NPC subquests and romances buster detected: Templates

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Have you read this thread? http://www.sorcerers.net/community/threads/win-xp.7962/

Well, I've received two bugged saved games and got and then downloaded all those happyparties stuff from SP to see what was it all about...

But no, it's not HappyFarty, it's not Level745367845 RulesHack, it's not any of the romances, not even Juggernaut fix... wait, this fix is not SoA, damn, why have I checked it then?!?! *sigh*

It's Templates Pack.

So just a lil' warning, if you have this IMHO nice addition, be aware that no NPC subquest will work and especially not romances. In order to make templates work, author made a special spell (sptempl.spl) that replaces original NPC scripts with script called TEMPLATE.

It's unfixable in that form as it is.
The only way to make it work properly is to contact it's author to change the way it works - for example to append TEMPLATE script to already existing NPC scripts with WeiDU. Any volunteers?

Anyone who has already installed it may remove it easily, all files are dated in year 2001 (except two bmp files). If you remove it that way, make sure you reinstall other mods you've had, because some of mods are also dated in year 2001 and you'll definetly remove them with the templates' files.

I'm leaving this as sticky for a few days as I've promised.

[EDIT]
Yes TheBlackRose, that's that. There are no other templates on the net but those.

[This message has been edited by Extremist (edited May 31, 2002).]

 

Templates as in: Half-Dragon, Lich, Vampire?

 

Extremist, You rule! Thank you! Luckily, I didn't really like those anyway, so thanks for the info!

 

As someone who only dabbles in computer games, this one being the one I've stuck with the longest... what are you guys talking about?

 

I've forgot to post up there that removal of the files won't cure already affected game - you'll have to start again. Unless you fix it manually. Or, perhaps...

I've explored the stuff more detailed and I think there are two possible fixing alternatives.


1. Turn the whole pack into WeiDU installation

The making of WeiDU installation out of it will take days. First, it should take care of restoring original NPC scripts from within main BG2 script - this is not so hard to make. Next, it should control the NPCs' "templates" also from the main BG2 script - and making that is really tricky. The original TEMPLATE script must be rewritten for each party member (Player1, Player2,...,Player6). But viewing it from a different angle will show you that such WeiDU installation would be compatible with every other mod available on the net!


2. Lower the script level of TEMPLATE script

This is easy one. Inside the spell SPTEMPL.SPL, parameter 2 of the effect needs to be set on 5 instead of existing 0. TEMPLATE script will then be placed as Race script (which is not used by NPCs) instead of Override script. Of course, in the original TEMPLATE script must be added restoration of original NPC scripts.
But such method would not work if partyAI is turned off ("lanthorn" in the downright corner). Only Override level scripts work when "lanthorn" is turned off. However, 99.99% of players have AI always turned on...
Note that this method actually doesn't guarantee compatibility, however there is no other mod to my knowledge that uses Race level scripts, so let's say it would be "nearcompatible" with other mods.


What I want here is some comments on which method should be used for fixing. I also want to see if someone has another, and perhaps better, idea on fixing it.
But it will be fixed one way or another. It would be a shame to let this nice and unique mod killed.
Any volunteers? If not, I'll fix it personally.

So Tal, don't write the warning yet. Perhaps we may deal it within a few days.

 

Then first option it is!

Now lets get this thing burried till I'm finished with the conversion...