Temple of Elemental Evil News

Circle of Eight Modpack Hosted at Strategy Informer

Dateline January 5, 2010, USA

The Circle of Eight modpack is now being hosted at Strategy Informer in addition to our ModDB host. You can also get the KotB Demo there.

--> LINK <--


- The Circle of Eight team

 

Circle of Eight Modpack 5.7.2 Hotfix add-on Released

Dateline January 7, 2010, USA

The Circle of Eight has released another followup patch to v5.7.0 BETA - the 5.7.2 Hotfix add-on. This release is temporarily accessible only in add-on form.

What does it contain?

• The Burne Nulb story state fix
• The Bing healed quest chain fix
• A reversion of Burne's joining conditions to not include the Zuggtmoy story state
• A fix for the wayward troll on temple level 3

You can download the 5.7.2 Hotfix .rar here:

Co8 5.7.2 Hotfix

Extract the contents of the .rar archive to your ToEE root directory. The Co8 5.7.2 Hotfix will need to be applied in TFE-X by clicking 'Add-On Packs' while Co8 5.7.0 or Co8 5.7.1 is the active module and selecting 'Circle of Eight Modpack 5.7.2 BETA' from the list.​

- The Circle of Eight team

 

Circle of Eight Modpack 5.7.2 BETA Released

Dateline January 9, 2010, USA

The Circle of Eight has released a followup modpack to v5.7.0 BETA and v5.7.1 BETA - Circle of Eight Modpack 5.7.2 BETA. This release is a complete new modpack.


What does it contain?

• The Burne Nulb story state fix
• The Bing healed quest chain fix
• A reversion of Burne's joining conditions to not include the Zuggtmoy story state
• A fix for the wayward troll on temple level 3

You can download Co8 5.7.2 BETA from our host ModDB here:

Circle of Eight Modpack 5.7.2 BETA is an entirely separate module from 5.7.0 and 5.7.1 and will need to be activated accordingly in TFE-X. You will not be able to use saved games from 5.7.0 or 5.7.1 with this module. You will have to start a new game. Players currently in a 5.7.0 game or a 5.7.1 game may wish to use the above-referenced 5.7.2 Hotfix add-on instead of this modpack.​

- The Circle of Eight team

 

The New Plan

Dateline January 14, 2010, USA

After some internal discussion among the Co8 head-honchos, we've decided that future Co8 modpacks are going to take a different direction. Namely, starting with Co8 5.8.0, we are going to start providing two concurrent modpacks: a regular bugfix-focused modpack (which will be much like the current modpack) and a new content or 'NC' modpack, which will include custom content of the major expansion variety. Thus, players who prefer a closer-to-vanilla experience will have their modpack, and players who enjoy new content will have theirs too.

But the current modpack already contains new content!

Yes it does, namely all the new spells, feats, weapons, armor, and clothing Co8 has ever added, the custom voice sets, the shop map, Ronald, the various .dll-related modifications, and the monster and NPC proto-overhaul, as well as a few encounters like the Moathouse Ambush and the Rannos and Gremag Revenge scenario and the Lareth prisoner/trader stuff. We believe that these elements have been widely enough accepted that they have basically become canon. As current players will be aware, however, the current modpack does not contain any major expansions like Verbobonc or Hickory Branch, and future versions of the regular modpack also will not. The 'NC' versions will instead contain the major expansions. Namely:

• Arena of Heroes
• Hickory Branch 2.0
• Moathouse Respawn (possibly a 2.0 version remastered by Ted)
• Verbobonc 2.0
• War of the Golden Skull
• Welkwood Bog

So the 'NC' version will basically contain 'Tales of the Wild Coast?'

No. As of right now, TotWC as it had originally been envisioned has been tabled. What the NC versions will contain are the versions of the new content major expansions as they existed in their most recent states. They will not be rebalanced, in most cases, for high-level content. This was felt to be an unachievable goal at this time, whereas simply re-adding the existing versions is not. This means there will be no all-encompassing and tied together comprehensive TotWC mod where every questline is associated with the others and Lord Wilfrick is the supreme commander and issuer of quests or anything like that.

Instead, the in-game delivery of the major exapansions will be re-tooled to correspond to ToEE's story states. For example: Welkwood Bog may be available at the beginning of the game; Hickory Branch may become available after you clear the Moathouse; the Moathouse Respawn may become available after you start exploring Nulb; Verbobonc (with Arena of Heroes) may become available after you start exploring the temple; and War of the Golden Skull may become available after you've learned about Zuggtmoy.

