Cross-modding for banters and such

[kthxbye]

Hi @ all!

I'm writing a NPC mod for BG:T (since I need the transiction thing, but when it will be ready I will think on how to set it to work with tutu as well) and I'm currently coding the BG1 part. Since I consider the BG1NPC mod as a must-have for BG1, I'd like to add some interjections inside BG1NPC banters, and some banters too, but in order to do so I'd like to ask you some questions..

 

First of all, if I'm allowed to add my own content to your mod. I'm really new to this and don't know how it works, so I don't want to mess with things I shouldn't be allowed to.

 

Then, on how to add the interjections: I know how to make several components inside the same tp2 file, so I could make a check to see if BG1NPC is installed and ask to install the interjections after that.. But will make a .d file containing a BEGIN k-roseJ suffice? In other words, will it patch the current k-roseJ file by itself? I've read some mods but didn't find anything about that.

 

Last thing, I'm not confident enough to write banters from scratch as I fear to write some lines out of the personality you gave to BG1 characters, and since I really love how they are now I prefer not to risk that. Would it be possible, now or in future, to discuss for some banters between BG1 npcs and my own npc with the authors of the banters of the BG1 npcs? (For example, I could see Garrick having a crush on Rose, even if this won't work out or last long.)

 

My mod's really in a beta state right now (I started it a week ago or so, and it's my first one) but if someone's interested it can be found here. If it wasn't allowed to post the link please remove it.

 

Thanks in advance for the possible answers!

[berelinde]

I'm writing a NPC mod for BG:T (since I need the transiction thing, but when it will be ready I will think on how to set it to work with tutu as well) and I'm currently coding the BG1 part. Since I consider the BG1NPC mod as a must-have for BG1, I'd like to add some interjections inside BG1NPC banters, and some banters too, but in order to do so I'd like to ask you some questions..

Yay, more mods for the BG portion of the game. I'm a Tutu gal, myself, but it's possible to do both.

 

First of all, if I'm allowed to add my own content to your mod. I'm really new to this and don't know how it works, so I don't want to mess with things I shouldn't be allowed to.

The basic premise of BG1 NPC was to expand on the original 26 NPCs offered in BG1, so it's unlikely that you'll be able to add anything related to your NPC to the mod.

 

That isn't to say that you can't use BG1 NPC variables in your own mod. Domi has said that it's permissible.

 

Then, on how to add the interjections: I know how to make several components inside the same tp2 file, so I could make a check to see if BG1NPC is installed and ask to install the interjections after that.. But will make a .d file containing a BEGIN k-roseJ suffice? In other words, will it patch the current k-roseJ file by itself? I've read some mods but didn't find anything about that.

You're going to want to create a separate file to install if and only if BG1 NPC is detected.

 

Interjections in BG1 NPC states are a bit tricky, but it's theoretically possible. You can't use ordinary state numbers, like you would for interjections into the unmodified game, unfortunatey. You'd be all right if BG1 NPC was the ony BG1 mod installed, but what if somebody's got Finch/Indira/Mur'Neth/Gavin installed? All of them add to the NPC dialogues, so the state numbers might not be the same, and it will be installation order dependant.

 

Your only option if you want to interject into BG1 NPC dialogues is to use STATE_WHICH_SAYS. You can look at Crossmod Banter Pack for examples of how that is used.

 

You might want to remember that not all of the contributors to BG1 NPC favor interjections into BG1 NPC dialogues. You will likely encounter a variety of opinions on that subject. With Gavin, I opted not to interject into mod dialogue.

 

Last thing, I'm not confident enough to write banters from scratch as I fear to write some lines out of the personality you gave to BG1 characters, and since I really love how they are now I prefer not to risk that. Would it be possible, now or in future, to discuss for some banters between BG1 npcs and my own npc with the authors of the banters of the BG1 npcs? (For example, I could see Garrick having a crush on Rose, even if this won't work out or last long.)

Unfortunately, many of the contributors to BG1 NPC are no longer active modders. You'll have to do what you can to preserve the tone, I'm afraid. Practice makes perfect.

[Ardanis]

Interjections in BG1 NPC states are a bit tricky, but it's theoretically possible. You can't use ordinary state numbers, like you would for interjections into the unmodified game, unfortunatey. You'd be all right if BG1 NPC was the ony BG1 mod installed, but what if somebody's got Finch/Indira/Mur'Neth/Gavin installed? All of them add to the NPC dialogues, so the state numbers might not be the same, and it will be installation order dependant.

I believe one can look for a text string instead, then find the appropriate state and patch it. Though it can be complicated at times, especially if there're many states containing the same string. [EDIT]Apparently, that's what STATE_WHICH_SAYS does, should have read more carefully.[/EDIT]

 

But will make a .d file containing a BEGIN k-roseJ suffice? In other words, will it patch the current k-roseJ file by itself?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but iirc the BEGIN in .d overwrites the file, killing whatever was there before.

[kthxbye]

@berelinde: first of all, thanks for all the infos.

What I meant while asking if I'm allowed to add content on the mod was if I'm allowed to insert interjections inside BG1NPC banters, I don't want to change anything inside the mod itself. I think I will gonna pass on interjections anyway, at least for now. I fear to screw up things with elaborate commands.

 

I will insert new banters with NPCs anyway since banters can be installed with or without BG1NPC but I will retain BG1NPC personality for the characters. Hope to be able to keep the level up at least to half of the BG1NPC one..

 

@Ardanis: it's possible that my use of "BEGIN" in my first post is wrong, Rose is my first mod and I've never done such a thing. Right now I'm totally new to coding and the like.

 

Again, thanks to both of you for the answers!

[berelinde]

Just to make sure we understand each other, you're perfectly free to add interjections to original game banters/dialogue. You'll know it's BG1 NPC-added dialogue because the decompiled code will contain some kind of a variable with X# or P# in it. For adding interjections to original game dialogue, a simple INTERJECT_COPY_TRANS will work, 99.9% of the time, though sometimes, you'll need a pass-back.

[Domi]

Just one quick comment - when you are doing your banters, it might be a good idea for you to take a look at the banters from the module. For example, Garrick has a crash on Skie, that is not long-lasting AND Safana. Potentially, you might end up with Garrick professing unrequited love to 3 females in the party, which will quickly turn him into Coran-wannable, instead of a shy-ier, naive type. You can always by-pass the problem by making it conditional. Or finding a different, more original line of interaction. Take a look at BG2 experience with pretty much every one of 3000 modded NPCs trying to chide Valygar for his hatred of mages.... Basically, in our days of ripe modding scene, it's a good idea to right down the 'first comes to mind' topics, and then keep going deeper and looking for different ones. And then reject the 'first comes to mind', because chances are it was already done (and, in some cases, to death) for each NPC.

[kthxbye]

@Berelinde: I wasn't aware of the P# prefix, I knew only the X#. Thanks!

 

@Domi: thanks for pointing out the two flirts Garrick already has. I wasn't aware of that, since I don't usually keep Safana and/or Skie. I'd like to make those two and the one with Rose mutually exclusive, based upon which fires first, so that Garrick won't have the same flirt path each game. Don't want to see Garrick flirt with Skie, Safana and Rose in the same game anyway.

Obviously I will have to make a huge work checking BG1NPC dialogs with Infinity Explorer before starting to write the banters.

Right now I was thinking of coding the BG1 part of my mod making it fully compatible (Garrick's mutually exclusive flirts could be an example) with BG1NPC, and in future changing it to make it compatible with other mods. How do you see that line of work?