Tactics mod - BG2EE compatibility - conversion and beta test

Musigny

Hello,
As agreed by some of us on another thread, here is a first post / placeholder for a discussion on Westley Weimer's Tactics2 components and their compatibility with BG2EE.

First introduction.

@Gotural , @Blackraven ,
As announced, please find attached a first package for your beta test expertise.

As this mod is not mine, I decided to encapsulate the old mod without premodifying anything. All modifications are done at install time. Moreover the paradigm is to patch rather than overwrite. The weidu code is entirely rewritten.
The focus is on the compatibility and bugs. I have no intent/talent to work on the AI itself.
Therefore all dialogs and translations come from the original files. (I just experienced a little psycho-rigid moment with the translation of Pushkin's work but this is ultra minor - more to read in the Iliych tpa file itself)
The various deployed objects are, by order of priority,
- a patched version of an EE file
- a copy of the original mod if totally new and acceptable
- a copy and patched version of the original mod (because this is often required)
Sometimes I used a modified inlined script rather than the original mod bcs/baf though.

When dealing with some components I was eager to not interfer with the new EE content (basically all the oh* files from the BP2 and new areas/npcs/adventures).
That gives me extra work but I have two reasons to do so: lack of solid knowledge of the new content and, more importantly, there is an enhanced AI work associated to those new EE files - it would be silly to alter those things.

Thanks to the handle_charset function now available in weidu (with a better logic), the original tra files are translated into UTF-8 required by the EE version. However my implementation really stinks at the moment, it just works but I will change it. The ideal solution would be to pretranslate and distribute the final files but I don't want to distribute a modified file without the proper consent of the author(s).
Btw, the original mod is to be unzipped under a directory of my own tree. For this early test (and I saw nothing preventing a redistribution, let me know) I already included the unzipped original mod.

I don't know how much free time I will have this weekend and I am sure to be unavailable next week. Hence this early drop.

For this alpha20 for BG2EE only, you will find
- the UTF-8 translation stuff that triggers when you install your first component (no matter which one).
- As announced Improved Ilyich (a lot of work - more on this below)
- Kuroisan per Gotural's suggestion (so far basically no work beyond the charset transformation)
- a list of low hanging fruits and other smarter creatures components. Clearly not what you requested guys but I already wrote them back in March to learn and practise the weidu language and also to learn more about the BG2 setup, typically which creature uses which script. A couple of implementations are now much more selective (undead, golems, etc...)
- the archer kit. I thought it would take a few minutes to write the code for the two kits. Well, for the archer that was the case but the anti-paladin gave me a little headache, we will have to discuss this kit if someone is still interested.

I had the time to test almost... nothing.
I verified the kit and I tested the Improved Ilyich which is the largest piece.
I do not suggest testing/using the improved creatures yet but I inserted a little group of questions at Ilyich install time: please see it, I think it's self-explanatory (despite my English) and it offers the options to test Ilyich as if other components were also deployed (choice #1). It would also be nice to get a feedback on the mod behaviour once combined with SCS and/or aTweaks (choice #2 for all questions but the last one).
I would appreciate if you could test
1) dropping Imoen/Jaheira/Minsc/Yoshimo out of the party I know it used to crash some games in the original versions.
2) dialog with Ilyich (I did test it but a confirmation would be nice).
3) Spawn points on the first level. I kept using the spawn point mechanics on the first floor. Apparently the author and I share some problems to fully understand the black magic behind those (i.e. control the number of creatures). W.Weimer used a trick on the first map and apparently failed to implement what he wanted on the second map (I failed too and decided to deactivate the 2nd level spawn points and used a couple of triggers/traps instead).
4) Beyond the first 12 hours, a group of duergars will appear "offscreen" every 6 hours. IIRC those guys used to appear just out of sight, now in EE they can appear far away. Let me know (I am clueless).

Ah yes, adding a few ammunitions to the jailkeep table was performed through a script after the game start. I preferred to modify the area container instead. Apparently it takes time to complete when you install the mod but that's ok.

Comments, Insults, Suggestions: your turn.

