Hotfix Mod / Aranna Legacy Mod

Greetings! Hopefully this is a fine spot to post a problem - I see others have within the last couple of months.

Game type:
DS2 BW 2.3
Multi-player with 3 others (4 players total)

Installed mods:

Mod-BrokenWorld-ArannaLegacy-Alpha3g.ds2res with auto-cast spells using the standard 4, and an additional 6 slots from a book in my inventory successfully and without apparent problems.
MoreMultiModes.ds2res

Goals:
To play multiplayer with my friends, ultimately 4 players with Main Character and 1 Pet each.

Problems:
The issue is with compatability with the More Multiplayer Modes mod found here: http://www.siegetheday.org/?q=node/1115

With the standard Aranna Legacy mod, we have no issues going on with Classic Mode (4 Players, 1 Character each) for hours at a time. With the More Multiplayer Modes mod, if we use the added mode for 4 Players and 2 or 3 Characters each, we crash after a few minutes after starting. We get started, teleport to our last location, kill some things, and I get a Gathering Exception Data error screen, at which point I use the Task Manager to end the program. They have told me their screen showed things just running in place (probably simply because the host, me, crashed), and they simply left the game.

After removing the mod, we had an issue with one player that was crashing in the same fashion I was until he restarted his computer. Easy fix, but strange nonetheless.

Just now we had decided to test it some more, and managed to shop for an hour without problem. After a few minutes of fighting Haku outside of the town's gates, we crashed.

I've theorized starting new characters might fix it, and we might try it tomorrow, but I doubt we'd all agree to restart for the fourth time (due to other, unrelated issues that we've solved). No one's save information has been lost, and I've been in the habit of saving after every completed quest, incantation found, or teleporter found. I'm more or less wondering if there would be a way around our issue to reach our goal other than that possibly-out-of-date mod?

In case it matters:
I'm a Nature/Combat mage using Rending Aura: Magician, focused on Drown/Lightning/Ice spells, and summons. I've a pet Ice Elemental.
We've a plain Ranger. He has a pet Queen Scorpion.
We've 2 Fists of Stone using appropriate spells. One has a pet Dire Wolf.

Without the modes mod, without the pets, we experience no problems and love what this mod offers us. Unless we can fix it, we'll deal without having pets - but I'd just love to get that mana regen...! >:D
And in any case, if it weren't a problem, it would be nice to see something similar being added to it. Classic mode is dreadfully confining.

@PrinceRenais: Thanks for this detailed feedback!

Well, MP mode mods seem to be rather undemanding compared to other mods, so maybe something could be wrong too with pet related features in multiplayer!?
Did you ever encounter problems with the MP mode mod but without having pets in the parties?

By the way, in this case you don't really need a separate MP mod, 6x2 (and hence 4x2 too) should be covered natively by the old-school tweak, however you have to enable it first.

Thanks for the quick response and that tweak! I didn't know that even existed.
Once the others get on, I'll have them install that bit of code and we'll start a new game, grab Lothar and Deru, and test it out. I'll post again to let you know how that goes.

We've only been playing on DS2 as a group for a week or so, and we haven't bothered with the NPCs for the sake of our apparently already lacking amount of experience *grumblevulksgrumble*. We haven't tried the standard couples mode, but I'll get my friends to help me test that out, too.

I might also try out the 'pet_selection_key = shift' option, to see if that fixes it, if the above actions do not. Maybe one cannot select a pet while in combat? I had noticed it's usually in combat that it happens. Just something else to consider.

Edit:
Alright, so... We did not start a new game with Lothar and Deru, but we did install the two bits of code. It didn't help at all, it seems.

well that is a very strange crash u are getting with the more mp modes mod. i've used it in mp with darkelf before and never had any crashes.

does it also crash if u use the more mp modes mod without the broken world aranna legacy mod? did u try asking your friends to be the host instead of u? do your friends also crash with the gathering exception data error if they are the host with the more mp modes mod and u join their game?

trying to pinpoint the source of the problem here. cuz from what u have typed, it looks like u are the one getting most of the crashes. ur friends just simply drop the connection cuz the host is no longer sending them any data because u (the host) crashed.

also, the more mp modes mod is not "outdated". gpg did not modify or patch the multiplayer.gas and game_options.gas file in their subsequent versions of ds2 so there is nothing to "update" in that mod. the only possible problem that can arise is a mod conflict from another mod that modifies the way multiplayer works.

