Some questions for BG2SOA/TOB original

[PureSpirit]

Hey again peeps

Got some question, which I hope you can answer.

1.) How to make a spell like "Protection from School"? Like, casting the spell and then a menu pops up allowing the player to choose from different set of spells. I've known how to do it, but I forgot. It was long time ago. I do know it has something to do with 2DA things?

2.) How to make my character gain an innate ability every x levels? Can I do it via an item, like a book? Kind of intressted in making a kit, but dunno if it requires a lot of coding lol

3.) How to make a weapon deal 2x, 3x and 4x damage to undead creatures?

Thanks in advance.

Edited September 8, 2018 by PureSpirit

[PureSpirit]

No one? :/

[ABlake]

The tasks you mentioned are fairly straightforward to do, but how long or detailed the answers for your questions should be depends on how familiar you are with using the editors to modify game data. A step-by-step instruction might be a bit long. I'm just writing the short versions here for now:

 

1) Main thing: you use the effect "Protection from spell school" (opcode 204). There are other parameters to set up which depend on the nature of the spell. One quick way to make a spell like this is to make a copy of one of the vanilla Spell Immunity sub-spells, change the corresponding school to what you want, delete all redundant effects.

 

2) You modify the .2DA file corresponding to the class/kit of that character. CLABFI01.2DA, for example, corresponds to the true fighter. Each column represents a level. You just need to add the innate to the levels at which the character is supposed to gain the innate.

 

Making a kit just for your own personal installation doesn't require any coding in most cases. There are quite a few steps involved and a bunch of files to modify. You can refer to this guide for instruction http://forums.pocketplane.net/index.php?topic=630.0. If it's just for your own use, you only need to work through Part 1 and Part 2.

 

3) Typically, you attach an .EFF file to the weapon. There are two variations: either as an equipped effect, or as an on-hit effect. If you want to add a fixed amount of damage, you can attach the .EFF as an equipped effect that is always active and gives you bonus damage to a specific type of target. If you want to add a varying amount, like 1D8 + 2 extra damage every hit, for example, then attach the .EFF file as an on-hit effect which procs against a specific type of target.

Edited September 11, 2018 by ABlake

[PureSpirit]

The tasks you mentioned are fairly straightforward to do, but how long or detailed the answers for your questions should be depends on how familiar you are with using the editors to modify game data. A step-by-step instruction might be a bit long. I'm just writing the short versions here for now:

 

1) Main thing: you use the effect "Protection from spell school" (opcode 204). There are other parameters to set up which depend on the nature of the spell. One quick way to make a spell like this is to make a copy of one of the vanilla Spell Immunity sub-spells, change the corresponding school to what you want, delete all redundant effects.

 

2) You modify the .2DA file corresponding to the class/kit of that character. CLABFI01.2DA, for example, corresponds to the true fighter. Each column represents a level. You just need to add the innate to the levels at which the character is supposed to gain the innate.

 

Making a kit just for your own personal installation doesn't require any coding in most cases. There are quite a few steps involved and a bunch of files to modify. You can refer to this guide for instruction http://forums.pocketplane.net/index.php?topic=630.0. If it's just for your own use, you only need to work through Part 1 and Part 2.

 

3) Typically, you attach an .EFF file to the weapon. There are two variations: either as an equipped effect, or as an on-hit effect. If you want to add a fixed amount of damage, you can attach the .EFF as an equipped effect that is always active and gives you bonus damage to a specific type of target. If you want to add a varying amount, like 1D8 + 2 extra damage every hit, for example, then attach the .EFF file as an on-hit effect which procs against a specific type of target.

Thanks for the reply

 

1.) I have successfully created a meditation spell, which, when activated, lets you choose which spells to recover during meditation time. Either priest spells or wizard spells. I figured they didn't work too well. I do know you can use similar tactics to let your character create different set of items upon spell casting? Much like that Enchanted Weapon spell, or whatever it was called. The one which lets you create a sword, axe or mace or somesuch, which has +3 enchantment. Is there anything I have to be aware of when creating these? Say, what if my spell name has same name as the actual item file? Will there be any conflict?

 

2.) Thanks for the link. I am hoping to be able to make a fighter/mage/thief for the human class - though a more powerful variant.

 

3.) Hmm... allright. I will think of that. Because the Daystar truly confuses me as a weapon. There are eff files in it which use a 3rd parameter, when opening it up in DLTCEP, and I am not sure what they mean. And I do wonder how Daystar can make such absurd amount damage on Shade Liches, when casting the spell it has.

[ABlake]

1) Oh, you're asking how to make a spell that when cast gives you a list of sub-spells to choose from. The parent spell needs to use the effect "Select Spell" (opcode 214), then the Resource should point to a .2DA file in which you list the names of all the sub-spells. For example, the SPWI510.2DA is the list for all the Spell Immunity sub-spells. The middle column lists all the sub-spells: SPWI590.SPL (Immunity: Abjuration), SPWI591.SPL (Immunity: Conjuration), and so on.

