Patch Notes Preview for NWN2 Update 1.12 (Incomplete)

[Rob]

Posted 02/13/08 18:25 (GMT) by Rob McGinnis

Here is a draft of the patch notes. I am still waiting on some testing before I add in some things (such the DM low-light/Night Vision Aura fix, the transition with familiars fix and the invisibility fix), but here they are in all their glory. These notes may be added to, but nothing should be removed at this point.

Expected release date is in about three to four weeks.

Enjoy!

Neverwinter Nights 2 Game Update 1.12
Patch Notes - February 13, 2008

Special thanks to NWN2 Community member RPGPlayer1 for many of the spell, invocations and effects fixes.

Fixes

General

• Experience gains of zero will no longer show up in the chat log.
• The Player List is now mapped to, and accessible from the P key
• Natural AC is now being properly applied to creatures.
• Use Magic Device checks, when casting from scrolls, will no longer circumvent caster classes.

Custom Content

• Armorrulestats.2DA is now able to be recognized in-game when read from a hak pack.

Scripting

• Passing a numeric string variable will not cause an empty string to be passed to a script.
• Strings that contain a pure number will no longer be converted to an empty string when passed into a script expecting a string parameter. This bug would manifest itself such that if a call to UIObject_Misc_ExecuteScript passed along a string that looked like "9", and the script on the server side was expecting a string, the script would get an empty string instead of the "9" as expected.

Toolset

• A store's Identify cost now show correctly in-game.

Multiplayer

• Attempting to split an item stack that is no longer in the character's inventory will not crash the game.
• On servers with Enforce Legal Characters turned on, characters that have swapped spells will no longer be considered invalid.
• The Player List on the Neverwinter Eye menu is now accessible via the P key and can be remapped to other keys.
• Bigby's Grasping Hand and Bigby's Crushing Hand spells will no longer crash the dedicated server.
• The Dedicated Server Creator (to be released separate from the patch) will now properly prompt the user to include Mask of The Betrayer files.
• Fixed an issue where the dedicated server would crash when hosting an MoTB game.
• Transition Crashes: A new 'Shortcut Transitions=1' optional INI setting has been added for the dedicated server. The INI entry should go in nwn2player.ini under [Server Options]. If added and set to true, a portion of the transition code will be bypassed. This will help with some of the timeouts people have run into, but will not resolve all issues. Further refinement of feedback will be gathered via the following Multiplayer fix (below).
• Transition Crashes: Log files are being expanded to include additional information to help in narrowing down the issues related to multiplayer transition crashes. The log file, located in the root of the game install directory (with the name nwn2main - no extension) will regenerate each time the game crashes.

Classes & Prestige Classes

Arcane Archer

• Fixed Enchant Arrow ability, to not wrongly add magical damage bonus to the arrows when using other Arcane Archer special abilities (should be physical). Also, in those cases, that bonus will properly be multiplied for critical
• Fixed an issue, when bonus from Greater and Epic Weapon Specialization wouldn't be added to Arcane Archer arrow damage, when using his special abilities. Also, Strength bonus will no longer be added to such attacks, if having no bow with Mighty properties, and critical hits from such attacks won't do additional damage against creatures immune to critical hits
• Added missing shooting animation for Arcane Archer's use of Death Arrow
• Fixed Imbue Arrow ability, so shooting animation is shown when Arcane Archer misses the target

Arcane Scholar of Candlekeep

• The Arcane Scholar of Candlekeep will be able to choose Epic Spells from the following list: Entropic Husk, Vampiric Feast, Epic Gate, Hellball and Mass Fowl.

Arcane Trickster

• The Arcane Trickster will be able to choose Epic Spells from the following list: Entropic Husk, Vampiric Feast, Epic Gate, Hellball and Mass Fowl.

Barbarian

• Resting during barbarian rage will no longer generate fatigue penalties afterwards.

Bard

• Fixed songs and inspirations used by Bards, so that deafened creatures don't get affected by them. Also, deaf Bards won't be prohibited from using their own songs and inspirations.
• Fixed Song and Hymn of Requiem, so they get properly extended with Lingering Song feat. Also, Hymn healing won't be applied to invalid song targets

Blackguard

• Fixed Inflict Serious and Inflict Critical Wounds abilities for Blackguard, so they add Blackguard level as bonus damage (to replace caster level they do not have)

Eldritch Knight

• The Eldritch Knight will be able to choose Epic Spells from the following list: Entropic Husk, Vampiric Feast, Epic Gate, Hellball and Mass Fowl.

