souls are using GitHub to create their own Beta based on the materials posted there (and I am very grateful for it, because it means I have focused cleanup. I like that!!) So, a late-afternoon-when-I-get-home-fix-this-first list; Real World Glitches, from PM (adult stuff temporarily removed, but paid attention to!!) piperb's list Pending After the talk about fallin' in love. The PID kept coming up every few seconds. I had to cut off the game, so that's as far as I got. TO INVESTIGATE FURTHER: Heh. Yup. The not-but-should-be-enabled ones. Bleh. IF ~Global("c-aranfriendbg2","GLOBAL",23)~ THEN BEGIN a396 SAY ~[ARAN] Hey, I been thinkin'.~ [c-aws096] DO ~SetGlobal("c-aranfriendbg2","GLOBAL",24) RealSetGlobalTimer("c-aranfriendtimer","GLOBAL",ARAN_FTT)~ + a1918 IF ~Global("c-aranfriendbg2","GLOBAL",25)~ THEN BEGIN a426 Var is closing - not sure why it would be looping instead of playing. Need to recheck. Chances are the trigger to fire is not set up correctly because I commented out too many lines in the .tp2 Still looking. It could be that flirt weighting issue. REPEATED AFTER UPDATE -After the talk about fallin in love. The PID kept coming up every few seconds - same as before. TO DO: Hmmm. Not sure. Time for the Secret Weapon, Berelinde's use of The Bigg's stutter check mod. I'll attach the Aran version here, but first I want to try it in my game and see if we can get a comparison going. -If Aran is so opposed to slavery, shouldn't he have some comments during the Slaver Quest? If he does, then they didn't appear in game. And maybe the pleasure slave in the circus tent as well. TO DO: Revisit Slaver Quest, pleasure slave - check all slaver interjections are firing. Installed the 15 min timers, same PC as before and the party was Minsc, Yoshimo, Aran and Anomen. Banters didn't show up in this game either. But, interjections did. TO DO: Need to test under Ctr-I to see if it is bad luck, or if something odd is happening. Rechecking triggers again - perhaps CombatCounter(0) is failing, and I need !ActuallyinCombat(), though that is not standard at all? - the files appear to be correct in syntax, and CLUA'ing in party members on my install seems to work. This one needs some careful re-inspection to see what I have set up that might be blocking them from firing. Recheck banter triggers; Aran only talked with PC. Taken off the shelf beacuse it is repeated behavior: banter triggers on a clean install seem to be working on my copy. Recheck project files, and look for bug reports in other mod's forums for ideas on what might be happening. -Aran: I am goin' to ask H. C. for assistance, an' hope She influences you a mite, eh? (I abbreviated, but I don't think the S in she should be capitalized.) TO DO: Choose and stick to a single interpretation of god's names - Sune's a goddess. I think She || Sune's a goddess. I think she || Sune's a Goddess. I think She -Aran: I have no problems wi' tellin' you. I be scribin'... (If you don't want an out here in the PC responses, maybe go to the main point of the talk. As it stands, you have the player answering his question more than once and the talk seems a bit repetitious.) Example later in the same talk - Aran: Well, you might not know this, but all that scroll prep...So, about that purchase. (Choosing the afirmative PC response when this talk first starts and a few clicks later, you're still answering his question.) TO DO: Recheck, rewrite - possibly two talks here slammed into one, and thus clickfest. -The talk about cooking dinner sounds like it should show up outdoors. Again, odd when it appears in the sewers or somewhere like that. TO DO: Recheck - probably time to break my unwritten rule of "straight talk sequence, no fancy stuf, and make the ones with special conditions not pat of the sequence". Or, simply remove this talk and make it a fire-under-special-circumstances one. A couple of his battle cries has a scratching sound at the start of them. TO DO: Recheck sound files and readjust fade-in with Audacity. Recheck song files for audio volume. Aran's line: I know there be some disadvantages to bein' the offspring o' a dead god... How did he know this if the PC has not told him. Did he hear it from others or what? TO DO: 15 min. timer means some of the talks are going to fire before regular game pace - need to add chapter check, modify, or rework in sequence. partially addressed -Flirt where PC can go thru Aran's belongings. Does writing no secrets on the parchment ever lead to anything or change the flirt in any way? If not, would you consider adding to this flirt? TO DO: Recheck, follow-up Done: There is a PID line that is supposed to run, and later on a talk that triggers from this action where Aran confronts PC about it. I need to check to make sure that it made it in to the Beta, and that it triggers... Also adding a response like; "Sure, why do you ask?" Or response without the insulting meat-shield comment for good PCs would be nice. TO DO: Begin list of blocks where there are no real "neutral" responses, or where percieved neutral responses end up sending PC on pathways that are unintended. Add pathways. done: Repaired this instance with CODE ++ ~[PC] You might be right.