Sword Coast Strategems

[DavidW]

Sword Coast Strategems (SCS) is a new mod for BG1TUTU. It's basically a collection of the various mods I've written for my own use whilst playing TUTU over the last couple of years - since it's now in a pretty stable form, I thought I'd make it available in case it's of use to anyone else.

SCS is primarily a sort of TUTU version of Tactics. It features substantially upgraded general AI (almost all monsters call for help intelligently, choose sensible targets, and use magic items) as well as much better AI for a lot of specific types of creatures (wizards, priests, sirines, basilisks...). It enhances several types of monsters (e.g. spiders and doppelgangers) to be more challenging (hopefully without being ridiculous) and it upgrades the opponents in about 20 of the individual battles, including the end-of-chapter battles in chapters 2-7 and the end-of-quest battles in Tales of the Sword Coast. Basically the idea is to make TUTU rather more tactically challenging, rather than just making it harder by brute-force methods like tripling all the damage rolls. (It's a bit easier than Tactics though, I think!)

SCS also has a few ease-of-use functions, mostly for party-joinable NPCs - NPC pairs (e.g. Khalid and Jaheira) can be broken up without having to kill one of them; NPCs can be sent to inns when they leave the party; you get to choose all NPC weapon proficiencies when they join; you can skip the Candlekeep tutorial and just get the experience and treasure. And it makes a few other miscellaneous tweaks - for instance, it changes the plot a bit on Balduran's Isle, and it moves some NPCs so they are available to join the party rather earlier.

SCS is a Weidu mod; it's broken into 46 components and it's a 560kB download. It's compatible with BG1TUTU with or without Tales of the Sword Coast. (I believe it's compatible with both the SoA and ToB versions of TUTU but I've only tested it with the ToB version). It seems to be compatible with most other Weidu mods for TUTU. It isn't compatible with the original version of BG1.

You can get SCS here though if anyone would like to host it you'd be very welcome! I don't really know what the etiquette for these things is, so sorry if this isn't an appropriate way to advertise...

[edit: I now have hosting; URL changed to record the details]

[jester]

*Woot* ...and a Candlekeep-be-Gone to boot. Version 103 should have a Jasper cameo where he is chatting away with the old chap near the fireplace.

[Macready]

Hello -

This project of yours sounds very interesting, so I've been modding a new installation of EasyTutu (ToB based) in order to try this, the latest BG1NPC alpha, and a couple of new things I've been wanting to try but haven't yet (Sirine's Call, Finch).

The following components seemed to install without incident:

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #0 // Correct various errors on race, class etc
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #1 // Make elemental arrows more like their BG2 counterparts
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #2 // Make Protection from Normal Missiles block magical missiles
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #3 // Replace many magic weapons with fine ones
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #4 // Re-introduce potions of extra-healing
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #5 // Faster Bears
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6 // Allow player to choose NPC proficiencies and skills
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #7 // Allow NPC pairs to separate
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #10 // Third-edition druid alignment rules
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #20 // Detectable effects (Don't uninstall this if you want AI to function!)
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #21 // Smarter general AI
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #22 // Better calls for help
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #23 // Potions for NPCs
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #28 // Smarter mages
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #32 // Smarter priests
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #34 // Smarter deployment
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #36 // Dark Side-based kobold upgrade
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #37 // Smarter sirines and dryads
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #38 // Slightly harder carrion crawlers
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #39 // Smarter basilisks
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #40 // Improved doppelgangers
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #41 // Tougher Black Talons and Iron Throne guards
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #42 // Relocated bounty hunters
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #43 // Improved Ulcaster
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #44 // Improved Balduran's Isle
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #45 // Improved Durlag's Tower
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #46 // Improved Demon Cultists
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #47 // Improved miscellaneous encounters
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #48 // Tougher chapter-two end battle
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #49 // Tougher chapter-three end battle
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #50 // Tougher chapter-four end battle
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #51 // Tougher chapter-five end battle
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #52 // Tougher chapter-six end battle
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #55 // More descriptive strings for armour spells

Of the remaining components, I tried to install only one (the harder spiders component), and it bombed out on install with the following DEBUG info:

