Planescape Torment - Fully Modded!

This is the ultimate guide to running Planescape: Torment on Windows XP, Vista, whatever, in the best possible configuration!

What follows is a complete step-by-step guide to installing, fixing and modding Planescape: Torment on modern machines. This guide will fix hundreds of bugs, add missions that the designers were not allowed to finish, tweak the game, improve graphics and allow it to run at a modern (and widescreen) resolutions.

In short: This is how Planescape: Torment SHOULD be played. All recommendations in this guide assume you are new to Planescape: Torment, so nothing will be spoiled or ruined. This guide will prepare the game for it to be experienced in the best possible way.

All of these things are possible thanks to the hard work of Planescape: Torment fans: Qwinn, scient, GhostDog and Biggs. I've also used additional help from Jake. I'm sure there are also many others who have worked hard to make your Planescape: Torment experience the best it can possibly be. Thanks a lot, guys!

Note: The order in which you do the following steps IS important, so don't skip one unless it's 'optional' or 'recommended'.

Step 1: Install the Game (Required - of course)
You should have no problems using the normal installer, but it will only install the files found on Disc 1 (and then possibly force you to sit through an Icewind Dale trailer - arg). Don't worry about doing a full-install now though, we'll get to that later in Step 2.

Step 1a: Install the official patch (Required - Only on the 4 CD version!)
Note: If your copy of Planescape: Torment came on 2 discs then SKIP this step! (The patch is already pre-installed on the 2CD version, and installing again it will cause problems within the game.)

How to install (4 disc version only): Download the official patch (trmt11.exe) and run the executable (it will automatically know where you've installed the game). This will bring Planescape: Torment up to version 1.1.

Step 1b: Install language packs (Optional)
Install the language packs you want (if any).

Ok, that's the basics done. Now let's take full advantage of your modern machine, and improve the loading speed and the graphics quality...

Step 2: Improve loading times on faster machines (Required)
Note: The step is necessary before you can perform the Steps 3a and b, below.

What it does: Copying all of the game's files to your harddrive improves the game loading speed immensely and allows you to improve the graphics, too. It requires approximately 1.3GB of HD space, which should not be an issue for modern machines.

How to do it:

1. First, create a new directory in your game directory (where torment.exe resides) and name it "CDALL".
2. Then copy all the .bif files from disc 2 into this directory. (You'll find the .bif files in a folder called "cd2" on the disc).
3. Now copy the .bif files from discs 3 and 4.

It will take a while to copy all these files to your HD and Windows will alert you that some of them already exist. This is perfectly normal: These are duplicate files (the same files stored on different game discs to reduce the amount of disc swapping when playing the game from CD). Just skip them or overwrite them and you will be saving yourself 500 megabytes of HD space inthe process.

Now we just need to edit the configuration file to point to our new directory instead of the CD drive.

4. Open torment.ini in Notepad. At the top should be a section called [alias] and it should look something like this:

HD0:=C:\Program Files\Black Isle\Torment
CD1:=D:\
CD2:=D:\cd2
CD3:=D:\cd3
CD4:=D:\cd4
CD5:=D:\cd5

Please note: Your configuration file might not be identical to this!

The top line ("HD0:") is where the game is installed on your harddrive (as mentioned, it may be different than shown here). The next lines point to your CD/DVD drive on your computer.

We need to change it so that the "CD" lines point to this "CDALL" directory you created. So, in my case, my torment.ini file now looks like this:

HD0:=C:\Program Files\Black Isle\Torment
CD1:=C:\Program Files\Black Isle\Torment\CDALL
CD2:=C:\Program Files\Black Isle\Torment\CDALL
CD3:=C:\Program Files\Black Isle\Torment\CDALL
CD4:=C:\Program Files\Black Isle\Torment\CDALL
CD5:=D:\

Note: You can ignore the CD5 line, it's not used.

5. For the next step, we're going to speed up loading times even more. Look the for the following line in the torment.ini file:

CacheSize=600

and change it to:

CacheSize=1

6. Finally, to make the game look smoother and play better make the following changes to the torment.ini file:

Path Search Nodes=32000
Maximum Frame Rate=40

7. Save the file in Notepad and you're all set! (Note: In Windows Vista you may need to save torment.ini onto your desktop and then copy it back to the game directory.)

Step 3a: Install Bigg's Widescreen mod (Highly recommended)
(Currently at version 2.1)
Note: You MUST complete Step 2 before attempting to install this mod!

What it does: This awesome patch allows you to play Planescape: Torment at a higher resolution, making the game look a whole lot better, especially on flatscreen monitors.

