The scaling there is that a number of monster groups spawn in with a composition that depends on both the protagonist's XP and the game difficulty - either more XP or a higher difficulty will push you up the scale. For example, a group of beholderkin can range from a single gauth at the easiest to three beholders and two gauths at the hardest.
The vanilla version of these groups spawn depending only on the protagonist's XP.
Note that these level-dependent encounters don't include named enemies. Some of them may feel like boss encounters - particularly the highest-level undead group with a lich - but they're generic combat encounters along the way rather than anything strongly tried to a quest.
Yes, I should have been more careful in what I said: there is already level-scaling in the vanilla game, and SCS's "Tie difficulty of level-dependent monster groupings to the difficulty slider" component doesn't strip that out, it just relativizes it to the slider. But SCS doesn't itself add any level-dependency.
Wouldn't that eventually make the boss battles easier though? The groups are appropriately scaled for the whatever level they're meant for. That includes appropriate experience rewards. I think I've already spoiled BG2 for myself with SoD which I'm probably going to end with half a million experience.
Interesting question. The answer (having just written code to find out) is: yes, in principle, but the effect probably isn't that dramatic. If you look at the full set of level-dependent scripts in the game, and compare the XP you get from them at the highest vs the lowest level, the difference is about 1.25 million XP. For a normal party of six, that's about a one-level difference by the end of Shadows of Amn. That's an overstatement, though, because even in normal play you'd encounter most of those scripts at higher-than-minimum level. At a very rough guess, the real difference (assuming you're playing on SCS's highest difficulty) is about half that, or about half a level advantage by the end. Not nothing, but not really material, especially against the backdrop of SCS difficulty.
(Also: once you've dug around in the innards of BG2 you quickly realise its own level scaling is pretty rudimentary. Don't assume it's elegantly balanced: it's much more rudimentary than that.)
Wouldn't that eventually make the boss battles easier though? The groups are appropriately scaled for the whatever level they're meant for. That includes appropriate experience rewards. I think I've already spoiled BG2 for myself with SoD which I'm probably going to end with half a million experience.
Its nowhere near that dramatic. The initial low level quests will be easier, like the circus tent or slavers. That's about it.
I'm running with 33.3 and Sendai battle seems to be bugged? Only cleric statue activates, but after it's killed nothing happens, no Drow arrive nor other statues activate.
EDIT: I was able to continue using console manually setting:
// Log of Currently Installed WeiDU Mods
// The top of the file is the 'oldest' mod
// ~TP2_File~ #language_number #component_number // [Subcomponent Name -> ] Component Name [ : Version]
~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #0 // Rewritten Final Chapter of Throne of Bhaal: 2.0.12
~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #10 // Balthazar can be redeemed: 2.0.12
~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #20 // Improved Sarevok-Player Interactions: 2.0.12
~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #30 // Improved Imoen-Player Interactions in Throne of Bhaal: 2.0.12
~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #40 // Restored Bhaalspawn Powers: 2.0.12
~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #50 // Improved Slayer Transformation: 2.0.12
~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #60 // Expanded Epilogues for Bioware NPCs -> David Gaider's expanded epilogues for Bioware NPCs: 2.0.12
~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #1000 // Tougher Abazigal: 2.0.12
~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #1100 // Tougher Balthazar: 2.0.12
~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #1200 // Tougher Demogorgon: 2.0.12
~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #1300 // Tougher Gromnir: 2.0.12
~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #1400 // Tougher Illasera: 2.0.12
~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #1500 // Tougher Yaga-Shura: 2.0.12
~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #2000 // Full-body portrait for Bodhi: 2.0.12
~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #2100 // Alternate Balthazar portrait, by Cuv: 2.0.12
~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #2200 // Extended Epilogues for additional Beamdog NPCs, by shawne: 2.0.12
~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #2300 // Sharper portraits of Abazigal and Gromnir for the Enhanced Edition, by DavidW: 2.0.12
~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #2400 // Slightly improved cutscenes, by DavidW: 2.0.12
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #3040 // Make Bags of Holding Bottomless: v9
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #3080 // Increase Ammo Stack Size -> Unlimited Ammo Stacking: v9
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #3100 // Increase Potion Stacking -> Unlimited Potion Stacking: v9
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #3110 // Increase Scroll Stacking -> Unlimited Scroll Stacking: v9