@Lady Femme: You've gotten the right idea - I am the only one that crashes when whatever occurs occurs. Thanks for that insight concerning the possibility of it being outdated - I wouldn't know how to find that bit out easily, myself.

I haven't gotten around to testing much else yet, but I've made some more observations. As far as one of the others hosting, they're willing to try everything else before they need to figure out how to host without issues. We're connecting through Tunngle, so there's the simple disabling of my standard LAN in order to host.

Anyway, on to the observations!
1.) I've noticed when it's just me and one other player traveling together with our pets (while the others are in town afk), there were no crashes. This will need to be tested more, I think, as it was a relatively short time. ~30 minutes

2.) When I had to go afk for an extended period of time, the others were able to travel as a group together without issue. That was ~1-2 hours, IIRC.

3.) When we play as 3 players with pets in the standard Couples mode, there appears to still be a crashing error. This leads me to believe that the issue is ultimately not connected to the More Multiplayer Modes mod.

I plan on testing this again and looking at my CPU/RAM usage next time. I suppose it could just be my computer being unable to handle something that's going on, perhaps. Should have been the first thing I checked, but I don't remember if I did it or not - though, if I did, it came back without evidence supporting an overload. And if it were overloading my system, it would stand to reason a system crash - not just a game crash, I'd think.

I'm going to make a list of things to check and a list of things already checked, for organization's sake.

To-Test:

• Have someone else host the game. Do they crash in a similar fashion while everyone else loses connection, as has been occuring with me as the host?
• Play without the Aranna Legacy mod. Does multiplayer still crash?
• Play without pets, but with actors such as Deru. Still crash?
• Start a new game with new characters with pets. Still crash?
• Start a new game with new characters without pets. Still crash?

Complete:

• Singleplayer? Perfect!
• 4 Players with only their main character? Perfect!
• 3+ Players with Main + Pet? Crash!
• 2 Players with Main + Pet? Inconclusive Positive
• 4 Players with Main + Pet sitting in town doing nothing but shopping? Perfect!
• 4 Players with Main + Pet while host sits in town? Boring, but Perfect!
• MoreMultiModes.ds2res outdated? Incorrect! Not the issue directly.
• Old-School Tweak? Crash!
• Pet_Selection_Key Tweak? Solved nothing, but I like the feature!

@PrinceRenais: Thanks for your intense tests!

I still have no clear clue what the reason could be. However
I'm going to rethink about adding an option to disable the (whole) pet support in MP,
because many pet features may not be as MP-friendly as they probably should be.

Little bug:
The portal between Windstone Fortress and Snowbrook castle doesn't work for me: it's clickable but doesn't do anything, furthermore I can't click on it anymore after the first click (save and reload makes it clickable again)

I have not mentioned it because I realize that I have Zhix's large inventory mod(the only mod I am using) which conflicts with a lot of your UI changes.
Working toward resolving the issue with my own UI mods.

other weird stuff - mostly minor
.(Merc level - original DS2 map - V2.3 -LoA 3g alpha)

typo - Ring of wild displays 0% range/melee bonus but does provide 4% (cant remember if it was dodging or blocking)
After hiring Taal the hirable helm remained and is persists at the Dryad Town Hall thru many saves.
Vix's armour fell off of him when I opened his inventory. The windstone fortess armour changes were the cause as he was no longer qualified.
When hiring Sartan, the conversation loops back to dialog options as if Sartan was not hired, even though he is definitely a party member.
When retreaving Finala from the Inn; dialog is "Don't Know" instead of "End Conversation". Any way of disabling the Inn retreaval dialogs completely?
Unselected Party Members sometime have a weird running in place animation during battles(humorous but not productive).
Deru's special treasure hunt at the crypt entrance(family sword quest) is repeatable after each save/reload. (I was thinking that it was perhaps intentional but cant think of a good reason why it would be persistant after deru completes it once.)
Javelins and Spears drop way too often and over powered.(Haku & Taclak) Going back to the Dryad town and running through the nearby cave got me a dozen items that sold for nearly 10,000 at ~25th level.

