65 replies to this topic

[berelinde]

After a year and a half of conscientious procrastination development, Gavin is ready for Throne of Bhaal beta-testing. All primary dialogue is in place and both sequential and plot-related dialogue is alpha-tested. While there is still a small bit of writing to do for the mod, I am ready to start recruiting beta testers. To avoid creating more work for the forum admins, we'll use this pinned thread for beta-testing findings.

I am looking for three groups of beta-testers.

• Romance - Players should run the ToB romance with Gavin. Apart from a single romance-kill for Anomen that occurs in dialogue, there are no romance kill scripts in place. For your beta playthrough, at least, please don't multi-romance. The Master Wraith encounter and other romance-specific dialogues typically occur for only one NPC. Apart from that, have fun. Please be aware that NPC-initiated flirts aren't implemented yet and place-holders replace player-initiated pillow talk (hopefully, these are at least marginally amusing). The PID menu is still under construction, but it's functional. Full-length NPC-initiated night talks are in place.
  
• Friendship - Players should run through ToB with Gavin in the party as it suits them. Leaving/rejoining dialogues should work, and if Gavin is kicked from the party, he shouldn't comment on events he didn't witness. If he does, it's a bug.
  
• Others - Players should install the mod and not recruit Gavin. Several bugs in BG2 Gavin occurred because I got sloppy with the code for instances when Gavin isn't in the party. I want to avoid that happening again, so I'm looking for players who will install the mod and never recruit the guy. If you go this route, please drop in once your have completed your playthrough to report your success.
  
• One SoA-only player to test-install the mod. It should install OK.

General Beta-Testing instructions:

• Gavin ToB is a complete mod! Do not attempt to install Gavin ToB without first uninstalling and deleting all previous versions of Gavin for BG2!
  
• This is a beta. Principal dialogues have been alpha-tested, but I have not pursued every route through every dialogue. I need to know about dialogue loops, illogical conversation flow, and the dreaded NO VALID REPLIES OR LINKS.
  
• Please report all stutter, even if you don't think it's Gavin's fault. By stutter, I mean that one NPC turns to face the PC or moves toward the NPC. To see if you have stutter, direct the NPC to walk some distance away. If the NPC makes it to the destination, there is no stutter. If the NPC halts before the destination is reached, there is stutter. I have a post-installation mod to diagnose stutter, but there isn't any reason to play with that on all the time. Stutter is NOT the same as lag. Lag is where EVERYBODY slows down and movements are jerky. Lag is usually caused by trying to install too many mods.
  
• Because this is a beta, I do not recommend installing it on a mega. Mega-mods take ages to build and rely on installation order extensively. Let's not go there until Gavin's ToB content is out of beta.
  
• You may be asked to update your installation to a new version at some point. Keeping Gavin at the end of your installation will minimize headaches. At the very least, romance players have the updated PID and PC-initiated night talks to look forward to.

Download Gavin ToB Beta

Edited by berelinde, 25 November 2011 - 03:03 AM.
stupid pseudonyms

[Miss Jade]

First off, super congratz Miss Berelinde on releasing TOB Gavin!
Second, I finally figured out my username to this place! And third,

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One SoA-only player to test-install the mod. It should install OK.

Girl, I am so all over this like white on rice! Also, my brother has TOB, so I wanna see if it'll work on this ol' computer. And if so, then I would looove to be apart of this Beta test!

[berelinde]

Unfortunately, I had to package the mod from my old computer, so the gorgeous new portrait did not make it into this version. But there will be another version, at the very least, so I can include it then.

For those who have not seen it, here it is, by the magnificent MiLeah

Edited by berelinde, 25 November 2011 - 12:20 PM.

[Miss Jade]

Mmm'kay, did a clean install and tried to install Gavin on just my SOA game, and still couldn't. I still have the same problem of having to install Haldamir first to get Gavin to install right. I'm going to try and test the TOB version next.

Edited by Miss Jade, 26 November 2011 - 05:25 PM.

[berelinde]

The SoA portion of the ToB version is the same as before. Unless you got a corrupted download, it should work. And it's totally strange that you would have to install Haldamir first. It has no code in it that Gavin does not.

You don't have a "minimum" or "recommended" installation, do you? You might need a "full" installation.

[Miss Jade]

Hm, not sure. But I know I did do a full install for SOA.
I just installed TOB and then Gavin. He installed like a charm. No problems.
I'm ready to test him out now and see how it goes.

Edited by Miss Jade, 26 November 2011 - 06:18 PM.

[berelinde]

Alright, at this point, I'm thinking "Corrupted download." It's rare, but it happens. I wouldn't be surprised if that cutscene that gave you trouble works now, as well.

[Miss Jade]

Just thought to drop in and let you know that after I installed TOB, I clicked on the SOA side and started a new game. I got Gavin and got to the Temple District....
....And....
Well....
........
........
It worked! (Sorry, just had to do that, lol)
Anyway, I picked him up after he dropped off his 'daughter' and he's on my team. So far, so good! I'm so very happy now.

Edited by Miss Jade, 26 November 2011 - 07:33 PM.

[berelinde]

Yay! After everything you went through with the last download, I'm glad everything is working as it should.

Edit: And, since you successfully installed the ToB version on your SoA-only game, we can check SoA-only compatibility off the testing to-do list. You will have the benefit of a few typo corrections in SoA, but there isn't any new content... but since you couldn't get past his family quest before, it's all new. Seriously, that must have been a corrupted download.

Edited by berelinde, 26 November 2011 - 11:36 PM.

[RavenBlack]

*sneaks in* I'm gonna wait 'til I can get my hands on that new portrait before I actually start testing, but I'm contributing (cheating ) by reading dialog first. I spotted this over in the tob_night file.

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Don't count on it. After two games with sex on demand, I'm low on ideas.

He might be low on ideas, but he's also breaking the 4th wall.

[berelinde]

Yeah, there was a warning on the box. The night talk "dialogues" are nothing but placeholders until I recover from burnout enough to write them. Since they're throwaways intended to entertain intrepid testers, they're all horribly out of character and most are completely ridiculous. So don't worry, that isn't going in the final version. Nothing even remotely close.

So yeah, for the time being, the ToB on-demand night talks are a joke. Literally. Sorry if you weren't amused.

[RavenBlack]

Heh, joke went completely over my head.

[Miss Jade]

Still having no problems, and everything is still running fine. Though, just as a heads up, between working on the portraits and such, I decided to test Gavin on the weekends and just fully dedicate my time to playing through the game that way.

Also, I just have to really commend you on how he's been written. (Without giving away too much). I feel like you put me at ease regarding his family. How loose ends are tied up without him coming across as cold, but instead comes off as though he still cares for them without feeling too hung up on them. Nicely done. I was also really impressed with the visitation schedule! That's like really cool and unique.

[berelinde]

Hey, I found a bug in my own mod. There is a problem with one of the areas used for a mid-relationship cutscene. It starts after Gavin has been in the party a while, when he complains about not being able to concentrate. This talk fires fine during the day, which is how it got through tesing in the first place, since we were pretty much rapid-firing talks, but in actual use, there's a chance this can happen at night. I am aware of the problem and know exactly how to fix it,but for the time being, if Gavin is moaning about stress and wants to take a walk, don't go with him unless it is daytime or not in a town environment. I'll have a new beta up as soon as I can get the area repaired.