Utraean Seizure of hopless Mapping

Hi All,

I've finished updating yesterhaven from the original dungeon siege with working quests, bestiary and some fixes.

There's just missing a world map (couldn't find anything related to Yesterhaven) and some rough edges.

Iryan Hello happy your back with us I missed you. And you other guys did you forget me as well?
Bare_Elf
lili

Great to see you back as well. No I didn't forget you and the DS2 conversion of the Cat Mansion Girls is what got me back to playing DS2 again and then Killergremal posted his work on the Utraean Peninsula. Missing the original DS1 monsters I added them to the map as well as recruitable characters (all are based on LOU's characters and still have their template names). When it seemed that progress on further maps would never proceed I decided to help him finish them.

Hope you are going to stick around.

I've update the mod files for the Utraean Peninsula.
The former map version was quite o.k. though (*cough*, at least it hasn't changed much) but some content related updates were more urgent.

Converting DS1 resources may be an uncommon installation procedure but there are much more pros than cons when using the original sources directly.
Besides of legal concerns it's very convenient for mappers/modders to know what sources there are and not to need to gather painfully the mesh/textures and possibly animations too in order to get a working DS1 object for DS2.
However the player should profit as well - I guess nobody will miss the smaller/washy DDS files compared to the original Raw/Psd textures, and the trans-coded MP3 files with 11kHz/16kHz not to mention...
 

There's also an update for the MonsterLevel Adjustment mod. It can handle now low-levelled monsters some better and offers more tweaks how/when monsters adjust their levels.
Last but not least I've finally finished a beta release of the Arhok XP bonus map.

And of course... - hello Bare_Elf !

I see that you require converted DS1 tanks now for the Utrae mod. How do you avoid conflicts between Objects.DSres and the DS2 Objects.DS2res tanks? I tried that before and DS2 hangs because there's so many shared resources between the games and DS2 uses a lot of the old template names but with different contents and resources. The same occurs for terrain.ds2res as a lot of the old sno files are still used in DS2.

I'll have to try the new version when I get home from work and see what you've done.

Incidentally I've found a better hex editor called Free Hex Neo that will create small patches for converting the tank signatures. Better still these patches can be made as executable files and the user doesn't require the actual program to patch files. I've made a couple of these patches ages ago in testing and I can send them to you if you like.

I did think about using the original DS1 tank files before but I always ran into compatibility problems. If we could solve those this would be an ideal way of distributing the old maps without copyright issues. Patching and renaming the old DS1 tanks could be done with batch files and the beforementioned hex editor.

Very good job Killergremal. The map loads without any problems.

Guess it's back to the drawing board as this opens new possibilities.

EDIT. The versions of Kingdom of Ehb and Utraean Peninsula I've been working on load and work with this method. There's a couple of missing textures etc but everything seems to work otherwise. The DS1 monsters are present and work, as do quests and recruitable characters, etc, though the lore and quest tabs aren't fully functional.

Yesterhaven and Legends of Aranna are more problematic as most of the files are stored in the one tank. How to handle this will be interesting.

It's great the work Killergremal is doing but I think it's pointless having two versions of the Utraean Peninsula going round so I think it's best if he absorbs what he wants from the version I've been working so I can concentrate on the others.

Most matters with meshes/textures that use the same filenames but look different can be fixed by renaming the meshes/textures/animations and creating own templates for them, in order to replace these templates on the imported DS1 map then. Right now I don't see any other way to solve this matter (expect of an own resource path in a short-cut maybe), luckily however such cases are rather rare, I just remember the levers, some ice rocks, one cow, ...

I,ve received a reply from servo at GPG but no breakthrough yet as he has no contacts there. He did say that the best person to try to contact would be someone in marketing associated with Dungeon Siege 3, especially the steam version which comes packaged with the two earlier games (sadly not the expansions).
This would be interesting especially as they,re supposed to be improved versions designed for Win 7.

At least it seems Microsoft are out of the picture as he said they no longer support the game.

So now I,m attempting to find a contact in marketing at Square.

Just one minor issue.

The gates in the town regions are locked, but I can just walk through them.

