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The new Sacred 2 CM patch - Now available for Ice & Blood


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Hi, I want to thanks everybody who contribute their efforts to create this wonderful mod. However, as being new to the mod and as a person who pay a huge attention on the aesthetic aspect, may I know whether or not the adding contents follow the original aesthetic design of the game. To be honest, when installing a mod, I tend to consider it as a patch for the game rather than a mod, so I prefer contents that follow the original design philosophy of the game over which go beyond the initial scope. Furthermore, is there any chance to create an option to choose what to install from the patch in the future. Sincerely 

PS: forgive for my poor writing skills and if you do not understand any part of writing, freely to ask

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14 hours ago, Flix said:

99% of the CM Patch is bug fixes and restored content.  What I mean by "restored" is things that the game designers made and for some reason didn't finish.  In many cases very little was required to "finish" the feature and add it to the game.  In some cases, CM Patch developers had to invent, but great care was always taken to make things "fit" the existing game design of Sacred 2.

The other 1% of changes are more like Easter Eggs.  These are mostly items that make a reference to other franchises, like Star Wars.  Sacred 2 was already full of these kinds of things, so adding a Darth Vader helmet or a Buffy the Vampire Slayer scythe isn't against the original game design.

If a new item is powerful, it is made rare and difficult to get.  Balance is always kept in mind.

There are really no aesthetic changes to speak of, except for the interface.  The interface in the CM Patch uses a modified Fallen Angel skin, instead of the Ice and Blood skin.  The CM Patch developers were always willing to change it back if no one liked it, but no one ever complained, because it looks so much better.

I don't mean to whinge but I really wish there was a "bugfix only" version of the patch. I disabled the new UI by unzipping skin.zip. Quite frankly it looks terrible, especially the console during loading (who thought red text on red background was a good idea?). But the main problem is it is too transparent, making the text even more difficult to read than it already was. I have the same complaint about this forum skin, but thankfully I know how to fix that with some custom CSS.

If I could I would install a version of the patch without all the new items and so forth. Just vanilla with bugfixes and "unlocked" content like the Christmas island. If I haven't complained before it's because I don't want to criticise a free community patch that someone obviously put a lot of love and effort into. It really feels bad to come to a small community like this and start bashing people's labour of love. But if I'm honest there's a lot about the patch that I don't like. I will probably uninstall it for my next playthrough and just try to remember not to go in the artamark crypt.

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1 hour ago, BrainMuncher said:

If I could I would install a version of the patch without all the new items and so forth. It really feels bad to come to a small community like this and start bashing people's labour of love. But if I'm honest there's a lot about the patch that I don't like.

What's the "so forth"?  Now's a good chance to elaborate, as I'm working on the next version of the patch.  

I've already decided to change the font and graphics in the loading screen.  The interface is still up for discussion.  The "Black Glass" mod wasn't even originally part of the CM Patch, it was just incorporated later on.  Making it opaque is no trouble.

That just leaves a small number of unique items, doesn't it?  What else is hanging you up?  BTW this is the first patch release that I've been in charge of so I'm willing to listen to anything.

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1 hour ago, Flix said:

What's the "so forth"?  Now's a good chance to elaborate, as I'm working on the next version of the patch.  

I've already decided to change the font and graphics in the loading screen.  The interface is still up for discussion.  The "Black Glass" mod wasn't even originally part of the CM Patch, it was just incorporated later on.  Making it opaque is no trouble.

That just leaves a small number of unique items, doesn't it?  What else is hanging you up?  BTW this is the first patch release that I've been in charge of so I'm willing to listen to anything.

Well, basically everything. Call me a purist, but my preference would be the vanilla game with bugfixes. Vanilla UI, no new items, lightsabers rare like they should be, etc.