~ + a70 PID adult content is available from the get go - doesn't match talk progression. Example: Aran's line: Riddle me this, you ever think about sparkin? Courtin? Seems odd if they were already getting VERY touchy-feely thru the PID and no response acknowledges that in the talks. TO DO: Institute c-aransex and c-aranintimate dependency on lines like this, so + ~GlobalLT("c-aransex","GLOBAL",2)~ + ~Riddle me this, you ever think about sparkin? Courtin?~ + ~GlobalGT("c-aransex","GLOBAL",1)~ + ~Riddle me this. We been sparkin' a mite bit already. But you ever think o' doin' some more serious courtin'?~ or perhaps use the flirt counter in several sections. [done: partial fix. PID Adult content is temporarily restricted to c-aranrom=2, while replacement pathways are written for the players who want to try for a one-night stand right out of the gate.] [done: partial fix for this particular talk, all instances of entry to the two relevant states, sample code here: + ~GlobalLT("c-aranflirt","GLOBAL",12)~ + ~[PC] A quiet, warm, calm place, a good book, and something nice to drink.~ DO ~SetGlobal("c-aranbg2rom","GLOBAL",8) RealSetGlobalTimer("c-aranromtimer","GLOBAL",ARAN_LTT)~ + a579 + ~GlobalGT("c-aranflirt","GLOBAL",11)~ + ~[PC] A quiet, warm, calm place, a good book, and something nice to drink.~ DO ~SetGlobal("c-aranbg2rom","GLOBAL",8) RealSetGlobalTimer("c-aranromtimer","GLOBAL",ARAN_LTT)~ + a579_flirt + ~GlobalLT("c-aranflirt","GLOBAL",12)~ + ~[PC] Oh, you know, the usual. Wine, song, feasts, a little more wine...~ DO ~SetGlobal("c-aranbg2rom","GLOBAL",8) RealSetGlobalTimer("c-aranromtimer","GLOBAL",ARAN_LTT)~ + a580 + ~GlobalGT("c-aranflirt","GLOBAL",11)~ + ~[PC] Oh, you know, the usual. Wine, song, feasts, a little more wine...~ DO ~SetGlobal("c-aranbg2rom","GLOBAL",8) RealSetGlobalTimer("c-aranromtimer","GLOBAL",ARAN_LTT)~ + a580_flirt addressed Talk about hiring more swords with the PC response questioning if he wants the competition seemed odd at this point. If you leave the 15min timer option in and no flirting or anything close to it occurs. Why would that be an issue? done: built a more standard response and var'd the original to show up only if PC and Aran have gotten to holding hands (c-aransex=1) Talk: So what was it like growin up in a place where books ruled all? This talk showed up for a second time, right after it completed the first time. Done: two pathways were not given closure. Added! In the PID, the option is available to stop the flirts, which will be a good thing for some players. But, it has the PC asking him to stop flirting with her when no flirts have appeared yet. Done:added GlobalGT("c-aranpcflirtstart","GLOBAL",0) as an enabling trigger, so that option to stop things does not appear beforehand (c.f. Anomen Conflict, etc.) Aran's line: I be man enough. Just not sure where the rules an' regulations...you bein' you an' all... What's the you bein' you stuff supposed to mean anyway? PC response: But you are treading dangerous ground here. (...treading on dangerous ground... might sound better) Done: Agreed both counts - "you bein' you an' all" is too ambiguous, and unneeded. Treading on dangerous ground. Erika, Orrin, etc. dlgs have been appearing continuously in the text window on every map since I left that area. Done: Add to scripts in C-AR01.BCS so that the dialog doesn't magically follow the PC across all of Toril. Tested in-game with "Duplicate Floating Text=1" enabled in baldur.ini Also, once Anomen is added, the option appears in the PID telling Aran to stop fighting with Anomen. They haven't spoken to one another and Ano's first LT hasn't fired yet. Maybe reword this until their conflict actually starts or variable this option out until it starts. Done: block response until there is an active Anomen conflict CODE /* PID Anomen Romance Conflict Toggle */ + ~InParty("Anomen") OR(10) GlobalGT("c-aanocon120","GLOBAL",0) GlobalGT("c-aanocon121","GLOBAL",0) GlobalGT("c-aanocon158","GLOBAL",0) GlobalGT("c-aanocon194","GLOBAL",0) GlobalGT("c-aanocon212","GLOBAL",0) GlobalGT("c-aanocon224","GLOBAL",0) GlobalGT("c-aanocon232","GLOBAL",0) GlobalGT("c-aanocon287","GLOBAL",0) GlobalGT("c-anomenaran","GLOBAL",0) GlobalGT("c-arananomen","GLOBAL",0) Global("c-aanoconflict","GLOBAL",0)~ + ~[PC] I like Anomen well enough, Aran. But you keep fighting with him. I want you to stop doing that.