154 replies to this topic

[Hoppy]

aVENGER's awesomeness has no boundaries. . I don't care if the demons are pink, purple, or the colors of my breakfast cereal, I am so installing this tweak.

[Chevalier]

[Daulmakan]

Hoppy, on Dec 22 2009, 04:33 PM, said:

aVENGER's awesomeness has no boundaries. .

Hear, Hear!

[aVENGER]

Thanks for the kudos, guys.

BTW, that's just one example of how Fiends can deal with Protection from Evil, here are a few others. A Pit Fiend that has already used up its Wish on something else might simply lob a Fireball in the general direction of an attacker protected from evil, or cast Improved Invisibility at itself and retreat to safety. Similarly, a Nabassu may simply become ethereal when threatened in this manner. Also, any Fiend that can cast Dispel Magic (i.e. a Balor or a Glabrezu) would try to use it in the vicinity of the protected creature. In short, each Fiend will try to utilize its distinctive innate powers to the best of its ability.

[Demivrgvs]

aVENGER, on Dec 22 2009, 10:50 PM, said:

Thanks for the kudos, guys.

You deserve them.

Quote

BTW, that's just one example of how Fiends can deal with Protection from Evil, here are a few others. A Pit Fiend that has already used up its Wish on something else might simply lob a Fireball in the general direction of an attacker protected from evil, or cast Improved Invisibility at itself and retreat to safety. Similarly, a Nabassu may simply become ethereal when threatened in this manner. Also, any Fiend that can cast Dispel Magic (i.e. a Balor or a Glabrezu) would try to use it in the vicinity of the protected creature. In short, each Fiend will try to utilize its distinctive innate powers to the best of its ability.

Wow, you're making me regret a planned change for SR v4 to make fiends ignore Protection from Evil a la SCSII.

Just a small thing, if you keep 2nd edition low HD values their Dispel Magic is going to be quite useless imo.

[Azazello]

I'm lovin' these ideas, it's good to see some luv given to demons again.

A couple of things...

-- I hope the venomous bite thing doesn't match exactly to the source material...

-- Many older stories/ancient text about summoning and controlling demons talk about "binding" them to the caster's will. In BG2, lesser elementals can be bond to a caster with high enough intelligence, but no similar method for demons. I've always wished for a more unpredictable chance to gain control of demons and elementals: a combo of INT, WIS maybe, level, and a touch of randomness. Thoughts? Comments?

Edited by Azazello, 23 December 2009 - 02:23 AM.

[aVENGER]

Demivrgvs, on Dec 23 2009, 12:18 AM, said:

Just a small thing, if you keep 2nd edition low HD values their Dispel Magic is going to be quite useless imo.

I intend to keep the original PnP hit dice, yes, but I think the situation is a little better now with Taimon's Dispel Magic fix available.

[aVENGER]

Azazello, on Dec 23 2009, 11:20 AM, said:

A couple of things...

I hope the venomous bite thing doesn't match exactly to the source material

Actually, it does. However, it's not implemented in the same way as in Tactics. In aTweaks, the damage is not dealt in one shot, instead it's distributed over four rounds, as per PnP. So, it works like this: if the Pit Fiend bites you, and you fail your save vs. poison, you'll start taking poison damage at a rate of 5 points per second for a total of 120 damage after 4 rounds have expired. However, casting any poison curing spell (i.e. Slow Poison, Neutralize Poison) on the afflicted creature or simply drinking an Antidote will stop the victim from taking any further poison damage. I hope that's more to your liking.

Similarly, a failed saving throw against a Nabassu's Death Gaze kills the victim and transforms it into a Ghast after 5 rounds have expired (remember Aec'Letec from BG1?). However, the difference is that casting Remove Curse on the victim or simly killing the Nabassu before the 5 rounds have expired will now cure the affliction, as per PnP.

Quote

I've always wished for a more unpredictable chance to gain control of demons and elementals: a combo of INT, WIS maybe, level, and a touch of randomness. Thoughts? Comments?

Not in this mod, sorry. As mentioned earlier, in aTweaks summoned Fiends work as per IWD2.

Edited by aVENGER, 23 December 2009 - 04:40 AM.

