Virgil's lockpicking?

If Virgil is holding lockpicks or the auto-skeleten key does he actually use them and get the bonus from them?

Is there a way to get Virgil to pick a lock without you actually trying to pick it first, thus eliminating the need to carry lockpicks around and having to find/buy 2 sets? It seems redundent to carry them if you have no skills for them.

 

I would be good if there was a way to have dialogue options so that you could direct your followers to use certain skills:

- Lock Picking
- Disarm Tramps

 

Yeah, some of those tramps can be a real pain!
Attackin' a fella when he's not lookin'..... mumble... mumble...

 

Don't mean to bitch, but, does Virgil get the bonus if he carries lockpicks?

It's now obvious that the PC will have to attempt lockpick first, thus carry lockpicks. That is just stupid, why not have an icon for it like disarm traps, repair, prowl and pickpocket.

 

You should be able to get followers to disarm traps if you have follower skills enabled. And, unlike lockpicks, you don't have to carry anything.

 

A bug? In Arcanum? Honestly, there is no way I could ever bring myself to believe that. Everything in the game engine works perfectly - always has! I mean, next thing you know, someone is going to complain that the game, as released, crashes intermittently, or Magnus explodes, or there are all kinds of errors present in virtually every script or dialog.

 

You restored those icons to the UAP?

 

No. And I don't see a reason to revert to that system.

It's a screenshot from one of early builds. I find it ironic, that they tried to improve the system by introducing lockpicks and bandages, yet some people found it annoying/unnecessary.

 

I agree, for the most part. I think bandages are necessary because otherwise healing would be unlimited, but they could always be stacked and counted like bullets or gold. It's nice to be able to get better lockpicks, and the modder can make virtually anything into a set of lockpicks, but it did take me a little while when I started playing almost 7 years ago to figure out how to use the shortcut buttons.

I imagine that it would take too much work to go back to that system without also having to eliminate the actual bandage and lockpick items entirely. After all, using a button like that would require the game engine to know which lockpicks are the best, which bandages to use, etc. Incidentally, what is your early build like? Are there no lockpicks or bandages? Can the heal skill be used infinitely?

 

I never said I have it. It's a screenshot from one of the previews.

Considering adding the icons back, if the original code for them is still there then it should be possible to put them back.

 

I guess I just assumed (incorrectly) that it was from that build you have.

Assuming that it worked correctly in the first place (which is unlikely, considering that the release didn't even work right), the actual items would have to be factored in. The lockpick .pros might have an address that identifies them as lockpicks, but if not, the game wouldn't know which items are lockpicks. And, unless there's an address that identifies how effective they are, the game has no idea which one to use when the button is pushed, because there's no way it's going to analyze their scripts to check that out. Then again, you're one of the only people experienced with the Arcanum .exe, so maybe you will know better than I.

 

Actually you got me interested and I've just tried replacing functions of already existing icons. And you know what--the code is still there, at least partially. The best thing about Arcanum is that they never bothered to get rid of unused stuff completely.

The Pick Locks skill works just fine, you can pick locks without having lockpicks. It's also a bit different--your character plays the "skill" animation. The Heal skill on the other hand seems to be missing a part of code, your character plays the "skill" animation, but nothing happens, the target doesn't get healed, even if you have bandages in the inventory.

I guess, I can try adding Pick Locks as the 5th icon, just for kicks.

Also, I've found this:

That's why it's not working, they've totally remade it.

 

That's pretty interesting. The button version doesn't check for the quality of your lockpicks (or any lockpicks), right? I imagine that would be the only major downside. If it were possible to check, the lockpicks button could just be slightly less effective than crude lockpicks, but would be as effective as the most powerful lockpicks you are carrying. Again, it sounds quite unlikely, as the lockpicks item was added when the button was removed, but I'm just throwing it out there just in case.

I imagine that when searching for a specific bit of code to fix, you must run across all kinds of things. Have you found any other interesting bit of unused code?

 

Actually, it seems the lockpicks WERE in the game at that time.

Looks like they were working like Tech Manuals, giving a bonus, if you have them in the inventory.

Hmm. There are remnants of the old character system, that lets you set different CP requirements for buying stats, tech disciplines, spells and skills. Originally you were getting 5 CPs each level, and higher stuff was more expensive. They changed it to the single point based system, since the original was too complex.

There are other interesting things, as well. Look forward to my site.

 

Looks like using the "have (obj) use (obj) on (obj) using skill (num) with modifier (num)" action on pick locks use scripts is sort of a cover-up for not being able to just use the pick locks skill. I image that it wouldn't be too hard to prevent this from stacking by carrying multiple lockpicks.

As for multple CPs per level, I'd definitely have preferred that system. Arcanum has the benefit of simplicity in leveling up, but its greatest qualities as a game are based on the fact that its quests and story are complex and multifaceted. Arcanum's greatest audience, whether at its release or today, are those who repeat the game many times (i.e. those that stuc around from even before the game was patched). Of course, it probably couldn't have been known back then.

 

Don't forget the character creation [screen]. That thing is so amazingly detailed, I sometimes simply stare at it for half an hour before actually making a choice.

I would have loved the multiple CPs per level/higher traits cost more CPs system they initially had thought out. It would have totally fitted a game that is indeed complex and difficult in more than one way.

* remembers the countless times where his weak halfling thief and Virgil got cut to shreds by a pack of wolves or a grizzly bear right after leaving Shrouded Hills and heading for Dernholm *

Oh, and doesn't Virgil suck at lockpicking? The times when I didn't invest any CPs into Lickpicking and had Virgil pick locks for me, he almost always jammed the locks.

 

He's Virgil. He sucks at everything. Except talking your ears off and dying. Oh, he's also good at running away.