Calo Nord Cantina Cutscene Freezes

[Aspa3597]

KOTOR 1 – Calo Nord Cantina Cutscene Freezes / Javyar’s Cantina Scripts Break – Community Portal Mod Build

I'm having a game-breaking scripting issue in KOTOR 1 while following the Community Portal spoiler-free mod build. I installed the mods in the prescribed order, including the Community Patch compatibility versions where specified.

The problem occurs in Javyar's Cantina on Taris, during Calo Nord's introductory cutscene.

The problem

When I enter the cantina and trigger Calo Nord's scene:

1. Calo says "Go away."
2. One of the Black Vulkars responds.
3. The dialogue/cutscene then stops progressing.
4. Calo remains standing in the cantina instead of continuing the scripted sequence.
5. The rest of the expected sequence never happens — Calo does not perform the countdown/throw the grenade/kill the Vulkars/leave.

This also causes other scripted content in the cantina to malfunction. For example, Bib Surool is missing from his expected position next to Lyn Sekla, which breaks the Starlight Entertainers-related content.

I've also noticed that companions can behave incorrectly/not follow properly after this point, which makes me suspect that the game is failing to complete some scripted state rather than this simply being a visual issue.

What I've already tried

I've tried the following:

• Game/display set to 60 Hz
• Game capped at 60 FPS
• V-sync ON
• V-sync OFF
• Restarting the game
• Loading a save from before entering Javyar's Cantina
• Starting the scene with no companions in the party
• Removing mods from Override that specifically appeared to make changes to Calo
• Trying to use save editing to bypass/complete the event
• Retesting the scene from an earlier save

The problem consistently reproduces.

Community Patch

I am using K1 Community Patch 1.10.0, as specified by the mod build.

I also have a separate archive/folder called "K1CP Patch" containing:

• n_fatcomm.mdl
• n_fatcomm.mdx

These appear to be model files, so I don't believe they are related to the Calo scripting problem.

Important discovery: tar_m03ae.mod

Since Javyar's Cantina is module M03AE, I started investigating tar_m03ae.mod.

I found two versions associated with the installation of K1 Twi'lek Male NPC Diversity:

• Backup version: approximately 843 KB, dated/associated with the August 28 installation
• Current installed version: approximately 857 KB, last modified September 1

The Twi'lek Diversity mod was installed using the Community Patch-compatible version, as instructed by the mod/build.

Interestingly, when I use the Diversity-modified module, Bib Surool is actually present in the correct location next to Lyn Sekla. Before using that module version, Bib was missing.

So the mod clearly affects the state/contents of the cantina module even though its primary purpose is NPC appearance diversity.

I inspected the m03ae.git files from the different module versions.

The root contains:

Areaproportions [Struct] = 14
Creature List [List] = 27
Cameralist [List] = 12
Door List [List] = 2
Encounter List = 0
List [List] = 0
Placable List [List] = 36
Soundlist [List] = 2
Storelist [List] = 1
Triggerlist [List] = 6
UseTemplates [UInt8] = 1
WaypointList [List] = 28

I specifically compared Calo's creature entry (entry 12) between the 843 KB and 857 KB module versions.

Calo's TemplateResRef is:

tar03_calo031

The values for Calo's creature entry were identical between the two versions.

So at least from that comparison, Calo's physical placement/orientation in the area GIT does not appear to be the difference.

Relevant precedent

I found a Deadly Stream discussion from 2025 involving a broken Javyar's Cantina scripted scene where a modified tar_m03ae.mod was ultimately involved.

In that case, a K1CP Tweak Pack bug-fix component affecting the cantina sitter was found to be responsible for breaking the scene, and removing that component allowed the scene to work again.

I realize this does not necessarily mean my problem has the same cause, but it seems significant because my issue is also a scripted Javyar's Cantina scene failure involving tar_m03ae.mod.

Calo script information

I also looked at the K1CP script source for the Calo cantina scene (k_ptar_calobar.nss).

The end of the script manipulates Calo and the three aliens and then resumes the conversation after a delay. It contains logic involving:

taproomvic031
taproomvic032
taproomvic033
calo031

and eventually:

ActionPauseConversation();
...
AssignCommand(oCalo, PlayAnimation(ANIMATION_FIREFORGET_THROW_LOW));
DelayCommand(0.6, PlaySound("cs_grentoss"));
DelayCommand(1.2, ActionResumeConversation());

There is also a comment in the source regarding an apparently incorrect UT_SetPlotBooleanFlag function assignment.

I don't know whether that is relevant to my particular failure, but I'm including it in case someone familiar with K1CP scripting recognizes something.

Current theory

At this point I'm wondering whether some mod is modifying tar_m03ae.mod in a way that interferes with the Calo cutscene's dialogue/script state.

The main possibilities I've identified are:

1. K1 Twi'lek Male NPC Diversity, despite installing its Community Patch-compatible version exactly as instructed.
2. Another mod from the Community Portal build that modifies tar_m03ae.mod.
3. An interaction involving K1CP 1.10.0 and another mod.
4. A problem with the Calo cutscene script itself.

I do not have the K1CP Tweak Pack installed.

Proposed next test

My next planned test is to start a completely new game with:

• K1CP 1.10.0
• No other mod that modifies tar_m03ae.mod

and then rush to Javyar's Cantina to test Calo's scene.

The idea is to determine whether the problem disappears when the cantina module is isolated from the other module-changing mods.

If the Calo scene works, I'll know the problem is almost certainly caused by one of the other mods modifying the cantina module.