These states and mods are not set in stone at the moment; they're just possibilities.

But adding all these expansions back in will unbalance the game!

Yes it will, but it seems that fans of new content are less concerned with (or convinced of) game (im)balance than 'purists,' if you will. We figure that an unbalanced game with the new content expansions is better than no game with the new content expansions for new content fans. Plus, tying the availability of the expansions to story states may alleviate some of the bulge, as you won't just get everything at level 5 like before.

If you're terribly offended by the notion of an unbalanced game, you're an excellent candidate to play the regular version of the modpack.

When will NC versions become available?

With the 5.8.0 release, which is due in April. We are not guaranteeing that all the expansions will be ready at that time, but some of them will. I've currently re-started work on (a somewhat less ambitious) Welkwood Bog, so I'm comfortable that that will be in. Also very likely Hickory Branch. Moathouse Respawn will depend on Ted's remastering, and Verbobonc will need some work to integrate all it's non-graphics assets onto the new maps (yes, you'll have the 10 times larger version of Verbobonc , just not the writing/quest/plot overhaul) and fix it's pre-existing bugs. And War of the Golden Skull will probably require the most effort to make compatible. The goal is to have all of them included in the 5.9 release in August, beta-tested, and then released in the final 6.0 non-beta modpack in December.

So the regular version of the modpack will be ignored? Great.

No. The regular version will continue to receive bugfixes and other polishing updates. It will, in fact, be identical to the NC version as far as everything but major expansion new content goes.

What about Desperate Housewives?

As Ted has indicated elsewhere, DH has had its day. It won't be included in the NC modpacks.

What about the Reactive Temple mod?

Not sure at this time. We'll have to determine if it qualifies more as new content or bugfixing. I'm leaning toward a Livonya's Mod-esque 'custom-bugfixing' definition right now (something like vastly improved AI is hard to consider new content, and yet it's not a bugfix by strict definitions either), but of course I haven't seen it. Assuming it gets done, we'll make that determination later.

How do I learn more?

Stay tuned to the news forum for more updates and maybe even some new mediaz.

 

Co8 New Content Sticky Threads Launched

Dateline March 22, 2010, USA

With the return of Co8 new content imminent in the upcoming 5.8.0 'NC' release in April, sticky threads for each major expansion have been launched. See the Temple of Elemental Evil forum.

Why should I give a damn?

The sticky threads will contain detailed information about each expansion and will feature open centralized discussion so that your questions can be answered and comments heard more cohesively. No more searching for that mention of Hickory Branch's orc commander you read somewhere in some thread at some time or other. Simply look to the sticky or ask about it there.

This must mean that all the new content will be restored in 5.8.0 NC!

Nope. We're anticipating Hickory Branch, Moathouse Respawn, Welkwood Bog, and Ronald Rinnwrathi.

Ronald Rinnwrathi. When did he become his own category?

Ronald is the result of an enormous effort to write, script, and voice an entirely new NPC, and his reach extends into a great many aspects of the game. He is easily on par in terms of effort and impact with the major new area expansions. Plus, starting with 5.8.0, he will only be featured in the NC version of the modpack so that purists don't have to live with the knowledge that he's around.

What else will be in 5.8.0 / 5.8.0 NC then?

Mostly bugfixes, but NC will also feature the new Verbobonc map, which is now roughly the size of the Hommlet map (actually a bit more concentrated even) and contains the new Castle of Lords for the upcoming War of the Golden Skull expansion/re-fit, churches both burned down and new, the Arena of Heroes, warfs, blocks upon blocks of warehouses, businesses, residences, inns and shops, and a large river running through the middle of it all.

I can't wait to play!

You won't be playing anything in Verbobonc in 5.8, but you'll be able to go there and look around.

When is 5.8.0 coming out?

April 25, 2010.

 

Co8 Modpack 5.8.0 NC Screens

Dateline April 23, 2010, USA

 

Circle of Eight Modpacks 5.8.0 BETA and 5.8.0 NC BETA Released!

The latest modpack from the Circle of Eight comes in two editions - standard and 'new content' (NC).

Dateline April 25, 2010, USA

The Circle of Eight is pleased to present the latest versions of our modpack for The Temple of Elemental Evil - Circle of Eight Modpacks 5.8.0 BETA and 5.8.0 NC BETA.

