Hardcore mod for TSL?

[Juriel]

I just wanted to ask if anyone is working on making a mod that makes the enemies more difficult. It is not fun when the game (when it isn't crashing) goes from a fun challenge to a boring walk in a park unless you choose to deliberately gimp yourself.

 

Basically, how the original Hard Core mod for Kotor1 did it, was increase the enemies' Str, Con, Wis and hitpoints at levels 8, 12 and 16 (in the k_ai_master script file, on spawn).

 

I would look into it, but Kotor Tool seems to crash on me when I try to export the script files...so I figured I need to wait for a certainly TSL-compatible version of that before I can look into it.

[Achilles]

Originally posted by Juriel

I just wanted to ask if anyone is working on making a mod that makes the enemies more difficult. It is not fun when the game (when it isn't crashing) goes from a fun challenge to a boring walk in a park unless you choose to deliberately gimp yourself.

 

Basically, how the original Hard Core mod for Kotor1 did it, was increase the enemies' Str, Con, Wis and hitpoints at levels 8, 12 and 16 (in the k_ai_master script file, on spawn).

 

I would look into it, but Kotor Tool seems to crash on me when I try to export the script files...so I figured I need to wait for a certainly TSL-compatible version of that before I can look into it.

This probably should have gone in the request thread....right next to mine

[Juriel]

I considered it, but figured that since this was also a question (is someone doing one?), not just a 'I want this thing!', I figured I'd put it in as its own thread, since the request thread can get a bit unwieldy.

 

Since I'll get around to doing it on my own if no-one else will, but as said, right now cannot seem to be able to do it.

 

Also, the request thread has spoilers in it. I would rather avoid them, but still mod things when I come across something that annoys me greatly. Such as the ease of things when using certain powers, or simple things like the game defaulting to Critical Strike when characters are changed.

[beancounter]

I am thinking about writing a hardcore mod, but I have not finished the game yet and I have no idea how much to adjust the NPC by. That and I was kind of waiting to see if Talchia was going to return and make a version of his mod for TSL.

 

I might just go ahead and port his existing mod over if everyone wants something right away. Unless someone else is working on this.

 

Juriel - you must have one of your settings wrong in KOTOR Tool, I can export scripts from TSL just fine.

[Iamme]

porting would do no good because now we can go up level 50.

[Achilles]

Originally posted by beancounter

I am thinking about writing a hardcore mod, but I have not finished the game yet and I have no idea how much to adjust the NPC by. That and I was kind of waiting to see if Talchia was going to return and make a version of his mod for TSL.

 

I might just go ahead and port his existing mod over if everyone wants something right away. Unless someone else is working on this.

 

Juriel - you must have one of your settings wrong in KOTOR Tool, I can export scripts from TSL just fine.

Anything that can be done would be awesome. I heard many people comment on the game balance before I bought the game but I had no idea it would be this bad. My level 29 Guardian/Weapon Master is killing people in one hit with no buffs and difficulty maxed. I think the upgrade system is awesome and I would hate to cripple myself by not taking advantage of it just to make the game challenging.

[beancounter]

After playing a little bit more I must say that this game is VERY easy. I extracted all of the UTC files to an Excel worksheet and I was suprised to find the majority of the NPC's to be under level 10. Even the Sith Lords were only level 20!

 

So I have begun work on my own Hardcore mod. I am taking a different route from the orginial - it will start to buff your opponents right from the start and it will Buff all of their abilities, such as saving throws and THAC0, not just strength and hitpoints. I will start a new thread outlining the new mod shortly.

[T7nowhere]

Sweet.

[tk102]

Excellent.

[Achilles]

Thank goodness. You know there's a problem when your level 13 consular is kicking everyone's backside.

 

I played Malachor V unarmed last game, just to make it challenging

Major spoiler:

(btw, I don't recommend trying it...Sion and Kreia are tougher than I remembered).

 

 

 

Jeez! Achilles! What is happening? Forgot your spoiler tags? I'll put that on account of aging this time - Darth333-

[Darkkender]

Originally posted by Achilles

Thank goodness. You know there's a problem when your level 13 consular is kicking everyone's backside.

 

I played Malachor V unarmed last game, just to make it challenging

(btw, I don't recommend trying it...Sion and Kreia are tougher than I remembered).

 

To quote Nelson from the simpsons "Haa-Ha".

 

Hey Beancounter if you want a hand on this one I'll be glad to throw my lot in as I was seriously considering doing the same thing.

 

 

 

 

Thanks Darth333, didn't realize I had quoted a spoiler untill I saw your edit.

[Khaian]

Can you make it so that we can decide what enemies are leveled up? Having it so that everything progresses according to your level doesn't make for great gameplay. It just means that you always stay exactly the same as when you started at Level One. I really hated this about Morrowind, while the game was incredibly easy, you couldn't gain anything to a point as the bad guys would just level up with you...including the ones that you used to kill at level one.

 

Maybe make hard fights hard and certain select individuals much harder. Maybe make the later enemies harder and certain 'checkpoint' much harder. But just increase the basic guys to a level that is realistic.

 

A Jedi should be able to cruise through multiple people easily...but taking on 30 of them isn't that cool. I'd vote for a general increase of difficulty of all guys but a much higher level of difficulty at specific hard fights...like monsters, sith lords, bounty hunters, droids. Make the Jedi fights harder, like the fight against Visas etc... The average thug on the street shouldn't be uber though.

[Arteale]

I agree, the tables should be reversed, so that we are facing opponents who are stronger than we are, adding more strategy & tactics to the game

[Darth333]

That looks very promising Beancounter! It will be the must have mod!

