240 replies to this topic

[The Imp]

A .cre, or hundred of them don't benefit from biffing, it's mostly for media files(map tilesets, animation files and music/sounds). That's why the Generalized biffing today has two components...

[EvilMax]

I got problems several times when tried to modify some mod installed before biffing. So, manual update in my case is reasonable precaution and I would recommend not to reinstall any mods 'in the middle', especislly after biffing.

 

Theoretically if one reinstall BP with your update, he will have compatible TLK, worldmap etc and all saves should be usefult. In practice unbiff/chain reinstall/biff could break everything. You know that Leonardo recommends to reinstall whole MegaMod from scratch in case of problems, even before biffing. So, you can be lucky with minor updating of the modds in the middle of the list, but I have another experience. By the way, if cleanup was used, you won't be able to reinstall anything. So both our recommendstion are all have the right to live.

But I still insist that manually changing 3 .CRE files or using trivial .tp2 with your code is much safer and faster than reinstall BP that is the part of MegaMod, especially biffed.

 

PS: in my BWP 18.1.2 biffing packed .CRE files

Edited by EvilMax, 04 March 2020 - 12:18 PM.

[tomkaz]

Hi EvilMax:

 

I have questions about the duergars.  On which floor of the dungeon are these duergars?  I killed all the duegars on the first floor and did not get to the second floor of the dungeon.  I checked in Near Infinity.  I had duergars cretures DUEARC02, DUEARC03, and DUEARC04.  The Animation IDs are Fighter_Male_Dwarf_Low - 20738.  You stated it should be Fighter_Male_Dwarf.  Since I had no problem killing them, do I need to correct the Animation ID?

 

If I need to change the Animation ID, how do I do that?

 

One other thing.  I did not spend any time learning how to create mods. When I worked, I only had time to install games and play them.  So I am lost with a lot of the terms and abbreviations.  For example, I have no idea what IA and CTD stand for.  I search for these things but they often are impossible to find.  I wish there was a page in Spellhold Studios that had a list of them.

 

Finally, did you get past Yashimo in your game?

 

Tom

[EvilMax]

Hi, Tom,

 

Those ones are on the 2nd level, where Yoshimo is.  Hope you have save file on the 1st level, before entering 'Youshimo's' portal. In that case you are fine. For all DUEARC02, DUEARC03, and DUEARC04 set animation to Fighter_Male_Dwarf, then save. To do so:

1. Select .CRE file you need to change

2. Go to Edit tab

3. Select 'Animation' field (where you see Fighter_Male_Dwarf_Low - 20738). You will see edit listbox below

4. Select Fighter_Male_Dwarf - 24834 - this value is one row up

5. Press 'Update value' button that is on the right of listbox

6. Press 'Save' button and agree to overwrite

 

Do this for all three: DUEARC02, DUEARC03, and DUEARC04

Doing so will prevent CTD when those duergars spawn on Yoshimo's level.

 

Load your save before entering portal to Yoshimo's level. Enjoy.

 

 

Yo had no problems with duergars because on the 1st floor they are DUEARC01.CRE - this CRE is OK. Those ones on 2d level are created by Big Picture mod and they are DUEARC02, DUEARC03, and DUEARC04 that have wrong animation causing CTD on spawn.

 

And yes, I passed Youshimo smoothly after I fixed animation.

Edited by EvilMax, 04 March 2020 - 12:39 PM.

[tomkaz]

Hi Evil Max:

 

Thanks for all your help.

 

I have several versions of the old game saved.  However I decided to try one last time.   I made a new version of individual.bat as it looked like there were some typos I did not catch in the previous one.  It is loading now and it should be ready by midnight.  I should be able to change the duegar Animation before I start the game in the AM.

 

I figured CTD means crash to desk.  I could not find the meaning of IA.

 

Thanks again,

 

Tom

[The Imp]

IA.

Infinity Animations. Or Improved Anvil... but that's a mod that was never to be installed to a Megamod game... but that's cause the maker was from Black Worms Lair, called Sikret.

[tomkaz]

Hi The Imp:

 

Thanks for explaining the meaning of IA.  

 

Tom

[tomkaz]

Hi EvilMax:

 

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

 

You are no longer EVIL, you are now TERRIFIC!!!

 

I changed the three Animation fields.  Now my old game works.  No more CTD after Yosinimo joins the game.

 

Tom

[EvilMax]

You're welcome, Tom,

 

And thanx to The Imp for giving idea tocheck animation!

 

Hope, we will enjoy smooth gameplay.

[tomkaz]

Hi EvilMax:

 

Well my joy has faded.  I met Nalia in the Slums.  Agreed to help her.  We went to the City Gates and tried to go to de'Arnise Hold.  Another CTD like it was with the duergars!

 

What is the best way to check for a faulty Animation ID?

 

Yes, The Imp really knows how these mods work and is very helpful in fixing them.

 

Tom

 

I found the problem.  You need to go to Heng Horse Ranch before going to de'Arnise Hold.  Sorry for the alarm.

 

Tom

Edited by tomkaz, 06 March 2020 - 07:39 AM.

[EvilMax]

Hi, Tom,

 

It could be or could not be an animation. Actually there are several reasons for Inifinity Engine game to crash: wrong animation, problems in inventory, missing creature file or effect (for example, I got problems with the Finger of Death assigned to Chain Contigency because of missing effect, but no problems when use it as single spell).