Warning: Installing this mod will invalidate your existing savegames, so be prepared to start over once it has been installed! If you're in the middle of a game, and don't want to lose your progress, you should stop now (come back when you're ready to play a new game!).

How to install: Download Bigg's Widescreen mod (ignore the name -- it doesn't matter whether you actually have a widescreen monitor or not!).

Double-click on widescreen-v2.1.exe (it doesn't matter where it is) and Browse to the directory on your computer where Planescape: Torment is installed. (This is the directory where torment.exe lives and is usually something like: C:\Program Files\Black Isle\Torment\). Click Install once you've done this.

When the new window opens, choose to install "Component [Widescreen Mod]" -- even if your monitor is not widescreen -- by typing "I" and pressing ENTER.

When asked for your X-coordinates enter:
1280

When asked for your Y-coordinates enter:
800 (if your monitor is widescreen)
OR
1024 (if your monitor is not widescreen)
OR
720 (if you're playing on an LCD TV)

Note: Do NOT be tempted to enter a different resolution. Yes, you can do it and yes, the game can run at higher resolutions, but graphics will become distorted.

You should now have 1280x800 (if your monitor is widescreen) or 1280x1024 (if your monitor is not widescreen) or 1280x720 (if you're playing on an LCD TV). If this is correct, type 'Y' to install.

Note: You MUST follow the next step in order to fix the graphics at this new higher resolution!

Step 3b: Install Ghostdog's mod (Required)
(Currently at version 1.2)
*Note: If you have installed Bigg's Widescreen mod (above), then you MUST install this mod or some of the game's graphics will be broken!

What it does: Increasing the resolution of the game will knock many special graphical effects out of place and making many menu screens look ugly. Luckily this mod fixes all the special effects, graphics and menus for higher resolutions.

How to install: This mod is a little tricky to install, but all of the following updates are installed the in the same way, so pay attention.

Before you begin you will need some software capable of opening .rar files. If you don't already have some, I recommend downloading and installing the excellent (and free) utility 7-Zip.

Once you've got some software capable of opening .rar archives you're read to download Ghostdog's mod.

Once you've downloaded it, open it with 7-zip (usually just be double-click on the file). Now extract the entire archive to the game directory (this is the directory where torment.exe resides - usually C:\Program Files\Black Isle\Torment\).

Once you've done this, double-click on the setup file Setup-GhostDog's-PST-UI.exe from within the game's directory.

In the window that opens you will then get three options:

1. Install the mod with the default fonts
2. Install the mod with 30% bigger fonts
3. Install the mod with 50% bigger fonts

I personally like option 1, but you may prefer running the game with slightly bigger fonts. You can see a preview of the differences here (click to see full size):
To pick an option, just type a number associated with it and press ENTER.

Note: Don't worry! As with all of the patches and mods below, you can always run the setup file again in order to change your options. So if you don't like the font size you picked, simply run the Setup-GhostDog's-PST-UI.exe again and pick a different option!


Step 4: Install the Ultimate Fixpack (Highly recommended)
(Currently at version 3.02.)

What it does: Fixes hundreds of bugs left in the game. You definitely want this installed before playing the game.

How to install: As with the previous mod, download the Ultimate WeiDU Fixpack and extract the entire archive to the game directory (this is the directory where torment.exe resides - usually C:\Program Files\Black Isle\Torment\).

Then double click on the set-up file, Setup-PST-Fix.exe, from within the game directory.

In the window that opens, enter your language number (for example, enter "0" for English) and press ENTER. Then choose "N" (you can view the readme later if you want).

You'll then get the option to install the following items:

• Ultimate WeiDU Fixpack, by Qwinn
• Dialogue Spelling/Grammar Corrections (English Only)
• Subtitled Cutscenes

You should choose to install all three of these items, one-by-one. To do this, just type "I" and press ENTER for each one.

Explanation of the things you've just installed options:

• The Ultimate WeiDU Fixpack is, as you'd expect, a ton of bug fixes for the game. You definitely want this.
  
• The second option, Dialogue Spelling/Grammar Corrections, again corrects mistakes in the game's text (some serious, some not so serious, but all recommended).
  
• The final option, Subtitled Cutscenes, is also recommended as there's some very important stuff said during the cutscenes -- that you don't want to miss!

You can now play a bug fixed, generally improved, version of Planescape: Torment, but why stop there when there's so much other great stuff to add...

Step 5a: Install Unfinished Business (Recommended)
(Currently at version 3.02.)

What it does: The Unfinished Business patch adds many missions back into the game that the designer's didn't have time to finish. These are missions that should be in the game, but time and money constraints meant they were left out, despite being close to completion.