As an example, I've played a Dryad up to around level 130 now, who has had high Enhanced Perception the whole way, but I've yet to find a single piece from the Glyphs of Torment set. The only vanilla set I've found a complete set of so far is Tendrils of Time, which is only three items. Meanwhile, the CP sets have been dropping like candy. I keep one of each class set item in the stash, and the Wild Cat items are always on level. I'm usually finding multiple copies of the same level item and selling them off. Same goes for the all-class CP sets like Crypt Raider's Artifacts, multiple duplicates dropping consistently. My one and only Meho's Chestguard that ever dropped is level 65. Never found a Girth of Flame.

It's also more than just a small number of unique items. To quote the wiki:
"CM 1.50 integrated a large modding project called the Community Items Mod, in which many community members contributed ideas and designs for new items of all kinds."
I appreciate all the work that must have gone into that, and I understand a lot of people love that sort of thing, but I'd prefer to play without it.

Quote

I've already decided to change the font and graphics in the loading screen.

In my mind there's nothing wrong with the original. So this is the sort of thing I don't like. Arbitrary changes to things that weren't broken.

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46 minutes ago, BrainMuncher said:

As an example, I've played a Dryad up to around level 130 now, who has had high Enhanced Perception the whole way, but I've yet to find a single piece from the Glyphs of Torment set. The only vanilla set I've found a complete set of so far is Tendrils of Time, which is only three items. Meanwhile, the CP sets have been dropping like candy. I keep one of each class set item in the stash, and the Wild Cat items are always on level. I'm usually finding multiple copies of the same level item and selling them off. Same goes for the all-class CP sets like Crypt Raider's Artifacts, multiple duplicates dropping consistently. My one and only Meho's Chestguard that ever dropped is level 65. Never found a Girth of Flame.

The thing is, the mini-sets like Meho's or Glyphs of Torment are on different drop lists than the aspect sets (vanilla settings, unchanged).  You're imagining that Wildcat pieces are dropping in place of those sets, but that's not the case.  Primarily only bosses drop the mini-sets, that's just the way they made the game.  If I deleted the Wildcat, you wouldn't be getting more pieces from Meho's or Glyphs of Torment. They would be just as rare for you. You'd probably be getting extra pieces from the Aspect sets, but then those already drop like candy anyways, which is why I added the Wildcat and other new sets to those drop lists.

 

46 minutes ago, BrainMuncher said:

It's also more than just a small number of unique items. To quote the wiki:
"CM 1.50 integrated a large modding project called the Community Items Mod, in which many community members contributed ideas and designs for new items of all kinds."
I appreciate all the work that must have gone into that, and I understand a lot of people love that sort of thing, but I'd prefer to play without it.

About half of that was bugfixes and unlocked items made by Ascaron.  I don't mean to run down the original developers, but they dropped the ball multiple times.  A gigantic amount of content that they designed and shipped with the game was never added, for no other reason than someone obviously wasn't doing their job. If you're looking at a new item, and you think "those stats are unbalanced, I don't want that item in the game" that I can understand, but if you would never know that something wasn't originally part of the game except for the fact that you read it somewhere, I don't know what to say to that.

 

46 minutes ago, BrainMuncher said:

In my mind there's nothing wrong with the original. So this is the sort of thing I don't like. Arbitrary changes to things that weren't broken.

I meant, I've already decided to change it back.  I'm with you on that.  Just to reiterate, I am not responsible for any previous editions of the CM Patch, only the forthcoming one.  I know how you feel.  I see "Enhanced Edition" mods recommended to new players all the time, that radically change the face of the game, and I've always hated that.  People need to know what the base game is like before they can decide that something should be changed.  I can't justify every scrap of changed code in the CM Patch, and I can't say it's purist-proof.  It's not.  But ditching the CM Patch is like demolishing a house because there's a dead cockroach in the kitchen corner.  There's just too much valuable fixes that would be lost.

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Well, while I do love the CM Patch in its entirety the way it is, I can see and understand BrainMunchers POV as well.

the CM Patch comes with an installer, would it not be possible to simply add categories to said installer where the user can decide wether to install the patch in full (ie everything the devs put in) or only the parts they want by categories like this: Bugfixes; (Un)Locked Content; User Interface; Extras

just an idea I had when I read the discussion here, it would make for a good compromise.

