14 replies to this topic

[Idratha]

Okei… Ahmm... where to start...

 

I’ve played a lot of mods with wizards, sorcerers and so on. I've also read comments complaining about the lot of magic-NPCs there are, but still... I played Kelsey and I loved him; I played Xan and, damn, he’s my favourite one (really, he’s so complete and so inspiring…! ); I played Tsujatha and I also loved him; the same with Edwin and Haer’Dalis, and the list goes on.

 

I want to create a magic-user, a romanceable NPC. I admire a lot the inmense work you, the modders, do, but I also wanted to do a little something. The thing that bothers me about the characters I've already played (aah, to say the truth, they are flawless to me, but what I mean is 'what I wanna try to do in a different way is') is that they —overall— become “sane” after they gain Charname’s affection (with exceptions, but…). I want to create something different, something… disturbing? My idea is a sorcerer who isn’t mentally sane, a certain someone that, even if you get to love him and accept him, would never cease being mad and absolutely irrational. A certain somebody you may all want to kill… It’d be my first mod, so that’s why I’m pretty worried. I’m starting with the dialogue as soon as I can (as I’ve read it’s the first step ). However, I’d like to have the character created first (I know how he’ll be, but I’d like to have a file assuring me that there’s a certain <XXX> (Name remains secret ), with his abilities and stats on it…

 

So… How could I do to be settling things step by step without breaking my stupid mind and so on? I’ve heard that most of people retires before finishing before ending, but I’m pretty decided and it’s an idea I *have* to do. So… how to get to the hard stuff?    I’m stupid and I just have WeiDU by now…

 

Thanks in advance!

[Eric P.]

Welcome to the wonderful world of modding

 

Before making any files, you'll need to establish your modder prefix, which will go at the front of all your filenames to distinguish them as yours. Then, you need to create the creature file for your character (the .cre file). Take any .cre from the vanilla game that's closest in character class to what you want, and edit it with NearInfinity or another editing tool. Save it with your character's name.

 

Check out the on-line tutorials on character creation, write enough in your files to get the character to appear in the game, so you can check if it works, and go from there.

[Kulyok]

It pretty much comes to "code all your dialogues in .d format(90% of the work)".

 

This tutorial may help with your lovetalks: http://forums.gibber...showtopic=13675

And this tutorial may help with your NPC-NPC banters: http://forums.pocket...ic,25814.0.html

 

A modding prefix is needed for compatibility(with mods like Kelsey, Edwin, Xan and so on), and can be asked for here: http://forums.blackw...showtopic=113 

After you get it, use it for all your variables(with a prefix ID you'll have variables like "IDAlexRomanceActive" and "IDAlexLovetalk").

 

All you need for this is your Word processor. You'll also need Infinity Explorer to read in-game dialogues and filenames(to check on various points in the game).

 

Good luck! Hope you come back with a finished romance soon. 

[Idratha]

Thanks a lot to you both! I'm already in it, or that's what I like to think

 

If it's not too much, I have a question... I'm writing a dialogue in which I want my NPC to cast a spell upon another NPC, and then I want the target of the spell to speak... U-oh, the "target" hasn't spoken before, so I have to put that check (InParty-...) and so on... And I think I know how to put who's speaking, but I miss the spellcasting part. I've searched and found the trigger list (thank the gods!), but as I've seen it says "returns true"... and it's a "doing"... Hrm, how do I code the part of the actions? Like... this?: IF ~~ THEN DO ~SpellCast("Trigger","Spell")

 

Ah... Thanks again!
 

[Kulyok]

These questions mean scripting. And cutscenes. And specific animations/stuff. And VERY, VERY tedious work. For any modder who's completed his or her mod already it would be a simple matter of checking the spell animation(you don't want an actual spell here, for the fear of killing your target) and adding a short script. Not so for a beginner. It would mean four hours of researching triggers, a week of learning simple scripting and cutscenes, a ruined weekend of testing.(And more questions later, and the desire for modding approaching zero).

 

Not worth it.

 

I'd advise to write something like this in comments for the time being: // he casts a spell which looks like Spell X and the next dialogue goes to the NPC Z

 

And continue your work on the .d.