Install Component [Harder giant and phase spiders]?
nstall, or [N]ot Install or [Q]uit?
Installing [Harder giant and phase spiders]
Compiling 1 script ...
[scs/scriptmisc/dw#web.baf] parsed
Processing 1 dialogues/scripts ...
Compiling 1 script ...
[scs/scriptmisc/_pspider.baf] parsed
override/_pspider.bcs copied to scs/backup/35/_pspider.bcs, 1275 bytes
Processing 1 dialogues/scripts ...
Copying 1 file ...
[./override/_spidgi.cre] loaded, 1116 bytes
Copied [_spidgi.cre] to [override/dw#censp.cre]
Copying and patching 1 file ...
[./override/fw2101.are] loaded, 3232 bytes
override/fw2101.are copied to scs/backup/35/fw2101.are, 3232 bytes
Copied [fw2101.are] to [override/fw2101.are]
Copying and patching 1 file ...
[./override/_centeo.cre] loaded, 1176 bytes
override/_centeo.cre copied to scs/backup/35/_centeo.cre, 1176 bytes
Copied [_centeo.cre] to [override/_centeo.cre]
Copying and patching 1 file ...
[./override/_spidgi.cre] loaded, 1116 bytes
override/_spidgi.cre copied to scs/backup/35/_spidgi.cre, 1116 bytes
Copied [_spidgi.cre] to [override/_spidgi.cre]
Copying and patching 1 file ...
[./override/spwi215.spl] loaded, 346 bytes
Copied [spwi215.spl] to [override/dw#web.spl]
Copying and patching 1 file ...
[./override/spwi215.spl] loaded, 346 bytes
ERROR: illegal 1-byte write () offset 359 of 346-byte file spwi215.spl
ERROR: [spwi215.spl] -> [override/dw#web.spl] Patching Failed (COPY) (Failure("spwi215.spl: write out of bounds"))
Stopping installation because of error.
Stopping installation because of error.

I'm looking forward to seeing it in action.  I'll post any feedback I might have once I start playing.

[SimDing0™]

This does look rather good, yes. I'm fairly impressed that your first post is announcing the release of a 46-component mod.

The part which changes magical items to "fine" ones is something I've been hoping for since the dawn of time. I completely agree with your comments on the unnecessary distribution of magical weapons in the game.

[DavidW]

Macready: sorry about that. I saw (and, I thought, corrected) a similar bug when adapting SCS for non-TOTSC systems, but I see from your install list that you're running TOTSC. So I'm not quite sure what's going on.

I think I have a workaround, though. Try either downloading version 2, or just downloading the new version of setup-scs.tp2 (again, at this address). Let me know if it works...

[edit: URL changed]

[Macready]

Hello -

Macready: sorry about that. I saw (and, I thought, corrected) a similar bug when adapting SCS for non-TOTSC systems, but I see from your install list that you're running TOTSC. So I'm not quite sure what's going on.

I think I have a workaround, though. Try either downloading version 2, or just downloading the new version of setup-scs.tp2 (again, at this address). Let me know if it works...

Spiders v2 installed fine, thanks.

[Macready]

Hello -

You might want to mention in your documentation for the "Allow player to choose NPC proficiencies and skills" component that the NPC hitpoints take a few seconds to work themselves out, and that this happens *after* levelling them.  I was a bit worried about Imoen having 20 HPs when she first joined, and I can tell you from experience maintaining the Tutu HP initialization code that people do notice and worry about the brief span of time in which things are wrong, before they are sorted properly by the script code.

[Macready]

Hello -

I've noticed a bit of an AI prob as I clear the first map.  The "call for help" worked great with diseased gibberlings, but in terms of attacking, they often seemed in a sort of AI paralysis:

(http://www.usoutpost31.com/pubfiles/AIProb.jpg)

That's just me standing in place, letting a single one swing at me.  Notice there are no actual attacks happening.  Any thoughts?

[DavidW]

Able to reproduce locally... strange, I never saw anything similar in playtesting, I suspect that's because I was watching more intelligent opponents and (for reasons I'm unclear on) they seem to be less affected.

In any case I think I've identified the problem (over-frequent retesting of a creature's targetting) and I hope solved it - new version available here. Let me know if it's an improvement.

Sorry about repeated bugs - it goes to show, I guess, that no matter how much you test something locally, it still has problems. And thanks for testing this - I appreciate it.

[edit: URL changed]

[Tinter]

Great mod, tarnesh with spell protections was a plesant suprise! It is a bit odd having even such low level mages with the full set of protections, but its certainly more fun than the typical annihilation via archery.
I do think I found a bug though. When I went to fight silke, she cast monster summoning 1, and this summoned ten kobolds, which I suppose could be an inentional change but would be a slightly odd one, especially if will do that for me. The kobolds were hostile to silke however, so even if the beefing up of the spell was intentional it ended up working against her.
I haven't got much further than that, but so far its excellent, its great to have to pay attention again in most battles. I like the NPC's being moved earlier also- thats a component I've been looking out for. I realise those you didn't move have plot reasons to be where they are, but it would be nice to have a seperate component that relocated them also; as is, I know I will never use alora, for example, even with the new level-up-on-joining system.

