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BG1 Tweak Pack


Guest grogerson

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Actually, we've been working on a BG1 Tweak Pack for some time. Or is it a Fixpack? Whatever... fixes... tweaks... same thing, right?

 

What? BG2 has separate tweak and fix packs. Fixes correct programming problems in the basic game. Tweaks add to or modify the game.

 

Cam was very nice (lots of cookies for him!!!) by including a fixes section in the DaleTweaks package, since no-one else had one that was very extensive.

 

I also understood the BG1 Fixpack was a unique entity. That was why I asked the question starting this thread. Am I wrong here, or are you and the fixpack team working on tweaks as well?

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Tweaks add to or modify the game.
Fair enough.
Fixes correct programming problems in the basic game.
Also fair enough. But thus, also adding to or modifying the game, yeah?

 

Ok, I'm being orc's advocate and playing on a bit of a running inside joke (and perhaps a lugubrious political debate) on where exactly one draws the line between fixes and tweaks. But anyway...

Am I wrong here, or are you and the fixpack team working on tweaks as well?
In the course of doing the Fixpack, we also come across things that aren't exactly fixes. But we don't just bin them necessarily, but mark them as potential "OBC" (optional but cool) components (i.e. tweaks). We're looking at all the stuff in Baldurdash, Dudleyville, and quite a lot of other sources who've pointed out defects or improvements in the game.

 

But above and beyond that, there are, for example, a lot of tweaks in the BG2 Tweak Pack that apply to Tutu or the BG1 portion of BGT that could also be made compatible with BG1, so it's a valid discussion. I've long thought that due to the size of BG2 Tweaks, that content potentially could be spun off into a separate "BG1" (and related platforms) entity. Then again, some of it is engine related (and Tutu and BGT rely on the BG2 engine) so further analysis might be in order.

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Actually, we've been working on a BG1 Tweak Pack for some time. Or is it a Fixpack? Whatever... fixes... tweaks... same thing, right?

 

What? BG2 has separate tweak and fix packs. Fixes correct programming problems in the basic game. Tweaks add to or modify the game.

I think Miloch is having a bit of fun, based on Baronius' comment of "On the other hand, if you prefer cool tweaks, you will love BG2 Fixpack."

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Thanks for the background, Cam. I figured Miloch was up to something. I've read enough of his posts. If he's gonna play the dumb half-orc, I can play the ejamacated idjit.

 

By the way, any word on the tweak pack? I'm trying to do some for stacking, but not doing so good so far. Guess I better stick to one at a time, see how it goes.

 

Edit: Never mind. I just saw your response to Benny in the General Mod Discussion forum. Until then...

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A BG1 Tweak Pack would be a great exercise for budding coders/modders. They have plenty of historical references to use a basis.

 

I've taken his idea on. Between Dale Tweaks and BG2 Tweaks, I've 60 components in six packs. I've got inventory stacking and stat changes working, as well as silencing "You must gather your party...". I'll use this thread to list my successes/failures, if that's okay.

 

Currently I'm testing on a basic BG1 install (no TotSC), v1.1.4315/4320. If it works here, I expect them to work on my TotSC install.

 

Of nine Cosmetic Changes, three aren't working.

The Avatar Morphing Script calls for [startDialogueNoSet], which doesn't exist in the Action.ids. In BG2 it's line 198, but BG1 last line is 197. I have to check TotSC.

Commoners Use Drab Colors calls for Randcolr.2da, which does't exist in BG1.

Change Avatar When Wearing Robes or Armor causes my computer to freeze, not just a CTD. I have to completely shut down.

 

The six working are:

Remove Helmet Animations

Weapon Animation Tweaks (minor problem: short sword is mostly swing, not thrust)

Icewind Dale Casting Graphics

Icon Improvements (a couple of arrow changes could be added here)

Force All Dialogue to Pause Game (I don't know if this is even necessary)

 

I expect most other components I've selected will install with little problem, though a few I'm not certain of.

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A BG1 Tweak Pack would be a great exercise for budding coders/modders. They have plenty of historical references to use a basis.
I've taken his idea on. <...snip...>

Hey, I actually influenced a modder! Some day you will look back and say "If not for Azazello..."

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That, or you're waiting for the inevitable pie in my face...

 

I have five content changes I'm working with.