Content
// WIP

The current package includes:

- Improved Ilyich
Original version converted to BG2EE - modifications in patch mode, bug fixes. There is an option to use enhanced script if you don't deploy another tactical mod enhancing the generic dwarves.
- The Ritual
Original version converted to BG2EE with several fixes.
- Improved Torgal
Original version with many fixes - installed in patch mode.
- Improved Sahuagin City
Original version converted to BG2EE - modifications in patch mode.
- Improved Bodhi
Original version converted to BG2EE + fixes and modifications.
- Improved Irenicus
Original version converted to BG2EE + fixes and modifications.
- Improved Guarded Compound
Original version + fixes.
- Improved Twisted Rune
Original version + fixes.
- "Kuroisan", the Acid Kensai
Original version converted to BG2EE.
- "Red Badge" Poison-Based Encounter
Original version converted to BG2EE with patches.
- Gebhard Blucher's Improved Mae'Var
Original version with minor enhancements.
- Gebhard Blucher's Lich in the Docks
Original version slightly modified and converted to BG2EE.
- Gebhard Blucher's Improved Demon Knights
Original version slightly modified for a better deployment on BG2EE. Slightly altered AI.
- Kensai Ryu's Tougher Kangaxx
Original content + fixes and you can choose to deploy Tougher Kangaxx (demi-lich) or its guardians or both.
- Kensai Ryu's Gnome Fighter/Illusionist in the Docks
Original version slightly modified and converted to BG2EE.
- Kensai Ryu's Improved Crypt King
Original version with a slightly altered AI.
- Ishan's "Always Toughest Random Spawns in Dungeons"
Original scope but rewritten and modified to select your own values.
- Gebhard Blucher's Random City Encounters
Original version with patches.
- Kensai Ryu's Random Wilderness Encounters
Original version with many fixes.
- Improved Undead
Original and Altered version for a fine-grained selection of the appropriate undead creatures. No modification to the AI scripts.
- Gebhard Blucher's Improved Mind Flayers
Original and Altered version for a fine-grained selection of the appropriate undead creatures. No modification to the AI scripts. Psionic "spells" are patched.
- Smarter Dragons
Original version slightly modified.
- Smarter Beholders
Altered version with a few minor tweaks.
- Smarter Vampires
Original version.
- Smarter Mages
Original version slightly modified. No modification to the AI script. This component also modifies the Liches (original behaviour).
- Slightly Smarter Golems
Original and Altered version to more selectively modify the appropriate golems.
- Göran Rimén's Improved Nymph
Original version.
- Kensai Ryu's Improved Copper Coronet
Original version (just twelve additional foes, no script - not the real KR version as in DSoA).
- SimDing0's Improved Oasis (obsolete)
Original version in patch mode. Do not use that version, use the full version from QuestPack instead.
- Mike Barnes's Improved Small Teeth Pass
Original version in patch mode.
- Mike Barnes's Improved North Forest
Original version in patch mode - a few minor alterations.
- Mike Barnes's Marching Mountains
Original version with small adaptations.
- Slightly Tougher Demons
Original version with fixes and tweaks.
- Tougher Druid Grove
Original version with minor modifications - patch mode.
- Tougher Fire Giants
Original version with a few patches.
- Streamlined Trolls
Direct transposition + an extension to modify some spells dealing with the troll play-dead sequence.
- Generic Archer Kit
Original Kit converted to BG2EE.
- Anti-Paladin Kit
Altered version with fixes and without "dispel on hit with any melee weapon".

Latest version : alpha73 - February 21, 2016
Please consult the readme file under the eetact2 directory
Both the current version and the version n-1 (or older) are attached to this post, use only one of them.

Gotural

Superb !

I installed it on a vanilla BG2:EE setup first. I'll do some intensive testing in the following hours.

Musigny

@Gotural and all unknown users ,
Many thanks for your time.

Here is the alpha 22.
No need to reinstall what you just installed. All existing components are strictly equivalent to the components in alpha20 with one ultra minor modification to the improved undead.
For those still interested in the v0.22: there are three new components, two no brainers:
-Improved Copper Coronet (no Gorf fix but otherwise identical to the original mod).
-Improved Crypt King (you can safely ignore the inserted menu, that is just something I want to test later on)
and one little mod adaptation which has required more work (and will require some testing).
-G.Blucher's lich in the docks.

This morning, I put improved Ilyich to the test and there are two things I am not totally pleased with:
- Spawn points... if you sneak and stealthy go to the left corridors on the first map, there are three successive spawn points and they(num2 and 3) do not systematically trigger. The will normally appear if you fight them one after the other though. I have no valid vanilla BG2 install right now and I cannot compare it with the previous behavior.
- CreateCreatureOffscreen (related to the unexpected duergars created every 6 hours) seems to create creatures at a certain distance and that was not the case previously IIRC (again I will have to compare the two). If there is a change in the engine then this will also affect the Kuroisan mod that you wanted me to migrate, it also uses the same call to create the encounter.

