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About this mod
A curated set of fixes and features for Official v1.2 with the expectation of being free from the worst bugs while still retaining much of the original feel and style of Official v1.2.
- Permissions and credits
- Changelogs
GENERAL:
=====================
This mod is for players wanting to try Official v1.2 but without having to resort to using the console to compensate for some of the bad quests, broken dialog, and frozen cutscenes. In addition, this mod addresses some basic issues like missing sounds, broken physics, broken models, and broken Source engine map entities.
Beyond that I'm trying to retain and preserve the original nature of Official v1.2. I'm not making any evaluation of the original design. If it is working, I try to leave it alone regardless of what my personal feeling might be, and if it isn't I try to fix it. But only up to a certain point. Version 0.8 differs from version 0.7 in that 0.8 branches out to fix more superficial things such as animations, scenes, textures, models, etc. Where 0.7 is more barebones and tries to focus strictly on core changes.
I think this game is a masterpiece, not a flawed masterpiece, and I wanted players to have a choice to experiencing the game in the same way I want to experience it. Originally, I started playing Official v1.2 after years of playing UP Basic, just to see for myself what it was like. The more I played it the more enamored I became with the game and the more I came to appreciate how much of a masterpiece the game was.
But there wasn't any patch that allowed a player to experience the game in this way. Since I was in a position to create a mod/patch that is what I did. When I first started work, I was cleaning and fixing too much and I felt the game lost its unique feel, so I reversed many of those changes. Under the DOCS tab is expanded, more detailed information on my thoughts for the mod.
NEW FEATURES IN VERSION 0.8:
=====================
One of the new features is the ability to skip certain cutscenes. By default, the is bound to the DEL key and labeled "Reset frozen cutscenes" as that is still it's primary function. Skipping most major cutscenes is supported, intro, Nines transition to Downtown scene, LaCroix/player/Beckett sarcophagus scene, both Isaac horror tape scenes, etc. If the key is not mapped when the game starts, this can be fixed by going to the Main Menu - Options - Controls tab and setting a new key. More info on this feature can be found under the DOCS tab.
Another new feature is that the character is checked for stealth corruption every time it returns to a hub after a mission. If the player does not want this check to be performed, they can use the console to set G.noSteathCheck to a value of 1.
FULL PLAYTHROUGH OF VERSION 0.7 WITH MY COMMENTARY:
====================
Boris the Toreador has some distinct habits, won't eat rats, won't buy weapons, won't use Blood Buff for combat. Boris is also completely built using the AutoLevel game function. I interject my thoughts and reasoning on various aspects of the mod throughout the playthrough.
INSTALLATION:
=====================
This mod must be extracted into a VTMB install root directory where Game Mod Loader support is already installed. If a person has GOG, any UP, or any major mod such as Clan Quest or Antitribu installed, this mod can be installed alongside those in the same VTMB game location they use. The reason being all modern large mods run out of their own dedicated folders and rely on Game Mod Loader to launch and run. Therefore, if any of those are installed and working, this mod will work as well.
If not the user will need to install some UP, I recommend UP 10.8 but any UP/MOD with Game Mod Loader support files should work. All that is needed from this install are Game Mod Loader support files, the executables and DLLs to launch this mod.
Summary:
The shortcut to launch the game can also be created manually by creating a shortcut to Vampire.exe and appending -game SMP to the target: field. Or if launching directly from Steam add the -game SMP parameter to the Steam Launcher profile for VTMB.
KNOWN ISSUES:
=====================
Note: These are all Source engine bugs not VTMB bugs so there aren't any known fixes.
When going through certain map transitions the flamethrower will sometimes stop doing damage to certain enemies. Un-equipping and re-equipping will solve the issue. Also, if the flamethrower is fired at targets elevated above the player there is a chance the player will be instantly killed.
When playing for extended periods, like 3-5 hours, the game can start randomly replacing models and/or lose the ability to interact with objects like computers. The only known solution is closing the game and relaunching it. Do not delay this closing and relaunching as things just get worse and worse and you may eventually end up with a corrupt and unusable save.
Sometimes a weapon will get stuck, and the player will not be able to switch perspectives between 1st and 3rd and/or not able to switch to a different weapon properly. In that case open the melee weapon menu, F1 by default, and select some different weapon. Then open the ranged weapon menu, F2 by default, and select a new ranged weapon. Normally that will clear the issue but sometimes it takes some fiddling to figure out what weapon is causing the issue. So, you may have to repeat the process more than once.
