BNTYCHNC.2da

[igi]

Anyone know what this does?

Only in BG1/BG2.

Current wisdom indicates it stands for Bounty Chance, and has 'something to do with bounties'.

Guesses are welcome.

[Smoketest]

First of all, I can say it's not used in BG2. I've been playing the game with the file entirely removed with no noticeable effect.

 

In BG1, I feel it represents an old idea that was scrapped, but first here's what I feel the table data represents:

 

Column 1: this is the current chapter (0 = prologue)

Column 2: this is the percent chance of a bounty hunter (or group of them) spawning nearby.

 

Reasons I feel this description is accurate:

 

The percent chance decreases as you gradually remove players from the Iron Throne organization. In chapter 2 you take out Mulahey, in chapter 3 you take out the bandit camp, and in chapter 4 you take out Davaeorn and flood the Cloakwood mines, after which you head to the lion's den, the city of Baldur's Gate. Thus there is no support for chapters beyond 4, as there were no more bounty hunters; the game text for chapter 5 says that "You have dealt a great blow to the organization known as the Iron Throne" and are now ready to head for the city of Baldur's Gate.

 

Reasons I feel this table is not used:

 

We don't get bounty hunters based on this table. Instead they are either permanent actors or are part of a random list of spawnable creatures that is area-dependant. Thus I feel that Bioware at some point decided to switch to using ARE structures to present bounty hunters at certain points in the game.

 

The above being said, I have not actually tried playing BG1 without BNTYCHNC.2DA present, as I have with BG2. It's on my list of things to do, but my focus lately has been BG2.

[Ghreyfain]

I thought it had something to do with bounty hunters that spawn based on your reputation. The one that says "Draw your daggers and spells, and let's have at 'er!", is who I'm talking about.

[Smoketest]

He (bounty.cre) spawns as part of script-controlled proximity traps in Nashkel (ar4800).

 

He can also spawn with lesser bounty hunters in ar5710, a random encounter map.

 

The latter case could explain things, though I don't recall seeing that map much in my travels through BG1. I usually had to deal with wildlife and monsters, not randomly spawned bounty hunters.

[Ghreyfain]

I remember (falsely?) that he spawned outside the Friendly Arm Inn, once, after someone accused me (also falsely) of going on a murderous rampage and killing a whole whack of folks.

[neriana]

I remember (falsely?) that he spawned outside the Friendly Arm Inn, once, after someone accused me (also falsely) of going on a murderous rampage and killing a whole whack of folks.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think you remember correctly. I was once testing a weapon I made on the citizens of Nashkel, and that bounty hunter spawned.

[Smoketest]

I remember (falsely?) that he spawned outside the Friendly Arm Inn, once, after someone accused me (also falsely) of going on a murderous rampage and killing a whole whack of folks.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think you remember correctly. I was once testing a weapon I made on the citizens of Nashkel, and that bounty hunter spawned.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

He specified the Friendly Arm Inn, though.

 

As I said above, Nashkel has several ARE-based spawn points for that bandit to appear at, and no doubt you stumbled onto one of them in the midst of your killing spree.

[neriana]

I remember (falsely?) that he spawned outside the Friendly Arm Inn, once, after someone accused me (also falsely) of going on a murderous rampage and killing a whole whack of folks.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think you remember correctly. I was once testing a weapon I made on the citizens of Nashkel, and that bounty hunter spawned.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

He specified the Friendly Arm Inn, though.

 

As I said above, Nashkel has several ARE-based spawn points for that bandit to appear at, and no doubt you stumbled onto one of them in the midst of your killing spree.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Which "bandit" are you thinking of exactly? I'm talking about a bounty hunter who spawns for low reputation, who specifically says something like "I was hired to put an end to your evil rampage". I'm not talking about the bounty hunter hired by the Iron Throne who always jumps you, who's named Nimbul.

 

OK, I just tested this with a murderous rampage around the Friendly Arm Inn. Flaming Fist showed up, but not a bounty hunter.

[Smoketest]

I was referring to the bounty hunter Ghrey quoted earlier. (I meant to say bounty hunter but specified bandit instead. Oops.) As you've seen, Flaming Fist are tied to reputation, at least in areas not controlled by forces of Amn. Again, this is an ARE-based spawning.

[Ghreyfain]

Again, this is an ARE-based spawning.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Not to be confused with an .are files spawn points. It's trigger regions with scripts that run if the PC crosses them and is of a low enough rep. Area spawn points don't vary based on reputation, but we all knew this, so I don't know why I'm clarifying. Just like to taste of my own breath, I guess.

[Smoketest]

That's why I said 'spawning' rather than 'spawn points.'

 

It's ARE-based in that it uses some ARE structure to accomplish the task, instead of a global setting such as what bntychnc.2da may have once provided.

[igi]

Thanks for the info guys.

[devSin]

Since I'm here:

 

When traveling between areas on the map, iff a random encounter fires, compare the party's reputation with BNTYCHNC.2DA rows to determine a probability; from that, pick a random number; if true (>= to probs or < probs or whatever), reroute the party to the base random encounter area "AR<digit1><digit2>" + 10 (e.g., if the random encounter area was AR5700 or AR5701 or whatever, the party instead is taken to AR5710). Since the lowest reputations have probability 100, every random encounter will take the party to bounty hunter or Flaming Fist encounter areas (this doesn't influence the chance of a random encounter firing when traveling, only if the party should be taken to the alternate encounter area instead of the one assigned in the WMP).

 

So there.

 

(The BNTYCHNC check is still in the worldmap traveling code in BG2, but it either returns the same ARE as the original area or is never called when the engine is determining if a random encounter should fire.)

[igi]

Added, thanks.