[REQUEST] Please include the BG1 character animations in BG:EE data.

Mornmagor

Greetings,

As you know, the BG1 character animations(sprites) are unable to dual wield because of a bug that makes the game crash and the missing animations. This (the bug) is an issue that is being looked at, and also forces the devs to use BG2 animations as the "default" ones for BG:EE.

Getting that out of the way, there are a lot of people in this forum that prefer the original BG1 character animations over the BG2 ones. For those who don't care about dual wielding, or will play a character that won't dual wield, BG1 animations can be better for various reasons :

1) Armor is better portrayed in them, more detailed, with better proportions to the body. Subjective, but you'll be suprised how many people preferred the original armor looks.

2) They are not mirrored. I am sure @AndreaColombo still has nightmares over this. For some people, this is a killer for any try they make to like the BG2 ones instead.

There are more reasons, but let's just add that some of us are just in love with how the first game looked, it grew on us, and we didn't like the BG2 animations that much.

The request is simple, regardless of the dual wielding crash bug, we ask that the devs include the BG1 animations in the BG:EE data, so that, those of us who prefer them and want to use them, to have the option through editors or whatever, while the BG2 ones will be the default for everyone.

I imagine that, even if fixing the bug takes time, even if it doesn't get fixed, to include these animation files unused somewhere would not be such a terrible task.

In the end, all of us who prefer the BG1 animations pray that some day we can have this bug fixed, and then sort out everything else, so that, even without actual animations added, BG1 animations will be a solid choice even for dual wielders.

P.S. It is really kiling me not to know what happens of this. We have no way to know if Infinity Animations will be compatible with BG:EE, it might not be a priority for anyone for months after release. If the animations are not included then we basically have to play without an essential for us mod, and without an ability to use the animations we liked and prefer.( And don't forget that the first game sported these animations ).

So please, when you are able, inform us what you intend to do with this, it might be nonsense for some, but a really big deal for others.

Updated : The issue with the dual wielding crash has been fixed, thanks to the development team.

Updated 2 : According to Nathan, the devs are working on a solution for porting animations easier in BG:EE. When that happens, it should be easy to implement BG1 animations in BG:EE, which however is not known if it happens before or after release.

We are one step closer the ultimate goal, making the BG1 sprites a real default alternative, but we'll be glad just with allowing them in the data still

krikkert

Well, I agree that the shields at least looked better in BG1 than in BG2. Especially small and medium shields. They also more correctly show the shields as they look on the item-pictures. Tower shields look okay both in BG1 and in BG2.

So I think it would be cool if they brought back how the shields looked in BG1.

I never liked using small or medium shields in BG2 cuz they were simply ugly.

Mornmagor

This will be available through 1pp anyway, so you won't have a problem with shields i think.

This is about including the BG1 animations unused in the BG:EE data, so that those who prefer them have the option to use them, we like them better :P, at the same time we won't enforce everyone to use it.

There is a fix pending on the dual wielding issue, we hope sooner or later we're gonna be able to use them legitimately even.

But being included in the data at least, is a must, since the mod Infinity Animations might not be compatible with BG:EE.

krikkert

What's 1pp?

Mornmagor

1 pixel productions, a mod included in BG:EE.

Dee

From what I understand, the fix for dual wielding has less to do with a bug and more to do with the fact that the animation just doesn't exist for it.

AndreaColombo

@Aosaw - there was also a bug causing a CTD upon equipping them with a weapon in the off-hand.

Mornmagor

The animation doesn't exist, still, it should not crash the game, just not make the second weapon and the wielding animation appear.

As in, you would be with your main hand weapon attacking, but actually hitting with both weapons as per rules.

The fact that it doesn't appear as animation, indeed, is because there is no animation for it. AndreaColombo was saying something about the modders would try to add the animation or do something about it if the crash bug was first fixed.

Whatever happens though, i still want to be able to use the superior -imo- looking BG1 animations, especially for non - dual wielding characters. If they don't include their data even unused, it won't be easy to happen.

And for some of us, the "essential" mod was Infinity Animations for BG2, just so we could have the BG1 look for characters. Imagine not being able to do that in BG:EE.