Harper Agent

• The Harper Agent will be able to choose Epic Spells from the following list: Damnation, Vampiric Feast, Epic Gate and Mass Fowl.

Pale Master

• The Pale Master will be able to choose Epic Spells from the following list: Entropic Husk, Vampiric Feast, Epic Gate, Hellball and Mass Fowl.

Red Wizard of Thay

• The Red Wizard of Thay will be able to choose Epic Spells from the following list: Entropic Husk, Vampiric Feast, Epic Gate, Hellball and Mass Fowl.

Sacred Fist

• The Sacred Fist will be able to choose Epic Spells from the following list: Damnation, Vampiric Feast and Epic Gate.

Stormlord

• The Stormlord will be able to choose Epic Spells from the following list: Entropic Husk, Vampiric Feast, Epic Gate, Hellball and Mass Fowl.
• Storm Avatar Spell will now work on weapons with electrical damage bonus.

Warlock

• Warlocks are now able to take Create Wondrous Item and Create Magical Arms and Armor at their proper levels.
• Fiendish Resilience, so it will regenerate specified amount of health per round, instead per second

Warpriest

• The Warpriest will be able to choose Epic Spells from the following list: Damnation, Vampiric Feast and Epic Gate.

Spells

• Burning Hands will no longer check the caster for spell resistance in some situations.
• Color Spray will no longer check the caster for spell resistance in some situations.
• Cone of Cold will no longer check the caster for spell resistance in some situations.
• Mestil's Acid Breath will no longer check the caster for spell resistance in some situations.
• Prismatic Spray will no longer check the caster for spell resistance in some situations.
• Creeping Cold: damage will no longer depend on other spells cast in following rounds.
• Greater Creeping Cold: damage will no longer depend on other spells cast in following rounds.
• Enervation will no longer roll two touch attacks and, if maximized, it will no longer double the number of levels lost, except on critical hits. Corrected the missing visual effect.
• Ghoul Touch spell: the fumes emitted by a paralyzed target will reduce attack bonus properly (not just damage, saves and skills) and will no longer affect the caster on hardcore difficulty.
• Ghoul Touch fog effect will not affect targets immune to poison.
• Ghoul Touch fog effect will now dissipate, if target is freed from paralysis
• Glass Doppelganger spell: damage reduction of the copy is 15/bludgeoning and the copy will no longer copy the gold and items from the original/target character.
• Shadow Simulacrum will not make a copy of target's gold and items.
• Grease spell: movement reduction effect always gets applied (no save).
• Greater Heroism will no longer stack with Heroism when cast on other characters.
• Heal and Harm spells will now require touch attack on hostile targets.
• Heal Animal Companion spell will no longer be able to heal creatures and characters that are not considered animal companions.
• Fixed a bug with Ice Storm in which some targets would not take damage if another creature was killed during the spell's duration.
• Infestation of Maggots will no longer affect creatures immune to diseas. Also, if using Hardcore rules, it will only kill creatures that have their Constitution reduced to zero, not three (3).
• Inflict Wounds spells will now roll proper attacks when targeting friendly undead.
• Invisibility Sphere will now end properly if invisibility is canceled on the caster.
• Isaac's Missile Storm spells will no longer lose missiles if cast on an area with both friends and enemies.
• Mass Aid spell will no longer check for the Spell Resistance of the target. Depleting temporary hit points granted by Mass Aid will no longer remove other effects, nor will it stack with itself or the Aid spell.
• Mass Charm Monster will no longer affect the caster or friendly targets on hardcore difficulty. Mass Charm Monster will now charm the proper number of monsters. Other creatures will no longer get dazed if the player character is affected.
• Mass Curse of Impending Blades spell now has the proper 20ft radius (won't affect creatures outside target marker).
• Mass Death Ward will no longer check the spell resistance of targets.
• Mass Lesser Vigor will now have the proper area of effect to match its targeting marker.
• Melf's Acid Arrow
  ---Continuous damage will have correct duration (not 1 round less)
  ---If it misses the target, it will not cancel Acid Arrow currently in the effect
  ---If it hits the target, it will not prolong Acid Arrow currently in the effect to last as long as new effect (fixed to not stack)
• Mind Fog will no longer affect targets immune to mind affecting spells.
• Mirror Image can now be properly dispelled and will now work properly when maximized.
• Moon Bolt can now be properly Extended, Empowered or Maximized.
• Nature's Avatarcan no longer be used on polymorphed/wildshaped creatures.
• Phantasmal Killer will no longer affect creatures immune to Fear.
• Polar Ray will now double damage on a critical hit.
• Vampiric Touch will now double damage on a critical hit.
• Recitation will no longer stack with itself.
• Scare will now affect multiple targets correctly, and that fear on them can be properly dispelled.
• Scorching Ray will now affect the proper number of hostile creatures in an area. The visual effect on Scorching Ray will now display properly.
• Fixed the Shadow Conjuration version of Web spell, so that movement decrease gets properly removed after exiting the affected area.
• Shadow Simulacrum will now copy creatures up to twice the caster level, not half the caster level
• Fixed Shout, Greater Shout and Mass Drown, so they will no longer ignore some creatures in the targeting area.
• Shroud of Flame spell:
  ---Will no longer stack with itself.
  ---damage will no longer depend on other spells cast in following rounds.
• Silence spell will now only check for spell resistance when targeted directly on hostile creature. Also, targets immune to silence effects will get sonic immunity properly removed when exiting the area of effect.
• Storm Avatar will now work on weapons with electrical damage bonus
• Fixed the Sunbeam and Sunburst spells so that a single Reflex save protects against both damage and blindness (and Vampire death, in case of Sunburst), instead of rolling several separate saves.
• Tasha's Hideous Laughter will no longer affect targets protected by Protection from Good/Evil, if it should apply.
• Weird will no longer affect targets protected by Protection from Good/Evil, if it should apply.
• Undeath to Death will now have the proper 30ft radius (won't affect undead outside target marker)
• Vampiric Touch will now have the proper effects when Maximized (drains 6HP per die, instead of 8 )
• Vitriolic Sphere will no longer depend on other spells cast in later rounds for damage calculation, and will no longer ignore some creatures in the area of effect.
• Wail of the Banshee will now require the proper number of saving throws and the death effect will be applied more quickly.
• Wall of Fire damage will now be capped properly at 2d6+20 (and not at just 20)
• Wall of Greater Dispel Magic is now properly capped at caster level 15, not 10
• Bless can now target the ground, and not just creatures directly (since they have area effects).
• Dismissal can now target the ground not just creatures directly (since they have area effects).
• Scare can now target the ground not just creatures directly (since they have area effects).
• Song of Discord can now target the ground not just creatures directly (since they have area effects).
• Undeath to Death can now target the ground not just creatures directly (since they have area effects)
• Fixed Lesser Planar Binding and Planar Binding, so they can target hostile outsiders
• Fixed Mass Aid and Mass Death Ward, so they can be Extended with metamagic
• Fixed visuals for Blade Barrier, so that swords don't disappear right after spell is cast
• Fixed visuals for Evard's Black Tentacles, so that tentacles stay for full spell duration

