Trouble with Halcyon's Altar

A search indicates that several people have had this problem before, but I haven't been able to find anything in the way of an actual solution, so here goes:

I did the quest to fix Halcyon's altar in Vooriden, not as part of the Stringy Pete quests. At the quarry I gave the stone to Sogg to carry (I didn't get Murgo) and brought it back to the priest, who accepted it, etc., etc. The stone was removed and the quest marked as completed, and the altar appeared to be mended, but the mouseover text still indicates that it is broken, and I cannot make the offering I need to proceed with the gods quest. And yes, I have the proper offering and have done the previous offerings in the correct order.

Is there any way to solve this problem? I cannot stand the idea of giving up all of those future blessings on account of a bug...

 

Asrudin made a bug fix for this. I wouldn't advise installing a patch mid-game but if you want to take the risk then the patch is here: http://users.raketnet.nl/renevandepol/

 

I never really got around to finalizing that bugfix patch. But I think the flagsetter program I added to it fixes the altar (altho sometimes it looks broken but it still works).

If I remember correctly ;x Been a long time ago!

 

This happened to me too, but I fixed it by simply clicking on the altar and then I redirected my character.

 

I've whipped up a little dialogue fix which should help you. I had been planning on doing it for a while but your request prompted me into action.
Basically I've altered the priest's dialogue so that if the altar doesn't work you can ask him to fix it. I haven't tested it as I'd need to create the problem in order to test the fix and I've never experienced this problem. So if I could send you the file and you let me know it works that would be good.
All you have to do is drop a single text file into arcanum\data\dlg.

 

Thank you all for your responses! As a matter of fact, I broke down and just finished the game tonight without checking back here... of course, as my last save is in the Void, I can't test to see if these solutions would work.

However, since this rendered my whole search for the offerings, finding of alters, etc., useless -- i.e., wasted a lot of my time -- I will certainly want the fixes anyway, lest it happen with my next character.

So, TONGSyaBASS, I would be much obliged if you could PM me that dialogue fix. Once again, my thanks everyone who replied.

 

So you don't have any of your old saves?
Bleugh.
Unlikely but does anyone else have an old save which was made before / during the altar problem?

There are 2 different things that I think could have gone wrong to create this altar bug. The dialogue file fixes the first one. It should work but if it does not then the problem must be the second thing. But it needs tested to find out which.

I e-mailed you the file.

 

I have a save at the altar but with 1.0.7.4 and the cargo patches it fixed fine for me when I delivered the stone

 

I might be mistaken but if I remember right the bug happens when you equip a certain hexed armor you can find in one of the passes. A faulty flag set in its equip script.

At least I think it was that or possible a mistyped flagset in the stringy pete's quest.

Heh...

Anyhow, you just have to set the right flag, a simple dialog change can fix it if you know which flag to set.

 

The poison armour in the gorgoth pass? I never knew about that. It might be worth checking out so I can fix the root of the problem.

Yeah, that's what I did. My only concern is that there may be a greater underlying problem which I don't know about.

 

In fact, I just found one of my saves from before the void, so if it is still needed, I will send it to you. Also, this account was registered under my old email address, so I never recieved your dialogue fix.

 

I sent you a PM last week but I guess you haven't signed in since then.
My e-mail address is in the PM so if you do read this please sign in and send me your save.

 

Stringy Pete's not the only issue

Thought I might let you lot know that I encountered the Halcyon Altar issue but never encountered, nor heard of Stringy Pete in game so there must be something else entirely that does it.

What I do know however is that it was definitely 'triggered' by something, I found Vooriden fairly early on in the scheme of the game and repaired the Altar, which at the time worked. I left and didn't return until I wanted to complete the offerings after I reached Velorians Altar (Yes, a LOT happened between visits)

Anyone else heard of something -other- than Stringy Pete bugging the altar?

[Edit: In case someone thought it was the result of 'hexed items' I think it's safe to say it's not the item you'd find in any of the passes since I've not actually visited -any- of the passes as of yet. - Teleportation is your friend ]

 

I think you've slightly misunderstood. The problem is caused by NOT meeting Stringy Pete. In game, Stringy Pete tells you where Vooriden is. To find it otherwise you have to just stumble across it when travelling the map.
If you do stumble across it without meeting Stringy Pete then the altar can screw up. My fix for it works and you can use it at any time in the game so if you want the file let me know.

 

Another, slightly different, problem with the Altar

I ran across the quarry early, when I clicked on the stone, I picked it up and into my inventory it went. As I was strolling around the quarry, I decided that I didn't really need to be lugging this big rock around and set it down again, but in a different spot. It has been many years since the last time I played through Arcanum and I didn't remember what it was for.

After I came across Voorinden (on my own, and not directed by Stringy Pete), I went "Oh, Yeah" and ran back for the stone. Unfortunately, it is not there. I left, did a few more quests, and returned. Still no stone.

I am not playing with any mods or variations, just the last official patch.

Any suggestions, preferably some that will not invalidate any in-progress games???

Cheers

 

Have you checked all of your followers inventories? They have a bad habit of picking up everything.

 

Yup, did that. Doing a deeper search into some of the older forum posts indicates that I may be SOL. Looks like many have postualted that once you pick up and drop the stone, it becomes like any other discarded item and gets trashed :{

I saw a few suggestions for trying to use the heavier field stones from Ashbury. I've already finished that 'quest' and I'm not sure how long the stones will stay in the cart, or if they too will disappear. Has anyone tried this?

OR, does anyone know of a way to edit the stone back in seeing as it does not re-spawn?

Cheers!

 

Editing the stone is probably more trouble than you might expect.

I could send you the file I made to fix the altar problem. It may or may not work if you haven't completed the stone quest but I'd be interested in finding out.

 

Me too!

I've run into this same problem. Tried Asruden's bug fixes, but they didn't work for my game save. Can anyone help me? I PM'd TONGSyaBASS, but if anyone else has the dialogue fix and could send it along I'd appreciate it.

Edit: PM me and I'll send you my email.

thanks!

Free

 

Aye, the new patch I put up I removed the flagsetter program I once included in the bugfix pack.

It was basicly an added dialog to the wench in shrouded hills where you could travel too to reset some of the flag that might have gone wrong in already saved games.

But since I discontinued my arcanum work, oh so many years ago, and kept getting emails about people not being able to figure out the flagsetter program, or using it wrongly and messing other things up. >_>

The current bugfix pack I put up are all the solid fixes regarding game breaking events that could occur in a non fixed game, without any of the decorations I once included in them. It's a simple bugfix pack made for people that start new games, simply put. All the bugfixes in the pack that is up on my site at this moment are pure fixes, none that change the course of the main intended storyline, nor adding anything extra. It's just some more stability to the original game. Basicly made for those that prefer to experience the game unmodded.

Also, the permanent dexterity loss on blackstone blade is because the dequip script in the blade was one digit off and it linked to the wrong script. Hence not removing the debuff. This is one of the many fixes still in the bugfix pack.

Good luck with Arcanum, nonetheless. Hope you work things out. But I'm out, do with the bugfix pack whatever you want, I discontinued working on it, and therefor deliberatly only left in the solid fixes.

Byebye.