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Topics - nargil66

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1
Forum News and Info / Happy Women's Day
« on: 08 March 2024, 17:08:57 »
Happy 8th of March to all women and girls around :)

2
Texture & Skin Modding / [MOD] NewSkins III Lite
« on: 10 February 2024, 09:19:55 »
NEW SKINS III LITE ~ ADDON MOD BY NARGIL66

Overview:
This add-on mod directly replaces some of the vanilla dyes in Titan Quest AE with custom ones. Each dye color will give you an unique and lore-friendly look. Currently there are 80 skins for female and 32 for male. In NewSkins III Lite the dyes will change not only the clothing of your character, but also their ethnicity, skin color and facial features, according to the game act. You can now choose between a dark skinned Ethiopian, Nubian, or Egyptian, olive tanned Greek, pale Hadean, different Nymphs, or between varied nationalities of Asia: Persian, Chinese, Scythian, Indian, Khmer...
Norse female skins are planned and started, but not ready yet. More male skins are coming too in the near future.
Another main feature of this add-on are the base female and male models, which I called Ariadne HD and Theseus HD. The new characters are greatly improved compared to the originals: with increased poly count, better faces, and skirts separated from the body, so they can can be made both skirted and skirtless easily.
I hope you'll enjoy using this mod as much as I enjoyed making it :)

Installation:
Unpack all the folders from folder "Settings" in either of the following directories:
"Titan Quest - Anniversary Edition/Settings"
OR
"Titan Quest - Anniversary Edition/Database"
Make sure you DON'T have other add-on mods in these directories before you install (including previous versions of THIS mod). Also have in mind that "Settings" folder overwrites anything you have in "Database" folder!
OR
IF you are using JSGME, drop this entire folder ("ADDON_NewSkins3Lite_v...") into the JSGME's "MODS" folder and load it in the mod manager.

Optional:
If you want to quickly check the skins or to get a certain skin without having to farm shops for hours, after you install the mod, do the following:
1. Make a new lvl 40 character (Accomplished Hero) to have empty inventory with all bags unlocked.
2. Inside the game world, press Esc to open the menu options and click on "Unlock Content".
3. In the text box, type code: 373624
4. A Francisca axe and a shield will drop. Pick up the axe to instantly obtain all dyes from Greece, Egypt and Orient. You can re-pick the same axe to get the dyes again once per a game session.
5. Have fun!

Changelog:

v1
- Initial release
- Added the latest female model (Ariadne HD v8f) along with Greek, Egyptian and Asian packs
- Improved the looks of the default female hair (it will still be overridden by helmets however).

v2
- Added the latest male model (Theseus HD v7) along with Greek and Egyptian male mixed packs
- The default male hair is made invisible to show bald Egyptian dyes (it will still show hair on base Greek dyes textures and on helmets).

v3
- Added Hadean and Loincloth packs for female. Loincloth dyes (sold in Egypt) are replaced with 16 reworked skins from AllSkins mod, originally made by Arkeyla and Alsafysh.
- The code Francisca axe now gives all six ingame dye packs, including Hadean, Loincloth and Norse, for a total of 96 dyes.
- Greek gold dye from previous versions is moved to Hades, a new one is made for the Greek pack (see previews).

Download links (v3):
https://www.nexusmods.com/titanquestanniversaryedition/mods/12
https://mega.nz/file/StIyQAKa#P3Io_1NNp341qp1ILNSWyrKY35q_s20ttpYUI5Hh-k8

3
TITAN QUEST: THE CHTHONIC WARS - AN ALTERNATIVE STORY FOR TITAN QUEST & IMMORTAL THRONE

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This is an idea for an alternative storyline of Titan Quest that has been growing in my mind for several years. The main goal is to make the original game more lore-friendly and more epic. If I ever had to describe what my “big dream” about modding this game is, this would be it. However, I have come to realize that this dream may never become reality, as I lack some essential skills and consistency. But anyway, I post it here, just so it does not get forgotten.

I. INTRO

Thousands of years have passed since Zeus defeated the Titans and became the supreme lord of gods and mortals. But his reign is not secure. A secret plot is brewing in the Underworld, where his brother Hades plans to overthrow him. To achieve his goal, Hades needs the help of ancient powers. He performs a ritual that invokes Tartarus, the primordial Lord of the Abyss, who holds the Titans and other nightmarish creatures in his dark domain. Hades offers Tartarus half of Zeus’ kingdom in exchange for his help, but Tartarus has different motives. He wants to devour everything in existence, including Hades himself. Still, he pretends to agree and unleashes his army of horrors upon the world.

But that’s not all. Hades also uses his power over the afterlife to raise hundreds of ancient monsters from their graves - in the same places they were once slain by heroes. In a swampy marsh, the Hydra’s immortal head breaks free from its rocky tomb and grows eight more heads. In a hidden cave, the Nemean Lion’s bones come together and form a living beast with a golden fur and an impenetrable skin.

Hades also recruits many beastmen to his cause - Centaurs, Satyrs, Maenads… even some of the Olympians’ own followers. He promises them to replace humans as the favored race of the gods. And when everything is ready, he launches his attack on Olympus… The Chthonic Wars have begun.

II. QUESTLINE

You begin your adventure in the village of Helos, where you have been chosen by the gods to fulfill an ancient prophecy. According to the Moirae, the three Fates, only a mortal can help the Olympians win the Second Titan War, and that mortal is you. After you defeat the Satyr Shaman who is terrorizing the village, the goddess of wisdom and war Athena appears before you. She tells you that a great evil is rising and you must stop it before it destroys the world. She instructs you to go to a nearby temple (EE starting temple) and select two gods to become your patron deities. They will grant you their powers and make you their avatar. This will determine your class and abilities.