And radar is complete, only Return to Arhok to go.

I've finally finished the beta of legends of aranna for DS2. With this 4 maps have now been converted to play under DS2.

Sadly all attempts to contact Square Enix about releasing the maps for DS2 have been unsuccessfull. So we're at a stalmate. The maps are finished but can't be released yet.

The options are limited;
- Get the user to convert the DS1 resources to DS2 format as Killergremal has done.
- Make some sort of installer that will extract the necessary resources and then rebuild them with minimal input from the user apart from selecting the correct folders that the program should look in.

There's seems to be some issues with choice one though it works. Choice two is far beyond my abilities though I know there'd be modders who could achieve such a feat.

After 7 months with this project I'm taking a little breather but will still continue in a more relaxed fashion with any issues or solutions that may appear on the horizon.

Edit: There's also a third option that would probably be fine and that's to tie the release to the steam collectors version of DS111 which also includes DS1 and 2. Any comments on this option?

I have problems with the LoA Beta.

If I have the beta3 logic installed, the shopkeepers disappear.

I install beta2 logic and the shopkeepers are there but no quests or lore.

I retanked both files with beta3 as greater priority and install both. Shopkeepers, quests and lore are functional, but some monsters are disappearing.

Looked at the templates and cannot find why.

And I notice some radar problems in the town I will have to fix.

Are you using Killergemal's resources or the earlier ones I posted with the first beta? Otherwise there may be something conflicting between the separate betas.

What I'm proposing to Killergremal and will then ask Sol77 if Killergremal agrees, is to release a public beta containing all the maps, logic and support files but depending on converting the DS1 resources as described at the beginning of this thread. This should avoid any copyright infringements as the user will have to own a copy of Dungeon Siege 1 and use it's resources to play the maps. There'll be no way to play the maps otherwise.

So the version we release will be the public beta and will be the same for everyone. It'll also allow anyone to help fix and improve the maps as well and submit their work for the next public beta with due acknowledgement for their work. A stable release would then be achieveable in our lifetimes.

The only hickup would be with Legends of Aranna as Mad Dog Software unfortunately combined all the resource files in one tank, which creates problems unless the offending files are surgically removed. So users would need to know how to untank expansion.dsres, remove all folders other than art and sound, and then retank the folder in the DS2 tank creator. This would be easy for experienced modders like yourself but maybe difficult for many others. I can't see any way around this issue. Incidentally Mad Dog Software no longer exists but has been incorporated into Rockstar North I believe and they no longer even list the game as part of their prior achievements, which is a shame.

At the moment I'm testing the current version of the mod with Killergremal's mod, which it will now require, and the converted DS1 resource files. It seems stable enough but I haven't tested too far yet. One advantage of using the original DS resources is that modders would have access to all of those unused meshes and bitmaps for weapons, skins and extra npcs, etc.

Let me know what you think of this idea.

I am using the original resources from the first release. I uninstall all resources and then install the 6 files for testing arhok.

Lot of juggling resources to get them playable. lol

If others are not having the same problems, there may be a conflict with some of my testing mods I am currently playing around with.

For the legal matter there's maybe a work-around - you will get a PM soon.

I've uploaded the first public beta files for the Dungeon Siege Map Pack for DS2;

http://www.siegetheday.org/~iryan/files/DS1_Logic.ds2res
http://www.siegetheday.org/~iryan/files/DS1_Map_World.ds2res

And the readme; http://www.siegetheday.org/~iryan/files/DS1_MapPack_for_Dungeon_Siege_2.txt

Thanks to Mark at Techiem2.net for hosting the files

This first public beta release only includes the Kingdom of Ehb map but I'll upload the others as soon as I've finished testing them one more time.

Note that you will have to convert some of the original Dungeon Siege resource files as described at the beginning of this thread and you will also require Killergremal's mod files, except for probably the Utrean Peninsula as that's not supported yet.

Please give feedback on any issues, suggestions and bugs and feel free to make improvements yourself if you have the knowledge and time as due credit will be given for any assistance in polishing these maps.

