:bounmult::bounmult::bounmult::bounmult:
HE'S BACK HE'S BACK!!!!!! a huge smile leaped to my face as soon as i saw that familar avatar!
Great to see you again fred! as you can see things have changed a bit, how you like the new digs? :D
you can take ALL the time in the world, i'm just glad to see you posting again!
:D :D :D
Welcome back Fred :D
You were very missed here :D We can all hope you can find more time just to hang around with us now ;) :)
You had us worried there my friend, I was about to hop on a plane or make a "road trip" to see how things were faring.. hehehe.. ;)
I'm glad to see everything is OK [obi-wan] from a certain point of view [/obi-wan].. I can understand the work hassles and needing some "me" time...
Like Darth333 said, take all the time you need man, I'm just glad to see you around again :D :emodanc:
Yep I'm with everyone else fred ;) Glad to see you back on and not all "disappearie" on us...lol :D
Good to see ya back :thumbsup:
:ben:
General Kenobi
Oh thank God your back Fred, lots hapened since you were gone, glad to see you are back with us again.
I'm looking forward to those updates Fred. Its grewat to see you back.
I agree with everyone else... welcome back Fred! :D
Vacations are a good and noble thing! ;)
Well there is nothing more I can say than has been said by the others however it bears repeating. It is a great thing to see you back.
Great to see you are back. I was a bit worried there would be no more KT updates.
That Could mean the end off Kotor modding!!! Ok...ok, thats a bit dramatic, but it still wouldn't be the same.
We've been pretty busy at work lately, trying to get a product release out before the end of July. With that hanging over my head, I've been suffering from programmer burn-out.
I understand what you mean. I've gone through the same. :)
What I've found to alleviate some of the pressure of "hobby" activities, is to provide the sources of programs I develop. That way, if I don't feel well enough to continue working on it, someone else can.
In any case, take it easy and take care,
Andargor
Those that are valued highly are missed greatly.
Welcome back.
I empathize with your situation.
Hey Fred!
I am glad to see that you have returned. I hope you finally had the chance to enjoy playing The Sith Lords. :)
How did I not notice Fred was back till now...?
Welcome back Fred!
Hello Folks!
I am resuming my work (as much as I can) on Kotor Tool. I have fixed the Mapinfo.bfd problem, and made some updates to the DialogTlk viewer (you can now edit; so I guess it is the DialogTlk editor now...) and also the Module editor.
The main focus of my current efforts will be to make the Module editor more usable.
What I can't fix:
* Creating modules from scratch. (need more info and research on Walkpaths)
* Slow drawing speed (.NET's GDI+ is very slow compared to the original GDI. Yes, I know there are ways to call GDI from within .NET, and if you know this, you probably also know how much trouble it is, so I am not working on that right now.)
* Need for map images to work on a module
What I can fix:
* Panning of the map image
* Making the various GFF editors show what file in the module you're actually editing
* Make the context (popup) menus more clear
* Other workflow improvements and feature implementations
If you have specific features that you think the Module editor needs, please post them with a clear description.
I do not know how fast I will be able to complete things, as it looks like I will have to take a *third* job to make ends meet around here. Two of my children are now wearing braces, adding about $450 that I can barely scrape up each month, so please bear with me.
Gah! I feel your pain: what little money doesn't go to my daycare provider lines the pockets of my orthodontist. Glad to hear your alive and kicking. Sorry to hear that you're too busy to play. Talk to you soon.
Music to my ears big bud.
Glad to see your back and working on the single most awsome thing that will be able to be done for kotor.
As for modules from scratch, If there is anyone who can do it, its you.
Best of luck.
-Gsccc
Good to see you back at it.
If I might make a suggestion regarding the KOTOR tool...
wouldn't it be nice if one could copy rows (in the 2DA editor) between 2 running instances of the program?
If I might make a suggestion regarding the KOTOR tool...
wouldn't it be nice if one could copy rows (in the 2DA editor) between 2 running instances of the program?
I was working on that some time back, but I'll have to check my notes to see where it stands.
Kotor Tool feature note:
I just thought I'd mention that while you have any Text window open in Kotor Tool, if you hold down the Control key, the mouse wheel controls the size of the text in the window.
Glad you see you back at it Fred :)
Anyone willing to test the mod-file generating feature of the Module editor in Kotor Tool?
I have a .mod file for K1 that I need tested to make sure a new packaging feature I am developing works right. You just need to warp to it and let me know if it works. You can even see some of the wierd stuff I have been working on for animations. :)
I'd like to help, if I can.
I'm willing to alpha test for you Fred
Note: New version uploaded 11:57 EDT (GMT-6)
You can download the test KotOR I module from
http://kotortool.home.comcast.net/fred.zip)
Unzip the file to your KotOR I modules folder, load up any saved game, then, in the console, type WARP FRED to try it out.