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #1500 // Include arcane spells from Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #1510 // Include divine spells from Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #3505 // Wider selection of random scrolls: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #3550 // Increase the power of Cure Wounds and Cause Wounds spells to the level found in 3rd Edition D&D -> Spells heal or inflict a random amount of damage (1d8 per level of the spell, plus 1 point per caster level, to a maximum of 5 points per spell level): v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #3580 // Restoration and Lesser Restoration spells heal ability-score damage: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #4000 // Faster Bears: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #4030 // Improved shapeshifting: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #4115 // Thieves assign skill points in multiples of five: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #4240 // Treat mages' and priests' High-Level Abilities as innate abilities rather than memorisable spells (each may be taken only once): v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #4250 // Make spell sequencers and contingencies into innate abilities: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #5900 // Initialise AI components (required for all tactical and AI components): v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6000 // Smarter general AI: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6010 // Better calls for help: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6030 // Smarter Mages: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6040 // Smarter Priests: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6100 // Potions for NPCs: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6200 // Improved Spiders: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6500 // Improved golems: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6510 // Improved fiends and celestials: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6520 // Smarter genies: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6540 // Smarter dragons: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6550 // Smarter beholders: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6560 // Smarter mind flayers: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6570 // Smarter githyanki: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6580 // Improved Vampires: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6590 // Smarter Throne of Bhaal final villain: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6800 // Smarter Illasera: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6810 // Smarter Gromnir: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6820 // Smarter Yaga-Shura: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6830 // Smarter Abazigal: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6840 // Ascension versions of Irenicus and Sendai use SCS abilities and AI: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6850 // Ascension demons use SCS abilities and AI: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8000 // Make the starting dungeon slightly harder: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8010 // Improved Shade Lord: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8020 // Spellcasting Demiliches: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8040 // Tie difficulty of level-dependent monster groupings to the difficulty slider: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8050 // Improved Random Encounters: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8060 // Improved de'Arnise Keep ("Tactics Remix"): v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8070 // Improved Unseeing Eye: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8080 // Improved Bodhi: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8085 // Ascension version of Bodhi uses Improved-Bodhi abilities: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8100 // Improved battle with Irenicus in Spellhold: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8110 // Improved Sahuagin: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8120 // Improved Beholder hive: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8130 // Rebalanced troll regeneration: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8140 // Improved Drow: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8150 // Improved Watcher's Keep: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8160 // Improved Fire Giant temple: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8170 // Improved Sendai's Enclave: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8180 // Improved Abazigal's Lair: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8190 // Improved Minor Encounters: v33.3
~LOB_SAVE_FIX/LOB_SAVE_FIX.TP2~ #0 #0 // improve saving throws of all non-joinable creatures
I was looking the Area script with Near Infinity, and saw the part about sendai2, and it should have had FIN_TIME_STOP_RUNNING 0, but when I checked it was still 1 after sendai2 was dead.
What kind of mods mix well with SCS? I hope this isn't too sensitive a question to ask you as a modder. Last time I used almost every component of the mod. AI, harder fights, tougher enemies, tweaks to where items are located (I'm very glad I moved the best items to gromnir and watcher keep by the way. It was so catharic to play most of the game to get the awesome cloak of mirroring and robe of vecna) and what they do, icewind dale magic spells to make magic more powerful than it always has been.
Can weird things happen by combining SCS with other tweak mods like atweaks, or even larger quest mods such as dark side of the sword coast? I played through a few icewind dale inspired maps in the drizzt saga, and it was really quite hard. I don't see how it could be beaten legitimately. I would expect that it, and most expansions mods were designed under the assumption that the user is playing vanilla BG.
SCS is a popular enough mod that most modders try to make sure their work is SCS compatible. Do you have any specific mods you want to know about?
I know it is popular now, but but since when was it popular? I know that it came after a few of the megasized expansions that began BG as a modding platform, and that many of them are known for filling BG1 with equipment that would make a throne of bhaal character green with envy.
SCS is a popular enough mod that most modders try to make sure their work is SCS compatible. Do you have any specific mods you want to know about?
I know it is popular now, but but since when was it popular? I know that it came after a few of the megasized expansions that began BG as a modding platform, and that many of them are known for filling BG1 with equipment that would make a throne of bhaal character green with envy.
Its been popular longer than I've been aware of BG modding. Sorry that its an imprecise measurement.