Your quest is divided into several parts. In the first part, you travel through all the Greek city-states and islands that are related to mythical creatures and slay the monsters that have been resurrected by Hades, the god of the underworld. You use the Adamantine Sickle, a divine weapon that can permanently kill any creature, to prevent them from being revived again. You follow the footsteps of the legendary Greek heroes who fought these monsters in the past. Along the way, you face many challenges and enemies sent by Hades, including some corrupted human heroes who have joined his side in exchange for a second life.

The second part takes you to Egypt, where Hades’ servants are searching for an ancient tablet that reveals the location of Typhon’s prison. In my version of the story Typhon is not a Titan, but the greatest Giant ever born from Gaia and Tartarus, as he is in the myths. He is also the father of many of the monstrous creatures you face. Hades sees him as the ultimate weapon to use against Zeus and plans to release him from his eternal torment. Despite your efforts to stop them, Hades’ minions manage to get hold of the tablet before you.

You may wonder where are the Olympians while all this is happening. They are busy fighting back the Titans, who have launched a massive assault on Olympus, the home of the gods. They cannot help you directly, but they offer you their guidance and support. In the third part, you travel to the Orient, where you pursue Hades’ minions before they can reach Typhon’s prison. The Orient is different from the vanilla version, with many new quests and more lore-friendly monsters (for example, no Neanderthals). At the end of this part, you enter Olympus through a portal and join the epic battle between the Olympians and the Titans, as well as Typhon himself. Olympus is expanded to be as large as Elysium, so you can encounter many different Titan enemies as you advance to the final confrontation. After you defeat Typhon, this part is over, but Hades still remains.

The fourth and final part (similar to Immortal Throne) takes place in Hades’ realm, where you must face him and his allies once and for all. The Titans and Typhon have been defeated, but at a great cost. Zeus praises you as the greatest of all heroes and sends you on a final mission - to overthrow his traitorous brother. Meanwhile, it is revealed that Hades’ plot was originally devised by Eris, the goddess of discord, who seduced him and became his lover, replacing Persephone. Eris’ children are all evil demons that were trapped in Pandora’s Jar by the gods and later released by her. They are your enemies in this part.

Hades’ realm is greatly expanded, with new areas and features such as the five rivers of the underworld. In fact, all parts are much bigger than in the original game, to compensate for having only one difficulty level. You will face many dangers and obstacles before you can reach Hades’ palace and confront him, Eris, and Tartarus - the primordial god of darkness and chaos who lies beneath everything.


4
Legion of Champions AE / Re: LoC 2024 - Development Thread
« on: 15 July 2023, 23:59:47 »
I open this new thread to post development progress, roadmaps, previews and such. Bumbleguppy has granted me full freedom on what to add or work on, for which i'm very grateful to him. Here are my current plans for the development of LoC:

1. Adding equippable mounts and brand new mount vendors to each game act. This has already been started, but will take time to finish. Here is an old video to show the idea in action:


2. Improving visuals of some pets (i'll start with the nymphs of course, haha) and LoC related items.

3. Adding more QoL features - this includes some of the features already implemented in Enhanced Gameplay, like lore text descriptions, displaying accurate weapon attack speed, more character skins, etc.

4. Rework and a visual overhaul of many MI items -  LoC already has a lot of improvements regarding MIs, it will make things even easier.

5. More enemy heroes and bosses with unique visuals and skills - i love that feature in SV, and i'd love seeing it in LoC also.

6. Making a "hard mod" version of LoC (loadable from the main game).

This is what is planned for now. I'll try to avoid making too many plans, to not get ahead of myself, but you get the main idea.

Also, that means the development of EG is officially canceled. LoC is the better mod anyway, and far more rich in content, so i hope if you enjoyed playing EG, you'll enjoy LoC instead.

5
Installation and Tools / Auto-Loot Script
« on: 12 April 2023, 16:24:32 »
This tool was created and posted by @Ylsid on Soulvizier Discord channel. With his permission I post it here as well so more people can benefit from it.
Usage: just run the .EXE or run the .TXT with AutoIt. It will spam "a" key at set interval (200ms) while you are in game, collecting gold, potions and charms automatically.
Download: See attachment below.

6
Around the world / A short fantasy story written by me...
« on: 12 April 2023, 00:08:05 »
I post this story that i wrote long ago, based on my country's folk myths and Slavic myths in general. The story is a part of a bigger compilation of legends, that i call "Legends of Three-Earth". It is something like a fairy tale - a bit dark, but i still hope you like it.

-------


THE BAGPIPER BELYAN AND THE WITCH NYMPH PELINA


In the days when the Witch Nymphs from the north first appeared in the forests of Old Fangoria, in a small mountain village lived one of the most skilled musicians in the mortal lands. He was a shepherd named Belyan. The song of his bagpipe could tame the fiercest wolves, comfort the greatest sorrow, make the hardest hearts flutter.

Belyan became famous far and wide as a great musician. Wood Nymphs of the Sacred Forest traveled many days' journey just to hear him, noblemen called him to play at weddings and feasts. Even Tsar Vezimir himself invited him to become his court piper. But Belyan replied:

"Forgive me, mylord, but I must refuse you. My home is the mountain – if I leave it, I leave my heart with it. And a piper without a heart is worthless."

It so happened once that Belyan was invited to a wedding in the northern city of Budim. As he rode there, he came to a roadside fountain and stopped to drink. A gray-haired old man was sitting by the fountain.

"Where are you going, boy?" - asked the old man.

"To the city of Budim, old man" - replied Belyan.

