Revisiting VtM: Bloodlines

[Wesp5]

That happened to me every time with the vanilla GOG version (9.6 UP Basic). Fortunately easily solved with a console command.

Hm, did you play the GOG legacy or patched game? Because the patch should check if you don't have fists and then give them and everything else to you the first thing when you start a game. Which is the reason you actually see the messages for this...

And let me guess, Plus gives you the items you'd get in the tutorial if you skip it? If not, it'd be nice.

It did this once, but then I removed it again because it was neither a fix nor a restauration. Also you can get the thirtyeight from almost any thug and even if you don't want to buy the lockpick from Trip, you can get one for free in the warehouse map.

 

[Wesp5]

Is there a consensus best mod setup for this game?

Sadly, Bloodlines doesn't allow merging of mods that affect gameplay because they basically all change the same files, but at least now it's possible to install all mayor mods in parrallel similar to how HL and HL2 handle mods. You can install shader mods or skin mods or weapon mods on top though...

 

[Alexios]

Is there a consensus best mod setup for this game? I've already beaten the game before using only the unofficial patch years ago but I've always remembered seeing a bunch of other possibly cool looking mods that I didn't want to install because I didn't feel like it at the time.

Just the unofficial patch. I guess you can try the ENB mods but they look overdone imo.

 

[Puukko]

My current setup is based on a ))) repack, the clan mod and a SweetFX I found on Youtube. The result is a game that gives me 12 error messages (no exaggeration) upon startup, has a couple odd visual glitches and really doesnt like alt-tabbing. But other than that, it works! And looks quite nice. I agree about ENB though, I don't run them in most games and prefer a more plain vanilla look.

 

[Wesp5]

I guess you can try the ENB mods but they look overdone imo.

I use SweetFX instead of ENB to give me antialiasing...

 

[Multidirectional]

I use SweetFX instead of ENB to give me antialiasing...

But why when you force a much higher quality AA from video card panel?

 

[Latelistener]

ENB has to be developed specifically for a particular game, but unlike with Skyrim or some other games, Boris (the creator) didn't spend much time on Bloodlines. That's why it looks like shit.
Reshade on the other hand, can work with any game. It's basically an advanced version of SweetFX, with more customization and post-processing effects.

Edit: Presets can be found here: http://sfx.thelazy.net/games/game/237/

 

[Wesp5]

I use SweetFX instead of ENB to give me antialiasing...

But why when you force a much higher quality AA from video card panel?

Because it gives some other post-processing effects as well and I hate fiddling around with game specific setting in the NVIDIA board ...

 

[HansDampf]

Forcing anti-alias has the downside that it messes with the dialogue text. I don't mind though, anything is better than jagged edges. I like to use the NvidiaInspector instead of the regular control panel. It offers a lot more options like Ambient Occlusion and combining AA methods. Using SweetFX with SMAA doesn't seem to have that strong of an impact on the text, but it's also more demanding in my experience.

SweetFX is a very dangerous tool. Just looking at those presets is giving me eye cancer. Most of them totally ruin the original look of the game or are way to dark or bloomy. All subjective, of course...

Its most useful options imo are LumaSharpen and anything that increases contrast a little bit. In vanilla the game looks like there is a grey layer on top of everything. And even with LumaSharpen you have to be careful. If you use too much you will get sharpening artifacts around the edges, and it also undoes some of the anti-aliasing.

examples

 

[Multidirectional]

Because it gives some other post-processing effects as well and I hate fiddling around with game specific setting in the NVIDIA board ...

Fiddling? You open a control panel, you force AA. And if you have Nvidia card you can actually force Sparse Grid Supersampling in nvidia inspector, which is the highest quality AA you could get anywhere. Or use mixed forms of AA from there, which is regular supersampling combined with MSAA, like for example 16xS which is 2x2 SSAA + 4xMSAA. Hell even MSAA alone is already much better than that SMAA/FXAA crap. You'd think it would be a piece of cake for someone who goes through a hassle of actually modding a game.

Forcing anti-alias has the downside that it messes with the dialogue text.

Does it? I never noticed a single problem with text. But then I've been forcing proper AA in Bloodlines since my first playthrough back in 2006.

I only use Lumasharpen from SweetFX when there's a need to counter the blur from some modern AA types, like Temporal AA. Don't see the need for it in Bloodlines.

