EE Keeper, CRE Files, and familiars...

Vorpal_Spoon

Hello Beamdog community, this is my first time signing in and my very first question. Forgive me if this is supposed to be in the category for modding (as I wasn't really sure which one to choose for my questions).

I have been using EE Keeper to tweak some things in game. My magic user has a familiar that I wanted to tweak. So I opened the CRE file and found the creature (prefix tag was labeled "FAM___.cre"). I was able to make changes and save it. However, after loading the game I found that the changes to his familiar were not present. So I tried different methods to see if I could get the newly tweaked familiar to appear, such as sleeping at an inn hoping it would refresh the new spell added: no dice. Tried using CTRL+Y and recasting Find Familiar: no dice.

I was assuming before all of this that changing and saving a CRE file would update that file when loading the game. And I also understand that obviously the familiar, while in your party, isn't "IN" your party (as in when you load your Open Saved Games, your charnames are present to edit in game but not your familiar).

So my question is "how"? How am I able to edit a familiar in game and load the new creature appropriately. In warning, I have to state that I am a real novice when it comes to programming and code, so please speak to me like an elementary kid booting up Oregan Trail for the first time. Thank you for any and all advice.

Vorpal_Spoon

Also, I am playing Icewind Dale which is why I choose this as the category for my inquiry.

Rik_Kirtaniya

Are you sure you saved the CRE file into the "override" folder (under My Documents/Icewind Dale/)? It may not work otherwise. Also the spell needs to be cast after the new CRE file has been saved, since the previous familiar is an instance of the old CRE file.

By the way, welcome to the Forums and hope you enjoy your stay here!

Vorpal_Spoon

Vorpal_Spoon

I may be seeing the wrong thing, but I am pretty sure it's being saved in "an" override; just don't know if it's "the" override file you're speaking of.

Cast spell after reload? Hmmm, no, the only spell it has is its original spell "Blur" after reload.

One thing in particular I noticed was that, instead of the standard alteration of Wizard/Priest number and type of spells, its particular spell is listed as "Innate". When altering its number of spell cast/level and type, I followed the same label, innate. Hope this helps.

Rik_Kirtaniya

@Vorpal_Spoon Ah, there's the problem. It's not the right override folder. Create an "override" folder under My Documents/Icewind Dale/ and save the CRE file inside it. It should work then.

And by casting spell after reload, I meant your character casting the spell Find Familiar after the reload. The old familiar will not be updated. You need to cast Find Familiar again or in a new game to get the updated familiar.

Vorpal_Spoon

Thank you Rik_Kirtaniya, that worked! I assume it had to save in a separate folder to prevent completely overriding the vanilla CRE script?

I now have another issue entirely, but one that is probably a simple fix. While the familiars movement speed, damage resistance, and HP did seem to change (couldn't verify other than attacking him), it has no abilities (vanilla had Blur). And this is probably because I set up the Innate/Spell number slots incorrectly.

How would you correct that? Also, is there a CLUA script to see (or perhaps display) a creatures stats, namely HP?

P.S.-It's trivial, but the new color scheme for the pet didn't change (and maybe it can't, but it's just for flavor so its not really that important). But can it?

Vorpal_Spoon

After experimenting for a while, I decided to give up and deleted the folder. Instead I began a new override folder. and bit by bit, was able to see what worked, what did not, and perhaps figured out why. The idea was to create a hatchling npc to mimic a campaign I once played, where my sorcerer from that game had a hatchling for most of the campaign.

On changing ablilities- Movement speed, stat modifiers, and resistance worked no problem. My initial main issue was being able to change and edit spells and uses for my pet (all under Memorization, Wizard, Priest, and Innate). The number of memorizations for "innate" and "wizard level" had to match, although only 1 casting per ability per day before rest was allowable. I understand there is a difference between number of spells memorized vs number of spell uses. So far as it stands, I could only get it to have one use per day, even though I was able to tweak it to have additional wizard spells for its options.

Initially I could not add priest spells as desired, and this was either because the class script is listed under "wyvern" and maybe locked into a single class script (while I could add priest spells and give it levels in a second class under "Characteristics", it would not recognize or allow ANY spells from either class). It would essentially be changing it from a single class to a multiclass, which after loading found NOTHING would be available . Again, I am very much a novice when it comes this stuff. But after selecting the box labeled "dual class" beside "wyvern", I was able to add the class and then afterward the newly added spells appeared. The only way the spells would allow for more than one use (for me anyway), was to crank up the "memorizations" numbers and double those on innate while adding the class levels to allow the number of uses to increase properly. This gave the desired effect for "such and such" spell of that class 1xday or 3xday.

On color palette- nothing seem to change. Not a big deal, but when seeing the same species with different colors, it gave me the impression that was doable (and perhaps it is, I could see no difference).

Overall I hope this helps out any novice tweakers with their fam pets (or in this case creating a subclass for a creature), and I appreciate you helping point me in the right direction to even get it to recognize any changes added. Kudos to you Rik!

Rik_Kirtaniya

@Vorpal_Spoon Yes, you have to increase the memorization number of each of the spells individually (besides increasing the number of total memorizable spells in the memorization tab) for it to work. Glad you figured it out.

You could change the class from "Wyvern" to Cleric/Mage or Fighter/Mage/Cleric. I think it should work and then you don't need dual classing.

By the way, if you need some additional tweaking, you can tell me all the details (that is, what you would like to be changed), and I'll see if I can modify the familiar that way.