"You chose a bad path," - the old man said. – "It passes through the Cursed Forest, domain of the Witch Nymph Pelina. As beautiful as she is, her heart is three times blacker. Whoever she meets, she takes his soul with a kiss. Listen to me boy, take another path. You will get there more slowly, but you will save your life."

But Belyan did not listen to the advice and continued on his way. Late at dusk he entered a dense dark forest. An ominous silence hung around and Belyan remembered the old man's words. But he was not afraid - instead, for some unknown reason, he felt like seeing the Witch Nymph Pelina. He blew his bagpipe and played a frolic song that echoed through the silent forest.

Pelina heard it from her yards and seethed with fury - no one had shown such audacity in her forest. She saddled her black steed, grabbed her whip made of a living viper, and galloped towards the piper.

As soon as she appeared, a cold wind blew and the surrounding trees creaked. With a terrible scream she interrupted the piper's melody.

"I look at you and wonder, human" - cried out Pelina. - "Are you looking for death, so you play in a forest of a Witch Nymph? Do you not pity your soul, or have you lost your mind?"

But Belyan looked at her and seemed not to hear her words - he was so captivated by her beauty. And indeed, the Nymph was beautiful - with raven-black hair, dark eyes and a pale slender body, in a thin dress of shadowy silk.

"I do not seek death and I pity my soul," - he said. - "But there is a rumor about your beauty, so I decided to see with my own eyes."

"Well, did your eyes see enough?" – asked Pelina. - "Because you will be left without them!"

"Don't take them, Witch Nymph," Belyan begged. "If I'm going to die, at least let me look at you. Let's make a bet. I will play for you and you will dance. If I tire first, you will take my life. If you get tired first, you'll let me go."

This made Pelina think. She had been bored in the Cursed Forest for a long time. And while she still lived in Darkwood, she often danced to the sounds of the ghostly drums. Knowing that she would win, she decided to play with this strange man a bit before killing him.

"So be it, human," she said. - "But know that if you lose, I will take not only your life, but also your soul. I will turn you into a Shade - your soul will be my eternal slave."

"I agree," - replied Belyan.

And the bet began. Belyan played and Pelina danced around him. When he saw that the Nymph followed his song, he played for her as he saw her in his heart - beautiful, but sorrowful. And suddenly Pelina was filled with grief over something long forgotten. She danced and listened more and more to the piper's song. That's how the night passed.

In the morning Belyan changed the song, it became more playful. Pelina followed it and her steps became fast and light. At noon she began to realize that she liked the song of the bagpipe, and at sunset she was already dancing with joy to its sounds.

Thus came the second night. Belyan's fingers were beginning to tingle, and the Nymph showed no sign of fatigue. But he continued to play - and the song changed again. Sadness and sweet yearning overflowed in it now, and more and more often Pelina looked at the piper. She danced and didn't want the song to end. Thus passed the second night.

At dawn, Belyan was already tired, but he continued to play. Tireless, Pelina was still as fresh as in the beginning. And the bagpiper played a new song - sprightly and cheerful, like the ones he used to play for the Wood Nymphs. The Witch Nymph danced wildly, and she didn't even realize how laughter burst from her lips. Thus ended the second day.

On the third night, Belyan could barely hold on, but he gathered all his strength and played like never before. He played not only for Pelina, but also for himself. Love and sorrow, longing and pain alternated in his song. Pelina danced as if in a dream, and forgot everything - who she is, where she is, why she is here - only her dance and the music of the piper remained in the world.

At sunrise, Belyan's strength did not last - he dropped the bagpipe and fell on the ground powerless, and the song stopped. As he watched Pelina walk towards him, waiting for her deadly kiss, he whispered:

Your black eyes turn me to ash
Your gentle skin is icy pale,
Your kiss brings swift death
Then why do I crave it so much?

Then he saw tears in her eyes, and she did kiss him, only her kiss was not fatal, but tender and ardent. Because the unthinkable had happened - the Witch Nymph had known love.

"Stay with me, human," she whispered. - "If you leave, I'll be very lonely. This forest is so quiet without your music."

Belyan had also fallen in love, so he stayed. A deep and passionate love flared up between the two and the Cursed Forest was no longer cursed – Pelina let anyone pass through it.

Three months passed like that. One day Belyan said to his beloved:

"My love, are you not tired of this gloomy forest? Leave this desolate wilderness. I will take you to my village, we will raise a wedding of wonder and awe. From nine villages we will call wedding guests. Everyone will envy our happiness."

But Pelina replied:

"Don't ask that of me, Belyan. A man does not marry for a Witch Nymph. Even if I become your bride, we won't be happy. People will curse us, and rightly so - they have seen a lot of evil from my kind. No, I can't come with you."

Belyan was saddened, but said nothing.

Another three months passed, and Pelina saw her lover getting more and more depressed. So she said to him:

"I see that you miss your home, and you don't want to leave me either. If so, go, but promise me something - to come again in half a year. I'll be here waiting for you."

Belyan promised, and then left, because he was really homesick. He returned to his village, and after six months, he returned to the forest. That's how they lived from then on - Belyan spent six months with the humans and six months with Pelina. Though they grieved at the parting, they were happy, but this happiness was not destined to last long.

Word got out among the Nymphs of Darkwood that people pass through the Cursed Forest and come out alive. So the Dark Ladies sent a Trickster Bird to check. These two-headed birds served as watchers of the Witch Nymphs, and nothing remained hidden from their gaze. The bird circled above the trees as quietly as a breath of wind - and unfortunately Belyan had just come to his beloved. Thus the Trickster Bird saw them in a passionate embrace, and that was enough. It flew back and told his mistresses everything.

