UPDATE 26.2.2014
Hey everyone,
Sorry for keeping you in the dark for so long, but real life got in the way of things. I'll be honest with you guys and say that I've already decided some time ago not to release this mod. I'm not in a habit of releasing unfinished projects, and considering my current schedule and interests, finishing the mod was also out of the question (at least for the foreseeable future).
Anyhow, a lot of people have been wondering about what's happened to the project and if it's ever going to be finished. Not wanting to come up with any more empty promises and not even knowing myself if I'll ever get the chance to finish it, I've decided to ignore these questions. Not very nice, I know, but that seemed the most appropriate at the time. However, I've received more than one request in the past few weeks to release what's already done anyway. I wasn't keen on the idea at first, and I'm still not, but after careful consideration, I've decided to do just that.
So, let's see what we have:
1. The ReadMe:
K1 Enchantment Pack (modder's resource)
You're looking at an unfinished version of KotOR Enchantment Pack, which was meant to be released way back in 2009. Due to sudden changes in both my personal and professional life, that day never came. Recently, however, I've been getting many requests to release the stuff that's already been done. After much consideration, I decided to do just that. So here it is.
1. About the project
This is more than just a mod: it's a combination (a pack) of several mods I've been working on over the years. Any or each of these mods (or modules) can be used as completely standalone or in combination with others. The project as a whole touches on almost every aspect of the game and enhances or changes it some way. To experience all it has to offer, you have
to try it out yourself.
2. Modules
Let's look at what each module has to offer:
"1. NPC Modification Pack": This is basically the heart of the mod, and does exactly what its name implies and much more. One of the biggest problems with KotOR was its abhorrent lack of unique NPC appearances. The game world is full of characters with colourful personalities, but often-times their appearance doesn't match their dialogue. This module aims to fix that shortcoming and more. Most NPC's (named, generic, or otherwise defined) are given a somewhat more unique look (face, equipment, etc.), and their abilities (feats, health, etc.) follow the game's lore more closely (for example, someone who fights their whole life will have a larger chance of succeeding in a fight than someone who just started out [A Jedi or not]).
In addition to the above, this module also incorporates minor and major cosmetic tweaks, like NPC's facing the right direction in and outside the dialogue, NPC's actually leaving the game world when they are no longer needed (like Jon, Lorgal, etc.), etc. One major tweak, for example, is the inclusion of more waypoints for NPC's to make use of, which basically means a livelier and more realistic game world. Basically, NPC's should no longer just stand about for the entire game.
"2. Party Members": As the name implies, the modifications present in this module deal with the game's party members. Each member has had something added or modified. A lot of effort was put into Bastila (without going too much into detail, let's just say that the Dark Side Bastila encounters are now significantly different). Other party members mostly had more variants of their clothing added (doesn't replace what is already in game), plus some other minor changes. Of special note is perhaps Juhani: I have fixed her side quest (no more will meeting up with Xor screw every other side quest that is based on spawns), her final speech on the Temple,
and most of the errors in her global dialogue.
"3. PC": This module consists of several mods which enhance the player character somehow, either by tweaking the default clothing, providing default face reskins, adding Darth Revan's robes, or slowing down your PC's walking animation.
"4. Miscellaneous": This module again contains a collection of several smaller mods. There are reskins of existing and additions of new armors and robes, extra end game movies, a bodies stay module (corpses won't fade away immediately), etc. One addition of note, perhaps, is the "Close Doors" mod, which makes doors close a few seconds after you open them (but only if your PC is not standing near a door about to be closed).
"5. Compatibility": Contains compatibility files for certain popular mods.
"6. Source Scripts": Self explanatory.
"7. Screenshots": Self explanatory.
3. Installation
Installation is varied. Some mods simply require you to move the files contained in a folder into your override. Others require a TSLPatcher install. Look inside folders of each mod to learn which method applies to the mod(s) you're interested in.
4. What is finished & unfinished
This is probably the question you're most itching to ask, and I'll be glad to answer it for you. The good news is that everything aside from the "Close Doors" mod (Korriban, Star Forge, and UW not yet done) and the "NPC Modification Pack" module is finished and should be working as intended. The bad news is that the "NPC Modification Pack" module is by far the most extensive in the entire pack, and also the reason I started this project in the first place. But the situation is not entirely hopeless. The skins that are
there are all finished (it's true that I planned to do more, but what's there is already a lot), as are most of the cosmetic tweaks. The TSLPatcher should also take care of everything 2DA related. Scripts should be working, and most major NPC's have been attended to.
What is not done are generic NPC's and enemies for all of the planets. For instance, I haven't even touched Korriban, Unknown World, and Star Forge yet, and the changes on other planets have not yet been thoroughly tested. So basically, all that is left to do is some "UTC editing" and perhaps a script here and there (depending on what you want to achieve).
