SS2 FM The Minstrel (by The Pixie)

[665b13e518b38icemann]

In a SS2 mood today, so will give this FM a go again, considering the amount of fixes and additions made in the years since I played this last. Will report back on how I find it.

I do have to say though, that I love what the community has done for this FM. Hats off to you.

[665b13e518cdavoodoo47]

I do have a small update almost finished, if you haven't started already you might want to wait a couple of hours.

[665b13e518e6bicemann]

I did start playing. But only for a few minutes. Already encountered a fair few bugs just in the starting bit.

Note that I had only just re-setup SS2 via ss2tool prior to playing this. Also had to adjust to using the blue mod manager. Played this with SHTUP, Four Hundred and the Shotgun replacement mods.

Notes:

* Deck texture "Access to Decks 1-5" is the opposite way round. Like the texture has been accidentally flipped over.
* Lighting in that area is a little too bright. Not very Shock-ish.
* Toilet door, same area. Black texture.
* Invisible walls in the toilet area. Black door texture for that room also.

Will wait for the next version till I play again.
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[665b13e518f9dvoodoo47]

the black texture stuff can only happen if you use an old save with a newly reprocessed map, as far as I'm aware. the flipped decal is really odd, as there is simply no way I wouldn't notice. the invisible walls are actually doors that are invisible for some reason. did you start a new game?

lighting intensity and stuff like that is fine tuning, we aren't there with Minstrel just yet (currently still at "make sure things won't break at every odd occasion, floor stuff and align the textures").

[665b13e51907dicemann]

Everything was a fresh new game, with no reloading (as was no need at that stage).

[665b13e5191c9voodoo47]

I'd recommend a completely new SS2tool patched SS2 install (meaning steam/GOG/CD+SS2tool), just to make sure some ancient dmls are not floating around or something.


//yeah, definitely not happening on my install. also, that decal on the third picture should be Minstrel exclusive, no idea how you happen to have the orig SS2 decal there. something strange going on - do try that fresh install.

[665b13e5192b6icemann]

Odd as I'm playing through Disposition without issue so far. But will try that.

[665b13e5193edvoodoo47]

I also assume that you are not doing anything crazy like NOT using FMsel, right? anyway, 1.03beta7 is up - just the quick and easy stuff;

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-replicator 1003 won't sell broken objects anymore
-menu screen 630 set to unlit
-included more fixed strings (ZylonBane)
-included fixed door object (Olfred)
-included higher res textures for a few Minstrel specific objects (ZylonBane). thematically, these should be part of SHTUP-ND, but I don't think anyone will complain about not being able to see all the jagged edges and pixelation of the originals
-changed sign 1008 into the new lounge sign (ZylonBane) and created a copy for the lower door as well
-deleted AmbientHacked from 2282, and on 2295, removed the Environmental flag and changed the radius to 100. copied the full lounge/elevator music clip from SCP
-deleted the two fake/broken psi hypos and replaced them with real psi hypos
-preplaced Duct Parts now won't delete themselves after a while
-reset physdims on all unbreakable windows. no more spacewalks
will think about things like gravity, and that annoying turret later.

[665b13e5194d0icemann]

Using the blue mod manager.

[665b13e5195ddvoodoo47]

urp, wait, what? using the mod manager to play a FM? yeaah, that's probably not a good idea. I'd suggest not doing that - load it with FMsel and I'm pretty sure the weird stuff will go away.

just for the record, if a FM appears to work properly when played via BMM, it's just by sheer luck - you shouldn't be doing this, ever.

[665b13e5196baicemann]

Oh really? As the mod manager was added in by SS2Tool I thought it was the way to go.

[665b13e5197a8voodoo47]

the tools are named MODmanager and FANMISSIONselector for a reason.

[665b13e5198a4icemann]

This was the only one that had an executable (after ss2tools install of things) that resided in the ss2 root folder (hence my assumption). But either way, I'll be sure to use fmsel .

[665b13e5199b4voodoo47]

doesn't the latest tool create the FMsel shortcuts automatically? if not, check the sticky. anyway, quick reup of beta7, some grammar fails in the FM infofile were too ugly to live. I don't think anyone has managed to download.


//also, ZB, if you don't mind a bit more texture work, Minstrel could also use the (SHTUP) Stellar Map obj texture with the Tau Ceti reference removed.

[665b13e519b0eKolya]

Yeah, SS2Tool can create a start menu shortcut for FMsel if you select that option.

[665b13e519ecbZylonBane]

//also, ZB, if you don't mind a bit more texture work, Minstrel could also use the (SHTUP) Stellar Map obj texture with the Tau Ceti reference removed.

It has to say something there. Where is the Minstrel during the mission?

[665b13e51a06bicemann]

Ok so I know for the record:

In the newbie guide it mentions to use the Blue Mod Manager and setting the priorities as lowest for SCP/SHTUP. So should I use BMMM to get those loaded up, and then use fmsel ontop of that to load this FM?

Excuse my noobness. I had everything setup perfect for so long, but I had been using FMSel solely previously, but then after updating and doing a clean via the latest SS2Tool it's all gone to hell,  and I'm not seeing the enhanced textures of SHTUP even though I've unzipped all of that into DataPermMods.

A while ago, for the stuff I wanted loaded every time I would unzip that into DataPermMods. Has that changed in more recent versions?

I have a funny feeling that I need to do as a I asked. Load SHTUP and SCP via BMMM and then fmsel for the FM.

[665b13e51a3a2voodoo47]

DataPermMods has been deprecated for a while now - you set up your mods as you like (preferably with priorities set up according to the guide), and then load a FM with FMselect.

It has to say something there. Where is the Minstrel during the mission?

en route from Callisto to Earth, I believe.

[665b13e51a50dicemann]

Hmm just tried that.

Now I have the SHTUP textures - Excellent. But then I'm at the standard Earth level of SS2 standard despite installing the FM (via FMSel) and clicking on "Play FM".

[edit]
Nevermind. Figured it out. It was due to the way I had the initial zip setup. Worked this out by comparing a FM that worked fine.

[edit 2]
Still getting the black textures. Will try the new version released today, and if that fails I'll try setup up the steam version (was running the good old original CD version). Weird as every other FM works fine texture wise except for this one.

[665b13e51a680voodoo47]

zero chance of the new version fixing the black textures, I'm 99.99% sure it's something wonky in your install (though I have no idea what could it be). just grab any unmodified resource (GOG/steam/CD) patch up with the tool in perfect mode and it should work. also, try running without any mods first.

if you want, zip up your current install minus the crf files and custscenes, drop it onto some online storage, and I will download and analyze.


//tried a clean install, no problems. ran things through my head, and the only thing that I could come up with is some rogue dml with no fingerprints destroying the door object and changing the model on that decal. the only place where such a dml could exist is outdated mods (the tool had no such dml at any point, I've compared obj ids).

[665b13e51a7d9icemann]

Weird as I did a perfect install to start with today before I started playing this + Disposition.

What I did today was:

* Ran SS2Tool and updated that to the latest version.
* Ran a perfect mode + updating everything to the latest versions (newDark, editor etc etc).
* Then tried playing this, then gave up for a while and played Disposition instead.

[edit]
Ok I updated the version of the FM and that mysteriously fixed most of texture issues, except for the wrong way round sign texture. The door textures all look fine now.

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[665b13e51a8c1voodoo47]

drop me save in front of that decal, please.

also, did you try to run without any mods?

[665b13e51a9b1icemann]

Here you go.

Mods running screenshot included in this post.
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[665b13e51aaa9voodoo47]

ok, I'm now almost sure I know what's going on, the question will be how. one sec