Revisiting VtM: Bloodlines

[vmar]

Cool, I'm definitely looking forward to that.

 

[Makabb]

Which patch for this ?

 

[vmar]

Unofficial Patch just go an update, I'd use that.

Wesp5 , any idea on a release date for that prequel?

 

[vmar]

Not sure if it was a fix from 9.5 or 9.6, but it's so nice not getting stuck in doors anymore. Trying to break the habit of letting the door swing all the way open is tough though.

 

[Wesp5]

Not sure if it was a fix from 9.5 or 9.6, but it's so nice not getting stuck in doors anymore..

Yes, that was one of the most surprising fixes after all the time patching the game, and a very simple one too!

As for the Prelude, I have no idea. I'm only helping out here and there with some level details, the whole thing is done by EntenSchreck who created the Hallowbrook Artrium for my patch and segments of the shortcut and the maze. As this is a very large and complicated project, it could take years or never be finished at all, to be honest...

 

[Makabb]

Yeah UP Basic 9.6

not plus ?

 

[vmar]

Have you played the game before? If not I'd go with the basic patch first, then do replays with the plus patch.

 

[Wesp5]

No, Plus implements a lot of low-quality, makeshift content that should only be experienced in subsequent playthroughs.

Almost all of the "low-quality, makeshift content" is original Troika or Rik Schaffer work, except of course the new maps which nevertheless were build using Troika textures and models to fit either real world locations or beta screenshots with some improvisation involved. Still I agree that first time players should start with the basic patch! That way they can experience the plus version on their next playthrough to see themselves how unfinished the game was released...

 

[Latelistener]

The amount of changes made after all these years is simply insane. It will probably take several hours to run through all of it, and by the time I'll finish I'll forget most of it.

 

[Wesp5]

Yeah, a lot of the plus patch changes are in the details, contrary to what some people claim, still most people notice that the game appears more fleshed out. I mean there are areas like Grout's bedroom where the difference is huge, once you remember how it looked before !

 

[Wesp5]

The second beta of the Unofficial Patch 9.6 has been released!

Get it as usual from here: http://www.patches-scrolls.de/patch/4647/7/73655

Due to the delay because of the server issues, some new things have been added, like two new weapons for the plus patch: the handle claws and the flaming crossbow. At the same time several other weapons have been restored to their original version in the basic patch! The crossbow damage that has been discussed here is fixed and the option for power-gaming with Gimble has been reduced...

v9.6 06.09.2016
----
+Fixed warform-weapons bug, moved Yugo to pier and limo onto street.
+Adjusted some weapon damages and made crossbow fire burning bolts.
+Added shake to forklift hit and improved two friend emails timings.
+Changed Shin Gunto to look different to katana, thanks to Lenuska.
+Added door to SM haven bathroom and masquerade area outside museum.
+ Mentioned Clan Lasombra in the world loading tips, thanks to IanW.
+Fixed museum areaportals and small texture issues, thanks Psycho-A.
+Added observatory inspections and fixed male blood doll get stuck.
+Increased cemetery gate's health more and fixed a coffee shop door.
+ Made Chang brother's handle claws weapons usuable, thanks Lenuska.
+Restored six models to Society, Foxy Boxes, theatre, and warehouse.
+ Made two additional options available for plus patch installation.
+Added dialogue lines to give some surplus items to Gary and Damsel.
+Sold crossbow ammo later and raised conditions to persuade Gimble.
Improved weapons, timings, ocean and widescreen cut of Ming ending.
Made crackhouse girl flee and hid two mirrored theatre door signs.
Removed restored weapons from basic and restored all the stats too.
Recompiled Kamikaze Zen map to fix vent without exit and lighting.
Corrected bad elevator light at Red Dragon and Jezebel's door lock.
Fixed decapitation shot and restored basic drugbox value and rain.
Unified keypad sounds and fixed wrong detection and sounds on Dane.
Fixed museum door not being locked and some minor dialogue issues.
Lowered Asylum music volume after loading and fixed minor map bugs.
Added original Japanese and Russian words to translated subtitles.
Fixed Society map hole and reduced artefacts and effects over pier.
Updated SDK and fixed audio loop at Fu Syndicate, thanks Psycho-A.
Made manholes in Venture Tower cellar and Ocean House sewers close.
Fixed bad Kerri dialogue start and delayed Jeanette and Ming ones.
Used autoexec.cfg to fix talk dsp sound and frame rate door issues.
Enhanced some areaportals at Leopold Society and Giovanni Mansion.
Recompiled Zhao's Warehouse to fix huge doors vanish at a distance.
Fixed Nosferatu causing Masquerade violations exiting Luckee Star.
Adjusted volume of some NPC lines and corrected NPC coughing loops.
Fixed some Ocean House rails, areaportals, shadows and a map hole.
Blocked way into closed junkyard and repaired Chunk sitting on air.
Made Chunk not attack you if you persuaded him during the endgame.
Fixed Givanni sound schemes and monitors in Skyeline and SM clinic.
Delayed Mercurio cutscene to make player move where he can see it.

 

[Mastermind]

It's not about the ending. It's about the amount of action in the very late game. The combat is horrible, it was just an ordeal.

