Paladin's Cove beta release, and feedback

Here is the most recent beta release of Paladin's Cove, an adventure module.

Beta version 1.0, released July 6, 2024:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/14KXStaNaOeZh35GtKvXhH32BJWhtlhen/view?usp=sharing​

The file you download will be a zip file, called Paladins Cove beta 1.0.zip.

Once unzipped, there will be four files in there, including the TFM file which holds the mod itself:

Paladins Cove beta 1.0 ReadMe.txt
Paladins Cove beta 1.0.jpg
Paladins Cove beta 1.0.tfm
Paladins Cove beta 1.0.txt​

We have a typical Front-End installation here. Briefly, you'll need to copy the four files listed above into your "Temple of Elemental Evil" root folder, and activate the mod with Temple Front-End. It requires the final build of Temple Front-End, with Co8 8.1, and NO Temple+.

The full instructions for installation are in the ReadMe file, the first file listed above. It is highly recommended that you read this file before installing and playing. It contains notes for both installation and game-play. Please at least skim it, it's not that long.

I'll repost follow-up beta versions here, as disaster strikes.

Enjoy, Marc


NOTES:

Please, do NOT use Temple+ when playing your first group:

Spoiler

I implore you to play the vanilla version, posted here, for you first time through.

There have been a slew of bug reports with it's integration with Temple+, and it's creating a major time consumption drain on my part, trying to determine if the bug is on my end or with Temple+ integration.

There are numerous problems with "san" functions not triggering properly in the integration. This sometimes results in creatures and items not spawning at all, creatures not equipping at all (they are naked), and deaths not being recorded (which messes up quest completion). These are the ones I know about.

If you play Temple+ your second time around, you will better be able to distinguish which bugs are coming from where.

I want to be very clear. I am NOT disparaging all the incredible work that has been dome with Temple+, in any way. My request has nothing to do with that, and is not "personal" at all. But since the integration is as new as the release of the mod itself, it's creating a situation where we are getting bugs from both ends. I really need to debug this beta version on it's own, without the overlapping bugs.

What I'm looking for with feedback:

Spoiler

Right now to start, I'm generally looking for reports of bugs such as repeatable game-stopping crashes, dialog dead-ends, quests that won't finish, and that sort of thing. That will be my main focus for the short-term and medium-term.

As time goes by, and only after the game appears to be getting stable, I'll also looking for critical feed back on the content of the game itself, such as:

- Should there be more or less dialog and role-playing?
- Is the power-level too high or too easy?
- Are certain quests more interesting than others, and should be expanded?
- Are certain quests boring or silly, and should be removed?
- Should any particular NPC be removed or played-up more?​

Finally, the whole thing is only abut 70% finished. Currently, the mid-level story-arc ends in Chapter 3, and then there's a small quest after that in Chapter 4, to let you flex your muscles a little bit. But no matter where I end it right now, it's going to end abruptly. I have a general idea where I want it to go for the final ending. But if anyone has any fresh ideas what direction it should go in, I'll gladly take advice.

Note on Compatibility and System problems:

Spoiler

It seems the usual compatibility issues are occurring with this mod.

Before getting frustrated, or pulling your hair out, check the standard issues:

1. You are running as administrator.
2. Your anti-virus isn't blocking or quarantining toee.exe.
3. You are using the latest Co8 Front-End with build 8.1, without any Temple+ involved.​

After that, if you still have a problem, I'm afraid it's most likely a specific issue with you computer system in general. As I've said elsewhere, I've activated this successfully on 5 different computers of various ages and Windows versions ranging from XP to Windows 11. I had a problem with one of them.

My problem occurred with a newer system, ironically a high-powered gaming computer Lenovo Legion running Windows 11. The mod installed and activated OK, but the Front-End would not run toee.exe. I also could not run toee.exe directly from the folder. The only solution was to start it in window mode using the command "C:\ToEE Co8\toee.exe" -window -geometry 800X600".

If problems are still occurring, post here and I can offer you what help I can with my limited knowledge about this part of the operation. There are others who know much more than I do, and they can probably help too.

 

I've decided to use this thread for feedback and bug reports as well.
I'll leave the top post for a link to the latest beta release.
So post your comments here.
Thanks, Marc

 

I have installed ToEE and C08 NC followed by Paladin's Cove onto a 16GB 64 bit laptop (Windows 11) which had never seen ToEE or Temple+ before. Everything seems t be working at start now.

