Profile for Peter Principle

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Item storage in Avernum 4
Peter Principle
Apprentice
Member # 7617
 written Thursday, November 16 2006 13:57 Profile #21
quote:
Originally written by Schrodinger:

Both items are just flavor. I've gone metal detecting a few times, and have gotten excited about some loud beeps, only to find out it's just a soda can ring or a bent nail. It's probably much the same with your characters.
That's awesome. It would almost be disappointing if it did have some purpose. A spoon! Ha!
Posts: 23 | Registered: Tuesday, October 31 2006 08:00
Item storage in Avernum 4
Peter Principle
Apprentice
Member # 7617
 written Thursday, November 16 2006 13:53 Profile #19
quote:
Originally written by Ephesos:

I suppose it'd be possible to reset sdf flags repeatedly... but yeah, I'm curious as to how Nija here obtained eight Demonslayers.
You could basically have as many as you wanted just from editing the game files, couldn't you? Just replace the item characteristics for bronze short swords and cavewood bows with those of your magic item of choice.

[ Thursday, November 16, 2006 13:54: Message edited by: Peter Principle ]
Posts: 23 | Registered: Tuesday, October 31 2006 08:00
Item storage in Avernum 4
Peter Principle
Apprentice
Member # 7617
 written Thursday, November 16 2006 05:42 Profile #10
Speaking of keeping & hoarding items, I see that in two hidden caches I receieved two items that were seemingly valueless. One was a spoon, and the other was a skull. Are these just joke/flavor prizes? Or do I need to save these for something later?
Posts: 23 | Registered: Tuesday, October 31 2006 08:00
Editing the Game files in Avernum 4
Peter Principle
Apprentice
Member # 7617
 written Wednesday, November 15 2006 17:17 Profile #17
quote:
Originally written by Slippery Salomon:

I made a really nasty bow through item editting.
begindefineitem 477;
import = 316;
it_name = "Klehvarh's Bow";
it_value = 3000;
it_ability = 52;
it_level = 80;
it_graphic_coloradj = 64;
it_stats_to_affect 0 = 10;
it_stats_addition 0 = 2;
it_stats_to_affect 1 = 6;
it_stats_addition 1 = 3;
it_stats_to_affect 2 = 204;
it_stats_addition 2 = 2;
Can anyone explain what the variables it_level and it_ability affect? And why do some items have an import characteristic, and some don't?
Posts: 23 | Registered: Tuesday, October 31 2006 08:00
Item storage in Avernum 4
Peter Principle
Apprentice
Member # 7617
 written Wednesday, November 15 2006 15:50 Profile #7
So would the first floor and basement of Ft. Avernum be two different zones?
Posts: 23 | Registered: Tuesday, October 31 2006 08:00
Item storage in Avernum 4
Peter Principle
Apprentice
Member # 7617
 written Wednesday, November 15 2006 15:26 Profile #5
quote:
Originally written by Dikiyoba:

I think you can only have 200 separate items in a zone (grouped items like iron bars count as a single item) before the least valuable stuff starts to disappear.
What's a zone?

[ Wednesday, November 15, 2006 15:27: Message edited by: Peter Principle ]
Posts: 23 | Registered: Tuesday, October 31 2006 08:00
Item storage in Avernum 4
Peter Principle
Apprentice
Member # 7617
 written Wednesday, November 15 2006 11:26 Profile #2
quote:
Originally written by Nioca:

Not that I'm aware of, but I still keep all of my currently unneeded items in a container. In fact, I keep all of my unneeded items in the jar you mentioned. I'm still trying to figure out how a small jar can hold 8 bars of metal, 10 fine leather, and over 60 gemstones. :)
I hope no one breaks in there, because I've got about 60,000 gold worth of magic rings and necklaces in that little chamber pot.

Of course, in the room right out side of it, the entire floor is covered with magic swords, spears, bows, plate armor, boots, helmets and gloves.

I sometimes envision my characters coming up to that room and it looks like the toy room after my kids get done playing in it: no floor visible and everything scattered in a chaotic mess. And then they've (edit for clarity: my characters, not my kids ;) )got to wade through a ton of priceless, powerful heirlooms and artifacts, kicking aside Blessed Broadswords and Blessed Breasplates and tripping over Runed Helms to get to the other end of the room. It's a pretty funny picture in my head, anyway. ;)

[ Wednesday, November 15, 2006 13:01: Message edited by: Peter Principle ]
Posts: 23 | Registered: Tuesday, October 31 2006 08:00
my stats and greetings in Avernum 4
Peter Principle
Apprentice
Member # 7617
 written Wednesday, November 15 2006 11:18 Profile #1
quote:
Originally written by Nija_Halycron:

I store all my un-used items in individual box's in grindstones storage area.
Why Grindstone? Seems awfully inconvenient since there's no pylon there.

