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Stealth/Invisibility wears off before attacking (Shadowstep bugs)

[Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 207
edited December 2019 in Troubleshooting
I noticed this bug while using the shadowdancer. And I can't even reproduce it perfectly, but here's how it usually happens:

1) I use Shadowstep
2) During Shadowstep, I activate stealth mode.
3) Just when it's about to end or just after it ends, I order the character to attack whatever I want to backstab.

Result: You become visible while doing the attack animation, but without actually hitting the enemy (or missing the enemy), ruining the opportunity for the backstab. Using an invisibility potion during shadowstep also can make this happen. I don't think I ever saw this happen in any other circumstance. It doesn't happen very often, I suspect it's all about the timing, but it's annoying nonetheless.

Any ideas? Am I missing something?
Post edited by [Deleted User] on
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Comments

  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 207
    edited March 2017
    I uploaded a video to show you what I mean. This will make things clear. Hope you guys can help me out. I know my game is modded, but this happens too in my unmodded game, I just tested it, so you can reproduce it on your own.



  • kjeronkjeron Member Posts: 2,367
    I can confirm the behavior does happen on occasion, and that its independent of stealth.

    That first attack after shadowstep ends sometimes doesn't function at all, and its not a cosmetic attack(turned off).

    Stealth is at least correctly detecting the attack and ending, the attack just isn't working for some reason.
    [Deleted User]
  • Gate70Gate70 Member, Developer Posts: 3,870
    From Options -> Gameplay -> Feedback please scroll down the visual feedback. Make sure No Cosmetic Attacks is enabled, & see if that makes any difference.

    Thanks
    [Deleted User]
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 207
    edited March 2017
    @Gate70 I just tested it, it happens too. Interestingly, a cosmetic animation does appear when you become visible, even though I just enabled "No cosmetic attacks". Exactly the same behavior I showed in my video.
    Post edited by [Deleted User] on
  • Gate70Gate70 Member, Developer Posts: 3,870
    Could you zip and attach a save please, I tried with a newly created character on Windows earlier and again on Linux just now but am not seeing this happen. If it happens occasionally, how many times would you expect to have to try before seeing it.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 207
    edited March 2017
    I don't think a save is really necessary, I just tested it with a newly created character on my unmodded BGEE, gave him 161k experience points, and tried to backstab (after using Shadowstep) one of the tutorial monks with a dagger I bought from Winthrop.

    And about a number of times, I don't know, but I find it happens more regularly if you order him to attack pretty soon after activating Shadowstep, instead of just after the 7 seconds it lasts, or a moment before.

    I find it very inconsistent. Right now, I can't reproduce what I did half an hour ago.
  • Gate70Gate70 Member, Developer Posts: 3,870
    edited March 2017
    I've just tried it ten times, and each time the backstab was made. Usually two to three seconds after the shadowstep ends but always within six seconds or so.

    edit - your screen capture ends less then 6 seconds of Shadowstep completing, are you sure you are waiting long enough to check
    edit2: Also, please try without any auto-pause active so we can narrow down potential causes.

    Thanks
    JuliusBorisov
  • kjeronkjeron Member Posts: 2,367
    edited March 2017
    @Gate70
    It's definitely not a cosmetic attack.

    The attack is happening, its just not doing anything, no feedback, even with "Extra Combat Info" enabled, yet everything else that detects an attack is happening (autopause: attacked, ending stealth, hostility). Cosmetic attacks do not trigger these.

    I can get it with/without autopause.
    [Deleted User]
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 207
    edited March 2017
    An attack is made regardless, but without being invisible, which means you don't get a backstab. I can't pinpoint what causes this, that's why I can't reproduce it consistently.

    What @kjeron says is interesting, I didn't check if I had to wait a round to get another attack. Perhaps this is caused because it's a "ghost attack", that does nothing, but break invisibility. The fact that an animation appears even though cosmetic animations are turned off points to that possibility. I'll have to keep testing.

    It's a bit frustrating, because right now it's not happening, so testing is difficult.

  • Gate70Gate70 Member, Developer Posts: 3,870
    What I am seeing is hide in shadows not dropping until an attack roll is shown. It's quite possible that I am not reproducing the steps quite correctly, would be helpful to have a step by step breakdown of what you do.

    e.g. I noticed on the screen capture that the hide in shadows icon was disabled before activating Shadowstep so I did a few more tests on that basis. I also checked AI was disabled and so on.

    So far as I know, any attack should produce an attack roll. If it's not doing this I would consider it a cosmetic attack so would be interested in knowing how you can be certain it's not a cosmetic attack. Auto-pause can produce some strange results hence why I mentioned it.
    JuliusBorisov
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 207
    edited March 2017
    I managed to see the bug again. It's looking like ordering to attack about 2 seconds before shadowstep ends causes it more consistently. If I figure it out a better way to see it, I'll let you know...

    Interestingly, after becoming visible (and doing nothing to the monk), the monk became hostile, so I assume the game thinks it was a valid attack, non-cosmetic. But it's not doing anything.
  • Gate70Gate70 Member, Developer Posts: 3,870
    Are you assuming that stealth is not dropped until an attack is made?
    (that may be a reasonable assumption, but this could be a stealth bug rather than an attack bug? as attacked or hostility may be on sight, hard to be certain without knowing who/what is being targeted)
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 207
    edited March 2017
    I know stealth wears off eventually after ordering to attack, but it takes a while. This is almost instant.

    As far as I know, NPC's do not react to your order to attack them, until an actual attack is attempted, but I might be wrong... That's the premise I use to conclude the game thinks it's a valid attack, even though it does nothing.