[Idratha]

Oh, yeah, I guess I don't want to kill my poor party member (lies, all lies ), but I guess it's just hard stuff for me right now, aye. Thank you for your patience, huh

 

Ah... would you kill me if I asked another question? Maybe I'm just too curious, but this ol' hag can't avoid creating a big thing, hah! Hrmm... so it's this: now that I decided not to cast spells freely to party members, could I at least make my NPC give the PC a potion (I think I saw this while I explored the .d files in another mods to get examples... isn't it that "DO ("CreateItem", "Tag", "number") thing? Hrm... ramblings, endless ramblings o' mine)? I'd like to create the potion myself, but I don't know which program is to be used for that... How are custom items created?

 

Ah... in the end they were but two questions. Sorry for being such a bother!

[The Imp]

Oh, yeah, I guess I don't want to kill my poor party member (lies, all lies ), but I guess it's just hard stuff for me right now, aye.

Well, there's always a way to guaranteed the success too, not using a real spell but one specifically coded to do this in all circomstaces. And no save throws or the like. Nope, didn't kill Nalia with one... actually made her a bunny.

[Idratha]

Well, there's always a way to guaranteed the success too, not using a real spell but one specifically coded to do this in all circomstaces. And no save throws or the like. Nope, didn't kill Nalia with one... actually made her a bunny.

 

Heeh, you speak my language, hah! And how's that to be done? I'd mutate more than one into a "cute, fluffy companion" for Boo's gameplay!

[Kulyok]

If you have decided that you want coding/placeholders for these cases after all, you probably need these for the first and the second case respectively:

 

ReallyForceSpell("MyNPC",WIZARD_MYSPELL)  

// choose the exact spell here: http://iesdp.gibberl...s/bg2/spell.htm - WIZARD_SPELL_THRUST or WIZARD_REMOVE_CURSE should be harmless for a test try.

 

GiveItemCreate("POTN52",Player1,1,0,0)

[Idratha]

Thanks a lot! I'll be working in that part of the dialogue soon!

 

Random thoughts: Aah, I feel stupidly proud! I've created my first item and I've added the creation to the dialogue. Yay, one step closer! Now it's time to play with photoshop to paint NPC's face, hah. Onwards...!

[GeN1e]

Some advice on the scripting cutscenes, though I think there's a good probability you may choose to ignore it:

 

1) It's not the flavor scripting that makes the work good, but the writing. You'll lose nothing if you restrict yourself with dialogue only, and you even don't really need to use the action text there.

2) BG is not a 3d game with free camera angling and positioning and a load of realistic character animations, therefore you will never ever be able to deliver it in a good cinematic form, period.

3) Vanilla BG uses cutscenes mostly for the serious plot action work, (almost?) never for banter-level interactions.

4) As you have already been told by others, it's a big job to learn the proper scripting techniques from clean state, especially if you have to ask about it.

[Idratha]

Hrmmm... well, yeah, I know it's not a matter of special effects and so on, and I don't want to make a film also... 'twas that I just wanted to put a little of "realism" in the dialogue, since my NPC was going to cast the spells (with or without special effects). But yeah, since I'm a beginner, mayhap it's better to forget all that stuff. Thanks for your advice, anyways!

[GeN1e]

 I just wanted to put a little of "realism" in the dialogue

Yes, that's exactly why I've put the "may decide to ignore" remark there. Extra realism is nice, but only for so long as it doesn't get in the way - and in this case it would stand out as mod content. But it's been noticed that beginners almost never listen to grumpy old farts teaching them the right way, they only are able to learn it firsthand. I can testify that

[Idratha]

Heh, yeah, I can as well I try to listen to what I call 'the wise modders' (it's no sarcasm, it's just that I like those kind of titles xD), but I also like to watch and learn by —for example— taking looks to .d files that I have already seen in some mods. Though they're so different from one to another that I don't know which one to take as example... Beh, beh, let us see if whatever I'm doing works when it's done —*crosses fingers*—. But sometimes I just wonder how do you do... I mean, for example... the other day I was trying to put the conditions for a dialogue to start and I wanted it to be at night and outdoors. To see how to put it, I remembered that there was a certain talk in a mod (in H'D's mod, methinks) that started just in those conditions. But I couldn't find the answer, however... Aah, what a bad luck I have! Thanks the gods that I'm persistent like a pest.

[Kulyok]

TimeOfDay(NIGHT)
AreaType(OUTDOOR)

 

Coding-wise, I recommend Coran NPC for .d structure(no heavy constructions like IF ~~ THEN BEGIN), but other mods can provide stuff, too. I often check Xan for conditions, myself, when I forget.