Trouble with .2da limitations and disabling feats without .haks

[Legacy_Jesse_the_Thief]

               I've been having a good ol' time with .2das in the override file of my server using them to change things like spell ranges, free action on feats and what have you, but I've hit a limitation that I want to know if there's any way around. I'm thinking of the possiblity of circumventing some of the combat feats by disabling them and then writing custom feats using the Player Tool 1-9 bonus feats. Problem is, I can't find any way to disable use of the feats directly. Preventing players from TAKING the feats is a no-brainer, but I want players to be able to take the feat, use a custom fired scipt in its place, yet not be able to use the hard coded version of the feat in all its glitchy glory.

You can see the potential here... combat modes that don't go away every time you sneeze, NWN 2 rules for Knockdown and Disarm, all without need for .haks.                                                                                                            

Now, I've wracked my brain trying to get this sucker to work here without success. Nothing I change in the .2da file does the job, and I've tried everything that could possibly seemingly work. In fact, the only noticeable effect I've seen was that by adding a number under the "Uses Per Day" column I could see that number next to the combat feat I was using as a test subject. (Disarm ftr) Unfortunately using the feat didn't decrease that number at all, so unless some one knows how to make it so, that's a dead end too.

So what I should have asked first and saved several paragraphes: is there a way to disable the use of activatable feats the player posssesses? I've seen SOME feats can be disabled using the class_feat_xxxx files, but the stuff I'm after isn't on said list. Can any one think of ANY conceivable way to do this without forcing players to download haks and tlks and 2das and bits and bytes and bobs? Scripting? overrides? Voodoo rituals? Sacrifices to Satan? I will do what must be done.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Calvinthesneak]

               Could you point the feat impact script to a player tool instead?
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Shadooow]

               I suggest you to use hak packs. They are not evil and they will allow you to do everything you need without nay nasty workarounds.



Other then that, you can use player tool as Calvinthesneak suggested.



Or it could be possible to do via NWNX and nwnx_events plugin, it has ToggleMode event...
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_ChaosInTwilight]

               

Jesse_the_Thief wrote...

In fact, the only noticeable effect I've seen was that by adding a number under the "Uses Per Day" column I could see that number next to the combat feat I was using as a test subject. (Disarm ftr) Unfortunately using the feat didn't decrease that number at all, so unless some one knows how to make it so, that's a dead end too.

A.) Hak's are gods gift to NWN.

B.) Did you try setting up the feat so that it triggers a spell, and having that spell decrement the user per day of the feat number?

Try dismantling My HiPS rewrite if you need an example. It is a hakpack, but what essentially happens in when the feat is used, A spellscript runs, decrements the feat, and reincrements it after a set duration.   If your adding uses per day to the troubling feats, haivng the spellscript decrement the feat use count MAY, cause it to grey out upon hitting 0.

Worth a look at any rate.

Of course, seeing how hak packs are gods gift to NWN.. you can effectively, and eloquently Astrik out the existing feats you don't like, write in new feats.2da lines for new feats, and put in your own custom versions.  And all players would have to do is manage to put 2 files in the right place..  but..  *Shrugs*  Might sound scary, but once you know how its simpler to do it than to explain how to do it honestly.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Jesse_the_Thief]

               To clarify, the plan is to use the Player Tools as the new version of the feat. But it won't do any good to have a more balanced version of Knockdown if players can just use the old version, so I need to disable the old feat for this idea to be of any use.



Mostly I'm avoiding haks for the new player factor. I'd love to customize everything up with them and make a 3.5 version of NWN, but I'm already having a heck of a time getting players to try the server. If some one came along and said it wouldn't hurt new players numbers I'd give it a shot, but even a small change means a whole new ball game in terms of new players. People are lazy, especially in the Team/Arena rooms.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Shadooow]

               Hmm you are making Arena? Had problems with players myself, I am/was developer of Blood War arena. Our arena didn't required any hak pack, but that wasn't enough and players didn't found the way to us. Only few of them and thats not enough for arena type of module where you need to fight against someone and the more the better.



Mostly players joined, created char, then someone killed them, they said "This server sucks" and left forever...



So I wish you good luck then, you will need it.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Jesse_the_Thief]

               Yeah, it's a brand of arena, but it's built off a tried and true mod that's actually pretty playable with few people - although best with more, obviously. The base mod is Battle of the Dragons, which is a great idea that mixes team PvP with team PvE by giving each team NPC soldiers and defenders for players to fight along with and against. Also, since the goal is to kill the opposing team's NPC "boss" within their base, it takes a lot of the cheese out of PvP. If you want to be lame and make some exploitative killing machine build people just ignore you and take down the boss instead.



