Master Dahvernas

As I said... The 1b patch added more security and the original executable doubled in size (from 6 MB to around 14 MB) which means if you try and use the old no-cd patch that is floating around, you've essentially not really patched your game. I am beginning to wonder if this person really did buy the game because if you buy games you don't even have to worry about no-cd cracks/hacks because you can just put the CD in and no problem. Why post about a non-existant problem... Unless it really *is* a problem for some reason, eh?

KOTOR2 uses Secur-Rom 7 CD protection which has not been "cracked" and that is the whole point. You're probably going to have to force yourself to use the CDs because they added even more Secur-Rom 7 stuff in the 1b patch.

I think Longhorn is going to be a completely different version of Windows XP 64 than XP Professional, correct? The way I understand it is that these are two different platforms for different purposes -- The main one being XP 64 will be for high-end math and CAD type applications and number crunching and Longhorn for both business and home users that don't require that much power. XP 64 is built on the Windows Server 2003 kernel (optimized for huge work loads) and Longhorn is not, correct?

No offense, TK102... But are you a paid employee of OE? Are they PAYING you to FIX this game for them? NO. You are the reason games can be released in beta states the way they are. Companies count on people like you who will work for FREE to fix their mess. There comes a time of offering constructive criticism and doing someone else's job for them. I think you and the other Holowan modders are doing the job OE should have done from the start. I am sorry if this offends you, but this is the reality of the situation and why companies are not accountable to the consumer anymore. You can call me a complainer and whiner... But guess what? I didn't pay you to fix this game and I don't pay you to mod it either. I DID pay OE to provide me with a working game. That did NOT happen for me and a lot of other players (XBox and PC) as evidenced by the numerous bugs. Yes. That's right. I will say it again. And I will keep saying it until they realize that we won't just blindly accept it and, more importantly to OE... Buy NWN2 if it is in the same shape as TSL and even KOTOR III if they get the contract to do it. You can try and paint me as a "lazy whiner who just complains", but I know for a fact most people probably feel the same way as I do, but just aren't saying it. There comes a time to grow up and this is it. So, my response is still no. It must be great to have all this free time to do these things out of the generousity of your heart because I sure don't have the time, nor the desire given I paid... PAID... Good money for this game.

YES. I am running KOTOR I and II on XP 64 right now. The big thing is... XP 64 has a native 32-bit mode where if the program was written in 32-bit mode, it will automatically switch to it like there is no difference. Games, in general, are a little smoother and the OS is a little faster... But it is not some huge, uber jump in speed like if you upgrade your hardware, or something similar. However, be aware that I have a dual boot with regular 32-Bit XP Pro because of the driver issue(s) as there are obviously a lot more programs and drivers for 32 than 64 and I need some stuff like CD burning and emulation and other programs that won't work on 64 right now.

followed by and this takes you to a dead end. The fix: Add the following replies to Entry 215 in order: Reply 210 Reply 223 Reply 21 Reply 217 Reply 194 Reply 13 Place the modified 650jedi.dlg in your Override folder and restart the game from an earlier point. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I appreciate all of your work at fixing the game... But why should *I* have to do these things, huh? Meaning, this is what OE was PAID to do before this game shipped. NO. I am not going to do this because I didn't pay to be a beta tester and I want them, OE, to do the job my $50 purchase price paid them to do.

Not to run this into the ground... But the point is that if you play LS... They are supposed to show up on Telos surface with the other mercs that you and Bao-Dur have to fight your way through to get to the underground military base. However, that is the problem: THEY NEVER APPEAR ON THE SURFACE.... Even if you DON'T follow through with the dialogue tree and tell him (lie) that you killed them. Like I said, I think it is because a Global variable or Boolean variable isn't being set right and this is why you CAN lie to Grenn before you even get to Telos surface and get the reward... And this is playing LS. That, to me, proves it is a bug because why would a LS player "lie" since that goes against that role-playing aspect. I think this is a bug -- plain and simple -- And it surprises me that little things like this... That actually turn into bigger issues later on like the "Redemption Quest" bug on Dantooine (it never leaves your journal even after you reuinite the Jedi Masters on LS)... Still aren't fixed and probably never will be

