Mrs Ethyl Wright won't talk to me :( (need tech help!!!)

M

Magellan

First time out of the vault
I made the mistake of becoming a porn star not knowing that Mrs Wright doesn't like that. I REALLY wanna get the quest from her (the one to destroy the Wright Family Stills) because I think (not 100% sure) that it is part of what triggers the best ending for New Reno (no more drugs or prostitution in the city, etc).

I have tried using the Save Editor F2se.exe but I don't know exactly what variables to change!!

In detail:

Curently, I have the variable:

232:GVAR_NEW_RENO_PORN_STAR=29

I have tried changing that to 0 and talking to Mrs Wright. She still won't talk to me... But her dialogue changes a little: instead of getting scared when she sees me and saying "you fornicate on film for all to see, get out!!" she just gets scared when she sees me and says "Yes?" but when I tell her I wanna talk to her she says "sorry I can't help you" --- she is avoiding me. :(

So what should I do for her to talk to me?!?!

To make things even more complicated, I have noticed that if I go to MAPS in F2se.exe and go to NEWR4.SAV (New Reno Map 4) and edit it, there is a critter ncEthWri.int (Ethyl Wright) .... The variables for this critter are set as follows in my saved game:

LVAR_0=0
LVAR_1=0
LVAR_2=0
LVAR_3=0
LVAR_4=513
LVAR_5=20118

I have NO IDEA what those numbers mean. In addition to removing my Porn Star Reputation, I have tried setting all the variables above to 0 but there was no difference: she still doesn't wanna talk to me.

I have also tried ERASING COMPLETELY the map NEWR4.SAV and talking to Mrs Wright in a "fresh new map". Still no difference: no mention of porn stardom, but no desire to talk to me. :(

I am running out of ideas.... Can someone who knows the internal workings of the game pinpoint me to WHAT VARIABLES MAKE HER TALK??

Thanks!!!
Magellan

EDIT: In case you need to know, I am playing Fallout 2 with Killap's latest PATCH (no modding whatsoever, just the patch!).
 
"I made the mistake of becoming a porn star not knowing that Mrs Wright doesn't like that."

Really? Anyway, I have no idea. Do you have multiple saves?
 
Yeah I do have one more but I usually save this "backup save" after I arrive in a new town or after something major happens. I saved it after doing one of Salvator's quests, which happened way after I became a porn star...

I wish I hadn't. If I had an earlier save I'd just use it instead of trying this complex stuff.



There's one thing I just noted, however. I still haven't spoken to Father Tully, ever. Maybe only HE enables conversatin with Mrs Wright? I don't know and don't think so, but it might be worth trying. I'll try speaking with him and coming to Ethyl without porn star reputation.
 
She doesn’t offer you much, only this baby
SLUGGER.gif
. In the next play through make sure you save every new location with a new slot, and keep one spare for a quicksave. :wink:
 
Magellan said:
There's one thing I just noted, however. I still haven't spoken to Father Tully, ever. Maybe only HE enables conversatin with Mrs Wright? I don't know and don't think so, but it might be worth trying. I'll try speaking with him and coming to Ethyl without porn star reputation.
Click to expand...
You need to talk to Jules or Chris Wright first to know about the Wright booze business. Then you should be able to talk to Ethyl.
 
Maybe a developer like Killap can help with the technical stuff? He's done a hell of a great job with restoring this game and I'm sure he knows pretty damn well how the game's inner mechanics work...?

The way I see it, the easiest way (maybe?) to trace the variables is to check out Mrs Wright's dialogue file and see HOW she can get to talk normally and not avoid the player... What variables trigger that... Anyone have any clues on how to accomplish this?
 
1. At no time whatsoever does Mrs Wright say "sorry I can't help you". If you don't feel like being more precise it will be harder to get help.
2. The Lvars has nothing to do with her talking to you or not.
3. Did you talk to Chris or Jules like I said? Or in other words is Gvar285 set to 256?
 
To answer your questions...