The character animations are stopping after initial fidget in the new Arhok and Ehb maps. I can move or fight, but then the animations stop when I am idle.

Some pictures from new map testing is in an album at: http://s248.photobucket.com/albums/gg165/archvolkan/Testing/

Added comments in the picture descriptions.

Hi PhoeniX,

I had the exact same problem a couple of weeks ago. It's due to the old DS1 animation skrits (found in Art\Animations\Skrits folder) somehow overwriting the DS2 ones. I know it's the reason because if you delete that folder, the problem disappears.

I informed Killergremal of this issue as his understanding of skrits is far superior to mine. He was perplexed because he didn't experience the problem himself. In the meantime I converted a new Objects_DS1.ds2res (300 odd Mb in size) using his tools to do the converting and the problem mysteriously disappeared (even though the renegade skrit folder is still there) and I thought case closed.

One question; did you hex edit the old DS1 objects file or use Killergremal's tools? There may be a clue there.

That's not the only weirdness going on. I was nearly to the stage of releasing a public beta of Yesterhaven when the starting positions got all screwed up somehow. I think it may be conflicting start position IDs between maps. I now know that DS2 save games carry details of different maps across when you play. For instance the bestiary will show monsters you defeated in previous maps even before you run into them. It also starts you off in each map where you finished so conflicting start positions IDs may be the reason. I've redone all the stating position ids and will test it tonight.

I converted the .dsres files using frhed.

I tried to retank objects.dsres with tankcreator eliminating the old .prs files but that did nothing.

Did not think of animations.skrit, will eliminate them or better yet, make a new .ds2res with the ds2 animations.skrit at a greater priority.

There shouldn't be any difference if you convert the tank with a hex editor or with the batch file - in both cases the resulting files should be binarily identical.

If it helps to know anyhow, the DS1 tank and the resulting DS2 tank must have the same file size (I'm not sure if Frhed is rechecking this, for sure my batch file does not).

I just remembered another hacky solution to the problem that I tried which worked before the last solution I used.

Simply make a small mod with the DS2 animation skrits located where the DS1 ones are, that is art\animations\skrit folder (DS2 stores them in the same folder but the folder is located in Logic.ds2res not the Objects.ds2res as in DS1).

I hate to think that we need to distribute DS2 files to fix problems like this. At least that's what a public beta is about, getting valuable feedback from other users with different configurations and setups to thoroughly test the mod for problems before full release. Thank you for the feedback.

 
However, v2.2 has (many) anim skrits and v2.3 has some too, supposed now there won't be a conflict between them re-shipping the affected files is probably the easiest (most efficient!?) work-around for the time being (not everybody may like to reinstall the addon, assumed this really helps).

But I don't think all anim skrits from DS2 v2.2 are required. Possible too some former anim skrits form DS1 need to be updated to make the imported content from DS1 work in DS2.
I will take a look at this, for sure the 'robo' files from v2.2 will disturb the customly tuned ones (those for Ehb).

Comparing the folders there's only two animation.skrits in common between v2.2 and 2.3, that's random_transition.skrit and select_attack.skrit and there's only a couple of bytes difference at that;
random_transition.skrit DS2 1,265 bytes > DS2X 1,268 bytes
select_attack.skrit DS2 15,144 bytes > DS2X 15,151 bytes

It's a different story between DS1 and DS2. There's 13 animation.skrits that have changed and most by a significant size;
basic_walk.skrit DS1 2,314 bytes > DS2 2,567 bytes
infinite_loop.skrit DS1 1,975 bytes > DS2 718 bytes
infinite_loop_with_bias.skrit DS1 3,134 bytes > DS2 3,386 bytes
random_infinite_loop.skrit DS1 1,053 bytes > DS2 434 bytes
random_transition.skrit DS1 2,636 bytes > DS2 1,265 bytes
select_attack.skrit DS1 10,292 bytes > DS2 15,144 bytes
select_attack_with_bias.skrit DS1 2,775 bytes > DS2 3,286 bytes
select_fidget.skrit DS1 2,586 bytes > DS2 759 bytes
select_fidget_with_bias DS1 2,355 bytes > DS2 2,608 bytes
select_transition.skrit DS1 2,973 bytes > DS2 1,258 bytes
select_transition_with_bias.skrit DS1 2,761 bytes > DS2 3,268 bytes
select_walk.skrit DS1 4,129 bytes > DS2 7,686 bytes
transition.skrit DS1 2,546 bytes > DS2 2,800 bytes

Maybe you're right about some of the old DS1 skrits as some of the monsters don't work in DS2 like they should;
Monsters like the Desert Braak, Droc Magic Caster, etc.

