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Feedback from Ardent playthrough

The line is a direct copy from "system.log" and does indeed include the "..". In directory structures, ".." basically means "go back up one level". Function "InitTavern02" does this:
Code: 
   Locations[n].filespath.models = "locations\Inside\Tavern02";
   Locations[n].image = "Inside_Tavern02.tga";
   //Models
   Locations[n].models.back = "..\back\inside_back_";
   //Always
   Locations[n].models.always.cave = "tavern02";
   Locations[n].models.always.locators = "tavern02_locators";
   Locations[n].models.always.window = "tavern02_window";
   Locations[n].models.always.window.tech = "LocationWindows";
So the default path is "Locations\Inside\Tavern02", but the back models are't in folder "Tavern02", they're in "back". So, go back one level and on to folder "back" - the effective full path is "Locations\Inside\back".

The problem is that "inside_back_m.gm" isn't in there either. Presumably different letters are appended to "back_" depending on time of day.
 
@Grey Roger: If I recall, that location was originally from AoP/CoAS.
Those games probably use a different logic for their "back" folders and file naming.
What does exist in that folder?

All those "back" folders are messy anyway. Ideally they should show what is outside and be town-specific.
But I don't think that holds true any longer after all the location cloning we've done over the years.
 
Grey Roger said:
@Pieter Boelen: the first of the .gm files mentioned in that "system.log" file is:
Code: 
resource\models\locations\Inside\Tavern02\..\back\inside_back_m.gm: can't open geometry file
I've seen that before. It doesn't seem to cause any trouble and is almost certainly here caused by "Pointe_a_pitre_Tavern", which is set up by function "void InitTavern02(string locationID)" in "MAXIMUS_Functions.c".

@salonikasurf: how long ago did you download "ardent.zip"? The current version certainly has "RESOURCE\MODELS\locations\inside\prison\Pri_l_GR.gm" - I've just downloaded it again and checked in case anything odd happened during the upload. If that's missing from your install then something funny is going on and you may have more problems with missing files. Anyway, here it is.
Click to expand...

Grey Roger,
I didn't download anything extra to the 7 Jan update with a clean installation. Will do that today. Can you give me a link - I cannot seem to find it?
Thanks for your help.

Pieter
The inside back gm file did not cause any game play issues only the prison one. Hopefully your PC virus issues get resolved - always painful.
:modding
 
Last edited:
salonikasurf said:
Grey Roger,
I didn't download anything extra to the 7 Jan update with a clean installation. Will do that today. Can you give me a link - I cannot seem to find it?
Thanks for your help.
Click to expand...
http://piratesahoy.bowengames.com/potc/Grey Roger/ardent.zip

Strange. The 7th January installer does indeed seem to lack the prison locator file "Pri_l_GR.gm", though it contains a version of "quests_reaction.c" which asks for that file. The "ardent.zip" file on the FTP site contains everything, including a more complete version of what happens after the incident at Guadeloupe because I finished work on that bit later in January.
 
Grey Roger said:
Strange. The 7th January installer does indeed seem to lack the prison locator file "Pri_l_GR.gm", though it contains a version of "quests_reaction.c" which asks for that file. The "ardent.zip" file on the FTP site contains everything, including a more complete version of what happens after the incident at Guadeloupe because I finished work on that bit later in January.
Click to expand...
I admit I never added "ardent.zip" to the Installer EXE; only the Included in Build - Post 28th July fixes | PiratesAhoy! archive.
But I won't rule out that I made a mistake on my end... :unsure
 
No, it looks as though I added some of the "Ardent" upgrade to that archive, but forgot to add the "Resources" bit. Anyway, the "Ardent" archive has a more recent version of "quests_reaction.c", as well as some other things, so as always, that's the best place to get the storyline.
 
Thanks Grey Roger - I was just trying to do testing on the various storylines in the 7 Jan update to make sure we were at a good point to start the year. I did include the partially complete storylines in my install to see what else was there. love this one and look forward to more..

Downloaded the zip and will test this through.
 
