Smarter General AI install error

[LordGraygem]

I'm following the latest Big World guide while installing (manually) a number a mods for my game, and so far it has been spot-on about pointing out conflicts and problems.

 

As such, I'm quite surprised to find that my attempts to load the Smarter General AI component of SCS (v30) is consistently stalled by a missing file, one [NMMONK06.spl].

 

My initial thought is that it might be a conflict with Sword and Fist's Monk Remix, but the Big World guide certainly didn't mentiom any such conflict. Nor has attempting to install the problematic component after removing the suspect Monk Remix proved successful.

 

Another thought is that SCS' creator made a typo somewhere, leading the mod to look for a file that never existed as a result.

 

However, another post in this forum leads me to now suspect that SCS might be checking for a file that exists only the EE version of the game.

 

My questions are as follows; how do I figure out the source of the problem (mod conflict with S&F, typo, looking in a game I don't even have), and how do I fix the problem in such a way that I can finish out my mod install with all of the components I desire and no faults?

[AL|EN]

Hi LordGraygem, you can try follow this guide: https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/44476/tool-big-world-setup-bws-mod-manager-for-baldurs-gate-enhanced-edition-trilogy-for-windows and provide feedback to make it better

[AstroBryGuy]

I'm following the latest Big World guide while installing (manually) a number a mods for my game, and so far it has been spot-on about pointing out conflicts and problems.

 

As such, I'm quite surprised to find that my attempts to load the Smarter General AI component of SCS (v30) is consistently stalled by a missing file, one [NMMONK06.spl].

 

My initial thought is that it might be a conflict with Sword and Fist's Monk Remix, but the Big World guide certainly didn't mentiom any such conflict. Nor has attempting to install the problematic component after removing the suspect Monk Remix proved successful.

 

Another thought is that SCS' creator made a typo somewhere, leading the mod to look for a file that never existed as a result.

 

However, another post in this forum leads me to now suspect that SCS might be checking for a file that exists only the EE version of the game.

 

My questions are as follows; how do I figure out the source of the problem (mod conflict with S&F, typo, looking in a game I don't even have), and how do I fix the problem in such a way that I can finish out my mod install with all of the components I desire and no faults?

 

Google is your friend... A search on NMMONK06 turns up this:

 

http://gibberlings3.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=25837&do=findComment&comment=216105

 

It looks like Sword & Fist adds a reference in the Monk's CLAB file to the spell file NMMONK06 but fails to copy the file into the override directory. SCS tries to apply the file and returns an error, since the file doesn't exist.

 

How to fix it? Create a "do nothing" spell called NMMONK06.SPL and place it in the override. Or edit S&F to not put the reference to a non-existant spell in the CLABMO01.2DA file.

[subtledoctor]

Crevsdaak has put forward a fix so that SCS can still proceed in these cases. See the 7th post in this thread:

http://gibberlings3.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=27692&do=findComment&comment=240132

 

I'd love to see this code included in SCS proper. It would save players like LordGraygem above from having to spend days tracking down the problem (Which doesn't actually affect the performance of SCS one iota).

[LordGraygem]

@AstroBryGuy: I have seen that post, in fact. While reassuring to know that I haven't stumbled across a new fault, the fact that their attempted solution failed them is worrisome. Still, I'll give a try at least, so I can honestly claim the effort was made.

 

As to editing a mod to solve this, whether it be Sword and Fist or SCS? I don't even know how open the files in question for either mod, much less what edits to make and where to make them. That's well above my comfort and skill level.

 

(And I still don't understand how the Big World install guide doesn't mention that this problem exists.)

 

 

Before I start mucking about with fake files in an attempt to fool the SCS install system, or edits to make mods ignore the problem, is there any way to figure out if the file in question is actually present within Sword and Fist and, if so, get the mod to properly load it up?

[subtledoctor]

Much easier fix: run the install up through S&F, and other mods right up until it's time to install SCS, then stop.