Such a thing was unheard of - a Witch Nymph falling in love with a man. The Dark Ladies decided to punish Pelina in the most cruel way. This time they didn't send a Trickster Bird into the forest, but one of their own kind - a Nymph herbalist with great knowledge of plants and potions. While Belyan and Pelina were still asleep, she enchanted with herbs all the springs in the forest. If she had poured poison, it would have been better, instead, she poured into the springs herbs of separation, that suppress love and give strength to hatred.

Pelina woke up in the early morning and saw that her beloved was still sleeping. She decided not to wake him, instead she took the pitcher and went to the spring. As she scooped up the water and took a drink, she felt cold for a moment, and it was as if a shadow had fallen over the dewy meadows. But the shadow quickly passed, so Pelina hardly felt it.

On her way back she heard Belyan's bagpipe, but suddenly it became dark again before her eyes - and the sound of the bagpipe seemed to her shrill and irritating. Pelina got angry at the song, without knowing why - she threw the pitcher, broke it, and the water spilled out. But sunrise came and the spell was gone again. Belyan's song became clear again, and the Nymph wept when she saw the broken pitcher.

She returned to Belyan and hugged him, and he felt a change in her, so he asked:

"Why are you so faint, my love? Are you sick?"

"I'm not sick, Belyan," answered the Nymph. "But I broke the patterned pitcher you bought me in town. It crumbled, and I couldn't bring you water."

Belyan just smiled.

"Don't worry about that," he said and kissed her. - "When I go again, I'll get you another one. And we still have water from yesterday."

Pelina calmed down and by noon had already forgotten about the incident.

But the magic of the Witch Nymphs is insidious - it is done in the dark and manifested in the dark. Thus, without knowing what evil fate awaited them, Pelina asked her beloved:

"Do you want me to dance for you, darling? You will play and I will dance."

"I want, how can I not want" - he replied. - "I haven't admired your dances in a long time."

Thus he began his last song, and she began her last dance. Pelina danced wildly and nimbly around Belyan, but the more the sun set, the more the evil spell overcame her. She danced and with each step Belyan became more and more repulsive to her. Finally, she forgot everything - the nights spent with her lover, the sadness of separation and the sweetness of anticipation. Her heart became as icy as it was before.

As she danced, she came closer and closer to him - he did not know that she was already doing the dance of death. And when the last sound of the bagpipe died away, the Witch Nymph drew the dagger from her belt and plunged it straight into the bagpiper's heart.

Belyan let out a single groan and looked at her in disbelief before falling dead.

Such is the nature of separation magic that it is broken by the death of one of the two lovers. At the same moment, in which Belyan's heart stopped beating, the cold shadow left Pelina. Realizing what she had done, she gave such a terrible cry that the whole forest shook. Then she looked at the bloody dagger in her hand and cried:

"Forgive me, my love! Your soul has already flown away... But look, mine is coming after it!"

Then she plunged the cold blade into her chest.

Thus ended the life of Belyan and Pelina, but that was not the end of their love. It is said that when after a while the Witch Nymphs came again to these woods, they could not approach the place where the two lovers lay. Because the herb Wormwood was already growing in the meadows, which to this day repels evil forces. And next to it grew White Yarrow - a strong healing herb.

7
Around the world / If you want to learn more about Neidan...
« on: 08 December 2022, 02:06:10 »
For those interested in such things, i post here some info about Neidan and Daoist alchemy in general. It is all based on a book i found, i post a link here:
https://mega.nz/file/BHATEbTI#HTQfgygUmxlvAgSb9cZLJmkDX1o05fUq8kEZOP609aI

The book is not big, but i decided to summarize it even more and break it into basic concepts. Here we go:

DAOIST ALCHEMY - BASE CONCEPTS

The main goal of the practitioner of Daoist alchemy (both internal and external) is to heal, purify and transform his body, energy and spirit to reach the original state of Dao. Those who had acheved this can reach transcendense and immortality, longevity and health, communicate with deities of the celestial pantheon and gain protection from spirits, demons and other evil entities.

External Alchemy (Waidan) - Focuses on mixing and transmuting the natural elements to create alchemical gold and various potions and elixirs.

Internal Alchemy (Neidan) - Seeks to produce elixirs directly inside the body, by using one's own energies and reaching their inner gods through physical and meditative techniques.

Alchemist (Fangshi) - "Fangshi" is translated as "alchemist", "recipe master" or "method master" and describe practitioners of various schools in Daoism, including Neidan and Waidan, but not limited only to these two.

Talismans (Fu) - Used to purify and protect the Waidan master and the ritual place from harmful influences, creating a spiritual barrier that only he and his disciples can enter.

Invocation - A part of Waidan ritual. The alchemist invokes the 3 main Daoist deities: Da Daojun (Lord of the Dao), Laojun (Lord Lao - deified Laozi) and Taihe jun (Lord of Great Harmony), before mixing the components in a tightly closed crucible and transmuting them by fire.

Alchemical Compounds - Used in Waidan transmutation recipes. The most common ones are cinnabar, lead, mercury, realgar, orpiment, malachite, magnetite, and arsenolite.

Alchemical Conjoinment - in both teachings: unification of Yin and Yang (either in the form of external alchemical elements or internal energies in the body) which brings back the original cosmic state, creating The Golden Elixir of Immortality.

Inner Gods - In Neidan tradition, the human being is a host to a pantheon of gods, representing the formless Dao or main cosmic principles such as Yin and Yang or the five elements. The inner gods enable the human being to communicate with the corresponding gods of the celestial pantheon, serve as administrators of the body, and preside over its balance.

Red Child (Chizi) - The most important of the inner gods. It resides in the stomach and, like the Supreme Ruler of Heaven, it is a transformation of the Breath of Dao. The Red Child represents one’s “true self” (zhenwu).