If it still fails, I'll know to stop focusing on those mods and investigate K1CP/the Calo script or another global conflict.

What I'm hoping someone can help with

I'd particularly appreciate help from someone familiar with K1CP, module injection/HoloPatcher, or KOTOR scripting who can tell me:

• Which mods in the Community Portal build modify tar_m03ae.mod
• Whether the K1CP Tweak Pack has a known component that can interfere with Calo's cantina scene
• Whether the K1 Twi'lek Male NPC Diversity compatibility patch is expected to modify tar_m03ae.mod
• Whether the Calo script shown above has any known failure conditions
• Whether the missing Bib Surool and the frozen Calo cutscene are likely related
• Whether there is a known conflict between K1CP 1.10.0 and another component of the Community Portal build in Javyar's Cantina

I followed the build's installation instructions, including the Community Patch compatibility version of the Twi'lek Diversity mod, so I'm particularly interested in finding out whether this is a mod interaction/patching problem rather than an installation-order mistake.

Thanks to anyone willing to take a look. I've already spent a considerable amount of time troubleshooting this, so I'd really appreciate any suggestions that can narrow it down without requiring me to reinstall the entire build.

One other thing

Maybe I'm just an idiot and I'm missing something obvious here, but I'd really like to have a legitimate playthrough of the game. I don't want to have to use cheats, save editing, or console commands to force quests and scripts to complete because of a mod-related bug.

I'm perfectly fine troubleshooting this and doing whatever testing is necessary, but my goal is to eventually have a playthrough where the game works as intended and I don't have to wonder whether I've broken something by bypassing a bug.

[Salk]

Something is seriously broken in your game.

Considering how loading a saved game before entering the cantina didn't help, my recommendation is to go for a totally new installation.

Having a minimal install with only K1 CP is guaranteed to not break the game.

Good luck!

[Sith Holocron]

Jist to piggyback off of what Salk has already said: Were you removing mods after you started and then expecting things to work on the old save?

[Aspa3597]

After making a clean new installation without any mods, starting a new game and getting to the scene, 3 aliens walked up to him and the scene happened as normal. Him counting down to three and all. What I don't get is that I followed the KOTOR 1 Spoiler-Free Build to a T. Removing the files it wanted me to remove, installing the patches it wanted me to install in their respective order, yet from what I could tell, the most likely candidate for the problem are the Community Patch 1.10.0, or the **Twi'lek Male NPC Diversity **mod or the two overwriting the same file/editing the same NPC's.

With the modlist? There are only 2 aliens that walk up to Calo, scene is broken, and Bib Surool is completely missing.

Without anything? 3 aliens walk up to Calo and Bib is where he should be. Cutscene works as it should.

Without the diversity mod? There are only 2 aliens that walk up to Calo, scene is broken, and Bib is where he should be.

To answer your question, yes. And I got results. Such as, Bib being where he should be if I removed the diversity mod.

In short: The Build needs a update about the potential conflicts mods within it can produce. And, from what I can tell from my file by file disection, only those two mods effect the tar_m03ae.mod file. Because the only mods that made a backup of that file, are the patch and the diversity mod.

Next, I'll be testing a new game with the communitty patch only, and then another new game with the diversity mod on top of it.

Update:

Made a new game with only these mods installed;

KOTOR Dialogue Fixes by Salk & Kainzorus Prime.

Character Startup Changes by jonathan7, patch by A Future Pilot, plus the patch provided by the website.

Thematic KOTOR Companions by Sniggles & JCarter426.

JC's Minor Fixes by JCarter426, moved everything from the Straight Fixes, Resolution Fixes, and Aesthetic Improvements folders to my Override folder. Also moved the "Things what bother me" folders selective files and skipped the Bugfix folder as instructed.

Ajunta Pall Unique Appearance by Silveredge9, Patch by A Future Pilot. Installed the patch before the mod as instructed.

And the Kotor Community Patch.

Result?

Cutscene worked, 3 aliens, Bib present.

Why Those mods? Those are the mods in order of the build untill you get to the CP.

Then another test with these mods on top;

Better Twi'lek Heads by Ashton Scorpius.

HD Twi'lek Females by Dark Hope with the 'hd_twilek_female.rar' file as instructed.

Thigh-High Boots for Twi'lek by DarthParametric, moved only the six files within the 'NPC Replacement' folder as instructed.

Male Twi'lek Diversity by Leilukin, without the explicit Senni Vek Restoration mod. Unless the mod is a part of the CP.

Why Those mods? Those are the only mods that effect Twi'lek in the game explicitly. Besides the Senni Vek Restoration.

Results?

Cutscene worked, 3 aliens, Bib present.

So... I don't know. Unless some other mod within the modlist effects quests within that bar or NPC's within that mod, I do not know what is causing the scene to break if the full modlist is installed as intended. And I don't want to install ten mods, make a new save, test out the scene, exit, install another ten, repeat.

My best guess is a mod within the modlist that is effecting;

tar_m03ae.mod
Javyar's Cantina
Taris NPCs
Bib Surool
the Black Vulkars
Calo
dialogue/cutscene scripts
Taris area scripts

Are causing the problem. Maybe some mods touch different things that involve the things mentioned above. Or its a combination.

[Salk]

The first problem you reported is likely due to a .dlg issue. That cutscene gets interrupted because of a missing UTC file used in the Speaker field, if I had to guess.

But you reported additional problems as well.

It seems you have it working now, though, right?

What other mods did you intend to install?

Edited 53 minutes ago by Salk