Circle of Eight Modpack 5.8.0 BETA fixes some additional bugs since 5.7.2, such as the 'blue circle of death' bug where NPCs would run off when ordered to leave the party but would not disband, resulting in their empty blue character circles remaining in the party.

Circle of Eight Modpack 5.8.0 NC BETA re-introduces custom Co8 content of the major expansion variety. Both Hickory Branch and the Moathouse Respawn have been re-mastered for the current modpack, and the as-yet unseen Welkwood Bog has been added to the mix. In order to access the expansions, simply speak to Brother Smyth in Hommlet and ask him for "something different."

Both modpacks are identical, save for the major new content expansions included in the NC version. Fans of custom content will likely want to choose the new content (5.8.0 NC BETA) release, while purists might prefer the standard (5.8.0 BETA) release.

For a full list of changes, please see the included release notes.

You can download Co8 5.8.0 BETA and Co8 5.8.0 NC BETA from our host ModDB here:



We sincerely hope that you enjoy this version of the Circle of Eight modpack.

- The Circle of Eight team

 

Stats

Dateline May 13, 2010, USA

Here is an updated mod tracker with stats on the Co8 mod from ModDB. This one is different from the former, as it tracks 'the Co8 modpack,' not a specific version. Check back often to see how we're doing!

<object width="600" height="400"><param name="movie" value="http://www.moddb.com/statistics/embed/visit/mods/13683/downloads-videos-images-articles"></param><param name="wmode" value="opaque"></param><param name="bgcolor" value="#ffffff"></param><embed src="http://www.moddb.com/statistics/embed/visit/mods/13683/downloads-videos-images-articles" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="opaque" bgcolor="#ffffff" width="600" height="400"></embed></object><br /><a href="http://www.moddb.com/mods/circle-of-eight-modpack">Circle of Eight Modpack for The Temple of Elemental Evil</a>

 

Circle of Eight Modpacks 5.8.1 BETA and 5.8.1 NC BETA Released

Co8 releases new bug-fix updates for the 5.8 series modpacks.

Dateline June 17, 2010, USA

Circle of Eight Modpacks 5.8.1 NC BETA and 5.8.1 BETA are patch releases in the form of new modpacks and contain fixes for bugs found in the 5.8.0 releases.

Treat these releases as separate modules and install them accordingly (see previous installation instructions). These modpacks are not compatible with saves from the 5.8.0 NC or 5.8.0 standard modpacks since they are separate modules. You must start a new game after installation.

Changelog:

- Fixed bug in Burne's Badger dialog.
- Removed brothel dialog from Mona.
- Changed help.tab to reflect 20 charges per wand.
- Made shopmap chests passive.
- Removed stolen flag from fine chainmail and masterwork fine chainmail so you can sell it.
- Removed amulets of resistance to turning from skeletons.
- Removed ripple effects that unconcealed as engageable NPCs (NC modpack only).
- Reduced Mathel's treasure (NC modpack only).
- Added attack line to Mathel's dialog (NC modpack only).
- Lowered lock DC on Mathel's chest (NC modpack only).
- Changed trap type on Mathel's chest (NC modpack only).
- Made Mathel fully undead (NC modpack only).
- Refined speaking conditions for Hickory Branch NPCs (NC modpack only).
- Removed Hickory Branch access "never mind" response from Kenter Nevets dialog (NC modpack only).
- Changed Hickory Branch cave orc shaman's domain to strength from magic to match Gruumsh (NC modpack only).
- Added Hickory Branch cave blocakage to Hickory Branch faction so friendlies don't attack it (NC modpack only).
- Bulletproofed Noblig runoff (NC modpack only).
- Bulletproofed Hickory Branch heartbeat dialog (NC modpack only).
- Added mention of "Moathouse" to Brother Smyth's dialog for Moathouse Respawn lead-in (NC modpack only).
- Fixed error in Gnarley Forest witch reward dialog (NC modpack only).
- Added merchant's scale.

You can download Co8 5.8.1 BETA and Co8 5.8.1 NC BETA from our host ModDB here:



- The Circle of Eight team

 

Progress Update

Dateline July 6, 2010, USA

Work on integrating the Arena of Heroes mod into the upcoming Co8 5.9 new content modpack has now been completed, and the focus has shifted to re-integrating Verbobonc. After that comes War of the Golden Skull, and we're still hopeful that it will all be ready by the projected 5.9 release date at the end of August.