 

as for those BGs Flix, can those be made Class-specific?

I mean Seraphim (Royal Blue), High Elf (Royal Purple), Dryad (Dark Green), Dragonmage (Dark Red), Shadow Warrior (Steel Grey), Temple Guardian (Stone Brown), Inquisitor (Raven Black)

or perhaps Campaign specific: Light (Blue, Royal or Navy) and Dark (Black, Raven or Abyss)

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>"the CM Patch comes with an installer, would it not be possible to simply add categories to said installer where the user can decide wether to install the patch in full (ie everything the devs put in) or only the parts they want by categories like this: Bugfixes; (Un)Locked Content; User Interface; Extras"

It's possible, but well, I can't do that.  I don't have the programming knowledge.  Even if I could, there's a big problem in that dozens of other mods are built using the CM Patch as a base.  All of those mods would then need to have multiple versions created, one for each of the various permutations of the CM Patch, or else they would lose their compatibility.

Everything related to Sacred 2 modding relies on the CM Patch being a stable, unified foundation.

 

>"as for those BGs Flix, can those be made Class-specific?"

That is truly impossible, sorry.  There's just one interface for the game.

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1 hour ago, Flix said:

Ok here's the CM interface with opaque black background.  I think it's much easier to read the text now.  Things look really crisp.  

<snip>

Is it too black?  Should I try another color?  Did anyone actually like that hideous blue background from Fallen Angel?

EDIT:

Ok I'm sorry, but really?  Someone's complaining about wanting the old interface back?  It looks even worse!  It's just as transparent, plus it's blue.  It's nigh-impossible to read jack.

<snip>

I can't appease everyone, so I won't try.  Play the patch or don't.

I'm with you on the UI, I recall modifying the font the game used in order to make things legible enough to read easily, this is much better.

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51 minutes ago, Flix said:

It's possible, but well, I can't do that.  I don't have the programming knowledge.  Even if I could, there's a big problem in that dozens of other mods are built using the CM Patch as a base.  All of those mods would then need to have multiple versions created, one for each of the various permutations of the CM Patch, or else they would lose their compatibility.

Everything related to Sacred 2 modding relies on the CM Patch being a stable, unified foundation.

ahh crap, forgot the dependencies. Thanks for clarifying Flix

as for the BGs... well if it can't be done for technical reasons like you mentioned, then it can't be done. Still, what your pics show is a LOT better than the original. Easier on the eyes as well

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6 hours ago, Flix said:

Ok here's the CM interface with opaque black background.  I think it's much easier to read the text now.  Things look really crisp.  

oJpcPF1t.jpg   NZ7it2bt.jpg   1LGyyYxt.jpg   IHPMGrzt.jpg   57Cy9Wpt.jpg   B7VuoAMt.jpg   EGsYASFt.jpg   eJpS5oXt.jpg   kqaqWgYt.jpg

Is it too black?  Should I try another color?  Did anyone actually like that hideous blue background from Fallen Angel?

 

EDIT:

Ok I'm sorry, but really?  Someone's complaining about wanting the old interface back?  It looks even worse!  It's just as transparent, plus it's blue.  It's nigh-impossible to read jack.

sacred2hud1024x768.jpg

 

I can't appease everyone, so I won't try.  Play the patch or don't.

^ Thats how bad the current CP version looks to me. Vanilla for me looks much more opaque than that. Don't ask me why, I don't have any other mods or tweaks. But that was my major complaint, the readability. As far as I'm concerned, the more opaque, the better.

mN5YJ6M.jpg

Edited by BrainMuncher
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On 9/17/2017 at 2:08 AM, BrainMuncher said:

As a side note the forum looks good with an opaque mod too

RwqeBXl.png
flvJdBs.png

I don't see what's changed about the forum with an "opaque mod."  It looks exactly like it does for everyone else to me in that picture.

