7 replies to this topic

[dorotea]

Hi there folks!

Since recent few months that were rather emotionally rocky I have serious doubts about posting the newly written dialogs for the Redemption-Longer Road mod. To tell the truth, I have serious doubts about ever finishing the mod - since it looks like my personal time is not as stretchable as I thought and working on 3 big projects ( the Bitter Ashes novel and 2 mods) obviously is draining my resourses to the limit.

Quite simply - if I ever to finish either Edwin or LR I need programming help, and help with spellchecking and editing of the dialogs. Thanks goodness I have plenty of input on the latter, but unfortunately the programming force so far is insufficient.

This details aside I have quite a few dialogs for LR that were never posted openly (including one about the Dreams and one about the nature of Bhaal Soul and the Taint). Since now I am seriously afraid the LR mod will never be finished - due to all of the mentioned above and my personal mood of disillusion over the whole modding business, I wonder if I should post the dialogs for the general public - so they will be at least available as a read, if not as a part of the mod?

So, what do you think - post them here, provide the password to the Workroom openly, or post them in the Attic? Or should I simply drop the entire project and admit I have no more energy to struggle with my time and hostile reception of my work? You opinion would be greatly appreciated.

[Dancer Fitz]

Agh! Must...not...abandon...
I have been trying in my free time to figure out how to code - I've read the Forgotten Wars tutorials and have got the nuts and bolts down at least for dialogues all right, but I still don't know how to actually use the programs(I have NI and Weidu). I would be more than willing to lend a hand...but I might need some prodding in the right direction. Using me may be counterproductive, though, since I'm still learning. But the offer stands, if someone can hold my hand the first few feet...

[Grim Squeaker]

Agh! Must...not...abandon...
I have been trying in my free time to figure out how to code - I've read the Forgotten Wars tutorials and have got the nuts and bolts down at least for dialogues all right, but I still don't know how to actually use the programs(I have NI and Weidu). I would be more than willing to lend a hand...but I might need some prodding in the right direction. Using me may be counterproductive, though, since I'm still learning. But the offer stands, if someone can hold my hand the first few feet...

Have you tried creating the Vondo NPC (or using the tutorial to create your own bog standard NPC)? It really does help. You can do that and then expand upon it by adding banter (this will give you an introduction into CHAINing).

[Dancer Fitz]

Have you tried creating the Vondo NPC (or using the tutorial to create your own bog standard NPC)? It really does help. You can do that and then expand upon it by adding banter (this will give you an introduction into CHAINing).

Yep! Got my person all written out and saved in a ConTEXT file, which I transfered to the BGII file, but I can't figure out the next step that has me converting it to a CRE in NI so I can get it into the game, choose an area for the NPC to pop up in and all that. Still working on it, though.

[dorotea]

The easiest way to start playing with new npc IHMO is to simply export an existing CRE file into override directory (with NI) under a new name, then edit it manually with NI, changing the new npc's names ( both of them) and death variable, and saving over. BE aware though that it will change your dialog.tlk file - so better save it into a zip file before you start playing with these tools. Best of all, keep both dialog.tlk and entire override folder zipped as a back up, in fact.

After that go into baldur.ini and add a line allowing the use of CLUA console. (if you want the detailed tutorial on how to do it I can email it to you)

Open CLUA console and call your new npc using CreateCreature("xxx") command. If you have new dialog compiled - simply modify npc dialogs via NI - and he/she will talk to you if you have everything set right.

Overall it will take you about 10 minutes to have a new npc and play with it.

If you are indeed willing to invest your personal time and learn how to script - I will help. In fact - I just added a few new npcs to Edwin mod and polishing those - so this kind of questions are easy to answer.

[dorotea]

There is no need to edit the dialog.tlk while creating a mod. You should create a .tp2 (weidu install script) as you are making it, and any changes that will be added to dialog.tlk upon installation will be there.

Yes - that would be my second step to suggest. But as he sounded eager to see at least something very quickly - the simplest way is to use NI. ( of course this npc will only be available for you on your own computer since there is no way to export your modified dialog this way)

If you do waht Greyfain is suggesting you will need:

Create a folder name it with whatever name your mod will have, put your cre file (exported with NI) there, create a tp2 file named same as your mod as well ( see tutorials) , put scripts for your new creature there, put your dialogs in there and write your tp2 file so it will install and compile all this wealth of files. Then simply rename latest version of Weidu.exe into xxx. exe where xxx is your mod installation name ( see Weidu totorial). Then run the executable - and your new npc is in.

It is 'the proper way' - but I suggest to continue this discussion in the Inf help Forum or emailing me with questions.

The original thread was about

a. Asking for HELP!

b. If no help was offered, asking if anybody is interested to simply read the dialogs the way they are now since I probably will not be coding this mod in the near future, unless an enthusiast of Weidu will jump in and offer his/her help.

[Glamdring FH]

Well, even though I haven't been an avid poster on the mod I have checked in on it every day so, as you requested, I will give you my opinion on the matter. I know life can be very trying at times, and that may mean giving modding a break for awhile, thats ok, but I think if you think your problems through you might find that in a few months you will have time to mod again if that is what you would like to continue doing . I always have thought that if you begin to see a fun project more as a chore than something fun, then you need to take a break. You have been working on all cylinders for quite some time now, and I think you have most assuredly earned a break. Now, when I say a break that could mean just putting off 1 of the 3 projects you are working on, or all of them if that's what it takes, but time to rest and relax is always a good thing. Now I don't want you to stop your work on the mod and never start again, because I think it has potential to be very fun and a well made mod, and also because you have such a cool thing going, I would hate to see it end. But this is just my two cents, and I'm sure you'll do what's best for you, so don't feel bad no matter what you choose to do.