Utraean Seizure of hopless Mapping

Because as I assume, the bug responsible for this matter should be fixed now though in Beta 2b, but it may be that this bug left some data in the savegame, repeating this bug over and over again, ignoring the correct data from the map (the data are acutally the names of some textures).

If this speculation is alright, this bug should not reappear with a new party!(?)
And for 'former' parties I just uploaded another (retanked) Beta 2b. It doesn't change anything expect of two timings, giving a small chance that the new/correct textures will be applied and stored by map triggers some milliseconds before the invalid data from the former savegame will be used (and if used, they should be already updated). Well, this would premise some other things too how the game stores and handles texture exchanges, however let's hope...

Honestly I may be totally wrong with this assumption, but it would explain the dimension of this 'little' bug (just a typo error :() as I have experienced it.

@ KillerGremal.
Starting a new character I have had no more crashes with Diabolish 2B However I can not get to what appears to be the last room in the dungeon because there appears to be a missing room just past the doorway in the screen shot.

Question

I decided to do a bit more exploring on the various dungeon levels and have discovered two switches/levers and have activated both. After activation each I went back to the doorway in screen shot above and there was still no floor. Now here is the question... Are there more levers and if I find them will that allow me to pass through the doorway in the screen shot?

@bare_elf: Thanks for your feedback!

 
There is now Beta 2c online fixing this 'little' matter in Dungeon 3 with the next room not fading correctly (...and hopefully that's the last and only bug of this type).

@KillerGremal,
I like testing things so feedback in a natural outgrowth of that. Thank You for the 2c update, I will give it a try just as soon as I can.

There is now Beta 5 g of the Level Adjustment mod online.

Mainly it fix the incompatibility of Beta 5f and the 'Rune of Sacrifice' power from the addon.
 

The content pack got a little update, from Alpha 10t to 10u.

Updates:

• Besides of their function as incantation shrines, respawn statues can also help you now to get back your corpse when you died before. They actually consume a little less gold than Necromancers do, however you must be able to reach a respawn statue first. In this context note maybe, respawn statues are not the places where you respawn after you died (compared to other games possibly).
• Self-destroying powder kegs revised. Now a flaming effect will shop up each time the barrel becomes more instable, and the 3rd time it will explode (with a delay of ~2 seconds) even without external damage impacts.
• Mana and health fountains (not to mix with mana- or health shrines) have now a larger use/drop range (as work-around to prevent that potions drop onto unreachable spots).
• Requirements of some custom items revised, in particular items with higher levels may have now specific skill requirements.
• Work-around to lower the probability that enchantable scrolls will drop (since irritating/useless).
• The AI of party members can now handle some better the alignment switch of fleeing town chicken.
• Mages of the Utraean Militia will cast their spells some slower now (mainly to keep the durations of effects and animations better in sync).
• Minor component updates and code tunings.
• Conflicting test files removed.

The Update

Should I add the content update as well as the level update to Legends?

I've just uploaded two updates.

The update of the Level Adjustment mod is rather technical - mainly not that the announced features/properties are adopted before the mod can't handle them really.

Also the update of the Content Pack is quite technical, maybe players afraid of rats will appreciate it a bit more.
In this context perhaps, I wasn't able to find out how a Phrak can get into a barrel. Theoretically it's possible though that it has been added into a barrel with the SiegeEditor, but at least for Ehb and Utrae that's not the case.
 

Hello i have a one question. How can we get in this door http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m240/Martinit760/0003_zpsc758ae18.jpg
When i try open this door it write me: This door is magicaly sealed"
It is in Dungeon level 3 i can´t get here http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m240/Martinit760/0002_zps1b0dc972.jpg
Ther no any other way i explore everything only that 2 doors who write me: "magicaly sealed"

@Legosp: Which map is this? Diabloish!?
So if this matter is still pending, could pleace you open your inventory and Ctrl+Alt+LeftClick on a health potion to tell me the region and the node (the part with 0x...).