~ + a3029 /* c-aranvsanom1s */ -Aran: Were kisses enough for you?... PC: I don't...look, I think this lots of fun... (Seems to be a word missing, maybe "think this is lots of fun." or "think this was lots of fun.") Done: Agreed - Repaired 16 instances to "I think this is lots of fun" -Aran: You haven't thought there might be somethin' to havin' someone take care o' you? (You might want to look at the PC responses here. Some of them elude to *Ahem* happening already. But what if that has not happened between them yet?) Done: Repaired and extended pathways; CODE IF ~~ a667 SAY ~[ARAN] You haven't thought there might be somethin' to havin' someone take care o' you?~ ++ ~[PC] I take what I want from whom I want, when I want, Aran. Why would I need one special person dedicated to what everyone can provide?~ + a677 + ~GlobalGT("c-aransex","GLOBAL",2)~ + ~[PC] I like you, Aran. And your friendship comes with certain... benefits. But I am in love with another person. Does that mean you will stop being my special friend?~ + a677 + ~OR(2) Global("c-aransex","GLOBAL",2) Global("c-aransex","GLOBAL",1)~ + ~[PC] I like you, Aran. And your friendship is special to me. I know you want more than a few kisses and flirtations, but I am in love with another person. Does that mean you will stop being my special friend?~ + a677 + ~Global("c-aransex","GLOBAL",0)~ + ~[PC] I like you, Aran. And your friendship is special to me. I know you want more than... I know you want a physical relationship that I am not ready to provide. Does that mean you will stop pursuing me?~ + a677 ++ ~[PC] I like you, Aran. But I am confused. I am not sure I know what I really want. Perhaps we should not be having this discussion.~ + a677 ++ ~[PC] I... I think about it. But I am not really worth all that attention.~ DO ~IncrementGlobal("c-arpclowimage","LOCALS",1)~ + a672 ++ ~[PC] I can usually look out for myself. Besides, there is something to be said for being able to look out for someone else, you know. Perhaps I want to protect and defend a certain person, instead of them protecting me.~ DO ~SetGlobal("c-aranrom","GLOBAL",2)~ + a668 ++ ~[PC] I can take care of myself. I just allow you to make yourself feel useful. Did you have anything else you wanted to discuss?~ + a668 ++ ~[PC] Of course I think about it.~ + a668 END -Aran: (flushes burgundy) Aye, then. Didn't mean to... (Shouldn't the F in flushes be capitalized here?) Done: Capitalize, capitolize, corporealize, etc -Aran: (There are no words, no gestures...old dance. Hopefully that is enough so you know which line I am referring to. It's missing a parenthesis at the end. If not, I'll send this to you with the other M stuff by PM later. Done: closure of Closure in mature content. Apparently, I like that line, because I found 6 different variants of the same phraseology. Perhaps I need a more active imagination! -Orrin: I do have a lad... (A PC response like "Yes, thank you." or something along those lines to cover NG or LG.) Done: Repaired and expanded two instances (only one reachable right now as Teldra is not activated yet): sample code CODE IF ~~ a2480 SAY ~[C-AW01TK] I do have a lad who needs some work, if you are hiring. He is a bit rough around the edges, but he means well. Here, take one of his advertisements.~ ++ ~[PC] Thank you.~ DO ~GiveItemCreate("c-alttr1",Player1,0,0,0) SetGlobal("c-orrinbroadside","C-AR01",1)~ + a2482 ++ ~[PC] I'll take a look at it later. Why are you helping him out?~ DO ~GiveItemCreate("c-alttr1",Player1,0,0,0) SetGlobal("c-orrinbroadside","C-AR01",1)~ + a2482 ++ ~[PC] Actually, I am not interested right now. I wish to see your selection of services.~ DO ~GiveItemCreate("c-alttr1",Player1,0,0,0) SetGlobal("c-orrinbroadside","C-AR01",1)~ + a2472 + ~OR(2) PartyGoldGT(3000) Global("c-awtavkquest","C-AR01",2)~ + ~[PC] Sure, sure... but I am more interested in what you can do for me. Rumor has it that a wealthy, well connected person might peruse some of the more... interesting wares?~ DO ~GiveItemCreate("c-alttr1",Player1,0,0,0) SetGlobal("c-orrinbroadside","C-AR01",1)~ + a2473 + ~GlobalLT("c-awtavkquest","C-AR01",2) PartyGoldLT(3001)~ + ~[PC] Sure, sure... but I am more interested in what you can do for me. Rumor has it that a wealthy, well connected person might peruse some of the more... interesting wares?~ DO ~GiveItemCreate("c-alttr1",Player1,0,0,0) SetGlobal("c-orrinbroadside","C-AR01",1)~ + a2443 + ~Global("c-pctavern","C-AR01",0)~ + ~[PC] You seem a little stiff. Do you say the same thing to every customer?~ DO ~GiveItemCreate("c-alttr1",Player1,0,0,0) SetGlobal("c-orrinbroadside","C-AR01",1)~ + a2456 + ~Global("c-pctavern","C-AR01",1)~ + ~[PC] You seem to have a wide variety of people here. Is that man over there really a Mindulgulph?~ DO ~GiveItemCreate("c-alttr1",Player1,0,0,0) SetGlobal("c-orrinbroadside","C-AR01",1)~ + a2457 + ~Global("c-pctavern","C-AR01",2)~ + ~[PC] Perhaps you can lighten up a little, and give out a few complimentary drinks.