True Patch Gold Edition
HOTFIX #8
January 02, 2015
ReadMe Updated on February 07, 2015
- Tessera -


NOTE: PLEASE REFER TO THE "Docs" SUB-FOLDER FOR FURTHER INFORMATION AND INSTRUCTIONS
REGARDING THE TRUE PATCH GOLD EDITION FOR VTM: BLOODLINES.


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DESCRIPTION
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This is the complete True Patch Gold Edition patch for Vampire -- The Masquerade: Bloodlines.
The True Patch Gold Edition patch MUST be installed BEFORE you install any third-party mods.

Regarding Hotfix #8...

This hotfix deals with several bugs and glitches which were discovered after the release 
of the True Patch Gold Edition. All of them are extremely minor little things, but once
I had collected enough of these tiny fixes, I decided to release another "hotfix" edition
of the True Patch Gold Edition. This release is therefore designated as "TPG with Hotfix #8."

This Hotfix also includes several model repairs by DDLulu. Specifically, these repairs add
visible fangs to several NPC vampires who previously lacked them. The NPC's affected are:

Skelter
Lily
LaCroix
Isaac
Copper
The "Serial Killer"
Sweeper

Many thanks to DDLulu, for giving us permission to add his various model repairs to the TPG.

Most of the repairs contained within the True Patch Gold Edition were produced solely by Tessera.

Many older (prior to 2008) repairs were performed by Acrimonious, for earlier versions of the True Patch.
Those excellent, early repairs have been carried over and included within the True Patch Gold Edition.

The True Patch series for Bloodlines has been so named because this is *truly* a patch, and it does nothing
more or less than simply fix legitimate bugs found within the original, "plain-vanilla" game files. 
Unlike an alternate line of "patches" will shall remain nameless, the True Patch Gold Edition will not 
introduce any arbitrary and unnecessary changes to the original look, feel and gameplay of VTMB. 
It simply fixes bugs... literally hundreds of bugs... and that's all. 

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INSTALLATION
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IMPORTANT:
It is strongly suggested that you make a FULL backup of VTMB, prior to installing this 
or any other third-party patch or mod(s). 

After unzipping this package, simply copy the entire contents of the "Vampire" folder and
the paste those contents into your working VTMB\Vampire folder. If you do this correctly, 
then Windows will warn you that the files in question already exist and ask if you wish to
overwrite them. Select "Yes" to all and then wait for these updated files to replace the
original versions. That's all there is to it.

You do not require any other patches aside from this one. The official version 1.2 patch
from ActiVision is already fully incorporated into the TPG package. The TPG is all you need.


*** SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR USERS OF THE "HAVEN DANCE" MOD: ***

If you elected to install the optional "Haven Dance" mod that was included within the original
True Patch Gold Edition, then you will need to follow the instructions below:

(1) First, install this update as per the previous instructions at the beginning of this section.
(2) Next, look for a sub-folder within this hotfix package labeled "Haven Dance."
(3) Within that sub-folder is another sub-folder named "maps." Highlight and copy that sub-folder.
(4) Now paste that sub-folder named "maps" and all that it contains into your working 
VTMB\Vampire folder. When Windows prompts you to overwrite existing files, say "Yes" to all.
(5) If you do all of the above correctly, then your Haven Dance mod will be updated with the 
new repairs for the "Milligan bug." The dance mod itself will continue to function as before.
The Milligan bug occurred within the Skyline map, as does the Haven Dance mod. Hence the need
for Haven Dance mod users to install a separate version of the Skyline map file.


*** SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR VTMB MEGA-MOD USERS ***

DO NOT install any of the optional mods from the True Patch package. There is no need for Mega-Mod
users to do so, because improved versions of all of those optional TPG mods are already included 
within the VTMB Mega-Mod package. Mega-Mod users should simply install the basic TPG and then 
install the VTMB Mega-Mod. You will then "have it all," as they say. :)


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IMPORTANT NOTES
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This hotfix includes several major map repairs. Hence it may be necessary to start the game
all over again... from the beginning... with a brand-new character which has never been played 
before. This unfortunate requirement is due to the way that the Source engine saves map data 
into its gamesave files. If you enter a newly revised map with an existing character who has
already visited that map -- prior to when it was updated -- then in all likelihood the game 
will malfunction in various and unpredictable ways. Hence the need to start over again from 
scratch with a brand-new character. With Bloodlines, that's just the way it is, folks.

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Notable repairs in Hotfix #6:
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Some minor adjustements to several ground pathing nodes have been performed in various maps.
A fairly significant pathing issue inside the Asp Hole club has been repaired (it had to do
with NPC congestion happening on the stairs leading up to the second floor).

Several other minor map repairs have been performed inside the Asp Hole club in Hollywood.

A sound effect which was causing certain audio cards to experience problems has been adjusted.

Barabus will now despawn properly after the player has completed all of his quests and exited 
the Fu Labs building (in Chinatown).

Milligan will never get hung up on the furniture... never again. The "Milligan Bug" is no more.

Several female NPC's have had a minor texture repair done to their hair. Thank you for reminding me, Zeno.

Several Kindred NPC's whose fangs were missing have been repaired, courtesy of DDLullu.

A minor adjustment to the "Haven Dance Mod" bundled in with the TPG has been performed.

A few new Python repairs are being introduced, courtesy of the one and only Acrimonious.

A couple of malfunctioning triggers have been repaired on the Santa Monica Warehouse map.

Various other small map repairs, which are frankly too numerous to list.


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Notable repairs in Hotfix #6b and Hotfix #7:
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Several misfiring audio problems resolved via map trigger edits.
A few minor NPC pathing issues were resolved.

The main executable (vampire.exe) has been patched, in order to provide
additional stability and better memory usage on 64-bit operating systems.




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SUPPORT
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As always, official support for True Patch users is available via the tessmage.com Forums.


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AUTHOR
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All parts of the True Patch Gold Edition were written and assembled by Tessera, except where
otherwise noted within the official patch notes. 



- Tessera -
www.tessmage.com
August 14, 2011

E-Mail: tessera@tessmage.com
  