@Marco: Thank you for reporting this bug.
The teleporter didn't receive the destination data anymore due to some minor updates.

@whomisold: Thanks too for your feedback.

There are several issues with hiring dialogues. A major revision would be required here.
Although it's a bit painful, the conversations must have special names, triggered not by quest logics but by automatically assigned quest states (which makes it quite transparent).
Also the support for custom maps could be much better/safer.

Indeed some minor tunings for spears seems to be appropriate. Properties are basically adopted from crossbows, there may be a requirement bonus though.
I can't tell yet why some spears are too valuable, this should be respected actually.

The other item related bugs can be fixed, the hire icon probalby too. Concerning the 'mood walk' and the matter with Deru's quest I'm not sure however.

Another bug:
I can't reach the mysterious cave, since the chant "Columnarius ..." (... for those who must discover it yet) only "activate" the shrine saying "An explosion of power sorrounds you!", but it doesn't teleport me in the cave.

EDIT: (I have all 3 special items in my inventory and the mysterious stone)

EDIT 2: In the meantime, before you'll release the official fix, where is the problem and how can I fix it manually?

There is a new version (links on top) facing several matters recently mentioned here (sadly not all of them).
 
Updates/Fixes:

• Work-around for 'Mida' who possibly was 'sitting in the air' depending on the detail settings for game objects (see game options).
• Fix for the hire icon of Taar that persisted even if hired already (v2.3/addon only).
• Fix for custom NPCs loosing their cloths while being unloaded form the map.
• Custom teleportation for additional portals at Windstone Fortress and Snowbrook Castle fixed.
• Teleportation for Mysterious Quest fixed again.
• Requirements increased by 1 level for some unique and custom items (to mach more the major part of items in DS2).
• Fix for damage formulas of custom 2-handed weapons (mainly spears/javelins).
• Stats display for 'Ring of the Wild' fixed.
• ini option 'item_effect_mode = #' added, if 3 is set (for the #) all item related effects are disabled, with 2 there are no effects for projectiles and damage impacts, with 1 only effects for damage impacts are disabled.
• ini option 'party_selection_key' added. It works basically like the pet_selection_key option, however if a value is assigned for 'pet_selection_key' then 'party_selection_key' will be ignored for pets, and if 'pet_selection_key' remains unassigned it try to copy the assignment from the 'party_selection_key' option.

By the way, there is now an update of the War Hound pet mod as well.

Thanks for the update!

I have a little suggestion:
I think that there should be another hireable nature mage in the game, since we have

5 warriors: Lothar*, Sartan, Eva, Yoren(Fist of Stone), Drovan(also Combat Mage)
5 archers: Deru, Vix, Amren, Ressa(Blood Assassin), Kiernan(also Nature Mage)
1 nature mage: Taar
2 combat mages: Finala, Celeb'hel

Even if Yoren, Drovan, Ressa and Kiernan are multi-class, the pure mages are still very few, compared to other classes, and (IMHO) another nature mage is necessary to balance them (and maybe also another nature+combat mage)

What do you think?

@Marco: Indeed another nature mage to hire wouldn't be that bad. Perhaps an existing NPC could be turned into one to hire, similar to Kiernan.
At the moment you could try to compensate this lack with Pets (Naiads, Ice Elemental), or Drianjul could possibly help too (NM+CM though).

Alpha3H

ui/interfaces/backend/skills_combat_tab.gas
[t:window,n:window_rollover_vampirism]
remove the [messages] block
It is inappropriately resetting alpha of the button area.
:already done so on my system so no big rush:

:found another minor BW team booboo:
ui/interfaces/backend/skills_tab.gas
rollover_help = specialties_tab_combat
replace 'combat' with 'cmagic'
rollover_help = specialties_tab_nature
replace 'nature' with 'nmagic'
They forgot to define text strings for blood assassin & fist of stone
in ui/user_education_tooltips.gas
:if this kind of stuff in annoying; sorry - just ask and I will stop:

Packmule emanation Find Treasure chance is not being reported on the resistance (more) mouse over. Nor, in party when his % is greatest.
note: Does report packmule dodging bonus for dexterity. (6% @ 163dex)

Sent you a PM - the attack code optimization kinda ruined "rapid attack"

Still, amazing job that you fixed almost all bugs and imbalance in this game.