Anyhow it would be easy to include the above skrit files in any new DS1_Logic.ds2res so they're sure to work. Nobody would notice
except for SE2, which would have something else to complain about.

Noticed the cow in town is missing it's mesh like the dog.

Started a new game and some of the doors in region_40 will not open. Noticed some doors have a delay like the problems we had with Fallraen gates. Tried to set the delay like Fallraen gates, but still no access.

After I take the elevator from queencave to queenlair, the elevator will not work anymore, might be a frustum setting.

Quests update, but do not get checked off in journal after completion.

And updated LoA radar is in your inbox Iryan.

And Arhok radar is in your inbox KillerGremal.

Thanks PhoeniX,

Not sure why that elevator stops working or the quests won't update. Probably a compatibility issue which I hope the public beta will fix.

I've found out too late to fix all doors in every map, but the reason some doors or chests don't open is simply that the use_point is too close to the door or chest. Now that I can get the maps to load in SE2, I've been manually fixing them as I find them but this all happened after Return to Arhok was released and probably is also an issue with Killergremal's version. With the public beta I'll ask if players can post pictures of infringing doors, chests and anything else they may find, so it'll be easier to track down and fix. 4 maps is way too much for me alone to playtest and fix everything.

Incidentally all the start positions may have to be altered in the maps to be unique from any other map. My problems with Yesterhaven disappeared when I did this. I'm also making unique templates for all the monsters in each map so the bestiary updates properly. That includes any DS2 monsters that appear on the DS1 maps. I,m also separating the art assets into a contents.ds2res so to make updating the DS1_logi.ds2res easier and also make it easier to combine with Killergremal's content pack as we're thinking of combining the mods into one release, which should make life easier for everyone.

@PhoeniX: Thanks for the feedback and the tuned radar images!
First however, you are talking about 'Return to Arhok' (Arhok XP), right!? Region_40 makes me assume this...
I also assume you are playing with the addon, could you post please if the addon is installed in an own folder or into the former/main DS2 folder? And where did you put the imported object tank?

Some quest related things may not be elaborated enough - do you possibly remember the quest names? However cow, dog, and doors all did work with me (and due to room fading problems I was in that dungeon/region_40 pretty often). The final elevator should work as well... :o

@Iryan: During my work on Utrae and Arhok XP I hardly remember to have added any use points for doors - expect of farm/urban houses maybe.

I think/fear these bugs are because of the imported Objects tank that lies in the 'resources' folder of the addon. Unfortunately any manner that imports DS1 objects on a grand scale will throw up this problem, and it seems to affect (much) more than the anim skrits only, most probably doors now too. Remind the lever issue - this may be something similar.

The whole dimension of this problem is quite difficult to overview, there are hundreds/thousands of objects in this tank that mysteriously get a higher priority now. :o
GPG used (updated) doors/levers from DS1 on DS2 maps too, are they no longer usable or will they move now backwards inside/behind the wall?

I'm aware that people who installed the addon inside DS2 probably don't like to reinstall the addon, but I think it's worth trying. If this doesn't help we may see on.

Hi All,

I've just uploaded a new beta release that now contains Kingdom of Ehb and Yesterhaven.
You don't need DS1_Map_World.ds2res if you have that from the previous beta but DS1_Logic.ds2res has been
both split up into a separate DS1_Content.ds2res and updated significantly. Hopefully the next beta will
only need an updated DS1_Logic.ds2res and the map file.

http://www.siegetheday.org/~iryan/files/DS1_Content.ds2res
http://www.siegetheday.org/~iryan/files/DS1_Logic.ds2res
http://www.siegetheday.org/~iryan/files/DS1_Map_World.ds2res
http://www.siegetheday.org/~iryan/files/DS1_Yesterhaven.ds2res

The readme; http://www.siegetheday.org/~iryan/files/DS1_MapPack_for_Dungeon_Siege_2_Beta5.0.txt

Thanks again for Mark at techiem2.net for hosting.