~ DO ~GiveItemCreate("c-alttr1",Player1,0,0,0) SetGlobal("c-orrinbroadside","C-AR01",1)~ + a2458 + ~Global("c-pctavern","C-AR01",3)~ + ~[PC] So, what is the deal with you and Teldra? Are you two... you know?~ DO ~GiveItemCreate("c-alttr1",Player1,0,0,0) SetGlobal("c-orrinbroadside","C-AR01",1)~ + a2459 + ~Global("c-pctavern","C-AR01",4)~ + ~[PC] I have heard a rumor that you used to be an adventurer yourself.~ DO ~GiveItemCreate("c-alttr1",Player1,0,0,0) SetGlobal("c-orrinbroadside","C-AR01",1)~ + a2460 + ~Global("c-pctavern","C-AR01",5)~ + ~[PC] Is Erika attached? She seems to be unreceptive to flirting.~ DO ~GiveItemCreate("c-alttr1",Player1,0,0,0) SetGlobal("c-orrinbroadside","C-AR01",1)~ + a2461 + ~Global("c-pctavern","C-AR01",6)~ + ~[PC] How are things going around here?~ DO ~GiveItemCreate("c-alttr1",Player1,0,0,0) SetGlobal("c-orrinbroadside","C-AR01",1)~ + a2462 + ~GlobalGT("c-pctavern","C-AR01",6)~ + ~[PC] How is life?~ DO ~GiveItemCreate("c-alttr1",Player1,0,0,0) SetGlobal("c-orrinbroadside","C-AR01",1)~ + a2463 + ~RandomNum(5,1)~ + ~[PC] I think I am done here.~ DO ~GiveItemCreate("c-alttr1",Player1,0,0,0) SetGlobal("c-orrinbroadside","C-AR01",1)~ + a2474 + ~RandomNum(5,2)~ + ~[PC] I think I am done here.~ DO ~GiveItemCreate("c-alttr1",Player1,0,0,0) SetGlobal("c-orrinbroadside","C-AR01",1)~ + a2475 + ~RandomNum(5,3)~ + ~[PC] I think I am done here.~ DO ~GiveItemCreate("c-alttr1",Player1,0,0,0) SetGlobal("c-orrinbroadside","C-AR01",1)~ + a2476 + ~RandomNum(5,4)~ + ~[PC] I think I am done here.~ DO ~GiveItemCreate("c-alttr1",Player1,0,0,0) SetGlobal("c-orrinbroadside","C-AR01",1)~ + a2477 + ~RandomNum(5,5)~ + ~[PC] I think I am done here.~ DO ~GiveItemCreate("c-alttr1",Player1,0,0,0) SetGlobal("c-orrinbroadside","C-AR01",1)~ + a2478 ++ ~[PC] No need for the broadside. I do not want the thing weighing down my pack. But you could tell me where to find him.~ DO ~SetGlobal("c-orrinbroadside","C-AR01",1)~ + a2483 END -Aran: Aye, well, I do like th' game...lady in question prefers ladies. (For those who fall under this preference, they might like having the option of telling him so here.) Done: additional lines mapped in, with downstream states expanded to accomodate a more timid, shy, or unsure PC. I think there will be more of these... -One of the talks starts out with Aran looking "along the horizon". A bit odd when it pops up in the sewers, as it did in this game. Done: a665, line rewrite: SAY ~[ARAN] (Aran looks carefully at his hands, then glances at you.)~ Typos: This is not exactly an ordinary company, is it. , > ? repaired to ~[ARAN] Now, this don't rightly be an ordinary Company, eh?~ Sune's Rambunctious Rump,, I... (Only needs one comma) CODE F:\TEST1\aranw\dialog\c-arandialog.d (3 hits) Line 9247: SAY ~[ARAN] Sune's Rambunctious Rump, <PRO_BOYGIRL>, I wish I did. I should have been studyin' strategy instead o' tactics. Next time we see a LoreKeeper, I think I will have a mite o' a word on what tomes to study. Tactics you can learn piecemeal, but strategy, that be a tougher game.~ Search ",," (0 hits in 0 files) Malformed token. Should be <PRO_GIRLBOY>. 24 occurrences across project repaired! Adult content specific suggestions withheld but logged; some additions, an abrupt cutoff. More global commentary to keep in mind: "even a lady that is a little rough around the edges likes a bit of tenderness from time to time from her would-be significant other." (And thank you to the bug-reporter - I'll post usernames if you don't mind, but you have to tell me it is ok to! )

OK, https://github.com/cmorganbg/Aran-Whitehand/releases/tag/Beta_Luridel Latest beta with all BiG World or other mega-batch installer support, recognises EET, a custom .log file set that updates so that even if you install and then change components (thus wiping out the .DEBUG file information from the initial install), All content up to 6/30/2015 (that's also 30.6.2015) put into place. For those that don't "get git", the following sequence should help you out - 1. Click on the link. 2. look for the part that says "Downloads" 3. click on one of the "Source Code" lines, either .zip or tar.gz 4. extract that file to your desktop or some drive somewhere 5. Go into the folder you just extracted ("Aran-Whitehand-Beta_Luridel") 6. Copy the folder "aranw" and the file "setup-aranw.exe" into your mod installation directory (leave the .gitattributes and the undefined file "README" alone and you are ready to go. If you are on Linux or Mac, you don't want that "setup-aranw.exe", you want to use the latest WeiDU for your system. WARNING: untested on Linux or Mac. Secondary warning - Female PCs can get themselves into some (a good deal of) adult content similar to Romantic Encounters, Baldur's Gate Romantic Encounters, and several of the more explicit NPCs. Luckily, there are tons of ways of diverting him from "going there", but consider everyone warned