There's the new content pack Alpha 10x with a few updates, concretely a suiciding Proxo (proxo_ds1 / proxo_ds1_stats), an improvment (hopefully) for situations where a Barkeeper or a Blacksmith from DS1 is needed. And you may also find now a 'Book of Proficiency' - with a lot of luck.

While this book may be of much more interest to players, I rather want to post some notes about Edgaar as member of the 'DS1 Barkeeper/Blacksmith family' - anyhow they can be pooled simply because models and animations can be used crosswise, so generally the Barkeeper's model could execute the Blacksmith's job/animation and vice-versa.

It has been reported that Edgaar would sometimes stand in his bed (most probably because an animation gizmo wants to start although Edgaar isn't loaded yet) which would be a situation to create a sit-only template for Edgaar (so he can sit but nothing else).
That's a common way actually in DS2, the following notes however are about how to turn the 'npc_barkeeper_ds1' template into an Edgaar as needed.
Besides of a template most probably only used once, main benefit of this approach is that such a (quest) actor would be able to perform more than action/animation. So must this Edgaar ever stand to do some blacksmith-work, he could do it.

 
So let's assume we just have put the template 'npc_barkeeper_ds1' on a map in the SE2, and now it should be transformed into Edgaar, then the follow components had to tuned (besides of [conversation] and actor's icon perhaps):

   [common]
   {
      screen_name = "Edgaar";
      [instance_triggers]
      {
         [*]
         {
            action* = launch_flick("npc_fidget_custom?anim=sit1",0);
           b can_self_destruct = true;
            condition* = receive_world_message("we_entered_world",0,"on_every_message");
           f delay = 0.000000;
           b flip_flop = false;
           b multi_player = true;
           b no_save_trig_bits = true;
           b no_trig_bits = false;
            occupants_group = ;
           f reset_duration = 0.000000;
           b single_player = true;
           b single_shot = false;
           b start_active = true;
         }
      }
   }
   [indicate_emitter]
   {
      initially_active = true;
      initial_texture = 1;
   }
   [mind]
   {
      jat_talk = world\ai\jobs\common\job_talk_animated.skrit
           ?talk_anim=edg1
           &anim_on_sit=true
           &face_target=false;
   }
   [texture_switch_on_event]
   {
      aspect_model = "b_c_gbn_bk-05";
   }

 
Now Edgaar must be animated. By intention 'npc_barkeeper_ds1' specializes 'base_npc_bk_bs_ds1'
which supports all known animations for that model (there are actually 3 compatible ones).
With official means a flick to make him talking and gesticulating during his conversation would
probably look like this (using his 'edg1' animation):

   [npc_edgaar_talk]
   {
      role (actor) speaker, listener;

      Event talked;

      thread main
      {
        speaker:
         Capture;
         ClearCue talked;

         branch talking { Animate edg1, until talked; }

         StartConversation conversation_NAME, wait;
         Cue talked;

         Release;
      }
   }

   [mind]
   {
      jat_talk = world\ai\jobs\common\job_talk.skrit?face_target=false;
   }

 
Looking at the DS1, Edgaar also has a 'edg2' animation. It's like 'edg1', however not
moving his arms around. This animation could serve as alternate talking animation,
but let's assume once it was intended to run after his (initial) conversation to express
that he is concerned by anything.
A real necessity is not evident to use this animation, however if intended I suggest one of
these two custom approaches to tell the fidgeting routine to run another animation when the
conversation is over:

In Edgaar's talk flick (after 'StartConvwrsation' command):

   SetRoleGobitWord( speaker, "fidget_chore", "misc" );
   SetRoleGobitWord( speaker, "fidget_anim", "edg2" );
   StartFidgeting;

As instance or template trigger:

   [*]
   {
      action* = launch_flick("npc_fidget_custom?anim=edg2",0);
     b can_self_destruct = true;
      condition* = receive_world_message("we_req_talk_end",0,"on_every_message");
     f delay = 0.000000;
     b flip_flop = false;
     b multi_player = true;
     b no_save_trig_bits = true;
     b no_trig_bits = false;
      occupants_group = ;
     f reset_duration = 0.000000;
     b single_player = true;
     b single_shot = false;
     b start_active = true;
   }

 
So, that's basically all. Different ways available, and one hopefully will fit.
End of Edgaar's physiotherapy session.
 

