First-person roleplaying game, based on White Wolf's popular Vampire: The Masquerade pen-and-paper RPG. Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines combines intense first-person action with an open, non-linear world, rich character development and an immersive storyline. The game plunges players into the dark and gritty vampire underworld of modern day L.A. as a creature of the night, interacting with and battling mortals and other creatures of darkness with an incredible array of vampire powers, skills and traits. Developed by Troika, Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines runs on Valve Source Technology - the same game engine technology that powers Half-Life 2.
This mod does a number of things for this great game, including increasing NPC health, enhacning disciplines and more.
A mod for VTMB that greatly increases the health of npcs and also enhances disciplines among other things. This file requires the unoffical patch 2.8 to work properly
POP'S DIFFICULTY AND ENHANCEMENT MODIFICATION FOR VAMPIRE THE MASQUERADE BLOODLINES
*None player charectors (Npcs).
Are much healthier and more standardized. Humans have 400hp,stronger ones like cops and
thugs have 500hp,the best such as hunters,swat and ghouls have 600hp. Vampires have between
800 and 900 hp. Also each level of body armor or fortitude decreases damage done by 5% to a
max of 50% with a lesser effect on aggravated damage. No changes to zombies,rats and dogs.
Much harder (better) combat experience. In testing with a Tremere I was happy to find out
that you must actually pick a fighting style and raise it early if you expect to survive
long,enemies just keep getting back up. You'll need to rely on your disciplines much more
now. This mod doesn't make the enemies hit any harder,so fights will be more drawn out but
not frustrating. The Gargoyle's immune to just about every discipline now. Tzimisce ghouls
more resistant.
*Bosses.
Boss types have much higher levels of health,damage done to them reduced by armor and
fortitued (see above). Obfuscate works on most of them. Humans can be knocked down.
*Guns.
Altered for better playablity. All gun crosshair bloomage decreases as skill increases.
Increased clip size for most guns. Value of guns increased 3 fold,price of ammo cut in half.
Most minimum crosshair sizes reduced. Damage,range and over all handling increased. Similiar
fire arms now have the same crosshair size: hand guns=size 5,shot guns size=18,Machingun
size=10,Sniper rifles size=0. Dropped ammo is equal to the new clip size. New sound fx files
fit perfectly. Sword fx=stealth kill music removed. Ithaca fx= Same as before but with
missing pump fx. Anaconda fx= whole new sound. Alterations done on top of the 2.8 patch
weapon tweaks. Unless stated other wise the following changes are for both modes of fire.
-Anaconda increased range,less bloomage while shooting/running w/skill,new sound fx,dmg +1.
-Crossbolts 1 dollar per bolt,dmg +1.
-Desert_Eagle increased range,crosshairs size and run bloomage,dmg +1.
-Flamethrower increased clip size 150 to 200.
-Glock quicker firing,increased accuracy,range,decreased bloomage from shooting/run w/skill.
-Ithaca less bloomage while running/shooting with skill,2x clip size,new sound fx.
-Mac_10 Less bloomage while running/shooting with skill,3x clip size,smaller crosshairs.
-Remington700 smallest crosshairs,double damage while zoomed,1 dollar per round.
-Remington700_swat smallest crosshairs,double damage while zoomed,1 dollar per round.
-Spas less bloomage while running/shooting with skill,3x clip size.
-Steyr_aug 3x clip size.
-Sword new sound fx,removed music from stealth kill.
-Thirty_eight smaller crosshairs,quick firing,less bloomage due to shooting/run w/skill.
-Uzi larger crosshairs,less bloomage due to shooting/running with skill increase,3x clip size.
*Stealth.
Sneaking is now harder and enemies will notice you much sooner unless you keep your skill at
a higher level. This can cause a problem in the tutorial when you need to be stealthy. Most
builds can pass it. Trance,Nightwisp Ravens,Hysteria or Obfuscate will get you by. If your
looking to actually sneak by,you'll need a stealth level of 4.
*History tweaks help to balance them with the new system. More info shows up in game. I wanted
to redue all the histories from the ground up but after playing with them for a few days I
never want see them again.