Probably no work from me tomorrow and I will be unavailable almost all week long.
But I will be glad to read your comments and please do not hesitate to tell me which component should be next on the list, I will migrate it during the week end if I can.

CrevsDaak

Nice! I'll test it as soon as I install BG2:EE (with aTweaks, SCS, WSR, RR and the Item Randomiser).

Musigny

Thank you @CrevsDaak , It would be much appreciated.

Package alpha 24
The package now includes:
- Improved Ilyich
- "Kuroisan", the Acid Kensai
- Gebhard Blucher's Lich in the Docks
- Kensai Ryu's Gnome Fighter/Illusionist in the Docks
- Kensai Ryu's Improved Crypt King
- Improved Undead
- Smarter Dragons
- Smarter Vampires
- Smarter Mages
- Slightly Smarter Golems
- Göran Rimén's Improved Nymph
- Kensai Ryu's Improved Copper Coronet
- Generic Archer Kit
- Anti-Paladin Kit (I had to alter the anti-paladin kit - bugs and non sense)

The Improved Ilyich component has been tested.
The other components have not been tested yet. Hence the alpha state.

Gotural

I'm a bit late but I tested the Improved Ilyich component with a vanilla setup, it went very well. The only thing I found is the duergar group in the corridor west of the genie doesn't always spawn if you rush through the level quickly enough.

I will now test Kuroisan.

Musigny

Thanks for your time and feedback.
You are not late, you are the first to provide a feedback!

OK, I understand that even the first duergar group may not spawn. I will probably move to another method.
Did it behave as intended on the second floor (a little group in the corridor between the mephit room and the bridge + another group next to the forge) ?

Gotural

The group next to the forge was present, but I didn't see the one between the mephit room and the bridge.

I didn't notice at first, but now that I'm playing with the sound I'm nearly sure that every duergars groups are speaking in german, I don't know if this is the original behaviour, I installed both the game and the mod in english.

Next I tried Kuroisan, I took Celestial Fury in order to have a Katana that will attract him, but I still read that sometimes it takes ages for him to appear, so first I used the CluaConsole to spawn him and everything went perfectly according to videos I have seen, the dialogue, the AI, etc.

Although I still don't know if he can leave the fight if it takes too long, I killed him pretty quickly this time.

Afterward I reloaded, this time I want to try if he can spawn naturally and I want to try to make him leave by waiting long enough, so I went for the gnome Fighter/Illusionist in the docks.

Most if not everything went fine, at one point he casted instantly a spell without anything appearing in the combat log but it could be the original behaviour I'm not sure. Also, moving the camera shakes the screen in the house where the fight occured.

I'm going to do these fights again to collect more datas.

Thanks again for your excellent work !

Musigny

@Gotural
Improved Ilyich : first duergar group on the second level. Did you use CRTL-J or use a movement speed modifier ? For the latter I may try to use a larger trap to see if this has an influence.

Kuroisan:
I really modified nothing with this guy. Just the initial charset conversion of his dialog.
Conditions to create him
-be in city or outdoor map
-not in chapter 4 or 5
-have celestial fury or improved celestial fury from the item upgrade mod or malakar in one of the quick weapon slots (anyone not just you)
-not in fighting mode

This creates a 1 day timer and the next time you travel to another map, the condition are checked again and then Kuroisan appears.
There is a particlar exclusion case if you already have his own weapon equipped (Sanchuudoku, the ultra cheesy katana, I really wanted to make that weapon undroppable but I respect the author's work).
The moment he can see you for the first time, the initial dialog starts and a counter is created. Either you give him the katana he wants or the fight starts. In the latter case when the 5 minute timer (at normal speed) expires he leaves.
The next time he meets you, there is no timer and he fights until his end (or yours).

I believe that the general idea behind this very old mod is to demonstrate how superior a fighter/mage is (e.g. Solaufein mod, W.Weimer's original work). Here is an opponent who is highly buffed and has a top-level equipment but he has no chance against a valid fighter mage.
We can make it slightly more difficult for every class.
With a mini menu at install time, I can optionally change the retaliation feature to make it pass through the usual magic defense. Or perhaps a simple global variable check to make him equip a premodified version of the sword. What are your thoughts about it ?