Warlock Invocations

• Eldritch Blast will no longer deal double damage to creatures immune to critical hits.
• Eldritch Chain:
  ---It will not arc to secondary targets when primary one was missed
• Will now perform the proper number of attack rolls on secondary targets.
• Secondary targets will get doubled damage on critical when appropriate.
• Eldritch Cone will no longer injure the caster on Hardcore difficulty
• Curse of Despair stat penalty will now mimic that of Bestow Curse spell (-3, not -2 to all attributes). Also, attack penalty on successful save will last properly for 10 rounds and will no longer be permanent
• Otherworldly Whispers, will no longer behave like a hostile invocation (rolling initiative, putting character into combat stance, etc...)
• Tenacious Plague:
  ---Fixed a bug, when swarm would sometimes ignore valid targets
  ---Dispelling will remove continuous damage as well as effects.
  ---Will no longer register a miss if you match your target's Armor Class.
• Eldritch Doom targeting marker now matches the area affected (old marker was smaller then area affected).

Creature Abilities

• Death Knights can still be affected by divine damage if they evade fire damage.
• Fixed Cones of Acid, Fire and Frost used by some creatures, so that saving successfully from their damage won't make other targets in area get even less damage. Nor would failing the save make targets get identical damage
• Fixed Fear auras used by some creatures (dragons included), to prevent characters immune to fear or mind effects from getting penalties.
• Ghast and Hezrou auras will no longer affect creatures immune to poison.

New Features

Multiplayer

• When a player gains 0 XP, the server no longer sends a message to the player to inform them they gained 0 XP.
• Dedicated Server Max Players limit has been increased to 96.