You will probably need to start a new game, as the new stuff introduces a couple of new items and a new character. If you start with cheat mode enabled, you can now skip straight to "Attack on Isla Mona".

Alternatively, @Pieter Boelen - is there a way to use console to add in new items and characters to an existing game?
 
salonikasurf said:
Thanks Grey Roger - I was just trying to do testing on the various storylines in the 7 Jan update to make sure we were at a good point to start the year.
Click to expand...
That is really very noble! Thanks very much. :bow

salonikasurf said:
I did include the partially complete storylines in my install to see what else was there. love this one and look forward to more..
Click to expand...
Admittedly, that option only enables the Devlin Opera storyline, but nothing else. :oops:

Grey Roger said:
Alternatively, @Pieter Boelen - is there a way to use console to add in new items and characters to an existing game?
Click to expand...
Items is easy: Just press F11 to reinitialize your savegame. That will add any new items.

For Characters, there is indeed a way to add them through console but I can't remember it by heart.
I think there is an example in Reinit.c though. Could you upload that file here? Then I'll see if I can find the relevant bit for you. :doff
 
Grey Roger said:
Here it is.
Click to expand...
Got it!
Code: 
// ccc Building Kit treasure keeper
if(GetCharacterIndex("B_keeper") == -1)
{
n = FindBlankCharSlot();
CHARACTERS_QUANTITY++; // NK 05-04-05
if(n != -1)
{
makeref(ch,Characters[n]);
ch.old.name = "Ye Keeper"; // MAXIMUS 16.10.2006
ch.old.lastname = "o' ye Hoarde"; // MAXIMUS 16.10.2006
ch.name = TranslateString("","Ye Keeper");
ch.lastname = TranslateString("","o' ye Hoarde");
ch.id = "B_keeper";
ch.model = "admiral";
ch.sex = "man";
ch.act.type = "citizen";
ch.location = "none";
ch.location.group = "goto";
ch.location.locator = "goto1";
ch.dialog.filename = "B_hoardkeeper.c";
ch.nation = ENGLAND;
ch.rank = 1;
ch.reputation = "None";
ch.experience = "0";
ch.skill.Leadership = 6;
ch.skill.Fencing = 3;
ch.skill.Sailing = 4;
ch.skill.Accuracy = 9;
ch.skill.Cannons = 5;
ch.skill.Grappling = 5;
ch.skill.Repair = 6;
ch.skill.Defence = 8;
ch.skill.Commerce = 7;
ch.skill.Sneak = 8;
ch.money = 10;
LAi_SetStayType(ch);
LAi_SetHP(ch, 200.0, 200.0);
[...]
}
}
THis is what it does:
1. Checks if the "B_keeper" character already exists
2. If not, find an empty slot to place that character
3. Increase the number of characters in the game by 1
4. If a slot was indeed found, add the 'ch' character to it
 
Thanks!

The new character may not be important anyway. It depends on whether Lucia is still with @salonikasurf as an officer, as she has a part to play later on. If she is not available, things go a little differently and that's when this character is needed. In that case I'll knock up a version of "console.c" with that code to set up the character.
 
You don't need to be evil, though that does make a few changes.

When you kidnap Lucia (or Edmundo, if you choose to play as Helen Ardent instead), you basically have four choices, though not all are available right away:
  • Ransom - you get some money, exact amount depending on whether the governor is short of funds because someone stole his payroll ship. :wp
  • Marry - you need to accomplish a few tasks to prove that you are worthy.
  • Recruit - Lucia joins you as an officer.
  • Release - take Lucia to San Juan and leave her there. May lead to "Marry" or "Recruit" if you return to San Juan and visit her.
Different things will happen as a result of these, but they all lead to the convoy mission. When that ends, you have the option of keeping Lucia as an officer or leaving her at home. And that's why she may not be available to help out later. (There are a couple of other reasons as well, but they only apply if you've fouled up somewhere and either got Lucia killed or did something to really upset her.)
 