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On 9/15/2017 at 11:19 AM, kevinlocust said:

Hi, I want to thanks everybody who contribute their efforts to create this wonderful mod. However, as being new to the mod and as a person who pay a huge attention on the aesthetic aspect, may I know whether or not the adding contents follow the original aesthetic design of the game. To be honest, when installing a mod, I tend to consider it as a patch for the game rather than a mod, so I prefer contents that follow the original design philosophy of the game over which go beyond the initial scope. Furthermore, is there any chance to create an option to choose what to install from the patch in the future. Sincerely 

PS: forgive for my poor writing skills and if you do not understand any part of writing, freely to ask

I'm just here to offer a friendly welcome as well as the good info you've been offered by members

Happy to see you here in these bustling times

Welcome to DarkMatters!!

:bounce:

 

gogo

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Thank you very much for your effort :) I am played many games but never liked so much I love Sacred. Some of the point of sacred group pendent, addicted your excellent  works. When I a bit cranky my husband says go kill some goblins :blush:  

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It's been a long time!! Email has been telling me to come check things out so here I am. Love the new site guys! I loved having the ice and blood gui, text and start screen badge. It's really easy to do, just make a copy of them before installing the CM patch. Anything new going on with the patch these days beside the diablo stuff?

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9 hours ago, Saraphima said:

It's been a long time!! Email has been telling me to come check things out so here I am. Love the new site guys! I loved having the ice and blood gui, text and start screen badge. It's really easy to do, just make a copy of them before installing the CM patch. Anything new going on with the patch these days beside the diablo stuff?

Hi Saraphima!  I remember seeing your posts in the old days when I didn't actually have an account and I just browsed the site looking at stuff.  Those were the days..........................that I hated...

I, personally, love the new CM patch changes.  I think I'll change the new GUI back to a transparent version, though... I just really like the way that looks, y'know?  But that's okay cause everyone has different opinions.

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22 hours ago, NuketTunaKeles said:

Thank you very much for your effort :) I am played many games but never liked so much I love Sacred. Some of the point of sacred group pendent, addicted your excellent  works. When I a bit cranky my husband says go kill some goblins :blush:  

We're happy to see you back on the boards, Nuket! Thanks for making your way back home to DarkMatters for a fix of delicious goblin killing!

:dance:

 

gogo

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On 2017-09-15 at 7:07 PM, Flix said:

99% of the CM Patch is bug fixes and restored content.  What I mean by "restored" is things that the game designers made and for some reason didn't finish.  In many cases very little was required to "finish" the feature and add it to the game.  In some cases, CM Patch developers had to invent, but great care was always taken to make things "fit" the existing game design of Sacred 2.

The other 1% of changes are more like Easter Eggs.  These are mostly items that make a reference to other franchises, like Star Wars.  Sacred 2 was already full of these kinds of things, so adding a Darth Vader helmet or a Buffy the Vampire Slayer scythe isn't against the original game design.

If a new item is powerful, it is made rare and difficult to get.  Balance is always kept in mind.

There are really no aesthetic changes to speak of, except for the interface.  The interface in the CM Patch uses a modified Fallen Angel skin, instead of the Ice and Blood skin.  The CM Patch developers were always willing to change it back if no one liked it, but no one ever complained, because it looks so much better.

Youv've elaborated upon and headlined the features and true spirit of the CMPatch well here.  The Patch didnt create a wildly new game, or anything different from the devs' intent.  The spirit and original true look of the game has been preserved with the single, as you note, update to interface which I believe most users have commented on enjoying.

I how this could have gone Frankenstein and become a truly different game, but the patch finally repaired so much in Sacred that was broken and for years many were complaining about incessantly on all the game boards.

The patch as well was made with many members from all of the world's sites writing up the item descripti0ons and quests, giving direction and input.  It's making was such a wonderful community experience for eveyrone involved and I loved reading how it slowly came into being .

True Sacred fans helped it come together and become the masterpiece it is

 

:gogo:

gogo

 

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