28 replies to this topic

[temnix]

Well, this is actually helpful. I'll test it all later. The next three groups to be randomized so thoroughly will be the Flaming Fist, Commoners, Courtesans and Beggars. That ought to make the towns and villages much more lively places. Other creatures are only going to receive the alignment and mental stats changes probably. Perhaps some slight skin tone variations.

[Fiann of the Silver Hand]

I like realistic randomization.

[The Imp]

I like realistic randomization.

No you don't.

Go to the shop near you, to the candy stand and close your eyes, and pick one.

[temnix]

Some will like it, others won't. It's a free country... all of them. The old-style, very simple, uniform figures have the advantage of being instantly recognizable and iconic, literally. Icons are painted in a very strict and traditional manner to express the same meanings and give a timeless satisfaction. And BG is iconic. Unfortunately, that precludes expanding the gameplay. You see your clone bandits, fight through them to Sarevok, kill him, goodness trumps evil. The end. What's there for modders to do? But wherever you add sophistication and small touches, the effect ripples. Your eye gets used to more detail, you start noticing different skin shades on xvarts - if I get to them - and you stop perceiving them as a faceless mob. Then it's no longer inconceivable to make a quest with xvarts or bandits as characters. It spreads.

 

There are still very few body types and things to vary, really, and I try to keep to the sense of the original. For example, vanilla Amnian soldiers don't use the fighter avatar. They use the cleric avatar, as do Taerom the smith and others. Why did Bioware make them this way? Those aren't clerics. I guess Bioware wanted a leaner, less muscle-bound look for these guards. So most of them got to keep it. Bandits are scum from all over, so they come in a variety of sizes and shapes and colors. And so on.

 

I wonder if I should randomize their hand weapons somewhat. Why are they all using swords? Could be standard-issue from Tazok and Co, or not. I already gave some golden or blue-steel blades to suggest they've stolen the richest gear from their victims. But I can actually randomize the hand weapon with the same item. The Create Item In Slot opcode can replace their swords with axes and maces. I could give a few double-speed throwing knives, or crossbows instead of bows. Would make encounters more surprising. But this gets into gameplay changes. I guess I could make two versions: lite and full...

 

Just keep it simple for now.

[temnix]

Imp, your code is still wrong. You need COPY_EXISTING_GLOB_REGEXP, not just GLOB. I had to figure that out on my own. Even so, this code still gives a parsing error near the first BUT_ONLY.

 

BEGIN ~Round Out Test~

COPY ~Round Out Test/BANDI+_#.itm~ ~override~
SAY NAME1 ~Round Out: Bandits~
SAY NAME2 ~Round Out: Bandits~
SAY UNIDENTIFIED_DESC ~Randomizes alignment, Int, Wis, Cha and appearance of standard bandits.~

COPY_EXISTING_REGEXP GLOB ~*.cre$~ ~override~
PATCH_IF (SOURCE_SIZE > 0x2d0) THEN BEGIN
  READ_ASCII ~0x08~ ~thing~
  PATCH_IF (thing = 13838) THEN BEGIN
  ADD_CRE_ITEM ~BANDI+_#~ #0 #0 #0 ~IDENTIFIED&UNSTEALABLE&UNDROPPABLE~ ~GLOVES BELT CLOAK~ EQUIP
  END
  BUT_ONLY
END

COPY ~Round Out Test/AMNS+_#.itm~ ~override~
SAY NAME1 ~Round Out: Amnian soldiers~
SAY NAME2 ~Round Out: Amnian soldiers~
SAY UNIDENTIFIED_DESC ~Randomizes alignment, Int, Wis, Cha and appearance of Amnian soldiers.~

    COPY_EXISTING_REGEXP GLOB ~*.cre$~ ~override~
PATCH_IF (SOURCE_SIZE > 0x2d0) THEN BEGIN
  READ_BYTE ~0x0273~ ~thing~
  PATCH_IF (thing = 212) THEN BEGIN
  ADD_CRE_ITEM ~AMNS+_#~ #0 #0 #0 ~IDENTIFIED&UNSTEALABLE&UNDROPPABLE~ ~GLOVES BELT CLOAK~ EQUIP
  END
  BUT_ONLY
END

 

Isn't there anybody who can write a simple block of code for Weidu on these boards?

[Almateria]

I like realistic randomization.

No you don't.

Go to the shop near you, to the candy stand and close your eyes, and pick one.

Gummi sharks, oh man!

[temnix]

Blood, sweat and tears: the randomized Flaming Fist. Still need touching-up, but I'm proud of the guy in a brass helmet and the one with a white plume. May be a sargeant.

 

[temnix]

Amnian sargeants. 4% chance. The Amnian troops generally look more posh than the Flaming Fist, even privates, on account of taking bribes and all. FF have their own sargeants.

 

So, I'm finished with bandits, Flamies and Amnies. Those are the three largest groups we encounter in the first game. The Chill and Black Talons to go, and it should be easier with the rest.

 

By the way, did you know that the Talons are actually Lawful Neutral like the Flaming Fist? Just like their leader, the Tenhammer, in the bandit camp. They were simply hired to do a job. And Ardenor Crush is a reincarnated human in a hobgoblin body. The Chill have their own tower base somewhere in the Forest of Sharp Teeth, I think. I've been looking into an interesting sourcebook called "Gold and Glory." From 1992, so more canon than Baldur's Gate itself. Oh, the good old days. The farther back you go, the more solid the sourcebooks are.

 

http://forgottenreal...ki/Gold_&_Glory

 

 

[temnix]

The Black Talons. They used to wear red in the original, but there are already too many factions who wear red. I'm glad I managed to give them a recognizable look, too.

 

 

Hobgoblin Elite. Sargeant on the right, probably. Not too many colors to play with in this animation. A number received nasty dark and green-glowing blades, since they use poison. Not on the swords, actually, but still. A portion of bandits have that too. It's all subdued, though.