The thing with SCS, is that it edits the AI of enemies, and very few other mods do that. Ascension does it, but SCS has components specifically for Ascension bosses, so they are compatible.
The biggest thing to watch for would be redundant components. Like both atweaks and SCS have components that buff fiends. So you only want to install one of those.
uh, Faiths and Powers adds a sphere system and changes class and kit spell access, so you will want to do the spell components of SCS before faiths and powers, then do the rest of SCS at normal time.
That's all of potential conflicts that I am aware of.
I have version 33.3 installed. Is there anyway to have these changes midgame? At last the fiends one? Or should I scrap all my instalation and do everything again? (oh God, please no).
You need to reinstall SCS to get them. That probably won't mess up your savegames (no promises!), and SCS is towards the end of any sensible install order so you shouldn't have to redo much of your installation otherwise.
Hi @DavidW
I just came here to express my gratitude for all your hard work you have done - and all the time you have invested in us. Thank you.
...and a question as well, if it’s ok. You have been helping out on IWD:ee. Once the 2.6 is stable and the mods (Ascensions as well I reckon...) are working 100% as you see fit, is there a chance that a SCS for IWD:ee can come to life. Perhaps not with you doing the hard work, but perhaps as a consultant?
Probably, but that won't get you SCS AI in IWD (unless IWD-in-EET fundamentally changes the underlying scripting of IWDEE). IWDEE uses a completely different scripting system, which is mostly invisible to SCS.
Would you ever consider re-adding in options for some of the Tactics Mods fights in SCS? I remember there used to be an option for Irenicus Tactics mod version. I think it would be amazing if there were more optional components to add tactics versions of fights into scs. a dream come true!
Those bits of Tactics I like are basically already in SCS. I'm not very keen on the rest of Tactics, so I don't want either to spend the time converting it, or to have people think I recommended those components. (One design principle for SCS is that I'd myself want to play it with a full install.)
Fair enough, makes sense. To be honest I haven't even played tactics in probably 12-13 years, so I may not even enjoy it anymore. The idea of some extra hard fights with cool items at the end intrigues me right now. I do plan on installing the EE Alpha version on top of my scs install and seeing how it works.
First, the description of the Death Fog spell says "Death Fog will also instantly kill all summoned creatures, regardless of their Hit Dice and immunities." The spell's actual effect, with SCS: In addition to those creatures (fiends, celestials, djinni, efreeti) that are exempt due to not having the "summoned" gender, acid-immune summons (nishruu, hakeashar, magical sword) don't die. This is a consequence of the added effect that grants immunity to the spell for acid-immune creatures, which is there so spellcasters don't get interrupted by zero damage.
Is this intended, or not? Should Death Fog kill acid-immune summoned creatures?
Second, with the component that gives potions to creatures, enemy monks sometimes get oils of speed ... and use them, to no effect. Player-controlled monks can't use oils of speed at all, and monks of level 5 and above are immune to the haste effect.
To avoid this blatant artificial idiocy, monks should get slightly different random potions from standard fighters. Exclude those useless oils of speed.
Third, the occasional "Invalid: 9999999" item. Why would I blame SCS? Because every single one has been a random scroll in a container. The v33 update to the component that increases random scroll selection seems to have done this. For example, this was a random level 5 scroll (dwrnscr4.itm) in a container in one of Hexxat's areas:
These invalid items can be rerolled by leaving and re-entering the area. At least, if it's an area you can leave and re-enter.
(Added in edit)
In addition to "invalid" items, I'm also seeing blank items, which show up as NULL.ITM in the area files. Looking at an unmodded version for comparison, these are random treasures that aren't specifically scrolls. The random scroll component is supposed to replace some such items with random scrolls, but it appears to fail and replace them with null items instead. Sometimes. Other random treasures, like the invalid item example I showed, do get converted properly.
Exactly. Or, rather, the summon-killing effect needs to be moved up from its current place at the bottom of the stack to the top.
Death Fog is one of many elemental AoE spells that get patched as part of a general routine, and all of these involve putting that opcode 324 effect at the top. It's just that this spell has an additional effect that needs special handling.
Cloudkill has similar effects, slaying low-HD creatures. As of patch 2.5, poison immunity protects against instant death even in vanilla; before that, it was done by tacking Slay immunity onto nearly all of the monster rings that granted poison immunity.