@KillerGremal
Yes it is Diabloishi 8.02
First door: http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m240/Martinit760/JPG_zps914feaa5.jpg
2nd door: http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m240/Martinit760/GPJ_zps479169af.jpg

There should be a monster boss on the right side in this area (when you enter it, coming down the stairs/corridor).
You have too kill this boss in order to open a secret room with a lever for the door on the 2nd screen.
So check once if the boss still exists!?

 
Unfortunately this actor within this 'lever-door-chain' can represent a critical vulnerability (with the current properties he has) because if this boss would explode (and so far he actually could), the door to the secret room won't open... :o

There are two minor updates for the Level Adjustment mod and the Diabloish map.

On the Diabloish map some quest related triggers are safer now, I also added an elevator as work-around in order not to load all the dungeons under Tristram as long as you are still on the surface.

The chance evaluation for the custom respawning component has been fixed in the Level Adjustment mod.
And concerning all the work that may be caused tuning monster/container/generator/traps/... levels for each map region/area separately (as GPG did), I recently had the idea to add a list where the mod can look up what level to assign for that region. It looks like this:

[t:table,n:regional_level_adjustment]
{
	schema = level_adjustment_regional;	// DO NOT CHANGE!


	[*] {   region = "region01";     level =  "0-5" ;    adduct = 0.8;   }
	[*] {   region = "region02";     level =  "4-10";    adduct = 0.6;   }
	[*] {   region = "region03";     level =  "8-15";                    }
	[*] {   region = "region04";     level = "12-20";    adduct = 0.2;   }

}

EDIT:
If interested in this approach of level assignment, please re-download the Level Adjustment mod - I just retanked it with a minor parameter tuning affecting this feature.
I also have tried to set up an approximate table for Legends of Aranna when starting a new hero, although I have no idea if this are reasonable levels since I only enjoyed LoA in parts so far... :o

 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// REGIONAL MONSTER LEVELS FOR LoA DS2 - 3-JAN-2015, LAST UPDATE: 7-JAN-2015
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// TO BE SAVED IN: world/maps/map_expansion/info/level_adjustment_regional.gas
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

[t:table,n:regional_level_adjustment]
{
	schema = level_adjustment_regional;		// DO NOT CHANGE!