[DavidW]

Great mod, tarnesh with spell protections was a plesant suprise! It is a bit odd having even such low level mages with the full set of protections, but its certainly more fun than the typical annihilation via archery.

I think it's less odd than you think, though. Tarnesh is a 5th level mage (so says his .CRE file, and you can deduce it in-game from the power of his magic missiles). So he gets 4 1st level spells, 2 2nd, and one 3rd. He pre-casts Mirror Image (L2), Armour (L1) and Pro/NM (L3), leaving him with 2 MMs, a Sleep, and a Horror for offense.

That's not quite true, actually: he will re-cast Mirror Image if you let him. There are a few places where the mod cheats mildly like that, invariably down to laziness on my part - it's fiddly and memory-expensive to edit the spells of a bunch of mages, much simpler to auto-script them, but occasionally that means slightly too many or too few spells. I considered being more diligent with this, but BG1 is so random in the number of spells it grants to mages (and priests) that I decided it wasn't worth it. (If you like, assume he's really L6 or has a scroll - but judging from your post you don't mind anyway!)

I do think I found a bug though. When I went to fight silke, she cast monster summoning 1, and this summoned ten kobolds, which I suppose could be an inentional change but would be a slightly odd one, especially if will do that for me. The kobolds were hostile to silke however, so even if the beefing up of the spell was intentional it ended up working against her.

The extra kobolds are (I think) a consequence of the BG1 Summons component of TUTU-Fix. But the fact that they attack Silke at all is my fault. It's what you might call a "stealth bug" in the original game - Silke has a script which tells her to attack any red-circled creatures she can see, which doesn't do anything at all in the core game but kicks in when she tries to summon anything. I'll fix it in the next day or so; if you want a quicker fix and you can edit .CRE files with Near Infinity or something similar, just delete the "_eeenemy.bcs" entry from "_silke.cre".

I like the NPC's being moved earlier also- thats a component I've been looking out for. I realise those you didn't move have plot reasons to be where they are, but it would be nice to have a seperate component that relocated them also; as is, I know I will never use alora, for example, even with the new level-up-on-joining system.

The problem is it's kind of difficult to move the remaining ones. You can't move Dynaheir or Skye without breaking Minsc's and Eldoth's plots; you can't move Yeslick without confusing a lot of Cloakwood Mines dialogue; you can't move Alora without confusing the temple quest. I guess Faldorn is marginal but she does belong very naturally in the Cloakwood.

Thanks for the comments!

[ronin]

Excellent mod, this might make me actually install TUTU for the second time in my life.  Question tho, whats the chance of getting a BGT compatible version? 

Before everyone starts flamming me over this (SimDingo), its just a question   

ronin

[cmorgan]

I am very interested to see how you have done this moving NPC stuff... we are just wrapping up a Domi/Ashara+Dorotea+thebigg  collaboration for moving Alora, Eldoth, Quayle and Tiax starting positions. I will take a look at how to make sure that we don't conflict, so that if your component is installed first BG1NPC's will not install

[Andyr]

Well done on your first mod! Also, check your PMs...

[Tinter]

Tarnesh is a 5th level mage (so says his .CRE file, and you can deduce it in-game from the power of his magic missiles).

I thought he was 3-4... more fool me, I guess.

The extra kobolds are (I think) a consequence of the BG1 Summons component of TUTU-Fix.

I don't have that component installed, its the first time I've had summons like that.

The problem is it's kind of difficult to move the remaining ones. You can't move Dynaheir or Skye without breaking Minsc's and Eldoth's plots; you can't move Yeslick without confusing a lot of Cloakwood Mines dialogue; you can't move Alora without confusing the temple quest. I guess Faldorn is marginal but she does belong very naturally in the Cloakwood.

Yeah, I know they are horribly sequence breaking. I just hate having anyone after cloakwood, its largely wishful thinking.

[DavidW]

Some replies...

Tinter (re: kobold summons)... strange. When I run SCS without the Tutufix BG1 summons, I just get Silke summoning a worg. Not quite sure what to suggest - if it bothers you, CLUAconsole in a scroll of monster summoning I ("_scrl1l"), cast it, and email me the result together with weidu.log.

cmorgan: it moves Eldoth, Quayle and Tiax in a terribly simple-minded way - just by editing their location in BALDUR.GAM and relying on the fact that at least in the original BG1, nothing really hangs on where they are. (That's why it irritated me how inaccessible they are... there are reasons why you can't get at, e.g., Yeslick till later.)

ronin69hof: I've never played BGT and don't really plan to (I find it conceptually cleaner to keep the games separate, though I wouldn't want to force that on anyone else). So I don't think I'm competent to convert SCS to BGT, though if anyone else wants to I'll happily co-operate!