Well, he pretty much works - there are several things still to do, but he appears pretty much playable. Every once in awhile, he says "PLACEHOLDER", which is jarring, but hey, the boy was literally born yesterday. (OK, so he is a few years old, but *you* try being a fictional character added to a fantasy game.) Successful integration of most adult materials into general files. So, if you poke, expect to run across some stuff that you might find offensive. Think bad fanfic sex with a decidedly "purple prose" approach. That turned out to be over a year of work just figuring it out - I highly recommend thinking several times before doing much besides "fade to black". Trying to implement player choice without dictating in something as subjective as that? Murder. One sacrificial pre-alpha tester reported problems with weighting in inns, still backtracking. Still to integrate and rework before beta test release: "Send him on to another place" materials need coordinates and coding to actually move him. bath in an inn romance materials (currently marked PLACEHOLDER) several swimming pathways, both male and female, are chopped off short. Quest materials and dialog for Teldra the Recruiter Revamp and integration of adult materials (the "booty call" PID stuff) into ToB ToB friend talks (still on the drawing board - may be very short (3) for the initial beta release.) Definitely not yet under control = marking all pathways with appropriate c-aranintimate registration - right now, there are plenty of places where you can kiss the lad (or do a heckuvu lot more) and it doesn't register to influence other talks. Stuff to ask Beta testers to do when the beta is available: Pathway Check - as a male PC, is there any place where a gender check has been missed, and suddenly a male PC has Aran's hand exploring his pert breasts? As a female PC, is there any place in the friendship talks where there should be options for the female PC to swing the conversation into a flirtation/lovetalk? When does the Girdle of gender-Bender not get checked for and his reaction modified? Female PCs - is there any place where he goes from 0 to 60mph in less than two lines, unasked? [PC] "Heya. How are things" > [ARAN] (His rough cheek presses close to yours.) This is a real concern with ESL, too. Subtlety and language play does not always translate well. Pre-tester reported a good "negative" - some of the wordy back-and-forth banters are too much where they are leading into action with an NPC. Many of them could be controlled for player enjoyment by adding PC responses to the initial Aran statement, so when he gets rolling with several NPCs PC could just say "TO BATTLE!" and the rest of the sequence would be dropped. That would match the "silencer" action of PID. In Adult-Land, the creation of having many different encounters and trying to make them unique used randomness extensively. Are there pathways that have ended up missing the opportunity to just hold hands? just kiss? Say "no"? Vamp him? Jump his bones? Tell him to f*** off? In Friendship-Land, does he react well enough to conditions to maintain interest for PC? Some ideas that will need to wait until after beta release; Traification will help cut codebloat/size dramatically, especially as I will be using the same master ,tra file for SoA and ToB. And help with spellchecking. But I am still tinkering, and don't want to mess with .tra yet. ToB Romance Pathway. I scrapped the whole run, and am starting over. It was all angst, no fun. Life is too short to be constantly depressed. So much detail, yet so many things that could be extended... the problem with being a hack amateur writer is there is no real edit/revision in the proper sense. Less is often more, but here, more is more and more and more.... luckily, I only have myself to please All those ideas about using the new inn as adventure initiation need to be set aside for a bit. resolution talks for romance in SoA (right now there are the standard Tree of life, but I haven't tackled the big "R Y T 1" finale. has to happen before beta, but will definitely need to be revised after feedback. Currently, when you ask him about the relationship, the player can create "revisionist history", changing the variables. This probably will stay in for the beta, so that when a playtester finds something that loops or doesn't like the way things are going, they have an additional way of changing stuff to new settings without using the console. So, backup of current dialog files, decompiled via DLTCEP/WeiDU for troubleshooting/recheck, as of 08.28.2011 deprecated - please follow on www.github.com Notes to file under "never do this" - or at least recheck 1. WeiDU "unterminated comment" is the most frustrating thing ever to recheck - and it is not WeiDU's fault. It is entirely PEBCAK. I have started using both JEdit and NotePad++ auto-completion to make sure ( has ), [ has ], and most of all, there is no /* /* */ */ One useful regexp I found was \/\*.