GameBanshee Forums

Let me start by apologizing for my lack of knowledge regarding computers.
My grandson who got me started on playing PC games and is the one who usually helps me, but he is in Iraq and will not be home until Nov.

Here's my problem. I'm going to play Planescape after I finished BG ToB and wanted to get it up and running. But I had some major problems that I don't know how to fix.

1st after loading the game (I have the 2 CD ver.that is already patched) I downloaded Planescape: Torment Ultimate WeiDU Fixpack, Planescape: Torment Unfinished Business, and Qwinn's Planescape: Torment Tweak Pack.
I downloaded them all from the site Spellhold Studies and saved them to my desktop. When I tried to run them I got a message from Windows saying it could not open them and sent me to a site called WinRAR. I downloaded a program from that site.
I fooled around with this for over 4 hours and could not figure out how to get it right, even following the instructions in the mod readme's. All I succeeded in doing was changing alot of the things on my desk top (like SK) to where the icon looked like a stack of books. The Game would not run.

Then I uninstalled every thing and started over. This time I loaded the game, then Platters Fixpack 1.37 and the G3 Tweak Pack. everything loaded and when I tried to play got a message that Windows detected a problem and needed to shut down. Got this same message 8 times that I tried it. Finally gave up.

Started over again. This time I only loaded the game and the Platters Fixpack 1.37 and the game is running. Slow, but it's running.

Here's what I would like to know.

1. If I play the game like it is now, is it going to be real buggy and am I missing a lot by not having the other mods loaded?

2. Can any one tell me why the game won't play with the G3 Tweak Pack loaded.

3. If anyone can give me some step by step instructions on how to use WinRAR, my e-mail address is in my profile. I would like to see if the game will play using those mods, if I could figure out how.

Spent over an hour and a half reading my Windows XP for Dummies, but could not find any thing in it that would help.

Again I apologize for my stupidity, and if all this is asking to much, I certainly will understand, and will just put off playing Planescape until my grandson gets home and instead play IWD

Well, I don't know much about the different patches but I think i had all those installed and it worked well.
I can at least help you with winrar: u should be able to download an evaluation version of winrar from their site ( i think it's called rarlab) and install it. then go to my computer, find the patch archive file (sg like pstub.rar etc), right click and choose extract. Then you'll need to copy all the extracted files to PS:T directory and run the setup program from the patch.
Maybe that helps..

Platter's fixpack will fix most of the bugs, so you'll probably be fine. The Qwinn's fixpack incorporates that fixpack along with some other fixes. The problem with the Qwinn's fixpack was that you installed it over Platter's fixpack...which causes lots of problems.

With the mods, its really your choice. I've always run Platter's Fixpack since that's all that was around last time I played the game, and I had zero problems. However, the Qwinn's Fixpack is supposed to enhance that by making sure even more stuff doesn't go wrong. The Unfinished Business mod and the Tweak Pack are all pretty much optional (and I've never used them myself...yet), so if you don't have them installed, you're not missing out on much.

WinRAR is just a way of putting files in a compressed folder, like .zip files (if you don't know what I'm talking about, don't worry). You can either download and use programs like WinRAR or 7Zip and use them to extract the files from the compressed folders. A google search will turn up the right download sites...personally, I use 7Zip, since its free. Once you're able to extract files, you just need to extract them to your PS:T install folder and run the Setup file.

In all honesty though, if you've got the game working with Platter's fixpack, that's probably all you'll need. Apologies if the above is less than clear...I didn't realize that when I suggested that you use the mods a few weeks ago that they were .rar files. And don't worry about asking questions, that's what the forum is for!

Edit: Giving credit where it should be given, instead of where it mistakenly was.

Nightmare wrote:Platter's fixpack will fix most of the bugs, so you'll probably be fine.

With the mods, its really your choice. I've always run Platter's Fixpack since that's all that was around last time I played the game, and I had zero problems.

In all honesty though, if you've got the game working with Platter's fixpack, that's probably all you'll need. Apologies if the above is less than clear...I didn't realize that when I suggested that you use the mods a few weeks ago that they were .rar files. And don't worry about asking questions, that's what the forum is for!

