Ash Zombies (Graphical Problem)

[Legacy_MissJaded]

               

Firstly, I'd just like to say that I'm pleasantly surprised that people out there are still creating all this wonderful stuff in the CEP for nwn 1.

I frequently visit the "new" neverwinter vault site (http://neverwintervault.org/)

to get my hands on anything that catches my eye that I can download and play around with in the toolset. It's really nice that it's still up and running, and extra nice that a number of clever people are still willing to work away at this stuff to keep nwn 1 alive today. Much appreciated. '>

 

Okay, now the to the issue at hand.

I recently downloaded the CEP 2.60 / 2.61. There are lots of weird and wonderful creatures I like in there, including these menacing looking ash zombies that would be really cool to work with in a story module of some kind.

 

 

 

I know this is what they're really supposed to look like, (in the above pic) but in my cep download, I get them looking quite different.

 

 

 

 

 

This is the result I got with them after I downloaded the new CEP. I think they look a bit weird here, as if there is something obviously missing.

So it's obviously the surrounding fire effect that covers them. I am assuming this is a graphical issue of some kind?

 

I don't know if anyone else has had this problem, but what I'm wondering is...... are there some files that I am missing somewhere, does it reflect on the system I'm currently using, (Windows 7 with newly updated hardware) or a bit of both?

 

I can't quite work it out right now. Would anyone have any ideas please?

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Tarot Redhand]

               

Two obvious questions for you -

1. Anything in your override folder? If so try clearing it.

   
2. Are you using the GOG version of NwN? If so, you have applied the critical rebuild patch haven't you?

TR

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_SHOVA]

               

3rd- some CEP content does not display correctly on low visual settings. Try turning up the graphics quality to best, nd the texture quality up to 64

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_MerricksDad]

               

If the cep version fails, check my original post on the vault for these guys. Set up the mod/hak combo and test it with that. If you get the same issues with the graphics, come on back and we'll try something else.


oh crap, I never posted them separate from the CCC pack... better get on that, and the ice creatures

 

Here is the dropbox version while I tinker

 

https://www.dropbox....Zombies.7z?dl=0

 

 

new vault link with my original upload file

 

http://neverwinterva...ads-ash-zombies

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Malagant]

               

I can attest that my completely clean high-texture 1.69 non-GoG installation does exactly the same thing and does so with nothing else so far. I'm thinking it's a tga missing from the compilation or named incorrectly or something, I just hadn't bothered to track it down.

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_MerricksDad]

               

I just checked my bitmap and texture reference, especially those in the emitters, and all the textures needed are in the vault entry zip. I will have to download and examine the CCC project hak

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Malagant]

               

I thought we were talking CEP specifically. I haven't tried a stand-alone yet but I've experienced the above issue with CEP also. I probably should have been more clear. By "with nothing else so far" I meant an entirely clean installation, not from the GoG resource, with all the above suggestions checked off and only CEP.


This is why I feel it may be an issue within CEP haks.

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_MerricksDad]

               

it very likely is, which is why I suggested trying the stand-alone mod/hak combo so you can see if it corrects the textures. If it does, then I need to have the CEP package updated to include everything in the hak I originally supplied.

 

I had not been paying attention and didn't know it was even in CEP, so they must have moved it over from the CCC and missed something in my upload.

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Malagant]

               

There was quite a bit thrown in for that last update. I only noticed the Ash Zombies last week when I was picking through to see what creatures had been added. I'm guilty of bystander effect here, as I figured it was already reported as a bug or someone would eventually get to it, rather than bring it up myself. Curse human psychology. '>

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_MerricksDad]

               

For anybody reading this, I also uploaded the ice monsters that were supposed to come out the same month. Good a place as any to announce their arrival I guess. Sorry, I had no idea they were not out yet. My bad.

 

http://neverwinterva...dads-ice-golems

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_MissJaded]

               

Thank you for the very helpful replies guys. '>

 

I'm not quite sure what is meant by a "GoG" version of NwN.

As I don't have this version installed, (nor a critical rebuild I don't think) just out of curiosity, would it be okay to ask what that is please?

 

The version of NwN I do have installed however, is the "deluxe edition" which I've had for a while now.

I'm actually quite surprised that it still works with Windows 7 too, as it's already quite an old game. (I don't know how old though)

I wish I knew what makes it work still in this way.

