Re-release of starter pack

Well the starter pack came out in a rougher form than I intended in many ways, but then it also had a lot more maps in it than I first envisioned too. The thing was, it worked - in as much as you could start it up, stick a party in there, go to where the Guildmaster or Blacksmith or Bartender or whoever was meant to be, get the cordinates, find him in the protos, mob him in and write him a dialogue (or her). That was the idea, and it workewd for that, and thus we should soon have a few in action (Allyx has certanily got back to me about one).

BUT it was far from impressive (other than for Screeg's artwork) and I have decided to re-release it, since the Co8 4.0.0 release is now out in some form or other and includes some new spells and stuff that should be in KotB but are not in the files I have been using as the basis for KotB. It will mean a quick cut-n-paste update of description.mes, a slightly more complicated update of protos.tab, and some new files, but I may as well do it now as have to worry about it later.

So... I will be back on Sunday (6th?) and then have a few days off work not long after that recovering from a minor surgical on my shoulder - enough to stop me lifting kiddies for a few days but hopefully not enough to stop me modding (no reason to think it will be). Soooooo the current date for re-release is Sat 12th November. The re-release of the starter pack will include:

> Co8 4.0 compatability
> All maps fixed and working, some new ones, and the minimaps
> NPC followers such as Two Swords, Brother Fist and Robin Graves implemented
> The notice board in the Provisioner's shop going
> Updated protos.tab with all dlg numbers assigned and other improvements
> Some more reps
> Some quests
> Updated 'guide' thing incorporating many of Edwin's plot ideas (can't give them all away ;-))

I have been reading a lot of motivational and time management stuff while travelling (there are hordes of that sort of stuff all over Asia it seems and in some places much cheaper than they would cost back home) and I have already started using my time more effectively, modding on the road. So I am confident things will advance at a faster rate now.

For anyone working away on something to do with the mod, just keep at it, no need to stop and wait for the re-release. Stuff that goes in the protos.tab can be emailed to me, for instacne if you have made such-and-such a change to a particular character just mail me the protos.tab and tell me the line number and I will incorporate it. Obviously you don't have to worry about it til I get back though.

In the meantime, I am back in Penang, my Borneo adventures concluded. Want to do a nice long blog on it but my new fiancee seems to think I should be focusing on her, not my modding or this blog. Like she can talk ;-) When I do tell of our adventures though, I will have some nice pix hot off her digital cam to include (I got 6 rolls of film to develop but no working scanner atm). Engagement party tomorrow night, woohoooo!!!