Usecode Chest

[Achile]

I don't know if it's a bug in exult or in the original but if you cast vibrate on yourself (in Serpent Isle) well there is a usecode chest who appears.

Strange

[Crysta the Elf]

its old.. pretty sure it happens in teh original too... and yes its odd

this is one of those things that really shouldnt happen... maybe you exult guys should implement some kinda "novibrate" flag on the Avatar?

[marzo]

Yeah, it is the Usecode Container. Trouble will ensue during the game if you don't hackmove it back to its proper place. I'd say it is a bug.

[marzo]

Let me correct: I think it is an *usecode* bug, not a bug in Exult.

maybe you exult guys should implement some kinda "novibrate" flag on the Avatar?

I think that a usecode fix would probably work better.

[Crysta the Elf]

you're probably right

i remember i used to hack it out and try to open it in the original just to make the game crash... heh

[marzo]

There, I have fixed it already. Next version of SI Fixes will have an awful lot of new things...

[Achile]

I hope so

When do you think you will release it?

[marzo]

For now, I am waiting for DrCode to add the remove_from_keyring intrinsic to include the Inn Key fix. I have no problems releasing it sooner, if people don't want to wait...

[Achile]

Better wait just to be sure it work at 100 %

[Natreg]

just wondering about the keyring thing, lets just say you use one of the inns as a "store room", the key should dissapear every day and all. What about when the banes are released and you can´t get the key back?? will you loose all the things you have on that room because you can´t open it??

or what about the keys of Simon the goblin, would they dissapear too?

[SB-X]

Well that's pretty stupid using it as a storeroom when you have to buy a new key every day. But I'd say unlock all the doors, if that's possible. (along with turning off the automatic locking)

[marzo]

I had already disabled the automatic locking for when the banes are released and for Monitor's Inn when Simon is killed; having dead innkeepers collect the keys and lock the doors would work better in Skara Brae, where you can at least see the ghosts

And as SB-X said, there are better places to store all your loot. You should consider, for example, the Serpent Path.

[Natreg]

well yeah, but I used those places a long time ago when I didn´t know how the game worked, and the serpent path... didin´t seem that secure (I always though batlin came to that place often).

Wen I was young this games really seemed real to me lol

[marzo]

I myself always prefered (and still prefer) to load up my pack mules... errr, "fellow party members"... with all the loot, using "Mass Might" and Loriel's Gift if needed.

[yhevhe]

Maybe leaving a permanent key in the innkeepers body would be a bit more real, if not too tedious to do.

[SB-X]

That sounds easier than unlocking all the doors.

[SB-X]

Now that I think about it, you can't change what people are carrying when they die, can you? You can drop the key on top of the body though.

[marzo]

People are killed by eggs when the banes are released; all there eggs use the same function, even, using the egg's quality to indicate the NPC #. I have overriden the specific function to give the appropriate keys to the innkeepers and then forward it to the original function; that way, innkeepers will have the key on their bodies.

[Tristan de Inés]

Someone with LOTS of time on his hands should change this mass genocide thingy after releasing the banes. I hated that! Everyone should go nutters instead but you should be able to cure them after killing the banes.

Yeah, this would be like a huge change with possibly lots of new conversations and minor plot changes, but having everyone killed off is so wrong.

I even thought I had made a mistake when that happened and I tried so hard to do something different to prevent the massacre.

It's not virtuous!

[SB-X]

If you're going to do that, then why not restore the original plot?

[marzo]

If you're going to do that, then why not restore the original plot?

By this, I assume that you are referring to what Tristan suggested; if so, I agree with you. Restoring the original plot would be almost as easy as Tristan's suggestion, as the amount of new dialog would be very similar -- and the scripting needs would not be that much different too.

[Crysta the Elf]

well then.... why dont we?

the only part of it thats still kind of fuzzy is Fawn, as we dont have a plot document for it.. if we start now we can probably get the thing done

[marzo]

Well, for one I think I used the wrong word above. I used "almost as easy", when what I actually meant "almost as hard". Writing good dialog is hard; the required amount of new dialog is very large, and all this dialog has to be consistant -- both, self-consistant and consistant with the existing dialog for the characters. Scripted sequences have to be synchronized, and so far, the only way to do so is by hand -- i.e., running each sequence several times and adjusting the timing so that things happen when you need them to.

Now, I don't have trouble on starting work to restore the cut plot; but it has to be well thought out, and I would prefer to release the mods I am working on already before undertaking something this large. Also, having a larger team would be very helpful...

[Andy]

I do agree with Marzo. Bug fixes, and improvements should be made first. That way it will likely make it easier when the plot is restored. That said, some planning could be done in advance to set up the cut plot....

I was the one that found the Moonshade documents. Unfortunately, I believe that I have milked my sources dry.... I am still trying to find more information, but nothing new can be gotten so far.

I have certain ideas about things, and perhaps they will come to fruition. I am not a good coder though.

[Crysta the Elf]

alright... but im gonna mull over it anyway in absence of sprites to draw

[Andy]

That's the best thing to do Crysta. I'm not saying to anyone "stop." The more creativity, and encouragement the better. There's nothing that says that one thing should be worked on at a time. My previous thread on the cut plot stated several things....

I believed that Yearl in the Silverseed was originally ment to be a Ratman. It made sense since he 1. Craved cheese. 2. Was trapped like a rat in a maze, and 3. There was a rumor about a missing Ratman portrait that never made it into the game. The cat creature obviously was ment to go somewhere else..... So, as a suggestion, maybe you could create a Ratman portrait?

Whatever you do, you have demonstrated your skills, and I for one am glad to have you on board. Keep up the great work.

[marzo]

To Andy: Yeah, there is still too much left to know yet. I'd particularly like to get my hands in Claw Isle plot, which is where I think Yearl's portrait/sprite would be. But I can only imagine how hard it must be to try to recover the cut plot of a game this old...

[Crysta the Elf]

well... the plot itself would be the hard part... we only have small generalizations of what happened there.. and both of them are somewhat conflicting

however, rebuilding the island itself would be no more than a days work.. maybe two... most of the walls and cielings of the structure still exist under the moutains on the island, in the expansive blackness (i put up a big map of it some time ago, which included a few jots about odd items and teleporters that still worked)

the character wouldnt be TOO hard to write for... simple tragic character... and a lot more intelligent than "yearl" was.... the problems would be in coming up with a series of events and a sub-quest or two to try to help him out but eventually resigning him to his fate ( definitely should keep him alive tho), before continuing the main quest by heading into Furnace


the catacombs would most definitely lead directly to tunnels under claw... the absence of ratmen in furnace would indeed be better explained by there being an isle of cats between them and the dungeon


er.. anyway.. im obviously rambling.. lol

[Achile]

Maybe the scripter never write anything more that we know

[Ethan]

I'm pretty much free this summer, and I have some experience in writing (although not coding). If anyone has some of the notes for the Bane plot, I'd love to take a look and maybe write up some dialogue/sequences for coders to go at. Any takers just email me privately.



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