5. So, what took you so long?
The unfinished portion doesn't seem like much, now does it. You're probably asking yourself if that's all that's left, what have I been doing all this time. It's a fair question, and I'm afraid I can't just give you a straight answer. You have to understand that while it doesn't seem like much, I have to maintain a certain level of quality throughout the entire mod. Spikes in quality are unacceptable in my book. Just applying all of my modifications to Mannan (adding waypoints, tweaking NPC appearances, testing, ironing out bugs that I've caused due to my meddling, learning new and better ways to mod the game, etc), for example, took me several days. Another important issue is that I'm always finding new stuff that need my attention. For instance, I may declare a planet finished one day, and then the next day (during testing) find some other "glaring issue" that desperately needs my attention. So I fix that issue only to discover it broke something else in the game, which
I naturally have to fix as well, and so on. It's a vicious cycle that I've been all but powerless to stop.
When you're working on your free time without any schedule to hold you back, you tend to get wild with your ideas and attempt project you never would've otherwise. This feels liberating at first, but sooner or later real life steps in and shows you that your grand dream really is just that - a dream that almost became a reality. The fact that this project actually is "almost finished" makes this realisation even harder to accept. A part of you keeps thinking that one day you will get the chance to finish and finally release the project (not much is left to be done after all, you keep saying to yourself), but as years pass, it becomes harder and harder to maintain that level of thought; and eventually you are left with only two choices: take lessons for the future and then forget you ever worked hours upon hours on a project
such as this, or release an unfinished version of your project to the internet and let the people who have extended you their support and whom you have teased with promises and screenshots for years to get to enjoy at least a part of your dream.
This choice may seem obvious at first, but things are not quite as straightforward as that. Not only is an unfinished product not something I
ever wanted anyone to see, it also appears lazy, as in: "Let me just put this out in the wild and be done with it. Let it be someone else's problem now". It's unfair to the project, as well as to the people who supported or even helped you along the way. One might say it's no more unfair than simply going quiet, and he would be right as well. None of these two choices seem totally right to me, but at the present time I see no alternative. My hope is that people will find some value in this project even in its unfinished state.
6. Credits
SpaceAlex (that's me): the project
redrob41: for allowing me to edit and use his "Echani" mod for the purposes of this project, and for providing several excellent Wookie skins.
Chainz & Svosh: for allowing me to edit a skin from their "“Bastila's Revelation Robes” and using it in my own mod
Bioware: for the game
7. Special Thanks
redrob41: for all his help with this project and for believing in me.
jonathan7: for being a friend and encouraging me to finish the mod (didn't work unfortunately, but even so, this would've been a far lesser mod
without people like him supporting me over the years)
All of the people at SWKnights.com who commented or otherwise extended their support for this project. I wouldn't get so far without your support.
8. Permissions & Copyrights
Since this is a modder's resource, anyone willing is allowed to take the contents of this mod and do whatever he/she pleases with it. All I ask for is giving me credit for my work. The only limitation are skins that were based on the work of Chainz & Svosh and redrob41 (see above). If you'd like to release those skins with your version of the mod, you will have to seek permissions of their respective owners.
Good Luck!
2. The Download Link (
http://1drv.ms/1jNyi2K)
And that's pretty much it for now. If someone would actually like to continue this work, let me know, and I'll try to help the best I'm able. Do note that it's been a long time since I modded KotOR, so I may be a bit rusty. I can still provide a few pointers, though.
Hopefully, you guys will find some use for all of this. Thanks everyone for all of your support, encouragement, and most importantly, patience.
OLD POST:
This pack is made out of several different mods. Each mod is independent, and one is not required for the other to function properly. I won't list all of the mods here because there would be little point in doing so, since I have no screenshots or anything to show you. Instead I will only list the mods of which I have screenshots to show here. The mods are:
1. NPC Modification Pack (Pre-BETA Stage): This is the largest of the pack. The idea is basically to replace all of those awful looking low poly models with high poly ones, and give unique appearances to as many NPC's as possible. There will be more generic NPC heads aswel. Additionally, I'm also going to alter the behavior of some NPC's (for example, the miners on Tatooine will now actually leave for Achorhead once you've dealt with the Sand People instead of just standing there like retards).
The screen-shots can be viewed below or by following this link (
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v202/SpaceAlex/NPC%20Modification%20Pack/).
2. Party Members Mods (BETA Stage): As the name suggests, this one deals with party members. Each party member has had something added or modified. Most of my effort was put into Bastila :xp: (without going too much into detial, let's just say that the encounters with the Dark Side Bastila are now significantly different). Other party members mostly have more variants of their clothing (not replacements of what is already in game), and some other minor changes. Of special note is perhaps Juhani: I have fixed her side quest (no more will meeting up with Xor screw every other side quest that is based on spawns), her final speech on the Temple, and most of the errors in her global dialog (I know it has been done before, but what of it. :p).
The screen-shots can be viewed below or by following this link (
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v202/SpaceAlex/Party%20Members%20Mods/).
3. Miscellaneous mods (BETA Stage): This consists of many different mods. What I'll be showing here is mostly armors. The other mods in the pack are a surprise. :D
The screen-shots can be viewed below or by following this link (
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v202/SpaceAlex/Miscellaneous%20Mods/).