+\/\* very useful for finding where block commenting as taken a turn for the bizzare. I have given up on single line // commenting, finding it too easy for my non-programmer brain to forget that a newline in there is a PITA. 2. I like the use of a simple standard numbering of added states, a.k.a. a1 to a3799, but when working with multiple files make sure you have a master list that you keep up to date. That way you don't end up with a mess when you go back and mass-replace HAVE_A_NEW_BRANCH with a3500, only to find out the master number is already at a3770. With my memory challenges, the conversion serves as a re-check for pathway, making sure that a3770 is actually matching conversational flow, but that only works when you are very careful with your record-keeping. Of course, most NPCs don't require this level of OCD, as weidu accepts MY_YOU_LOOK_GOOD as a state label. In Aran, though, I'd be very likely to write that as a state label multiple times in multiple places. 3. I am now a big fan of the "compile early and often". It has been hard with Aran, as there are so many places where dialog is crosslinked. But I seriously am happy with WeiDU and DLTCEP compilation after every blasted added talk, if necessary, even if it is probably not needed. + +, missing tildes, ~~~, etc. all can be searched and fixed in a good programmer's editor, but something always seems to make it through that process. Nothing more frustrating than having a file that compiles, another file that compiles, merging them into a master file, and then having "unterminated comment" be the bane of your existence for a 4 hour modding session...

So, what is this "beta" thing? Officially, a "beta" is a version that has most of the good stuff already in place. According to wikipedia, "Open betas serve the dual purpose of demonstrating a product to potential consumers, and testing among an extremely wide user base likely to bring to light obscure errors that a much smaller testing team may not find." In this case, with the exception of the adult materials in the female romance portion, most of the content prior to tweaking/installation is already on the forums. There are some surprises, too, as installation and pre-alpha and alpha testing sometimes showed places where some tweaking needed to happen. BUT - I am releasing this as a check-up on how successful the code on the forums translates to actual play. The best dreams sometimes don't translate well into reality, and that is what we are going to find out here. What is missing? The major SoA quest is still under construction, and is not implemented. ToB has content, but very few LTs or FT's, and no banters (They stank - I'm redoing them). The LT sequence gets you up close to the Big Question, then drops you cold - there are several ways to make this a successful arc, and I am seeking feedback from the beta test before adding (writing) the final talks. Some of the swimming and bathing responses, both male and female, are currently marked with PLACEHOLDER while I track down better ways of entertaining more by saying less. So, what is in? Rough creature voicing and music for talks. Most of the SoA FT series. Most of the SoA LT series. Flirts, both PC and NPC initiated. (Hundreds. Literally hundreds. Randomized and stratified by your romance level.) Interjections. Lots of them. And the ability to tell him to shut up if he gets too mouthy. SoA Banters with all BioWare Canonical NPCs. Scroll creation. Moonlit Swordfights, male or female. Seduction, and a huge interactive tree of potential nookie in various forms (hopefully only found in female PCs without the girdle of gender-bender). Easter Eggs. The "click on me multiple times and something new probably happens at least twice, and often up to 5 or more times for the same worded reply" kind, not the one that hangs out with chocolate bunnies (Nythrun, i miss you!). Multiple replies to the same question both over time and dependent on area, time, friendship progression and/or lovetalk progression, or just plain asking him for advice in each and every area of SoA and ToB. Sometimes multiple times. Really, a huge amount of the content is PID-driven. A new inn with several interacting characters, and a minor quest if you keep on going back and talking to the bartender. Stories of war, love, and otherwise. Colorful and inventive swearing at inopportune moments. Flexible customization of Aran's stats/role, equipment, etc. ToB includes summoning, unsummoning, and sending him to an inn. You can even send him to Hell. Well, your little pocket corner of it, unless you are killing the dude. I think you can even send him "home" to Amn, though he'd sy home is wherever you are. ToB