The other spells on the list that get modified - doesn't look like any have additional effects that would be an issue.
I'm inclined to think poison immunity ought to protect low-level creatures from Cloudkill, FWIW. In that case, they die because they're poisoned (and not strong enough to resist the poison) whereas for Death Fog it's an extra effect (albeit a weird, non-PnP effect).
I agree on poison immunity protecting from Cloudkill too. Definitely no change needed there.
And another quick report - a cosmetic issue, easily fixed.
(Tactical BG2 component "Improved Drow")
The House Jae'llat encounter has some additional spellcaster mooks added:
- "Jae'llat Mage" DW#DRJA3, female, class fighter 10/cleric 9.
- "Jae'llat Priestess" DW#DRJA2, male, class fighter 12/mage 12.
The names should be swapped to match the classes.
Since this is still the latest post, another bit:
Fighting the chapter 6 vampires today, I had a party member disabled without any visual effects. Checking the log, this was the vampire "Mesmerism" spell. Checking the spell's data ... save vs spell at -4 or be feebleminded, save vs spell at -2 or get a portrait icon and visual effect for charm. He rolled a natural 1 or 2, saving against the cosmetic effects but not the practical one.
From the vampire.tpa file: Mesmerism is a clone of the vampire domination spell, with the domination effect changed to a feeblemind and the save penalty changed - but the cosmetic effects and elf resistance are unchanged, leading to the mismatch seen above.
And another ...
In the final event of the fighter stronghold quest, Lord Roenall brings a mage (KPROEN03) ... who stands there ignoring the battle.
Like the other Roenall forces, he starts neutral. They all go hostile when they hear their lord shout as a part of his dialogue ... but that's a block in their class scripts, which also include combat instructions. SCS (Improved Mages) removes this script for the mage, leaving him with no reason to get involved.
That removed script also has a block that makes him go away after the event is over, so he sticks around if you don't fight him.
Does "Shank and Carbos are expelled from the assassin's guild" mean they can no longer poison weapon? I've been reinstalling SCS over and over on clean install because I KNEW they had poison weapon when I last played.
Comments
The vanilla version of these groups spawn depending only on the protagonist's XP.
Note that these level-dependent encounters don't include named enemies. Some of them may feel like boss encounters - particularly the highest-level undead group with a lich - but they're generic combat encounters along the way rather than anything strongly tried to a quest.
(Also: once you've dug around in the innards of BG2 you quickly realise its own level scaling is pretty rudimentary. Don't assume it's elegantly balanced: it's much more rudimentary than that.)
Its nowhere near that dramatic. The initial low level quests will be easier, like the circus tent or slavers. That's about it.
EDIT: I was able to continue using console manually setting:
C:SetGlobal("FIN_TIME_STOP_RUNNING","GLOBAL",0)
What led you to think FIN_TIME_STOP_RUNNING was the culprit? And are you able to post your WEIDU.log?
// The top of the file is the 'oldest' mod
// ~TP2_File~ #language_number #component_number // [Subcomponent Name -> ] Component Name [ : Version]
~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #0 // Rewritten Final Chapter of Throne of Bhaal: 2.0.12
~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #10 // Balthazar can be redeemed: 2.0.12
~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #20 // Improved Sarevok-Player Interactions: 2.0.12
~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #30 // Improved Imoen-Player Interactions in Throne of Bhaal: 2.0.12
~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #40 // Restored Bhaalspawn Powers: 2.0.12
~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #50 // Improved Slayer Transformation: 2.0.12
~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #60 // Expanded Epilogues for Bioware NPCs -> David Gaider's expanded epilogues for Bioware NPCs: 2.0.12
~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #1000 // Tougher Abazigal: 2.0.12
~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #1100 // Tougher Balthazar: 2.0.12
~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #1200 // Tougher Demogorgon: 2.0.12
~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #1300 // Tougher Gromnir: 2.0.12
~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #1400 // Tougher Illasera: 2.0.12
~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #1500 // Tougher Yaga-Shura: 2.0.12
~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #2000 // Full-body portrait for Bodhi: 2.0.12
~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #2100 // Alternate Balthazar portrait, by Cuv: 2.0.12
~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #2200 // Extended Epilogues for additional Beamdog NPCs, by shawne: 2.0.12
~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #2300 // Sharper portraits of Abazigal and Gromnir for the Enhanced Edition, by DavidW: 2.0.12
~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #2400 // Slightly improved cutscenes, by DavidW: 2.0.12
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #3040 // Make Bags of Holding Bottomless: v9
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #3080 // Increase Ammo Stack Size -> Unlimited Ammo Stacking: v9
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #3100 // Increase Potion Stacking -> Unlimited Potion Stacking: v9
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #3110 // Increase Scroll Stacking -> Unlimited Scroll Stacking: v9
