21 replies to this topic

[minotaur_in_maze]

This may get me into trouble here (Something that tends to happen with the regularity of say, breathing) but...

Though learning, I am a hopless modder (See, I learned THAT much already! ), so, I contantly look around for helpful tools, and I have found one that should go on the "It Might Be Useful" list:

http://software.tech...mp;promo=100511

Now, let me say up front, after a google search, there Are issues with this program. Particularly with WinXP where a little tweaking is needed. Still... I D/L the trail version from Download.com and after doing some computer tweaking and playing with it, it looks like it holds some promise.

(It would hold More promise, I suspect, to an actual modder who had more of a clue as to what they were doing - long term.)

Anyhoo, it might be worth a look see.

Minotaur et' all - resident chew toy.

[berelinde]

I'm not generally given to reject tools without trying them out, but I might make an exception here.

One of these days, I'd like to see a mentorship program where more experienced modders would offer some guidance for newer modders. I had it. I got tons of helpful advice and plenty of completely helpful and non-patronizing hand-holding from some of the best modders out there, and I'm thankful for it every time I sit down to write code. I try to return the favor by helping where I can, but I certainly don't know everything. Hells, those that helped me out probably have forgotten more than I'll ever know.

Thing is, I don't know if there's a computer program out there that can do it for you. By all means, try it out, and see if it works out for you, but I wouldn't get my hopes up.

In the meantime, I think Tempest has the right idea. Sorry, Tempest, if you don't want to be used as an example, but you showed a remarkable amount of foresight, and I think others can benefit from it. When he was starting out, he'd post chunks of code he'd attempted, and then others would come in and offer comments and suggestions. I was generally lazy and would simply recode it and try to document my changes.

Thing is, when you do it like that, you've got all the steps documented, and you might actually learn how to do it by yourself in time.

[SConrad]

I would like to know what this tool does, exactly. From the website I'm not able to find anything but it being a "role-playing game creator" and that it has something to do with maps. Your post isn't terribly clear about what it is, either.

[Azkyroth]

$10 says it's a program that creates semi-randomized maps based on user input for use in DM'ing.

[minotaur_in_maze]

Yup, should'a known.

Well, I am still playing with it myself, but from what I've seen, it creates maps, items, light maps, some scripting encounters...(Trigger points) in some ways like NI.

It simplifies making trigger points and can put together an area, I Know that for a fact. I can't Save much on my Trial Version, but I am planning to buy the thing. $60.00 is a SMALL price to pay if this sucker can help me Mod.

Just TRYING to help out...

'Taur The Terrible

(Speaking of helping out modders, whatever happened to Infinity Engine Radio?)

[Azkyroth]

Yup, should'a known.

Well, I am still playing with it myself, but from what I've seen, it creates maps, items, light maps, some scripting encounters...(Trigger points) in some ways like NI.

It simplifies making trigger points and can put together an area, I Know that for a fact. I can't Save much on my Trial Version, but I am planning to buy the thing. $60.00 is a SMALL price to pay if this sucker can help me Mod.

Just TRYING to help out...

'Taur The Terrible

(Speaking of helping out modders, whatever happened to Infinity Engine Radio?)

You're *paying* for modding tools?

Dude....

(Is selling that kind of thing even legal? O.o)

[Kaeloree]

I'll tell you right off, that doesn't look like it's worth $60. I would advise against buying it, because all your areas will begin to look similar - and they'll also be somewhat substandard quality, graphics wise, I think... but I suppose each to their own. I'll check it out.

[SConrad]

it creates maps, items, light maps, some scripting encounters...(Trigger points) in some ways like NI.

It simplifies making trigger points and can put together an area, I Know that for a fact.

Are you sure this tool is generating files that's going to be usable by the Infinity Engine? Because if so, I'm rather surprised we haven't heard about it before.

[NiGHTMARE]

Perhaps minotaur misread the sentence "explorations games are comparable to Baldur Gates, & Icewind Dale" as " explorations games are compatible with Baldur Gates, & Icewind Dale".

[minotaur_in_maze]

You're *paying* for modding tools?

Dude....

(Is selling that kind of thing even legal? O.o)

About as Legal as modding in general I should think.

Paying for a program to help me learn to mod?

Yup.

Oh, and it gets better. I REALLY don?t think many people here realize how MUCH I want to learn to do this and how LONG I have been banging my head against my desk, trying to get satisfaction! (Though a few friendly folks, SConrad and Shed top that list) SHOULD be WELL aware, considering... My lack of learning skills are my Own problem, Not the friendly folk who have Tried to help me for the last few yrs. (since '99)

In the last month I have found someone (In the REAL World, sadly.) who I am Paying to Teach Me how to Mod and get much of a certain redheaded NPC done for me as I learn. (This is in addition to a good friend named Keldon who has been great about answering my endless questions, and Celestine who has Coded some things for me and taught me more from her example than I have ?Learned? in a long time.)