1) Yes she does, see the dialogue extracts below... (although she doesn't say "sorry I can't help you", she says "I'm afraid I can't help you")
2) Oh, ok... What are the LVARs for?
3) Well... GVAR 285 "285:GVAR_NEW_RENO_WRIGHT_FLAGS" is set to 37313, not 256 as you said... Is this a bad thing? :(

Yes I did try Chris Wright, Jules, Father Tully, everyone. She still shouts at me if I'm a pornstar, and if I'm not, she says something more or less like what I said...

Okay, since you asked, exact dialogue is as follows.... :)
(extracts from dialogue file)

IF PORNSTAR:

35. PORN STAR INTRO (WTG)
{1415}{}{(Jumps.) Oh, my! (Squints at you, then purses her lips disapprovingly.) Well, I never! }
{415}{}{Keep your distance, you lust demon! You who fornicate on film for the corruption of the masses!}
{416}{}{Well, I never! You have some sand coming back around here! You who fornicate on film for the
corruption of the masses!}

MY OPTIONS:

{419}{}{That's me. You interested in a job? I kind of like big women like you. (Wiggle eyebrows suggestively.) Loosen
that garter strap a little and we'll get down to business.}
{420}{}{Look, I was young, I needed the money...}
{421}{}{I can see we'll have lots to talk about. Goodbye.}

HER ANSWER (TO EITHER EXCEPT THE GOODBYE):

{425}{}{Out! Out of here at once!}

AND ME FINALLY:

{427}{}{All right, all right! I'm leaving!}
{428}{}{Jeez-Louise. Loosen those drawstrings a little before they cut off your circulation.}

IF NOT PORNSTAR:

37. BAD INTRO (WTG)
{1430}{}{(Jumps.) Oh, my! }
{430}{}{(Squints at you, then her gaze travels to your slaver brand. Her tone becomes glacial.) }
{1431}{}{(Jumps.) Oh, my! (Squints at you, then her gaze becomes glacial.) }
{431}{}{Yes?}

MY OPTIONS OF DIALOGUE:

{435}{}{I had some questions...}
{436}{}{I can see talking isn't going to help matters here. Goodbye.}

HER REACTIONS IF I SAY I WANNA ASK QUESTIONS:

# 38. BAD REACTION. (37)
{440}{}{I see. Well, I'm afraid I can't help you. Good day.} <--- this is what I meant!! :p
{441}{}{I see. Well, I'm afraid I can't help you. Good night.}


====

Note: I got this dialogue from http://fallout.wikia.com/wiki/NCETHWRI.MSG ... Oddly enough, the file NCETHWRI.MSG is NOT LOCATED inside C:\Games\Fallout 2\data\Text\English\Dialog (the folder in which almost all other dialogue files are). I can't find it anywhere, not even with Windows Search...?!?!

=====

So the ultimate question is: why am I getting the "bad intro"? :( Other than becoming a pornstar (which she doesn't like), I don't think I really did anything wrong!! I became a prizefighter, completed the first 2 quests of both Salvatore and Mordino, had sex with Bishop's daughter and his wife too (both wearing condoms), killed Bishop via assassination (trapped his safe), then told his wife to "move on", AND I completed the first Wright quest successfully (correctly solved the Richard Wright murder case and blamed the Salvatores)...




Eventually (*AFTER I REPORTED THIS PROBLEM*) I finished all 3 quests of both Salvatore and Mordino AND became a made man of both (Salvatore first, then Mordino) but ended up killing them BOTH via assassination method (*not* shooting everyone) and also Little Jesus with explosives I planted on him. Then I completed the Wright second quest (Sierra Army Depot entry) and became a Made Man of the Wrights (I sneaked my way through). Then I reverted my Made Man status using F2se.exe to revert GVAR 230 "NEW_RENO_MADE_MAN" to a value of 0 (zero) and also GVARs 591,593 and 594 ("MADE MAN SALVATORE/MORDINO/WRIGHT", respectively) to 0 (zero). No guards of ANY family shoot me on sight, and no one recognizes me as Made Man for ANY family. Therefore, I believe I successfully reverted this.