I suspect that AoH will be well-received. Much credit goes to Morpheus ... it's just a shame that it never really saw the light of day before. I'd post some screens here but I'm afraid they'd be too much of a giveaway! Suffice it to say, AoH will be an exciting new challenge, and Verbobonc will be a welcome return to a familiar scenario with some exciting new features - new large map of the city, a few new characters, a new quest or two, fixed bugs ... and the Castle of the Lords - the segue into the final new content chapter, WotGS. :yes:

Stay tuned!

 

Verbobonc Screens

Dateline July 25, 2010, USA

Co8 Modpack 5.9.0 NC, featuring the return of Verbobonc, is due August 29, 2010!

 

Modpack Update

Dateline August 13, 2010, USA

Well, we have some good news and some bad news today. First the good news:

Verbobonc's re-integration into the modpack is coming along famously. Verbobonc will be much larger both in terms of real estate and in things to do there - several new quests, several new NPCs, familiar old quests and familiar old NPCs, new reputations, new plots, new subplots, properly functioning merchants, etc., etc. Realistically, Verbobonc will dwarf any of the other Co8 expansions.

A few things to note:

• There will be bugs. There's no way to get something this comprehensive off the ground without them, so you, the beta-testers, will be tasked with finding and reporting them. Try out everything in every possible way. Do things normally. Do things abnormally. Put Verbobonc through its paces.
  
  
• Some features of Verbobonc will be skeletal for the time being, while others will be fully functioning and hopefully dynamic. There will be little going on with the Church of Pelor and the subterranean Hextorites, for example, but political intrigue at city hall should be in full swing. You will find that most of the action is in the north end of town for the time being.
  
  
• The Verbobonc map is huge. In much of it, there will be nothing going on. This may change in the future if continued development is embarked upon. At least all the props are in place.
  
  
• Verbobonc is being redesigned to suck a lot of money out of you, so be prudent with your resources. It's a big city, after all. The cost of living is higher. You may find yourself wishing you had that spare million gold you blew on crafting this time around.

Now the bad news: it looks like War of the Golden Skull will not make it into this release (5.9 at the end of August). It needs more time to be done properly, so what we'll likely do is issue another modpack that features WotGS midway between 5.9 and 6.0 in December. Arena of Heroes will be in 5.9 as planned, along with Verbobonc.

Stay tuned.

 

Circle of Eight Modpacks 5.9.0 BETA and 5.9.0 NC BETA Released

Circle of Eight releases another version of the modpack in two editions - standard and 'new content' (NC).

Dateline August 29, 2010, USA

The Circle of Eight is pleased to present the latest versions of our modpack for The Temple of Elemental Evil - Circle of Eight Modpacks 5.9.0 BETA and 5.9.0 NC BETA.

In addition to continued bugfixing, Circle of Eight Modpack 5.9.0 BETA features significant improvements to enemy AI in the form of the 'Reactive Temple' mod, which causes the Air, Water, and Fire Temples to reorganize in an intelligent defensive posture if they feel threatened.

Circle of Eight Modpack 5.8.0 NC BETA features all of the above, as well as the re-introduction of the city of Verbobonc major expansion, which is now significantly larger are more extensive than the original. It also features the new Arena of Heroes mod.

Both modpacks are identical, save for the major new content expansions included in the NC version. Fans of custom content will likely want to choose the new content (5.9.0 NC BETA) release, while purists might prefer the standard (5.9.0 BETA) release.

For a full list of changes, please see the included release notes.

You can download Co8 5.9.0 BETA and Co8 5.9.0 NC BETA from our host ModDB here:



Alternatively, you can download the modpacks direct from Filefront via these links:

Circle of Eight Modpack 5.9.0 BETA

Circle of Eight Modpack 5.9.0 NC BETA

We sincerely hope that you enjoy these versions of the Circle of Eight modpack.