The module is based on tar_m02aa. Mostly, I am looking to validate that Kotor Tool can package up a Module editor creation. The module you're testing isn't that interesting (though the female Twi'lek seems to walk backwards often after I moved her waypoints all around), but you can see what the module editor can do, at least on a simple level.
Try opening one of the footlockers in the ring hall to see the weird opening animation. :)
Mmm its not working for me.... loads to 80% then TSL generates an error and craps out.... Created an new (blank) Override and tried again .....no dice.
I'm trying to track down the error log(s, Looking for both instances). As soon as I find it(them) I'll put it(them) up.
I'm also gonna try creating a new game instead of doing it off of saves.... maybe this will help.(?)
Has anyone else had trouble?
@Fuu: the file goes in the Modules folder rather than the Override folder. That might be the source of your problems.
@Fred: Got there just fine. Walked around. No one had anything to say, but everything seemed to be pretty ordinary. Interesting animation on the footlockers :eyeraise:
@Fred: Got there just fine. Walked around. No one had anything to say, but everything seemed to be pretty ordinary. Interesting animation on the footlockers :eyeraise:
Went pretty much the same for me Fred! Except the cleaning droid would beep at me when I talked to him, though he didn't move. :D
The Footlockers lid animations are... well... different to say the least! :p
@Achilles Nope, put it in the modules folder..... I extracted it directly to there(thoulght that might be a prob) but then over wrote with one I extracted to the desktop. ( did not fix the crashing......)
Where are those error logs..... oh well I'm going to reinstall the game tomorrow anyway ( it was getting buggy anyhow I've installed/uninstalled alot of mods on this copy of the game) see if this fixes my issue.
Either way I'll give you some feedback when I know.
G'night all.....................F
Thanks Again for the Tool Mr. Tetra!
So much for the easy fix. I hope you get it figured out Fuu.
@Fuu
Just curious. Are you putting this in TSL's Modules folder? This mod is for KotOR I believe ;)
Make sure you're putting the files in KotOR's module folder and not TSL's :)
Just got through testing Fred, and everything seems to be working. Like everyone has stated so far, no one except the Maintenance Droid has 'dialogue' (or "beeps" if that counts...hehehe)...
The chests in the rooms still had inventory in them, the placeables in the hallways didn't, and they all opened with the new animation ;)
Just to see if I'm seeing the same thing as everyone, here's a few screeneis of the chest opening... it looks like it's "twisting" or sliding off.. then corrects itself to the proper opened chest look once the opening animation is done...(didn't post a screenie of the "after animation" chest, but it looks like a normal opened chest)...
Chest 1 (
http://www.jumpstationz.com/kotor%20screens/fred_mod/fred-chest1.jpg)
Chest 2 (
http://www.jumpstationz.com/kotor%20screens/fred_mod/fred-chest2.jpg)
Chest 3 (
http://www.jumpstationz.com/kotor%20screens/fred_mod/fred-chest3.jpg)
Chest 4 (
http://www.jumpstationz.com/kotor%20screens/fred_mod/fred-chest4.jpg)
Just wanting to make sure that's what you had intended :D
What you all have described is what you should indeed be seeing.
The footlockers do have a new animation for opening, as I have been trying to figure out the animation data structures. It appears that rotations use quaternions, and the base vector used is not one of the model's axes.
Also, I have managed to add my own rooms to existing maps, but MDLOps doesn't re-import the lights, so everything is dark unless you use that lighting command from the console.
CCHargin and I were working on both of these a few months back, but I haven't heard from him in a while.
I think you will like what's coming up in the next version of Kotor Tool. There are about 10 or so new features (major and minor) that have been added.
I should have another module for testing ready soon.
Thanks for testing!
@Fuu
Just curious. Are you putting this in TSL's Modules folder? This mod is for KotOR I believe ;)
Make sure you're putting the files in KotOR's module folder and not TSL's :)
Haaa I feel like a total tool (durrrrrrrrrr).
I need to stop modding at 1230am.
Problem solved.....thanks Chainz ........
Sorry guys I'll try to avoid the retardo-posts in the future. At least I can laugh at my mistakes.
Off to work..........F
New animations? It sounds awesome, Fred! Thanks for doing this! Can't wait to try the new module. Unfortunately I did not have the time to open my game since you posted it :( .
As for Cchargin, if you want to contact him, he is still browsing the forums regularly: he was online no later than yesterday :)
Oooh! Animations and module creation at on fell swoop!
FT, you are a genius!
New animations? It sounds awesome, Fred! Thanks for doing this! Can't wait to try the new module. Unfortunately I did not have the time to open my game since you posted it :( .
As for Cchargin, if you want to contact him, he is still browsing the forums regularly: he was online no later than yesterday :)
Well, I figured out some of the data types in the .MDL files, but we're still quite a ways off from using them in anything, unfortunately.
