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I don't get why . . . ? (Share things about the games that perplex you)

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  • BlackbɨrdBlackbɨrd Member Posts: 293
    Important people like Aran Linvail or Saemon Havarian didn't have portraits. If more people had portraits it would make you less suspicious of the SPOILER: TOB villian.
  • megamike15megamike15 Member Posts: 2,666
    well they do if you use ppe or artaport portrait mods.
  • megamike15megamike15 Member Posts: 2,666
    speaking of Melissan. cn is alittle to trusting in tob. you'd think they would be more on guard during the bhaalspawn war.
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    megamike15 wrote: »
    speaking of Melissan. cn is alittle to trusting in tob. you'd think they would be more on guard during the bhaalspawn war.

    Charname gets less genre savy with each game.
  • MaurvirMaurvir Member Posts: 1,093
    edited September 2020
    There was lots of stupidity concerning CN in the games. Even if you have a full party that can carry you to a temple for resurrection, CN dying is game over. Ok, fine, bhaalspawn disintegrate into powder when they die. Oh wait, except for Imoen - who you CAN resurrect at a temple. In BG2... :| Also, if you happen to kill any of the bhaalspawn in Saradush, they don't evaporate into a powder EITHER. The Five? Nope, they don't disintegrate. It's just you and Sarevok. It was actually more than a little disappointing that you don't get the disintegration animation for any of the five.

    Now, as for maze, that is even dumber, because it isn't permanent. For reasons that baffle me, mazed NPCs are kicked out of the party (which is really annoying in the Tree of Life if you don't have them rejoin you before the end...) So I'm assuming it's some silly engine restriction. Still, it's dumb, because your PC isn't dead or permanently imprisoned. I think there is a tweak mod that prevents your PC from being mazed, though I can't recall which.

    Oh, and about that permanent imprisonment. If you aren't playing solo, why can't a party member cast freedom? Your PC isn't dead, just trapped in a pocket plane. I could maybe see a situation where the party can't free you, and maybe then it would be game over, but still, it's a silly inconsistency.
  • jmerryjmerry Member Posts: 3,881
    I don't know about the original, but mazed NPCs in BG2EE stay in the party. It's only imprisoned ones that get kicked out.
  • MaurvirMaurvir Member Posts: 1,093
    edited September 2020
    jmerry wrote: »
    I don't know about the original, but mazed NPCs in BG2EE stay in the party. It's only imprisoned ones that get kicked out.

    Ah yes, you are right - I forget that Mr. I casts Imprison during that battle, not maze. Which makes it all the more baffling that a mazed CN is game over. :|
  • Permidion_StarkPermidion_Stark Member Posts: 4,861
    I don't get why they decided to introduce mirroring in BG2.

    I assume there is a good reason for it but it drives me nuts. My memory is that there was no mirroring in BG1, then BG2 came along and characters suddenly started switching the hand they hold their weapons in every time they turn around.

    For ages I have been playing characters using two-handed weapons so I hadn't noticed it but last night I tried out a sword and board paladin and I quickly gave up on the character because I found it so annoying that one moment she was left handed and the next moment she was right handed.
  • sarevok57sarevok57 Member Posts: 6,002
    I don't get why they decided to introduce mirroring in BG2.

    I assume there is a good reason for it but it drives me nuts. My memory is that there was no mirroring in BG1, then BG2 came along and characters suddenly started switching the hand they hold their weapons in every time they turn around.

    For ages I have been playing characters using two-handed weapons so I hadn't noticed it but last night I tried out a sword and board paladin and I quickly gave up on the character because I found it so annoying that one moment she was left handed and the next moment she was right handed.

    i think it had something to do with being easy for weaker machines to run the game...? Kind of ironic now that they keep the weak setting on by default even though any machine should be able to run these games

    also, i just noticed that in my configuration file for the EE games that it is;
    SetPrivateProfileString('Program Options','Sprite Mirror','0')

    so try setting that to 1 and see what happens? ( or if your game is already set to 1, then try setting it to 0 ? )
  • Permidion_StarkPermidion_Stark Member Posts: 4,861
    @sarevok57
    Thanks. I will give that a try and let you know how I get on.
  • Permidion_StarkPermidion_Stark Member Posts: 4,861
    @sarevok57