This thing is actually pretty fun with few players. Sometimes I'll be testing something and start getting into the game even though I'm alone. I've also been improving the single player factor by making enemy NPCs more diverse, less predictable, and smarter. I've actually noticed some good signs, it seems like players who check it out come back again... but I need to get a player base going before putting up a wall of haks and shutting people out. You all know how that goes.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_ChaosInTwilight]

               Afterthought:  Why not give the old feat's a use per day limit, and Decrement it to 0, 1.0 seconds after resting?
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Jesse_the_Thief]

               Worth a shot. I'll see what happens.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Jesse_the_Thief]

               AHA! THAT DID IT! I can disable tons of feats now as I need to, that's great! Thanks for the help, I had just about given up on the idea.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Shadooow]

               

ChaosInTwilight wrote...

Afterthought:  Why not give the old feat's a use per day limit, and Decrement it to 0, 1.0 seconds after resting?

Very clever:wizard:
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Jesse_the_Thief]

               This is time consuming, but working out so far. I'm almost done with a custom Disarm/Improved Disarm attack.



Just for funsies, I have one minor annoyance: is there any way to play sound effects when firing a script like this? I want to apply a sword "woosh" for a mss and "clangs" when hit, but PlaySound seems to only work on the OnUsed event on an object.



It's not important... I'll just use a visual effect like Air Pulse if I have to, but if any one has a solution it'd be nice.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Jesse_the_Thief]

               This worked out amazingly in case any one's curious. I just finished a Expertise/Improved Expertise fix. Using Player Tool #5 players can now toggle Expertise/IE on and off and the effect will actually stay with them instead of deactivating every time they move and such. Also, I left it so you could cast in Expertise mode, but with 25% and 50% spell failure for Expertise and IE respectively.



You can disable feats and then script them to the Player Tools and finally fix all the lame combat modes. Next I'm going to do Power Attack/IPA, and while I'm at it I'll change it to NWN 2 rules where you get double damage with two handed weapons. This should really boost the value and enjoyment of a number of feats.



I've tested this stuff on a live server and it all seems to work with the right scripting! It probably adds some performance overhead since you have to use variables, but I think it's worth it.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Shadooow]

               

Jesse_the_Thief wrote...

This worked out amazingly in case any one's curious. I just finished a Expertise/Improved Expertise fix. Using Player Tool #5 players can now toggle Expertise/IE on and off and the effect will actually stay with them instead of deactivating every time they move and such. Also, I left it so you could cast in Expertise mode, but with 25% and 50% spell failure for Expertise and IE respectively.

You can disable feats and then script them to the Player Tools and finally fix all the lame combat modes. Next I'm going to do Power Attack/IPA, and while I'm at it I'll change it to NWN 2 rules where you get double damage with two handed weapons. This should really boost the value and enjoyment of a number of feats.

I've tested this stuff on a live server and it all seems to work with the right scripting! It probably adds some performance overhead since you have to use variables, but I think it's worth it.

Are you aware that dodge AC is capped at 20 and other AC types not stacks?

Same problem with damage, the maximum you can apply is 20, but I think multiple damage bonuses counts together, so that could bypass it.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Jesse_the_Thief]

               Yeah, I am, for the most part it hasn't been an issue. I used Dodge on Expertise and I'm aware of the gear in the game, unless players seriously load up on Dodge stuff, take Improved Expertise, and start casting every spell in the game on themselves they won't have any issues. There are some potential combos where they could hit the cap, but not combos that any one will actually make - like a Rogue with Improved Expertise.



Now damage, no, I wasn't aware that had cap issues. I could always go straight by the book and do 1.5X damage if it won't stack so that IPA doesn't eat the entire thing, I'll test it and see what happens. If nothing else I'm sure I can find decent work arounds at this point, I've been cramming round pegs into square holes this entire time and it's coming up roses. If all else fails, heck, I'll just disable the Improved versions of Expertise and Power attack, no one uses them much anyway. In fact, I'm tempted to nuke Improved Expertise anyway since people use it to stall to the end of time and it gets annoying.



By the way, I'm gonna try sticking your non-stat stacking script in soon, it looks great and will really help I think.