The only reason why I recommened the FX series is because of budget and the fact that even a 66000 is going to be overkill given this guys current specs. He's going to be bottlenecking a 6600 more (with his CPU) than he would a 5900. Honestly... If I were you, TRON, I'd save up and just upgrade your entire rig because you're already running into problems that you probably don't even know about. Example: --You only have 256 MB of RAM. Windows XP... To run properly... Needs at least 512 MBs. 128 MBs (give or take) is what XP uses just sitting idle in your system while you work or play games. --Onboard Sound This is going to slow down any games even further because the sound is going to be processed through your CPU instead of a dedicated sound chip like a Soundblaster (or any sound card) has. .... My point is that I don't know if TRON is a hardcore gamer, casual gamer, or just getting into games, but his specs are ancient in terms of gaming hardware and is almost like an XBox -- And I mean no disrespect when I say this. Technically, it is true given his current specs. This is why I said a 5900 series first taking into consideration his current specs and that he might NOT be able to upgrade anything else.

Just want to add one more thing: I think the Escape Criminals Quest is bugged because either something in the script and or dialog files lets you access options that should ONLY be available to you AFTER you've gone down to Telos' surface. I think this is why the criminals aren't showing up for a lot of people (myself included). I am making this deduction because you can complete this quest (as I stated before) by simply telling Grenn that you killed the two criminals after you return from Jana Lorso's office once you encounter them there before you get anywhere close to being ready to go to the surface in that your are still doing the Czerka/Ithorian droid quests, or the smuggling quests. This is a REPRODUCEABLE BUG that can be demonstrated at will with a save game before you get talk to Grenn when you get your gear back from the TSF. It is this kind of stuff that bugs the **** out me and that proves this game was never, and I mean NEVER properly QA tested in Lucas Arts' quest for greed and it is a shame because a lot of these problems this game has (aside from the cutting of the content that finishes the game <_< ) are little ones like this that if the devs and testers just took a week, maybe two... They could have all been squashed before release and give a better presentation than what we have now.

This feature was probably cut-out at the last minute.

If you are strapped for cash... Get at least a 5700. If KOTOR (I & II) are the only games you play... Then this should be sufficient given your other system specs. OPTION #2: Seach the web (pricewatch.com) for a 5900 or 5900XT. This should be more than enough to run the KOTOR games and even some of the newer games as well if you can't or don't want to upgrade to a generation-now (6200-6800) Nvidia card. My tax return is coming in soon and I am going to finally upgrade to a 6800 GT from my ATI 9800 Pro 256 MB :D I've had it with ATI and want a card where I don't have to worry about what rendering path (OpenGL or D3D) is used and can just play games.

Because this engine is outdated to be blunt. I personally like it because it is not a mouse/button clicking fest like some RPGs and allows some strategic thinking during combat with the pause/real time elements... But technically and asthetictically, this engine is five years old (Bioware was developing it as early as 2000) and gaming tech has moved past it in a lot of ways. What I would like is a modern, D3D (not OGL) engine that has all the latest stuff like Pixel Shader 3.0, bumapping, specular lighting, etc, etc... But still has the core feel of the KOTOR games and that being the pause/real time combat system, equipping PC and paty members, and everything else that goes on underneath.

In order for them to fix even half of the Bugs reported on the Bug Thread would probably take too much time and too many resources (aka money) because the real reason some of the quests are bugged is not only because of the cut-content being cut out at the last moment, but also because this game wasn't even QA tested for numerous things such as technical bugs, gameplay balance bugs and performance. A lot of these subquest errors are because certain conditions (Boolean and Global variables) aren't being properly recognized or triggered to give the correct result. This screams "no testing" because all this game really is underneath is a bunch of compiled scripts and an excel sheet (for the combat)... And when modders are finding simple things like variables being reset (or not set) and fixing these things themselves it is proof that this game should have never been released either on XBox or PC until a good three, four month QA period was done to where mistakes like the Escaped Criminals Quest could easily be noticed with multiple play thrus with different people and it simply fixed. From a technical stand point, most of the errors are fixable if you know how to edit game files... Like the Duxn Tomb math question that TK102 and other Holowan Labs modders did... While others are more complex and part of the executable like defense bonuses not stacking (now they work thanks to the update). However, I refuse to edit the game files because I -- nor any of you -- Were paid to do this job in the first place and second because I shouldn't have to as a paying customer of OE. If this is how they are going to treat NWN2... Let the players beta test and fix errors... Then I will move onto companies that actually care about their products like Bioware and others.

