[b41-1.0.5] Talent Point Planner

[Crim, The Red Thunder]

You might consider salvaging the log next time it happens, found in the main T-engine game folder, but only until the next time the game is opened. Simply copy the file Te4log.txt, and paste it somewhere else, before starting the t-engine again. However, as to whether or not that contains relevant info to the issue at hand, I wouldn't know, not being a coder. The former issue sounds more like an extension of the memory-leak issue several people have reported, but again, don't take my word for it, I'm not code-savvy.

Haven't even heard of the latter.

[Zizzo]

The first issue is that the game slows down, dramatically. It starts small...there is a small lag when resting when you have a large amount of health or equilibrium/mana/what-have-you to regenerate, that sort of thing. But eventually, if I leave it alone the game will continue to slow. Soon character movement and actions take 10-15 seconds per turn, even when only my character (no npcs or monsters) are visible on the screen. This is especially noticeable when trying to move large distances or using the auto-explore feature. Finally it gets to the point where inputs have a 30 second to 1 minute lag, and at this point, not only is the game unplayable, but the escape menu is usually not reachable (I press escape, nothing happens). At this point, it's no longer possible to save and I must ctl-alt-del and force close the application.

Urk... that's starting to sound like a memory leak, and I have no idea at all how to track one of those down in Lua. I can well imagine that causing both of the problems you describe.

My computer is a beast of a machine, so I don't think it's an issue of not enough RAM (8 gigs) or something like that.

Doesn't necessarily mean anything. I remember back around b41 or so, I tried using an addon that was supposed to fix some issues with traps at the time, and I couldn't even get my Dwarf out of Reknor with that addon installed before it had filled up all 8GB of my laptop's memory and was acting a lot like you describe.

I'll take another look at the code and see if I'm missing anything. In the meantime, all I can think of to suggest, in addition to Crim's suggestion to grab the log file, is:

• A memory monitor status widget of some sort, depending on what you're running. Most Linux desktop environments will have a panel applet like that, but I'm guessing you're running Windows, and I don't know what it's got. That would give us some idea of whether it's a memory leak, and in the short term it might give you a better idea of when you need to bail before stuff starts slowing down.
• You said you're only using the Items Vault and Stone Warden addons; If you're not playing a Stone Warden character, you might try deactivating that addon. Possibly overcautious on my part, but it does overload stuff in data/, and I've seen that cause addon conflicts.

[Crim, The Red Thunder]

The windows task manager lists the memory usage of individual processes if you bring it up in Windows XP (Via the Ctrl-Alt-Del shortcut, usually.), though how this would be done on other computers I'm not sure. As for which part of it's information you would need, I also don't know. Not a computer expert am I.

[UbAh]

I rather hope my requests didn't prompt the addition of a bug. All I can say to this is that I have not had this problem playing on linux yet.

[DragonDai]

I unlocked Anti-Magic and Fungus on a character today, but only Fungus showed up on list of options to have the talent point planner add in for you (like sandworm's heart and the like). Is it possible to get the mod to allow for planning Anti-Magic and I just did something wrong? If not, any chance we could get this added in for a future release? Pretty Please with a big cherry on top?

EDIT: Somehow I didn't see you're reply to my post. So I'll add in my remarks here. It seems that while both issues I described only started happening after using your mod (which I still use anyway, btw, cause it's bloody amazing and I love you for making it), neither seems directly linked to your mod. If I turn off your mod manually, I still have the issues. So I think it's just a memory leak thing in general. Possibly caused by your mod, but also, possibly not. So if you find anything and can make your mod better, great, I appreciate it. But don't stress yourself out about it on my behalf. It isn't like either problem is causing the game to be unplayable anyways, and I am just really thankful to have a mod like this. It really kills me when I can't plan stuff in advance.

Again, thanks for the awesome awesome mod!

