Beta Testing

A few thoughts as we await the arrival of Liv's 2.0 redux . . .

Beta testing

I think we should formally get the machinery in motion for releasing Co8 4.0.0 when we get Liv's latest. With this in mind, here are a few ideas:

1. We need to decide what all should go into 4.0.0. Cujo's forthcoming mod? Ted's mod? Allyx's items? Orion's protos?

2. We need (Morpheus ) to assemble an installer for the final proposed package.

3. We need to beta test, using the 4.0.0 beta. How many people do we have here willing to take on an active role in this regard? I would think each alignment should be tested full through, so we'd need at least nine running concurrent games.

4. Following this, we squash bugs.

5. At last, we triumphantly release Co8 4.0.0, the difinitive version of Temple Of Elemental Evil!

Feedback, feedback, feedback . . . and of course feel free to ignore me. :wavey:

Gaear

 

My thoughts about it: Livonya's Mod, easily being THE best mod available out there to this date (AND incorporating the previous official Circle of Eight mod release, version 3.0.4), should definitely be the base of the upcoming 4.0.0 release.

Since I saw Allyx's mod and played with it a lot (and a lot of my friends used it as well), I would personally vote to include Allyx's modifications in the 4.0.0 release, since a lot of people (me included) really enjoyed the modified version of Livonya's Mod with extra craftable items, etc. I would also include Shiningted's new player sounds since they are really cool and are a great option for those who are sick and tired of ToEE original voice set (may I add that the original voice set is uh... a little bit annoying after several times of playing).

Unfortunately, I'm not that closely familiar with the rest of the listed (upcoming) mods, but I would also vote to include everything that is not going to be mutually exclusive, going against D&D rules, or simply uninteresting (just so you get what I mean correctly: let's say, a mod that gives you a +20 longsword in the beginning of a game that deals 10d6 damage is ... *cough* uninteresting *cough* to the hardcore players such as I am). I'm not willing to tell that someone is making a mod like that (no way! I haven't seen crap like this for ToEE yet!), I just wanted to say that if someone decides to make crap like that, it should not be incorporated into 4.0.0 (most obviously )

I could definitely beta-test version 4.0.0, but I guess I'll tell you my final decision in this when the time for a beta version comes (since the amount of available spare time changes for me drastically every 2 or 3 days, so no one knows how much will I have at disposal at the time of beta-testing).

Also, some people may be interested in including my ToEE Frontend in the release, since it offers easy manipulation of many common options for ToEE, including excellent Drifter's patches. The only thing I'm afraid of is that some people may not want to use it since it uses .NET Framework, but hey - .NET is becoming a world standard really fast, and the next version of MS Windows is definitely going to have it completely incorporated into it... so I think it's no big deal. Anyway, that was just something I wanted to point out.

Regards,
- Agetian

 

I'm more than happy to aid in beta testing, I'd like to second the notion to include Agetian's front end especially if it includes extra support to drifter's fixes, or a modified temple.dll to make drifters fixes standard, drifeters max hp and humble npc's patches should be included but optional.

I'm not all that bothered whether my Items and other new content are standard or optional (but i'll be using them anyway).

Ted's voices are a must have (though I think some of the names should be changed, to be as desreetly obscure as the the original voice sets, "sneeky dwarf" sort of narrows the mind to which character type it sould be allocated to.)

Cujo's new item skins, (if they all work without deleting any original ones) definately, the more new content the better as far as i'm concerned.

Livonya's 2.0 (when it's available) also a definate.

Morpheus' Arena of heroes should also be in (HINT HINT)

 

Well we can't really include my new voices, they're around 46Mb all up. But they will always be there

Allyx - the 'sneaky dwarf' refers to himself as a dwarf at times. Hence the name. People can give it to a halfling paladin if they like, but he will periodically call himself a dwarf. Sorta jerks you out of the fantasy when it happens, if its not consistent with your character.

Personally I wanna see Allyx's new stuff (we need the craftable gear), Cujo's (people do ask about new clothes periodically, and there seriously is a desire for black stuff! - at the very least, it is harmless) and all Drifter's stuff, so long as the optional stuff remains optional.

What I reallythink we should do is patch a temple.dll with Drifter's bugfixes already applied, so people don't have to worry about them - they can just add the optional stuff (MaxHP, Humble NPC's) if they desire. And a front end that allows it to be done of course

O and the new spells

I like most of Orion's changes, but it needs to be tested and you all know my views on unnecessary changes to core characters.

As for my little mod, people might wanna play it b4 they decide. Its hopefully a week away at most. I have already decided to add a 'conscientious objectors' pack that will change a couple of the encounters for people who have role-playing difficulties with them (I put a couple monster NPCs inside Hommlet itself, some people will enjoy it, some will object they shouldn't b there). Otherwise, people can just not initiate the main quest, then nothing will happen - ie people can install it then not trigger it ingame and it won't otherwise interfere, its harmless.

i wouldn't suggest it be included at all, expcet if people then work off Co8 4.0.0 to create new stuff, i will have to change mine every time to make it compatible.

Anyways, u can decide when u see it.

One last thing - when I am done, I am happy to put my hand up to attempt fixes for any issues Liv's brings up, cause I have had to trawl through practically every file in the game while doing my mod. Most of its still over my head but I do know where things are (by and large).

 

Agree with Old Book on the core rules apect.

Re: Liv & Drifter compatability, I don't see it happening, unless somebody becomes a Liv protege and learns all her stuff inside and out. I don't think she'll do it herself.

Re: Ted's voices, the word from Morpheus before was that we weren't going to worry about mod size. I inquired because my credits movie is very large.

Re: Orion's stuff, I have to be blunt here: I don't trust it. Too many reports of CTDs after installation, too many suspicious changes, et al. Nothing personal. Allyx's overhaul covers it all, right?


I'd especially like to hear from Morpheus and dulcaoin on this whole business (being as Agetian has already weighed in). Morpheus is the keeper of the family jewels, so to speak, so this might all be moot anyway.

If it's all a go, we should start setting dates to get your "final" mod versions in for consideration. Plus, I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed, so maybe I'm all wet about compatability, testing procedures, etc., - i.e., should mods get tested separately before the big 4.0.0 beta test?, that sort of thing.

 

Just a side note regarding Orion's mods: I guess they need further testing before they can be included in Co8 4.0.0. I haven't seen the mods myself, but I've heard various reports that they caused various problems (both technical (read: CTDs) and gameplay-wise (read: rule inconsistencies)). So I guess they need to be tested/fixed/refined further until they could be incorporated into the next version of the Circle of Eight mod. (Nothing personal here).

- Agetian

 

Well I am powering ahead on my mod, thank goodness Agetian has solved my door problems (even if its just with a script for now). Basically it is gonna need a bit of bug testing, so that should probably be done seperately. If it is done before Liv posts I will put it up, otherwise (if her's goes up) I will hold it over and change it all to conform to Liv's stuff (probably at least 50% of the files I fiddle, like Elmo's dlg etc, will be changed in Liv's version).