No apologies are necessary. The help you guys give me is invaluable. I don't know what I would do with out it.
You had no way of knowing I'm computer stupid. That's what embarrasses me when I ask some of the questions I ask. I'm trying to learn, but at 60+ the gray matter don't work as well as it used to.:laugh:

So since the game seems to be running OK with just the Platter's fix pack I'm going to leave well enough alone and keep things as is. All I did so far was fool around in the Mortuary for a few minutes and then quit with out saving.
So after I finish BG ToB (which is really awesome) then I'll play this game that a lot of people rave about. Looking forward to it.

Just one short note:
I must have some type of un-zip program on my PC, because when I downloaded some things for BGII (G3 Fix pack, G3 Tweak pack, Banter Pack) to my desk top and then open them and click on extract all files, it sent everything to the right program files and worked fine.
I'm also going to continue to work on trying to figure out WinRAR and take a look at 7zip.

Thanks again everyone Sonny

I have been playing the game for a couple hours now, just getting ready to leave the Mortuary. Only have Game (2CD ver.) and Platters Fix pack v1.37 loaded and so far everything is OK but the mouse movement.

The mouse pointer either moves slow and erratic or real fast across the screen. There is no smoothness to it at all. Any suggestions? Using optical mouse

Thanks

Thanks. Granddaughters boyfriend solved problem. I was running it in windows 95 compatibility mode, and it was screwing things up and making everything run slow.

Sorry for the bother.

However, the G3 Fixpack is supposed to enhance that by making sure even more stuff doesn't go wrong.

Just thought I'd clear up a couple of things, and add a plug for my mod:

1) The guys over at G3 are great, but my fixpack isn't a G3 Fixpack, it's hosted at Spellhold Studios. G3 does have a -tweak- pack, but that's pretty different, and it has some serious bugs that can cause the game not to run at all, which is almost certainly what the OP's problem was (their MaxHP component does this, I think). I haven't seen any sign that that mod has been maintained in at least 6 months, probably more like 2 years.

2) With all due respect to Platter's good work, my mod does a -lot- more than Platter's Fixpack alone. Seriously. It fixes like 5 times as many bugs, and IMO those of a more serious nature. But you didn't run into bugs when you played? You ran into a great many, you just didn't realize they were bugs because the bug made what was supposed to happen not happen at all. I only found what was supposed to happen by looking in the game files until my eyes crossed. Among other things, some systemic bugs cause well over a hundred lines of floating text to never appear in the game. Playing through, you probably didn't realize that everyone in the back room in the Foundry just standing there not doing anything wasn't a bug - lots of npc's just stand there. But it was a bug, and that room has some of the most complex scripting I've seen in any Infinity Engine game. That's just two out of about 50 examples I could give. Just so ya know. Even with the Fixpack alone, you'll get a pretty new experience over playing with just Platter's mod.

3) And then there's the fact that I correct over 3,000 non-trivial spelling, grammar and punctuation errors in the dialogue files. Platter's fixed none.

Anyways, Sonny: sorry you had trouble with winrar. It's one of the more common compression programs out there, so it's what I went with. You can download winrar here:

http://www.win-rar.com/download.html


Then you just move my mods (the .rar files you download from SHS) into your Torment directory, right click on them in windows explorer, and choose the "Extract Here" option. That alone is 90% of the install procedure. From there the steps in the readme you can view at SHS should help you the rest of the way.

Also, for the record, feel free to post your problems with my mods here, but if you don't also post it over at SHS it could easily be a couple of weeks before I can see it and help you. I try to visit most PS:T forums at least once in a while, but I visit and maintain my own forums every single day, and I could've helped you out two weeks ago when you posted this if you'd left me a message there. Just letting you know

My fixpack forum is here: http://www.shsforums.net/index.php?showforum=552

Qwinn

Qwinn wrote:Just thought I'd clear up a couple of things, and add a plug for my mod:

Anyways, Sonny: sorry you had trouble with winrar. It's one of the more common compression programs out there, so it's what I went with. You can download winrar here:



Qwinn

Qwinn, thanks for the reply, the info and link for winrar and the link to your forum. I am looking forward to using your mods, because I have read some good things about them.

So you'll know there was one big problem.
My lack of knowledge about computers, which prevented me from figuring out how to use winrar. When I was working, I had the same secretary for 18 years and she took care of all my computer needs. It wasn't until I retired and decided to play PC games, that I discovered how stupid I was.

Again thanks for the help Sonny

No worries at all. I hope you'll enjoy

Qwinn