    My target is the nearest monk after entering Candlekeep's inn.

    Oh, by the way, I find that this happens more frequently when you use Shadowstep, while your stealth ability is in cooldown. Try canceling stealth, immediately use Shadowstep, and as soon as you can, enter stealth again and try to attack.
  • kjeronkjeron Member Posts: 2,367
    Gate70 said:

    So far as I know, any attack should produce an attack roll. If it's not doing this I would consider it a cosmetic attack so would be interested in knowing how you can be certain it's not a cosmetic attack.

    Aside from having them disabled, cosmetic attacks also do not trigger hostility, end stealth, or trigger autopause:attacked, which this failed attack is doing.

    Here is it occuring, triggering an autpause:attacked:
    and here's the next attack:

    It still takes several attempts to trigger it myself.
    [Deleted User]
  • Gate70Gate70 Member, Developer Posts: 3,870
    edited March 2017
    Right, tried the 2 seconds before Shadowstep ends.

    With that I've been able to get an intermittent drop out of shadows when attacking the monk without the monk turning hostile but removing the backstab element of the eventual attack. Will try the party member auto-pause now.
    Thanks
    [Deleted User]
  • JuliusBorisovJuliusBorisov Member, Administrator, Moderator, Developer Posts: 22,714
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 207
    edited March 2017
    Another sample, it shows what I described to you above:



  • Gate70Gate70 Member, Developer Posts: 3,870
    edited March 2017
    Both screen captures start with your character leaving shadows before Shadowstep. Can you reproduce it without starting in the shadows? @kjeron did you also start in the shadows.

    Being intermittent suggests timing / round to me and a recollection of something similar with Timestop for BGII:EE. Will see if I can find any Redmine report.

    I'm not sure those links posted are the same issue.
    • Hit but no damage could be stoneskin. Would be a feature request to add extra feedback
    • Not sure about Slow, I don't seem to get feedback when casting it against Firkraag. I don't think he is immune to certain spells, and would expect a slowed/save/magic resistance if that's not the case. Don't know if @Galactygon would have any insight around this. nvm, he has a dragon ring with various immunities including slow. Again, would need to be a feature request.
    • For the second link I would need more information, specifically what AI script the characters are using. (Also for reporters to reproduce on an unmodded game as it rules out any other factors)
    Post edited by Gate70 on
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 207
    edited March 2017
    It looks like I'm not able to do it if Stealth is NOT in cooldown. I'll keep trying just in case, but you might be onto something.

    This problem usually happened whenever I used Shadowstep to "jump" from one target to another, once the former is dead after the backstab, so stealth would be in cooldown.

    EDIT: Nevermind, it's not a factor. It just happened again regardless. I'll upload another video if necessary.
    Post edited by [Deleted User] on
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 207
    edited March 2017
    Here it is:





    Note that this happens with "No cosmetic attacks" turned on too. Maybe it's a miss, and for some reason the game doesn't give you any feedback. No idea.

    Perhaps I could edit my character to always make critical hits in EEKeeper, and see if it happens regardless. EDIT: Tested that, even though all my attacks have to be successful because they are criticals, the "ghost attack" after shadowstep, still doesn't do anything, other than making the monk hostile. No cosmetic attacks.
    Post edited by [Deleted User] on
  • kjeronkjeron Member Posts: 2,367
    I've managed it without starting in Stealth mode and without using stealth at all.
    I think the Stealth buttton's 6s blackout is just making it easier for the timing to line up.
    [Deleted User]
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 207
    edited March 2017
    kjeron said:

    I've managed it without starting in Stealth mode and without using stealth at all.
    I think the Stealth buttton's 6s blackout is just making it easier for the timing to line up.

    Then this bug has nothing to do with Stealth, only with how Shadowstep works. Well, at least we can narrow it down. Maybe it has something to do with how it disables your ability to attack at all for its duration.
  • Gate70Gate70 Member, Developer Posts: 3,870
    Could you try these steps please as I think it gives a consistent repro but would appreciate a second opinion.

    Shadowstep
    Activate Hide in Shadows (F6)
    Deactivate Hide in Shadows (F6)
    Select weapon (F3)
    Click on the monk to attack him
  • Gate70Gate70 Member, Developer Posts: 3,870
    scrap that, those steps without shadowstep see stealth broken immediately so it's not the same
    [Deleted User]
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 207
    edited March 2017
    Yes, I was about to say so. But again, according to what @kjeron reports, it might have nothing to do with Stealth.

    I have yet to try for myself without stealth, and see if there's is again a "ghost attack" that makes the monk hostile to me.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 207
    edited March 2017
    I just tested it without stealth. Just as @kjeron reports, it happens in the same way.

    After Shadowstep ends, your character makes an attack animation, which does nothing (and without any feedback) except for making the monk hostile. Perhaps it's trivial, but the attack has no sound either. Very ghostly, indeed.
  • Gate70Gate70 Member, Developer Posts: 3,870
    I haven't managed to make the monk hostile yet, but have repro'd a party member attacked autopause after a number of failed attempts. All I can think is that the attack animation and the target being attacked are also intermittent. None of which is helpful for a repro so will look to see if there is a way to make it more consistent.
    [Deleted User]JuliusBorisov
  • Good luck, let me know if I can help with testing in any way. I'm out of ideas.
  • Were you able to identify a more reliable way to reproduce this issue, @Gate70 ?
  • Gate70Gate70 Member, Developer Posts: 3,870
    Not as yet
    [Deleted User]
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