- The Circle of Eight team

 

Coming (Very) Soon: Circle of Eight Modpacks 5.9.1 and 5.9.1 NC

Dateline September 8, 2010, USA

The .1 versions of Co8 Modpacks 5.9 and 5.9 NC will be released most likely within a day (unless a new onslaught of bug reports rains down before then ). Among the many changes/fixes:

General

• Fixed CR in all drow that was granting double XP
• Silenced generic spawners on Moathouse Exterior and Moathouse Dungeon maps
• Bulletproofed Preston Wetz dialog that may have caused crash when he talked to you about "men looking for you" in Nulb.
• Added new separte portrait for flamebrothers
• Added tip to Brother Smyth dialog to help avoid confusion about what to do regarding Arena of Heroes new content (or when to do it)
• Fixed bug where Brother Smyth's chest would spawn before you had satisfied all the requirements to proceed to that NC chapter, which allowed you to advance the new content to the Moathouse Respawn stage without getting Hickory Branch first
• Increased map limits on a few maps where high resolution 'screen-shake' or 'screen-jerk' was observed

Welkwood Bog

• Fixed Captain Renton dialog so you can't enquire about Captain Asaph if Kwerd already told you about him
• Made Captain Asaph's inventory non-transferrable
• Restocked Mathel's chest with the proper treasure
• Changed all maps to 'sleep-dangerous' (yellow tent) instead of 'sleep-pass-time-only' (clock)

Hickory Branch

• Overhauled ogre shaman caster AI and spell selection
• Prebuffed orc cave casters
• Removed corrupt mobs near center of map that could cause save game corruption
• Fixed bug where Hungous thought you left HB when you didn't and where the cave blockage would appear even though you hadn't left
• Fixed silver sword of chaos long description proficiency mislabeling
• Gave Hungous the correct key for the chest in his cave

Arena of Heroes

• Fixed magic missile damage for undead casters
• Made it so you can't sneak up on the Master of the Arena
• Made it so the Master of the Arena will disappear if you attack him
• Mobbed in the owlbear and hill giant encounters and gave them waypoints so they approach you

Moathouse Respawn

• Overhauled dungeon witch's caster AI and spell selection
• Overhauled Gnarley Forest drow caster AI and spell selection
• Beefed up Gnarley Forest drow (leader L12, others L8)

Verbobonc

• Beefed up gnome tunnels drow (matriarch L14, others L10)
• Overhauled drow spell selection and caster AI (much tougher!)
• Fixed map transfer error from dragon young map to spawning spiders map
• Fixed repeatable Wilfrick dialog that allowed you to get mutiple Verbobonc Watch uniforms
• Fixed drow rogue inventory CTD
• Fixed dialog bug where Captain Achan would offer you fugitive jobs if you had accepted the 'Removing Wilfrick' quest rather than the 'Frozen Assets' quest
• Fixed dialog bug where Wilfrick would comment on white dragon when you told him you killed Darlia
• Fixed drow rogue AI
• Reworked/simplified Verbobonc surveillance scenario
• Fixed bug where Verbobonc guards wouldn't confront you if you had killer reps of killed Wilfrick or Prince Zook IV
• Made Verbobonc castle 'sleep-safe' (green tent)
• Fixed bug where Captain Achan charged you for finding the fugitives instead of paying you
• Fixed the white dragon's fear DC
• Fixed bug where Wilfrick's sword was mislabeled as 'Ronald.'
• Added guard dialog shortcut from Wilfrick's City Hall chambers to exterior map by signpost
• Added an outcome for the Elysia bribery storyline
• Fixed Wilfrick on/off variable/flag mixup
• Bulletproofed fugitives' quests in their dialogs
• Fixed bug where you could erroneously be given 'Removing Wilfrick' quest from Darlia and subsequently tell Wilfrick about it
• Fixed bugs in Captain Achan's fugitives reward dialog
• Removed clipping data from dragon young map that showed firepit outline
• Made it so that you can't loot fugitives' inventories while they're in the party
• Fixed bug where Scarlet Brotherhood would not attack you in Maroon Moon if you killed Darlia (they still won't attack on first floor - somebody's got to run the restaurant )
• Beefed up slavers (L16 sorceress/4 fighter, L20 fighter, L18 fighter, L18 rogue, L18 cleric, L20 rogue, L18 barbarian), tweaked caster AI, prebuffed

 

Circle of Eight Modpacks 5.9.1 BETA and 5.9.1 NC BETA Released

Dateline September 9, 2010, USA

The new modpacks are up! Circle of Eight Modpacks 5.9.1 BETA and 5.9.1 NC BETA are patch releases in the form of new modpacks and contain fixes for bugs found in the 5.9.0 releases.

Treat these releases as separate modules and install them accordingly (see previous installation instructions). These modpacks are not compatible with saves from the 5.9.0 NC or 5.9.0 standard modpacks since they are separate modules. You must start a new game after installation.

You can download Co8 5.9.1 BETA and Co8 5.9.1 NC BETA from our host ModDB here:



- The Circle of Eight team