 

[SCO]

I like the Camarilla edition and the CQM with the camarilla edition lite, just because of the bloodloss timer in non-combat hubs and the health loss accompanying it. It's plainly obvious that the original game was simplified so it wouldn't happen in order not to scare casuals and it makes the 'ambush walkers' minigame actually useful for the masquerade level, which you would otherwise not even notice.

But in the end this is a minor component. I also imported the 'college' mod from there into CQM even if it's basically a cheat because it makes money actually useful and i always enjoyed the xp / free dots minigame in bloodlines (how it's not immediately obvious if you should spend xp, or save it until you get a free dot). That mod makes 'free dots' available to all the middle dot rows and you can optimize the gain by waiting for the free upgrades.

 

[SCO]

The facial animation system was a huge incline when it was first released, but I think people continue to overrate it out of nostalgia because on this playthru i found it rather dated

lol

Compare:

with much, much newer Bioware/Bethesda games and you will see how silly your claim is:

or:

BTW, Wesp5 , I assume that Drog's fix is still in in the new patch?
http://www.rpgcodex.net/forums/index.php?threads/vtm-bloodlines-high-poly-patch.113118/

About this, this is actually slightly inconsistent, because obviously, the game was rushed and didn't went through consistent iteration on all levels. Most characters are consistently excellent, such as the prince (except the ending with the bad camera movement behavior - also happens on Mitnick), but others, like Nines have some very bad expressions that only look worse if you click through dialog. His angry face is ridiculous and in my opinion should have been removed by the UP+ patch.

 

[Wesp5]

Forcing anti-alias has the downside that it messes with the dialogue text.

Does it? I never noticed a single problem with text. But then I've been forcing proper AA in Bloodlines since my first playthrough back in 2006.

It's especially bad for the text in the console which I use all the time and the SweetFX AA doesn't affect that at all...

 

[Wesp5]

Most characters are consistently excellent, such as the prince (except the ending with the bad camera movement behavior - also happens on Mitnick), but others, like Nines have some very bad expressions that only look worse if you click through dialog.

Still I have seen some scenes from the new Wolfenstein game recently and although it has one of the best engines available, facial expressions are almost non existant!

 

[gaussgunner]

I just saw the news that Copper Dreams is getting facial expressions in dialogue. Ambitious for an indie.

Too ambitous maybe... they should've released the game by now.

 

[HansDampf]

Angry faces in Bloodlines are exaggerated. Another issue are some abrupt transitions between expressions, but the expressions themselves are still convincing.
I don't play many modern games, but from what I've played and seen in videos, the only game that did a good job without relying on motion capture is Witcher 3.

 

[Zombra]

Game is stylish instead of photorealistic 0/10

 

[Wesp5]

UP 9.9 beta 2 is online on The Patches Scrolls: http://www.patches-scrolls.de/patch/4647/7/74622

Additional changelog for beta 2 from 11.11.2017:

+ Activated Gallery light switch and fixed menu particles time lag.
+ Created homosexual history for all clans and adjusted intro scene.
+ Made Venture Tower song Malkavians only and fixed licences issue.
Fixed incorrect Lotus Blossom location on Chinatown busstop maps.

 

[Goral]

Created homosexual history for all clans and adjusted intro scene.

WTF would you do that? No wonder you cucks have problems with shit skins.

 

[Wesp5]

Created homosexual history for all clans and adjusted intro scene.

WTF would you do that?

Because people were asking for it over and over on Planet Vampire, discussing making dedicated mods and similar, but never getting anywhere. So I figured I could make it myself and satisfy them once and for all . Basically it's nothing more than swapping the Sire's model and some sounds during the intro...

 

[laclongquan]

:facepalm:

Yep~ It's Wesp, alright~

 

[Latelistener]

Restored Created homosexual history for all clans

 

[Cael]

Because people were asking for it...

So, can we please have a vampire argonian and khajit as well? How about being a werewolf instead? Oh-oh, I know! I want to be KING OF THE WORLD!!!!

:D

 

[Jimmious]

Tbh it's not about homosexuality and if it fits in a Vampire game (it does actually), the real question is why would you waste any time to add that in the game in the first place. But I guess modders gonna mod

 

[ArchAngel]

Vampires cannot have sex (they can fake it only) so how can there be homosexual vampires?