Can't reach again Merula (SPOILS)

[Vent]

I reach a first time Merula (leader of Ogres attacking the dragon) but after the fight started I quoted I could leave the area through north door. Then escape with a latter. And then use a wheel to open a gate and flee.

 

But I hadn't killed her so hadn't finished the quest. I switch to other stuff, for example made the lower prison levels and much later remind I had come back to kill this leader.

 

Alas now the gate where I escape is closed. And a gate in underground that opened during a chaining of event (water flood during a fight) is now closed. And then I can't reach again Merula. As it's many hours before and multiple levels before load an old save isn't cool.

 

I wonder if there's any way to open one of the two closed gates to reach again Merula?

[Jerakeen]

It makes sense that failing in this quest would stymie further progress, but it's too bad Jeff didn't allow for that contingency.

 

While I can't find a way to open the gate again, it is possible to edit the terrain script to allow you to walk through the closed gate. THIS WILL ONLY WORK IF YOU BOUGHT THE GAME FROM SPIDERWEB DIRECTLY AND NOT FROM THE MAC APP STORE. Otherwise, I'm afraid you're out of luck. see the second option below.

 

Note that this edit has the potential to seriously mess up your game progress, since most gates are in place for a good reason. If you decide to use it, make sure you back up the original file before you change it, and switch it back immediately afterward.

 

If you want to do this:

 

1. Right-click on the Avadon icon and select "Show Package Contents".

 

2. Open the Contents folder and then the Resources folder.

 

3. Find the file called avobjsmisc.txt--MAKE A DUPLICATE OF IT--and then open it.

 

4. Find this:

 

Quote:

begindefineobject 84;

// IMPORTED for non-usable 256x256 items

import = 0;

ob_object_type = 2;

ob_name = "Portcullis";

ob_graphic_template = 20;

ob_graphic_sheet = 3;

ob_base_icon_num = 0;

ob_which_icon_destroyed = 2;

ob_blockage_type = 2;

ob_in_space_offset_x = 4;

ob_in_space_offset_y = 2;

ob_part_of_terrain = 1;

ob_default_script = "gate";

 

ob_width = 256;

ob_height = 256;

 

and change ob_blockage_type from 2 to 0.

 

5. Save your changes and load the game. You should be able to walk right through the gate.

 

6. When you're done, change the script back.

 

While it makes no sense, story-wise, for Merula to still be there, I can't find anything in her script that suggests she wouldn't be. Good luck.

 

 

Edit: A much simpler (albeit even cheatier) solution would be to tell the game you've killed Merula even though you haven't. This will work no matter where you bought the game.

 

Press shift-d to bring up the cheat console.

 

Type in: sdf 7 25 1

 

Press enter or click on the green checkmark. You should see a message on the bottom of the screen telling you that you've altered one of the flags in the game.

 

Return to Zethron and report success.

[Vent]

Thank you for all the details. But I have the Mac App Store version, but yes kill with console could work, I just wouldn't have the last dialog at the end of the battle. I suppose any dialog could be skip, I think there's always a close dialog button.

 

I has restarted and doing so found new stuff so I'll probably continue with that but thanks for the help.

[Anomen]

I followed the advise given regarding the avobjsmisc.txt, with success. ...And changed it back to 2, using copy/paste.

 

Problem is, I can still walk straight through any gate now, even though the graphic says it's down. Any number of times. ...Until I raise and lower the gate, then it's as it should be.

 

Clearly something's wrong - any ideas how to fix it? I refuse to muck up my game by accidentally walking through some "closed" gate, so I'd really prefer if it could be sorted out before I play any further.

 

Regards from Scandinavia!

 

- Anomen.

 

(copy/paste from my file:)

 

begindefineobject 84;

// IMPORTED for non-usable 256x256 items

import = 0;

ob_object_type = 2;

ob_name = "Portcullis";

ob_graphic_template = 20;

ob_graphic_sheet = 3;

ob_base_icon_num = 0;

ob_which_icon_destroyed = 2;

ob_blockage_type = 2;

ob_in_space_offset_x = 4;

ob_in_space_offset_y = 2;

ob_part_of_terrain = 1;

ob_default_script = "gate";

 

ob_width = 256;

ob_height = 256;

[Jerakeen]

Interesting. I was able to duplicate this effect, but I found that quitting the game and restarting solved the problem. That particular script may be read at start-up rather than when a saved game is loaded.

[Anomen]

Thanks for the quick reply, but I'm afraid that doesn't work for me.

 

Still same problem, through numerous reboots of the game (and even one complete reboot of the computer.)

[Jerakeen]

And after you raise and lower a gate it functions normally? That I have not been able to duplicate. Just that one gate now blocks movement, or all of them?

[Anomen]

Same thing for all gates - when I encounter them, I can walk straight through until I've raised and lowered the gate. Then it's un-passable (hence acting normal) from then on.

 

But once I've done that for one gate, I still have to do it for any other gate I encounter. ...Which is not always practical, let alone possible.

[Jerakeen]

Well, no, since some gates don't have a wheel, and some of the wheels are on the wrong side of the gate.

 

The only thing I can suggest is to check a couple of different saves to make sure it's not a corrupted saved game file, and if that's not it, re-install the game.

 

Unless some of the tech-savvy members here have any better ideas?

[Anomen]

My thoughts exactly - but thanks for the help anyho.

 

I'll let this thread hang around for a day or two before deleting, reinstalling and (sigh) starting over.

 

(Somebody: know the solution, and tell me! )

[Jerakeen]

You may not have to start over if the problem is not a corrupted save. You should still be able to access your saved games after re-installing. At least, you can on a Mac--I assume it's the same with Windows.

[Dikiyoba]

Or just be careful not to walk through any unopened gates.

 

Dikiyoba.

[Anomen]

Solution found: (for mac at least...)

 

READ THROUGH BEFORE DOING!

 

(I'm not sure which of these steps made it work normally again, but this is what I did, if anyone ends up with the same problem:)

 

1: Go to documents and copy your saved games folder. Then move the original to trash.

2: Move the entire Avadon folder to trash.

3: Secure empty trash (might take a while).

4: Re-download Avadon.

5: Install.

6: Copy your old "save game" folder into the spiderweb-folder in your documents folder.

7: Load your f'ed up game.

8: Save it again.

9: Exit Avadon.

10: Load the now perfectly normal game and enjoy.

 

(This is what I did to make it work, but I suspect that only steps 7-10 might have been necessary, so try those first.)

[Jerakeen]

Just a follow-up.

 

This just happened to me--I changed the script back, restarted, and could still walk through closed gates. Not sure why it happened this time and not the others, but it continued even after I swapped the back-up copy of the original script back in.

 

However, the problem was solved by leaving the zone and then returning. Sorry, Anomen, two months too late to help you!

[Aoslare]

Right, because the game doesn't re-check the script once it's loaded it into use. You have to leave and come back for that to happen.