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #1500 // Include arcane spells from Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #1510 // Include divine spells from Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #3505 // Wider selection of random scrolls: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #3550 // Increase the power of Cure Wounds and Cause Wounds spells to the level found in 3rd Edition D&D -> Spells heal or inflict a random amount of damage (1d8 per level of the spell, plus 1 point per caster level, to a maximum of 5 points per spell level): v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #3580 // Restoration and Lesser Restoration spells heal ability-score damage: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #4000 // Faster Bears: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #4030 // Improved shapeshifting: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #4115 // Thieves assign skill points in multiples of five: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #4240 // Treat mages' and priests' High-Level Abilities as innate abilities rather than memorisable spells (each may be taken only once): v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #4250 // Make spell sequencers and contingencies into innate abilities: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #5900 // Initialise AI components (required for all tactical and AI components): v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6000 // Smarter general AI: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6010 // Better calls for help: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6030 // Smarter Mages: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6040 // Smarter Priests: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6100 // Potions for NPCs: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6200 // Improved Spiders: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6500 // Improved golems: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6510 // Improved fiends and celestials: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6520 // Smarter genies: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6540 // Smarter dragons: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6550 // Smarter beholders: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6560 // Smarter mind flayers: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6570 // Smarter githyanki: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6580 // Improved Vampires: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6590 // Smarter Throne of Bhaal final villain: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6800 // Smarter Illasera: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6810 // Smarter Gromnir: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6820 // Smarter Yaga-Shura: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6830 // Smarter Abazigal: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6840 // Ascension versions of Irenicus and Sendai use SCS abilities and AI: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6850 // Ascension demons use SCS abilities and AI: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8000 // Make the starting dungeon slightly harder: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8010 // Improved Shade Lord: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8020 // Spellcasting Demiliches: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8040 // Tie difficulty of level-dependent monster groupings to the difficulty slider: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8050 // Improved Random Encounters: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8060 // Improved de'Arnise Keep ("Tactics Remix"): v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8070 // Improved Unseeing Eye: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8080 // Improved Bodhi: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8085 // Ascension version of Bodhi uses Improved-Bodhi abilities: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8100 // Improved battle with Irenicus in Spellhold: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8110 // Improved Sahuagin: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8120 // Improved Beholder hive: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8130 // Rebalanced troll regeneration: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8140 // Improved Drow: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8150 // Improved Watcher's Keep: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8160 // Improved Fire Giant temple: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8170 // Improved Sendai's Enclave: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8180 // Improved Abazigal's Lair: v33.3
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8190 // Improved Minor Encounters: v33.3
~LOB_SAVE_FIX/LOB_SAVE_FIX.TP2~ #0 #0 // improve saving throws of all non-joinable creatures
I was looking the Area script with Near Infinity, and saw the part about sendai2, and it should have had FIN_TIME_STOP_RUNNING 0, but when I checked it was still 1 after sendai2 was dead.
Can weird things happen by combining SCS with other tweak mods like atweaks, or even larger quest mods such as dark side of the sword coast? I played through a few icewind dale inspired maps in the drizzt saga, and it was really quite hard. I don't see how it could be beaten legitimately. I would expect that it, and most expansions mods were designed under the assumption that the user is playing vanilla BG.
I know it is popular now, but but since when was it popular? I know that it came after a few of the megasized expansions that began BG as a modding platform, and that many of them are known for filling BG1 with equipment that would make a throne of bhaal character green with envy.
Its been popular longer than I've been aware of BG modding. Sorry that its an imprecise measurement.
The thing with SCS, is that it edits the AI of enemies, and very few other mods do that. Ascension does it, but SCS has components specifically for Ascension bosses, so they are compatible.
The biggest thing to watch for would be redundant components. Like both atweaks and SCS have components that buff fiends. So you only want to install one of those.
uh, Faiths and Powers adds a sphere system and changes class and kit spell access, so you will want to do the spell components of SCS before faiths and powers, then do the rest of SCS at normal time.