The combat is much more entertaining when you're more powerful (especially the guns, it's a decent shooter by that point). The actual endings themselves were all shit.

 

[Goral]

Increased cemetery gate's health

Even more? It was already much easier, any more is an overkill IMO.

 

[Latelistener]

Is there a way to change lod distance? I'm also curious about free camera.

Also, what was the purpose of adding the option to send Gimble to the SM clinic? Are there other quest changes that weren't in the game at all?

 

[Wesp5]

Increased cemetery gate's health

Even more? It was already much easier, any more is an overkill IMO.

People still have huge problems doing that quest, so I raised the health from 44 to 50. Of course plus patch only...

 

[Carrion]

People still have huge problems doing that quest

Then they need to get good. It's not half as satisfying if you take out the challenge.

 

[Wesp5]

Is there a way to change lod distance? I'm also curious about free camera.

You can changed lod distance with the console or autoexec.cfg commands cl_detailfade xxxx and cl_detaildist 2200, at least for stuff like grass. I never found out a way to increase the lod of e.g. the fire hydrant as no command that I tried seems to work on them and would be very much interested in case you could find one! The free camera is a simple mod that doesn't switch the camera between first and third person depending on the weapon, only there are no wield models for melee weapons so it's for hard-code haters of third person combat only. Oh, and I just noticed I forgot to change the weapons stats there ...

Also, what was the purpose of adding the option to send Gimble to the SM clinic? Are there other quest changes that weren't in the game at all?

That's a very old change that was discussed to death here recently. It was added because it makes sense from a role playing view for very high humanity characters, but then was accussed to be power-gaming therefore I raised the Persuasion requirements so that argument is not valid anymore! There are some quest changes in the plus patch that were not in the original game, like Nosferatu can send Patty to Vandal, all clans can bring Bertram's CD and you can do both of Romero's quests if you want to waste time without a reward. These too have been discussed here a lot, just read earlier pages of this thread...

 

[HansDampf]

People still have huge problems doing that quest

Then they need to get good. It's not half as satisfying if you take out the challenge.

How do you do it without Celerity?

 

[vmar]

Basically run back and forth between the gates, only killing zombies at or near each gate, ignore the rest.

 

[HansDampf]

Obviously. But I always fail anyway. It's not even close.

 

[Latelistener]

You can changed lod distance with the console or autoexec.cfg commands cl_detailfade xxxx and cl_detaildist 2200, at least for stuff like grass. I never found out a way to increase the lod of e.g. the fire hydrant as no command that I tried seems to work on them and would be very much interested in case you could find one!

I don't think I will be able to uncover something that you don't know. Googled a bit, and found "cl_v_geometric_detail", but it probably does something else.

The free camera is a simple mod that doesn't switch the camera between first and third person depending on the weapon, only there are no wield models for melee weapons so it's for hard-code haters of third person combat only.

By free camera I meant free fly (similar to noclip). As far as I know there are some camera settings, but they only allow you to move it around the character.

 

[Goral]

People still have huge problems doing that quest, so I raised the health from 44 to 50.

So? If they can't manage it and can't handle failure they can always cheat. This quest can be done at the very end, once you have almost maxed out stats. It's become super easy after you previous tweaks (almost any build can do it) but now it's utterly trivial. At least 1 quest should be challenging and it'so only 1 quest, nothing bad will happen if you'll skip it. Before any tweaks I've only managed to beat it with a Brujah (Celerity maxed) and someone with maxed firearms/perception.

 

[Goral]

People still have huge problems doing that quest

Then they need to get good. It's not half as satisfying if you take out the challenge.

How do you do it without Celerity?

This is my post about this quest before I knew it got nerfed: http://www.rpgcodex.net/forums/inde...ng-vtm-bloodlines.108242/page-34#post-4521907

This is a post after it got nerfed: http://www.rpgcodex.net/forums/inde...ng-vtm-bloodlines.108242/page-35#post-4521950

And: http://www.rpgcodex.net/forums/inde...ng-vtm-bloodlines.108242/page-35#post-4524940

 

[HansDampf]

I could wait until I get the Steyr Aug and better skills, and then do the quest with an op character, but it should be managable (not just "technically possible") with the equipment and skills I have available when I first visit the cemetery. To be fair, I also didn't try to grind it out. It's not the most exciting side quest the game has to offer.

Funny though, when I did it the first time as Toreador with Celerity, I got it first try without even knowing that there was a second gate. I just protected the front gate, and the zombies never managed to break down the other one. Smells buggy. Wesp5?
The second time, as Malkavian, seemed absolutely impossible.

 

[Wesp5]

I could wait until I get the Steyr Aug and better skills, and then do the quest with an op character, but it should be managable (not just "technically possible") with the equipment and skills I have available when I first visit the cemetery.

Exactly my opion! Maxing out the stats and weapons and coming back latter to solve this quest is pure meta-gaming that only works when you already know how hard it is...

Funny though, when I did it the first time as Toreador with Celerity, I got it first try without even knowing that there was a second gate. I just protected the front gate, and the zombies never managed to break down the other one.

You must have been lucky then ! I remember that I managed it with my Toreador and Celerity too, but only after I came back some time latter with better stats, see above.