This is a MAJOR issue the devs seem to be just "ignoring" for the time being. The only thing I can suggest is something I don't want to suggest and that is right before you leave the Ebon Hawk, select your party members BUT DO NOT HIT THE OK BUTTON. Then, ALT-TAB out of the game, go into Windows Explorer, go to your KOTOR2 installation and delete files in the currentgame and gameinprogress subfolders that have to do with Dantooine (DAN03, DAN05, etc, etc). Then, with the game still running, ALT-TAB back in hit OK and you should load the game fine. This is a terrible solution because it may not even work and second, it actually resets some of your quests you may have already done -- Meaning, you may encounter clones (previous entities) of people you've helped, spoken to, etc. as if you are encoutering them for the first time.

Hmm. Now that IS interesting. This tells me a couple of things: 1) I am going to go out an a limb and bet that the game folders and files should NOT be Read Only from the start (installation)... AND that they should be "unlocked" even after you do what I said above in Windows Explorer. 2) If you did everything I said above... And they are still Read Only... Then this confirms what I am theorizing about why people are getting crashes at crucial spots such as leaving the Telos Academy; The Meeting with the Exchange; Returning to Dantooine the second/third time to either kill or reunite the Jedi Masters. It has to be at least some kind of factor (as well as any problems with the executable that may not be triggering the right scripts as well) -- Because of what I said about the game reading files in the gameinprogress subfolder and currentgame subfolders (only visible while the game is active) and then trying to write some of that data to people's save files. This also may be why saves get corrupted and some even deleted... Both on PC and XBox. The game, like any program, doesn't know what to do if it is supposed to write to something, but that media is read only... So it does the best it can while keeping what should be written in the RAM and not in the appropriate save files. Make sense? I am not a developer or programmer... But I do know -- at a very basic, conceptual level -- How this engine operates and am just using logic (maybe falsely) as to why I beleive players are having all of these problems.

I recently reformatted my PC and re-installed TSL... And I noticed something very interesting. I'm just throwing this out in an effort to help because if it is something this "simple" then I'd want to know about if I was having the major problems a lot of gamers seem to be having (pre and post 1.0b patch): 1) Go into Windows Explorer 2) Find your KOTOR2 installation (Typically C:\Program Files\Lucas Arts\SWKotOR2) 3) Select ALL the subfolders 4) RIGHT CLICK and select Properties Is the box next to "Read Only" ticked, or checked off? If so, uncheck the box and then hit APPLY. You will get a second dialogue box that asks if you want to apply this new setting to just this folder or all of the files and subfolders. Select ALL of them (second radio button option). Hit OK and it will "unlock" all of the files and subfolders (this may take a few minutes depending on the speed of your CPU). Now... Try playing the game at a crucial point like leaving the Telos Academy, Meeting the Exchange, etc, etc. The reason I am suggesting this is because I think that if the game files are "read only" that certain Boolean and Global variables AREN'T being written (triggered) to the save files and THIS is why certain people are crashing at critical places where certain things are supposed to happen like cut-scenes and other triggered events. The game reads your save files (actually, a gameinprogress subfolder with save file data in it) and that tells the executable what to trigger as well as run what scripts that are compiled; If it can't write to those files it still thinks you haven't fulfilled that Boolean or Global variable). What got me thinking abut this is all the problems with events not triggering because I know for a fact those are variables that are written "on the fly" and tell the game you've either satisfied the condition to move on... Or not (0, 1, or other numbers).

THIS THREAD SHOULD BE RE-STICKIED AT THE TOP OF THE FORUM, ASAP! PLEASE! KOTOR (I and II) have serious issues with ATI graphic card chipsets and there is a lot of valuable information in here for ATI owners who want their game to be at least playable in its current form, patched or not.

