5 replies to this topic

[Seph]

Hey there extremely new to the board, but long time BG player.

I have been trying my hand at modding (NPC and kit creation) .. not going well. but i want to learn!


Im currently replaying BG1tutu at the moment. So to start out small, I was wondering if it was possible to somehow get the files that script the npc's already in the game (dialogue files, soundsets, etc. ) and basically rewrite them to create a new character.

So for example get the files that make Ajantis (pre romance/friendship, just the basics) and use it as building blocks to create a new character. rename him, change his class, kit, history, etc. and install it as a new character in the game.

Any help would be appreciated. I've read a bunch of the tutorials and everything, just still a lil' unsure on my modding feet

[Icendoan]

I would recommend learning from tutorials to start, really.

However, a character is made up of several files:

The .CRE file, which is the actual character, as referenced by the game, with all the stats and other mathematical nonsense.

The .BCS which is your AI scripting, as well as some dialogue triggers

The .DLG file, which is their dialogue.

The game uses all of these files (none are text files) to make the in-game character, such as Ajantis.

To access these (save the .CRE) in a text format, most people use WeiDU, and it is the most useful tool to mod from. (WeiDU.org). You should download the latest version from the site, and extract it. and put it in your BG2/Tutu directory, as it is most useful there.

Navigate to it using your command prompt/window/ MS-DOS prompt, ect, usually by typing

cd C:/Program Files/BaldursGateTutu/

Then type "weidu _ajanti.dlg" (without quotation marks), and you should have a file called _AJANTI.D in your tutu directory. That *IS* a text file, and opening it, you can see how the dialogue is structured using WeiDU's .D block format.

If it makes no sense at all to you, don't worry. Just read a few more dialogue tutorials on it, and I am sure it will start to look a little more understandable.

AI scripting is accessed in a much similar way, but instead of _ajanti.dlg, you would use "_ajanti.bcs" which would output another text file: _AJANTI.BAF. Basic scripting is quite simple in essence, but being baffled by it at first is easy to understand. Advanced AI scripting is quite hard to achieve.

You can look up the files by using the tool "Near Infinity", and simply using the filenames.

Overall, I think most people here would discourage using an existing NPC to build another, if not to learn from. You would have the additional work of taking apart the old NPC to replace it with yours instead of following another guide and building one from scratch, even if it sounds a little daunting. The tutorials are there to help you make it from scratch, and it is easier to get help with a new NPC, because we know what you haven't done, while your new NPC may still use attributes which the old one used, which can lead to quite weird bugs. (Such as when a script tells Ajantis specifically to run away, your new NPC would too!) These things are details which a new modder could miss when making a new NPC from an old one.

By all means, feel free to look at other mods to help gain understanding from them, just I am unsure if using one as a template is a very good idea, if not designed to be.

Icen

Edited by Icendoan, 21 January 2009 - 03:53 PM.

[Kaeloree]

An easier way to learn .d format is to read Kulyok's beginner's tutorial on the subject. I also recommend you check out berelinde's NPC tutorial--it isn't finished yet, but it's the best there is currently. Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3.

[Azkyroth]

Oh, and in case it wasn't obvious from the responses, there's no reason modify an existing character in order to create a new one - there isn't a finite number of "slots" for NPCs that can be available in the game (just a limit on the number in the party at once).

[Jarno Mikkola]

So for example get the files that make Ajantis (pre romance/friendship, just the basics) and use it as building blocks to create a new character. rename him, change his class, kit, history, etc. and install it as a new character in the game.

Well, if that is what you truly want, you can actually make them by making the base character within the game and then exporting him, then loading the NearInfinity, and after you have configured it, giving the made character the original characters .dlg&.BCS -files is easy with the help of this. And that's it.

Now, if you just want to change an already existing characters stats or kit for your own game, ShadowKeeper can do that, but the result be weird if you don't remake the whole char with it into level 0 character.
But if you only want to change his Kit the "honest way", Level1NPC can do that and then you can cheat him as much as you wish with the ShadowKeeper/CLUAConsole cheats.
Now, you have to learn at least one of those tools, if you wish to use get the desired result, but they can't all do it the same way, and they have their restrictions etc.

@vilkacis: , but you could have left the redirection arrow to the original forum, Right?

Edited by Jarno Mikkola, 22 January 2009 - 05:43 AM.

[vilkacis]

I think this is a little too general for mod ideas. Moved to modding help.