Gnome F/I:
In this case there is also a dialog file but it is "auto-translated" as it uses no external lines of dialog, this is just a clever combination of existing sentences. Not even a bit of work to port it to BG2EE.
Nevertheless I modified a few things.
I made some of his stats legal (slightly modified saving throws, inverted his Fighter and Mage levels, I also raised his intelligence but that is a mistake, I will roll it back). Nothing fundamental though.
I also added a missing file required by one of the familiar script. Most people never noticed the issue because they also deployed the Kangaxx component which deployed this file.
There was a compiler warning about a null declaration for one spell in one of the random contingencies.

As regards the message, I will check, I am not yet experienced enough but I guess this may simply come from the way the spell is cast. In the gnome case, a few spells are cast normally, many other also require him to know/memorize those spells but they are non interruptible and cast instantly. Finally another long list does not require to have the spell memorized and they are also uninterruptible, cast instantly to simulate a contingency (but they are also used outside such contingency simulations).

From my perspective the most important things to test with the illusionist are:
-Behavior of the familiars, one is supposed to take down your defenses, the other directly casts attack spells at you. The first one can also trigger a mislead if its HP drop below 50%.
-Does one of the familiar launch its ADHW?
-Does the gnome use his simulacrum appropriately and does that simulacrum act "normally"? That is supposed to occur when his stoneskins are running low.
-Does he use his Blade of Disaster / Tenser transfo combination (it is a bit random).

More generally if you let him/them live (with invulnerability cheats on you if required), do the encounters continue to attack you in an "intelligent" way?

I will try to release the improved Kangaxx component by the end of the day but I want to modify the installation procedure so that people get an option to cleanly use both SCS for Kangaxx (arguably easier than this version) and the Tactics2 guardians on the first floor. The presence of these guardians is a good idea even for the new player who can understand it is better to postpone that quest (well I suppose this is the case when someone sees two liches and a couple of fighters).

Gotural

@Musigny

Improved Ilyich :

I didn't use anything that made me faster, I'll try again to see if the group spawns.


Kuroisan :

I'm not against that, but in my opinion Kuroisan is too weak against Invisibility spells.

Illusionist :

-The familiars are behaving correctly, with the Spell Trigger 3x Pierce Shield, the Contingency 50% Mislead etc. One of them is casting ADHW.
-The gnome casts Simulacrum and it behaved correctly, he also used his BBoD + Tenser combo.
-The gnome and the familiars didn't always follow me to the first floor or outdoor, sometime they would split themselves.

I'll do it again to see if they continue to act normally.

CrevsDaak

Gotural said:

I'm a bit late but I tested the Improved Ilyich component with a vanilla setup, it went very well. The only thing I found is the duergar group in the corridor west of the genie doesn't always spawn if you rush through the level quickly enough.

I will now test Kuroisan.

I did meet the group, but I'm not sure if it's that I spent too much time fighting the Ogre Mage from the Djinni or what. Tested with alpha 22 only (so far, gonna test with the latest version when I am able to).

Musigny

@Gotural @CrevsDaak
Thanks for your reports.

@CrevsDaak
Do you know how other modders or yourself fixed such a sound issue ?
The cre files provided with Tactics2 have some sounds defined. As far as I understand they use standards string refs which are associated with the usual female/male sounds. (for instance stringref 16235-16247)
In the original game those wav file references were stored in the DeSound.bif and we could hear them in English. Typically the files with a naming convention such as Male00xx.wav
In BG2EE the american dialog.tlk still contains such string refs with those associated sounds stored in DeSound.bif but the sounds you get are in German.
There seems to be a direct naming convention analogy between those Male00xx file and the "overridding" files named Malexx found under lang/en_US/sounds.
Do people use a quick and dirty procedure : copy and rename files from lang/en_US/sounds to the override folder ?

Blackraven

Hey @Musigny, you have my compliments for your efforts so far and my respect for the speed with which you're working. I've been and still am quite busy these days due to some unexpected extra (translation) work. I've hardly kept track of forum activity and much less played Baldur's Gate since last week. Sorry for bailing out for now. I might join Gotural, CrevsDaak and other later this month.