Like I said before, everything that I did in the above paragraph was done AFTER I REPORTED THIS PROBLEM, so I don't think it really affects it, but who knows. I've already saved after I did all of the above... (over the "backup save", too)
 
NOTE ON ALL OF THE ABOVE:

I changed "285:GVAR_NEW_RENO_WRIGHT_FLAGS" from 37313 to 256 as you said... IT WORKED!!

However, I hope this doesn't mess up other stuff with me and the Wrights... I've made a new save...
 
If you want to keep all your other Wright flags, just add 256 to the previous value.
 
Per said:
If you want to keep all your other Wright flags, just add 256 to the previous value.
Click to expand...
Not in this case, he had somehow pissed Ethyl off earlier, so to keep the previous flags he would subtract 4096 from it instead. 37313 - 4096 = 33217 (he had apparently already talked to Jules anyway).
Man I hate bwor and bwand, they hurt my brain. :)

@ Magellan, to answer some of your questions.

Lvar 4 is a multipurpose variable or "flags" (used for many different things such as if she belongs on the current map)
Lvar 5 is for her home tile.
Her other Lvars are not used.

The Wright flags or Gvar 285 is used for many things.
Did you talk to Jules, did Chris wright recommend you, if you get the good intro, if you piss off Ethyl, is she's dead...etc.
 
That's very cool!! Thanks for explaining a little how these things work. :)

After I set the Wright Flag GVAR to 256, I was able to do the Still quest. Then I spoke to Orville Wright to see what he'd say about that, and he told me "have you found a way inside that base?" (which I already had --- see my previous post, the last paragraph). I guess that by removing my Made Man status, this reset that quest to "finished, but reward not claimed". So I claimed the reward (1500 exp) and became a made man again, only to revert it again soon after (I don't wanna be a made man of anybody).

After I did all of the above, I finally re-set my Porn Star GVAR to what it was (29), since I know I don't need to talk to Ethyl Wright anymore. After this, I checked my Wright Flag GVAR and saw that it is now 49489. It went from 256 all the way to 49489!! (and like I said it was 37313 before I manually changed it to 256). How did that happen?

Darek said:
The Wright flags or Gvar 285 is used for many things.
Did you talk to Jules, did Chris wright recommend you, if you get the good intro, if you piss off Ethyl, is she's dead...etc.
Click to expand...

I mean, if a Flag GVAR is only ONE variable that is affected by SO MANY factors, I don't get it: what determines if it's "bad", "good" or "better"?

I'll explain my question in more detail...

I was able to figure out the behaviour of some GVARs. Some seem to be very simple like "if = 0, nothing", "if = 1, active" and in the case of some quests, "if =2, finished" kind of thing. Like for example, the Made Man GVARs 591,592,593 and 594 are set to 0 if you're not a Made Man and to 1 if you are. Apparently, this only affects what shows on your Pip Boy, *NOT* how the New Reno townsfolk see you and react to your presence.

Then there's this other one, GVAR 230 new_reno_made_man, which is slightly more complex. I noticed that it's a 3-digit number. It was 192 when I was a Salvatore made man, 292 when I was a Mordino made man, and finally 492 when I was a Wright made man (and then I set it back to 0). I am guessing that the first number would be the family, (1, 2, 3 or 4) and the last two ("92" in this case) would be for some other factor like for example, the chosen name. In my case they're all the same because I always chose the last name, "X". Anyhow, setting this to 0 successfully removed any Made Man status I had. I hope my assumptions are right about this behaviour????

But then, there's these "flags" GVARs... How the heck do they work? :/ What if I wanna change something in them in order to get a SPECIFIC result? It looks like it'd be a lot more complex???
 
