Comments - psikoticsilver

Thought about it for a minute, I have made no changes to burning resistances so technically burning (incinerate) SHOULD work just as it does in vanilla 1.1.
To be fair, I've always thought Incinerate was vastly underpowered in comparison.

Thank you for the input!
I agree that two plasmids are slightly useless late game, that being Incinerate and Winter Blast. Electrobolt was vastly overpowered as it was (in my opinion), so I nerfed it quite substantially (it's roughly 50% less stun time). I Would consider reverting a slight amount of that, but the shock duration was hilariously long before.

So improving Incinerate is pretty straightforward, I can just add damage, in fact I've done just that. It had no damage aside from burning, however the increased resistances have put it in a worse situation than it was before. So I'll just increase that as I most definitely agree.

Winter blast though is a really tough cookie when it comes to balancing. What would I do with it? I guess I could increase the time and/or add damage to it? I would lean towards increasing time since the resistances make it feel like the splicers have much more health. What is your opinion?

Oh, and I will definitely fix those crashes, thanks for pointing them out!

After comparing the modded file very closely with the default files and trying multiple scenarios, including reverting back to these default settings for the first bot and replacing only one tile with an Alarm, I had an epiphany--this game is extremely scripted. It must not have an allowance for alarm bots at this point in the level (where could they come from, all the doors are jammed or locked?) and thus I have decided to remove all alarms from the first bot hack.

It's one of those things I hate to do but am forced to live with. It's not my fault--I've tested the original config.lbf with only one change, the single alarm tile addition, and it still crashed. I also don't recall a single crash on any other alarm) so it must be an innate issue with the game. So with a heavy heart, I'll concede this small change and instead add a few more overload tiles to make the puzzle similarly hard.

The new file is uploaded to the same site listed above, with a few other changes. You can read about them on page 8.

I plan to have version 7.3 uploaded sometime in February, but we'll see (I just started back to university for spring semester)

Systemshock.org

Here you can find the bug fix for the first bot crash. Download the hacking.ini file I attached to the main post. Put it in the folder:
***\BioShock\Content\System\

This file should also contain the fixes to a few other crashes in Fort Frolic and beyond, however I can't assure they are all fixed as I haven't encountered/tested them all :p

I THINK I've fixed the crash because I was able to replicate the bug, I made a change to my files, and now it's not happening. Would you be willing to test it?

Are you the same person who posted on www.systemshock.org??
If so I responded to you there, if not I am looking into it now :)

I'm having problems with "buy out" costs for hacking and I can't pin down the source of the bugs, which means I will have to start from scratch and re-do the entire mod. Since that will take forever and a day, I think I should leave them as is for now and just continue working on what I have now. Meanwhile, I advise people not to pay exorbitant fees to "buy out" a machine instead of hacking it. Unless that's what you really want to do, of course.

I really wish they had released an SDK. :(

Yes, I understand that. If you read the description you will see that this isn't a public release, rather a test version for myself.

I felt bad that I had not released anything for such a long time that I decided to release what I had. My own, non-formatted, private list of changes is included in the mod archive, however it will be hard for most people to rummage through it (many lines are commented out, the language is more technical, etc). You are free to read it if you like.

You can also check version 6.0 for a rough idea of what I attempt to do with my Bioshock mod.

I found the cause of the buy-out bug, but it means I'll probably have to revert the changes I made to the amount of hacking tiles for everything that isn't a turret/bot/camera.

Sigh :-/

Working on it right now, I'm trying to pin down a bug with the buy-out costs for hacking machines, I can't figure it out.

Won't give an ETA simply because it'll add a little pressure... but not long from now.

I have identified a bug in Fort Frolic: the first Ammo Bandito in Poseidon Plaza will cause an instant crash. I have isolated the bug, and it will be fixed in the upcoming 7.3 release.

Working on a 7.3 release.
This can be substituted for 7.2 on the fly, except some changes (mostly loot and vending) won't take effect until you visit a new level for the first time (this does not apply retroactively).

Stay tuned!

"I was curious, after installing your mod, I noticed there's "Hacking.ini" file, so I was wondering, is there a way I could tweak it so as to avoid having to reveal tiles during the minigame? That is, so that all tiles are already revealed at the start, istead of having to manually click on each one independently."

Yes you can, in fact I have done this very thing with my 7.x version of the mod.

This mod is NOT dead. I've just been busy with life and getting myself back into college (Bio degree). I've been working on it slowly and where I feel what I have accomplished with my beta of 7.1 is an improvement over 6.0, I do not feel like I will have time for an 8.0 release... as such I have decided to make this my last and it is taking longer.

I cannot give a difinitive date for the release of the final version, 7.2. I do have a rather solid package available if anyone is interested. If you cannot wait, by all means PLEASE drop me a line by email [b]psikoticsilver (at) hotmail (d0t) com[/b] and I will be more than happy to provide it to you. It's in very good shape, I've just grown to have very high standards for my work.

