Two completely unrelated questions, which I include in the same thread only because I expect the answer will be the same for both.
1) Does anyone know what it is that lets beholders shoot their little rays? In NI I see no ability or item or spell that seems to do it.
2) Does anyone know how to use the "modify proficiencies" effect in NI? I want to change up some of the NPCs to make the game fresh, but am having trouble with proficiencies.
beholders and proficiencies in NI
Started by
-silas-
, Jul 09 2005 03:43 PM
8 replies to this topic
#2
Andyr
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HERR RASENKOPF
Posted 09 July 2005 - 04:26 PM
1. I believe it is controlled by their scripts - you should be able to access these quickly from their .CREs in NI. 
2. It should work the same as any other effect. What problems are you having? Try checking the probabilities and timing mode.
2. It should work the same as any other effect. What problems are you having? Try checking the probabilities and timing mode.
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#3
-Guest-
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- Guest
Posted 09 July 2005 - 10:54 PM
Looking at the modify proficiencies effect in NI, I see about twenty lines like this:
UNKNOWN: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
And some of those double zeros are replaced by numbers and letters on some lines. Now, I'm pretty sure each such line corresponds to one proficiency (since there are about twenty proficiencies), and that the numbers and letter refer to how many stars are in each proficiency. But it's greek to me; I've figured out how to manipulate the 'unknown' fields for Spell Deflection/Turning/Trap, but that was much simpler.
I could go in the game and find out which proficiencies each version of each NPC .cre has, and then match those up with the values I see in the .cre's effects in NI; but that would take a while. I figured someone here might have already done the legwork.
UNKNOWN: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
And some of those double zeros are replaced by numbers and letters on some lines. Now, I'm pretty sure each such line corresponds to one proficiency (since there are about twenty proficiencies), and that the numbers and letter refer to how many stars are in each proficiency. But it's greek to me; I've figured out how to manipulate the 'unknown' fields for Spell Deflection/Turning/Trap, but that was much simpler.
I could go in the game and find out which proficiencies each version of each NPC .cre has, and then match those up with the values I see in the .cre's effects in NI; but that would take a while. I figured someone here might have already done the legwork.
#4
hlidskialf
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Incarnation of the Eternal Ale Warrior
Posted 10 July 2005 - 12:08 AM
Ignore those profs. Those are leftover from the BG1 format. BG2 uses .eff files to assign proficiencies as mentioned by Andyr. Scroll down the cre file until you see the assigned .eff files. These will include profs, kit adjustments, local variables, etc...
Now, open one that says profs. You can easily see how it's structured. By prof reference and "number of stars". ie) Level of proficiency. Copy/change/create these as you need.
Now, open one that says profs. You can easily see how it's structured. By prof reference and "number of stars". ie) Level of proficiency. Copy/change/create these as you need.
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#5
-Guest-
-Guest-
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- Guest
Posted 10 July 2005 - 12:24 AM
Actually, you're wrong, I just figured it out. Here's the deal in case anyone else is interested: in the .cre file display in NI, in the "Effects" window, there are entries that say "Modify proficiencies (233)".
Opening up that effect, forget all the big unknown values towrd the bottom. What matters are the three "Unknown" fields right at the top, each of which has four sets of double zeros. To be more precise, it looks like this:
Type Modify proficiencies (233)
Targettype Unknown
Unknown 00 00 00 00 h
Unknown 00 00 00 00 h
Unknown 00 00 00 00 h
Duration ...
The leftmost pair of zeros in the second "Unknown" field controls how many stars the .cre will have in a given weapon. The values range simply from 01 to 05.
The leftmost pair of zeros in the third "Unknown" field controls which weapon the stars are in. It took some figuring out, but here are the values:
bastard sword: 59
long sword: 5a*
short sword: 5b
battle axe: 5c
2H sword: 5d
katana: 5e
scimitar etc: 5f
dagger: 60
war hammer: 61
spear: 62
halberd: 63
flail: 64*
mace: 65
quarterstaff: 66
crossbow: 67
long bow: 68
short bow: 69
dart: 6a
sling: 6b
2-hand style: 6f
sword & shield: 70
single-weapon: 71
two-weapon: 72
club: 73
For the most part, this is the same order in which the weapons appear in weapprof.2da. The two with * aren't initially allotted to any NPC, but I inferred them from the order in that file.
cheers
Opening up that effect, forget all the big unknown values towrd the bottom. What matters are the three "Unknown" fields right at the top, each of which has four sets of double zeros. To be more precise, it looks like this:
Type Modify proficiencies (233)
Targettype Unknown
Unknown 00 00 00 00 h
Unknown 00 00 00 00 h
Unknown 00 00 00 00 h
Duration ...
The leftmost pair of zeros in the second "Unknown" field controls how many stars the .cre will have in a given weapon. The values range simply from 01 to 05.