I only looked at Ethyl's script, but I never said she was the only one using the 285 flag. I suppose Orville does too. :)

if a Flag GVAR is only ONE variable that is affected by SO MANY factors, I don't get it: what determines if it's "bad", "good" or "better"?
Click to expand...
Eh... the scripts? ;)
I suspect you mean how it tells what means what when it stacks everything together in one variable.
Anyway, those simple "if 1 is true then do something" variables are what is referred to as "Boolean". The flags variables are "Bitwise".
Do a google search for bitwise and C if you want to know more.

Here are what some of the bits looks like:
Code: 
#define bit_1                       (1)
#define bit_2                       (2)
#define bit_3                       (4)
#define bit_4                       (8)
#define bit_5                       (16)
#define bit_6                       (32)
#define bit_7                       (64)
#define bit_8                       (128)
#define bit_9                       (256)
#define bit_10                      (512)
#define bit_11                      (1024)
#define bit_12                      (2048)
#define bit_13                      (4096)
#define bit_14                      (8192)
#define bit_15                      (16384)
#define bit_16                      (32768)
#define bit_17                      (65536)
#define bit_18                      (131072)

Sorry that I can't be more helpful, but it's hard to explain something I don't fully know myself. :)

Disclaimer: May contain errors. I am not a programmer and have never taken any courses so I'm not really qualified to talk about this.
 
Darek said:
I only looked at Ethyl's script, but I never said she was the only one using the 285 flag. I suppose Orville does too. :)
Click to expand...

Well actually, I'm pretty sure that the reason why he reset his dialogue to "so, have you found an entrance to that base?" was because I reset my mademan status... This was happening even BEFORE I changed the Wright Flag value - that's why I'm so sure.

However, given that he is the Wright Family Leader, I'm sure he must have something to do with the Wright Flag variable - what I do with him either influences it, or he is influenced by it, or even both.

I'm not a programmer either, but I'm rather good at understanding this stuff. I did some programming in my final years of school (5-7 years ago) and I can understand it, but I did not choose that as a career in the end so I'm more amateurish than anything. :p

From that table you showed me I can see all the powers of 2. However it seems to all be moved back by 1. Therefore #define bit_"n" = 2^n-1

So define bit_3 = 2^(3-1) = 2^2 = 4, etc

This confuses me beacuse I am used to seeing 8-bit stuff as having 256 values (not 128 like in this table)... Like, in old computers, a color setting of 256 colors would be "8-bit". But then again, what do I know? I'm amateur.

What I still don't understand is what I asked earlier: What if I wanna change something in these Flag GVARs in order to get a *SPECIFIC* result?

I guess I'll have to try searching google for some of that stuff you said.

Thanks.
 
Well, I did a search on Google for "Bitwise C" and found a really cool article:

http://www.gamedev.net/reference/articles/article1563.asp

Surprisingly, I already knew about 70% of what it talks about. The rest was really cool to learn!! I understood everything in the article with the exception of the very last table in blue (before the conclusion).

Still, I fail to see how to apply all of that in fallout 2 variable-fiddling. My question's still unanswered: "What if I wanna change something in these Flag GVARs in order to get a *SPECIFIC* result?"

I guess I would need a map of what exactly is stored in each bit in these variables so I would be able to know what to values to adjust and by how much...
 
If you get the Fallout 2 Mapper, it has a folder with all the scripts of the game, including headers and definitions and stuff. The file Newreno.h has this, for instance:

Code: 
#define wright_permission_bit                         bit_1
#define mrs_wright_destroyed_still_bit                bit_2
#define gave_gun_bit                                  bit_3
#define wright_dead_bit                               bit_4
#define know_mrs_wright_bit                           bit_5
#define mrs_wright_dead_bit                           bit_6
#define chris_recommends_bit                          bit_7
#define know_still_bit                                bit_8
#define wright_known_bit                              bit_9
#define wright_asssassinated_bit                      bit_10
#define kill_daddy_bit                                bit_11
#define kill_daddy_karma_bit                          bit_12
#define mrs_wright_pissed_bit                         bit_13
#define know_mr_wright_bit                            bit_14
#define ethyl_discovered_still_bit                    bit_15
#define went_to_still_map_bit                         bit_16
 
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