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Poking the Game

You can use the cheat tools to amend game variables. This can be highly disruptive but is the generally recgnised way of remediating bugs, or backtracking poor decisions. The contents of this page are advice, they describe how to do stuff. If you're worried about the possible effects don't do it.

The game interface does not report on the state of the romance quests, a comment in the personal page of the protaganist and their paramours would have been good. Because the Jaheria Quest is long, convoluted and buggy, it is necessary to check what's going on and at times amend the game file variables to nudge the thing along. The choices are between Shadowkeeper & the game's integral cheat console.

How do I turn on the Cheat Console?

Firstly enable the cheat console. Add the line Debug Mode=1 to the [Game Options] section of the baldur.ini file using a system editor (such as notepad). Restart the game and to activate the CLUAConsole, hit your [CTRL] button and the [Space] bar simultaneously. This key combination is different from the one used in BG1. The [Esc] button exits the Console. Further instructions are held on your computer in

C:/Program Files/Black Isle/BGII - SoA/Power Users.txt

The baldur.ini file is also found in this directory. This assumes you have installed the game in the default directory.

Rekindling the Romance

Once you have enabled it you need to type:

CLUAConsole:GetGlobal("JaheiraRomanceActive","Global")

If it says that this variable is '1' then your romance is active. '2' means you have an exclusive relationship, '3' means it failed. If it is 1 or 2 don't touch it. If it is 3, then you can use the CLUAConsole command to reset it

CLUAConsole:SetGlobal("JaheiraRomanceActive","Global",1)

If you don't get some sort of response from Jaheira soon, the period between chat events is set by a varaiable but I can't find it. This is distributed with one value, which seems to be quite infrequent, one of the fixes in the Baldurdash patch is to half this time. The next event can be forced.

Forcing the next event

The variable JAHEIRAROMANCE counts the time down and allegedly setting the value of this variable to 1, will cause the next event to take place. I am unclear what happens if the next event due is a plot based event, or you are in a location, chapter where the events can't take place.

CLUAConsole:SetGlobal("JaheiraRomance","Global",1)

is the CLUAConsole string that does this. This transaction is best not undertaken using Shadowkeeper. See below...NB. The Baldurdash patch halves the time between timed events in the Jaheria Romance Quest. I can't find the name of the variable that holds this value. Its probably hard coded into one of the script files. Also this technique will not work if the next event is plot or location based and you are not at the right point in the story, or somewhere else.

Forcing a specific LoveTalk

An event can be poked by setting "Lovetalk". This involves dicovering the current value of LOVETALK by using the CLUAConsole. Set the mouse arrow on Jaheira's green circled figure in the main window and type:

CLUAConsole:GetGlobal("LoveTalk","Locals")

Take a note of the number (usually between 1 and 70), once you know the value of LOVETALK, it can be reset. To reset Lovetalk, having selected Jaheira (by putting the mouse over Jaheria's green circle in the main game window and then type

CLUAConsole:SetGlobal("LoveTalk","Locals",n)

where 'n' in the above command should be a number. It is generally suggested that you would use the next odd number after the one you found in the previous command. I have not had to do this and given what else I have discovered, I am unclear how this would work. You should probably check that the number you set to is not a major plot event. This can be chcked at Valecrion's Walkthrough Version 2. NB. LOVETALK should be odd between events and even during an event. The game as issued starts LOVETALK at 1 and finishes at 70, the patch (or ToB) ensures that the end state is 71. Obviously, if you fail at the romance, LOVETALK will no longer be incremented.

Using Shadowkeeper

It is incredibly easy to use, its advantage is that it is a windows program. This is also a disadvantage you can't use it while running the game. I advise that any changes you make, you save into a new game file and make the changes while the game is not running.

For Shadowkeeper the critical variables are held in Jaheira's 'Affects' tab, and the Global Variables Tab. Why save into a new file? So you have a safe copy to move back to. Saving into a new file means that the original file is still available either as a source for a different change or to continue playing.

How is it possible to make illegal changes?

The plot based events write and amend a large number of variables other than the romance variables including (potentially) inventory items so it is possible to reset LOVETALK or JAHEIRAROMANCEACTIVE and not change the associated storyline variables. (Giving further examples would be spoilerish,and require research work I havn't done). This is one reason why making changes might not have the desired effect. How might using Shadowkeeper corrupt a game file? Because we are trying to amend a disk copy of the game file, while the game is amending a memory image of the same file. Changes initiated from the two sources may conflict, and changes written by Shadowkeeper may be overwritten when you save the game file from the Game's options -> save dialogue. It is not possible to syncronise these changes, except by using CLUAConsole. Also you can make illegal changes such as equipping a staff and shield .

More could be said about this subject but I assume we want to play the game not discuss information technology, my advice is to use Shadowkeeper while the game is not running. Take it or ignore it.

April 2002