Prison Steed Ladder Fix -- Shrek 2 (PC) Patch

This is a modern patch for the Prison Steed level that fixes a very crucial issue with the first ladder not working correctly on a high framerate. To install this patch, follow the short installation instructions found below.

Q&A

• What exactly does this fix? -- It fixes a common issue with the top of the first ladder in Prison Steed that prevents the player from fully climbing the ladder, hence, softlocking them.
• I just got to the Prison Steed level on my current playthrough but don't have the patch installed yet. If I install the patch now, can I load my save and have it apply? -- No, a save file is not the same as the original map file, so if you're already that far into your playthrough, installing this patch now will only apply once the map file is loaded again (again, a save file and a map file are two separate files). If you really want to continue, either unlock the console, load that current game and use the console command "RL" (after patching your game), or use a method to bypass the ladder as shown in the video at the top right of this page.
• Does this recompile the original map file? -- No, it was made via a hex editor, meaning nothing was changed from the original, aside from the position of 1 actor being adjusted (to fix the ladder).
• I'm a casual player and don't know if I should install this; should I? -- If you're a casual player, you have no reason to not install this. It majorly improves the overall experience as you won't be getting stuck halfway through any playthrough. Even if your performance is low overall (rendering this patch almost useless), I'd still suggest it (especially if you have no plans to become some sort of serious player).
• In technical speak, what did you actually change? -- I located AutoLadder513 (the AutoLadder that is responsible for causing the player to mount at the end of the ladder climb) and moved it on the Z axis from 306.500031 units to 258.500031 units (or -48 units).
• In technical speak, why does this issue exist in the first place? -- For a ladder to correctly function, you must have a LadderVolume fully encompass where the player will be climbing the ladder. However, if this volume extends up or down beyond what should be climbable, major issue will occur. Such is the case with the first Prison Steed ladder, as the LadderVolume extends up too high, which caused the automatically generated AutoLadder to be placed too high for PIB to reach it while climbing the ladder, causing the glitch in the first place. Had the LadderVolume been properly zoned like it should've been, this issue wouldn't occur. To make a proper map edit of this only takes a few seconds, so it's a shame to not see it in the game's release. If you're wondering, the reason this patch does not move the LadderVolume is because it's impossible to resize it like you can in the editor, so the AutoLadder was manually moved instead (which in this case, works perfectly).

Notice: this patch is not allowed for official speedruns. Only use this for a better casual experience.

Credits

• Master_64 (Patcher)

The Shrekciety Discord