    It turns out I haven't got a clue how to do that. Do I need to download Near Infinity?
  • jmerryjmerry Member Posts: 3,881
    The configuration file in question is named "baldur.lua". It's located in the same place as the save folder for your game, and can be modified by any text editor - no special tools required.
  • ArviaArvia Member Posts: 2,101
    I've just noticed it's weird that you don't get the same penalties for being unconscious as for when you're being Held.
    As far as I remember, when you're Held, you get automatically hit every time. At least in the BG games. Seems right to me, because no matter what armor you wear, they can aim right at the weak points when you're unable to move.

    Then my undead hunter walked into a trap in IWD:EE (we're around level 3, so my rogue didn't detect it), I was lying unconscious on the ground, surrounded by 5 skeletons that never landed a single hit.
    My companions were separated from me by a bunch of other skeletons (narrow hallway), so it took a couple of rounds before the could help me. Still, I took no damage until the unconsciousness wore off.
    I know it's because of AC, Thac0, dice rolls and everything, and I'm glad it went well, but logically it shouldn't be possible that 5 skeletons don't manage to land a single hit on an immobile person lying on the ground right in front of them.
  • jmerryjmerry Member Posts: 3,881
    Being unconscious definitely negates AC protection in BG. That sounds like it might be a difference between the games.
    Incidentally, helpless states also make critical hits impossible. If they're not even rolling to hit, they can't roll a 20.

    The one incapacitating state I've noticed that doesn't remove AC protection in BG is feeblemind - I had one character charmed and another feebleminded by sirines, and they both survived.
  • ChroniclerChronicler Member Posts: 1,391
    jmerry wrote: »
    Being unconscious definitely negates AC protection in BG. That sounds like it might be a difference between the games.
    Incidentally, helpless states also make critical hits impossible. If they're not even rolling to hit, they can't roll a 20.

    The one incapacitating state I've noticed that doesn't remove AC protection in BG is feeblemind - I had one character charmed and another feebleminded by sirines, and they both survived.

    Fun quirk of that is it means if you've got your mage using a ranged weapon they're not proficient in, just to keep them out of the frontlines, even with that mage thac0 and harsh 5 point penalty for not being proficient in the weapon they'll hit every time.
  • Permidion_StarkPermidion_Stark Member Posts: 4,861
    @sarevok57 @jmerry

    Hi guys. Thanks for the advice. My configuration file says SetPrivateProfileString('Program Options','Sprite Mirror','0') so I changed it to 1 but it didn't make a difference. My characters remain right handed when walking down the screen and left handed when walking up it. Oh well, I will just stick to using two-handed weapons. My paladin is doing pretty well with a Quarterstaff +3 at the moment.
  • JuliusBorisovJuliusBorisov Member, Administrator, Moderator, Developer Posts: 22,754
    Arvia wrote: »
    I've just noticed it's weird that you don't get the same penalties for being unconscious as for when you're being Held.
    As far as I remember, when you're Held, you get automatically hit every time. At least in the BG games. Seems right to me, because no matter what armor you wear, they can aim right at the weak points when you're unable to move.

    Then my undead hunter walked into a trap in IWD:EE (we're around level 3, so my rogue didn't detect it), I was lying unconscious on the ground, surrounded by 5 skeletons that never landed a single hit.
    My companions were separated from me by a bunch of other skeletons (narrow hallway), so it took a couple of rounds before the could help me. Still, I took no damage until the unconsciousness wore off.
    I know it's because of AC, Thac0, dice rolls and everything, and I'm glad it went well, but logically it shouldn't be possible that 5 skeletons don't manage to land a single hit on an immobile person lying on the ground right in front of them.