How to install: Download Qwinn's Unfinished Business patch.

Extract all files to the game directory (where torment.exe lives) and double-click on Setup-PST-UB.exe.

You will then be asked, as before, which items you want to install. All recommendations in this guide assume you're a new player to Planescape: Torment.

The first two SHOULD be installed:

• All Recommended PS:T Unfinished Business Components
• Expanded Deionarra's Truth Mod

Do NOT install the following:

• Restored Cheat Items

Step 5b: Install Tweaks Pack (Recommended)
(Currently at version 3.51)

What it does: This patch tweaks and rebalances elements of the game. These are things that make the game more enjoyable to play, and have been requested by players since it was released.

How to install: Download Qwinn's PS:T Tweak Pack

Same as before, extract all files to the game directory. Then run Setup-PST-Tweak.exe.

As a new player you SHOULD install the following:

• Banter Accelerator (30 mins)
• Maximized HP Per Level for TNO and Party
• Maximized Friends Spell
• Stackable Rings, Charms, Bracelets, Scrolls

Do NOT install:

• Scale of Souls

You SHOULD install:

• Save Nordom! Tweak

Do NOT install:

• Tome Of Cheats
• Power Action Leprechaun Annah, by Black Isle
• Easter Egg Morte, by Black Isle

You SHOULD install:

• Explore City Areas

Do NOT install:

• Rest Anywhere
• Identify All Items

These are very minor changes. I recommend NOT installing them, but it's up to you:

• Use Floating Text Font Globally
• No Battle Music

Do NOT install:

• Early Glabrezus Tweak

Note: You can change your mind and add/remove any of these items later by running Setup-PST-Tweak.exe again.

You can now play Planescape: Torment better than ever before.

One list thing: If you're playing the game on a nVidia 8 series graphics card (for example a 8800GTS) then you will also need to install the nVidia fixer. If, after installing this, characters start walking backwards, go to the ingame video options and enable "Software mirroring".

Congratulations! Lots of work, but you're done! You can relax, start-up Planescape: Torment and enjoy one of the greatest games ever made.

As a special bonus treat, you may want a higher quality icon associated with the game (especially when playing on Vista), so I've created a new game icon.



Download the Vista compatible icon (right-click save as...).

Red Dwarf: Back to a dearth of magic

Last night gave Red Dwarf fans something pretty exciting, the first episode of a brand new three-part special. Back to Earth: Part One marked the return of the much-loved characters after a 10 year absence. As a die-hard fan, I watched, but not with especially high expectations...

I have a lot of respect for Doug Naylor and the rest of the cast and crew of Red Dwarf, but unfortunately there's no getting away from the fact that this was ultimately a sub-par bit of science-fiction TV. Naylor has ways been about making people laugh first, and worrying about story, characters and science fiction, second. His book, Last Human, and his two series were the same, so it doesn't come as a complete surprise.

Sadly, despite his apparent best efforts to improve these short-comings, he still lacks the ability to tell a good story or allow characters to be themselves. As usual there were funny moments, and his punchy dialogue still hit the mark at times ("There's something bigger than God heading for you!") but attempts at anything else fell flat.

For instance, the characters, after an initial opening dialogue from Rimmer (that actually did sound like Rimmer) all characterisation attempts floundered. We saw Dave Lister crying over the grave of his apparent lost love, Kochanski. It should have been a moving moment, and, indeed, Craig Charles got a chance to show just how far he's improved as an actor over the years, but it still felt very forced and unnatural. There was little or no connection with the character's pain.

When it was time for the science-fiction aspects of Red Dwarf to appear, similar failings were revealed. A giant squid monster that, for example, wasn't in any way scary or threatening. The sudden appearance of another hologram, with only a single apparent attempt from Rimmer to vaguely ask where she was from. Instead of the crew suddenly being incredibly suspicious and confused, they suddenly focus on whether they liked her or not -- a double-whammy of failure in terms of characterisation and competent sci-fi.

Of course she's not going to turn out to be who she said she is. Even reduced to terms of plain story-telling it's unfortunately very obvious and clichéd what is going to happen.

The ending was perhaps the worst moment of all. I suppose we, as viewers, were supposed to go, "Oh my god! They've opened a portal to Earth!" But instead there was little shock or even any reason to care at all. I don't want to spoil anything for anyone reading this, but: They're going to go back to Earth. Hilarity will ensue (especially with regards to Kryten and Rimmer). Lister will find Kochanski and ultimately there'll be a plot device that means they'll all be forced back on Red Dwarf - but happy.