Scripting

• A lerptime attribute was added to the UIProgressBar GUI object. This allows you to adjust the time it takes to interpolate.
  the UIProgressBar GUI object now takes a:
  'lerptime' parameter which lets one adjust the time it takes to interpolate.
  In order to interpolate, either the:
  lerpincrease=true
  or
  lerpdecrease=true
  or both attributes need to be present for the UIProgressBar.
• Two new functions added - GetNum2DAColumns and GetNum2DARows - that will return the number of columns or rows in a 2DA.
• void SetScale(object, x, y, z) function added
• float GetScale( object, axis ) function added

GUI

• Players are now able to double-click on their portrait in the character sheet and bring up the portrait selection menu. Through this menu, the player is able to select a new portrait for themselves. All players on a server must have a copy of the portrait in order for the custom portrait to be seen.

[Vahene]

Players are now able to double-click on their portrait in the character sheet and bring up the portrait selection menu. Through this menu, the player is able to select a new portrait for themselves. All players on a server must have a copy of the portrait in order for the custom portrait to be seen.

I'm still waiting for the ability to double click your portrait outside of the character sheet, but this'll do.

K

[ChikenKannon]

Attempting to split an item stack that is no longer in the character's inventory will not crash the game.
On servers with Enforce Legal Characters turned on, characters that have swapped spells will no longer be considered invalid.
The Player List on the Neverwinter Eye menu is now accessible via the P key and can be remapped to other keys.
Bigby's Grasping Hand and Bigby's Crushing Hand spells will no longer crash the dedicated server.
The Dedicated Server Creator (to be released separate from the patch) will now properly prompt the user to include Mask of The Betrayer files.
Fixed an issue where the dedicated server would crash when hosting an MoTB game.
Transition Crashes: A new 'Shortcut Transitions=1' optional INI setting has been added for the dedicated server. The INI entry should go in nwn2player.ini under [Server Options]. If added and set to true, a portion of the transition code will be bypassed. This will help with some of the timeouts people have run into, but will not resolve all issues. Further refinement of feedback will be gathered via the following Multiplayer fix (below).
Transition Crashes: Log files are being expanded to include additional information to help in narrowing down the issues related to multiplayer transition crashes. The log file, located in the root of the game install directory (with the name nwn2main - no extension) will regenerate each time the game crashes.

Stuff fixing crashes and timeouts? HUZZAH!

Hurray for OE! *crosses fingers*

[Thracius Trueblade]

Stuff fixing crashes and timeouts? HUZZAH!

Hurray for OE! *crosses fingers*

Don't count your chickens before they're hatched!

But yeah..... *crosses fingers too*

EDIT: I just realised the irony of telling CK not to count his chickens..... oh well, it made me laugh, anyway.

[blackheart]

Generally, looks like good news.

Any alleviation of the transition crash issue would be a great blessing. I'll bet it's "something stupid," like it's in the place nobody has been looking.

[Peregrinus]

Posted 02/13/08 18:25 (GMT) by Rob McGinnis

• On servers with Enforce Legal Characters turned on, characters that have swapped spells will no longer be considered invalid.

I'll believe it when I see it, this should have been fixed a long time ago...

[muletang]

Stuff fixing crashes and timeouts? HUZZAH!

damn - a return might be worth it.

nice new layout btw

[lankycheese]

The Player List is now mapped to, and accessible from the P key

Hahaha! What a revolution.

PS: 'sup Mule. ^_^

[ErictheRed]

Players are now able to double-click on their portrait in the character sheet and bring up the portrait selection menu. Through this menu, the player is able to select a new portrait for themselves. All players on a server must have a copy of the portrait in order for the custom portrait to be seen.

I'm still waiting for the ability to double click your portrait outside of the character sheet, but this'll do.

K

Does this mean we can change our character's portrait in-game as time goes on (change hair color, let's say), or just that we can import a portrait from somewhere else?? At first I thought it meant we could change hair style, etc., but on second reading it doesn't appear that way.

[DM Asylum]

Players are now able to double-click on their portrait in the character sheet and bring up the portrait selection menu. Through this menu, the player is able to select a new portrait for themselves. All players on a server must have a copy of the portrait in order for the custom portrait to be seen.

I'm still waiting for the ability to double click your portrait outside of the character sheet, but this'll do.

K

Does this mean we can change our character's portrait in-game as time goes on (change hair color, let's say), or just that we can import a portrait from somewhere else?? At first I thought it meant we could change hair style, etc., but on second reading it doesn't appear that way.

If I'm reading it correctly, it won't update automatically... Which means you'll just import a portrait. Kind of like the avatar system on the forums.