 

Make Cloakwood Areas Available... installed but didn't appear to work.

Multi-Player Kick-Out Dialogues... I have to work around a non-existant file (bg1start.2da).

Reveal City Maps... installed but didn't appear to work.

Stores Sell Higher Stacks works.

Gems and Potions Require Identification works.

 

Joinable NPC Tweaks has eight components, all installed, most were checked using NI.

Adjust Evil Joinable NPC Reactions - I don't know how to test this one...

Give Edwin His BG2 Stats

Give Jaheira Her BG2 Stats

Change Jaheira to Neutral Good Alignment

Give Minsc His BG2 Stats

Give Viconia Her BG2 Stats

Make Khalid a Fighter-Mage - He shows levels as both fighter and mage, but class shows fighter, and bio didn't update.

Give Kagain a Legal Constitution of 19

 

I've some problems with the first group of Rule Changes (11 items) that stop installation, the second group (also 11 items) did install but are as yet untested.

Change Magically Created Weapons to Zero Weight - there are only two in BG, and I need to check if they need this tweak.

Make +x/+y Weapons Consistent

Descriptions Updates for Make +x/+y Weapons Consistent - remarked out due to parsing error.

Un-Nerfed THAC0 Table

Alter Mage Spell Progression Table

Alter Bard Spell Progression Table

Alter Cleric Spell Progression Table

Druids Use Cleric Level and Spell Progression

Druids Use 3e Alignment Restrictions

Loosen Item Restrictions for Multi- and Dual-Class Clerics and Druids - clasweap.2da is different from BG2, so this needs to be adjusted accordingly.

Add Save Penalties for Spells Cast by High-Level Casters - not installed

 

I'm hoping Cam can use some of this information, since it's using the codes from the other two related tweak packs, as well as give others who may be interested an idea of what actually works...

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I did more nosing around in the tweaks last night.

 

Regarding the Avatar Morphing Script, [startDialogueNoSet] doesn't exist in the BG1 ACTION.ids, but does in TotSC. In TotSC, install reaches into the ikmorph.baf and errors out at line 5 column 46, wanting something more...

 

For Multi-Player Kick-Out Dialogues, [EscapeAreaMove] doesn't exist in either BG1 or TotSC ACTION.ids. [EscapeArea] does, but can it be used as a replacement?

 

As for Loosen Equipment Restrictions for Cleric and Druid Multi-Classes, the CLASWEAP.2da appears the same between BG1 and BG2, so I've no idea why it can't read it...

 

Now on to new testing, consisting of sixteen Convenience Tweaks.

 

Identify All Items hit a snag with "illegal 1-byte read from offset 327698 of 1284-byte file AASIM.cre".

Easy Spell Learning failed due to a syntax error on the very last END line...

Happy Patch changes the HAPPY.2da correctly, but extending the scripts to avoid the NPC's fighting each other doesn't work. Is this part tied to the .2da in Bg/TotSC and unnecessary?

 

The following Convenience Tweaks worked, or appeared to.

 

Higher HP on Level Up (both versions)

Maximum HP for NPC's

Remove "You Must Gather Your Party..." Sound

Unlimited Stacking (Ammo, Gem and Jewelry, Potion and Scroll)

No Traps or Locks (though this needs extensive testing...)

Rest Anywhere

Sellable Staffs, Clubs and Slings

Minimum Stat Cheat

 

Change Effect of Reputation on Store Prices and Neutral Characters Make Happy Comments at Mid-Range Reputation were not tested or installed.

 

Now if I can just find out why the first Rule Changes package keeps getting that syntax error, even when remarked out...

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I finally got the last group of my wish-list tweaks to install. Here's the list of tweaks I've been working with, with the major problems I still need to resolve.