[aVENGER]

In other news, FUNCTIONS rock! Thanks to Miloch's tip, I've been able to greatly compress my code. Here's a sample:

// Pit Fiend Changes

COPY_EXISTING   ~DEMPIT.CRE~ ~override~											// Pit Fiend
			  ~DEMPIT01.CRE~ ~override~											// Pit Fiend
			  ~DEMPITSU.CRE~ ~override~											// Pit Fiend (summoned)
			   ~TELPIT1.CRE~ ~override~											// Pit Fiend
			   ~TELPIT2.CRE~ ~override~											// Pit Fiend
REPLACE_CRE_ITEM ~RR#DPITF~ #0 #0 #0 ~UNDROPPABLE~ ~WEAPON1~ EQUIP				 // replace generic attack with a Pit Fiend specific attack
LAUNCH_PATCH_FUNCTION ~RR#MDCRE~												   // Starts FUNCTION call (aTweaks' Creature Modification function)
INT_VAR																			// Initialize variables
"newxpv"   = "21000"															   // new XP value
"newhp"	= "104"																 // new hit point value
"newac"	= "-5"																  // new Armor Class value
"newth"	= "13"																  // new THAC0 value
"newsvd"   = "5"																   // new Save vs. Death
"newsvw"   = "7"																   // new Save vs. Wand
"newsvp"   = "6"																   // new Save vs. Polymorph
"newsvb"   = "5"																   // new Save vs. Breath
"newsvs"   = "8"																   // new Save vs. Spell
"newmr"	= "50"																  // new Magic Resistance value
"newfr"	= "100"																 // new Resist Fire value
"newcr"	= "50"																  // new Resist Cold value
"newstr"   = "18"																  // new Strength value
"newstrx"  = "100"																 // new Exceptional Strength value
"newint"   = "18"																  // new Intelligence value
"newwis"   = "16"																  // new Wisdom value
"newdex"   = "16"																  // new Dexterity value
"newcon"   = "16"																  // new Constitution value
"newchr"   = "25"																  // new Charisma value
"newmor"   = "20"																  // new morale value
"newmorb"  = "0"																   // new morale break value
"newmorr"  = "1"																   // new morale recovery value
"newclass" = "179"																 // new class (Imp)
"newalign" = "19"																  // new alignment (Lawful Evil)
END																				// ends FUNCTION call
LAUNCH_PATCH_FUNCTION ~RR#MDCSC~												   // Starts FUNCTION call (aTweaks' Creature Script Modification function)
STR_VAR																			// Initialize strings
"newscript"  = "RR#HPITF"														  // new AI script
"script01"   = ""																  // first AI script name
"script02"   = "None"															  // second AI script name
"script03"   = "WTASIGHT"														  // third AI script name
"script04"   = "DEMPIT"															// fourth AI script name
"script05"   = "DEMPIT01"														  // fifth AI script name
"script06"   = "TELPIT1"														   // sixth AI script name
"skipfile"   = "DEMPITSU"														  // skip script patching for a designated file
END																				// ends FUNCTION call
LAUNCH_PATCH_FUNCTION ~DELETE_CRE_EFFECT~										  // delete the EFF with the designated opcode
INT_VAR opcode_to_delete = "193" END											   // mark opcode #193 (Invisible Detection by Script) for deletion
LAUNCH_PATCH_FUNCTION ~ADD_CRE_EFFECT~											 // Starts FUNCTION call (add new creature effect built-in function)
INT_VAR
opcode = "189"																	 // effect: #189 (Casting Time Modifier)
target = "1"																	   // target: 1 (self)
timing = "9"																	   // timing mode: 9 (permanent after death)
parameter1 = "9"																   // param1: 9 (speed modifier)
probability1 = "100"															   // probability1: 100%
STR_VAR
"effsource" = ""																   // effsource: none
END
WRITE_SHORT 0x28 "4352"															// special case, Pit Fiends should use the TANARRI (winged demon) avatar
WRITE_BYTE  0x5b "0"															   // special case, null innate electricity resistance for Baatezu
PATCH_IF ("%SOURCE_RES%" STRING_EQUAL_CASE ~DEMPITSU~) BEGIN					   // special case, summoned Fiends now grant XP via script
WRITE_LONG  0x14 "0"															   // set new XP value
END
BUT_ONLY_IF_IT_CHANGES

[Jarno Mikkola]

aVENGER, on Dec 23 2009, 01:05 PM, said:

Azazello, on Dec 23 2009, 11:20 AM, said:

A couple of things...
I hope the venomous bite thing doesn't match exactly to the source material

Actually, it does. However, it's not implemented in the same way as in Tactics. In aTweaks, the damage is not dealt in one shot, instead it's distributed over four rounds, as per PnP. So, it works like this: if the Pit Fiend bites you, and you fail your save vs. poison, you'll start taking poison damage at a rate of 5 points per second for a total of 120 damage after 4 rounds have expired.

