Conflux II - game questions **SOME COMPLETE SPOILERS !**

Custom dungeons for CSBWin. Includes all Confux 2 and 3 discussions.

Moderator: Zyx

Forum rules
Please read the Forum rules and policies before posting.
User avatar
Zyx
DSA Master
Posts: 2592
Joined: Mon Jun 05, 2000 1:53 pm
Location: in the mind
Contact:

Post by Zyx »

The overlay is quite an incredible effect!
Correct me if I'm wrong, here's what I understand from the DSA:
it puts an overlay (with 50% transparency) on the p2 zone (the dungeon view I guess). Those overlays are numbered from 1 to 16 and the DSA cycles threw them, with an overlay each one tick.

What is a .ovl file, how do I edit it, how do I create it? Can I use two separate files for different effects or should I use one file, a DSA indicating the indexes of the correct overlays?

Thesignature of the graphics.dat: the 16 digits, are them from the end of the file (including the checksum, thus)?
User avatar
Paul Stevens
CSBwin Guru
Posts: 4318
Joined: Sun Apr 08, 2001 6:00 pm
Location: Madison, Wisconsin, USA

Post by Paul Stevens »

The &OVERLAY command is somewhat documented in the Help.
p1 is the overlay type. 0 is simple transparency.
p2 p3 p4 are parameters.
For type 0 (all that is currently implemented) p2 is transparency. p3, p4 not used.
The overlay ID is the ID given to the overlay bitmap when you compile the
CSBgraphics.dat file.

You will also notice that the demo shows that external portrait files are also
kept in CSBgraphics.dat. So only one extra file is necessary.

You edit CSBgraphics.dat with CSBgraphics.exe. I posted that, too.

Edit......
I forgot to say that the overlay in the demo was
supplied by Cowsmanaut.

The signature of the graphics file is 16 hex digits. It is the MD5 checksum
of the entire file. You can compute it by specifying some random number and
then you run CSBwin. It will say that the signature is wrong and tell you what
it is. Then you go back and put this number into CSBuild.
Guest

Post by Guest »

Zyx wrote::)

do you know there is a way to revive Gando with 2 corbum ?
Yep, that's the only thing I've found in your incredibly difficult (for me) dungeon ! I had tried to kill lot of tree in the status of a "soul" (without reincarnation/ressurection) in order to have lot of fruits and when I came bak, Gando had 2 corbums :)

Same way for Zed ?
User avatar
Zyx
DSA Master
Posts: 2592
Joined: Mon Jun 05, 2000 1:53 pm
Location: in the mind
Contact:

Post by Zyx »

Congrats, this one was hard to discover. Zed's way is made of the same stuff but much simpler.

I'm curious to know why you find it so difficult. (I don't despair to release someday a well balanced, bug free version, so critiques are always welcome). I did plan some hard situations like the mice in the cellar, but other than that it's very hard to distinguish the thin blur line between too difficult and too easy.
User avatar
Paul Stevens
CSBwin Guru
Posts: 4318
Joined: Sun Apr 08, 2001 6:00 pm
Location: Madison, Wisconsin, USA

Post by Paul Stevens »

What was so difficult for me was the 'multi-connectedness' of the place.
And I was using the editor to view the maps!!!! But I would not change
this for the world. This kind of difficulty is exactly the right kind of difficulty.
The player has to explore over and over again to get used to the topology.

I thought it was remarkably bug-free for such a complex design. I have
no idea how you kept track of all the interacting parts.

One thing I am not sure about. Is it true that what can be accomplished
is based on what characters one chooses? And that to accomplish other
things the game must be restarted and different characters chosen? If so,
I don't like it. If there were a way that finishing one game could allow the start of
another........like maybe a way to trade-in one champion (and certain equipment)
for another after accomplishing a particular task.
User avatar
beowuuf
Archmastiff
Posts: 20687
Joined: Sat Sep 16, 2000 2:00 pm
Location: Basingstoke, UK

Post by beowuuf »

But the nice thing is each dungeon level has it's own feel and theme, so unlike CSB where you can get lost with the dropping and goign up and down, you can always tell the difference between the catacombs, the dwarf areas, the sewers, etc

I like the fact that different charatcers need to be invested in for different endings. It doens't really detract from the majority of the game, but just adds alot of replay value - smaller characters give you different information or weapons to subtley alter the game, and you have a reason to replay, in that you want to see the ending levels with various leaders...
SeoubFromFrance

Post by SeoubFromFrance »

Hi all !