includes the "important" canonical talks; SoA the same (Tree of Life, Wraith Talk, Etc., Etc.) SoA includes sending him along to somewhere else, or having him stay put where you leave him - without breaking the romance, if you are so inclined. Watcher's Keep materials on both SoA and ToB. Awareness of several mod-added NPCs, whether in dialog or when they try to initiate PID with him instead of PC doing the initiating. Even some awareness and use of kit materials if you add the AranAware sub-mod at the end of your installation. Drunk talks. Multiple. Get him drunk once or twice, perhaps even three times. That is, if you can stand the belching. An occasional odd talk out of the blue, or green, or dark, whatever your current sky looks like. What if I really don't want to read bad purple-prose amateur crappy fanfic 'erotic' depictions? Don't play as a female. Or, play as a female, and shut him down when he tries to flirt - don't romance him. While every step of the romancing talks has exits and "just friends" and such, one of the goals of the beta is to discover places where you expect Aran to hold hands like a good little boy, and instead he starts taking his clothes of (or worse, starts trying to take yours off). That, and letting cmorgan know when the depiction just plain sounds as fun as watching paint dry. The standard lovetalks and flirts are not going to get you into heavy territory unless you have asked to go there through your replies, at least supposedly. The PID is the biggest access point, so if you flirt with him a lot or if you ask him to step around the corner with you, expect that he will have busy hands and a lecherous intent. Of course, you can always say no... sometimes he might get mad and go off in a snit for a day or so, and then you get to have a little spat. Or apologize to him. Or make him apologize to you. But it is darned hard to get through his thick skin enough that he drops the whole thing. Why should I try this out and risk a bug messing up my game? It is darned unlikely that there is a game-breaking bug. That was for the pre-alpha and alpha testing. The most likely scenario is some kind of weighting in an install with other mods, and a worst case scenario might be just kicking him out of the party; the good news with Aran in Beta-Land is that he comes with a PID that allows you to literally change history and reset globals by just talking to him. Running into an annoying stutter in a lovetalk? Break up with him. In a friend talk? Kick him out. Plus, I have a troubleshooting mod ready to go that the bigg came up with and berelinde pioneered, which proved extremely successful at tracking stuff in Gavin. But why try him out now? Well, primarily, feedback. If you see stuff that is just no fun, you get to suggest changes and watch me implement them if I can. Worst-case scenario, you tell him to shut up, and you have a relatively quiet configurable Dual-Classable that can create scrolls. Why would I not want to install this, but wait for the full release? Oh, thousands of reasons. Mod development can break games accidentally, though this one is unlikely to. And installing this on a BWP, well, it has never been done, so... who knows what will really happen? You could not be thrilled with the writing you see on the forums, or decide he isn't worth the hassle of seeing an occasional line where he just says "PLACEHOLDER" or "Blighted hells. Got naught to say. Must be a writer's strike." That can spoil the immersion for some folks - Shed's mods used this idea, and I like it, but not everyone does. You could be happier playing a finished product, and have the patience to wait at least 6 months (probably more realistically 9, or even a full year at next G3 Anniversary) for other people to wade through oddities like "Hey, I said I wanted Aran to kiss me, and he jumped into the sack and had his way with me, and then in the next dialog said he would love to explore more than just a kiss someday... yuch!" and for me to fix them. You could be a happy lurker who is not really into giving feedback, and not want to waste your gaming time when you could be running an All Elven Retrospective Party, with Haldimir, Kivan, Xan, Coran, PC, and Jaheira. (This is a legitimate excuse. For me, it is the ever-wished-for-but-never-attempted Aerie-Imoen-Jaheira-Saerileth-Tashia-PCPaladin runthrough, with multi-romance edits and reverse-engineering of the shutdowns. I am going to try that someday, just so I can write a girl's-gone-wild conflict banter and the ultimate juvenile male fantasy sequence.) You could be so hooked on the upcoming Mass Effect 3 and Skyrim that you just have to read the pre-release info every day instead of trying out a beta f a mod (f course, just remember that when ME3 hits the shelves, this boy right here is going to be definitely unavailable for a few