(My real world pal? He is a computer geek and can understand what the hell is being talked about from the tutorials, unlike myself, to whom the tutos might as well be written in Drow.)

Thus far I have paid, well, lets just say it is in the low/mid hundreds and whilst I am still mostly retarded, OCTOBER, my NPC is coming along as time permits. I am fully aware that the guy in question might possibly gouge me in time, if I let him, but I can accept it. I am older than many here and one of the few remaining goals I have in life is to get this one mod of mine finished! (I Thought about fan fic for awhile, but my submission got no notice.)

I guess my point is, after trying to learn from these forums, having people try and help me and my own stupidity (Programming wise) getting in the way, having Another modder (more recently) take it up and get things rolling with the promise to guide me and get the thing done ? only to vanish in the night (Let me restrain myself here lest I get my ass banned for rudeness), and STILL giving it my all after better than half a Decade...

In comparison, $60.00 seems Reasonable to me.

Will it teach me to mod BG2? - Maybe, maybe not, I am still getting to the guts of it.

Will it help me to learn overall? Probably.

I?m old enough to be called eccentric (50-mumble) and would have made the same offer in these forums (around the net) as I made to my current ?guide? (Matter o? fact, I DID ? and it ended abruptly, and badly.) in order to get my mod done. - And if this guy takes my money, I will find another, and another and so on. If this is the only way ? for me ? to go, then only dying of old age will stop me.

Say what you want about my intelligence, but don?t knock my love for modding or my desire to get my vision done and out there. I just saw this program, began playing with it and saw it might help me, and wanted to share it with others here (Who know what they are doing) in the hopes it might be of some use to help THEM to turn out their Wonderful mods for the game.

As for Moi, I am GOING to get this mod of mine done and out there, I don?t care if it cost me a thousand dollars or more!

Minotaur In Maze ? possibly nutty, clearly determined, stubborn and have no plans to quit!!!

[minotaur_in_maze]

whoops

Edited by minotaur_in_maze, 03 May 2007 - 02:45 PM.

[the bigg]

About as Legal as modding in general I should think.

Since we don't make any money off mods, they don't mind leaving us be (and, modding is actually helping IE games sales - I've bought all of ToB, BG1/TotSC/SoA/ToB, IWD1/HoF/IWD2, PST because of modding).
However, once money is brought into the table things change pretty rapidly - trying to make money off their engine and games (and more money than the full BG.* would cost!) will likely lead to a Cease and Desist and subsequent sueing.

In comparison, $60.00 seems Reasonable to me.

Will it teach me to mod BG2? - Maybe, maybe not, I am still getting to the guts of it.

Will it help me to learn overall? Probably.

If you think so, you're free to do as you want. I'm pretty sure that you won't get $60.00 worth of coding skills - it doesn't generate BG2 mods, it generates games that are visually similar to BG2, while the engine underneath is likely completely different (unless you are experienced about coding in different languages, standards, etc., skills in X can dampen your learning of skills in Y, if X and Y are different enough).

[jcompton]

Just to be perfectly clear here: Explorations is a separate, stand-alone game engine, with absolutely no connection to Infinity games. So yes, it has some sort of map editor, but that won't help you with BG2 modding.

It looks intriguing, although I don't see any mention of published games which use the engine, which makes it a little difficult to judge its true capabilities. There's also a curious lack of readily available technical information and documentation. I guess by virtue of being an affordable RPG creation kit that isn't RPG Maker, it might prove useful to some. It looks like he's only charging $15 for the fully-functional non-commercial version of Explorations 8.9, which isn't much for a game engine.

So, anyway, Minotaur--Explorations doesn't offer you anything unless you decide to start funding the creation of a brand-new RPG, not just a new NPC for BG2. (And, really, what kind of sucker would do a thing like that?)

[minotaur_in_maze]

I figured it might be able to be adapted.

OoooKAY, I tried.

Back to the drawing board.

Minotaur - slinking away quietly to brood and plot.

[Kellen]

Here's to hoping that you can get the help ya need though, MiM.

[Zyraen]

I'm quite willing to help anyone learn the basics of modding if they're on MSN. and have some basic tools like Near Infinity and WeiDU set up. I've helped a few people get started around the forums, they know who they are I think, mostly those from CoM who are now active in other forums

[theacefes]

*hugs Zyraen*

That would include me!

[igi]

I'd probably help as well, if someone catches me on ICQ/MSN (ha!)

I may not particularly enthusiastic, friendly, helpful or knowledgable, but I don't charge either

[Seifer]

I may not particularly enthusiastic, friendly, helpful or knowledgable, but I don't charge either

Take it from someone who knows..

[Jyzabyl]

And all are examples of the wonderful spirit of generosity at work here. And all of us who benefit thank them.