Between all the mod updates you've made recently, and now the release of a new mod, I'll have to move my BG2 replay up the queue. Thank you so much for your hard work, Lava! It's truly appreciated!
I'm particularly excited about this release. With your Hephernaan + Skie mods, Siege of Dragonspear is finally starting to feel like part of the larger BG-saga rather than a single, isolated game.
I assume Hephernaan will fit in best with an Evil-aligned party?
Thank you, @EekanImp! There are more stuff I'd like to release, but... modding takes time, heh. Just note that for now there is no crossmod between Hephernaan and Skie, but that is certainly a must and will be worked on in future.
Hephernaan not only works better with evil groups. Some of the good NPCs won't accept working with the devil. Like Keldorn.
you mean the dialogue after completing the killing demons (not devils; he is a devil, he hates demons), where we get the reward? There is one talk that happens only if Hephernaan has less than 80% of his max HP. That may be the talk
...btw, it looks like someone's using AdvanceRealTime!
To be honest, I don't know how you're skipping the game, but you're clearly not playing the normal way. There were more scenery talks (in a temple, during the Unseeing Eye quest, during the Planar Sphere quest), there should be the part when he tells you his plan (after Slayer encounters) that involves his master.
In ToB there are also more talks, but they unlock with the plot - however ToB isn't very rich, there are like 3-4 more talks than the friend-talk-3 you mentioned.
Seriously, if you want the mods to work best, give it all time and play without console and jumping through events. Give it time.
I'm not sure what else to tell you. You probably also missed some interjections etc.
The other possible approach is that you joined him after the Underdark and... well, that's how you missed your chance to use the diabolical situation to Heph's advantage.
I'm interested in including this NPC in a big install I'm working on for EET. How stable/buggy is it presently? Safe to include in a 100+ mod install, or keep it to smaller installs for now?
Hephernaan was not yet tested on EET and I am not even sure the mod will work properly on it. I don't remember if there are any chapter checks in the mod and if there are, that will surely be a problem. I try to avoid them, but sometimes they are a must.
...and I never recommend such big installations anyway. Really, it's always best to enjoy some selection of mods rather than having everything in there. But it's up to you.
I've got my reasons for doing an install with lots of mods (no mega mods though), but normally I'd agree. I'll hold off for now and check this NPC out in a separate playthrough with fewer mods.
It's still a first public release and I received very little feedback. It would be a pity if such a big installation got buggy because of it. Having it on a smaller setup or using futue version may be best. However I encourage those who play BG2EE to try it out. He should be perfect for evil teams.
@LavaDelVortel Hi, I just want to point out, that this is really great mod! I am still only in chapter three completing all the quests I could, but Hephernaan is really a fresh addition to the game and kind of missing unifying element with regard to SoD (since Beamdog forgot to made at least small dialog mentioning about SoD events here and there with some small patch to BG2).
I would also like to ask - so far only one banter between Hephernaan and other NPCs in my party occurred (I've got banter with him and Edvin) - is something wrong with my game? I tried many times to pause the game for half an hour, but after unpousing always only dialog between my character and Hephernaan occured. No NPC to NPC banters.
I also realized that only Edvin joined my party after Hephernaan - if that could be the problem? So I tried to kick everybody out except Hephernaan and then let them join again, but with no effect to banters.
My party consist of Hephernaan, Dorn, Hexxat, Viconia and Edvin.
I would also suggest that some reaction from Crazy Celvan in Docks District to Hephernaan would be great and also to the quest with Kangaxx maybe?
I haven't visited Watchers Keep level 3 yet, so I don't know if there is some comments from Hephernaan to Blood wars occuring there, but It would also be great.
So again thanks a lot for this great mod (as always from you). And looking forward to some future crossmod with your Skie or Foundling mods (fingers crossed).
@Caszidy - Thanks! I don't think tere is anything wrong with Banters. They do not use normal timers, they are fired by the game "when the game feels like it's the right time" Patience, if any banter fired it means the files are there, that banter file and appends are ok. Heph has banters with all those party members, just... wait Let's hope they will fire.
Uhm I actually forgot about the Watchers Keep. Also, this mod isn't HUGE. Blood wars are present in a way, though small task you and him get from his new master.
Crossmod will come, one day. Enjoy the rest of the mod! Cheers!
Now I realize that I forgot to mention, how much I loved the connection to Icewind Dale 2 through those new unique items. It really ads depth to the story
@LavaDelVortel Hi, I finished my playthrough with Hephernaan few weeks ago and I would like to repeat myself and express how fun this character and this mod is. Besides what I wrote in previous comments Heph nicely mesh into the game and his whole arc with his new master is interesting and enjoyable.
I run only into 2 bugs (which is great):
1. in TOB the first banter between Heph and Viconia always end in crashing the game (somewhere around third reply in that dialog).
2. Hephernaans epilogues (which are very well written both) keeps firing in endless loop after finishing ToB (killing Amelyssan - Solar talk - choice to be or not to be god - Hephernaan epilogue - Solar talk again - choice to be or not to be god - another Hephernaan epilogue - and again). I solved it simply by kicking Heph out of party after one of the repeat (I am not sure if this bug isn't already reported and solved).