1) How to open, in the store room, a semi-close door hiding an interesting ring (an a shuriken) ?
2) Is there any opening-door spell in the game (such as the regretted Zo spell) ?
3) Is there any way to ressurect the champions close to Vecna the Lich ?
(grrr, empty chests).

Thx for answer !
and... a Water Elemental carry a very usefull item made of glass ! Damned Zyx !
User avatar
beowuuf
Archmastiff
Posts: 20687
Joined: Sat Sep 16, 2000 2:00 pm
Location: Basingstoke, UK

Post by beowuuf »

1. There is a switch you have to find, in a very unusual place...
2. Yes, you either have to find the scroll or re-learn the spell from trial and error through
3. Umm, by close do you mean in that corridor? Nope - but there are altars scattered around the crypts there
User avatar
Zyx
DSA Master
Posts: 2592
Joined: Mon Jun 05, 2000 1:53 pm
Location: in the mind
Contact:

Post by Zyx »

3) No way before version k. I guess you're playing version j. I should release the next (and hopefully defnitive) version soon. I'm waiting for some small fixes and features in CSBwin.
User avatar
$eoub!!!
Apprentice
Posts: 45
Joined: Sun Sep 12, 2004 1:12 pm
Location: Marseille, France
Contact:

Post by $eoub!!! »

Ok thx !

Still several questions...
- How tools have you use to build this dungeon ?
- Any project of multilanguage versions ?
User avatar
Zyx
DSA Master
Posts: 2592
Joined: Mon Jun 05, 2000 1:53 pm
Location: in the mind
Contact:

Post by Zyx »

I used CSBuild from Paul Steven and CSBedit from Rain.

multilanguage: I could do a spanish and french version, but is it worth it? How many french people are playing this dungeon and need a french version?
User avatar
linflas
My other avatar is gay
Posts: 2445
Joined: Tue Nov 04, 2003 9:58 pm
Location: Lille, France
Contact:

Post by linflas »

hola hola Zyx ! tu me fais une version francaise vite fait bien fait que je puisse enfin piger tous les pièges ignobles que tu nous as concoctés ! non mais ! ;)
User avatar
$eoub!!!
Apprentice
Posts: 45
Joined: Sun Sep 12, 2004 1:12 pm
Location: Marseille, France
Contact:

Post by $eoub!!! »

Zyx wrote:How many french people are playing this dungeon and need a french version?
Linflas + moi.
Déjà 2 :)
Past...Pasta ? Pastaga !
User avatar
$eoub!!!
Apprentice
Posts: 45
Joined: Sun Sep 12, 2004 1:12 pm
Location: Marseille, France
Contact:

Post by $eoub!!! »

Zyx wrote:Congrats, this one was hard to discover. Zed's way is made of the same stuff but much simpler.
Okay for the 2 zed'staffs ! Related with his priest job. :lol:
Past...Pasta ? Pastaga !
User avatar
beowuuf
Archmastiff
Posts: 20687
Joined: Sat Sep 16, 2000 2:00 pm
Location: Basingstoke, UK

Post by beowuuf »

I like the Zed staff bit - it continues conflux's referential undertow
User avatar
Zyx
DSA Master
Posts: 2592
Joined: Mon Jun 05, 2000 1:53 pm
Location: in the mind
Contact:

Post by Zyx »

Alright, I checked what would need to be done for a french version; there are about 1000 texts to translate. Most of them are easy to translate (the oracle will prove harder I guess).
But since the texts are embedded in the game, I will do the french version only when I'm sure I have a bug free, definitive version. I don't want to maintain 2 distinct dungeons, it would be double work. So you'll have to wait for version k and some playtesting and bug report from the players.
User avatar
Paul Stevens
CSBwin Guru
Posts: 4318
Joined: Sun Apr 08, 2001 6:00 pm
Location: Madison, Wisconsin, USA

Post by Paul Stevens »

Is this really necessary? Has anyone considered the cost/benefit
ratio of this endeavor? Zyx will have to spend over a hundred hours
before all is said and done. A lot of it because of the difficulty of keeping
two identical dungeons. I cannot believe that there will ever be a final
version. Zyx has already put so much effort into this......why should he
be required to extend himself so much further for the relatively small
gains for a couple of people?