One thing doesn't the latest version of Big Picture, as managed by @horredtheplague, make certain parts of Tactics BG2EE-compativle already? If so, it might be recommendable to check which parts of the mod are compatible and which aren't.

Musigny

@Blackraven
Thanks for the kind words. It is not too late to join us
The whole month (elapsed time) is probably an optimistic evaluation to get all things managed.
You will still have things to test if you want to!

I will check what's in Big Picture.
Please remember that I try to do all modifications on the fly based on the original content - a replacement of the install procedure but no premodifications of the deployed files. If what we test works then I will propose the modifications to the author or anyone managing the release cycle. I have no intent (and no right) to release a Tactics2 v26+.

Several components required no particular effort to make them run on BG2EE but I am cautious. (typically the Kensai Ryu's and Gebhard Blucher's jewels).
One the other hand Improved Ilyich took (and still takes) time because 1) it is not something entirely new, it actually replaces some sequences/creatures/scripts of the game sometimes in a bad way and 2) even the latest official version has bugs (for instance damaging the first ARE file). I expect other components such as improved Irenicus (no longer part of SCS IIRC) to be a long task too.
A third category encompasses the smarter "creatures". The conversion is almost immediate if you accept the way it was implemented. I worked on those components back in March with no intention to release them, they were just case studies I used to learn the weidu syntax. They may all look easy to include, sometimes a one liner command but if you try to improve the situation this may prove wrong.

At the moment the conversion speed is rather slow, you think I was fast because I dealt with some of those components back in March. If I exclude Improved Undead (the implementation of which may seem uselessly complex for the end user - really a double case study), Improved Ilyich took me more time than all other cumulated. And there are several components of this type in the mod.

CrevsDaak

Musigny said:

The cre files provided with Tactics2 have some sounds defined. As far as I understand they use standards string refs which are associated with the usual female/male sounds. (for instance stringref 16235-16247)
In the original game those wav file references were stored in the DeSound.bif and we could hear them in English. Typically the files with a naming convention such as Male00xx.wav
In BG2EE the american dialog.tlk still contains such string refs with those associated sounds stored in DeSound.bif but the sounds you get are in German.
There seems to be a direct naming convention analogy between those Male00xx file and the "overridding" files named Malexx found under lang/en_US/sounds.
Do people use a quick and dirty procedure : copy and rename files from lang/en_US/sounds to the override folder ?

Yes, it won't break anything if you check for the language to be english (ACTION_IF "%LANGUAGE%" STR_CMP "american" BEGIN should do the job), otherwise some people might complain about that. And if you want the check to be more extensive you can read the weidu.conf file and see if the language is english, and if it isn't and the mod is being installed in english you could prompt the user. The code isn't too complicated:

COPY_EXISTING - weidu.conf weidu.conf
  READ_ASCII 0x0 cont (16)
BUT_ONLY

ACTION_IF "%LANGUAGE%" STR_CMP "american" && "%cont%" STR_CMP "lang_dir = en_US" BEGIN
 // copy the sounds to /override/ ...
END

Musigny

@CrevsDaak
Thanks, I will do as you suggest.
My question was more focused on "if they do it" rather than "how they do it" because even if the trick works I think that's dirty.
I am not saying that English must always be the default setting for everything but hearing those strings in German was quite surprising - perhaps something that beamdog should fix.

Musigny

Hello guys,

version alpha 26 - attached to the first post of this thread.
same as alpha 24 +
- cosmetic changes
- stupid fix : standard male files overridden to fix the sound issue (voices in German) - hopefully. Let me know if there is something wrong with the female voices too. Now you get 155 male voice files in your override folder. Yes feel free to insult me .
WARNING this will "fix" any component/mod - not just this one. I hope I do not interfere with a feature of another mod. If you know another fix for it, please let me know.
- Added Kensai Ryu's Tougher Kangaxx + a few fixes and a split of the components. You can choose to deploy Tougher Kangaxx himself and/or his guardians independently. Typically you may want to deploy the guardians and use SCS for Kangaxx himself. Please note that Tougher Kangaxx is likely to be harder than the SCS version if he can correctly open a gate for his friends. The lich form of Kangaxx still uses the standard script meaning that it remains not enhanced if you don't deploy the general Smarter Mages or SCS for instance. If you want an option to specifically allocate a script equivalent to the smarter mages script without impacting the other creatures, just let me know (this is what I did for Improved Ilyich for the beta test), this is just a couple of lines to add.