So thanks again for your work Lava
PS: I would still recommend adding some interjection to Blood Wars in Watchers Keep
Version 1.1 is up: it fixes those ToB banter crushes and talk timers. I wasn't able to reproduce the epilogue problem, so perhaps there is some incompatibility I don't know about. I'll keep my eyes open Some Watcher's Keep content may come later, I do not exclude the option.
Sorry, but no. It's not just a shop but sets variables that are important later in the game in the context of Hephernaan and his personal plan. And I don't like the idea. It's here for a reason and that part is also tied with yet another feature of corrupting one of the items with the use of Hephernaan's device.
Anyway, it's good to know you like the items.
Hephernaan NPC is complete, there may be some fixes etc. I know there are less talks here, but he is a devil thus he's not going to chat with PC next to the bonfire about stuff. He is intended to be a bit more distance and that's why he received other things, like the spacial trade thing you mentioned or an ability to corrupt one of the good items and his special area where things like that happen.
The new version is up! Version 2.0 includes:
-Added 4 new SoA talks
-Added new SoA interjections
-Added new ToB interjections
-Fixed Shapechange: Abishai ability
-Hephernaan should ignore Nightmare mode bonus HP
-Hephernaan should ignore reputation and always stay in the group
-WeiDU updated
Funny thing, though... I forgot to fix the typo mentioned above. But it's going to come in the next update, I promise, and I hope this one is going to be way sooner.
So have fun and remember this mod comes with a bunch of nice evil items, if you keep Hephernaan for a while. Then, you will meet a devil that can offer you a bunch of things... for a prize, of course.
Comments
I'm particularly excited about this release. With your Hephernaan + Skie mods, Siege of Dragonspear is finally starting to feel like part of the larger BG-saga rather than a single, isolated game.
I assume Hephernaan will fit in best with an Evil-aligned party?
Hephernaan not only works better with evil groups. Some of the good NPCs won't accept working with the devil. Like Keldorn.
@trinit - thank you!
In ToB there are also more talks, but they unlock with the plot - however ToB isn't very rich, there are like 3-4 more talks than the friend-talk-3 you mentioned.
Seriously, if you want the mods to work best, give it all time and play without console and jumping through events. Give it time.
I'm not sure what else to tell you. You probably also missed some interjections etc.
The other possible approach is that you joined him after the Underdark and... well, that's how you missed your chance to use the diabolical situation to Heph's advantage.
...and I never recommend such big installations anyway. Really, it's always best to enjoy some selection of mods rather than having everything in there. But it's up to you.
Cheers
I would also like to ask - so far only one banter between Hephernaan and other NPCs in my party occurred (I've got banter with him and Edvin) - is something wrong with my game? I tried many times to pause the game for half an hour, but after unpousing always only dialog between my character and Hephernaan occured. No NPC to NPC banters.
I also realized that only Edvin joined my party after Hephernaan - if that could be the problem? So I tried to kick everybody out except Hephernaan and then let them join again, but with no effect to banters.
My party consist of Hephernaan, Dorn, Hexxat, Viconia and Edvin.
I would also suggest that some reaction from Crazy Celvan in Docks District to Hephernaan would be great and also to the quest with Kangaxx maybe?
I haven't visited Watchers Keep level 3 yet, so I don't know if there is some comments from Hephernaan to Blood wars occuring there, but It would also be great.
So again thanks a lot for this great mod (as always from you). And looking forward to some future crossmod with your Skie or Foundling mods (fingers crossed).
Uhm I actually forgot about the Watchers Keep. Also, this mod isn't HUGE. Blood wars are present in a way, though small task you and him get from his new master.
Crossmod will come, one day. Enjoy the rest of the mod! Cheers!
I run only into 2 bugs (which is great):
1. in TOB the first banter between Heph and Viconia always end in crashing the game (somewhere around third reply in that dialog).
2. Hephernaans epilogues (which are very well written both) keeps firing in endless loop after finishing ToB (killing Amelyssan - Solar talk - choice to be or not to be god - Hephernaan epilogue - Solar talk again - choice to be or not to be god - another Hephernaan epilogue - and again). I solved it simply by kicking Heph out of party after one of the repeat
So thanks again for your work Lava
PS: I would still recommend adding some interjection to Blood Wars in Watchers Keep
Cheers! And thanks @Caszidy
Anyway, it's good to know you like the items.
Last sentence should probably be "at your service, Bhaalspawn".
-Added 4 new SoA talks
-Added new SoA interjections
-Added new ToB interjections
-Fixed Shapechange: Abishai ability
-Hephernaan should ignore Nightmare mode bonus HP
-Hephernaan should ignore reputation and always stay in the group
-WeiDU updated
Funny thing, though... I forgot to fix the typo mentioned above. But it's going to come in the next update, I promise, and I hope this one is going to be way sooner.
So have fun and remember this mod comes with a bunch of nice evil items, if you keep Hephernaan for a while. Then, you will meet a devil that can offer you a bunch of things... for a prize, of course.