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Name Old New
-Blunt fangs -2bp -6 bp
-Perv +2bp,Subterfuge maximal 1 +4 bp,no penalties
-Slut +2bp,Raising Mental costs more +4 bp,no penalties
-Long foot Maximum Dex 1 Maximum Dex 2
-Low born -2bp,Raising Knowledge costs more +4,no penalties
-Chica +1 firearms firearms +2
-Deceptive strength Blood buff Duration 200% Blood buff Duration 400%
-Chupacabra Fortitude max 3 Fortitude max 4
-Doomseer Obfuscate 50% Obfuscate 75%
-Batshit Demetation lasts longer (didn't work) Dementation costs less
-Eldritch Prodigy Thaumurgy dmg 140% Thaumurgy dmg 180%
-Infernal Auspex 50% duration,Dominate max 3." Auspex 25% duration,Dominate 5
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*Disciplines.
Much stronger or more durable than before. Compensating for the fact that the new hp levels
of the npcs won't change the effectiveness of damage-oriented disciplines I've lengthened all
delay timers for offensive spells as stated below, also all damage spells are weaker...I
never liked the way you used to be able to cast Blood strike/Burrowing beatle like a machine
gun..now they seem more like disciplines. All damage has been removed from mental disciplines
and used to increase rate of success in there respective fields. Animations have been added
or cleaned up,some have been altered or taken out but most are unchanged example: most npcs
fully play out Blood Purge or Blood suckers communion now,Tzimisce Creation 1 no longer
effected by Mass Hallucination since the effect wasn't designed for something so tall which
caused the disk like partical normaly on the ground to be at chest or waist level. Most npcs
are immune to affects which they do not have animations for. Example Tzimisce Creations 1,2
and 3 are immune to Vision of death and suicide etc.). Even with all the down grading
Targeted disciplines are by far the most powerful. It's now obvious if the discipline has
worked or not so no need to keep damage floaters on.
Tweaked disciplines changes include the following.
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ANIMALISM Old/Bp/New Dam%/Duration Old/Range/New Old/Delay-timers/New
NightWisp Ravens 1 1 Na/4x 600/800 5.0 12
Burrowing Beetle 1 1 50%/Na 600/800 0.3 8.0
Spectral Wolf 2 2 Na/Na 600/600 4.5 45
Blood suckers communion 3 2 50%/Na 600/800 9.0 45
Pestilence 3 3 Na/2x 900/900 12 90
*Notes* The damage disciplines here are much stronger then the ones in Thamagurty. Nightwisp
works on boss types at reduced capacity. Spectral wolf works on nearly everyone
including boss types,good for delays and damage. Blood suckers communion more
efficient (cost less). Pestilence....removed damage (still causes death),doubled
incapacitate timers. This is the only discipline outside of Thaumagurty that's
self-sustaining.
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AUSPEX
New= 4 minutes plus 30 seconds per level,for a max of 360 seconds (6 minutes).
Old= 20 seconds plus 4 seconds per level,max 36 seconds.
*Notes* Much more useful for ranged combat and sneaking now,Obviously uses much less blood
over time.
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CELERITY
New= 90 seconds.
Old= 14 seconds
*Notes* Extremely useful in all those long fights.
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DEMENTATION Old/Bp/New Dam%/Duration Old/Range/New Old/Delay-timers/New
Hysteria 1 1 Na/4x 600/800 4.0 12
Mass Hallucination 2 1 Na/2x 220/440 4.0 6.0
Vision of Death 2 2 Na/Na 600/800 4.5 45
Berserk 3 2 Na/3x 600/800 10 60
Bedlam 4 3 Na/Na 900/900 12 90
*Notes* Hysteria works on most boss types. Mass Hallucination effect doubled (not timer).
Vision of Death (see Suicide) is the only mental discipline still doing damage to
bosses. Berserk (see Possession). Bedlam...matched effects as close to originals as
possible. Added disoriented animation (head shake) for all Dementation resisted
effects.
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DOMINATE Old/Bp/New Dam%/Duration Old/Range/New Old/Delay-timers/New
Trance 1 1 Na/4x 600/800 4.0 12
Brainwipe 2 1 Na/2x 250/500 5.5 6.0
Suicide 2 2 Na/Na 600/800 4.5 45
Possession 3 2 Na/3x 600/800 10 60
Mass Suicide 4 3 Na/Na 900/900 11 90
Notes* Trance works on most boss types. Brainwipe universal 10 second duration,works on
everyone except bosses. Suicide chance raised (10-15%) now equal with Mass Suicide,
removed damage,its all or nothing now. Possession...removed damage and outright kills,
combined and increased chance for possession accordingly (roughly 10%). Mass Suicide
follows same rules as Suicide. Added disoriented animation (head shake) for all
resisted Dominate attacks that didn't have animations.
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FORTITUDE
New= 180 seconds (3 minutes).
Old= 25 seconds
*Notes* Life saver.