Yeah, it would suck to be us indeed, i wouldn't want to play using BG2 animations, unless for dual wielding, so i would like to know if they will at least include the animations.

Then, there is some time before release and Trent Oster said they were looking into bugs. This particular crush bug even has a promote from the devs, which indicates they at least want to do something about it.

To be honest, i feel pretty tired asking for things like this. Like, something that exists already with the normal BG or a modded BGT for example and that i consider essential. I feel others are considering these things nonsense so i have doubts sometimes about whether or not something is going to happen about it.

Oh well, we'll see.

Dee

@AndreaColombo I thought the CTD was the result of the game trying to deploy an animation that didn't exist? In that case, you should be able to fix the issue just by duplicating the animation assignment.

Mornmagor

I think there is no code for it, it's not the animation itself that is causing the problem. If i understand correctly.

AndreaColombo

@Aosaw - the CTD is caused by the game trying to fit 9 characters in a file that only accepts 8. Once that is fixed, there's the problem of BG1 animations not being enabled to show a weapon in the main hand and one in the off hand simultaneously. If that is also fixed, then modders can try to add the missing animations.

Mornmagor

Didn't Scott Brooks have something discovered for that, in the bug thread? We lost touch afterwards though, so no idea what they are doing with it, or what they're going to do.

AndreaColombo

Yes, Scott had something figured out for the CTD ;-)

Dee

AndreaColombo said:

@Aosaw - the CTD is caused by the game trying to fit 9 characters in a file that only accepts 8.

Oh. ...That's silly. But it makes more sense now.

Mornmagor

AndreaColombo said:

Yes, Scott had something figured out for the CTD ;-)

@AndreaColombo

Damn, we need to get some info on what's happening with that and if it works

Then we can see what more can be done :P

Mornmagor

Updated the first post, @AndreaColombo gave us happy news about the dual wield crashing issue!

Cheers Andrea, and a big thank you to the Devs that worked on this. Although this doesn't mean that the whole issue is fixed, it strengthens our hope even more, that the devs will kindly include the BG1 character sprites in the data, so we can happily use them! And this time, we won't even have to care about dual wielding crashing the game!! ))

Mornmagor

Update : @Nathan talks about porting animations into BG:EE, which when happens will make it easy to port BG1 animations into BG:EE( for optional use ). It is unknown at this point if the BG1 animations will be implemented by the devs officially in the data for optional use, or by modders independently, or by modders working with the devs( semi-official or whatever ).

Taken from the thread "Erephine's 1PP mod is awesome - page 2"

Nathan: "As for IA/giving people the ability and easier time of porting animations, we're looking into alternative solutions. We think we have something good in the works, but, of course we can't promise anything just yet as we work on other issues. Rest assured that we have modders on the job, looking at what we've done and providing appropriate feedback, and fighting for the features you want."

Nathan again: " the super good thing is that Erephine's on board with the project - so, yes, we think our solution will be better- or at least will be the inroads with which she'll be able to port IA to work with BG:EE since the executable patch it currently requires won't work. "

The devs are working( with Erephine from what i understood ), towards building a solution for porting animations into BG:EE.

When that happens, the road will be clear for implementing the BG1 animations in BG:EE for optional use for those that prefer them, as said in the beginning.

It is unknown if it will happen before release( of course we hope it does ), or post-ship, since the devs are definetely busy with lots of stuff right now, and this is not a top-priority.

Before this piece of news, we were informed that the BG1 character avatars do not crash the game any more when equipped with 2 weapons( dual wield issue ), which is another step towards the goal, and something we thank the devs for.

Dear devs, thank you for showing interest and care for our selfish-sometimes- requests. I admit that i don't consider this request "totally" selfish, since it seems to be in demand somewhat, and many of us think the first game had awesome animations, with all their flaws, so even for nostalgia reasons alone, we would like to see them :]

We all hope you have the time and courage to fulfill this request to the end, so we can be allowed the use of BG1 character animations, if possible for not "overly" long after release( so poor us can play too :[ ).

If there are any news you can share with us in the future regarding the issue, i assume you are going to inform us through @AndreaColombo, who i thank as well personally, for supporting the idea and bringing it first to the devs.

Cheers.