	//             REGION NAME     |     LEVEL RANGE     |     PLAYER LEVEL INFLUENCE
	[*] {   region = "a1_r1_town";             level =  "2-4" ;     adduct = 0.8;   }
	[*] {   region = "a1_r2_frozenlake";       level =  "3-5" ;     adduct = 0.8;   }
	[*] {   region = "a1_r3_canyon";           level =  "4-6" ;     adduct = 0.7;   }
	[*] {   region = "a1_r4_giantcave";        level =  "5-7" ;     adduct = 0.6;   }
	[*] {   region = "a1_r5_queencave";        level =  "6-8" ;     adduct = 0.5;   }
	[*] {   region = "a1_r6a_lostqueen";       level =  "7-9" ;     adduct = 0.5;   }
	[*] {   region = "a2_r0_storage";          level =  "8-10";     adduct = 0.5;   }
	[*] {   region = "a2_r0a_beach";           level =  "8-10";     adduct = 0.5;   }
	[*] {   region = "a2_r1_jungle";           level =  "9-11";     adduct = 0.4;   }
	[*] {   region = "a2_r2_seacave";          level =  "9-11";     adduct = 0.4;   }
	[*] {   region = "a2_r2a_cavelet";         level =  "9-11";     adduct = 0.3;   }
	[*] {   region = "a2_r3_bluffs";           level =  "9-12";     adduct = 0.4;   }
	[*] {   region = "a2_r4_cave";             level =  "9-12";     adduct = 0.4;   }
	[*] {   region = "a2_r5_hills";            level = "10-12";     adduct = 0.3;   }
	[*] {   region = "a2_r6_wizardcity";       level = "10-13";     adduct = 0.4;   }
	[*] {   region = "a3_r1_darkjungle";       level = "10-13";     adduct = 0.4;   }
	[*] {   region = "a3_r2_digsite";          level = "11-14";     adduct = 0.3;   }
	[*] {   region = "a3_r3_tunnels";          level = "11-15";     adduct = 0.4;   }
	[*] {   region = "a3_r3a_aglet";           level = "12-15";     adduct = 0.4;   }
	[*] {   region = "a4_r1_tradercamp";       level = "12-16";     adduct = 0.5;   }
	[*] {   region = "a4_r2_deathmountain";    level = "13-16";     adduct = 0.4;   }
	[*] {   region = "a4_r3_mountaininterior"; level = "14-16";     adduct = 0.3;   }
	[*] {   region = "a4_r3a_dungeon";         level = "14-17";     adduct = 0.4;   }
	[*] {   region = "a4_r4_lair";             level = "15-17";     adduct = 0.3;   }
	[*] {   region = "a5_r1_entrance";         level = "15-17";     adduct = 0.4;   }
	[*] {   region = "a5_r2_ziggurats";        level = "16-18";     adduct = 0.3;   }
	[*] {   region = "a5_r3_maze";             level = "16-19";     adduct = 0.4;   }
	[*] {   region = "a5_r4_cityhub";          level = "17-19";     adduct = 0.3;   }
	[*] {   region = "a5_r4b_cityjail";        level = "17-20";     adduct = 0.4;   }
	[*] {   region = "a6_r1_highlands";        level = "18-21";     adduct = 0.4;   }
	[*] {   region = "a6_r2_ravine";           level = "19-22";     adduct = 0.4;   }
	[*] {   region = "a6_r3_towertop";         level = "20-22";     adduct = 0.4;   }
	[*] {   region = "a6_r4_towerbottom";      level = "20-23";     adduct = 0.3;   }
	[*] {   region = "a6_r5_towercaves";       level = "21-23";     adduct = 0.3;   }
	[*] {   region = "a6_r6_towerexit";        level = "21-24";     adduct = 0.3;   }
	[*] {   region = "a7_r1_xotpass";          level = "22-24";     adduct = 0.3;   }
	[*] {   region = "a7_r1a_badlands";        level = "22-25";     adduct = 0.4;   }
	[*] {   region = "a7_r1b_cave1";           level = "23-26";     adduct = 0.4;   }
	[*] {   region = "a7_r1c_cave2";           level = "23-26";     adduct = 0.4;   }
	[*] {   region = "a7_r1d_cave3";           level = "23-26";     adduct = 0.4;   }
	[*] {   region = "a7_r2_cliffcity";        level = "24-27";     adduct = 0.4;   }
	[*] {   region = "a7_r3_cityinterior";     level = "25-28";     adduct = 0.5;   }
	[*] {   region = "a8_r1_ramparts";         level = "26-28";     adduct = 0.4;   }
	[*] {   region = "a8_r1b_secretcave";      level = "26-29";     adduct = 0.5;   }
	[*] {   region = "a8_r2_fortress";         level = "27-30";     adduct = 0.4;   }
	[*] {   region = "a8_r2b_fortress";        level = "28-31";     adduct = 0.4;   }
	[*] {   region = "a8_r3_tunnels";          level = "29-32";     adduct = 0.4;   }
	[*] {   region = "a9_r1_mesa";             level = "30-33";     adduct = 0.4;   }
	[*] {   region = "a9_r2_cave";             level = "31-34";     adduct = 0.4;   }
	[*] {   region = "a9_r2a_clockdungeon";    level = "32-35";     adduct = 0.4;   }
	[*] {   region = "a9_r3_clockroom";        level = "33-36";     adduct = 0.4;   }

}

As for being reasonable levels or not, I'm certain we'll get good feedback from our testers.