Thanks Grey Roger - have completed all the way through to the second talk with the Antigua Admiral - I believe this is the end of the storyline for the moment. I have done most side quests. Only issue I found was that Lucia said she was going to write the letter that would release my crew at Port au Prince. Unfortunately, I had just received amnesty from the Governor at Martinique for returning the Girl won in a card game - then gone to Bridgetown and exited towards the Lighthouse when the conversation with Lucia was triggered. Lucia disappeared and I found her after staying a night in the Port au Prince Tavern:cheeky. This all took place after the current end of the storyline. I did rescue my crew earlier on in the quest - not by using the letter but by killing the officer and soldiers as part of the Moulin side quest that I did when at Port au Prince.
Hope this helps.
 
That makes no sense! If Lucia is talking about writing a letter then you're supposed to be stuck in Port au Prince without a crew, and the dock is supposed to be locked so you can't board your ship. Did you fast-travel to your ship?

What exactly did Lucia say? Was it the bit where you say you're planning to march into the fort and kill everyone? Or had you been to the archive, found a signature, then Lucia suggested a night in the tavern?

Killing the officer and soldiers is certainly an alternative way to get the crew back; in fact, I wrote that bit before going on to do the bit about the forged release document.

This is indeed as far as the storyline has progressed. I've been doing a bit of checking to make sure that a specific sequence of events following ransoming Lucia works as intended. Now I need to get on with the finale. You might have noticed a big warship sitting in Marigot harbour; if I can get the next bit right, you're going to see her again...
 
Hi Grey Roger,
For some reason, I was able to board the ship with my crew after fighting to free them. I didn't realize the Moulin side quest took me to the same part of the fort and did that bit and released my crew after starting to do the "get signature" bit but before I got the signature on a letter of mark from the French (at Martinique) much later in the game. Lucia dialogue only started again at the exit from Bridgetown to the lighthouse (we must use the same landscape outside Port au Prince).

Anyway it didn't break the game - just had to know to go back to Port au Prince and stay in the tavern to get Lucia back. Quest book did update again though.

I am very impressed with this storyline and am looking forward to meeting the Dauphin in battle.:D
 
Ah, OK. You'd started down the forgery route, then switched to breaking the crew out by force as a result of the "Moulin" quest. I need to add in some tidying up to cancel quest branches which become obsolete because you're now outside the fort and they're not needed any more. In particular, the only place you ought to get the signature by buying a LoM is at Port au Prince - you need the signature of the Port au Prince governor, not any random French governor! (If you're not friendly with France, you can also get the signature by buying a pardon, and again that needs to be only the Port au Prince governor.)

Thanks for reporting all this!
 
Update: fixed it, I think. When you exit the fort, various things are now reset - quests which would have led to alternative ways to rescue the crew are closed down, and Lucia is reset to officer mode. Additionally, the bit which checks to see if you bought a pardon or a LoM from France now also checks that you're in Port au Prince townhall. So by the time you're at Martinique, everything related to the events at Port au Prince should now be cancelled or reset to normal.

The reason Lucia disappeared is because after you've got a specimen signature, she switches from "officer" mode to "followeverywhere" mode. That's so she can appear in the tavern room - officers can't normally follow you there. The odd thing about "followeverywhere" is that a character who is in your "Passengers" list does not appear when you go to another island; whereas is a character who is not in your "Passengers" list does appear everywhere. So Virginie d'Espivant, who joins you as a passenger, disappears after the gamble in which you win her and doesn't appear again until the tavern in St. Pierre. Lucas da Saldhana, on the other hand, does not become a passenger, so he shows up everywhere until you get him home to his father. Lucia, being an officer, is in your "Passengers" list and follows Virginie's example. Except that now, when you get the crew out of the fort by whichever means you prefer, she switches back to "officer" mode and behaves accordingly.

You can get the updated version either from a new download of "Ardent" itself: http://piratesahoy.bowengames.com/potc/Grey Roger/ardent.zip
or from the newly updated post 7th January fixes archive: http://piratesahoy.bowengames.com/potc/Grey Roger/post_jan7_fixes.zip
 
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