 

After one of the above replies, I also noted my "ovverride folder" of my nwn installation, and I do actually have some files in there, but they are mostly .tga files, (one of which is an override of a castle reskin which I downloaded from the neverwinter vault, and the others are .tga files of some bioware original load screens) none of which I very much doubt have any conflicts with anything regarding any npc creatures in the game at all.

 

As stated above, it does seem I'm not the only one reporting this issue, but my installation of NwN does appear to be slightly different to Malagant's, and it obviously appears that altering anything withe the override..... or not, doesn't appear to fix this issue for either of us.

So again, as has been stated, it does sound like it has to be an issue within the CEP haks somewhere. (a missing texture file or some such perhaps)

 

 

 

On another note - I have downloaded and tried out the original "ash zombies" demo mod and hak that MerricksDad has created and linked to.

I had a look at it to see if I still got the same problem or not. Well, it appears, that fortunately, these ones look absolutely fine for me, and I do not have any weird missing textures or effects like I did with the ones in the CEP. (very glad to know it's not my system creating the issue then)

So again, it definitely sounds like an issue in the CEP somewhere. (a missing file?) 

 

I did actually have to change the current hak name of the ash zombies demo mod, as it appeared the demo had originally used a hak with a slightly different name to what the current one is, otherwise I couldn't have opened the demo in my game's toolset.

Not sure why the name was changed there. But it's only a demo. So not too much to worry about.

I'm only curious here really.

 

Last of all, I'd just like to say that I really like the ice golems made by you (MerricksDad) too. '>

I've never seen anything like them. They're a little crazy looking, and also menacing, as are the ash zombies.

They're really cool, definitely not something I'd like to meet on a dark night.  '>

 

I also love the plain little ice man creature thing you threw in there too.

It looks more friendly than those icy monsters. I could imagine him tagging along as a nice friendly henchman, or a creature to add friendly conversations with in a story of some form.  '>

 

Anyway, for now, I'm glad to know this is a known issue, and hopefully some day, in some way or other, it may be rectified.

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_MerricksDad]

               

I did actually have to change the current hak name of the ash zombies demo mod, as it appeared the demo had originally used a hak with a slightly different name to what the current one is, otherwise I couldn't have opened the demo in my game's toolset.

Not sure why the name was changed there. But it's only a demo. So not too much to worry about.

I'm only curious here really.

I will check into that

 

Edit:

 

Fixed. I updated the zip structure, removing the duplicate zip within, and I also fixed the module pointer to the zombies hak.

 

Thanks for finding that for me!

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_MerricksDad]

               

I don't have a copy of the latest CEP, so I don't also have the option to check its contents. Is there somebody with hak edtior and cep who could check to see that all the needed files for the ash zombie are in the cep hak, and report which are missing or the wrong textures.

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Malagant]

               

 

...I'm not quite sure what is meant by a "GoG" version of NwN.

As I don't have this version installed, (nor a critical rebuild I don't think) just out of curiosity, would it be okay to ask what that is please?

The GoG version, as people call it, is the version provided by Good Old Games.


Earlier versions of this release required that you apply the 1.69 Critical Rebuild patch (or your desired regional application) after installation or it wouldn't play nice with community content, among other things. It's my understanding that this was finally dealt with in the latest update to the installer.

 

 

After one of the above replies, I also noted my "ovverride folder" of my nwn installation, and I do actually have some files in there, but they are mostly .tga files, (one of which is an override of a castle reskin which I downloaded from the neverwinter vault, and the others are .tga files of some bioware original load screens) none of which I very much doubt have any conflicts with anything regarding any npc creatures in the game at all.

The Bioware originals in the override are there as part of the 1.69 patch released from Bioware (due to technical and time limitations, they said). I don't recall the official explanation, but I think the loadscreen updates worked better in the override because they were being ignored when added to the actual update. This is why I always chuckle when people suggest to clean out one's entire override. Keeping a backup of the folder in this state is usually a good idea.

 

 

I don't have a copy of the latest CEP, so I don't also have the option to check its contents. Is there somebody with hak edtior and cep who could check to see that all the needed files for the ash zombie are in the cep hak, and report which are missing or the wrong textures.

Mine are zipped up, but I may have a go at in the next couple days if someone else doesn't get to it before me. Some offense to whomever concocted the hak setup all those years ago, but I hate digging through all that mess - even with the search function built into NWN Explorer.

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_MerricksDad]

               

If I had finished my bioware files reader last year, you could just ask it if ANY of the hak files associated with the module in question had a specific file, and it would show you the order in which they stacked from first entry to the last. Man... I really need to finish that program.