Also, even though returning to previous parts of the map isn't a large part of play in the Legendary Mod as it is in the GPG base game, returning to a previous town via the D.C.'s in KOE or UP or teleporters in LOA & Yesterhaven will reveal "Blue" and even "Green" monsters after a while, as wished for by RSimpkinuk57 to show that the hero is improving.

As you noted, it will also save a lot of modding time as there are many factors influencing defined levels for monsters, which is one reason GPG had so many duplicate templates for monsters with only minor changes to the monster's level.

The proof of concept of course will be actual testing of such a system by players themselves, so I will attempt to provide an update for the other maps as soon as possible.

One quick question though. You said so far it only extends to the monsters (though that's really all that's needed now as the rest will auto-level in the background so to speak) but is that instances only? Are monsters produced by generators also influenced by the regional_level_adjustment?

EDIT#
I'm not sure if the old version of 5n is still up or I'm not setting out the regional tables right but it doesn't seem to be working correctly. It is working but the adduct setting seems stuck on about 75%. For instance no matter what map I try with Sasha (level 39) the monsters are level 32, even with adduct set at 0.0 when I'd expect them to be around 2-5. With a new hero all the monsters are level 1 instead of 2-4 (tested in Yesterhaven where none of the monsters have been tinkered with to be at a set level unlike the start of KOE and UP).

Example 1:
Level range: 23-26
Random choice: 25
Player level : 30
With an 'adduct' of 0.4 the final monster level will be 27 (= 0.4 * (30-25) + 25 )

Example 2:
Level range: 23-26
Random choice: 25
Player level : 20
With an 'adduct' of 0.4 the final monster level will be 23 (= 0.4 * (20-25) + 25 )

What's the way it was intended so far, and a lower 'adduct' would be more in the sense of this approach probably (0.0 ignores completely player's level, while 1.0 will use player's level for the monster).
That's also the reason why you find a level 1 monster although a level range of 2-4 is specified - it's the 'adduct' of 0.8 causing it. Actually with a level range of 2-4 only an 'adduct' of 0.6 would be more/still appropriate, the maximum level would be 1.6 when you start a new hero - also a character with level 0 should be able to stand this.

Playing with the brand new MLA beta5n mod I notice a possible unintended feature.

Note the messages about what the ai is doing in the bottom left hand corner. Looks like a debug mode to me similar to Aranna Legacy when it initializes. In fact at first I thought I'd turned on some obscure debug setting in AL by mistake until I removed it and these messages were still there. It wasn't until I removed beta5n that it disappeared.

That's not the only weird thing. For some equally obscure reason, beta5n prevents the player from talking to Arisu in Elddim in the Utraean Peninsula. Talking and hiring Magentus works normally. It's definitely MLA beta5n at fault since as soon as I remove it, you can talk to and hire Arisu. However I'm totally mystified as why this would be since both actors are essentially identical, apart from the obvious difference in race, sex and skills. They are both the same base level (level 1) and have the same template layout.

There is now a Beta 5 o of the Level Adjustment mod (link above).

Unintentionally there were some test files in Beta 5 n causing mod conficts and bizzare screen reports.
Compared to former releases the state of the button on your tresor/stash will be saved now, by default a local/regional levelling table will be used if there is.

There is a rather unscheduled update of the Content Pack mod. It's recommended to download because I noticed a malfunction sometimes in the component to equip actors to hire.

It turned out that some magical bonuses need to be assigned to an actor to get them properly detected/analyzed, but this assigment went lost in the later/faster revision (could still need some tuning, as latent this component generally is).
However this matter should be fixed now with the Content Pack, Alpha 10 z (18.4mb, ReadMe).