It seems that Fhred may be an outdated option. I Installed your tools and all animations and mesh problems cleared up. The door problems, however, still remain.

My old mods I had installed:
http://img718.imageshack.us/img718/7203/ds2mods.jpg
http://img843.imageshack.us/img843/7673/bwmods.jpg

And my now current mods:
http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/8062/ds2mods02.jpg
http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/8382/bwmods02.jpg

The quests update, but do not check off as complete in my journal:
http://img715.imageshack.us/img715/6176/questsj.jpg

And these doors, as well as the dsx_vault_door, will not open:
http://img838.imageshack.us/img838/7205/door01.jpg
http://img39.imageshack.us/img39/5779/door02.jpg

I'm positive that you are correct about Fhred and possibly any hex editor for that matter as I used Hex Editor Neo when I struck the problem. Maybe the reason is simply that the hex editors reassign the time stamps for the files while Killergremal's tools don't? Maybe if I get the chance I'll play around with different configurations, reassigning timestamps,etc, to see if there's a pattern there.

With the quests not updating, I'm reasonably certain that the reason is that there's no quest_complete line being triggered. I've found in the quests that I've done (nearly 100 odd now in 4 maps), you need to have both task_complete and quest_complete being triggered. I always use cmd_change_questbits to trigger these lines like so:

[cmd_change_questbits]
{
quest_complete_1 = "a2_s_water_dungeon";
task_complete_1 = "a2_s_water_dungeon_1";
}

The above questbits are for map based quest triggers and instance triggers, flick triggers are a little different for some obscure reason;

{
CompleteTask( a1_s_gyorn_seek_overseer, a1_s_gyorn_seek_overseer_1 );
CompleteQuest( a1_s_gyorn_seek_overseer );
CompleteTask( a1_p_overseer, a1_p_overseer_1 );
CompleteQuest( a1_p_overseer );
ActivateTask (a1_p_merik, a1_p_merik_1);
ActivateTask (a1_s_fort_kroth, a1_s_fort_kroth_1);
}

Of course the reason may be something completely different as Killergremal would have tested all of this thoroughly before releasing the map. Still the underlying cause would be the quest completion state not being triggered and I've struck many things that could cause that.

I'm not surprised at the doors not opening as the reason is that the use points are incorrectly placed. It also effects chests and containers and probaly triggers as well. They'll need to be manually moved in SE2. I've done a few of these now and when you move the use points a little further away from the door or container, etc., it starts working again.

If you can get Return to Arhok to load up in SE2 you should be able to fix this yourself, or maybe Killergremal may get time to do it. Otherwise I'll give it a shot later on.

Has any one else had any troubles with the latest MonsterLevelAdjustment Mod Beta 4i? I just start play testing the Utraean Peninsula with it and found all the monsters at ridulously high levels, thus causing almost instant death;

http://min.us/mZ6zCzjJV

For interest the monster's levels are set at 17 in their actor block so if the MonsterLevelAdjust wasn't working at all, that would be the level they were at. Instead they're at levels 47-50, over 20 levels above my party (which have just been through Yesterhaven with no problems at all with the Monsterleveladjust mod apart from the respawning).

Unfortunately I deleted the last version 4h, so maybe Killergremal could post that one back up again. Thanks.

Update*

I fixed the problem somewhat by reverting to an earlier version of the moods_monsterlevel_adjustment.gas file in the map which enables the mod in the map and controls various features like respawning rate, etc. I did this after noticing that the other maps, which use the earlier version of this file, didn't have the problem I encountered in Utrea. Prior to this I tested with one of the prebuilt characters from BW which are level 39 and had the monsters spawn at level 73! So there appears to be a problem in one of the advanced features introduced in the last build of the mod.