The leftmost pair of zeros in the third "Unknown" field controls which weapon the stars are in. It took some figuring out, but here are the values:
bastard sword: 59
long sword: 5a*
short sword: 5b
battle axe: 5c
2H sword: 5d
katana: 5e
scimitar etc: 5f
dagger: 60
war hammer: 61
spear: 62
halberd: 63
flail: 64*
mace: 65
quarterstaff: 66
crossbow: 67
long bow: 68
short bow: 69
dart: 6a
sling: 6b
2-hand style: 6f
sword & shield: 70
single-weapon: 71
two-weapon: 72
club: 73
For the most part, this is the same order in which the weapons appear in weapprof.2da. The two with * aren't initially allotted to any NPC, but I inferred them from the order in that file.
cheers
#6
-silas-
-silas-
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- Guest
Posted 10 July 2005 - 12:27 AM
...oops:
1) it occurs to me that if the 'effects' that I'm looking at are in fact .eff files, then you are precisely correct. My bad.
2) I did the 'fast reply,' and thus couldn't edit that last post to include this reconsideration. Oh well.
thx.
1) it occurs to me that if the 'effects' that I'm looking at are in fact .eff files, then you are precisely correct. My bad.
2) I did the 'fast reply,' and thus couldn't edit that last post to include this reconsideration. Oh well.
thx.
#7
Shed
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-Shed-
Posted 14 July 2005 - 03:16 PM
...oops:
1) it occurs to me that if the 'effects' that I'm looking at are in fact .eff files, then you are precisely correct. My bad.
2) I did the 'fast reply,' and thus couldn't edit that last post to include this reconsideration. Oh well.
thx.
1. Hlidskialf is correct, yes
.2. Guests can't edit their own posts, for what I hope are obvious reasons.
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#8
Lord-Jyssev
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- Member
- 451 posts
LĪJ
Posted 14 July 2005 - 07:43 PM
hmmm beholders do have spells it's their scripts that make them cast those spells... i am using shadowkeeper, and beside each name is the code and then what it is, for example: there are like 2 different disintegrate innate abilities, one automatically disintegrates them because to the side it says: disintigrate no save. and the other says beholder disintigrate...
yes, i know i am a horrible speller...
yes, i know i am a horrible speller...
#9
-silas-
-silas-
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- Guest
Posted 18 July 2005 - 01:45 PM
Ya, I understand Shed. I'm lazy and paranoid, I don't like to register for a million web forums.
As for beholders, it's just a pet peeve of mine, one of a number of annoying monster characteristics in the game. Examples: 1) I hate the DnD implementation of magic resistance, and thus I hate BG2 drow. MR should work like other resistances, ie limit the amount you are affected by a spell - not give it a chance to have full effect and a chance to do nothing. So I change drow to have effect resistance instead of magic 'resistance.' 2) Vamps and the whole level-drain thing. Firstly, since when do "levels," an out-of-game concept, equal your life-force in-game? And why does one lvl-4 priest spell protect against death attacks, while a whole different spell protects against level drain, which is essentially a death attack that can approximate an insta-kill? And, how annoying is it to run around looking for equipment that protects against level drain based on your out-of-game knowledge of game mechanics and enemy frequency? Kills suspension of disbelief. So I change vamps to drain CON instead of levels (ever read Bram Stoker?)
So ya, beholders annoy me too. They shoot rays absurdly fast. To rely on very particular items like that cloak or, worse, the shield of Balduran, is cheesy and annoying and takes my head out of the game. To bring them in line with other BG2 enemies, ie things that my big bad party can do battle with and destroy, they should either spit rays slower or give easier saves to avoid/lessen the effects. Or, to leave them as they are intended to be in PnP, ie powerful beings you only ever mess with once in a great while, they shouldn't be so commonplace. And they shouldn't roll over against summoned creatures. The whole 'summon help and go invisible' tactic is cheesy and annoying, a quirk of the game engine rather than a feature of the game.
But I don't really want to mess with scripts, so I'll leave them as is and just deal with it. Sigh.
As for beholders, it's just a pet peeve of mine, one of a number of annoying monster characteristics in the game. Examples: 1) I hate the DnD implementation of magic resistance, and thus I hate BG2 drow. MR should work like other resistances, ie limit the amount you are affected by a spell - not give it a chance to have full effect and a chance to do nothing. So I change drow to have effect resistance instead of magic 'resistance.' 2) Vamps and the whole level-drain thing. Firstly, since when do "levels," an out-of-game concept, equal your life-force in-game? And why does one lvl-4 priest spell protect against death attacks, while a whole different spell protects against level drain, which is essentially a death attack that can approximate an insta-kill? And, how annoying is it to run around looking for equipment that protects against level drain based on your out-of-game knowledge of game mechanics and enemy frequency? Kills suspension of disbelief. So I change vamps to drain CON instead of levels (ever read Bram Stoker?)
So ya, beholders annoy me too. They shoot rays absurdly fast. To rely on very particular items like that cloak or, worse, the shield of Balduran, is cheesy and annoying and takes my head out of the game. To bring them in line with other BG2 enemies, ie things that my big bad party can do battle with and destroy, they should either spit rays slower or give easier saves to avoid/lessen the effects. Or, to leave them as they are intended to be in PnP, ie powerful beings you only ever mess with once in a great while, they shouldn't be so commonplace. And they shouldn't roll over against summoned creatures. The whole 'summon help and go invisible' tactic is cheesy and annoying, a quirk of the game engine rather than a feature of the game.
But I don't really want to mess with scripts, so I'll leave them as is and just deal with it. Sigh.