Yellow Essense (huangjing) - In Neidan it represents the Moon (Yin) energy, circulating in the human body. Used as an offering to the Inner gods, along with the Red Breath (see below).

Red Breath (chiqi) - In Neidan represents the Sun (Yang) energy, circulating in the human body. Used as an offering to the Inner gods, along with the Yellow Essense.

Alchemical Juices - Substances produced in the body of a Neidan prectitioner, used to nourish the inner gods and awaken the organs in which they reside. Their names are Jade Liquor (yuye), Golden Nectar (jinli) and Golden Liquor (jinye).

Nine Elixirs (jiudan) - called also “breaths of the Nine Heavens”, these are nine meditative states that a Neidan practitioner goes through in his search for immortality before reaching the ultimate state of the original Emptiness.

Eight Trigrams (bagua) - the eight trigrams symbolize basic things and phenomena of nature or society. The ancient Chinese use the interchanges and transformations of the eight trigrams and what they represented to understand and expound on natural and social changes and to explain why and how they took place. Each of the eight trigrams consists of three lines and each line is either divided (- -) or undivided (—), representing yin or yang respectively, and most important are the first four. The eight trigrams are:
qian (☰) - heaven
kun (☷) - earth
kan (☵) - water
li (☲) - fire 
zhen (☳) - thunder
xun (☴) - wind
dui (☱) - lake
gen (☶) - mountain

Five Agents (wuxing) - They are Wood, Fire, Soil, Metal, and Water. The five agents are generated by the division of Unity into Yin and Yang, and by the further subdivision of Yin and Yang into four states. Water and Wood are cosidered Yin, Fire and Metal are Yang; Soil has both and serves as an unifier of all the others.

Three Treasures (sanbao) - The Three Treasures are the basic elements of the cosmos and the human being. They are: Essense (jing), Breath (qi), and Spirit (shen). Shen, qi, and jing (in this order) represent, in their precosmic aspects, three stages in the process of self-manifestation of the Dao, from the state of Emptiness to the coagulation of the Essence that generates the cosmos. Neidan seeks to revert this process by transmuting back Essence to Breath, Breath to Spirit, and Spirit to Emptiness - the immortal state of being.

Cinnabar Fields (dantian) - These are the centerpoints of the Three Treasures in the human body. They play a major role in Taoist breathing, meditation, and Neidan practices.
The Lower Cinnabar Field, located in the abdomen, is the seat of Essence (jing) and is where the Inner Elixir is originally created.
The Middle Cinnabar Field is at the center of the chest ans is the seat of Breath (qi). In the second stage of the Neidan process (Essence to Breath), the Elixir is moved to the Middle Field and is nourished there.
The Upper Cinnabar Field is located in the region of the brain and is the seat of Spirit (shen). Moving the Elixir to the Upper Field marks the third and final stage of the Neidan process.

Fire Phases (huohou) - The Fire Phases are multiple cycles trough which the Neidan practitioner goes in the process of circulating and transmuting his Essense. They constitute one of the most secret parts of the alchemical work, and that the masters adapt them to the qualifications and the needs of their disciples.

8
This tool was found by @soa , i post a link here so more people can know about it.
https://github.com/demilich1/titanquest-mutator/

It allows you to edit the following in the .chr file:

1. Character name
2. Character level
3. Gold value
4. Available attribute points
5. Available skill points
6. Monster kill count
7. Number of deaths

9
Other Modifications / [MOD] 12 Olympians
« on: 08 October 2022, 14:42:52 »
~-~-~-~ Twelve Olympians Mod by nargil66 ~-~-~-~



This mod makes all 12 major gods from the Greek pantheon to appear on Olympus after defeating Typhon. The god models are customly made in Blender. The mod has no other purpose than bringing more immersion to Titan Quest. Feel free to merge with other mods if you want, just mention me in the credits.

---Installation---

The mod can be used both as a "soft" mod (loaded from custom quest) and as a "hard" mod (playing from the main game). It requires Ragnarok, Atlantis and Eternal Embers expansions. Use without the DLCs only on your own risk!

To make it a "soft" mod:

- Place folder "12olympians" in "My Documents/My Games/Titan Quest - Immortal Throne/CustomMaps" folder. Start the game and launch the mod from Custom Quest menu. The mod will "bounce" to the main game, where you can play with your normal characters. This work for Steam too, only the mod name will appear at the bottom of your list and show as white (below other Steam mods, which show gray).

To make it a "hard" mod:

- Take folders "Database", and "Resources" from the "12olympians" folder and place them in your main game's installation directory with replace. You may want to back up your original database.arz file first (located in "Titan Quest - Anniversary Edition/Database" folder). The current hard mod version is working with Eternal Embers Public Beta Update #6. I recommend you to use the soft version for future official patches, unless i update the mod (or unless you know how to merge them yourself).

---Known Issues---

- Some of the gods (at the upper left side of the arena map) will become temporarily invisible if you get too close to them. Don't ask me why, i don't know. If i ever find the reason, it will be fixed.
- Some god models will be getting minor or major reworks in the future to improve their looks. Not really an issue tho

Video preview:


Download Links:
https://mega.nz/file/tCwj3ZiK#ng-FPqIeeb-FmmGi3LZcU0HEftBwmaqU9L5akKpEkSU
https://www.nexusmods.com/titanquestanniversaryedition/mods/45

If you notice a bug, let me know.

Enjoy!

10
Texture & Skin Modding / [MOD] NewSkins II
« on: 27 September 2022, 03:44:40 »
NEWSKINS II - ADDON MOD BY NARGIL66

NewSkins II is a collecton of skin packs for Titan Quest, an upgrade of my old NewSkins mod. This is the addon version, replacing files directly in the main game's Database folder. A full version as a normal loaded mod is planned for the future.

