Alternative character graphics?
| Author | Topic: Alternative character graphics? |
|---|---|
|
Warrior
Member # 6347
|
written Friday, September 30 2005 13:05
Profile
Are there any? I'm making a new party, and as much as I'd like a nephil (or a few) in my party, I don't like any of the nephil graphics, except the big scary one, which doesn't quite fit for the characters I have in mind. Is it even possible to add character graphics that would port without problem from scenario to scenario? I don't know if the character graphics are embedded in the engine, or if I could maybe download graphics somewhere and put them in the files folder or something... Then there are slithzerikai. I like the pink-hooded girl slith (I'd see her as a good cleric, perhaps fighter~ish), but I don't much like sliths overall. I've searched for more info about sliths, but I'm having a hard time finding it. What's the pole weapon bonus exactly? And the fire resistance, from what I've read, isn't that great. I guess what I'm wondering is, would a slith be worth it as anything other than a fighter? That -20% xp penalty seems a bit steep for what seems to be rather mediocre racial bonuses. Is it possible to maybe change the graphics around? Like, look like a certain race, but have the abilities/xp penalty of another? ... All thoughts and opinions welcome, thanks. :) -------------------- "Take time to listen to what is said without words, to obey the law too subtle to be written, to worship the unnameable and to embrace the unformed." -- Lao Tzu Posts: 124 | Registered: Monday, September 26 2005 07:00 |
|
Shock Trooper
Member # 932
|
written Friday, September 30 2005 15:46
Profile
In regards to graphics: Bring up the 'Use Ability' screen in BoA. Select the change character graphic button, and scroll through enough - you can make your Nephil look like a human, your Slith like a Nephil or any other wacky combination. You can do the same thing with the portrait too. It is possible to alter the default graphics. For example, with A3 I actually modified the horse graphics so that a graphical glitch with the blonde human spellcasters' graphics was fixed. Male and female were swapped for some directions... ugh, irritating. If you want to do the 'new' artwork yourself, it is not particularily difficult to change the in game graphic - experimentation will give you something that looks right, but character portraits are hard to come by if you want them in the same 'style'. You might try poaching graphics from Girl Genius, Phil Foglio's comic, or his other work. (I suggest Phil 'cause he actually done the character portraits/skill graphics for the Avernum series. Other artists' work might fit in, but it is unlikely.) You can do this with little fear of litigation if you're the only one who'll ever see it, otherwise ask him for permission. In regards to the XP penalty: The bonus to the POL skill is similar to the bonus Nephilim receive to the BOW skill. They hit harder and more accurately - I think it is +1 to POL at every 8th level, starting with 1 at 1st level. Might be thinking of the wrong Avernum game here though. In regards to the XP penalty, many people seem to swear by ordinary humans with the least irritating of the negative character traits - 'Sickness Prone', or similar builds. Personally, I swear by at least a minor XP penalty, preferring to have every character with equal XP penalty to each other +/- 5% at most. Since I like to include both Nephilim and Slithzerikai into my party this can involve a lot of niggling minor adjustments. This can keep you below the highest level possible unless you really like wandering around until you hit encounters. If you build your party right, some of the positive character traits are really worth it. In my oppinion it is the same with racial choices as well. [ Friday, September 30, 2005 15:51: Message edited by: CPeters ] -------------------- Microsoft Patents Ones, Zeroes (March 25, 1998) "Asians are good at Starcraft because they're always squinting, thus they can see things sharply. Remember to always squint in war." ~ Sun-Tzu Posts: 215 | Registered: Sunday, April 7 2002 08:00 |
|
Warrior
Member # 6347
|
written Friday, September 30 2005 19:39
Profile