[yarpen]

Hmm... sounds good! I'm probably going to create a translation. Where I can send TRA's (mail)

[Andyr]

The email address is given at the mod's site, linked to in the first post.

[w.d.]

I have a question or two, tho I should say that Im not big on mods (very small actually).
Anyways, I installed all the components, then I installed some components of tutu tweaks after, the first problem I encountered was that montron got all messed up (tututweaks made him an assasin but) he had 1 hp, actually -something but max of 1, and you couldnt damage him.. I uninstalled that component of tweaks, and he was working ok. I checked khalid and he was fine, a f/m (proficiencies distributed but that I can understand).
Then I realised that all joinable npcs walk faster than the pc. I checked their speeds with SK, they were all 0, but in fact they were 3, because I had to set my pc to that for him to keep up. Im fairly sure scs made this change.
The next problem was/is, after I completed nashkel mine, every time I try going to nashkel the game crashes. I tried from carnival, same deal...
So, if anyone could shed some light on my predicaments it would be apreciated.

[berelinde]

A few funnies. I hesitate to call them bugs, because they don't actually affect gameplay all that much.

Ajantis now has an undroppable sword in weapon slot 1. This sword is invisible to SK, so it really is stuck there.
Boo shows up in Minsc's inventory *and* his quickslot.
Minsc doesn' t have his dual-wielding profs he should have as a ranger.

I have a slightly unusual installation of the NPC project, so let me know if you'd like my WeiDU log.

[DavidW]

Response to w.d. :

Hi,

Sorry you're having trouble - thanks for trying the mod!

I'm struggling to reproduce most of the bugs you're mentioning.

But I can reproduce the most serious one: the crash at Nashkel. This is (I think) to do with a clash between SCS and the Improved Walking Speeds patch from TUTUFix.

Do the following:
- UNINSTALL the Walking Speeds component of TUTUfix
- RE-INSTALL SCS
- RE-INSTALL the Walking Speeds component of TUTUfix.

See if that helps.

I can't get the negative-hit-point Montaron (though I remember something vaguely similar in playtesting). When he joins your party, does he get the option to level up, and is he okay after that?

SCS really shouldn't mess with walking speeds, it doesn't go near that bit of the code as far as I recall. Try uninstalling SCS - do they still move at weird speeds? It's quite likely that the UNINSTALL/REINSTALL above will help...


best wishes


David

[DavidW]

It turns out that Sword Coast Strategems doesn't like to play with the Slower Walking Speeds component of TUTUfix - that seems to be what's causing most of the bugs people have reported. There's a new version up now that should fix that (it also fixes a CTD when you go to Ulcaster that I caught, due to a late-in-the-day file rename).

[Andyr]

The Walking Speeds component patches all creatures, so what we've had to do with for example Mur'Neth is detect whether it is installed, and if so patch him to fix the walking speed too. A little fiddly, but there's some code on the G3 Wiki to tell you how to do it. Unfortunately, it's still down. Let me know if you can't find it when it is up, unless you've already caught and fixed this issue yourself.

The Montaron issue could be because we replace his .CRE file (since we change a lot of stuff about him), so depending on how you've coded your NPC/weapon proficiency stuff there could be a class there. Again, we could work out some sort of file check whereby if one of the mods (SCS or the Assassin Montaron bit of Tweaks) is installed some different code is executed. There may be an issue with Khalid, too, as there's a component to make him a Fighter/Mage rather than straight Fighter.

[DavidW]

The Walking Speeds component patches all creatures, so what we've had to do with for example Mur'Neth is detect whether it is installed, and if so patch him to fix the walking speed too.

Ok, that hadn't occurred to me... yes, there are a very few (about eight) creatures in SCS whose .cre files are overwritten rather than patched, and I'll need to make them have slower walking speeds. (It's not a high priority, none of them are in a location where it's likely to be noticeable).

The original incompatibility was rather more drastic! (but is now fixed, touch wood)

The Montaron issue could be because we replace his .CRE file (since we change a lot of stuff about him), so depending on how you've coded your NPC/weapon proficiency stuff there could be a class there.

Yes, I'm pretty sure that's the problem with Monty. It's easy enough to tell my code not to do the start-at-level-0 thing for the new Monty - I'll fix that next release (that will mean if you use the new versions of Monty and Khalid you won't get to choose their proficiencies, which I guess in the long term we could look at fixing jointly.)

[Captn_Immort]

I think this mod could use some TRA-ification...