---Features and Info---

- Being an addon mod, this version of NewSkins II works directly from the main game, not from CustomMaps, and doesn't block achievements on Steam. The new skins will be visible only for you in multiplayer, unless the other player has the same addon and the same packs installed. The other advantage of addon mods is they can work along with many regular mods, both hard mods and soft mods.

- The base female character model (now called "Ariadne") has been gradually reshaped in Blender to be prettier and more natural looking. The new model is compatible with both skirtless and skirted skins.

- There are custom variants of the default model hair, located in "Items/EquipmentHair" folder, which you can change manually. This is my attempt to add some variety in character customization.

- Camera attach points are changed on both character models, to make them more centered on the screen on max camera zoom for better screenshots.

- Optional feature - Alt Menus: Added are 3 optional Menu screens (two of them replacing the original TQ menu and one replacing IT menu) - made by me (Egyptian), Wardust (Greek) and Munderbunny (Hades).

- Added are the souce files of the skins, if you want to make your own skins based on mine (you need Paint.Net image editor to open the PDN files)

- Added is a modified quest file (inside folder "Quests") that will make your new character to start with all Greek dyes at the beginning of the game. If you don't want this to happen, just remove or rename the folder.

- Added is my Alternative Music addon (Inside folders "Music" and "Xpack2/Music"). If you want to restore the default tracks, just remove or rename the folders.

- Added is Immersive NPC Markers addon (inside folders "Effects", "Xpack/Effects", "Xpack2/Effects" and "Xpack3/Effects")


---Installation and Usage---

1. Important: NewSkins II requires latest Titan Quest AE with all DLCs installed (Ragnarok, Atlantis and Eternal Embers). Some of the features won't work without the expansions. You can try without them only on your own risk!

2. After you unpack the archive, inside you will see a folder named "Database". Copy it and place it in your main game installation folder. Make sure to backup/remove previous addon mods first, if you have any.

3. To install a custom skin pack: After you do the steps above and the files are in your main game "Database", inside go to "Creatures/PC/Female" or "Creatures/PC/Male". You will see the skin packs there. Choose a skin pack, open it and copy all TEX files from it to its parent folder ("Male" or "Female"). When asked if you want to replace, choose Yes. Launch the game, go to a vendor and buy a normal Greek dye, as each skin pack replaces only Greek dyes.

4. To disable skirt/armors/helmet on the character: go to "Creatures/PC/Female/Ariadne-*ModelVersion*" or "Creatures/PC/Male/Perseus-*ModelVersion*". Inside there you will see several different variants of the character's mesh. Example with the female character:
"FemalePC01.MSH" - this is the character model that is actually used by the game (after AE). No matter what other female model replacement you want to use, you MUST copy it to main "female" folder and rename it to "FemalePC01.MSH" so the game can read it.
"FemalePC01_Skirted.MSH" - this is the main Ariadne model used by default in the mod. It shows all armors and helmet and works both with skirted and skirtless skins (for example it should work with the all female skins in AllSkins Mod except for the long dress ones).
"FemalePC01_Skirtless.MSH" - this mesh is the same as above but the skirt on it is made invisible (this fixes the issue with transparent skirt still showing in inventory as black or white on DX11). To use this mesh, copy it and rename it to "FemalePC01.MSH".
"FemalePC01_SkirtNew.MSH - this mesh is still experimental. It has a square UV coordinates on the skirt to make it easier to texture (similar to the male one). It is required for some of the skin packs (for example the Topless Greek pack). To use this mesh, copy it and rename it to "FemalePC01.MSH".
"FemalePC01_SkirtedNoHelmet.MSH" - this mesh makes your equipped headgear invisible, and instead always displays the default character hair (if you want to use a custom hair for example). To use this mesh, copy it and rename it to "FemalePC01.MSH".
"FemalePC01_SkirtedNoArmors.MSH - this mesh makes ALL equipped armors invisible (useful with nude skins for example). To use this mesh, copy it and rename it to "FemalePC01.MSH".
"FemalePC01_SkirtlessNoHelmet.MSH" - Self-explanatory, see above.
"FemalePC01_SkirtlessNoArmors.MSH" - Self-explanatory, see above.
"FemalePC01_SkirtNewNoHelmet.MSH" - Self-explanatory, see above.
"FemalePC01_SkirtNewNoArmors.MSH" - Self-explanatory, see above.

5. To install a hair replacement: go to either "Items/EquipmentHelm/HairsFemale" or "Items/EquipmentHelm/HairsMale" folder. Inside you will see different meshes named "FemalePC01HairHelmet_*HairName*.MSH" and "MalePC01HairHelmet_*HairName*.MSH". To replace the default character hair with one of them, copy it to main "equipmenthelm" folder and rename it to just "FemalePC01HairHelmet.MSH" or "MalePC01HairHelmet.MSH" respectively.

6. To install a custom TQ Menu: Inside the main Database folder, rename folder "Menu_X" to just Menu. Launch the game. The original TQ menu screen will be different.

7. To install a custom IT Menu: Go to Xpack folder and rename folder "Menu_X" to just Menu. Launch the game. The Immortal Throne menu screen will be different.

---Known Issues---

- Atlantis: DirectX11 causes deleted parts of textures to be visible in inventory window and compass portrait (looking black or white, for example the female character skirt on skirtless skins). This is a vanilla game bug and it's up to the devs to fix. If you want to avoid it, use a skirtless mesh or play the DirectX9 version.