What does that leave us with? A scene with a character crying over a grave that wasn't touching. The appearance of a threat that wasn't scary or threatening. The shocking appearance of a new character that didn't shock the other characters. A sudden plot device that allows the characters to return "home" coupled with a cliff-hanger ending - that even the characters didn't seem to really care about...

The entire episode could have been condensed into something much more potent and interesting that allowed a storyline to be set-up on this new "Earth" (which could have allowed the creation of a decent cliff-hanger, too).

Naylor is undoubtedly a funny comedic writer. I've always said that he's fantastic at his one-liners. But unfortunately a show can't rely solely on one liners, however funny they are, and especially not a science fiction one. In this regard Naylor needs help from somebody with talent for structure, characterisation and plot. Even if it's not Rob Grant, it's clear that he still needs a helping hand from someone with taltents to complement his own.

Anyways, this is all a moot point, now. Red Dwarf is over. There will be no more TV shows. It's been a great 30 years and I hope the cast and creators have had as much fun making it as we've all had watching it. It's ultimately enhanced my life over the years and it will always have a special place in my heart.

Thanks Rob and Doug. It's been a blast.

Hellboy: Reading Order

As a follow-up to my previous post which put all the Hellboy stories in chronological order, I suddenly realised that it would be better for new readers (like me) to have a list showing a suggested reading order.

Those who have read the first three trade-paperback collections will appreciate how the published order isn't actually the order you should read the stories in.

Of course a reading order can be tricky to judge because it's perfectly usual for Hellboy's timeline to jump around the place and without any serious knock-on effect to any other story.

With this in mind I only mark stories in RED that require you to read them in order.

Stories in BLACK are related to the stories in red, but can be read at any time.

The other stories (those in GREY) can be read at absolutely any time and are completely stand-alone.

Hellboy #1: Seed of Destruction
1993: Untitled promo story (San Diego Comic Con Comics #2)
1994: Seed of Destruction
1994: Untitled promo story (The Comic Buyer's Guide #1070)

Hellboy #3: The Chained Coffin and Others
1959: The Corpse
1961: The Iron Shoes
1989: A Christmas Underground
1994: The Wolves of Saint August
1995: The Chained Coffin
1964: The Baba Yaga

Hellboy #2: Wake the Devil
1996: Wake the Devil

Hellboy #3: The Chained Coffin and Others
1996: Almost Colossus

Hellboy #4: The Right Hand of Doom
1947: Pancakes
1954: The Nature of the Beast
1956: King Vold
1967: Heads
1979: Goodbye, Mister Tod
1982: The Vârcolac
1998: The Right Hand of Doom
1999: Box Full of Evil

BPRD #1: Hollow Earth and Other Stories
1998: Abe Sapien: Drums of the Dead
1938: Lobster Johnson: The Killer in my Skull
1997: Abe Sapien vs Science

Hellboy #5: Conqueror Worm
2001: Conqueror Worm

BPRD #1: Hollow Earth and Other Stories
2002: BPRD: Hollow Earth

Hellboy #6: Strange Places
2002: The Third Wish

BPRD #2: The Soul of Venice & Other Stories
2003: The Soul of Venice
2003: Dark Waters
2003: Night Train
2003: There's Something Under My Bed
2004: Another Day at the Office

Hellboy #7: The Troll Witch and Others
1963: The Troll Witch
1958: The Penanggalan
1991: Dr. Carp's Experiment
1992: The Ghoul
1993: Makoma

BPRD #3: Plague of Frogs
2004: Plague of Frogs

BPRD #4: The Dead
2004: Born Again (Listed as "Prologue" to main story.)
2004: The Dead

BPRD #5: The Black Flame
2005: The Black Flame

Hellboy #6: Strange Places
2005: The Island (You can read this any time after The Third Wish, if you like, but it might retain more impact if you wait.)

BPRD #6: The Universal Machine
2006: The Universal Machine

Hellboy #8: Darkness Calls
2006: Darkness Calls

BPRD #7: Garden of Souls
2006: Garden of Souls

BPRD #8: Killing Ground
2007: Killing Ground

BPRD #9: 1946
1946: 1946
1939: Bishop Olek's Devil

Ape Sapien #1: The Drowning
1981: The Drowning

Lobster Johnson #1: The Iron Prometheus
1937: The Iron Prometheus

BPRD #10: The Warning
2008: The Warning


Please leave corrections and/or suggestions! Thanks!

Thanks to Shady on the Darkhorse forums for additional help.