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Hello, I'm back after taking a long break from Bioshock 1. Sorry that it's been a while but everytime I make a new release I not only have to replay the game 2-3 times (sigh) but I also have to research, experiment and test all the new changes since much of the mod files are undocumented and quite a few are broken.

Now that sufficient time has passed, the thought of replaying Bioshock makes me giddy instead vomit :D. I have resumed my research into hacking and believe that I've got it all figured out. I'll start setting the last pieces into place and begin the endless data entry of retooling the hacking system.

Then I have to review the other changes I have made and test them all... then it's time for a replay.. which means, a new version is somewhere on the horizon.

Sorry I missed this, I will look into it. ^^

Cid-5d4e25dfcd57bef6.skydrive.live.com

Download the new 7.0 test package here!

Here's a test version of 7.0, enjoy guys.

Hacking isn't much different in this package, except for a few mild tweaks. I will probably release another version over the next month or two containing the hacking changes before I release the final version.

So I'm learning very much about the hacking system in Bioshock. To say I'm not making headway in terms of finishing my test version would be false. However this is all time consuming and tedious so you cannot expect it to be released for testing soon...

As I realize this is a huge letdown to those whom have been waiting patiently for a test version, I have a proposal: if you are interested in testing version 7 in it's beta state WITHOUT the new hacking system then please let me know and I will assemble the package. This makes sense in my head simply because whereas I really like the revised hacking system and find it more challenging (from what I've tested) it will not impact the gameplay itself, particularly if you're not interested in hacking that much.

Wrench Lurker 2 increases your surprise damage by 200% as opposed to the 150% from Wrench lurker 1. Combined that's 350% extra damage from jumping people, and if you add that to the damage from Wrench Jockey, I think it's priced just right. The issue then is really in how awesome the headshots % bonus is, which I will address in the next release. In addition there will be resistance increases for all splicers which will make them more challenging. :) If there are still problems with it after I make the Adjustments I'll definitely consider increasing the cost.

Right now I'm completely remaking the hacking system which is why I was sort of unmotivated. It's an intimidating task when I have no intimate knowledge of how the hacking is programmed and only what I picked up. Now that I think I've learned more about the hacking system (I've made the game crash 3-4 times by pushing the engine to it's limits XD) I'm more confident that I can remake it to require a little more skill and/or co-ordination than sheer twitch reaction. I've been toying with adding more accelerator tiles to counter the fact that I can't change the speeds of SlowFlo... and some resistor tiles for levels where you acquire SlowFlo 1 and 2 (for those who can't afford it right away). On levels where you acquire Safecracker or Security expert I'll be making hacking slightly faster for Security devices and Safes/Keypads as well as adding a few more alarms/overloads. All in all I'll be balancing hacking a little better and evening the progression to suit my mod.

Sorry guys there will be a delay in a test version. I've just been busy and honestly I've had motivational issues in continuing. I just need a little inspiration, which undoubtedly always comes.

Honestly I'm not sure if the Vending Expert tonic works for buyout, as far as I'm aware it does not.

I agree that instant hacks should not give health bonuses but if they didn't would you really buy Hacker's Delight? Also remember that once you research bots and turrets to their max level they are instant hacked... late game it would be a useless tonic.

I'll re-evaluate prices for the Bandito and Circus of Value vending machines for release 8.0. Right now I'm happy with what they are as they're still more expensive than they were, but I might want to look at them from a cost/damage point of view for subsequent releases... I am not sure, however, about increasing costs of ammo and such per deck. The point of it is that at the higher levels you need more ammo/health to survive and thus you need to buy more anyway. The increase in spending is compensated by the increase in cash drops from Big Daddies and splicers.

Anyway if you remember you asked about bolt increases and those price changes I made are still in effect for version 7. :)

(PS I was considering making the little sister whom you protect in the proving grounds drop a little Adam, maybe 20-40. I'm not sure though because it could simply be farmed. However for the honest people if they're not doing very well and they actually lose little sisters they could use the help.)

nah they take 5 slots.

Plasmid price changes so far for next patch:

- Increased price of Electro Bolt 3 to 420, from 400.
- Increased price of Incinerate 3 to 420, from 400.
- Reduced price of Extra Nutrition 1 to 120 ADAM, from 140.
- Fixed error in pricing table for Extra Nutrition 1 where it cost 100 instead of 120 in Fort Frolic.
- Reduced prices of the Winter Blast plasmids to 170-280-390 from 200-300-400 respectively.
- Reduced prices of the Insect Swarm plasmids to 170-280-390 from 200-300-400 respectively.
- Reduced the price of Eve Link 1 to 180, from 300.
- Reduced the price of Organic Pockets to 420, from 480.
- Fixed error in pricing table for both Decoy and Enrage plasmids, tabled values changed to 240, from 200.

Already changed EVE Link XD

So far I'm really liking the changes for patch 7, as the shock duration changes alone have really balanced Ionic Gel and made Electro Bolt slightly less overpowered than it was before. If you're interested in testing it let me know when you're ready for another run.