A note for @Blackraven
This illustrates our previous exchange.
Kangaxx has no additional dialog hence no charset conversion. As far as I can tell the vast majority of its script works fine with BG2EE. No conversion effort per se but...
A few fixes to implement anyway and more interestingly a little comparison.
I lost / have no access to the original Kensai Ryu's work but I know three different packages containing part of his/her work: Tactics2, BP, and a repackaging of Deeper Shadows of Amn.
In Tactics2, KR's work on the guardians was a little bit modified but the kangaxx script itself is totally replaced (W.Weimer).
BP imports/merges both Tactics and the KR work but it ultimately rejects the Tactics2 modifications. As such it uses the original Kangaxx script which arguably makes Kangaxx an easy foe, easier than its guardians. In the DSoA and BP repackaging some scripts use the round as a unit of time. I am not sure this is wrong but the compiler complains because it is not declared in the appropriate ids file whereas W.Weimer replaced/fixed those variables with numeric values.
If I renew the tactics mod then I clearly need to work with the tactics version. I am not saying there are no good ideas in the other mods but I really want to keep a certain level of consistency.

One funny point without any consequence:
All packages conscientiously try to create a guardian that does not exist (anymore). It looks like a fighter in addition to the dwarf on steroids and the dual wielding F, F like fighter or flails even if he fights with blades. The creature name file is KRSWD1H. I guess it's a fighter with a single handed sword.
I believe that this thread is followed by 10 regular readers at most, for now. Nevertheless if one of you has a funny idea for this creature, without increasing the difficulty too much, I will be glad to implement it as an option. Or perhaps someone knows the original content.

Musigny

Version alpha28 available
It adds:
-Gebhard Blucher's Improved Demon Knights
-Gebhard Blucher's Improved Mae'Var

The first one is micro mod with minimal improvements. (Demon Knights in the Underdark Kuo-Toa cave).
The second one spices up the battle with MaeVar. It adds a familiar, the scripts boost the assassins (Fighter/Thieves), priest of Cyric (Fighter/Cleric) and MaeVar (Mage/Thief) AIs as well as the stats to a lesser extent.
Don't use the Maevar part yet unless you want to help me test that component (and its interferences with Stratagems).

package attached to the first post.

brunardo

I noticed alot of these components are in BP mod, are they the same or taken from tactics ?

Musigny

@brunardo
I cannot not give you a general answer.
I am not sure but I believe that several components of Tactics were imported into BP back in 2006. It does not mean that W.Weimer was the original author.

In Tactics the title of the component is self explanatory, it quotes the primary author. When no specific author is mentionned, it means it's written by Westley Weimer. One exception is Xyx's beholders but this mod was substantially edited. As far as I can tell all components have been somewhat modified by W.W. .

Some original components were also grouped and packaged by their own author. Kensai Ryu's Deeper Shadows of Amn comes to mind.

As explained earlier I prefer to continue working with W.Weimer's versions.
Clearly there are components I want to play with (Improved Ilyich, Improved Irenicus, KR and GB named encounters, Adalon...) but I also deal with the others for various reasons including weidu/NI practice, better understanding of BG2 and a form of historical curiosity (not to say nostalgia).

Where the functions overlap, I recommend using David Wade's Stratagems (SCS) instead of Tactics and BP.

brunardo

Thanks @Musigny this gives me a bit better idea. the general consensus is SCS is the best but like acsension on BP working for EE and still trying to figure out which one to go with for my next playthrough. I played the final battle with BP and some side quests (poison encounter, ritual) and was great but final battle buggy...guessing no bugs on SCS as its EE compatible.

Musigny

@brunardo
There are contradictory reports pertaining to the final ascension battle and BP.
I tend to believe this comes from a conflict between setups, not specifically a BP issue.
BP ascension is nice because it fixes several syntax errors in the scripts. However it also comes with options which somewhat modify the original ascension mod. Anyway it does not take into account the story and script modifications included in EE.
IMHO the best setup is not compatible with EE: Weidu-ascension / G3 fixpack / Stratagems scripts for ascension.
Despite what I read on this forum, weidu-ascension has several bug fixes, this is not a language translation mod. It overrides some important files but not to a point that makes the game unplayable. What's noticeably wrong are the errors in the AI scripts which, by essence, disappear once you override them with the specific SCS scripts. If you implement that combination then make sure you use SCS v30, the previous versions have non neglectable bugs.