[Achilles]

Originally posted by Achilles

Jeez! Achilles! What is happening? Forgot your spoiler tags? I'll put that on account of aging this time - Darth333-

*wipes egg off of face* err...guess it is, huh? Would it help if I pointed out that I haven't slept in about a week. Sorry folks!

[Obex]

So ive been looking into this problem as well. Ive had two thoughts...

 

First, what exactly does the difficulty multiplier effect? difficultyopt.2da has multipliers of .5, 1, and 1.5 for easy, normal and difficult settings, respectively. What variables do these modify? If this is a general buff (to attribute, hit dice, and saves, for example) then couldnt the game be made more challenging simply by jacking this score up, say to 3 for difficult? this would reduce the need for tedious editing.

 

my second thought is that if the above idea was faulty, then i guess we could edit the .utc files for the indivual creatures that were too easy. i agree with Khaian in that only certain encounters should be toughened up. i still want to be able to slice through exchange thugs, but the sith should at least put up a challenge. i was embarresed for the sith with prestige classes being so fragile. weapon masters my ass. also, after the spooky atmosphere of korriban, i expected consequence to disturbing evil dead sith bodies to be more than mild tempered iguana rushing to impale themselves on my saber. oh well.

[Darkkender]

Originally posted by Obex

So ive been looking into this problem as well. Ive had two thoughts...

 

First, what exactly does the difficulty multiplier effect? difficultyopt.2da has multipliers of .5, 1, and 1.5 for easy, normal and difficult settings, respectively. What variables do these modify? If this is a general buff (to attribute, hit dice, and saves, for example) then couldnt the game be made more challenging simply by jacking this score up, say to 3 for difficult? this would reduce the need for tedious editing.

 

my second thought is that if the above idea was faulty, then i guess we could edit the .utc files for the indivual creatures that were too easy. i agree with Khaian in that only certain encounters should be toughened up. i still want to be able to slice through exchange thugs, but the sith should at least put up a challenge. i was embarresed for the sith with prestige classes being so fragile. weapon masters my ass. also, after the spooky atmosphere of korriban, i expected consequence to disturbing evil dead sith bodies to be more than mild tempered iguana rushing to impale themselves on my saber. oh well.

 

Good find that very well might provide the easy relief all of us would like I guess I'll have to tweak it to find out.

[Jackel]

Originally posted by Darkkender

Good find that very well might provide the easy relief all of us would like I guess I'll have to tweak it to find out.

Just for fun set it at 10 rather then say 3

[Obex]

Originally posted by Jackel

Just for fun set it at 10 rather then say 3 [/quote

 

You are just looking for an excuse to create all of those +20 to all attributes with 10 free feats items that you have been dying to introduce to this power-gaming hungry group.

[Darkkender]

^^^^^^^

I am not quite that cheesy all the time. only part of the time. I'm also pretty certain I made an attempt at making people earn there beefy items in my last mod by trying to make my opponents tough for a trio of 20th level jedi's.

 

I'm guessing you've set it to 10 already Jackel.

[Jackel]

Originally posted by Darkkender

I'm guessing you've set it to 10 already Jackel.

Nah , once I get the game I will probably set it between 3 and 5 with easy set to 1.5.

 

And seeing I never use mods with high bonuses (not even the ones I make have them) it will prove plenty tough and make me think up new tactics rather then "attack, wait till the enemy dies, carry on".

[Obex]

so the only save i had to test this on was right before the very end (avoids spoiler) fight. the first time i fought them, my level 29 guardian/weapon master stood there and chopped them up no problem, no healing needed.

 

with the difficulty at 3.0, this enemy killed me in two rounds. now i didnt enlighten myself this time, and maybe they got a lucky critical, but man, what a difference. should be better, but i cant say for sure until i start over tomorrow from the beginning. screw school.

[RedHawke]

Originally posted by Obex

with the difficulty at 3.0, this enemy killed me in two rounds. now i didnt enlighten myself this time, and maybe they got a lucky critical, but man, what a difference. should be better, but i cant say for sure until i start over tomorrow from the beginning.

This sounds real promising Obex, all in a single 2da file too!

Originally posted by Obex

screw school.

Now that's Hard-Core!

[Juriel]

The difficulty modifiers in the difficultyopt.2da? They change the enemy hitpoints and multiply the damage they do. I checked this a moment back, just on some friendly little kinrath.

 

With a setting of 3.0, your combat log says that a kinrath's attack does 30 points of damage. Your character takes 90 points of damage. It doesn't affect their attributes at all. Or their saves. So they can take much more damage and inflict much more of the same, but are just as vulnerable to something like Stasis Field/Insanity.

 

In other words, just changing the multipliers in that file is not a good enough solution.

[Juriel]

Also, just noticed the file k_def_buff, whose description reads thus:

//::///////////////////////////////////////////////

//:: k_def_buff

//:: Copyright © 2001 Bioware Corp.

//:://////////////////////////////////////////////

/*

Buffs the target object based on the level of

the main PC.

 

Jedi (class) will get the following:

Player Level 12+: +4 to Wisdom, +4 to Charisma, +50 Force Points, +50 Vitality Points.

Player Level 15+: +6 to Wisdom, +6 to Charisma, +100 Force Points, +100 Vitality Points.

 

Beasts (subrace) will get the following:

Player Level 12+: +6 strength, +60 Vitality points.

Player Level 15+: +10 strength, +120 Vitality points.

 

Droids (race) will get the following:

Player Level 12+: +6 Dexterity, +60 Vitality points.

Player Level 15+: +10 Dexterity, +100 Vitality points.

 

Scoundrel, Soldier, Scout (class):

Player Level 12+: +4 Dexterity, +4 Strength, +50 Vitality points.

Player Level 15+: +6 Dexterity, +6 Strength, +100 Vitality points.

*/

 

Now just need to find out if it is indeed implemented.