Cheat Mod

[genz44]

@retired_deer - That sounds like a good idea, but I'll have to balance points since you'll have more options to spend on.

 

@Legate & Schwarzbart - Yes and no there. My original plan was to push out some quick fixes and redo (cleanup) my mod file with the release of DLC 6. This is looking less attractive as I add features to the mod, so I started looking for alternatives. One thing I tried was to make two separate mods, one for cheats and the other for fixes, and merge them for release. The only problem with that is the merging function seems too long to be a benefit over just regular publishing. Another idea was to release the two mods and just have folks activate them in the mod list like you'd expect. What led to doubts about this process was a result I got during my mod order test. If I put my mod above the DLC in the list, nothing of my mod would load into the game. Does that mean one of my mods would cancel out the other? I've not tested that yet, but I will as soon as I set up a test mod.

 

As a side note, I managed to find the cause of the crash bug. My new duelling spell or the pheme I created for it seems to be the problem. They'll be removed until I learn more about spell and pheme creation.

[retired_deer]

@Zelefis

 

The point balance might not be necessary. If you assume that an incoming wizard will have a wand, then you could set the point value to zero, but make it exclusive. In other words, you can only pick one wand background and the others will become unavailable, just as choosing one familiar will do to the other choices.

[genz44]

A very good idea. I was leaning toward that method as I thought the situation over, and there is an added bonus to this idea. I don't have to code choice limitations like those existing for familiars. Why? Because the game limits your choices on options that cost <1. In each section you are only able to choose one costing 0, one costing -1, etc. There is no effect on regular choices costing 1, so you can choose as many of those in each section as normal. I first found this when I had my mod originally split into Aptitude: Cheating and Aptitude: Familiar. They both were set to cost 0, but I was only able to select one at a time. Later testing explained why, and we ended up with the single Aptitude choice. This is also how I came up with where to place my "extra point fluff" background choices. I made sure to spread everything out so none of the game's original options were blocked by any of my additions.

 

Quick testing report time. The Prevent effect prevents you from doing whatever was specified, so an action to prevent others in specified ways may be included later. The Duel effect can't be placed in my normal action type, and I think it may need to have a time, location, etc set anyway. The Inform ideas work correctly, and so does the familiar replacement. Next up are the disabled backgrounds and ability/action removal.

[forksyth]

Sorry to bother you again Zelefis, it's good to see your mod is still improving. Would you be able to add, say, four more options just like Inheritance: Sands of Time and Tutoring: Time Management to the normal cheat mod? As before I don't want to cheat too much, but with a few more points I'd be able to get everything I want at character creation and still have a couple points for a familiar, which I always neglect to get in favor of other bonuses

[genz44]

No bother at all. I've just been catching up on actually playing the game. I'm like you in that I don't use the actual cheats myself, but I like the extra points for character depth. I'm adding another extra points option in Omen with the next version, but that'll be the last -1 background. I can try to make one of them a -2, but I'd prefer not to have any of my additions block any of the actual background choices. We'll see what happens in testing.

[Fhoenix]

How about you add something like "Cheat Matchmaking":

5 X "Increase the relationship between 2 students by 10"

Basically what Clique Relationship does only between any students and for several pairs at a time.

 

Also how can I open your mod? I tried downloading the mod tools, but when I click "Open mod" it wants an .amm file, while your mod is mdm. And how did you create your mod in the first place? I do not see an updated mod AMO anywhere in the forums.

[Mizzou]

@Fhoenix: Here's the updated mod AMO

 

http://academagia.invisionzone.com/index.php?showtopic=1571

 

It's in the updates section. It took me awhile to find it too.

[genz44]

@Fhoenix - I was toying with which actions to add multiples to. It shouldn't be a problem creating that option. If you want to open my mod in your mod tools, you can't with the file you download. I'd have to upload my base file which would be ~150MB. My connection is way too slow for that kind of upload.

[Fishbat]

Have you thought about turning the cheat abilities into usable items? That way you can ditch them when you're done and they don't clog up your actions menu. Personally all I want is the study ability. I hate hate HATE losing 60 actions to studying...

[Nyaa]

Would be easier to just make an ability/action that let you choose what ability/action you want remove instead. Why didn't I suggest this before? Maybe cause Legate mention it won't work from the past.

 

Effect type: Remove --> Subject: Remove Subject --> Ability --> Self --> Choice of ability : magnitude = 5

 

Effect type: Remove --> Subject: Remove Subject --> Action--> Self --> Choice of ability : magnitude = 5

 

If magnitude is temporary, then set it to around 1000 so it will come back next year and copy the code five times.

 

Edit: Cheat still works with new DLC.

[genz44]

@Fishbat - I'm thinking about using items, but I'll need to weigh list clutter against finding proper cheats in the inventory. Is it faster to find what you need scrolling through the list or browsing tooltips in the inventory. I'll keep looking for ways to tidy the list in general.