 

Open your game in Near Infinity and find the monk kit's CLAB.2da file and replace "GA_NMMONK06" with "**** " (That's 4 stars and 8 spaces, though the number of spaces actually doesn't matter, it just has to be at least 1.)

 

Then save the .2da file, close NI, and install SCS. Should work fine.

[agb1]

You would not have encountered this problem if you were using BWS instead of a manual install because it installs the BiG World Fixpack, which includes a patch for Sword and Fist v7 that changes the reference to non-existent NMMONK06 ability to instead point to the NMMONK05 ability which is included with S&F.

 

There's an old forum post about this issue: http://gibberlings3.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=25837&p=216105

 

Instead of subtledoctor's suggestion above, change NMMONK06 to NMMONK05 in override\clabmo01.2da to keep the intended behavior of S&F. Also, you can edit clabmo01.2da using a text editor (Near Infinity is not required).

[subtledoctor]

You would not have encountered this problem if you were using BWS instead of a manual install because it installs the BiG World Fixpack, which includes a patch for Sword and Fist v7

Sorry to sound like a broken record, but that stuff being Windows-only means a bunch of people can't get the benefit of the fix. It's one thing for the BWS itself to be Windows-only - people can deal with doing manual installs - but when fixes like this are kept in the Win-only FixPack instead of sent back to be included in the mods themselves, many people miss out on the benefit of the fix.

 

I think it's wonderful that the BWS is so convenient for lots of players... but if it starts to be the *only* way to successfully use mods, that would be a very undesirable situation IMHO.

[agb1]

The fixpack could be converted fairly easily to other platforms. It just needs its batch script rewritten as a shell script. 'Patch' is a cross-platform tool already.

 

If you want to give it a try, I'm sure Lollorian would appreciate an OS X version of the script. This link might help: http://www.tldp.org/LDP/abs/html/dosbatch.html

 

Also, everything in fixpack is reported to original mod authors too, as far as I know...

[LordGraygem]

To clarify, I'm doing manual install only because the recent weather in my area was crap, and made it likely that I'd have to shutdown my computer with short notice to avoid potential surges or outtages. Easier to stop and shutdown after one small install finishes, than waiting on (or interrupting) a big one.

 

Back to the matter at hand, thanks a ton for your aid, I'll give it a shot soon and post the results here for the sake of completeness (and any future mod-users who might search out answers for the same issue).

[AL|EN]

Sorry to sound like a broken record, but that stuff being Windows-only means a bunch of people can't get the benefit of the fix. It's one thing for the BWS itself to be Windows-only - people can deal with doing manual installs - but when fixes like this are kept in the Win-only FixPack instead of sent back to be included in the mods themselves, many people miss out on the benefit of the fix.

I think it's wonderful that the BWS is so convenient for lots of players... but if it starts to be the *only* way to successfully use mods, that would be a very undesirable situation IMHO.

 

 

The main reason for the fixpack was because almost nobody care to include patches for their mods/community have to wait for a year to make this happen or because they officially say that some people piss at the players who want to play their mods with BP Worldmap or more than just one mod. Second reason was that nobody was permitted to repack mod with fixes (often it was very important one). Third, because 10 years ago there wasn't any "cooperation platform" for such mod development - emails and forum code posts/attachment only.

 

BWS/BWP is indeed, the *only* way to successfully install a combination of mods. The only way to change this, is to:

a) convert Fixpack to OSX/Linux and convince Leonardo Watson to do updates also for the OSX/Linux version

b) get in touch with SConrad about my idea of the global IE mod github.com repository, it seems that he supports the idea but no reply since years

 

IMHO point a) is much harder that b), we will see what the new year will bring to us...

[agb1]

I think a conversion of the Fixpack script for OS X / Linux will not be difficult.

 

As for Yovaneth's post about FFT and worldmap, I appreciate that permission was given for others to do the compatibility work.

[LordGraygem]

Well, I restarted the whole install from scratch, but this time I applied the Big World fixpack before starting any mod installations. That solved the problem quite nicely, SCS' Smarter General AI component loaded up without a hitch.

 

Thanks for the help, folks. Much appreciated.