WOW, I had not encountered that, thank you. I will look into it ASAP. I do NOT know what exactly could have caused it as I have no way of influencing a PTTP machines but it's still possible that something in my mod has had an adverse effect... however it is also possible that that machine simply did not actually have that upgrade.

The thing about Napalm, Electic Gel, etc is that I can't really effect their availability in the environment... which is exactly why I do not have it drop as loot (except with napalm and flame turrets). As I said I'll look into possibly balancing the chem thrower soon. I just finished cataloging the shock times so I can more easily redo them, then it's onto other things. :)

I can make them spawn faster globally, not per level.

I will see what I can do about alcohol but as of right now in the loot tables it has the EXACT same drop percentage as the rest of the components so really it's just the luck of the draw. Maybe if I move it down on the list a little that might help, but I generally haven't encountered the same problem.

I'll check into the cryokinetic splicers after I revise the shock durations... they're really stupid and not even mildly consistent.

(PS) I think part of the reason your napalm is doing extra ridiculous damage is the human inferno tonic.

Well the ranged damage counts as generic piercing. All bullets are generic piercing except anti personnel or armor piercing (they have their own modifiers). Here is an example of the current damage sets for Medical Deck melee splicers in 7.0:

Resistance=(Type=STIMULUS_AIGenericPiercing, AmountModification=0.80, ChanceModification=1.0)
Resistance=(Type=STIMULUS_AIArmorPiercing, AmountModification=0.80, ChanceModification=1.0)
Resistance=(Type=STIMULUS_AIAntiPersonnel, AmountModification=4.80, ChanceModification=1.0)
Resistance=(Type=STIMULUS_AIBludgeoning, AmountModification=0.80, ChanceModification=1.0)
Resistance=(Type=STIMULUS_AIHeat, AmountModification=0.80, ChanceModification=1.0)
Resistance=(Type=STIMULUS_AICold, AmountModification=0.80, ChanceModification=1.0)
Resistance=(Type=STIMULUS_AIElectric, AmountModification=0.80, ChanceModification=1.0)
Resistance=(Type=STIMULUS_AIExplosive, AmountModification=0.80, ChanceModification=1.0)
Resistance=(Type=STIMULUS_AIFalling, AmountModification=1.0, ChanceModification=1.0)

In Bioshock 1.1 everything would be at 1.0 except anti personnel which would be set to 6.0. As you see I have reduced everything by 20% except falling damage (which means their resistance has INCREASED by 20%). So basically ranged damage has been reduced and I'm increasing wrench damage slightly to compensate. As generic piercing is included that means ranged damage is included as well. Also if you see my patch notes you see I'm gradually reverting my wrench damage to allow both forms of combat.

I post this simply to reassure you since you've been such a vocal supporter and I appreciate your help. Hope it helps to alleviate your doubts and that you understand I'm basically on the same page.

(PS) Upon more testing, if it's necessary I will further buff ranged damage exclusively versus melee foes.

Well I HAVE addressed the napalm damage, I've reduced the burning damage per second to 1, from 1.2. The problem is I don't want to really work on it until I get to that point where I receive the chemical thrower. The reason being is that I've buffed a lot of early-game guns and I've increased the damage resistance of a lot of the foes (Except those really hard ones late game). So I need to retest the whole dynamic of the game and if I find the chem thrower to be imbalanced still I'll adjust it.

if you really want to see what I'm up to, hit this link and you can read my latest changes :p

R0ychg.blu.livefilestore.com

btw hacked prices would be lower of course, as well sa vending expert so if people think it's too expensive there are ALWAYS ways around that.

That's why I love my mod, forces creativity :o

eeee I'm so excited this is turning out to be the best version yet

I've already reduced costs of All slots to 220 for patch 7, and Health+Eve upgrades to 200.

Insofar as crossbow ammo I have to admit that I haven't really balanced it properly for one reason: I do not like to use it. Yes I'm guilty for avoiding it like the plague. At their cheap costs of like 20 something dollars a pop I guess I should consider nerfing them a bit, say raised to 30 or 35.. I mean you find enough laying around anyway and they barely brake with the upgrade. Plus they're virtually 1 shot items so yes. I'll change the bolts to 30, trap bolts to 40, and superheated to 50. The real numbers might be different pending me actually testing them. I'll try to bite the bullet and actually use the crossbow this time around.

While we're on the topic, do you mind if I ask what sort of plasmids and weapons you've been favoring during your run of the mod and what are your opinions on them?

Sorry guys I'm working on version 7 in my spare time. For the time being just avoid buying cigarettes as they're bad for your health and I'll try to assemble a small patch for 6.0 for the time being.

I officially state that Health changes don't work and I'm sorry for any inconvenience or disappointment. HOWEVER I can increase their damage resistances to make foes harder, I've already tested and confirmed it so stay tuned :)