Hoping for a quick fix (for those unaware: KillerGremal fixed the exploit that allowed you to bypass weapon cooldown by clicking on the ground after attacking, which made crossbows IMBALANCED as hell. However this fix apparently also disabled rapid attack - it does nothing except for visual attacking now

@czacki: I'm sorry to hear about this bug, and there may be something wrong indeed, unfortunately I can't find a clear reason for it right now. It seems player inputs, bonus accounting and rules check are not synchronized as smooth as it should be.

As possible work-around: Try once to play with activated 'auto-attacking' (if not enabled yet, see game options) and avoid unneeded mouse clicks then. Like this the processing for 'rapid attack' doesn't need to be in sync with your mouse clicks.

Unfortunately it doesn't seem to help. Perhaps you can consider removing the attack code changes temporarily? I think it's better to have the attack-cd exploit available than to have a not-working rapid attack

Awesome

Can we expect a quick release?

Alpha 3 H
Typo: mouse over text displays "AC: 8", but they are providing AC: 9 .
Don't know what the magical varieties are displaying/providing.

edit:
Nevermind it self corrected after a reload of the save game. A temporary artifact when initially hiring Vix.
Diaplays "Armor: 9" after the reload. His Gautlets and Helm also increased in armor rating from his initial hiring.

added:
I checked with Armourer Sen (Eirulan). Windstone Set is messed up.
Displaying original armor values(high), which get changed to much lower rating after purchasing, which get bumped up a bit in armor rating after a reload.

added:
Armourer Sen is offering at least two base varieties of Windstone Armor Sets with differing "Charcter Level # or Melee #" requirements.
Both # are for low level heroes, roughly 8~14 level range.

I hope the patch will arrive this weekend. I'm DS2-hungry :P

There seems to be an invisible Level 4 haku melee boss at the camp where you find the ritual dagger. i can hear him, but I can't see him. He doesn't target me either.

By the way - should Nawl Beasts scale with the player? I don't think they did in regular DS2. I'm quite sure it's not intentional?

I'd also recommend that Rats DON'T level with the player.

They are fine just as they are.
If they were made any easier it would not be worth the time to gut their stinking carcass for a trinket. :orc:

I would prefer that the rats were a toggle that could be turned off.

I liked the bugged Azunai Archer Hero. I mean, it was a proper challenge to beat one, even if it was a bit annoying. I used to kill them, yes ! Only as solo melee chars, I always ran past them, as there was little point in trying.

I wouldn't object if there was an option in the INI to make ALL monsters scale. It would be quite interesting to re-play certain parts without it getting overly easy. Of course, hak'u should still be weak, even if scaled - my main gripe with the scaling system is that it makes weak monsters somewhat too strong in comparison to what they were "normally". Lvl4 haku don't pose a threat to a level 4 character, level 40 haku shouldn't pose a threat to a level 40 character...

As for rats, I'd love an option in the INI to switch them off. Too strong, even after the tweaks. Especially painful because of the height - my archers tend to miss them a lot if they stand next to them. A high level pack of those can chew up a ranger in seconds. Nasty when playing solo archer.

Oh, and by the way: monsters in Finala's quest areas SHOULD scale! I always take Finala's quest when I can do it from the beginning till end, but that means I end up fighting enemies 20 levels lower than I am in the first phase (kithraya valey, hidden towers). This could use a tweak!

The latest revision of the monster_level_adjust_mod is balanced a lot better in regards to weak monsters. And it makes completing quests that forces you to backtrack to previously visited areas long ago a lot more rewarding. Honestly I don't know what GPG were thinking when they designed some of these quests!

Oh yeah, one more thing - the thief still drops up to 4 items, not 5 like the changelog says

Concerning scaling monsters generally, the Level Adjustment mod could help here.
For partial/quest-wise usage, install this mod, go to the NPC next to the teleporter at Eirulan, buy a 'Rune of Mending', drop it out of your inventory before you approach these quest areas (the rune automatically will follow you), and the monsters will adopt your average level.
However if you want this for the GPG maps everythere, you also can set 'ds2_world,ds2x_world' as worlds to adjust.

Works as intended then

So, can we expect the patch to arrive this week?