Visas -- and her movie on board the Ravenger with Nihilus -- Is triggered when you are 50% toward either LS or DS Mastery. You can even get this movie while still on Telos Citadel Station if you're doing the LS or DS missions and strictly role playing each side respectively -- Meaning, no going back and forth between Czerka and the Ithorians like with the Batono quest and the Droid Delivery quests where you can double-cross each side if you want. Visas is [should be] an Ebon Hawk Only event. Meaning, even if you get the movie while still on Telos, you shouldn't get her until you leave Atris' Academy with the Hawk and are on one of the other planets the second time your return from questing, you'll confront her.

Well, what the Hell do you want us to do? Even modders can't correct code that is in the executable (compared to just recompiling scripts that the executable runs) -- Where a lot of these errors exist. I think I've said this before on another thread... But the day LA or even OE (if rumors are correct) decided to cut major portions of the game out due to a deadline or just by choice... You (the player) are going to have major problems because a game like this is nothing but scripts and triggers behind-the-scenes that when activated in a certain order -- even a random order due to how a player can play through the game -- Do certain things and if you cut out major portions of that/those event chains, of course the game isn't going to respond correctly. I am amazed the game even runs in its current state with the amount of stuff that was cut... But not surprised with how many bugs we're encountering just the same. So, bottom line, until OE actually FIXES the majority of these bugs like the event triggers and other things INSIDE the executable... This game is not going to be finished, or work properly and there is nothing any of us can do.

The reason it is different for everyone is the game is designed to give the player their lightsaber after the first planet after Telos, no matter what planet they go to. Hence, why you can go to any of the planets -- Except Korriban -- And pretty much have your lightsaber if you complete all or enough of the quests.

I think you may be right, saddly. Don't get me wrong, I am grateful for the patch and the forth coming ones that will restore the stereo score and high-def movies... But what the devs need to do is FIX this game ASAP. I fear with RoTS coming out in less than 30 days, all emphasis is going to be on the console game by LA and this title will saddly be left to rot in an unfinished, unpatched state and unplayable (for some) state.

Here is the typical lightsaber build-path: Go to Dantooine: 1) Go to the crystal cave for your crystals (color and <Full Name> crystal). 2) Go to the Enclave. Talk to Daralaa at the Salvager camp. She sells some lightsaber parts. 3) Rescue Jorran (Pick up the Farm Equipment Subquest at the City Hall while your at it). Agree to buy whatever "Jedi Junk" he is selling for 1000 credits (If you do the Atmospheric Sensor quest and reveal their "true" nature and sell them you should have 5000 credits by now). 4) Finish the Farm Equipment subquest and as a reward, the guy will give you final lightsaber parts. You should have your entire lightsaber buy now. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE ALL THE PARTS... Go to Nar Shaddaa (even before finishing Dantooine storyline) and do the Galactic Reunifcation quest (reunite Lootra and Aida) and he will give you your final piece. Just talk to Bao-Dur right there in the flophouse (don't even have to go to the Hawk) and he'll construct your lightsaber and it will be put in your inventory like normal.

Side Note: You can completely skip this sidequest, get the reward and remove it from your journal if you simply tell Grenn you killed them on the planet's surface... Even before you go to Telos' surface! This is a major glitch (I assume) since it doesn't have the [Lie/Persuade] in brackets before the dialogue choice of "I killed them". But follow this dialogue tree once you return from Czerka's offices and you can cross it off the list of sidequests that need to be completed AND get 300 credits for doing absolutely nothing.

Are you trying to say your Force Pike is bigger than everyone elses Force Pike? Those specs aren't that great, kiddo.... But yes. The game is really buggy as evidenced by all 19 pages of this thread.

It may be because OE decided to specify that Vash (alive or dead) is supposed to give the player a lightsaber instead of some random loot. This is one thing that proves this game was not tested for gameplay balance in that all of the stuff you get in the original KOTOR as you progress serves a purpose -- to help you at various levels -- And is NOT random as set in the .ncs files. This may decrease the replay value a bit... But not as much as getting all med packs, or even repair kits, security tunnelers and other "useless" items when you need weapons, armor and lightsabers for your Jedi party as it currently stands "