[quote]
so far I've got.

200 potions.
100 magical items
300 crystals in piles of ten.
100 odd fine leathers, steal bars etc.
50 odd rubys.
30 knowlage crystals and potions
130 wands.
90 bars of gold and gold items.
and all the rest....

[/quote]I was packratting like that for awhile, too. In fact, that's usually how I play games like this. I always think "I'd better save it for something really important" but when something important does come up, I never remember to use it. El oh el. So now I either sell all those wands I never use or I just say to myself "OK, I don't care what the next combat is, it could be a single warped wolf, but I'm going to drink this potion of invulnerability, go crazy with this null wand and finally get these things out of my inventory!" Heh.
Posts: 23 | Registered: Tuesday, October 31 2006 08:00
Item storage in Avernum 4
Peter Principle
Apprentice
Member # 7617
 written Wednesday, November 15 2006 07:09 Profile #0
Is there any problem or bug associated with leaving all of the items that I collect and don't want to sell sitting on the ground in one particular spot?

So far I've been dropping all the niffty stuff I want to keep ("just in case") at Pylon Grand Central Station, and I've recently started putting the jewelry in the jar that's in the cage area nearby. Is there anything I need to watch out for associated with this type of procedure?
Posts: 23 | Registered: Tuesday, October 31 2006 08:00
Editing the Game files in Avernum 4
Peter Principle
Apprentice
Member # 7617
 written Saturday, November 11 2006 17:57 Profile #9
quote:
Originally written by Artequila:

What I mean is that GF loads parameters from those files when it starts up. So you aren't just editing one saved game, or one particular occurance of an item -- you're editing every occurance of that item ever. Similarly, it is possible to make the game crash with certain invalid values. So edit a backup. Common sense really.
Ah yes, I understand what you mean.

Thanks for the help!

So, if anyone else is wondering (assuming there's anyone out there who doesn't alreay know), here's how to change the number of skill points you get for using a wisdom xtal.

The file that I wanted was av4itemschars.txt. I did a Find for the character string "wisdom", and I found this line:

it_name = "Wisdom Crystal";
it_value = 500;
it_ability = 223;
it_level = 1;
it_graphic_coloradj

If the numerical value for it_level is changed, the new value of skill points added will be X+1. So if you change the value to 20, it will add 21 skill points to your character.
Posts: 23 | Registered: Tuesday, October 31 2006 08:00
Editing the Game files in Avernum 4
Peter Principle
Apprentice
Member # 7617
 written Saturday, November 11 2006 15:35 Profile #5
quote:
Originally written by Nioca:

He means to that you should have a back-up, as The Mystic said. Otherwise, you'll have to reinstall the game.
I didn't understand the part about it affecting the whole application.
Posts: 23 | Registered: Tuesday, October 31 2006 08:00
Editing the Game files in Avernum 4
Peter Principle
Apprentice
Member # 7617
 written Saturday, November 11 2006 15:00 Profile #3
quote:
Originally written by Artequila:

And for the love of god, do this on a complete copy of the game folder, as it affects the whole application.
I'm not sure I understand this warning. Can you elaborate?
Posts: 23 | Registered: Tuesday, October 31 2006 08:00
Editing the Game files in Avernum 4
Peter Principle
Apprentice
Member # 7617
 written Saturday, November 11 2006 14:13 Profile #0
Which Avernum 4 file(s) do I edit to change how many skill points knowledge crystals & potions give?

Is there a guide somewhere to changing game parameters through changing script files somewhere?

[ Saturday, November 11, 2006 14:26: Message edited by: Peter Principle ]
Posts: 23 | Registered: Tuesday, October 31 2006 08:00
"This" Vs. "That"? Min/Max questions in Avernum 4
Peter Principle
Apprentice
Member # 7617
 written Tuesday, November 7 2006 05:39 Profile #20
quote:
2) The best way to block riposte/parry when you attack is to use area effects spells since they can''t be parried.
How about hand to hand attacks? Does a higher skill with one-handed/pole weapons, or higher skill in Blademaster or Gymnastics or whatever reduce the chance of a parry or riposte?
Posts: 23 | Registered: Tuesday, October 31 2006 08:00
"This" Vs. "That"? Min/Max questions in Avernum 4
Peter Principle
Apprentice
Member # 7617
 written Monday, November 6 2006 21:56 Profile #18
Thanks again for all the help, everyone.