Link to the Mega folder that will contain future NewSkins II versions:
https://mega.nz/folder/BCYzTCgR#ooR-cf2RxTXPIfjmJOJV8A

Or download on Nexus Mods:
https://www.nexusmods.com/titanquestanniversaryedition/mods/12

11
Made this small mod for better testing of game mechanics:


Link to the alpha version for those interested:
https://mega.nz/file/JHZEQbbT#SMTD0ayvE6xPRYmS5YzQiF1TKyv14RC5F7j1RYf2A-M

Place the mod in CustomMaps folder. After loading, it will bounce to the main game. After entering the game go to the potion chest in Helos, or type unlock code "trainingdummies01". An amulet will drop, that can summon the practice targets. I hope this can help someone to test their equips/builds.

Known issues: even with 1000% physical resistance, physical damage still shows on the practice target... as elemental, wtf (but its health bar doesn't move at all). I think this is an engine problem of the displayed numbers. Or if someone has explanation, please share it.

Credit to @icefreeze, the idea of making this mod came in a conversation with him. I may add some specific dummies in the future, but its not the most interesting task in the world, so i'll leave it alone for now.

12
Texture & Skin Modding / Basic tips in modeling
« on: 16 November 2021, 07:15:15 »
For those interested in making or editing TQ models, Here are a few tips. I had a question about my workflow in PM, ill post the response here as well. My knowledge is pretty basic, but it may help someone to start.
 
My workflow is the following - first i load an existing character MSH file to 3ds max 2012 using Tokloo's 3dsmax plugin (it works better than the official Max exporter imo).
If i want to just reshape the model in blender, i import without bones, and then export as OBJ file to Blender. Blender is 10 times more user friendly than Max when doing almost any manipulation. For reshaping in Blender i mostly use Elastic Deform. If i want to add some accessories to the model (e.g. horns) i download a model from free 3D site and convert it to OBJ (using Max or Blender depending on the case), then load it in the scene where the main TQ character model is. Most accessories doesnt fit, so i rescale them, adjust them and reshape them untill they do. Usually its best to enable X symmetry when in sculpt mode, so both sides of the model are affected simultaneously. Ok, now - say you wanted to reshape a bit the male character, add horns on his head and export back to the game. You export both models (male pc mesh and horns) separately as OBJ to 3ds Max. Sometimes its better to uncheck "Write Normals" when exporting, because they display incorrectly in Max (but not always the case). If a model is made from more than 1 part (male model has part of his arm and leg as different object from the rest) you export each part separately. So you have 3 objects to export in this case - horns, body part 1 and body part 2.
How to transfer animation/bone data after exporting from Blender:
First, you import the original male model to Max using Tokloo's plugin again, but this time with bones, hitboxes and optionally with attach points (whatever it has).
On top of that model you load the modified OBJ files you exported from Blender. Next, on the 2 body parts (not horns) you apply Skin Wrap modifier. For each part on the modifier's settings under "Deformation Engine" choose "Face Deformation" and set "Falloff" value to 0,001 (the lowest value). Then click on "Add" and pick a base part of the mesh you want to import Skin data from. In the given example with male model for the arm-leg part of the body (the smaller one) you "Add" the corresponding arm-leg part of the base mesh to import Skin data from; in the same way for the bigger part (rest of the body), you transfer from the bigger part of the original mesh.
After the Skin/bone data is transferred, lower in the Skin Wrap modifier settings you click on "Convert to Skin". This will disable Skin Wrap modifier and add a new Skin Modifier on top of it (the model is already connected to the skeleton).
For the horns - thats easier, since they are dependent on 1 bone only (Bone_Head) you can apply Skin Modifier directly and in the empty bone list click "Add" and then pick Bone_Head from the list. Now the horns will always move with character's head.
After you attach your model's parts to character bones, apply Edit Normals modifier to each separate part. Select all normals (Ctrl + A) untill they are all red and then in Edit normals settings tick "Use threshold", then change the value next to "Selected" to 0,0001 (this will set it to 0,0). Then click on "Selected" button. The normals should change their position. If black parts appear on the mesh using this method, click on Unify Normals instead. When you exit the modifier, the normals should be green or light blue now.
You are pretty much set up for export. How to Import/Export you probably already know (it's explained in Endymion's tutorial).
I usually do not export or import Attach Points to Max, instead i open the original mesh and the newly created mesh with MeshView and paste text data from one to the other. This does the trick.

Here is a small visual quide, only pictures: https://mega.nz/file/IWYX1AhZ#LZSyky0bZiS3jc88XN2BbPJga0rOslA7LJc6fT3nEzI

13
Other Modifications / [MOD] Permadeath
« on: 24 October 2021, 00:44:27 »
Ever wanted a more "legit" hardcore mode in Titan Quest? Now it's possible! In this mod if your characters die, they will stay dead. You won't be able to sell or store your items after you die, but that's pretty logical, isn't it?
Many thanks to Endymion for giving me the quest modding directions and ideas to help me make this idea reality. He gets most of the credit actually.

Installation:
1. Place the mod in your CustomMaps folder as you do with any loaded mod, then launch it from "Play Custom Quest" menu. This is not a bounce mod!
2. Watch over your skin! Your first death will also be your last  :P

Notes
1. The mod works only with the vanilla game for now. If you want to merge with Xmax or another mod, feel free to do it.
2. After you die (or if you enter the mod with a character that died in it), you won't be able to return to the main menu. Just hit Alt+F4 to close the game manually (if you play on fullscreen). Or play on windowed/borderless mode.
3. I'd appreciate if someone test and tell me if you encounter problems. The mod is still in early stage, so who knows...