If it absolutely must be done, let us figure a way that the rest of us
can do the work. Perhaps someone could go through the dungeon
texts and write a separate file with a different language, indexed by
position. I could change CSBwin to look in that file first for the actual
text. I could also change CSBwin to produce a list of texts that exist in
the dungeon but not in the file so that you would know what is missing.

In this way we could have many translations and Zyx would not be
responsible for all of it.

Some clever designer will undoubtedly take some strange advantage
of such a feature to make a dungeon that can be played in more than
one way by changing the translation file or by releasing a new translation
file every few weeks to add additional hints, making the dungeon
easier by degrees.

Edit.....By the way, the translation file would be encrypted.
User avatar
JCG
Mon Master
Posts: 1009
Joined: Sat Sep 01, 2001 3:32 pm
Location: France

Post by JCG »

As a Frenchman (but now working in English), I feel obliged to concur with Paul and Zyx.
A French version would represent too much work for too few people ....and Linflas was joking because he speaks perfectly English.
I've done some French to English software translations and I can tell you that it's no fun.

"How many french people are playing this dungeon (...many I think ! ), and =NEED= a french version (...none, I hope !) ?"

To my compatriots : please do not flame me.
User avatar
beowuuf
Archmastiff
Posts: 20687
Joined: Sat Sep 16, 2000 2:00 pm
Location: Basingstoke, UK

Post by beowuuf »

This was how DMBuild works for new texts - you actually composed a list of the needed texts first in a seperate file, then imported them for use so they were available for use in the dungeon and you selected them. A simple import/export function might suffice here?
User avatar
$eoub!!!
Apprentice
Posts: 45
Joined: Sun Sep 12, 2004 1:12 pm
Location: Marseille, France
Contact:

Post by $eoub!!! »

Help !

I'm blocked ! :(
I'm in the very first level : the guild, and the black door between the "hall of champions" and the stairway is closed !

What can I do, please ?

And the picture of Halk in the temple level is just a decoration or an available character ?

Thx for answers !
Past...Pasta ? Pastaga !
User avatar
beowuuf
Archmastiff
Posts: 20687
Joined: Sat Sep 16, 2000 2:00 pm
Location: Basingstoke, UK

Post by beowuuf »

do you have a certain artifact of power?
if so, then you have fallen pray to a mechanic that is supposed to block the HoC when doign the halk ending so you can't walk aroudn the dungeon

and picture of halk in the temple level? unless this is some new tweak, sounds like a bug! zyx?
User avatar
Zyx
DSA Master
Posts: 2592
Joined: Mon Jun 05, 2000 1:53 pm
Location: in the mind
Contact:

Post by Zyx »

Yes, the artifact of power blocks the access. It should be clearer in next version. If you come from the dark councillor, reload and don't bring the artifact to the guilds.
If you come from Halk's ending, then revive his guild and you're done.


Halk in the temple? Where exactly? Last time I left him he was in the guild.
Aren't you confounding with "the way of our ancestors"?
User avatar
$eoub!!!
Apprentice
Posts: 45
Joined: Sun Sep 12, 2004 1:12 pm
Location: Marseille, France
Contact:

Post by $eoub!!! »

Zyx wrote:Yes, the artifact of power blocks the access. It should be clearer in next version. If you come from Halk's ending, then revive his guild and you're done.
Comprends pas... I don(t want to finish the game so quickly...
Must I have to ressurect some kinds of people ? I've already have 4 characters in my team !
I can use a powergem to go to the Moria but other way goes in this place without losing that precious item... And of course, I can't go back (black door before the hell flame is definitively close).
Halk in the temple? Where exactly? Last time I left him he was in the guild.
Aren't you confounding with "the way of our ancestors"?
lol ! I'll try to read a previous save and take a screeshot of him ! (I already have him in my team !).[/quote]
Past...Pasta ? Pastaga !
User avatar
Zyx
DSA Master
Posts: 2592
Joined: Mon Jun 05, 2000 1:53 pm
Location: in the mind
Contact:

Post by Zyx »

Go to the guild of warrior to reach the ending with Halk.

Ah, I know, you met a "cloning experiment"... that's why you found a second Halk. It's just here for fun. you could resurrect him but he's not as good as the original.
Post Reply