days...) Where can I see if you are actually doing any work, instead of sitting back and watching me mess about? The forums, and actual integration of changes into the master copy at https://github.com/cmorganbg/Aran-Whitehand . Hey - I'm serious. If I just want to know what FriendTalks and Lovetalks are in, why won't you just list them? Here you go: SoA Talkity-talk Talks /* BG2 FriendTalk 1 c-aranfriendbg2 = 1 : Not Just Another Quasi-Invincible Band Of Protagonists */ /* BG2 FriendTalk 2 c-aranfriendbg2 = 3 : "My Pal the Shield Wall", or, merits of Heavy Metal (Whitesnake) vs Alternative (Feist) */ /* BG2 FriendTalk 3 c-aranfriendbg2 = 5 : "The Price of Fame", or, Whoa - *that* <CHARNAME>? Sux to be you, pal. */ /* BG2 FriendTalk 4 c-aranfriendbg2 = 7 : Mongo But Pawn In Great Chess Game of Life? */ /* BG2 FriendTalk 5 c-aranfriendbg2 = 9 : "Irresistible Forces and Immovable Objects", or, is the pen really mightier than the sword, or does he just have a better PR firm? */ /* BG2 FriendTalk 6 c-aranfriendbg2 = 11 : "Creative Culinary Conundrums", or, Whaddaya like to eat, 'cause I make this mean curry... */ /* BG2 FriendTalk 7 c-aranfriendbg2 = 13 : "Alternate Paths to Sun Tsu", or, tactics are fun, but sometimes you just gotta whack 'em. */ /* BG2 FriendTalk 8 c-aranfriendbg2 = 15 : "Warning - Objects Are Closer Than They Appear", or, why you want to check carefully behind your target area before firing that arrow. */ /* BG2 FriendTalk 9 c-aranfriendbg2 = 17 : "Bhallspawn, Shmallspawn. Meh.", or, Gods and Monsters. */ /* BG2 FriendTalk 10 c-aranfriendbg2 = 19 : "Weapons Practice for Fun and Profit", or, never bet with a Sicilian when death is on the line. */ /* BG2 FriendTalk 11 c-aranfriendbg2 = 21 : "Optimists, Pessimists, and Realists, Oh My.", or, the glass is half full, half empty, who cares - as long as it is a glass of good scotch! */ /* BG2 FriendTalk 12 c-aranfriendbg2 = 23 : "What's under all that Armor, Anyways?", or, take it all off, baby - take it all off. Emotionally, dude[ette] - jeeze, get a life. */ /* BG2 FriendTalk 13 c-aranfriendbg2 = 25 : "So once there were three men, sitting around a fire. And one of them got up and said..." TrailTalk, FR style */ /* BG2 FriendTalk 14 c-aranfriendbg2 = 27 : Bonus Round - Simple Word States, Maximum Effect: The Teacher's Workroom. */ FT 10 sets up a "shoot hoops FR-style" for Male PCs (no way of turning it into a romance) and a "moonlit sparring" encounter for female PC's (can end up having a flig with him even if not in a romance, or simply fight him for fun). This is added "scenery' content, and does not reset the FT timer. Perhaps is should? Separate UnderDark Talks: /* SoA UnderDark FriendTalk 1 : Nightmares on Elm Street */ /* SoA UnderDark FriendTalk 2 : Moving Bowels */ /* SoA UnderDark FriendTalk 3 : Don't Look Now, but your Isaiah 2:19 is showing... */ /* SoA UnderDark FriendTalk 4 : Weather forecast for tonight... dark. (George Carlin) */ /* SoA UnderDark FriendTalk 5 : "I believe that forgiving them is God's function. Our job is to arrange the meeting." ("Stormin'" Norman Schwarzkopf)*/ at the 30 minute timer, talks cover 7 hours of SoA outside of underdark and 2 hours 30 minutes in underdark. at the 60 (default), of course, 14 hours outside and 5 hours drow-ing. For the female PC, these play out as well if the PC doesn't shut down the romance: /* BG2 Love Talk 1 : Mary Chapin Carpenter - I Take My Chances : c-aranbg2rom = 1 > 2 c-aranromtimer,ARAN_LTT */ /* BG2 Love Talk 2 : Dixie Chicks, Ready To Run : c-aranbg2rom = 3 > 4 c-aranromtimer,ARAN_LTT */ /* BG2 Love Talk 3 : Queen - Somebody To Love, A No-Talk Lovetalk - or an extended Aran-Initiated Flirting Opportunity : c-aranbg2rom = 5 > 6 c-aranromtimer,ARAN_LTT */ /* BG2 Love Talk 4 : ABBA - Name of the Game : c-aranbg2rom = 7 > 8 c-aranromtimer,ARAN_LTT */ /* BG2 Love Talk 5 : Billy Joel - You may be Right/We Didn't Start The Fire mixology : c-aranrombg2 = 9 > 10 c-aranromtimer,ARAN_LTT */ /* BG2 Love Talk 6 : ABBA - Take A Chance On Me : c-aranrombg2 = 11 > 12 c-aranromtimer,ARAN_LTT */ /* BG2 Love Talk 7 : I want you - do you want me? : c-aranrombg2 = 13 > 14 c-aranromtimer,ARAN_LTT */ /* BG2 Love Talk 8 : Police - Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic : c-aranrombg2 = 15 > 16 c-aranromtimer,ARAN_LTT */ Need to finish romance arc for SoA; with the huge, way-over the top flirting possibilities, the occasional non-sequential scenery talks, the interjections, and the banters, it is a darned good thing much of that can be shut off via PID. The adult materials (including extensions to the streams, baths, garden, Inn, the "booty call through PID in a romance" and "the Romantic Encounters sparked from PC response in FT or LT") are almost finished, though it has been draft after draft and I'm less than thrilled - but hey, I wanted a challenge.