 

If you mean a MACE.SPL spell creating a MACE.ITM item, then there's no problem.

 

3) When using the effects "THAC0 vs. type bonus" (opcode 178) and "Damage vs. type bonus" (opcode 179) in an .EFF file, the Parameter 3 specifies the bonus amount. AFAIK, this way only allows you to specify a fixed amount. Like I said, to make it a varying amount, you need to use .EFF files as on-hit effects using opcode 12 "Damage".

 

In unmodded BG2, Daystar uses the EVILHIT2.EFF as a "While equipped" effect which has "THAC0 vs. type bonus" with Parameter 3 = 2, target = MASK_EVIL. So it gives +2 bonus to hit against all Evil targets. It also has DBLDEAD.EFF as an on-hit effect, which adds 1D8 + 2 magic damage to undead every hit ("double damage").

 

With Item Revisions installed, Daystar uses EVILHIT2.EFF, EVILDAM2.EFF (+2 damage against Evil), and UDDMG6.EFF (+6 damage against undead), all as equipped effects.

 

Other than that, Daystar also lets you cast Sunray (SPPR707.SPL). In unmodded game the spell can deal a huge amount of damage (1000+) to undead in general. With Spell Revisions installed, it only deals that damage to vampires and shadow-type undead. You do this by attaching .EFF files with opcode 177 "Use EFF file", IDS target = GENERAL, IDS value = UNDEAD (for specific types of undead you need to select IDS target = CLASS or RACE), then the .EFF files themselves use opcode 12 "Damage" which specifies the amount of damage done by the .EFF files. Sunray itself uses UNDDEATH.EFF which in unmodded game deals 1000 (fixed amount) + 14D6 magic damage.

Edited September 12, 2018 by ABlake

[PureSpirit]

1) Oh, you're asking how to make a spell that when cast gives you a list of sub-spells to choose from. The parent spell needs to use the effect "Select Spell" (opcode 214), then the Resource should point to a .2DA file in which you list the names of all the sub-spells. For example, the SPWI510.2DA is the list for all the Spell Immunity sub-spells. The middle column lists all the sub-spells: SPWI590.SPL (Immunity: Abjuration), SPWI591.SPL (Immunity: Conjuration), and so on.

 

If you mean a MACE.SPL spell creating a MACE.ITM item, then there's no problem.

 

3) When using the effects "THAC0 vs. type bonus" (opcode 178) and "Damage vs. type bonus" (opcode 179) in an .EFF file, the Parameter 3 specifies the bonus amount. AFAIK, this way only allows you to specify a fixed amount. Like I said, to make it a varying amount, you need to use .EFF files as on-hit effects using opcode 12 "Damage".

 

In unmodded BG2, Daystar uses the EVILHIT2.EFF as a "While equipped" effect which has "THAC0 vs. type bonus" with Parameter 3 = 2, target = MASK_EVIL. So it gives +2 bonus to hit against all Evil targets. It also has DBLDEAD.EFF as an on-hit effect, which adds 1D8 + 2 magic damage to undead every hit ("double damage").

 

With Item Revisions installed, Daystar uses EVILHIT2.EFF, EVILDAM2.EFF (+2 damage against Evil), and UDDMG6.EFF (+6 damage against undead), all as equipped effects.

 

Other than that, Daystar also lets you cast Sunray (SPPR707.SPL). In unmodded game the spell can deal a huge amount of damage (1000+) to undead in general. With Spell Revisions installed, it only deals that damage to vampires and shadow-type undead. You do this by attaching .EFF files with opcode 177 "Use EFF file", IDS target = GENERAL, IDS value = UNDEAD (for specific types of undead you need to select IDS target = CLASS or RACE), then the .EFF files themselves use opcode 12 "Damage" which specifies the amount of damage done by the .EFF files. Sunray itself uses UNDDEATH.EFF which in unmodded game deals 1000 (fixed amount) + 14D6 magic damage.

 

Thanks man. I appriciate your help. I'll check that out soon enough. I do not have the Item Revision though. Some kind of mod for BG2?

 

Also, can I ask you one more thing? About making custom projectiles... I made an edit of Storm of Vengeance, with a different color cloud and lightning. How am I able to use this new projectile in the spell I wish to make? I assume there must be a table list of available projectiles somewhere, from which they are read into the game?

 

Also, do you know if there are any good DLTCEP tutorials for projectile making in this game? I tried googling but to no help.

 

Best wishes to you!

[ABlake]

There are two .IDS files involved: PROJECTL.IDS and MISSILE.IDS. With DLTCEP you open the Edit tab, then select Identifiers.

 

First you need to add the name of the custom .PRO file to PROJECTL.IDS and give it a unique ID number. There are two columns in PROJECTL.IDS. The first is the ID number for the projectile, and the second is the name of the .PRO file. Let's say your new projectile is TEST.PRO, then in the PROJECTL.IDS, you need to add a new line, enter a UNIQUE number (hexadecimal or decimal), then write TEST after it. You can uncheck "Hexadecimal" to convert all ID numbers to decimal. To make sure the number is unique, you can check "Order by value".