KillerGremal - I attempted to download the new content pack and it appears to have a file size of 0 - You may wish to check the file and the link.

for me just now, by the right-click Save As method from the top of this thread. 18,873 KB (and the Readme 252 KB).

I did exactly that last night and got a download result of 0 KB - However doing the same thing tonight all worked just fine.

There now the version Beta 5p of the Level Adjustment mod (859kb, ReadMe).

Besides of a minor fix for the tresor button, main concern was to assign monster levels based on the monsters really placed on the map, and not according to player's average party level.
Although the average party level still serves as reference when you access the map the first time (as if the map was made exactly for your party), and it also has some influence with for low-levelled characters (with rapidly decreasing impact however).
So assumed once for example you avoid to gain any experience/levels then the monsters at the end of the gameplay will have a higher level nonetheless than the monsters you encounter at the beginning of the map.

Currently this new behaviour of the mod can't be re-configured a lot, backwards compatibility should be given though. Of course there is still much tuning potential left, several parameters could be exported to a re-configurable table. However for the time being I just skipped this, it's well possibile that some assumptions have to be completely revised again anyway.

--- EDIT:

Meanwhile there is a Beta 5q (ReadMe) available, making it a bit easier to achieve a higher level than the monsters have. Main updates however are:

• Monster levels will rise slower (resp. your average party level will be higher) after cleaning/'farming' all monsters in one and the same region several times.
• New monster types (never killed before) will rise your character's level a bit faster in comparison to the average monster level.
• Minor tuning for the 'mod lever' on the stash/tresor (better detection of map settings), in this relation please recheck the state the lever if it still matches your belongs.
• Map configuration: Option 'exp_share_global' set now to 50% by default to use half the level jut/lag from other maps (using this mod) on the current map too (details: world/maps/your_world/info/level_adjustment_config.gas).
• Map configuration: An 'adduct' value of -1 will perform the regional level assignment in a special manner, respecting the regional level table widely if the level difference is low, but more and more ignoring it if the level difference becomes too big (above ~20 levels).

 
Concerning the first point, a more 'area fixed level' over the time/fights would be possible actually (for example, similar to if someone on the official DS2 maps is going to a special place killing the monsters there over and over again to get a bigger level advance, then his own level would rise and the level of the monster would not).
But I guess most players doing this want to get higher level for (against) the monsters that follow later in the gameplay, and not really for these 'farmed' monsters. For exp+loot 'farming' reasons it's better anyway if the monsterlevel is as close to player's level as possible.

Hello there!

I've been following this mod for several years as it's progress, and it really, truly excites me. I want nothing more than to experience the Utraean Peninsula in the DS2 engine! Honestly, this mod has gotten me exceptionally excited. However, if I am honest about it, I have continually found the level-scaling feature to be disappointing at best, and crippling to my enjoyment at worst.

The scaling effect has been continually frustrating. It seems that the scaling actually favors the monsters, such that they will get more powerful faster than you do, meaning that you can never really make progress. Even then, even if the scaling formulas perfectly balanced with the player (extremely unlikely to ever be truly perfect), it would continue to be aggravating that one cannot actually get more powerful than the monsters of an area.

It seems to me that the only way to properly recreate the Utraean Peninsula is to have custom-defined monsters, as the original game (and DS II) did. The campaign is more than just a map, after all, but a carefully-designed, paced experience. I keep hoping that, at some point in the future, this feature will be added, and that the level-scaling system is just a temporary kludge to hold us over until the real deal can be completed. With the way you speak of the continually-updated scaling algorithms, however, you make it sound as though it is actually preferred by the developers. If so, I'm sure you have your reasons, but I cannot agree with it.

I really do not enjoy the level-scaling system, and I don't think any amount of adjustment will make it work, as the very concept is fundamentally flawed. Is there any chance that a more faithful, carefully-designed system of enemy power will be used in the future?