 

By the way, good point about Heng Horse Ranch. This is really a bug: game shouldn't behave in such way (i.e. it is OK if quest didn't start, but it shouldn't be the CTD).

[tomkaz]

Hi All:

 

I am stuck with an old problem.  Meronia comes for Jahera.  They leave together and Jaheira says she will be back soon.  The problem is she never comes back. I tried everything I could thing to try.  In much older games, Jaheira came back to the same area after I slept eight hours.

 

I am looking for the fix for this?

 

Tom

 

Found a previous post from me which states the global 'JAHEIRARETURNS' is missing.  It has values of 0, 1, or 2.  I am having trouble knowing when to add the global.  Trying all possibilities.  Still could use some help.

 

Tom  

 

After Meronia leaves with Jahera, I get JAHEIRARETURN   52625871.  Is this number the game 'time'?

 

Tom

Edited by tomkaz, 07 March 2020 - 11:25 AM.

[EvilMax]

Tom, yes,

 

This is game timer value that could be checked by some script via GlobalTimerExpired.

 

Jaheira's timer is set to 7 hours. You can try to exit game, then reload your save and rest somewhere. Jaheira may return.

Edited by EvilMax, 08 March 2020 - 12:51 AM.

[The Imp]

...

Jaheira's timer is set to 7 hours. You can try to exit game, then reload your save and rest somewhere. Jaheira may return.

Technically the 7 hours is added to the current game time, which means if you time travel, it could fail badly ... not that it should, but it can. But that has to do with the current time ... so if the timer seems absurd, it's cause it is.

[EvilMax]

Interesting. I know that timers in Infinity Engine are set as curent time (game or real - two types) + increment. So expiration time is absolute game (or real) time that is compared against current time. But I never thought that NEJ implements real time travel (i.e. changing game time back and forth).

Edited by EvilMax, 08 March 2020 - 05:19 AM.

[The Imp]

Interesting. I know that timers in Infinity Engine are set as curent time (game or real - two types) + increment. So expiration time is absolute game (or real) time that is compared against current time. But I never thought that NEJ implements real time travel (i.e. changing game time back and forth).

It doesn't... but you know, you are a time traveler ? You move with it, well your atoms, and yes, they all move at a constant rate, the speed of light, and yes, that makes you a time traveler as when you move at the speed of light, the only how you don't blow up apart is that the energy is tied up in bounds, nuclear, atomical, chemical, molecular, motion, astronomical, <becomes indeciphereable mumbling> ...

[EvilMax]

Well, fix may involve reloading save, CLUA-ing Jaheira returning variable to zero and resting 8 hours... time.. and space... everything has become complicated... ...Astrolabe... whirls... twirls...

[tomkaz]

Hi EvilMax and The Imp.

 

I have a game saved just before Meronia show up and I am confused about the times.  I am in Arlax and wonder if Jaheira came back but is trapped some place.  I move to the farms and Meronia immediately shows up. The farms have very open spaces so Jaheira cannot hide . I get the message "Summoned to the Harper Hold" when Meronia and Jaheira leave. I tried CTRL-T and resting to advance the time, but Jaheira does not return. What should I do now?

 

I do not understand what EvilMax means by "CLUA-ing Jaheira returning variable to zero".  The only time I see in the CLUA list is "Advance Real Time".

 

I can use ShadowKeeper to change Globals.  Near Infinity tells me I have 19 Jaheiras in the game. I am trying to find which is in my group now.

 

SECOND PROBLEM

 

I cannot get the cave at Arlax to show.  What is the code for it?  Do I need to talk to someone?  I tried talking to everyone in Arlax without any success.

 

Thanks for all your help,

 

Tom

Edited by tomkaz, 08 March 2020 - 10:06 AM.

[tomkaz]

Hi all:

 

I am messed up.  I wrote a solution some time ago.  Titled "Was there ever a solution for Jaheira returning after leaving with Mer" (sorry, Meronia cut cut to Mer).  I followed it and even that had no luck.  I searched with Near Infinity.  I understand very little about this program but I stumbled into somethings. These were in JAHEIRA.BCS on pages 670, 684, 687, and 1589 some lines I found.

 

SetGlobalTimer("JaheiraReturn","GLOBAL", SEVEN_HOURS)

 

Global("JaheiraReturns","GLOBAL",1)

 

SetGlobal("JaheiraReturns","GLOBAL",2)

 

I think I am not putting the JaheirReturnes globals into my game at the wrong times.  I have tried several variations without any luck. Can you tell me how the find the time values and reset them?  Also I never see the game put the JaheiraReturns Global in by itself.

 

The only numbers I see in Globals that might be times in my game is Jaheira = 689358 and JaheiraReturn = 52625511.  

7 hours game time = 420 min game time = 25000 sec game time. Are 689358 and 52625511 time numbers?  If yes, what are the units?  Are they real or game units.

 

I hope this is not confusing anyone the way I am completely confused right now.

 

Tom

 

 

 

 

[tomkaz]

Hi All:

 

I just lost all.  My BGConfig lost all the setups and everything is blank.  I have lots of saved games so I will see if one will work.  But the reality is lost 6 weeks of game.  Now to start again.

 

Tom