 

Next is MISSILE.IDS. This is not required, but it is recommended. This file also has two columns: the first is the ID number, and the second is the name you want to call your projectile - preferably a self-explanatory name. Let's say your TEST.PRO is an alternate projectile for Storm of Vengeance, and you want to call it "New Storm of Vengeance". So in MISSILE.IDS you want to enter a new line, enter the ID number, then write New Storm of Vengeance after the ID. One thing to keep in mind: the ID numbers in MISSILE.IDS are ONE UNIT HIGHER than their corresponding values in PROJECTL.IDS. So if your TEST.PRO has an ID value of 400 in PROJECTL.IDS, then in MISSILE.IDS you have to give it 401 as ID value. This is because in MISSILE.IDS there is an extra entry called "None" at the beginning that takes up the value 1. If you don't add your custom projectile to MISSILE.IDS, it still shows up in the list of projectiles when you want to add it to a spell, it just doesn't have a self-explanatory name.

 

All this will make more sense when you open up the two .IDS files and read them.

 

After you have registered the new projectile properly, you can open a spell, then navigate to the "Projectile animation" field. The new projectile will show up with its corresponding ID, name of the .PRO file, and the self-explanatory name that you call it.

 

EDIT: Yes Item Revisions and Spell Revisions are mods for BG2.

I've never tried searching for a tutorial for making projectiles. I did a quick search, didn't really find anything. I just figured things out myself over time. Some probably handle projectiles using code, but I prefer to open stuff up and manually make changes.

Edited September 16, 2018 by ABlake

[PureSpirit]

There are two .IDS files involved: PROJECTL.IDS and MISSILE.IDS. With DLTCEP you open the Edit tab, then select Identifiers.

 

First you need to add the name of the custom .PRO file to PROJECTL.IDS and give it a unique ID number. There are two columns in PROJECTL.IDS. The first is the ID number for the projectile, and the second is the name of the .PRO file. Let's say your new projectile is TEST.PRO, then in the PROJECTL.IDS, you need to add a new line, enter a UNIQUE number (hexadecimal or decimal), then write TEST after it. You can uncheck "Hexadecimal" to convert all ID numbers to decimal. To make sure the number is unique, you can check "Order by value".

 

Next is MISSILE.IDS. This is not required, but it is recommended. This file also has two columns: the first is the ID number, and the second is the name you want to call your projectile - preferably a self-explanatory name. Let's say your TEST.PRO is an alternate projectile for Storm of Vengeance, and you want to call it "New Storm of Vengeance". So in MISSILE.IDS you want to enter a new line, enter the ID number, then write New Storm of Vengeance after the ID. One thing to keep in mind: the ID numbers in MISSILE.IDS are ONE UNIT HIGHER than their corresponding values in PROJECTL.IDS. So if your TEST.PRO has an ID value of 400 in PROJECTL.IDS, then in MISSILE.IDS you have to give it 401 as ID value. This is because in MISSILE.IDS there is an extra entry called "None" at the beginning that takes up the value 1. If you don't add your custom projectile to MISSILE.IDS, it still shows up in the list of projectiles when you want to add it to a spell, it just doesn't have a self-explanatory name.

 

All this will make more sense when you open up the two .IDS files and read them.

 

After you have registered the new projectile properly, you can open a spell, then navigate to the "Projectile animation" field. The new projectile will show up with its corresponding ID, name of the .PRO file, and the self-explanatory name that you call it.

 

EDIT: Yes Item Revisions and Spell Revisions are mods for BG2.

I've never tried searching for a tutorial for making projectiles. I did a quick search, didn't really find anything. I just figured things out myself over time. Some probably handle projectiles using code, but I prefer to open stuff up and manually make changes.

Excellent. I will taking a look into this then. Maybe it will be of use in making unique projectiles for my Familiar Evolution mod. Thank you for your detailed explanations as always. They are very much needed.

 

I understand. You see, I've been working on my weapon mod (custom weapons) for over 10 years now. If I choose to install Item Revision and Spell Revision mod, will they collide with my weapon mod strings somehow? Or them overall?

[ABlake]

Glad I could help.

 

If I choose to install Item Revision and Spell Revision mod, will they collide with my weapon mod strings somehow? Or them overall?

 

AFAIK, Item Revisions and Spell Revisions do not modify existing strings. They append new strings to dialog.tlk. So your custom strings should be fine. And Spell Revisions doesn't touch items, aside from some weapons created by spells (Black Blade of Disaster, Phantom Blade, etc.) and summoned monsters' natural weapons (Familiars' weapons too, I believe).

 

Make a backup copy of your dialog.tlk before you install mods just to be on the safe side.

 

Of course, if you have made any personal modifications to vanilla items and spells, there will be conflicts. If you run into any problems, uninstalling the mods will *probably* restore things to the way they were.

 

If you want to be more thorough, make a backup copy of your entire Override folder.

 

If you want to be even more thorough, make a backup copy of your entire installation folder : D But this is probably not necessary.

Edited September 16, 2018 by ABlake