Download Link:
https://mega.nz/file/ROwFzKbR#8oDXeooTVLIeGFA0_loZOHjgkw6wpUePiWblWcKVTgM

14
In the following tutorials I'll show you some advanced methods with meshes, templates and animations and how to utilize them to achieve impressive results. Tutorials to come:

Tutorial I - In the first tutorial you will learn about "randomizer monsters", how to create invisible meshes, and how to make your character to spawn with random default hair.
Tutorial II - The second tutorial will teach you how to mimic Grim Dawn's transmogrify system in Titan Quest, giving random looks to equipment (which is controllable to some degree).
Tutorial III - The third tutorial will show how to make helmets with attached "illusions", changing a creature's looks to another similar creature.
Tutorial IV - The fourth tutorial is about hiding attached items via animations. It will show you how to make a flavor animation where the character plays lyre, while making the lyre itself invisible in all other animations.
Tutorial V - The fifth and final tutorial is about greater creature transformations. You will learn how to make a creature to transform into a completely different creature, using animations with attached props.

Without further delay, let's begin!


---


TUTORIAL I - MAKING A SIMPLE RANDOMIZER

Tools and programs you will need for this tutorial:

Tamschi's ArcUnpack (to extract game resources):
https://mega.nz/file/wTwjUARL#7LKJUOgW3p3vb3mubp34ChV3uKVOQefyzyCTN1pOeew

Tamschi's MeshView (to edit meshes):
https://mega.nz/file/JfRiEKoY#ClnLQwMf-eO_Q7kHPvT7pOhe8WXOEGhHBlS8RoGKtck

ArtManager (to build your mod)


Step 1 - Extracting Creatures.ARC
Assuming you already have the mentioned programs, the first thing you need to do is extract the game's Creatures.arc, where the meshes you need are located.
To do that, copy or drag Creatures.arc and place it/paste it over the ArcUnpack.exe. It will be extracted automatically in the same location you copied it from. OR, if you don't want to do this every time: right click on the ARC file > choose "Open with...", tick "Always open with this program", then browse to ArcUnpack.exe and click on it. From now on all .ARC files will unpack automatically when you double click on them. I personally prefer this method.



Step 2 - Extracting OBJ Data from Mesh
Now, in the extracted archive, browse to the following directory "Creatures/PC/Male". Inside you will see the male character mesh - "malepc02.msh". To open it with MeshView, right-click on it, and in the dropdown menu pick "Open With..." and in the window that opens tick "Always open with this program". Then browse to MeshView.exe and click on it. From now on all .MSH files will automatically open with MeshView.



Inside the opened mesh, go to "Mesh/Mesh(v11)" and click on "Save Partial Data (.OBJ)":



Then save the model as object file in a desired location, picking a name for it:



In this case I just made a folder named "TutorialMeshes" on my desktop and saved it there:



Why did we extracted the male mesh as OBJ? Because we will use it to "corrupt" the female mesh, making it invisible. You'll see how in the next step.

Step 3 - Creating an Invisible Mesh

Ok, now close the male mesh and in the extracted Creatures folder browse to directory "Creatures/PC/Female". Inside is located the female mesh - "femalepc01.msh". Open it, and again go to "Mesh/Mesh(v11)", only this time click on "Replace Data (.OBJ)":



In the pop-up window that appears, browse to the malepc.obj you saved before and click on it:



This will replace the female model geometry with male one (while preserving the female bones), but since the two models are too different, the female model will just become corrupted - no shaders or textures will ever show on it. Now all that remains is to save the new invisible mesh you created:



Pick a name and location (I used the same folder from before):



Gratz, you created your first invisible mesh. You can do many cool shenanigans with invisible meshes, and they will be essential in almost all of the following tutorials. For now this mesh is all we need to make our hair randomizer.

Before we continue, I want to give you a brief introduction of how this system works.
A randomizer is basically a monster with no animation, which is attached to an invisible piece of armor (best option is to use a helmet, because you can link that helmet in DefaultHeadPiece of the base creature).

Why using a monster as a randomizer you may ask... for several reasons. Monster template allows the attachment to spawn with random meshes and textures, to have its own sounds and effects (possibly even skills), and to equip a loot tables of items... the possibilities are endless.

In the given example it goes like this:

1. Pick a base creature, in this case the female character
2. That creature wears an invisible helmet, in this case we choose the default female hair
3. In the invisible helmet mesh attach a link to a monster (also invisible and with no animation, so it follows the base creature's bones)
4. That invisible monster can equip a loot table of different hairs (visible), so it appears that the base creature is wearing them.

I hope this explanation is clear enough for start (at least for modders). If not, just follow the tutorial to see it in action.

Step 4 - Setting up the mod

Now that you have the mesh, open ArtManager and create a new mod in "Mod > New..."



I named mine "_MeshTutorial1" (the "_" in front will send it in the end of your mod list, so it won't mess up with your other mods:



After creating the new mod, right-click on Source folder to create new directory:



I named mine same as the mod for consistency:



Now, in the new created folder (inside ArtManager) right-click on an empty space and choose "Import":



Then in the pop-up window, browse to the invisible female mesh you made before and click on it to import to this folder:




Ok, you are set up. For this tutorial you will need two separate instances of the invisible mesh for the randomizer. Right-click on the invisible mesh to copy it:



Then right-click again on an empty space to paste as a copy:




Now, rename one of the meshes to "helmet_femalepc01_invisible.msh", the other to "monster_femalepc01_invisible.msh", to tell which is which later:



Now, in ArtManager switch to Database section and click on "Database > Import Record...":



Then browse to the following DBR directory - "Records/Item/EquipmentHelm/Default/FemalePC01HairHelmet.DBR":



After that, open the folders on the left and browse to the DBR you've just imported:



Make a copy of it and rename the copy to "FemalePC01HairHelmet_Original.DBR". You will need that for later.

(To be continued)

15
Gaming / Awesome Amazon models in Total War: Troy
« on: 06 January 2021, 12:37:45 »

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