Anyway, all of that does not pertain to Tactics2
And I hope that some guy will update Ascension in the near future. Well, if not, perhaps it will be time to give it a try. From an implementation standpoint I made an in-depth analysis of a single battle (Abazigal) but I am still ignorant about most of the other components. Nevertheless I am sure that any guy attempting to modify those sequences needs to be cautious about the new dialog files which seem to use several state weights and this may not facilitate the dialog additions. Obviously we also need a real and "official" author to write the additional content related to the new NPCs.

Rylorn23

I have question @Musigny. Since blackguard is considered as Anti-paladin, shouldn't this kit be also able to use Tactics Unholy Reaver like other evil warriors? I remember, that Sarevok, Korgan and Keldorn with helm of opposite alignment changed to chaotic evil were able to use the sword like Anti-paladin kit. Can you later make that blackguards can use Unholy reaver as well? I tried put that sword from this mod to the override file and when I check it in Near Infinity, there was some Viconia's text dialogue from Dorn's wedding masacre. This sword is much better than Ir'revrykal and Soul Reaver+6 from Item Upgrade has dispel magic bug: when I hit someone with it, the creature is under the effect of dispel magic animation every 10 seconds. And that's really annoying. Regardless, I would like to use this Unholy Reaver as Blackguard and I prefer Carsomyr appearance and colors. Thanks!

Musigny

@Rylorn23
Just copying such an item won't work 100%. In the mod installation procedure, that sword has external string references, potentially in several languages. You need to tell the installer which stringref you want to associate to and install with the sword. Weidu does the job.

Back to the kit itself, I must admit I am no big fan. I thought it was easy to just add the conversion for the two kits. Adding the Archer kit was a matter of minutes. With the anti-paladin that was a different story:
- I removed/ignored the additional files relating to the Giths.
- fixed the bogus kit files themselves. Reuse the Inquisitor as a base for comparison.
- added the few EE requirements
- decided to not implement the "dispel on hit with everything" feature - I want to better understand the impact. The kit description was not edited and it is a bit wrong now.
- decided to not copy the mod sword. I had a quick look at the in-game sword and this sword is more powerful than the mod sword, doing almost everything the mod sword does. Again I am open to all kind of changes. For now I just modified the vanilla sword (Ir'revrykal) to make it usable by mono class fighters (and I suppose everyone with UAI can use it too).

I haven't played with the kit but I verified you can create charname and use the sword. There is a mini typo error in my script but this has no real consequence.
Please let me know if you decide play the kit.

Rylorn23

Alright. I guess that I'll stick with the Ravager or Gram. Anyway Ir'revrykal is not powerful than tactics Unholy reaver, because it's in fact weaker.

Ir'revrykal abilities:

Immunity to charm, 50% chance dispel magic on hit, thaco +5 and damage 1d10 +5, +5 magic damage against good creatures.

Unholy Reaver from Tactics:

Immunity to charm and psionics, dispel magic on every hit (100%), thaco +5 and damage 1d12 +5, +5 dam. vs good creatures.

Musigny

Oh yes you are correct!
I probably inverted the swords while reading their specs.
I can add the 1d12+5 damage, the psionic and confusion immunity as well as the always dispel on hit.
I will do it as an option at install time.
Now the question is: Does the game remain fun to play with such a destructive weapon ?

Musigny

@Rylorn23
I uploaded a version alpha 29 (top of th thread) with the modifications you highlighted.
Could you please try it and tell me if that's ok for you ?

brunardo

Thanks @Musigny. Will wait for abit to see if ascension weidu becomes EE compatible but good to know if I want to so a SCS run (V30) I can do it !

Rylorn23

Okay, when I arrived from work I installed the alpha29 version, but there is a little bug. I created a Blackguard and spawn the sword by using CLUACONSOLE for testing. The weapon description is like from Tactics Unholy reaver, but he cannot use it. It's written that only usable by Anti-paladins and down is written usable by: Lawful evil, neutral evil, chaotic evil, fighter, paladin, cavalier, inquisitor, undead hunter.

Screenshot:

Musigny

@Rylorn23
I will check the files when I am back home this tuesday evening.

Musigny

@Rylorn23
A quick fix for the sword, alpha29bis. You have to import ohreaver.itm, reaver.itm remains unmodified.
I don't like the way it is at the moment though.