That's all of potential conflicts that I am aware of.
I just came here to express my gratitude for all your hard work you have done - and all the time you have invested in us. Thank you.
...and a question as well, if it’s ok. You have been helping out on IWD:ee. Once the 2.6 is stable and the mods (Ascensions as well I reckon...) are working 100% as you see fit, is there a chance that a SCS for IWD:ee can come to life. Perhaps not with you doing the hard work, but perhaps as a consultant?
Once Icewind Dale in EET is done, SCS will be compatible. We assume.
First, the description of the Death Fog spell says "Death Fog will also instantly kill all summoned creatures, regardless of their Hit Dice and immunities." The spell's actual effect, with SCS: In addition to those creatures (fiends, celestials, djinni, efreeti) that are exempt due to not having the "summoned" gender, acid-immune summons (nishruu, hakeashar, magical sword) don't die. This is a consequence of the added effect that grants immunity to the spell for acid-immune creatures, which is there so spellcasters don't get interrupted by zero damage.
Is this intended, or not? Should Death Fog kill acid-immune summoned creatures?
Second, with the component that gives potions to creatures, enemy monks sometimes get oils of speed ... and use them, to no effect. Player-controlled monks can't use oils of speed at all, and monks of level 5 and above are immune to the haste effect.
To avoid this blatant artificial idiocy, monks should get slightly different random potions from standard fighters. Exclude those useless oils of speed.
Third, the occasional "Invalid: 9999999" item. Why would I blame SCS? Because every single one has been a random scroll in a container. The v33 update to the component that increases random scroll selection seems to have done this. For example, this was a random level 5 scroll (dwrnscr4.itm) in a container in one of Hexxat's areas:
(Added in edit)
In addition to "invalid" items, I'm also seeing blank items, which show up as NULL.ITM in the area files. Looking at an unmodded version for comparison, these are random treasures that aren't specifically scrolls. The random scroll component is supposed to replace some such items with random scrolls, but it appears to fail and replace them with null items instead. Sometimes. Other random treasures, like the invalid item example I showed, do get converted properly.
You most likely put opcode(s) #324 at the top of the effect stack, so you need to move them after SUMMONED-related effects...
This is the same issue that is currently affecting vanilla Flail Of The Ages and the like...
Death Fog is one of many elemental AoE spells that get patched as part of a general routine, and all of these involve putting that opcode 324 effect at the top. It's just that this spell has an additional effect that needs special handling.
Cloudkill has similar effects, slaying low-HD creatures. As of patch 2.5, poison immunity protects against instant death even in vanilla; before that, it was done by tacking Slay immunity onto nearly all of the monster rings that granted poison immunity.
The other spells on the list that get modified - doesn't look like any have additional effects that would be an issue.
And another quick report - a cosmetic issue, easily fixed.
(Tactical BG2 component "Improved Drow")
The House Jae'llat encounter has some additional spellcaster mooks added:
- "Jae'llat Mage" DW#DRJA3, female, class fighter 10/cleric 9.
- "Jae'llat Priestess" DW#DRJA2, male, class fighter 12/mage 12.
The names should be swapped to match the classes.
Since this is still the latest post, another bit:
Fighting the chapter 6 vampires today, I had a party member disabled without any visual effects. Checking the log, this was the vampire "Mesmerism" spell. Checking the spell's data ... save vs spell at -4 or be feebleminded, save vs spell at -2 or get a portrait icon and visual effect for charm. He rolled a natural 1 or 2, saving against the cosmetic effects but not the practical one.
From the vampire.tpa file: Mesmerism is a clone of the vampire domination spell, with the domination effect changed to a feeblemind and the save penalty changed - but the cosmetic effects and elf resistance are unchanged, leading to the mismatch seen above.
And another ...
In the final event of the fighter stronghold quest, Lord Roenall brings a mage (KPROEN03) ... who stands there ignoring the battle.
Like the other Roenall forces, he starts neutral. They all go hostile when they hear their lord shout as a part of his dialogue ... but that's a block in their class scripts, which also include combat instructions. SCS (Improved Mages) removes this script for the mage, leaving him with no reason to get involved.
That removed script also has a block that makes him go away after the event is over, so he sticks around if you don't fight him.
(All observed in 33.3)