    If you mean the trap in the Kresselack's Tomb, it can't be disarmed. https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/710993/#Comment_710993

    As for the effect itself, see here https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/573525/#Comment_573525

    I think it's odd they couldn't hit you (when I last played IWD:EE, I remember getting auto-hit in that situation).
  • histamiinihistamiini Member Posts: 1,473
    edited September 2020
    Why you are allowed to spend more points on thieving skills than is useful? Like over 100 on Detect Illusion, or over 200 on Hide In Shadows.
  • sarevok57sarevok57 Member Posts: 6,002
    histamiini wrote: »
    Why you are allowed to spend more points on thieving skills than is useful? Like over 100 on Detect Illusion, or over 200 on Hide In Shadows.

    elven chainmails actually give you penalties to some scores so it is helpful to go pass 100 if you are wearing that, plus i believe some curst items also lower scores, but i guess its just easier to get rid of the item than making sure you score is high enough to wear said curst item
  • histamiinihistamiini Member Posts: 1,473
    sarevok57 wrote: »
    elven chainmails actually give you penalties to some scores so it is helpful to go pass 100 if you are wearing that, plus i believe some curst items also lower scores, but i guess its just easier to get rid of the item than making sure you score is high enough to wear said curst item
    Well I guess that's a reason. It's just annoying that their usefulness isn't given in game, so newbies might spend points badly.

  • Permidion_StarkPermidion_Stark Member Posts: 4,861
    I don't get why Viconia can cast Holy Smite? Is she only pretending to be evil?
  • Permidion_StarkPermidion_Stark Member Posts: 4,861
    sarevok57 wrote: »
    I don't get why Viconia can cast Holy Smite? Is she only pretending to be evil?

    its so she can blast her own team mates and help the enemy win, which is very evil if you ask me ;)

    Viconia is a Cylon.
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    histamiini wrote: »
    Why you are allowed to spend more points on thieving skills than is useful? Like over 100 on Detect Illusion, or over 200 on Hide In Shadows.

    Some locks and traps require over 100 to succeed. I think 115 can get through everything. Some npcs also have penalties to pickpockets (especially stores), so going over 100 there is useful as well. I think Bernard at the Copper Coronet requires almost 200 points to guarantee success.
  • sarevok57sarevok57 Member Posts: 6,002
    ThacoBell wrote: »
    histamiini wrote: »
    Why you are allowed to spend more points on thieving skills than is useful? Like over 100 on Detect Illusion, or over 200 on Hide In Shadows.

    Some locks and traps require over 100 to succeed. I think 115 can get through everything. Some npcs also have penalties to pickpockets (especially stores), so going over 100 there is useful as well. I think Bernard at the Copper Coronet requires almost 200 points to guarantee success.

    i believe Bernad's penalty is 128, so that would require 228 :)
  • histamiinihistamiini Member Posts: 1,473
    ThacoBell wrote: »
    Some locks and traps require over 100 to succeed. I think 115 can get through everything.
    Is this really correct? I tried searching both games for over 100 locks with NearInfinity, and couldn't find any.

  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    histamiini wrote: »
    ThacoBell wrote: »
    Some locks and traps require over 100 to succeed. I think 115 can get through everything.
    Is this really correct? I tried searching both games for over 100 locks with NearInfinity, and couldn't find any.

    There's not many. I can recall the Tome of Wisdom trap in Durlag's tower, and the trap right outside Sendai's Enclave. I've failed both with 105 in find traps.

    I don't recall specific locks, since I pump it up tp 115 asap these days.
  • histamiinihistamiini Member Posts: 1,473
    ThacoBell wrote: »
    histamiini wrote: »
    ThacoBell wrote: »
    Some locks and traps require over 100 to succeed. I think 115 can get through everything.
    Is this really correct? I tried searching both games for over 100 locks with NearInfinity, and couldn't find any.

    There's not many. I can recall the Tome of Wisdom trap in Durlag's tower, and the trap right outside Sendai's Enclave. I've failed both with 105 in find traps.

    I don't recall specific locks, since I pump it up tp 115 asap these days.
    Are you playing with EE? Durlag's Tower trap removal difficulty is 100, but you're correct the trap outside Sendai Enclave has 110 difficulty, which is interesting.

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