Generally on all maps 2-3 modes should be available - just press the button on the player stash a few time in sequence, and a message will appear that mode is used.
If you start a new hero, try 'local' first, to affect however you must go on playing a bit/while.

Region specific 'local' monster-level assignments (corresponding to the average level of the party that access that region) may not exist on all maps though, so one of the 3 modes that becomes subsidiarily effective is automatic mode, giving the player side or the monster side some amount of experience at every encounter.
Now concerning this automatic mode, due to insufficently tuned balance parameters the monsters may are currently favoured indeed a bit. But should be rebalanced soon.

As curiosity to mention perhaps, the player will get an advantage releated to this experience rewarding when repeatingly fighting against the same monsters in the same area again - the logic behind may be questioned, and it only was added to adopt a playing/'levelling' style some players may have practized in DS1 in order to become 'over-levelled'.

Orignally in this mod the monster-level was simply bound to the player's level - not that creative, but it's a very safe link, rather fast to implement and quite easy to balance.
Meanwhile the things are more complex, more information is taken into account.
Still the basic type of questions remains, so if the player of level 30 for example encounters in a certain region a monster - what level should be assigned to the monster?
This mod tries to answer this question directly in-game, doing this 'outside' (e.g. inside the monster definition) is possibly even harder because there are probably less background information available (about player's starting level, alternate maps played before, fighting style, etc.).

Don't forget maybe, this mod does not exist because it offers a perfect solution for the subject (the 'system' you request), this mod always was intended a work-around to improve things (ever played Erthos without this mod?), resp. to avoid totally odd monster-levels with the attempt to assign 'best' monster-levels as possible.

So far only a few maps offer the 'system' you are probobly looking for, if available use the 'local' mode to apply it as pointed above.
 

With that kind of system, the power curve needs to have this sort of push/pull that drives you along through the various areas. I'm definitely the sort that plays the way you speak of "becoming overleveled," but I feel like that's naturally part of this system. You fight monsters until you're powerful enough to wipe the floor with them, and then the need to seek out stronger monsters to repeat the process makes you move on to the next area. The very fact that they don't increase in level with you is what makes you move forward on your quest.

It's definitely conceivable that I am the odd-man out in this kind of playstyle. Maybe most people don't play these kind of games like this? To me, though, the DS1 maps were always more than just maps - they were a whole adventure campaign, which only really works with the type of power-curve that the original game had. I definitely don't want to give up on the mod - the concept is incredibly exciting to me - it's just that the appeal is lost on me in its current design.

With the current build Beta5q of the MonsterLevelAdjust Mod, the local setting doesn't appear to be working once the player achieves a high enough level. I just started working again on the DS1 Legendary Mod and noticed that at Meren with an average party level of 32, all the monsters are level 33 even with the local mode set and the level_adjust_regional setting for Meren set at 26-30.

I know the level_adjust_regional setting is working correctly for Meren for if I start a new game there all the monsters are level 26-28 or so for a level 1 character. Starting a new game at Meren with a "hacked" new hero set at level 45 has all the monsters at level 44. Starting a new game at Elddim has all the monsters correctly being generated with levels from 4 to 7.

I agree with SouthpawHare to a degree and had hoped that the local mode would provide the answer and it does for a new character starting in Elddim with the current version of the Utraean Peninsula from the Legendary Mod as a new player would quickly discover that proceeding into the Great Northern Forest would be suicide as all the monsters there are level 40 or so. Same for trying to reach Lang and even attempting to reach Crystwind would be hard for all the monsters along the Elddim to Crystwind route would be level 15 or so.

However it appears that once the player reaches a high enough level (not sure exactly but probably between 20 and 30), the local regional setting of the MonsterLevelAdjust mod becomes surplus and acts just like the "all" setting. At this point setting levels in the level_adjust_regional table becomes pointless as the mod ignores them.

The ideal situation would be if the local regional mode worked for a new game in a map and the "all" mode is used for more experienced parties so they could be provided with a challenge.