I wasn't expecting this clear and good of a reply... so thank you. :D quote:Beautiful! That's exactly what I needed! I must admit I feel somewhat sheepish for not having noticed it myself (that'll teach me to pay attention), but that's perfect. Thank you so much. As for the rest... that sounds very interesting... (I love the Girl Genius comics), but would require more work than I'm willing to put in it right now. I just finished VoDT and registered my game, and I'm about to start on ASR. My urge to play a new scenario, for now, outweighs my desire for a "perfect" custom-made party. I'll definitely keep this in mind for later, though. Cheers. As for the xp/race-related matter, I guess Slith simply aren't for me, then. Not for the party I have in mind, at any rate. -20% seems a little steep, no? If you consider that pole/bow cancels itself out, what you're left with is dex bonus and fire resistance. And for half the penalty, dex seems a much better deal... or am I missing some important point? -------------------- "Take time to listen to what is said without words, to obey the law too subtle to be written, to worship the unnameable and to embrace the unformed." -- Lao Tzu Posts: 124 | Registered: Monday, September 26 2005 07:00 |
|
Shock Trooper
Member # 932
|
written Friday, September 30 2005 21:51
Profile
There are two things you need to keep in mind - the first is that special skills you want to select for your group all have minimum requirements. The second is that special skills only look at the base statistic, not the total. To get access to gymnastics you may be forced to wait several levels wasting skill points on dexterity just to meet the pre-requisites. Same thing with any other special skill with a dexterity requirement. The main reason I like sliths is because I find the fire resistance to be extremely useful - there is nothing quite like equipping a character until they are immune to certain effects, and while fire resistance boosting items are a dime a dozen, you can only equip so many items onto your character. Freeing up your cloak slot for something other than the dragonskin cloak, or your gloves slot for something other than drakeskin gloves can be of great benefit. As a clarification: "by highest level possible" I meant "highest level possible given practical time limits". You could always keep slaughtering wandering encounters or redoing scenarios if you wanted a higher level party even with an incredibly high XP penalty. [ Friday, September 30, 2005 21:52: Message edited by: CPeters ] -------------------- Microsoft Patents Ones, Zeroes (March 25, 1998) "Asians are good at Starcraft because they're always squinting, thus they can see things sharply. Remember to always squint in war." ~ Sun-Tzu Posts: 215 | Registered: Sunday, April 7 2002 08:00 |
|
Warrior
Member # 6347
|
written Friday, September 30 2005 22:28
Profile
Yeah, I did my homework on special skills at least. ;) I may miss some things, but at least I don't miss everything. :D Thanks, though. That's a tricky one, and I've noticed a lot of posts by people confused by that. As for Sliths, that's something to keep in mind. I've read people complain that they didn't find the fire resistance to make enough of a difference to be worth it... But you bring up a good point: sometimes, freeing up one item slot (if you insist on that 100% immunity) can make a huge difference, depending on what you equip instead. And I can see how having one less character to heal after being hit by a fireblast can be nice. ;) One reason out of many, I'm sure, but it's the first that came to mind, having recently finished VoDT and still remembering that annoying vampire in the grove below the school. :mad: -------------------- "Take time to listen to what is said without words, to obey the law too subtle to be written, to worship the unnameable and to embrace the unformed." -- Lao Tzu Posts: 124 | Registered: Monday, September 26 2005 07:00 |
|
...b10010b...
Member # 869
|
written Friday, September 30 2005 22:59
Profile
Homepage
Personally, I think that if and when you need resistance, you should just cast Radiant Shield; at level 3 or above, it provides resistance to all elemental attacks. It's not that expensive to cast, and it affects the whole party. -------------------- The Empire Always Loses: This Time For Sure! Posts: 9973 | Registered: Saturday, March 30 2002 08:00 |
|
Shock Trooper
Member # 932
|
written Saturday, October 1 2005 00:49
Profile
I don't like getting caught with my pants down. -------------------- Microsoft Patents Ones, Zeroes (March 25, 1998) "Asians are good at Starcraft because they're always squinting, thus they can see things sharply. Remember to always squint in war." ~ Sun-Tzu Posts: 215 | Registered: Sunday, April 7 2002 08:00 |