With the default key bindings, using left mouse button to select a destination on the interactive taxi world map can sometimes cause the player to attack on map transition and arrive in the new map with a Criminal Violation. This is because by default the left mouse button is also bound to attack. In that case the game does both, transitions maps and attacks. This can be avoided by using any other mouse button that doesn't cause other issues. I personally use middle mouse button because I don't have it bound to any game function, so I know it won't cause any issues.
TROUBLESHOOTING:
=====================
The tutorial overlays were changed to work for 16:9 aspect ratio, and only 16:9. If your monitor is something other than 16:9 and that is an issue, you can play in windowed mode at 16:9 until the tutorial is complete. For players wanting to experience the original 4:3 overlays, both sets of files are in vdata/signs so the player can copy them back and forth as many times as they wish.
There is a configurable automove function that works like the automove in Skyrim. However, one of the limitations is that if changes are made to forward (w by default) or backward (s by default), then after making those changes the game needs to be shut down and restarted. If this rule is accidentally broken, in the options menu simply clear both forward and backward key assignments, reassign them, then close and restart the game. Everything will then return to working.
Do not put things in your mailbox unless asked to, or you don't care if you lose them. If payments are accidentally left in a mailbox that is closed off, the payment/s will automatically be given to PC the first time they renter the apartment building with the closed mailbox.
My recommendation to use UP 10.XX (or earlier) is based on my personal experience trying to use the UP 11.XX files and experiencing higher failure rates. These failures happen in both my mod as well as the UP itself. Still, this is only my observations and recommendations but something I did want to share. More detailed info can be found under the DOCS tab.
For players wishing it, more information and details are included in the SMP_README file, or the readme under the DOCS tab.
CREDITS:
=====================
The people responsible for the Unofficial Patch
The people responsible for the VTMB SKD and all the tools included in it
Behar and Psyco-A for the Game Mod Loader support
Dheu and contributing authors for the Vampire the Masquerade Bloodlines Mod Development Guide
Gimp 2
Blender
VIM
Audacity
More detailed credit information is listed in the SMPcredits.txt file in the SMP directory.
=====================
This mod is for players wanting to try Official v1.2 but without having to resort to using the console to compensate for some of the bad quests, broken dialog, and frozen cutscenes. In addition, this mod addresses some basic issues like missing sounds, broken physics, broken models, and broken Source engine map entities.
Beyond that I'm trying to retain and preserve the original nature of Official v1.2. I'm not making any evaluation of the original design. If it is working, I try to leave it alone regardless of what my personal feeling might be, and if it isn't I try to fix it. But only up to a certain point. Version 0.8 differs from version 0.7 in that 0.8 branches out to fix more superficial things such as animations, scenes, textures, models, etc. Where 0.7 is more barebones and tries to focus strictly on core changes.
I think this game is a masterpiece, not a flawed masterpiece, and I wanted players to have a choice to experiencing the game in the same way I want to experience it. Originally, I started playing Official v1.2 after years of playing UP Basic, just to see for myself what it was like. The more I played it the more enamored I became with the game and the more I came to appreciate how much of a masterpiece the game was.
But there wasn't any patch that allowed a player to experience the game in this way. Since I was in a position to create a mod/patch that is what I did. When I first started work, I was cleaning and fixing too much and I felt the game lost its unique feel, so I reversed many of those changes. Under the DOCS tab is expanded, more detailed information on my thoughts for the mod.
NEW FEATURES IN VERSION 0.8:
=====================
One of the new features is the ability to skip certain cutscenes. By default, the is bound to the DEL key and labeled "Reset frozen cutscenes" as that is still it's primary function. Skipping most major cutscenes is supported, intro, Nines transition to Downtown scene, LaCroix/player/Beckett sarcophagus scene, both Isaac horror tape scenes, etc. If the key is not mapped when the game starts, this can be fixed by going to the Main Menu - Options - Controls tab and setting a new key. More info on this feature can be found under the DOCS tab.
Another new feature is that the character is checked for stealth corruption every time it returns to a hub after a mission. If the player does not want this check to be performed, they can use the console to set G.noSteathCheck to a value of 1.
FULL PLAYTHROUGH OF VERSION 0.7 WITH MY COMMENTARY:
====================
Boris the Toreador has some distinct habits, won't eat rats, won't buy weapons, won't use Blood Buff for combat. Boris is also completely built using the AutoLevel game function. I interject my thoughts and reasoning on various aspects of the mod throughout the playthrough.