 

Cosmetic Changes

Remove Helmet Animations *

Avatar Morphing Script @ (1)

Weapon Animation Tweaks *

Icewind Dale Casting Graphics @

Disable Portrait Icons Added by Equipped Items *

Commoners Use Drab Colors @ (2)

Icon Improvements *

Change Avatar When Wearing Robes or Armor @ (3)

Force All Dialogue to Pause *

Content Changes

Make Cloakwood Areas Available Before Completing the Bandit Camp @ (4)

Improved Multi-Player Kick-Out Dialogs @ (5)

Reveal City Maps @ (4)

Stores Sell Larger Stacks of Items *

Gems and Potions Require Identification *

Rule Changes

Two-Handed Bastard Swords @

Universal Clubs @

Description Updates for Universal Clubs Component @ (6)

Change Experience Point Cap @

Allow Stealth and Thieving Abilities in Heavy Armor *

Allow Arcane Spellcasting in Armor *

Wear Multiple Protection Items *

Cast Spells from Scrolls (and Other Items) at Character Level *

Shopkeepers Have Limited Identification Ability @

Multi-Class Grand Mastery *

Baldur's Gate II Grand Mastery *

Change Magically Created Weapons to Zero Weight *

Make +x/+y Weapons Consistent @ (7)

Description Updates for Make +x/+y Weapons Consistent @

Un-Nerfed THAC0 Table *

Alter Mage Spell Progression Table *

Alter Bard Spell Progression Table *

Alter Cleric Spell Progression Table *

Druids Use Cleric Level and Spell Progression *

Druids Use 3e Alignment Restrictions *

Loosen Item Restrictions for Multi- and Dual-Class Clerics and Druids * (8)

Add Save Penalties for Spells Cast by High-Level Casters *

Convenience Tweaks and/or Cheats

Higher HP on Level Up *

Maximum HP Creatures *

Identify All Items * (9)

Easy Spell Learning * (10)

Shut Up “You must gather your party...†@

Change Effect of Reputation on Store Prices *

Unlimited Ammo Stacks *

Unlimited Jewelry and Gem Stacks *

Unlimited Potion Stacks *

Unlimited Scroll Stacks *

Happy Patch @ (11)

Neutral Characters Make Happy Comments at Mid-Range Reputation @

No Traps or Locks @

Rest Anywhere *

Sellable Items *

Minimum Stats Cheat *

Joinable NPC Tweaks

Adjust Evil Joinable NPC Reactions @

Give Edwin His BG2 Stats @

Give Jaheira Her BG2 Stats @

Change Jaheira to Neutral Good Alignment @

Give Minsc His BG2 Stats @

Give Viconia Her BG2 Stats @

Make Khalid a Fighter-Mage @ (12)

Give Kagain a Legal Constitution Score of 19 @

 

@ - BG2 Tweaks * - IWD1 Tweaks

(1) - In BG1: [startDialogueNoSet] command not available in Action.ids. In TotSC: error in ikmorph.baf file, line 5 column 46, program expects more information.

(2) - Randcolr.2da file doesn’t exist in BG1 or TotSC.

(3) - Game freezes, can’t get back to desktop.

(4) - Installs, but doesn’t appear to work.

(5) - [EscapeAreaMove] command not available in Action.ids, using [EscapeArea] command with [EscapeAreaMove] parameters results in “to many parameters†error.

(6) - Description Updates keeps getting skipped, even when Universal Clubs is installed.

(7) - Error: illegal 4-byte write offset 96 of 0 byte file hamm04.itm.

(8) - Cannot read Clasweap.2da.

(9) - Error: illegal 1-byte read from offset 327698 of 1284-byte file AASIM.cre.

(10) - syntax error

(11) - Extending scripts for Edwin, Eldoth, Kivan, Tiax, Xzar and Yeslick fails.

(12) - Shows levels in fighter and mage, but class still fighter, biography doesn’t update to fighter/mage.

 

Cam, does this help your efforts on the tweak pack?

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This is impressing. Why do these things appear after I more or less decided to stop modding vanilla BG1? :)

 

I don't mean to discourage anyone, but my questioning around in the German community who still is playing vanilla BG1, all that came back was my own echo.

 

Will the tweak pack be compatible with Echon's FotD? Because that would be one reason to me to play BG1 one more time (but only with the bigg's Widescreen Mod).

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Heh. I had been ignoring the topic because I felt guilty since I haven't made any progress and assumed all of the posts were grogerson and Daul posting "how's it going? Is it done yet?"

 

What a pleasant surprise. :)

 

I still don't have much time ATM (and priority right now is de-suckifying the BG2FPGTU) but I can probably help sort out those remaining issues for ya.

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Heh. I had been ignoring the topic because I felt guilty since I haven't made any progress and assumed all of the posts were grogerson and Daul posting "how's it going? Is it done yet?"

Nah, Grogerson actually works, complaining about release dates is my gig. :)

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