Quick question; probably answered elsewhere but I haven't found it.
Well, two quick questions.
First: I'm quite curious about the maps, given that returning to an area encountered in SOA is something I was considering for the TOB portion of Arkalian. I assume there will be an "outside" map for the Windspear Hills? What will happen if the player tries to "leave" off the edges of it? IE, will it take them to a point on the TOB worldmap, not let them leave to the worldmap through the edges (make them go back through a portal?), etc.? Also, can you list any other mods that have this sort of thing? I'm very curious about how other modders have handled it.
Second: Re Quitch's various "titbits" posts. Uh...you mean "TIDbits," right? x.x
Returns in General
Started by Azkyroth, Mar 05 2006 11:11 PM
5 replies to this topic
#1
Azkyroth
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Posted 05 March 2006 - 11:11 PM
"Tyranny is a quiet thing at first, a prim and proper lady pursing her lips and shaking her head disapprovingly, asking, well what were you doing (wearing that dress, walking home at that hour, expressing those inappropriate thoughts) anyway? It's subtle and insidious, disguised as reasonable precautions which become more and more oppressive over time, until our lives are defined by the things we must avoid. She's easy enough to agree with, after all, she's only trying to help -- and yet she's one of the most dangerous influences we face, because if she prevails, it puts the raping, robbing, axe-wielding madmen of the world in complete control. Eventually they'll barely need to wield a thing, all they'll have to do is leer menacingly and we fall all over ourselves trying to placate them." -godlizard
#2
Quitch
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Perfection
Posted 06 March 2006 - 01:47 AM
All you'd need to do, AFAIK (this sort of thing is done by Cuv) is simply use a new .are file and refer to the appropriate background graphic while not declaring any exits within the .are.
Titibit and tidbit apparently mean the same thing, but I've never heard of tidbit. I live in the UK though.
Titibit and tidbit apparently mean the same thing, but I've never heard of tidbit. I live in the UK though.
Edited by Quitch, 06 March 2006 - 01:47 AM.
Past: Ascension, Return to Windspear, Imoen Relationship, The Broken Hourglass
"Perfection has no deadline"
#3
Yovaneth
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The newly-appointed Master Builder of Baldur's Gate
Posted 06 March 2006 - 02:37 AM
'Go for the optics, Chiktikka. GO FOR THE OPTICS!!' - Tali vas Neema
DLTCEP Tutorials Update Page
DLTCEP Tutorials Main Page
Yovaneth's AI Scripts for BG1, BG2-SoA and IWD1
Fishing for Trouble - a quest mod for Shadows of Amn
#4
Azkyroth
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Posted 07 March 2006 - 02:59 AM
That was informative, but not really what I meant.
If I can figure out how the exit strips in Watcher's Keep work I'll probably use that as a basis (oddly they aren't listed under "exits" in DLTCEP...)
"Tyranny is a quiet thing at first, a prim and proper lady pursing her lips and shaking her head disapprovingly, asking, well what were you doing (wearing that dress, walking home at that hour, expressing those inappropriate thoughts) anyway? It's subtle and insidious, disguised as reasonable precautions which become more and more oppressive over time, until our lives are defined by the things we must avoid. She's easy enough to agree with, after all, she's only trying to help -- and yet she's one of the most dangerous influences we face, because if she prevails, it puts the raping, robbing, axe-wielding madmen of the world in complete control. Eventually they'll barely need to wield a thing, all they'll have to do is leer menacingly and we fall all over ourselves trying to placate them." -godlizard
#5
Quitch
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Posted 07 March 2006 - 04:20 AM
I've informed the others of your topic and hopefully one of them will know the answer.
Past: Ascension, Return to Windspear, Imoen Relationship, The Broken Hourglass
"Perfection has no deadline"
#6
Cuv
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Posted 07 March 2006 - 10:33 AM
Quick question; probably answered elsewhere but I haven't found it.
Well, two quick questions.
First: I'm quite curious about the maps, given that returning to an area encountered in SOA is something I was considering for the TOB portion of Arkalian. I assume there will be an "outside" map for the Windspear Hills? What will happen if the player tries to "leave" off the edges of it? IE, will it take them to a point on the TOB worldmap, not let them leave to the worldmap through the edges (make them go back through a portal?), etc.? Also, can you list any other mods that have this sort of thing? I'm very curious about how other modders have handled it.
All of the areas are new .ARE's and tilesets in RTW. This allows me to control where people are allowed to go. Each exit and entrance connects only to another RTW area. The only exception to this is the final areas.... Example: The High Hall of the Order where you may be taken to receive your rewards if Good aligned. When you exit that building you are taken to the ToB worldmap and can then return to the regular game.... or use your Pocket Plane to do so
As for examples of how guided play is done, you need not look to any mods... look at the game itself. The entrance to the Underdark from Spellhold is a good example... a portal. You don't have to have a portal to use that method, it is just a script that sends the party to another location. Such methods can be used in normal doorways, just have the door run a similar script.
So you need to find the area to which you want the party to return... extract and rename it. It is not an easy process... so be warned. You will probably have alot of scripts, actors and maybe some animations you will need to also extract and rename (or remove)... then find all the places they are used and rename the references to your new name. Also you will need to rename exits and entrances before you can even run a test of the raw area. Alot of work... too much... I would know and I will never do it again after RTW.
And as for how to script or change exits, I'm sure there are plenty of tutorials and topics out there that can help you.
[EDIT]- I have no idea how to use DLTCEP, I did all the area work for RTW with IETME. I has been abandoned by most modders because it is buggy as hell. But I figured out alot of workarounds, so I stuck with it and I can force it to work.
Entrances go to another area that are 'points' with X,Y coordinates. Entrances are a polygon that trigger an area transition. The point where you end up is called the exit.
IE: You see a doorway... put your cursor over it and you get the open door icon. That is an entrance. Entrance #1 will have an exit point. ExitRTW2 is the destination. It will have X,Y coordinates, directional facing and the area name. Try looking at any area in the game that you know has an entrance to another indoor area with Near Infinity. Scroll down past the actors to where you see 'Entrance' ... that is what you want to know.
Hope this helps
Cuv
Edited by Cuv, 07 March 2006 - 10:49 AM.