INSTALLATION:
=====================
This mod must be extracted into a VTMB install root directory where Game Mod Loader support is already installed. If a person has GOG, any UP, or any major mod such as Clan Quest or Antitribu installed, this mod can be installed alongside those in the same VTMB game location they use. The reason being all modern large mods run out of their own dedicated folders and rely on Game Mod Loader to launch and run. Therefore, if any of those are installed and working, this mod will work as well.
If not the user will need to install some UP, I recommend UP 10.8 but any UP/MOD with Game Mod Loader support files should work. All that is needed from this install are Game Mod Loader support files, the executables and DLLs to launch this mod.
Summary:
- Extract this mod's 7zip archive into a VTMB install directory. The Vampire.exe, Vampire folder, and SMP folder must all be in the same location once extracted. There is an image showing what files to check for proper extraction location.
- Run the "SMP Install" command file (by double clicking on it or RMB->Run as administrator if in restricted folders). This will create Shortcuts and also do some checks for conflicts.
- Launch the mod using the shortcut/s created by the SMP_Install command file.
The shortcut to launch the game can also be created manually by creating a shortcut to Vampire.exe and appending -game SMP to the target: field. Or if launching directly from Steam add the -game SMP parameter to the Steam Launcher profile for VTMB.
KNOWN ISSUES:
=====================
Note: These are all Source engine bugs not VTMB bugs so there aren't any known fixes.
When going through certain map transitions the flamethrower will sometimes stop doing damage to certain enemies. Un-equipping and re-equipping will solve the issue. Also, if the flamethrower is fired at targets elevated above the player there is a chance the player will be instantly killed.
When playing for extended periods, like 3-5 hours, the game can start randomly replacing models and/or lose the ability to interact with objects like computers. The only known solution is closing the game and relaunching it. Do not delay this closing and relaunching as things just get worse and worse and you may eventually end up with a corrupt and unusable save.
Sometimes a weapon will get stuck, and the player will not be able to switch perspectives between 1st and 3rd and/or not able to switch to a different weapon properly. In that case open the melee weapon menu, F1 by default, and select some different weapon. Then open the ranged weapon menu, F2 by default, and select a new ranged weapon. Normally that will clear the issue but sometimes it takes some fiddling to figure out what weapon is causing the issue. So, you may have to repeat the process more than once.
With the default key bindings, using left mouse button to select a destination on the interactive taxi world map can sometimes cause the player to attack on map transition and arrive in the new map with a Criminal Violation. This is because by default the left mouse button is also bound to attack. In that case the game does both, transitions maps and attacks. This can be avoided by using any other mouse button that doesn't cause other issues. I personally use middle mouse button because I don't have it bound to any game function, so I know it won't cause any issues.
TROUBLESHOOTING:
=====================
The tutorial overlays were changed to work for 16:9 aspect ratio, and only 16:9. If your monitor is something other than 16:9 and that is an issue, you can play in windowed mode at 16:9 until the tutorial is complete. For players wanting to experience the original 4:3 overlays, both sets of files are in vdata/signs so the player can copy them back and forth as many times as they wish.
There is a configurable automove function that works like the automove in Skyrim. However, one of the limitations is that if changes are made to forward (w by default) or backward (s by default), then after making those changes the game needs to be shut down and restarted. If this rule is accidentally broken, in the options menu simply clear both forward and backward key assignments, reassign them, then close and restart the game. Everything will then return to working.
Do not put things in your mailbox unless asked to, or you don't care if you lose them. If payments are accidentally left in a mailbox that is closed off, the payment/s will automatically be given to PC the first time they renter the apartment building with the closed mailbox.
My recommendation to use UP 10.XX (or earlier) is based on my personal experience trying to use the UP 11.XX files and experiencing higher failure rates. These failures happen in both my mod as well as the UP itself. Still, this is only my observations and recommendations but something I did want to share. More detailed info can be found under the DOCS tab.
For players wishing it, more information and details are included in the SMP_README file, or the readme under the DOCS tab.
CREDITS:
=====================
The people responsible for the Unofficial Patch
The people responsible for the VTMB SKD and all the tools included in it
Behar and Psyco-A for the Game Mod Loader support
Dheu and contributing authors for the Vampire the Masquerade Bloodlines Mod Development Guide
Gimp 2
Blender
VIM
Audacity
More detailed credit information is listed in the SMPcredits.txt file in the SMP directory.