Two more questions:

1) Is there a list somewhere that shows the prerequisites for the special skills?

2) What skills do I invest in to reduce the likelihood that an opponent will be able to Parry/Riposte my HTH attacks?
Posts: 23 | Registered: Tuesday, October 31 2006 08:00
Cerebrous Wyrm in Avernum 4
Peter Principle
Apprentice
Member # 7617
 written Sunday, November 5 2006 15:51 Profile #3
I went back and talked to Kelner. Nothing.

I totally had this pegged as one of those "don't be too hasty to judge" moral lesson type of quests where you go back and forth between the wyrm and Kelner negotiating for the poor thing's life and eventually you find a nice home for the wyrm and as a parting gift I get four rings that add +10 to all abilities and skills. Oh well.
Posts: 23 | Registered: Tuesday, October 31 2006 08:00
Cerebrous Wyrm in Avernum 4
Peter Principle
Apprentice
Member # 7617
 written Sunday, November 5 2006 09:25 Profile #0
The CW seems like a nice guy (and his treasure drop isn't all that great either ; ) ). Has anyone tried not killing the Wyrm and e.g. talking to Kelner about it or looking for the ruined stone tower the wyrm supposedly came from or something like that?
Posts: 23 | Registered: Tuesday, October 31 2006 08:00
"This" Vs. "That"? Min/Max questions in Avernum 4
Peter Principle
Apprentice
Member # 7617
 written Friday, November 3 2006 10:14 Profile #13
Interesting. Then what's the rasion d'etre for two separate skills? Just curious.
Posts: 23 | Registered: Tuesday, October 31 2006 08:00
"This" Vs. "That"? Min/Max questions in Avernum 4
Peter Principle
Apprentice
Member # 7617
 written Friday, November 3 2006 09:27 Profile #11
Are spellcraft and magery identical in their effects?
Posts: 23 | Registered: Tuesday, October 31 2006 08:00
"This" Vs. "That"? Min/Max questions in Avernum 4
Peter Principle
Apprentice
Member # 7617
 written Friday, November 3 2006 06:14 Profile #8
OK, thanks to everyone so far. I like to read opinions like this since it helps me with similar decisions.

A few more:

+1 to [Mage/Priest] or +1 to Spellcraft?

+1 to [Mage/Priest] or +1 Magery?

+1 to Spellcraft or +1 to Magery?
Posts: 23 | Registered: Tuesday, October 31 2006 08:00
"This" Vs. "That"? Min/Max questions in Avernum 4
Peter Principle
Apprentice
Member # 7617
 written Thursday, November 2 2006 14:28 Profile #0
OK, here are some other things I've been wondering about.

All other things being equal, is it better to have...

1) +1 point in Intelligence or +1 point in magical aptitude for a spell caster?

2) +1% armor or +1% stun resistance for a front line character?

3) +1 Str or +1 Dex if you're looking to improve a bow-shootin' character? for a melee character?

4) +1 to Arcane Knowledge or +1 to Nature Lore?

Oh, and if you can explain why you'd choose one over the other, that would be even better. Thanks for your opinions! : )
Posts: 23 | Registered: Tuesday, October 31 2006 08:00
Does War Blessing Stack? in Avernum 4
Peter Principle
Apprentice
Member # 7617
 written Thursday, November 2 2006 07:47 Profile #4
quote:
Gone are the days Exile when three or four blessings could turn a wimp into a wonder.
I remember that! It was one of the major points that sold me on Exile. Imagine a bless spell that's actually worth casting! A total computer RPG departure. ;)

(It's an odd phenomenon, but game designers just don't seem to feel right about the world if their spell list doesn't include some options that you would never ever in a million years spend the time in combat to cast.)

[ Thursday, November 02, 2006 07:49: Message edited by: Peter Principle ]
Posts: 23 | Registered: Tuesday, October 31 2006 08:00
Does War Blessing Stack? in Avernum 4
Peter Principle
Apprentice
Member # 7617
 written Wednesday, November 1 2006 19:09 Profile #0
Do multiple castings of war blessing stack in any way? What about any of the other buffing type spells?
Posts: 23 | Registered: Tuesday, October 31 2006 08:00