Updates

[Echon]

True, but I hope you are using stuff like the Tutu-BGT conversion library from mods like BG1 NPC and BG1 Miniquests which should save you some time as far as that. Still have to do variable substitution of course but it's easier.

If you are referring to the TPAa with all the Tutu and BGT areas, and their corresponding variables, then yes. I do not know whose idea it was to use BaldursGateNorthEastThirdHouseSecondFloor instead of the original filename, but that was a terrible decision. It helps a bit but I also need variables for ITMs, CREs, scripts, and so on, so it still takes quite some time. So does inserting a few thousand %tutu_var%.

I can see why it makes it easier to add compatibility with BG:EE, however.

[Kulyok]

I do not know whose idea it was to use BaldursGateNorthEastThirdHouseSecondFloor instead of the original filename, but that was a terrible decision.

An emphatic yes to that.

Dialogue vars are easier, though - I just tried %NAME_JOINED% for the first time today.

[Wisp]

Would this be more appealing?

Code: [Select]

LAF fl#bg1pal STR_VAR are = ar0131 RET myare = are END //myare is ar0131 on BG1/BGEE, fw0131 on Tutu and ar7231 on BGT

LPF fl#bg1pal STR_VAR itm = slng03 RET myitm = itm END //myitm is slng03 or BG1/BGEE, _slng03 on Tutu and slng05 on BGT
LPF fl#bg1pal STR_VAR itm = sw1h15 RET myitm = itm END //myitm is sw1h15 everywhere, including on Tutu

LAF fl#bg1pal STR_VAR cre = skelwa03 RET mycre = cre END //mycre is skelwa03 on BG1/BGEE, _kelwa03 on Tutu and bgskel03 on BGT

Don't wait, start nagging today! (I just need to take another look at the exceptions for BGT and Tutu and write the documentation.)

[Echon]

It might be. I mean, it looks useful but it is difficult to tell whether using it actually takes less time. Besides, I am thankfully done with the variable substitution in FotD. Of course, it might be of use to others.

[Echon]

The lack of updates here recently has been due to my moving into a new apartment and being rather busy with that, but I picked up the TP2 this week and went back to work. And just now I successfully installed the entire mod unto Tutu, which felt really great. I started a new game just to make sure I was actually playing FotD. Entering the inn and talking to Winthrop did not crash the game so that is a good sign, at least. Of course, I also need to make sure it installs on BGT and besides, there is still quite a few entries on the to do-list but they are not vital for installing and testing the mod. There will likely be an open beta release of FotD sometime soon before I go ahead and do a full release.

[Kulyok]

Congrats about the Tutu conversion! And hope your move went well.

(Sorry about not clearing the spammers - it's Grelka/writing week, and we're busy flooding about our anonymous stories in LJ).

[Echon]

Thanks. I am more or less settled now.

The spam bots are so obvious right now that it is not even necessary to check their email and it hardly takes a minute to clear them out.

[Meddle.]

Wait, is that thing going to work on Tutu? Awesome.

[Echon]

Yes. I have playing it on Tutu a bit, gathering a party and clearing the Nashkel mines. A number of bugs have appeared and while they are mostly minor, one area failed to load and right now my savegames fail to load.

[Tinter]

Congratulations on nearing tutu release!

Just a couple of questions. Does the tutu release remain non-modular? Also, what is its compatibility expected to be like with other large mods, i.e SCS, atweaks ect.

Additionally, just a thought, while Baldur's Gate 2: Deader Fields seems likely to be a project too far and I'm sure maintenance on FOTD will take up the immediate future, is there a possibility of some of the simpler rules tweaks and spells eventually becoming a tweak pack for BG2?

[Echon]

Congratulations on nearing tutu release!

Just a couple of questions. Does the tutu release remain non-modular? Also, what is its compatibility expected to be like with other large mods, i.e SCS, atweaks ect.

Thanks. The next version will contain some optional components but the core component is still fairly large. I have been cleaning up the mod and some of the personal and rather arbitrary changes will become optional. The core component will consist of changes to rules, creatures, items and spells, new creatures, items and spells, and improved AI. I also intend to add a number of optional tweaks.

Additionally, just a thought, while Baldur's Gate 2: Deader Fields seems likely to be a project too far and I'm sure maintenance on FOTD will take up the immediate future, is there a possibility of some of the simpler rules tweaks and spells eventually becoming a tweak pack for BG2?

Sure. Since both games use many of the same files, it would be easy to install the part of FotD that changes creatures, items and spells. Of course, the new content in BG2 within these three groups should probably be updated, too, for the sake of consistency. Handmade content like changes to individual NPCs is certainly a longtime goal, if I ever decide to go that far.

[Miloch]

So I'm going to pre-empt the other inquiries you might get and ask whether a FotD-EE might be forthcoming?

[Echon]

So I'm going to pre-empt the other inquiries you might get and ask whether a FotD-EE might be forthcoming?

