NearInfinity

[Guest Manthis]

Hello folks,

 

I admit that I am totally new to the modding business, so please have patience.

I browsed through some help and tutorial websites, but find them rather confusing than helpful.

So I tried to understand the basics mostly on my own.

I am using NearInfinity the realize my ideas and I guess I can create a NPC-Mod just using NI, or not?

In case I create all the necessary files, other people should be able to play the Mod by just past alle new and modified files into their override folders, right?

 

Some things already work, I have a "custom" area filled with some custom creatures and the NPC, who wears custom items.

But now I am at the point of creating dialogs and concerning this part NI really confuses me.

No matter which DLG file I export to modifiy, the game crashes when the dialog should starts.

The script for the dialog to start is ok (and not very difficult), but the DLG file which I reduced to a minimum of information, absolutely doens´t work at all.

Even if I modify barely nothing it has the same result.

 

I am grateful for some help!

[Meira]

Hello folks,

 

I admit that I am totally new to the modding business, so please have patience.

I browsed through some help and tutorial websites, but find them rather confusing than helpful.

So I tried to understand the basics mostly on my own.

I am using NearInfinity the realize my ideas and I guess I can create a NPC-Mod just using NI, or not?

In case I create all the necessary files, other people should be able to play the Mod by just past alle new and modified files into their override folders, right?

 

Some things already work, I have a "custom" area filled with some custom creatures and the NPC, who wears custom items.

But now I am at the point of creating dialogs and concerning this part NI really confuses me.

No matter which DLG file I export to modifiy, the game crashes when the dialog should starts.

The script for the dialog to start is ok (and not very difficult), but the DLG file which I reduced to a minimum of information, absolutely doens´t work at all.

Even if I modify barely nothing it has the same result.

 

I am grateful for some help!

 

Welcome!

 

I'm afraid that if you want to create an NPC mod you need to learn to use more tools than just Near Infinity. Ace's NPC creating tutorial will help you to get started. Among other things it will inform you how to create dialogs for your characters. Don't be afraid to ask questions!

[jcompton]

I am using NearInfinity the realize my ideas and I guess I can create a NPC-Mod just using NI, or not?

 

In theory, you could do this.

 

In practice, it would be a terrible experience for everyone.

 

In case I create all the necessary files, other people should be able to play the Mod by just past alle new and modified files into their override folders, right?

 

Something like that. Which would be terrible and is why the entire civilized world has used WeiDU to make mods for the past six and a half years. Please learn to use it. Everyone will be much happier.

[berelinde]

It might be helpful for someone to tell you *why* you should learn to use WeiDU, rather than just telling you to use it.

 

When you build files using nothing but NI, you are customizing your own installation. Anybody else will have a different installation. Even changes like fixpacks affect this. If somebody else has an installation that is different from yours, installing your mod will break their game.

 

Here's why. When mods are installed with WeiDU, they extend and append existing game files. When non-WeiDU mods (direct copying to the override) are used, they overwrite game files, including any WeiDU mods already installed. Since just about anybody who would use your mod will have at least one other mod installed, you're asking for trouble.

 

So, what would happen if you built your NI-only mod on an installation that included other mods? The references used in your mod wouldn't match the player's installation, and any line of text in the game would likely be gibberish.

 

So you really are better off learning how to use WeiDU.

[jcompton]

It might be helpful for someone to tell you *why* you should learn to use WeiDU, rather than just telling you to use it.

 

I felt "the entire civilized world has used WeiDU to make mods for the past six and a half years" was more than adequate.

[berelinde]

If that were all it took, we wouldn't be seeing people writing WeiDU mods that copy already-compiled scripts into the override, but people still do it.

 

OP, your best bet is to find a good tutorial, as Meira suggested, and follow it.

[theacefes]

Annnd if you run into trouble, we have a lovely Q and A forum (as does every other modding site) where people who have been doing this for a while are more than happy to help.

[Gabrielle]

Are IAPs making a come back?

[Domi]

Lol, I hope not! I *wish* there was a tool like WeiDU for NWN2, honestly, enjoy it while you can, it's awsome!

[Guest Guest]

Hi again!

 

Ok, I got it, mostly thanks to the post of berelinde, some other posts aren´t quite helpful.

I already thought that the direct copy-and-past method can make the game crash or make it otherwise unplayable if other NPC mods are installed, but I didn´t thought about all the other kind of mods.

The mentioned tutorial is quite extensive and I try as much as possible on my "own" to not bother everyone with questions oder problems that are answered or solved thousand times before.

I already realized most of it´s content, but there are (of course) some problems and I still don´t know how to realize some specific ideas.

So, am I supposed to open a thread in the Q&A area?

 

Thanks, M