 

@Nyaa - Hehe, you already did! You'll find a way to remove actions and abilities in this new version. They're limited to one at a time right now, but I'll probably add a x5 version in the future. For Remove, magnitude is like a binary value. Zero doesn't do anything but anything higher has the opposite effect. I thought I could "cheat" a little too and use magnitude to provide more options within one effect, but I didn't have any luck with those tests. What you'd want here is Duration from the first tab. I might be able to set a duration for just inside the next year, but will durations be carried over like that? A good question and a good solution for temproary cheat removals. Hopefully Legate will be able to clarify that issue.

 

Anyway, the new version is up! Well...Easy isn't done yet, but it should be ready sometime tomorrow. You've got Very Easy and Normal to play with right now. Check the first post for specific details.

[Fishbat]

The backgrounds aren't working at all right now for me.

[genz44]

Can you be more specific? Which backgrounds aren't working, and how are they not working? Cheats not showing up or points not being given correctly at creation? Did you load the mod as noted in the install notes? With the DLC above my cheats in the list? I've just run another test on my game and it looks like everything works for me.

 

Err, maybe you mean the little surprise backgrounds not listed in the notes?

[Fishbat]

Can you be more specific? Which backgrounds aren't working, and how are they not working? Cheats not showing up or points not being given correctly at creation? Did you load the mod as noted in the install notes? With the DLC above my cheats in the list? I've just run another test on my game and it looks like everything works for me.

 

Err, maybe you mean the little surprise backgrounds not listed in the notes?

 

Not showing up period, whether I load it as instructed or I load it alone with no DLC. I've checked C&F - Very Easy 1.02, nothing.

[genz44]

Maybe the file was corrupted. Check the rar against this md5: ec9b29795ecb0f3b88b61225883268e4

[penny]

Hi all,

tyvm for the work you're doing with the mod tools

I've a problem with the new cheat mods: the backgrounds work fine but in "very easy" and "easy" 1.02 all the cheats x5 don't work for me. when i confirm in the right window there's only one choice for subskills, artifact, friends and so on.

I checked the md5 and the files is not corrupted (very easy 1.02).

futhermore when the cheat is loaded (put below the official DLC) the folder Update in the mod folder is erased (it happened with the other cheats too) and everytime i close the game i have to copy it from the patch file

sorry for my bad english I hope you can understand what i wrote and thank you in advance for any kind of help

Penny

[genz44]

Thanks for the report, penelope! I think I have that particular problem narrowed down. I was using defaults in this version, so I've sent a PM to Legate to see what's going on with my default selections. I'm not sure about the Update folder. I don't have one on my end, so I'm not sure why it's being overwritten or even its purpose. What's inside the Update folder?

 

Edit: I don't see any problem with your English. You post was very easy to read.

[penny]

Thank you Zelefis for your reply

I thought the problem was that i have Vista as OS and there are many known compatibility issues whit this game

I hope i will be able to use the new cheats, at least at the beginning of a new school year, when they are very useful to create a large clique and to explore the new features of the dlc (abilities, adventures , etc, etc)

thanks again for your modder work and to Legate for his amenability on this forum

[genz44]

It may be a Vista issue, but I can't confirm by myself since I've got Win 7. Maybe some other Vista folks here can let us know? Anyway, Legate helped to find the x5 issue! It seems Default doesn't allow inheritance from Choice effects. Fixes will be out tomorrow and the next day. Normal mode is unaffected.

[penny]

tyvm

[Mikka]

Will this work with the latest DLC but still allow the newer backgrounds/bugfixes/etc from DLC7? I'm uncertain of how exactly the modding works with using old mods made with an old base and the newer game.

[CremePudding]

I don't think I have any specific big troubles....

But well, you need to load the DLC on the top of the list first.

[retired_deer]

I have had problems with this, CremePudding. If I put the Cheat Mod on top and select both files, only the Cheat Mod goes through. The reverse for the DLC file. I can play all the content through DLC 5, which is what the Cheat Mod was designed on in the newest ModBase. The newest content, however, is unavailable, including events, skills, and backgrounds. Something odd I've noticed is that when I turn both of the files off, then the cheat mod backgrounds are available and so is DLC 5 content. Any idea why this might be? I am using Vista, by the way.

[CremePudding]

Huh. Zelefis's mod does included tinkering with the adventures from DLC 5 for bug fixes, which *might* be the reason why the newer stuffs are not available.

(Perhaps we can workaround that by making duplicate of the cheat actions Zelefis made in our own toolset without meddling around the adventure, but I have never published anything successfully ).

 

Something odd I've noticed is that when I turn both of the files off, then the cheat mod backgrounds are available and so is DLC 5 content. Any idea why this might be? I am using Vista, by the way.

I am using Vista too, but when I turn both of them off, only stuff from V 1.0 remains. No cheat backgrounds or anything from DLCs.

[Schwarzbart]

retiered_deer your problem soundts to me similiar to the UAC problem where on first have to delete all files from the patch in the directory bevore he can copy them in again.