Well, 120 hit points a bit different than 999 hit points of damage.

[aVENGER]

Jarno Mikkola, on Dec 23 2009, 12:33 PM, said:

Well, 120 hit points a bit different than 999 hit points of damage.

Hmm, you may be right... there are some creatures with more than 120 hit points in the game, and they wouldn't be killed even on a failed save. I think I'll up the damage to 8 points per second for a total of 192 points after 4 rounds.

The aforementioned curing method still applies, of course.

[Jarno Mikkola]

aVENGER, on Dec 23 2009, 01:49 PM, said:

Hmm, you may be right... there are some creatures with more than 120 hit points in the game, and they wouldn't be killed even on a failed save. I think I'll up the damage to 8 points per second for a total of 192 points after 4 rounds.

Hmm, you are also giving the affected creature 4 save throw, one per round so it's not all or nothing... right?

[aVENGER]

Jarno Mikkola, on Dec 23 2009, 02:36 PM, said:

Hmm, you are also giving the affected creature 4 save throw, one per round so it's not all or nothing... right?

Nope, just one saving throw at the start (when the bite occurs).

[Chevalier]

Demons, Devils & Dragons should be fearsome, not just fodder! I like what you are doing.

[aVENGER]

Here's another screenshot: a Nabassu on the Ethereal Plane:

Ethereal Nabassu

Note: although ethereal creatures can be revealed via Detect Invisibility, True Seeing and similar spells, they cannot be harmed by physical nor magical attacks until they exit the Ethereal Plane.

Edited by aVENGER, 15 January 2010 - 08:27 AM.

[Demivrgvs]

Chevalier, on Dec 23 2009, 02:52 PM, said:

Demons, Devils & Dragons should be fearsome, not just fodder! I like what you are doing.

I obviously agree as any SR/SCSII player can see.

aVENGER, on Dec 23 2009, 03:19 PM, said:

Here's another screenshot: a Nabassu on the Ethereal Plane:
...
Note: although ethereal creatures can be revealed via True Seeing (as seen above) they cannot be attacked physically until they exit the Ethereal Plane. Some magical attacks can hurt them though.

I don't know if I have to thank you or hate you. If you end up improving "the state of the art" of something I've to do the same for Revision mods!

I don't hink Etherealness is used anywhere within IR/SR except Boots of Etherealness, but still I'm curios about the details:
- are you using two separate spells to handle the "True Seeing dispels invisibility but not etherealness? (e.g. one spl for immunities, the other for the 'illusionary protection' invisibility)
- which immunities are you granting? (I've used 'immunity to all weapons + 100% mr, all undispellable)
- are you allowing it to attack with non-physical abilities? (I've used apr set to 0 and 100% spell failure)
- for cosmetic purposes I've used a simple "translucent effect", but your effect looks better imo...blur+translucent?




P.S I wonder how all these things will work with SCS.

Edited by Demivrgvs, 23 December 2009 - 06:42 AM.

[Shaitan]

Soo cool.

[Lollorian]

That is scary mate Scary and cool

Cheers,
Lol

[Azazello]

aVENGER, on Dec 23 2009, 06:05 AM, said:

Quote

I've always wished for a more unpredictable chance to gain control of demons and elementals: a combo of INT, WIS maybe, level, and a touch of randomness. Thoughts? Comments?

Not in this mod, sorry. As mentioned earlier, in aTweaks summoned Fiends work as per IWD2.

I think you meant, 'PnP'.

Hopefully a consideration for another tweak mod, or future version of this component.

[Demivrgvs]

Azazello, on Dec 23 2009, 04:40 PM, said:

aVENGER, on Dec 23 2009, 06:05 AM, said:

Quote

I've always wished for a more unpredictable chance to gain control of demons and elementals: a combo of INT, WIS maybe, level, and a touch of randomness. Thoughts? Comments?

Not in this mod, sorry. As mentioned earlier, in aTweaks summoned Fiends work as per IWD2.

I think you meant, 'PnP'.

Hopefully a consideration for another tweak mod, or future version of this component.

Something like that is planned for SR v4 revised fiends.