Exult Forum

While reading at the Codex about how different armour items have different warmth ratings (from a minus-rating to a number up to 95) I wonder how "being warm" is actually calculated for a party member in Serpent Isle?

Is there a certain number that has to be reached in order to not have the character feel cold and take damage? Since I can't look into the source files, can someone please do this for me? That way, I could improve certain articles.

That would also be interesting in if Petra generally has this mechanism disabled, or she just has such a low minus number that she never feels cold.

NPC shapes have flags so they do not feel cold. Automatons and Goblins, for example.

There are eggs at entrances and exits to handle the is-it-cold question.

You can also see details in Exult by going to the F2 menu -> NPC -> NPC Flags

Ok, that just leaves the question how much "warmth" rating has to be produced by armour in order to not feel cold. That's something the NPC flags don't tell me (or I didn't find it). There has to be some kind of minimum number, after all.

The NPC flags are actually an Exult thing; they are hard-coded in the original.

Warmth is computed by starting from a base value (which depends on the freezing flag being set, and neither value I remember off the top of my head) then add the warmth values of every piece of equipment being worn.

The warmth of each piece of equipment was hard-coded in the original, but I figured them out and made them editable in Exult; you can view them in Exult Studio.

There are a few warmth thresholds (which I don't remember off the top of my head either) that make the character take damage at different rates depending on how cold he/she is.

Interesting.

That could mean you don't neccassarily need a full set of winter clothes.

While a cloak is needed (and doesn't take up another armour slot), I'm surprised that footwear does have a greater selection than thought.Just look at the warmth ratings:
-Magic Boots: 65
-Swamp Boots: 80
-Furt Boots: 95

Also interesting to compare headwear:
-Magic Helm: 5
-Helm of Light: 10
-Viking Helm: 15
-Fur Cap: 35

What I think is at work is, that you don't actually need full winter gear to get protected. After all, the Helm of Light keeps you warm, despite having a worse rating than the Viking Helm, while Swamp Boots are almost as good as Fur Boots in that regard. I could speculate you only need a Snow Leopard Cloak if you wear the alternate footwear and helmets (although if that reaches the minimum number I don't know).

Yes, it was never necessary to have a full set of winter clothes

Too bad you could never buy the black-blue heating potion.

This is interesting stuff. I thought I knew everything that's to be known about Ultima 7, but I stand corrected.

I used to just slap a fur cap, boots and cloak on everyone and figured that'd keep me warm, like most people I reckon. Nice to know there are options.