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[Tutorial] jastey's SoD NPC Modding Tutorials


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The tutorials contain SoD plot spoilers, obviously.

Here are the links to my SoD modding tutorials:

And here is the knowledge of all tutorials bundled into a working NPC mod:
Biff the Understudy Tutorial NPC Mod for SoD
Please note: the mod is working, but Biff has a basic cre, no items, no portrait, and no soundset. The focus of the mod is on the scripting described in the tutorials.

Please Note: The tutorials are to my best knowledge at the current time. I am not done with modding my NPCs for SoD yet, though, so it might well be that some details will change in the future. If you mod using these tutorials, be on the lookout for changes.


Descriptions:
 

Modding Tutorial Part 1: Automatic Transition of NPCs into SoD and between Camps in SoD

This tutorial deals with the transition of an NPC from BG:EE to SoD and how to move your NPC from one SoD area to another depending on the campaign's progress if they are not in the group. As an example NPC, Biff the Understudy will be the NPC in this guide!
In SoD, joinable NPCs that are not in the party will still be present and waiting in whichever camp the coalition is staying currently. This tutorial lists all relevant scripts that need to be patched for a mod NPC to make them behave the same way.
It contains examples of what and how to add to the scripts so your mod NPC will be moved around SoD camps during the progressing SoD campaign in case they are not in the party, too.

Modding Tutorial Part 2: Make Your NPC Comment and Move Along at the End of SoD

This tutorial deals with how to integrate your NPC into the events and cutscenes at the end of SoD. Biff the Understudy will be the example NPC in this guide.

Note: This tutorial contains heavy SoD spoilers.

Modding Tutorial Part 3: Add Other General SoD Behavior to Your NPC: XP Adjustment, Actions in Story Cutscenes, Commenting of Main Story Events

This tutorial deals with giving your NPC some general script additions like XP adjustment upon joining, removing of Story Mode upon leaving the group, letting the NPC move in cutscenes if not in party, and inclusion into general NPC reaction points to the main game events.

The listed situations in this tutorial are the ones where general reactions depending on class, race, or alignment of all or several NPCs in group are included in the game and where a mod NPC should not be missing. It does not give examples of possible interjection points depending on individual NPCs' character or personal reactions to game events etc.

The tutorial now includes all instances I could find by browsing the game files. Let me know if I missed anything or if you have general critique. The tutorial might change after I finished my own NPC mods for SoD.

Modding Tutorial Part 4: How to Script the SoD Banter System for Your NPC

This tutorial deals with how to make your NPC banter with the other party NPCs like it is custom in SoD. In SoD, banters of party NPCs are done via floating text above their heads while the player wanders about the areas. As an example NPC, Biff the Understudy will be the NPC in this guide, bantering with Corwin two times: the first banter will be started by Biff, the second by Corwin. Read through the chapters to see how the needed files play together.

The examples are such that the banter can be also offered in "dialogue style" like they are in BG2. How to do this as an optional component of your mod is explained in Chapter 4.

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The first post was updated with another tutorial:
 

Modding Tutorial Part 4: How to Script the SoD Banter System for Your NPC

This tutorial deals with how to make your NPC banter with the other party NPCs like it is custom in SoD. In SoD, banters of party NPCs are done via floating text above their heads while the player wanders about the areas. As an example NPC, Biff the Understudy will be the NPC in this guide, bantering with Corwin.

"Part 4" because I have already other tutorials planned for 2 and 3.

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Tutorial 2 updates to v5 with adaptions to the last scenes.

Changelog:

- added SetGlobal("bd_meet_canon_party","bd6200",1)to creation at the sewer exit (after PC escapes prison) so Imoen will be aware there is someone waiting at the clearing.
- changed handling of NPC in the last SoD area (abduction area): NPC will not appear for EET abduction scene. I couldn't make the transition to BGII work properly if the effects are on the NPC while they are not in party.

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All tutorials plus the tutorial mod package were updated and heavily revised! The tutorials are finished now from what I can determine by browsing the SoD game files. There might be changes once I finished my own NPC mods for SoD.

 

Changelog Tutorial 1 v8:
-     Tutorial was revised and updated with new content. This includes unification of used naming schemes, correction of typos and oversights. Proposed examples might have changed in details.
-     Rewritten first section for compatibility with EndlessBG1 mod. New title: General throughts to transition into SoD's "Korlasz' Crypt".
-     Chapter 2 "Add Biff to Corwin's list about companions in BG city" now uses I_C_T directly.
-     Content list order corrected.

Changelog Tutorial 2 v7:
-     Tutorial was revised and updated with new content. This includes unification of used naming schemes, correction of typos and oversights. Proposed examples might have changed in details.
-     Chapter 3 "Biff visits the PC in Prison" expanded in case the NPC should visit as a love interest after Corwin.
-     Added Continue() to script additions via EXTEND_TOP except cutscenes.
-     Revised the order of actions in some script blocks.
-     Corrected typos and oversights.

Changelog Tutorial 3 v3:
-     Tutorial was revised and updated with new content. This includes unification of used naming schemes, correction of typos and oversights. Proposed examples might have changed in details.
-     New chapter: Training the Recruits in the Coalition Camp
-     New chapter: The Chicken, the Well, and the Dog Easter Egg
-     New chapter: Providing the "Skipit" Functionality for Cutscenes
-     New chapter: Promotion of the Road to Discovery Mod and its Possibilities for your NPC Mod
-     Unified Biff's joined.dlg to "xxBiffJ".
-     Chapter paragraphs are numbered now.
-     Chapters about commenting in final scene deprecated ("Last area bd6100.are: comment in abduction scene (EET)").

Changelog Tutorial 4 v3:
-     Tutorial was revised and updated with new content. This includes unification of used naming schemes, correction of typos and oversights. Proposed examples might have changed in details.
-     Added new chapter: Include Optional Component for Banters in "Dialog Style". Examples in chapters 1-3 adjusted for compatibility with new chapter 4. (i.e. used variables changed; comments on how to put all banters into one single baf file removed.)
-     Examples in chapters 1 and 3 expanded: Biff and Corwin banter two times now.

Changelog Tutorial Mod Package "Biff the Understudy" v4:

-Updated the mod to the Tutorial updates: Tutorial 1 v8, Tutorial 2 v7, Tutorial 3 v3, Tutorial 4 v3. Please note: The mod was revised and updated according to the changes in the tutorials. Details and specifics have changed at various places!
-Added example of German language choice (not active) and traify-ed all lines in the tp2 (not many).
-Changed handling of texts: setup-xxbiff.tra contains lines needed for setup, all ingame text from tp2 moved into game-xxbiff.tra.
-Added dynamic order syntax and globally unique labels to xxbiff.ini and tp2 to include support for Project Infinity, with explanations.
-Updated Readme.
 

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Thank you for your interest. With feedback this quickly after an update my heart always skips a beat because I expect it to be a bug report (of an extremely silly mistake). 😅

Let me know any critique or suggestions. Some of (my) NPC mods (Brage, Brandock, Grey, Breagar) already make use of most of the proposed content but I am sure there is room for improvement (not to say I expect there to be bugs that slipped through until now).

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