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OBFUSCATE
New= 10 plus 5 seconds per level,max 30 seconds.
Old= 18 plus 2 seconds per level,max 26 seconds.
*NOTES* The most powerful discipline in my opinion. Get this one up as soon as possible,
being able to run basically doubles the timer. Useful during boss fights. 1x damage
per level.
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POTENCE
New= 180 seconds (3 minutes).
Old= 25 seconds
*Notes* Makes fights considerably shorter.
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PRESENCE
New= 90 seconds.
Old= 16 seconds
*Notes* Nothing's changed accept the duration,same as celerity.
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PROTEAN
New= 180 seconds (3 minutes).
Old= 25 seconds
*Notes* More dependable,less chance of shifting back in the middle of a fight.
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THAUMAGURTY Old/Bp/New Dam%/Duration Old/Range/New Old/Delay-timers/New
Blood Strike 1 1 10%/Na 700/1000 0.2 2.5
Blood Purge 2 2 10%/Na 180/180 6.0 16
Blood Shield 3 3 Na/Na Na/Na 12 12
Blood Salvo 3 1 10%/Na 500/800 1.2 4.0
Blood Boil 4 3 Na/Na 1100/1100 4.5 24
*Notes* Thaumaturgy now lives up to the hype and is very user friendly due to the reduced
blood cost,and lowest delay timers of any targeted discipline. Strike/Salvo travel
much faster,roughly 6 times faster and return to you regardless of your position,also
Salvo's radius is equal to its range. Designed to act as supplemental offensive
weapons,and primary means of feeding so don't expect it to save you from boss types.
Purge animation works on almost everyone now and is extremely useful. Blood shield
takes twice as much damage to negate. Added a slight delay animation (knock back) for
those that survive Blood Boil. Reduced damage (50-75%) to those that survive Blood
Boil,including those in the blast radius. No more damage floaters without animations
or effects.
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Key:
Dam%= Approximent strength as compared to orginal values.
Example= Blood purge is roughly 10% as strong as it used to be.
Delay-timers= amount of time you must wait after using discipline to use it again.
Bp= Blood points.
Na= Not applicable.
Duration= A multiple of the orginal number Example 2x is twice as long as the orginal.
Range= Indicates range or radius depends on the discipline,default is range.
Boss types= Any npc that has a health bar during a fight.
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*Misc.
3rd person camera movable with keypad.Improved xp table.The orginal 2.8 patch gave out 317 xp
by games end,this one gives out 451. That may sound like alot,but its not. This balances out
the reward to mission type,also somewhat needed with the higher difficulty. Hunger and damage
frenzy checks more common. Npc's blood pool values changed,standard is 14,prostitutes 8,bums
6. Without this you could just drain everyone much quicker then you could beat them. This way
the option's still there buy takes much longer,also stays true to what Jack tells you about
feeding off different humans in the tutorial.
*Bugs.
I haven't increased the hp of the 2 or 3 vamps you come across in the tutorial this is to
allow the cut scenes to play out correctly. Tin can bill and Hannah aren't dying when
scripted to.
*Tips.
Pick a fighting style (brawl,melee) and raise it early. Eventually get firearms up,some of
the latter fights are very difficult to impossible without them. Keep blood packs on you and
be ready for all boss fights. Make a permenant save before going on missions,save more often.
Ming is especially hard to beat. Obfuscate has a higher stealth attack and works on most
bosses now,use it. Celerity and guns work great together. Remember stealth is alot tougher
now for none obfuscated players.
*Installion: Frist you must download and install the unoffical patch 2.8,then add the vampires
folder (from this mod) to your vampire root directory,default
C:\Program Files\Activision\Vampire - Bloodlines,overwrite and that's it.
To skip the opening cutscenes,extract the file provided in the "Skip Opening Movies folder" to
your Vampire/Python/Theatre directory.
*Credits.
The camera control and opening scene bypass are both taken from the PnP mod. The experience
table is a modified version of the one that came with the unoffical patch 2.8 and inspired
by the experience mod,which I used as a template with reduced rewards. Sound files taken from
Narfs weapon tweak mod. XehutL for the stealth.txt file I used (saved me alot of trouble).
Last but not lest Dan and WeSp (whose name I couldn't find on the entire readme file and who
I had thought was one of the orginal coders because I kept seeing his name while tweaking :)
for a great patch.
All discipline work (including clean up of animations and effects) done by me..Pop,as well as
Npc overhauls,final product with reguards to weapon tweaks (not sound files) and experience
table and of course this read me.