[Zizzo]

I unlocked Anti-Magic and Fungus on a character today, but only Fungus showed up on list of options to have the talent point planner add in for you (like sandworm's heart and the like). Is it possible to get the mod to allow for planning Anti-Magic and I just did something wrong? If not, any chance we could get this added in for a future release? Pretty Please with a big cherry on top?

[checks code] [sound F/X: forehead repeatedly striking desk] Get v9a, which I just pushed out; it should show up then. We Apologize for the Inconvenience.(TM)

EDIT: Somehow I didn't see you're reply to my post. So I'll add in my remarks here. It seems that while both issues I described only started happening after using your mod (which I still use anyway, btw, cause it's bloody amazing and I love you for making it), neither seems directly linked to your mod. If I turn off your mod manually, I still have the issues. So I think it's just a memory leak thing in general. Possibly caused by your mod, but also, possibly not. So if you find anything and can make your mod better, great, I appreciate it. But don't stress yourself out about it on my behalf. It isn't like either problem is causing the game to be unplayable anyways, and I am just really thankful to have a mod like this. It really kills me when I can't plan stuff in advance.

I'm hoping it's all just a side effect of the general addon problems that are reportedly fixed in the next version.

[DragonDai]

Wow...you are fantastic! Thank you so much for the quick response. And no need for that face, I just appriciate that you were kind enough to make and update this mod for free so that people like me can use it. So Thank you again!

[Zizzo]

And no need for that face, I just appriciate that you were kind enough to make and update this mod for free so that people like me can use it.

Well, it's just that it was a particularly stupid bug...

Any-way, pushing out v9b, to migrate to v1.0.1.

[Zizzo]

Pushing out v9c, with a small bugfix in applying the Zigur quest reward to characters that already start with the corresponding talent tree (to wit: Oozemancers).

[Zizzo]

And migrating to v1.0.3.

[Zizzo]

And migrating again to v1.0.4.

[Zizzo]

Pushing out v9f, with the following changes:

• I've extended the coverage of store-bought combat training to cover staff combat and mindstar training. As before, once you've asked about training in the corresponding stores, the addon will know you've seen those sources and allow you to include them in your plan. [Also as before, the preceding won't work if you've already visited the associated towns in your current game, as it's too late for the addon to wedge in its questionable hackery; We Apologize for the Inconvenience.(TM)]
• With these new talent sources, the list of available sources you can include in your plan is now long enough to require scrolling, so I've done some minor surgery to the dialog.

These changes will be merged into ZOmnibus once Go to Landmark has settled down a bit, as I plan to cover both at the same time. That also gives me a little extra time to make sure those dialog changes don't break anything...

[edit 2013-09-07 11:59pm] And pursuant to DarkGod's subtle hint, I've added technical info to the original post.

[Delmuir]

So I've been playing around with the Arcanum add-on and I generally like it however I'd like to make a comment about the elementalist.

I love the idea of an elemental specialist but the generic tree doesn't really follow that mold. Why not try something that allows for greater elemental specialization such as increasing resistance cap, adding resistances, elemental damage, dump elemental shield in there, or a passive skill?

My reasoning is that the Archmage plays a bit like a tank/sniper combo and if you eliminate the Aegis tree and replace it with a specialized tree then it changes the dynamic of play so that it isn't just an Archmage variant but is a stand alone mage. More so, I like the idea of passive skills that improve affinity with the elements but still leaves the character open to blight, poison, darkness, etc. Thus the elementalist can be a bit overpowered against the elements but lacking the Aegis tree dominance against everything else.

I'm not sure that my ideas for skills are any good but I'd love to dump the Aegis tree in favor of elemental specialization. Not sure if that's something you're interested in doing...

All in all though, it's a solid add-on.

[Zizzo]

Migrating to v1.0.5. The new Chat:load hook has allowed me to simplify the disgusting hackery I was using to hook into the chats of the various stores that you can buy talents from; I think I've got it working, but let me know if it breaks.

[Zizzo]

And speaking of chats breaking, pushing out v9h, now compatible with the Arcanum Class Pack addon.