Well it's been mentioned but I kinda like that pocketknife opening of the chest as a animation test. I don't know if it is entirely because of your walkmesh tweaking but I was watching the backwards walking twilek and noticed she seemed to move alot quicker moving backwards from forwards.
You can download the latest test KotOR I module from
http://kotortool.home.comcast.net/fred_2.mod)
Run counter-clockwise to avoid the multi-Malak battle. This whole thing was set up in <5 minutes, for reference :)
Very cool Fred :) I just tested it out. This is awesome, all this stuff you are discovering. Keep up the good work! :thumbsup:
Right now I am trying to decide on how I want to implement the adding of files to a module that aren't explicitly referenced in the .git file. An example would be the backpack that the Sith leaves behind (the one harassing the Duros near your apartment). I think it is "placed" by a script.
For the time being, I may just have a sub-folder in the project (module's) folder named "extra" or something (can anyone suggest a better name?) that a developer would place these files in. Same with models, textures, etc. Anyone have a take on how they think these sorts of files should be handled? It is not a technical issue, but rather one where I want the workflow to be smooth. Later, I plan on adding a GUI for handling these files, perhaps like the Project Manager does.
Alot of those files are actually controlled by the utc and the 2da file. It is the bodybag for a npc. Some of the bodybags point to a corpse others to a backpack others to a metal case, etc. Many of those are actually driven by appearance.2da. However If I recall the npc's utc file also has a bodybag node.
For the time being, I may just have a sub-folder in the project (module's) folder named "extra" or something (can anyone suggest a better name?) that a developer would place these files in. Same with models, textures, etc. Anyone have a take on how they think these sorts of files should be handled?
I don't know how your module editor is laid out, but if it's anything similar to the Aurora Toolset it could be an idea to make it similar to how it's handled there, for familiarity for those who have been modding for Neverwinter Nights.
In the NWN Toolset, you have the area placed instances of dynamic objects (those referenced in the GIT file) in the tree view to the left listed under the area they are placed in, while you have the other custom module-scope templates in the palette to the right.
Both lists are sorted by category (separate lists for Creature templates, Placeables, Stores, Sounds, Waypoints etc...), while the palette has some sub-categories as well. The PaletteID field present in pretty much all those GFF files determine what sub-category in the right-hand palette those templates show up under.
Just an idea. :)
An example would be the backpack that the Sith leaves behind (the one harassing the Duros near your apartment). I think it is "placed" by a script.
Darkkender is correct that this is not done by a script but is handled internally by the game engine when a creature carrying droppable items die.
Creature(UTC) templates have a BodyBag field, which is a reference to the bodybag.2da file, determining the look of their lootable remains. If the BodyBag field is set to 0 (Default), the value in the body_bag column in appearance.2da for that creature's appearance type is used instead.
I don't know how your module editor is laid out, but if it's anything similar to the Aurora Toolset it could be an idea to make it similar to how it's handled there, for familiarity for those who have been modding for Neverwinter Nights.
In the NWN Toolset, you have the area placed instances of dynamic objects (those referenced in the GIT file) in the tree view to the left listed under the area they are placed in, while you have the other custom module-scope templates in the palette to the right.
Both lists are sorted by category (separate lists for Creature templates, Placeables, Stores, Sounds, Waypoints etc...), while the palette has some sub-categories as well. The PaletteID field present in pretty much all those GFF files determine what sub-category in the right-hand palette those templates show up under.
Just an idea. :)
Here's a link to a screenshot that shows the current UI. I think you'll find it rather similar to the NWN Toolset ;)
http://kotortool.home.comcast.net/module_editor.jpg)
And here's one that you can download to see a much earlier version in action:
http://kotortool.home.comcast.net/Module_Editor_Demo.exe)
Let me know what you folks think!
The thing is, you can have "user" palette templates that don't actually get used in the module in the NWN Toolset. That is, you can add an item to the palette, but not actually use it. I needed a "friendly" way for people to make sure their custom textures, models, etc. make there way into the .mod file.
For now, I have added the "extras" folder; anything placed in there will be copied to the .mod file. The 16 character (excluding extension) long file name limit still applies. One could even include a readme.txt into their module!
I have a new version coming out as soon as I can make sure I have all of the files identified for the release. I am also considering using a different installer creation tool. InstallShield is good, but the NullSoft installer looks pretty attractive too, though I have no experience with it. (Anyone have a sample script? And yes, I have seen the provided ones; I'd like to see a real script)
Darkkender is correct that this is not done by a script but is handled internally by the game engine when a creature carrying droppable items die.
Creature(UTC) templates have a BodyBag field, which is a reference to the bodybag.2da file, determining the look of their lootable remains. If the BodyBag field is set to 0 (Default), the value in the body_bag column in appearance.2da for that creature's appearance type is used instead.
Thanks; I was wondering how that worked!