Comparing the behaviour of the two machines, it is clear that Paladin's Cove was screwing up the basic ToEE operation which returned to normal when I returned to Co8 NC/Temple+

I used the same Paladin's Cove download in both cases.

 

i did a new fresh install of ToEE (GoG) on my laptop with Win11 and it won't run.

I've tried it bare and with the C08-NC with no success

I need to get that working first, so I've not attempted this new module, yet

I'll need to try with my older laptop.

 

Can you tell me at what point it failed?

Were you able to download and unzip the file OK?
Were you able to "Activate" the module with Front-End?
Did the game start, but then crash while loading?

 

@Pygmy @FDR4PREZ
Can you run the game with the following command line switch:
toee.exe tigdebug=file

This should produce a log file in the toee folder, which may be crucial in saving Marc's sanity

 

Went back to first computer and removed Temple+ players again.
Activated ToEE then Co8 NC then Paladin's Cove

Ran toee.exe tigdebug=file from Command Prompt with same result as last time.
I have attached debug file

 

Oops I have just discovered through a senior moment of impatience (leaving out a few crucial steps) that Paladin's Cove does start properly on the above machine via Temple+ should you forget to reactivate Co8 NC first

 

Let me re-state: This is a fresh install of ToEE (GOG) only; no Front-End, so no need to activate it.

This is a plain install and the ToEE (GOG) will not run. No front-end, no Co8-NC, no Paladin's Cove.

The game sometimes crashes immediately, or it will get to "initializing sectors" and then crash, and sometimes I can get to the menu. Then I start a new game, select a random pre-gen character, and then click Begin Adventuring and then it will crash. When I set the shortcut to run as an admin, and set it to Win7 Compatibility Mode, then i more consistently get to the menu, but I can't get past it to begin adventuring.

I've then installed Co8-NC and activated it and disabled the Intro Movies, and tried different resolutions, and it all behaves the same way as described above. Since this won't run, I've not bothered with activating Paladin's Cove (yes , the zip download and unzipping was successful).

When I install Temple+ then the game runs normally.

Since i can't use Temple+ here, then this is just a bit of an off-topic post (venting frustration) about getting a non-Temple+ version running in Win11.

Once I can get the normal game, or the activated NC module, to run then I will be able to activate Paladin's Cove and give that a whirl.

 

@Pygmy from reading the log, it looks like the game crashes when you try starting up the tutorial... is that correct?

There's also a strange line there about having 2 duplicate lines numbered 11 in start_equipment.mes, while the file included in the module does not have that problem... maybe the installation got corrupted somehow?

@FDR4PREZ could you also post the log file?

Also please try running in windowed mode, I recall that solved some issues marc himself had in the past:
https://co8.org/community/threads/toee-wont-run-on-my-new-laptop.13229/

 

@Sitra Achara the start-up menu is so corrupted and obscured with the bright white writing I have no choice but to keep pressing the enter key until something happens.

You will note that I (accidentally) got the same Paladin's Cove to start via Temple+. My initial enthusiasm for your 1st version of Temple+ (aside from its brilliance was the fact that I had just bought my first 64-bit computer and had discovered it wouldn't run toee.exe but actually required Temple+.

I will re-activate Paladin's Cove on the non-functioning machine and examine the start_equipment.mes file but I would be amazed if the file was actually corrupted.

 

@Sitra Achara my apologies (to a limited extent) Both versions of Paladin's Cove (on the working and the non-functioning computers) have two line 11s as you said. I have attached the start_equipment.mes file below - the second line 11 looks like design rather than corruption to me.

I have removed the second line 11 and ran ToEE in windowed-mode, neither of which has affected the gibberish I am getting at start-up on the non-functioning computer.

 

Resorting to Co8 NC and then running in windowed mode produces the same white text gibberish over bits of the original menu (just as with Paladin 's Cove). The ToEE start-up movie ran perfectly.

 

Great to hear!
Glad someone got it going with no system problems.
Just keep in mind that while much of it is polished, it is still a work-in-progress story-wise.
So prepare to find interesting plots that may just disappear for no reason, and that sort of thing.

You're right, I don't think you do.
I just wasn't sure if you could install Front-End by itself without the Co8 mod attached with it, so I played it safe and started with that whole package.