The Hellboy Story Chronology

I've recently fallen in love with Mike Mignola's Hellboy comic book series. After watching Guillermo del Toro's movies (first one: meh, second one: wow!) I decided to read the first collection, Seed of Destruction (co-written by John Byrne), and I wasn't overly enthusiastic at first, but I decided to persevere and discovered I was wrong: Hellboy was, infact, awesome.

Alan Moore's introduction to the second collection (Wake the Devil) points out exactly what makes it such a brilliant and unique series: It captures all the fun and brevity of Golden Age comics like Spider-Man but also has an interesting modern edge (and I don't just mean being filled with post-modern references; refreshingly there are none). It manages to be dark and subversive while always remaining sweet, innocent and fun.

The storyline leaps all over the place, in a very fun and effortless way, but you may wonder how they all fit together into a single chronology. No? Well, I did :)

The following lists the individual stories of Hellboy and the trade-paperbacks where they can be found. It is based on the excellent work of Kid Cthulu and Mist the Soul-Gatherer and features only canon works (so no Hellboy: Weird Tales, Hellboy: Odd/Odder/Oddest Jobs or Hellboy Jr.)

If you think I've missed something, please leave a comment! (The items in grey are ones that I'm not sure if they're canonical of not.)

Pre-Hellboy:
1937: Lobster Johnson #1: The Iron Prometheus
1938: Lobster Johnson: The Killer in my Skull (collected in BPRD #1: Hollow Earth & Other Stories)
Hellboy appears (1944):
1946: BPRD: 1946 (collected in BPRD #9: 1946)
1947: Pancakes (collected in Hellboy #4: The Right Hand of Doom)
1954: The Nature of the Beast (collected in Hellboy #4)
1956: King Vold (collected in Hellboy #4)
1958: The Penanggalan (collected in Hellboy #7: The Troll Witch and Others)
1959: The Corpse (collected in Hellboy #3: The Chained Coffin and Others)
1961: The Iron Shoes (collected in Hellboy #3)
1961: The Hydra and the Lion (collected in Hellboy #7)
1963: The Troll Witch (collected in Hellboy #7)
1964: The Baba Yaga (collected in Hellboy #3)
1967: Heads (collected in Hellboy #4)
1979: Goodbye, Mr. Tod (collected in Hellboy #4)
1981: Ape Sapien #1: The Drowning
1982: The Vampire of Prague (collected in Hellboy #7)
1982: The Vârcolac (collected in Hellboy #4 (redrawn and expanded))
1986: The Lost Army (novel by Christopher Golden)
1989: A Christmas Underground (collected in Hellboy #3)
1990: The Kabandha (from the Hellboy Sourcebook (only 4 pages) - not yet collected)
1991: Dr. Carp's Experiment (collected in Hellboy #7)
1992: The Ghoul (collected in Hellboy #7)
1993: Makoma (collected in Hellboy #7)
The original series begins:
1994: Hellboy #1: Seed of Destruction
1994: The Wolves of Saint August (collected in Hellboy #3)
1995: The Chained Coffin (collected in Hellboy #3)
1996: Hellboy #2: Wake the Devil
1996: Almost Colossus (collected in Hellboy #3)
1997: Abe Sapien vs Science (collected in BPRD #1)
1997: The Bones of Giants (novel by Christopher Golden)
1998: The Right Hand of Doom (collected in Hellboy #4)
1998: Abe Sapien: Drums of the Dead (collected in BPRD #1)
1999: Box Full of Evil (collected in Hellboy #4)
2001: The Dakini (prose) (from the Hellboy Sourcebook - not yet collected)
2001: Conqueror Worm (collected in Hellboy #5: Conqueror Worm)
2002: BPRD: Hollow Earth (collected in BPRD #1)
2002: The Third Wish (collected in Hellboy #6: Strange Places)
2003: BPRD: The Soul of Venice (collected in BPRD #2: The Soul of Venice & Other Stories)
2003: BPRD: Dark Waters (collected in BPRD #2)
2003: BPRD: Night Train (collected in BPRD #2)
2003: BPRD: There's Something Under My Bed (collected in BPRD #2)
2004: BRPD: Another Day at the Office (collected in BPRD #2)
2004: BPRD: Born Again (collected in BPRD #4: The Dead)
2004: BRPRD #3: Plague of Frogs
2004: BPRD: The Dead (collected in BPRD #4)
2005: The Island (collected in Hellboy #6)
2005: BPRD #5: The Black Flame
2006: BPRD #6: The Universal Machine
2006: BPRD #7: Garden of Souls
2006: Hellboy #8: Darkness Calls
2007: BPRD #8: Killing Ground

Note 1: If there's no story name it's because it's the same name as the collected edition (with no other short stories).
Note 2: The full name is only given once, after that it's just the volume number.