Absolutely. Since I have already updated FotD from non-WeiDU to WeiDU, from the BG engine to the BG2 engine, and added compatibility for both BGT and Tutu, there is no reason not to go all the way. But I really wish there were more than 24 hours per day.

[Salk]

Sure. Since both games use many of the same files, it would be easy to install the part of FotD that changes creatures, items and spells. Of course, the new content in BG2 within these three groups should probably be updated, too, for the sake of consistency. Handmade content like changes to individual NPCs is certainly a longtime goal, if I ever decide to go that far.

I'd love that.

I always kept FotD in highest regard.

[Echon]

I just installed FotD on BGT and made a character that is currently doing a few quests in chapter one. Tarnesh dropped a Short Bow +1, and the first hobgoblin outside FAI dropped a Mace +1 and Studded Leather Armor +1. I know the random loot 2DAs in Tutu and BGT are different, which is why I am currently not patching those files, but I clearly need to get this part of the mod finished.

[Echon]

I have finally had some time to work on FotD again and today I installed it on BG:EE after clearing out a number of errors in the TP2. Simply running around Candlekeep, casting some of the new spells and seeing the various changes in the mod felt really great. I am going to focus on working towards an open beta now, as much as time permits.

[Miloch]

Sweet.

[jastey]

Yay! Congrats.

[Echon]

The open beta release is getting closer. I have been using NI to check all three installations for bugs via its Illegal Resource References and Unknown IDS References tools, and a lot of errors and oversights have been fixed this way. Also, racial armours for half-orcs have been added. Besides this, I have fixed the worst of the bugs I encountered during my own playtesting. I don't want the beta to be super polished but bigger bugs I know of need to go.

[Kulyok]

Good luck.

[Echon]

Onset time for poison has been implemented. The most unpopular feature of FotD since v1 has been the changes I made to the way poison works. I always felt the original system was very unfair towards spellcasters since casting failure was nearly impossible to avoid, but I admit that my implementation was rather poor. Since BG did not support onset times, all poison became instantaneous. In P&P certain types of poison have an onset time, which is the required time poisons need to work their way through the system to reach the areas they affect. Onset is the time that elapses before the poison's effect is felt. The target suffers no ill effects during the onset and the poison may be cured by spells and items. There are still poisons with immediate effects, however.

Huge Spider, Greater Basilisk (Claw) and Ettercap poison has an onset time.
Giant Spider, Phase Spider and Wyvern poison is immediate.

Ettercaps, Greater Basilisks (Claw) and Wyverns do not poison the target on every successful hit.
Greater Basilisks now have an accurate version of their poison breath, which affects everyone within 5 feet. This poison has no onset time.

The antidote has been updated. In addition to curing any poison in the target, it protects against poison from creatures with 3HD or less, and provides a +2 bonus to save vs. poison. The duration is 6 turns.
The Slow Poison spell continues to cure poison, as does the Elixir of Health.

[Jarin]

I actually really liked the immeadiate poison effect, it made Cloakwood decidedly different from what it was in Vanilla, but this new system keeps everything in spirit anyhow. It will be very interesting to see how the effect plays out on the more stronger creatures, now that cure poison is not entirely perfect - I never could target my party with cure poison fast enough before I caught on to the immunity effect.

[Echon]

I am glad you liked it but you are the first person I know of who does not think poison was changed for the worse. But like I said, this new change also springs from my own dissatisfaction, and yes, there will still be poisons with immediate effects. I am pretty sure it is impossible to use Slow Poison against those but if you are really fast it may be possible to drink an antidote.

[Echon]

Spears have become Long Spears. In P&P the normal spear can be used as a one-handed as well as a two-handed weapon. In one hand it is comparable to other weapons, but when used in two hands it warrants little use when compared to swords and halberds. Unfortunately, the IE engine does not support one-handed spears. With the intention of making the spear a worthwhile weapon, it has been upgraded to a long spear. This larger version of the spear has the following statistics: size large (gnomes and halflings cannot use it), weight 8, speed 8, damage 2D6.

Morningstars do blunt/piercing damage.
Halberds do piercing/slashing damage (for Tutu and BGT, BG:EE already corrects this).

Gauntlets of Ogre Power, Gauntlets of Dexterity, Heavy Crossbow of Accuracy and Leather Armor +2 are back in the game in their original locations.

[Echon]

I have not posted anything here since the release of beta 3, which mainly stems from the fact that I have been enjoying the summer, and have not fought about FotD during the past three months. However, before summer arrived I had begun working on the next release, which is focused on updating all the new priest and wizard spells from BG2 that are featured in BG:EE, Tutu and Trilogy. Nearly all the priest spells have been updates, so I am almost halfway done. I will only update spells from P&P sources, however. A number of spells have been made by BioWare, or only share the name with the P&P version, and will remain unaltered. This will be the last beta release.

Afterwards I will begin working on the first full release of version 2.00. This release will feature a number of class updates, mostly for the paladin and the druid. Secondly, I need to create new unique icons for all the new spells in FotD, assuming I find a way to make BAMWorkshop work.